MR. AND MRS. Frank Schaefer kept warm around this wood-burning stove located in the garage of their house in the Big Cottonwood River valley. They were without electricity during the storm last weekend.

You can spend from $30 to $900 in your search, after last weekend’s “blizzard of the century”, for heat which doesn’t require the electric company.

Propane, wood and fuel oil heaters plus portable gas generators to run furnace fans are the main offerings in New Ulm stores for freedom from freezing during an electricity outage.

Each of the heaters creates its own ventilation problem, either connecting up with a chimney or making sure there is enough oxygen in the room. Manufacturer and seller instructions must be followed carefully.

SEVERAL DOZEN high pressure propane heaters were sold over the weekend to New Ulmites who managed to make it to Retzlaff’s during the fierce storm, according to Mark Retzlaff.

The heaters cost about $30, a 20-pound propane tank another $25. This setup would run 70 to 100 hours.

Some strangers strolled into Retzlaff’s Monday and bought $200 in emergency equipment-four sleeping bags, three of the propane heaters, several gas lanterns and fuel for the lanterns and heaters.

“They weren’t going to be caught short again,” Retzlaff noted.

Retzlaff’s were completely sold out of the heaters at the end of the storm but got a new supply in Tuesday.

THE HEATERS are normally sold for fishhouse use, where ventilation is no problem. Retzlaff said if the heaters are used in a home a window must be left open several inches to be sure enough oxygen is available for both the heater and the people. The heaters are lightweight, weighing about three pounds without the propane tank.

Retzlaff’s staff worked all weekend filling demand not only for heaters but for flashlights, batteries and lanterns.

A “LAND OFFICE business” was done Sunday afternoon in Coleman lanterns and stoves and fuel and catalytic heaters at Gibson’s, a saleslady said.

About 10 each of the lanterns and stoves and about six heaters were sold, plus over 100 gallons of fuel.

“And we could have sold more if we’d had it,” she said.

As of Thursday Gibson’s were sold out of everything except the Coleman stoves, which cost about $29, but a resupply was expected Friday or Saturday.

SNOWMOBILE SUITS, mitts and boots were in great demand at JML Sales after the storm. Many people mentioned wearing theirs in the house over the weekend to keep warm, a saleslady said.

JML sold one small catalytic heater Wednesday and had one left in stock Thursday. There were many requests for Coleman white gas.

FOUR PORTABLE gas generators have been sold at Wilfahrt Brothers since the storm, cost $300 to $500, according to Leo Wilfahrt. Many people have asked about fishhouse-type heaters and oil and wood burning stoves but they are unavailable there.

Wilfahrt said bottled gas for fishhouse-type heaters shouldn’t be kept in a house, if the gas leaked it could “blow your house apart.”

About six used gas cook stoves have been sold since last weekend at Wilfahrts.

Ovens in modern gas ranges which can be clock-operated to turn on and off need electricity to operate, according to a Wilfahrt spokesman. These ovens will not light with a match.

A Bernadotte Township housewife who tried to use her modern gas oven to heat the kitchen last weekend during the storm discovered this fact. Her family had to make do with turning on all four top burners for some heat.

Portable gas-run power plants are also popular at the Sears Roebuck store here. A salesman said two such power plants were sold this week, plus two fireplaces. Oil and wood burning stoves are out of stock although there is customer interest in them.

A power plant big enough to run a furnace fan if the electricity went off would cost about $280, a bigger plant could go up to $900, the salesman said.

The Sears store here had a couple Franklin fireplaces in stock Thursday, cost $171, and can order power plants from Minneapolis.

WOOD BURNING stoves were in stock at both Coast to Coast and Gambles stores here Tuesday.

Two wood stoves were on the sales floor at Coast to Coast, cost $87 to $319, and a $87 one had just been sold Tuesday morning. The store also had propane catalytic heaters in stock, cost $30 to $40, which use disposable tanks lasting five hours and costing $1.50 each.

Two wood stoves and three oil burning heaters were in the Gambles window Tuesday, cost ranging from $90 to $200.

Propane catalytic heaters were also in stock at Gambles plus tank, hose and adapter, total cost about $65. Store owner John Millard said this arrangement would keep a room warm three to four days.

Oil-fired portable space heaters used for thawing pipes and heating poultry houses and construction sites are available within 10 days after order, Millard said. Cost on these ranges from $70 to $400.

Madsen’s sold out almost everything they had in this line over the weekend-catalytic heaters, Coleman stoves and fuel and kerosene lamps, and candles a salesman said.

New Ulm Daily Journal

Jan. 19, 1975