In Years Past

In 1915, Jamestown was to have a municipal ice plant on a small scale. It was announced that the hospital commission was planning to erect an ice house on the hospital grounds for the storing of the summer’s supply. The hospital used large quantities of ice and it was figured that a suitable house would not cost over $400 and the filling of the house would not be a particularly expensive job. Consequently, the commission would effect a saving by putting up its own ice. The members of the hospital commission were confident that it would cost less to build the ice house and fill it with ice than to pay the prices that were paid to the dealers. Hence, this action.

A new two-story bungalow located at the corner of Margaret and Dunn streets near Woodlawn Avenue in East Jamestown was totally destroyed by fire the previous morning. The building was owned by Oscar Carlson. Practically the entire fire department was called to the scene. The firemen made the long, cold run to find after they got there that there were no water connections anywhere near the fire. The building was a mass of flames and little could be done to save it even if a hydrant had been at hand. The building had been nearly ready for occupancy. Mr. Carlson had been completing some minor details, and a coal stove had been left inside. The fire probably caught from the stove.

In 1940, Boyd Thompson, 4 years old, son of Dr. and Mrs. John Thompson of Youngsville, Pa., drowned in Brokenstraw Creek near his home Tuesday afternoon. The little boy was last seen alive about noon and when his grandmother went to call him in shortly afterward, he had disappeared. Groups of residents took up the search but it was not until about 4:30 p.m. that a small playmate of the child, Clark Mann, said that Boyd had been near the creek. This information called out the firemen who began dragging the stream. A local plane with Pilot York at the controls, flew back and forth over the creek’s area and located the boy’s body. The boy’s mother was a patient at the Warren General Hospital where she underwent an operation on Jan. 26.

Four children, enroute to school at Fredonia, in the back seat of a car had a narrow escape from effects of gas, which worked up through the floor of the car from a defective muffler. The children, Ralph and Dolores Anderson, 9 and 10; Bruce Steger, 9, and Mary Comello, 11, were being taken to school by Mrs. Anderson with Leon Nunn as driver. When the car stopped at Temple and Barker streets, the children alighted and Bruce Steger toppled over in the snow, unconscious. The Comello child crossed the street and was taken sick. The other two had bad headaches. After treatment by Dr. O. T. Barber at his nearby office, they were all taken home.

In 1990, a four-inch snowfall was not enough to save Buffalo’s snow-sculpting contest from a week’s postponement – the third straight year the contest had been delayed by lack of snow, organizers said. The 40 degree temperatures forecast for midweek would ruin the snow that fell Monday and more snow forecast for Friday would come too late for the contest to go on as scheduled. The last two contests were each postponed for a week and then saved by last-minute snowstorms. If there was still not enough snow by the following weekend, the organizers would take more desperate steps, such as trucking in snow from the snow belt areas south of the city.

Winter Guard was back in the Jamestown area. Not since 1982 had there been a show. That would change on the coming Saturday. The Falconer Band Boosters would sponsor an Indoor Winter Guard show in the Falconer high school gym. The Winter Guard show was an extravaganza of color in motion. Participants used rifles, saber sticks, flags and other types of equipment to perform a choreographed show to their choice of music. The competition was judged by four or five judges for general effect, individual analysis, timing and penalty. The show would feature more than 12 groups from New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Canada.

In Years Past

In 1915, a company of 25 young people from Jamestown enjoyed a sleigh ride Thursday evening to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Knight at Busti. The evening was devoted to games and other amusements. A musical program was given by a male quartet. The ladies provided refreshments which were served at midnight.

J. H. Balmer, together with Miss Elsie Clark and five Kaffir singing boys, interestingly depicted the life in Africa at a lecture on Savage Africa As I Know It, in the Y.W.C.A. auditorium in Jamestown on Friday evening. Mr. Balmer had spent the greater part of his life in Africa amongst the Kaffir people and the audience, although small, was very much pleased with the lecture.

In 1940, the possibility of receiving a busy signal when calling the Jamestown Fire Department to report a fire would be considerably lessened with the installation of a second private telephone line on this morning. Previously, only the one line, 4-114, had been available for the receipt of fire calls but the new fire department administration had arranged for a second line which was automatically connected in the event the first line was busy. The system was referred to by the telephone company as the automatic trunk-hunting system where a call on the original line would be connected to the first line not busy.

