EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference staff at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — City officials got more than they bargained for while paving the Jackson Cut Alley in downtown Marquette. Seven underground storage tanks were found in the alley on the south side of the 100 block of West Washington Street. Five contained fuel oil and two contained cleaning solvents. The fuel tanks were removed at the expense of the property owners, City Manager David Svanda said, but the two solvent tanks are a bigger problem. One tank was on city property, the other was on property owned by First National Bank. The tanks were badly deteriorated and the surrounding soil is being tested for contamination. The city commission gave the go-ahead last week to remove the tanks and clean up nearby soil. Costs could range from $9,000 to $40,000, depending on what materials are found and how much, Svanda said. The commission also agreed to recoup the cleanup costs from the bank for its share and the previous property owners, who haven’t been identified yet.

60 years ago

CASPIAN — All officers and trustees of the Federated Italian American Societies of the Upper Peninsula were reelected during the federation’s annual business meeting here Sunday. The federation unanimously decided to hold conventions every two years in the future. Ishpeming was selected as the site of a meeting of officers and executive committees next August, when plans will be formulated for the 1962 conference, slated to be held in Sault Ste. Marie. Officers and trustees who will serve two more years are as follows: Joe Passamani, Iron River, president; John Yeavello, South Range, vice president; Otto F. Cristan, Caspian, secretary; Frank Tondin, Iron Mountain, treasurer; the Rt. Rev. Msgr. David P. Spelgatti, Ishpeming, chaplain; Gino Manzini, Calumet, James Nardi, Ishpeming, Eva Cardellina and Louise Callia, Sault Ste. Marie, Tondin, Silvio DePaoli, Caspian, and Dominic Fiera and Ann Marcheski, South Range, trustees.