Time Machine Trip to March 1889

Hello Fellow Time Travelers,

Well it’s time to fire up the old “Time Machine Chair” and travel back in time to March 1889.

For today’s trip Dan Van Boxtel 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 East Second Street on Kaukauna’s Southside.

Charlie has left the papers on the chair out front of the Times building. Let’s see what’s in the news this month.

Your old newsman – Lyle Hansen 

PS: Another Time Machine TV series began recently, “Time after Time”.  What have we started?

March 1, 1889

The part of the dam at the Florence improvement which was put in Sunday gave away Tuesday afternoon and a seventeen-foot head of water rushed down the river with great rapidity. The ice in the river above the dam here was broken up and carried in large chunks down the rapids, many of them lodging against the Lake Shore railway bridge and forming a blockade. A crew of men was soon at work and in a few hours the waters in the rapids was again rolling along in its former state. The damage up river will amount to several thousand dollars. (Note: The Florence area was renamed Kimberly and Combined Locks)

Julius Kuehn was appointed as city marshal by Mayor Reuter.

   

The thermometer registered 25 below Friday of last week.

Oshkosh - At a hugging bee introduced at a church social the other evening a man while blindfolded, hugged his wife for several minutes. When he found out, he wanted his 15c back.

Forty-two stars now on the flag. The president approved the bill to admit as states of the Union, Washington Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Oshkosh has a band of White Caps and they have threatened Dale Campbell, editor of the Northwestern, with something terrible if he does not “vamoose” by Saturday. The White Caps should be aware that editors are “bad men” to handle and not easily scared. 

Harrisburg, Pa., - Miss Mary Yountz is suffering from facial paralysis brought on by gum-chewing. Her chin drops and it is necessary to tie a bandage over her head to keep the lower jaw in proper place. Kaukauna girls beware of the festive “yum, yum.”

Little Chute held another two-day kermis the first of the week. The attendance was unusually large.

March 8, 1889

Messer’s, Watson Bros., the prominent merchant tailors of the north side, have added a new department to their store in - the way of ready-made clothing. For years, the boys-- have sought to supply the wants of all in need of wearing apparel, and their trade in the line of clothing and the calls for the same during the past year has increased with such rapidity that they concluded to put in a complete and well assorted stock of this class of goods to meet the demand made therefore. Having just added this department all can readily see that every thing is new and no shelf-worn goods will be found there.

Washington, D.C. – Gen. Harrison has taken the oath of office from the east portico of the capitol. The new president stated that there is no requirement that the oath be taken in public but he is a servant of the people and they should witness the event.

March 15, 1889

About 9 o'clock Tuesday evening a mob of boys and men, not knowing what they were doing or the reason for such disgraceful work, marched down upon the laundry, and smashing in the front of the building and ordered the occupants of Wing Lees Laundry to vacate, who immediately did so by running for dear life.  This action was entirely uncalled for, as the Chinamen had not been ordered to leave town or anything of the kind and those who participated in the raid are liable to a heavy-fine.

The matter of building a bridge over the Fox River here will be submitted to a vote of the freeholders again at the regular charters election to be held April 2nd.

Cord wood has been in demand this week. The roads are broken up so badly that farmers cannot get in with heavy loads.

Oscar Thilmany, of Appleton, has formed a company for manufacturing sulphite fibre, and will erect a $250,000 plant somewhere on the Fox River. It may possibly be located in Kaukauna.

March 22, 1889

The Chinamen of the south side whose laundry was raided, returned last Friday with a lawyer from Oshkosh, and a highly-educated Chinaman from Chicago named Wong Jim Foo. It is not definitely known as yet what course will be taken by the Celestials but it is thought the city will be sued for damages.

William Dorris a young tough of Madison struck a girl because she refused to permit him to accompany her home from a party. Dorris serves one month in jail.

March 29, 1889

What are the youth of this city coming to anyway? Tuesday afternoon while the boy that drives the wagon for Peter Kohler's Bakery was delivering some supplies on Wisconsin Avenue, half a dozen small boys took charge of the vehicle and devoured all the cakes, etc., that was contained therein. Upon being reprimanded for their conduct they made a charge on the aforesaid boy with clubs and rocks and drove him from the scene.

The Badger Paper Company has purchased the Brokaw Pulp mill on the south side, and will hereafter use the product of that mill in the Badger mill.

A bill authorizing the City of Kaukauna to construct a bridge over the Fox River, and empowering the city to borrow a sum necessary for that purpose, passed the assembly last Thursday.

Fairbury, Neb., - Eight tramps were publicly flogged on their bare backs for their boisterous conduct. They were then led to the edge of the city and advised to keep without the limits in the future.

Col. H. A. Frambach’s name goes into the conventions tonight as a candidate for mayor. The Col. has already served in that capacity, having been the first mayor of Kaukauna.