Douglas County Past: Survivor tells of deadly snowplow plunge; Superior boy recovers from tetanus
Jan. 2—Dec. 29, 1933
Bay tragedy might have claimed all seven men
Thursday's bay tragedy which claimed three lives might have claimed seven had it not been for the fact that five of the seven originally in the cab of the tractor plow got out of it before the plow reached the edge of the channel.
Albin Beckwell, 21, 513 Cumming Ave, made this statement Friday when he explained that all seven men of the tractor plow crew were in the cab when it started across the bay from the foot of Banks Avenue.
"It was awfully cold," said Beckwell, "and all of us were in the cab of the plow when it started across the bay. There were besides myself, Ben Heinz, John Erickson and Louis Parise, the three who were drowned, and Eugene Peil, Carl Kline and Kenneth Stringer.
"We got out near the channel and I was beginning to get scared and Erickson got out and stood on the back of the plow as it continued on. When we got into some slush near the channel, Beckwell pulled me off the rear and we walked behind.
"The tractor came to a stop and Louis Parise went ahead of it to examine the ice. Then he came back and got on the back of the plow with Peil and Kline.
"The plow went ahead about 20 feet and then one side went through the ice, then the other side and the whole thing went down. Kline jumped safely to the side. Peil went down in the water to his knees but got out all right, but Parise went down with the plow. He came up and Peil and I pulled him out.
"Parise was conscious when we pulled him out of the water, but he didn't talk. Peil and I carried him about 100 feet when we saw he had collapsed."
Dec. 30, 1933
Boy lockjaw victim here winning his fight
The expression "A Happy New Year" will have a real meaning to Henry L. Peters family, 2001 Banks Ave., when their son, Alvin, 12, finally recovers from a stubborn case of tetanus (more commonly known as lockjaw), which fate dealt him as an unwelcome Christmas present.
Puncturing his hand Saturday, Dec. 16, with a rusty nail, first symptoms of lockjaw set in Dec. 22 and developed definitely last Sunday, Christmas Eve, as he was eating dinner with other members of the family. Today, after constant attention on the part of his attending physician and because of his cheerful co-operation and healthy physique, he is well on the way to recovery.
Without nourishment since last Sunday, Alvin had his first taste of food Friday when he was given a small quantity of milk. As the stiffness leaves his jaw, he will gradually add other fluids and eventually solids to his meals, it was said.
His physician and parents feel that one of the most cheerful evidences of his recovery is his reviving interest in everyday affairs. Saturday he inquired about the radio programs and said he wanted to listen to "Tarzan," one of his favorites, and earlier in the day confided in his physician that the first thing he wanted to eat was "a loaf of bread, a piece of summer sausage and some catsup."
Who's going to be the lucky baby this year?
New Year's Day will be a virtual Christmas for Superior's first 1934 baby. The lucky babe will receive 23 presents from Superior merchants in a reception prepared for it by the merchants and The Evening Telegram
Last year the lucky child was Lillian Ann Leland, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Lealand, 2205 East Fourth St. Mr. and Mrs. O.H. Mulligan, 1212 Hughitt Ave., were the parents of the first baby born in 1932 and Robert Emmett Murphy, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Murphy, 1213 14th St., was the lucky baby in 1931.
Dec. 31, 1933
Superior Marine reaches finals in Pacific meet
SOMEWHERE IN THE PACIFIC — Marine Private first Class Alfred Wise, of Superior, has marked up an impressive record in the Pacific area all-service boxing classic with 19 wins out of 26 bouts.
The 19-year-old Marine is a former student of Central high school and plans to continue his education after the war.
After reaching the finals of the 14th naval district boxing tournament, he lost to the navy champion of the 126-pound class, Billy Miller, who has been the title holder for three years.
Pfc. Wise is a son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Wise, of 424 Fisher Ave., Superior.
Jan. 1, 1934
Fifth violent death here in past five days
The close of the year brought another tragedy that claimed the lives of two young Station B girls and resulted in serious injuries to a third girl of the same community.
The girls were killed and injured Sunday at 9:30 p.m. when they were struck by an automobile as they were being pulled along county trunk highway "C" near their homes on a homemade bob-sled, by two boys.
The dead:
Gertrude Tyson, 16, Station B.
Joline Nacey, 15, Station B.
Virginia Fernquist, 11, Station B, who is confined to St. Mary's hospital with a skull fracture and other injuries.
The accident brought to five the violent deaths that have occurred in Douglas County since Thursday morning, when three street department employes were drowned in St. Louis Bay when a heavy tractor snow plow went through weak ice.
Deputy Johnson told the following story Monday of what his investigation showed:
"I went out to the scene of the mishap. The home-made bob-sled was still lying at the side of the road. I talked with Frank Wilson, 16, and Jack Tyson, 15, brother of the Tyson girl who was killed.
"Frank and Jack told me that a party of nine children had been sliding at the Wilson farm, which is about a mile south of where the accident occurred on highway 'C.'"
Looks like Mackey baby is first in the New Year
As far as could be learned Monday morning, the boy born to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Mackey, 624 Fisher Ave., is Superior's first baby.
The Mackey baby was born at St. Mary's hospital at 6:17 a.m. Should it be finally determined that it is the first baby of the new year, 23 presents donated by local merchants and The Evening Telegram will be given to him.
The last roundup
There was a noticeable spurt in all athletics in Superior during the year of 1933, but the two most notable achievements of the year from the standpoint of team play were the Superior Blues' championship in the Northern baseball league and East high's first district basketball championship in history.
Gordon Harman, Johnny Ennis' rangy boxer, was the outstanding individual sports performer in the city last year, winning the Northwest Golden Gloves welter-weight title at Minneapolis and progressing to his second bout in the Central Golden Gloves tournament at Chicago, where he suffered the first loss in his career to Billy Celebron.
The Blues, piloted by Dick Wade, stepped out to an early lead in the Northern League, won the first-half championship, and then defeated Brandon, Man., the second-half winner, in the nine-game championship series. The East High basketball team, strategically directed by Coach Pete Guzy, upset tradition as no other high school team has ever done before. The Orientals handed Central two defeats during the regular season for the first time in basketball annals, and then copped the school's first district gonfalon. Central was eliminated in the first round, another occurrence never before chronicled in a local prep tournament.
Articles and pictures courtesy of retired librarian Judy Aunet with Superior Public Library.
