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1924 – 100 Years Ago
John G. Davy this week move to his apartment building in East Lincoln Highway, where he will live until his new home on South Fourth street is completed. Mr. Davy’s new home has not yet been started, but he expects to see the contractors there within a few days. P. E. Mason, an official of the piano company, recently purchased the Davy home in the addition, but has been living at the hotel until he could secure possession. Today Mr. Mason’s household effects were brought here from Hinsdale.
Announcement is made today that an unusually fine program has been arranged to be given at Cortland tomorrow in honor of the soldier dead of all wars. During the morning, beginning at nine o’clock, the school children will march to the cemetery where the graves will be decorated and suitable exercises given.
Although it is reported that several of the men have given up the work, for various reasons, the steel laying crews of the North Western Tuesday moved its headquarters to Malta, where the crossover orders are now effective. The work is moving along rapidly and it will not be long before the crew will be working back towards DeKalb, replacing the steel on the west-bound right of way.
One of the large plate glass windows at the Westlake store on South First Street was broken yesterday afternoon when an auto passing on that thoroughfare flicked a stone through the pane. The stone struck near the top of the window and caused it to be badly broken and cracked. The insurance man got busy at once, and another window was expected here sometime today.
W. W. Cooper, furniture dealer and undertaker of Genoa, was seriously injured yesterday afternoon when the car he was driving was struck by a train of the Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad carrying officials of the road at a crossing east of Henrietta. It is not known how the accident happened as Mr. Cooper was driving alone at the time of the accident and the crossing is one where a clear view in both directions is obtainable.
DeKalb is to have another beauty shop which is to be opened on Thursday in the Third street barber shop conducted by J. M. Pyfer. Mrs. Ethel Dolan has been secured as operator of the new department and Mr. Pyfer believes he has an establishment ready to take care of any of the beauty work the women of today demand.
1949– 75 Years Ago
The Egyptian Theatre will open in a blaze of glory Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The theatre has been completely redecorated and modernized from sidewalk to screen. The theatre will feature an all new stainless-steel front, glass doors and a new marquee. The lobby has been completely redesigned and modernized with special hand decorated murals and concealed lighting.
Mrs. Kenneth Hetchler, formerly Doris Hudson was honored last evening at a post-nuptial bridal shower in the home of Mrs. Norman Kaisted. When Mrs. Hetchler arrived, she was presented a lovely corsage of yellow carnations mixed with sweet peas.
Mr. and Mrs. Alva Freeman of Malta were dinner guests Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Freeman.
Speeding and reckless driving through Sycamore Community Park must stop, members of the Park Board have decided, and a final warning was issued today to halt such practices. New signs giving speed limits and directions have been posted and the practice of certain drivers of ignoring speed limits and other directional signs will be curbed. Park attendants have been instructed to issue arrest tickets to all drivers violating the posted speed limits. Softball players have been warned, also, to stay on the roadways and not to drive across the playing fields.
The Agriculture Department, which has been worrying ever since 1907 about the possibility of running horseless carriages on corncobs, now has a new system to make ‘em purr on the lowest grades of gasoline. When the engine begins to heat and go bong on the hills, just squirt a little alcohol into the carburetor. This makes the cheap gas perform like the premium stuff and also used up some alcohol, of which we have too much.
Wonder how many miles Frank Tedford, yardman at the courthouse, walks every time he mows that big lawn. Bet it’s quite a distance.
Spring housecleaning activities have been completed at the DeKalb fire station with the firemen having been busy brightening up the station the past few weeks. Walls have been washed and several painting projects have been accomplished. The large room housing the trucks has been redecorated and presents a most attractive appearance. The trucks have been checked over completely and all of the hose testing activities have been completed.
1974 – 50 Years Ago
DeKalb added its second major development within a two-month span Monday night. The City Council unanimously approved an annexation agreement with the 165-acre Gateway project along Sycamore Road. Some spirited debate preceded adoption. Initial construction on the estimated $20 million proposal is slated to begin October 1. Local developer George Straton has been reluctant to name any businesses interested in the site between DeKalb AgResearch and Montgomery Wards.
Despite the absence of large bulk storage tanks within DeKalb’s city limits, the problem of a chemical spill, such as the recent incident on Chicago’s south side, does confront the fire department. Fire Chief Rich Ulrich said there is a possibility dangerous chemicals stored in the metropolitan area may pass through DeKalb on either railroad cars or trucks. Faced with frequent train derailments just outside the city, Ulrich said the firemen must be capable of handling transport fires involving hazardous cargoes.
A DeKalb woman fell victim to a confidence game artist yesterday when she gave $4,500 of her savings to a man describing himself as a bank examiner. The woman told police she received a phone call warning her of suspected bank employe embezzling of money from her account.
1999 - 25 Years Ago
It’s business as usual at WLBK AM 1360, at least for now. WLBK along with its sister station, WDEK FM 92.5, were purchased by Big City Radio Inc. for $4.5 million from DeKalb Radio Studios, Inc. in February. The former WDEK is now a relay for KISS FM, a radio station with a top 40 format based in Arlington Heights, Ill. WLBK, however, is up for sale and has been almost since the first day it was purchased by the Hawthorne, N. Y. company.
A rubber reprocessing plant whose operations caused quite a stink in Genoa may finally be filtering out its complaints. Humane Manufacturing began installing air filtration and deodorizing equipment inside its 538 S. Sycamore facility Friday in an effort to remove airborne particles which may be causing irritating odors in nearby residences.
Everybody knows that DeKalb County soil is ideal for corn and soybean but what about grapes? A local group of agricultural entrepreneurs is about to answer that question. The group, which consists of Terrie Tuntland, Clem Steele and Larry Engelsman, said they will conduct a three-year experiment near Waterman. The purpose of the experiment is to determine whether DeKalb soil can product enough grapes to support a local winery. The group also plans to product hard apple cider at the facility.
Compiled by Sue Breese