Time Machine Trip to August 1979

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

August 2, 1979

Melvin M. Verhagen, 57, a pressman at the Kaukauna Times since his high school days, died unexpectedly at his cottage at Faro Springs on the east shore of Lake Winnebago this past weekend.

Kaukauna’s shooters – gunners and archers – won’t have a place to practice with their weapons in the city this year. That’s because the city decided Tuesday night to get out of the rifle range business for good. Council members decided that unless an organized group comes forward to run the target area it will be shut down permanently.

August 7, 1979

Michael McGoey, a veteran of 17 years of service in the United States Air Force was recently promoted to the grade of Lt. Colonel.

The newly formed Kaukauna Little League program will bet its baptism tomorrow morning when it holds it first baseball clinic. The clinic will be run under the direction of Little League President John Lambie.

August 9, 1979

James Kobussen of Kobussen Buses, Ltd., Kaukauna, has been named president of the Wisconsin School Bus Association. Kobussen was elected to the post at the annual convention of the group held in LaCrosse.

August 14, 1979

A rural Kaukauna marksman joined a select group of sorts Sunday, becoming one of only a few to repeat as King of the Hollandtown Schut. Fred Brochtrup of Kaukauna was presented with the mantle of Scout King for the second time. He was also the shooter to bring down the last piece of the fabricated bird at the 1973’s Schut.   

August 16, 1979

Cynthia A. Egan, the former Cynthia Therriault of Kaukauna, received a Doctor of Medicine degree recently from the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1975 and is a 1971 graduate of Kaukauna High School.  

August 23, 1979

Sergeant First Class Lyle Hansen was recently promoted in the Army Reserve. SFC Hansen is the Senior Training NCO in the 2^nd Battalion, 2^nd Brigade of the 84^th Division. 

Rick Holschuh, 9, got a lot of mileage out of a Sidewalk Sale balloon. He released his helium filled balloon with a note attached with his name and address on July 28. Rick received a note from Virginia Beach, Virginia. “I found your balloon with your name on it.”   

August 28, 1979

Dick Carstens and earned him Most Valuable Player honors with a two hit, four RBI performance in the championship game capping an outstanding tournament. Carstens of the tourney championship Butch & Sue’s slugged a three-run homer to pace his team to a 6-4 victory Sunday night.

Good sportsmanship, cooperative attitude and athletic excellence. Those are the qualities Sue Van Dyke, Andy Schmidt and Fred Jacques each possessed this summer. The three young people were honored by the Recreation Department as this summer’s All-Around Girl and Boy.

Patricia Coleman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leon Vanderloop of Kaukauna, received an associate degree in licensed practical nursing from FVTI Appleton. She and her husband Keith now reside in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Michael D. Andrews, Kaukauna, received his Ph.D. degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on August 24. Mr. Andrews has accepted a position as an Economist in the International Research Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He graduated from Kaukauna high school in 1965.

Mayor Robert LaPlante cut the ribbon Tuesday to mark the opening of the new Country Kitchen restaurant on Crooks Avenue. The ribbon was made up of 150-dollar bills which was cut in five sections with each $30 section going to a charity in Kaukauna.

Women’s League champions for the second straight year is Joseph’s Shoes with a 13-1 record. Front row: Deb DeBroux, Mary Hoffman, Sue Vander Velden, Dort Haen and Sue Vander Heiden. Back row: Sue Vande Hey, Jean Meyerhofer, Carolyn Johnson, Sue Coffey, Barb Van Zeeland and Sue Grissman.

Time Machine Trip to August 1929

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

August 2, 1929

Twelve professional football teams were given franchises in the National Professional Football league at the annual meeting held in Atlantic City, N.J., Saturday and Sunday with Green Bay being one of the twelve. Other teams are New York Giants, Boston Orange, Staten Island, Minneapolis, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cardinals, Dayton, Philadelphia Yellowjackets, Providence Steam Rollers and Buffalo. 

Theodore Pequin seated in his hack at the South Kaukauna railroad depot.

For his first 10 years Mr. Theodore Pequin drove the 12-passenger horse drawn bus to and from the three hotels to the two train depots on the north and south sides of Kaukauna. The bus was later replaced by a hack and finally the automotive age. All this has been seen by Ted who Thursday celebrated the forty-first anniversary of the line.

