From Our Files

• Oct. 27, 1949

Facilities of the Central Iowa Telephone Co. in Hartley were enlarged to take care of a growing community for a number of years. Among the outstanding improvements were a new, modern switchboard and the automatic ringing of phones in subscribers’ homes.

Section boss Frank Meyers, Grover Fanning and Clarence Illian narrowly escaped injury when they jumped free of the handcar on which they were riding. The crew was about two miles east of Hartley when a train approached unexpectedly. The handcar was smashed but the men were safe.

A School for Instruction for county treasurers of the northwest Iowa district was held in the courtroom at Primghar. O’Brien County Treasurer Will F. Kaiser presided. Fifty-three delegates, county treasurers and motor vehicle registrars representing 17 counties were in attendance.

• Oct. 24, 1974

Glen Bettin, John Van Olst and Ken Mergen were among the workers who helped barbecue meat on Hartley’s main street. The beef and pork were used to make 1,200 sandwiches that were consumed following the Hartley-Sutherland football game. The event climaxed the Moonlight Madness weekend that brought large crowds to Hartley.

Congress approved legislation to restore Standard Time during four autumn and winter months. The action was in response to public complaints about the 1973 decision to institute year-round Daylight Saving Time.

Gov. Robert Ray was the guest speaker at an open house for Northwest Iowa Publishers, Inc. at their offset printing plant at Sibley. The plant was jointly owned by the publishers of several northwest Iowa weekly newspapers, including the Hartley Sentinel.

• Oct. 28, 1999

Twenty-six firemen participated in a practice burn of a house located at the corner of 1st Street Southwest and 1st Avenue West in Hartley. Firemen from Orange City, Sioux Center, Everly, Paullina and Primghar were invited. The site of the burn was used for expansion of the fire station to house the fire department and ambulance team.

Gale Bobolz, who had retired as president of Security State Bank in Hartley, was honored with a lifetime membership to the Chamber of Commerce. Members of the 1999-2000 Chamber board were Shawn Honken, Marilyn Honken, Rob Jacobs, Mac Kluch, Dr. Bob Kuchel, Linda Paulsen, Cheryl Petersen, Don Treharne and Teresa Wacker. Sherry Rosenberg was the Chamber secretary.

Goals established by the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn School Board were: Involve and share the vision of the district with staff and public; market the district through community economic development; continue board member contacts with community leaders; and continue to be a “listening post” for the community.

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