Time Machine Trip to February 1950

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 1, 1950

89,000 United Auto Workers left their jobs in Chrysler Corp. plants in six states in demand for a 10-cent-an hour welfare package. The strike halts 7,100 cars per day at the plants.  

Captain Rollie Halfman, Kaukauna, graduated last week from the Air Force Communications school at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Captain Halfman entered military service in April 1941. Upon graduating from the school Capt. Halfman was promoted to the rank of major.

Donald Diestler, Kaukauna, who is stationed with the army at Okinawa has been promoted to Private First Class. Diestler enlisted in the army in January 1949.

Opportunity knocks but once upon one’s door so when the telephone rang at the home of George Webster last Friday night little did, he think it was Dame Fortune herself calling. The operator told him it was a long-distance calling; he was surprised and unprepared for the voice on the other end. “Is this George Webster? This is the Break-the-Bank quiz program calling from Chicago and if you can answer the question correctly you will receive the award of $1,000. What is the largest city in Africa?” Poor George with all that cash at stake couldn’t think of the city. “Too bad better luck next time.” The correct answer was Cairo, Egypt. 

February 3, 1950

Census takers are needed in the area. Qualifications needed are that the person be a U.S. citizen, have at least a high school education and be able to understand written and spoken instructions. The census to be taken this year is the seventeenth since 1790. The daily wage a worker may can earn is $7.50 to $8.50 for a full day’s work. 

Cliff Hinkens is now just one point short of doubling the total of his closest competitor as he continues to lead the scoring in the Municipal race. Hinkens now has counted 163 points for an average of 23 per game. Far back in second place is Dick Pearson, the top scorer for the Modern Dairy with 82 points, 14 per game.

February 8, 1950

Quite a mix-up has taken place over the weekend in the professional football coaching staffs. To begin with the old Packer mentor of the Bays, Earl “Curly” Lambeau, signed with the Chicago Cardinals as their head coach. This came as a big surprise and left the head coaching position of the Packers wide open. But it wasn’t long before the Packer management announced the signing of Gene Ronzani, former Chicago Bears star, as the new head coach.

February 10, 1950

Packed snow and glare ice on the city streets will offer far less of a driving hazard due to action on the part of the shop classes at the Kaukauna Vocational school. A novel sand and cinder spreader has been hand-made by members of the Machine and Welding classes.

February 15, 1950

Pfc. Robert Bartels, Kaukauna, is currently serving with the occupational forces in Honshu, Japan. He is assigned to the duty with the 32^nd Infantry Regiment as a rifleman. Bartels has been in the army since November of 1947.

The Engerson family Trio – John Engerson, right, who will celebrate his 84^th birthday February 16 and his two sons, Chief of Police Harold Engerson left and Fire Chief Carl Engerson standing. 

February 22, 1950

Corporal Gilbert Arps, Kaukauna, was sworn into the US Army Reserve Corps’ 291st Combat Engineers last Wednesday at the armory in Appleton.

A copy of the January 4, 1800 issue of the Ulster County, N.Y. Gazette containing the account of the funeral service of General George Washington first president of the United States has been loaned to The Kaukauna Times in commemoration of his birthday today February 22. This old newspaper is 150 years old and yellowed with age. The paper is the property of Milton Schmitt of Kaukauna. 

February 24, 1950

Jeanne Carstens, five-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Carstens Seventh Street fractured her right leg Monday afternoon while sleigh riding near her home. She is confined to her home.

1950 Ford Convertible

Time Machine Trip to February 1940

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 2, 1940

Carl Ploetz, of the K. E. & W. team, rolled a 621 series on the Wednesday night league at the S & B Alleys.

February 7, 1940

President Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Great speculation prevails in Washington as to whether President Roosevelt will seek a third term or not,” according to eight district congressman Joshua Johns. “The next president of the United States will have a heavy burden to carry. It will take a young man strong in body and mind.” 

Kaukauna walloped West De Pere 48 to 24 Friday night at De Pere putting the Kaukauna squad one game out of first place. Giordana again led the Kaws with 28 points and Alger with 12 and Koch with 11.

