130 Years Ago
July 7, 1894
A fire in the basement of the building situated at the corner of Fifth and Main streets and occupied by W. J. Bethard & Co., was discovered Sunday morning about ten o'clock by Patton John. The fire originated in the southwest corner of the basement and blazing up, burned the timbers above and caught onto the under parts of the opera house stairs. The damage by burning was not great, but the whole building was densely filled with smoke and many of the delicate fabrics in the dry goods store are more or less injured. Later three strangers were arrested and following a hearing were bound over to the grand jury, they being charged with being implicated in the attempted burning of the building.
The railroad strike has probably reached its highest point. Locally the T. P. & W. road has escaped the strike so far. The Streator branch of the Wabash which runs through Fairbury is tied up entirely. News from Chicago this morning is not as promising as could be wished. The presence of United States troops has not had the effect hoped for, the mobs defying them just as they did the deputy marshals.
At the Chatsworth races on the Fourth, J. W. Morris took first money in the 3:30 trot with his horse, Satan, Jr., and George Westervelt took second with his colt, Billy Marsh. Joe Hornbeck got third money in the free-for-all trot.
120 Years Ago
July 8, 1904
The stockholders of the Central Opera House Co. held a meeting Saturday evening at the city hall for the purpose of selecting a manager for the opera house. Phil Wade was the unanimous choice of the stockholders for the position and the terms were closed that evening. Mr. Wade has ample experience in the theatrical business and is undoubtedly the best man who could have been chosen. He already has ten shows booked for the coming season and he will undoubtedly have a special attraction here for the opening night. If the work on the new building progresses favorably it will be completed for opening the latter part of August.
The morning of July Fourth, Perry Keck, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Keck, and Fred Carrithers, son of Judge Carrithers, together with a number of other boys, were engaged in firing a cannon which they had made out of a piece of gas pipe. They had been loading the "cannon" with powder but it did not make quite noise enough and as they had some giant fire crackers they cut one open and commenced to load their cannon with the explosive found inside the cracker. While they were engaged in tamping the stuff in it exploded, injuring Perry Keck and Fred Carrithers quite severely. The fingers of Keck's hand were lacerated badly and his face scarred up. Carrithers received similar injuries but not so severe.
Forrest is making great preparations to celebrate Forrest Day in that city August 6. Committees have been appointed and it is expected that all previous efforts will be outdone.
110 Years Ago
July 10, 1914
Some of the people did not get to see all of the luminous display of fireworks on the Fourth. The fireworks were set off in a flat car which was standing on a side track just south of the city park and across the main railroad track. Some sparks from the fireworks got into a big box of fireworks which were on the ground close by the flat car and set them off. For a few minutes there was a grand display of skyrockets, Roman candles, pinwheels, etc., coming out of this box all at the same time. The people in the park north of the main track did not get to see this as the passenger train came in just at this time and shut off the view.
The house occupied by Sam Fosdick and family in the northeast part of town, caught fire from a gasoline stove and before the flames could be extinguished the interior of the kitchen and the roof were badly damaged.
The first of this week the lumber business of the late Jesse Stevens was sold to the Alexander Lumber Company of Chicago. The company has retained S. A. Demler as manager of the lumber yard. Aaron Hirstein has accepted a position at Vincennes, Ind., as window decorator.
100 Years Ago
July 4, 1924
Ballard Houchens, who is employed on the John Wessels farm west of town, was injured in a runaway accident Wednesday morning. He was in the hayfield loading a hay wagon when the horses became frightened and started to run, overturning the load, which fell on Mr. Houchens, breaking one rib and cutting and bruising him severely. He was taken to the Fairbury Hospital, where his injuries were attended to. He was able to leave the hospital that evening.
At the beginning of the last semester of school, steps were taken to furnish a lunch, consisting of a half pint of milk and a graham cracker, to the underweight children in the grade schools. The money to carry on this work came from three sources, namely, the Fairbury Woman's Club, volunteer subscriptions and from the parents. The number of half-pint bottles used was 6,698. Of this number 4,624 were used in the Edison School and 2,074 in the Isaac Walton School.
