Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Time Machine Trip to November 1896

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen


November 6, 1896

The great battle is over; the Republicans have swept the country, and on the 4th of next March William McKinley will take his seat in the presiding chair of this nation and the banner of protection, prosperity and sound money will once more float at the nations masthead. 

 

No sooner was the news of McKinley's election received here, than the mills started to blow their whistles to let the workingman know that the wheels of industry would commence to start again the next day.

 

The elections smoke of battle has cleared away, but the smoke of the victor’s cigars has taken its place.





Our silver dollar will buy two of Mexico's common everyday pieces of bullion.

 

 

A terrible accident occurred Monday afternoon at Combined Locks whereby a brakeman of the Ashland division of Northwestern Road lost his life. When the train reached Kaukauna John Clancy was missing. The train then ran back to the Locks on the sidetrack the mangled remains of the man where found. The decease resides in Antigo where he leaves a wife and four children.

   

Kaukauna High School at 100%. That is still the percentage of our football team. Tuesday, they won their fourth match game at Neenah by a score of 28 to 6. Our 11 went to Neenah on the 11:52 passenger train and returned on the 8:05 with colors flying and great enthusiasm.

 

November 13, 1896

The Supreme Court recently ruled that Kaukauna cannot have a water works system under the franchise granted a couple years ago to Wells, Reichert & Co. What new steps will be taken in this matter is not yet known.

 

Appleton is advertising for bids on the large new schoolhouse. This will undoubtedly be the case here soon, the Supreme Court having settled the ownership of the piece of property known as Lawe’s Park, which was purchased several years ago by the North side district as a school site.

 

Humane agent Wilkie's annual report for the year ending November 27 shows a total of 864 cases attended to, 342 of which were cruelty to persons and 522 cruelty to animals.

 

The heavy snowstorm that set in the next day after election put a damper on all the Republican joyful blowouts and in consequence the cities around here have not had an opportunity to celebrate.

 

The County workhouse is pronounced finished, having cost $1850 and $150 for the land total $2000. A high fence must be built and a 500-foot sewer constructed along with a barn and out houses.

       

November 20, 1896

It was pay day in Kaukauna this week for the employees of the Chicago and Northwestern railways, and for the first time in many months the men received gold for their checks at the First National Bank. Gold coins have been quite a scarcity in the tills for some time but now that the money question has been decided in the recent election the yellow money has come out of hiding.

 

The north side school board will hold a meeting within a few days to take some action relative to the building of the proposed new schoolhouse on the property known as Lawe's Park.

 

The senior girls came down to schools Saturday afternoon with their kitchen aprons and scrubbing brushes and as a result our new laboratory looks considerably better. 

 

For the first time in many months every paper and pulp mill in Kaukauna is running at full capacity by water power. Even the pulp Mills on the Meade and Edwards canal have plenty of water now

 

 Columbus Miss., - Mins Collier, a Negro, attempted an assault upon Miss Tilly Vaughan, a respectable white woman, living about 12 miles east of this city. Collier had a preliminary trial and was held at a store in charge of the constables. Monday night a mob of over 100 men overpowered these officers and Tuesday morning Collier’s body was found dangling from a limb of a nearby tree

 

 Marshall Jule Kuehn 

The first business taken up Tuesday morning at the County board was the election of an overseer to the new county tramp house. 14 applications were filed for the position, Marshall Kuehn being one of several from Kaukauna. Marshall Jule Kuehn was chosen for the position.  The salary for the position was fixed at $2400 per year, out of that amount Mr. Kuehn will have to furnish all the supplies for the workhouse including lighting, heating, bedding, necessary clothing and board for the prisoners.

 

November 27, 1896

The schools at Menasha have closed until after the holidays to prevent the spreading of diphtheria, a large number of cases being reported in that city.

 

The apportionment of high school funds by the state has been completed for this year. Kaukauna will receive $265.95.

 


Thousands of Americans, reading of the brilliant success of Helen Keller on passing the entrance examination of Harvard University, had made an effort to realize the achievements of this most wonderful girl of 16.   They have recalled that she is deaf and dumb and blind and that she has been so since her childhood. She had lived for many years in an abyss of darkness and silence and loneliness.


