TEN YEARS AGO
Thursday, Oct. 5, 1978
Negotiators for the Whitehall Teachers Association and the district school board came within $25 of settling their master contract dispute Wednesday. The final proposals represented the closing of a gap that started out at $300 annually; the board is now offering $9,625 (up from $9,400 originally) in base salary, while the teachers are asking for $9,650 (down from $9,700).
Several hundred area residents attended a community benefit held at Ekern Park in Pigeon Falls Sunday for the family of Don Estenson, who died recently of complications from a ruptured appendix.
Jurors were selected in Whitehall Tuesday for the murder trial of a 15-year-old Sparta youth charged with killing another 15-year old at the home of the accused. The trial was moved to Trempealeau County after a mistrial was declared in Juneau County proceedings.
Bryan Staff has been selected to play the part of rock and roll idol Conrad Birdie in the Whitehall High School production of “Bye, Bye Birdie,” director Kevin Jacobson announced this week.
Whitehall rolled up 471 yards in total offense — 212 of that on the running of Bob Fimreite, who rushed for three touchdowns — as the Norsemen pounded winless Blair 49-0 Friday.
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
Thursday, Oct. 4, 1973
The Whitehall area this week appeared to have a fuel oil supply problem, but nobody could say just how serious it was. The situation developed several weeks ago, when Union 76 distributor Roy Harnisch decided to sell his business; company policy requires that when a dealership closes, the fuel allocation must be divided between other dealers, but not necessarily those closest to the city losing the dealer. A federal mandatory allocation system was announced this week, but it is not known whether it will solve Whitehall’s problems. In the meantime, the three other oil distributors in the city do not know if they will have enough fuel to pick up the slack created by Harnisch’s departure.
The state Department of Justice recently suggested that the Pigeon Falls Fire Department offer refunds for tickets purchased in a fundraising drawing the fire company hoped would bring in about $2,000 for the purchase of a new “brush buggy.” The firemen haven’t figured out what to do with the $600 miniature fire truck which they planned to award as first prize in the drawing.
The Whitehall post office will operate on a limited basis Monday, Oct. 8, because of the observance of Columbus Day, which formerly was celebrated Oct. 12 but has been moved because of last year’s federal Monday holiday bill.
Robert Windjue, David Henrickson, Kurt Stellpflug, David Hughes, Greg Thorson and Daniel Anderson were the winners in their respective age divisions in the Punt, Pass and Kick competition held in Whitehall Saturday.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
Thursday, Oct. 10, 1963
Trempealeau County recorded its eighth traffic fatality of 1963 Sunday afternoon when a 73-year-old Gales- ville man was killed while walking across Hwy. 53 near Frenchville.
Adolph Klomsten, 52, Pigeon Falls, was seriously injured Saturday evening when he was pinned between his pickup and a car driven by Edwin Engebretson, which was eastbound on Hwy. 121. He was taken to Luther Hospital by the Hagen Ambulance Service.
A total of 13,689 Trempealeau County residents received their Type II polio vaccine at the third series of clinics, held countywide Sunday. A total of 2,196 people were immunized at the clinic held in Whitehall.
Three Whitehall students, Donald Thorson, Lynn Harnisch and Thomas Brennom, are among the 2,504 enrolled on the campus of Wisconsin State College and Institute of Technology at Platteville.
Linda Johnson and Al Windjue were presented with the women’s and men’s club champion trophies during the awards dinner held Saturday at the golf clubhouse.
Whitehall won its first football game of the season Friday, defeating Osseo 26-6 before a large crowd of pleased spectators, making the Homecoming a complete success. Tom Brown, Fred Guinn and Jim Maldonado ran for touchdowns, and Maldonado passed to Dave Amundson for a fourth score; Ronald Bieri kicked two extra points.