For some time past the Forrest Village Board has been considering a modern drainage project for the village. A consulting engineer was engaged and when he made his report last week the members of the board were nearly stricken dumb when the estimated cost of the project was made known. The engineer's plans provided for a sewage disposal plant and he fixed the total cost of the improvement at $25,000. The board has given up the project for the present, there being no possibility of financing the project.
90 Years Ago
July 6, 1934
Two Strawn residents, Chris Geiger and Melvin Gosteli, spent Tuesday night in the Fairbury Hospital as the result of a pre-Fourth of July Celebration accident which occurred at Strawn Tuesday afternoon about 4:30 o'clock. They had fashioned a cannon out of an old axle, boring a hole in the end of it into which to pour the powder, etc. Another hole had been drilled in the breech end of it through which to put the lighting fuse. They were loading the cannon preparatory to shooting it off, Gosteli ramming the charge home with a pice of iron. Geiger was at the other end getting ready to touch off the charge. Dynamite powder was being used. Friction caused from the tamping process caused the powder to explode prematurely. The fleshy part on the outside of Gosteli's left hand was blown away, and Geiger had the ends of the first two fingers on his left hand burned and lacerated.
The name of the state reformatory at Pontiac has been changed from "Illinois State Reformatory" to "Illinois State Penitentiary, Pontiac Branch."
The myriads of little bugs that have been destroying the oats and wheat fields and are going into the corn, are not chinch bugs as everybody had supposed. They are, we have been informed, the little blue eagles that are "doing their part" to help the government reduce crops.
80 Years Ago
July 7, 1944
The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A&P) food store located in Fairbury, has just been completely remodeled in order to offer customers greater convenience while shopping there. H. W. Carver, vice-president of the middle western division of the A&P company, stated that the improvements included the rearrangement of the store to provide additional shelving to carry an increased variety of merchandise.
Last Saturday morning a man who has been painting window signs around town, stopped in the office of the Keck Agency and asked for P. J. Keck. The man made himself known by informing Mr. Keck that 18 years ago when he was walking along the road east of Fairbury, Mr. Keck in his car, picked him up and took him as far as Mr. Keck was going, which was at a point over in Indiana. When the man got out of the car he borrowed a dollar of Mr. Keck. His visit to the Keck office last Saturday was to pay back that dollar he had borrowed 18 years ago.
The Boy Scouts were out Monday evening collecting old paper. They bettered their previous effort of 3,060 pounds by approximately a ton, having collected 5,100 pounds. Included in the waste paper collected is 1,300 pounds of old magazines and papers that belonged to John Ziller, of near Wing. Some of these old papers and magazines dated back twenty years.
70 Years Ago
July 8, 1954
An intensive survey of the Fairbury-Cropsey School District will begin this fall, resulting from a unanimous vote of the Board of Education Tuesday evening. University of Illinois field service men will conduct the survey, which will result in a study of the needs of the district for the next 20 years. Supt. R. C. Todd told the board that two of Fairbury's churches, the Methodist and Presbyterian, have agreed to rent space for first grade classes next year, and that the Baptist Church has not yet given any decision. The space will be used next year as a temporary measure by first grade classes.
During the polio season, which is right now, children should be watched very carefully for symptoms of polio, the State Department of Public Health has cautioned. 1. Keep children with their usual companions; don't take them in crowds. 2. Avoid fatigue and chilling, this means adults too. 3. Follow your doctor's advice about mouth and throat operations. 4. Teach children to wash hands carefully before eating and after going to the toilet. Don't use another's soiled towels, dishes or tableware. 5. Tell your doctor if these symptoms appear: Headache, fever, sore throat, upset stomach, stiff neck or back. Put sick person to bed immediately. 6. Remember – at least half of all polio patients get well without crippling.
All new cars sold after the First of July in the State of Illinois, must be equipped with turn signals, state highway authorities have warned. Use of the devices is a legal signal for indicating an intention to turn, according to article 8, section 66, of the revised 1953 Illinois motor vehicle laws.
60 Years Ago
July 9, 1964
Construction got under way Monday on the half-million-dollar contract for rebuilding U. S. 24 for three miles between Fairbury and Forrest. But traffic proceeded as usual over the tortuous three miles which will be rebuilt, for the initial work was taking place a mile south of the main construction site. Crews started widening two miles of existing blacktop, and spreading a gravel base on what had been another mile of dirt road. The latter, along with another mile leading eastward from the Cropsey road, will be black-topped and with the widened section, and the first mile south of the Cropsey road, will comprise the five-mile detour around the three-mile construction zone.
