Column - 1912: Cold weather causes gigantic fish kill
FEBRUARY 2002 It took about five hours to clear the scene after an accident in a heavy snowfall on I-94 near Brandon in which a semi-tractor loaded with 30 beef cattle flipped over. A hole had to be cut in the roof of the trailer so the cattle could be unloaded and hauled away.By: Marge VanGorp, Alexandria Echo Press
The following is a collection of stories and other items that were included in Alexandria newspapers over the years.
100 YEARS AGO
FEBRUARY 1912
The Douglas County recorder reported there were 383 births and 177 deaths in the county in 1911… Nine trainloads of moveable goods came into the Forada station last week. That goes to show that people have faith in the farmlands of that area… Extremely cold weather has caused a gigantic fish kill on shallow lakes like Lake Charlie. When a hole is cut in the ice, fish rush for air. 'Tis said that folks living around the lake are hauling them away by the sleigh load because there are no limits on pickerel and suckers… In a straw vote, Alex Post News readers were asked to select their favorite presidential candidate from a roster of 16 well-known names that included William Cullens Bryant, Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.
50 YEARS AGO
FEBRUARY 1962
The 1961 Census revealed 8,542 housing units in Douglas County. Of those, 5,161 of them were in sound condition with indoor plumbing, 6,312 were occupied and 1,338 were rentals… Thomas and Morris Peterson are the first father and son in the 12-county area served by the St. Cloud Social Security District Office to become eligible for benefits. Tom, born in 1874, became eligible in August 1950 and Morris, born in 1896, became eligible this month after completing more than 39 years with Franzen Lumber Company… Preliminary planning is completed for a nine-hole golf course on the Wayne Dahlen farm in Osakis… Echo editor John Obert’s son Cameron was pictured on the business end of a shovel after nearly six inches of snow fell, bringing the total amount on the ground to 17 inches.
25 YEARS AGO
FEBRUARY 1987
Myron, Allen, Mark, Kurt and Kendal Larson are brothers who make up the Berea Lutheran basketball team in Alexandria’s Church Rec League. Sheldon Larson and Brian Meinen finish out the team… Alexandria City Council voted to increase overtime-parking fees from $1 to $2. Compare that with Wadena’s charges of $16… The Alexandria Cardinal hockey team opened the Section VIII playoffs with an 8-0 score against Little Falls… Seven-year-old Jay Trisko is a coach’s dream. The Lincoln 2nd-grader took first place in every swim USS swim event this year and earned this year’s “Hardest Worker Award”… Ferne Urness again qualified and received a Mercury Sable, her sixth Shaklee bonus car in 12 years. She has been a Shaklee representative for more than 15 years.
10 YEARS AGO
FEBRUARY 2002
It took about five hours to clear the scene after an accident in a heavy snowfall on I-94 near Brandon in which a semi-tractor loaded with 30 beef cattle flipped over. A hole had to be cut in the roof of the trailer so the cattle could be unloaded and hauled away… Half of the Viking ship Snorri “sailed” home from Texas last week. It had been secured in wooden crates, placed on a flat bed and transported by Lee’s Construction to be stored in the museum until its final resting place is determined… The “Brighten Up Broadway” project benefited the Alexandria Area Arts Association Theatre with new looks throughout including main lobby carpeting and painting, remodeled bathrooms, installation of a handicapped-accessible bathroom and additional lighting.
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Marge Van Gorp of Alexandria is a regular contributing columnist to the Echo Press Opinion page.
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