Time Machine Trip to March 1881

March 4, 1881

As soon as the great storm subsides Capt. Doherty wants to hire all men that he can get to work clearing the block of the Lake Shore Road. Wages $1.75 per day.

Madison – The other day a little girl went into O. N. Falk’s drug store to purchase a comic valentine. Before looking over the list laid her five-cent piece on the show case. A rich farmer happened to be nearby and while the child’s attention was engaged with the valentines he slipped up the five-cent piece and walked off. If you can beat that for petty stealing, we would like to see it done.

March 11, 1881

President James A. Garfield was inaugurated the twentieth President of the United States on March 4, last Friday. "All Washington was out on early hour, notwithstanding the storm, and men, women, and children were hurrying through snow and slush from every direction, all intent on reaching Pennsylvania Avenue to witness the inaugural procession, or to the capitol to be present at the ceremonies-to take place there. During the entire night trains laden with military and civilians arrived and continued through the morning to pour their living freight into the street of the city. The stands erected at various points are capable of seating 25,000 people, and every seat has been sold. It is estimated that there are 50,000 strangers in Washington.

On Wednesday afternoon while the men employed on Charles  McCarthy's  new building on the south side were all busy working and a scaffold suddenly gave way and four men were dropped eighteen feet to the ground. Fortunately, the worst of the injured was only a sprained ankle by Andrew Curran.

March 18, 1881

New buildings are springing up as if by magic on both sides of the river, and it would take a city architectural reporter to keep track of this one evidence of Kaukauna's prosperity alone.

The Two Rivers factories have been all abliged to stop on account of the snow blockade, through which it is impossible to obtain fuel.

March 25, 1881

“The weather is the principal theme here now, such a winter as this has not therefore been known  by  the  'oldest inhabitant.' We have not had a single thaw since winter set in way last November, last week we had a three day snow storm, it piled the snow up in great drifts everywhere, some places as high as the first story of stores on Wisconsin Avenue, this effectually blocked travel in every direction, and now today we are having another snow storm and the wind blows 'great guns.' "

In New York there are about 500 venders of sawdust doing a business amounting to more than $2,000,000 annually. Years ago the mills were glad to have the sawdust carted away now it brings $3.50 a load at the mill. It is used at hotels, eatinghouses, groceries and other business houses.