125 YEARS AGO

St. Ignace News

January 2, 1885

The band ball at Brown's Hall New Years Eve was a failure, only three or four tickets being sold. We can only say this is not as it should be. We hope the band will be better treated in future.

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The express on the D. M. & M., due at this city Wednesday evening at 9 o'clock, did not arrive until 9 o'clock the next morning. The delay was occasioned by a snow drift above Seney.

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James Russell took possession of the Everett House Dec. 31 and will conduct it in the future. W. Penn Bigony whom everybody knows, and who has made a great many friends during his stay in St. Ignace, will act s manager.

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Louis Trempe, of Sault Ste. Marie, passed through the city Tuesday on his way to New Orleans. He will be accompanied by nearly 30 other Sooites from Detroit, where they will take a special coach direct to the exposition grounds.

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The first carnival of the season, given at the skating rink last evening was a grand success, the attendance far exceeding the expectations of the managers. The band was present and enlivened the occasion with good music. All seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. The following is the list of prizes awarded: Best gent skater Ray Boynton; coiled serpent scarf pin. Best lady skater Miss Grace Biddle; pair of bracelets. Most comical costume lady Mrs. Chisholm; vase. Finest costume lady Miss Edith Sherwood; watch holder. Finest costume gent A. Paquien; napkin ring. Best boy skater George Gennell; season ticket. Mr. Campbell requests us to return thanks to the public for their liberal patronage, and also to Mayor Foley, C. H. Wilber and F. Walker, who acted as judges.

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The steamer Furnessia, Glasgow to York, brings a quantity of Loch Leven trout over to be hatched in Michigan waters.

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The Secretary of the Interior has written to an inquiring Kansas man saying "that there is no land within the Indian Territory subject to settlement, and settlers who go into the territory will simply lose their time and money."

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C. W. Howard has leased the Union House and will endeavor to make it a popular place for travelers, which he is thoroughly capable of doing.

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Married at Stalwart, on Christmas day, by Rev. A. A. Wood, at the residence of the brides father, John Crawford Esq., John Geo. Mattern of Canada, to Miss Mary Jane Crawford, of Stalwart.

85 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace Enterprise

January 1, 1925

While the general public is probably not aware of it, every little blast from the whistle of a locomotive has a meaning that all railroad men understand. The mysteries of the engine's language has been revealed in the following announcement by the railroads:

Four blasts, two of medium length and two short, are a warning that a locomotive is approaching a grade crossing.

A succession of sort blasts tells trespassers to get off the track.

One long blast followed by three short ones sends a rear flagman back to protect against a following train.

Four or five blasts of medium duration recall the flagman.

Four short whistles is the engineer's way of asking for train order signal.

Two short whistles mean "Thank you" or "I get you."

One whistle of medium duration followed by two short blasts calls attention to signals displayed for a following section.

One long blast is given when train is approaching a station, draw bridge or junction.

Two short blasts given three times are a signal to the trainmen that the air brakes are sticking.

•••

From Moran: Last Saturday when Earl Christensen was helping Billy Massey put up ice on Brevort lake the heavy wind blew him into the hole from where the ice had been taken. After Lawrence had split his sides laughing at Earl, he pulled him out.

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From Moran: Bob Gille has 35 men cutting cedar and spruce four miles northeast of Greens. He expects to get out 130,000 posts, 300 cords of spruce besides his logs and other wood.

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From Mackinac Island: The steamer Elva continues to make her regular trips to the Island every day, coming around on the north side, as the south passage is blocked with ice. If the present cold weather continues it wont be but a short time until we have crossing on the ice.

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From Brevort: Carl Helberg inspected the snowmobile on Friday and says it works fine. We hope the roads will be kept open so he can use the snowmobile all winter.

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From Brevort: The lake is frozen over as far as the eye can see. Teddy Gustafson and Aleric Blom moved out with shanty, bag and baggage and expect to make a fortune spearing the wily trout.

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From Trout Lake: Francis Furlong went to the Soo Wednesday to spend Christmas with his wife and baby.

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From Ozark: Wednesday morning the parents of Mrs. Edison Howlett (Helga Hill) received a telegram to the effect that she died early that morning in Providence hospital. The family left for St. Ignace, where the funeral was to be held at the Kangas home. Owing to the difficulty the car ferry had in making her regular trips, the body did not reach St. Ignace until Sunday and the funeral was held Monday.

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From Allenville: Wm. Massey is putting up his ice at Brevort Lake. It is the best ice we have seen for years 20 inches thick, and cut before Christmas.

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From Allenville: The Increase Club organized at Moran is not doing a darn thing. Just what we expected.

