Time Machine Trip to March 1887

Hello Fellow Time Travelers,

Well it’s time to fire up the old “Time Machine Chair” and travel back in time to March of 1887.

For today’s trip Bruce Mathis will be sitting in the front seat operating the Time Machine.  The big wheel is spinning, the years are clicking back and in no time we are back on Wisconsin Avenue on Kaukauna’s Northside.

 

• The fire engine was taken out for a test  
• Citizens warned to be on the watch for counterfeit coins     
• Tramps are over running the jail

 

Charles Raught, Times employee, has left the newspapers for us on the chair.

Your old newsman - Lyle 

March 4, 1887

The Fargo Store and residence on Wisconsin Avenue

Tom Worth, who escaped from jail at Oconto last week and was recaptured at Milwaukee, now admits being one of the most accomplished cracksmen in the country. He says he can pick any lock ever manufactured. Sheriff McGee ordered a set of the latest improved irons from New York. A number of citizens were invited in to see him try to escape the irons. After his hands and feet had been secured with the shackles he took from his mouth a small piece of tin. In five seconds his hands and feet were free. Not satisfied with that he reached his hands through the bars of his cell and opened the outside lock. So thoroughly did he convince his visitors that Sheriff McGee moved a guard into the jail with strict orders to shoot him if he tries to get away. 

The fire engine was taken out last Wednesday afternoon to test a new suction hose, ten feet long. Everything was found to be in perfect condition.

Kaukauna treasurer’s report ending January 21^st, 1887:

Balance on Hand $20,260.07

Expenses $5747.11

Balance $14512.96

March 11, 1887

The snow on Wisconsin Avenue has almost entirely melted away from the road leaving the surface on the crushed stone bed. It will soon be necessary to put wagons upon the road again.

A repeating rifle, invented by a French officer can be loaded with its seven cartridges in ten seconds and completely discharged in four and does not require to be removed from the shoulder until the magazine is exhausted. The science of killing quickly is rapidly reaching perfection

Sixteen tramps were found lodging in the cooler on Sunday night last. If this keeps up, it will be necessary to enlarge the "hotel" to accommodate this class of vagrants.

   

The rapid increase of the business of the M.L.S. & W. Railway during the past few years has been phenomenal. In the yard here there are at present over one hundred cars of all kinds in need of repairs. The new shops that are proposed here will double the capacity of work being done here. The new improvements will result in an increase of skilled workers being required here which inturn will result in great prosperity for Kaukauna.  

March 18, 1887

Residents of this city are reminded to be on the lookout for counterfeit silver dollars and five-dollar gold pieces.  Several have already turned up in this area of the state.

Mrs. Essler and son, of the Town of Buchanan, while returning home from this city on Saturday last, had a narrow escape from death while attempting to pass the railroad crossing on 4^th Ave. Notwithstanding the warning from the flagman, the team got nearly upon the track when the engine came up. Marshal Colon was standing near the depot platform and rushed to the rescue and succeeded in turning the horses down the track and saved the team and occupants of the sleigh from certain death.  

March 25, 1887

The Kaukauna Mining and Exploring Co., in their ten days of work at the Driessen farm have drilled to a depth of more than one hundred feet. They have already encountered two veins of coal, and from present indications, are close upon a third.

A dispatch from Augusta, Ky., announces that a vagrant is to be sold into slavery for seventy-five days. The unfortunate tramp is to be sold by auction just as blacks were prior to the war. Great excitement is said to prevail as this is the first case of the kind which has occurred in this country for a great many years.