Andy Hardy has girl trouble again in “judge Hardy and Son” which opens Sunday at the Rialto for the three-day show.

February 9, 1940

Enrollment at the school of vocational and adult education at the end of January totaled 529, according to director William T. Sullivan. Unemployed young people of the city are taking advantage of the educational opportunities offered by the vocational school.

February 14, 1940

“The reason that the average life of an Indian is 36 years longer than that of a white man is due chiefly to the fact that Indians go to bed at sunset and rise before dawn,” said Chief Whitefeather, a full blooded Indian at a lyceum program at the high school Tuesday morning. He said the Indian believes in three essentials of life, sun, earth and water. 

Fire shortly before noon Friday destroyed the former Little Chute Pulp company building at Combined Locks, a 40-year-old structure estimated loss is $25,000. The building was owned by the Green Bay and Mississippi Cabal company and was leased to the Combined Locks mill in 1914.

Holy Cross defeated St. Mary’s Saturday morning 14 to 0 to take over first place in the grade school league. Lanky Ervin Lucassen led the Holy Cross in its one-sided win. He used his height to advantage to score five baskets for 10 points.

February 23, 1940

The question to restoration of the salaries of firemen and policemen to the 1932 level will hold up adoption of the city’s salary ordinance until next week when the common council will decide the matter.

February 28, 1940

The former building of the Union Bag and Paper Company, owned by the Green Bay and Mississippi Canal Company, has been leased by the Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company and will be used for additional converting quarters and storage rooms by the Thilmany Company. The Union Company is no longer in operation here.

More children died in traffic accidents last year according to a report from the Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Department. creasing. Lives of 151 persons under 20 years of age were lost in accidents last year compared with 132 in 1938.

High school ice skaters who won races are J. Winn, Harold Vandenberg, J. Wandell, Coach Mr. Kemp, Joan Derus, L. Smith and Laverne Lopas.

1940 Ford Coupe Deluxe

Time Machine Trip to February 1930

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 4, 1930

A telegram received here today states that a carload of horses will arrive in Kaukauna this evening in preparation for the horse auction to be held here Saturday in connection with the monthly pig fair.

February 7, 1930

Word received from Ralph Emerson, prominently known Chicago organist and frequent visitor to Kaukauna states that he will be at the keyboard of the world’s largest organ with a program being broadcasted over radio station WLS this Friday evening.

 

February 11, 1930

Kaukauna motorists have been warned by Chief of Police R. H. McCarty that only a month remains before autos must have their 1930 license plates. No warnings will be issued this year. 

February 14, 1930

A warning that the quarantine against rabies in Outagamie county is still in force. All dogs must be confined to the premises of the owners under a penalty of a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100. Because of the outbreak of rabies in Kimberly last December 17^th the quarantine has been in effect.

F. W. Berg of Appleton has taken over the Service laundry, second street, and is now operating the place. He has eight years of experience from the Peerless laundry in Appleton.

Rev. H. J. Lane, scoutmaster of Kaukauna Boy Scout Troop 20, announced that the troop now has 33 full-fledged members and is at full strength.

Anton Jansen

By a vote of 22 to 19 the Outagamie county board of supervisors accepted the resignation of Anton Jansen, Little Chute Village president, from the highway committee. Jansen resigned in opposition to action in cutting the wages of some of the highway crew workers.

February 18, 1930

One hundred and fifty farmers representing the rural population of Freedom, Dundas, Wrightstown, Darboy, Sherwood, Forest Junction, Harrison and Greenleaf met in Kaukauna Friday afternoon and perfected the organization of the Kaukauna Cooperative Egg Producers’ association.  Kaukauna will be the shipping center for the eggs. 

February 28, 1930

Hundreds of visitors attended the opening of the seventh annual Mid-Winter fair Thursday, in Kaukauna, the morning finding the visitors busily engaged in entering samples in the various exhibits, and the afternoon finding them entertained and instructed by means of various speeches and the program in the auditorium. In the evening, the auditorium was also crowded, as every parking space for blocks around was filled. Today is finding another large crowd of visitors taking advantage of the fair, and this evening's crowd is expected to break all records for attendance.

