Time Machine Trip to February 1895

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

 

February 1, 1895

The "gas engine tricycle" is one of the latest steps in the march of progress which seems destined in the end to dispense with the horse. This vehicle carries three persons, and its two-horse engine has power enough left to trail one or two buggies or a loaded wagon behind, over a good road. A lever regulates the speed from ten to twelve miles an hour, downward, and two and one gallons of gasoline-about 25c worth-will run it 12 hours. It’s a horse that needs no grooming and makes no litter.

 

A car containing eighty barrels of Miller’s Milwaukee beer arrived here this week.

 

Katherine Beauchamp, the servant girl who was arrested several weeks ago for stealing two rings from the residence of Dr. H. B. Tanner, had a trial at Appleton last Saturday and was sentenced to four months in the County jail. Her story to the court was that she picked up the rings fearing that they would be lost and put them in her pocket. She said she did not wear the dress after that day and had totally forgotten about them.

 

The Central Wisconsin Electric Railway Company, of Oshkosh, filed articles of association with the secretary of state Monday. The purpose is to operate a railway in the city of Oshkosh and between that city and Kaukauna, about thirty miles, for the carrying of either passengers or freight.

 

Marshal Julius Kuehn has been appointed as deputy for the county. Jule’s duties are to collect state license monies from hawkers and peddlers.

 

February 8, 1895

B. M. Berendsen of Green Bay, who masqueraded as a priest and attempted to wring a confession from a prisoner at the Brown County jail last week has made a public apology.

 

Twenty-four degrees below zero last Monday morning.

 

A special report was received from Madison Tuesday conveying good news to the residents of Kaukauna and the proprietors of the mills. The state supreme court met today to hand down a decision in favor of Kaukauna in the Green Bay and Mississippi Canal Company vs. the Kaukauna Waterpower Company relative to proportions of the flow of the water of the Fox River below the dam to the south channel.

 

 

The hardware store of Haas & Merbach on the corner of Crooks Avenue and Third Street was badly damaged by fire Wednesday night. The fire department quickly responded and did excellent work, extinguishing the flames, before much damage was done to the building. The stock, however, was badly wrecked, being burned, smoked up and rusted from water.

 

Kaukauna is bound to have a water works system and things are materializing this week that bid fair to produce a system this summer. Within the last week, Mayor Tanner has received communications from Mr. W. H. Fritchman of New York, who plans to come to Kaukauna in the near future to pick up the end of the thread dropped by Hotchkins and his company.

 

February 15, 1895

The Times new cylinder press is having a tedious journey to get here. It left Boston on the 14th of January, passed through the eastern blizzard and arrived at Chicago on the 28th. From there the car had started for Kaukauna but up to date has only reached Milwaukee, where it is side-tracked to be re-wheeled, having broken down.  The railroad officials are kind enough to inform us that "its coming" however, so we smile and bear it.

 

February 22, 1895

Thos. Duffy of Hollandtown was a pleasant caller at The Times office Monday, paying up six years subscription. Thos. don't come in often but when he does it counts. Let this be an example for a few more to follow.

 

At Seymour, Wednesday, Mrs. Shipley, a woman of destitute circumstances had been living with a family of small children in a single room during the past winter; their only provisions consisted of what was given to them by a few charitable persons. Mrs. Shipley has died more of want of proper food and nourishment than anything else. Neighbors will care for the children. If Seymour is still in such a state of barbarism as to let a woman actually starve to death, let it be cut off of Outagamie County and dropped into the Oneida reservation and sunk in some worthless piece of swamp land.

 

Appleton - Mary Wollenstein, aged twelve years, died Sunday of typhoid fever at the home of her mother on Second Avenue. Five others in the family of nine have had the disease, two are convalescent and three are down with it. This is a family that recently moved here from Kaukauna and about who is responsible for care is a disagreement between Appleton and Kaukauna.

