Looking Back for June 8, 2022

1922 – 100 YEARS AGO

The attention of the young people of DeKalb is invited to the solving of the historical puzzle series, which started Tuesday in The Chronicle. Two of the pictures have been run already and the third will appear, probably tomorrow night. There are 24 of them in all, and the first correct answer will be given a prize of $5. There is a second prize of $2, and three other prizes of $1 each.

A new business enterprise has taken foot in DeKalb in the form of a tent confectionery store. Marion Whittaker, son of Prof. and Mrs. M. Whittaker, has pitched a tent next to the College Avenue bridge on the south side of the street and is doing a land office business selling ice cream cones and candy to the Teachers’ college students. The little fellow does not carry his stock home at the close of the day’s business but has a berth in the tent where he sleeps every night. With the prevailing hot weather, the ice cream company has been busy delivering ice cream to the young man.

Workmen for George Hallaron are at work putting up a new front for the stores of ”Butch” Wenlund and Tom Granos, the Hollis Flush building. The old front is being removed and a new one will be put up immediately by the men. With a new pavement going in on the main street, there is much other work along the improvement line that is worthy of mention.

With a class of 62 leaving to enter high school in the fall, the work of the eighth grades was finished today in the Sycamore schools. It is expected that the freshman class this fall at the high school will be much larger than that, as many pupils will enter from the community schools. With the closing of school, many of the teachers are planning on going to the different summer schools to take up school work.

Merrill Marshal, living about three miles northeast of Sycamore, had a painful though lucky accident yesterday that will keep him from his work for a few weeks. It seems that Mr. Marshall was blasting stumps and while getting away from the stump to be basted, broke his ankle. The attending surgeon made the injured member as comfortable as possible but it will be some time before Mr. Marshall will again be able to have the use of his foot.

1947 – 75 YEARS AGO

After battling the fire, which developed in the basement at the Koach Food Market, for over two hours, the DeKalb Fire Department brought the blaze under control and checked the fire before it spread to the upper floors. Dense smoke filled the building and rolled from the basement windows and firemen were somewhat hampered in their work by the heavy smoke. Firemen were forced to don masks but the terrific heat kept the firefighters from remaining in the basement for any length of time.

Maybe it’s the air. Maybe it’s the thrill of far places. Maybe it’s because an awful lot of pork is grown in DeKalb County. Whatever the reason, DeKalb probably has more “ham” in its four square miles or so of area than any city of comparable size in the nation or even the world. But, DeKalb’s “ham” is not edible in civilized society anyway. DeKalb “hams” are known all over the nation and in large chunks of the outside world too, not for their flavor, but for their call letters for as you’ve probably guessed by now, they are amateur or “ham” radio operators.

Sycamore Chief of Police Horace Fothergill said today that there are still motorists double parking in the Sycamore business district. According to the parking meter ordinance passed by the city council, this is forbidden and anyone found violating this law will received a ticket and will face a Justice of the Peace. Chief Fothergill also reminded motorists to park within the lines marked on the streets. Some cars were found to be taking up two parking places and they were immediately given a violation ticket.

LaSalle – Merchants of this community who put trade slips in small parachutes which were released from four planes flying over the city, have learned from the city council that permission will not be granted for a repetition of the stunt. The “gifts from the sky” almost turned into an “ambulance from heaven” proposition as youngsters battled for the certificates.

Mary Eller, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hobert Eller of Paw Paw and Edward Quinn, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Quinn of Rollo were united in matrimony on Monday at the St. James church in Lee. Mrs. Bates was at the organ. The bride was given in marriage by her father and was dressed in a floor-length gown of light blue.

1972 – 50 YEARS AGO

The DeKalb City Council and the DeKalb Public Hospital Board will meet tonight in a joint session to discuss closing the DeKalb Public Hospital to acute care patients.

Following a traffic survey and numerous complaints of speeding along a section of Pleasant Street Road, County Highway Supt. Willard Williams and the County Highway Committee will recommend to the county board the speed limit be lowered from 50 mph to 45 mph. Williams said the existence of 20 driveways along this portion of the road permitted the lowering of the speed limit.

Riverside Trail’s plans to construct an ice skating arena and other recreational facilities were delayed by a “new” DeKalb Planning Commission for one week at the commission’s meeting Tuesday night. The commission conducted a public hearing on the petition of the Wisconsin firm to annex property at Annie Glidden Road just south of Lincoln Highway to the city and issue a special use permit for constructing the private recreational facility.

NIU Security and Safety Police had a large crowd on hand Friday night for an auction of recovered goods that had not been claimed by owners. Besides about 50 bicycles, there was a television set, tape deck and numerous jewelry items.

1997 – 25 YEARS AGO

Faced with an expanding and changing market, Time Warner Cable is retooling its local operation with new equipment, service plans and rate packages. Under new management since last August, Warner officials say that after months of analysis, they are poised to begin a series of improvements and fact-finding efforts to bring the cable system fully in touch with the community. Although parts of the plan are driven by company-wide policies, the primary impetus behind the changes has been one force, the subscriber.

Hopkins Park pool passes are on sale at the DeKalb Park District, 1403 Sycamore Road, DeKalb. The park district encourages those interested to purchase early to avoid the rush. Bring in last year’s pass to save $3 per pass.

A house for one dollar sounds like a great deal, especially when there are virtually no fees or permits associated with moving the structure through DeKalb County. But DeKalb County residents may want to think twice about buying and relocating a dollar-home if local officials get enough support for new house-moving regulations and fees.

– Compiled by Sue Breese