Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-11-16
DEATH OF ANTON MEHL.
One of Wausau's Prominent Men
Passes Away Very Suddenly
of Apoplexy.

14th 1915, at 2:30 o'clock, Anton Mehl,
one of the most prominent men of
our city, passed away very suddenly.
He had attended a meeting of German
war veterans at their hall on Wash
ington street. When he left his home
he was in the best of health, and
moreover, had not been seriously i'll
previously. At the meeting he was
very jovial and in no way was there
anything to indicate that the end
was near. He was reading a letter
handed him by a friend, when he
grew faint and dropped into a chair,
and Notwithstanding every assist
ance possible was rendered. he sur
vived but few moments. Sorrowing
friends conveyed the remains to the
home at els Jefferson street.
Mr.. Mehl's long life in Wausau and
his ability made him very widely
known, and his sudden ending was a
great shock to all.
His life and character was one of
constant devotion to duty, and he
was very earnest and faithful in
everything which was delegated to
him, and it was this excellent trait
which made him sought after for
places of honor and trust by the city
and the many societies to which he
belonged. He was held in the warm
est esteem by thousands who knew
him as personal friend.
Flags have been displayed at half
mast on our public buildings since
Sunday and will be so displayed until
after the funeral.
Hon. Anton Mehl who has been a
resident of Wausau for over forty
years, was born on the 18th day of
June, 1915, in Dornholzahnsen, Kreis
Wetzlar Rhein, Germany, and was
son of John and Katrina Mehl, whose
lives were passed in Germany. Anton
Mehl was long a prominent citizen of
Wausau and identified largely with
it's commercial development. He was
reared and educated in his native
land and there provided for future
self-support and independence by
learning the shoe making trade.
America became the goal of his am
| bitiOn, but before emigrating he
served in the German army and took
part in the FrancO-German war of
1S70-7l, spending almost an entire
| year on French soil. Shortly after its
termination, he set sail for the United
| States with the intention of joining a
cousin, Henry Mehl, who was already
established in Wausau, and after
reaching here worked at his trade, in
which he prospered through industry,
and in the course of several years, was
able to open a retail shoe store which
| he conducted for twenty-five years,
and while in business he built large
store building on Jackson street, the
lower story being used for his business
and the second story was used by him
self and family for residence.
In 1898 Mr.. Mehl was elected
county treasurer, when he retired
from active business. He served in
this position for two years. AS early
as 1876, he was elected a member of
the city council and served also in
1877. He was mayor of our city in
1887 and 1888, and his thorough bust
ness administration advanced many
of the important measures that bene-
fitted the city.
Mr.. Mehl took hold of the city
affairs with a strong hand and justi-
fed the high opinions of his friends.
In the discharge of his duties he dis
| played that rugged common sense
without which no success is possible.
In the three years prior to his cleo
ton, large enterprises were carried
out, which had taxed the resources of
the city to more than ordinary de-
gree, and economy in public eXpendi-
ture became public virtue. COnsid-
ering the time when Mr.. Mehl was
| elected, after such great expenses had
| been incurred, which had to be in
part settled for during his one years
| incumbency; it was great accomp-
lishment to clean up the floating in
debtedness without neglecting the
usual work of keeping the city clean
and streets and bridges in repair, as
we'll as providing for tuition of the
ever-increasing young Wausau. 1t
| became at times necessary for the
mayor to check aldermanic extrava-
| gance, which he did without fear or
| favor. An ordinance was passed
granting an exclusive franchise for
an electric power and lighting plant,
which he vetoed and in which he was
| sustained.
He was yice-president of the Wau-
sau Building and Loan and Invest
ment company, of which he was the
first president. He was director of
the Citizens State Bank and director
of the Ruder Brewing company. He
was president of the board of trustees
of the Marathon County Asylum for
six years, and had frequently served
on other charitable boards and bene-
VIOLENT committees. He was president
of the Wausau branch of the National
| German-American Alliance in 1918.
He was also a devoted and active
member of st. Stephens church.
Besides the societies mentioned he
was a member of the Deutscher Geg-
enseitige Kranken Unterstuetzungs
Nerein, Deutscher Arbeiter Inter
stuetzungs Verein and Franz Siegel
| Verein, No. IS.
In 1873 ne was united in marriage
to Miss Mary Schuetz who survives
him as do five children, viz: Mary;
| wife of George Falch. Merrill Wis.