A carrier pigeon flew in through a window at the Holy Cross College in the West Lake Road at Dunkirk Monday morning with a capsule attached to its leg containing news from the Bath corespondent to the editor of the Hornell Tribune. The news items were dated January 25 and the pigeon evidently got lost in the storm and came to Dunkirk. The bird and the dispatches were sent to Hornell by train.

In 1965, Jamestown could lose day coach passenger service on two trains if a petition filed by the Erie Lackawanna Railroad was approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission. The railroad had asked for permission to discontinue carrying passengers on Trains 7 and 8 operating daily through Jamestown in each direction between Hoboken, NJ and Chicago. The trains were primarily mail and express trains usually carrying only one coach for passengers. No Pullmans or dining cars were operating on these trains.

A major real estate developing firm in Erie, Pa., was eyeing locations in the Jamestown area with the intentions of constructing a Holiday Inn Motel. Robert Chaffee, president of the Oakdale Corp., which was responsible for Erie’s recent urban renewal project, said at least three sites had been under study. He said his company favored a downtown Jamestown location preferably one that would be a part of an urban renewal plan. Jamestown had been discussed for some time but so far had not initiated any specific proposal. Even so, Mr. Chaffee said his company intended to build the motel either downtown or on Jamestown’s outskirts.

In 1990, many former employees of the closed Great Lakes Color Printing Co., of Dunkirk were leaving the state to find new jobs. “If a guy wants to stay in the printing field, there’s nothing left in Chautauqua County,” Said Hugh W. Tranum Jr. of the Jamestown Area Labor-Management Committee which had an office in Dunkirk. Tranum said some of the former Great Lakes Color employees already had found jobs in Cincinnati, Albany and Las Vegas. He said others were continuing the search for jobs in their field.

With communities struggling to set up recycling programs to reduce the amount of garbage at landfills, Post-Journal Publisher Donald L. Meyer noted the newspaper was a leader in using recycled newsprint. He said about 50 percent of the newsprint used by The Post-Journal was recycled paper. Production manager James Funcell said the newspaper had been using recycled newsprint since 1982. The Post-Journal also recycled newsprint and each week sent an average of two semi-truck loads of used paper to mills in Canada. There the ink was removed and the pulp was mixed with new wood fibers to make newsprint.

In Years Past

In 1915, the first bacteriological tests of milk supplied to consumers in Jamestown, in the new municipal milk testing laboratory, were done by Miss Selma Lincoln, who was in charge of the laboratory under the direction of the city board of health. Fifty plates each, containing a sample taken by Milk and Dairy Inspector Hulquist, were put in the incubator on this morning. When the incubation period was over, the plates would be taken out and under the microscope the colonies of bacterial growth on each plate would be counted. This work was of the utmost importance to the householders of Jamestown. It was the first time any investigation of the milk supplied in this city could be made which showed the most essential factor for pure milk – low bacteria count.

What was almost certain to be added to Franklin, Pa.’s industries was a modern brick plant, capable of turning out 100,000 bricks a day. The project had been under way for more than a year. J. E. Mecusker of Jamestown, who had been identified with brick manufacturing for 35 years, came to Franklin and made a thorough investigation as to the quality of shale found in the area. In his opinion, the shale of which the Gurney Hill and the elevation extending down the Allegheny River as far as Big Rock bridge were largely composed, was shale just right for making a fine quality of brick.

In 1940, damage estimated at several thousand dollars resulted early Sunday morning from flames which swept the Karlson Drug Store at 10 East Second Street in Jamestown, practically destroying that establishment and presenting the most spectacular blaze here in many months. Adjoining stores, offices and furnished rooms in the same building were damaged by smoke and for some time it was feared that the flames would spread to the Fenton building and cause a general conflagration. Apparently the fire started in the rear of the drug store basement but the cause was unknown. The Karlson Drug Store, operated by Gunnard Karlson of Falconer, was believed to be a total loss. The drug store had recently moved to the location of the fire from Third Street and Prendergast Avenue.

William Hake, president of the Jamestown Retail Merchants Association, announced that, at a meeting of the retailers and Live Wire Club members at the Chamber of Commerce, the association decided to erect five large welcome signs at five of the principal entrances to the city. The signs, 20 by 40 feet, constructed of metal and wood, would have a large heart in the center and the slogan, “Jamestown, the Center of the Chautauqua Lake Region.” They would be erected within the next few weeks, in time for the spring season opening. The signs would be placed on North Main St., Foote Ave., Fluvanna Ave., Fairmount Ave. and East Second St.

