125 YEARS AGO

St. Ignace News

September 30, 1884

W. H. Wood went to Allenville this morning to commence plastering the new school house there.

•••

John Stack and A. J. Campbell went to the shoals fishing last Friday afternoon, and caught about 80 pounds of trout.

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The postoffice has changed hands. D. J. Kelly succeeds Mr. Small, and received his commission on the 20th inst.

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Rev. O. Whitmore, the newly appointed pastor of the M. E. church, arrived here on Saturday and preached his first sermon on Sabbath.

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A friend of attorney Connor shot a large eagle near here the other day. Londraville stuffed it for him.

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Hunters from various parts of the Union are numerous here, among them a few of the Pittsburgh Rod and Gun Club, who camped here in August.

125 YEARS AGO

St. Ignace News

October 3, 1884

Yesterday was a rough day on the water. The steamer Messenger arrived here in the morning and laid over until this morning. The steamer Gordon which had been laid up at the ore dock for the season, had to be moved to the mill dock for shelter. The tug Minter came over from the Cheneaux in the afternoon, towing an empty barge, while the sea was rolling very high. The little tug Kraemer made the run over from Cheboygan here in two hours, and narrowly escaped being swamped in the bay on her arrival here. The steamer City of Mackinac arrived at midnight after a very rough passage. A lighter drifted ashore during the forenoon opposite the postoffice, and still lies there. [Editor’s note: A lighter is an unpowered, flat-bottom barge used to transfer cargo to and from moored ships.]

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From Newberry: A good deal of sickness (diphtheria) is reported among the farmers between here and Naubinway and we regret to say several deaths have occurred. Our doctors were called to attend.

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This week E. P. Foley sent home a tame fawn, five months old. It was caught by a fisherman at the age of four weeks.

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The Democratic County Convention was rapped to order at noon on Wednesday by Michael Chambers, who called John Becker to the chair. John Mulcrone was appointed temporary secretary.

The committee on credentials, by its chairman, E. H. Hall, reported delegations from all towns and wards except Moran, Hendricks and Newton.

Andrew Foley and Wm. P. Preston were chosen delegates to the Congressional Convention. W. J. Brown, H. A. N. Todd, John Earley, and John Mulcrone were chosen delegates to the Senatorial Convention.

Ransom Metcalf, Ignatius Reagon, John Becker and E. A. Franks were chosen delegates to the Representative Convention.

The following county ticket was placed in nomination:

Sheriff - Thomas Dolan.

Clerk - John Biddle.

Register of Deeds - Michael Hoban.

Treasurer - Dominick Murray.

Judge of Probate - Peter N. Packard.

Pros. Attorney - James McNamara.

Circuit Court Com’r - Jay Bassett.

Surveyor - Byron E. Cubley.

Coroners - Felix Cadieux and William Busche.

No nomination was made only after a spirited contest by rival candidates, and in many instances several ballots were taken; but in the end they were all declared unanimous, and as everything appeared on the surface, with the best of feeling. It will be a little curious if no mutterings of kicking is heard, at least during the time some of the defeated are nursing their soreness.

90 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace Enterprise

October 2, 1919

Word was received late yesterday afternoon of the death of Erwin Ringler of Allenville, a plank flying off the saw at the flooring mill at Newberry, striking him in the back, killing him instantly. The young man was born in Allenville and until recently had resided there. A short time ago he accepted a position in Newberry where he met his death. He was 22 years of age and is survived by his wife, mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Ringler, and one brother, Lesley.

•••

On the Dixie Highway at Rock Cut, Edward G. McNamara is building a substantial set of lumber camps preparatory to the cutting of his timber on his holdings in that region. The camps are set up near the roadway and are large, roomy and comfortable looking, points which make the livelihood of the men who follow the woods worth while.

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Saturday noon while driving to the Booth Company’s office in the Third ward, Supervisor Carl Gustafson met with an unusual accident. The radius rods of the Ford were loosened in such a way that when the car struck the rough road on State street, it turned over, breaking the wind shield, demolishing the top completely, but causing no other damage. Supervisor Gustafson was cut about the face and head, but John B. Valier, the other occupant of the car, escaped without a scratch. Had our popular Moran township representative been driving fast the results may have been disastrous.

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From Brevort: Gideon’s hilltop rooster expects to vote this fall if he lives till then and the chances are that he will, as the only tough luck he ever had was a frosted comb and that stopped only his crowing for a few days.

That “shell-shocked” hawk that survived the first day’s onslaught has taken wings to the southward and won’t return until absent-minded Aleric has a new model gun.

Gunner says, “there ain’t much use for the sorrel team these days as everybody rives a Ford.” Cheer up, Gunnar, there will be sleighing soon and Fords don’t step high enough for that.

