News in Review

International Headquarters of the Mayville News

I’m straightening things up and prepping for a big move. Today I’m cleaning off the fridge. On one side I found my collection of favorite quotes from the Mayville News (nee Dodge County Pionier), my hometown newspaper.

Each week, editors at the paper scour old newpapers dating back to the 1800’s looking for interesting tidbits to include in the News in Review section. I think it was Hemingway who did that whole spiel about efficient storytelling and in many of the bits I cut out, you can find entire worlds crashing in fewer than 50 words.

I’m not going to take these clips with me on my journey, so I’m posting some of my favorites here. Most of them are missing the dates, but all are from earlier than 1940. Dates will be noted where available.

• February 9, 1909 – One of the Hungarians at the Iron Mountain mine was severely slashed in a stabbing battle.
• Lawrence and Clark have 1,000 bushels of onions which they would like to give away. If you would like them, go and get them.
• Arthur Schellpfeffer, Town LeRoy, was taken to Chicago for the Pasteur treatment after he was bitten by a cow that was found to have hydrophobia.
• February 14, 1889 – The body of a young man who had taken his own life was found on the grave of his bride of only a few months in the local cemetery. The young man had come to Mayville about a year ago, and since his wife’s death he had been morose.
• Some 150 people attended the Cub Scout pet show in which 50 pets were entered. Wilmer Hundertmark’s cat “Nigger” won the prize as best of show. Everything from clams to chickens were entered.
• During the past winter, David Bernit, Town Hoerman farmer, de-horned 1,300 cattle.
• Franz Muche of Town Williamstown has purchased a four-year-old fox from John Schraufnagel in Town LeRoy for $55.
• Walter “Shorty” Buschkopf, our jovial chief of police appeared on our street on his trusty motorcycle.
• The City Council granted permission for C.W. Doctor to operate his popcorn stand and popper along either side of Main St. between Buchanan and Horicon Streets.
• April 24, 1929 – A band of gypsies in high-powered cars visited our town on Thursday, but Police Chief Shorty Buschkopf soon had them on their way out of town.
• Bonus Entry: The amazing LeRoy Meats Butcher Shop has the best catch phrase I have ever seen in any ad, “We would like to meat you!”