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Miscellaneous set
Watertown Daily Times, 10 20 1982
The services offered by the Watertown Public Library are just fine — for 1930. So says Director Mary Carol Powers, adding that the services a library can and should provide have increased and changed in the last 52 years. She said libraries in communities large and small are expected to be centers of learning and culture and depositories of information and knowledge as well as book lending agencies. They are expected to be centers of activity beneficial to the educational and business communities, and to the community as a whole. The Watertown library could be doing a better job of keeping up with today’s expectations, Powers admits. She blames lack of space and adequate facilities.
Watertown Daily Times, 03 19 2000
Fire Chief Richard Olson will retire March 31 after serving in Watertown for 5 1/2 years. Olson gave formal notice of his retirement plans to the Watertown Police and Fire Commission this week. Olson said, “I am age 53 and I'm qualified to retire and it has been my intention to do so at this time. I have other things I want to do and I have some job opportunities that I will consider seriously.” Olson said he recommends that the city appoint fire Capt. Henry Butts as interim fire chief while the department searches for Olson's replacement. Olson succeeded Ron Weavel as chief. Weavel held the post from 1987 [86] to 1994.
ROCKTON, Ill. — Rockton fire Chief Ron Weavel Sr., who has served nearly five decades in fire protection, retired January 12, 2009, from the Ronkton, IL fire department.
Weavel, 68, was the fire chief of the Watertown Fire Department from December of 1985 to January of 1994.
Weavel’s career began in 1958 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was offered the opportunity to work at the Great Lakes Naval Station’s Fire Department in North Chicago. When Weavel’s military career ended honorably in July 1962, he continued to work at the naval fire station as a civilian worker and was later employed with the Beloit Fire Department in Wisconsin for a short period of time. He started working with the Rockford Fire Department as a lieutenant in October of 1966.
He then moved to Watertown, Wis., with his family in 1985 to take his first position as chief. In 1994, he became chief of the Rockton Fire Protection District.
In a January 13, 2009, article in the Watertown Daily Times Weavel said he is proud of his time with the Watertown Fire Department and that he was pleased with the ways relationships were established with the city’s water and police departments. “With the water department, we improved the insurance services office’s fire defense rating,” Weavel said. “We accomplished that in a timely fashion. “The biggest memory I have is being able to see the department take off and really start going into the future,” he added. “The firefighters took a hold of the department, ran with it and we got the paramedic program established when I was there.”
Weavel said one of the factors that resulted in him leaving Watertown for Rockton was the controversy surrounding a delayed response to an activated fire alarm at Marquardt Manor [1992]. Weavel added if it was not for this incident he probably would have stayed in Watertown until he decided to retire.
Watertown Daily Times, 09 01 1957
A Watertown man, veteran of the Milwaukee Road, made his last run into the city Saturday evening as conductor of a passenger train which reached here at 6:40 o’clock. He is Fred W. Fenner, 72, of 1117 South Eighth Street. Mr. Fenner retired with the completion of the Saturday evening run from Milwaukee to Watertown. He lacked by two days a record of 50 years of service. He would have liked to make it an even half century but was forced to give up under a new union rule which required the Milwaukee Road’s employes to retire on pension at the age of 70. The new rule affects hundreds of workers, the Milwaukee Road officials said.
Watertown Leader, 10 17 1907
The new compulsory education law passed by the last legislature about doubles the clerical work in the office of the county superintendent of schools. It requires the district clerk to take a census of the children of school age in his district and to furnish reports of such data to the town clerk, the teacher in the district and the county superintendent. Teachers are required to report the attendance at their schools to the county superintendent, and he in turn checks up with the census to ascertain if there are children who ought to be attending school but do not.
All children from 7 to 14 years of age must attend school for 24 weeks a year and those between the ages of 14 and 16 must either work or attend school. Parents violating any provisions of the act are liable to a fine of not less than $5 or more than $50 or three months in the county jail, or both at the discretion of the court. Incorrigible children are to be dealt with by the sheriff and district attorney.
The aim of the new law is to raise the standard of the country school, reorganize it along the lines of the city schools which already have laws which make it obligatory for children to attend school.
Watertown Daily Times, 03 20 1960
The plant of the Watertown Daily
Times yesterday afternoon virtually was engulfed by the followers of U.S.
Senator Hubert Humphrey, newspapermen, columnists and representatives of
national publications. They poured out
of a special Humphrey chartered bus parked across the street from the Times'
building. Led by the senator, they
streamed into the Times' building in what appeared to be endless numbers,
clogging the stairway and the second floor hallway until the group could be
distributed into the various rooms on the second floor of the building. In all, there were more than 30 persons. They included Marcus Childs, well known
Washington columnist whose columns appear on the editorial page of the Daily Times. The group also included representatives of Newsweek, and the Christian Science Monitor, United Press International and a number
of political writers for midwestern and eastern papers.
Watertown Daily Times, 07 11 1952
A preliminary report from the Watertown Veterans Council proposing a
miniature honor roll to be placed on the north wall of the first floor lobby in the City Hall was turned
over to the City Council last night by City manager Dean Van Ness. The veterans group some time ago asked that
the present honor roll in the Armory building be relocated and at the time
suggested the Cole Memorial Hall of the Watertown Free
Public Library as a possible site.
It was also at one time suggested that instead of a wall roll the names
be inscribed in a special leather-bound volume and kept in a glass case in the
library. This plan was later
rejected. The latest plan of the veterans council is that the miniature roll honor roll be
prepared and that the present honor roll in the Armory be kept intact but that
no new names be added to it there until such a time as it can be suitably
relocated.
Local
Army National Guard Role
Watertown Daily Times, 07 11 1992
The end of the Cold War has led to a changing role for local Army National Guard units, including the Watertown
unit, based at 1700 River Drive. Capt.
Vernon Langholff, commander of the newly combined
Watertown and Oconomowoc unit, said his troops learned their new mission during
a two-week training session at Fort McCoy completed on June 27. "During the Cold War, in case of a war
in Germany, our mission was to destroy tanks," Langholff
said. "With the end of the Cold
War, our mission went away." Along
with the mission, the Watertown armory's 24 TOW-missile launchers have left and
have been replaced with armored personnel carriers. Troops in the local National Guard unit now
will serve as foot soldiers.
Jefferson County Seat
Watertown Democrat, 06 21 1860
This
week the work of repairing the Court House at Jefferson was to have been
commenced. An addition of twenty two
feet is to be made and the building brushed up generally, making it as
comfortable as the appropriation allowed for the purpose will permit . . . That
ought to make it answer its purpose very well for four or five years yet, by
which time Watertown will be able to erect a new building and present [it to]
the county, in consideration of her
being made the county seat.
↓ More on Watertown as County Seat ↓
05 17 1901
There was a time, many will remember, when Jefferson came dangerously
near losing the county seat. It was in 1856, we are told, when the
discussion as to the location of the county seat which had been in progress for
a considerable time, was finally brought to a decision. Watertown as well as Jefferson was in the
race for the honor and finally, as a way out of the difficulty, for the war had
waxed rather bitter, a bill was introduced in the legislature by William
Chappell, which provided for a vote of the people to settle the dispute. The bill also provided an exemption for
"repeaters" from the penalty usually attached to such misdoings, and
to this day it is believed, that this more than any other feature, saved the
day for Jefferson and left Watertown in the lurch. One polling place, known to every voter round
this section, was designated "Krumnanauer's
Poll," its location being at a point on the Milwaukee road some two miles
and a half east of Jefferson. With a
polling list containing the name of every known voter, and school boy, besides
a reasonably long list selected from an old Cincinnati directory, a delegation
swooped down upon the county officers presenting those so-called supplemental
returns, and thus won the day. It was
but a repetition of former events, for in this instance also, it was the
"Prussians" who saved the day.
