1948: Wagner beats Leese in mayor’s race
• April 1, 1948
A total of 607 voters marked their respective ballots at the municipal election in Hartley. W.R. Wagner was elected mayor with 328 votes while 204 persons wrote in incumbent P.A. Leese’s name. Carl Rahn, a candidate on the Citizen’s ticket, was elected as was A.F. Hansen, who replaced John Hilbert on the People’s ticket. Incumbents L.W. Anderson, Elmer Neebel and John Voss were also elected.
Bloemendaal Hatcheries received a valuable shipment of R.O.P. hatching eggs. They were large-type Leghorns. The eggs were to be hatched in incubators and raised on the new place the hatchery had purchased from A.W. Metz.
Approximately 275 fans and athletes thoroughly enjoyed an evening honoring the Hartley High School athletes. The near-capacity crowd was highly impressed by the fiery talk of Iowa basketball coach “Pops” Harrison.
• March 29, 1973
The largest attendance in many years was on hand for the annual meeting of the Community Memorial Hospital Association. Board members Lynford Taylor, Ortman Kaiser and Amos Hartmann were re-elected and Cloy Olhausen was chosen to serve his first term.
Twenty-nine persons met to discuss and formulate plans for additional housing in Hartley. Bill Smith, manager of the Spencer Foods plant, announced that only 25 of the 125 employees lived in or near Hartley, but many expressed a desire to do so. It was agreed that additional housing was badly needed, especially multiple rental housing units.
Twenty-one Hartley firemen completed Unit 2 of the Basic Firefighters Training Program. The unit, which was part of a 60-hour course, consisted of training in charged hose and ladder practices, fire pump operation, fire truck driving and hydraulics of water for firefighting.
• April 2, 1998
The Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School and DLR Group reached agreement on contracts for services related to the proposed high school expansion project. Phases 2A and 2B were contingent upon the district receiving a favorable vote on a bond referendum on May 12. The fee schedule represented a decrease from DLR’s original proposal.
Emily Jacobs, daughter of Rob and Geri Jacobs of Hartley, participated in the Knights of Columbus free throw shooting contest. She placed first at the council, district and regional levels, and finished fifth at the state competition.
The Waterman Prairie Wildlife Area in southern O’Brien County was enlarged with the acquisition of a 400-acre parcel. Plans called for restoring much of the land to native prairie vegetation.
From Our Files” is compiled by Sentinel-News sports editor/staff writer Mike Petersen.