100 years ago in The Monroe Evening News
Following are items from The Monroe Evening News, forerunner to The Monroe News, that published in June 1922. These are actual items that appeared in print.
A.L. Festival set for Sept. 11-17
Since the first few days of warm weather, a question that has been asked many times is, “When will the festival take place this year?”
Edward Beck, general chairman of the Fourth Annual Golden Harvest Festival Committee, announced today at the festival will be held during the week of Sept. 11-17. The location of the grounds will be announced at a later date.
In 1919 when the first festival was given, the members of the Carl F. Payson Post, American Legion has hopes that their week of entertainment would grow, but did not realize at the time that it would grow to such enormous proportions within three short years. The first festival was put on a short time after the post was organized and a man experienced in this work was put in charge. Since that first year, the management has been entirely under that of members of the post.
Sunday schools in meet at Rockwood
Members of the Sunday School Association of Ash, Berlin and Brownstown will hold their 77th convention at the Rockwood Methodist Episcopal Church in Rockwood June 2.
It is expected that each school in these localities will be represented by at least two delegates to act on the nomination committee.
A delightful program has been arranged for both the morning and afternoon sessions. The ladies of the church will serve a sumptuous dinner at noon.
Real estate transfers
James J. Reaume to William Geiman and wife. House with 41 feet of lot, 109 Bacon. $5st.
Francis R. Moore and wife to Miller, Baither Co., Lots 21-26, St. Anthony’s allotment, Whiteford. $1.50st.
Grand J. Cousino et al to George Lerche, Lot 43, of Erie Grove plat. 50 cents st.
City spent $13,000 on dirt roads in ‘21
It cost the city, last year, the sum of $12,977.76 to keep the dirt streets in proper conditions, according to recent figures.
Business men favor bond issue
At the meeting of the Monroe Business Men’s Association held at the Knights of Columbus hall, the members endorsed the action of the mayor and city commission in submitting the question of issuing $100,000 worth of bonds for paving purposes at a special election to be held June 20. The members passed a resolution to this effect, which will be presented to the commission.
The resolution reads: Believing that one of the public improvements in which Monroe is most lacking is pavements and realizing the great need in our city for more pavements and better streets, not only as an added value to the property directly benefiting by such pavements and the entire property of the city as a whole, but also as a means of furnishing better fire safety.
UPDATE: Paving bond issues carries
Only 1,163 of 5,000 possible votes cast; 10 streets will be paved here soon
Monroe High School
At the Wednesday meeting of the Girls Glee Club, no special numbers were given. At the meeting previous to this, however, a very pretty song, “To a Wild Rose,” was sung in a pleasing manner by Elsie Schmidt, Helen Raymo and Helen Robinson.
Tuesday afternoon a short Memorial Day program was given. Mr. Cantrick addressed the study body on the topic “The True Significance of Memorial Day.” The address was very interesting. It presented the fact that a people cannot really keep a Memorial Day, such as that day, unless, in keeping it, they try to realize the ambitions, aspirations and ideals for which the people in whose memory the day is dedicated, stood. He said that the fundamental ideal for which the men stood was of freeing people from slavery. If we are really to try in this age to carry out that ideal we will try still to overcome slavery for slavery still exists today—such slavery as slavery in dress, habits and most of all, slavery to public opinion. If we free ourselves from these kinds of slavery, then, indeed, we will be keeping Memorial Day.
Oldport
Parties from Detroit were here Sunday with a truck and on their way back, they ran the front part of the truck into a deep ditch. The front wheel was smashed. After a couple hours of hard work and a new wheel on the truck, they finally proceeded on their way.
One night last week some chicken thieves visited Frank F. Masserant’s chicken coop and helped themselves to 75 or 80 of the best hens.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Labeau of River Rouge spent the weekend and Sunday here at their former home.
500 bottles of beer, whiskey and 3 men held after chase
While coming from Newport in an automobile at midnight Friday night, Motor Policemen Laveren Anweiler and Al Gessner noticed a machine ahead of them being driven at the rate of 45 miles an hour through the safety zone on N. Dixie Highway. The two officered sped up their car and caught the speeding machine at the plant of Consolidated Paper Co., E. Elm Ave.
The officers drew up alongside the machine, pulled out their guns and ordered the driver to stop. Instead, the driver stepped on the accelerator and sped up Elm Ave. at a high rate of speed. Anweiler fired one bullet from his gun at the fleeing machine, which punctured on of the tires.
When the machine reached the corner of Borgess and Elm Ave., the men abandoned it, two of them running west, while the third man ran through the year of St. Mary’s Academy and made their getaway.
The officers took charge of the abandoned car and allege that they found 500 bottles of beer, three kegs and three cases of whiskey in it. The officers brought the machine to the jail garage and then went out to hunt for the men.
In a short time, they picked up the three men who were brought to the county jail and booked. They will be charged with violating the liquor law.
36 Years Ago
Taken form the Monroe Democrat Thursday, June 2, 1886
Vegetation is suffering from lack of rain.
Our chicken association must be on the set. It has not “cackled” for some time.
The paper mills are all running full blast and turning out the product to their full capacity. Straw has been coming in very freely of late and no fear is had of failure of supply before the new crop arrives. The Richardson Co. received 192 loads in the four last days of last week, 61 coming Saturday.
