Albert Lea, Minnesota
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Minnesota please contribute to this page.
You can send email to mstl@eldora.net
Below is an article that appeared in the Albert Lea Tribune Dec. 1,2000 on my father's station which stood next to the M&StL;tracks. I worked on the western division at one time and would pass my dad's station and the grocery store mentioned in the article. All the train crews knew of Art's D-X on the east side of the tracks between Albert Lea and Cedar Lake. Have pictures of the station with my father standing outside hanging in my office. Would be more that happy to send a copy if you would like to include it in your Albert Lea section. R. D. Johnson Retired M&StL/CNW/Santa Fe
The Albert Lea Tribune By Ed Shannon Published Friday, December 01, 2000
11:53 AM CST About a month ago, Delores (Dee) Durgin of Albert Lea brought in a letter from her son, Kris Nielsen of Gonvick, a town way up north in Clearwater County. Dee says this letter, which starts out with "To whom it may = concern," was inspired by news that Mitch's Service Station building had been sold and would continue to be preserved as a historical landmark. Now, here's his letter:
"My name is Kris Nielsen, however, while growing up in Albert Lea I went by my stepfather's name of Durgin. "In 1957 when I was in the fifth grade I started delivering the Albert Lea Tribune. My route was all of Fountain Street and I picked up my papers each day at the D-X station on Fountain Street.
Art Johnson was the proprietor and he was quite a character. "He was very easy going and liked to chat with everyone. What I remember most about him was his musical ability. "He played the harmonica and could get two melodies going at once. He was also an accomplished whistler and was able to whistle any tune while sitting back in his chair tapping his foot and slapping his knee. Since he could whistle on the inhale and exhale, there was never any down time in his music. "I'm sure I was late delivering my paper numerous times while I listened to Art and waited for cars to fall off the outside hoist. He would occasionally give me a ride on it.
He also kept track of the trains for me since my route was split by the railroad tracks. Many times, with Art's urging, I would run with my papers in the wagon to beat the train so I wouldn't get caught on the wrong side, which would require a long wait since it (the train) always stopped. More than once I climbed across while it was stopped. Art didn't like that. "I was fortunate to never have it start up while I was climbing across with my papers. A boy who lived a few doors down from the station wasn't so lucky and lost a few toes.
"The little Fountain Street Grocery was on the other side of the tracks and for me was another local landmark. My change was always spent at that little store. There was penny candy and some were two for a penny. Candy bars were five cents and a bottle of pop was a dime. "I have lots of fond memories delivering papers, but none as fine as Art Johnson playing his harmonica, sitting on his chair next to his desk as he looked out the front window." Back in 1957 this small service station. located at the corner of Fountain Street and Vine Avenue, was known as Art's D-X Station. The D-X, incidentally, was one of several brands of petroleum products sold at 726 W. Fountain St. through the years. Back in those days D-X used a diamond symbol and was the brand name of the Mid-Continent Petroleum Co. of Tulsa, Okla.
The Fountain Street Grocery was owned by Frank A. Spellman and located just a block to the west, across the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad tracks. This neighborhood store's location, 810 W. Fountain St., at the Summer Avenue corner is now the site of a city park. What could be one of the city's most obscure public properties is logically designated as Summer Park.
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