In 1914, not since the Associated Charities was organized several years ago had the people of Jamestown taken such a lively interest in the Christmas work of the organization as this year, and never before had they contributed in such a generous manner to carry happiness into the homes in this city which would otherwise be almost entirely lacking in Christmas cheer. Mac Weller, secretary of the Associated Charities, made a statement to a Journal reporter with the request that the thanks of the organization be expressed for this hearty cooperation. Not only had donations of gifts, clothing, toys, etc., been unusually large but cash donations had also been larger than usual.

Lucius Thompson, one of Dunkirk’s best-known businessmen, was fatally injured the previous day when his automobile was struck by a Nickel Plate westbound freight train at the Central Avenue crossing. He died about two hours later at Brooks Memorial Hospital. Thompson, who for several years had conducted an electrical business in Dunkirk, was on the way back to his office, after having attended to some work in Central Avenue, south of the Nickel Plate and Pennsylvania tracks. The railroad gates at the crossing were temporarily out of use as a result of the mechanism becoming clogged with ice and snow but a watchman with a flag was stationed there. The locomotive struck the automobile squarely and completely wrecked it. Thompson, badly injured but conscious, was taken to the hospital.

In 1939, Jim Daley of Randolph, driver of a lumber truck, escaped without injury when he swerved his truck into a tree at East Randolph in order to avoid hitting a school bus loaded with children Wednesday. The bus was on its way to deliver the children to their school. According to the report, the lumber truck rounded a sharp curve at East Randolph and came up behind the bus which had stopped below the curve. Another truck was approaching from the opposite direction which prevented passing the bus so Daley elected to crack up himself rather than collide with the school bus, driven by Frederick Myers. The lumber truck was overturned and the cab smashed but Daley crawled out unhurt.

Samuel L. Willard, the last of Jamestown’s veterans of the Civil War, died at the family home on Lafayette Street this morning at the age of nearly 98 years. A public funeral service would be held at the Governor Fenton mansion, Soldiers’ Memorial park, Dec. 26 at 2:30 p.m. The body would lie in state for an hour before the service. Samuel M. Porter camp, United Spanish War veterans, would have charge of the service with military honors. Internment would be in the family lot in Lake View cemetery.

In 1964, a Dunkirk father administered an old fashioned brand of punishment after his son was rounded up along with five others in connection with a shoplifting spree. He gave him a sound paddling on the backside. The spanking took place in Police Headquarters at Dunkirk, where the five, including a 22-year-old woman, were brought. The boy, along with two companions, was picked up about 4 p.m. the previous afternoon after shoplifting complaints in the Dunkirk-Fredonia Plaza. Because of their ages, their names were not disclosed.

In Olean, a shopping trip for a Christmas tree ended Monday night in death for one teenager and critical injuries for another when their automobile was struck at a grade crossing by an express passenger train. Thomas Toth, 16, son of Dr. and Mrs. J.B. Toth of Olean, died in the collision of the auto and a Buffalo-to-Washington Pennsylvania Railroad train. Randall Kehr, 18-year-old son of Dr. and Mrs. Fred Kehr, also of Olean, was reported in critical condition at Olean General Hospital. There was a slight incline on the approach to the crossing, which was protected by a sign. The two boys, whose fathers were general practitioners, left the Toth home a few minutes before the mishap to buy a Christmas tree for the Toth family.

In 1989, the Christmas season weather was coming right out of Santa Claus land but most people probably would appreciate if Old Saint Nick would slack off a little. The weather had resulted in poor driving conditions and considerable work for towing services, along with an electric service interruption in Jamestown and extreme cold temperatures across New York state. “This is all the result of the huge arctic air mass that originated near the North Pole well above the Arctic Circle,” Meteorologist Tom Niziol of the National Weather Service explained. The cold invasion resulted in a new record low maximum temperature Thursday in Buffalo where the high of 9 degrees replaced the previous 12 degree high in 1879 as the maximum reading for the date.

“I’m tired,” said James G. Smith, superintendent of mails at the Jamestown Post Office, admitted this morning. But at the same time, he sounded somewhat relieved. “The big crunch is over,” Smith reported. “We expect a fair amount of mail today and should be back to normal by Saturday. so it’s winding down.” He said the cold, snowy weather created a few problems, primarily with mail trucks being a little late. “If it wasn’t for the weather, it would have been a real good one (Christmas mailing season),” Smith said. “The weather did hurt.”

In Years Past

In 1914, the Jamestown municipal Christmas tree was placed in position this forenoon in the center of Brooklyn Square. The tree had not been “fixed up” yet and its appearance, shorn of a lot of branches which were broken or damaged in transit, was somewhat disappointing. However, it was but the preliminary stage and before the first appearance of the tree decked out in its holiday attire on Christmas Eve, all this would be changed. The tree, in other words, was to be doctored up.

The Board of Water and Light of Jamestown hereby desired to notify the taxpayers of the city that the work of installing the 1,000 KW turbine generator in the City Electric Light plant had been completed and the city was in position to furnish light and power to its citizens for homes, stores and factory purposes. As the city had spent about $60,000 for rebuilding and re-equipping the light plant in order to be able to furnish light and power in sufficient quantities to the inhabitants, the board felt that every taxpayer and citizen should avail himself of this opportunity and purchase his electricity from the city in order that the light plant might become self-sustaining and a help and profit maker to the city and its citizens in place of a burden to the taxpayers.

In 1939, the new Quality Master Market at 300 W Third St. in Jamestown would be open to the public on this morning. Remodeling of the building at West Third and Lafayette had included the latest ideas in convenience for shoppers, sanitation and attractiveness. The color scheme of the new market was black and white with white tile being used to a large extent particularly in exposed places to insure cleanliness. All perishable food would be kept in refrigerators and refrigerated counters. Specially constructed counters had been provided for fruits and vegetables. The display counters were arranged so that all merchandise might be readily found and obtained.

Overnight freezing temperatures, changing rain to snow, gave residents of this area increased hope for a white Christmas. Slightly more than an inch of snow fell in Jamestown and occasional flurries and continued cold weather were predicted for the following day. Although the mercury dropped to 28 degrees in Dunkirk, Mrs. J.N. Duncan displayed a cluster of dandelions, found blooming in her garden. A strong west wind caused drifts south of Buffalo and many drivers were reported to have ditched their automobiles overnight.

In 1964, Jamestown showed its heart this day when residents rallied to aid a family of nine which lost its home on Chapin Street and all personal possessions in a fire Saturday afternoon. Driven from their home by fast moving flames at 3:35 p.m. were Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Peterson, their six children and Mrs. Genevieve Peterson, a grandmother. The fire destroyed all furniture, clothing and Christmas presents in the two-story dwelling. Mr. Peterson said his children were in the living room trimming a Christmas tree when he discovered the flames. A waste container in a utility room was believed to have been the origin of the flames.

According to the calendar, if not weather-wise, this day marked the official arrival of winter and season weather was predicted. A few snow flurries were expected to hit the area, possibly turning to drizzle as the temperature climbed into the mid-30s. The high temperature in Jamestown for the 24-hour period ending at 8 a.m. was 30. A trace of precipitation, in the form of snow, was reported the previous day. Jamestown and county roads were, for the most part, clear of snow.

In 1989, a Jamestown couple had won the contest of a “lifetime,” in a manner of speaking. Anthony and Carrie Lumia of Fairdale Avenue were grand prize winners of the Lifetime Television Network’s nationwide “Home for the Holidays” contest. The Lumias won a pair of Toyota Camrys and four round-trip airline tickets to anyplace in the continental United States. The winners decided to use the tickets to visit their son Sam in Mt. Prospect, Illinois for Christmas. The Lumias said they would give the other two tickets to their daughter, Karen Sue Johnson of Akron and her daughter, Lisa, so they could all be in Mt. Prospect for the holidays.

An Ellicott couple expressed concerns at Wednesday’s Ellicott Town Board meeting about future commercial development along Route 60 should a proposed rest area/truck stop at the site become a reality. Jack Scalise, Jr. planned to build a rest area/restaurant/office complex at the intersection of Route 60 and the Southern Tier Expressway. Mr. and Mrs. David Leitch of North Main Street extension not only did not want a proposed rest area built near them – they also did not want to see their neighborhood turned into a strip of fast-food restaurants and shopping plazas, they said.

In Years Past

In 1914, on one of those bitter cold days in the early part of the week a man living on the outskirts of Youngsville, Pa., walked into a grocery store of that village. He asked for a sack of flour on credit. He was a laborer out of work and the storekeeper refused him. The man looked desperate. His face was worn with fatigue. Later, the storekeeper looked out the back of his store and espied the man a half block away with a sack of flour on his shoulder. The storekeeper had a warrant sworn out and a constable sent for. As the constable approached the lonely little house where the man lived, the door was opened by a little girl because her mother was mixing bread dough. The constable did not enter the house because he saw enough from the door to convince him he did not want to serve the warrant. There were other little children in the kitchen and they all had chunks of raw dough which they were eating as fast as their little throats could accommodate the sticky stuff. It was hoped one of the relief organizations would look into this case.

Fifteen new cases of scarlet fever were reported by Jamestown Health Superintendent John Mahoney at a regular meeting of the board of health held in City Hall on Friday evening. Of the 15 new cases of scarlet fever that were reported, two were in homes where the disease had already been, so the infection was taken from some member of the family. The scarlet fever situation was discussed at some length by the board. All were of the opinion that the closing of schools for the Christmas holidays would undoubtedly have a good effect in preventing the spread of the contagion if this was not counteracted by the contagion spreading through the various Christmas gatherings.

In 1939, German Captain Hans Langsdorff, sorrowing over the loss Sunday of his prized battleship, the Graf Spee, shot himself to death with a revolver. The German embassy at Buenos Aires, announcing his suicide, said his body was found this morning. Langsdorff, the embassy said, took his life at the Navel arsenal at Buenos Aires the past night. “He sacrificed his life for the fatherland,” said an embassy communique. “The commander of the glorious pocket battleship, Captain Hans Langsdorff, sacrificed himself voluntarily as he himself told in a letter addressed to the German ambassador. From the first moment, he made up his mind to share the fate of his magnificent ship.”

