Apr. 18—100 Years Ago

April 18, 1923

Two men were so seriously hurt that they are expected to die and five others were seriously injured yesterday when an elevator on the new $1,500,000 power plant of the Potomac Edison Service Company, at Williamsport, Md., plunged 150 feet to the ground. The men were steel workers and carpenters employed in the construction of the new building. According to witnesses of the accident the accident was due to the rush of men to reach the ground for their lunches. When the whistle blew for noon time men jumped into the cage of the elevator to be taken to the ground. The capacity of the elevator was six men and the nine men overloaded it to such extent that it could not be controlled by the engineer.

Fire, caused by an overheated stove, damaged a small building used for housing specimens of birds at the home of Henry Trail, East Church street, about 3 o'clock Monday afternoon. Between twenty and thirty Australian and English finches, recently imported by Mr. Trail, perished.

Interesting observations are presented by Dr. Thomas R. Johnson, this city, a member of the party of surgeons from the American College of Surgeons in a tour of South America, who has just returned to this city. The party traveled over 14,000 miles, stopping at the principal cities of South America, where they visited the leading hospitals, studying surgical methods.

50 Years Ago

April 18, 1973

In a light rain Tuesday, the long-awaited Maryland State Police helicopter landed at Frederick Municipal Airport. The craft, which is one of four owned by the state, is able to transport two patients. The craft will serve not only Frederick County, but upper Montgomery, Howard and Carroll counties, as well as Washington, Allegany and Garret counties.

A well-prepared group of property owners came before the county Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday to protest the Potomac Edison Company's proposed 138 kilovolt power line from Mount Airy to Carroll County. After their deposition, the Commission ordered the staff to study the citizens' counter-proposals and make recommendations on them at next month's hearing.

With the theme of "If I Can Help Somebody," the newly established Women's Auxiliary to the Frederick Salvation Army Tuesday night installed its new officers for 1973-74. The Auxiliary will be composed of wives of Salvation Army workers.

25 Years Ago

April 18, 1998

It was Opening Night at Harry Grove Stadium on Friday and the rhythmic clickety-click of active turnstiles seemed in harmony with the times of the Dixieland Trio that greeted spectators. Opening Night — especially with the Class A Frederick Keys — is a social event. Dignitaries get to show their faces in public while fans, young and old, renewed acquaintances over a Dugout Dog.

The school system and the teachers union have reached a tentative agreement on a contract that provides a 4 percent across-the-board salary increase. The raise is contingent upon the Frederick County Commissioners funding a $6.8 million budget appeal from the Frederick County Board of Education.

(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.)