August 6, 1929

Governor and Mrs. Walter Kohler had a narrow escape from possible injury in Green Bay Monday morning when in taking off from the Green Bay airport their plane crashed into a tractor. The plane suffered a broken prop and one landing wheel, but no one was injured.

A De Pere man last week ran his auto into a telephone post on Third Street. His wife was thrown into the dash and suffered head injuries. Witnesses stated that the accident occurred when his wife slapped his face causing him to lose control of the machine.

August 9, 1929

Michael Calnin, assistant fire chief and member of the department for 34 years. Calnin died as a result of burning grease which caught fire as doughnuts were being fried at the Service bakery in Appleton. The fire department was called to the bakery when the grease caught fire. A lid was placed over the kettle and firemen were carrying it out of the building when it overturned, and the burning grease covered the firemen.

Charles Gorschals of this city was found guilty on the charge of owning slot machines taken in a raid by officials. He was fined $100 and costs.

August 13, 1929

Charles M. Liethen, Whitney Street, Kaukauna, a member of Company E, made one of the high scores on the rifle range at Camp Dailey, citizen military training camp. Charles out shot 200 other boys. 

Corporal Leonard Ryan of Kaukauna has been for the past two weeks with the National Guard at Camp Douglas in western Wisconsin. Corporal Ryan’s company has been rated as the finest machine gun combat unit the inspector has seen in his years in the military.

August 20, 1929

The installation of the latest type of complete alarm protection has just been completed by the Bank of Kaukauna according to C. D. Towsley, cashier of the local bank. The alarm is given by the sounding of a large gong on the outside of the building. 

Robbers pried the lock on the office of Dr. R. J. Van Ells, local dentist, Saturday night. They escaped with gold valued at approximately $175 according to the police.  Police in Green Bay and Appleton believe these may be the same burglars that struck in their cities.

Phil Zwick, local featherweight boxer who has been making his home in Cleveland, Ohio, lost in the first round of his bout with Joey Thomas on a foul.  

What is believed to be a record in quick sale of lots in Kaukauna was established here Saturday and Sunday when thirty-nine lots, ranging in price from $10 to $150 were purchased by local people. The lots were formally owned by Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company. The sale was handled by an Appleton real estate firm.

August 27, 1929

St. Mary’s will have a real center on their hoops team. Six-foot-eight Richard “String” Landreman was welcomed into the portals of the California institution. I’ve come from Kaukauna Wisconsin to play basketball for St. Mary’s Landreman announced to the coach. 

August 30, 1929

Formation of a temporary organization for the Kaukauna Golf club was perfected at a meeting of local golf enthusiasts held here Wednesday evening, and a committee of five was appointed to complete plans for a permanent organization and to view sites and make a report to the new club at a coming meeting. The elected committee consisted of Ed Rennicke, Dr. E. J. Bolinske, Arthur Look, Hugo Weifenbach and W. R. Harwood.

After about forty-five years of service the Chicago and North Western passenger depot on the Ashland Division on the cities north side is just about no more as workmen are engaged in leveling the structure. A fire destroyed part of the depot last winter now the rest is coming down.

Funeral services for Leonard Weiss, 16 years of age, who drowned at Little Chute in the Fox River were held in Appleton Thursday. Young Weiss is the fourth victim of drowning in the Fox River this summer. 

Time Machine Trip to August 1889

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

August 2, 1889

Marshal Jule Kuehn has had his hands full to serve papers during the past week. The justices of the peace have been busily engaged in making out warrants for the arrest of those dog owners who have failed to pay a $2.00 license. Jule says he means business and everyone that has not paid will wish within a fortnight that he had. In addition to the regular tax they will now have to stand the costs of a suit.

Wilkes-Barre, Pa., June 25 – Michael Rizzelo, “Red Nosed Mike” a murder of Paymaster McClure was hanged in the jail yard here this morning. He refused breakfast and told the sheriff that he was ready and to hurry his work without any delay.

