Time Machine Trip to September 1925

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

September 3, 1925

The Secretary of State, in a statement today warns all Wisconsin car owners who buy cars which are already registered in Wisconsin this year to be sure to transfer the ownership as required by law. This warning is given now to save you from trouble next year getting your plates and certificate of title.

The railroad shops have increased the workforce by about 25 men during the past week. Labor in Kaukauna is beginning its upward strides. From official sources it is learned that the increased force is for the purpose of taking care of a great deal of additional work to be done here in the Kaukauna shops.

The Shenandoah, the giant of the air, was totally wrecked by the high wind it encountered while flying over the state of Ohio at about 5:00 this morning. 19 people were killed in the horrible disaster and several more were seriously injured.

 

One of the most important real estate deals which has been recorded in Kaukauna, for many a day, was commenced Saturday, when what was known as the Kaukauna Hotel property was transferred to the first Realty & Investment Company of Chicago.

 

September 10, 1925

Assemblyman James Cody appeared downtown this morning with his left hand wrapped in bandages. The legislator had suffered a severe laceration of two fingers bitten by an 18-pound muskellunge. While fishing on Lake Poygan, Mr. Cody hooked the fish which offered considerable fight and was finally hauled aboard. When he was about to take the hook from the mouth the finned beauty the muskie bit his fingers which are now wearing the white.

 

The brightest bit of gayety presented to the people of this vicinity for many a day, took place last Friday night when the Kaukauna businessman sponsored a pavement dance on the new Draper St. pavement. Over 2000 merrymakers attended the huge affair and danced unceasingly to the music furnished by the Cecilian band of Kimberly. The Kaukauna Police Department regulated traffic and the dance continued without interruption from 7:00 until the very last number was played at 11:00.

 

September 17, 1925

When a farmer complained that the pheasants were eating his corn, the game warden killed two of the birds and examined their crops. They found 200 cutworms and no corn. The farmer owes his crop to these feathered police that keep down the bugs, insects and worms.

Appleton - Dead fish by the thousands are cluttering the locks on the Fox River here. Thousands are dying daily from poison in the river. The general belief is that due to shallow water and refuge from the mills polluting the streams are causing the fish to die. A telegram to the conservation warden Elmer S. Hall asks that the condition be investigated.

Word comes that production in the six and four-cylinder models at Chrysler is averaging more than 800 cars a day the greatest output ever attained by a maker of high-grade automobiles.

 

The “Rah Rah Girls” is the name that the senior girls have given to their new club which was organized last Thursday. The main purpose of the club is to arouse school spirit in the whole student body and get a howling, cheering crowd out to all football games.

 

September 24, 1925

The residents of our city may soon see the erection of a $50,000 broom factory to provide employment for blind people.

 

While riding a horse last Saturday evening George Anderson was thrown and suffered a broken leg and cuts when the animal was struck by an automobile driven by Jack Hilgenberg. The accident occurred on Catherine Street when the horse became frightened by the automobile.

 

Kaukauna’s American Legion football team claimants of the state amateur football title for the past five years, will make its debut for the 1925 gridiron season at the local ballpark. They will battle the Sturgeon Bay eleven in a game that promised to be a humdinger.

 

1925 Little Chute American Legion Football team

Front row: John Strick, Dewey Hartjes, Christ Langendyke, Adrian Bevers, Bernard Kildonk, John Jansen and Arthur Hartjes. Back row: John Wildenberg, Joe Dietzen, Pete Van Dinter, Carl Van Dinter, Jack Helf, John Gerrits, Josie Lenz, Coach Phil Cornelius, Manager Al Langendyke, Ott Verstegen and Ted Helf.

The Grim Reaper records the sad tiding of a death late Monday afternoon. Benjamin Kortenhof, 17-year-old of Darboy was killed instantly in the swiftly moving flywheel of an engine. It had been a busy day on the Kortenhof farm filling the silo then work was suspended, and the family began to head back home for the evening meal. Benjamin remained behind to remove the driving belt from the wheel when his clothing became caught in the machine. 

Time Machine Trip to September 1915

 

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

 

September 3, 1915

At 12:35 last Saturday noon the electric current supply for the city of Kaukauna was turned on for the first time from the new plant on the south side canal, the transfer being made without a hitch. This change should mark a new era in the industrial advancement of the City of Kaukauna, which hereafter will be designated as the Electric City of the Fox River Valley.