In 1965, the second train wreck at Dunkirk within a little more than a year resulted in the drafting of a bill to limit train speed to 25 miles per hour through the mid-town section. Drafting of the measure was ordered by Assemblyman A. Bruce Manley of Fredonia a few hours after 31 New York Central freight cars piled up at Third Street and Central Avenue. The wreck was the fourth within the city of Dunkirk in less than six years. Manley said he would introduce the bill in the State Legislature as soon as possible.

A 27-year-old Lakewood man was killed when he leaped from his car and was struck by a westbound Erie-Lackawanna Railroad freight train at the Chautauqua Avenue crossing in Lakewood. The dead man was identified as Neil Salb, of Maplecrest Ave. Ironically, according to witnesses, if he had stayed in the car he might have escaped unhurt. Police said Mr. Salb was driving south on Chautauqua Avenue and was crossing the westbound tracks when he spotted the approaching train. Mr. Salb leaped from the still-moving car but slipped and fell into the path of the train. His car continued on for 84 feet, coming to halt in a snowbank. It was untouched by the train.

In 1990, one of the places where Gov. Mario Cuomo said New York could raise money was from unclaimed bottle deposits – those nickels that New Yorkers never bothered to get back from the store. Of course, Cuomo had been trying to get that money for the state for the past five years. The Legislature had consistently balked. The head of a special commission appointed by Cuomo to investigate the unclaimed deposits issue said he was upset Cuomo had included that money as part of his proposed state budget. Commission Chairman Robert Amdursky said Cuomo should have waited to find out what the commission thought.

An outbreak of measles among area Amish communities continued as Health Department officials in the two counties reported 138 cases in Cattaraugus County and 13 cases in Chautauqua County. The risk of measles for both communities was considered “imminent,” said Dr. Robert Berke, Chautauqua County Health Department commissioner. Amish in the Hartfield-Dewittville area were resisting immunization efforts, although groups in Sherman, Clymer and Conewango were participating in immunization, Berke said.

In Years Past

In 1915, the many friends of Miss Helen Bailey, who fell and was painfully injured at Sewickley a week previously, would be pleased to know that she was somewhat improved. Miss Bailey, who was a teacher in the public schools at Sewickley, tripped as she was going down a flight of stairs leading to the basement of the building and was thrown with considerable force to the floor beneath. She was assisted to her boarding house and a physician summoned. The left leg was found to be badly injured with the bone bruised in several places. Since then she had been unable to attend to her school work.

The weather forecaster at Buffalo issued a cold wave warning to shippers and packers. It was stated that the temperature would probably drop 25 degrees by Saturday morning, thus bringing zero weather for several days. The cold wave Wednesday night was over Lake Superior and rapidly advancing eastward. The thermometer had been falling and it would fall further this night. The first warning of the cold wave was in The Journal Tuesday in the shape of a dispatch from Duluth which told of a drop in temperature. It was always safe when one read of a cold snap in the western country to assume that it would soon work its way east.

In 1940, thieves smashed their way through the front entrance of Murray’s Grill at 316 Winsor St. in Jamestown early the previous morning to loot the place of a large quantity of whiskey but police had already recovered most of the stolen liquor and expected to make an arrest before many hours had passed. The burglary was discovered shortly before dawn. The thieves had apparently smashed their way into the placed soon after prowl car patrolmen had made a routine check of doors and windows of the grill. The recovered loot – almost two full cases of bottled whiskey – was located in a car parked a short distance from the victimized drinkery. Police had located the car’s owner and were questioning him.

The Jamestown Police Department’s new two-way radio system station WJNY, went on the air for the first time as an engineer from the Radio Corporation of America, which supplied the equipment, completed adjustments of the apparatus. Scout cars were sent to the most distant precincts of the city to receive signals which, in each instance, boomed into the cars. The radioed response of the patrolmen boomed back into headquarters with equal clarity. The RCA engineer gave detailed instructions regarding care of the equipment to Patrolman Vernon Chipman and the department mechanic, Reuben Johnson, who would have charge of the apparatus.

In 1965, a series of windy snow squalls which swept the Jamestown area the previous afternoon continued this day as a new storm front moved in over northern Chautauqua County and cut visibility to near-zero. A new 6-inch layer of snow fell in Jamestown during the night. Snowfall throughout the county the past night averaged about 3 inches. Driving conditions remained poor as all main and secondary roads in the county were described as “snow covered and slippery.” Poor visibility was blamed for several accidents in the county. Most of the destruction to utility lines from the past weekend’s sleet storm had been cleared up with the exception of telephone lines.