••• The aeroplane passing over here on its way from Detroit to Newberry, stopped at Moran for gasoline. She circled around Allenville and Moran several times before lighting in Carl Becker’s field. To say it caused a great excitement is putting it mildly. Very few of the people here had ever seen one before and not knowing it was coming, they did not know what it was. John Marshall ran to the field and drove all of is cattle into the stable; one woman thought it was the Germans coming to drop bombs on us, she didn’t know the war was over yet. Bill Langdon thought it was an awful sized hawk coming for his hens, so he drove them into the coop. Carl Becker came to in time to see it leave his field; Hiram Kelly thought it was an eagle and wasted two boxes of cartridges trying to kill it; Charlie Litzner wondered if there was anyone in it; Dave Erskine ran and hid in the cellar, he thought it was the devil after him.

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From Allenville: J. D. Erskine was pleasantly surprised to receive a card from Albert Eckhert this week, from Greifswold, Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Eckhert moved back to Germany just before the war broke out and their many friends here often wondered if they were still alive. Mr. Eckhert says the crops are very good there this year and the farmers are getting rich. He is glad the terrible war is over and wishes he were back in America as times are very hard and everything very high. Both he and Mrs. Eckhert are in good health and send best wishes to their friends here.

•••

From Mackinac Island: Mrs. D. A. Blodgett and family closed their summer home on the West Bluff and left for their home in Washington, D. C. Monday evening. The steamer Islander made a special trip taking the party to Mackinaw City.

•••

Wayne Boynton, the last of the St. Ignace boys to arrive from overseas, landed in Hoboken Monday, and is expected home this week.

50 YEARS AGO The Republican-News and

St. Ignace Enterprise

October 1, 1959

An amended suit charging the Mackinac Island State Park commission with exercising unconstitutional licensing power over carriage operations on the Island has been filed in Ingham county circuit court.

Plaintiffs are Bernard Gough, police chief; Burton Gough and Garrett Chapman. The three have been battling the commission since their requests for carriage licenses were turned down.

New matter in the suit contends that the park commission set itself up as a licensing agency without statutory authority and is experiencing unwarranted extension of police powers.

The state attorney general’s office has filed a motion for dismissal of the original suit.

•••

W. William Morin, manager of L. Winkelman’s department store here was “kidnapped,” robbed and had his car stolen by two men who broke out of the Mackinac county jail Friday night. Mr. Morin is the father of a grown family of three sons and two daughters.

•••

Police officers, who have been engaged in several days of manhunting for two escapees from the Mackinac County jail, learned at 6:25 a. m. Tuesday that Jack Kriesche’s outboard motor boat had been stolen from Evergreen Shores during Monday night.

. . . Kriesche said there was enough gasoline “to run to the Island at least.”

•••

Within a short time after they bound and gagged two persons and took candy bars and more than $150 at Arch Rock Souvenir shop owned by Mrs. Ella Chambers, Mackinac Island, Gerald Brawley and Thomas Giennie, who escaped from jail in St. Ignace last Friday night, were in the hands of Mackinac Island authorities.

The fugitives, who stole a boat in St. Ignace and went to the Island Monday night, were arrested on the Welch dock at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

•••

John F. Lahaie of St. Ignace is president of the newly-organized Upper Michigan Tourist association which was organized at Marquette last Thursday by representatives of the 15 U. P. counties.

Lahaie, local restaurateur, is former president of the U P. Development Bureau and former secretary-manager of the Mackinac County Chamber of Commerce.

•••

State Highway Commissioner John C. Mackie reported that he will recommend that the state administrative board approve sale of the former state ferry, Vacationland, to the Detroit Atlantic Navigation corporation for 1.5 million dollars.

Mackie pointed out that when bids were taken and rejected on the Vacationland in May of 1958, the highest bid price for the ship was $465,000.

The Vacationland, which cost the state highway department $4.7 million, was put into operation in the winter of 1952 between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace and made its final trip when the Mackinac Bridge opened in November of 1957.

Detroit-Atlantic started last week Wednesday with a “fishyback” auto transport operation between Duluth- Detroit-Cleveland, using two ships, The Vacationland would carry an estimated 60 truck-trailers loaded with automobiles.

•••

Officers and directors of the Lake Michigan US-2 Scenic Highway association on Monday night launched an extensive fall membership drive designed to provide for promoting the scenic resort area west of St. Ignace.

Meeting at Brownie’s Cabins near Black River, plans were made for a stepped-up advertising program designed to interest the traveler in touring the scenic route west of the bridge. The association sees a prospective membership of more than 100 resort businesses.

•••

Attorney General Paul L. Adams announced that a conference will be held in Marquette on October 16 in regard to the problems of Michigan’s pulpwood industry.

Adams stated that he had received a petition from some 800 persons asking him to investigate the economic plight of this industry, which affects more than 15,000 people.

The group will study problems of production, transportation, price and economic security, as well as other matters arising from the crisis in the industry. Questions of resources, competition surpluses and price-setting practices will be considered.

•••

Three more Mackinac county school districts conducted special elections on Monday and were successful in levying an additional mill of taxes for the year in order to qualify for full state aid.