A sealed verdict, reached Tuesday night after three hours’ deliberation, was handed to Supreme Court Justice Frank James, Buffalo, by a jury awarding damages of $506 to Ephriam Johnson, administrator of the estate of Ellen Johnson, his late wife, against the City of Jamestown. Johnson brought the $25,000 suit as a result of an accident on Allen Street extension April 4 when his automobile skidded, went over an embankment and into the Chadakoin River where Johnson was drowned. When the verdict was announced, counsel for the plaintiffs moved to have it set aside as being inadequate. Justice James reserved decision.

In 1989, New York’s top court dealt a final blow to the Cuomo administration’s rules governing the cleanup of toxic waste dumps, saying the rules gave the state environmental commission too much power. The Court of Appeals unanimously said the regulations gave state Environmental conservation Commissioner Thomas Jorling authority to name virtually any dumpsite a “significant” health threat. Jorling could do that if he determined that the dump had the “potential” to cause harm, under his regulations. The court said just about any site could have that potential.

High demand for heat by area residents was expected to continue for the next couple of days in view of the regional weather forecast for the period. Temperatures could drop as low as minus 10-15, said Meteorologist Tom Dunham with the National Weather Service in Buffalo. “The high Friday will reach near zero,” Dunham said. Area residents were pushing their consumption of electricity to record levels in their efforts to keep warm during the cold snap. “It’s the kind of demand we would not normally hit until January,” said Jim Gronquist, general manager of the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities.

In Years Past

In 1914, it took the jury in the case of Knox vs. Shafer less then 40 minutes to determine that Willis Knox, the much-married plaintiff, was not entitled to $50,000 from Michael Shafer for the alleged alienation of the affections of Mrs. Knox No. 3. The verdict was “no cause for action.” The verdict did not come as a surprise to anyone who had been following the testimony in the case with care. The worst that the friends of Mr. Shafer feared was a disagreement. A complete exoneration, such as he had received, was confidently hoped for and the verdict as rendered met with the general approval of the people of Olean.

Any man was entitled, even at the altar, to be relieved of a promise to marry, if he learned his prospective bride was incapable of bearing children or would not bear children. So ruled Supreme Court Justice Benton in dismissing a breach of promise damage suit in New York City brought by Bertha Schechtel, daughter of a wealthy manufacturer, against David Greenhouse of Hoboken, N.J. Greenhouse admitted having broken his promise to marry Schechtel and in defense introduced two letters written to him by her to prove that, if they married they probably would not have children.

In 1939, Dr. Paul Garfield Weston, prominent pathologist and director of the Jamestown public health laboratory, which he founded, died yesterday evening at his apartment on Pine Street, aged 58 years. His illness covered a period of nearly a year. Dr. Weston was survived by his wife, Dr. Adelaide Ellsworth Weston of Jamestown. Dr. Weston came to Jamestown in 1923 with his bride, after a summer abroad following their marriage in June. He had previously been for eight years a member of the staff of the State Hospital at North Warren, Pa. as a pathologist.

J. Stuart Husband was junior captain of the Celoron Fire Department but he was beyond the reach of his suburban confreres when his car caught fire on Third Street, near Prendergast Avenue on this morning. Husband knew his way about the city, however, so he had no trouble getting assistance. He ran to City Hall fire station, only a block away and secured the help of a crew of men and the booster truck. The fire was confined to the driver’s seat of the car. Damage was not great.

In 1964, members of the Senior Choir of Falconer Central High School had on their agenda participation in the community carol sing in the village on this evening and caroling at both hospitals Monday evening. Following Monday’s performances, the group would have the annual Christmas supper at the Fountain Bowl. The annual Christmas concert was presented Wednesday evening to an estimated 800 persons in the school auditorium.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. this day marked the official opening of the King Manor Nursing Home at Baker and Hazeltine streets in Jamestown. The county’s newest medical facility would be open for public inspection from 1-9 p.m. both this day and Sunday. Appearing at the ceremony was Frank R. Franco, City Council president, who substituted for the injured Mayor Fred H. Dunn.

In 1989, the yellow brick road in Oz led to the beautiful Emerald City, but some of the red brick roads of Jamestown led to ruin. So did some of the asphalt ones. The Post-Journal had received several complaints from city residents about potholes and other problems with city streets. “Jamestown is a city of potholes,” one caller said. “Anybody and his brother can go out and buy a ‘men at work’ sign and the rest of us just have to drive around it.” Another caller complained that, on Chandler Street, “There’s a whole ditch right across the street.” A third caller said, “For so long, we’ve taken this for granted, all these potholes and bad streets … Who’s responsible and who’s going to follow up on it?”

The early arrival of cold weather had swollen the ranks of the unemployed throughout the three-county area of southwestern New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. There was unanimous agreement on this point among spokespersons for unemployment insurance office in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Warren counties. “It’s always slow this time of year,” Douglas Kreinheder, manager of the Jamestown office of the state Job Service said. “Christmas is unemployment insurance’s busy time as plants lay off for the holidays,” Kreinheder said.

In Years Past

In 1914, Miss Katherine Ridgeway, a little more serious than in former years, and devoting a strong part of her program to the growing movement for Peace and the Universal Brotherhood of Man but still the vivacious and charming entertainer, delighted an audience which filled the First Methodist Church in Jamestown to its capacity Thursday evening. Assisted by Gladys Cooper, pianist, she gave the third number on the Methodist Brotherhood course. Ridgeway was introduced by President L.J. Davey of the Brotherhood organization. Davey said no introduction was necessary for Ridgeway had appeared so many times in this course and always with such hearty approval that he felt as if they all knew her.

Jamestown Policeman Clarence Turner had been suspended from duty, pending action by the police committee of the common council, to whom charges against the officer would in due time be preferred. The charges were sensational in that by inference, the officer was accused of taking goods from the showcase of the Lovejoy Syndicate, a 50 cent store located on West Third Street. Corporation Counsel Cheston Price was called to take the depositions of those familiar with the case and he spent quite a portion of the day in examining such witnesses.

In 1939, much of the equipment for the new police radio system in Jamestown had arrived at headquarters this day but it would have to wait some time before the work of installation could be started. Chief Edwin M. Nyholm said he had not yet received a Federal Communications Commission permit for installation of the system, although Corporation Counsel Rollin A. Fancher stated that he had received informal word of approval of the permit last week.

The Ladies auxiliary of Lakewood Hose Company held a novel Christmas party Thursday evening at Village Hall. The party was in the form of a school, all the women dressing as children. Mildred Burk was the “teacher” and conducted the closing day of school before the Christmas vacation with the usual Christmas exercises. Christmas carols were sung and the following “children” gave recitations: Myra Dietzel, Fern Warner, Gladys Johnson, Edna Bowen and Grace Hoag. Jean Hodges played the piano for the carol singing. The teacher provided treats for the pupils, which were distributed by Santa Claus, impersonated by Mrs. Bush.

In 1964, the 50-year-old Kinzua and Corydon Telephone Co., went out of existence the previous day, marking another milestone in the project to turn a 32-mile-long area into a reservoir. With 90 percent of the Kinzua Dam, which would begin backing up the waters of the Allegheny River sometime early in 1966, completed, the company’s last remaining six customers were switched over to dial phones on the Bell Telephone Co., of Pennsylvania-Bradford exchange. The demise of the company came just hours after the owners of the independent utility received permission from the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission to discontinue service.

Plans for a spacious great lodge to be built at the new “Cockaigne” recreational center were revealed. The two-story building, designed by Beck, Tinkham and Beyer of Jamestown, was planned to serve as an activity center for the year-round recreation complex now under development between Sinclairville and Ellington. The lodge would be located at the base of the ski trail area near the intersection of the Cherry Creek Road.

In 1989, the area was recovering from a late autumn blast of snow and cold air that conditioned residents for the arrival of winter at 4:22 p.m. Dec. 21. Cold arctic air that sent temperatures plummeting to near zero was accompanied by snowfall that piled up nearly 18 inches in some places. A busload of travelers from Fluvanna Community Church had reason to be thankful during the weekend after the vehicle they were traveling in collided in Buffalo with a car whose three occupants were killed. Aboard the tour bus were 38 members of the Jubilee Fellowship at the church and the bus driver. They were enroute to the Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls when the accident happened. A car coming toward the bus went into a slide and was struck broadside. No one in the bus needed medical attention.

The Sea Lion enjoyed brief freedom from the icy grip of Chautauqua Lake on Saturday. The 16th century replica merchant ship bobbed freely on the water after underwater fans melted the ice that had held it captive since Dec. 5. Two fans were placed under the surface to bring up warm water from the lake bottom, said R. Craig Campbell, president of the board of directors of Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels. On Friday, Historic Vessels staff broke up ice around the ship by hand and used ropes to hang the fans from the sides of the Sea Lion, Campbell said. The water refroze but by Saturday afternoon the fans had cleared a 30-foot hole in the ice, eliminating any immediate danger of the ship’s hull being crushed by ice pressure.

In Years Past

In 1914, the trial of a $50,000 suit for the alienation of his wife’s affections was completed in Olean before Justice Pooley. It developed that the plaintiff, Willis Knox, had been married four times and that the third wife, whose affections he claimed had been alienated by Michael Shafer, an oil operator and extensive real estate owner of Olean, had married Knox in South Dakota after she had deserted her first husband, Walter Brigham, in Corry in 1905 and after Knox had deserted his second wife and two children in the same city. It was also shown that after Knox separated from his third wife on Feb. of 1914, he obtained a divorce and had married a fourth wife on Aug. 5. The third Mrs. Knox, who was a witness in the case, was living in Buffalo. Knox’s son testified to having seen Shafer and Mrs. Knox in the Knox home when his father was away.

A two-family house on Canadaway Street, Fredonia, was considerably damaged by a fire which broke out the previous morning. George Tuttle and family occupied the back apartments which were gutted by flames. Tuttle arose at 6 a.m. and after lighting the hot plates and a gas jet in the kitchen left for the Shero Livery, where he was employed. In his absence, fire broke out in the kitchen. The entire kitchen was ablaze when Mrs. Tuttle opened the door. She was in her night clothes and hastened back to her bedroom, threw a shawl over her shoulder, picked up her infant and barefooted, fled from the house to a neighbor’s. It was intensely cold and Mrs. Tuttle had her feet badly frostbitten. The loss was a severe one for the Tuttle family as everything they had was destroyed, even the clothing of Mrs. Tuttle and her child.