 

Time Machine Trip to February 1885

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

 

February 6, 1885

The magnificent new draw bridge at this place is rapidly nearing completion and gives Kaukauna quite a metropolitan appearance. The cost of the structure will not be much more than one of wood and our taxpayers will never regret having built a bridge that will be not only a lasting improvement, but one which any city in the country might be proud of.

 

A bill has been introduced into the Pennsylvania legislature for the infliction of corporal punishment on wife beaters. If for no other crime, the whipping post should be established for the punishment of such brutes.

 

Charlotte, N.C. - Last Thursday night Jos. Smith, well-to-do-planter, attacked his wife resulting in wounds that will result as fatal. Neighbors heard the disturbance and rushed to the house. When they reached the home, they found Smith’s brother standing in the door with a shotgun. The crowd fired their weapons, riddling him with bullets and forced their way in, only to find Joseph Smith had escaped.

 

The collections of the internal revenue for the first four months of 1885 were $38,375,676 down $2,623,000 from last year.

 

February 13, 1885

The work of drafting a Charter for the City of Kaukauna is nearly completed, and before the next issue of The Times a bill will probably be introduced in the legislature for the incorporation of the city. Messrs. Peter Reuter and G. H. Dawson started for Madison this (Thursday) morning for the purpose of placing the measure in charge of our representative Hon. Wm. Lamure.

 

Audubon, La., - The three murderers jailed for the killing of Hiram Jefferson met justice from a mob. Two were shot in their cells when they put up a fight and the other hanged from the band stand in the park.

 

The new drawbridge is now used by foot passengers and is greatly appreciated by everyone. It forms a direct communication between Wisconsin Avenue and the island, cutting off about forty rods of the former distance.

 

February 20, 1885

The cold weather hangs on like "a pup to a root" and though March is but a week off, there is yet no sign of spring.  However, no one needs to be discouraged, a good time is coming. Before the first of August the snow will probably entirely disappear.

 

Eighteen raving maniacs were burned to death in their cells in Philadelphia on the 12^th. This is the most horrible disaster in the history of the city. There were twenty-seven men held in the building at the time of the fire. Firemen on ladders breaking the second story windows rescued others.

Wallingford, Vt.- Neighbors were aroused by a child’s screams and called on the White’s home with law enforcement. Joseph White and wife were convicted of maltreating Ida Terry 13 years old. Ida had been left with the White’s by her father at the age of 2. Her father was in the far west and had paid the White’s $100 per year for her care. The girl’s body showed signs of years of torture at the hands of the White’s. Joseph White testified that his wife made him assist in the cruelties. The justice fined White only $5 and his wife $10. White has since been visited by a mob and beaten.  White and his wife were ordered out of town and the child has been taken from them.

 

February 27, 1885

Good-bye town of Kaukauna!  Farewell village of Ledyard; hope to meet you in the city.  In the afternoon of Wednesday this week, a telegram from Madison was received here stated that the bill for incorporating the City of Kaukauna had passed the lower house of the state legislature, and instead of two villages with a population of two thousand each, the same territory comprised one city of four thousand inhabitants. The news was received on both sides of the river with demonstrations of joy. The firing cannon, ringing bells and blowing whistles brought people from their homes to see what it meant. The work of bringing about a union of these villages has been a difficult task, but it has been accomplished in a way that has proved satisfactory to a large majority of the citizens.

 

The Bank of Kaukauna was removed to permanent quarters in a new building adjoining the Reuter Block last week. The new bank is to be provided with a stone vault. 

 

The streamer New Castle City left for London last Thursday with a cargo of 154 cattle. A storm struck the vessel 200 miles out washing more than 100 cattle off the deck. 

 

Time Machine Trip to January 1975

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

January 8, 1975

 

The first baby of 1975 wasn’t too happy having her picture taken but her mother, Mrs. Darlene Howen, Kimberly, seemed quite elated. Jennifer Lynn Howen was born at 9:05 pm on New Year’s Day. 

 

Deaths in Kaukauna set a five-year high and births were a five year low for 1974, the city’s Health and Recreation department reported Monday.  

