Time Machine Trip to December 1923

 

Kaukauna Times – December 1923

By Lyle Hansen

December 6, 1923

Clarence Kern, who called the fire department Sunday night shortly before midnight saying that a big fire was in progress then hung up without telling the firemen where the fire was appeared before justice Schwin’s court where he paid a fine of $2 and $4.75 in cost for his little joke on the department.

 

December 13, 1923

Yes, I'm a flapper and powdering my nose is quite a problem, in fact it keeps me very busy, so I haven't time to put it into other people's affairs.

 

A small boy stood by the roadside near an overturned load of hay. A neighboring farmer noticed the predicament and it was near supper time, he invited him to eat, explaining that they would take care of the hay afterwards. The boy hesitated but finally accepted the offer. During the meal the boy was very nervous, and several times said that his father wouldn't like it. On being urged to give the reason for his father's objection he said well you see dad is under the load of hay.

The exhaustion of our coal and oil fields is a matter of centuries says J. B. S. Haldane, a British scientist, in his article “If you are alive in 2123”. It has been often assumed that the exhaustion of coal and oil would lead to the collapse of the industrial civilization. Ultimately, we may have to tap the inexhaustible sources of power from the wind and the sunlight. The problem itself is simply one of storing their energy in a form as convenient as coal or petroleum. A windmill and one's back garden could produce the daily use of coal. A cheap and durable storage battery may be invented that will enable us to transform the wind into continuous electric power.  

 

December 20, 1923

Last Friday morning the Bank of Kimberly was robbed of a sum of money that is said to be over $1000 by a hold up man. Approaching the window of cashier Clark, the robber ordered him and his assistants to hand over the money lying on the counter. Mr. Clark wisely complied as the robber brushed the money into a sack. Then made his escape walking out of the bank and entering an automobile which was in readiness. Police Chief Prim made his way to the scene of the crime shortly after the robbery took place and neighboring communities were promptly notified of the robber’s escape.

 

December 27, 1923

 

An interesting meeting took place last week between Otto Jung, a newly arrived German from Berlin who was visiting his uncle Otto Becker of this city and Art Kromer.  The two men quickly discovered they had been in the battles during the World War and further conversation developed a fact that the two had fought opposite each other in the battle of the Vesle river where both men were wounded. Art was wounded in the hand and also suffered a concussion. Otto Jung was a member of the crack infantry regiment of Berlin. The men fought against each other on July 17th, 1918.

 

Mrs.  Harriet Coppes, mother of John Coppes, who is believed to be the oldest citizen of Kaukauna, celebrated her 99th Christmas Tuesday with a family dinner at the Coppes home at which 20 relatives were present. Mrs. Coppes was born in Holland in the month of October 1825 and came to this country in 1868.

Mrs. Fred Hart, formerly of this city and now living in Germany writes to TIMES from her home to the effect that pork meat cost 2 billion marks per pound and beef 150 to 175 billion marks per pound. Naturally poor people cannot think of eating meat and only the rich can afford it but once a week. Sometimes we do not get the Kaukauna Times for three weeks and then on the 4th week I get them all in a bunch. I'm surely delighted to get the Times as I cannot read the German newspapers. Wishing all the Kaukauna people a Happy New Year.

 

The library board has announced an increase in salary to be paid the city librarian and her assistant after the city council increased the library appropriation. The amount of the increase was not announced but the present salary is $70 and $25 per month.