Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1920-01-29
Getting Lucky Numbers Is What
Some Folks Like To Do---Thir-
teen Not Popular

Did you ever wonder how and why
certain automobile owners get GER
! tain numbers? asks the Madison DEM
/ iocrat. You have a friend, perhaps,
who has his phone number on his car
-or perhaps you heard OF the man
who has kept his age on the back OF
| his car for the better part OF ten years
The Badger official who has the say
about such things is the man In charge
| of the automobile division OF the de-
lpartment OF state, under Secretary q
State Hull,-A. J. Cobban.
! There are various ways of having
an interest in figures, from clerical
! to vaudeville but Mr.. Cobban's Is
different from most His task is that
| of reconciling the numerous requests
/! for the same numbers, and seeing tha.
as few as possible applicants are dis
appointed.
The most prominent number, of
course, is No. land, like many OF
the plates, this one has a history.
1t was owned first of all by County
Judge A. G.. Zimmerman Of Madison
But this was a rather unwonted
prominence, and Judge Zimmerman
volunteered to yield the number to
some one who could make better use
of it. John G. Hyland, prominent
grocer there, happened to be seeking
novel plate and obtained No. 4.
He has held it ever since, now hold
1 ing also il and 1000.
No. 2 also has its history: Walter
ID. Corrigan, Milwaukee attorney
held it first, but released it because
/ it attracted too much attention. Mr..
Hyland held it for several year;
then some OF Senator La Follette's
friends decided the senator must
have striking number for his car.
Seeing Mr. Hyland was twice blessed
in prominence, with both the first
and the second numbers, the latter
ives solicited on -beEev.s Sc the sefn&
tor, whose car it now grao
For years the Schwab Stamp &
Steel, Co. OF Milwaukee held con-
tracts for the manufacture of the
auto plates Early in the life of Ii
eensing the A. ]. Schwab family was
plates and A. Later a son -in-law,
B. w Fueger, got No. 4 John S.
Owen held and 6 for years, while
H. B. Robinson of Kenosha held Z.
Getting rid Of the numbers is some
times a little OF a problem Thirteen
was not popular; owner after owner
sent it back to the Office, after longer
or shorter times, and for awhile it
seemed as il the plate was destined to
be a homeless waif forever, A news
paper man, however, Emery A. Odell
of Monroe, heard Of the plight of the
number and offered to take it; he has
carried it since then, with no serious
consequences reported to date.
Even Governor Philip does not
appear to be immune from the di-
sease Of asking special numbers
He has his house number S61 togeth-
/ er with the next two numbers, 862
and 1863. Secretary of State Hull him.
self might be reluctant to yield his
number, 555. A former state official
with a special plate is ex-Cor-
sioner Of Banking a. E. Kuolt, with
4444.
Interesting numbers and their hold
ers include: Henry c. Cowen of Mil
Waukee, Is; G. C. Yawkey of Wausau,
Ia and Is; Anton Metz of Madison,
so and 81; Allie Hettinger of Milwau-
kee, SO, and his brother in law, Leon
ard Meyers, 999; Fred w. King of
Merrill, 100, James T. Dwight of Mad
! ison, 81; Arthur Gallagher of Madison,
Il, lS and 10: Paul Kingston of Mad
!, ison, 142 to 80; Bert E. Zinn of Mil
[ waukee, 222; w S. Marshill of Delton,
ID; L. G. Whittet or Edgerton. I22.
+. Lee Merton of Racine, 116. III and
1lS; A. P. Lofty of Milwaukee. 333
Hugo F. Mehl of Milwaukee. 444: f.
W. Symonds, 666; f. w. Rooster ot
Milwaukee, TT; George A. Sellmer
OF Wauwatosa, Ill; B. A. Pride oj
| Tomahawk. 1000; Green Cab Co q
Milwaukee, 300 to s040, with 4e01 t.
4o4o sought for this year; C. e. Rags
dale OF Wauwatsosa, 5555; and Johr
/ Suf1r OF Madison, 6666. Madison Dem
locrat, 2222 to 1414: HI. A. Nichols
Madison, 100000: ]. C. Heinan. Mil
waukee, 500; and Rev. FIR. P. p
konx, Madison, TIT.
Lieutenant Governor e. r. Dithn,a,
OF Baraboo usually has 10000. One
year a cog slipped and he had to take
10000. -1 = = =
J. B. Stepfeli of Madison commenc
ed ten years ago to carry plate
the same as his age He was 70 ther
and now has so.
i A joke by Mr.. Cobban on one O.
his friends. DR.. C. A.. Deadman i
Madison. started off Doc. Yak's nun
Der S4s. Mr. Cobban took the mum
Der and attached it to ~ neadman,,
car, and then phoned him to deman,