90 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, January 30, 1919

A dozen or more of the young men of the city [St. Ignace] have formed a club for social entertainment. They have leased one of the Mulcrone buildings opposite the Enterprise office and are fitting it up for a club room where they can get together and while away their spare time.

That Jimmy Brady still has the punch is evidenced by his scoring a knockout in a go with a tough Pittsburgher last week at the Elks' show in Detroit.

Hundreds of letters from our boys overseas arrived in the St. Ignace post office Monday morning.

Michigan should begin at once to acquire land for a great chain of parks bordering the Great Lakes rivers and inland lakes, Gov. Sleeper told the Legislature in a message delivered Thursday afternoon. The Governor is especially interested in having Mackinac Island property purchased immediately because private owners are cutting the timber off their lands and converting the main drive through the island into a road bordered on both sides by stumps and waste lands.

The local authorities, too, are said to be conducting affairs in a manner to discourage use of the island for recreation purposes.

Under plans agreed on by the state commission in charge of the commonwealth's portion of the island, the Legislature will be requested to purchase the docks, light, and water plants and practically all public facilities on the island.

Steamboats running to the summer island resort are reported to give unsatisfactory service and to stop running so early in the fall that many persons are prevented from spending their vacations on the island. The Legislature may be requested to purchase a steamer to give full season service.

Clark township schools were closed early in the month. No time has been set for reopening them. On January 25th, Health Officer Izzard reports the influenza condition in [Clark] township as being very much improved. All the warning cards were taken down, excepting one at the home of Paul Saure. At this house, the disease is very bad and Paul Saure has been taken to the Soo, as his case was complicated with pleurisy.

"America's Answer," the government's second official war film, at the Grand Theatre, Friday, Jan. 31st. Govt. prices 10¢ and 25¢.

50 YEARS AGO

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, January 29, 1959

Speaking before a well-attended Les Cheneaux Parent-Teacher meeting at Cedarville last Thursday, Norman R. Wixson, county superintendent of schools, talked chiefly on the critical financial emergency in Michigan schools.

Diane McCarthy, 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent McCarthy of St. Ignace, has accepted the invitation of the Mackinac Co. Chamber of Commerce to represent St. Ignace at the Winter Sports Festival in Petoskey, where Michigan's Winter Queen will be selected February 7.

Both Ryerse Sales and Taylor Appliance cribbagers scored above 1,000 points Friday night, and as a result, their opponents, the Legion and Barber Shop, both sank in the league standings. H. Schollard and D. Massey, of the Conservation Club, won high individual scoring honors with a 206.

The [St. Ignace] council agreed that on and off ramps at the rock cut near the Mackinac Bridge and at Castle Rock would be accepted if the highway department would extend the west side service road from Portage Ave. through to US- 2, providing service for the as yet undeveloped area west of the bypass.

More conferences on the Island transportation problem are in the offing. Mrs. John Franks, wife of the former Mackinac Island mayor, presented a petition signed by 162 Islanders asking St. Ignace to come to their aid to reduce costs of shopping in St. Ignace. Chief objection is the extra cost for landing at the airport charged when traveling in competing commercial planes, which formerly landed on the bay ice, and the cost of taxi fare from and to the county airport here.

"Since the Pointe Aux Chenes project has been in more or less dormant state for some time, we have no provisions in our current budget for either completion of the acquisition or construction of the dam." - Mackinac County Board of Supervisors official proceedings, January 1959

[St. Ignace] Mayor pro-tem Roy Carlson conveyed to council the information received by telephone from Mayor Phillips that a bill was being introduced in the legislature to give all three state ferry docks to the City of St. Ignace, and that favorable action is expected.

Fred Styes, Epoufette inventor who originally, at the age of 15, toyed with hydraulic brakes before they were used on cars, has "clicked" with two new products. Harlo Products Corp., newly formed subsidiary of Kirkhof Electric Co., has obtained the exclusive license to manufacture and sell a cement mixer attachment and other attachments for tractors, which were invented by Mr. Styes.

