Time Machine Trip to August 1926

 

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen 

August 3, 1926

 

The removal of the old iron bridge along the side of the new Wisconsin Avenue bridge is being done as fast as possible. The roadway has been torn up at this time, but it will probably be late in the summer before the work of demolishing the old structure is completed.

 

The village council of Combined Locks, at a meeting last week, rejected all bids for the construction of a 7,200-foot sewage project which the village had planned because the Wisconsin state board of health refused to sanction the construction. The sewer planned would have emptied into the Fox river. The village was ordered to build a sewage disposal plant by the board of health.

 

Four Appleton boys, none over 13 years of age, rescued two men from Lake Winnebago when a canoe they were sailing capsized a mile off Waverly Beach at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon. The boys were Robert Rule, 12, John Ehlke, Jr., aged 13, Clarence Jahnke, 13 and Gordon Holterman, 12. The four youngsters were riding in a rowboat close to shore when they saw the canoe capsize.

 

August 5, 1926

 

On July 21st, Ford Motor Company produced its 14,000,000th automobile at its Fordson plant.

 

Four Kaukauna boys left this week for the Citizens' Military Training Camp at Fort Sheridan, where they will be for a month's period of training. Those in the group were Jack Farwell, Gilbert St. Mitchel, William Glasheen and Roland Radder. Farwell and St. Mitchel have been at the camps for each year for the past two years, this being the third. They are in the cavalry.

 

August 12, 1926

After a three-month delay and multiple bidding rounds, the Little Chute village board accepted a $5,000 bid from the W. S. Nott Company of Minneapolis for a new fire truck.

 

A truck with Michigan license plates carrying real brewery beer and suspected whiskey cartons overturned west of Green Bay along the Brown County line. The driver fled the scene, leaving local onlookers to gather around the abandoned cargo during warm weather.

 

August 19, 1926

 

Billie O'Brine, known as the original Irish death-defying "Human Fly," with 14 years of experience climbing buildings and performing airplane acrobatics. He will attempt to climb the exterior of the Congress Hotel in Kaukauna on Saturday afternoon directly following an address by Governor Blaine at 1:00 PM as part of "Blaine and Bargain Day."

 

The final section of the historic Plank Road—originally part of the old military road connecting Green Bay and Oshkosh—has officially been renamed Lincoln Avenue.  Alderman Otto Hass presented a petition signed by local property owners to the common council on Tuesday evening, introducing an ordinance for the change that passed unanimously.

 

August 24, 1926

 

Canal traffic reached its highest volume of the year in July, according to the U.S. Engineer's office. 260 lockages in July (up from 128 in June). Little Chute: 194 lockages. Navigation companies are running day and night, expecting to maintain this schedule for another month.

 

August 26, 1926

Manawa has revived the old "posting law" by listing 12 to 15 men's names across local soft drink parlors following citizen requests. Local officials aim to curb illegal drinking, suspecting illicit alcohol is present despite the area being officially "bone dry".

 

The school term begins September 7th, requiring first-time students to hold a vaccination certificate. Children leave behind summer activities—like swimming and baseball—for new diversions like recess, football, and academic study.

 

Radio reports announced that silent film star Rudolph Valentino died Monday near noon at a New York hospital.

 

August 31, 1926

Miss Blanche Jirikowic won title of Kaukauna’s most popular young lady and a diamond ring with 21,020 votes during the local Moose festival week. Miss Ada Piepenberg won second prize (diamond ring, 12,000 votes), and Miss Olive Gerhartz took third (wrist watch, 10,940 votes).

 

 

William Van Dyke, owner of the south-side Vaudette theater, has taken over the lease of the north-side Bijou theater and will manage both venues. Following the final performance under previous manager Mr. Cleland, Van Dyke plans to redecorate the interior before announcing a formal grand reopening.