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

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — A persistent sea lamprey problem in the Great Lakes has prompted Rep. Bob Davis to schedule a House hearing on controlling the aquatic parasite. Davis scheduled a hearing Sept. 17 in Washington of the Oceanography subcommittee, the Great Lakes and the Outer Shelf subcommittee and the Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and Environment subcommittee–all part of the Merchant Marines and Fisheries subcommittee. “The Great Lakes are an endangered resource, and the sea lamprey ranks right up there with toxic contamination as the biggest threat to permanently alter the ecosystem.” Davis said in a press release, “My hope is that this hearing in September will get the seriousness of the lamprey infestation across to the members of Congress. From there we’ll have to work on formulating a more intense eradication strategy.” President Bush has recommended about a $1 million reduction in the approximately $9 million lamprey eradication budget. The House is recommending about a $400,000 increase over Bush’s proposal and the Senate about $2 million in additional funding.

90 years ago

MARQUETTE – The new automatic crossing signals being installed by the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic railway will be ready for operation within a week, officials in charge of the work said yesterday. There will be two signals at Fifth Street, two at Third Street, two a Spring Street, and four at the intersection of Front Street and Baraga. The signals are mounted on a concrete base about 15 inches high, on which are placed on either side of the steel standard bearing the signal, two red safety lights which will burn continuously and illuminate the concrete base.