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1923 – 100 Years Ago
At a meeting held yesterday it was decided to reorganize the orchestra known as “Chandler’s Orchestra,” and with the new organization much different from the old one to start anew in the field. From present plans the musicians will go under the name of the “Oswald-Chandler Orchestra,” and continue to play as they did. Zach Chandler, manager, will still be at the piano and take care of all business for his players, while he will be represented in DeKalb by Harry Oswald, the drummer. The new organization is beginning with a fresh start and hopes to get all the business that comes its way.
As in other years, the school children of the Glidden School will continue to have their garden again this year. The vacant lot across from the school has been plowed and already for seeding. Every class in the school has a certain space allotted to it, and may plant anything it wishes. In other years a large amount of vegetables was raised each year, and the products being sold to Williston Hall for use during the summer months. Any day now there is a large class of children busily at work on the plot.
Jacob Haish has a large force of men at work on his many houses about the city taking down the storm doors and replacing them with screens. The men are a little earlier than usual this year, but as they have about 1800 screens including doors and windows, it will take them some time. Although fly time is still a few weeks off, the time does not take long in passing and with the installing of the screens now, they will be up in good time for fly season.
Shrubbery and trees are now arriving for the beautification of the lawn at the Glidden Memorial Hospital on South First Street in DeKalb. The ground has been prepared for the planting, which will probably be done some time this week. Plans have been made where each tree and bush shall be placed, which will lend harmony to the lawn and parking. When the trees are all set and the grass is green, the lawn will be one of the most beautiful in the city.
Excavators on the new addition to the Methodist church in DeKalb are today ready for the laying of the cement foundation. So far in the past days the men have kept busy at the work which is the reason for the basement being dug in such a quick time. Cement, stone and sand is being hauled for the foundation work. Dirt hauled away is spread on the parsonage lawn to level and fill in low places. As soon as the foundation is laid, rapid progress may be made on the building proper.
1948 – 75 Years Ago
The original “Pioneer” will once again play a starring role in the drama of transportation this summer. This, the fifth time, however, it will ride the rails mounted on one of the flat cars that will make up the Centennial Train to visit DeKalb and a score of other cities in the Midwest this summer. The famed locomotive underwent extensive grooming in the North Western shops for the coming trip. In addition to repairing and reconditioning the locomotive, draftsmen, designers, carpenters and steel workers and laborers worked together to build from scratch a duplicate of the original tender and an exact replica of the first coach to roll behind the “Pioneer.”
Hinckley won’t be so “isolated” as feared when it was learned that the mail train known as the “dinky” was to be taken off after this week. A fast train from Minneapolis will stop mornings enroute east about 9:30 o’clock and will return stopping at Hinckley at 11:19 o’clock starting this coming week.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hickey and children of Shabbona were Sunday dinner guests at the Grover Hart home in Milan.
Saw an elderly gentleman saunter over to the statute and monument on the courthouse lawn on Friday. He was apparently reading the inscriptions. Wonder how many citizens of this county know who dedicated it and to whom?
Hinckley business men and volunteer workers of the community have been contributing steadily in a volunteer labor movement to construct a shelter house at Pioneer Park, near the high school. The shelter house is to be 32 by 44 feet in size, will have a novel aide wall arrangement, which will permit the wall panels to be shoved overhead when air is desire, there will be two fireplaces and running water. The masonry is being constructed of cement blocks and the entire structure will be modern and in splendid taste.
License investigators of the office of the Secretary of State were in DeKalb today checking on old license, a number of motorists being stopped. All autos and trucks having 1947 license plates were stopped and the drivers warned that they should secure new plates. The laws state that the 1948 plates should be on the vehicles on January 1 but several weeks of grace are given to allow all ample time.
1973 – 50 Years Ago
The Ellwood House Museum open its doors for another season on Sunday when the annual spring open house is held. The mansion, built in 1879 by Col. Isaac L. Ellwood, barbed wire manufacturer, is located at 509 N. First St. In 1964 it was donated to the city as a museum by the Colonel’s grandchildren and his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Erwin Perry Ellwood.
The DeKalb Police Department will run a special bicycle licensing session in the Municipal Building lobby. New licenses, which cost 25 cents, must be on bikes after May 1. The police have been licensing bicycles at schools throughout the city in recent weeks, and Saturday’s session is for children and adults who still need licenses.
DeKalb Mayor Jesse Chamberlain confirmed that he will include a salary hike ordinance on the agenda of a special City Council meeting at 8 p.m. Monday. Chamberlain’s salary proposal would triple the mayor’s salary to $3,600 and the councilmen’s pay to $1,800.
1998 - 25 Years Ago
On Sept. 7, 1992, a plane crashed into a field near the Hinckley Airport, killing all 12 people on board. Five lawsuits stemming from that crash were settled out of court last week for undisclosed amounts.
A tattered, 85-year old scrapbook assembled by and eyewitness to the Titanic disaster fetched $50,000 on the auction block Saturday and the buyer intends to separate it and auction the pieces this summer.
The Voluntary Action Center is trying almost everything to get seniors to participate in its programs in the northern part of the county. From blood pressure checks to card playing to pizza parties, VAC is working to bring more seniors to the Genoa park district site on a daily basis.
Sycamore residents may soon have a new opportunity to “save big money” if a home improvement warehouse sets up shop in town as has been rumored. Word that a Menards store might come to Sycamore has been growing for the past couple of weeks.
Compiled by Sue Breese