Watertown Daily Times, 03 18 1960
Watertown High's first journey to the state tournament in 21 years ended in total disillusionment on the fieldhouse court at Madison Friday afternoon when the Goslings lost to Racine Park, 60 to 55. The defeat dropped the Blues from further contention in the tourney's consolation bracket. The Goslings, badly outplayed by Menomonie in their first tourney game, came back well yesterday against Park but they couldn't quite muster the punch to pull them over the hump.
Watertown Daily Times, 03 18 2010
John and Tammie Jaeger, 819 Richards Ave. The home, purchased by the Jaegers in 1988, was carefully renovated by them with sensitivity towards late-Victorian Queen Anne vernacular style. In maintaining this style, appropriate exterior materials were used such as shingles on the roof and gables, clapboards on the lower two stories and design restoration features of the porches.
Watertown Daily Times, 11 03 1982
Watertown voters showed strong support for renovation and expansion of
the Watertown Public Library in Tuesday’s general
election. The library referendum
question was passed by a margin of nearly 2-1, more than even the most
optimistic supporters of the plan had anticipated. The final tally was 3,432 in favor and 1,843
opposed to the question. The question on
the ballot stated, “I favor expansion and renovation of the Watertown Public
Library, cost to the city not to exceed $1,250,000.” Voters in all 13 aldermanic districts
supported the plan by a wide margin, with some districts approaching a 3-1
edge.
Watertown
Area Health Services
Watertown Daily Times, 11 03 1997
Health services associated with Watertown
Memorial Hospital will take on a new unified identity beginning this
month. The hospital’s health care
services, including Lakewood Family Clinic in Lake Mills, Juneau Clinic,
Highland House, Highland Village and Directions Counseling are introducing a
new more unified look. Watertown Area
Health Services will begin appearing on communications from the many organizations
and programs that make up the range of services. Watertown Area Health Services will be added
to the hospital logo, and will also be included in communications along with
the words “your lifelong partners in health.”
Watertown Leader, 04 10 1908
E. W. Kellerman and John Uherr of this city,
have purchased the patent right on a new clothes reel, which they propose to
manufacture and put on the market. The
new device is a very simple but practical one.
It does away with the unsightly platform made necessary in order to pin
the clothes on the line. The reel can be
lowered, while the clothes are being fastened to the lines, after which, by
means of a lever device, the reel can be raised about as high from the ground
as they are with the old style reel. The
lever works easily and a child can manipulate it. The only obstruction is a post in the ground,
therefore it does not spoil the look of a lawn or yard.
One of these new reels is now on exhibition at Mr. Kellermann’s home on Third Street.
A representative of The Leader inspected the same yesterday
and is confident that the gentlemen have a new device for the convenience of housewives that will yield the
manufacturers good money and meet with ready sales.
05 09 1907
The attention of the public, especially the owners of fast horses, is
called to the fact that the track at the
fairgrounds is now in excellent condition for speeding. Local horsemen are invited to use the track
at any time. Considerable work has
already been done on the track and it is hoped the local horsemen will take
advantage of this opportunity to speed their horses and get them in trim for
coming race events, the first of which will be a matinee, the first of a series
of which is expected to be held in June.
Yesterday there was a little “brush” at the track between three local
horses and it is expected that they will become more frequent as the weather
moderates.
Watertown Daily Times, 01 26 1954
There will not be a solicitation for funds to carry on the 1954 post-prom party, it is announced following a meeting of the Elks committee which is handling the arrangements for the annual event. "Enough money has been accumulated from donations from business firms, professional men and manufacturers over the past two years to finance the 1954 party," John D. Clifford, committee, chairman, reported today. In announcing that a solicitation will not be made this year, the committee today expressed deep gratitude for the splendid cooperation and fine financial support that has been received." These annual parties are community affairs," Clifford said. "The support comes from a large number of firms and individuals. Without their help, there wouldn't be any parties."
1957 Junior Prom
Watertown Daily Times, 05 09 1957
Friday night, the gymnasium of the Watertown
High School will be transformed into a ballroom of heavenly fantasy for the
1957 junior prom of the high school.
“Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland” has been selected as the theme for this
year’s gala affair. Prom King Carl Krueger,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Krueger, route 2, and Prom Queen Linda Dierker, daughter of Attorney and Mrs. Roland Dierker, 1010 South Eighth Street, will lead the grand
march at 9:30 o’clock. Members of the
court of honor are: Bernie Pierce and Sharon Nelson; Senior Class President Don
Draheim and Bobbie Krebs; Norm Melcher and Jo Orhmundt; Jim Schumacher and Marjorie Negus; Bob Wallace
and Junior Class Secretary Liz Derleth; Class Treasurer Mike Sproat and Class Secretary Nancy Buelow;
Class Vice-President Lowell Pritchard and Mary Ann Nimm;
Class President Don Krueger and Mary Mullen.
Watertown Daily Times, 05 09 1997
A proposal to fill the area underneath the fire
department floor to increase the load carrying capacity of the building was
defeated by the Watertown Common Council Tuesday. The council voted 5-3 against
hiring West Bend/American Building Systems for $76,231 to fill the portion of
the basement underneath the department’s floor. The fire department has not
been storing its heaviest vehicles in the fire station since last year, when it
was determined that the floor was not designed to hold vehicles weighing more
than 30,000 pounds. In addition, deterioration of the floor has led officials
to believe that the actual load capacity has been reduced further.
Watertown Daily Times, 07 03 1982
After 43 years in business, Birkholz Floral
Shop today became Draeger’s Floral and Gifts.
The sale of the shop to new owners Palmer and Judith Draeger of Helenville was finalized Wednesday, and Draeger’s Floral
and Gifts opened today at 616 East Main Street in Watertown. The Draegers will
continue the services offered by Christian and Edna Birkholz,
supplying fresh cut flowers, plants and green plants as well as floral
arrangements for funerals, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other
occasions. The shop also features a
large selection of silk flowers and gift items and offers FTD and Florafax service for out-of-town orders.
Watertown Daily Times, 08 25 1997
A 30-year-old school in the city will
open its doors Wednesday to show off a $250,000 dollar facelift. The school, built in 1967, has been polished
and the parking lots blacktopped for the start of school. Most of the money spent on the school this
summer, however, is tucked away inside the walls and ceilings of the
school. The district spent $237,828 on
the project, in addition to $15,600 for a site survey completed prior to the
bidding process. The investment is now
wrapped up in a wiring system designed to meet all the needs of the entering
sixth-graders in 1997 and continue meeting needs of children for years to come
even after the entering class advances to high school in the year 2000.
Home Building 1957
Watertown Daily Times, 08 25 1957
Home building is taking a sudden spurt in Watertown after a
letdown. This month will see the
greatest number of new homes begun of any month since November, 1955. The total thus far in August is 17 new homes
approved by the office of the city building inspector, City Engineer Floyd
Usher, with several more days to go. In November, 1955 a total of 24 new homes
was approved by his office. In July only
six new homes were approved and in June ten were given approval. May was the greatest previous home building
month here this year, with a total of 12 approved.
08 14 1907
The “M” Stove Manufacturing Co. has commenced work preparatory for the
coming winter and the work shops here put in order
yesterday. The company, which has been
in existence but a short time, has done a very successful business with the new
patented stove the “Meteor Triad Heater.”
This year they are putting another heater on the market, greatly
improved over last year’s stove and the sale is expected to be good. H. R. Moldenhauer, secretary and treasurer of
the company, is looking after affairs in the city.
Watertown
Athletic Booster Club
Golf Outing
Watertown Daily Times, 08 14 1982
The first annual Watertown Athletic Booster Club golf outing Monday
turned out to be a monumental success, according to organizer Tom Lees. “Starting with the weather, everything was
just perfect. The response from the
people who supported us was just great.
It was really gratifying.” Some
125 people participated in a best position tournament in the afternoon and were
joined by another score of people for dinner.