George “Stormy” Kromer! That name is one which is as every dyed-in-the-wool baseball fan knows, closely connected with that great national game of baseball. But how did he get that name “Stormy”? We’ve asked several old timers, but none seems to know. The answer maybe from a column in the St. Louis News edition of February 20^th. One of Stormy’s greatest bid for fame was made in 1925 when he was bossing the Blytheville team on a record run of 35 straight defeats. The team lead the league in fielding, was sixth in batting, third in home runs, fourth in triples, sixth in doubles, and first in bases on balls. At the same time, he was turning out 360,000 hats a year at his Milwaukee plant.  Once he was elected captain of a team to succeed a fellow who was known Windy. He wasn’t on the job two days when one of the players said if the old cap’s name was Windy this fellow’s a Stormy. 

 

Time Machine Trip to February 1920

  

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 5, 1920

Kaukauna residents have reason to congratulate themselves on their healthy environment as compared with the records of other communities. Msgr. P. L. Lochman, pastor of Holy Cross church stated that he has had only three deaths in his large congregation since last October. As a rule, November, December and January are death’s harvest months and yet this year there were but three deaths in four months at Holy Cross.

The Kaukauna girls played their first game at DePere last Friday evening. Although the local team was defeated by a score of 16 to 7 they are not dismayed. The baskets for Kaukauna were caged by Laura Boyd and Catherine Miller, the rest of the team having all they could do in giving horse-back rides to the DePere players. 

February 12, 1920 

A sleigh ride has been planned this evening, by the members of the football team, to be given in honor of the senior girls, who gave a banquet some time ago for the team. The party is going to Appleton or Neenah later to return to the high school for music and refreshments are to be the chief features of the evening. The team was composed of the following players: Forwards Delbridge and Boettcher; Guards, Ott and Mayer; Center, Schrader. Homan substituted for Schrader.

Kenneth Schussmann, recently appointed to the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, arrived home last Saturday on a furlough and will remain with his parents, Professor and Mrs. I. G. Schussmann until April 20^th.

A closed season on deer has been declared by the state game conservation commission on account of the great numbers of these animals killed last year. It is estimated that more than 26,000 deer were killed last year.

Supplies for the forty new residents to be erected in the new addition platted by the Thilmany Pulp and Paper company on the northside has been secured by Mr. Earl Miller supervising architect. Mr. Miller states that construction on the forty homes will begin soon. The homes have a selling price between three and five thousand dollars.  

Mr. Edwin Rogers, of Hudson N. Y., has accepted a position with The Times and will represent this paper as its circulation and advertising manager.

Abe Golden of this city received this week a letter from his father who resides in Lompas, Poland, and as it is the first word that Mr. Golden has received for six years from his parents he was overjoyed by the announcement that they were still alive and had survived the war, which devastated the region where they live. Mr. Goldin Sr. is a retired schoolteacher and stated that his pension is reduced as result of the mark which was worth 20 cents before the war is now worth but one cent.

According to a summary report issued yesterday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union wage scales in the general trades in 1919 averaged 17 percent higher than in 1918 and 55 percent greater than 1913. 1919 shows a five percent less than 1918.

February 19, 1920

Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Thilmany and daughter, Miss Elsa, formerly of this city and who have been living in Germany for some years, have returned to America, arriving in New York last week and were meet by Mr. Wertheimer of this city. Mr. Thilmany said that during the war he and his family had clung to their American citizenship and that the Stars and Strips had been hung in front of their home.

February 26, 1920

Kaukauna’s oldest resident, Mrs. Christina Jensen, who celebrated her 102nd birthday last August has passed away quietly at her daughter’s home on Lawe street Saturday morning. Mrs. Jensen was born in Denmark in 1817 and she came to America in 1881 with her husband.

Time Machine Trip to February 1910

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 4, 1910

The groundhog which hibernates in this vicinity couldn’t see his shadow Candlemas Day-Wednesday, and he is therefore presumed to be skylarking around nights looking for an early spring.  Mr. Groundhog had better crawl back for a few weeks yet or he’ll wake up some morning with his plumbing froze up.