 

January 10, 1975

Snow place like home – Eric Farrell age 2 ½ was all smiles as he tried out the igloo built by his older brother Bob at his home on east Eighth Street.

 

On December 14, 1973, Kurt Kloehn, 17, was working the 11 to 7 shift at Doering’s Super Valu in Kaukauna. It was 2 am when he heard cries for help from Jean Micke, the checkout girl. A man had collapsed in the entrance of the store. Kurt immediately called the ambulance then returned to aid the man. Kurt and Jean applied life saving measures to Ralph Denny the unconscious man. The ambulance was at the scene of an auto accident and unable to respond. Kurt and Jean efforts saved the man’s life. Kurt was presented with a National Life Saving Award by the Boy Scouts on January 19.

 

The Wisconsin paper industry will spend $214 million dollars through 1980 on air and water improvements according to the Wisconsin Paper Council.

 

January 15, 1975

Ice coated rubble is all that remains of the Boy Scout Cabin at Riverside Park which was destroyed by a fire early Monday morning.

 

Half the population of Kaukauna was under 24 years of age when the census was taken in 1970.

 

January 17, 1975

Holy Cross defeated Hollandtown 46-35 in the finals to win the championship in the Reedsville tournament. Kneeling are Greg Pawlak, Dick McMorrow, Coach Dan Verbeten, Kevin Coenen, Tom Van Grinsven and Gene Biese. Standing in the back row are Todd Schelfhout, Joe Berg, mgr., Tom Brown, Steven McMorrow, Mike Hietpas, Mark Van Epern, Barry Martzahl, Mike Vande Hey, mgr., Dale Evers and Brian Van Schyndel.

The Holy Cross cheerleading squad took first place in the cheerleading competition at the Reedsville tournament. Left to right are Kris Kloehn, Linda Jacques, Joan Van Dyn Hoven, Kay Bouressa, Melissa Bongers, Jackie Zondag, Linda Hietpas, Mary George and Andrea Brogan. Posing with the trophy are advisors Mrs. Ray “Mugs” Van Dyn Hoven and Mrs. Don Joyce Bouressa.

 

Kaukauna recorded something less than a banner year in building in 1974, with a drop of 40% in construction of new homes in the city and a large decrease in industrial development.

 

Kaukauna varsity wrestling coach Ken Smith and freshman track coach William Hinkens want to resign their coaching positions they told the Kaukauna Board of Education. Smith, the coach for the last ten years, listed the reason as he has been unable to produce a winning team. Hinkens, who coached the freshman track for 3 seasons said that he did not find the job as enjoyable as in the past.

 

January 22, 1975

Kaukauna youth Mark Klister, 17, sustained a slight cut on his hand late Saturday night after he was robbed at knifepoint while he was working at the Consolidated Service Station on Lawe Street. After he had handed over between $60 and $80 to the thief, he attempted to strike the man but was struck in the face.   

 

January 24, 1975

Before a standing room only crowd at St. John’s Gymnasium Little Chute dealt the Holy Cross Green Ghosts their first loss of the season Sunday afternoon 50-38. “We knew we were in trouble when Dan Van Handel sank the first sky hook that he attempted” Coach Dan Verbeten noted. 

January 29, 1975

Senator Thomas Petrie introduced a bill this week which will prohibit the use of non-returnable beverage containers. The bill also bans the use of all “pop top” containers. This legislation is intended to reduce litter and solid waste.

Students in the Automotive Training program at Kaukauna High school observe Ken Vanderloop, Little Chute Snowmobile dealer pointing out the setup of a snowmobile.  Standing are Al Schmidt, Keith Can Deraa, Dave Grissman and Time DeCoster.

Bruce Hammen, Little Chute, recently caught this 15 ¼ lb. 39-inch Northern Pike on Lake Butte Des Morts. The pike was the only fish caught by the party of three fishermen.

My Birthday month is coming to an End.