March 28, 2007

Railroads and roundabouts should have been the title of the public meeting held March 21 regarding the proposed improvements to Marquette Road, scheduled for 2012.

At least that topic seemed to be the most pressing to the majority of those who attended the meeting hosted by the Department of Transportation (DOT) at Prairie du Chien City Hall.

Unfortunately, they went away with little more information than they had when they came. DOT representatives did discuss roundabouts, and presented two slide presentations showing how they worked and why they were used. All statistics presented indicate that roundabouts are cheaper, safer and more efficient than traffic signals in moving traffic through an intersection. The DOT has planned for three roundabouts on Marquette at its intersections with Iowa, Wisconsin and Blackhawk.

In addition, Larry Burke, village administrator for Mt. Horeb, which has five roundabouts in place, spoke favorably of that city's experience with them, and backed up the statistical data about safety and traffic flow.

However, most people came to hear about how a busy railroad a block away (approximately 306 feet from the center of Marquette Road, according to one man in the audience) from the roundabouts might affect both safety and traffic flow, and none of the examples in the slide shows dealt with that.

Project Development Supervisor Ian Winger said that only an overpass or underpass would completely solve the train problems. He did say, however, that in 2003 the DOT had done a simulation showing how traffic would react when a train went through. The simulations used both signalized intersections and roundabouts. He said the simulations showed that the situation at the Blackhawk and Iowa intersections would improve with a roundabout, and would remain about the same at the Wisconsin intersection.

What Winger did not say at the meeting, but explained later in a telephone interview, was that a limited number of variables can be programmed into a simulation. The simulation showed what would happen if a train blocked the tracks and drivers wanting to turn west did not stop, but continued into the roundabout until it was clogged. In reality, said Winger, a driver wanting to make that turn would be able to see the situation and stop before entering the roundabout. This would leave one lane of the roundabout clear for traffic going straight or turning east off Marquette.

What that means then, according to Winger, is that the roundabouts should function even better than in the simulation when trains are passing through.

This would have been much more clear had the DOT provided illustrations or data from that study at the March 21 meeting. In addition, a graphic illustration to actually demonstrate how traffic could continue to flow north-south when east-west traffic was backed up would have helped people understand the concept.

Other issues included concerns about pedestrian crossings and oversize loads. In response to questions about the safety of pedestrians in a crosswalk without a signal light, Winger said that the law requires that drivers stop for a pedestrian in the intersection. Furthermore, he said, there is a lot more eye contact between a driver and a pedestrian in a roundabout setting.

A representative of Homesteader Homes said he moves a lot of big houses, and wondered if he would be able to get through a roundabout and if the DOT would give him a permit. A DOT representative said roundabouts are designed to accommodate all vehicles which do not require a special permit, and the DOT does not usually deny a special permit if they know the vehicle can get through the intersection and if the operator is responsible. Each oversize load is considered separately.

The DOT is waiting until they have received all written comments from the meeting. They will then review those and take all comments and suggestions into consideration in their planning.

It is the end of an era for a longtime area tavern. For the first time in 99 years, Withey's Bar in Lynxville is no longer owned and operated by a member of the Withey family. The popular bar was sold on March 22 to Mike and Shelly Brustkern and will now be named Hoochie's II River Road Resort.

As near as anyone can tell, Withey's was founded in 1908 by Clifford (Dad) Withey. It has had a long and distinguished run in the family ever since.

At the age of 16, Clifford began working in Fritze Fayler's Saloon as a "swamper," swabbing down the floor, cutting whiskey and doing other jobs. A few years later, with the help of a local judge who had saved a fair amount of Clifford's money, Clifford bought a little tavern up the street from Fayler's.

After about six months, Clifford moved to Eastman and rented a tavern there for approximately two years. Around 1908, he came back to Lynxville and bought a bar owned by Hemier Boardman. The bar was renamed and the Withey's era had begun.

Clifford and his wife Mayme had six children. From oldest to youngest they are LaVerne, Darrel, Faye, Joyce, Ken and Phil.

Clifford ran the bar until 1974 when he turned it over to his youngest son Phil. Phil and his wife Nancee were helped by Phil's sister Faye (nicknamed Dolly) and Phil's brother Darrel (Snowball) Withey.

In 1982, Phil and Nancee's son Kevin took over the bar. Phil's older brother Ken and his wife Dianne bought the bar in 1988. Ken and Dianne's son Mark and his wife Lynn took over in 1998.

During its 99 years in the Withey family, the bar has been populated by a number of colorful characters. Many area residents can recall longtime customers Hood and Had Vanderbilt. Ken said that he remembers that Had and his nephew Hood enjoyed playing cards in Withey's. Ken recalled that Hood and Had played cards at a small table and would sit their scooners of beer on the floor. One time a duck wandered in the back door, waddled up to Had's beer and slurped it down without either Had or Hood noticing. The duck then had a generous helping of Hood's beer and staggered off. Looking on, the other patrons seated at the bar attempted to muffle their giggles as accusations soon arose, with Hood and Had each thinking that the other had drank their beer.