 

                                          Fifty legs – One Bicycle

 

Tim O'Brien had his nose bitten off in a fight at Green Bay but doctors are making him a new one out of flesh from his arms.

 

The fifth trophy has been added to our football player’s belt. It was last Saturday they succeeded in defeating DePere 18 to 0.

 

The new 300-horsepower Corliss engine, just added to Kaukauna Fiber Company’s plant, was started up for the first time Tuesday. With this new engine and a second digester which has just been added the output of the plant is raised to about 11 tons of Sulphite fiber per day.

 

All rights and titles of the central Wisconsin electric Railway Company of Oshkosh were sold by the Sheriff for $3076 last Saturday. The company was organized three years ago to build a line in Oshkosh and an inter-urban line from there to Kaukauna.

 


 

Pretty Salvation Army Maids

Saturday, October 31, 2026

Time Machine Trip to November 1886

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

 

November 5, 1886

The question of druggist’s license has been brought to a practical issue during the past week, by the arrest of two Kaukauna druggists, charged with selling intoxicating liquors contrary to law. Druggist Mertes was brought up and pleading guilty was fined the usual amount and costs. Druggist Kellogg was arrested last Monday but was discharged for want of sufficient evidence. Justice Simons deciding “no cause of action,” and charged the costs to the city.

 

Geronimo and his murderous gang started from San Antonio, Tex., on October 22nd by railroad for Fort Pickens, Fla. They were guarded by an escort of forty infantrymen, The Women will be sent to Fort Marion, Florida.


 


Out of over 800 voters registered in this city there were only 625 votes polled. This light vote - considering the fine weather which prevailed throughout the day - was a surprise to all.


New York, Oct. 28 – The rainstorm which prevailed all day yesterday but the weather this morning is very unpromising for the festivities which are to take place in connection with the inauguration of the Barholdi’s Statue of Liberty. A slight fog hangs over the city and obscures in measure the elaborate decorations of buildings. French and American flags are flying from house tops and windows in every direction, and a general holiday appearance is presented by moving bodies of soldiers. Visitors from all sections of the country have been coming into the city for two days past, and this morning thousands were added to the great throng. 

  

Returns received from about the state up to an early hour on the morning of the 3rd indicate that Gov. Rusk has been re-elected by a probable majority of 20,000.

 

Constable Keef, of Little Chute arrested one man on Election Day for using abusive language and managed to quiet the fellow’s tongue by keeping him locked up until the polls were closed. 

 

November 12, 1886

A group of about 20 young people from South Kaukauna took a 10:00 PM train to attend a dance party in Brillion. They had a lively time, danced all night, and returned home at 6:00 AM the following morning.

 

The Island Opera House has undergone improvements, including plastering, interior finishing, an enlarged stage, and complete sets of scenery and curtains. Manager Hayes is preparing for a first-class troupe to officially open the renovated venue

 

A new stone lock will be built at the "cedars" just above Little Chute this winter. This will give employment to a large number of workmen and will probably make it unusually lively at the "Chute" during the lone winter evenings.

 

The snowstorm on Saturday was the beginning of winter. It created a great demand for stoves and the hardware men are happy.

 


One man living in the city has recently ordered the discontinuance of The TIMES to his address, giving as the reason that this paper did not give sufficient support to his favorite candidates, that one paper in Kaukauna was enough, that the people here were democrats and all they wanted was a democratic paper. Words cannot express our admiration for this man, his broad and liberal views in political matters. He has been a resident of Kaukauna little more than a year, and the place he left to come here must still be suffering from his conspicuous absence and mammoth intellect.

 

November 19, 1886

Winnipeg, Man.,– A plasterer named Shules, who contemplated leaving this city for the old country, recently sold his wife and five children to a man for $70. A regular legal agreement was drawn up between the two men, and the property was formally transferred. The police are investigating the matter.

 

A commentary on a labor strike at the Chicago stockyards notes that 15,000 workers earning an average of $2.00 per day have voluntarily stopped working. The piece argues that the strike causes $30,000 in daily lost wages and criticizes union leaders for encouraging strikes.

