From Our Files

• July 19, 1945

Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Lock received a package from their son-in-law, Flight Officer Donald Hebbel, who was a pilot in the Pacific theatre of war. Among other items there were Japanese mats and two ashtrays, one decorated with a Japanese coin bearing the image of Mount Fujiyama and the other bearing a model P-38 made by Flight Officer Hebbel.

Rumor was rampant that infantile paralysis was spreading in Hartley, but there was no justification for such statements. City health physician Dr. E. Pfeiffer did urge that precautions be taken to keep the disease from spreading.

The Council Oak store opened in its new location with a rush that kept Harold Bojens and his clerks on their toes until the doors were closed Saturday night. According to store supervisors, it was one of the finest Council Oak openings ever held.

• July 16, 1970

Twelve Boy Scouts, two guests and their leaders enjoyed a campout at Dog Creek Park. The boys swam and had a potluck dinner with their families. They also extinguished a grass fire that had been accidentally started by a young couple while cooking on a grill.

Superintendent of Utilities Wilferd Schmeling was rehired by the town council at his request. He had previously resigned to take a position with the Denison utilities, but subsequently changed his mind. No replacement had been found in the meantime.

The town council voted to purchase the Schroeder building and the Thorne building on the east side of Central Avenue, provided the owners accepted the offers. Tentative plans were to construct a parking lot on the corner occupied by Schroeder’s Tavern and Amie’s Body Shop.

• July 20, 1995

Ervin Harders, of Hartley, and Jared Steffen, of Greenville, were among those who took part in an Iowa Farm Bureau Federation-sponsored trip to Chicago, Ill. to learn more about grain and livestock marketing. The group split their time observing the markets at the Chicago Board of Trade and Mercantile Exchange.

Warner-Baumgarten Funeral Home announced the addition of Danny and Linda Salter to the staff and as new residents of the funeral home in Hartley. The Salters had been living at Thompson Falls, Mont., but looked forward to returning to northwest Iowa where both had roots.

The five readers of the week during the Hartley Public Library’s summer reading program were Adam Hengeveld, Charles Knight, Alex Bethke, Cassandra Mohni and Bethany Fredericks. Over 90 youngsters had registered to participate.

“From Our Files” is compiled by Sentinel-News sports editor/staff writer Mike Petersen.