125 YEARS AGO: 1897
From Carlos Avery, editor and publisher:
- Scarcity of time is often pleaded as an excuse for want of inclination.
- Large quantities of self-control are necessary to keep jokes free from malice.
- Solemn cheerfulness is like an icicle dropped down the back of innocent mirth.
- Statisticians report a heavy falling-off recently in marriages. Everything appears to favor the single standard.
The Diamond Cracker factory of Litchfield has been sold by B. Krause to Charles Dart of that place. W.H. Whitelock has been on the road selling for the former firm, but the new proprietor will not continue the wholesale business.
The old man who lives up near Cedar Lake, in Acoma, and who has been of unsound mind for some years, judging from his antics, had the most desperate tantrum of all this week. He beat his wife cruelly, then piled all his belongings including beds and clothing in the middle of the house and set them on fire. Everything was burned up, leaving him exposed to wintry blasts with no clothing but a cotton shirt, a pair of cotton pants and a pair of socks. Judge Tifft has been summoned, who will no doubt find it necessary to commit him to an insane asylum. He will be remembered as the man who shot and wounded his grandson two years ago in an insane or ugly fit and was sent to the asylum for a time.
100 YEARS AGO: 1922
There have been many days in McLeod County, which have slipped into the past tagged "historical," but Jan. 23, 1922, may have a special place on the calendar and overshadow many of the others. On that day, if plans carry, will wind a procession of farm teams from every point on the compass within driving distance of Hutchinson loaded with corn; corn with which to save the lives of starving people in far off Russia; ammunition with which to repel the grisly foe Hunter who invades that unhappy country. From north, south, east and west, the teams will wind along the country roads beginning at 9 o'clock in the forenoon and deposit their loads at the Hutchinson flourmill. It will be shelled and loaded into the cars free of the cost for the work of shelling and handling.
W.W. Sivright of Hutchinson, who served very efficiently as president of the Minnesota State Agricultural Association during the past year, was at the annual meeting and re-elected to head the greatest fair in the world for another year. It is a merited endorsement and one of which Mr. Sivright and his friends have reason to be proud. At the meeting also was made known one fact that McLeod County people may well be proud that was brought out, that 90 or more county fairs held in the states, only two showed a balance on the right side of the ledger, McLeod and Steel County fairs, held at Hutchinson and Owatonna, respectively.
75 YEARS AGO: 1947
The Leader will move into its new building on the site where the building and plant were destroyed by fire on Feb. 15, 1945, almost two years ago. The only thing that would prevent the move from taking place as scheduled would be adverse weather conditions.
50 YEARS AGO: 1972
Lots of people build models. But the one Henry F. Albrecht has in the basement of his home is in a class by itself. It's a bright red threshing machine, dubbed the "Albrecht Special" and powered by a 1/4 horsepower motor. "Ma said I needed a hobby," Albrecht, 79, said. "I did it to keep peace in the family. ... I got the idea for building a replica of a threshing machine early last fall. I started working on it out in the garage, building the frame and figuring out how the moving parts would have to go."
25 YEARS AGO: 1997
Subzero temperatures and high winds prompted Gov. Arne Carlson to close all Minnesota public schools on Jan. 16 The closing — because it was by the governor's proclamation — won't require Hutchinson School District to schedule a makeup day. That's potentially good news for the local district, which currently is on schedule to conduct the required number of school days for 1996-97 school year.
The stock of Hutchinson Technology Inc. soared to record levels the week of Jan. 19, 1997, after the company reported stronger than expected earnings for its first quarter. In conjunction with the earnings report, HTI announced a 3-for-1 stock split effective Feb. 11 for shareholders of record Jan. 31. That will be the first stock split since the stock began trading publicly in 1982. The company was founded in 1965.
