Time Machine Trip to August 1908

By Lyle Hansen

August 7, 1908

The Outagamie Paper company is about to inaugurate a new system of operating their finishing department whereby they will do all their paper cutting and counting during the day time. Hereafter no girls will be employed in the finishing room during night tour.

Two new bridges and the extension of the Seventh Street sewer were the output of a business session of the common council held Tuesday evening. The aldermen were divided as to the necessity of two bridges, but the majority ruled, and the work was ordered to proceed. A wooden structure with iron supports will be built across the tail race of the Green Bay and Mississippi Canal Company, and the clerk was instructed to advertise for bids for the construction of the bridge in accordance with the design on file. The sewer commissioners were instructed to advertise for bids for the extension of the Seventh Street sewer in accordance with adopted plans.

The Fats beat the Leans in a baseball game here Saturday by a count of 7 to 5. In the first half of the doubleheader the south side business men walloped the north side business men to the tune of 17 to 5.

August 14, 1908

The government shut off 75 percent of the normal flow of Fox River Monday for the first time in several years. This action was taken to keep up navigation and will necessitate many of the paper mills resorting to steam power. As all are overstocked it is possible that some of them will shut down.

Following the completion of the new electric power plant, the Green Bay and Mississippi Canal Company will move their machinery and tools to that location, where construction on a new 3,600-foot dam will commence. The new dam will create a head of twenty-eight feet and will commence near the Outagamie Paper Company's water power canal and will extend nearly across the channel of the Fox River.

The men employed on the tailrace of the new power plant struck for higher wages. They were getting $1.75 per day and asked for $2.00. The contractors refused to grant their demands but have taken back a few willing to work for the former scale of wages.

August 21, 1908

The pulpwood rush which has been on for several months is beginning to let up due in part to the scarcity of cars which are needed in the west for the movement of grain. Some of the cars which arrived in the Ashland division yards this week have been loaded since last spring. Now that they are needed, however, they have been rushed to their destination. Some of the pulp mills are using the wood direct from the cars which saves handling it the second time.

J. Kappell and Fred Reichel came near being seriously injured Sunday morning by a bull. Kappell was attacked by the bull while driving several head of cattle to pasture, when Reichel came to his assistance he too was attacked.

  

August 28, 1908
Corn in some localities was badly damaged by the frost last week. Potatoes also suffered. At Antigo and Eland both crops were ruined.

Before each game down at the ball park the crowd sings a new song called “Take me out to the ball game” Folks sure enjoy the time at the game.

Time Machine Trip to August 1948

August 4, 1948

The dream of a 15-year-old blind boy to have a seeing eye dog of his very own may yet come true for word has been received from the Master Eye Foundation in regard to his handicap. Ronnie Borland, Dodge Street, has been blind since the age of four. Through the cooperation of a number of Kaukauna citizens steps are being taken to secure the dog so it may not be too long before he will be able to go fishing in Konkapot Creek and go for walks.

Funeral services are scheduled for Corporal Steven C. Verhagen, West Seventh Street, who was killed in action in New Guinea while serving with the Wisconsin National Guard. He lost his life on December 3, 1942, while participating in the battle of Buna. His body was interred in New Guinea but has been returned to this country for final interment at the request of his mother.

The casketed remains of Private First-Class Cyril G. Pendergast, 19, who was killed in action on the Anzio Beachhead February 14, 1944 while serving with the 30^th Infantry Division arrived in Kaukauna Thursday. His body was interred in Italy but has been returned to this country at the request of his parents. 

The Kaukauna Athletic Club kicked away any chances they may have had of sharing the second half title in the Fox River Valley league when they dropped 14-6 decision to Little Chute Sunday afternoon. Manager Carl Giordana came up with a surprise starter when he sent Joe Kern to the hill against the Dutchmen, but his strategy backfired in the fourth frame when the home team battered the veteran hurler for six runs after two runs in the second.

August 6, 1948

Kaukauna telephone users are dialing their telephones now. A few minutes before midnight last Saturday, the Wisconsin Telephone Company placed its new dial central office, located on Wisconsin Avenue, into service. The changeover of the local telephone facilities to dial service took place in the span of only a few minutes. The first dial call in Kaukauna was put through a few seconds before midnight by Mayor Joseph Bayorgeon, seated at a telephone in the Kaukauna City Hall. After a signal was given that the cut over was completed, the Mayor lifted the telephone and dialed the number of the telephone in the village hall at Combined Locks, where Village President Daniel Williams was present to answer.

