30 years ago

WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN

April 28, 1993

Sponsoring its first Spring Cleanup Days event some 30 years back on May 1 and 2, the city asked residents of Cottage Grove to clean their basements, garages and yards, bringing the items to Cottage Grove Public Works at 8635 West Point Douglas Road. Those dropping off “unwanted” items would be charged a fee, with load prices set at $5 for a car trunk $10 for a station wagon  sized load, and $25 for a pickup truck size. Single box spring or mattress would cost residents $35 with double box spring or mattress costing $10. Appliances including water heaters, washer and dryers, stoves, freezers, refrigerators, and microwaves were all $7 each to dispose of, while an air conditioner was $15, a sofa $10, and chair (unspecified construction) was $5.

Tire disposal fees for the first annual Spring Cleanup Days were $1.50 per car tire, $10 for a truck tire, and $35 for a tractor tire.

Searching out the history of St. Paul Park, meanwhile, was one resident named Steffi who wanted to know more about the old brick building across from the offices of Ashland Oil. Long and brown with doors and windows boarded up, it was of interest to the member of the History Network of Washington County.

“If you find out what that was, you tell me,” she said. The network had 20 members from around the county, it was made known.

40 years ago

WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN

April 21, 1983

Split over the election of its board chair, Grey Cloud township had settled the matter with the help of a 1959 change in state law on local government, the Bulletin reported. Holding its annual election on March 8 and electing Bobbi Fenster as chair at a township Reclamation meeting March 21, the first regular meeting wasn’t until April 12, prompting a dissent from former board chair Roland Peek.

“The public didn’t know this was going to happen,” he said at the time. “This action disregards the citizen’s right to know what’s going on.”

Seeking an opinion from the attorney general’s office, it turned out that both sides were “partially wrong” in the matter, with law cited by Fenster and member Joe Daddario not applying since a 1959 change to state law.

“The law is silent” state attorney general Mike Gallagher said on the issue of means and timing to elect a board chair, implying that it should happen at the regular meeting but without spelling this out.

Reporting back at Cottage Grove, meanwhile, a 14-inch snowfall that had just took the Twin Cities unaware had led many city residents to complain about tardy and incomplete snow removal, as noted by public works director Frank Gaillard.

“I’m expecting lots of people at the council meeting,” he said after reporting an “inordinate” number of complaints over the snow. “I can’t blame them.” Forecast at two inches, the late season fall had outperformed expectations. With main road arteries plowed first and col-de-sacs last, “we could not physically push the snow off the streets,” Gaillard said of the heavy and wet snowfall.

Help was on the way, however, as public works was due to receive three new four-wheel drive vehicles, if too late for the late snowstorm.

50 years ago

WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN

April 19, 1973

Denying a permit for development of a $1 million office-warehouse facility near I-494 and Highway 12, the Oakdale council shared a belief that such development would be premature, no utilities being in the area. Village engineer Don Ringrose had input of his own to offer.

“To design those facilities to serve an unknown use is somewhat difficult,” he said, also bringing up fire protection as a serious consideration.

Making a presentation to the Woodbury Women’s Club some 50 years back Sandra Armstrong shared Ukrainian Easter Egg Traditions with attendees, according to an article by Bulletin staff writer Ginny Jensen.

Beginning in pre-Christian times and transformed when Christianity went north from Constantinople to Kiev in 988, Easter eggs were created through a set process that involved a stylus called a kiska for applying bee’s wax and multiple layers of dye. Symbolic of the resurrection, Easter eggs were given as greetings on Easter morning, with Easter known as “Pascha” among Orthodox Christians, tied to Passover. Along with the eggs were a traditional greeting and reply. The greeting?

Christos Voxres — Christ is Risen. The proper response?

Vistinu Voscres — Life is risen indeed.

Birth notices

A girl to Mr. and Mrs. David Voss, St. Paul Park.

A boy to Mr. and Mrs. David Bazdell, Oakdale.

A boy to Mr. and Mrs. Ron Camacho, Newport.

A boy to Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Goodwill, St. Paul Park.

A girl to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Struck, Oakdale.

A boy to Mr. and Mrs. David Schmitz, Cottage Grove.

A girl to Mr. and Mrs. William Tate, Cottage Grove.

A boy to Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Sampson, Cottage Grove.

A girl to Mr. and Mrs. Philip Nelson, Woodbury.

A boy to Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Wood, Newport.

A girl to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Goodejohn, Cottage Grove.

And many more!

