Fog hung heavy around Sheriff Hardie as he picked his way through the wreckage of the semi. The sun had set hours ago and he glanced nervously over his shoulder before switching on his flashlight. Hardie scanned the beam of light across the blacktop as his worst nightmares were realized. Alone, on Highway 2, Sheriff Hardie faced 25,000... pounds of cheese?

On this date in 1952, the Dickinson Press reported the fateful tale of a Canadian truck driver and his cargo of cheese. Late on the night of the 16th, Leonard Coueffin was blinded by fog, lost control of his Trans-Canada transport, and unleashed 25,000 pounds of cheese on a ND highway. Coueffin was hospitalized, his truck ruined, and the spilled cheese had the best luck of all. Largely undamaged, it was packed into another truck and sent on its way to Canada.

By Ann Erling

Sources:
Dickinson Press
November 18, 1952
Mouse River Farmers Press
November 20, 1952

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