TEN YEARS AGO

Thursday, March 20, 1986

            At a special meeting Friday, the city council approved the transfer of the Walgert Hotel liquor license from Helen Glebe to Ardis Korich. Glebe had leased the bar operation from Korich, but left town several months ago.

            Four candidates, incumbents Sofia Adams and Richard Teska and challengers Mark Madison and Phyllis Vermilyea, are seeking the two city of Whitehall seats on the district school board.

            Whitehall High earned its first trip to a state basketball tournament in 58 years Saturday, when the Norse boys defeated Southwestern 78-60 to win the La Crosse Logan sectional. Rick Schmidt and Troy Pride led the team with 20 and 17 points, respectively.

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

Thursday, March 19, 1981

            Former Trempealeau County Nurse Ardis Sexe, fired last month by the county board's health committee, will get a hearing before the full board of supervisors next month. Sexe had served 14 years as supervisor of the county nurse's office.

            Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department deputies voted 14 to two last week Wednesday to affiliate with the Wisconsin Professional Police Association.

            Residents of the city of Whitehall and the town of Lincoln may see a change in their representation on the county board and the town of Lincoln, as the result of the 1980 census. A redistricting of county board seats could affect the town and city, and part of the city Third Ward may have to be switched to First to balance the size of the wards.

            Whitehall grade school students Todd Halverson, Fred Gardner and Greg Schaefer took firsts in the annual Whitehall Booster Club wrestling tournament Saturday. Local junior high wrestlers taking firsts were Jim Kubisiak, Dean Eide and Jim Berg.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Thursday, March 25, 1971

            Sunset Memorial is the name for the new school building being erected west of Sunset Elementary. The name was chosen by a vote of the entire student body at Memorial High last week, from a ballot that also included West Glen, West View, Heritage, and Vocational and Arts Center.

            The city council, in special session last week Wednesday, awarded Eugene McDevitt a Class B beer license for the former Pix Theatre building, which he is now remodeling into an 18-year-old and over bar.

FIFTY YEARS AGO

Thursday, March 21, 1946

            Four Trempealeau County delegates, O.J. Eggum of Whitehall, John Markham of Independence, Ed Thomasgaard of Strum and Robert Lewis of Hale were among the 415 Progressive party members attending the state meeting held Sunday in Portage. The meeting was called to decide the future of the party, and 284 of those present voted to return to the Republican party, rather than continue as a separate party or join the Democrats.

            It is not infrequent that one has difficulty talking over the phone in Trempealeau County. But last week Mrs. Wm. Remington of Whitehall had the experience and pleasure of talking with her husband, who is with the American occupation forces in Germany. It was a clear hook-up, and neither had difficulty hearing the conversation.

            Spring is officially here — Jack Rhode appeared on the street last Friday, March 15, wearing a straw hat. No matter that it was a somewhat battered lid, it was still the herald. It is probably the one that he has used to officially welcome spring since he came to Whitehall 35 or so years ago. Jack says there are robins galore about, and that he even saw a butterfly the other day.

            The Synod Lutheran Luther League meeting which was to have been held Sunday evening in Pigeon Falls was postponed on account of bad roads, and will be held instead on April 7.

            Spring showers would help to settle the ground.

            Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Olson have purchased the Burr Tarrant residence on Lincoln St., now occupied by the W.C. Foth family. Mr. Olson, who was employed in a defense plant at Colorado Springs, Colo., during the war, plans to return to his work as mechanic at the Auto Sales Co.

            There is still an urgent need for women workers in La Crosse. Although the U.E. employment service and the Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring a campaign for 1,000 jobs, largely for veterans, it has been difficult to recruit women for jobs in La Crosse industrial establishments. Girls 17 years and older will be considered, if they are high school graduates. The USO Travelers Aid has a number of sleeping rooms available for men or women.

