Barnes County: A Moment in Time
1924 100 Years Ago...
Highland trains will come thru down town soon Fast coast trains will be routed down town after April 27
Although it will eliminate one of the most striking panoramic scenes in North Dakota, a change has been made in the Northern Pacific time table and, commencing April 27, all passenger trains now traveling over the high line bridge, will come thru down town. The two trains now carrying passengers over the high bridge which was built at a great expense by the Northern Pacific to do away with the heavy grades which added greatly to the cost of operating heavy freight trains through here, are the two North Coast Limited trains No. 1 and 2. Announcement
was made early today by J.J. Chamberlain, local agent, of the new change.
Beautiful views
Thousands of travelers who have passed over the high line since it was built have viewed Valley City from a most picturesque location. The beautiful little city nestled among the hills offered a striking scene to passengers passing through over that line.
Passengers wishing to board the trains, however, were obliged to travel some distance to the depot which was not kept in condition and especially during the winter months much inconvenience to passengers was experienced while waiting for delayed trains during storms.
Under the new schedule passengers will be taken care of in the local depot until train time. It was a long drawn out fight to have the trains changed from the high line down town but the railroad company wishes to accommodate their passengers in every possible way, hence the change. Freight trains will be routed over the bridge.
1949 75 Years Ago... Torguson opens new laundry
Spic and span like a piece of new white linen, the Green Valley Laundry will be formally opened in Valley City Wednesday by Proprietor Ben L. Torguson.
Completion of this new modern plant is the realization of a dream come true for the young GI who started working on plans for the revival of a laundry industry for Valley City three years ago.
This was in 1946, and late in the fall of that year he went to Fargo to learn the laundry business during which time he also studied a special refresher course at the American Institute of Laundry at Joliet, ILL. Then, as his plans started to take material form, N. M. Nielson was given the contract to built a one-story, brick, 45 x 90
structure. Arrangements were made with Supt. O. N. Bergman of the city power company to pipe steam to the plant, and work went ahead to equip it with the most modern laundry machinery.
Today, the new laundry in Valley City is one of the most modern in the northwest, adequately furnished with new types of equipment and lighting, and ready to serve the community with every type of laundry service of unsurpassed quality.
The laundry will provide work for 12 people, and at present there are two men and 10 women on the payroll. Jack Thilmony is the maintenance supervisor, and Jack Lutjens is the laundry truck driver.
One of the larger pieces of equipment is the huge 17,500-pound ironer. It has Hamilton Spring padding, automatic oiler, and dynamic and electronic control power system. The shirt-finishing unit consists of six individual machines, a specific press being designed especially for ladies’ uniforms- both colored and white, doctor’s and shop coats, dresses and other numerous wearing apparel items. Bishop Puffheads, designed for finishing off uniforms or smaller items give them that “fresh from the factory” look.
Sock forms by the Huebsch company are the latest, and return the socks shaped and finished like a new pair. The handkerchief and napkin duffer and press is designed just for this type of work. Napkins and hankies are returned in two folds ready for use with a finish that only a properlyequipped laundry can give. The curtain and blanket stretcher and finisher return the curtains and blankets “store new” and the same size as brought in. The double unit water softener assures a ready supply of soft water. The Fluff Dryer dries bath towels and knitwear to a downy softness.
Mr. Torguson, a veteran of World War Two
and a native of Dazey, has been busy with plans for this new laundry for three years. After his honorable discharge from the armed forces, he was employed for 18 months at the Model Laundry in Fargo. He served four years in the medical branch of the army and was discharged as a master sergeant. The 29-yearold war veteran is a sonin-law of Mr. and Mrs. O’Dell Amundsen of this city. His wife is the former Carole Amundson.
Kopperud’s open jewelry store in Wimbledon
By Pierce-Wimbledon correspondent
Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Kopperud’s have opened a jewelry store in Wimbledon and are located in a newly-built room in the News office building. They have a fine looking display of jewelry. We welcome the Kopperud’s to Wimbledon and hope they will like it.
1974 50 Years Ago... VCSC hall being demolished
East and West Hall on Valley City State College campus are being demolished since instructed by the North Dakota Fire Marshall as a condemned building for housing. Clearing projects began last week by contractor Den Dockter of McCluskey. Both buildings will be torn down with a portion of the West end of West Hall remaining. This is a mechanical room for McCoy Hall. The dormitories were built at the turn of the century. According to VCSC Maintenance and ground director Willis Wagar the area will be developed into a recreation park. Plans are being investigated as its feasibility for volley ball and basketball courts, and possibly a skating rink in the winter months.
Lady called “Florence Nightingale”
“The only thanks I ask is that if for any reason motorists appear to be in trouble on highways, Help Them.”
This appeal comes from Ann Koenig, commander of the Disabled
American Veterans Auxiliary in North Dakota. Ms. Koenig is given credit for saving the lives of Randy Schotz and Harry Veil when the two men were overcome by carbon monoxide in their ambulance near Valley City March 26.
“I was traveling down the road on my way to a meeting when I passed two men in an ambulance, Ms. Koenig told Bernard Wagner, Sanborn, department junior vice commander of the DAV. “I noticed, or it was my women’s intuition, that something was wrong. So I stopped, ran over to the two men and said, “I’m a nurse. Can I help you?”
Schotz was unconscious and cyanotic and Veil was not far from the same condition, Ms. Koenig told Wagner. Veil was able to help get Schotz into the Koenig car. “As we neared the Valley City interchange, city police were waiting for us and I told them: “I have a couple of sick men, poisoned by carbon monoxide.” I then took them to Mercy hospital.
Visiting the men in Jamestown April 2 while on an official DAV visit, Ms. Koenig was told by Veil: “All I remember of you is your blond hair and glasses. I lost 30 minutes and 30 miles. Schotz did not remember me at all.”
“Harry said if I hadn’t stopped he probably would have been at the UND Medical Center experimental department.” Ms. Koenig told Wagner.
“When I ran to the ambulance I wasn’t thinking about the danger involved for myself an after I saw the men I knew they couldn’t hurt me,” says Ms. Koenig.
“Besides, after a trip to a National DAV Convention I took courses in judo, karate and self defense. I didn’t give my name at the time because nobody asked me.”
Ms. Koenig is a student at NDSU, doing post-graduate work in nursing and psychology. After the incident near Valley City, everyone has been calling her “Florence Nightingale,” Wagner says.