The Busti town board approved the rejuvenating of the old town highway building in the hamlet of Busti as the location for the town police headquarters with remodeling costs not to exceed $300 at the present time. This cost would include the installation of gas for heating and minor interior redecorating to aid in the efficiency of the police department. The board also authorized Police Office Steven Showers to purchase a new penal law and criminal code procedure book for the police department. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Erickson and Charles Sundquist appeared before the board expressing their disapproval of the increase of trailer homes being moved into the Cowing Road area. They stated it was discouraging to the present and future home owners in the area.

In Years Past

In 1915, Clymer was booming. They were to have trolley lines running from Columbus, Pa., through Clymer and Sherman to Mayville. They already had water, electric light and power. A new telephone company had been incorporated. What Clymer needed was a state road and they would have that, too, when Albany recovered from her late “indisposition.” Several nice houses and bungalows were built the past year, with many more in sight for the current year.

Company E, 65th infantry, National Guard of New York, gave the second of its series of military dancing parties in the state armory on Tuesday evening at Jamestown and fully demonstrated that the waltz and the two-step were still popular in spite of the newer dances. There had been a lively discussion as to whether the dance program should consist entirely of the older dances, the newer dances or of half of each. It was finally decided that nothing but waltzes and two-steps would be given a place on the program. Attendance was about 115 couples. In view of this, it was safe to say that the remaining parties of the series would be of the same character, with the new dances conspicuous by their absence from the program.

In 1940, New Snow Mountain, winter sports site of the Jamestown Recreation Council, operated by the Jamestown Ski Club of which Karl Widen was president, would be formally opened with a Niagara Frontier Council ski meet on Sunday afternoon at 1 o’clock. Equipment formerly in use at the old winter sports center on Willard Street Extension, had been moved and set up at Ivory Hill, two and a half miles south of Frewsburg on the Onoville Road which was more desirable for development of ski trails and toboggan slides.

The new Jamestown Fire Department alarm system had its first practical test on this morning when a call for firemen and apparatus was received at the switchboard in the chief’s office from the residence of Dr. William Goucher on East Fourth Street. Three companies were sent to the scene, arriving within a minute or two after the alarm was turned in. Firemen found a reception room on the second floor ablaze with smoke pouring from windows of the house. A small “booster” water line was used to extinguish the fire. It was believed that the fire started from a short circuit in a lamp cord.

In 1965, high winds lashing the Jamestown area with gusts up to 50 miles per hour caused a rash of more power failures the past night, adding to the woes of repairmen still working to restore service after the sleet storm of the past weekend. Three areas in Jamestown were blacked out for periods ranging up to about two and one half hours. Power failures also occurred in other sections of the county. The power interruptions were caused by high winds snapping limbs which fell across service lines and whipping lines together, causing short circuits.

Stanley V. Smith, 42, who fell 40 feet to the ground from an ice coated roof at his home on W. Fourth Street in Jamestown on Saturday died at Jamestown General Hospital the previous morning. The accident occurred while Mr. Smith was attempting to fix a TV antenna. Mr. Smith had served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a seaman second class. He was employed at Taylor Jamestown Corp., as a watchman-fireman. Surviving were his wife, Mrs. Carolyn M. Smith and five children.

In 1990, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. was a utility on the mend but it remained unclear whether it would show an earnings increase in 1990, analysts said after the company reported profits fell by more than $50 million in 1989. Analysts hinged their predictions of returning prosperity on the utility’s success in restarting its long idled Nine Mile Point 1 nuclear plant and reaching a satisfactory rate agreement with state regulators for 1991.

Jamestown area teenagers would have their say about the city’s youth programs when 200 of them were invited to the Jamestown Youth Bureau’s Speak Out. The Speak Out, set for May 3, would not be open to the public, said Candace Huber, executive director of the bureau. “We have not finalized everything yet,” she said, “but our hope is we will have a panel of 12 adults, people who can either create new programs or provide new directions for the community of teenagers.” Twenty youth organizations, including Jamestown High School, Chautauqua Striders, YMCA, Outreach, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, TEAM Program and the Private Industry Council, among others, would select a number of teens to attend the Speak Out, she said.