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Editor of St. Ignace Enterprise, St. Ignace, Mich. Dear Sir: - The following was clipped from the Republican News and handed to me: "Young Hoodlums Upset School. The board of education held a special meeting at the Brevort lake school on Monday to investigate the conditions there. After the meeting Secretary Gille said: 'We found things in a deplorable condition. We found the filthiest writing in school books and on paper. The teacher reported swearing and being called vile names by pupils.' Some children there have been in the habit of running out any teacher that attempted to teach here for years back. Careful investigation shows the fault on the art of the teacher."

I want to answer this slander in as few words as possible. I served on the school board for fifteen years and am in a position to know that the statement that children have been in the habit of running out any teacher that attempted to teach there for years back is a contemptible lie, and I challenge the slander of the above to produce a single teacher to verify that statement. The whole trouble as I see it lies in the fact that the new management on the school board, who has had no previous experience whatsoever on school management, hired an inexperienced child as a teacher. This child does not know the first principle of teaching or managing a school What is said about filthy writings only happens under incompetent teachers. I taught four years and never had a trace of it. Successful teachers will bear me out on this. I am sure Mr. Quinlan will hear me out when I say that he has had more trouble and excitement over this teacher than all the other teachers who taught in Brevort township since he has been commissioner. I think it is a low-lifted per- formance to slander the children in a public paper when the fault lies elsewhere. I wish you would publish this so the slander about the Brevort lake children may be corrected. They are just as good as the average children.

Yours truly, Wm. Luepnitz, Jr.

50 YEARS AGO

The Republican-News

and St. Ignace Enterprise

December 31, 1959

Five candidates have filed nominating petitions for the two aldermanic seats open at Mackinac Island, thus providing for a non-partisan primary election to be held o Feb. 15, 1960, according to Mrs. Lenore Goodheart, city clerk.

There are two candidates for mayor, John R. Gough, incumbent, and Robert Hughey, alderman whose term expires.

Clerk Lenore Goodheart, Treasurer John M. Welcher, Supr. Ozro J. Smith and Assessor High Rudolph are unopposed.

Robert Gillespie is unopposed for justice, 2 years, as is Calvin K. Land for constable.

John Bloswick, incumbent, is seeking renomination as alderman. Other aldermanic candidates are Eugene E. O'Brien, Jack Brown, William P. Stubbs and Armand M. Horn.

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Supervisors in Mackinac county are as follows:

Bois Blanc Glenn Gibbons. Brevort Louis C. Litzner. Clark Albert Lindberg. Garfield Fred Boucha. Hendricks Charles Prout. Hudson James F. Miller. Marquette Russell Cottle. Moran Orr Greenlees. Newton William H. Watts. Portage Anne E. Crisler.

St. Ignace Clark Alkire.

City of St. Ignace Charles Therrien, Robert LeCount, Harold L. Dettman and Mark Milford.

City of Mackinac Island Hugh Rudolph, assessor; Ozro J. Smith, supervisor.

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St. Ignace will hold no primary election next month as there are no contests for party nomination on either the Republican or Democratic ticket, according to nominating petitions filed with City Clerk Virginia M. Olmstead.

In addition, two ward seats literally "go begging" as no petitions were filed for the offices of aldermen in the Third and Fourth wards.

With both Aldermen Jack Winters and Howard Schlehuber declining to seek re-election, no other candidates have come forward for the seats.

So far, only one contest appears likely in the spring election, that for the office of mayor.

Mayor Raymond J. France filed for the Republican nomination and will be opposed by Glenn W. Law, who will be the Democratic nominee and is presently alderman from the Fourth ward. The contest will be in the annual April election.

Mrs. Helen Clark filed for the Republican nomination for treasurer and Mrs. Virginia M. Olmstead for the Democratic nomination for clerk. Neither incumbent is opposed.

Supr. Robert LeCount filed for the Republican nomination in the Second ward and Alderman Roy A. Carlson for Republican re-nomination in the First ward.

Supr. Charles Therrien seeks renomination for the Democratic ticket in the First, Supr. Harold Dettman in the Third and Supr. Mark Milford in the Fourth. None is opposed.

Alderman John R Fenlon is unopposed in the Democratic party for renomination as alderman of the Second ward.

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Unless motor vehicle drivers are careless in the next few hours, the St. Ignace post of the Michigan State Police will have filed four less fatal crashes than occurred during 1958.

State police files show that there were 12 victims of auto crashes this year as against 16 during 1958.

The highway accidents in the area served by the local post covers the entire eastern upper peninsula, seem to cluster on US-2 just west of the City of St. Ignace and on US-2 just south of Sault Ste. Marie.

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Gov. Williams said Monday he plans to buy a house on Mackinac Island according to James Robinson, Detroit Free Press Lansing bureau writer.

