Time Machine Trip to March 1918

March 1, 1918

Captain Henkes, of the United States army, was given 25 years in the military prison at Fort Leavenworth for refusing to fight against the Germans. Like marriage the oath of loyalty is for “better or worse, until death do us part.”

There are only twenty tons of nut coal in Kaukauna and no more will be here this season according to the coal administer. All the nut coal will be held on hand for families in need due to sickness. People will have to burn wood or buckwheat for fuel.

A letter from France. “Everyone is very much pleased with the Americans over here. They are a splendid looking lot of men and officers and their manners and attitude leave nothing to be desired. Once they start in I think that the Germans will have some real fighting to handle.” 

March 8, 1918

“I received the Times today, also the carton of Camels and needless to say, both were fully appreciated,” writes Jack Wilpolt, with the Canadian soldiers at Kent, England. “The Camels lasted as long as a snowball would in hell.”

Wisconsin needs 300 engine and other automobile mechanics or repairmen, for its quota to the government.

The beautiful metal flag pole bought by the men in the Northwestern Railway shops of this city, was raised last Saturday above the oil building in the presence of a large crowd. As the flag was raised up the steel mast men took off their hats and remained uncovered while Prof. Schussmann, superintendent of Kaukauna schools, delivered an impressive and stirring address of the working men of the country for their patriotism and their loyalty in time of war. Prof. Schussmann has close blood ties with Germany and believes only in straight out Americanism and gave a scathing indictment of the slacker and pro-German in this time of crisis.

March 15, 1918

The Kaukauna boys of Co. K are now in France. Parents of most of the boys have received letters written by the soldiers. There are now about sixty more local boys “somewhere in France.” The total from Kaukauna is now about 100. Parents and families are invited to send letters on to the Times from the boys.

Some people are inclined to blame local merchants because they cannot get all the sugar they want. The shortage is not the fault of the grocer here. As result of the war there are shortages all over the state.

Corporal Richard Helf of Kaukauna held the highest record at target shooting of anyone at Camp Grant, Rockford, Ill. Corporal Helf hit 16 bullseyes of 19 shots with his rifle. There were 10,000 present to see the best shooting record. Corporal Helf will receive an additional five dollars a month in pay for his achievement.

The cyclone, thunder and snow storm of Saturday was such an unusual event that people are talking of much less. The large plate glass window at the Butler-Dietzler Hardware on Wisconsin Avenue was smashed.  Telephone lines out in the country were put out of commission and have not yet been repaired. Tin roofs in town were torn from the buildings.

When a fireplace is available wood can be used to good advantage during the shortages of fuel.

March 22, 1918

The installation of an automatic alarm system, the employment of one more paid fireman, a general expansion and improvement of the Kaukauna fire department and a consequent reduction in the fire insurance rates for local people may result from the special meeting of the common council Thursday evening.

There’ll be three candidates for mayor at the city election April 2 – Dr. C. D. Boyd, E. C. Driessen, and C. E. Raught. The names of thirty candidates will appear on the city election ballots.   

March 29, 1918

The union carpenters of Kaukauna are included in the Carpenters Union No. 955 which has asked for a wage scale of 55 cents an hour and an eight-hour day.

The daylight-saving law passed by congress requiring clocks to be turned an hour ahead is a solution all parents have struggled in trying to get the children up in time for school.