 

The discovery of bituminous coal near Dundas has created excitement, with locals hoping for a major boost to Kaukauna’s economy. A group—including John Hoberg, D. J. Brothers, Dan Crowe, and Dan Curtin—has leased the Ballard farm to explore the vein, which was struck at a depth of 20 feet. Rumors of natural gas and petroleum are also circulating, driving up interest and land speculation in the area.

 

November 26, 1886

The Rev. Father Hens of Grandlec, Kewaunee Co., has been appointed to take charge of the South Kaukauna Catholic Church, and entered upon his duties this week.

 

The Misses Grignon hosted friends for an evening of progressive euchre at their home. Mr. Geo. F. Butler and Miss Maggie Grignon won the first prize, while Mr. John Watson and Miss Emma Grignon received the "booby" prizes.

 

The question of making the salary of police officers large enough to abolish the payment of fees for the arrest of tramps, vagrants etc, has been discussed considerably during the past two weeks by the authorities of Kaukauna and Appleton.


 

New York, Nov. 22 – The last night of the loving watch beside the home of Gen. Chester Alan Arthur, ex-President of the United States has passed.  The morning dawned brightly on the closed shutters of the house and the black crape at the door were the only sign that deaths sickle has been busy within.




 

Sunday, October 25, 2026

Time Machine Trip to October 1976

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen


October 5, 1976

Two girls were injured—neither of them seriously—when a big rock was hurled at them through an open school bus window Friday night after the Kaukauna–Oshkosh North football game in Oshkosh. Injured in the melee were Robin Rogers, a freshman, and Jean McMorrow. Both were X-rayed, treated, and released at an Oshkosh hospital. The rock was thrown through an open window by a youth believed to be 15 or 16 years of age. Mrs. Janet VandeHey, who together with her husband Ronald were chaperoning the bus. The bus pulled out of traffic, and we got some ice at a nearby house to put on the girls' heads. The girls were accompanied by the Vandehey’s and a friend to the emergency room of the hospital where they were x-rayed, treated and released.

 

October 7, 1976

The training of nine volunteer firemen in the coming year will get a second look from the city's Public Protection and Safety committee, the Common Council decided Tuesday. Holding off on the volunteer plan came following an impassioned plea from Fire Capt. Everette Bovee who pointed out that integrating volunteers into emergency situations could be dangerous, that departments surveyed in a Fire and Police Commission study all preferred paid firemen and that the move would be "...a step backwards."



 

Funeral services for Miss Carol Ann Walker, a former math teacher at Kaukauna High School, were at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Neenah. Miss Walker taught at Kaukauna from 1928 until 1934 when she moved to Menasha.

 

Smoking is slowly--and surely--going out of style, according to the Wisconsin Lung Association. The percentage of smokers is going down in this country. And an overwhelming majority of the population think smoking should be banned in more public places.

 

October 12, 1976

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. today for a rural Kaukauna area man and his daughter who were killed shortly after midnight Saturday when their pickup truck left highway KK and struck a bridge abutment. William Richard Ertl, 29, and his daughter, Melissa Ann, age 5 of Route 3, Kaukauna, died instantly in the crash.

 

Last year, Todd Lunda was the only Ghost golfer to participate in the state meet. This season, he's going to have plenty of company. By taking second place in Friday's WIAA sectional golf competition at New London, the entire Ghost team qualified for the state meet--the first KHS team to accomplish that feat. Paced by Tom Schmidt, whose 79 was the fifth best round of the day, the Ghosts counted 324 strokes to finish just five strokes behind first place Kimberly, which will make the state trip for the second consecutive year as a team.

 

The suspense for 21 freshman girls was broken on Sept. 13, when frosh cheerleading tryouts were completed. Eight freshman girls were chosen to lead cheers at football and basketball games this school year. They include Debbie Huss, Suzanne Verbeten, Tanya Miller, Leigh VandenHeuvel, Donna Manderschied, Lana McPhail, Karen VanLinn, and Kathy Meyers.

