News From This Week’s Past: Aug. 4 – 11

All items are from the Door County Library’s newspaper archives, and they appear in the same form as they were first published, including misspellings and grammatical errors.

The Weekly Expositor Independent, August 6, 1880

Pier Burned. Mr. A. Anderson’s pier at Ephraim, burned last Monday night at 12 o’clock. The pier was one of the best, if not the best on Green Bay waters. The warehouse, which contained about $500 worth of boxed clothing, 400 bushels of wheat, 10 tons of feed, 6 barrels of sugar, coffee, etc., were also burned with the pier. The total loss is estimated at $4,500 or $5,000. Though nearly or quite a total wreck, the pier will be rebuilt, work on the same to begin at once.

The Democrat, August 3, 1893

THE NEW ASSESSMENT.

BIG INCREASE IN THE VALUATION OF CITY PROPERTY.

The result of the work done by the board of review of this city, which completed its labors last week, shows that there has been an immense increase in the valuation of both the personal property and real estate of this city. This year the real estate is valued at $546,795, and the personal property at $365,325, making a total of $912,118. In 1892 the total valuation of the city was $539,262, there being an increase during the past year of $372,856, or about 69 percent. This very large increase is not caused by growth of the city, but is mainly due to the fact that the city officers elected last spring were pledged to reform the method of assessment formerly in vogue here and to assess all taxable property at its real value.

Door County Democrat, August 5, 1905

Boys Struck By Lightning.

The heavy electrical storm Thursday evening came near being the death of three young men in the town of Sevastopol.

Johnnie and Paul Bischno, sons of John Bischno, ran into a barn when the storm broke for the purpose of getting shelter from the rain. Just after entering the barn the building was struck by lightning and the shock rendered both boys unconscious. John received the heaviest shock and did not regain consciousness for several hours and is still in very serious condition.

Geo. Heidman Jr., son of Geo. Heidman of Sevastopol, was out in the field driving the cows home, and was struck by lightning receiving a very severe shock. He was rendered unconscious, and bled from the nose, eyes and mouth, but it is thought that he will recover.

Door County Democrat, August 3, 1917

PARK POPULAR PLACE

Peninsula State Park is becoming widely known throughout Wisconsin, and Sept. A.E. Doolittle states that thousands of people have visited it this summer, an average of over 75 automobile parties having motored to the park daily since the latter part of June. Yachting parties have also found it an ideal place at which to spend their time, and it is a common sight to see a number of little pleasure craft anchored off shore, and at the docks on the Fish Creek and Ephraim shores of the park.

The golf links are becoming popular and are being used almost constantly, and are now in good condition for the lovers of this popular sport.

Door County News, August 5, 1926

30,000 Cases

Cherries Are Packed In Day

On Friday of last week one of the largest single day’s pack of cherries in the history of the industry was made.

There were 30,000 cases of cherries canned at the three factories of the Door County Fruit Growers Canning Co., located here and at Egg Harbor and Sister Bay.

The trees are laden until the limbs bend to the ground and have broken in some instances. Not only this but the fruit is of an exceptionally high quality, with a very few exceptions where slight damage was done by hail.

Door County News, August 3, 1939

GOV’T BOAT TO BE BUILT HERE

Contracts for three 48-foot government boats have just been awarded to Peterson Boat Works, Fred Peterson, president, announces, and work will be started in two weeks to enable them to make fall delivery.

The three boats will be used in inspection work by the U.S. Engineering department from the New Orleans port.

Several men will be hired to do the work, Mr. Peterson states, for the three boats will be built simultaneously, there being sufficient facilities to do so.