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1921 – 100 YEARS AGO
Unloading of a carload of crushed stone near the Fourth Street railroad crossing leads many to believe that the railroad men propose to rebuild that crossing again. This is perhaps one of the worst crossings along the line, as the foundation is sandy and quickly gives way after repair. Railroad men say that the only way it can be fixed permanently is to go down several feet and fill in with crushed stone, which would be expensive and tie up traffic to some extent.
Following the last spell of rainy weather, A. F. Self has been busy along the cement road between Creston and Elburn endeavoring to get the side road in good condition again. The shoulder has been graded up once more and is now fixed that a car may pass another anywhere along the line and have little or no difficulty in getting back onto the pavement again, if necessary. If the township of Malta would get busy and fix up the road at Schweitzer’s corner, which is exceedingly dangerous, motorists going to and from that town would appreciate it. In making the turn off the pavement it is rather rough, while the turn onto the pavement, no matter which way a car is going, is even more so.
The Mayfield Road is making friends everywhere Monday morning. W. E. Snyder of DeKalb, district manager for the Standard Oil Company, received from his company a check for $100, payable to Road Commissioner John Lalley, as its contribution toward making a good road into Sycamore. When Mr. Snyder was approached and asked if his company would contribute something, he answered that he felt certain it would do so as soon as he could put the matter before it. And once he did this, the company without delay mailed Mr. Snyder the generous check already mentioned.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul V. Eakle, at Des Moines, Iowa, are proud parents of an eight-pound daughter, Alice Josephine, who was born on Monday morning, May 2. Mother and daughter are doing fine.
A cow cannot be guilty of contributory negligence. Such is the opinion of the Colorado Supreme Court in a decision handed down recently. John Sample struck Fred Adams’ cow with an automobile. Sample refused to pay. The Supreme Court held Sample must pay for these reasons: Cow has the same right to highway as automobile; cow does not possess reasoning power. This knowledge would made drivers careful. Cow cannot be guilty of contributory negligence to its own death.
1946 – 75 YEARS AGO
DeKalb is feeling the full effect of the dim-out order with the business, industrial and social life being disrupted by the directive of the Illinois Commerce Commission limiting the use of electricity as a means of stretching the dwindling supplies of coal. The business area was darker last evening than during the war years with only those places which are exempt under the order having electric lights. Makeshift lighting was used in taverns, clubs and the like, so that they could operate, but most of the places were in semi-darkness as the lanterns and lamps remained one of the old days.
State Theatre has installed its own power unit and will generate its own electricity. It complied with the Illinois Commerce Commission rules by not showing its picture last night. The theatre will now have continuous shows on Saturday and Sunday and Monday through Friday will operate at night as it has done in the past. No afternoon movies will be shown Monday through Friday.
Most of the gasoline service stations of DeKalb are to follow the regulations of the Commerce Commission, which means that gasoline will be practically unobtainable after 6 o’clock this afternoon until 2 o’clock Monday afternoon. Some stations this morning were making efforts to serve customers by bailing gasoline by hand, as operation of the regular measuring pumps was curtailed as electric motors are used.
At the regular meeting of the DeKalb Post of the American Legion last night, a special committee named to secure flags to decorate the graves of veterans for Memorial Day had to report complete lack of progress. Contracts with several flag manufacturing concerns brought the same information, the flags were not available. The Legion has made a practice of decorating the graves of eight cemeteries for a number of years and is anxious to continue the practice, but under present conditions it appears to be an impossibility. If anyone has any suggestions as to where the flags can be secured the information would be appreciated by the DeKalb post.
The three story brick building in Paw Paw known as the Centennial building was purchased last week by Joseph Safranek. The structure was erected in 1876 and for the past several years has been occupied by Mr. Safranek, who has a bakery and grocery on the main floor and living quarters above.
1971 – 50 YEARS AGO
The site for the newly proposed post office in DeKalb was approved last week by the city council in their urban renewal area. The 30,000-square-foot building as proposed by the Real Estate Division of the U. S. Postal Department would face West Lincoln Highway and be located where McCann’s Mobile Service Station, 130 W. Lincoln Highway, now stands. Two homes east of the building and the old post office, which is now the school district administrative center, will be left standing until the urban renewal agency makes a further decision on their future. Exits for the 130 parking spaces for postal patrons and vehicles belonging to the post office will be on Lincoln Highway, South First Street and McGirr and Pearl streets. No date for acquisition and construction has yet been announced.
An estimated 4-5,000 walkers are expected for the May 9 “Walk for Development” in DeKalb. Plans are being completed for the 30-mile walk which will raise funds for domestic programs including the DeKalb County Migrant Ministry, the DeKalb County Recreation Program for Handicapped Children and the Cook County Office of Economic Opportunity-Direct Charge Food Cooperatives.
1996 – 25 YEARS AGO
City workers sent out to repair a sidewalk last week got a surprise when they uncovered a long-buried fuel storage tank. A DeKalb Public Works crew preparing to repair the sidewalk along Dresser Road next to the Eagle Food Store, which had buckled during the winter, discovered the tank. The tank caused the sidewalk to buckle, and was just below the surface.
The DeKalb School District has agreed to bus St. Mary Catholic School students to their new school, at least for the next year. The school district and the Catholic Church since last fall have been trying to find an appropriate trade of facilities or money for transportation to the new school at the old Notre Dame School on the far south side of DeKalb.
– Compiled by Sue Breese