25 Years Ago - 1985

To the cheers of residents along the road, Starry Construction Company trucks began hauling base material for the Warner Road paving project on Monday of this week. Paving on this project goes from North Fourth Street to the Crow Wing River Bridge and is expected to begin in one week and likely to be finished by the end of August.

A short city council meeting last week included approval for two antennas to be placed on the Staples city water tower to allow the Staples School system to join an area educational television cooperative. Two six-foot tall antennas will be allowed on the catwalk. The request was made by Jim Hofer of Woodland Cooperative.

50 Years Ago - 1960

A semi-truck loaded with hogs, sheep and cattle overturned near the outskirts of Motley about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, spilling the contents of the load and damaging the truck. The North Dakota truck was headed east on Highway 10 bound for South St. Paul and as he approached the Y at Motley to go south on Highway 10, the truck overturned onto the left side of the highway. Many of the livestock were seriously injured in the accident and many had to be disposed of by shooting at the scene. The truck driver was not injured.

An intensive search is underway for Charles Patterson, 74, who disappeared from his home two miles east and one mile south of Leader. Patterson left his farm home Monday afternoon riding a white horse to go look for his cattle. When he did not return after a period of time the search was started first by his son and local residents and then later the Cass County Sheriff’s offi ce at Walker was notified and more search parties were sent out. Civil Air Patrol planes from Brainerd joined the search Tuesday and later a helicopter from Fort Snelling. Many volunteers from Motley also joined the search. On Wednesday some members of the Staples Rocking Saddle Club left with their horses to join the search parties. The members were Pat Chambers, Darwin Goff, Harold Schultenover, Robert Sellnow, Harold Vogel, Ted Ludovissie and David Ludovissie. As of press time Wednesday, the whereabouts of Mr. Patterson and the horse still remained a mystery.

Mrs. Hazel Torterson has been assigned by the school district to teach a program of special education classes with the 1960- 1961 school year. This class is for the elementary pupil who cannot benefit from regular classroom instruction. The class cannot be larger than 15 pupils.

REMINISCENCES: Today is a wonderful day, the sun is shining and my heart is light. Everyone in the neighborhood seems to be outside as I can see my neighbor mowing through my office window. He cultivated his garden before that.

On the other side of the house a couple of neighbors are talking in the front yard and gesturing about their flowers. Two people just walked down the street in front of my window talking and laughing. Another neighbor is hanging out the wash.

The children are playing and laughing over at Lincoln Park while their moms watch. The dogs are enjoying this time too.

My husband is watering his precious potato, tomato, cucumber and onion plants. My petunias are just starting to stand up again after being beaten down by the recent heavy rains.

A few minutes ago I walked out to the patio to take him a soda. We talked a few minutes and my skin absorbed the sunshine. My body needs more of it.

I came back inside to write this and to tell you that I don’t want to be inside anymore and for a change I don’t want to write. I need to sit outside and enjoy this old neighborhood that was here when I was a child and makes me feel so at home. Have a great day. All this pleasure and it doesn’t cost a penny. God bless.