Douglas County Past: Boys set fire to can of gasoline; one is dead

Mar. 19—March 15, 1919

Hawthorne bureau has 57 members

HAWTHORNE, Wis. — A branch of the Douglas County farm bureau with 57 members was organized in this village yesterday. Farmers were present from all sections of the country adjacent to the village and all were most enthusiastic over the organization.

Ed. Thiede was elected secretary and treasurer of the organization and the following committee chairmen were chosen; marketing, Burt Evans; soils, Henry Krause; crops, Simon Becker; live stock, E.J. Lyons; farm and home, R.C. Lasch.

Fire destroys Hawthorne farm home and contents

HAWTHORNE, Wis. — The farm home of Gus Nyholm, about one mile south of the village, ws destroyed by fire this week. The fire, which started on the roof, was not discovered until it had gained considerable highway and the family was unable to save anything but a few valuable papers. Mr. Nyholm carried but little insurance. At present the Nyholms are staying with their neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Gust Dahl.

Douglas County dairy herds grow larger; more swine, too

Instead of diminishing to the disappearing point due to the high price of feed, as was threatened, Douglas County dairy herds, and swine, too, showed a considerable increase in size — or at least they had done so up to Oct. 15 of last year.

In 1918 there were 2,869 cows reported as against 2,528 in October 1917, and 1,021 heifers over six months old in 1918 as compared to 903 in 1917.

The swine report also shows a material increase in totals of all ages amounting to 503, there being 1,856 found in 1918, as compared to 1,303 in 1917.

The data was gathered by the children of the county schools, upon request of the Department of Agriculture.

March 15, 1924

Largest plant of kind today

It was in 1907 that J.R. Gallinger, South Superior man, made his first door catch, a small, crudely shaped little affair intended to keep the screen door from slamming more than once. The work on the device was done in the family woodshed with the crudest of tools and materials. Last year the Superior Door Catch factory turned out 400,000 black enameled door catches, more than any other factory in the United States manufacturing such an article.

March 17, 1919

Boy hit by auto which kills pet

Unaware of the death of "Jack," his dog and playmate, little Alexander McKenzie, 10-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Dan McKenzie, is lying with a bruised head and badly shocked nerves between the white sheets of his little bed in the parental home, 1906 13th St.

Little Alexander and Jack were run over about 6:20 last evening on Tower Avenue near 11th street by a northbound automobile owned and driven by Leonard O. Peppard, according to a report received at police headquarters. It is stated that the boy and dog were in the act of crossing Tower Avenue and that little Alexander stopped to call for Jack to make sure he was coming along. The faithful dog bounced forward and just then everything went black for both of them, the automobile striking the pair. One wheel passed over the dog, a white Spitz animal, and the other wheels passed over the boy.

March 17, 1924

Boys set fire to can of gasoline; one is dead

Joseph Olof, the 7-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Olof, 121 Banks Ave., is dead and Matt Mizinski, age 10, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Mizinski, 105 Banks Ave., is recovering from severe burns about the right hand and arm as a result of playing with a can of gasoline on Tower bay slip last evening.

The two lads, in company with several others, among them Anthony Winslow, 316 Banks Ave., and Joseph Gonza, 109 Banks Ave., were playing on the ice in Tower bay slip at the foot of Banks Avenue and found a can filled with gasoline, according to the story told to firemen by the lads.

They carried the can onto the ice and set fire to it. After it had blazed for some time Joseph Gonza kicked it, throwing the burning liquid over the clothing of the Olof youngster, according to the story as related by the Gonza boy.

With his clothing a mass of flames, the terrified boy ran aimlessly about the lee. Young Mizinski attempted to extinguish the flames and received burns on his right hand and arm.

'Six best story tellers of Superior' are to compete

The "six best story tellers of Superior" are to be pitted against each other in a "grand championship story-telling bee" to be featured in connection with the program for the third annual banquet to be held by Superior post-American Legion at the Knights of Columbus auditorium next Thursday night.

The "six best," so rated by the committee, include H.W. Dietrich, C.R. Fridley, Al Peck, Ed. Haaton, George Kane and Rev. W.F. Hood.

March 18, 1919

Pioneer hardware merchant retires

Joseph Kreiziger, pioneer hardware merchant of this city, has sold to Roy Salter his interests in Superior Hardware company, with which he has been connected for the last 26 years. He expects to leave shortly for the South for the benefit of his health.

Mr. Kreiziger went into the furniture business at South Superior in 1892 and on the following New Year bought out South Superior Hardware. At that time he took T.J. Solon in as a partner. In 1895 the firm disposed of its furniture business and retained the hardware, with which it moved to West End and located at 714 Tower Ave. under the name of Superior Hardware company. In 1899 the business was moved to 1016-18 Tower Ave. and in 1913 to the present location at 1306-08 Tower Ave.

Veteran city fireman quits

After 30 years of fire-fighting, the oldest man in point of service in the Superior Fire Department, Capt. Daniel Young has tendered his resignation to Chief Ole Norman, to take effect at once. He will work for the Globe Shipbuilding company as fire marshal.

When he went in no salaries were paid — it was purely volunteer service. Superior was then sort of a siding or center, its streets were muddy and filled with holes, while wild shrubbery grew beside the Tower Avenue sidewalks. His starting point was as janitor in a little volunteer station in "Old Town" when "West Superior" had cows and chickens roaming all over it.

However, Superior grew in leaps and bounds and a paid fire department was soon established. Mr. Young was one of the first to be appointed. Hard, conscientious work brought him a promotion in 1895 to lieutenant under Capt. Olaf Johnson, and again in 1899 he was rewarded for good and faithful service by promotion to be captain, being transferred from East End to Connor's Point. Three years later the Connor's Point station was discontinued and he was again transferred, this time to the 18th Street fire hall.

Articles and pictures are courtesy of retired librarian Judy Aunet with Superior Public Library.