Q: I found a small token and was wondering whether you could tell me something about it. The token is eight-sided and is 1 inch across. It says “GOOD FOR 1 FREE WIND C.A. KREBAUM.” I have enclosed a picture of it for reference.

A: Research done by Ed Hill, emeritus special collections librarian at UW-La Crosse, shows that Charles A. Krebaum was born in 1860 in Illinois, the son of German immigrants.
He served an apprenticeship in plumbing and heating in Peoria, Ill. After several changes of residence, Krebaum moved to La Crosse in 1885 and worked for plumber W.A. Roosevelt. Krebaum became one of the incorporators of the W.A. Roosevelt Co. in 1886 and shortly thereafter left and became a partner of D.J. Slattery in a plumbing and heating business, then owned his own business as a plumber, and steam and gas fitter.

Krebaum then turned to bicycle repair around the turn of the century and became an amateur photographer as well, selling photo supplies.

By 1905, he began devoting his time to the manufacture of rubber stamps and maintained a business related to stationery, rubber stamps and typewriters. Newspaper files tell us that L. Bert Rowley was hired by Krebaum as a typewriter mechanic in 1925. By 1928, Rowley was a salesman when Krebaum died that year. Rowley purchased the estate and moved it to 227 Main St. from 105 N. Third St. By the early 1930s, Rowley expanded the office supply business to include mimeographing, adding machines and calculators, as well as a repair shop, eventually changing the company name to Rowley’s Office Equipment Co. The business moved to 100 S. Third St. in 1965. The business closed in 2005.

Tokens were popular giveaways in La Crosse for many years, ranging from bus tokens to bar tokens. Exactly what “wind” the token was referring to is not apparent to the

La Crosse Public Library Archives staff. Perhaps it is a reference to the plumbing and heating days with bleeding radiators. Could it refer to filling bicycle tires? Might it be related to winding up some kind of contraption? Krebaum was certainly mechanically inclined and ran a repair shop.

In cooperation with the La Crosse Public Library, the Tribune invites readers to call or e-mail questions of local interest. We’ll try to find the answers and publish them. The phone number for Ask the Trib is (608) 791-8450. Send questions by e-mail to news@lacrossetribune. com.

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