August 11, 1948

Funeral serviced for Private George Egan, Jr., who was 20 years of age when he was killed in action during the invasion of Sicily on September 16, 1943, will be held today at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Private Egan was serving with the 83^rd Chemical Mortar battalion at the time of his death.

Michael Grawitch Jr., 38, W. Tenth Street Kaukauna, was killed instantly while at work on number ten paper machine at Thilmany Pulp and Paper Co. No one witnessed the accident, but it is believed he was pulled into the machine when his arm was caught between a dryer roll and the felt. This is the first fatal accident at the mill since 1943.

At a meeting held Thursday evening last week the striking moulders Union rejected the offer made by the Kaukauna Machine Corporation. The company is running at about 75 per cent capacity with the remaining workers.  The companies offer of a 10 cent an hour granted this year is comparable with the industry pattern. The union stated the pattern is 13 to 17 cents per hour and the company had not meet the pattern in the past two years.

August 18, 1948

Phil Haas

The Kaukauna VFW baseball team placed seven men on the southern division all-star team of Outagamie County in the voting completed by the league managers. Tops on the list was ace pitcher Phil Haas who was the only unanimous choice on the team. Also selected was catcher Bob Hannegan, Art Nagel, Jim Giordana, Leo Geigle and Dale and Wally Kilgas.

August 25, 1948

Tragedy struck the boat of three Appleton men watching the races at the VFW Regatta Saturday afternoon when David Van Rossum, 23 fell into the Fox River and drowned. He was in the boat with two friends. One friend dove into the water looking for him as the other went for help. His body was found by a search party about an hour later.

An estimate of 15,000 persons witnessed the sixth annual VFW regatta help Saturday and Sunday on the Fox River according to event manager Michael Gerharz, Jr. Bobby Meyer, nationally known outboard racer from Kansas City, Kansas, topped all money winners in the two-day event as he placed five firsts, three seconds and a fourth.

Miss Dolores Vander Loop, Kaukauna, competing with 150 twirlers from all sections of the state, was named champion baton twirler in the senior girl’s division Saturday at the State Fair in West Allis. Miss Vander Loop will appear with the Packer band at the Green Bay packer games this year.  

King of Swat Dies - George Herman “Babe” Ruth passed away Monday evening. He had been receiving treatment for a throat ailment for several years.

August 27, 1948

Coach Guy Krumm had fifty-three candidates in the initial football call Tuesday morning for the Kaukauna High School. Uniforms and equipment were handed out at that time. Included in the group which reported were 12 lettermen returning from last year. 

Time Machine Trip to August 1899

By Lyle Hansen

August 4, 1899

The United Comrades of the Spanish-American War made an excursion from Oshkosh to Kaukauna, stopping at Eden Park. A more appropriate name would have been the "United Order of Bums and Boozers," for a bigger crowd of drunks and rowdies has not struck this city for a long time. Had the excursion landed within city limits, there would have been a cooler full of "soiled doves" and others who indulged in boisterous conduct, but our police have no authority over the city line.

Baltimore, Md., July 29 - Upon one scaffold and simultaneously, four negroes were hanged at 9:48 a.m. in the city jail yard. Three of the men paid with their lives for assaulting a 13-year-old girl while the fourth for killing a woman he lived with.

A girl named Mary, at birth, dropped the ‘r’ when she grew up and became Miss May. As she began to shine in a social way she changed the ‘y’ to ‘e’ and signed her letters Mae. About a year ago she was married and now she has dropped the ‘e’ and it’s just plain ‘Ma.’ That’s evolution.

August 11, 1899

A Little Chute girl sent $1 to New York "specialist" for a "sure cure for freckles." This is the receipt which she received:  "Remove the freckles carefully with a pocketknife; soak them over night in salt water; then hang up in the smokehouse in a good, strong smoke made of sawdust and slippery-elm bark for a week. Freckles thus treated never fail to be thoroughly cured."

“Mamma, what would you do if that big vase in the parlor should get broken?” said Tommy.

“I should spank whoever did it.” She said.

“Well then, you better begin to get up your muscle,” said Tommy gleefully, “cuz Papa’s broke it.”  

The 12-year-old son of William Alger on the south side had his left hand badly mangled by the explosion of a dynamite cap Monday. He found the cap at the Kaukauna Fiber mill, where he as working.