February 11, 1910

At the special election held Kimberly last Saturday the question of incorporating a village was carried by a vote of 103 to 21 and a new village government will soon be in working order. Those who did not favor the proposition being principally among the saloon interests for under the new government local license fees will be raised from $100 to $200 and possibly more.

“Passed ball” and the “wild pitch” have been eliminated from baseball by the new rules approved by the National Association and hereafter will be marked as errors against the players.  Several other rules have been made, one of which prohibits a batter from jumping from one side of the batter’s box to the other in order to confuse the pitcher.  Another rule includes that when a player throws his glove to break down a batted ball, the runner may take three bases instead of one.  It is also ruled that the umpire may fine a person who would yell or interfere from the bench $10.00 with the second offence the person would be sent from the field.

February 18, 1910

The members of the St. Paul’s Catholic Church in the village of Wrightstown held a special meeting and voted to build a new and modern brick church to take the place of the present structure. They will expend at least $25,000 and it may cost $30,000 before the new house of worship is ready for use.  The old church building, which was put up in 1883, will be torn down and all material which can be utilized will go into the new church.

For Sale – 25 acres of land 2 ½ miles from town with 58 bearing apple trees.  Priced at $800.  J.A. Watson Real Estate.

What it means to be a Militant Suffragette

February 25, 1910

Tobogganing, Skiing and coasting are at their height these days for no matter where you can find a hill fun is there. One of the most enjoyed is the steep hill back of the old Grignon Home.

The Green Bay Traction Co. Inter-urban line was blocked by heavy snowdrifts Wednesday resulting that many passengers having to take trains at the railroads.

Time Machine Trip to February 1900

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 2, 1900

The ready-prints or patents for today’s issue of The Times have failed to arrive. And inquiry shows that they have evidently miscarried or been sidetracked somewhere between here and Chicago. In consequence of which, and with a desire not to delay publication of the home news for our readers, The Times comes to you in a half sheet or abbreviated form. We regret the non-arrival of the balance of the paper, but patents or no patents we still adhere to the rule of getting out “on time” and here we are “slightly disfigured but still in the ring”

February 9, 1900

Last Sunday the Chicago & Northwestern Company started their section crew at work laying new steel rails from Kaukauna to Dundas. They put down 234 feet the first day.

February 16, 1900

The immense dryer roll or cylinder on the largest tissue paper machine at the Thilmany Pulp & Paper mill cracked on Friday last. A space of thirty inches across one of the heads occurred. The machine was at once shut down and several workmen from the Kaukauna Machine Works repaired the break, so that it was again started up within 24 hours. It is the largest dryer cylinder in the world and measures ten feet in diameter.

Following the death of the Fox River Valley Interurban, a new franchise was presented in Kaukauna for an electric railway to run through this city and is presently being considered. Following a few amendment changes, the Common Council passed a franchise granting the Little Wolf River Telephone Company to enter and do business in Kaukauna.

February 23, 1900

The Kaukauna fire engine was summoned to Kimberly yesterday afternoon by the breaking out of fire in the large paper mill there.  Mayor Charlesworth had the apparatus sent to the station but just as it was being placed on the rail car news was received that the blaze was under control.

New mail wagon is being used.

Time Machine Trip to February 1890

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

February 7, 1890

Luther Lindauer is erecting another large icehouse on the south side near the roundhouse and filling it with congealed water. The demands for ice last season far exceeded the supply and Luther means that it shall not happen this year.

The Badger Paper Company has decided to erect a sulfite plant in Kaukauna, just west of its present structure, and the dimensions of the new building are to be 40x115, two stories high, and built of wood. The new mill will start out with a capacity of 5,000 pounds in twenty-four hours, but everything will be built so that the output can be increased to 15,000 pounds.

A Green Lake farmer planted a hickory post deep in the ground tied a straw man to it, and then turned a fierce bull into the enclosure. The bull made a beeline for the hate figure struck the post club center and was killed, so dead he didn't even kick after falling over.