 

October 19, 1976

Star quarterback Reed Giordana of Kaukauna has set another National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) passing record. Giordana states that the reason he has suffered no interceptions this year is that he is making sure the receivers are open before he throws the ball. Otherwise, he runs the ball or takes the loss. He also says that his experience has helped him in reading the defenses better and that he isn't throwing the ball into crowds as much. Giordana, who has led the nation’s small colleges in total offense twice and passing once, has thrown a record 101 times this season without being intercepted. Giordana is a junior and is undecided about his major.

 

October 21, 1976

Patrolman Tom Carpenter has, like most police officers, experience with cars hitting signs. As Carpenter watched Friday, a sign hit a car. The sign, on Third Street at Crooks Avenue, moved out into the street and collided with a car owned by Evelyn M. Rademacher, 321 Park St. High winds Friday were the culprit.


Junior and Jim Salm, proprietors of the Darboy Club, have taken over the Combined Locks A & W and will call it "Salm's A & W." A third brother, Ray Salm, will be manager of the new enterprise. "We will serve the same delicious food that we offer at the Darboy Club," Jim said, "and as soon as equipment changes can be made, we will be serving our famous 'Darboy Broasted Chicken' at the A & W."

 

Guy Krumm, the only man to serve as athletic director at Kaukauna High School prior to this year, will be the guest of honor at a testimonial dinner on Tuesday, Oct. 26, at Van Abel's in Hollandtown. Honors aren't anything new for the man who served as athletic director for the past 34 years. Already, Krumm has been inducted into the KHS Sports Hall of Fame in 1972 and earlier this year, he was inducted into the UW-Stevens Point Sports Hall of Fame, after enjoying a brilliant athletic career at that school. He came to Kaukauna in 1939 and coached basketball and football on the varsity level. In eight seasons, his cage teams compiled an 83–47 record and his 1941 team has the distinction of being the only KHS basketball team to win a conference championship.

 

October 26, 1976

Burial of a time capsule, one of the last in the city’s series of Bicentennial events, will be the focal point of a ceremony today at 4 p.m. at Kaukauna’s Grignon Home park area. The stainless-steel capsule, fabricated by the Thilmany Pulp and Paper Co. will be emplaced by members of the city’s Bicentennial commission, headed by chairman Craig Lahm. Speakers at the ceremony today will include Kaukauna teachers Raymond Nehrlich, a member of the commission, and Ed Flynn of the Kaukauna High School. The capsule will be welded shut by Peter Wallace.

 

Three students from each grade were selected to represent their class. Senior class officers are Todd Arnoldussen, Colleen Kenney and Leanne Vanderloop, while students acting for the junior class are Kathy Dreier, Tracy Schommer and Sharon Van Deraa. Sophomore class officers are Missy Bongers, Terri Schommer and Jackie Zondag and the officers in the freshman class are Dean Stock, Leslie Vanderloop, and Mike Wolf.

 

Anderson, Donald and Susan – Daughter

Behling, Alan and Shirley – Daughter

Benedict, Jay and Shirley – Daughter

Breckheimer, Gene and Carol – Daughter

Dercks, Stanley and Helen – Daughter

Dietzen, Andrew and Janice – Daughter

Doering, Dennis and Linda – Daughter

Hartjes, Guy and Susan – Son

Heindl, David and Marjorie – Son

Hermes, Dennis and Jody – Son

Hoijer, Thomas and Marlene – Daughter

Koutnik, Robert and Lynn – Daughter

Lambie, Merle and Theresa – Daughter

Mashlan, Ronald and Donna – Son

Pavlik, Donald and Marianne – Daughter

Phillips, Bernard and Dianne – Daughter

Reinke, David and Kaye – Daughter

Romenesko, Bruce and Patricia – Son

Romenesko, Keith and Debra – Son

Romenesko, Mark and Deane – Daughter

Rothe, Lawrence and Julia – Daughter

School, Jeffrey and Sharon – Daughter

Stebane, Dennis and Judith – Daughter

Thompson, Donald and Sharon – Daughter

Van Grinsven, Ted and Kathleen – Daughter

Vande Hey, Dennis and Carol – Son

Vandehey, Peter and Mary – Daughter

Vanden Boogart, Thomas and Nancy – Daughter 

Zornow, John and Kay – Daughter

 

THE MIDNIGHT MOTOCROSS got underway with a lot of waving and shouting over the weekend as a few bicyclists decided to give a rough and rutted Third St. a try.

