Living History: Wadena man seriously burned in explosion of home

10 years ago

Excerpts from the June 24, 2004 Pioneer Journal

• Peterson crowned Miss Wadena

Tegan Peterson, Miss Wadena 2004, has nothing but good things to say about the Miss Wadena pageant and it's not just because she won.

In fact, she liked participating in the pageant so much that she was in it twice. Peterson won first princess in the 2003 pageant, so she knew what to expect this year.

"It was just as fun the second time, and a lot easier," Peterson said. "I worked a lot harder this year and felt more prepared."

This year, Peterson didn't know the other girls participating as well as last year, so she said a big part of the fun this year was getting to know the other girls better.

This fall, Peterson will be attending the University of Minnesota - Morris where she plans to major in psychology and major or minor in music.

Peterson wants to emphasize that the pageant is about the experience more than anything else.

"It's incredibly fun," she said. "Someone should do it just for the experience, because winning isn't everything and it's not a beauty pageant. It's really about what you know and how you present yourself."

30 years ago

Excerpts from the June 26, 1984 Pioneer Journal

• Three Wadena graduates make college athletic decisions

Two seniors from last year's Indian football team and one from the basketball team will be playing college ball this coming school year.

Linemen Robert Keppers and Brian Peterson have agreed to attend and play football at Moorhead State and Montana State respectively while center Brian Paulson will take his basketball skills to Moorhead State.

• School bus law effective Aug. 1

A new law which takes effect Aug. 1, 1984, in Minnesota changes the definition of school bus to include all buses used to transport children to any school providing general education.

In the past some private schools had their buses inspected by the state but were not required to do so. The new law requires that buses operated by private schools comply with all Department of Education school bus regulations and be inspected by the state patrol at least once every 12 months.

50 years ago

Excerpts from the June 25, 1964 Pioneer Journal

• Wadena home hit by lightning

For the second time in the past three weeks, lightning struck a residence in Wadena. This time the fire department was called to the home of Robert Reul, Hwy. 71 North about 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 18.

According to a report from Wadena Fire Chief George Uselman, the lightning hit the television pole, followed it up to the roof, broke the wire and started the fire. A hole about the size of a washtub was burned into the middle of the roof. No other damage to the house was reported and fortunately there were no injuries.

• Wadena man seriously burned in explosion of home

A Wadena resident was burned over 45 percent of his body when an explosion shattered his small frame house about 8:20 a.m. Wednesday, June 24.

Seriously injured with second degree burns was Stanley Frank. According to a medical report, his condition has been termed guarded.

According to Wadena Fire Chief George Uselman, the explosion was ignited from an unconfirmed nature. A check of the cause is currently being made and a report of the actual cause will probably be made known by next week.

The explosion sent glass into the lot across the street, a distance of approximately 150 feet. A curtain from one of the windows was found about 40 feet from the dwelling along with the fact that the chimney had been blown about 14 feet from its location on top of the house to where it landed.

A second man involved in the mishap, Joe Murray, from out of town, received only minor burns.

70 years ago

Excerpts from the June 29, 1944 Pioneer Journal

• Soldier admits theft of $871

Pvt. Burdette Ressegiue, 26, Motley, stationed at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin, held as a suspect in the theft of $3,000 from Sgt. Millard Liles, was reported by Detective Inspector James Mullen of Minneapolis late Tuesday to have admitted taking $871. He denied knowing anything about the rest of the money.

Sgt. Liles, on furlough from the Aleutian Islands, told police he met a soldier in a loop hotel, drank with him, then woke later to find his luggage had been rifled of the $3,000. Missing also was a key to a railroad depot locker containing more pieces of luggage.

Detectives found a "Pvt. Reese" registered at the same hotel, then learned Pvt. Ressegiue was in Minneapolis on furlough. At Camp McCoy, they found luggage apparently belonging to Sgt. Liles, in which there was $308.