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1924 – 100 Years Ago
B. P. O. Elks, two dinner committees as well as others, have been working diligently on the affair scheduled for this evening at the Innovation, and it promises to be one of the leading functions of the year. Three hundred are to be served at the first sitting, while the remainder will be entertained on the first floor of Illinois Wonder Restaurant. After the dinner, the first floor will be used for dancing. The event of tonight is one to which the members of the Elks are privileged to bring their ladies, and it is expected there will be an unusually large turnout.
DeKalb is to get another industry that, although not a large one, is one that is a thriving concern with a growing and going business. It is the Winchester Potato Chip factory that has been operating for some time at Sycamore and will in the near future make its headquarters in DeKalb having been taken over by Verne C. Goodyear.
It is reported today that many of the country roads in this vicinity are almost impassable at this time, due to the thaws that have taken place within the week. Some of the side roads leading into DeKalb, not graveled, become soft during the middle of the day and many machines have become stalled. On the Malta road in some places it is reported, the roads are also soft and auto drivers found it impossible to get through yesterday, two machines becoming stalled.
Some of you will not eat candy during the Lenten season, so we offer these specials to satisfy your sweet tooth before the fast: All our bulk chocolates, assorted if desired, a very popular value at our regular price of 60 cents, now on sale at 49 cents lb. Morse’s fancy $1.50 box candies, beautifully packed and deliciously good, now 99 cents. Sophie Mae Peanut Brittle and Baby Sugar Stick, great values at 39 cents package. Get them at Secor’s before Ash Wednesday.
Contrary to the report which has been circulating that the Roxana Oil Company will purchase the property of the old Sycamore hotel for a filling station comes the announcement from the owner of the property stating that the place has not been sold, and at the present time there is no indications that the sale will be made.
1949– 75 Years Ago
Plane maker Howard Hughes admitted today the ribs in the tail of his giant flying boat had been wrecked but refuse to say whether it was sabotage. A radio commentator reported yesterday that some after ribs in the mammoth seaplane, now docked at Terminal Island, Cal., had been damaged in an apparent sabotage attempt. Hughes said damage was “fairly extensive” but would not comment further.
Mr. and Mrs. C H. Iskowich, Mr. and Mrs. Philmore Iskowich and son Chucky spent yesterday in Chicago.
Once upon a time all a policeman needed for his job was to be big and tough. All a fireman had to possess was the ability to breath smoke and stand a scorching. But times have changed. Now one of the questions that might be fired at an applicant for either department would be “How’s your radio voice.” The short-wave outfit has gone into operations and an open house will be held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday through the full 24 hours, at the DeKalb police station, Station WDKA.
Control of the Egyptian theatre in DeKalb will pass into the hands of Tom K. Valor, Geneva theatre owner, on April 1 it was announced today by Pete Stavrakos, DeKalb representative of the Valos enterprise. Valos has owned the Egyptian theatre building for several years Stavrakos said, but had leased it to other interests. He also operates the Fargo theatre and plans to erect a drive-in theatre on Sycamore Road, with work starting on the latter in about two weeks.
After a stiff battle throughout much of yesterday and last evening, an ice jam, which threatened to destroy the Lucinda Avenue bridge, was broken up with the use of dynamite blasts and the bridge was saved. Heavy rains had raised the water level and started large chunks of ice moving. Unable to float under the Lucinda Avenue bridge a heavy backlog of ice soon formed on the south side of the span and threatened to destroy the structure. A crew of city workmen was rushed to the scene but it was quickly determined that only blasting would save the bridge. Although dynamite was available, there was no one skilled in the use of handling the explosive at hand.
Herbert Wells Fay custodian of Abraham Lincoln’s tomb at Springfield for more than 25 years and a former resident of DeKalb, will celebrate his 90th birthday on Monday. Fay, who has the greatest Lincoln collection ever gathered and who is a recognized authority on Lincoln lore, plan to celebrate his birthday by working on his collection.
1974 – 50 Years Ago
Field trips and spectators’ buses in several area school districts have been curtailed, a causality of the tight gasoline situation. Farwell Sawyer, superintendent of the Waterman school district, said an effort was being made to limit all bus trips to 2-miles (one way). He added that pep club buses were eliminated two months ago and the cheerleaders had been riding with the players.
A zoning change to allow construction of a hardware store on E. Lincoln Highway has been approve by the DeKalb Planning Commission. The switch from residential to business zoning will now go to the City Council for final action. Land owner Don Amos petitioned for the change. James Bell, whose present hardware store is being razed by urban renewal, will build the new store.
DeKalb Postmaster Richard Silverman reminds area citizens new postal rates go into effect Saturday. He said first class postage will go from eight cents to 10 cents; post cards will go from six cents to eight cents; air mail from 11 to 13 cents; and air mail post cards from nine to 11 cents.
Cher Bono has sued her estranged husband, Sonny, charging that he tricked her into show business slavery for his benefit. Cher charges that her husband and Irwin O. Spiegel, their business manager, took advantage of her because she was “unsophisticated in business matters.”
1999 - 25 Years Ago
A blaze erupted in the Pleasant Street manufacturing plant of Alloyd Co. Inc. Friday night. No one was injured, but fire, heat and smoke caused an estimated $1 million in damage to the building. It was the second major fire in DeKalb in less than 24 hours. While it came less than a day after firefighters battled a blaze which destroyed the two-story building at 324 East Lincoln Highway, DeKalb Fire Department Captain William Kalal thinks the events are not related.
With donations from local nature lovers, money from Rockford developers who restore wetlands and a $42,000 state grant, the DeKalb County Forest Preserve system continues to grow. Merritt Prairie, located on Keslinger Road one mile east of Somonauk Road, added 16 acres recently. Plans include wetland and prairie restoration, tree planting, trails and a picnic area.
The cause of the fire which destroyed a downtown DeKalb building is still unknown. DeKalb Fire Department investigators are still pouring over evidence, trying to find the cause of the early Friday morning fire which destroyed a two-story building at 324 East Lincoln Highway.
Compiled by Sue Breese