125 YEARS AGO

St. Ignace News

November 21, 1884

The Algomah's dry dock has been hauled out on the beach near the ore dock where it will be handy if needed this winter.

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Foley's jewelry store, Hulett and Minor's drug store, Wilber's drug store and the central telephone office are now connected by telegraph, and Western Union stock is expected to take a tumble in consequence.

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The city council recently purchased a hook and ladder truck and the machine arrived on the propeller Lawrence last Saturday. It carries several good ladders, buckets, hooks, axes, Babcock extinguishers etc. and will be a large acquisition to our fire department. The price paid was $600.00. The next thing in order will be the organization of a hook and ladder company.

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Pursuant to the proclamation of his Honor, the President of the United States, and his Honor, the governor of the state of Michigan, there will be a union thanksgiving service at the Presbyterian Church, on Thursday, the 27th inst., at 10:30 am. The pastors of the different churches will be present and take part in the services. By mutual agreement, Rev. C. M. Bruce is to preach the discourse. Let there be a general turnout, and let us give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever.

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Probably the oldest living man who claims Michigan as his birthplace is Batla Prairie, a half-breed, who now lives at Marshfield, Wis. He was born in Michigan in 1778, his father being one of Astor's fur traders, and his mother a squaw. He served as a scout and interpreter in the war of 1812, and was a soldier throughout the campaign in Mexico. For 95 years he has used tobacco, and he will accept anything that comes handy in the way of liquor.

125 YEARS AGO

St. Ignace News

November 25, 1884

The mercury dropped to 8 above zero yesterday morning.

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Preston and Dolans third ward saloon is on the beach ready to be transferred to its new position opposite Mulcrone Bro's store.

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Sunday nights express on the M. & M. was about three hours late, occasioned by the up train jumping the track.

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The M. L. Co's mill closed Friday night. Most of the men employed in the mill will go to the woods this winter and work in the camps until the mill starts again in the spring.

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Luke Marley who it will be remembered spent several hours in a capsized fish boat off Detour is again around on the street but is quite weak yet. The boat in which he capsized was brought to this place Friday night and was tied up to Chambers' dock but during the gale Saturday morning it broke loose and washed ashore near this office. The body of Joseph Marley who was drowned at the same time has been thoroughly searched for but has not been recovered.

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From Grand Marias, Nov. 20: The steambarge Murley, of Toledo, struck a bar abreast of here last night about 12 o'clock, during a heavy snow storm. The wind was southwest and considerable sea running. The tug A. W. Wright, of this port, pulled at her an hour and a half, but failed to move her. At 9 o'clock this morning the wind shifted around to the northwest and soon increased to gale, making a terrific sea, shifting her across the channel hard on the inner bar, and broadside to the sea, which washes over her. She is about 300 yards from the beach; her yawl is lost, and no assistance can be rendered from the shore. Men are watching her from the beach. Nothing definitely is known as to loss of life. At dark the barge seemed to be in fair condition, but it is doubtful if she stands the gale.

90 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace Enterprise

November 20, 1919

The heavy fall of snow Tuesday made it certain that all records would be broken in the number of deer killed in a single season in upper peninsula. The snow makes tracking easy, and many deer will fall victim s of the hunters by reason of this fact. Several hundred carcasses of deer have already crossed the straits and more are coming by every express train.

The hunters continue to come in ever increasing numbers. Every train is loaded with red caps, and the rush will likely continue till near the close of the season.

A special train service from the north will go into effect today, which will relieve the congestion of the regular scheduled trains.

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The steamer John Owen went down in Lake Superior with her entire crew of 22 in the vicinity of Caribou Islands, Lake Superior, in last Thursday's storm. The cabin and other parts of the wrecked steamer have been picked up, but notwithstanding reports, no bodies have been discovered.

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Friends of Capt. Joseph LaFountain, the veteran lightkeeper of St. Helene station, will regret to learn of his serious illness at his home in Gros Cap. Capt. La- Fountain was retired from the service about a year ago, since which time he has spent his life quietly at his home.

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John Brown and son, G. W Bashore and Ray Shkitney are all united in saying they have done their last hunting on Bois Blanc Island. The party left here on the 9th in Mr. Brown's gas boat and made the trip in fine shape, anchoring their boat in the bay. They expected to return Wednesday, but owing to the high winds could not get away. Thursday night the heavy sea pounded the anchored boat to pieces and was a complete wreck, a couple of barrels of gasoline and some kerosene going down with the craft. The party finally got word to the coast guard at Mackinac Island, who took them off and brought them to St. Ignace Saturday night. Mr. Bashore got a deer, the only one killed by the party. Mr. Brown expects to salvage the engine from the wrecked boat.