Watertown Daily Times, 08 14 1997
A permit was issued for a new vehicle service center at 1718 S. Church
St., according to the city’s business inspection office. A Tires Plus store is planned just north of
the Sears store on the west side of South Church Street. The Tires Plus will offer various automotive
services, including tire repair and replacement, oil changes, brake repairs and
wheel alignments. Another development is
planned to the north of the Tires Plus store.
A strip mall located between the tire store and the Watertown Fuel
Center is in the planning stage.
Watertown Daily Times, 05 17 1951
An electric eye will operate the light beacon atop the city's new west
side water storage tank. Work on the electrical installation will be
underway this week. The beacon will be
mounted at the very top of the huge globular tank, which towers 180 feet into
the air. Also to be installed on the
tank will be an automatic gauge which will register the amount of water in the
tank. It has a 300,000 gallon
capacity. The tank is nearly completed
and painters are at work on the structure.
The name "Watertown" is to be included on the side of the
globe.
Watertown Daily Times, 12 31 1957
Watertown fire losses in 1957 were up
over figures in 1955 and 1956, but they were still low for a city this size,
the annual report of Fire Chief Al Linde today showed. The year 1957 did not
see a single major disastrous fire in the city. Fire losses for the year were
estimated at $24,700. In 1956 the loss here was $9,744.17 and in 1955 it was
$14,772.42.
A total of 184 alarms was responded to in the city this year. In 1956
there were 161 alarms. Rural losses in the area which the department serves
were higher than in the city this year. Estimated damage was $34,515 and 55
alarms were answered in the rural sections. In 1956 rural losses were $8,225
and there were 36 alarms. In 1955 rural losses were $20,565.
Watertown Daily Times, 05 20 1908
The Fire Department was called out
yesterday afternoon shortly after 1 o’clock by an alarm of fire turned from box
16, First ward. The fire proved to be in
the warehouse of Lehmann & Schroeder, 400-417 First Street, the same having
been occasioned by the spontaneous combustion of a barrel of roofing
paint. Before the arrival of the fire
department the barrel of paint had been removed from the warehouse, out into
the street where it was burning when the department arrived and its services
were not required. In the work of
removing the burning paint from the ware house and preventing the spread of the
flames, Fred Lehmann had his hands and face quite severely burned and went to
his home and physician was called to dress his burns and alleviate his
sufferings. His many friends in the city
hope that his injuries are not serious and that he will be able to attend to
business in a few days.
Trinity Sunday at
Nashotah
Watertown Democrat, 06 07 1860
The
usual Trinity ordinations occurred at Nashotah on the 3rd. The occasion was one of deep interest and
importance. A number of distinguished
visitors arrived during the previous week.
A deputation of the church friends from Janesville encamped in a fine
tent, with all the necessaries for a comfortable and pleasant stay. Early in the day delegations from Watertown,
Waukesha, Oconomowoc and other adjacent places came in one after the other and
long before the exercises began the grounds were covered with visitors from the
surrounding country . . . A liberal collection amounting to between four and five
hundred dollars was taken up, to be appropriated to the finishing of the new
chapel. Altogether the day was one of
marked and unusual interest to the friends of the Episcopal Church. The college at Nashotah, even in this day of
its infancy, is doing a noble work and, when its high aims shall be fully
realized, there will be no measuring the good it may accomplish through the
ages of the future.
Watertown Daily Times, 02 05 1983
The Watertown City Council approved the transfer of trauma patients to
Madison and Milwaukee hospitals by Watertown EMS
vehicles. A provision allowing
transportation of patients who have already been admitted to the hospital was
reinstated to the resolution. The
provision was stricken at the last meeting because aldermen feared it would
allow the transfer of non-critical patients.
Dr. Terry Turke, chief of staff of Watertown
Memorial Hospital, assured them that physicians would treat the service as an
adjunct to current services provided by the Lebanon, Ixonia and Johnson Creek
EMS, for emergency patients for whom the time saved in using a local vehicle
could be “a life saving factor.” He said
only one or two inpatients a year may have to be transferred. Only one vehicle will be allowed to go on
intercity transport at any one time, but Alderman Lawrence Seeber
still said that was one too many.
Watertown Daily Times, 03 25 1960
The directors of the Merchants National Bank of Watertown announced that they have purchased suitable premises to enlarge their banking facilities to better serve their customers. Today's pattern of steadily rising costs and overcrowded lobbies make it imperative that a drive-in window will expedite transactions and encourage maximum use of the window during banking hours. A building engineer has been retained to draft and prepare plans to improve these premises for drive-in banking services and additional space for other banking needs.
Watertown Daily Times, 03 25 1985
Although the water supplies of many communities in the state may cause health problems, the well water supply in Watertown meets all of the health standards and presents no potential hazards to the city's population, according to a specialist of the Department of Natural Resources. “The water meets all of the health standards. Everything is fine,” said David Hansen, environmental engineer of the Bureau of Water Supply, southern district.
for some Staffing
Needs
Watertown Daily Times, 03 24 2000
A $58,000 plan to use paid, on-call firefighters for some staffing needs was endorsed by the finance committee of the Watertown City Council Monday evening. A plan by Fire Chief Richard Olson, costing an estimated $58,000 a year, would provide better staffing at the department. The committee also directed the fire department's leadership to take steps to reinstate the city's inter-facility transport program, a source of revenue for the city and an additional service for residents. The department in the past several years has had trouble staffing ambulances for transportation of patients to hospitals in other cities. To show how the transport service has diminished, the fire chief presented statistics from the department's billing agent and said that on 57 occasions in 1999 the department received either no response or not enough of a response to staff an ambulance to accomplish inter-facility requests.
Watertown Daily Times, 02 05 1908
School boys and girls, you had better look a little out or the truant
officer will catch you if you don’t. To
comply with chapter 446 of the laws of 1907, providing for the appointment of a
truant officer in all cities in the state of 2,000 or over, the board of education at a regular meeting last
evening appointed Chief of Police H. C. Block as such officer the salary being
fixed at $10 per month, or 10 school months.
The duties are to commence upon his acceptance.
According to the law as amended at the recent session of the legislature,
all children between the ages of seven and fourteen years and between the ages
of fourteen and sixteen years, if not regularly employed . . . must be in
regular attendance at some school . . . during the school year . . . All cities
of over 2,000 inhabitants must appoint a truant officer . . .
City Property
Watertown Daily Times, 11 06 1907
Architect F. L. Lindsay is drawing the plans for the proposed new city
building for the storage of all city property including the No. 1 fire engine. According to the plans as being drawn, the
building will be 54x50 feet. In the main
building on the ground floor it is the intention to keep the fire engine, the
steam roller, the street scraper and the sprinklers. The second story would be devoted to the emergency hospital, janitor’s room, and hay and
feed storage. The shed will be used for
the storage of the street sweeper, wagons and general storage purposes. The plans call for a building of solid brick,
with prepared brick with stone trimmings for the front.
Watertown
Gymnastic Association
Watertown Daily Times, 03 24 1960
JEFFERSON - The Watertown Gymnastic Association also known as the Watertown Turn-Verein has filed a suit against the city of Watertown in Jefferson County Circuit Court. The association in its suit is claiming that the city has wrongfully placed its property on the tax rolls and has levied and assessed taxes against the organization in violation of the exemption statute. The association is requesting that it not be subject to taxation and that it have a judgment accordingly, together with costs and disbursements of the action.
Watertown Democrat, 05 31 1860
The
Junction House, at the point where the Chicago
and Northwestern Railroad crosses the Minnesota and Milwaukee line, is kept
by H. B. Sherman, who has surrounded himself with all the facilities for
entertaining travelers in the best style.
His tables are always abundantly supplied with the choicest delicacies
of the season and everything about his large establishment has an appearance of
neatness and care that at once wins the confidence of all. A good meal can always be had at that place.
