125 YEARS AGO: 1896
Terpischoreans are invited to a grand Christmas ball to be held at the Opera Hall.
The Leader goes to press early, so that its religious-minded typos need not desecrate Christmas.
One way to enjoy the holidays: Search out and remember the poor, which we have with us, by speaking to them words of cheer and sharing with them your plenty.
100 YEARS AGO: 1921
George Luthens was shot in the left arm and seriously injured by a thief who was attempting to steal a quantity of bologna sausage from the smokehouse in the rear of Paul Luthens’s butcher shop on Main Street North.
Dear Santa, I am waiting for you to come to my house on Christmas and wish you would leave a dolly that can sleep, a comb and brush for her, a doll carriage and a hair ribbon. I would like some candy, too. Don’t forget that I live with Grandpa and Grandma Ziemer. — Eleanor Bubiltz
75 YEARS AGO: 1946
Lloyd Hammerstrom’s place at Biscay was gutted by fire and Hukriede’s store next door suffered considerable smoke damage in a midnight fire. Three fire departments were called to combat the flames. They were confined to the Hammerstrom building, built originally for the Biscay bank, and through some valiant fire fighting, the rest of the block was saved. The fact that the entire block did not burn can be attributed to the fact that a group of people coming home from bowling at Arlington discovered the fire and put out the alarm.
50 YEARS AGO: 1971
An oil painting, displayed upon its completion by its creator Mrs. Doug Tuman of Hutchinson, will be the background for a Christmas cantata, which will be presented by the senior choir Dec. 22 at Christ the King Lutheran Church. Mrs. Tuman, who said the 8-foot-square work took her about 30 to 40 hours is a member of the choir, which will present “The Story of Love” in a candlelight setting.
Two members of the Hutchinson Civil Air Patrol squadron were presented with fine ribbons for their efforts in searching for a missing hunter Nov. 21 in the Chaska area. Ribbon recipients were Victor Oleson, pilot of the plane, which found the body, and Ernest Domschot, the observer, who spotted the body of the missing man.
25 YEARS AGO: 1996
When Sheldon Nies began working at 3M 34-1/2 years ago, he made $1.85 an hour driving a truck, hauling trash to the dump. Nies, who is also the Fourth District commissioner on the McLeod County Board, retired from 3M Dec. 20 as the supervisor of security. Nies was also the person who handled public relations and communication issues for the company. His former duties will be divided between a few other workers. He is one of 265 people who will be voluntarily leaving 3M as part of the changes the Hutchinson plant has undergone over the past year. “There will be a lot of experience leaving at once,” Nies said. “And that creates a bit of a void. But it also creates opportunities for others.”
The flu vaccine administered by the Hutchinson Medical Center since Oct. 15 was not the vaccine that was recently recalled, according to the Hutchinson Medical Center.
The Christmas present the Hutchinson City Council approved for city residents is probably one most citizens would stand in line to give back. Accepting a consultant’s finding that the city’s 20-year freeze on water rate increases had caused the water department to be a consistent money loser, the council approved a recommendation that rates increase 35% by 2000. As part of a yearlong study of Hutchinson’s water rate situation, a survey of other communities found Hutchinson’s rates to be among the lowest, if not the lowest, in Minnesota, said Scott Young, project manager for Rust Environment and Infrastructure.
People’s Platform: I would like to extend appreciation to residents of Sherwood, Orchard and Elks Circle Drive as they have done an excellent job of decorating for Christmas.
The Crow River Sno Pros are offering a $500 reward for the arrest and conviction of people involved in the recent theft of three snowmobiles: a white 1996 Polaris XCR600 and a midnight blue 1993 Polaris Classic 500 snowmobile that were both taken from B & B Sports, and a white Polaris Indy XE600 taken from 200 W. Main St. in Silver Lake.