Manager William Van Dyke of the Vaudette announces that a feature film, the Frank Case, will be shown tomorrow evening. This film is based on the famous case of Leo Frank, whose celebrated trial ended with a death sentence, commuted to life imprisonment, after which Frank was lynched.

The statistics on Outagamie County contain interesting data. The county has 9,980 children in school, 130 school districts and a total of 158 teachers.  

September 10, 1915

With the opening of the new power plant the Utility Commission announced a reduction in the rates ranging from 15 to 25 percent. This will mean quite a savings to the users of electric light and power and will make it possible for many to have electric service installed in their homes that have not had this modern convenience up to the present.

Mrs. Christina Johnston, age 98 years, Kaukauna, enjoyed her first automobile ride yesterday afternoon. She and her daughter, Mrs. Peter Christofferson, were given a ride by Mr. and Mrs. Julius Grimm who were visiting. She proclaimed this was the happiest day that she has spent since she has been in America.

September 17, 1915

John Simon, Kaukauna’s alert motor cop, who has nabbed off quite a number of auto  and motorcycle speeders this season, was nipped himself at Kimberly the other evening for failing to have a taillight after hours.  

The Mulford bowling team opened the season last Monday with a victory over their old rivals, the Appleton Monarchs. The games were rolled at Little Chute at the opening of the new Miller’s alleys in that village.

The post office department has taken a lease of the room in the Central block, next door to The Times’s offices. The same is being fitted up for the transfer of the South Kaukauna post office thereto from its present location in the Grand View Hotel block.

Resolved by the Mayor and city council that the North Side Park Commissioners are hereby empowered to purchase from Merrit Black of this city, the following piece of land for park purposes. At a point where Black Street intersects Wisconsin Avenue to the shoreline of the Fox River.

 

September 24, 1915

The three Kaukauna banks have announced they will not participate in any way in the proposed loan of a billion dollars to England and France for war purposes.

Salina, Kan. – Anna Conrad caused the arrest of James Barnes on a charge of assault. She showed the judge the vacant space in her mouth of two missing teeth. The judge assessed a fine of $15 against Barnes. He then ordered that the $15 go to the city treasury.

Hereafter no children will be allowed to carry lunch or dinner baskets into the mills of the Kimberly-Clark company, according to a new rule made by the Central Safety committee.

September 30, 1915

Football coach Krieger has scheduled the Kaukauna High School eleven to play West Green Bay at Green Bay Saturday.

Left end, Fred Olm, Leon Sadlier; left tackle, Henry Olm; left guard Kalk; center, Rennicke; right guard Kircher, Fredenall; right tackle, Husing; quarter back, Hinnenthal; right half, McLaughlin; full back, Miller; right half, Griffith; Jon Sadleir and Schatzka.

Hundreds of children from the Catholic schools and hundreds of men and women thronged about the northside depot Wednesday evening to welcome the Right Rev. Paul P. Rhode, the new bishop of Green Bay, when the special train stopped for five minutes in Kaukauna. The children carried flags and cheered the churchman as he stood on the rear platform of the last coach.

Time Machine Trip to September 1905

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

September 1, 1905

President Roosevelt

The envoys of Japan and Russia at their peace conference have agreed upon terms and are busily engaged in drafting the agreement. This ends the war in the far east and President Roosevelt is the hero of the hour being praised around the world for the part he played in bringing the tow waring countries to an agreement. Russia’s prestige in the far east has been crushed and her rank in Europe is no longer what it was.

The excursion to High Cliff on the steamer Evelyn last Sunday was attended by a large crowd from Kaukauna, Appleton, Neenah and Menasha. The lake was rough and, as a consequence a large number of passengers became seasick. Several lost their hats and were forced to return home bareheaded.

 

The little two-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. August Bozer of the south side was struck by lightning during the storm this morning. He was unconscious for over an hour but at this time has recovered.

 

September 8, 1905

Mrs. Nic Hentz of this city bears the distinction of being the mother of three pairs of twins and three single births, in all nine children, born in eleven years. Five boys and four girls make up the family.

 

P. A. Gloudeman of Little Chute, who runs a successful general store, finds his business increasing so rapidly that he will add another store in width to his present building. He currently employs eight clerks in his store.

 

Something novel in the way of baseball is promised at the Kaukauna Park next Sunday evening novel in several ways. In the first place the team that is to go against the Kaukauna team is composed of full-blooded Cherokee Indians right from the Cherokee reservation down in Indian Territory and appears in native dress and war paint. In the second place the game is played at night under arc light illumination. Fifty arc lights of 1000 candle power each are used.