Junction Café
Watertown Gazette, 07 20 1911
Is Made of the Right Timber
H. H.
Courville, proprietor of the Junction Café, has just completed remodeling and
redecorating the interior of his place of business, and it now presents a very
inviting and homelike appearance.
Conspicuous over the bar hangs a sign, “Nothing Sold to Hobos Here,”
[and] to the right of the door is another sign printed in large letters
“Nothing Sold to Minors Here,” both of which Mr. Courville rigidly enforces,
and the result is boys under 21 years of age as well as tramps give that
section of the city a wide berth when they are in search of intoxicating
beverages. If all saloon keepers in
Watertown would rigidly enforce these sentiments Watertown would not be visited
by so many tramps and the saloon business here would become more tolerant.
Lightning
Watertown Democrat, 05 31 1860
Lightning
often plays some curious tricks with the telegraph wires. Last Thursday, about two miles north, the
lightning struck and shattered three telegraph poles, melted and fused over a
hundred feet of wire, followed it down to the station house in this city, and
set on flames the curtain of the window, consumed a map hanging nearby, and
scorched the fragments of paper lying around.
Luckily the fire was discovered and put out before further damage was
done.
Watertown Democrat, 05 31 1860
The Planters Hotel, we are glad to know, under the management
of its present popular and attentive landlord, Mr. N. Pratt, still flourishes
and enjoys its share of popular favor and patronage. All who stop there find ample accommodations
and go away satisfied, and when guests are so well pleased, all must be done
just about as it should be. At least we
think it a good rule to guess by, and be right every time.
Preschool and Day-Care
Center
Watertown Daily Times, 03 29 2000
A proposal to build a preschool and day-care center on West Main Street to serve more than 70 children was submitted to the Watertown Site Plan Review Committee. Maranatha Baptist Bible College and Academy proposes the 5,000-square-foot center to be located across the street at 828 W. Main St. A Maranatha-owned house at that location would be razed. The committee recommended the proposal go before the plan commission, which must approve a conditional use permit for the project before construction can begin. The full-service preschool, providing morning and afternoon classes, and day-care center will cost about $500,00 to $550,000, said Dr. John Brock, vice president of the college's academic affairs and member of its preschool governing board. It would include six classrooms that could be opened for a larger play area, a reception area, administrative office, sick room, kitchen and storage room. A play yard outside the building is planned.
Watertown Daily Times, 03 30 1960
A penny, minted in 1860, which R. J. Hoge lost 59 years ago when he was a small boy and the family lived in a house at 203 North Fourth Street, was recovered by him the other day when he visited the place, scene of wrecking operations in connection with demolishing of St. Luke's Lutheran Church for a parking lot. Mr. Hoge, of the Bank of Watertown staff, recalled that he lost the penny when it rolled along the floor and disappeared between two boards. He tried at the time to recover it with a wire but was unsuccessful. Over the years, he said, he frequently recalled that penny, especially when he passed the old house where he used to live. The other day he went into the house, after obtaining the key from the wreckers, and after digging around in the debris he was amazed to find the penny. He said he knew exactly where it had disappeared and it was still in that area.
Coldest
Weather in Watertown’s History
Watertown Daily Times, 01 27 1904
Watertown has experienced the coldest weather in its history during the past week. The cold snap set in Saturday night and has continued ever since. Saturday night the thermometer registered 20 degrees below zero, Sunday night 35 below zero, and Monday night 25 below zero, Tuesday night 20 below, and Wednesday night 10 below.
Watertown Daily Times, 07 13 1982
The
heaviest rainfall in Watertown’s history covered much of the city with up to
four feet of water Saturday, causing extensive damage to businesses and
residences and turning streets into canals.
The city
received 6.65 inches of rain between 7 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday, most of
it Saturday afternoon and early evening.
This nearly doubles the old record, said Richard Hoge, who has observed
Watertown weather for more than 50 years . Over the
weekend, Hoge researched city weather records going back before the turn of the
century and turned up the old record of 3.54 inches on June 30, 1938.
The official
report of 6.65 inches was taken by employees of the Wastewater Treatment
Plant. A similar reading of 6.03 inches
was recorded by Hoge on an official rain gauge located in the Riverside Park
area.
Watertown Daily Times, 01 27 1979
It's a new National Guard with new opportunities and benefits, a group of Watertown business leaders were told at a breakfast meeting with state and local officials of the Wisconsin Army National Guard Thursday at Balistreri's Restaurant. Brigadier General James J. Lison Jr., deputy adjutant general of the state guard, told the Watertown businessmen, "The national guard unit in Watertown needs your cooperation and help to bring it up to a strength capable of handling jobs that may be required of it." He pointed out that the Watertown unit, a longtime member of the local community, had been at its authorized strength throughout the Vietnam War but started to decline after the war ended and the draft was halted.
Watertown Daily Times, 01 27 1994
Renee Maas will head the new Watertown branch of the State Bank of Reeseville. The branch will be located on Highway 19 in a new building which is expected to be open by August. She was named manager at the annual directors meeting of the bank. "She was named head of the Clyman branch of the bank, and will become manager of the Watertown branch when it is built," said Gerald Yerges, president of the State Bank of Reeseville. The Clyman branch of the State Bank of Reeseville will be closed when the Watertown branch opens. Maas is a graduate of Watertown High School and has 18 years of experience in banking. She is a graduate of Wisconsin Bankers Association Basic Banking School. She was formerly employed by Lebanon State Bank.
Watertown Daily Times, 02 09 1904
The sophomores will give a class party next Saturday evening. Appropriate exercises will be held next Friday at the High school in honor of Lincoln's birthday.
Tuesday evening the juniors defeated the seniors in a debate, the score being 4 to 1. The subject was: "Resolved that senators I should be elected by popular vote,” the juniors upholding the affirmative. The competing debaters were Seniors, Ernst Owen, Edgar Melzer, William Richards, juniors Gilbert Green, Jacob Sproesser, Edward Witte.
On Thursday evening at the High School Mr. Seymour will give his third lecture of the course. His subject is Pericles, the Athenian statesman and patron of art. Pedicles was the leading man of Athens when that city was at its height of power and I glory, when it was the center of the world's civilization. Those who have heard Mr. Seymour on previous occasions look I forward to this lecture as a rare treat.
Watertown Daily Times, 02 09 1954
Reorganization of the Watertown Ground Observer Corps, handling the skywatch program under Civil Defense, will be launched here next Tuesday night at a meeting to be held at the City Hall, third floor, starting at 8 o'clock, according to announcement made by Arthur H. Krueger, who is to direct it, although his formal appointment by the city manager still lacks confirmation. Before the program here was abandoned some weeks ago, due to lack of cooperation from state Civil Defense authorities, Watertown had what was regarded as the best skywatch program setup in the state and it was being used as a model in the state.
Watertown Daily Times, 02 09 1994
A regional accrediting agency will recommend that Northwestern College's accreditation continue for 10 years. A team of educators from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools decided to make the recommendation after reviewing Northwestern's programs. The continuation, which would last through the school year 2003-4, is the longest allowable period between comprehensive reviews. The visit was the culmination of a long self-study by Northwestern. Over the past year, the college has reviewed its organization, faculty, curriculum, instruction, library and student services. Professor James Korthals organized the study and prepared the 195-page report, which was the basis of the visit.
Watertown Daily Times, 01 26 1903
Thursday afternoon of last week Miss Celia Kwapil, who was in the terrible theater fire in Chicago a few weeks ago, visited The Gazette office and told of her experience in that terrible holocaust . . . She is still suffering somewhat from the effect of the fire. Her hair was singed, and her ears badly burned and are still kept covered with bandages.
Kwapil is only 14 years of age . . .
The afternoon of the fire she attended the performance of "Mr. Bluebeard" at the Iroquois theatre in company with Mrs. Ignace Pilat and her two daughters, Josephine and Helen age 10 and 13 years. They were seated in the second balcony, six rows from the front, she says, and during the moonlight scene on the stage in-the second act she noticed a small blaze to the left of the stage . . . She was immediately seized with a terrible feeling of fear and remembers Mrs. Pilat remarking: "When they lower the asbestos curtain it will save us all."
