Looking Back: What was in The Blade this week back when
130 Years Ago
June 4, 1892
The M. E. parsonage was sold last Saturday for $221, Mrs. Mary Haverty being the purchaser.
They will soon place arc lights in James Turner's saloon and Morris' restaurant. This takes up almost the full capacity of the arc machine, as it will only be possible to run two more lights of that candlepower with it.
A party of strolling musicians hit town Thursday and after hearing their music, the boys could not resist the temptation of having one more dance at the opera house. They had a most enjoyable time.
The street and alley committee is having a new board sidewalk put down in front of the Arcade block in the west end.
This is the last issue of The Blade under the editorship of T. E. DuBois, he having sold the paper to D. A. Fraley, who takes charge at once.
120 Years Ago
June 6, 1902
Monday was patron's day at the public schools and a large number of ladies and gentlemen took advantage of this to visit the schools and inspect the work in the various grades. There is one thing noticeable about the pupils of the Fairbury schools, they like to have their friends visit them and try in every way to make the visit an enjoyable one. Those who spent part of the afternoon in the rooms were certainly well rewarded for their visit.
The Alumni Association of the Fairbury High School gave a reception at the opera house to the graduating class and a large number of invited guests Wednesday evening following the commencement exercises. Miss Edna Westervelt acted as master of ceremonies and kept things moving in a lively manner. Prof. C. E. DeButts presented a history of the previous classes. He said there had graduated form the Fairbury schools 170 pupils, 122 girls and 48 boys. The smallest graduating class was composed of two member and the largest eighteen.
Weston — Dr. Vincent has returned from Peoria possessed of a diploma certifying he is a graduate of the Webster school of Magnetism and is confident that he can cure all curable diseases without the use of medicines.
110 Years Ago
June 7, 1912
Mrs. Hildreth, who has been ill for several months past, underwent an operation Monday, the surgeons amputating one of her limbs. The reason for the operation was that her foot was effected by blood poison and its amputation was necessary to save her life. The patient is getting along as well as can be expected.
The ladies of the Presbyterian church will serve a fifteen-cent supper on Thursday evening, June 13, from 5 to 8 o'clock. The menu is roast beef, roast lamb, brown gravy, rolls, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, lettuce salad, rhubarb sauce, coffee and ice tea. Strawberry short cake and whipped cream may be had for 10c extra.
The city of Fairbury will consider sealed bids for building cement side walks and crossings for this year. All bids must be in the hands of A. B. Claudon, chairman of the committee, by Tuesday, June 18.
Dr. R. C. Calkins, veterinarian, has opened a hospital in the D. V. Beggs livery barn. He has it fully equipped for the surgical and medical treatment of all diseases. He has a new operating table of the latest design. His office phone is 170; house phone 388.
100 Years Ago
June 2, 1922
Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Hanson are moving shortly to the property corner of First and Maple streets.
E. B. Ramsey, Donald Joda and L. E. Dirks motored to Chicago Sunday and from there went to Indianapolis, Ind., early Tuesday morning, where they took in the big automobile race Decoration day.
Earl Bastion was the express messenger on T. P. & W. trains several days this week, the regular messenger being called away by the death of a relative. Dewey De Moss took Mr. Bastion's place in the local express office.
The T. P. & W. is running an excursion to Peoria on Sunday, June 11, $1.75 round trip. Special attractions at Peoria will be a baseball game between Peoria and Rockford in the III League, boat excursion on the Steamer Julia Bell Swain and in the afternoon, theatres, parks and other attractions.
It is positively against the law to ride bicycles on the sidewalks. Especially at this time it is annoying when the road oil is carried from the road onto the sidewalks. Bicycle riders will do well to heed this warning. —H. F. Foster, Mayor.
90 Years Ago
June 3, 1932
Memorial day exercises were held at Graceland Cemetery in charge of John Joda post, American Legion. W. D. Lewis, of Forrest, gave the address. It was an ideal day with cloudless skies and balmy temperatures.
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Arends have given up their residence with Mrs. Herndon and will spend the summer with Mrs. Arends' parents at Melvin.
Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Lometti moved this week from the Dr. Bull apartments to the Pendergast residence at 205 East Oak street.
Mr. and Mrs. James Goodrich moved yesterday from 211 N. Seventh street to 104 West Hickory.
The commencement exercises of the Forrest township high school were held at the Congregational church Wednesday evening. There were sixteen graduating, seven girls and nine boys.
80 Years Ago
June 5, 1942
Fairbury, with other Illinois towns, sweltered in a 95 degree heat on Memorial Day. It was the hottest Memorial day for this section of the state since weather records were kept.
