Douglas County Past: 'Snookums' actor calls Superior home
Oct. 14—Oct. 13, 1933
Famous 'Snookums' of film is student here
Remember "Snookums" of the movies?
He's in our midst and is at present a student at Teachers college but due to his modesty few Superiorites have ever seen him.
He is very much a young man rather than the over-grown baby he portrayed in pictures. "Snookum's" real name is Earl Wallman, a 21-year-old student and a resident at 2109 East Eighth street. He is only three feet, nine inches high and weighs only 50 pounds but he knows the world behind the footlights to perfection.
Wallman appeared in several well-known productions such as "Sonny Boy" and "Say It With Songs." As "Snookums" he created a novel character and became known throughout the country as the cigar-smoking baby. He has even had the privilege of playing in some Lon Chaney pictures.
"Snookums" has lived in this city since he left the movies about three years ago. He attended East high school and while here achieved prominence as a local orator.
Gordon is threatened by fire
Students let out to carry river water.
Fanned by a high west wind, a fire which started in a rear upstairs room of the Fred Bost home Friday afternoon spread to three other small buildings and for a time threatened the entire town of Gordon.
The blaze broke out in the Bost home at 1:15 p.m. The Bost home was leveled to the ground by flames which spread to the Ray Smith home, the Frank Moore home and the Harry Cosgrove restaurant on the main street.
The combined Lawler store and post office and the town hall directly across the street were in great danger for a time, but volunteers were successful in putting out small fires that began on the roofs of the two buildings.
The Gordon high school was let out for the afternoon to join in the bucket brigade that carried water two blocks from the St. Croix river. Farmers from all over the vicinity rushed into town to help and a truck of men from the state prison camp took part.
Superior news in brief
Names Gitche staff — Howard Kunsman, editor-in-chief of the 1934 Gitche Gumme, announced the following persons as his staff members: George Peterson, managing editor; Della Farmer, associate editor; Katherine Metzger and Harris Johnson, make-up editors; Irene Nelson and Donald White, senior editors; Clarke Croft and Frances DeVinck, sports editors; Virginia Whitmore, feature editor; Marcella Wall, club editor and Viola Lehtinen, faculty editor.
Oct. 13, 1943
Up and down the street
Miss Bertha Adophson, clerk in the office of the county clerk, has about changed her mind about her luck in winning $100 on the World Series.
Learning of her good fortune, various wags-about-town began calling up. One said he was her pastor and took her to task for "gambling." Another talked glibly of the FBI and wanted her, "You must turn over 75 per cent to the government for taxes."
These and other calls have Bertha in such a state that she jumps every time the phone rings.
Oct. 14, 1933
County hires two wardens to aid state
Two deputy game wardens were sworn in Friday afternoon at a meeting of the Douglas county board conservation committee attended by representatives from the Douglas County Fish and Game league. The new wardens are L.B. Bartlett, Superior, and Ray Anderson, Lake Nebagamon.
Oct. 14, 1943
Looks like winter, Superiorites find
Superiorites got their first real touch of winter weather Thursday as temperatures dropped to the freezing point and occasional flurries of snow swirled down.
Shoppers tacked doggedly against a still northerly breeze, with women assuming the customary "Tower avenue stoop" — one hand clinging to their hats and the other hand holding their skirts about their knees.
Sentence two in taxi case
Pleading guilty to charges of assault and robbery unarmed, and kidnapping a woman taxi-cab driver from Superior, Francis Joseph Deloney, 30, Ashland was sentenced one to 25 years on each count in Superior court Thursday afternoon, the terms to run concurrently.
Iris Sharp, 24, unmarried, Superior, was sentenced to serve one to five years concurrently for the same counts at the Wisconsin Industrial Home for women at Taycheedah. District Attorney Thomas Foley recommended leniency in her case because, he said, he felt that she was dominated by her love for the man.
District Attorney Foley charged that the man and his accomplice kidnapped Mrs. Bernice Johnson after instructing her to taxi them to a tavern on highway No. 53 near Superior.
Deloney admitted in superior court that Mrs. Johnson had been slugged with a beer bottle and that he had driven her cab to a lonely spot on County Trunk E near Ino in Bayfield county. She was bound and gagged, he testified, and approximately $17 was stolen from her.
Up and down the street
Anyone looking for County Coroner Herb Smith will find him down on Lake Minnesuing, held at bay by a dog, the sheriff's office said Thursday.
Herb went down to the Lange cottage Thursday morning. No one had been near the place for about 10 days, and the last visitor left in such a hurry he forgot to wind the clock and put out the dog. The clock didn't mind, but the hungry, half-crazed dog did.
Hastening to a phone, Herb called Sheriff Elton Ekroth and asked for reinforcements to help get the dog out of the cottage. He received instructions to open the door and step back.
Oct. 15, 1943
Emmanual Luick, retired lighthouse keeper carries on his love for the sea in hobby
Memories of his years in the lighthouse service on remote islands of Lake Superior return to Emmanual Luick as he works in his comfortable home at 1310 East Fourth street at his carving and clock repairing, a hobby developed during his leisure time on those storm swept islands. This modern city home is a far cry from the home the retired light keeper knew for a long period of years after he took over the lighthouse duties at Outer Island, 32 miles northeast of Bayfield on April 16, 1889.
Pioneer couple wed 50 years
More than 150 relatives and friends joined Mr. and Mrs. Swan Nelson pioneer residents of Parkland in celebrating their Golden Wedding anniversary Sunday at their home. A golden theme was carried out in the bouquets of fall flowers about the rooms and on the two tall wedding cakes that formed the table centerpiece.
Mrs. Nelson's girlhood friends, Mrs. Hilma Anderson, Superior, and Mrs. Ellen Nelson, Poplar poured and Misses Violet and Loraine Johnson and Helen and Anna Carr served the guests.
Fire destroys Foxboro farm
FOXBORO — Fire swept the R.A. Runser farm near here at 2 a.m. Thursday, completely destroying the dwelling, pump house and all the property of the tenants, the Alfred Anderson family. Damage was estimated at approximately $4,000. The cause of the fire had not been determined Friday.
The Anderson family lost all their clothing, furniture and canned goods in the fire. Headed by Mrs. Andrew Schiestl, a group of their friends are collecting donations to replace part of their heavy loss.
Articles and pictures courtesy of retired librarian Judy Aunet with Superior Public Library.