Work was commenced Tuesday on a new solid stone engine house for the Kaukauna Lumber and Manufacturing Company on the Island, the same being 20x36 feet. This company has also just completed a mammoth new lumber shed, 58x120 feet, at their yards for the storage of lumber. As soon as the necessary ground can be secured next to that already occupied by Mr. Jansen, they will erect another shed of the same dimensions, removing part of their old ones which have covered too much ground.

August 18, 1899

During the extreme low water, the first of the week the boys had great sport catching suckers and carp in the rapids just below the dam. They could be caught by hand.

The Union Paper and Bag Company is the name of the old Western Paper Bag company since this institution entered the trust. They are having their name painted in big letters on the roof of the mill this week.

August 25, 1899

The boiler in the sash, door and blind factory of the A. H. Wieckert establishment at Appleton exploded, killing one man instantly, injuring another so seriously that he died within an hour of his rescue from the ruins, fatally wounding a third and seriously injuring eight others.

New York, Aug. 23. – Colored children of this state, under a decision of the superior court of Long Island, are barred from attending public schools with white children.   

Time Machine Trip to July 1928

By Lyle Hansen

July 3, 1928

Brillion – A farmer and his wife had decided to bid on a certain article if they could get it for $35. They became separated in the crowd at the auction. Before they could find one another, the article was put up for bid. The farmer bid and his wife over bid him, as no one else bid, the price ran up to $35 between them.  

July 6, 1928

Miss Amelia Earhart's successful flight across the Atlantic proves again the efficiency of the three engine planes. When a single engine carries a plane, disaster follows its failure over water. With three engines a mechanic can work on any single engine while the other engines keep the craft in the air.

Bernie Abrott, the Kaukauna hurler, pitching against the Kimberly-Little Chute batters has a compiling list of goose-eggs in the hitting column in the Fox River Valley loop. Kaukauna defeated Little Chute 2–1 before a crowd of 2,200.

July 10, 1928

   Miss Dorothy Fielder    Miss Blanche Jirikowic      

      
   Miss Edna Thyrion           Miss Agnes Powel

Local girls entered in the Hollywood contest sponsored by the Women’s Benefit association have placed among the leaders in the contest by votes cast this week. Miss Dorothy Fielder is represented by the Moloch Company. Miss Blanche Jirikowic is represented by the Kaukauna Bargain Store. Miss Edna Thyrion is represented by Anderson’s grocery. Miss Emma Van Gomple is represented by Little Chute. Agnes Powel is represented by Paschen’s restaurant.

A large number of people attended the first free band concert of the season rendered at the LaFollette Park here Sunday evening. The local band has entered into a contract and will play ten concerts during the summer.

Three local children were quite badly burned or injured by fireworks here. Lucille Mahn, 7 years of age, is in critical condition as result of burns received when a sparkler ignited her dress. Alvina Siebers, 11 years of age, was badly burned on her back and legs when her dress became ignited while trying to light a sparkler. William Baeten, 2 years of age, received a cut on his forehead caused by falling from a moving automobile.

Funeral services for James Conway, 79 years of age, Civil War veteran and member of the Paul H. Beaulieu Post No. 247 of the G.A.R., were held at the Conway home on Desnoyer Street Monday.

July 13, 1928

Richard “Red” Smith, former Kaukauna High School star, seems to be the first-string catcher of the Montreal Royals. He caught both games of a recent double header.

John Rupert, 43 years of age, was trampled about the face and head so badly that he died from the injuries. He was engaged by his brother in law Dan Glasheen as a farm hand about two miles east of Kaukauna. Rupert was engaged in currying a horse when he fell beneath the horse’s feet.

Twenty-one altar boys from Holy Cross Church accompanied by Rev. F. J. Melchiors, enjoyed a picnic at the camp at Guardian Angels’ school Oneida. The swimming hole in Duck Creek which flows through the property was a big delight.

July 17, 1928

Sheboygan - Police were hot on the trail of two bandits who had held up the Waldo State Bank and obtained $761 as their haul. The police officers closed in on two “suspicious characters” here. A weapon in the hands of one of the men pointed at the officers, made them quite certain they had the men. Their car had a small arsenal. The men insisted they were not the robbers and proved they were detectives from Milwaukee. Now the search is on again for the real robbers.