She saw a man (Eddie Foy) step to the front of the stage and tell the people to keep still, and just as he got through a sheet of flame darted over their heads in the gallery, and a great rush was made for the exits . . . Just then a door was opened by an usher. It led to a fire stairway and those about here rushed for the door. The passage was suddenly obstructed, however, from some unknown cause and the crown went back up stairs, and the people below in the alley shouted all the time to them to jump, and many of them did so . . .
Miss Kwapil escaped by jumping from one landing to the other — she crawled between the railing irons on the third platform, and swinging under dropped to the second landing, and from the second to the first in the same manner, and then jumped to the alley below . . . She was picked up by a man, who held her until she regained her strength, and then she went into the street and entered a restaurant. This being crowded, she left and she was taken to a dental parlor, and a telephone message was sent to her sister . . . She was finally conveyed to her sister's and cared for. She remained in bed a number of days, and by careful nursing she fast regained her strength and got over her nervous shock . . .
It was a most horrid and terrifying sight, she says, and it will be many a day before she will be fully recovered from its effects on her mind.
Watertown Daily Times, 07 12 1982
The Watertown Library Board will seek estimates on the cost
of major repair projects to be undertaken if a referendum to expand the library
fails in November. The best solution to
the library’s needs is expansion, said Head Librarian Mary Carol Powers, but
the board wants to be prepared in case expansion is not approved. Some major — and potentially costly — areas
in need of maintenance, including roofing, air conditioning and heating, have
been identified.
Moravian Church
Watertown Daily Times, 07 11 1907
A new bell
is soon to be placed in the belfry of the Watertown Moravian Church, the same
having been a donation from the late Henry Hobmann.
The new bell will be placed sometime in September.
Watertown Daily Times, 07 11 1957
Schnappsie, the Fire Department’s dachshund mascot, has a
birthday today. He is one year old,
according to Earl Mundt, the original owner of Schnappsie and his six “brothers” who were born as a
litter. Schnappsie
dined well today on his birthday — but it was no different than any other
day. He dines well every day. And he looks it. Aside from his rotund figure, he is hale and
hearty. During the past year Schnappsie’s picture has appeared in papers from coast to
coast. The United Press sent out a
picture to all of its client newspapers.
The Christian Science Monitor,
published in Boston, also published a picture of him.
Ordered to Cease
Operations
Watertown Daily Times, 07 11 1997
The
owner of the Watertown Upper Dam has been
ordered to cease operations of its hydroelectric generating project at noon
today. According to the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, operations by Rough and Ready Hydro are responsible for
the departure of a species of fish in the Rock River near the upper dam and for
vibrations that cause damage to residences in the area. The commission issued a compliance order on
July 3 to Rough and Ready Hydro to cease its project operation on the Rock
River. According to the commission’s
order, Rough and Ready Hydro Company is in violation of its run-of-river
requirement, which is a condition of its operating license for the generating
plant.
Watertown Daily Times, 07 16 1907
Yoni, a
Japanese employed as a wiper in the Southern Pacific shops in this city,
narrowly escaped serious injury at the hands of an enraged mob of American
workmen yesterday. Yoni was wiping an
engine on which had been placed two small American flags. While wiping the engine, Yoni turned and
deliberately spat upon one of the flags.
His action was seen by another workman who immediately pulled Yoni from
the engine to the ground at the same time acquainting the other workmen in the
building of Yoni’s act. A crowd quickly
surrounded the Japanese and he was being roughly handled when he managed to
elude his assailants and escape.
Watertown Daily Times, 07 16 1957
Watertown
residents can get ready and prepare for the inevitable — the day when the city
buses will no longer be operating is nearing here, according to reliable
reports. Although no formal announcement
has yet been made regarding this, Watertown will be joining the list of cities
in which the bus lines are vanishing.
Fort Atkinson, Port Washington and Beaver Dam have already joined the
list of municipalities where the bus lines have “folded” and the list is
growing. Not enough revenue and lack of
general patronage and ever increasing operating costs are the reasons for this
growing problem.
Watertown Daily Times, 04 01 2000
Bob and
Anne Krystyniak, who have led Watertown Ace Hardware
to spectacular growth over their 18 years of ownership, have sold the business
to a father and son team which operates hardware stores in the Milwaukee
area. Jim Blair and his father, Robert,
became the new owners of the business today.
Employees were told of the impending change in meetings over the
weekend. The Blairs operate hardware
stores in Menomonee Falls and New Berlin and also have a commercial/ industrial
division called Induserve Supply which will also be
available in Watertown.
Watertown Daily Times, 03 26 1960
The
officers of the Bank of Watertown today announced
that they had acquired the property at 106 Madison Street, formerly occupied by
Pike Egg & Feed Company. This
property will be made available for parking to Bank of Watertown customers
while transacting business at the bank.
It will be ready for use soon.
The property at number 8 Main Street, occupied by the New York Market,
was purchased by the bank some time ago and number 10 Main Street was acquired
some years ago.
Pike Egg
& Feed / 106 East Madison Street
In the
early part of the 20th century, the building at 106 East Madison Street had
been occupied by Ernst W. Hoeffner as a boarding
house and saloon. In the 1940's, it was
known as 'Heinie's Tavern'. In the
1950's, the large plate glass windows beneath a crank out canvas awning had 'Pike's
Egg & Feed - Eggs & Farm Supplies' signage. By 1960, the two old buildings that comprised
the feed store were sold and to make way for a parking lot of a new nearby bank
building. Six years later, the parking
lot was sold and a Masonic Temple was built and
dedicated in 1967. In 2001, the building
was purchased and is now occupied by the Watertown Community Church.
Watertown Daily Times, 03 26 1985
Firemen
have a longstanding reputation for rescuing cats out of trees. But a duck from a river? Watertown
firemen responded at 7:40 a.m. Monday to Riverside Park on a call that a
duck was tangled in some kite string in the Rock River. The excess string was from a stray kite which
somehow had found its way into a tree along the riverbank. Sometime during the night, the unfortunate
duck apparently trolled into the string causing itself to be tangled and immobile. Firemen used a pike pole to pull the string
with the duck into shore and released the bird.
It was not treated and transported to Watertown Memorial Hospital.
Watertown Daily Times, 04 02 2000
The sound of train horns in Watertown is likely to return under a proposed federal rule that will pre-empt a local ordinance banning the whistles. The proposed rule, scheduled to take effect in January 2001, says that train horns are to be sounded at public highway-rail grade crossings unless they are located in a quiet zone and equipped with safety equipment approved by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). In 1995, Watertown implemented a 24-hours-a-day ban on train horns in response to some residents near the crossings who said the horns were a disruption. The city is at least one of 27 state municipalities which have whistle bans at crossings except in the event of an emergency.
Watertown Daily Times, 04 08 1998
Three more years. Voters gave
Fred Smith a third and final term as Watertown’s mayor Tuesday over challenger
Ken Berg.
Smith, who captured all nine aldermanic districts in the city, received
3,072 votes, nearly 60 percent of the ballots cast, in his re-election
bid. Berg, a two-term alderman
representing the 3rd District, received 2,088 votes.
“I was absolutely convinced that the citizens of Watertown would
appreciate a positive campaign,” Smith told a crowd of supporters at the
Holiday Inn Express after the votes were counted. “I believe that was well received in the city
of Watertown.”
Watertown Daily Times, 11 06 1957
Watertown now has a chapter of the Disabled American Veterans, it was
announced today following a preliminary meeting held at the National Guard
Armory. State Commander Harold F. Wellnitz and John Richling Jr.,
national service officer, were present at the meeting to outline the purposes
and aims of the organization. The
charter is being held open for 45 days from the date of organization for those
who wish to appear as charter members.
