Douglas County Past: Youngsters save Person Lake cottage from fire; Freighters crash in harbor

May 21—May 17, 1924

Freighters crash in local harbor

Rammed by the steamer Ashley at the end of Great Northern ore dock No. 2 at 1 p.m. today, the steamer Hoover and Mason, outbound with ore, was beached at the east end of dock No. 1 near the Nemadji River.

There was no loss of lives or injury to any member of the two crews.

According to officials of the Great Northern ore docks, the Mason was leaving Dock No. 2 while the Ashley was preparing to tie up for a load. In some unexplainable manner the ships missed each other's signals.

The Ashley smashed into the Hoover, her prow tearing a 25-foot hold in the port side abreast of hatch number 6.

The Ashley, a small hole in her prow, backed away after the crash. The Hoover and Mason reversed her engines and headed for the beach, the water rushing in through the gaping hole in her side. She reached shallow water just in time, the water and ore causing her to list.

May 18, 1954

Sisters of Swish plan big rally

Superior's Sisters of the Swish today issued an invitation to all women of Superior to join them in a big meeting Wednesday night of this week at which further plans will be laid for the organization's part in the coming Centennial celebration.

Many of the women already have Centennial-style dresses ready for wearing on the various days in which their doings will be emphasized and all those that can do so are urged to wear those dresses at the meeting Wednesday night.

Up and down the street

Hugh A. McRae of the McRae Wreckers scored a semi-Centennial find when he came upon several copies of "The Echo" beneath the hardwood flooring of a home his crew was tearing down for sale of used lumber at 1416 Cumming Ave.

The Echoes, dating back to May 1907, when the volume was a monthly product of the Blaine High School, recalls the high school life of many Superiorites over 40 years ago ... when Dorothea Shehan was editor in chief of the Echo, Joseph Roony was business manager and Florence Perrin was exchange editor.

The 1912 volume described Vic Holman's passion for neckties, Helen Mueller as the midget of the senior class, mentioned Delos Kellogg, Mable and Myrtle Hard, Myrtle Isaacson, George McIntosh, Martha Mast, George Corin, Ruth Van Buren, Sidney French, Dorothy Ashby, Earl Burdick, Arthur Bjerklein, Lester Potter, Hilds Oyaas ... some of the grads.

May 19, 1924

Leave chicken feast to save summer home

They went to play and stayed to conquer!

Twenty Superior youths, guests of Conrad Hanson, county highway commissioner, yesterday left a sumptuous chicken dinner to save his summer home from destruction by a raging forest fire.

The fire, which swept along County Highway T for miles between state highways 35 and 11 yesterday, fed hungrily on the dry leaves and underbrush in its path.

The conflagration did menace several farm homes in addition to the highway commissioner's cottage, and perhaps 100 men were scattered over the region to prevent its spread into dangerous territory.

Mr. Hanson' s summer home, which is on Lake Person, was directly in the path of the flames and undoubtedly would have been burned to the ground had there been no one there to prevent it.

The voluntary firefighters, working under the leadership of George Thorp, who exhibited all the earmarks of a professional firefighter, back-fired around the cottage and kept the flames from getting too near several automobiles parked in the yard.

May 19, 1954

$107,500 sought in co-lawsuits

A total of $107,000 damages are sought in companion suits scheduled for a Superior Court hearing Monday when trial of civil actions is resumed before Judge A. Walter Dahl and a jury, Clerk of Courts G.M. Haugner announced.

Defendants in the actions are the Poplar Hardware Co. and the Skelly Oil Co. The lawsuits followed a stove gas explosion at Dowling Lake that resulted in the death of a mother and injury to her daughter.

Kenneth Parenteau, as special administrator for the estate of his wife, Marcella M. Parenteau, deceased, asks for $47,500 damages in the one action for pain and suffering to his wife, loss of companionship, loss of services and medical expenses claimed as a result of the accident on June 6, 1951. The mother was burned extensively when she struck a match causing an explosion in the Parenteau cottage. She died Sept. 3, 1951.

In the companion action, Audrey Parenteau, the daughter, and Kenneth Parenteau are the plaintiffs who seek $50,000 for injuries to Audrey and $10,000 for care, medical attention and loss of services of Audrey, claimed result of the blast.

Gordon church bell dedication set

GORDON At a special meeting at the home of Mrs. Max Harter, June 6 was selected as the date for the dedication services for the angelus bells, which will be installed at the St. anthony de Padua Church at Gordon.

The special committee, Mesdames A.M. Plateter, Kenneth Knick, Max Harter and Harry Cosgrove, appointed recently by Father Machalonis, have been working the past few months to raise the necessary $1,100 for the purchase of the bells.

The bells, following the benediction service, will ring out daily at 7 a.m., noon and at 6 p.m.

Youngsters get into act for gala Sisters of Swish rally

One of the features of the Sisters of Swish rally to be held in the Blaine School auditorium Wednesday evening will be the style show featuring children's styles of yesteryear.

Taking part in the style show will be the following young misses: Lynnette Halvorsen, Joan Minguey, Kathryn Brace, Susanne Hack, Patty McKinnon, Ann Becker, Carolyn Dann, Susline Lenroot and Kathy Darst. Mary Louise Shaffer and her sister, Julia, will model sister costumes and just to prove that even a century ago girls liked to dress like mother, Mrs. Don Pooler and her daughters, PattyJo and Wendy; Mrs. Carl A. Carlson and her daughter, Lynn; Mrs. Donald Erkenbrack and her daughter, Heidi, will model mother and daughter creations.

May 20, 1924

Superior news in brief

Not out of danger — Juanita Hunsikar, 16-year-old Walderly Academy student, who was seriously hurt when she slipped and fell 40 feet to the bottom of the Black River gorge Sunday, is not yet out of danger, it was declared today by Dr. A.L. Kyllo who is in charge. It was learned today that her left hand was fractured as well as her jaw bone, and it is not known whether she was hurt internally, said hospital attaches.

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