In Years Past

In 1915, John Szczerbacki and John Geruscz, both of Dunkirk, appeared at police headquarters in that city and declared they had been assaulted and robbed while walking along the Nickel Plate track near the D.A.V.&P. shop. They said they were on their way to the Pennsylvania station when several men attacked them. Szczerbacki stated that he was struck on the head and knocked down and that he narrowly escaped going under a passing freight train. Geruscz was also knocked down. Bundles of eatables they were carrying were taken. One of the assailants threatened them with a knife. The police arrested two men giving their names as Stanley Moch and Joseph Hwij. Moch was declared to be the man who had struck Szczerbacki. Moch was found guilty and sentenced to six months in the Erie County penitentiary. Hwij was discharged as there was no evidence to connect him with the assault.

The $3,500 parade cart of the old Deluge Engine Company, No. 1, had been presented by the exempt members of that organization to the Jamestown Exempt Volunteer Firemen’s Association and the presentation had brought back to the minds of many of the older firemen, the days when this particular cart was the envy of every volunteer fire fighter in western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. Just what the Exempts would do with the gift had not been determined but it was hoped that some means would be found to preserve the cart as a relic of the old times when the volunteer fireman was at the height of his glory and parades with brass bands and gorgeous uniforms were held in all of the cities and towns in this part of the country.

In 1940, high winds and blinding snow squalls swept upstate New York for the second consecutive day as a passenger train killed two men at Dunkirk and Buffalo coast guardsmen found dead a deaf mute fisherman who became lost on Lake Erie ice. The coast guardsmen came upon the snow-covered body of John Duras, 28, whom companions last saw about 2 p.m. the previous day. Earlier, Dunkirk Police reported a passenger train killed two men when their automobile was struck in the midst of a blinding snow storm that brought nearly a foot of snow to that Chautauqua County city. The crash victims were identified as John Mlezko, 23, and Stanley Miskow, Jr., 24.

The weatherman handed a choice menu of snow and cold to New York state ski addicts this day. Conditions as reported by the bureau of state publicity, ranged from “good” to “excellent.” Allegany State Park had one inch of new powder snow on nine inches old base. The temperature was 19 above zero and the skiing was good. Ellicottville had five inches of new powder on 12 inches of old base. The conditions were reported as good with snow still falling.

In 1965, Jamestown City Council tabled a resolution which would authorize Mayor Fred H. Dunn to reopen negotiations for the purchase of the Curtis Farm for future expansion of the Municipal Golf Course adjoining Jamestown Community College. Efforts by the city to acquire the property, which consisted of approximately 100 acres and was located adjoining the northern boundary of the JCC Campus, were started in 1961 during the administration of Mayor Carl F. Sanford but were never completed.

The annual search for the year’s Miss Jamestown was launched by the sponsoring Jamestown Jaycees. Until the entry deadline, probably sometime in March, the Jaycees would be accepting applications. Anthony Riolo, entries chairman, said the winner of the annual contest would be crowned at the Miss Jamestown Pageant, which would be held in May at a time, date and place yet to be announced. Among other eligibility requirements, entrants must be single and never have been married, divorced or had a marriage annulled. They must be high school graduates and should be not less than 18 nor more than 28 years old. They must be of good character and possess poise, personality, intelligence, charm and beauty.

In 1990, Unemployment in Chautauqua County was expected to increase this month from December, which saw non-agricultural employment in the county reach an all-time high of 59,100. The projection was made by Ronald Scrace, senior economist/labor analyst with the Buffalo office of the state Labor Department’s Unemployment Insurance Division. “In January, we will see higher unemployment. No question about that,” he said.

Ava Gardner, who lived a Hollywood siren’s life of fast cars, failed marriages and heated affairs but failed to find happiness in love or in her 60-film movie career, died the previous day at her west London home. She was 67. Paul Mills, a long-time friend who announced the death, said she had been ill with pneumonia. The dark-haired, green-eyed actress, born a farmer’s daughter, fled Hollywood for Europe in the 1950s. She once complained, “The image I seem to have, that I’m a loud-mouthed, temperamental, oversexed, sultry siren, sometimes terrifies me.” Miss Gardner was married briefly to actor Mickey Rooney and to big band leader Artie Shaw and for six years to Frank Sinatra.

In Years Past

In 1915, William E. Jackson died at his home at Frewsburg on this afternoon at the age of about 50 years. He was survived by his wife, Angelina Jackson, and two daughters, Ella and Helen Jackson of Frewsburg; a son, Robert H. Jackson of Jamestown; and a sister, Mrs. Frank Gregory of Russell, Pa. Mr. Jackson had made his home at Frewsburg for the past 20 years and was a member of Frewsburg lodge, I.O.O.F., also of the Masonic lodge at Columbus, Pa., and Ismailia temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Buffalo.