Interested persons are asked to contact any member or Leslie Schmutzler, local commander.
Air
Watertown Offer to Operate
Dodge County Airport
Watertown Daily Times, 11 06 1982
JUNEAU—Air Watertown’s offer to operate the
Dodge County Airport free of charge is getting serious consideration and
undergoes closer scrutiny at 11 a.m. Friday when the Dodge County Highway
Committee meets with the firm’s owners, Jeff Baum and Pete Schoeninger. The pair, in speaking with County Board
Chairman H. J. Kreutzmann and Highway Commissioner
Robert Henken, said they could have someone at the
airport within a day. The airport at
present has no operator. Pilots can land
and take off at their own risk and Chuck Swain of Beaver Aviation is pumping
gas as a service.
Watertown Daily Times, 03 29 2010
More than a century and a half of worship in the German language at St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church will continue
this month with the annual Good Friday German service. The service will begin at 10 a.m. The sermon will urge worshippers "Lasst Uns Heute
Christum Am Kreuze Ansehen"
("Today, Let Us Consider Christ on the Cross"). John 19:17-24 will serve as sermon text. German liturgy and German hymns will
accompany the day's worship. The Rev.
Karl Walther will officiate.
Watertown Democrat, 07 05 1860
Mr. S.
M. Hewlett’s address before the Dashaways last Monday
evening was able and interesting. He
presented an old theme in a new and attractive light, and from beginning to
end, held the attention of the large and intelligent audience which assembled
to listen to his first effort in this city.
Hon. L. A. Cole presided with his usual dignity and urbanity. Everything was admirable—the speaking, the
music, the lightning that blazed along the clouds, and all went home gratified
and pleased. The probability is that the
young and vigorous order of the Dashaways will make
tangle-foot whiskey, aloes and strychnine—the latter should be reserved for
vagrant dogs—in less demand as a drink hereabouts. May the vile stuff and its kindred poisons be
speedily dashed from all lips . . . On motion that there be an amendment to the
pledge so that it may read, “To abstain from drinking any kind of intoxicating
liquors, wines, ale, beer and cider.”
After some discussion it was finally passed.
↓ More on The Dashaways ↓
Watertown Democrat, 07 19 1860
The Dashaways—This association, although yet in its infancy, has
been instrumental in accomplishing much good in our community. Its numbers have increased from week to week,
until at the last regular meeting the number enrolled was fifty-three. The association was first organized under the
name of the Anti-Tanglefoot Society, under the
management of our esteemed citizen, General James Potter, Jr., to whose
efforts, together with the cooperation of his friends, we are now indebted for
this useful and efficient temperance organization.
In the
early stage of its operation, it was deemed expedient not to include among the
discarded drinks the comparatively harmless beverage of Lager Beer; but after
battling successfully with the more villainous fluids, like Alexander the
Great, this army sighed for more enemies to conquer, so by a vote of a majority
of its members, they pitched into Lager Beer, Esq., and turned the hitherto
respectable gentleman out of the society, and to keep him away changed the name
of the institution to the Dashaways, leaving Lager
Beer—a former member of good standing—without the pass-word.
Aside
from the main object of the organization, by way of variety and interest, a
literary department has been added, which consists of a short essay, to be
delivered by some member at every meeting—essayist to be appointed by the
President; subject of the essay optional with the writer. Last Saturday the audience was entertained
with an address from Myron W. Reed, Esq., subject, “Tanglefoot-whiskey
and its accessories.” The President
appointed as essayist for the next meeting, Ashley Harger,
Esq., who will discourse upon the beauties of grog generally. They public
is invited to attend.
Cross Reference: Chapter on Temperance
Watertown
Democrat, 07 26 1860
Dr. A.
Trask’s Magnetic Ointment—Try this remarkable and most interesting remedy. It is composed of the concentrated juices of
the most powerful and most soothing plants and roots in nature, chemically
combined and insulated in well-sealed glass bottles and charged by a powerful
battery, this possessing in addition to its superior medical virtues, strong
magnetic and electric properties, profoundly penetrating and eminently quieting
and soothing. It relieves pain and inflammation
at once . . . If applied in season it is
an unfailing remedy for the croup, sore throat, inflammation of the lungs,
bowels, liver, kidneys and other organs, rheumatism, spinal irritation, ague in
the breast, and at times cures nervous headache, sore eyes, ear ache, tooth
ache, pimples and eruptions of all kinds, piles, bruised and sprained limbs,
burns . . . it will also restore hair to the bald head. Has been used upon canal and draught horses
and sheep. For sale by all druggists.
Good and Bad Tidings
Kennedy’s Medical
Discovery
Watertown Democrat, 07 12 1860
An
Editor is often called upon to edit articles that he knows will cause sorrow in
many hearts; for instance, some railroad or steamboat disaster is to be
announced, a fatal accident is to be recorded; then is his heart sad as he
thinks of the tears that will be shed as the paragraph he is editing will be
perused. But when he gets an item that
will send joy to every heart, the pen glides briskly over the paper. These are our feelings as we write “Kennedy’s
Medical Discovery”— it is life to the dead and health to those who are
sick. All is cured through its magic
influence, from the slightest pimple to the severest case of scrofula [a form
of tuberculosis]. Its price is
reasonable, it can be obtained everywhere and there is no occasion for the
afflicted to remain so.
Watertown Democrat, 07 26 1860
Last
Friday John Enwright, residing in the town of Milford,
while working in a field of rye, was bit on the fore finger of the right hand
by a rattle snake. When he first
discovered the reptile it was gliding away from him. He seized a rake and tried to strike it, but
failing in this, and seeing the snake run to a hole, he caught it by the tail
and dragged it out, when it struck him.
This occurred about noon. He
immediately began to drink whiskey, started for this city, and called at Edward
Johnson’s Drug Store for medical aid.
The hand
and wrist commenced swelling and became painful. Near half past 1 o’clock Dr. James Cody
examined the wound. As the successful
treatment of a case of this kind may be generally interesting, we will give a
full account of the course pursued.
When Dr.
Cody first saw it, the swelling was rapidly extending into the arm. The poison was in active operation. He mixed four grains of iodine of potassium
and twelve drops of tincture of iodine in a glass of brandy and gave a dose to
the patient. He made several punctures
into the cellular tissues on the back of the hand, which were well injected
with tincture of iodine. Tincture of
iodine was also constantly applied to the inflamed finger and hand, and made to
follow the inflammation in its course up the arm. Cooling lotions were steadily applied.
After
two hours tincture of iodine and brandy were again given, but common whiskey
was the principle drink, and taken so often as to keep up a constant state of
intoxication, which last effect was not allowed to abate for a moment.
In
twenty-eight hours after this treatment commenced, the inflammation extended to
the shoulder, but did not pass beyond it.
In twenty-six hours the swelling began to go down, and no mortification
appearing, it was thought safe to allow the patient to go home, his recovery
being regarded as certain. At last
accounts he was doing well.
That
probably will be the last rattle snake he will attempt to catch with his
hands. The astonishing virulence of its
poison began instantly to show itself, and the escape from its fatal effects
was hardly less narrow than fortunate.
There are but few of the venomous and dangerous creatures in this part
of the state, and they are being killed off fast.
Watertown
Democrat or Republican, 06 26 1876
We
understand the Washington Ice Company have commenced to ship their lumber from
their ice house on the river. If this
indicated that the company do not intend to cut anymore ice here it will be
unpleasant news to our laboring people, the amount paid out by the company in
this city last winter being over $11.00.(?)
Watertown
Democrat or Republican, 07 24 1876
The Washington Ice Company of Chicago, are daily shipping large quantities of ice south from their ice house in this city, via the Chicago and N.W. Railway. WD or WR
Watertown Democrat, 07 12 1860
The
Fourth of July was generally observed in this city. In fact, the celebration was the best we have
ever witnessed. The addresses of Messrs.