In 1939, Lakewood’s Chief of Police Carlson again urged residents to keep their cars off the street at night during snowstorms in order that the street plows might effectively clear away the snow and permit traffic to flow unhampered. “Residents have cooperated well in the past,” said Chief Carlson “and we are confident that they will continue to do so. The street department appreciates this cooperation.”

Hope for a sharp pickup in Jamestown’s holiday business the last week before Christmas, commenced Monday. Some merchants indicated a rather rapid increase in the past few days, saying business was at least equal to the past year and in some instances, had increased as high as 10 percent. No credit for a business assist was given, by the majority of local merchants, to the change in the date for Thanksgiving day, which was moved ahead one week by President Roosevelt and Governor Lehman. Some merchants went so far as to say the idea had “flopped” miserably while the majority were inclined to say that it just had no effect at all. One merchant did speak a kindly word for the idea, saying it had been helpful in giving the merchants more time to get stocks ready and stores decorated before the real Christmas rush got underway.

In 1964, Jamestown City Council’s Grievance Committee heard appeals from employee representatives of three major municipal departments – police, fire and public works – for pay increases and other benefits to correct what were pictured as inequities in present compensation of city workers. Charging the city with failure to keep pay scales in line with changes in prevailing wage scales and higher living costs, the employee spokesmen called for pay boosts of at least 5 percent plus other benefits. In addition to pay schedule up-grading, the spokesmen for all three departments urged that the present hospitalization program be replaced by Blue Shield and Blue Cross hospital and medical programs with the full costs borne by the city.

The Jamestown City Bus System would replace older buses on the Falconer-Lakewood route with three of its newer models in an effort to increase passenger traffic which officials said had been declining steadily. Unless more passengers and resultant increases in revenues were indicated soon, service on the Falconer-Lakewood runs might be reduced, said Lester Ostrander, manager of the municipal operation. The newer type buses going into service between Falconer and Lakewood were more comfortable because of “air-ride” suspension and a better heating system. “We are doing everything possible to improve service,” Ostrander said, “but we must have more passengers on the Falconer-Lakewood run to make this service profitable.”

In Years Past

• In 1914, 200 members of the Green Room Club of New York, who tendered Irvin Cobb, war correspondent, with the German army in Belgium, a “welcome home” dinner, started to laugh when he was introduced as one who could tell about the humorous side of the fighting in Europe. They continued to laugh for the first five minutes of his talk but after that, as one horror after another was described, gasps and even sobs took the place of the laughter. Mr. Cobb finished his talk with the statement: “If I could really describe the war to you I would not be writing for a magazine. I would crowd the recording angel out of a job .” A contribution was taken up to aid the starving Belgians.

• Twenty-six girls attended the work meeting of the Sunshine Society, Branch No. 1, held in the rooms on South Main Street in Jamestown, Tuesday evening. They sewed busily on gifts for needy children. Seventy-five Christmas stockings were made and filled with nuts, candy and oranges and the girls contributed toys and story books for children. Later in the evening a light luncheon was served.

• In 1939, a member of the Pennsylvania State Public utility commission said that there was “a continuing flood of race track telephone information” coming into Pennsylvania, despite the voluntary dissolution recently of a wire service network. Commissioner Richard Beamish, who led the commission in a fight to enforce state statutes against the dissemination of race track news for gambling purposes, said he had information that poolrooms and gambling establishments were still receiving information through an open wire device.

• Local fans were introduced to table tennis as it was played in championship circles at the Jamestown YMCA Friday night when a crowd of 500 persons jammed the association gymnasium. Headed by Jimmie McClure, United States singles champion and Sandor Glanez, former world champion, the “ping pong” greats appearing also included Fred Dunton of Erie, Pa. and Tom Davis, captain of the University of Pittsburgh team. The gymnasium was transformed into a miniature arena with the playing area fenced off. The huge room was darkened save for the lights over the playing table.

• In 1964, Dittmar P. Cherry of Gordon Street, Jamestown, had received a personal letter from the general manager of Pontiac Motors, E.M. Estes, of Pontiac, Michigan, congratulating the local man on his having driven more than 400,000 miles in Pontiac cars during the past 15 years. Mr. Cherry, an executive at Blystone Mattress Co., also received a “Distinguished Owner’s Card” and a “400,000 Pontiac Miles” crest. The awards were presented by Paul A. Dibble, of Dibble Pontiac Inc., 1900 Washington St. Mr. Cherry accepted the keys to his 11th Pontiac since 1949, a Catalina 4-door sedan.

• A recommendation that Jamestown City Council accept the low bid of L.H. Ludwig & Co. to remove part of the tower at City Hall, described as being in a dangerously deteriorated condition, was approved by Council’s Parks and Public Buildings committee. The committee approved the Ludwig company’s bid of $9,760 to remove the tower to a level below the present arched portion, cover it with a deck roof and re-point loose bricks.

• In 1989, snowplows and work crews were out all night keeping highways clear of snow – or at least trying to. In Jamestown, Jack Thompson, the city’s public works director, said, “Right now they’re out there salting and we’ve got three spreader trucks out. One truck is concentrating on the downtown area and the other two are plowing out in the farther reaches of the city,” Thompson said. The snow would continue to build up throughout the day, according to Meteorologist-technician Chuck Tingley with the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

• The Cornerstones Variety and Grocery Store at 2 S. Main St. in Cassadaga, closed, effective the previous day. Robert Sabol, who had operated the business, declined to make any statements on the closure. He said whether the store reopened depended on Buffalo-area businessman, Ray Johnson. Sabol and Johnson bought the village landmark about two and a half years previously.

In Years Past

• In 1914, the mystery that surrounded the man found wandering around Titusville, Pa., about two weeks previously with his memory a blank, would probably never be cleared up. He died the past night without giving anything more than a vague clue as to his identity. Since the man was discovered and the story of the case appeared in papers throughout the country, scores of letters and telegrams had been received at the local hospital. It was believed that the man’s name was Charles Hosmer but where he resided and the other details of his life were as yet unknown. The man was taken suddenly worse on Saturday and died last evening. The remains would be held for a few days in the hope some relatives might be found.

• During the coming season the Celoron ice rink was to be under the management of Albin Peterson of Celoron, well known as the proprietor of a confectionery stand there during the past few summers. The rink was being flooded and, with a continuance of the present cold weather, it was expected that the opening would take place next Monday evening. Mr. Peterson had a large force of men at work placing the rink in readiness for the opening and assured the ice skaters of Jamestown and vicinity the best of service throughout the season.

• In 1939, damage estimated at several thousand dollars was caused early this day when fire broke out on the fifth floor of the Jamestown Lounge Co. plant on Winsor Street, calling out all fire fighting apparatus in the city. Although the blaze was slight and soon extinguished, water gushing from the sprinkler system on the top floor of the frame structure ran down through the other four floors, causing heavy damage. Fire authorities said the blaze originated in a rubbish cart. Heat set off the sprinkler system. The third and fourth floors housing the storage and cabinet departments were especially damaged by fire. Firemen were forced to don gas masks before entering the building filled with dense smoke.

• A unit of the AAA Schoolboy patrol had been organized at Euclid Avenue school in Jamestown under the direction and supervision of Mrs. Rhoda Claire Leper, principal of the school and Harold White Jr. manager of the Jamestown Automobile Club. The new patrol began its duties the previous afternoon after requests from parents and motorists in that school district. Due to a serious traffic situation on Lakeview Avenue between Newton Avenue and Buffalo Street, police officers had been stationed at Newton and Lakeview for the past three weeks.

• In 1964, a 59-year-old Jamestown nurse was killed the previous afternoon in a car-tractor-trailer accident on the Frewsburg-Warren Road at Fentonville. She was Mrs. Marjorie Hector of Hazeltine Avenue. Mrs. Hector was the county’s 46th highway motor vehicle victim of the year. The truck driver, Jessie Darling Jr., of Baltimore, was not injured. State police said the nurse’s car struck the left rear dual wheels of the truck, locking the wheels. The accident occurred on a curve in front of the Charles A. Tichner farm. Mrs. Hector was a registered nurse, A WCA Hospital School of Nursing graduate. She was on a private duty case at the time of the accident.

• Jamestown Mayor Fred H. Dunn was hospitalized early in the afternoon after suffering a fall in the lobby of the Hotel Jamestown. Authorities said he injured his back and legs. The injuries were believed not to be serious. The Jamestown Ambulance Service was summoned and took the mayor to the Jamestown General Hospital.

• In 1989, Andrei D. Sakharov, the brilliant scientist who built the Soviet hydrogen bomb and then became an unwavering beacon for the world in the cause of human rights, had died at the age of 68. The 1975 Nobel Peace Prize winner died alone in his study at his Moscow apartment of an apparent heart attack, said his son-in-law, Yefrem Yankelevich. Sakharov died as he had lived the past two decades of his life, struggling for democracy, world peace and human liberty.

• An airlift of the Sea Lion from its ice-bound prison on Chautauqua Lake was impossible because the ship was nearly four times heavier than the maximum payload of the largest helicopters, according to military experts. The largest helicopter in the free world – the jet engine-powered CH53-Echo, used by the Navy and Air Force – could carry as much as 16 tons, Lt. Commander Edward Lundquist, a spokesman for the Pentagon, told The Post-Journal. The replica 16th century merchant ship weighed 58 tons empty, 90 tons fully loaded, Ernie Cowan, the ship’s designer and builder had said. “I would agree that it’s impossible to vertically lift the vessel out of the ice if the ship weighs that much,” Lundquist said.

In Years Past

In 1914, a fire in Meadville, Pa., which was blamed on incendiaries, completely destroyed the Erie Railroad Company’s depot Saturday morning with all of the contents, valued at about $6,000. The building was valued at nearly $5,000. Prompt action upon the part of Charles Crouch, night watchman who discovered the fire, had a number of freight cars heavily laden with goods of various kinds, removed to a safe distance. This undoubtedly saved the company a considerable loss. There were a number of cars waiting to be unloaded and not only the officials of the company, but the merchants of the city considered it fortunate that the goods had not been placed in the depot.

