Saturday, February 1, 2025

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 12th. 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. 

 


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