Lindeman and Hewlett were appropriate and eloquent, and Mr. Shorey
read the Declaration of Independence with a spirit and force that threw meaning
in those words of truth, hope and freedom.
The little girls who personated Liberty, Union, the Constitution and the
States were a brilliant and pleasing feature in the long and crowded
procession.
Lincoln Sinking into
Obscurity
Watertown Democrat, 07 12 1860
Lincoln’s
name appears to be rapidly sinking into obscurity from which it so unexpectedly
rose. The Republican papers place no
hopes upon his popularity. They have
fixed their attention solely upon the Breckenridge movement, which they are
attempting to swell into consequence.
Watertown Democrat, 07 19 1860
Unanimous
Call—The members and congregation of the Congregational
Society held a meeting last week and by a unanimous vote gave the Rev.
Charles Boynton a warm and urgent call to become the pastor of that
church. Mr. Boynton has labored here for
several months with a zeal and usefulness that renders his continued services
very desirable. He has early secured a
place in the confidence and affections of the people of his charge that promise
the happiest results. The ceremonies of
his installation will probably take place in a short time.
Watertown Democrat, 07 19 1860
Fire
Department—Last Saturday evening the annual election of Engine Company No. 1
was held and resulted in the choice of the following officers:
Foremen—William
Wilson
1st
Assistant Foreman—Peter Lynch
2d
Assistant Foreman—John Toomy
Secretary—James
McHugh
Treasurer—Edward
Johnson
Hose
Captain—Charles Lynch
Steward—William
Ellis
Watertown Democrat, 07 19 1855
Incendiarism—Sometime
during the night of the 13th inst. the slaughter house of J. H. & J.
Martin, situated near the Rough and Ready mills, was
consumed by fire, together with all the implements belonging to it. As there had been no fire or light used near
it during the day, there seems to be no other conclusion but it was purposely
set on fire. A live lamb was tied fast
in the inside of the building, which the incendiary, whoever he was, had the
humanity to loosen and let go, before committing his act of revenge or
malice. It is to be hoped that the
perpetrator of this rascality will be discovered, and made to suffer the full
penalty of the law for this outrage. Fifty
dollars reward has been offered to any one who will
disclose the name of the guilty party, or give information that will lead to
the detection and conviction.
Cross References:
Watertown Democrat, 07 12 1855
Last
Sunday evening, between ten and
[The
Anson brewery was the first of many to operate in Watertown and had been
founded in 1846. It had the unenviable
reputation of producing a decidedly inferior product. According to one history, half the town was
made sick from the consumption of Anson’s ale.
The reputations of the other local breweries were to the credit of their
brewmasters.]
Watertown Democrat, 06 21 1855
New
Sash, Door and Blind Factory -- Messrs. Wrisley,
Simpson & Co., has just started a new sash, door and blinds factory in the old yellow mill [same as Blanchard Mill]. They are now engaged in manufacturing these
articles for dwellings, in large numbers.
The work they turn out is in all respects as good as can be produced
anywhere in the state. Their machinery
is of the best kind and being themselves practical and experienced mechanics,
we see no reason why they should not be entirely successful in their new
enterprise, as we have no doubt they will
Watertown Daily Times, 04 06 2000
Local
family physician Dr. Michael Grajewski has started an independent practice in
the former Medical Associates Family Medical . Grajewski is a member of the Watertown
Memorial Hospital medical staff and is board certified in family practice. His practice also includes obstetrics. Two physician assistants who were with the
Medical Associates physician group will continue their employment with
Grajewski. Jolene Huber, P.A.C., and
Gene Ott, P.A.-C., will assist Grajewski in diagnosing and treating patients.
Milwaukee Light Guard
Watertown Democrat, 07 19 1860
A Good
Time. The Milwaukee Light Guard
celebrated their Fifth Anniversary last Monday by a Picnic Excursion to
Oconomowoc. According to the newspaper
accounts, they must have had an agreeable time.
They were accompanied by a large number of the citizens of Milwaukee.
Watertown Daily Times, 04 08 1985
The Rev.
Orlo Espeland, pastor of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, has accepted an
appointment with the American Lutheran Church National Office in Minneapolis,
Minn. After serving for eight years at
Immanuel, Espeland will be leaving in early
June. Before coming to Watertown he
served in Holman. While serving at
Immanuel, Espeland has overseen the installation of
the pipe organ, an expanded staff, the new parish education building has been
completed and a radio broadcast of Sunday service over WTTN has started. He has also helped to start a special
education class for the handicapped members of the congregation.
Watertown Daily Times, 06 12 1958
The recent announcement by the Police
Department that it was beginning to enforce the bicycle code has resulted
in the first court appearances under the act. Seven boys appeared before Judge
George E. Niemann here Saturday. Two were charged with riding double, three
were cited for arterial violations and two were charged with having no
headlights on their vehicles. All boys were sentenced to attend Traffic School,
which will be conducted by members of the VFW Post on June 21 at 9:30 a.m. at
the Recreation Building. Tests will be given to all the boys. Those who do not
pass will be required to attend another Traffic School session.
Watertown Democrat, 07 26 1860
The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Company
is about to put on their track one hundred and fifty more freight cars, to
accommodate the increasing business of that line. This addition to the already great facilities
for transportation will be needed. No
one can doubt that the carrying trade this fall will be enormous. The golden burden of our broad and fertile
fields must find its way to market over our railroads, and it is well for their
managers to be prepared to do the business that will soon be ready for them.
Watertown Democrat, 07 26 1860
L. J. Kadish has just started in this city an extensive lumber
yard near the depot of the Chicago and
Northwestern Railroad. All qualities
of pine lumber will be kept constantly on hand.
The supply comes directly from the heavy mills of the north where are
manufactured those immense quantities demanded by the whole country.
Chicago
and Northwestern Railroad
Fence Building Along
Tracks
Watertown Democrat, 07 17 1860
The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad will
soon be enclosed along its entire length.
Several gangs of men are now busily engaged in building fences along
both sides of the track between this city and Janesville. As fast as the work can be done it will be
accomplished. It is a matter of
importance to the Company to have their line of road as well protected from
cattle as possible, and make all as safe and secure as practicable. As long as large numbers of cattle run loose
in the woods and on the prairies it is necessary to have a strong and
substantial fence to keep them off the road [track]. WD
↓ More on RR Fence Building ↓
Watertown Democrat, 07 19 1860
The
Chicago and Northwestern Railroad is now protected by a permanent and
substantial fence along its entire length from Chicago to Oshkosh. We believe no other company in the state has
yet completed such a work as this.
Though the track is in excellent condition, parties of men are engaged
on the newer portions of the line in ballasting and gravelling such places as
may need a little fixing to make them more even and durable. The trains are run at such hours as will best
suit public convenience, and the affairs of the road are under excellent and
prudent management. The business of the
road has been large during the whole season, and the rich and fertile country
which it penetrates promises to furnish a much greater amount of travel and
transportation this fall. It passes
through the length of the state, and for miles and miles a broad expansion or
succession of fields of grain stretch out on either side of it. The evidences of prosperity and increasing
wealth which meet the eyes of the rapidly passing traveler as he goes over it,
excite the admiration of all who witness them.
↓ More Chicago and Northwestern ↓
Watertown Democrat, 05 24 1860
Last Monday
afternoon, about eight miles below this city, as the train on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad was
approaching from the south, a cow suddenly jumped from between two piles of
wood on the track within three feet of the engine, which struck her, and was
thrown off the track together with two or three cars. No one was hurt, but the locomotive was badly
injured [sic] and other damage done. The
cow was so concealed that she could not be seen, and the first intimation that
she was in the way was her coming in contact with the engine. It should be stated that the company are
using the utmost diligence to get this portion of the line fenced, an object
that will soon be accomplished, which will diminish, if not entirely prevent,
the occurrence of such casualties hereafter.