Formally dedicating St. Thomas Aquinas Church in St. Paul Park on Sunday May 6 at 11:30 a.m., Archbishop Leo. C. Byrne would be the principal celebrant and also give the homily, it was made known by pastor Lawrence E. Keller. Parishioners would have an opportunity to meet and visit with the archbishop at a reception followed the dedication service for the church building of contemporary design completed in the summer of 1970.

80 years ago

THE HASTINGS GAZETTE

April 23, 1943

Killed at San Francisco in a street car accident, Corporal Raymond Furney of Hastings, a solder with Battery E of the Hastings National Guard, is buried at Lakeside Cemetery. Surviving Corporal Furney are his parents, five sisters, and one brother. Fiancee Ann Buoye was on her way from Redlands, California to attend. The funeral was conducted from Guardian Angels Church, the Rev. R. E. Nolan officiating.

Territorial Dispatches…

165 years ago

THE EMIGRANT AID AND JOURNAL

May 5, 1858

The Great Northwest—What the Census of 1860 will show.

The United States Census, which will be taken in 1860, will show the ‘Great North-West’ a republic in itself. In its extent it far surpasses the Southerns and Eastern States combine, and the figures will show that the increase of its population and wealth, it has left all the other sections of the Union in the background.

Among the States so designated will number then the following: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska.

These States and Territories are now represented in Congress by 12 Senators, 56 Representatives and 3 Delegates. Under the census of 1860, with the present ratio of representation, they will be entitled to 18 Senators, and from 80 to 90 Representatives, far more than enough to hold the balance of power in both branches of Congress, between the North and the South…

170 years ago

THE WEEKLY MINNESOTIAN

Saturday, April 30, 1853

The Mails Again

Things are coming to a crisis. The boats take of refusing to carry any more mails, up or down, until an arrangement is made for the season.

From the Galena Advertiser:

The Daily Up-River Mail—Where Is it?—What has become of it? The river is in a good stage of navigation. The boats are running but where is the Daily Mail that was proposed sometime since. The route from Galena to St. Paul, by the river, is a very important one, and none the less so because the people to be accommodated are many of them poor, and are all of them struggling with the difficulties and privations incident to the settlement of all new countries. For most of the way, there are few land mail facilities on either side of the river, and many of the settlements are cut off from all communication with others by the regular post, and this will continue to be the case until regular routes are established.

(A petition from the Prairie du Chien Courier)

To the Hon. James Campbell, Post Master General:

In behalf of the people of North-Western Wisconsin, Minnesota, and a portion of Iowa, we would call your attention to the mail service in this section.

Minnesota contains a population of about 15,000; those parts of Wisconsin and Iowa to which we refer, about the same number. This whole region is dependent for mail facilities upon the service on Route No. 4625—From Galena to St. Paul—and on Route No. 4561—from Prairie du Chien to Stillwater—the former performed only a part of the year, by steamboats, during the season of navigation….The route from Prairie du Chien to Stillwater is through the counties of Crawford, Bad Axe, La Crosse, Chippewa, and St. Croix. These counties are all thickly settled, and many offices are located on this route. As before remarked, this whole region of country is entirely dependent upon these two routes…we would respectfully ask sir, that this whole population of thirty thousand be not disinherited. This country is peopled by a thriving, energetic business class; and the greatest inconvenience and expense is suffered by the failure of these (mail) contracts. We would ask that it be borne in mind, that these several offices are so located that they supply a large region of country—many settlers going ten, fifteen, and twenty miles from the pine regions of the north, for their mail matter, and that all this trouble is often in vain, for the reason that the mail is not carried (permanent mail contracts for daily service during April to November sought after, to alleviate delivery issues).

171 years ago

THE MINNESOTA PIONEER

April 15, 1852

(Describing lands toured by the writer)

COTTAGE GROVE

This is upon the tongue of land extending down between the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi. The farmers there, raise more oats, roots, everything that is good to eat, than they have any use for; and they sell a handsome surplus every year to St. Paul and Stillwater. It is on the east side of the river too—no trouble about Indians, and some of the best land that ever was, not yet taken up. From Cottage Grove, you may proceed to Point Douglas, a place of much promise, and surrounded with choice land. From thence, you will pass through a charming region, 30 miles, along the west shore of Lake St. Croix to Stillwater.

AGRICULTURE

We have but little farming yet in our Territory; but we have more and better inducements for that business than any other country can boast.

1st. A better climate; in which the labor of one man, will produce more, will yield a larger surplus above his own necessities, than any other Western State or Territory can boast of….Labor, here, stands firmly on its legs, the year round, and drives things through.

2nd. We have as good land—it is useless to say better—but as good as there is in the world. For fertility, Cottage Grove prairie, or the whole of the valley of the Minnesota River, or the valley of the Red River of the North, cannot be beat.