While hunting near the village of Sinclairville Saturday afternoon, Dr. F. Evans, president of the village of Fredonia, was accidentally shot by DeForrest Miller, a clerk in the Fredonia post office, who was a companion on the hunting trip. The discharge from the shotgun took effect in the calf of his leg. He was at once removed to the home of Carl Johnson. Physicians were summoned and it was decided that the wound was of such a serious character that an operation was decided upon. His leg was amputated between the knee and ankle. Dr. Evans was still at the Johnson home as was recovering from the shock as rapidly as possible.

In 1939, James Blagbrough, ardent temperance crusader in Jamestown for many years, died at the family home on East Fifth Street, aged nearly 83 years. He had been ill for several months. Mr. Blagbrough was a native of Yorkshire, England. He was born Jan. 29, 1857, and came to Jamestown in 1910 to establish the Family Laundry with his son, John, to whom he sold the business about 21 years previously. Mr. Blagbrough took a sincere and active part in the religious life of Jamestown and was always eloquent in attacking the liquor traffic in every form.

The Jamestown post office was busy this day preparing for the Christmas rush. Postmaster E.R. Ganey and his supervisors reviewed the final plans made to handle the mails which it was believed would be the largest in history. Thirty-one extra cases in addition to the eight used during the year had been labeled and were ready for use. Extra bag racks had also been assembled at the annex and Station “A” to take care of the increased volume of parcel post properly. Twenty-five extra employees were being trained to sort and face mail so that there would be no undue delay in handling letters during the rush period.

In 1964, Chautauqua County’s 17-year motor vehicle fatality record was shattered over the weekend when two persons were killed in separate accidents. Dead were Rudolph L. Miller, 50, of Forestville, a teacher at Fredonia Central School and Terry J. Soggs, 19, of Erie, Pa. The fatalities brought this year’s county highway death toll to 45, two more than ever recorded. The previous high was in 1947 when 43 persons were killed on county highways. Soggs was killed in a one car accident at 11:59 p.m. Saturday on Route 17 near Quilliam Road. Mr. Miller died Sunday in Brooks Memorial Hospital after being struck by a car at 5 p.m. Friday when he stepped from between two parked cars in Forestville.

Falconer State Police were investigating break-ins at three area businesses Saturday night which netted burglars more than $1,200 from the B.N. and B. Esso station in Frewsburg and the Terrace Inn Motel, Route 17, a half mile from Jamestown. Nothing was taken from Hollenbecks Service Station, across Route 17 from the motel, where entry was made through a broken window.

In 1989, opponents of a proposed radioactive waste dump claimed a first-round victory in Angelica after chasing members of a state team scouting for sites through snowy fields and holding them captive for four hours. Protesters were ready to be arrested but state police agreed instead to file trespassing charges against the members of a field team from the state Low-Level Radioactive Waste Siting Commission. Protest organizers said they were ready to block inspection of two other potential dump sites in Allegany County if the field team returned.

A dramatic drop in the number of New York state high school graduates earning Regents diplomas didn’t necessarily mean students weren’t as smart as they used to be, said the state Education Department. But it did mean there was more work to be done, officials said. The department released statistics showing only 35 percent of graduating students from New York high schools earned the Regents diploma, which was geared toward college-bound students and considered tougher to earn than traditional diplomas. Nearly half of the 1988 graduates earned the tougher sheepskin.

In Years Past

In 1914, the street railway cross-over at the Main Street crossing of the Erie Railroad in Jamestown had been removed and patrons of the South Side line of the street railway experienced some inconvenience by reason of the necessity for transferring at that point. There were rumors that the cross-over had been removed on account of a controversy between the Erie Railroad Company and the street railway company, but an official of the street railway company said these rumors were without foundation. The cross-over was worn out and the street railway company had removed it to take to the shops of the company for repairs.

Thirty years a wanderer around the world trying to amass a fortune so he could marry “the girl of his choice,” who had promised to wait for him at her rural home 10 miles from Lancaster, Pa., George Hershey registered at the Hotel Lancaster and told his story. He was especially anxious to know what had become of Alice Marner, the girl in question, but telephone calls to her old home brought him no information as to her whereabouts. Hershey said he had traveled all over the globe, wooing fortune’s favors and was caught in the European embargo when the great war broke out. All his 30 years’ savings, more than $10,000, was in his trunk which was left behind at a continental railway station, with instructions to forward it to this country. If it was lost, his savings were gone. He left the hotel with only a few cents in his pocket to hunt for his old sweetheart.

In 1939, with an idea of adding interest to the decoration of homes for the Christmas season and maintaining the prestige of Jamestown as one of the most brilliantly decorated cities in the country at Christmas, the Greater Jamestown Advertising Club announced its plan to award prizes for the best decorated home in each ward of the city. The committee in charge would do the judging and announce the awards. The tour of the city for judging would be made on Christmas Eve Sunday, Dec. 24, and the announcement would be made sometime between Christmas and New Year’s while the decorations largely remained up and might be seen by all interested parties. The prizes would be merely honorary certificates, each duly setting forth the fact that the party named had been awarded the prize for the best Christmas home decoration in the Ward named.

Chautauqua County’s new $225,000 jail was nearing completion, lacking only a few minor touches but was also awaiting acceptance by the county before the prisoners could be removed from the old bastile that had been criticized by state department of correction inspectors for the past several years. What the nearly 5,000 persons who inspected the new jail on Sunday saw was shown in pictures and words in the specially prepared page of The Journal but what they did not see was adequate and proper sewage disposal facilities. The board of supervisors charged that the village of Mayville had failed to provide such facilities and had held up authorization of remodeling plans for the old jail. It was planned to use the old jail for county offices.

In 1989, a house on route 394 exploded and burned on this morning. Six fire companies responded but were unable to save the building. Ashville firefighters were on the scene within minutes of receiving the first call. The house was engulfed in flames by the time the first firemen arrived, said a firefighter at the scene who did not want to be named. Calls for help quickly brought firefighters from surrounding communities. The fire was reported to the Ashville Fire Department after an explosion was heard and flames were seen shooting from the windows. A neighbor, who did not want to be named, speculated that a propane heater had exploded. Another neighbor, Shirley Anderson, said the home was owned by Ronald Austin, who was thought to be in Florida, Anderson said.

United Refining Co. officials in Warren expected their gasoline prices to increase by the following summer to pay for a loss in production that would result from new state air quality standards. Larry Laughlin, United’s information and community relations director, said the need to transport and find new storage facilities for the butane United added to its gasoline would most likely be covered through an increase in the cost of refinery products, particularly gasoline.

In Years Past

In 1914, the committee in charge of the municipal Christmas tree celebration held a meeting in the Jamestown YWCA building and discussed plans for the public gatherings to be held in Brooklyn Square on Thursday and Friday evenings, Dec. 24 and 25 and Thursday and Friday evenings, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. A large Christmas tree was to be placed in the center of the square and every evening of the celebration it would be illuminated with electric lights. The program each evening would consist largely of the singing of Christmas carols by a large chorus of mixed voices and accompanied by the various brass bands of the city.

Joseph Miller pleaded guilty to a charge of petit larceny in Jamestown police court and was sentenced to serve 63 days in the Erie County penitentiary at Buffalo by Police Justice Maharon. Miller was one of the seconds at the boxing bout at the Jamestown Athletic Club on Friday evening and after the bout he helped himself to one of the overcoats that hung in the kitchen. The coat belonged to Chauncy Walker and when he complained to the police, Miller was arrested. Miller’s home was in Syracuse and he had drifted in from Buffalo to see the boxing bout on Friday evening.

In 1939, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., who leapt to film fame with his spectacular acrobatics, died in bed of a heart attack. He was 56. The dashing Don Juan, for 15 years the ranking male star of pictures, succumbed after a day’s illness at his beach home in Santa Monica, California. At his beside were his wife, the former Lady Sylvia Ashley, and his brother, Robert. His son, Douglas Jr., was called a few minutes before Fairbanks died but had not reached the house in time.

Quincy Howe, traveler, author and commentator on foreign affairs, would lecture on The Real Aims of the Warring Powers before the Jamestown Civic Forum the following evening in the Jamestown High School auditorium. Howe, by years of travel and long study of international events and opinion, had established himself as one of the country’s outstanding commentators on foreign affairs. In September, 1938, the Mutual Broadcasting System commissioned him as news analyst for the duration of the Czechoslovak crisis.

In 1964, persons whose drivers licenses expired at the end of the year should plan to renew them as quickly as possible if they had not done so already. This was the advice of Donald Carlson, Motor Vehicle Bureau director at Mayville, who explained this was the first time under the punch card system that operators licenses expired Dec. 31 and renewal was coincident with the auto registration rush.

A case of malicious vandalism had been reported to police by Dempsey Knight of Federal Place in Jamestown who said he found three rooms of furniture and other articles strewn throughout his home the previous afternoon. Knight said nothing appeared to be missing and that little actual damage was caused. Vandals broke the window in a rear door to gain entry to the house. Police said furniture was turned over, pictures knocked from walls and meat from a basement freezer was dumped on the floor. A shelf of canned goods also was scattered throughout the basement. Knight, a mail carrier, discovered the vandalism when he returned home from work about 5 p.m. yesterday.

In 1989, Dr. Patricia Fales, head of the Falconer Beautification Committee and Ted Lawson, decorated the gazebo in Falconer Park to herald the Yuletide season. Though the Christmas light-up contest would not be held this year, the beautification committee had decided to recognize the homes that had been decorated. Committee members would go throughout the village to view the decorating efforts of residents. All decorated homes would be publicly recognized.

A U.S. Army helicopter might be used to pluck the Sea Lion from its icy mooring on Chautauqua Lake near Chautauqua Institution, according to a plan reportedly being considered by the Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels board of directors. “It’s an idea that we’re checking out. It’s too early to tell if it will work out or not,” Chautauqua County Attorney Andrew Goodell said. Goodell was treasurer and spokesman for the Historic Vessels board.

