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Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com

Published - Friday, April 25, 2008

From the Files: April 19

Compiled by Jerome Christenson | Winona Daily News

1983

What do you do with a dinosaur?

It was easy when dinosaurs were biodegradeable; they just laid down and died wherever there was a chance a paleontologist would later dig.

But the dinosaur in the Winona County courthouse poses problems.

True, it’s only eight years old, but it’s as outmoded as any dinosaur and nearly as big. It’s the county’s first computer, bought for $50,000 in 1975 and now just taking up space — a lot of space — in the data processing department, a small room that once was an annex to the assessor’s office.

Like a dinosaur, the old computer isn’t much good for anything anymore, and nobody wants it — the computer’s maker, NCR, doesn’t even want it for parts.

So the old computer sits while county officials figure out how to put it out of its misery. It won’t be easy. It’s not small enough to fit into any elevators, and it would take five men to move it. When it was installed, it was slipped in through a large window on the second floor with the help of a crane.

1958

The Minnesota Centennial Train, gleaming like a silver arrow in the midday sun, arrived in Winona at

12:35 p.m. today to launch a 135-day tour of the state.

Gov. Orville Freeman, more than 100 other dignitaries and hundreds of visitors crowded into the Levee Park area to welcome the train, which will be on display at the North Western freight yard through Monday evening.

A local greeting party had been at the Milwaukee Railroad station well in advance of the train’s 12:35 p.m. arrival to welcome the 150 passengers on board.

Since the nine-car Centennial Train had no locomotive of its own, it had been hooked onto Milwaukee Train No. 58. Then Centennial Train remained at the Milwaukee station. Then, as the visitors proceeded to Hotel Winona for luncheon, a switch engine took up its position behind the Centennial Train and pushed it “around the horn” — the east end of town — and up Front Street to the North Western freight yard.

1933

ST. PAUL (AP) — Gov. Floyd B. Olson signed a legislative bill under which tuition will be charged in the state teachers’ colleges after next Sept. 1.

The act provides the state teachers college board may fix the tuition, but the law fixes minimums and maximums. It provides that for the first six quarters, tuition of not less than $5 and not more than $15 a quarter may be charged, and from $10 to $20 for the remaining quarters. Summer school sessions are considered as one quarter under the act.

Nonresidential students must pay an additional fee of $5 per quarter upon matriculation.

At present all students who sign an agreement to teach in state schools for two years after leaving the college are given free tuition.

1908

Jule Drabe, an old resident of Winona, committed suicide, presumably Friday night, by blowing his brains out with a shotgun. His remains were not found until yesterday morning at his lodging house over the grocery store of Emil Miller on East Second Street. The only cause for the deed was melancholia and despondency.

Mr. Drabe was 77 years of age and had been a resident of Winona for 40 years and was well known to a great many people of the city. In his younger days, he was leader of the German singing society.

The man spent a great deal of his leisure time in the grocery store of Emil Miller; they immediately missed him, and yesterday morning Henry Miller went to his rooms, which are located directly over the store on the second floor. Upon reaching the door, he walked in, they not being locked, and the horrible sight met his eyes. He then went out and sent for Coroner Steinbach, who ascertained the cause of his death upon sight of the dead body. The shot had blown his brains out and into the next room, fully 12 feet away from the rest of the body, and the impact of the shock was so great that even his teeth came out.

1883

Fire was discovered in the saloon and grocery store of August Schreiber, situated on East Fourth Street, two blocks below the Washington School building, at about half past two this morning. The building with its contents was entirely consumed. Mr. Schreiber estimates his loss at $2,000, exclusive of the building. The contents consisted of groceries, liquors and fixtures, upon which there was insurance of $1,500. The building was one story in height and 20 by 56 feet in size. No one slept in the building, and when the fire was first seen, flames were leaping from the center of the building. A pigeonhole table was the only article saved.

The timely arrival of the firemen and their prompt action saved the fire from communicating to a residence building about 40 feet distant.

1863

We regret to learn that Mr. Hodgins, mayor of this city, is so dangerously ill that his life is despaired of. He had been absent from town for some weeks until last Tuesday, since which time he has rapidly declined. His illness is caused, as understood, by disease of the throat.

Contact Jerome Christenson at jchristenson@winonadaily news.com or (507) 453-3500.