80 YEARS GO

Fri. May 23, 1930

Neepawa has 13 gasoline service stations. Eleven on the streets and two on private property.

70 YEARS AGO

Tues., May 28, 1940

Today, May 28, same day the first Neepawa Press was issued in 1896. Forty-four years of uninterrupted service to the district.

"The Press has already received such promises of support as to insure its success."

Thus ended the salutatory editorial written by the late Alec Dunlaw, veteran newspaper man and printer who founded the press and served the community until his death in 1930.

The Press got support, but not just because of promises.

It was given this because the paper was well worth reading. It gained a reputation at the first that stuck. Success followed service in the matter of giving up-to-the minute news and fresh, poignant comment.

As the circulation increased, the Press became a family name in the whole of Beautiful Plains and advertisers sought space because it was good business on their part to do so.

60 YEARS AGO

Thurs., May 25, 1950

A donation of $10,000 to the Manitoba Relief Fund is being made a Canadian Industry Ltd., and in addition, Winnipeg and District will receive C-I-L Chloride of lime to the value of $2,500 for disinfecting purposes. It was announced in Neepawa by Martin F. O'Day. The C-I-L plant manager said his company in a communication from Montreal, said it was lending to the city and district the services of its personnel skill in the use of powerful decontamination agents.

50 YEARS AGO

Tues., May 24, 1960

Immergent under water for a week followed by burial underground for two years seemed to have little effect on Jim McLaren's wrist watch. The water bath occurred about three years ago when the watch fell into a well containing about fifteen feet of water. It lay there for about a week before he pumped the well dry and retrieved the watch with an improvised scoop at the end of a long handle.

Unable to deliver it immediately through the care of a young jeweler. Jim simply bathed the watch in gasoline and later found a bit of rust on the main spring that was its most serious injury.

About a year later, another loose pin caused the watch to fall from his wrist once again. This time he was seen in a field of potatoes and the watch was buried along with the seed. Given up for lost, the watch showed up again on Monday, two years to the day after it disappeared.

40 YEARS AGO

Thurs., May 28, 1970

Approximately twelve hundred players were lured out to the first Lions Club park of the season, Thursday, May 21. A total of $4,500 in prizes was offered, but the $1,000 jackpot didn't go. It will be allowed to accumulate, another $1,000 being added at the next game. Winners of the largest amounts were Mrs. Raffrey of Ste. Rose and Leo Duquette of Glencairn, who split the $1,970 centennial game and walked off with $985 each.

30 YEARS AGO

Thurs., May 22,1980

Wind, dust devils, even volcanic ash, but no rain! Not even morning dew!

Neepawa weather records indicate today, Thursday, May 22, will mark 60 days since the last measurable precipitation here (March 23).

With moisture far below normal, some special planning measures are coming into effect.

Water supplies generally are adequate: however, crops and livestock are reaching a critical state.

20 YEARS AGO

Tues., May 22, 1990

Gladstone will lose its only implement dealer next month when the Case IH (Gladstone garage) closes. Owner Norm Mayer said because of the shape of the farm economy he is moving his business to Neepawa.

"The decrease in farm population affected sales." said Mayer.

"There is a trend today in dealing with larger centres."