Douglas County Past: Man found on ice could lose limbs; judge to hear suit over dog ownership

Feb. 24—Feb. 24, 1908

Bridge Co. loses suit

By a decision in the supreme court of the United States today the Western Transit company, owner of the steamer Troy, is freed from blame for the accident which wrecked the Superior-Duluth bridge in August, 1906. The case went through all the United States courts to be finally decided against the local corporation.

The interstate bridge was hit by the Troy one night in August, 1906. It was claimed by the bridge people that the boat officials were to blame and by the boat people that it was the fault of the bridge tenders. The local company libeled the Troy for the damage to the bridge which was stated to be in the neighborhood of $156,000. In the lower court the bridge lost and finally loses in the final decision.

Grading Soo Line

Work on the Soo Line to be built to Superior has again commenced. The grading work was started this morning in the stretch between Dewey and Saunders, a distance of about 10 miles. A force of men in the employ of Contractor Fred Baxter was just put to work on the job there.

Feb. 25, 1908

Home is burned at Hawthorne

HAWTHORNE, Wis. — A dwelling house in the northwest part of the town, occupied by Mrs. John Lindburg, was totally destroyed by fire at noon yesterday. A stove pipe was the cause.

Mrs. Lindburg was absent from the house at the time and the fire was discovered by here little daughter.

New theater is open to the public

The new Savoy theater at 1115 Tower gave its first performance yesterday afternoon and the show was greeted by a crowded house all afternoon and last night.

The parquet is built on most approved plans with a sloping floor so that even those seated in the rear have an unobstructed view of the stage. The latter is raised and the motion pictures are thrown on a framed screen giving the impression of a framed picture. The music is supplied by an electric piano and a costly phonograph.

The operating room is the best equipped anywhere and is lined with asbestos and sheet metal to minimize the danger from fire. The picture machine is of the latest make and throws a picture 12 by 16 feet, which is much larger than the usual animated picture.

Feb. 25, 1933

20 get prizes at curling rink

Twenty persons received prizes at the Superior Curling and Skating club Wednesday night as a result of the club's annual skating races. There were 10 races, five for girls and five for boys.

The races and prize winners follow: Race for children 9 years old and under, girls, Mar Don Levy, first prize; Betty Greenseth, second; boys, Phillip Schnell, first; Hector Brown, second; race for girls between 10 and 11, Shirley Fonger, first; Dorothy Krueger, second; boys, Dick Henshaw, first; Warren Minor, second.

Race for girls 12 and 13, Marlis Krueger, first; Emily Tonsberg, second; boys, Jack Keaough, first; Jack Barter, second. Girls 14 and 15, Margaret Fonger, first; Lorraine St. Onge, second; boys, Merlyn Borgren, first; Tubby Sharp, second. Race for persons 16 and over, ladies, Miss Dorothy Berg, first; Miss Bess Ehrhart, second; men, George DeCook, first; Al Edelstein, second.

Feb. 26, 1908

Starkey is delighted

"A railroad engine hauling a train carrying 150 men and I don't know how many thousand railroad ties has just gone by. South Range people are getting ready to move the town up to the top of the hill here and my cows have started giving more milk. They appreciate the way the Wisconsin Central is going to help out things and they are feeling better about the situation all ready."

Thus spoke former Mayor C.S. Starkweather over the telephone from South Range yesterday afternoon. It was his characteristic way of announcing that the Wisconsin Central had struck past his place with the steel which it is laying on the new line to Superior, which is expected to be completed to the city limits within a few days now.

Will name the schools

As a result of the conference recently held at the Normal school between Superintendent A.N. Young and the school officials of the various towns, all of the district school houses in the county will be named. The town of Amnicon board of education has already selected names for eight schools and the first school in the town of Highland will be the Frances E. Willard.

The schools in the town of Amnicon are named as follows: Rockmont, Poplar, Monticello, Berg, Park, Wentworth, Woodland, Midland and Pine Center. The signs for these schools will be ready in a few days and will be sent to the country immediately.

The naming of the schools is a great improvement over the old system when the houses were referred to by number or simply by location.

Feb. 27, 1908

All limbs are frozen

Found lying face downward on the ice of Tower bay slip, a man giving the name of Charles Lee was picked up by the police this morning and now lies at St. Mary's hospital in a critical condition. Both arms and both feet are frozen and it is possible he will be deprived of all his limbs by amputation that may be necessary.

Lee was found on the ice at 7 o'clock this morning by men working at the Strothman foundry. It seemed probably, said County Physician O'Brien, that the man might have been out in the cold all night or since midnight. A fracture of the skull over the eye indicates that he was either hit or that in his wanderings he fell on a rail over the dock into the slip and hurt his head in that way.

Negligent driver mulcted by court

Albert Hawkins, driver for a laundry, was mulcted $2 in the municipal court this morning for violation of the ordinance regarding the hitching of horses. It was claimed that Hawkins had left his rig without hitching the horse or putting a weight out and he pleaded guilty to the charge and paid up. The police make no exceptions in any case but pick up drivers from time to time for violation of the ordinance. They propose to keep the drivers on the alert on account of the many trees that are damaged by the animals left loose.

Who owns the dog?

A dog case is on the municipal court this afternoon. George Erickson, a saloon keeper at Eighth and Tower, claims that W.J. Carlson took his English fox hound valued at $10. Carlson claims that the dog belongs to him and there is a dispute on which may be settled in the court proceedings today.

City news

Want to be citizens — Six applications for citizenship papers were filed with the clerk of the circuit court today. The names of the applicants follow: Christian Johnson, Emil Olson, Jos. Boursa, John Ely, John Anderson Lidell and Wolciech Symczyk Smith.

Articles and pictures courtesy of retired librarian Judy Aunet with Superior Public Library.