 

September 15, 1905

At a meeting of the village board pf Little Chute on Tuesday evening the Kaukauna Electric Light company was granted a ten-year franchise to furnish commercial lights in that village.

 

September 15, 1905

The Cherokees introduced a new game here Sunday baseball by gaslight and got the whey walloped out of their red skins for doing so. The Kaukauna team didn’t show very well to the new novelty for the first half of the game but when they got their bearings they pounded out home runs and two baggers enough to the beat the Redskins 9 to 4.

 

This week we will see the new round house practically completed and, in another week, it should be ready for the reception of engines. Everything will be finished but the tracks in the building by Saturday night and the new structure is a compact, substantial building that the company has long needed here.

 

September 22, 1905

With this issue The Times enters upon the twenty-sixth year of its existence, having completed twenty-five years last week. The twenty-fifth anniversary is usually termed the silver jubilee, and we wouldn't mind it a bit if a lot of our subscribers who are in arrears would call around and drop a few silver coins in our till to help us celebrate the event properly. The Times has labored incessantly for a quarter of a century to advance the interests of Kaukauna and undoubtedly will continue on for the golden anniversary mark. Some of the silver dollars which we have outstanding if paid now on our silver anniversary will help greatly to give us a fresh start.

A North Carolina girl advertised for a husband and got one from Texas. The cost of the ad. and wedding outfit was $38. After seven months hubby died leaving the widow a life insurance policy of $10,000. Who says that advertising doesn’t pay?

 

The crew of Italians employed on the south side sewer were paid off Saturday afternoon and left town. The discharge of a giant firecracker in the house they occupied in the middle of the night is said to be the cause of their sudden disappearance. Landlord Mulholland of the Grand View Hotel was paid off by the crew and they failed to return to work Monday morning.

 

The Badger bowling alleys in the Rupert building on Second Street will open this evening for the season. The rate will be five cents for each game.

A Seminole Indian was fined $50 for horse stealing but the land grabbers who stole whole counties are still at large.

 

Joseph McCarty has commenced building a modern porch on his residence on Wisconsin Avenue which is to be different from any in the city as it will be built of rock faced concrete blocks up to the usual height of the railing presenting a unique appearance and being of very substantial character. It will have colonial columns above the rail and will be eleven feet in width thus affording ample setting room when needed. It will be extended in length to the present driveway alongside the house.

 

September 29, 1905

The Times and the Chicago Weekly Inter Ocean one year for $1.55, if paid in advance.  Can you beat that combination?

 

Wenzel Cabot, a real estate from Green Bay, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon on the charge of kidnapping Michael McCarty a farmer of the Town of Kaukauna, who has been missing since September 14. Cabot is currently being held in the county jail as not being able to furnish a $1,200 bond.

Basketball promises to be popular with the high school students this year. The girls have already taken steps toward organizing teams.

Rather than have her husband pay her fine Mrs. Christina Huss, who appeared in court on a charge of assault and battery, went to the county jail for a period of ten days. She is 34 years of age and the mother of six children, the youngest of whom she took with her. The complaining witness was Marcella Verhasselt also from the Town of Freedom.

 

The plant of the Dundas Woodenware Company at Dundas, including the elevator building adjoining and the depot of Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Company were totally destroyed by a fire in the early hours Tuesday. Just how the fire originated is not known but it is presumed that the fire started in the boiler room.

 

Time Machine Trip to September 1895

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

 

September 6, 1895

The new tissue machine for the new addition to the Thilmany Paper Mill has arrived and work of setting it up will commence at once.

 

The steamer K.M. Hutchinson was destroyed by fire on Lake Poygan last Saturday morning. Several of the crew members were quite badly burned as the flames spread very rapidly.

 

The bicycle craze is a great benefit in bringing old and young together on a common ground of interest. There is no other sport that men and women of all ages may engage on equal terms.

 

September 13, 1895

Frank Richardson, the Island photographer, runs a branch gallery at Brillion, making regular trips out there for business, but since his last visit he has been looking around for larger improved apparatus for securing negatives. While at Brillion on his usual visit, Richard Powers, wife and family came in to have a family group taken. Mr. and Mrs. Powers were a hale, hearty couple, with a rugged-looking family consisting of fourteen girls and 1 boy-the largest family of girls in the state it is believed. Richardson, sized up the party and was compelled to inform them that his gallery and camera were too small.

 

N. H. Brokaw has been granted a patent on a paper winder.

 

A little child of Mrs. Wallenstein narrowly escaped being crushed under the wheels of a train on the island last evening. He was playing on the track when the switch engine and several cars backed down. The little fellow was knocked down, two cars passing over him, but fortunately being small the space between the roadbed and cars saved his life.