A score of 48–4 sounds more like a track meet score, but it isn’t as this is the baseball score Sunday when Darboy defeated Stockbridge. The fracas took about three hours to play and was a comedy of hits, runs and errors.

July 20, 1928

Raymond Fransway, 40 years of age, Appleton, was shot fatally by his neighbor, Lyman Underwood, Wednesday night. The slain man was looking for worms with a flashlight in his yard when his neighbor shot him with a .38 caliber revolver. Underwood stated that he intended to shoot in the air to scare off a prowler but became confused and shot directly at him.

July 24, 1928

After a four month lay-off, Phil Zwick, Kaukauna battler, reentered the ring at Akron, Ohio, Monday night and proceeded to hand Nat Arnold of New Jersey, a trimming for eight rounds. Zwick’s trainer said that Phil looked good after his long stretch of inactivity.

July 27, 1928

Green Bay – The 1928 Packer football model is beginning to take form and according to the management, the Big Bay Blue machine of this year will be the greatest one that ever wore the gold and blue of Green Bay on the professional gridiron. Last year the Packers finished second in the National league race.

July 31, 1928

Edward Ashe, 15 years of age, of this city saved the life of Mildred Baker, 15 years of age of this city, at the fourth lock here, Thursday. The girl, who was swimming above the lock, tired as she neared the shore and young Ashe, who perceived her plight swam out and rescued her.

Time Machine Trip to July 1908

By Lyle Hansen

July 3, 1908

Over one hundred "bad order" freight cars from Fond du Lac and Green Bay arrived at the shops here Monday to be repaired. The indications are that short hours at the shops will be a thing of the past after the 4th of July.

Grover Cleveland, the only surviving ex-president of the United States, died Wednesday morning at his home in Princeton, N. J. President Cleveland was the 22^nd and 24^th President of the country.

Marshal Richard Conlan requests people to take all possible precaution against accidents tomorrow on the 4^th. 

The new power launch which was built last spring by Mel Raught and Hugo Weifenbach has been christened the Ka-ka-lin. A six-horsepower gasoline engine furnishes the motive power and it thought the 25-foot boat will develop a speed of eight miles per hour. The boat should easily carry twenty passengers.

July 10, 1908

All flags for the government now have forty-six stars, a new star for Oklahoma having been added July 4.

Although it is generally conceded that Kaukauna has more wet groceries than can profitably do business in a city of 6,000 inhabitants. Still all the wet goods men were Johnny on the spot Tuesday and had their ante of $200 license promptly made. A total of thirty-four saloons licenses were taken out for the ensuing year.

Little Chute - At their annual school meeting Monday the taxpayers voted to establish a high school and to build a second story to the present public school. There was a large attendence and the vote carried 51 to 11.

July 17, 1908

Saturday was one of the hottest days ever recorded in Kaukauna. Thermometers in the shade registered all the way from 92 to 106 degrees, while those unprotected from the rays of the sun ran up to over 130 degrees. The large thermometer of the Kaukauna Drug Company ran up to 120 degrees, its limit, and burst. Haas & Hohmann had one that ran up to 132 degrees and fearing it would burst they took it into the store. The heat was so intense that nearly all outside work had to be suspended.

July 24, 1908

A lone bandit, with masked face and armed with a revolver, attempted to holdup passenger train No. 5 on the North-Western road a few miles north of Appleton. The robber boarded the train at Appleton Junction, and when the train was a few miles out of that place he crawled down from the tender and covered Engineer Louis Wandell of Kaukauna with a revolver. Fireman Gustav Pahl struck the man over the head with his coal scoop, felling him to the floor. He then took the revolver from the bandit, who managed to jump from the engine and escape.

Ossining, N. Y., July 21. – Charles Rogers and Angelo Laudiero, murderers, were electrocuted in Sing Sing prison early in the day. Rogers was the first taken to the chair. His execution was without special incident taking two contacts. In the case of Laudiero a bright flame came from the electrodes at his head and an odor of burning hair filled the room.

July 31, 1908

The city of Kaukauna is threatened with a possible water famine and all those using the water works system are cautioned to be as careful as possible about the amount of water drawn, or it may become necessary to shut off all the private taps and reserve the water in the reservoir and standpipe for fire protection only until such time as the present difficulty can be surmounted.

Letter sent to Montana – If anyone has come across a young man with lop shoulder and a pair of bow legs and answering to the name of French, please forward particulars at once. His heartbroken father is here at the Gulch and wants to know what has become of him. If any of the cowboys around here hung him for horse stealing, forward the particulars just the same. It will ease his father’s mind to know his fate.