A fire which badly damaged the Hotel Columbia at Fredonia on this morning started either in the rear of the barber shop owned by Joseph Parlatto or in a clothes cleaning shop in the rear of the barber shop. The barber shop occupied the store fronting Main Street next to the DeForest Straight Clothing Co. on one side and the J.D. McLaren Dry Goods Company on the other. The damage to both merchandise stocks was heavy due to smoke and water. The hotel rooms over the barber shop were gutted and the fire went into the attic and spread out under the roof so it took two hours flooding with three streams of water to put it out.

In 1940, Shirley Temple joined the staff of the Jamestown Evening Journal to write her version of the future she faced in common with every other boy and girl in America. “I don’t think it matters very much whether I want to grow up or not,” said Miss Temple. “It just happens. And it’s not anything to get excited about one way or another. I want to grow up because if I don’t ever get bigger there would be something wrong with me. The nice thing about growing up is that you don’t feel it. Somebody once told me about growing pains, but I’ve never felt any. All that happens is that one morning you try to put on your shoes and they pinch you. And then your mother looks at your dress and she says it doesn’t fit very well.”

Acceptance by the federal government of the offer of $138,535 for the tract of land on Prendergast Avenue, East Second and East Third streets, the site chosen for the new $725,000 Jamestown post office had been received by Clyde G. Jones, local agent for the site. Mr. Jones and Walter Edson, representing the owners of the property on the site, were in Buffalo with abstracts prepared in accordance with the regulations of the government, conferring with the office of George L. Grobe, United States attorney.

In 1965, a massive cleanup operation was being continued following one of the worst ice storms in Chautauqua County in years, which cut off public utility services to hundreds and would result in untold thousands of dollars damage. Thousands of tree limbs bending or breaking under a thick coating of ice starting Friday night caused havoc to electric and telephone service. Most county highways and Jamestown streets were reported open to travel, but many were rutted with slush turned to ice and were slick where water had run into the streets. A majority of Chautauqua County schools were closed due to dangerous highway conditions. Jamestown schools remained open.

Sir Winston Churchill lay at rest while the world awaited the somber magnificence of the state funeral he planned for himself. Monarchs, presidents and veteran statesmen would follow his coffin on its last journey Saturday. President Johnson said he would be among them if sufficiently recovered from the cold that sent him to the hospital over the weekend. Churchill died the previous day at No. 28 Hyde Park Gate, the London house in which he had lived since retiring from the premiership in 1955. Two months past his 90th birthday, he had suffered a stroke nine days before. Medical experts said he died peacefully.

In 1990, Chautauqua County towns, villages and cities were on their own in establishing recycling programs by May 1. In a nearly party-line decision, the County Legislature voted 13-12 not to implement or pay for municipal recycling projects sparking critical comments from mayors and Democratic legislators at the session. Legislator Robert Stanley, R-Bemus Point, was the only lawmaker to cross party lines in the vote on the Democrat proposed resolution. The defeated measure called for county government to “arrange recycling facilities on or before May 1 for use by Chautauqua County’s municipalities at no charge to those municipalities.”

It was business as usual for veteran volunteer worker Elizabeth A. “Betty” Hyde, 84, of the Senior Citizens High Rise Apartments on Fifth Street in Jamestown. She was getting ready to go off to work. This day it was at the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County. “This is my day to go to the United Way,” Ms. Hyde said. For her, volunteerism had become a way of life. Retired after more than 40 years as a buyer for the former Bigelow’s Department Store, Ms. Hyde had made a second career of volunteer work on behalf of about a dozen community organizations. Her dedication to volunteer work brought her the fifth annual Axel W. Carlson Award of a plaque and a $1,000 check in a ceremony in the lobby of Jamestown’s Municipal Building.

In Years Past

In 1915, the people of Jamestown were violating quarantine regulations established by the board of health for the prevention of the spread of contagious diseases. This was especially true of scarlet fever and mumps quarantine. Instances were known in which these quarantines had been violated. The law made violation of quarantine regulations a misdemeanor and Health Superintendent, Dr. John J. Mahoney, at a meeting of the board of health, said with considerable emphasis that if the people persisted in such violation they would be prosecuted and the members of the board with equal emphasis agreed to back Dr. Mahoney up in such prosecutions. This was a serious matter. By such carelessness on the part of the people, it was impossible to check the spread of contagious diseases.