Tulare, Cal., - A gang of about twelve men took from the jail here a man named Egan suspected of committing a robbery. They put a rope round his neck and dragged him to a tree. He protested his innocence as they strung him up. After nearly dead they let him down and again demanded a confession. Again, he refused and was hoisted up again. When lowered the second time he begged for mercy and was returned to the jail.

Atlanta, Ga., - Prof. L. M. Hershaw, colored, has been deposed as principal of the leading colored school here for having used the following language at a recent meeting. “The Southern whites don’t want us to come into contact with the Northerners and get their ides. I wonder if they are afraid, we’ll cut ahead of them?”

August 9, 1889

Mr. Oscar Thilmany

A report having been circulated here Monday that Mr. Thilmany and the other parties interested in the Fox River Valley franchise for the erection of a large sulphite fibre mill had decided to locate in Kaukauna, and erect a 20-ton mill, furnished a topic of conversation for businessmen. Mr. Thilmany was contacted as to the truth of the report and said, "We have been talking over the matter considerable of late, but we haven't chosen the site. It will be selected, however, before many weeks."

August 16, 1889

The poor partridge' will henceforth be a target for sportsmen. The old musket can now be shouldered, the faithful dog unchained, a bottle of water (?) inserted in the game bag and a day's gunning enjoyed.

It has been reported that the Chinese riot case with the city of Kaukauna had been settled by the payment of $250. This however does not seem to be true according to the article that appeared in the Northwestern last Friday. Hop Chung threatens to sue the city of Kaukauna for damages which he sustained there last spring. I have received nothing from the city of Kaukauna. There are not only business and personal losses there are also legal expenses in obtaining consul to come here from Chicago. The city of Kaukauna can settle with me if it pays me enough to cover my losses.

Sixty-eight barrels of beer were drunk by the crowd in attendance at the turn-fest at Appleton Sunday. Many from here drove to Appleton to witness the turn-fest. Every rig in town was engaged.

Rag socials are the latest in church socials. Each lady brings a ball of rags with her name written on a piece of concealed in its center. Each gentleman buys a ball and takes the lady whose name is in it. 

“Rank and rotten” are two slang words which should be tabooed. Drop them, boys they aren’t half as dignified as swearing.

  

The Shawano train robber returned to his former home long enough recently to secure a bride and again departed. Strange that he cannot be captured when his every movement seems to be making it known. 

August 23, 1889

A Civil War Indian soldier

An Indian G.A.R. post has been organized at Keshena on the Menominee Reservation. It will be known as Joseph Lederberger Post No. 261 and is the only Indian Post in the United States. Twenty-three members comprise the new organization.

Terrific explosions such are what occur almost every hour now-a-days in the city. Visitors here imagine they have struck Port au Prince and that the Hippolyte bombardment is going on. Blasting is being done at the Kaukauna paper mill, where the tailrace is being deepened, at the Badger mill, where the race is being widened and at the Hamilton & Phelps quarry, where building stone is being taken out.

Good news for the summer girl! A Cincinnati judge has just released an ice cream dealer arrested for selling on Sunday by deciding that ice cream is “a necessity not a luxury.”

A dog fight that took place in a store on Wisconsin Avenue last night drew a large crowd in short order. From the yells sent forth by the curs’ people were led to believe someone was getting killed.

August 30, 1889

A swindler has been operating in this vicinity telling housewives that their husbands sent him to repair their clocks. In this way, he steals the clocks.  

John Sprangers, the south side jeweler, has recently taken out a patent on a musical clock, something of his own ingenuity and his fortune is evidently made. The contrivance is a very simple one, but still quite an amusing oddity. The musical clock is nothing more than an ordinary clock with a small music-box cylinder added to the interior. Mr. Sprangers has already received an offer of $15,000 from a firm in the state of Ohio, for merely the privilege of selling the new invention in that state alone.

Parties that attended a dance at Hollandtown last Saturday experienced pretty rough roads. One buggy and a bus tipped over both being damaged no one was injured. There is no excuse for the roads being in such bad condition. The town may be responsible to pay for damages.

John Cornelius, chief of the Oneida Indian tribe and last of the line of chiefs of that people, died at his home on the reservation Monday August 19. He was 78 years of age. For some time, the government of the tribe has been in the hands of councilmen and sachems.   

