The Times-Plain Dealer from Cresco, Iowa • Page 95

Nev planes. Two of the planes Ceatlcmcn: Produced Vic. Duneman, owner, and Mavor John Tuchek. Thirty four lights outlining the I runway at the municipal airport were added to the field in May of 1962. Cost of the project was S900.

I "wf were wauction aid r.asoline tax not Claimed Cresco at one time had a central by pdots provided the state with heating Plant However, this prov funds to assist in airport improvements. The first airplane accident in this area occurred near the landing field north of town in July of 1930. Ralph Banning and Arthur Tracy, passengers in a Curtis Robin plane, were severely cut and bruised and the plane was completely wrecked when it took a nose dive to the ground. Three people were killed in June of 1933 when a pi; were flying crashed to the ground the landing field north of the fairgrounds. Bernard Staebell and Allen Rideout of Charles Ci'v.

were killed mslantlv. Mr. Ride out was the pilot of the craft. More recently, four persons were injured in a crash cf a light airplane Diloted bv Donald Burgess of Tulsa. Oklahoma, in Jul" 1959.

The crash occurred ihe plane was landing on Cresco's airstrip southwest of town Mr. Burgess was taken to the hospital for treatment of a 'on Td facial cuts. His father. John (Jack) Burgess of Cresco. taken to a Rochester hosoi'al treatment cf fractured ribs and a fracture of the root of his mouh The pilot mother and bro'he law were not seriously injured.

Two were injured crash near Saratoga TH AN Tckootfc lnS Co. Iou a cy thi. IOnt in au Ill'C and think 1Vm iJciP0d to Sincerely Itarvoid We were pleased to have been given the chance to show the skill of our staff. You can depend on getting the best possible reproduction of your copy from Kayenay whether one day or 100 years old, the "Supertone Quality" wil I still be there KXCrRAVrXC, COLOR PLATE CO FOUKirt ST. VV.

mason city, iowa 50 toi Cook was the first postmaster i Tne crder for organization i Howard Center townshio was dated 13. 1857. and was to John F. Thayer by Judge Tpton Th" rs' election in Howard Cen towrshn wts held W5T. Ti2 fcllrwing off" ers were Fran' True i i cf the "ace; Ira Eldridge Charles n.

Wood and Calvin F. Webster, trus I'es: Perry, clerk, and R. O. i and O. A.

Bunker, consta bles George W. Haislet s'arted a six cohimn newspaper called The Northern Light in Howard Center in The paper lasted only a short Howard Cen'er was made the of Haward County from October. 1857 to 1853. Jamestown Township Began as "Round Grove" in 1BS4 In families by the name of Vin Houahton. Nilcs and Shaw set in Jamestown township The where t' iese pioneers first log cabins was known a3 Round Grove In 3355 ihe Tesple brothers George.

Edward. Sternen and Al rt. and Willis Spencer and his 'hree sons in law. David Paterson Trr DcMoss and Lucius Fas c.rae to the township. 1S5S settlers in the area in uded W.Iliam and Dennis Rice Tames Bennett.

James A. Cul t.n^. D. Bradford John Moffiit Li man Sou'hh3rd. S.

Torsey. Cutima. Hazen Rick in Ficfield. Danus Secle; Smith Sesley. James Bernelt and James Cut erected a steam sawmill ir and in honor of these two rrcn the name Jamestown was gi to the township.

The first election was held in township in 1856 but are no records of the results. The following were named at the election: Thayer and Patterson, constables: H. Bicker. Asel Fassett and Smith Srelcy. town trustees, and Willis Spencer and Danus Seeley, justices of the peace The f.rsi postoffice in Jamestown township was established in at the mill, with D.

P. Bradford as postmaster. This of f'te was later moved to the house cf Erasmus I.eache but was shortly destroyed by The part of Riceville i'; i.i Jjmi NlOttii township. The Tint Plato Dealer (ine nomad County Times and The Creneo Plata Dealer, oriditerl) Advancements in Aviation Are Evident Here Since 1929 Residents Inspect First Plane Page 8 Here "Steps taker, to provide an an po Cresco This news item pi vared 1.1 the 17. 1929.

of the Times The report seated that aviation was ai rapid ly that it 1 to know just wnat the requirement; would be At that time sai.fee of the Cresco Abiw us to operated witr. tr.e club to proude if. r.c fundi started on of A 22 acre ground as leased from Roter: Tnomson. The airport northwest of the fairground and marked according to regulations for such fields A Circle 1W feet in diameter and about four feet in width was to be mar. ied on the ground in the center of the field with "some white material Such a marking would be immediately recognized by a of an aircraft as "a safe and proper landing place No hahls for night landing were to be provided at that time.

