Incidents and Anecdotes of Early Days and History of Business in the City and County of Fond Du Lac From Early Times to the Present, Personal Reminiscences, Remarkable Events, Election Results, Military History, Etc.

              86 BUSINESS HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC
How would he enjoy cutting paper with a shoe knife or column rule? How would he like it to make his own rollers or put a business card or ball ticket to press on a big hand press? He would probably not enjoy it much, but these and other like things had to be done here in Fond du Lac in the past and it was not much more than fifty years ago either.   Some of them much less than that.
Tommy Heil, the Mechanic.
Thomas Heil was a German who resided from early times on Brooke street, in a small house at the north end of the Gurney ware¬ house. Tommy Heil was a genius as a mechanic. He was for more than twenty-five years the designer and head pattern maker at the machine shops of Peacock & Vv^hite, afterwards Union Iron Works. In 1874 went into the Allis shops at Milwaukee, as head of the engine drafting rooms, where he remained until his death in 1899. As a mechanic he had no superior.
At a state meeting of the German Turners, held here just after the war, numerous banners "Gut Heil" (good cheer) appeared along the streets, and the boys like Tim Strong, French Fuller, Tom Coneys and others started out with the declaration that if they were going to gut Heil they were there to see about it—they were not disposed to let Heil be gutted while they were about. It was a good play upon words and of course all laughed heartily.
Gibson Blacksmith Shop.
A blacksmith shop, doing all sorts of work in that line, once stood on the corner of First and Marr streets, on the ground on which the residence of J. W. Watson now stands. It was owned and run by Mr. Gibson. He once had an old fashioned log chain brought to his shop for a new hook which had been broken and part of it lost. To make that hook he said was the most difficult piece of black¬ smithing he ever undertook.
From Church to Opera House.
The present Crescent Opera House was the original First Con¬ gregational Church, built in 1848, under the pastorate of Rev. L. C. Spafford. It was enlarged at the time Rev. Silas Hawley was pastor and afterwards sold to the Laborer's Benevolent Society. The own¬ ership, after a couple of changes, went to P. B. Haber, who is still in control.
Old Time Home of A. H. Clark.
This house so familiar to all old timers, has entirely disappeared to give place to one of modern appearance. It stood on the same spot at the southeast corner of Marr and Fifth streets, since 1849. Mr. Clark was one of the early pioneers of the county.