November 12, 1896 —
Yesterday Abe Kissinger and Will Kelley indulged in a sleigh ride. In turning the corner on Fourth street the cutter upset, and for a few seconds we witnessed a display surpassing any parotechnic disturbance the country has known. Bro. Kelley, after getting through with his acrobatic and mid-air performances, landed head foremost in a snow drift from which he was tenderly extracted by kind hands. Abe held on to the horse and thus averted a runaway.
100 Years Ago. . .
E. B. Rodgers installed a fine new chewing gum machine in his drug store.
The Osmond Modern Woodmen of America (MWA) Forester drill team was all equipped in its new uniforms, and the boys were a fine-looking bunch. Chas. B. Rosburg, who spent his time during the day carrying mail for Uncle Sam on Route 1, was the captain and drill master, and it was predicted he would turn out a crack drill team that would be a credit to the town. The team planned on going to the state encampment the following month.
Henry Schuettler advertised: If the party who stole my saddle on July 20 will come to me, I will give him a good horse to go with it.
Vernon Koppelman, son of Will Koppelman, received a badly smashed right hand at the Henry Koppelman home. They were running a binder out of the shed, when Vernon got the right hand caught between the shed and a cog wheel on the binder.
75 Years Ago. . .
Osmond’s aging Burlington depot, the upper floor of which also afforded a residence for agent A. G. Swanda and his family, was undergoing major repairs. A crew of nine workmen did the job. Principal improvement was the resilling of the entire building. In addition there was a new platform and curb. The depot, which for many years was a waiting place for passengers and a ticket office in the days before the Burlington was authorized to discontinue passenger train service, was probably about as old as the town, according to agent Swanda. That would put the frame structure’s age at something like 59 years [in 1949]. Rotting sills had already been replaced once, it was learned as the ground level lumber was inspected.
Frederick Bramwell Osmond Jr. of Hollywood Beach, Oxnard, CA, spent an hour in what is probably the only town or city of Osmond in the world. [According to Wikipedia, there is an Osmond, WY, and an Osmond in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.] A dream cherished for years, a paved Osmond business street, was fast becoming a reality. Theisen Bros., Osmond dirt moving contractors, began work on necessary excavation in preparation for paving. Pouring of concrete began by Arnold Swanson & Co., Hastings paving contractors, who held contract for the local job.
65 Years Ago. . .
A search for an alleged peeper was called off in the McLean-Randolph area. The hunt got underway the previous night when Russell Laughlin said he fired two shotgun blasts at an unidentified man who was peeping in his farm home window.
Sister M. Laurentine, hospital administrator, said that, during a recent 24-hour period, the hospital’s facilities were taxed to capacity. All 18 beds were occupied. Eight new lives were brought into the world at St. Joseph Hospital at Osmond in six days. Of the new babies, two were twins, Dennis Henry and Donald Frank, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Haselhorst of Osmond.
Osmond’s city park near the auditorium usually was a cool, pleasant, green place for family picnics. In 1959, the facilities were better than ever. Trees had been thinned and pruned. Weeds were replaced by bluegrass which was kept neatly mowed. Flowers abounded in areas, cared for by public-spirited clubs and individuals. There were many picnic tables and newly installed playground equipment.
The car of Kenneth Hoeppner, Osmond Theisen Bros. employee, was badly damaged when it struck a bridge on Highway No. 20 near Dawson Oil & Transport Co. at the southeast edge of Osmond. Mr. Hoeppner was alone in the car at the time and reportedly was returning to Osmond from an east of town steak house. He was brought to St. Joseph Hospital here where his injuries were determined to be of a minor nature.
50 Years Ago. . .
Pictured on the front page of the Osmond Republican were Dorothy Dennis, Rose Clayton, Marie Frodyma, Juli Christensen, Bev Dennis, Wendy Kelley, Shari Buckendahl, Susan Engler, Teresa Theisen and Chris Stratton, members of the Osmond Aquaettes synchronized swimming team, who presented “Wade in Water” at the Osmond Municipal Pool.
An executor’s auction was conducted at the Pierce County courthouse to dispose of 320 acres of land held in the estate of the late Mrs. Lillian V. Schmitz. The land, known for years as the Butterfield east ranch, is located southeast of Osmond. Rod Ronspies was the successful bidder for the parcel of land. The reported purchase price was $415 per acre. There were several bidders, according to those attending the sale, and with the exception of two bidders, all were from the Osmond vicinity.
The Osmond softball team won second place in the Pioneer League softball tourney. It was an uphill battle all the way, said the coach.
Osmond lost its first game to Wausa in the double elimination tourney. In the second game, Osmond defeated Coleridge, 10,4. In the third game, Osmond defeated Verdigre, 10-0. Osmond defeated Plainview 8-5, then Wausa, 7-3. In the first game of the finals, Osmond beat Bloomfield 10-5. This was the first time Bloom - field was defeated in 17 games. The Osmond team had a return match with Bloomfield in the second game of the evening and was defeated 5-4, giving them second place in the tourney.
The owners of the Town Bowl announced the alleys would be managed and operated by Jerry Stark and his sons when the new bowling season began. Stark, who was also the owner and operator of the Rain-Bo Bar, brought a great deal of expertise and experience to the Town Bowl. Prior to moving to Osmond, he managed and/or operated bowling alleys at Aberdeen, SD, for about 14 years.
25 Years Ago. . .
At the annual John B. Adkins golf tournament, the A flight was won by Dallas Steckelberg with Randy Jochum second, Tom Schmit third and Pat Hoffman and Dave Jones tying for fourth. The B flight was won by Tom Borst; Herman Kaup, second; Rich Bruegman, third; Don Streich, fourth, and Ken Mowery and B. Jesse, tied for fifth. Overall low was Tom Borst.
10 Years Ago. . .
Work continued on updates at Farmers Pride in Osmond. Work to expand storage by 650,000 bushels began Feb. 1 with two new 425,000-bushel concrete tubes replacing two 100,000-bushel bins.
