News From This Week’s Past: A Fish Car and a Dead Man

All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors.

The Expositor Independent

August 28, 1874

We met a dead man on the walk this morning. He was one of our merchants and said he was dead – had been bummed to death by the unusual influx of bummers, who have infested our town this week. They came in by baker’s dozens on nearly every boat.

The Independent

August 27, 1886

A gypsy family with a performing bear and several small monkeys, caused considerable commotion on our streets on Monday morning. The bear was a large specimen of the cinnamon species and was well trained. The whole tribe, consisting of a man and woman and four children, all greasy and dirty, were on the alert for stray nickels and pennies, and departed with considerable more wealth than they came here with. Their outfit consisted of a horse and mule, the latter attached to a small low-covered wagon. Besides the four children mentioned, the woman carried a small child in a greasy bundle on her back.

Door County Democrat

August 29, 1896

The “fish car” belonging to the state fish hatcheries, arrived in the city on Thursday morning’s train. It brought 8,000 black bass for planting in Clark’s lake. The young fish were taken to the lake and planted the same day.

Door County Democrat

August 31, 1907

HOLDING NO FAIR THIS YEAR.

Projectors of County Fair Deemed it Unwise to Give Exhibition Without Ad-equate Building and Grounds.

There will be no county fair held this fall by the Door County Agricultural Association, which was incorporated last spring, the incorporators being J. C. Dana, T. H. Hopkins, Job Tong, Henry Graass and Henry Fetzer. Those back of the project did not believe it advisable to hold a fair until next year, as the work of securing the necessary stock subscriptions and perfecting the organization, together with securing a site and preparing the necessary grounds, would take so much time that a fair creditable both to the county and the association could not be arranged for this season. It was, therefore, decided to take the preliminary steps this summer, and during the coming fall and winter get the project in such shape that next fall a fair could be held that would be worth attending.

Door County News

August 29, 1918

DONATES $200 TO THE RED CROSS

Joseph Pichette of Egg Harbor on Thursday of last week contributed $200 to the Red Cross society. This contribution was not exactly voluntary, however. Joseph had been charged with having interfered with the operations of the selective draft. He was turned over to the district attorney by the Local Board,with the understanding that while it was not the desire of this body to impose the penalty prescribed by law, the minimum of which would be a year in the federal prison, it was felt that something should be done to prevent a repetition of the offense. Mr. Pichette was told by the Dist. Atty. Gaede that he could either donate $200 to the Red Cross or be prosecuted. He chose the later alternative, although he maintained that he was being treated unjustly and had not intentionally interfered with the operation of the law. Had he not had a rather unsavory reputation as to his loyalty, it is not likely that he would have gotten into trouble. Moral:  Keep your patriotism on at all times.

Door County News

Aug. 27, 1925

PLAN BIGGER GOLF COURSE AT STATE PARK

E. Doolittle, superintendent of Peninsula State Park in the northern part of the county, was in the city on Monday on a business trip.

He reports that the golf links have been well patronized during the past season. It is the plan of those in charge to have all the money received from this put into improving and enlarging the links. Next year it will be made an eighteen hole course,which will make it double its present size.

There has been from 60 to 75 players patronize the links everyday and it is anticipated that this will be materially increased every year.

After paying for caretakers every cent received will be put right back in the course until it is made one of the finest to be found this part of the state.

Door County News

Aug. 31, 1939

JACKSONPORT TO DEDICATE PARK

Citizens of this village have set aside this coming Sunday as the day for holding dedication exercises for the beautifully landscaped park recently completed here, and an invitation is extended to all Door county residents to be in attendance. A huge crowd is anticipated according to H. J. Spille, general chairman of the day’s festivities.

Laying out the park was commenced in 1936, at which time, when the plot was purchased by the town, there was a single tree and weeds of every nature on the property. Today, with the time arrived for the dedication exercises, seeded grass which replaced the weeds, presents a pleasing appearance, and in addition there are 200 trees of numerous varieties on the property. Shrubbery, too, has been placed at vantage points, and bath houses have been built so that swimming may be enjoyed by those so desiring. Fireplaces have also been constructed out of stone as convenience to campers and park visitors. The park is, in reality, a place of beauty, and most be seen to be fully appreciated.

The day’s program will get under way in the forenoon with an old fashioned picnic, and for those not bringing a basket lunch the Jacksonport Community club will have lunch concessions on the grounds, and will serve everything from a sandwich to a complete dinner.