Thursday, March 21, 1946

            Stanley Christianson has bought the home of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Misch in East Whitehall. Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Engevold have occupied the house since Mr. and Mrs. Misch have been in the employ of Hjalmer Foss.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Thursday, March 24, 1921

            Richard Mattson was drowned at the milldam Sunday morning while attempting to save his property from damage by the flood. He went to the dam about 4:30 a.m. to remove the slash boards to relieve the pressure on the structure. His son Hilman followed soon after, and found his lantern on the walkway, but he was nowhere to be seen. Hundreds of people showed up to assist in the search, and several charges of dynamite were used in hopes of forcing the treacherous waters to give up their victim, but his body was not found until Monday morning, near the cement factory.

            The caucus Saturday night was well attended. Eleven women participated and were given minor nominations, but they will be more in evidence in future primaries. Mrs. Wm. Mason, Mrs. A.V.A. Peterson and Mrs. O.J. Eggum were nominated, respectively for justice of the peace, police justice and constable. The chances are the ladies will all refuse to go on the ballot at this time.

            The fire department was called out Monday afternoon to a chimney fire at the Walter Risberg home, which was soon put out.

            Miss Louise Solsrud has returned from Northfield, Minn., where she took instruction on the pipe organ. Miss Solsrud will be organist in the new Norwegian church.

            The Mabbett-Harper Tobacco Co. has finished work at the tobacco warehouse here, and some of the help has gone to Tomah, where that concern has another office.

            The women of Whitehall are requested to meet in the Village Hall Saturday afternoon at 3:30 o’clock for the purpose of organizing an auxiliary to the Whitehall Improvement Association.

            The patients at the hospital are grateful to the women of the Relief Corps for a splendid contribution of sweet peas.

            V. Bartholomew has moved his family to the Sever Galstad farm, which he will work the coming year.

            Palmer Ackley of Pigeon has rented his 200-acre farm to Peter Anderson of Blair. Mr. Ackley will try something else for a couple years.

            York — The heavy rains which fell Saturday morning did considerable damage at this place, washing out the roads, one by Thompson’s store and the Beaver Creek road. Charlie Irish’s shoe shop went with the flood, landing on an island further down the creek.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

Thursday, March 19, 1896

            The village school closes tomorrow for a week’s vacation.

            The wearing of the green was not general here Tuesday.

            Miss Kittie Melby has taken the position of cashier in the bank.

            Whooping cough has broken out in the elementary department of the village school.

            The firm of Solsrud, Kidder and Co., got the contract to furnish 50 cords of dried wood to the courthouse.

            Messrs. Sever and John Brovold, Sever Insteness and Amund Ystnes, jolly citizens of Ettrick, called on us Saturday, while en route to visit relatives and friends in Chimney Rock.

            William Kassella recently removed with his family from St. Paul to Independence. He is a bricklayer and stonemason by trade, having worked at the business since boyhood. If you want first-class work, employ him.

            E.A. Southworth has purchased of Ziba Harnden what is known as the Lambert residence in town, for which was paid $275. Ed will straightaway greatly improve the premises, and make it one of the pleasantest sites in the village.

            The supper given by the ladies of the Baptist church in the rooms of the Getts block Tuesday evening was a social and financial success, netting the church society $15.

            The iron wagon bridge across the Black River at Melrose is completed. The Melrose people have eagerly looked forward to this time, and now their cup of happiness is overflowing. This is the third iron bridge across the Black completed with a year, and all are within a distance of 20 miles.

            Elk Creek — Ignatz Matchie is erecting a machine and wagon shed on the north end of his barn.

            Blair — The village officers are talking of putting in a system of waterworks. This is right. There is no denying that some kind of fire protection is needed, and it is to be hoped that our village fathers will decide upon a definite plan of action.

            Elk Creek — Last Wednesday afternoon, as Della Nichols was returning home from this place, when about a half-mile from here, one of his horses dropped suddenly to the ground, it being paralyzed, and died Sunday morning.

            Blair — At the coming town meeting, Preston voters will decide at the polls whether they will pay their highway taxes in money or labor. We believe the labor side of the question will carry.