Yesteryear
100 Years Ago
(Jan. 18, 1924)
Geiwitz elected vice president of state implement dealers
John G. Geiwitz, who is the "son" in Geiwitz & Son, a local hardware and implement firm, was honored at the annual Minnesota Convention of Implement Dealers in Minneapolis last week. Geiwitz was elected vice president of that organization.
Sheriff Christenson arrests Tracy barber for bootlegging
Lyon County Sheriff Andrew Christenson made a pretty clever arrest last Saturday morning. John Bafinski, a Tracy barber, was suspected of bootlegging and even once informed the sheriff that he would never catch him. Christenson was tipped off that Bafinski had boarded a train with two suitcases, so the sheriff decided to travel to Tracy and wait for him to come back on the 4 a.m. train the next morning. When the morning train arrived, a policeman was placed on each side of the track and Christenson waited on the platform. When Bafinski got off carrying the suitcases, Christenson tapped him on the shoulder and asked how much he had in them. Without hesitating, Bafinski said "Six gallons." The sheriff took the barber to Marshall and the district judge imposed a fine of $150 and 90 days in the county jail.
75 Years Ago
(Jan. 21, 1949)
Minneota man killed in gasoline explosion at home
William Grosser, 66, died on Monday afternoon, nine hours after a gasoline explosion damaged his home, set his clothes on fire and seared the entire surface of his skin. Grosser lived alone in a home northeast of Minneota. He awoke around 5:30 a.m. Monday morning and lit a wood stove, dressed and prepared to pour additional fuel oil on the fire in the stove. He reached for a can of kerosene, but evidently took one containing gasoline, for in the explosion the can was damaged and windows were blown from the house. Prosper Ligneel, a next-door neighbor, ran to aid Grosser when he heard the explosion and screams. Ligneel found Grosser lying still in the snow, screaming and enveloped in flames. Ligneel tried to extinguish the flames with his own hands and received severe burns on two fingers of his right hand. Mrs. Ligneel wrapped Grosser in a woolen quilt and finally succeeded in extinguishing the flames. Members of the Minneota Fire Department arrived after 6 a.m. and helped Grosser into the Ligneel home. Grosser was then taken to the hospital in Marshall and passed away around 3 p.m.
Marshall firms gets contract to install lights at athletic field
At a special session, Minneota Village Council members awarded the contract for installing lights for the athletic field to Moore Electric Company of Marshall. The bid for installing lights with underground wiring was $11,536.36. The Council also entered into an agreement with the baseball club for reimbursing the village for the cost of installing the lights. The ball club will pay the village 10 cents for each admission ticket sold, with a minimum guarantee of $40 for each game during the 1949 season. The ball club also guarantees to pay the village one-half the cost of lighting the field for each night game.
Sergeant Carlson visits sister while on leave from service
Sergeant John Carlson of Missoula, Montana, spent the past week at the Minneota home of his sister, Mrs. Magnus Thorsteinson. John has been in the service for two years. There are about 300 soldiers at the fort he is stationed at and is paid $60 per month. If he is promoted to First Sergeant, Carlson would see his pay increase to $84 per month.
50 Years Ago
(Jan. 17, 1974)
Fire causes $20,000 damage to Dero Chevrolet building
A fire on Monday evening damaged the building, equipment and parts belonging to Dero Chevrolet Company here. The estimated cost of destruction was placed at $20,000. Members of the Minneota Fire Department answered the call to the fire, which was thought to have started in a gas heater on one side the firm's parts department. It is believed that the cost of the building damage was as much as $5,000 and that parts and equipment damage could be placed at $15,000. Patrick Dero, a member of the Dero firm, had been working at the garage during the evening and was just leaving for home when he discovered the fire and placed a call to the fire department at 9:55 p.m. Fire fighters remained on the scene until 12:30 a.m.
119 pints collected at latest blood drive here
A total of 119 pints of blood were collected here last Wednesday. Mrs. Bernard Tillemans, chairman of the Red Cross blood program, informed the Mascot that there were nine first-time donors. Pins were given to the following donors: 4-gallon, Francis Rabaey, Taunton; 2-gallon, George DeSutter, Ghent; 1-gallon, Rev. Richard L. Erickson, Mrs. Edward Van Dorpe, Mrs. Germain Hoffman, and Wayne Wyffels, all of Minneota; and Mrs. Joseph Illies, Ghent.
Langsweirdt's Store in Taunton robbed early Monday morning
Burglars entered Langsweirdt's Store in Taunton between the hours of 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. Monday and made off with about $300 worth of meat, several shotgun shells, $25 in cash, and about $90 worth of food stamps. According to Gerald Langsweirdt, proprietor, entry was gained via the store's rear entrance. The Lyon County Sheriff's Office was contacted and is investigating the theft.
25 Years Ago
(Jan. 20, 1999)
Candidates for school's Sno-Ball Week announced
The annual Sno-Ball Week is now being planned by students at Minneota Public School. The candidates were announced this past week as follows: Seniors - Dana Pohlen, Angela Teigland, Steve Sussner, James Miller. Juniors - Sherry DeSmet, Anna Hagen, Chris Oakland, Cody Gossen. Sophomores - Nicole Teigland, Melissa Gorecki, Luke Gorecki, Nate VanKeulen. Freshmen - Jesse Bottelberghe, Abby Ahmann, Joey Thostenson, Chad Stripling. The crown bearers are Michael Hammer and Kim Huston. Coronation will take place on Jan. 25 in the high school gym.
Minneota-Lyon County Crop Show well attended last week
The Minneota-Lyon County Crop Show, which was held last Thursday, Jan. 13, was well attended, according to Lyon County Extension educator Bob Byrnes. The Crop Show is sponsored by the Lyon County Crop Improvement Association, Lyon County Extension Service and the Minneota Area chamber of Commerce. Farmers were informed on subjects varying from crop yields in 1998, BTU seed corn, soybean production concerns, and grain storage management. The Chamber of Commerce provided a noon lunch. Speakers were from various branches of the Extension Service.
Community Ed sponsoring Valentine's Day Dinner & Concert
The Minneota Community Education is sponsoring a special Valentine's Day Dinner and Concert beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Minneota Public School gym. DeVos Catering will be making the meal, while music will be furnished by the Minneota Jazz Band and the Disciples of Dixie. Tickets may be purchased at the school office, Finnegan's or Community First National Bank.