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The Detroit Journal has a question column. A man who can answer, or dig up an answer for every kind of question, runs it. And he is an able gink, at that. Not long ago he gave a short sentence containing every letter in the alphabet, whereupon a correspondent came back with one better, as follows: "You stated in a recent answer in this column that the shortest sentence known to you which contained all the letters of the alphabet is "The red fox jumps quickly over the lazy brown dog." The following sentence, containing all the letters, is shorter: "Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs."

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Because of the increase in the radicalism in the United States, it is proposed in a bill reported last Thursday by the house committee to make it very hard for aliens to become citizens of the United States.

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Frank J. Luepnitz of Moran, Mackinac county agent for the Dodge motor cars, informed The Enterprise this week that by June 15 of next year he would have a complete service station for Dodge cars established at Moran.

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St. Ignace young ladies have organized a basket ball club and have secured the use of Cloverland Hall in which to practice and hold their match games.

At a meeting held Monday evening the following officers are elected:

Coach J. B MacAuley.

President Miss Mary Gallagher.

Sec. Treas. - Miss Florence Mc- Lean.

Members and candidates for the team - Misses Ruth Bellows, Eloise Johnson, Mary Gallagher, Edith Keightley, Gertrude McGrath, Bertha Benson, Kathleen Murray, Ethel Lennon, Nellie Gallagher, Anna Madden, Florence McLean, Minnie Welden, Elizabeth Cullnan, Joan Hotchkiss, Lillian Benson.

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From Wolverines, Detroit News: No wonder so few men feel they can afford to go deer hunting with the north country farmers always on the alert and the price of killed and wounded cows so high and all.

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From Gros Cap: John LaVake, who died last week Thursday, was buried Saturday in the local cemetery. The funeral services were held in the new church at 9 a.m. Saturday morning, with requiem high mass celebrated by Rev. Chas Fox, and the mass was sung by three Sisters from the Ursuline convent at St. Ignace. This was the first funeral service from the new church. Mr. LaVake was deserving of this honor given him. He was esteemed very highly from all members of the congregation. May his soul rest in peace.

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From Mackinac Island: Private Morton Bourisaw arrived home Sunday after one year's service in Siberia. He left there September 22 and arrived in San Francisco November 1, and received his discharge at Fort Dodge, Iowa.

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From Mackinac Island: Mrs. W. A. Amberg, who owned one of the most beautiful cottages on the West Bluff, and was among the oldest and best known of our summer colony, died last week at her Chicago home. Of her death the Chicago Herald said:

Mrs. William A. Amberg, said to have been the oldest native born resident of Chicago, died yesterday morning in her home at 1301 North State street. She was the widow of the inventor of the letter file system and was born at Sanghmon and Randolph streets. She was 72 years old.

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From Brevort: About the same time that Father Marquette was making a landing down at Mackinac another party was cruising up the shore of Lake Michigan looking for the Holy Grail. Coming into a pleasant bay and harbor the sails were lowered and "all hands on deck" for the landing, the skipper, a Frenchman from the Le Grand Lechance Canal, waived his hand toward land and remarked: "Epoufette! At last!"

And the same dog is there yet, barking nightly.

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From Allenville: Hirman Kelly shot a large bear through the heart twice last week. Although Hirman lost the bear, he still knows that he shot him through the heart twice.

••• From Epoufette: Some of our residents are telling of seeing mud turtles. Sure sign of an open winter.

50 YEARS AGO

The Republican-News

and St. Ignace Enterprise

November 19, 1959

Friday's snowstorm which brought six inches of snow on an easterly wind, cleared by Sunday which dawned bright and cold, making ideal hunting conditions for opening day of the 1959 deer season.

First kill reported was by David Movalson, who bagged a 175 pound buck in the territory north of Brevort. It was shot shortly afternoon on Sunday.

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Moran farmers have issued a call for volunteers to help Joseph Luepnitz harvest his potatoes.

Joe is the producer of the wellknown Farmer Joe's brand potatoes.

Heavy fall rains followed by the freeze and snow came before the veteran farmer could dig up all his potatoes. Neighboring farmers feel that if help is furnished the crop can be saved if a spell of mild weather comes.

Volunteers may contact Adam Soblaskey at Allenville.

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Two school districts in Mackinac county, Les Cheneaux and Garfield township, will be affected by new legislation enacted by the state legislature, according to Norman R. Wixson, county school superintendent.

The bill requires that all fourth class school districts operating a full 12 grade program will be required to have a seven members board of education. At present, the two Mackinac county districts have five-member boards.

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Despite unseasonable weather, Michigan bow and arrow deer hunters may have registered a record high this year.

On Bois Blanc island, 176 archers took 46 deer.

From Drummond Island, 66 deer fell to 483 archers.