The three-story, 14-room Victorian mansion is known as the "Commander McDonald house" after its last occupancy, the late Eugene F. McDonald, Jr., president of Zenith, Corp.

The purchase is subject to approval by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission because the land the house occupies is leased from the Sate. An application has been filed for such approval.

The Governor said he and Mrs. Williams would buy the building, completely furnished, from Eugene M. Kinney, vice president of Zenith, and nephew and heir of McDonald.

The price was not revealed.

Williams said he does not plan to occupy the house as long as he is Governor.

Williams said:

"For several years Nancy has wanted very much to get a permanent summer home on Mackinac Island. She loves the island, I guess, better than any place else on the earth.

"For a while we considered purchasing land and building a home. But after the death of Commander McDonald we learned that this famous old Victorian mansion was available, and we are arranging to buy it from his estate."

The house is on the west bluff, facing sough toward the Straits of Mackinac. It is a short distance from the Grand Hotel.

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From Evergreen Shores: A new fad has been started around the Shores these days. John Gold has his Ice Skeeters spinning around on the ice for a good deal of fun. Anyone who would like to see them is welcome to come around, he'll demonstrate.

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The Thomas F. Grand post of the American Legion will sponsor a New Year's Eve open house at the American Legion Hut on Thursday. There will be dancing, favors and refreshments Vice-Commander Pat Mackin is in charge of arrangements. The Hut will also be open on New Year's Day for those who wish to watch the Rose Parade and the three bowl games on TV.

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Television antennas in St. Ignace were damaged by the high winds of Sunday night and Monday. Marvin Winkelman's tower was blown over at 8 a.m. Monday. Pete Ney's tower went down during the morning as did the Charles Sadowskis'.

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O. C. Boynton, Jr., who has been hospitalized since last November and recently underwent major surgery at Mayo's, Rochester, Minn., for correction of a lung ailment, was here yesterday en route to the state sanatorium at Gaylord where he will be for 30 days of treatment.

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Michigan can chalk up another good vacation travel year on its business calendar according to the state tourist council.

The council's year-end report says Michigan's 1959 tourist business held up well despite a slow start in summer travel, wet and windy fall weather and the economic effects of a prolonged steel strike.

"Not to mention the stiff competition from other tourist states and vacation areas," added Robert J. Furlong, council executive secretary.

But while statewide tourist traffic increased some 5% for the year, travelers kept a tighter rein o their pocketbooks. The tourist council estimates some 10 million persons spent vacation time in Michigan during 1959k about half of them Michigan residents. Total dollar volume for tourism, however, remained close to the 1958 level of $650 million.

But, while some areas showed above average gains, others fell below 1958 The upper peninsula community of Manistique reported a 19% drop in business, yet still stayed ahead of 12957. The Arcadian Copper Mine Tours near Houghton- Hancock showed a 12% decline in tourist sightseers. Mackinac Bridge crossings were down some 10% for the year.

"Spending for extras and side attractions appeared to suffer most, said Furlong. Some of the setbacks he attributed to a lack of adequate local and area promotion or outdated accommodations. Generally, the council spokesman said, resorts and areas whose 1959 business declined did not participate in organized vacation travel promotion by local and regional groups.

The tourist council singled out a 9% drop in fishing license sales and the phenomenal boom in boating, skiing and camping as reflecting a major shift in recreational travel interest and habits during the last four to five years.

National travel experts predict Americans will spend at least $15 billion o vacation travel in this country during 1960, the council report states.

"Michigan will have to fight, ad fight hard, to stay in the running for its share of this booming market," said Ed L. Moloney, Cheboygan banker and chairman of the tourist council. Moloney warned that Michigan will have to increase its advertising efforts if it is to compete with "the promotional barrage" of other vacation states. He pointed out that neighboring Ontario spends more than $1,700,000 for travel promotion, wile Florida's tourist budget includes $760,000 for direct advertising alone.

"By contrast," Moloney said, "the tourist council's total operating budget for 1959 was $422,000."

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From Gros Cap: Les Bradford of Bradford's service station at Moran says that the road out in front of his place looks like Woodward Ave., - if it was closed at both ends.

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Both traffic and revenues at the Mackinac Straits Bridge showed a reduction this year form 1958, the Bridge Authority reported Saturday.

Estimated figures indicated gross revenues for 1959 would amount to $4,761,700 and 1,244,627 vehicles would cross the bridge. This compares with $5,132,958 in revenues and 1,390,390 vehicles in 1958, reductions of 7.2 and 10.5 per cent, respectively.

"The traffic attracted to the bridge by it newness and the dedication publicity made 1958 a banner year," said Prentiss M. Brown, Bridge Authority chairman. "Experts tell us that 1959 was a more normal year, and that we can anticipate steady growth in both traffic and revenues from here on."

