Barnes County: A Moment in Time
1923
100 Years Ago... Ellis family safe after incident
S.P. Ellis had a narrow escape from asphyxiation yesterday morning at his hoe on Elizabeth Street. Mr. Ellis was putting a new grate in his furnace when the coal gas fumes overcame him making him unconscious. Mrs. Ellis, who was alone, carried him out of the basement and was nearly suffocated herself. Mr. Ellis was unconscious for some time but was resuscitated and was able to be on the street again in the afternoon and will suffer no bad effect from the accident.
Fire on Front Street
Indications now are that all the property owners whose place of business were destroyed by the recent fire on Front Street, will rebuild in the spring. The First National Bank and A.J. Linn, Hardware, are practically certain. Nic Clarens, after looking over some other towns, returns and says that Sanborn looks pretty good to him, and has decided to put up a new building on his lot, and Andrew Waite writes from Long Beach, California, saying that he will erect a building on his forty-five foot frontage. This includes all the space burned out except the Elliott hardware building lot. We have not yet learned what decision has been arrived at in the latter case. Sanborn Enterprise.
1948
75 Years Ago... Woody celebrates anniversary
Woodrow Gagnon is celebrating his first anniversary in Valley City as proprietor of Woody’s Cafe.
Though he took over the popular eat spot amidst a good North Dakota blizzard on February 4, 1947, it didn’t cool his spirit a bit, he says, thanks to the folks of Valley City and Barnes County.
“Woody” came here from Fargo where he was associated with the office of Collector of Internal Revenue for the District of North Dakota. Ralph Pomery joined him last May as assistant manager; Hank Himmerick in July as chef. His operating force has grown from 20 to 27, many of whom were employed in the cafe when he came.
The cafe building was purchased last year by Erling Bakken and a new front was completed and unveiled last month. Further renovations are planned, including offices on the second floor, and a dining room for small private parties.
“Business has been good” reports the evercheerful Woody. “We have enjoyed Valley City and its people and are looking forward to many more years in the cafe business here.” And he added: “I have been in a lot of places but have never seen a town with nicer people than here in Valley.”
Mrs. Blaine again assisting with extension work
Mrs. Valentine L. Blaine is again assisting in the county agent’s office. Mrs. Blaine is well known thru-out Barnes
County, having worked with the 4_h clubs and Homemakers’ clubs during the year, 1947. She completed her work has October and resumed work again on Feb. 2.
She will be assisting boys and girls 4-H clubs and the Homemakers clubs in their plans for the year and any of these clubs wishing assistance or information may contact her at the office.
Mrs. Blaine is also chairman of the Home Economics committee for the Winter Show and will be working with the plans for their exhibits.
1973 50 Years Ago... Eddy’s Bakery moves to uptown location
Moving Day and relocation for the Eddy’s Bakery Thrift Store in Valley City was on the agenda for the managers and employees.
Formerly conducting business from a West Main address. they now have their bakery display at 127 Second Ave. SE the former Dolly’s Cafe building.
Eddy O’Connell, now deceased, developed a chain of nine bakeries in the nation, including one at Grand Forks which makes daily deliveries to Moorhead, Valley City and Jamestown.
The local store is open six days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mrs. Mickey (Billie) Law and Mrs. Richard (Joyce) Fath are employees of the store which began business in Valley City May 1, 1972.
Manager Al Krpoun and sales manager, Jim Allmodt, both of Grand Forks were here to assist with the moving.
All bakery goods are packaged for sale, both fresh and day-old.
With Our Servicemen
Brunswick, main (FHTNC) - Navy Seaman Mark O. NOles, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe W. Noles, Valley City, has
left his homebase at the Brunswick Naval Air Station for a five-month deployment to the Mediterranean with Patrol Squadron 23.
While in the Mediterranean, his squadron will fly the lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft on aerial surveillance, search and rescue and photographic intelligence missions.
He is a 1969 graduate of Valley City High.
1998
25 Years Ago...
Bissel named Mercy CEO Interim job becomes permanent The board of directors at Mercy Hospital in Valley City has chosen Jane Bissel to serve as president and chief executive officer of the hospital.
Bissel’s new appointment became effective Jan. 30. She has served as the interim CEO for the past two months and succeeds Greg Hanson.
“I’m honored the board has chosen me for this position,” Bissel said. “I will do my best to live up to the confidence they have placed in me.”
What are Bissel’s priorities as the new president and CEO? “I want to continue our mission to provide the best possible health care for our community and, at the same tie, keep the hospital financially strong. We’ll be continually re-examining our goals to make sure we’re on track with the mission at all times.”
Bissel has been with Mercy Hospital for the past 13 years Since 1990, she has served as a chief financial officer; from 1985 to 1990, she was the hospital’s comptroller. Mercy Hospital Board President Jack
Marthaler says, “Jane has been a top performer for a number of years at the hospital. She’s very capable and dedicated. Over the years, as auditors have come through, they have rarely recommended changes. This has been a reflection of Jane’s work.”
Bisse;, 44, received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Valley City University. She is also a certified public accountant. Bissel and her husband Steve have two children, Stephanie, 25, and Ryan, 21.
Mercy Hospital is a 74-bed facility and employes 180 people. The hospital is owned by Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI).
Beamer book debuts at Eagles Nest store Former VC woman writes about dog
By Jean Schlegel
TR staff writer
The book, “A Face in the Window,” by a former Valley City woman, Shirley Beamer, is now debuting at the Eagles Nest Book Store in Valley City.
The book is about a golden labrador named Aby and is written in Aby’s voice.
Beamer, who now resides in Sun City, Ariz., moved to Valley City in 1957. She was a caregiver to Alvin and Pauline Meldahl’s youngest daughter (than 4).
A long-time planned partnership had developed with Mrs. Meldahl, Phyllis Myhre (Carl Myhre’s Jewelry) and Beamer in co-ownership of an art shop in Valley City. After the Meldahls moved to Missouri, Myhre and Beamer operated The Pavilion Art Shop. They owned and operated this art shop for about two and onehalf golden lab named Abydos, ro Aby for short, who was owned by Beamer’s housemate, Carole Baldwin.
Beamer also drew sketches of the dog which are also in the book.
Beamer has earned 34 ribbons for her art work, including a Grand/Best of Show and 21 out of the 34 ribbons are of her pets and other animals done on consignment.
Aby was named after the Holy City of Abydos in Egypt where Beamer visited.
“Abydos is the Holy City in Egypt and has the softest yellow white sand you have ever seen. It was in this memory then that we selected Abydos as the name for our little yellow-white lab named Aby,” Beamer said.
The dog was put to sleep in January of 1996 at the age of 14.
Stretch Rogers of Valley City is a good friend of Beamer and Myhre and was asked by the author to write her reactions to the book. Her remarks are included in the forward.
Rogers said (in part): “Having met Aby first in Denver and again in Sun City - and knowing and loving mama Shirley and auntie Phyllis - I almost felt a part of her family. Reliving some of the events of their lives through Aby’s eyes was so refreshing and nostalgic. I finished the book in tears.”