A South African runner dogged into town Saturday morning, July 4, about 10 a.m., well over half way on his journey to New York City. He's been trotting all the way from Los Angeles, Calif. Don Shephard, 48, was bronzed by the sun. He was wearing short pants, a shirt, sun cap, and tennis shoes. Strapped around his middle were a rain coat and a plastic container for water. He is trying to beat the old record set by Andy Payne back in 1928, a total of 70 days from Los Angeles to New York.
Ground will be broken today for a new structure to house the Apostolic Christian Church of Fairbury. Site of the building, which is expected to take a year to complete, is a four-acre plot immediately north of Fairview Haven. The building, with a total of 16,000 square feet of floor space, will be of one-story construction, finished in stone. Principal construction will be done by Stoller and Maurer.
50 Years Ago
July 11, 1974
"I've been pumping gasoline for more than 40 years, and yesterday afternoon is the first time I've ever seen a vapor lock in a station pump," exclaimed Wes "Pop" Woodward Tuesday afternoon as he sprayed water from a hose on one of them. "Just thought I'd try and cool them down so it wouldn't happen again today." He explained that the gasoline, coming out of the underground tanks at a temperature of about 45 degrees, expanded rapidly and turned to vapor when it encountered the sudden change of temperature in the mechanism of the sun-baked pumps at his son "Bud's" station on Fairbury's west side.
Nancy Foster, Miss Tri-County 1974, sponsored by the Fairbury Jaycees, will be leaving next Monday, July 15, for Aurora to compete in the annual Miss Illinois pageant. This talent and beauty competition is an official preliminary to the Miss America Pageant held annually in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Nancy is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Foster of rural Forrest. She is presently attending the Bloomington School of Practical Nursing where she will graduate in August.
Fairbury's illustrious Ray Morrow, renowned over the years for his expertise with show ponies, proved once again Thursday night that he knows the ropes of the business as he garnered six major awards at the Fairbury Jaycees July 4 Horse Show. Morrow took home ribbons in each of the categories he entered, including seconds in Welsh Fine Harness, Hackney Pony, Fine Harness 46" and under, and Roadster Pony 46" and under; a third in Roadster 50 and under; and first in Welsh Roadster.
40 Years Ago
July 5, 1984
Friday was moving day, in more ways than one, for Neale Hanley, as the association of Hanley, Traub and Hanley ended. After almost 53 years in the same office space on the second floor of Fairbury's Keck building, Neale and his son, Ron, have moved their offices into the former Record Advertising building at 109 West Walnut. Ron will also operate his Hanley Construction Company, a gravel pit operation, from there. In the process of moving, Neale uncovered a poster for the 1903 Fairbury Fair. It was one of several things long forgotten which came to light, as files were moved and shelves cleared. Harvey Traub will continue to practice in the Keck Building quarters.
Judith Marie Knutson and Kenneth Allan Scurlock of Fairbury exchanged wedding vows June 2 during a 7 p.m. ceremony held at the First United Methodist Church of Fairbury. Rev. David Deal performed the double-ring ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Marian Knutson of Coal City. JoAnn Scurlock is mother of the bridegroom. Following the wedding, a reception was held at Indian Creek Country Club. After a wedding trip to the Poconos in Pennsylvania, the couple resides in Fairbury.
Recently, a work crew from Riber Construction in Dwight was busy with some earthmoving and other preliminary chores in preparation for laying the new concrete slab "Bill Bartlett bridge" northeast of Fairbury. Monday morning, a parade of trucks arrived at the scene carrying pre-formed concrete slabs 28 inches deep and three feet wide. These were laid side by side forming eight 50-foot slabs on each side with eight 60-foot slabs in the center section. By Tuesday, the bridge was "up" and crewmen were busy sealing the slabs together with fresh concrete.
