Hello Fellow Time Travelers,
It’s that time again to fire up
the old “Time Machine Chair” and make a trip back to March 1939.
The big wheel is spinning
Dennis Wydeven is taking his place in the driver’s seat. The years are
clicking back and in no time, we are back to Kaukauna’s south side. We are out front of the Kaukauna Times on Main
Street.
The hit parade song of the month.
God Bless America – Kate Smith
Carl Hansen, the publisher, has left the newspapers for
us by the front door of the Kaukauna Times. Let’s see what’s in the news this
month.
Your old news man – Lyle Hansen
March 1,
1939
George
“Stormy” Kromer at his Milwaukee hat factory
The year was 1905, Teddy Roosevelt was
president and George J. “Stormy” Kromer couldn't keep his cap on. George's
action, about his cap, led to his establishment of the Kromer Cap company: to
its present time giving of jobs to 22 persons in Milwaukee and is providing
railroad men with headgear that stays on when they are out on their runs. Home
from his job on the Northwestern back in 1905, George said to his wife:“Ida, see if you can make me a hat that will stay on my head. The thing keep going off and cutting my head when it I jam it over my ears to try to keep it to stick on.” Mrs. Kromer got a piece of heavy material and with George’s guidance fashioned a cap that soon attracted the attention of other Northwestern firemen. George was asked could Mrs. Kromer be induced to make more of the caps. She did and that was how George got into the business and gathered in a tidy little nest egg. Mr. Kromer, though president of the thriving little concern which does an international business, still retains his rights under Northwestern and puts on the track as an engineer regularly.
The Kaukauna High
School basketball team lost to New London Friday evening 28-15 and dropped to
fourth place in the conference race.
Kaukauna won 6 bouts to 4 in their first show
of the year at Neenah. The winners included Billy Mitchler at 85 pounds, Gordon
Hennis at 100 pounds, Don Keil at 124 pounds, Cliff Femal at 148 pounds, Bob
Niesen at 164 pounds, and Sherman Powers at 170 pounds.
Hundreds of canvas-back ducks can be seen on
the lower rapids of the Fox River at this time. The ducks are fed each year by
Kaukauna conservation club and are exceedingly tame.
It is with deepest
sorrow and regret that we chronicle the death of Monroe A. Wertheimer, 76, nationally known paper industrialist and longtime
resident of Kaukauna, who passed away early Wednesday morning at his New York
residence. The news of his death, which came unexpectedly to most of his
associates and friends, cast a shadow of gloom over the entire city. Mr.
Wertheimer was chairman of the board of the Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company and
held a like position with the Longview Fibre Company of Longview, Washington.
He served the Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company as president from the time of its
incorporation in 1901 until 1936 when he became chairman of the board.
March 3,
1939
Carlton Schmitt has his
1902 model touring car on exhibition in front of the garage on Wisconsin
Avenue. The car still bears the original 1902 license plates. The car is a 1902
Peerless and one of three that were built. The other two were destroyed in a
fire so it is now the last one. The car has burn marks on the steering wheel so
it too may have been in the fire but saved. The car was used as a squad car in
Milwaukee from 1910 to 1914 and was purchased by William “Billy” Hood of
Kaukauna later sold to Carlton Schmitt.
Walter G. Albert of Manitowoc has the
distinction of being the first person to be arrested and pay a fine under the
new city parking ordinance which went to affect's winter. Albert paid a fine of
one dollar and cost in Justice Abe Goldin's court when he pleaded guilty to
parking on a Kaukauna Street between the hours of one and 5 AM.
All games in the city basketball league
scheduled for this week have been postponed due to the large amount of sickness
about the city.
March 8,
1939
Kaukauna residents who desire to listen to the
ceremony of the coronation of Pope Pius
XII which will take place Sunday morning at St. Peter's in Rome will have
to rise early, as the actual coronation ceremony will be held at 2:30 AM
Kaukauna time and broadcast to the world.
The town of Kaukauna will be 100 years old on
Thursday, March 9 according to William F. Wolf, Grignon home caretaker, who is
in charge of the project of gathering historical documents pertaining to the
history of the area. Wolf’s original documents show that on March 9, 1839, the
territory Council of Wisconsin approved the town of Kakalin. The town was in Brown
County at that time. In 1841 Brown County voted to change to the township
system and from Kakalin, Charles A. Grignon, Paul Beaulieu and Hoel Wright were
named supervisors. Grignon was named town chairman. In 1851 Outagamie County
was organized with the towns of Grand Chute, Greenville, Hortonia, Ellington,
Kaukauna and Lansing. Kaukauna was the
first town be organized in the county 1830 with Grand Chute next in 1848.
March 10,
1939
Poor relief cost the city $2585.62 during
February according to the monthly report of Joseph V. Krahn, relief director.
March 15,
1939
This week the Hall of Fame presents another member of the senior class, Lorraine
Powers. Lorraine has no certain hobbies but enjoys dancing very much. She
has taken a complete commercial course and would fill the requirements for the
position of any office on graduation in June.
March 17,
1939
Assistant Chief of Police John Haid, who has
been serving as chief during the illness of James E McFadden, this week
announced that there will be no further extension of time for securing 1939 on
license plates. A notice of this effect has been received by the police
department.
Paul Koch was elected honorary
captain of this year's Kaukauna high school basketball team by the lettermen
Thursday, according to Paul Little, coach. Don Biselx and Joseph Bloch were
named co-captains for this year's team. The letterman announced by Little in
addition to the above are Carl Giordana, Willis Ranquette, Bill Alger, Junior
Swedberg and James Sanders.
March 22,
1939
The oldest living alumnus of the University
Wisconsin celebrated his 99th birthday at his home in Los Angeles on March 3.
He is William W. Church, a member of the graduating class of 1861 and a
recipient of a Masters of Arts degree at 1865. Mr. church was discovered by the
Wisconsin alumni Association.
March 24,
1939
A finely turned gavel made from the historic
wood once part of the old Grignon log home in this city is now owned by the
Kaukauna chapter of Women's Relief Corps. The gavel is made from part of the
red cedar porch post of the memorable old building erected in 1794, the first
building in Kaukauna. It was presented
to the Paul H. Beaulieu Post of the Grand Army of the Republic and had been in
the possession of the Hon. Judge John Lawe until his death.
A 1939 Chevrolet Police Car
The city fathers voted unanimously to purchase
a police car from Gustman Chevrolet Sales for $638.50. Four bids were received
from local garages. Gustman’s bid was for a standard coach with siren, red
light and spotlight.
March 29,
1939
Kaukauna high school boxing team scored a 7 1/2
the 3 1/2 victory over St. Mary's of Menasha here Thursday evening. Don Keil
and Carl Giordana scored knockouts.
March 31,
1939
Carl Anderson and Harold Keefe this week
purchased the Butler Dietzler hardware store 150 West Wisconsin Ave. from John
H Niesen. The store will be known as Service Hardware and will carry a complete
line of hardware and will do heating and sheet metal work. The hardware store
one of the first in the city was operated originally by the Butler brothers.
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