 

Houghton, Mich., Sept. 9 – Smoke was observed issuing from shaft No. 2 at Calumet. About 200 miners were below at the time, all but twenty-six men and three boys escaped. The scene around the mouth of the mine was heartbreaking as family members of the entombed gathered around panic stricken by the news. Rescue crews attempted several times to ascend the shaft but were driven back by the heat and smoke.

Nezuma, an Otoe medicine man, revered by his tribe because of his divinations interpretations of dreams has actually been making rain at Red Rock, O.T. Little rain had fallen, and a crop failure seemed inevitable. No sooner had Nezuma called the people together and began his strange chant than the storm clouds gathered and Oklahoma enjoyed a phenomenal rain.  He is very popular with all the tribes as Indians have been making pilgrimages to his lodge with gifts and tokens.

 

September 20, 1895

Several residents at Dundas were entered by burglars. The thieves entered J. W. Broacher’s residence, through a window, taking out a screen, and stole a revolver and a pocketbook containing $20 in money and a $100 note. The pocketbook was found near the gate Sunday morning, with all its contents but the money. A watch, and a couple of rings near the purse on the stand, was not touched. They also entered the Mickie and Newhouse dwellings but secured nothing in either place. Mr. Newhouse heard someone in the house and discharged a revolver frightening them.

 

Train No. 2 on the Wisconsin Central Road, which left St.  Paul yesterday afternoon for Chicago was wrecked by robbers 3 miles north of Waupaca at 9:00 last night. The robbers piled rails and ties on the tracks and loosened some of the tracks so that when the train struck the obstruction the engine and several cars were derailed. An attempt was made to blow up the express safe with dynamite but on this the robbers failed. Only three robbers were in the gang and railroad, and Pinkerton detectives are now on their trail.

Sheriff Baake assisted by two deputies made a raid Saturday night on the two “resorts” just outside of the city limits of Kaukauna, capturing a bevy of ten, five soiled doves and as many men. The outfit was given a ride to Appleton and arraigned before a justice, who taxed them $10 and costs, amounting to each case to $22.22.

 

On Monday last the acting secretary of war issued an order revoking the former order of the department regarding the use of water from the Fox River for power purposes and once more at least a part of the wheels in the valley will again turn by waterpower.

 

It will probably not be long now before a fire is reported from Little Chute. The town authorities have decided to purchase a hand fire engine and when it arrives someone will want to see how it works, which of course will necessitate a blaze.

 

September 27, 1895

Anton Chopin lost his life in the wood yard at the Badger Mill shortly after 1 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon. He had just commenced to assist in unloading a carload of pulp timber, and in carrying the second stick from the car to the pile. He slipped from the plank used to walk on and fell to the ground, a distance of about ten feet. The heavy piece of wood which he had on his shoulder followed, the butt end striking his head and crushing it to the ground where he struck.

 

Capt. Locke, of the Green Bay Salvation Army, is the champion long winded, singer of the world, having sung 65 minutes at Green Bay Wednesday night, breaking the record by 5 minutes. The captain said he could have sung longer but accomplished his purpose.

 

A boy employed in a bicycle factory took a piece at a time, the parts of a bicycle until be had enough to construct a complete machine. He was arrested for grand larceny but in court his attorney proved by testimony from the complaining firm that the actual cost of the bicycle stolen (an $80 wheel) on the market was but $16.50.

 

Chicken thieves are committing their depredations on the south side, several hen-coops having been visited of late. Some of the owners of the stolen fowls have loaded their muskets and the sneaking vagabonds who are thus appropriating the property will get more than they bargain for some night.

 

El Paso, Tex., Sept. 25 – Mrs. L. H. Thompson shot and killed Hattie Baker, a woman for whom her husband was neglecting her and three children. Mrs. Thompson had used every sort of persuasion to prevent her husband from spending all his earnings on the Baker girl, but he turned a deaf ear to her. Feeling is very bitter against Mr. Thompson.

Time Machine Trip to September 1885

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112 E. 2^nd St.

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Kaukauna Times

September 4, 1885

The residence, which is now being built by A. D. Grignon on the old homestead in Kaukauna, will be the third which has been constructed by the Grignon family, all which structures will be yet standing and each built by a different generation. The first of these is a log house and was erected over 80 years ago by Augustine Grignon. Here was born Charles A. Grignon, Sr., who in turn erected the present Grignon residence, and where all his children were born. Augustine, the grandson, now builds the third which will outshine in architecture the dwellings of his ancestors, but it cannot, in all probabilities, be anymore substantially constructed.