Ishpeming, Mich., Feb. 4 – Fifty labors at the Volunteer mine, receiving $1.65 per day, struck for $2.00 per day yesterday morning. The Sheriff and several deputies went to the mine and ordered the miners to disburse. The strikers will not allow others to enter the mine to take their place. An armed posse is now being gathered to quell the riot.

February 14, 1890

Last Monday seemed to be a regular gala day for tramps in this city. Every train that came in on the Northwestern road unloaded from two to six, and the commons about the depot before evening was dotted with the good-for-nothings. Someone remarked that the sight resembled crows in a cornfield.

 Not many persons ever come in contact with a “sobering machine” now days, but 30 years ago it was a familiar piece of mechanism in Bucks County, Pa., The machine consisted of a running gear and ordinary wagon but behind wheels taken off in a box fastened to the axle.  Whenever a drunken man or woman was seen on the street the machine was brought out. The victim was placed on the board on his back in the box. Then the command was given, and the occupant was run out of town. It was seldom that a man got a second dose of the “sobering machine.”

Fort Totten, N.D., Feb. 11. – Between 800 and 1,000 Indians at the Devils Lake agency are wholly destitute of clothing and in last stages of starvation. Unless furnished with food, clothing and medicine at once these Indians will die like dogs.  Indian agent Cramsie has issued an appeal for aid.

Hundreds of ladies held an indignation meeting at Lathrop Missouri on the 17^th. The protest, against two saloons kept open in defiance of city ordinance, marched in a body to both places and demolishing them emptying the beer and other liquors into the street.

Sylvester Moore an Appleton man broke through the ice while crossing a river near Kimberly Monday and was drowned. He had gone to Kimberly looking for work and was returning home when the accident occurred. A woman on shore heard the calls for help and then at once communicated the news to a man who happened to be nearby. They attempted a rescue, but it failed.

February 21, 1890

The drainage of sulfite fiber mills seems to be sure death to fish. Shortly after draining some liquor from the vats at the Kaukauna Fiber Company’s mill into the tail race, fish began to rise to the top of the water dead, and dozens of them were soon floating about.

San Antonio Texas, February 17 – Reports of smallpox along the Rio Grande on a ranch in Duval County 147 out of 150 employed were stricken with the disease 65 of them have died.

 

Paul Beaulieu

Mr. Bazille H. Beaulieu, one of the oldest pioneers of town has been looking over the changes here this week. Mr. Beaulieu had been residing with his son at White Earth, Minnesota and was here as an honored guest at the grand Army post reunion. The post bears the name of his son Paul who died bravely obeying commands in the late war. “I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw Kaukauna.  What a great change has taken place since I left here 13 years ago.

A very pleasant social gathering took place at the hall of Paul H. Beaulieu Post G.A.R. last Friday evening. Many of the families of old veterans were present to assist with singing the war songs and listening to the antidotes of the soldiers. “Tramp, tramp, tramp the boys are Marching” after which the body joined in singing “Army Bean” how the old veterans enjoyed the evening.

February 28, 1890

Many of the northbound trains on the Northwestern road are late now-a-days, owing to the large amount of traffic that is going on in the shipment of ice south. The trains are so numerous and wrecks so frequent that regular connections cannot be affected.

The new “Bennett law” could be enforced with good effect in Kaukauna judging by the number of boys on the streets that do not attend school.

When the bright, warm and sunny days of summer begin to roll around, the Thilmany Mill will blossom out of its present stage into a large and more magnificent structure. Time changes all things, and ere the wintry blasts again are felt, the paper plant in this city owned by Oscar Thilmany will have undoubtedly been enlarged to twice the present size and capacity. Plans for the change have already been drawn and submitted for approval. They provide for the removal of the present wood structure used as the pulp department and instead will be erected a structure fact-simile of the present building. On the second floor of this building there will be placed another paper machine and the necessary beaters to furnish stock for such a machine. The first floor will be arranged for a pulp department and the pulp machinery now in operation at the present plant will be replaced therein.

New York, February 22 – John Jacob Astor III suffered a heart failure causing the death this morning of the millionaire. He had returned from a trip abroad at the end of December in which he had an attack of the grippe. His health was improving but after supper last night he slumped over in his chair. William Waldorf Astor, his son, was at his side.