Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-07-20
POTOSI EVENTS
General Items of Interest
Gathered by Our Special
Correspondent.
Fire Threatened St. Andrews.

what came near UeluS utSdoCI Jus
fire at ST. Andrews Catholic church
Friday afternoon at six o'clock was
averted by the prompt action OF Faith
er SchaHer. He had been smelling
the odor of burning cloth for some
time and began to investigate, not
discovering any smoke about his resi-
dence, lie looked UP the street to the
garage where rags and waste was
usually burned and not discovering
anything from that source he be-
thought himself of the church. He
opened a door leading into the sacriS~
ty and in doing so was met by a great
volume of smoke and intense heat.
He Immediately caused a fire alarm
sent in and with the assistance Of
his sister began to fight the fire. The
fire call was promptly responded to
and soon large crowd of people OF
the congregation and from the village
of PotOsi were at the scene of the fire.
But before assistance arrived Father
Scheffer had the fire almost subdued.
The fire had almost eaten it's way
through a plaster partition separat-
ing the sacristy from the large church
altar and had not the fire been dis
covered when it was and had COM
municated with the altar, the church
would of been doomed to destruction.
The origin of the fire is unknown but
there was a burial at 8 o'clock that
morning in the cemetery across the
road from the church, and it is pre-
sumed that the altar boys in Charg-
ing the pot with incense usually using
fire Goals on the incense powder to
create the needful smoke had no
doubt dropped a coal of fire on the
floor, this probably set fire to the
floor that smoldered from o'clock
to 6. The fire communicated to a
closet and set fire to some church
vestements, principally rainments Of
the altar boys that were totally des-
trOyed. Great praise is due Father
Scheffer for his heroic work in sub
DUNG the fire in. it's infancy and saw
ing the destruction of the beautiful
church and approaching buildings. He
desires to thank the people for their
prompt response to his call
Old Resident Passes On.
Joseph Gunther, highly respected
old citizen, and for fifty-three years
a resident of the village of Potosi died
from inirmities of old age at his
home Wednesday, morning, July 18th.
He was born in the Kingdom of Prus-
STA, Oct 4th, 1885 and died in Potosi,
Wis, July IS, 1921, aged IS years
months and II days He came to Po-
tosi with his wife in company with
the late Mr.. and Mrs. August FRANKIE
in 1868, and had continuously resided
here. He was a shoemaker by trade
and Mr.. FRANKIE was tailor. On
their arrival here they both opened
up shops and being fine workmen
they soon enjoyed a good trade in
their respective folloWings both work
ing up to few years prior to their
deaths. Mr.. Gunther's wife died May
10th, 1870, leaving him a widower
with an infant son. In the fall of
1870 he married Miss Theresa PATTI
ner who survives him. To this
union were born twelve children, five
OF whom have preceded the father to
the grave. 1t was on the 18th day
OF October 1920, that all OF the sur
viv1ng children gathered at the old
home and celebrated the parents gold
en- wedding. Besides his aged and
Borrowing widow he leaves eight child
rem, Joseph of Lyons, Iowa. Mrs. Hat
Canada, Mrs. Ida Krogman of Lyons,
Iowa, Mrs. Theresa Guinon of Grand
RAPIDS, Mich, Alois of Broken Bow.
Neb. and Mary, Josephine and Martha
at home. But two, living abroad,
Joseph and Ida attended the funeral.
Mr. Gunther was an ardent believer
in the Catholic faith and died with all
the rights of the church He was a
man liked by everyone who knew him
for his kind and quiet disposition.
The funeral took place Friday morn
ing from the home to st. Thomas
church and was under the auspices of
the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin.
After a Reqieum Mass was read by
Rev, Father Biersner the remains
were taken to the st. Andrews ceme-
terry where the interment was made.
The family desires to express their
sincere thanks to the many friends
for the kindness shown them in their
hours of sorrow and also extend
thanks to the knights for kind assist
ance and use of their cars in the
funeral procession.
Platte Bridge Closed.
Owing to the fact that the bridge
across Platte river on the Potosi and
Dickeyville road is in an unsafe con-
dition and soon to be removed the
road is closed to the travelling public.
To reach Dickeyville now you must
cross over the lower bridge and de-
tour around and up Indian creek to
intersect the main road. This will
probably last the remainder of the
season.
Another butter maker has come TO
town. Mrs. Stohlmeyer has presented
her husband with a bouncing baby
boy, born July 10.
DR.. and Mrs Mauel have returned to
their home after two weeks vacation
spent in Milwaukee,
Mrs. j. R. Campbell and son Lee,
and Mrs. A Kaltenbach and son Gel
estine and daughter Nellie attended
the chautauQua in Lancaster Friday
evening
The stork left handsome baby boy
at the home of John Leibfried Sun
1nxw III