Atlanta, Ga., - Further disclosures of irregularities and inhuman treatment of convicts were brought out before the legislative committee investigating the conduct of the state prison officials. Ed Strickland, who said he had worked in 100 camps, testified to the cruelty of the wardens. The cries of negroes being whipped were in the air almost all the time at the brick company camp.

Time Machine Trip to July 1988

By Lyle Hansen

July 6, 1988

Movie and TV actor Leslie Niesen visited here with Ken Vils, former Kaukaunan and retired Los Angeles Police officer. Vils works as a movie stand-in for Nielsen while movies scenes are prepared. The Vils family is having a reunion and Leslie Nielsen attended with his friend Ken Vils.

The effects of the summer’s dry weather will be felt not only by farmers but also by the general public and one of the first of those effects will be bigger electric bill. Power demand by greater use of air conditions, fans and hard-working refrigerators are a large part of the demand. Lack of rain has lowered the river and reduced the output of electricity by the Kaukauna Utility.

Citing pre-trial publicity Outagamie County Circuit Court judge ruled that the trial of a former Kaukauna man will be held before a jury from outside the county. Vincent Fisher, 40, is accused of second degree murder in the March death of six-year-old Jessica Miller.

Johnathan Dresang wears the blue T-shirt he received from Walton County, Florida, the finder of the helium filled balloon that he released at the Bethany Church Vacation Bible School on June 10. The balloon was found by Mr. Dan Cox the day following the release.

July 8, 1988

Kaukauna’s Post Office will move to its new Northside location on Friday, July 15 according to Postmaster William Schriver. The curbside collection boxes to the rear of the present post office will also be moved on Friday.

Kaukauna’s City Attorney along with eight other Kaukauna residents and VandenBroek residents will begin meeting to determine the likelihood of having a greyhound racing track on the Northside. The track is proposed to be built on a one-hundred-acre farm on which Delaware North Company has taken out an option.

July 14, 1988

Tom Hultman, 22, has been selected from numerous applicants to become the new sports editor for The Kaukauna Times. He will take over for Mike Bates, who has been the sports editor at the Times since 1980.

July 21, 1988

In front of the largest Thursday night crowd in three years, Green Bay’s Scott Hansen blasted to his eight late model feature victory of the season at the Wisconsin International Raceway south of Kaukauna. The 5280 fans were treated to a stirring demonstration of the Budweiser Clydesdales during intermission.

July 26, 1988

Ron VanderVelden helped coordinate the 10^th annual Kaukauna High School Wilderness Trip to the Canadian Quetico this past spring. He said the 43 KHS youths who attended the 10-day trip are convinced that they witnessed a change in themselves. The trip consists of camping, rafting and mountain climbing along with basic wilderness skills.

July 28, 1988

The names were announced, and Jennifer Schwalenberg was smiling. Even though it was probably one of the toughest smiles she every had to give. Kaukauna’s Schwalenberg who was named Miss Wisconsin Teen-USA last fall competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant Monday in San Bernadine, California. Although she appeared to score highly in the event she was not among the ten named as semifinalists. Dick Clark hosted the show and was televised nationally and in 25 countries.

A Concorde supersonic jetliner from Europe and a B-1B bomber from the land of secrecy are confirmed for the weekend’s opening of Oshkosh “88, the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual aerial extravaganza for the next ten days in Oshkosh.

The streets close, the merchandise comes out of the stores, the sales abound. It’s Sidewalk Sale Day in Kaukauna. The 26^th annual event will take over parts of Wisconsin Avenue and Second Street in Kaukauna today.

Plenty of tickets for the initial Green Bay Packer game under first year Head Coach Lindy Infante are still available at Looks Drug Store in Kaukauna. The Bishop’s Charities Game on August 6 will be between the Packers and the New York Giants Tickets are available at $14 and $17 apiece. 

Volunteer of the year honors from Kaukauna Kiwanis went to Roy Vande Yacht, second from the right front row. Kiwanis President Dick Sauer 2^nd from left presented the award as Harold Kahler, left and Bruce Werschem looked on. Vande Yacht is a long time Kaukauna Community Hospital volunteer. Kiwanis members in the back are Robert King, Les Abel, Bob Knapp, Ken Pawlak, Dennis Kickland and William Rammer.