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1921 – 100 YEARS AGO
Some of the names that are given our good old city of DeKalb are amusing to say the least, and it is a wonder that mail men working on the railroad know where to consign the letters and circulars. It is a common occurrence to have mail received here spelled “DeKolb” and other such oddities. One was received today at The Chronicle office that is ahead of anything so far received. The mail was addressed to a member of the firm of the “Debalk Chronicle Pub. Co., Debalk, Illinois.” It is any wonder that sometimes mail goes wrong.
Reports were received at the police station yesterday that someone is in the habit of borrowing bicycles from the Glidden school at various times during the day and causing considerable trouble there. The superintendent of the school has enlisted the aid of the police in an effort to stop this practice in every case thus far, the young man is said to have returned the bike before school is out in the afternoon, but it is believed better to stop the practice at once.
Fire Chief McEvoy and his electrician Louis Moulton, have been scouring around today looking for trouble. They were not looking for trouble whereby they would be called upon to defend themselves in a fistic encounter, but trouble with the fire alarm system. In some manner a grounded wire was discovered somewhere in the system and it took the chief and his aid the most of the forenoon before they found the trouble.
DeKalb people, both young and old, should remember that automobiles have just as much right to drive through the streets as they have to walk across the thoroughfares. Another thing they should remember is that crossing a street in the middle of the block is dangerous, as many people driving cars on Lincoln Highway have their hands full keeping the machine in the road on account of the ruts.
Fifteen sleepers and one drunk were in the custody of the police department over the weekend, ten of the sleepers coming in Saturday night and the remaining five last night. A young man of the city arrested Saturday night told the police someone slipped him a drink that knocked him cold was also before the judge this morning and given a fine. He insisted that it was the first time he had ever been drunk and on that account he was not given a severe punishment by the court.
1946 – 75 YEARS AGO
August Bartels of Genoa has purchased the old H. H. Slater property which is located at the southwest corner of Main and Genoa Streets. Included in the sale are four lots on which are located a gasoline station and the old Slater residence. Before entering the service, Mr. Bartels operated the Ford agency in Genoa. Mr. Bartels has not decided as yet what he plans to do with the property and did not comment on his purchase.
A freight train engine was derailed and three freight cars were overturned this morning at Kirkland when an eastbound Milwaukee freight crashed into the rear of another freight, also eastbound, and stopped at the time. Two carloads of shelled corn and a carload of scrap iron were overturned and scattered and the engine was derailed although it did not overturn. The accident occurred just west of the feed yards located at the western edge of Kirkland. Fortunately no one was injured in the crash but considerable rail was torn up.
Chief of Police George Mier sent out a warning today to all owners of dogs. All dogs found loose with or without license will be picked up. Chief Mier stated that there had been a lot of cases reported recently of persons being bitten by loose dogs. Also complaints have been coming in about dogs digging in gardens that have just been recently planted. Mier said he had been lenient with the owners up to now, but the dogs will be picked up and disposed of if they are not kept on a leash.
While Grover Hart, a Milan resident, is a patient at the Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minn., recovering from major surgery, his friends gathered at his farm home today in an effort to clean up his spring work. About twenty neighbors with fifteen tractors arrived at the home early this morning and were taking care of the spring plowing and seeding in a one-day rush of activity. They expect to have the major share of the work out of the way by evening.
Shortly after 9 o’clock this morning, Marie Edwards reported to the DeKalb police that Mrs. Zerby of 1016 Grove had walked into the side of the car driven by Mrs. Edwards east on Grove Street. Mrs. Zerby was cutting diagonally across Grove Street between Tenth and Eleventh Streets and was just brushed by the auto as Mrs. Edwards swerved the car. Mrs. Zerby was knocked off her feet but fortunately escaped serious injury and did not need medical attention.
1971 – 50 YEARS AGO
The possibility of a new airport site or the feasibility of rejuvenating and enlarging the present municipal airport will be studied by the city as a result of action by the city council last night. An Alderman introduced a proposal to “look at some new possible sites now that the air space east of the city formerly taken by Sycamore’s airport (now abandoned) is available.”
A watch dog was apparently sleeping on the job during a burglary at Bob’s Outboard Marine. An unknown number of guns and rifles were reported missing from the store. The owners said this morning that he has still not determined the exact number of weapons that were taken, and is uncertain of their total value. A dog which was kept near the gun shop at the rear of the property apparently did not scare the burglars or make enough noise to alert nearby residents.
1996 – 25 YEARS AGO
The DeKalb Plan Commission approved an annexation agreement and concept plan last night for a 242-acre, 900-unit subdivision at the southwest corner of Rich Road and North First Street. Developers are touting the upscale development’s roughly 60 acres of meandering ponds and steams, waterfalls, covered bridges, nature trails and landscaping surrounding single-family, duplex and multi-family housing.
Members of the DeKalb County Board were presented with a proposal last night to build a new county nursing home facility which would be operated by a public-private partnership.
So far, 52 accidents involving cars striking deer have been reported to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department this year and officials believe that number could rise in the next few weeks.
– Compiled by Sue Breese