Farmers in Belle Prairie, Cropsey and adjacent townships will soon know the result of the pea crop planted this spring at the solicitation of the Gibson City Cannery. The pea fields are white with blooms and according to those experienced in raising the crop, the peas will be ready to be cut and hulled in about three weeks after blossoming. Some 25 or 30 farmers in Belle Prairie and probably twice as many in Cropsey, each planted seven acres to peas. It required four bushels and 10 pounds of seed to the acre and the seed cost $4 a bushel. The farmers will still have time to plant soybeans once the pea crop is cut.
Miss Vivian Jessup, an employee of the Third street Kroger store got the surprise of her life Wednesday morning. She was making up her bed that morning and was shaking up the pillow when out dropped a snake. Mr. Jessup got a hoe and killed it.
70 Years Ago
June 5, 1952
A thief or thieves, believed to be of high school age, broke into two stores here sometime early Tuesday morning and made away with cash and merchandise totaling about $60 in value. Entered was the Western Auto Associate Store and the Myers Shoe Repair store, both located in the 200 block of East Locust street. Manager of the Western Auto Store, Sigmund Sikorsky, estimated his loss at about $30 in merchandise and $19 in cash taken from a petty cash drawer. Champ Myers, owner of the shoe store, reported a loss of about $18 from a cash register and one pair of leather gloves from a counter.
Residents of Fairbury-Cropsey Unit No. 34 will have an opportunity to vote on a proposition to extend the regular school program beyond 9 months, according to action taken at the board of education meeting Monday night. Chief object of the proposition is to make legal the holding of a summer band course to be conducted by William Wagner, as was carried out last year according to board members.
Above moisture and the unseasonable cold weather in this vicinity this spring has made itself felt on the corn and soybean plantings. The cold, damp weather, coupled with weak germination qualities prevalent in some seed corn and the fact that plantings were a bit too deep in relation to conditions, has necessitated the replanting of an estimated 1,000 acres of corn and beans within a 15-mile radius of Fairbury. The worst section reported centers about Wing.
60 Years Ago
June 7, 1962
Twelve Boy Scouts from Troop 72 and Post 72 left yesterday morning for a week's trip to Minnesota and Canada. The Scouts will take a four-day canoe trip into Canada during the journey. Making the trip are Bob Winterland, Terry and Roger Bruley, Jim Holforty, Bob Vandergraft, Ronnie Hanley, Steve Baker, Terry Zimmerman, Lynn Dameron, Paul and John DeFries and John Peyton.
The confectionery stand at the Junior League ball diamond was broken into last Tuesday night sometime between 10:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. Five used softballs, one new ball, three cartons of candy rolls and three bottles of orange pop were taken. Entry was made by the door after breaking the lock.
The Lions Club will begin construction on a picnic shelter for Marsh park soon. The 22 x 48 shelter will be a needed asset for the public park. Cost of the structure will approach $450 to $550. One club member said the Lions group is very interested in park improvements for Fairbury. The club is proposing a tennis court, too, but no definite plans are organized.
50 Years Ago
June 8, 1972
Gunfire echoed through the night air of Fairbury's business district early Monday as it took five gun shots, three by a Fairbury police officer and two by a Livingston county Sheriff's deputy, to halt the flight of a youth who fled from the front door of Rathbun's White Horse Tap as the officers responded to a "burglary in progress" radio call. Captured after he had run half-way around the block was an 18-year-old East Peoria youth. He was being held today under $4,000 bond in the county jail.
The Fairbury chapter of the American Field Service confirmed this week that for the first time Fairbury will host two foreign students this coming year. Nils Anders Wallentin, 16, of Kungsbacka, Sweden, will be the guest of the Jim Newlin family of Fairbury. Ruben Giraldo Mojica, 17, of Medellin, Antiquia, Columbia, will be hosted by the Gary Elliott family of Cropsey.
One of Fairbury-Cropsey's 1972 graduates had an especially memorable commencement day last week when the vehicle she was driving overturned a few hours before graduation exercises were to begin. Carla Fugate was taking her sister and her sister's boyfriend back to school in Galesburg when the accident occurred. They were inside Peoria when Carla lost control of her van, reportedly due to steering mechanism failure. The truck rolled over several times, causing Miss Fugate to sustain minor back injuries.
40 Years Ago
June 3, 1982
A veteran Fairbury helicopter pilot and his family made a forced landing in a field about a quarter-mile from their home on the city's north side last Wednesday afternoon. Norm Rittenhouse, his wife and their small daughter, "Squeaky," escaped injury although the craft suffered some damage. Rittenhouse said a governor which controls the rotor speed failed and the engine was gaining too much speed so he had to shut it off. Their altitude was 1,000 feet at the time when he went into an autorotation procedure for a powerless landing, something he had done a number of times in the past.
