This Day in History

1750 Northway Drive • North Mankato, MN 56003 www.corpgraph.com

Compiled by Jean Lundquist

Pleasant Grove School fumigated last night

September 20, 1898

The media referred to an “outbreak” of scarlet fever, measles, typhoid, and diphtheria reported in Mankato and Blue Earth County, but there were few cases of any of the diseases.

The Mankato Daily Free Press named names of all those who had been stricken, and where they lived – with addresses and familial affiliations (who was married to whom, children, etc.). The County Health officer reported “there was more scare than anything else.”

Still, parents were keeping their children out of classes, so as a matter of precaution, it was decided to fumigate the school. This action would “destroy the disease germs that might be lying about for children to breathe in.”

September 21, 1977

Low water levels meant hunters on Swan Lake in Nicollet County would have a harder time getting to the water of the lake, hiking through mud and dense vegetation of cattails and bulrushes.

Those with larger boats might be expected to give up. If they did make it to water, some might have to lift motors to navigate the shallow water.

But the writer of the article in the Mankato Free Press told hunters it might be worth it all, as the ducks may have never been more abundant on the lake at migration/hunting time. The low water levels created conditions that increased vegetation on the lake floor, and the ducks were “loving it.”

Despite “more than adequate rainfall” during the summer, the Department of Natural Resources said it had been so dry, most of it just soaked into the ground as water of the lake continued to evaporate. “Moisture from above” was said to be the solution, and some in the DNR hoped for a heavy snowfall and a rainy spring.

September 19, 2000

Improving existing parks and creating a new Benson Park were ideas the North Mankato City Council decided to put to voters in 2000.

Public meetings were held; a survey was sent to every household in the city. Just more than 8% of the surveys were returned.

At a City Council meeting, one resident told the council he didn’t need to pay any more taxes. He suggested the city get those younger than 60 to pay but leave the senior citizens off the hook. That prompted the Mankato Area Youth Baseball Association to quip, “Ask not what your city of North Mankato can do for you, but what you can do for the city of North Mankato.”

September 3, 1994

At the Tator Days parade in Eagle Lake in 1993, Madison Lake Police Chief Donn Browne was an entrant, driving the Madison Lake squad car. Apparently, two young women began squirting him with “high powered squirt guns.”

The chief told them to knock it off, according to police reports. They continued, so he blasted a spray of pepper-based irritant at them.

Instead of hitting the women, the mist landed on 11 other parade-goers. Three girls younger than age 13 were included and claimed the pepper spray caused severe burning to the eyes, face and respiratory tract.

The chief was not unknown to controversy. He was accused of excessive force in a DWI case earlier and eventually was convicted of cashing checks for part-time officers in the jurisdiction and taking the money. That finally ended his police career.