100 years ago, May 17, 1923

• A Wool Pool

Arrangements have been made by the Minnesota Wool Growers Association to handle the wool for all the growers in the Pelican Rapids territory this spring. The wool will be pooled at the Potato Warehouse in Pelican Rapids at some date as soon as shearing is over. As soon as the wool has been received at the Wabasha Wool Warehouse, thirty cents a pound will be advanced to the growers minus the expense of getting it there. The wool will be graded at Wabasha and sold to the mills, and the full price received minus 2 ½ cents a pound will be returned to the growers. The 2 ½ cent charge made covers the cost of grading, storing, selling, and insuring while in the pool.

Harold Sherman will handle the wool at the Potato Warehouse. He has wool sacks that he will furnish to any grower free of charge that intends to pool. The wool pool was very successful last year, and all growers pooling seemed well satisfied with the results. There is no reason why a carload should not be pooled at Pelican Rapids. Let Mr. Sherman know how much you have early. The Minnesota Wool Growers Association is a co-operative organized under the Minnesota Co-operative law.

75 years ago, May 27, 1948

• E. L. Peterson Day, June 1

The day of June 1, 1948, will be a day proclaimed in honor of our noted citizen, Mr. E. L. Peterson. 

The business hours of the day will be devoted to honoring Mr. Peterson as individuals. This can be attained by giving your best regards to Mr. Peterson in his usual surroundings, the Pelican Rapids Press office. We are sure that that is the manner in which he would desire to have it done.

It is known by everyone that this individual has devoted his 42 years here in Pelican Rapids to the printing and editing of the Press, and it would be more than fitting and proper to pay tribute to him at his workplace.

The evening program will consist of a banquet in his honor. Numerous guest speakers will be present at the banquet and will say a few words in behalf of the occasion. There will also be dinner music and musical numbers under the direction of Mr. A. C. Stoffel. This program should be enjoyable and relaxing for everyone present at the event. A very fitting and elaborate brochure is being prepared so that we may have the written tributes of those individuals who were not able to attend this occasion, as well as from those individuals who will be present. This will be a unique remembrance of Mr. Peterson and his day of honor.

50 years ago, May 24, 1973

• Rotarians Vote to Build Suspension Bridge

The Board of Directors of the Pelican Rapids Rotary Club voted Tuesday to proceed with the construction of a footbridge between the Sherin and E. L. Peterson Memorial Parks, taking the matter out of the hands of the village council.

The council had been asked last week to undertake the project, the cost of which is to be underwritten by the Rotary Club, on a piecework basis in an effort to hold the cost down. Councilmen, however, felt that the only way it could be handled legally was to put out the job on a one-bid basis.

Truman Strand, who heads the Rotary bridge committee, told the council that he felt costs could run as high as $60,000 on bid but held to between $30,000 and $40,000 were various parts of the project “farmed out” to local contractors. He did, however, go along with the council’s decision to call for bids.

Strand told Rotary directors Tuesday that he was not disappointed and held no “hard feelings” on the matter, adding that “The more I think about it, the more I feel we can do it on our own.” He announced that a fellow Rotarian, Art Christianson, had agreed to act as co-ordinator of the construction.

The money has been raised by Rotarians over a period of several years. Profits from the club’s turkey barbecues have been dedicated to the fund, individual Rotarians have made contributions, and several thousand dollars in other contributions have been received. In action taken some time ago, the Rotary board voted to underwrite the cost up to $30,000.

Clyde Thorstenson, one of the trustees of a fund established by the will of the late Jessie W. Sherin, told the board that thirty percent of the interest of the trust fund is dedicated to park maintenance and improvement and could be used to cover costs over and above the $30,000 pledged by the club.

25 years ago, May 27, 1998

• Burglars Take Beer, Speakers from Legion

A break-in at the American Legion building over the weekend netted the burglars a case of beer and two large, heavy speakers.

Four doors were badly damaged during the burglary, with markings on interior doors similar to those left by the so-called “crowbar burglars” responsible for numerous break-ins this spring.

This is reportedly the first instance when something was taken other than cash. The speakers were large, heavy floor models and would have required two people to move them and possibly a pick-up truck to haul them away, according to a Legion spokesperson.

Other break-ins reported in the middle of last week include the public library, Pelican Welding, and Weckwerth Animal Clinic.

Nothing was apparently taken at either the library or the welding shop. At Weckwerth’s, a window of the garage was broken, but it is not believed entry was gained.

A neighbor reported hearing a noise at the clinic, including barking dogs, at about 1:30 a.m.

Also reported by police was a kicked-in screen door at the O’Brien’s Shirts building.

A $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for local burglaries remains available. Police have received no information so far, however.