Hood and Had also had their "special" seats closest to the radio, which was a hub for area patrons in an era before television. Having one of the few radios in the area in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, Withey's was often a popular spot where patrons could listen to baseball games, the exploits of boxers such as Joe Louis and a variety of other programs.

Ken recalled that very few women entered the tavern during that era. "The ones that did were not ïnice' women," said Ken's wife Dianne.

Ken said that in the 30s, Withey's sold orange soda in 7-ounce bottles for a nickel. Beer came in wooden kegs and whiskey, which was almost pure, had to be cut. Twenty-five cents got you a scooner of beer and a shot of whiskey.

In those days, the bar had no television, no telephones and no juke box. Customers played poker and several other card games including euchre and rummy. Pool was also a popular pastime. Ken recalled that he had the unpleasant task of helping his dad empty out and clean the spittoons.

During Prohibition, Withey's became an ice cream parlor. Ken remembered that people in the area made their own home brews and also bathtub gin.

Following Prohibition, Withey's was up and running as a tavern once again. Withey's had bottled beer and there were also cans, which had a cone-shaped top with a cap. Over the years, cans evolved into the shape they are now. Bottle openers were needed on earlier cans. Then pop-tops were invented, followed by the modern can in which the pop-top does not become detached.

Ken said that during the 1930s, Lynxville had four bars, five livery stables, four button factories, two hotels and a wooden sidewalk. Steamboats often docked there.

The mid to late 30s was a time of great activity, with the dam being built as well as the double track railroad. As a result, there were about 2,000 extra people in the area.

Ken said that workers had syrup pails, which they used as lunch pails. After a hard day's work, they would come in to Withey's where one could get his pail filled with beer for a 10 cents. Many patrons would run their fingers along the rim of the pail to create a ring of butter in order to keep the foam down. There was a popular ditty during that time that Ken recalled, "A dime and a pail and my foot on the rail, saloon, saloon, saloon."

Withey's and other area businesses kept ledgers during that time for the worker's bills, which they paid weekly. Ken said that Withey's always had the staples of beer, bread, milk, butter and eggs.

Ken said that during the 1950s and 60s, Withey's had the nickname of "The Alibi Inn." Many a husband would tell his wife that he was going fishing for the day when in reality he was in Withey's for the duration. There was a spring under the bar and Ken said that there was a large hole full of water in the basement, were fish were often put. After being in Withey's all day, a "fisherman" couldn't return home to his wife empty handed, so Clifford would fix up the lucky angler with a mess o'fish and therefore an alibi.

Another character during that era that many area residents recall is Old Uncle Boots. "Old Uncle Boots was 'everybody's uncle'," said Ken. Ken said that Uncle Boots would come in and order a scooner of beer with the sly comment that "you don't have any big ones." He would quickly slurp down his beer, put it down on the bar and say, "give me another one." One day, unbeknownst to Uncle Boots, Clifford filled a plastic peanut jar that was shaped like a large scooner. The peanut jar held almost a gallon of beer. Uncle Boots then came in and ordered his beer in his usual manner. Clifford set the full peanut jar before him. Without batting an eye, Old Uncle Boots downed the entire peanut jar, set it down on the bar and said, "give me another one," much to the amazement of those assembled.

Located on relatively low-lying ground, Withey's Bar withstood its share of flooding over the years. Many older patrons can recall times when the water went nearly to the top of the bar. Undeterred, several customers would stand at the bar in their waders and drink beer.

Withey's was destroyed in a fire on April 23, 1973 but was rebuilt nearby on higher ground to help alleviate flooding problems. It was re-opened on July 4, 1974 and has been at the same location since.

Now that the Withey's era has come to an end, quite naturally Ken and Dianne and Mark and Lynn have some bittersweet thoughts.

"It's just time to move on," said Mark. "We're losing a beautiful piece of property but we've met a ton of good people and made lifelong friendships."

"We've met very many good people over the years," said Dianne.

Ken recalled his father Clifford and the way in which he always had bread, eggs, milk and otherwise took care of people. "He never let anybody down," said Ken. "He always had something for them."

On Sunday afternoon at about 1:45 p.m., Kathy Corell, 54, of Elkader, Iowa, was killed in a one vehicle accident about one-half mile west of Marquette on Hwy. 18.

Corell was driving a 1981 Harley Davidson motorcycle eastbound on Hwy 18 when she went off the shoulder, lost control and continued into the westbound lane. The motorcycle came to a rest facing northwest on the north side of the highway. Corell was transported by MarMac Rescue to Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital.

Responding to the scene was the Iowa State Patrol, MarMac police, McGregor Fire department, Clayton County Sheriff, Crawford County Sheriff, and the Wisconsin DNR. It is not known if Corell was wearing a helmet. No further details are available at this time.