News: Greenwood (4 Jan 1940)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Buker, Loos, Baird

----Source: Greenwood Gleaner (Greenwood, Clark Co., Wis.) 04 Jan 1940

Is Greenwood (Clark Co., Wis.) on the March: This is a question that may be in the minds of many former residents, but it would be quickly and emphatically answered if these same residents should come home today and pay this city a visit.

Greenwood, unlike many of the smaller cities and villages, is not content with remaining as is or even sliding backwards a little, a fact that has been proven in 1939 when this city forged ahead by leaps and bounds. To prove this fact we list some of the Civic and private improvements in our fair city during 1939.

To head the list of course is the new high school addition, a $60,000 project completed in 1939, although, it was started in December of 1938. The addition was formally dedicated on Sept. 29, 1939 and already has been an indispensable party of our city.

The addition includes a large and well-designed combination auditorium with a gymnasium, with a large stage particularly adapted to band work, and with the possibility of future use as a classroom in case expansion demands a modern school library room; shower and locker room, and an agricultural classroom, outfitted so that farm implements can be brought in for repair.

Another big civic improvement to Greenwood was the purchase of the new mechanical pumping engine for protection against fire. This fire engine was purchased because of the fact that the insurance rating bureau found our firefighting equipment inadequate and therefore increased the insurance rates for the entire city to the effect that it meant spending an addition $6,000 for fire insurance annually by the residents of the city.

GREENWOOD'S NEW FIRE TRUCK

The city council and members of the Rotary Club got their heads together and after completely investigating the different types of engines and pumps, decided on equipment manufactured by the W .S. Darley Co. of Chicago, Springfield, and Peoria, Ill. This Company is one of the largest builders of firefighting apparatus and pumps in the world, and the nearness of their branch factory at Chippewa Falls, Wis. For supplies and parts is another important factor.

This equipment was mounted on a Ford Mercury Truck purchased from Speich and Braun of this city at a cost of $864. The equipment cost $2,452.35, or a total cost of $3,316.33.

Along with the purchase of the fire truck, an additional 700 feet of water pipe was laid in the city, old hydrants and wells were checked and improved on and a new fire department was organized.

The city also built a concrete road along the school street from Baird's corner to the north corner of the schoolhouse black, thereby starting a new program of improving the streets of the city which is intended to continue into the future.

A program for garbage disposal was also started in 1939, thereby marking Greenwood a more sanitary city in which to live.

The city also purchased land from Eugene McMahon to be used as a year around recreation park and its value has already been known. This land is used as a ball park in the summer, and as a skating rink in the winter.

In order to march ahead it is necessary to have a civic body to work with the city for all necessary improvements, therefore the Greenwood business and professional men got together during 1939 and organized a Rotary Club. A chapter was granted this club on May 26, 1939 and the value of this organization to Greenwood is immeasurable. The club meets every Thursday evening at the Lyons Cafe and it is here that steps are taken to further Greenwood's advancement.

Another new and exceptionally fine addition to our city is the new Westinghouse Electric Store on main street, a two story brick building built by Loos and Buker that would be an asset to any city.

A school boy patrol was organized in 1939 by the local school teachers and the county traffic officers and safety council for increased safety to the children of Greenwood in crossing the streets.

All in all Greenwood has not only marched ahead, it has literally run ahead in 1939, so we still can claim that Greenwood is the "Biggest Little City in the state inhabited by the best people living." May she continued to march ahead and to prosper in 1940.