Brown said the Bridge remains solvent despite the drop.

"In addition to meeting interest requirements," he reported, "funds are being set aside in reserve for eventual redemption of bonds."

Brown said the sailing of Queen Elizabeth's yacht Britannia under the bridge was the highlight of 1959.

30 YEARS AGO

The St. Ignace News

January 3, 1980

The St. Ignace Radio Station WIDG went off the air last weekend, and its owner, Dr. Donald Benson, dentist of Lansing, indicates he has no immediate plans to resume service.

Reached at his Howell office, where he practices part of each week, the dentist answered a query about the radio station with "The economics of the area are just not enough to support it."

He indicated he would "no doubt try to sell" the station.

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The Iranian crisis is credited with having set back plans that gave speculative promise for establishing in St. Ignace on its Moran Bay water front a $120 million to a $200 million or more oil refinery employing from 50 to 60 persons and having an estimated daily production of 10,000 barrels of refined oil products in various categories.

Plans for the sale of property and for building the refinery have been under serious discussion locally since June or July. Sums were paid down during the discussions for two separate options covering prospective purchase of the 21-acre property including eight oil storage tanks on Moran Bay with a total capacity of 515 barrels. Both options were forfeited on their expiration December 1.

The tanks and adjacent property, that includes about 1,895 feet of lake frontage, is in the estate of the late Pat Murphy, now in charge of his son, Clifford Murphy, a Grand Rapids attorney. The property has been listed for sale by Sam Brill, United Farm Agency, Inc., whose offices are in Petoskey and in Indian River.

Originally built as Air Force jet fuel storage, the tanks are now converted to petroleum storage. The property . . . is priced as $1,50,000. . . . The deal, The St. Ignace News was informed, is currently inactive because of the President's embargo on Iranian oil and because the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway has been closed for winter navigation. . . .

Anther deal is now being appraised by the owners and is in prospect of being considered bat a meeting of interested parties, not disclosed to the St. Ignace News, about January 8

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From Moran-Brevort (Sim Christensen): To write a weekly column you have to concentrate on what happens around you, like the other morning Swede Swanson and yours truly dropped into the State Bar to have a cup of coffee; pretty Jen Estes the barmaid served us with a large smile. R the time I bought a new Mustang the first year they came out [and] I parked in front of John Thibault's apartment building; when I came out John had it tried to a hitching post. And the time Sammy Martineau was cooking on the state ferries and some culprit tore all the labels off the can goods. Not forgetting the time Red Soeltner fell into an open trench at the U. S. Forestry compound fleeing from an irate friend who did not want to be bothered at the time; he was wearing a new suit of clothes at the time; his everloving wife Louise found the suit tucked under the mattress all wet and muddy a week later.

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Transportation to Mackinac Island from St. Ignace took to the air last weekend. The Arnold Line boat schedule closed for the season December 28.

The new $6 one-way fare, set by the Mackinac City Council which was delegated by the Mackinac County Board of Commissioners to set the fare, is a compromise accepted by the airplane operations from their formal request for a one-way fare increase from $5 to $7.50

Jack Beatty, who pilots the airplane servicing Mackinac Island airport form the Mackinac County Airport at St. Ignace, said that although he and his partner, John Guisinger, Harbor Springs, accepted the compromise, they might have to ask again for another increase as gasoline prices rise. The gasoline price rose last week at the St. Ignace airport three cents from $1.42 a gallon. Guisinger said he gauged the gas cost for one round trip to the Island at $4.75.

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Two of the men who last began their careers on the Mackinac Straits ferries and who continued with the State of Michigan's highway department will retire Saturday, January 5, at St. Ignace.

Aaron (Micky) Sweeney who was captain on the Vacationland, pride of the ferry fleet, when it was laid up November 10, 1957, retires after 41 years with the state's Department of Transportation. He has been Mackinac County area maintenance superintendent since 1960.

Wallace (Wally) Belonga, who began with the ferries as a dockman in 1940 and was stores clerk with the fleet 16 years, has been account clerk of the maintenance division of the Department of Transportation since 1957 He retires after 39 years with the transportation unit.

Only a few remain from those days, when 400 men worked on the five ferries plying the straits. "The town of St. Ignace was a lot bigger in those days when the boats were running," recalled Sweeney. "Besides the boat crews, there were workers in the warehouses and on the docks."

The office where he and Belonga have worked together has not been far from the old Vacationland dock. Just out their many windows they can see the dock, now used by the new icebreaker Biscayne Bay. To the right is the city garage and farther over is the forestry and bridge garage. Lined up at the end of the property are the snowplows that Sweeney won't have to worry about this year.