In Years Past

In 1914, George Cataldo was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Ernest Gossett, charged with violation of the liquor law in selling beer without a New York State license. It was alleged that Cataldo had been selling beer illegally for some time from his place of business on Winsor Street in Jamestown. Deputy Sheriff Gossett and Frank Perry of Jamestown went to the place. Perry went to the house and Cataldo sold him a case of beer. Gossett and Perry took the beer away and afterward Gossett returned and placed Cataldo under arrest. Cataldo had in his possession a revenue license issued by the revenue department of the U.S. This, however, did not cover the selling of liquor in less than five wine gallon lots.

President Wilson’s silencer was not working well in the matter of discussion of lack of preparation for war and of war conditions generally. While a war was raging in Europe, it was almost impossible for people to refrain from discussing it, or men, interested in the preservation of the country, from making comparisons and drawing deductions. That the president had put the soft pedal on such talk was true, and yet there was much to be drawn from the conclusions of the secretary of war which would cause further discussion. As to Congress, there was scarcely any limit to the talk if men desired discussion. There was no way of shutting off debate when a large number wanted to have their ideas put on record.

In 1939, Joseph P. Kennedy, American ambassador to Great Britain, was convinced that there was no reason “economic, financial or social” to justify the United States entering the European war. The Massachusetts-born ambassador declared in an interview that “if anybody advocates our entering the war, the American public should demand a specific answer to the question: ‘Why?'” One of the influences that might result in our involvement, he asserted, was the American people’s “sporting spirit” in “not wanting to see an unfair or immoral thing done,” but he added, “this is not our fight.”

Clare Almond Walrod, 9-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Walrod of Levant, was killed Saturday when he was trapped in the crater of an uprooted tree as the tree stump snapped back into the hole. The accident occurred on the Fred Smith farm on Orren Hill Road, just west of Kennedy in the Town of Poland. Smith and a helper, Wayne Tramer, were sawing up the tree which was felled during the windstorm a day earlier. When their saw went through the trunk at a point on the stump end of the tree, the weight of the stump and roots no longer out-balanced by the tree itself, snapped back into the crater formed when the tree was uprooted. Other children said the Walrod boy went into the hole to get an icicle to suck on.

In 1964, the death knell of a proposed sales tax for Chautauqua County was expected to be sounded at Tuesday afternoon’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors. A resolution pre-filed with Everett Neckers, board clerk, for action at Tuesday’s session, provided that measures calling for a retail sales tax, compensating use tax, restaurant tax and hotel room occupancy tax be withdrawn “until the time comes when the real estate taxpayers in this county ask for their consideration.” (The resolution was signed by 21 Republican supervisors of the 37-member board). The taxes had been proposed as a means of alleviating the increasing burden of real property taxes in support of the growing cost of government.

Many Jamestown and Chautauqua County motorists found themselves traveling in the wrong direction early this day when a freezing rain covered streets with a thin and slick coating of ice. The icy conditions started about 5 a.m. but city streets and most county roads were in good condition by 9 a.m., after treatment by salt spreaders. Some of the most hazardous conditions were reported on the south side of the city where many passenger cars skidded about while drivers were en route to work 6-9 a.m.

In 1989, policies designed to prevent the unnecessary purchase of expensive new medical technology by hospitals in New York had only exacerbated a long-standing shortage of doctors in rural areas of the state, a health expert said. Dr. Thomas Rosenthal, an associate professor of family medicine at the State University of New York at Buffalo’s medical school, said the state’s move to regionalize some services was just one of the reasons the number of doctors available to rural New Yorkers remained “stubbornly low.”

Nurses from the Cattaraugus County Health Department were to be back in the Amish community offering the measles vaccine and hoping to curb an outbreak which had resulted in at least 21 confirmed cases. Nurses would be going door to door in an effort to educate and immunize members of the Amish community. So far 47 people had accepted the vaccine, said Mary Anne Power, the county’s supervising public health nurse.

In Years Past

In 1914, 300 people who attended a chicken supper at a church in Batavia the previous night were under the care of physicians this day. Although many were in a serious condition, it was believed that all would recover. Their ailment was diagnosed as ptomaine poisoning. Less than half an hour after the supper was served a score became ill. By midnight, the number had crossed the 100 mark and reports showed that the entire company had been stricken. The chicken was purchased at a local dealer who declared he had secured the fowls from farmers especially for the supper. Batavia authorities had commenced an investigation.

Christmas shopping, like the Fourth of July, ought to be safe and sane. Thirteen days, less than two weeks, remained in which to visit the stores in a search for Christmas gifts. As the charming holiday season approached, with its soft blanket of snow, its merry tinkle of bells and spirit of peace on earth and good will to men, Jamestown shoppers should not permit the bustle of home and other activities to obliterate from their minds a mental picture of weary clerks whose Christmas Day must be spent recuperating from the strain of the past strenuous days proceeding the holidays.

In 1939, Jamestown’s Dodge dealer, Ralph W. Austin Inc., received his first shipment of 1940 automobiles on Friday, since the nearly two-month strike in the Chrysler Corporation was settled 10 days previously. The convoy-load of four Dodges outside the West Third Street showrooms, was the forerunner of steady shipments of new Dodge and Plymouth cars to be coming into the local agency regularly, according to Mr. Austin. The strike’s settlement was of particular interest to Jamestown labor in view of its effect on large orders for parts in three local plants: Jamestown Metal Equipment Company, Marlin-Rockwell Corporation and Jamestown Malleable Iron Corporation.

Apparently those who hollered “let’s fire the coach” after their team loses two or three games had a pretty good idea. It might not be entirely fair to the coaches who were fired but a check up on the greatest disappointments and the most improved football teams of the 1939 college season indicated new coaches were responsible for a great part of the improvement. The bottom dropped out of the crying towel market, however, for there was hardly an interesting alibi to be had for the numerous failures. Qualified observers from every section contributed their opinions to the annual Associated Press survey and most of them had the same reasons why the highly rated teams failed to come through – injuries and inexperience.

In 1964, nine men and four trucks from the Jamestown Telephone Corp. were dispatched to the town of Canajahorie, near Johnstown the past night to assist in restoring telephone service, knocked out by the past week’s severe storm. The local men joined telephone employees from throughout the state who answered the General Telephone Company’s plea for help. The men would stay until a major portion of telephone service had been restored.

The annual Christmas party for the blind of the Jamestown area was held in the Hotel Jamestown’s Crystal Ballroom. The event was sponsored by the Jamestown Lions Club. About 150 club members, its auxiliary and guests were on hand to hear the Jamestown High School’s A Cappella Choir sing various Christmas selections. Samuel S. Edson was toastmaster. He introduced the speaker, Dr. Rhea Boardman, former psychologist in the Jamestown Public School system, now retired. A surprise visit to the party was made by Senator-elect Robert F. Kennedy, who was in town to confer with political, civic and industrial leaders.

In Years Past

• In 1914, word was received in Jamestown of the death of Carl W. Johnson, son of Former Alderman John D. Johnson, president of the Swedish-American National Bank and residing with his wife at 115 Prospect St. Death was as the result of an accident in the plant of the Consumers’ Chemical Corporation, New York City, in which Carl Johnson was superintendent of one of the departments. No details were given as to the nature of the accident and up to the time The Journal went to press this day, the family here heard no further particulars. Dr. Milton J. Johnson of Jamestown, a brother of Carl, left for New York the previous evening. Mr. Johnson was about 42 years of age and was survived by a wife and three children.

• The Synergian Society of the First Methodist Episcopal Church was performing a real service for the music-loving population of Jamestown by bringing Gatty Sellars here for an organ recital in the church on Thursday evening of this week. Mr. Sellars was one of the best known of the English organist-composers with an international reputation and Jamestown was fortunate in securing him on his return transcontinental tour. Music lovers would be enchanted when they heard the world-famed artist in classical selections by the great masters from Bach and Wagner to Gatty Sellars himself.

• In 1939, fire Friday night destroyed the barn on the Darwin Payne farm about a mile south of Cherry Creek village. About 20 head of stock was removed safely from the building which burned to the ground with an estimated loss of about $3,000. Mr. Payne was retiring for the night when, in looking out the window, he saw the reflection of flames in the direction of the barn. Calling to his son they dressed and ran to the barn taking out the cattle. They were unable to save the building. The origin of the fire was not known but it was believed to have been set by tramps. There was no electricity in the barn and Mr. Payne said there were no smokers in the family.

• Falconer Chief of Police Wesson Paplow sent out a call for criminal investigators of the state police who were expected to arrive in Falconer sometime in the afternoon or evening to investigate a burglary which occurred after 4 a.m. at the Falconer Milling Company, 43 East Main Street. According to the chief, thieves broke a window in the rear of the plant and unlocked the back door to gain entrance to the building. They removed 83 cents from the cash register in addition to ransacking the office. They also made away with a peanut machine.

• In 1964, “Democrats have made a political mistake in concentrating on major cities in New York State,” Senator-elect Robert F. Kennedy said in Jamestown during a flying “familiarization” tour of the state. He also recommended more initiative on the part of small city officials in promoting more federal aid. Kennedy said federal aid was not the total answer in solving economic problems but said it was one method of improving public resources. Kennedy pledged better representation of “the rural areas – small towns and cities” at a brief press conference in the Hotel on Dec. 7.

• The district attorney’s office warned that it would prosecute any merchant found in violation of New York State’s “Sabbath Law” prohibiting certain sales on Sunday. District Attorney Sidney Hewes said he had received several complaints of recent violations but did not name the complainants nor did he name the stores involved. He said the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office and all local law enforcement agencies were aware of the complaints and that the district attorney’s office would be advised if any violations occurred on Sunday.

• In 1989, a worm that measured less than one-half inch long could be the answer to the prayers of Chautauqua Lake’s boaters and swimmers. Then again, the weed-munching Acentropus niveus caterpillar – which thrived in a Vermont pond that had seen a “substantial” reduction in watermilfoil – could prove only to be a decoy. Officials at the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development were waiting for word from plant experts studying the milfoil-eating insects in Vermont lakes. The experts were studying the caterpillar and certain beetles in the Vermont pond to see if the bugs could control the rapidly spreading weed in Lake George.

