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

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — A century old practice of charging Marquette property owners for a portion of city utility improvements ended Monday by a four to one vote. The city administration recommended that city commissioners no longer create special assessment districts for three neighborhood water projects. William Bellmore, owner of one of the North Fifth Street properties was one of several citizens who voiced his objections, saying that his neighbors had equal need for a new water main, yet he was being saddled with parts of the bill. The owners of the four properties who would have paid for the project would cover 20 percent of its cost, or $6,480. Calculating the percentage paid by property owners is determined by the city Engineering Department and they use many factors, one being the amount of street frontage of a property. City Manager Dale Iman stated “I don’t know how we’re going to answer those folks who paid the special assessments over the last 30 years.”

90 years ago

MARQUETTE — Two inmates at the Marquette State Prison were injured after being stabbed by a third inmate. Robert Larson, 30 was stabbed in the back and lower abdomen along with being cut with a table fork. Edward Loney, 28 was stabbed in the lower back and lung. Charles Jackson Jr., 21 was the assailant, a transfer from the Jackson State Prison. The fight broke out in the dining hall started by a dispute over the sale of a radio between Larson and Jackson. Loney entered the fight to assist Larson in defence. An officer approached Larson to take him to the hospital while Jackson went to check out a knife from the kitchen, which he later used in the attack. Larson and Loney were both hospitalized with a reported “serious but satisfactory” condition.