  



PAVE, PAVE, PAVE—While Third St., in the foreground, remains excavated for new concrete, Main Ave. was partially closed Tuesday as city workers put a new cap of asphalt on the roadway from Oak St. to the railroad tracks.


EXCELLENCE IN baton twirling has brought Michelle Worsch, 9, 42 trophies including 25 first place awards in three and a half years of competition. She is currently looking forward to participating in the state and national contests next year.

 

 KAUKAUNA'S GALLOPING GHOSTS will be gunning for their seventh consecutive homecoming win this weekend. Hoping to accomplish the feat are team members, front row, from left; Dick Driessen, Tom St. John, Greg Buchanan, Kevin Finnegan, Keith Fassbender, Jeff Giordana, Chuck McDaniel, Bob Fravel, Don Van Schyndel, Marv Roth and Rich Zenisek. Second row, Mgr. Mike Baker, Mike School, Mark Dahlin, Don Phelan, Perry Kohne, Tom Dreier, Bill Spreeman, Bob Nytes, Louis Faust, Steve Van Epern, Terry Diedrich, Dean Wirth and Jeff Jaeckles, mgr. Row Three, Coach Scott Bay, Coach Glen Hinkens, Ross Giordana, Rick Vock, Dan Haen, Greg Deering, Mark Hrubesky, Scott Mandel, John Hibbard, Jay Noonan, Lee Huss, Craig Smith, Mike Van Abel and Coach Bill Simon. Row four; Cliff Schneider, Dale Wirth, Scott Blajeski, Randy Sanders, Tom Driessen, Scott Kuchelmeister, Dave Spice, Brad Goldapske, Tim Kilsdonk, Don Auden, Dan DeValk and Head Coach Bill Biekkola. Missing; Tim Patterson, Pete Meyerhofer, Paul Hrubesky and Greg Schell.


 
 

THE QUEEN AND HER COURT for Kaukauna High School's Homecoming will include (left to right) Leanne Vanderloop, Carol Eimmerman, Colleen Kenny, and Queen Lindy Paulson. Escorts (l to r) are Paul Simon, volleyball; Jim Eifler, golf; Steve Pomeroy, cross country; and Tom Driessen, football. (KHS Photo)


 LEADING THE STUDENTS, faculty and alumni in cheering the Ghosts on to victory will be the 1976 varsity cheerleading squad. The squad is composed of front row, (left to right) Deb Steger, Kathy Coonen, and Kerri Kloehn. Back row, Kelly Kloehn, Lisa Vanderloop, Sue Van Zeeland and Leanne Vanderloop. The advisor this year is Miss Janice Jaskot.

 

 

 Although the KHS football team did not score a Homecoming victory, the Student Council did, with their series of theme days during the Homecoming week. Representing each of the "days" are Karl Zornow, Mix 'N' Match Day; Colleen Kenney, Hat 'N' Sock Day; Terri Schommer, 50's Day; Paula Schmoeker, Color Day (each class was assigned a different color to wear); and Ellen Koehler, Backward Day. 

 

ON A WINTER-LIKE DAY, cows silhouetted against the frosty fields at the Gary Van De Loo farm on Highway J paid little heed to below normal temperatures (Times Photo)

 

MOTOCROSSER Lee Killian of Kaukauna will be among a number of area bike racers competing at the Funland motocross course in Neenah this weekend for the season’s last race. Killian hear rounds a corner at the track in an earlier American Motorcycle Association event. (Times Photo)


Howard Feldkamps Celebrate

Silver Wedding Anniversary

 

 

William Meulemans Observe

45th Wedding Anniversary

 

 

Steven Terrys Celebrate

40th Wedding Anniversary

 

 

Mr. and Mrs. Reed Mullen

Celebrating 35th Anniversary