• The fund drive for the Risley family continued as the scope of the need became more apparent. Western New York had pulled together to help John Risley and his two sons cope with the trauma of the fire that took the lives of his wife and two daughters the past Sunday evening. Rev. Francis Hemstreet of the Ellington and Kennedy United Methodist churches and Esther Bly of The Ellington Congregational Church said the response from Western New York and Pennsylvania had been incredible. Both said donations had come from as far away as Wheatfield, Buffalo and across The Post-Journal coverage area. “It has been unbelievable and totally heartwarming,” Hemstreet said.

In Years Past

In 1914, Jamestown ranked first in 1913 among the cities of the state in the manufacture of woolens and worsteds and in the making of metal furniture and office fixtures, second in the manufacture of furniture and upholstery and of implements and tools, third in sheet metal iron working and eighth in the manufacture of automobiles and parts. These facts were shown in a statement issued by State Labor Commissioner James M. Lynch in connection with the forthcoming second edition of the Industrial Directory which was published by the labor department.

The case of Mrs. Mary Willitts, charged with running a disorderly house, was begun in local police court before Jamestown Police Justice Maharon. The jury was drawn immediately, the first six men being satisfactory to both sides. Assistant District Attorney Rexford addressed the jury, saying that he would try to prove the guilt of the defendant by producing testimony to the effect that Mrs. Willitts had gone to Erie and brought Stella Anesco here after she had an offer from Swanty Anderson to secure a girl for him to live with. Mr. Rexford said he would prove that the girl was brought to Jamestown under the idea that she was to do housework and that after she was here she was bought fine clothes, shoes and a diamond ring.

In 1939, Firemen were routed from the comfort of Jamestown’s five fire stations during the brewing sleet and windstorm at 6:23 p.m. the previous evening when the tappers of the automatic signal system summoned them to Box 53 at Foote Avenue and Harrison Street. Except for a single truck, all fire apparatus in the city responded as an alarm from Box 53 called for a general response. At Foote Avenue and Harrison streets, the firemen found Chief John Pihlblad standing in the rain with a look of disgust and embarrassment on his face. The door of the alarm box had been reported open and the Chief had gone to close it. While wiping rain from the glass on the inside of the alarm box door, Chief Pihlblad accidentally struck the alarm.

The Chautauqua County board of supervisors refused to be “hurried” into the employment of any additional help for the sheriff’s department for supervision of the new county jail when that institution was opened and the prisoners transferred from the old jail. Without a dissenting voice, the board approved a report of its committee on the new jail that no additional help be employed for the present.

In 1964, the Carr Rest Home in Celoron announced plans for a $200,000 addition to provide nursing service in addition to caring for the aged and infirm. Construction of a new wing would start in April and would be known as the Carr Nursing Home. The facility was owned and operated by Mrs. Charlotte Carraher. Plans for the addition had been submitted to the State for approval of construction. Mrs. Carraher said a homelike atmosphere, Sunday church service by the Celoron Methodist Church and occupational therapy and crafts would be continued in the new facilities. A natural setting of ponds, trees and rose gardens would be preserved in the layout.

The Jamestown detective bureau would start contacting the owners of 13 automobiles which were looted of a large variety of items here on the night of Oct. 15 and early morning of Oct. 16. Charged with the thefts were three students of Clarion, Pa., Teachers College. They were arrested by Warren Borough Police the past week and accused of looting 44 automobiles in Warren. Jamestown police said the trio had orally admitted taking articles from 13 Jamestown cars. The articles were taken during a looting spree of parked vehicles from the vicinity of Hammond Street to the Grapevine Restaurant on East Second Street in Jamestown. The thefts included two bowling bags, balls and shoes, a camera, three blankets, leather briefcase, two books, an electric shaver, fire extinguisher, a jacket, two sweaters, socks and other small articles including books of trading stamps.

In 1989, the Chautauqua County Department of Motor Vehicles would be new and improved in Jamestown after its doors closed at noon on Friday, according to spokesmen for the department. Beginning Friday, workers at the DMV office at 117 E. Third St. would be putting in long hours to reopen the Jamestown DMV office at the new South County Office Building, the former Unigard Building at 110 E. Fourth St.

Work on Jamestown’s Washington Street bridge should begin in February, according to the state Department of Transportation. Although actual project dates had not been set, DOT would not close the bridge until the spring. The span should remain closed for most of the 1990 construction season. While the bridge was closed, the official detour would take Route 60’s southbound traffic west on West Sixth Street across the soon-to-open Sixth Street bridge, down Steele Street, past Jones Hill, over Harrison Street and south on South Main Street to the Route 60 arterial.

In Years Past

In 1914, preparations for the annual poultry show in Jamestown, including the installation of the show birds and most of the exhibits, had been completed on this afternoon and the show would be open to the public this night. The poultry men had again secured City Hall for the show and the presence of the exhibits advertised their presence to all passers-by with such a racket that most of the other occupants of the building were driven either to close their doors and windows or else resort to cotton batting ear plugs. However, it was for the one week only and there were no objections as everyone realized the interest and importance of the poultry business.

• Glenn H. Curtiss was to build another trans-Atlantic flying boat for Rodman Wanamaker and the over-ocean flight would be started as soon as the new boat was ready and weather conditions were right. The new trans-Atlantic machine would be larger than the America, which was completed at the Curtiss factory in Hammondsport the past summer for Wanamaker. The new plans called for so large a machine that Curtiss would not attempt to build it in his aeroplane factory at Hammondsport. Negotiations were underway by which the Curtiss aeroplane company would take possession of the E.R. Thomas automobile manufacturing plant in Buffalo and the machine would be built there.

In 1939, funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Hoitink funeral home in Randolph, for Robert L. Beers, one of the victims of the motor accident Friday night which claimed the lives of three Randolph young people, with Rev. Harold Freer, officiating. More than 500 persons attended, including the entire pharmacy class of the University of Buffalo of which Beers was a freshman student and some members of the University of Buffalo faculty.

Falconer and state police were investigating the theft of several pounds of dynamite from the Weeden Hardware Company’s magazine sometime the previous day. The magazine was made of wood with five inches of sand separating the outer and inner linings of the magazine. The sand was to protect the explosive against being hit by outside objects. The magazine was metal covered and was protected by a large hinged roof, the hinges of which had been pried off by the robbers. The magazine was built and located according to state specifications and was located outside the village in a sparsely settled section. Its seclusion helped those who broke into it by making it easier to do the job without their being heard.

In 1964, Senator-elect Robert F. Kennedy was due in Jamestown on this afternoon for a conference with community and political leaders as part of a western New York tour to discuss area problems. The conference here was part of a three or four day tour of New York state, during which, Kennedy planned to visit between seven and 10 cities to obtain information that he hoped would be helpful when he took office in January.

With about 90 percent of the multi-million dollar dam at Kinzua, Pa., completed, efforts were being turned to clearing the 27-mile-long reservoir that would be created when the dam started backing up the waters of the Allegheny River sometime in 1966. First phase of preparing recreational sites in the Willow Bay area included paving parking areas and access roads and putting in a boat launching ramp and related facilities. The dam itself was nearing completion. Placement of the earth fill had reached 1,322 feet above sea level. The new 14-mile section of relocated Route 59, between the dam and Marshburg, was opened Nov. 24.

In 1989, the Sea Lion was locked in ice at its berth near Chautauqua Institution and the ship’s builder said he was quitting his role as leader of the effort to rescue the 16th century replica merchant ship. Ernie Cowan, the ship’s designer and builder, said his work as a volunteer with the Sea Lion rescue efforts was costing him money because it kept him away from his business. “The more time I spend there, the more I lose financially,” Cowan said, referring to his volunteer efforts to get the ship off the water for the winter. “The ship buried me once – financially, physically and everything. I’m 40 years old. I’m not going to start over again,” Cowan said. “I’m done with it.”

A Pennsylvania man escaped injury because he was wearing a seat belt when his truck overturned at 7:05 a.m. on Big Tree Road in the town of Busti, a Lakewood-Busti police officer told The Post-Journal. Timothy M. Hall, 36, of Dalmatia, lost control of his truck when he slowed for a school bus, police said. Officers at the scene credited his seat belt with keeping him from being thrown through the windshield.

In Years Past

In 1914, between 30-40 men were in daily attendance at the Cornell Extension school held at Panama during this week. The school, which was of five days duration, was one of the schools sent out from the College of Agriculture and was in the charge of A. C. King of Trumansburg. Each subject was given one or two periods each day and the work progressed throughout the week. A.C. King took as his special subject, Orchard Management. L.M. Hurd was instructor in poultry. H.A. Hopper in animal husbandry and H.B. Rogers in farm management. The work of the school was of a distinctly practical nature and included many demonstrations.

Professor Simeon Lewis, who claimed to be the champion finger billiardist of the world and the only man in the world playing billiards with his nose, would give an exhibition at the Floss Palace pool room and bowling alleys in Jamestown Monday at 7:30 p.m. He would play a local player 50 points cushion carom to his opponent’s straight rail and then play four local players 100 points to their 50, with his fingers and the same four players 50 points to their 25 using his long nose as a cue. Concluding the program, the professor would give some fancy shots with both fingers and nose.

In 1939, seeking damages for injuries to her right knee, which she claimed to have achieved in a fall on a slippery floor of the Endicott-Johnson shoe store on West Third Street in Jamestown the past May, Mrs. Rose States, Cheney’s Point, was the plaintiff in a negligence suit being tried before Justice Frank James and a jury in supreme court at Mayville.

Mrs. States testified that she and her husband, Carl, with their 8-year-old child, went to the store when the accident occurred about 50 feet in from the door. After being assisted to her feet, Mrs. States was attended by Dr. George Caccamise, who said she had misplaced a cartilage. Dr. Caccamise’s bill for services amounted to $75. Dr. Hall Van Vlack was called into the case. He testified that the injury should now be healed following an operation he performed for $150.