Stockholders of Farmer's Grain Company in Fairbury on Tuesday afternoon turned down a proposed merger with Weston Grain and Ocoya Grain, although the latter two firms approved the merger in simultaneous elections. Under terms of the merger proposal, Weston and Ocoya will go ahead with the merger, forming Prairie Co-op. Few people with Farmer's Grain connections would comment on the outcome other than to imply that there was opposition south of town from people who felt they would be "left in limbo."
Mr. and Mrs. C. Edward Bach returned home Saturday after a four week air and Eurail trip to Europe. Visits were made to Rome, Venice and Milan in Italy; Athens, Greece; and Basel, Zurich, St. Moritz, Lucerne and Sursee in Switzerland. They also took a short auto trip into Germany and France. "Many beautiful places were seen, but it is great to be back in the USA!" the Bachs say.
30 Years Ago
June 3, 1992
Livingston County farmers await the final outcome of the heavy frost which fell last Tuesday night, damaging corn and bean crops which were already under stress from the prevailing drought conditions. Several farmers in the area said they just weren't sure if the corn would "snap back" from the dark wilted condition they found it in on Wednesday morning.
Stephen J. Keeley, son of Jim and Rita Keeley of rural Fairbury, graduated with distinction and honors from the University of Illinois May 17. Majoring in history and political science, Keeley graduated with a perfect 5.0 grade point average, was designated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, listed on the Bronzed Tablet, awarded the Martha Bell Barrett Prize, and is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society and other honoraries. This fall, he will travel to England to study at the University of Durham for a year with a Rotary International Scholarship. Upon completion of his year at Durham, he will be entering law school.
Dr. Tracy Taylor, DDM, will open a dental practice in Fairbury on June 15. Dr. Taylor is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Dental School and is currently practicing in St. Louis. Taylor is the son of Roy and Virginia Taylor of Anchor. His wife, Julie, is the daughter of Jim and Elizabeth Wharton of Fairbury. The Taylors will be relocating to Fairbury from St. Louis.
20 Years Ago
June 5, 2002
Jayme Rich is the valedictorian of the Prairie Central High School Class of 2002, and Karen Schlatter is salutatorian. Rich is the daughter of Jim and Kay Rich of Fairbury, and Schlatter is the daughter of Tom and Barb Schlatter of Chatsworth and Anne and Jim Johnson of Fairbury.
Helen Patton, a resident of Meadows Mennonite Home, celebrated her 103rd birthday on May 30, with friends, residents and staff. Helen M. Swartz Patton was born May 31, 1899, one of nine children born to Robert and Margaret Swart, who lived eight miles south of Greenville, Ill. In 1918, at age 19, having passed the state certification exam with a 99 on grammar and 100 on math, she began her teaching career. On Dec. 9, 1925, she married T. M. Patton and together they operated the T. M. Patton Insurance Agency, and were owners of a theater in Lexington where Gene Autry performed when he started his career.
Fairview Haven Nursing Home was recently presented three laptop computers and a computer monitor from State Farm Insurance Company. Larry Rowold from the State Farm Regional office made the presentation May 29. Social Services Assistant Sally Fehr coordinated the presentation. The addition of the laptops will allow residents to communicate with the community and the outside world, while learning new skills.
10 Years Ago
June 6, 2012
Dennis and Elsie Evelsizer of Forrest will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a family dinner at Starved Rock State Park on June 17. Evelsizer and the former Elsie Wilken were married June 17, 1962 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Danforth. They are the parents of Jason (Jodi) Evelsizer, Champaign; and Joel (Deceased) (Tammy) Evelsizer of Fairbury. They also have four grandchildren, Mark, Leah, Alex and Morgan, and one great-grandchild, Milly. He is retired from Prairie Central High School and she is the director of the Forrest Public Library District in Forrest.
Patrick and Julie Harms and their family celebrated the opening of their new 4,500 head wean-to-finish hog farm near Saunemin, in Livingston County by hosting an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on May 10. The Harms family currently farms approximately 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans and raise approximately 22,500 pigs a year in a wean-to-finish hog farm. The Harms have arrangements with three other independent Illinois family farmers to raise the small pigs to market size. They also keep busy with their children, Duke, 10 years old, Wyatt, 8 years old, and twins Cole and Josie, 4 years old.
Fairbury Echoes Museum will hold a Community Show & Tell program on Thursday, June 21 in the vacated rental unit next door to the museum at 126 W. Locust. The program will feature interesting or historical items brought in by members of the community. Each person will have five minutes to present his or her item to the group. The program is limited to eight presenters. The public is invited and there is no admission charge. The museum will be open following the program.
Kari Kamrath
This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Looking Back: What was in The Blade this week back when
