The Peter White Public Library in Marquette is pictured. (Journal file photo)

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

30 years ago

ISHPEMING — The arctic blast that froze the Upper Peninsula caused six water mains to burst in Ishpeming Wednesday, draining the city’s 500,000-gallon water tank. The city’s water system lost pressure when the tank went dry, which may have allowed contaminated groundwater or sediment to seep into water lines through cracks, said Jim Bertucci, acting Public Works Department director. Water was shut off at numerous residences and businesses near the leaks today but pumps continued to supply water to the rest of the town. City officials urged residents to boil their water. And although temperatures were expected to rise above zero today for the first time in a week, Public Works employees were having a difficult time digging through frozen ground. “Everything is frozen to the mains six feet down,” Bertucci said. “We’re having a heck of a time getting down to the mains so we can fix them.” Crews took the bolts off the hatch of the water tank this morning to assess the problem, he said. Water flowing out of the mains underground caused a 5-foot section of Seventh Street to cave in at the Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. shops. Seventh Street this morning was closed.

90 years ago

ST. IGNACE — Charged with possession of moose meat, August Niemi, of Pickford, and Jacques Ahlich, Les Cheneaux, pleaded guilty when arraigned in justice court. Each was sentenced to serve 20 days in jail. Niemi was arraigned before Justice William Hart at Pickford, and Ahlich before Justice Ralph Henderson at St. Ignace. The jail sentences were ordered when the men were unable to pay fines and costs of $56.85 each. Conservation officers said that the moose, which weighed about 1,000 pounds and was a male, was killed Nov. 17 near Simmons settlement in Mackinac County.