125 YEARS AGO

St. Ignace News

November 11, 1884

The Saugatuck went to Pine River yesterday for her last raft for this season. After delivering it at the mill here she will go to Bay City for repairs

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Henry Williams, better known as Old Uncle, is serving a 10 day sentence at the jail for the larceny of a quilt.

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Whether it’s Blaine or Cleveland that will be our next President, Cooke the baker says he will continue business at his old stand just the same as at present.

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Someone stole a foot rug from the front door of C. H. Wilber's residence one evening last week, which is the second rug taken from the same place lately.

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At E. P. Foley's on Saturday, the price of Blain badge pins dropped to two for a cent, while Cleveland pins were marked up to $2.00 each. A few of the faithful of the G. O. P. called on Mr. Foley, requesting him to put the Blaine pins to one side for a few days and they would see that he got a good price for them. Ed did so, but fears that he won't be able to give them away in a few days more.

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When the news reached here on Saturday that Cleveland and Hendricks were elected, the Democrats became very enthusiastic. In the evening a monster bon-fire was set going opposite Foley's jewelry store, the band played and a torch light procession paraded the streets, at the head of which were carried illuminated portraits of the successful candidates. There was loud cheering and other demonstrations of delight, showing that they felt good over the result. At the close of the street parade a number of our prominent Democrats made short addresses in Brown's Hall.

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There are a few small boys permitted to gad around on State Street after dark each evening, who are liable to get themselves into trouble if their parents do not keep them at home. They are beginning to carry their pranks a little too far. A word to the wise, etc.

125 YEARS AGO

St. Ignace News

November 14, 1884

The steamers Mackinac and Cleveland will continue to run until Dec. 1st. The berths on each have been supplied with warm Pullman blankets.

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W. H. Hombach returned from Naubinway last evening. While there yesterday the Goudreau boys lifted two-pound nets containing four tons of the nicest whitefish he’d ever seen.

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John Rurdette, who was sent to the poor farm a couple of weeks ago, being ill and suffering from a gun shot wound, returned here Monday evening and reports that while he was there he neither got medicine or seen a doctor during the whole time. He left for Ann Arbor hospital Tuesday evening.

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There is a run on kerosene oil in the city at present. For several months the price has been 20 cents per gallon. Recently a certain merchant reduced the price to 15 cents and said there was money in it at that figure. Another merchant, bound not to be undersold, dropped the price to 14 cents. We are in hopes this state of affairs will continue all winter.

90 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace Enterprise

November 13, 1919

One of the biggest land deals consummated in Upper Peninsula since the inception of the grazing movement early in 1917 was closed a few days ago when Messers. Henry Griscom, E. E. Thurston and L. W. Martin, of Camp Verde, Arizona, took over the entire holdings of the Wisconsin Land and Lumber company in and around Blaney township Schoolcraft county, as a grazing tract. The transaction includes 26,000 acres of land, purchased at approximately $200,000 and is second only in importance to the deal whereby the Cloverland Cattle company, a corporation, took over 52,000 acres of land in Schoolcraft county. Messrs. Griscom, Thurston and Martin are cattlemen, and they plan to bring in several thousand head of high-grade feeders early next spring. They are organized under the name of Blaney Land and Cattle company.

Practically the entire area was blocked when sold, and a considerable portion of it has been brushed, burned and seeded. The tract lies near the Mackinac County line, and adjoins other large tracts of a similar nature located in Mackinac County. These tracts are still available, though there have been a number of inquiries regarding them.

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Purser Wenzel of the Mackinac Transportation Line reports Friday, November 7, as a record for the number of passengers crossing the straits, 1,458 paid fares having been registered.

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Mail service to points on Bois Blanc Island has been discontinued. For many years there were post offices at Walker's Point, Point aux Pines, Bois Blanc station and Sand Bay. Pines alone receives mail now and then when the postmaster sees fit to send to Cheboygan for it.

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O. P. Welch, superintendent at the Fiborn Quarry and one of the new owners of the Dunham House, was a weekend visitor in the city He reported work at the quarry is rushing and that the output was equal to at any time during the year. Mr. Welch said that there is not now and never has been any labor trouble at the quarry. The men are well paid, well treated and are apparently contented. It was found necessary during the summer to discharge a number of labor agitators who endeavored to make trouble, but were unsuccessful, these men have applied for reinstatement with promises to be good in guture if given their old jobs back.

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The marine finish of 1919, which has been very unsatisfactory season, will be very tame and indications are that a large part of the fleet will be out of commission by the middle of November.

With the coal shipment cut off, the ore movement light, and the grain trade taking care of little tonnage, a large number of boats will be forced to stop during the next two weeks. About 50 freighters have been sent to the dock for the winter and a big addition will be made to the idle fleet by the middle of the month, as there will not be enough ore and grain to take care of many boats going up light. A number of ore carriers will load their last cargoes this week, as they will have to hold the ore at the lower end of the route owing to the crowded condition of the docks and furance yards.

Steamers had trouble getting fuel today and some shifting had to be done to get the boats out. There will be considerable delay next week unless the order regarding the fuel is changed, but it is thought the boats will be given bunker. Loading, however, has been cut off until the strike is settled, and if the mines are idle a week, shipments the remainder of the season will be very small.

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From Epouffette: Floyde Avery has his hunting license and is going to hunt either two or four legged deers, as Floyde isn't particular which he gets as they all look alike to him.

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Considerable damage was done by the sixty-mile gale which set in early Monday evening after a day's downpour of rain. Warnings of the blow had been given all lake craft that could be reqahed by the weather bureau stations and shelter was sought when available, a number of boats coming into the bay.

Elmer Corp of Gros Cap, who was in the city Tuesday, reported the loss of a large gas boat at Naubinway during the night. The boat was swept onto the rocks near shore and was pounded to pieces. The loss is several hundred dollars.

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From Brevort: After passing through seven states and the southwest section of Mackinac County a man, a boy, a dog, all from the land of nowhere, assembled at our door step Monday evening and asked for grub. We looked into the cupboard and finding nothing "left over" gave our best advice and sympathy - to the hungry dog - which was the best we could do on wash day.

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Fred Boucha arrived home Friday from overseas service in France. Fred is about the last of the St. Ignace boys to reach home, having served two years in the army. He is the guest of Mr. And Mrs. George Auce this week, after a visit of several days with his sister, Mrs. William Johnson at Charles.