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1920 – 100 YEARS AGO
Motorists are becoming quite civilized in the way of driving lately and no reports have been received by the local police for some time concerning speeders. Even on the cement road at night but very few of the cars pass each other at a greater rate of speed than 15 miles an hour which is a fine thing as this will cut down the number of accidents by half.
Those who are in position to know say that one of the most interesting and novel features of the concert and entertainment to be given by the Boy Scouts next Monday will be the part played in the program by Apollo pianos and player pianos. No one seems to know just why there has never been a public demonstration of Apollo instruments in DeKalb and this opportunity to see the really remarkable instruments that are now being made in the Apollo factory will be welcomed by everyone interested in the institutions of this city.
But very few automobilers were in Malta yesterday because of the bad condition of the roads and most of the people coming in used the “old reliable,” the horse and buggy. In fair weather the roads in this section are in fine shape but with the appearance of rain they take on the aspect of mud puddles.
The work of laying the new water main from Fourteenth and Clark streets to the DeKalb County Tuberculosis Sanitarium is going ahead in fine shape and at the present time the workmen have reached the Sycamore road. They have a good start on the last lap of the work and unless real cold weather sets in and makes all work impossible, it will be completed very soon.
If you had the real Spanish Flu back in 1918 and 1919, and didn’t die of it you won’t have it again. You can start in the winter with a perfectly light heart and no worry whatsoever as to how you would treat yourself in the event of a fresh attack, now that the time-honored whiskey and quinine cure is no longer integrally available.
George Hyde of Rollo has a new Marmon car.
A number of motorists have been held up while traveling on the cement roads lately but the new highwayman does not attempt to take valuables away from the drivers. The offender is a small black creature with a bushy tail and is commonly known as a skunk. When this animal is in the middle of the cement it has the right of way all to himself and no one cares to pass until the offender has left the road.
1945 – 75 YEARS AGO
A great number of Sycamore business houses, county and civic offices received notice yesterday that checks and accounts payable to their specific establishments were among items stolen in the daring express robbery at the Grand Central Station in Chicago on Nov. 18. In a report made to the Sycamore National Bank and Trust Company, the local representative of the American Railway Express Company stated that the bank’s transit letter containing all out-of-town items for Saturday, Nov. 17, were included in the theft. Over 800 items are said to have been taken.
Squaw Grove Township joined Franklin and Cortland Townships among those who have topped their quotas in the Victory Loan Drive in DeKalb County. Sales yesterday pushed Squaw Grove up to $56,410.25 which is a few hundred dollars over its quota of $55,900.
The Fargo Hotel Dining Room is now in operation under the management of Zula Beck. Opening Tuesday evening to serve a banquet for the Business and Professional Women and Wednesday for the Rotarian Dinner, it will now serve regularly and reservations can be made for special parties.
The Army has terminated a million dollar business for the United States government. All German prisoners of war at Camp Grant were taken off all private contract work, it was announced.
Reports of damage to sheep flocks of the county due to attacks by dogs are being reported in increasing numbers. Farmers who are feeding sheep at the present time are greatly concerned over damage that has been done, or might be accomplished by the dogs or dog packs. At the William Montovan farm south of town, there have been two heavy raids on the flock in the past week. A week ago there were 20 sheep killed and about 50 badly injured. Last night the flock was again raided, several being killed.
Work has been started on the new addition to the Hammerick Service building on North Second Street, the foundation for the addition having been completed several days ago. The addition will connect with the present building and will be 23 by 37½ feet. The new part will not come to the front walk.
1970 – 50 YEARS AGO
The Kishwaukee Family YMCA board of directors voted last night to drop the capital fund requirement added onto the annual membership rates at the new “Y” thus reducing the cost of belonging by about one-third for those persons and families who did not contribute to the building fund drive in recent years.
Anyone letting garbage cans sit on easement following sanitary pick-up are causing a hazardous situation to motorists on windy days. The empty garbage cans also create unsightly neighborhoods.
Nearly 60 weapons were reported stolen last night at the Awe Implement Company in Kirkland making the second such weapons theft in the county in the past few days.
With the Northern Illinois University Laboratory School cafeteria closed this year, the former walk-in refrigerator now serves as the cold storage room for earthworms, cocoons, toads, yeast, moss and stones. The items are used for feeding animals or for study in the nearby resource center.
The DeKalb Barbs will launch their first home wrestling meet of the season tonight as they host the greatly improved Rochelle Hubs. DeKalb fans should be a little surprised with the improvement of the caliber of wrestling that has taken place at Rochelle.
1995 – 25 YEARS AGO
DeKalb Police arrested two suspects following an early morning robbery at the Stop and Go convenience store, 710 E. Lincoln Highway, where a store clerk was attacked with a bottle. During the robbery, the employee was hit on the head with a glass bottle, according to police. The employee was treated for his injuries at Kishwaukee Community Hospital and released.
The DeKalb City Council gave its approval to a development agreement which may bring a Walgreen's
store to downtown last night, but final approval will
not be voted on until its next regular meeting. The agreement with Chicago-based Westchester Equities calls for the city to sell a parking lot for $1, and the adjoining former Pagliai's Pizza site for $215,000.
Westchester will donate land at the corner of First Street and Lincoln Highway to expand the intersection turn radius.
In response to a new state mandate, the Sycamore City Council last night voted to fire its part-time police officers. Their duties will be filled by full-time officers who will be paid overtime.
– Compiled by Sue Breese