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Cedarville's loss is Hessel's gain. Hessel has gained a historic building, the former Log Cabin service station that was built by Arthur Johnson of Cedarville in 1929. Mr. Johnson ran this station for 26 years. It was one of the first complete stations in Les Cheneaux. Now the business is operated by Lee Johnson, but still owned by Arthur Johnson.

The log building was moved to Hessel the week of Nov. 9 and will be a resort cabin at the Loreli Lodges.

The Log Cabin service was inaugurated under the standard sign and will now become the Standard Service station, one of the most modern in Cedarville.

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The Mackinac Island State Park commission snow plow crews were pressed into service Saturday. The plow made several trips throughout the Island, opening the roads. We had about a sixinch fall of snow. This, I imagine, is the first time the plow has been pressed into service so early.

30 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace News

November 22, 1979

Dock 2 in downtown St. Ignace, which has been leased from the Michigan Waterways Commission by the Arnold Transit Company as a passenger loading area during peak periods of the summer tourist season, will not be bit out for commercial use for 1980.

According to Keith Wilson, Chief of the Waterways Division of the Department of Natural Resources, who spoke to the St. Ignace City Council at its Monday, November 19, meeting, the Commission decided not to offer the single boat slip on Dock 2 for bids this year.

Engineers that inspected the dock last year, Wilson told the council, found an area that was blocked off and a portion of the parking area next to the marina in "deplorable" condition.

Wilson said the timber dock is too expensive to maintain, and that the Commission's viewpoint is not to spend money on the maintenance, but to save a portion of the structure and spend money on improving the adjacent marina for recreational boating.

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The Biscayne Bay, new icebreaker enroute to its home port in St. Ignace from Norfolk, Virginia, paused this week at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, because of the weather.

A report from the 140-foot icebreaking tug indicated that the crew had been fighting bad weather enroute from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Charlottetown, a scheduled stop and that they were tired. The commander indicated the boat intended to lay over until the "weather" abated.

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From Mackinac Island: The first edition of The Island Update, a tabloid-size, one sheet newspaper being published by the Mackinac Island Public School Journalism Class, was issued last weekend, dated the week of November 18 to 24.

Adviser Paul J. Michalke is assisting the class. The class consists of Kathy Andress, Linda Chambers, Howard Cadotte, J. K. Gallagher, JoAnna Kompsi and Anna Rogers. Articles were included from John W. Kremkow, superintendent; the Reverend Father Guy Thoren of St. Ann's Catholic Church and a member of the Island's school board, who wrote of the basketball teams; James J. Bogan, Sr., who wrote of the Preservation Society and the visit of the super tug American Viking; Florence McIntyer, who gave St. Ann's Church news, and Marc Bobinsky, teacher who wrote news of the school's 11-member chess club.

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From Mackinaw City: Because of another train derailment, the Village Council asked that the police obtain a report as to the cause and see that the railroad receives a copy of this and any subsequent reports of derailments and the poor conditions of the railroad tracks.

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From Gould City Curtis: Polly Dean Mackinac County Animal Control Officer, is asking people who have unwanted dogs to refrain from abandoning them at the dumps, instead, call her so that she may help find a home for them.

30 YEARS AGO

The Weekly Wave

November 22, 1979

Clark Township is apparently removing its dump from consideration for disposal of contaminated dredge material that the Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to remove from Les Cheneaux channels next summer. In a motion passed by the township board last Tuesday, November 13, the board directed Township Supervisor John Griffin to ask the Waterways Division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to reconsider a nine-acre site northeast of the township hall as a possible upland containment site for the channel dredge material.

The township's reconsideration of the disposal site came when the Corps of Engineers discovered that the site had to be owned by the Michigan Waterways Division, instead of the township.

What effects Clark Township's new proposal will have on the Corps' dredging project are uncertain. The nine-acre site proposed by Clark Township is one that was previously considered but rejected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency an the Michigan department of Natural Resources because it was considered to be a wetland and contributed to the pike breeding habitat in Cedarville Bay. Withdrawal of the dump site for dredge disposal comes within weeks of the Corps' completion of specifications for bidding on the project.

The Corps originally dredged the channels in 1970 to a depth of seven feet and widened them to 100 ft. Since then, the Corps estimates that 70,000 cubic yards of sediment has settled into the 40,000 ft. of channel bottom, which is to be removed beginning in 1980.

The Corps of Engineers, in their Environmental Impact Statement, predict the primary channels in the islands, if not maintained, will eventually fill in with sediment to the point where the islands will not be suitable for refuge by larger boats. That theory has been contested by some residents of the Les Cheneaux Islands, who maintain that the channels will not fill in if they are not dredged in the first place. Some also argue that dredging will harm area fish habitat.

Nevertheless, the Corps has determined there is local support for the dredging and maintenance project and, accordingly has gone ahead with plans for it.