County School Superintendent Norman R. Wixson said that a citizens’ committee conducted the Garfield election, even to making their own ballots.

•••

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Litzner and six children who have been living in Frankfort, have returned and will reside here.

Mr. Litzner recently purchased Rube’s Taxi, long established cab service from Reuben Carlson, who with Mrs. Carlson, is moving to Arizona.

The 27-year-old cab business will continue under Mr. Litzner, who says, “We’ll continue to give the service our patrons expect.”

•••

Charley Kaminski’s cabbage patch had plenty of protection Saturday night when the state police formed a blockade near it watching for the two jail escapees who abandoned a stolen car near Summerby’s swamp.

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The Les Cheneaux Sportsman’s club held an election of officers last week with 14 members present. Elected to office of president was Charles Wagner; for vice-president, Harry Harris; secretary, George Honnila; treasurer, William G. Ackerman; recording secretary, Charles Wagner, Jr. New directors for the organization are Orville Smith, John Delmotte, Charles Ullom and Louis Schmidt. Directors held over for a one year term are Don Crawfis and past president, Maurice Daniels.

•••

The public is invited to attend a meeting of the city plan commission scheduled for this Thursday evening at the municipal building. An urban planning expert from Michigan State university will be present to lead the discussion.

30 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace News

October 4, 1979 Edward K. Reavie, founder and chairman of the Straits Area Antique Auto Show, which in four years has put St. Ignace on map for automobile collecting, and who last year helped to literally put St. Ignace on the weather map, was honored as the “Citizen of the Year” by the St. Ignace Area Chamber of Commerce.

•••

Plans are progressing for the new restroom building in the municipal park at Mackinac, and the final location was to be chosen at the Wednesday council meeting this week.

The council meeting also was to see a decision on rezoning for Bill Smith’s planned general store in Harrisonville. At last week’s meeting, there was a good turnout. A petition opposing the rezoning was presented with 142 signatures, and it required checking with the city’s lawyer before council could vote.

•••

“We have no debts and no money, just a building” Peter J. Della-Moretta, chairman of the Mackinac Straits Hospital and Health Center Board told the St. Ignace City Council Monday night, October 1, at their regular meting.

Della-Moretta; John Tobin, hospital administrator; and Clyde Nelson of the Hospital board were at the council meeting to solicit financial support from the City which is a member of the Mackinac Straits Hospital Authority together with Moran, St. Ignace and Brevort townships.

“I would like to ask for help right away with cash, but I would also like the council to go on record to put in money for two or three years, say $20,000,” Della-Moretta said in making his plea to the body. “I feel then we an put it over. Things are looking better for new doctors.”

Della-Moretta told the council that this is the second time he has gone before the city to ask for financial help for the hospital.

The first time, he said, was in 1952 when they needed money to match a grant for the construction of the hospital. In the first twenty years after the hospital opened in 1954, it operated successfully, he added. It has only been in the past five years that the financial condition has deteriorated, Della-Moretta explained, because of a lack of doctors to admit patients to the hospital.

“When we had four doctors here, we had patients in the hallways,” Della-Moretta said.

30 YEARS AGO

The Weekly Wave

October 4, 1979 Members of the Chippewa County Farm Bureau passed resolutions to encourage formulation of a Chippewa County solid waste management plan, to replace the light at the intersection of M-48 and Old Mackinac Trail, to extend M-28 to connect with M-129, and to encourage continuation of road signs and rural dwelling identification at their annual meeting held at Rudyard on October 1.

They also passed a number of resolutions directed at state and national governments, honored retired Farm Bureau Secretary Hattie Lockhart, named the Weekly Wave publisher as Farm Bureau communicator of the year, and expressed appreciation to outgoing Farm Bureau president John Kronemeyer, who is stepping down after six years.

•••

The Clark Township Board approved the hiring of township Assessor Alan Boike, 24, at an annual salary of $11,700 plus health insurance and retirement benefits. . . .

Boike, who becomes the only full-time employee of the township, has been working a the township assessor for the past two years with funds from the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA).

With the expiration of Boike’s term of employment under CETA, township supervisor John Griffin said the board had three options, hiring an assessor with township funds, applying for another CETA trainee, or sharing an assessor with Maquette Township.

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A backlog of nearly $3,000 in unpaid sewer use fees, delinquent by six months and more, has forced the Clark Township Board, sewage systems Supervisor Gerald Hill said, to increase the sewer millage levy from .35 mill to .40 mill. The .05 mill increase, approve by the board at September 26 meeting, is expected to generate an additional $2,72.33 for the sewer fund.

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Preliminary engineering plans for the expansion of the Clark Township Marina in Hessel, presented to the township board for review at the September 25 meeting, were approved by the board for finalization at a special meeting on October 2.

The plans call for the construction of overnight and day-use docking piers, dredging in the northern portion of the harbor, and the installation of additional sanitary facilities, at an estimate cost of $264,599. The township will seek state grant assistant to help fund the project.