The present year will be a memorable one to Washington Territory, soon to be admitted as a state. Within a few weeks of each other the thriving cities of Seattle and Spokane Falls have been burned down.

B.T. Gilmore of this city has just platted a piece of ground about thirty acres whereon is to be located the coming town of Kimberly about three miles east from Appleton at the old Cedars dam says the Appleton Post. The paper making enterprise of Kimberly & Clark Co. there will employ about a hundred and fifty hands.

There are 1711 Indians on the Oneida reservation. According to the allotment plan adopted each head of a family will receive ninety acres, persons over 18 years’ forty-five acres and children twenty-five acres.

  Holy Cross Church – Kaukauna

Time Machine Trip to August 1949

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

August 3, 1949

Kaukauna police are continuing to conduct an intense search for the burglars with a taste for dapper clothing who stole an estimated $1,500 worth of men’s clothing from the Royal Clothing store early Saturday morning. Chief of police, Harold Engerson has questioned several suspects and alerts have been sent throughout the state.

The winners of the La Follette park doll contest are front row Sharon Lennert, Georgiana Champeau and Betty Gast. In the back-row Carol Borree, Diane Lennert. Naomi Carnot and Mary Huss.

  

August 5, 1949

Greenland Airport, located on the Leonard Van Zeeland farm north of Kaukauna, is the scene of activity this week as work on the new repair shop at the hangar is nearing completion. Several planes have landed this week as more business and people are using the Kaukauna airfield.

Richard W. Biese, seaman recruit USN, Kaukauna, is undergoing training at the world’s largest Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Ill.

Corporal Jacob H. Van Linn of Kaukauna is home on furlough visiting his parents on Fourth Street. Van Linn is stationed at Andrews Field, Washington.

Three Kaukauna twirlers were recently awarded prizes at the annual Wisconsin Spectacle of Music at Grant Park, South Milwaukee. Miss Sharon Goldin, right, was awarded second place in the national contest and received an 18-inch gold trophy and cash award. Placing eighth in the contest was Miss Barbara Oudenhoven, left, while Miss Dolores Vander Loop, center, received tenth place in the competition. Following the contest, the twirlers took part in a parade at South Milwaukee.

August 12, 1949

A crowd of about 400 persons gathered at the north side railroad station Wednesday to give a hometown hero’s sendoff to Tommy Trettin, Kaukauna’s entry in the National Soap Box Derby at Akron, Ohio, Sunday.

Youths who are eighteen years of age may now enlist in the US Army for a one-year period according to Army and Air Force recruiters in Appleton.

August 17, 1949

Tom Trettin, of Kaukauna, Northeastern Wisconsin’s entry in the All-American Soap Box Derby held Sunday in Akron, Ohio, finished third in his heat. Tom was credited in avoiding a serious accident by handling his car when another car in his heat lost a tire at the finish line. There were 148 entries in this year’s derby. Tom was awarded a wrist watch and a certificate for winning the Northeastern Wisconsin championship.

Pvt. Donald Sheehy, Brothers Street, Kaukauna, arrived home on a 10-day furlough. He recently graduated from engineering school at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

August 24, 1949

Leo H. Schmalz of Kaukauna will begin his fifth term as secretary of the Wisconsin Elks Association. He was reelected at the state convention held in Appleton.

August 26, 1949

Lloyd F. Kloehn, a member of the United States Navy, is spending a leave with his mother on Second Street. He is stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Training center in Illinois.

Although the city of Kaukauna cannot compare in size with those of New York or Chicago, its name has become known as far away as Hawaii. The Chicago Tribune has a story of Wisconsin visitor to Hilo, Hawaii being asked about the city in Wisconsin with a Hawaiian name. 

Kaukauna police apprehended a group of teenage shoplifters. The girls from Menasha 14 and 15 were charged with taking $91 in Merchandise from two Kaukauna stores. Kaukauna police chief Harold Engerson turned the girls over to the Menasha Police Department.

August 31, 1949

Funeral services will be held tomorrow at St. Mary’s Catholic Church for Joseph J. Kappell, 45, a workman at Kaukauna’s new swimming pool, who was killed Monday when ground around a 18 foot deep trench he was working in caved in.