of ground for a permanent was deferred until a later date. The landing field completed later in tr.e month of July of 1929 The nm of ihe circle marking the landing area was made of gravel and co with powdered lime rock. numerous tests this marking had been found to be the most easily recognized by air pdots. A weather ane was mounted on a 15 foot standard and placed on the field The Times reported direction of the wind 1 im rtant in making a safe landing." The field was only leased ground but considered adequate for needs at that time. The word "Cresco" was painted large letters oa the roof of he grandstand at the fairgrounds the same purpose to air travelers ss the town name on the passenger station did to railroad travelers.

Cresco was then listed in the Rand McXally Atlas as a regulation airport. A passenger plane service was provided in Cresco in the fall of the next The Times said. Ernest Pfeiffer, a register ed airplane pilot will bring his plane here at once and will be to take up passengers Sunday He has a new Waco three passenger biplane. He plans to erect a hanger on the field north cf the fairgrounds and will be located here permanently according to his present A year later. 1931, a local girl, Ellen Church, was instrumental in organizing a Stewardess Service with the Boeing com pan v.

Miss I Church felt that institutional train 1 mg should be combined with avia tion The Boeing company was the first in the history of aviation to I employ women as members of their fly mg force, and it was also ihe first to engage institutionally trained women as a third member of their crew. According to Miss Church, the duties of the stewardesses to lock after the interests and comforts of air passengers and to tike complete charge of such to the passengers' destinations While enroute the stewardesses pointed out places of interest in cities, towns, rivers, mountains, passes, altitudes, etc. A new air landing strip was constructed in 1959. The city of Cresco took a year's option on 20 acres of land belonging to Donald lineman for the purpose of constructing an air strip, Mayot John Tuchek announced in Sep tember of 1968. The lsnd was one mile west and one quarter mile i south of town.

Mr. lineman, who was asking S500 per acre, gave the city a year's option for $200. This gave the city the right to purchase the 2u acre plot with the year at the designated price. The area was approved by Nemmers, who represented the Iowa Aeronautical commission of Des Moines, Iowa. It was topographically surveyed by a Decor A newspaper account explained the proposal, "Should the city decide to purchase the land for the air strip, half of the funds would be furnished by the city and the remaining half by the state.

It is understood that Iocj.1 pilots are willing to solicit funds toward the purchase of the land. In that case. the city would meet the remaining amount of the one half share, should it be necessary." Mayor Tuchek went on to explain, The land must be appraised by a board of apprais ers and that the citv must pass a resolution attesting it its own ership and maintenance. Purchase of the site for the new Oesco airport was completed in April of 1959 when the legal papers were signed by Mrs. Fred I HHP! Cresco residents viewed their first airplane shortly after the turn ef the, century.

Date of the viewing can net be confirmed, however, even by the young lad whe was parched up en the lap ef the pilot, a Frenchman. The young lad shewn above is none than Den Hatha rt who. as the story gees, shed a few tears before agreeing to sit en the plane for the photograph. Canvas was used around the airplane to control the viewing, wHh the general public being charged to see the plane. The plane arrived here on a railroad box car and was assembled after its arrival in Cresco.

Central Heating Plant Here In 1900, 'Financial Failure' ed to be unsuccessful and a finan failure. Charles F. Frehauf of West Un Howard Center Township First Settled in 1855 Howard Center township was named for the village of Howard She center of rhe county in fact, it was five miles from the true center. Rcyai 0. Thayer first settled in the township in 1855.

Other pioneers included Alfred Eldridge, Willard E. Thayer, Ira Eldridge. Michael Creamer. Patrick Mullen. William Concerv.

John F. Thaver. William A. and Calvin Webster Hrnr A. Cook.

Laban Hassett and Ira Eldridge ooer.ed a store in 1855. usir a cf "ener handise he brought with him. Tn 1855 John Tha' er bunt a hotel. The town cf id out. rlaited rnd u' on record December 1.

1853. plat was roi nv F. bs'er. Air. ard Mrs.

Jc hn F. Thaver, Mr. and nlano Mrs Thcnns Mr. and June cf Mrs VV. E.

