30 years ago THE HASTINGS STAR-GAZETTE November 5, 1992

Coming in from November 1992, was the news that Hastings had gone for Arkansas governor Bill Clinton, while Jerry Dempsey had defeated Steve Collins for the seat in 29A.

At the same time, the Monday night council meeting had seen bids and bonds for a $6.6 million courthouse and fire station. Taking up hundreds of hours of discussion and city staff time, the preservation bid had come after a great deal of preparation, including consulting the city charter to see how the project could be legally accomplished.

In non-election news from just north, a new industrial waste facility had just opened at Pine Bend, coming after four years of planning and land acquisition. The Pine Bend facility was due to handle “non-hazardous industrial waste” in 10 massive containment cells, per the Gazette.

Also of note but in the city, was a Target Wolf Pack party advertised with sponsors KDWB and Mattel. It was, as they said, “the party everybody voted for.”

55 years ago

THE HASTINGS GAZETTE November 2, 1967 Making the news some 55 years ago, it was reported that burglars had “chopped a hole” through the roof of Bill’s Supervalu at 4th and Vermillion, absconding with cash and trading stamps. The robbery had taken place sometime overnight on October 27, with the burglary being discovered upon store open. But while a similar break-in method had been used at Eddy’s Drug, Hastings chief Laski wasn’t certain the two were related, as he said that the Supervalu break-in was “more professional” than that at Eddy’s Drug.

Over at Cottage Grove, meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was looking into a blast at a railroad spur of the 3M Chemolite plant, as well as the cause of a fire on railroad tracks not far from the blast. The Milwaukee railroad was offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible, as its property had been damaged in the apparent attack.

80 years ago THE HASTINGS GAZETTE November 6, 1942
Starting out the week of November 6 from 80- years ago, then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had told a press conference that “a compulsory registration” was being considered for women to determine their war eligibility. Back at Hastings, Mr. and Mrs. John Carey had received word from the war department that niece Lieutenant Margaret M. Fink, a registered nurse, had arrived safe and sound “at some undisclosed base abroad.”

In more general war news, War Production Chairman Donald M. Nelson made known that munitions production for September had been up some 7 percent compared with August, while airplanes had increased by 10 percent and navy and army ships up 22 percent. The treasury had spent $5.5 billion “for war purposes,” with reports that some 4.5 million more workers were needed in the labor market before the end of 1943, along with three million more by the close of 1944.

Back at Hastings, World War One vet and Washington County native John Gardell was off to join the army a second time, being honored by the local VFW prior to departure.

105 years ago THE DEMOCRAT Published at Hastings November 2, 1917 A Letter from Ralph Chard Camp Dodge, Iowa, Oct. 17, 1917 The Comforts Committee, Patriotic League Hastings, Minnesota Dear Friends:—Am writing to thank you for the comfort kit I received on leaving Hastings. The comfort kit contains articles a man usually forgets when going on a journey of this kind. Our uniforms are new and of course do not need mending—but it won’t be long before they will need it.

The boys from Dakota county are all well and in fine spirits. The food is a good deal better than we expected after hearing stories of army life.

Tuesday and Friday afternoons, and all day Sundays are holidays so we have plenty of time for rest and leisure.

We have been expecting to leave for Deming ever since our arrival but nothing definite has been said about it yet, so

130 years ago THE DAILY GAZETTE November 6, 1892 An Explanation To the Editor of the Gazette The Gazette stated that two Farmington bicyclists in coming from that place to Hastings last Sunday scored a record of one hour and thirty-five minutes. Even if this statement is true the record is nothing wonderful, when a high wind was at their back pulling them along.

—Hastings Bicyclist.

Just under 159 years ago THE HASTINGS CONSERVER December 8, 1863 Edward Everett’s Oration.

We presume most of our readers have perused, ere this, the lengthy oration of Edward Everett (at Gettysburg) delivered at the consecration of the Gettysburg cemetery, on the 19th ultimate (which was not in the Dec. 8 Conserver but is viewable online at voicesofdemocracy.umd.edu) Said Everett of Lincoln: “I should be glad, if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes.”

Wrote Lincoln to Everett: “I am pleased to know that, in your judgement, the little I did say was not entirely a failure.”

FIRE IN NINIGER.—On Thursday evening last, between the hours of 7 and 8, a fire was discovered breaking out in the second story of the grist mill owned by S. S. Eaton, esq., and it speedily burned to the ground, together with a small dwelling house and saloon, owned and kept by Mrs. Sablohner. The mil was valuable, costing not far from fifteen thousand dollars. It was not occupied, nor had been for the past year. We have not learned of any insurance. With the dwelling was consumed a lot of clothing and household articles, loss about fifteen hundred dollars. Undoubtedly the work of an incendiary (arsonist).