Scofield
School closed last Tuesday with a picnic. We all hope Miss Burns will return again in September. Those not absent during the school year were: Esther Bricker and Ernest Drinkhahn.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bricker, Gordon and Esther, called on Nellis Lehman and family Tuesday evening.
The “I’ll Try Band,” S.S. Class will give a Shadow Social at the Grange Hall Thursday evening. Lunch will be served. Everyone come.
Muehleisen School District
People in general took pains this year to attend to their lots and graves in the local cemeteries so that they all looked nice on Decoration Day.
John Wacker and Earl Bordine traded horses recently. Earl also drives a Krit car now.
East Ida
Albert Blome started painting his barn and house roofs Monday.
Memorial Day exercises were held at the Richardson Cemetery again this year.
City commission awards filtration plant contract
A.A. Bentley and Sons of Toledo will begin work immediately; plant will be completed by winter
At the meeting of the city commission, A.A. Bentley and Sons was awarded the contract for the building of the filtration plant and pumping station at a cost of $129,171.30.
The company have contacted a number of water plants and at present time are building a plant in Toledo. They have to build the new bank building for Dansard State Bank.
The filtration plant will be built of face brick with a red tile roof. The retaining walls will be constructed of concrete.
High seniors to wear caps, gowns
After a several week’s heated dispute, the caps and gowns question has at last been settled.
The Monroe High School senior Class of 1922 is to graduate in caps and gowns! Regular college ones, at that. Gray gowns and college caps with tassels. This decision naturally aroused a lot of sentiment among the seniors.
A vote was taken about a week ago and resulted favorably for the side who wished to wear their own summer dresses and suits, the students wishing to rent caps and gowns losing by one point. Since then, a lot of argumentation and debating has indulged in on either side. Yesterday morning the second vote was taken. Those in favor of caps and gowns numbered 26, opposed, 18.
So this vital question is now settled for good, there being no provisions for any amendments, of any kind, on this decree.
Republic Glass Co. will build fine factory here
150 people will be given work
Another valuable addition to Monroe’s many hustling industries will be made when the Republic Glass Co., which plans to employ more than 150 persons, completes their large and modern factory building here, construction of which will being within the next two weeks.
This announcement was made by officials of the company and those in Monroe who have been working untiringly to secure a site for the company. It was with much joy that they told of securing the site and of the message that they had for the public of Monroe: The factory will be located here.
The factory will be on Kentucky Ave., along the New York Central railroad.
The new company is capitalized for $150,000 and will manufacture glass specialties.
A modern and up-to-date factory will be constructed. The company can purchase all its raw materials within a short distance of Monroe.
Monroe may get second factory
The outlook is bright for another large industry to locate in Monroe.
The board of directors of the Detroit Stoker Co., who are looking for a site, were in Monroe and in conference with Mayor James. H. Gillmore with a view of established a plant here.
“The company has several sites in view and the chance of landing the plant is very favorable,” Mayor Gillmore said.
It will be known definitely within a couple of days whether the company will locate here. It will employ many people. It has plants at Detroit and Toledo.
No bonus is being asked, nor does the company intend to sell any stock here.
UPDATE: Detroit Stoker will locate in Monroe soon.
Lightning kills man near Monroe
James P. McCartney, 30, of Toledo, manager of one of the thrift store in that city, was instantly killed when struck by a bolt of lightening at LaPlaisance Bay, near Schreiber’s, five miles south of Monroe on Sunday morning.
He and others hired a boat and when the storm came up shortly after 10 p.m., started for shore. Mr. McCartney picked up the chain on the end of the boat and was holding it as it dangled in the water.
Lightening, evidently attracted by the chain, struck McCartney and killed him instantly. The other men were thrown out of the boat into the water, without as much as being shocked.
The saying of our neighbors
Editor’s note: Readers are asked not to be critical about these sayings. If you ask one of these people quoted below, he may deny he said it. This may be modesty, and it may be the truth. Anyhow, if he didn’t say it, he probably would have it you had asked him.
“If work alone made a long life, most of us would have died years ago,” George E. Bice, Monroe.
“We spend $27 for cigarettes for every dollar for books, but cigarettes don’t ruin your eyes,” G.A. Custer, Monroe
“Too many things against the law makes too many people against the law,” John Bomia, Monroe
“When a man rushes home on payday, you know who is boss at his house,” G.W. Kilpatrick, Monroe
Boy, 14, taken from canal at Monroe Piers
Fell from float near yacht club is believed
Youth is first drowning victim of season; came to Monroe Saturday from Detroit to work at piers.
The canals at Monroe Piers claimed its first drowning victim of the season when the body of Santo Belestri, 14, of Detroit, was dragged from the canals at 11 on Tuesday morning.
There were no eyewitnesses to the drowning. It is thought that he fell from the floats.
When it was reported that he was missing, a search party was formed and started out to hunt for the missing youth, but no trace of him could be found. At 9 this morning, a number of men started to drag the canal.
Belestri came to Monroe to work for John Carbine, who has been in charge of the refreshment stand at the piers.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: 100 years ago in The Monroe Evening News