The new Chautauqua County Jail was inspected by members of the board of supervisors following receipt of a report from the special building committee, of which Clark Lord, Ellery, was chairman. Joseph Wertz, architect, who prepared the plans for the county penal institution explained to the board that the new tool proof steel was used in the construction of the jail, which was equipped with bar-concealed windows and automatic doors opened with one key outside the cell block. Following informal ceremonies, the board members went to Dewittville for dinner and a tour of inspection of the county farm and home. Later in the afternoon, they motored to Cassadaga to visit Newton Memorial Hospital for a tour of inspection.

In 1989, two Jamestown Police Department officers had been promoted, Chief Richard D. Ream said. Steven L. Fredrickson, a 15-year department veteran, was promoted to Lieutenant and Joseph S. Genco, a police officer since 1985, was promoted to Sergeant. Fredrickson served as a Sergeant for eight years in the patrol division with duties as communications supervisor, patrol supervisor and street crimes unit supervisor. He would serve as a lieutenant with the 2nd Platoon. Genco served as a dispatcher and animal control officer before becoming a police officer. He was a certified instructor at the police academy. He would be patrol and communications supervisor with the 1st Platoon.

The glamour was fading from the computer industry at the close of the 1980s, tarnishing one of the most remarkable success stories of American business. The computer industry had behaved more like the auto or steel businesses with numerous layoffs and other job reductions. While sales continued to rise, the single-digit growth was a comedown for an industry that was accustomed to bounding gains early in the decade. One of the biggest factors was that computer makers had worked their way out of sales. They had made machines so cheap and powerful that customers no longer needed to shell out millions of dollars to get a job done. They could get by with spending a tenth or a hundredth as much. Personal computers wouldn’t take over entirely. Big mainframe computers remained irreplaceable for some jobs.

In Years Past

In 1914, although Willis True, who lived near Forestville, was said to have been held up and robbed at the point of a revolver a few days before Thanksgiving, the affair had just become public. No complaint was made to the town or county authorities and every effort seemed to have been made by the victim to keep the matter quiet. True, on being called by telephone, refused to give any information. Asked for his reason for refusing, he said the robbers had threatened to come back and do him violence if he tried to make any trouble for them. The story, as it was being told, was that two or three men drove to the True home, held him up with a revolver and made away with a large amount of money, said to be $1,000 or more.

The seriousness of the present situation in Jamestown as regard to the scarlet fever cases was brought very forcibly upon the attention of the members at the regular meeting of the Board of

health. Since the last meeting of the board, two weeks ago, there had been 19 new cases reported to Health Superintendent Mahoney. Dr. Mahoney said that he was very much alarmed and that unless the people took more precautions with the coming of the holiday season there was liable to be a real epidemic of scarlet fever in this city.

In 1939, the seasoned appraisal of some of President Roosevelt’s close friends was that he would run again only in the event of a critical international emergency the following summer. They were convinced that his personal desire was not to run but that he had not positively turned his back on the possibility. Many factors entered into their calculation. Not the least was that they figured Roosevelt had finished with all of the major phases of the domestic program he had laid out for himself.

Death took a crazy twist the past evening to claim the life of August Seaburg of Spruce Street, Jamestown, vice president of the Seaburg Manufacturing Company, in an accident that still had investigating officials bewildered. Seaburg was enroute home from the Seaburg plant on Steele Street when his car was struck by a freight car on the Erie railroad siding which crossed West Second Street at a point directly behind the municipal light plant. Seaburg was either thrown from the driver’s seat of the car in such a way as to be crushed between the machine and the trestle or became trapped as he tried to escape from the auto as it was being pushed and crumpled by the freight car. The car was pushed sideways almost to the center of the 300-foot trestle.

In 1964, a damaging ice storm, described as one of the worst in recent years, gripped most of New York state. Virtually no part of the state escaped the sleet, freezing rain or snow that began early Thursday, continued through Friday and showed little signs of letting up on this day. Power lines by the hundreds were felled. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. reported that an estimated 100,000 of its customers were without power. Ice-laden tree limbs crashed to the ground under the weight, carrying power lines with them.

High-pressure magazine salesmen were working a new twist to an old gimmick according to local residents who had been contacted by telephone. A female secretary answered her phone recently and was told she had just been named “Secretary of the Week” and could receive free subscriptions to four magazines. “All you have to do,” the man said, “is pay 35 cents a week postage.” The same deal was attempted with a local bus driver who was told he had been selected as “Bus Driver of the Week.” It was believed the calls originated from Buffalo.

In 1989, a week after strong winds on Chautauqua Lake blew the Sea Lion aground, former crew members of the 16th century replica merchant ship were making a last-ditch effort to bring it out of the water for the winter. But Old Man Winter already had the ship in his icy grasp and it might be too late to save the ship from a watery grave, the crew said. “We need some warm weather and good wind to clear the northern end of the lake of the ice,” County Attorney Andrew Goodell, treasurer of the board of directors of Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels, told The Post-Journal.

Gov. Mario Cuomo might have told police officers and prosecutors that they could have anything they needed in the coming year’s state budget, but that was no blank check, according to a top Cuomo aide. Cuomo chief spokesman Gary Fryer said it would be “bordering on juvenile” to consider that the governor would simply approve their budget requests. “We’ll give them what they need. We will not give them more than they need,” Fryer said.

In Years Past

In 1914, glass eyes were getting scarcer and higher in price, according to the Crockery and Glass Journal, with no prospect of an increased supply while the war continued. The authorities to trade said that more than 3,000 people in this country wore glass eyes and they needed to keep on buying them from time to time, as the eyes usually wore out within a year or two. New York was the center of the glass eye trade in the United States and the wholesalers said that all their imported eyes came from Germany. The importers also manufactured some eyes here but all of the materials came from Germany. No shipment of eyes or the material to manufacture eyes had been received since the war began.

Two automobiles, owned respectively by John L. Habblett and Harry T. Griswold, came together in collision at the corner of West Eighth and Washington streets in Jamestown the previous afternoon. Both machines were badly damaged and the escapes of the three men who were in them, Griswold and Glen Obert, his driver, and Habblett, were little short of miraculous. The Habblett car, a light Buick, was struck by the heavier Griswold car and badly disabled, while the Griswold car skidded into the curb and turned turtle, throwing Obert out and pinning Griswold under the car. Griswold’s injuries were the most serious but not sufficient to disable him, and he walked from the scene of the accident to his home.

In 1939, Arthur R. Goranson, director of bands and instrumental music in the Jamestown Public schools and Lakewood High School, was reelected president of the New York State School Music Association for the seventh consecutive term at the clinic held in Rochester Thursday through Saturday. Goranson had been leader of the state school music group he helped to form since its organization with the exception of one term in 1932-33.

The condition of Evelyn Wilhelm of Randolph, only survivor of four Randolph young people involved in a crash near Hamburg on Friday night, was reported fairly good at Our Lady of Victory Hospital in Lackawanna. Helen Olivia Taylor, 20; Robert Lawrence Beers, 20 and Robert James Griffin, 24, died over the weekend as a result of the accident. Griffin had gone to Buffalo to bring the three others, students at the University at Buffalo, home for the Junior prom at the Randolph Central school. The three students were all natives of Randolph and all had gone through the Randolph school together.

In 1964, the Municipal Recreation Commission voted to request that the Jamestown City Planning Commission proceed with such action as was necessary for acquisition of approximately 160 acres of property north of the Jamestown Community College campus for eventual development as a municipal golf course and recreational facility. The property, known as Lawson Farm, was owned by David Lawson. It was north of the present municipal golf course which was part of the JCC campus and east of the so-called 100-Acre Lot, also owned by the college. Eventual necessity of replacing the present golf course had been stimulated by the prospect that future expansion of the college might make it impossible to continue use of the facility indefinitely.

John L. Zentz, 71, of Portage Road, Westfield, widely known among sportsmen of Chautauqua County as a former state game protector and outstanding advocate of conservation, died the previous day in Westfield Memorial Hospital. Zentz retired from his post as a state game protector in 1958 after 35 years of service during which his fair and impartial enforcement of game laws won the respect of sportsmen throughout the county. He was a member of the Mayville Conservation Club and had been an organizer of numerous other similar clubs in the county. He was credited with a major share of the responsibility for developing the Clymer Pond area as a recreational facility.

In 1989, it wouldn’t officially be winter until 4:22 p.m. Dec. 21, but the weather bore a remarkable resemblance to what the coming season was supposed to be. Area highway crews were recovering this day from a weekend that produced a combination of heavy snow, strong winds and a wind chill well below zero. Many highways were still covered with ice or snow or a combination of the two, after workers removed the accumulation of new snow from the surfaces. Efforts were underway to improve driving conditions but motorists were being advised by highway spokesmen to use extreme caution.

After years of boasting about low prices due to a no-credit policy, Hills Department Store had hopped on the credit card bandwagon. Hills, as well as its competitors, said that Jamestown shoppers wouldn’t see jumps in Hills prices as a result of the store opening its doors to credit card customers the past month. “Offering credit was a massive undertaking but we’re certainly glad we did it,” said Glen Ryerson, director of consumer affairs and marketing at Hills headquarters in Massachusetts. The chain decided to accept credit due to public demand, Ryerson said.

In Years Past

In 1914, in a letter to a friend in Jamestown, written on Nov. 5 and just received here, S. Miles Bouton, formerly of this city, gave some interesting observations of a trip through East Prussia. “I have but recently returned from a trip through East Prussia and winding up on the battlefield near Wirballen, Russia, where I had the pleasure of standing for three hours under a heavy fire,” wrote Bouton. “The beautiful province of East Prussia is a picture of the abomination of desolation and destruction. Flourishing cities and towns are heaps of ruins … I get the Jamestown Journal regularly, although with considerable delay, and follow the doings of all my old friends with great interest. I had hoped to get back soon for a vacation but the war has spoiled all chances of that and the Lord knows when I shall be able to take a few days off, which I sorely need.”

News from throughout this vicinity stated that the collapse of a floor in a mill of the Union Coal and Supply Company of Union City, Pa., fortunately occurred after 6 p.m. and consequently the employees escaped injury by a narrow margin. Two floors went into the basement. Had the accident happened earlier, many no doubt would have been killed. At Meadville, Pa., the Brisker dry goods store was burglarized Saturday or Sunday night or Monday morning. No great amount of plunder was taken. George Kunz of Church Run Road in Corry had received notice of the death of an old sweetheart in Germany who left him $3,000.

