Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-05-24
ERNST WOOD TELLS
OF OLD MEMORIES
FORMER RESIDENT OFWATER-
TOWN NOW In CHICAGO.
Incident Brings to Mind Redliz-
ing Sense of the Marching of
Time" and the Ever Changing
. Phases of Ndture-Rough Edges
of Pioneer Life Wearing Away.

Phases of Nature-Rough Edges
OF Pioneer Life Wearing Away
Ernst M. Wood writes the following
interesting letter from Chicago under
the date of May II, 1907, which
appeared in the last issue of the
Gazette. 1t will be read with interest
by all of his old friends and neighbors
here:
"The old friends are the best friend;
The Old friends are true
Dear Friend James:
The mail brought me the little cup
side down vest pocket business
directory of Watertown's men OF
affairs, and as / read it through, the
most striking fact that was impressed
upon me, is the absence of so many
old-time business men who were the
linen of affairs when you and ]
were growing up from childhood to
manhood. At least 70 per cent of the
names which appear in this list are
strangers to me and it brings forcibly
to my mind realizing sense of the
'Marchlng of lime" and the evel
changing phases of nature, in the alb.
stract, In the concrete, in the human,
In the material, or Immaterlal from.
We are but individual atoms in the
great plan of the universe, and VIZ
each take certain place in the word!
work, until we l1nger py the waysid'
drop out of sight, and other atoms
ont of the myriads of men step il
and take the deserted places and TO
time continue the worlds work
to disappear In turn, and be re
placed by others.
Thus the work cues ON, marked by
the generations of men, and the mon
uments which they erect.
"We are here today and away to
morrow, like the proverbial circus
but am glad to mute steady, contin
ued improvements in many ways abou
the old home town. The rough edge
of an earlier pioneer life are bein,
worn away and the later generation
are stepping into line for furthe
advancement, and possible improve
ment Iii ease and comfort in the NOR
modern ways of life.
But l doubt whether more Happiness
prevails, than in the good old times O
long ago, when we ran barefooted All
studded our toes around the old Thir
ward, played "patch up' with tn
blue clay out of the creek, or watche,
the games of hand ball against tn
north wall of the old familiar schoo
house. That was time when none,
was scarce, and Of a character tina
was often doubtful: but. we manage,
to get along with whale oil lamps, an,
tallow candles for illumination, whil
Barney O'Byrne could make our boots
M. B. Schwab could cover our naked
ness, R. &. H. S. Howell could fill
variety of wants, DR., Edw. johnson
had the necessary material to remov
THAT tired feeling" in the spring
and Richard Jones could make
wagon or city ordinance. Eno
Solsich slaughtered the timber of tn,
forests, while the old Red mill chewet
up the wheat of the fields, Simeon
Ford gathered in the wool of tn,
pastures, and Wenzel Wurm helpt
him to weave it into cloth for thu
fpeople. The "Old Ham, on the c.
& N. w. Ry., and the Luther A.
Cole' on the G. M. & st. P. Ry.,
made the echos ring as they sped over
hill and dale, and were altogether as
effective with their old fashioned
shook motion" for those days, as
the modern locomotive is for the pre-
sent time.
Take it altogether We were really a
happy and progressive people. We
had no trusts, no combinations, NJ
mergers, and most of the offeDses and
law breaking was done in a compar-
atlvely mildly offensive manner.
The boys would go in swimming
without bathing suits, and sometimes
saloon row would take place on
Main street bridge, when John Gamble
had fullhouse, but take it altogether,
it was pretty good community to
live in. When the old hand fire
engine had business to attend to
everybody turned out and helped to
"bump little" But l will not burde n
you further with the old memories
which are so interesting to US all. and
l close with the kindest regards to all
the old timers who are still sticking
to the good old town.
Yours very truly,
F. M Who'd