Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-06-21
REMINISCENT.
Former Wausauite Dreams Of His
Younger Days.

J old residents.
i Merrill, Wis, June II, 1910
Dear Gene:
| / have just read with extreme pleas
ure the very interesting reminiscent
letter written by my boyhood friend,
| A. B. Millard. / first met Mr.. Nil
lard at Dick Daniels shingle mill, a
favorite hard school of experience for
Wausau boys, If my memory serves
me right. We were s'shingle weav-
ers'' together, and many other young
boys whose names have forgotten,
except "Bert" Gowen, now the well
known civil engineer, used to try
their hands at ''edglng shingles, +"
"knot-sawing'' or packing" Dick
was a noble character and he was
much admired by us all. He owned
the best shingle mill and made the
best shingles that were ever sent to
market on fleets of lumber.
/ came to Wausau in the fall of
1871, and little did any of us then
dream that the little town of about
a thousand inhabitants would ever be
the beautiful metropolis of today.
At that time the principal busi-
ness section of Wausau was in the
neighborhood of Kickbuschs store at
the corner of Main and Washington
streets, and over on Clarke's Island.
James McCrossen had store on Jack
son street. The principal clothing
store was that conducted by Carl
Woesner on Washington street. The
post Office was located in a very small
building across the street from Liv-
| ingston's store, about in the middle
of the block. Big pine stumps were
still to be seen where now stands the
old Scandinavia House. Beyond Fifth
street north from the court house
was only a few small residences as far
as Sixth. Beyond Sixth was woods.
Great many complained when the
Wisconsin Valley railroad was built
/ AhOO w oNDoo AZ AOfO3 OAiNO lAAO ACPOh
was built so far out in the woods.
AS / remember, south from the cor
ner of Forest street and Grand aven-
ue only a few small scattering resi-
dences were found between that point
and the Mathie and Ruder breweries,
two very small and insignificant in
stitutions at that time. Just north
| of r. e. Parcher's residence was
nothing but woods. On the west
side was the Mrs. Poor farm and Dick
| Daniels shingle mill and few small
houses here and there. This seems
only yesterday, and yet what a achangel
But though Wausau was small, it
was peopled by the most whole
souled people that ever lived on this
earth. An incident to illustrate: ]
vas taken sick the second year was
resident of Wausau- and was under
the treatment of DR.. Thayer, and a
kindlier gentleman never lived. One
day the doctor called at my boarding
place to see how / was getting along,
and as he was leaving he told me to
come down to the drug store and he
would have some medicine put up
for me. I went, because he had
asked me, but little did know how
was going to get the medicine If it
cost more than so cents, all the money
had in the world. The druggist put
up the medicine, the cost of which
was $500. / told the druggist in
broken English that had no money
with me, but / would call for the
medicine in the morning. A gentle
man, evidently one of the prominent
citizens was sitting in the
store-turned to the druggist and
told him to charge the bill to his ac-
count, saying that ''the boy looked
sick and evidently needed the medi-
cine' and at the same time remark
ing to me that 'could pay him in
the morning" / was in an embar-
RAISING situation. / did not know
whether or not to accept the gentle
mans kind offer, because / did not
know how in the world | was to s're-
pay him in the morning." But l did
take the medicine and the next day
| went and told Mr.. Dick Daniels the
/ plight | was in and asked him to
loan me dollar and half, and |
would earn it by working for him
when / got we'll. Mr.. Daniels pulled
two dollar bill from his pocket and
gave it to me. / think that was the
happiest moment in my life. 1t
enabled me TO repay the kind gentle
man who had made it possible for me
to get the medicine much needed.
IL have forgotten the good mans
name as the family removed from
Wausau in a year or two after that.
i The first money / earned in this
country was earned as chore boy at
IJ. C. Clarke's mill boarding house.
could talk no English. and the only
! one around the premises that | could
understand was 3 young, and as
thought then, the prettiest girl had
ever seen, Miss Emma Plisch, now
the wife of your honored citizen,
Judge Marchetti. If Mrs. Clarke or
any OF the other persons around the
house wanted me to do anything Miss
Plisch was selected TO tell me, as
have said, she was the only person
who could get anything through my
thick Norwegian head. | don't
know to this day whether she spoke
German or English to me-
During the summer was sick /
used to drag my wearied self up 70
the spring near the Jim Moore bridge
mentioned in Mr.. Millard's letter,
and drink from its pure water.
.-~-,a xrs%y. NJ AfSyfa~1 %1.ar