Tm' er, and Mr. and Mrs. Roval O. Thayer The first was estabhsh i in March. and Henrv A.

remaining of the central heating plant. A four foot excavation in the center of; Elm street dug in JP00. Into this excavation were twin cast iron pipes enclosed in a wooden box packed with mineral nool insulation. Cost of the upkeep due to frequent breaks in lha pi when "water would spring to the surface, causing complete shut down of service at times. few years the project was abandoned.

The pipes and insulted bo re main buried under the Cresco. Wednesday, Jnae 15, Vm Electric lights Come To Cresco in 1899 While residents today take elec kilowatt hour used in Cresco resi tiicitv for granted, such was not dences in 1964 was three cents, the case in the late 1800's when At the time the franchise was the possibilities of electrical pow granted the city rented seven carer for the city began ton arc lights and 24 incandescent It was voted to grant a franchise lights which burned from dusk to to a companv to establish an elec midnight. These carbon arc tamps trie light plant in Cresco in 1893. were lowered daily so that they The plant was to be owned and could be trimmed by a man who operated by a stock company. uas stili referred to as the lamp thir did not come lighter, about.

An article in Times By 1906, with the advent of new dated August 24. 1893. stated, tungsten light bulbs and with the "Owing to the hard times, the innovation of a few electric appli city council has decided to indef ances, such as the flatiron and the initely postpone action relative to toaster, there was naturally a the granting of a franchise to any greater demand for electric ser persoa, or corporation, in the mat vice. ter of electric lights As soon Julv 9 1913 interstate Pow as times limber up and money er company was given the street lighting contract tor cresco. the matter up again: which means that Cresco will have electric on tearuary ism, an orain ance was drawn up by the towr lights after a republican congress providing for an electri in franchise to interstate rowe.

Eefore the electric lights the However, an election" lantern was standard equipment was never held and Interstate most homes Street lights, lim Power company operated in Cres ued to the downtown area, con co under the title of Cresco Light, sisted of i 1 burning lamps on 3 Heat and Power Company. Mreet corners They were lighted The February 13, 1920, issue of every night at dusk by an official the Plain Dealer stated. "The fact lamplighter, who in recent years that the light and power company has been commemorated in a are Derating now without a Fre popular ballad. "The Old Lamp franchise in case of accident, etc. electric fights in Cresco.

off soon after midnight by the The 100 foot brick chimnev. nighrwatch" (town marshal), which was torn down in 1960. was he must have overslept for many years the only visible for ne was seen nustlmg around ,1 city council granted an electric light franchise to C. F. Freehauf.

of West Union, for a period of 20 ears. Water was heated at a central 1899 1000 plant and was conveyed through the underground pipes to most of the business places on Elm street. Lines were also extended to the Kessel hospital and to the public school. after sui light plant. The poles are being rapidly set all over the citv.

and work has commenced for the foundation of the building. The city council has decided to have rine arc lights to start instead of seven, as at first proposed." In 1900. the minimum exr nse ff lighting a residence was S1.00 per month. If more lights were the expense wzs increased mrnea 1 and as we interpret tne trancnise turning It was not until 1899 that the and contract the city retains the' privileges of an in fact every priv ilege of legislative government in these matters and even to the disfranchisement of the light company should occasion warrant it." A special election a held February 17, 1920, and the Interstate Power company was granted a franchise for 25 years. In the approximate half cen According to the Plain Dealer of 1,131 Interstate has served 1 the Cresco area, the comoanv has ihmg the work on the electric dollars in plant and property in order to deliver plentv of ''epend anie power to its custome s.

The first electric services was used to supply power for a single light bulb a far cry from the number of chores electricity new performs. The managers who have served in Cresco were Ray Hardv. Walt Joy. Harold Lineback. Fred Wod rich.

Orr Henrv and presentlv Vincent Hornberger. Times 1877 C. L. Bents ad ots cf not more than 29 cents per kilo vertised 160 acres of land in How 1 vrati hour. The average cost per ard township, at S12 an acre." THERE'S BEEN A LCI CF CHANGES Sandwiches Broasted Chicken Remember Long Ago Timers" can recall how difficult it was to enjoy and obtain Refreshments How only after miles of uncomfortable tr a 1 i the stage would stop at an Inn where but only scant refreshments were available.

Now ali you have to do is stop at a convenient Drive In such as our A DR9VE IN We extend a hearty welcome to all Centennial visitors to visit us. A Root Beer Cold Beverages Ice Cream Shrimp in the Basket Malts and Floats Coffee, etc. A DRIVE IN Norb Jo Krause, Owners Hiway 9 East.