FIFTY YEARS AGO
Thursday, Oct. 6, 1938
The Public Service Commission has rendered an order authorizing higher rates for the Community Telephone Co. The commissioner’s order will make the rates uniform throughout the county, and will afford a return on investment of six percent, rather than the three and a half percent previously obtained. The new rate for a residence phone is $2 per month, up from $1.66.
A dairy judging team from the Whitehall Future Farmers organization, composed of Layton Anderson, Myron Larson and John Paulson, was awarded a certificate as one of the outstanding teams in Wisconsin, following competition at Madison recently. Following the contest, the boys saw the sites in the capitol city, and most enjoyed their first football game, watching the University of Wisconsin defeat Marquette University.
George Lewis, senior fieldman with the Rural Electrification Administration, spent the weekend with his family in Hale and left Tuesday for Decorah, Iowa, where he is working at the present time.
Donald Wright, Ernest Davidson and Game Warden Ted Johnson hunted ducks in the Arcadia bottoms and came home with 14.
Fred Gardner, the son of former Sheriff Ed Gardner of Galesville, successfully passed his examination for state game warden several months ago and is currently assigned to the Wausau area for the hunting season.
W.R. Hauge will open his cafe in the former Simonson building on Main Street this afternoon. Free coffee will be served from 2 to 5 p.m.
The warm weather on Monday reminded older people of the tornado which hit Independence on that same date, Oct. 3, 36 years ago. The twister killed two men living on a farm west of Independence, and destroyed buildings in the village.
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
Thursday, Oct. 9, 1913
The season for hunting squirrels and rabbits opens tomorrow.
Growers marketed several hundred bushels of apples here this week.
Nickolai Tomter of Pigeon has leased Fred Hokland’s farm and takes possession next week.
E. Bierman attended the celebration of the Jewish new year, 5674, at Winona last Thursday and Friday.
P.G. Hanson’s team became frightened at an auto in town Tuesday and took a spirited run. No great damage.
The Trio Amusement Co. announces that hereafter the Huntleys of Winona will furnish all reels and guarantee their fitness from a moral and educational standpoint. They have discontinued the service heretofore used, because of certain features considered by the management to be decidedly unsatisfactory.
Residents of Whitehall need not be surprised to receive a call shortly from the fire marshal or deputy, who will be empowered to make an examination of their residences and premises, in accordance with the new law respecting fire prevention.
Blair — Well drilling forms the main topic of conversation. Ole Granberg has a new well 175 feet deep, with 11 feet of water. It is on the bluff north of the village.
Independence — Last Thursday night, Gaveney and Comstock’s office was burglarized. The safe was drilled, and an attempt was made to open the burglarproof chest inside, the tools being taken from Ole Thompson’s blacksmith shop. Silas Meyers, head miller of the plant, was waylaid and assaulted the same night, while on his way home from the mill.
Arcadia — Burglars blew open the safe in Campbell, Massuere and Co.’s store Monday night, but got only a small amount of silver.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
Thursday, Oct. 4, 1888
Farmers complain of it being too dry to do fall plowing.
D. Wood is doing an immense business pressing hay. He shipped six carloads last week, and will ship four this week.
Big advance in market prices.
Andrew Bensend departed last week for Turtle Lake, Barron County, where he has secured a clerkship in a large general merchandise store. His family remains in the village.
Mr. I.C. Webb has taken editorial charge of The Trempealeau Herald. It is republican and is making it hot for The Galesville Independent, which lately went over to democracy.
The southern part of the county had its first frost of the season on Thursday night of this last week, about three weeks later than that which killed vegetation in this part of the county.
Messrs. Getts and Southworth shipped two cars of sheep, and will ship four more cars of stock Saturday. They are honorable, square-dealing drovers, pay all the market affords, and the man misses it who does not confer with them before disposing of any stock he has to sell.
You can get a year of good reading by subscribing to The Whitehall Times. $15 In Trempealeau and Jackson counties, $17 elsewhere In Wisconsin, and $20 out of Wisconsin.
Pigeon — Business is rushing at the Falls. The Missourianer church is getting a new coat of paint.