A movement to modernize the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce had begun, the plan being to form a committee of citizens with the present board of directors of the organization as the nucleus and all of the interests of the city to be represented and to then formulate definite plans for making Jamestown a bigger and a busier city. It was pointed out that the purpose of the organization would not be to bring a new factory to Jamestown by every mail but rather to foster those industries which were already located here and then to make an effort to secure other industries adapted to local conditions.

In 1940, the motion picture version of “Gone With the Wind,” Margaret Mitchell’s Civil War epic story, would open at the Winter Garden Theater in Jamestown Friday, Feb. 2, close on the heels of the world premiere at Atlanta, Georgia, which attracted nationwide attention near the close of the past year. The picture would run here for two weeks with three showings a day starting at 10 a.m. The producers had announced that the picture, all in color, would not be shown anywhere except at advanced prices at least until 1941. David O. Selznick bought the motion picture rights of Gone With the Wind from Margaret Mitchell on July 30, 1936, for $50,000, the highest price ever paid for a first novel.

Armed with a snow shovel and a pair of galoshes, Joe McCarthy, New York Yankees’ manager, began getting in shape to mastermind the American Baseball league champions to another pennant. Pausing between scoopfuls of snow, which he hurled from the walk of his Buffalo home, the pilot of the only major league team to win four consecutive world series admitted “the Yanks are all set.” He asserted, “the club is young. All the boys are still going up and the team has yet to reach its peak. With any sort of support from the pitching staff, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t repeat.”

In 1990, work was under way at the Olean regional office of the state Department of Environmental Conservation to develop a management plan for one of the last major undeveloped areas fronting Chautauqua Lake. The DEC had taken possession of Tom’s Point near Stow from the Western New York Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, which acquired the property on behalf of the state agency. The 71-acre parcel would be managed by the DEC as a muskellunge nursery and wetlands area.

The New York state government wasn’t likely to commit any more money to the unfinished Southern Tier Expressway in Chautauqua County this year, the No. 2 man in Albany said. But, Lt. Gov. Stan Lundine said, there might be more money for the highway during the state fiscal year that would begin April 1, 1991. Lundine said 1991 would be a “big year” for infrastructure in the state.

In Years Past

In 1915, cricketers and their friends to the number of 60 gathered at the Brooklyn House Friday evening for the annual banquet of the Jamestown Worsted Mills Cricket Club. The gathering was not confined to Englishmen alone, for in the assemblage both France and Sweden were represented, and the program included the Marseillaise, the national anthem of France, and several Swedish songs, as well as “Tipperary,” “My Girl is a Yorkshire Girl,” “Soldiers of the King” and “The Boys of the Bull Dog Breed.” The affair began with a banquet at 8:30 p.m., the men occupying seats at three large tables in the main dining room. The hotel provided a feast which was in every way satisfactory.

The Jamestown Athletic Club completed the bill to be presented at its boxing show next Friday evening and indications were that there would be action and plenty of it. The program would include only three bouts this time, but the semi-final affair would be lengthened from 6 to 8 rounds, making it more of a battle. As it was generally known by the fans, Fay Graham, the local lightweight, and Tommy Moore of Chicago would clash in the main bout which would be 10 rounds in length. They signed the articles of agreement to weigh 133 pounds ringside and each posted a forfeit that he would make that figure.

In 1940, the oldest piece of fire apparatus in the city of Jamestown, old No. 6 hose truck, purchased by the city in 1911 when the old volunteer fire department was superseded by the paid department, had given up the ghost. The old truck had not been in service since December and firemen were now dismantling it to place its still usable equipment on the supply truck. Already, 1,000 feet of hose, nozzles, axes, ladders and other equipment from the old truck had been transferred to the supply truck which had been placed in service at No. 6 station at Buffalo and Allen streets.

According to estimates made by the Manufacturers’ Association and based on figures of both member and non-member factories reporting, the employment in local industries was at a high mark for the past 10-year period, which was reassuring to all interested in Jamestown and dependent on its prosperity. Typical of many communities in the trying years of depression, Jamestown had seen some of its industries close, consolidate or move out. Others, with keen competition to meet had continued to operate but not on a profitable basis. That much of the slack of factory employment had been picked up was reassuring evidence of improving conditions and the progressive spirit of local manufacturers.

In 1965, a thick coat of ice blanketed the area on this morning, knocking out electrical service in several areas, snapping numerous tree branches and giving motorists a substantial headache. Communities along Lake Erie, meanwhile, were the targets of a heavy snow fall. More snow for the county, including Jamestown, was predicted for this day. A driving combination of freezing rain and sleet hit the Jamestown area overnight, coating it with ice and making hazardous driving conditions. Reaching its peak, the storm set off reports of downed power lines and tree limbs. At about 7 a.m. a hot wire in the vicinity of Lakeview and Clyde avenues snapped, disrupting electrical service to houses in the area.

