25-50-100 Years Ago -- Sept. 4
Sep. 4—100 Years Ago
Sept. 4, 1923
Every report received from Japan throughout the day on Sept. 3 either confirmed or increased estimates of the havoc wrought in death and destruction by the quadruple catastrophe which has befallen the central east section of Hondo, largest of the islands of the Japanese empire. Beginning at noon Saturday with a series of quakes which razed most of the city of Tokio and large sections of Yokohama and other cities in the vicinity of the disaster was continued by fires which broke out in scores of places. Tidal waves followed engulfing and washing into the sea hundreds of buildings. Then came typhoons adding a final and tragic touch to what is probably the greatest calamity of modern times. The Japanese consul-general in San Francisco late today received from the Japanese consul-general in Shanghai a report that 160,000 persons were killed and 1,000,000 made homeless in the Tokio-Yokohama section.
Tom Conner, of Hagerstown, riding a Harley-Davidson, won the 10- and 15-mile motorcycle sidecar races at Richmond Monday. A Frederick machine, owned by J. Paul Delphey (Harley-Davidson), ridden by Charles Farrell, of Washington, won second in both events. Mr. Delphey, who attended the race, has secured a special racing frame for his racer, but it arrived too late to use in these races. He plans to put his racing motor on this frame and use it in the next races he enters. It is expected that this racing machine will make some of the riders sit up and take notice.
Skunks have become a great nuisance in the East End of Middletown and they have killed many small chickens. At the home of Chas. Darner, three were caught in a steel trap and at the home of Mrs. Maurice Bowlus, her son-in-law, Geo. C. Rhoderick Jr., caught three in a trap Thursday.
50 Years Ago
Sept. 4, 1973
Even Monday night's Labor Day rains won't be enough to cool things off in the Frederick area the weatherman predicts and he says the high Tuesday, the first day of school for area youths, will hover once more around 90.
Fire gutted a barn in the Libertytown area Monday night. Six local fire companies answered the 10:19 p.m. call and were on the scene more than an hour. Frederick City Police and the State Fire Marshalls Office are investigating a four-alarm blaze at Carmack-Jay's Saturday evening. Reports indicate that a small shed used for storage was destroyed and a section of the roof was gutted.
25 Years Ago
Sept. 4, 1998
A county-wide "blitz" for illegal signs posted in county and state rights of way resulted in removing 1,500 signs late last week. The State Highway Administration and county public works officials worked together last weekend to remove illegally placed political, developer, builder and real estate signs. The SHA pulled up about 1,300 signs Aug. 29 using a crew of 21 people. The one-day operation cost taxpayers $4,300. "It's a problem. The reason why the signs are not permitted is because they compete for the attention of other approved traffic control measures, possibly leading to accidents," John Concannon, assistant district engineer for the SHA, said.
First USA has purchased the credit card operation of Chevy Chase Bank located in Frederick. Its 1,300 employees will become employees of Wilmington-based First USA, a BANC ONE corporation. "One-hundred percent of employees will be retained and will work for First USA," said Stephen Halpin, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Chevy Chase Bank.
(Editor's Note: The News-Post does not have access to archives from 20 years ago for April 16 through December 2003. The "20 Years Ago" summary will return Jan. 1, 2024.)