Football is here and co-captains Pat Lehman and Mark Hoegh are shown receiving the gridiron equipment for the 1949 Kaukauna High School season.

Time Machine Trip to August 1939

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

August 2, 1939

The Kaukauna Mellow Brews took a 12 to 1 beating at Waupun Saturday from the State Prison nine.  The Prison nine scored in every inning.

Guy Krumm was named the new basketball coach by the board of education. The reorganization of the athletic set-up at Kaukauna High school moves Paul E. Little, formerly head coach of all major sports, to the newly created position of athletic director.    

In one of those wild and wooly games that the baseball players showed how the game should not be played was as Little Chute defeated the Mellow Brewers Sunday 15 to 14 in ten innings at the Chuters Park.  The Chuters spotted the Kaws ten runs in the first inning this apparently is not enough as the Brewers let down and saw the Chuters fighting back to tie up the contest and win the tenth. Dago Schuler started on the mound for the Kaws and was relieved by his brother Ed in the fourth when the count was 10 to 7.

Kaukauna's major contribution to the big-time athletics, Richard “Red” Smith, assistant coach of the Green Bay Packers and coach of the Milwaukee Brewers took a little time out from his baseball activities last week to go into the huddle over the coming football season when his boss, coach E. A. “Curly” Lambeau at Lambeau’s summer home and Door County.

August 4, 1939

The cost of direct relief during July was substantially lower than during June according to relief director. The cost during July was $1147.93 compared to $1316.37 in June. 

August 9, 1939

Two Kaukauna boy scouts, Eugene Lange, Troop 20 and Mark Romenesko, Troop 31, will be taken to the Wisconsin State fair to help take care of the exhibit being placed there by scouts from the valley council.

Shoppers in Kaukauna during the next three days are having a chance to buy at bargain prices as the city merchants joined in the promotion of dollar days. Stores which are participation in the sales move are:

BERENS CLOTHING

BEN FRANKLIN

KAUFMAN DRY GOODS STORE

KAUKAUNA HARDWARE

LOOKS DRUG STORES

MARTENS

MODERN SHOE STORE

NAGANS

HERMAN T. RUNTE CO. 

THE ROYAL

WITTS

MADELYN’S APPAREL

H. C. HASS & SON

A & P FOOD STORE

BASTIAN’S

KAUKAUNA LUMBER & MFG.

August 11, 1939

Owners of automobiles with defaced license plates are warned to have those plates repainted through the state. The cost of reconditioning the plates is not more than the three-cent stamp necessary for a letter to Madison. The secretary of state will send an envelope for your plates to be sent in.

When Phil Zwick, the Kaukauna battler, beat Nick Peters, California lightweight champion a few weeks ago, the Kaw fighter thought he would finally get a break in the fight game that he waited for the past 12 years. Peters was ranked fourth best lightweight in the world. Well, our Phil Zwick knocked the dope cockeyed when he gave Peters a boxing lesson. The referee called the halt in the ninth round and gave the bout to Phil. All lightweight boxers now refuse to fight Phil. This is the same thing that happened seven years ago when he knocked out the eastern favorite in Madison Square Garden, New York.

August 16, 1939

The state law requires drivers to warn a driver when you are about to pass them. It is required that you sound your horn and turn on your left directional.

August 18, 1939

Kaukauna’s curfew bell, silent these 17 to 18 years will ring again tomorrow night.  The old bell will be taken from storage by the American Legion and be prepared as a big surprise for the state Legion convention that starts at Oshkosh tomorrow.

August 23, 1939

Kaukauna’s school bus got a red, white and blue paint job, according to the order of the state legislature. The bus is now ready for the school year. 

August 30, 1939

If any Kaukauna people figure on going into the tavern business here, they may have to wait a long time. The new state law states one license for each 500 people. At that rate Kaukauna would be able to have 14 taverns. The city currently has 27 taverns.  

A pair of brothers from Kaukauna married two sisters from Appleton. At the left are Mr. and Mrs. James Hietpas and at the right Mr. and Mrs. Austin Hietpas, principals in the marriages. The sisters are Marie Vosters, wife of James and Myrtle Vosters, wife of Austin.