Time Machine Trip to February 1890

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 7, 1890

Luther Lindauer is erecting another large icehouse on the south side near the roundhouse and filling it with congealed water. The demands for ice last season far exceeded the supply and Luther means that it shall not happen this year.

The Badger Paper Company has decided to erect a sulfite plant in Kaukauna, just west of its present structure, and the dimensions of the new building are to be 40x115, two stories high, and built of wood. The new mill will start out with a capacity of 5,000 pounds in twenty-four hours, but everything will be built so that the output can be increased to 15,000 pounds.

A Green Lake farmer planted a hickory post deep in the ground tied a straw man to it, and then turned a fierce bull into the enclosure. The bull made a beeline for the hate figure struck the post club center and was killed, so dead he didn't even kick after falling over.

Ishpeming, Mich., Feb. 4 – Fifty labors at the Volunteer mine, receiving $1.65 per day, struck for $2.00 per day yesterday morning. The Sheriff and several deputies went to the mine and ordered the miners to disburse. The strikers will not allow others to enter the mine to take their place. An armed posse is now being gathered to quell the riot.

February 14, 1890

Last Monday seemed to be a regular gala day for tramps in this city. Every train that came in on the Northwestern road unloaded from two to six, and the commons about the depot before evening was dotted with the good-for-nothings. Someone remarked that the sight resembled crows in a cornfield.

 Not many persons ever come in contact with a “sobering machine” now days, but 30 years ago it was a familiar piece of mechanism in Bucks County, Pa., The machine consisted of a running gear and ordinary wagon but behind wheels taken off in a box fastened to the axle.  Whenever a drunken man or woman was seen on the street the machine was brought out. The victim was placed on the board on his back in the box. Then the command was given, and the occupant was run out of town. It was seldom that a man got a second dose of the “sobering machine.”

Fort Totten, N.D., Feb. 11. – Between 800 and 1,000 Indians at the Devils Lake agency are wholly destitute of clothing and in last stages of starvation. Unless furnished with food, clothing and medicine at once these Indians will die like dogs.  Indian agent Cramsie has issued an appeal for aid.

Hundreds of ladies held an indignation meeting at Lathrop Missouri on the 17^th. The protest, against two saloons kept open in defiance of city ordinance, marched in a body to both places and demolishing them emptying the beer and other liquors into the street.

Sylvester Moore an Appleton man broke through the ice while crossing a river near Kimberly Monday and was drowned. He had gone to Kimberly looking for work and was returning home when the accident occurred. A woman on shore heard the calls for help and then at once communicated the news to a man who happened to be nearby. They attempted a rescue, but it failed.

February 21, 1890

The drainage of sulfite fiber mills seems to be sure death to fish. Shortly after draining some liquor from the vats at the Kaukauna Fiber Company’s mill into the tail race, fish began to rise to the top of the water dead, and dozens of them were soon floating about.

San Antonio Texas, February 17 – Reports of smallpox along the Rio Grande on a ranch in Duval County 147 out of 150 employed were stricken with the disease 65 of them have died.

 

Paul Beaulieu

Mr. Bazille H. Beaulieu, one of the oldest pioneers of town has been looking over the changes here this week. Mr. Beaulieu had been residing with his son at White Earth, Minnesota and was here as an honored guest at the grand Army post reunion. The post bears the name of his son Paul who died bravely obeying commands in the late war. “I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw Kaukauna.  What a great change has taken place since I left here 13 years ago.

A very pleasant social gathering took place at the hall of Paul H. Beaulieu Post G.A.R. last Friday evening. Many of the families of old veterans were present to assist with singing the war songs and listening to the antidotes of the soldiers. “Tramp, tramp, tramp the boys are Marching” after which the body joined in singing “Army Bean” how the old veterans enjoyed the evening.

February 28, 1890

Many of the northbound trains on the Northwestern road are late now-a-days, owing to the large amount of traffic that is going on in the shipment of ice south. The trains are so numerous and wrecks so frequent that regular connections cannot be affected.

The new “Bennett law” could be enforced with good effect in Kaukauna judging by the number of boys on the streets that do not attend school.

When the bright, warm and sunny days of summer begin to roll around, the Thilmany Mill will blossom out of its present stage into a large and more magnificent structure. Time changes all things, and ere the wintry blasts again are felt, the paper plant in this city owned by Oscar Thilmany will have undoubtedly been enlarged to twice the present size and capacity. Plans for the change have already been drawn and submitted for approval. They provide for the removal of the present wood structure used as the pulp department and instead will be erected a structure fact-simile of the present building. On the second floor of this building there will be placed another paper machine and the necessary beaters to furnish stock for such a machine. The first floor will be arranged for a pulp department and the pulp machinery now in operation at the present plant will be replaced therein.

New York, February 22 – John Jacob Astor III suffered a heart failure causing the death this morning of the millionaire. He had returned from a trip abroad at the end of December in which he had an attack of the grippe. His health was improving but after supper last night he slumped over in his chair. William Waldorf Astor, his son, was at his side.