July 29, 1897 —
Harvest is in full blast and our streets are deserted.
Last week, workmen on the Short Line put a new foundation under the water tank at the depot.
Al Foreman left for Sioux City on Monday with the avowed intention of taking in the greatest show on earth. At this writing, 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, he has failed to return. It is feared he has followed the elephant off.
100 Years Ago. . .
A storm brought a little hail, hitting the Rudolph Bumann, Henry Aschoff and Nick Windeshausen farms.
The damage was not great, merely stripping the corn slightly. The rain was of great benefit to the crops.
Wm. Eirinberg of Eirinberg’s Store advertised: Having made a good purchase on sugar from a carload at Randolph, I will give the people the benefit: Beet sugar, $6.75; cane sugar, $6.85.
One Tuesday afternoon, the big plate glass window in the front of the Eirinberg store was broken, when a pedestal, used in the window for decorative purposes, fell through it.
A. L. Lundstrom received a bad gash on the left leg while taking out the broken glass.
W. S. Butterfield in his Cadillac, and Mr. Hilfiker of Bloomfield (a brother of Roy Hilfiker of Osmond) in his Oldsmobile, collided at the turn three miles east of town. No one was hurt, but both cars were damaged considerably. Mr. Butterfield was going south, and the other car was coming north. The accident happened just at the turn by the corner of the Meyer farm.
“The Silent Accuser” with “Peter the Great” was played on Saturday night at the Osmond auditorium.
The story of a mysterious murder with a dog the only witness. How he moves to save his master, trails the real murderer, and bring happiness to the man and girl are some of the remarkable feats of “Peter the Great” in “The Silent Accuser.”
Carl Hinrichsen was given quite a surprise when the steering gear on his car went wrong, the car turning to the side, striking the post of one of the cement culverts on the Meridian road near the Waterman farm. The car was badly wrecked, but Carl escaped with only a few bruises.
75 Years Ago. . .
L. C. Walling, district manager of Consumers Public Power District, in Osmond on business, stated that plans and negotiations were still going forward with a view to establishing a substation in Osmond near the center of the business section where the heaviest power load was.
The “Loveliest Mother” contest being conducted by the World-Herald at Omaha received at least one Osmond entry. The entry was Mrs.
Nick Windeshausen, mother of 11.
She was entered by her children and husband. Accompanying the entry was this explanation: “Our mother is the grandest person we’ve known.
She has seven girls and four boys.
She teaches us the good things we can get out of life. She’s taught us how to be neat and clean like herself. We are one big happy family and wouldn’t trade her for a million dollars.”
A quick, confidential talk with operators of Osmond grocery stores by this newspaper revealed that housewives and purchasers for the family larder in this community were in many instances buying sugar and coffee far beyond reasonable amounts or immediate needs. This practice generally was being discouraged.
One store reported sales as high as 75 pounds of coffee to a single family.
Other reports indicated that sugar was going out in 100 pound or larger lots, sometimes for the canning now at hand, sometimes to be stored against possible rationing or shortages.
Similar situations were being noticed at Plainview and surrounding towns.
65 Years Ago. . .
Perhaps the most extensive repair project since its completion got underway when specialists began the job of painting and reroofing St.
Mary’s Catholic Church. The two jobs, plus a few other incidentals, were expected to cost in the neighborhood of $12,000. An old photo was printed with this story that showed the cornerstone laying ceremony shortly after beginning of construction on St. Mary’s Church.
Dedicatory exercises were held May 22, 1912. The building is of Buffalo paving brick and the trim is Redford stone.
Dr. E. D. Boice, secretary of the School District of Osmond, stated that several persons had been interviewed about jobs as Osmond school bus drivers. None had been hired. The board was seeking four regular short hour drivers at $85 per month and one full-time driver- caretaker at $65 per week.
Eight school properties, former school districts now incorporated in the School District of Wausa, brought an average of $265 according to a statement to the Republican by auctioneer Roy Hansen. Hansen said the low was $215 for former district 123N and the high was $380 paid for the assets of former district 132.
Members of Osmond’s younger set clamored for a local canteen in sufficient numbers to interest parents who were mindful of their welfare several months earlier. The canteen was then discontinued. It was to be reopened about the time school would begin in the fall — if there was sufficient interest. If sufficient enthusiasm was not evident, the canteen, which was located in the American Legion Hall, would be closed permanently.
50 Years Ago. . .
At the July meeting of the Rural Fire Protection District, the board took little action on a proposed joint purchase with the city of a rescue unit for the community. He said the matter was tabled and would probably not be given further discussion until the next meeting which would be the following year at the annual meeting unless a special meeting was called.
He said it was the consensus of the members that there is not a great need for such a unit in the community at the present time, because the hospital is right here.
The Osmond housing shortage prompted a home building boom. The first Osmond home to be constructed in the building boom was that of Lloyd Schneckloth whose home was located midway between Prairie and Sixth streets. Next door to the south was the partly completed home of the Harold Lenhoffs. Located on Logan Street one-half block south of Prairie was the nearly completed dwelling of the Jim Gibbs family. Others being completed were the Gene Klamert home south of town on Highway 121, the John Kuker home at the intersection of Sixth and Hill, and the Keith Harmon home on Main Street.
Dean Kiichler, who farmed east of Osmond, was injured when a tractor and loader he was using to move dirt in his cattle yard tipped over on him.
He was able to extract himself and drove himself to his mother’s home in Osmond. She took him to the hospital where he was admitted and treated for a broken arm and a severely bruised chest and bruises all over his body.
25 Years Ago. . .
Dwaine Gansebom, Osmond farmer and longtime Pierce County Commissioner, was named the 18th member of the Pierce County Agricultural Society’s Hall of Fame during award ceremonies at the Pierce County Fair.
10 Years Ago. . .
The five-school feasibility and merger study had now dropped down to three schools Wausa School Board members voted to pull out of the fiveschool merger study with a five "yes" and one “no” vote. The vote came after the results from a community survey showed 258 voted "no" along with only 73 "yes" votes on support ing the consolidation. The Plainview School District had withdrawn after the survey had been mailed out.
