It may not be amiss at this time, especially for those Tribune readers residing at a distance, to enumerate some of the business changes and some of the building improvements that have been made in the “old home town” since this newspaper suspended publications six months ago.

Changes in business circles involve Stewart’s liquor stores, the former farmers elevator, two bulk oil agencies, one filling station, a produce store, a new helper at the creamery, and a new superintendent of schools.

Ernest Blake sold his liquor store late in June to Al Haberberg, the DeBates place on the south side was then purchased by the village, and there are now but two liquor places in town. Mr. Blake has retired from local business circles and Mr. Haberberg has conducted business in the former Blake place since July 1. He has Paul Darkow and Fred Hoffman as assistants. The south side store is managed by August Catour with George Chatfield as assistant. John Podratz has also moved his soft drink place and card room to the former Haberberg stand.

Leo Tripplet bought out Paul Simons when the latter moved to California last summer and is now local bulk agent for Mobil products. Leo’s old job in the Community Produce Co. store has been taken over by Stanley Dettmann. Willard Penk bought out F. J. Reimers and since mid summer has been local dealer for Skelly products. Charley Cayott is back as manager of the Standard Service station and bus depot succeeding Ruben Poplau.

Phil Werner Jr. of Watkins purchased the former Farmer’s elevator last spring has just completed remodeling much of the place including concrete foundation under the old warehouse which has also been set up some distance, improvements to the old feed mill room, and a new 28x28 addition on the east side of the elevator. The installation of new and modern machinery makes the place a distinct asset to the community as Mr. Werner has put in a new mixer and by the time this appears in print hopes to have a huge 75 hp hammer mill installed in the new addition. Thus farmers will have a long needed capacity feed mill and mixing plant providing them with high quality feeds from their own grain. Elmer Bartz continues with the elevator and it is expected to operate the plant 24 hours daily as soon as all the machinery is set up and help can be secured. Mr. Werner is thoroughly experienced in this line and gives every indication of being just the type of businessman need here. The elevator’s products will be marketed under the name of “Stewart’s Best” and the tribune sees a big demand for these products.

Chas. E. Stephenson is the new superintendent of public schools, succeeding T. E. Stall who is now at Garden City. The Stephensons are occupying the Harold Johnson residence and came from Villard where Mr. Stephenson had been superintendent for several years earning a splendid reputation there as a school man. He has every indication of being just as successful here and will make the public school system the kind of an institution it should be.

Harold Johnson, former second man at the local creamery, has moved to Hector where he is now managing the creamery there. Harold earned the promotion, though local folks regretted seeing the family move. Eugene Dettmann is now the assistant at the Stewart creamery.

Probably the major building change in town was made at the Larson Hardware & Implement Co. The old hardware store and two adjoining one story buildings on the north were razed, and in their stead is now one of the most modern hardware stores west of the twin cities. This with the big implement building a few years ago makes a wonderful improvement to the old town. The hardware store now occupies a room 55x70 feet in size. There are separate rooms off the main store for storage, for tinning work, for the elevator, and other purposes. The place has an ultra modern front and is lighted by the latest in fluorescent lamps. The new fixtures in the place were not all installed as this went into type but were expected daily and are well worth waiting for, all combining to make the store one of the showplaces of Stewart. Gerald Larson and family arrived during the summer from Atlanta Georgia and he is now active as a member of the firm. Ralph will also return home on his discharge from the Navy to serve as a partner in the business.

Ed Gutknecht, now located in the old Donaldson building, has covered the structure with imitation brick siding, has had a cement floor laid in the annex, and has much improved this spot for his implement and garage business. Across the street C. A. Graupman has had stucco put on the south side if his most modern new meat market building. Readers will remember this place was rebuilt following a fire.

I. I. Krouss has purchased the building formerly occupied by John Podratz, just west of the old post office, has had the place completely renovated, put in a new and modern front with center entrance, and the place now houses the local post office, the changeover taking place on August 27. The former place is not occupied at this time.

Ed Studer has had plenty of work done at his garage and implement building including insulation, new paint inside and out, and the installation of new shelving and cabinets makes the place ideal for his implement business and storage of parts as well as for his garage business. New concrete steps were built at St. Boniface church, the old storage room at the Schmitz Motor Sales has been sealed, a number of new sidewalks have been laid, many new chimneys have been built, roofs have been repaired, steps have been rebuilt, and there have been numerous other minor changes.

The Milwaukee Road had big crews here much of the early summer, getting things lined up for the new automatic block system and new switching system now employed on this line. New ballast was next on the company’s improvement program, new ties were to be put in and everything else readied for new and heavier steel rails during the coming winter.

Construction of several new homes is waiting for materials to be released and also for construction help. Another structure which will be erected as soon as possible is the new St. Paul’s Lutheran church, a magnificent building to cost more than any other in Stewart and to provide ample room for this expanding congregation.

Much of the work outlined above has been done by the E. A. Kaper crew of Springfield and the rest by local men.

Give the old burg a few more live wires who are actually interested in a civic way and who are not afraid to go ahead with much needed improvements and Stewart will rise once more to the level held some years back and that was a pretty high level if you’ll remember.

From the September 6 1945 issue of The Stewart Tribune