Newest patent sought by Mr. Styes is an auxiliary to the game pocket in a hunting jacket. By means of strategic piecing on a simple zipper attachment, the game pocket is not only preserved, but opens out neatly to form a warm and protective seat cover while a hunter sits on a log or stump.

Several new books are available at the Civic League public library in the municipal building.

Rep. Clayton T. Morrison of Pickford will be [in St. Ignace] Saturday to discuss plans for acquiring the state ferry dock properties in St. Ignace and Mackinaw City. He said the Mackinac Island State Park commission has sought control of the docks for parking facilities.

The motor sleigh has been assembled, as Ray O'Brien, John Bloswick, and Clarence Vance planned to make the trip to Cheboygan Saturday. The first trip of the motor sleigh was made Saturday morning to Mackinaw City to pick up [Mackinac Island's] three days' mail.

35 YEARS AGO

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise Thursday, January 31, 1974

Greg LaTour, of St. Ignace, has been selected as an All-American in the ranks of high school football by National Director Frank Giannetto, of Who's Who in National School Athletics.

Charlie Brown took first place trophy and Michael Lehto took second in the Mens' 1st Division 15-mile Cross-country race held Saturday. Their time was 2 hours, 47 minutes, 47 seconds, and 3 hours, 3 minutes, 45 seconds, respectively.

Because Mr. P.M. Brown, Sr., did so much for the students of St. Ignace and because the National Honor Society is named in his honor, a memorial scholarship fund has been established to be given to one of this year's graduating seniors for further education.

Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Maurer, Jr. arrived Saturday from Ann Arbor, and will spend the winter at Mackinac.

The Mackinac Island snowmobile club entertained the Senior Citizens on a ride around the Island Sunday.

Michigan fishermen now can go after good catches of rainbow and brown trout as well as an occasional coho or chinook all winter long on Mackinac County's Pt. Aux Chenes River and some 40 other trout streams across the state, according to Automobile Club of Michigan's January Motor News magazine.

15 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, February 3, 1994

Tolls will be charged on the Mackinac Bridge for the foreseeable future, as the Bridge Authority annually will decide when to pay off the rest of its debts. According to federal law, tolls can be charged for bridges and highways only if they are in debt. The Bridge Authority has made one payment on a $75 million debt and will vote each year on when best to make another payment, said Monte Endres, executive secretary.

[St. Ignace] Utilities Superintendent Les Therrian said early this week that city workers already have had to thaw out "well over 30" water services at homes and businesses.

Heavy ice dust, remaining suspended above the oval track, caused poor visibility for drivers and prompted race officials to call off Cedarville's inaugural Channel Challenge 200 pro enduro snowmobile race after just seven laps.

Of the 13 schools in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District, eight decreased in enrollment, four increased, and Bois Blanc stayed the same this year.

Following years of dormancy, Moran Township's Silver Mountain Ski Area is open this year, thanks to the return of normal levels of snow in the area.

Mackinac Island Carriage Tours hope to begin hauling the summer's supply of hay for their business across the ice. Ice was tested and found to be at least 22 inches thick and at most, 26 inches.

LaSalle High School was rockin' and rollin' Friday, January 28, as more than 1,000 fans packed the St. Ignace school's gymnasium to witness a [basketball] showdown for first place in the Michigan Huron Shores Conference. The Saints, unbeaten this season, defeated the Petoskey Northmen, once beaten but previously undefeated in conference play, 64-56.

Saints senior Brad Ledy reached a milestone, scoring his 1,000th point of his high school career on a free throw with 3:41 remaining in the game. The last LaSalle athlete to reach this plateau was Pat Gallagher in 1989.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The St. Ignace News is seeking original prints or reprints of old photographs depicting areas in the Eastern Upper Peninsula to be scanned into the archives and for the Looking Back column. Photographs to be loaned or donated to the Michilimackinac Historical Society can also be dropped off at The St. Ignace News.