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

30 years ago

EBEN — Imagine the difficulty of running any business without potable water. Now imagine operating a tavern without drinking water — and no way to make ice. It sounds like the kind of problem that would make most bar owners give up and close. But not Alice Lintula, owner of the New Moon Bar. Four years ago, Lintula was notified by the health department that the water at the popular Eben establishment was contaminated with benzene, thought to be the result of an accidental gasoline spill in 1947. The contamination was discovered by the health department about four years ago. “I considered closing,” said Lintula, a lifetime resident of the area. “I had put a lot of money into the bar, though, and I was told we’d get bottled water. Lintula’s decision to remain open has been personally satisfying to her, but has carried a cost with it. In addition to storing cases of bottled water on the premises, she hauls ice to the bar every day of the week.

60 years ago

MARQUETTE — The invention of a garbage can receptacle guaranteed to make the cans almost 100 percent “dog-proof” has been constructed by William Lupton, 335 Baraga Ave., according to Frank P. Sciotto, Marquette Health Department sanitarian. Lupton’s cage-like stand for garbage cans, if built and used by the citizenry at large, would go a long way toward reducing the calls received by the city from persons complaining about dogs knocking over garbage cans.

Lupton, who is 87, constructed the device from scrap lumber in his spare time.