30 Years Ago
July 6, 1994
The Citizens State Bank of Cropsey has filed an application to establish a bank branch in Fairbury. Executive Vice President Tim Shafer said the Cropsey business has been considering opening the branch in Fairbury for over 10 months. The bank has been in business at Cropsey for 76 years. Shafer said the bank branch will offer full-service, including drive-in window and automatic teller services. Plans call for hiring of new staff, though Shafer said he is not sure of the number involved.
Linda Weber, owner/proprietor of the Garden Gazebo flower shop in Fairbury, was recently elected President of the Fairbury Rotary Club. Installation was held at their annual family potluck on June 28, which she hosted. This is the first time a woman has held the post, says Weber. Other officers elected were Randy Davis as president-elect; Dr. Robin Coady, vice-president; and LeRoy McPherson as secretary-treasurer.
Marilyn Ackerman and Robert Herrli were united in marriage June 4, 1994 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fairbury. Rev. David Natzke officiated the 2 p.m. ceremony in the presence of 100 relatives and friends. Rex Ackerman gave his mother in marriage. The reception was held in the parish hall of the church, and served by the ELC Women. After a trip to the Amana Colonies in Iowa, they are making their home in Fairbury. The new Mrs. Herrli is a staff nurse at Fairbury Hospital. Bob is employed at Dave's Supermarket.
20 Years Ago
July 7, 2004
Residents and staff at Fairview Haven were treated to patriotic music Friday afternoon, a pre-4th of July celebration complete with a cookout. Terry Wenger directed a band comprised of children from the Apostolic Christian Church as they entertained with the traditional patriotic songs. The group performed at Meadows Mennonite Home on Thursday. Fairview Haven wasn't the only location getting a jump start on the Independence Day celebration. Staff and children at Faithful Friends Christian Preschool and Daycare had a patriotic parade, complete with clowns, for an audience of parents.
John and Leigh Ann Ward of Fairbury celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on June 24. Ward and the former Leigh Ann Sifford were married June 24, 1979 at First Congregational Church in Bureau. They are parents of Kendra (Jarrod) Broquard of Fairbury and Dylan at home. They also have one granddaughter, Lauren. Ward is employed as an engineer at Caterpillar, Inc. in Pontiac, and Mrs. Ward is employed as a dental assistant for Dr. Henry Handler in Fairbury.
Susie Bull of Fairbury has committed to attend Millikin University and play volleyball for Big Blue head coach Debbie Kiick. An honor student, Bull plans to study physical therapy while at Millikin. A 5-10 hitter, Bull was a three-year starter for Prairie Central High School, where she earned four letters. She was named her team's MVP as a senior, was a first-team Corn Belt All Conference player and was named the Pontiac Daily Leader's Player of the Year. In 2003 she set school records for kills with 681, blocks with 127, digs with 639 and 288 service points.
10 Years Ago
July 9, 2014
Several weeks ago, playground equipment was installed in the rear of First Baptist Church property in Fairbury, This equipment, manufactured by Amish in Pennsylvania, was placed in memory of Jacob Crews. Jacob was born with severe physical handicaps but lived his too short life with much joy and inspiration. His family, Steve and Mary Beth and sister Ramie and her husband Jacob Flagel, sought for this to come to fruition for many years. They are pleased that they can offer this to their church and community in Jacob's memory. Along with the playground set, a pavilion has been constructed with picnic tables to go alongside a fire pit.
Sally and Rick Goembel, owners of Lost in Time in Fairbury, installed a ramp to the restaurant's entrance last week. The entrance is now wheel chair accessible. Sally Goembel said that shipment of the structure was delayed due to weather conditions last winter, and then the installation was delayed even longer, as the surface must be completely dry to install. The ramp will also have steps at one end.
After many months of hard work, the Prairie Central Sportsman's Club has a new home on the outskirts of Chatsworth. The 17 acre farm, located south of U. S. Rt. 24, next to CR3225 East, is the new home for a trap range along with 25, 50, 100 and 200 yard rifle and pistol berms. Additional berms will be built in subsequent years. J.T.K.D. Farms, Inc., owned by Jed Diller, Tim Diller, Katie Cavanagh and David Diller, signed a 25-year lease agreement with board members of the Prairie Central Sportsman's Club last year. Ground was broken Aug. 11, 2013. An open house at the facility was held on June 28. Memberships are available.
Comentários