WD
Watertown Democrat, 06 14 1860
We do not
believe in mythology; we repudiate the idea of gods or any other invisible
being superintending the temporal affairs of man. Such a belief is so absurd, so nonsensical,
that we solemnly aver our most unqualified disbelief in any such doctrine, and
still we feel somewhat as the man did, who said he knew that Universalism was
true. He was positive it was, in fact he
said there was not a doubt of it in his mind.
“But,” said he, “I’d give my oxen if I was sure.”
So a person
cannot be so sure in regard to anything, but that his faith may be a little
staggered at times. How is it that the Vulcan Iron Works have run constantly, for the
last three years, without the smiles and approbation of “Old Vulcan” is a
little mysterious.
We are not so
sure. We would not state positively, in
fact, we are half inclined to believe, that in this instance, an exception to a
general rule might be introduced, and not deny the fact, although unwilling to
admit it, that he has in all his august majesty presided over that institution
and kept the wheels in motion.
There has been
hardly a day but that we might hear, as we passed by, the rumbling of the
wheel, the blowing of the bellows, the ring of the anvil and buzz of the
saw. Tokens of thrift and industry, that
moves on year after year, giving employment to the hardy mechanic and the
honest day laborer, supplying the means of subsistence to hundreds who earn
their living in the only honest way—“by the sweat of their brow.”
The present
proprietors are Otis Hall & Co., and all the work is done under the
immediate supervision of Otis Hall, who is a practical mechanic of long
experience. And here we wish to say to those
whom necessity compels to have work done in their line, they are thoroughly
prepared to execute orders in the very best manner possible, having all the
necessary tools and machinery for that purpose.
They are just
now finishing up some of the best Threshing Machines we ever saw—and we
consider our self a judge—machines that may have equals, but not superiors in
this country. Trucks, Straw-Stackers,
etc., are complete. And we deem it of
the most decided advantage to farmers living in this vicinity to purchase these
machines in preference to those made in other localities. By so doing, they save a large amount of time
and money, in being able to get their machines repaired near home, where they
keep constantly on hand a large supply of materials for that purpose and hold
themselves in readiness at all times—night and day—to accommodate those who
patronize them.
We are
satisfied that with the facilities, energy and skill of the proprietors,
together with the aid of “Old Vulcan,” (although we would not have it
understood that we invoke his aid, but we would not openly object) this establishment must prosper.
Watertown Democrat, 07 26 1860
John Hane of Farmington brought into this city last Tuesday
morning the first load of winter wheat that has been offered for sale this
season. It was purchased by Henry
Bergmann for V. D. Green & Co. of the Red Mills, and before this time is
probably manufactured into flour. The
quantity was 20 bushels, the price $106, and the quality unsurpassed. If this lot is a fair specimen of the grain
of this state, Wisconsin bread stuffs will stand first among the very best, for
better wheat cannot be grown on any soil.
We ask our friends Green & Co. to remember the order we gave them a
day or two ago and send us a “sack” from this first purchase, not for this
notice, but because it will make us square on subscription, with this slight
allusion thrown into the bargain.
We observe that
Enos Salsich is pushing forward his addition to this
establishment and will soon add a larger area in
which to continue the enterprises he is constantly engaged in. He is a go-a-head man and will come out right
yet.
Watertown Democrat, 07 26 1860
New Ice Cream.
George Gilman has recently opened in Ice Cream Saloon and Fruit Store on
Main Street. Parties can get there every
evening a glass of delicious ice cream with “fixins,”
and the choicest varieties of fruits.
Fine cigars can always be had there.
Give George a call and see how generously he will serve you.
Watertown Daily Times, 06 20 1958
Watertown now owns a softball diamond tarpaulin. Thanks to the local Junior Chamber of Commerce,
the city park commission was formally presented with the gift Wednesday
afternoon at Riverside Park. Sports fans
who frequent Riverside Park for softball tournaments
and other important events will appreciate the gift. Many times they witnessed tournament games
which had to be called because of a downpour.
Now with the new “tarp” the ground will be completely protected against
rain.
Span of Cream Colored
Colts . . .
Watertown Democrat, 05 31 1860
Taken
Up—On the 21st inst., in the town of Waterloo, Jefferson County, three miles
south of the village of Waterloo, one span of cream colored colts, one four and
the other five years old, one a mare and the other a gelding, with a light
mane. The owner can have them by calling
on the subscriber and paying all charges.
John Hazen.
Jefferson Court House
Addition/Remodeling
Watertown Democrat, 05 31 1860
Notice
to Contractors. Sealed bids will be
received by the undersigned, at the office of the Clerk of the Board of
Supervisors of Jefferson County, in the village of Jefferson, in said county,
for the construction of an addition to and for repairing the Court House, as
set forth in specifications, for said addition and repairs to be seen in the
office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, and in the possession of the
chairman of the Board of each town, and the wards of the city of Watertown. –
Wm. P. Forsyth, A. H. Waldo, J. D. Waterbury, Building Com.
Strayed
Watertown Democrat, 06 07 1860
Came
into the premises of the subscriber on the 25th of May last, in the town of
Emmet, Dodge County, a Red Cow about ten or twelve years old, with high
horns. The owner is requested to prove
property, pay charges, and take the same away.
C. M. Kees.
William Long
Watertown Democrat, 06 07 1860
The
Dodge Co. Citizen says that a young
man named William Long has been writing sundry little notes and appending the
signatures of different men—mostly farmers in the county—and that he traded
them off for cash or what he could get. When
afraid to trust his own writing he got little girls to write names under his
direction, keeping them ignorant of his object.
Of the extent of his forgeries we have not been informed, but when the
game was up, he suddenly departed.
Watertown Daily Times, 07 21 1991
The Oscar Mayer wienermobile
made Watertown one of its stops this week on its yearlong promotional
tour. As part of the tour, an area radio
station held a contest that offered a ride to work in the winermobile
to the boss who was the biggest “wienie.”
Linda Bauman nominated Steve Kupres of the
Menasha Corp. and Kupres was given the dubious honor
of ‘Wiener of the Week.” The wienermobile picked up Kupres at
his home in Lake Mills and drove him to the door of the Menasha Corp. The event was an excuse for all the employees
to celebrate. Meetings were postponed
and workers plagued receptionist Esther Etteldorf
with the same question, “Any sign of the wienermobile
yet?”
Watertown Daily Times, 04 16 2000
On a
list of American icons, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile falls somewhere between
baseball and apple pie. On Sunday, the
27-foot long hot dog rolled into Watertown for a three-hour visit that drew the
curious, and delighted people of all ages. Parked in front of the local
Culver's Restaurant, visitors were invited to step up under its gull-wing door
to see the interior, one of the nation's premiere marketing success stories. One of three stops for the day, the
bigger-than-life picnic entree is piloted by two “Hotdoggers,” the official
title of those selected to drive the Wienermobile. [Cross
Referenced to file on Meinhardt Raabe,
1915–2010]
Locust Year
Watertown
Democrat, 04 12 1860
Anno
Domini 1860, according to entomologists, is locust year. The red-eyed cicada has proved itself in its
visits to New York State, so much like the genuine oriental ravager that has
always gone by the name of locust. A
peculiarity of its natural history is that the usual length of time which it
requires for completing its growth and the perfect regularity with which every
generation, numbering many millions of individuals, attains maturity, cause the
infliction of its presence unfailing at the end of very seventeen years. The last appearance of this greedy insectship, it is said, was in 1843; so, if there is any
faith to be put in croaking entomological prophets, we are in for it again in
this year of grace. There is no great
cause of alarm, however, for the depredations of the marauder are usually
confined to the forest; he is hardly ever found on lands that have duly yielded
harvests during the seventeen years of his absence. So that in the steady onward march of
civilization, it seems even the seventeen years locust must fall into line and
there is room for hope that in time he will cease his ill-mannered invasions
altogether.