Samuel Collins was hanged at Bowling Green Mo., on the 28^th for the murder of Owen Utterback. The widow and two small children of his victim witnessed the execution.

 

New York Sept. 1 – An electric motor was attached to a regular passenger coach with thirty people on board and with sparks flashing started out from the Fourteenth Street station. It went up the grade smoothly without the least jarring. Hundreds of people along the route cheered and waved as the silent train sped by. 

 

The board of directors of the Kaukauna free public library held a meeting Monday evening and opened bids for furnishing books for the start of the new institution. Several bids were filed of which George Brumier’s of Germania Publishing Company; Milwaukee was the lowest and he was awarded the contract. His bid was $437 for a total of 618 volumes. The list is an assorted one, consisting of references. Mythology, government, sports, arts, literature and poetry children's stories and a number of picture books with large variety of works of fiction biography and American history.

 

September 11, 1885

D. J. Brothers has completed an insurance map of Kaukauna which he had lithographed. The work on the map is very fine and would be a credit to an expired civil engineer. It shows the exact location of nearly every business house, dwelling and other building in the city and will be of great value to insurance companies.

 

The first locomotive was turned out of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western railway machine shops in Kaukauna on the 15^th. It is a splendid piece of workmanship by the workers in this splendid city. This was the first locomotive built in Wisconsin outside of Milwaukee where locomotives were built since 1852.

 

The cause of temperance in the South has made much greater headway than in the North. There are dozens of counties in every state where prohibition is well complete, and temperance men united to keep it so. 

 

Knoxville, Tenn., Sept. 5 - A group of about 200 masked men passed down the street in the direction of the jail. The jailer surrendered the keys to the cell and Lee Sellers the young man charged with murder was then taken out to the middle of the bridge.  He stood with his arms folded and never flinched when the rope was placed over his head.  His hands were not tied, and he was hoisted up by his neck over the cross beam. He then pulled the rope loose and crawled it up to the top of the bridge.  While he crossed at least fifty shots were fired, none hitting him. A ladder was sent for and four men climbed up to get him. As the group was coming down, the ladder tipped, and Sellers when into the river and has not been seen since.

 

September 18, 1885

A social gathering was held on the Oneida reservation last Monday at Union Park, under the auspices of the old soldiers of the reservation for the purpose of raising a fund with which the Oneida Indians are to start a Grand Army Post. During the war with the union there were about 40 Oneida Indians who volunteered and fought bravely for their country. An application will soon be made for their G.A.R. post.

 

Street Commissioner Posson has placed signs on the South Side bridges warning drivers to pass over no faster than a walk if they wish to avoid paying a fine of $3.00.

 

Three of the original seven men appointed to guard President Garfield’s grave have gone crazy.

 

The worthlessness of the murdered man was the only plea made by a Wyoming lawyer in defense of his client, who deliberately shot a bully for merely annoying him. The judge pronounced it unsound in law, but the jury let it justify in their minds a verdict of acquittal.

 

The contract for building the Catholic Church and schoolhouse in South Kaukauna was awarded to Thos. Solar. The price of the work is $4,450 being $82.50 lower than the next bid.

 

September 25, 1885

Mr. Bullen, a well-to-do farmer living about 6 miles east of Kaukauna, while driving on Wisconsin Avenue last Monday, met with a terrible accident caused by his team running away. When near the drawbridge the horses became frightened and broke into a run, going at full speed across both bridges and stopping suddenly near John Schultheis' Island Hotel, throwing Mr. Bullen from the vehicle against a hitching post. Dr. Conner attended to him and found the man's jaw badly broken and otherwise not badly injured.  The wounds were dressed as soon as possible and the injured man taken home that same evening by his neighbor, Mr. Sam Beach.

 

St. Thomas, Ont. - Jumbo, the $30,000 elephant, was struck and killed by a freight train on the night of the 15^th. Jumbo weighed 6 tons and consumed 500 to 600 lbs. per day.  His keeper was leading him along the track to load him when the train came up from behind.

 

An excursion party of about 200 members of the New England Veterans Association visited Harrison, Va., on the 18^th. They were met by a large delegation of ex-Confederate veterans and treated to an open-air banquet. The best of feelings prevailed, and an enjoyable day was shared. The group visited a Confederate cemetery where they decorated the graves of the dead soldiers.