Time Machine Trip to June 1889

Hello Fellow Time Travelers,

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

For today’s trip Joann Mau 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.

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

Your old newsman – Lyle Hansen 

June 7, 1889

The Holland Catholic Church congregation will build a new church edifice during the present year.  Rev. Fr. Bongers, pastor, will give as his own personal contribution, a fine clock for the tower, facing four directions, which will strike the hours, halves, and quarters so loudly it may be heard over the whole city. This will do away with the necessity of ringing the town bell by the city officials. The gift is a splendid one, and will cause the donor to be held in grateful remembrance so long as the bell tolls forth the hour.

About 3,000,000 bricks will be used in the construction of the Kimberly Clark mill at the Cedars.

Shawano dispatch says that the daredevil who robbed three stage coaches in this vicinity recently has had a reward of $1,000 offered for his capture. This Black Bart or whatever he calls himself turned up this morning in Bonduel, a little town fifteen miles from here. He walked quietly into a general store and at the muzzle of the usual revolver compelled Sol Kann the owner to give up all his money and his gold watch. Then the robber jumped into a wagon that was standing in front of the store and drove the team on a dead run on the road toward Gillette.

The London “Jack the Ripper,” has been at his horrible work again. The terrible mutilated remains of another woman were found in the Thames Monday.

The lake above Johnstown, Pa. was several hundred feet above the level of the devastated towns when the dam failed. The wall of water flooded the towns along the valley sweeping everything away in its path. It is estimated that fully 30.000 people lived in the torrent-swept valley that not less than 8,000 were drowned. Another 900 persons died in a fire that consumed the bridge that they had taken refuge upon.

Wing Lee, proprietor of the south side laundry who had his property damaged by a mob that recent made a raid upon his wash shop, has filed claim of damage against the city of Kaukauna for $550.  

June 14, 1889

A dispatch from Rosebud, Dak., - At a council last night June 9, Hollow Horn Bear and High Hawk withdrew from the opposition to sell their land. This breaks up the unfriendly element and insures the acceptance of the terms of cessions of the surplus land of the great Sioux reservation. 

One of the elevated seat stands in the rear part of the opera house gave away during the performance, causing quite a commotion for a few moments. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Manager Hayes has decided not to pay the $100 license and will close the opera house. This means no more shows for Kaukauna.

Seattle, W.T., It is now estimated that the total loss to the city by the fire in buildings alone, is $10,000,000, and that all personal losses will reach $2,000,000. Many people must have perished in the flames.  The entire business portion of Seattle is nothing but smoking ruins.   

Sitting Bull is dying of pneumonia. Many will only leave a sigh of relief when they know he has turned up his toes and has gone to the happy hunting grounds.

June 21, 1889

Robert Green and Gus Geist had a narrow escape from going over the government dam. They were out in a row boat and getting too close to the dam; the boat became unmanageable and was soon carried to the crest of the dam. Upon seeing that they would be carried over and down the rapids the young men jumped into the water and clung to the ends of the boards that compose the dam and succeeded after a while in getting to shore.

Buffalo Bill has sent the proceeds of one of his performances to the Johnstown sufferers, the amount being $2000.

June 28, 1889

The machinery for the Thilmany Paper Company's new mill is arriving daily now. The work on the institution is progressing rapidly.

C. H. Finnegan has the contract for hauling all the stone used in the construction of the new Thilmany mill.  

There were five to six hundred strangers in the city Sunday. The picnic of the Sons of Herman was held at Eden Park. 

  A River Boat Excursion in Kaukauna