In 1939, Anna Beckman, about 84 years old, was found dead on her bed in her basement apartment on Bush Street in Jamestown this afternoon. The woman had died of natural causes, probably of heart disease some time the previous afternoon. Beckman was discovered by a Mrs. Stark who went to the basement apartment to pay rent for the first floor apartment. She told police that Beckman was supposed to collect the rent the previous day and that the aged woman’s failure to appear caused Stark to enter the basement flat. Beckman was fully clothed, according to police and had apparently laid on the bed to rest when seized by death.

The dramatic Club of the sixth grade of the North Side school in Falconer, under the direction of Mary Alice Richy, presented the play The Pilgrims Give Thanks at the weekly assembly period of the school. It was well attended by parents of the players as well as fourth, fifth and sixth grade children. Bertha Walth played a march on the piano as the children marched into the room and Roland Schultz played a march on the cornet as the grades filed out. Carol Johnson led the group in singing America.

In 1964, plans for the construction of a $50,000 drive-in restaurant on Foote Avenue across from the South Side Plaza were revealed at a public hearing conducted by the Jamestown Board of Appeals at City Hall. Mark Murphy, Erie, Pa., a principal in the new enterprise, said the drive-in would be an addition to the nationwide chain of more than 400 Burger Chief drive-ins. The Murphy petition was opposed by Frederick Hopke and Samuel Piazza of Linwood Avenue and Sebastian Ventura and Joseph Franchina of Martin Road. Mr. Hopke contended the proposed drive-in exit on Martin Road, would create a traffic congestion problem. Mr. Piazza and Mr. Ventura expressed concern over the prospect that the drive-in would result in littering the neighborhood with discarded paper and napkins.

Beatle drummer Ringo Starr rested comfortably without his tonsils while his British fans recovered from a severe case of post-operative shock. “Ringo Starr’s toenails were successfully removed this morning,” The BBC announced in its first newscast after the operation. Alarmed that the surgeons had knifed the wrong end of their idol, thousands of fans jammed the BBC switchboard. Hasty apologies were made in later newscasts. “I misread the item,” said announcer Roy Williams. “It happens to all of us and I bet Ringo is glad I’m not his surgeon.” The post office, which operated Britain’s telephone system, put on relays of five girls to switch callers, inquiring for Ringo’s health, to a recorded bulletin.

In Years Past

• In 1914, Miss Lillian Lundmark entertained 15 young ladies at a China shower party at her home, 423 Newland Avenue, Monday evening in honor of Mrs. Harry Rawson, who was formerly Miss Mayme Anderson. The young ladies present were all employees of the Dahlstrom Metallic Door Company. In the various contests that were enjoyed during the evening, the Misses Julia Erickson and Florence Johnson won first prizes while consolation honors were awarded to Mrs. Rawson and Miss Edith Johnson. The home was prettily decorated for the occasion, the color scheme being pink and green.

• “The people of this country do not seem to favor a large standing army, therefore, we will be forced to depend upon a citizen soldiery, composed of the National Guard, volunteers or drafted men, instead of a trained body of troops in time of war,” said Dr. William Bemus, who served as surgeon of the Third New York Volunteer infantry during the Spanish-American war. “Human nature is the same the world over. Men are but boys grown tall. If a little boy has an apple and a bigger boy wants it, he will get it, since he is the stronger and no arbitration, ‘piece of paper’ or any other thing will prevent his acquiring it unless the little boy gets help to defend his rights.”

• In 1939, a presidential candidacy as extraordinary in some respects, as any in the country’s history had been launched with the entry of Thomas E. Dewey into the field for the Republican nomination. Dewey was only 37, one of the youngest ever to enter the presidential lists. He never had held an office higher than his present post as district attorney of Manhattan. He had no national “record” as a politician and was not identified by the public with any wing of the Republican party, right or left.

• A Randolph girl died at Our Lady of Victory Hospital in Lackawanna and two of her three companions, also of Randolph, were in critical condition at the hospital as the result of an automobile collision near Hamburg. The girl, Miss Helen Taylor, 20, died shortly after the accident occurred. The injured, not expected to live, were Robert Beers and Robert Griffin, Jr. Miss Evelyn Wilhelm was expected to recover. The accident occurred about dusk when the auto in which the young people were riding toward home collided head-on with an oncoming truck on Sisson highway. All of the Randolph young people were students at the University of Buffalo and were returning to Randolph for the weekend.

• In 1964, plans for “Boost Jamestown Day,” a coming civic celebration of the city’s progress and future, would reach the detailing stage Thursday when a steering committee would meet at the Chamber of Commerce building. Members of the committee met the previous day at a luncheon in the chamber office. Chairmen William Taylor and Samuel Conte heard reports on plans for the program which had been delayed due to the recent general election and holidays. “Boost Jamestown Day” had a primary purpose of gathering top ranking industrial, business, and civic leaders to promote the city in a celebration similar to those held in other communities annually.

• One of the large third floor rooms at The Post-Journal had been set aside as Santa Claus’ workshop for the wrapping of hundreds of beautiful gifts made possible by the Christmas Happiness Fund. The gifts ranged all the way from soft, colorful nighties and warm bedroom slippers and robes to dusting powder and perfumes for the women and sweaters, pajamas and shaving lotion for the men.

• In 1989, record sales and cash flow levels of $693.7 million and $39.6 million respectively, had been reported by Quality Market’s parent company Penn Traffic Co. for the 13 weeks ending Oct. 28. Guido Malacarne, president chief executive officer, said the figures included P&C Food Markets since Aug. 6, 1988, and Big Bear Inc. since April of this year.

• Video Mart, Jamestown’s only one-stop rental and photo processing store, came into existence in a roundabout way, according to store owner Charles Green. Green said when he and his brother Harold started installing car stereo systems in 1975 in a shop on Steele Street, they had no intention of going into the movie rental business. “We moved to Washington Street and added VCRs to our line,” Green said. But there was a problem. “We couldn’t sell many VCRs,” he said, “because in those days, nobody in Jamestown rented video tapes.” To help their VCR sales, the Greens began renting video tapes. “We started with three used tapes,” Green said. The movies were, Alien, Blood Beach and Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I traded one of our customers some blank tapes for those movies and we were in the video rental business.”

In Years Past

• In 1914, “The patrons of the Prendergast Free Library range from the youngest reader to the most scholarly student, and we have in active circulation at the present time over 10,000 library cards.” This statement was made by the librarian, Miss Lucia T. Henderson, in answer to an inquiry as to the present scope of Jamestown’s library. She continued: “The children’s department is particularly energetic, since all of their activities, including registration and the various other details, have been confined strictly to their own room. This has stimulated an added interest on the part of the youngsters who feel that there is a portion of the building allotted to their particular needs.”

• The first matter to claim the attention of the aldermen at the regular meeting of the Jamestown common council was a petition from a small delegation of the unemployed men of the city to the council to provide work for the unemployed. Mayor Carlson said that the delegation had visited him and asked him to do something but he told them that he had no power to take any action on their behalf and told them to come before the council. Daniel Anderson acted as spokesman for the delegation. He said there were a great many men out of work in the city and many had been out of work for some time and were practically facing starvation.

• In 1939, Chief of Police Merton Pratt of Celoron informed The Journal that no trace had been found of John Gruninger, 29, of Warren, who it was believed might have been drowned in Chautauqua Lake. Chief Pratt went to Warren on this morning to secure pictures of Gruninger whose automobile, parked in the Celoron park grove since the past Friday, was discovered a few days ago. Boat livery officials reported a man named Gruninger had rented a boat on Friday. The upturned boat was found floating off the Chautauqua Lake Yacht Club the following day and later an oar was found near Clement Park. Chief Pratt conferred with Gruninger’s father at Celoron. Dragging operations might be commenced by the sheriff’s department.

• Elizabeth Dorsey and her son, Sylvester Waterford, were overcome by monoxide gas fumes from pipeless stoves in their second floor apartment on Harrison Street in Jamestown late Thursday afternoon. According to Fire Chief John Pihlblad, the woman and her son were found lying on the floor in a helpless state, one in the bathroom and the other in the living room. When firemen entered the odor of gas fumes was overpowering. Four small heaters were burning in the apartment. Firemen worked over the pair for 15 minutes before they were revived and reported out of danger.

• In 1964, the Jamestown area shivered with the coldest weather of the season the past night and early in the morning as the mercury dipped to 10 degrees and cold arctic air continued to hover over western New York. Another sprinkling of snow settled on most of Chautauqua county but driving conditions were described as good in most sections. Approximately three inches of snow fell in the Jamestown area the previous day and night and ranged between one and three inches in other sections of Chautauqua County. Bright sunshine broke through a gray sky but weathermen predicted continued cold.

• A question as to whether the space occupied by the City Health Department in the Gov. Fenton Mansion would become vacant after Jan. 1 when the municipal agency was superseded by the new Chautauqua County Health Department, remained unanswered following a meeting of Jamestown City Council. Anticipating that present office facilities in the landmark building might not be required after the first of the year, Arthur Wellman of Crossman St., appeared before council on behalf of the Fenton Historical Society, to urge that the entire building be restored as an historical museum and war memorial for which it was originally acquired by the city in 1919.

• In 1989, if money could be found for a new anti-drug program, a uniformed police officer would take the war on drugs straight to Jamestown’s elementary school students. Called DARE – for Drug Abuse Resistance Education – the program was developed by state health and education professionals. It was intended to educate fifth and sixth-grade students about the dangers of drug abuse, including alcohol and tobacco abuse, said Jamestown Mayor Steven B. Carlson.

• The unemployment rate in Chautauqua County during October equaled the lowest level recorded for the month since the current records started being kept in 1974. At the same time, the number of non-agricultural jobs in the county reached a record high of 58,800 – eclipsing the previous highs of 58,500. A labor analysis said 3,400 people were without jobs in Chautauqua County during October, down from 3,900 in September. The county’s job picture was helped by additional hiring at the state’s new Lakeview Correctional Facility at Brocton which was now fully staffed by about 400 employees.

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