| A History of STRUM and the TOWN OF UNITY by Roy Matson |
| THIS IS PAGE 48 | TABLE OF CONTENTS | PAGE BACK | PAGE FORWARD |
| were fairly well acquainted and I met him that morning about 6:30 outside the MWA hall. My “good morning” went unanswered and I wondered why he was coming from town at that time of day. The answer was not long in coming. Milly Eide on his morning milk delivery drove by the door a few minutes later with a call, “we can’t talk to anyone this morning.” I was a little puzzled by this remark, but when H. George hurried into the place a few minutes later, the air cleared. “The bank is closed,” he said, and left. Throughout the day autos would speed into town in a cloud of dust. Occupants would hurry across the street, read the sign on the door and slowly leave. Merchant Joe Mathison provided the only bright spot that day. A sign appeared in his store window, “Your credit is good here.” Liquidation of the bank’s assets dragged on for several years. The last were sold at a sheriff’s sale in 1937 for a couple of thousand dollars. Officers at the time of the closing were H. N. Robbe, Armen Fredericks, cashier, N. M. Rognlien, J. J. Dahl, Even Holte and J. P. Hanson. A Contrasting Side of a Bank Closing Banks closings came frequently during the early thirties and they were tragic happenings for many people. Occasionally a story comes about from those events that has a lighter vein. This particular tale involved Martin Dahl, manager of the Farmers Store Company with International Machinery Sales of Strum and Pete Skolus, owner of a general store at Eleva. Both men were public spirited fellows, both good backers of their respective towns and ready for any opportunity to badger the other. It seemed that Dahl had met Skolus shortly after the Eleva bank closed its doors sometime in 1930 and mentioned that he had a good mower in his stock of implements that he would bring down river so that grass could be properly mowed in the streets of Skolus’ town. A year later the Strum bank was unable to open its doors and Skolus had his inning. He called the Farmer’s Store. Martin Dahl was out, but since Skolus’ call concerned machinery, the line was connected to Walt Enger, the implement salesman who knew nothing of the first exchange between the two. Walt was happy to receive the call although it didn’t “amount to much” according to Skolus, “but you can tell Martin to come down and get his mower now.” Not busy at the time, Walt cranked up the red International delivery truck, drove to Eleva and announced to the astonished Skolus, “I’m here for the mower.” S. S. Luce S. S. Luce, publisher of the Galesville Transcript during the 1860’s-1870’s, had a yen for composing poetry on most any subject or scene that moved him. The writings made sense and the following lets us know that he traveled through this “northern bound” of Trempealeau County some early day soon after the Civil War. His observations lends credence to the statement that our valley was a passage way for western-bound settlers, all of whom had “weary miles before them lying.” Just when he saw little “Inge’s” grave needs no further mention; like countless others she was left on the trail with “little time for signing.” Samuel Luce paints an appealing picture with words. THE INFANT’S GRAVE By our county’s northern bound Where a winding stream is flowing Gnarled oaks are standing ‘round and beneath the wild flowers blowing. Wild and lonely is the spot; Wave on wave the prairie swelling’ Where the vision reaches not Farmer’s cot or human dwelling. There I saw a tiny grave; Fresh the earth about it lying, While above the green boughs wave In the June breeze softly sighing. |