Residents of Cassadaga were caught up in an all out effort to insure the participation and attendance of 5,000 visitors for the Fifth Annual Cassadaga Winter Carnival which would get under way Feb. 6 with a diversified three-day program of skiing and other winter sports events. Proceeds of the Carnival would go into a special fund to provide for replacing the Cassadaga Fire Department’s 17-year-old emergency vehicle and rescue unit.

In 1990, Tom Chapin would be supporting his releases “Family Tree” and “Moonboat,” on A&M Records and would play at Marvel Theater at the State College at Fredonia Wednesday and Thursday. As part of the Arts-in Education program of the Arts Council for Chautauqua County, he would also be performing day concerts for Lake Shore Middle School Wednesday and Jamestown High School on Thursday.

AIDS, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, had no known cure but being informed could be the best defense to avoid exposure to the disease. That was the message from the Chautauqua County Health Department at an assembly at Pine Valley High School. The Chautauqua County Health Department offered free testing for those who believed they might be at risk, public informational presentations on AIDS and counseling and all these services were free.

In Years Past

In 1915, the effect of the war on the high cost of living had been discussed from every point of view and it had been brought nearer the people of Jamestown by the recent gains in the wheat market and its consequent effect on the cost of flour and baked goods. Of course, bread was the one commodity which it affected the most. Local bakers were selling bread for five cents a loaf and would continue to do so until compelled to buy flour at the present high market price. It was quite possible that the price of bread would be raised to 6 cents per loaf.

Announcement was made of an important change in the retail trade of Jamestown. E. Verne Bly had purchased the interest of his business associate, E.S. Johnson, in the Johnson & Bly Shoe Store at 119 Main St. and would hereafter conduct the business as an individual enterprise. The dissolution of the co-partnership was made by mutual consent and with the best of feeling between these popular shoe men. Mr. Bly would continue the business with the goodwill and good wishes of Mr. Johnson.

In 1940, members of the Jamestown Ski Club placed among the leaders in several events of a Niagara Frontier ski meet at Kane, Pa., Sunday in preparation for their first competition of the season at Ivory Hill Jan. 28. Thore Pearson was first in the downhill event. Arne Anderson was third and Vic Larson and Osk Lundgren finished in a fourth place tie. Burt Smith finished second in the cross country, trailed by Pearson, Varland Ohlson and Karl Widen. Larson was fourth in the slalom, Widen sixth and Pearson seventh. Eugene Olson, Chautauqua High School athlete, won the slalom and was second in the cross country featuring the junior tournament on Saturday. The ski meet the following Sunday at the Ivory winter sports site of the Jamestown Ski Club was expected to attract entries from Buffalo, Olean, Kane, Rochester, Allegany State Park and Cleveland.

For the fourth consecutive day gusty winds whipped light snow into high drifts, blocking main highways through Western New York and threatening the city of Buffalo with a possible milk shortage. John Drought, divisional manager of the Dairymen’s league, said “unless roads are cleared, soon we’ll have to ask downstate points not affected by the storm to ship us milk by rail.” Drought pointed out that the following day’s milk supply “depends on whether the roads are cleared for trucks to get through.” At the same time, drifts virtually isolated Buffalo, a city of approximately 600,000 population.

In 1965, Miss Virginia Brewster, former County Home Demonstration Agent, was the new president of the Chautauqua County Humane Society, a post which was held for 13 years by the late Mrs. Mary Westwater Reynolds. Miss Brewster, a graduate of Cornell University and active in many civic affairs, was elected by the society’s board at its annual meeting at St. Luke’s Episcopal Undercroft. Annual reports showed that 3,462 animals had been cared for at the shelter the past year and that 335 cruelty investigations had been made out of which there were three convictions.

Fire of undetermined origin heavily damaged the recently completed home of the Ronnie Woodin family at Lottsville early this day. Mr. and Mrs. Woodin and their 2-month-old child escaped without injury and were staying with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Archie Woodin, who lived across the road from the burned structure. The fire was discovered at 2:30 a.m. Bear Lake fire officials requested assistance from Surgargrove and both departments arrived at about the same time. The one-story ranch type home was constructed with a garage in the basement and firemen said draft from open garage doors caused the fire to burn with such intensity they were unable to control it.

In 1990, Gov. Mario Cuomo would probably decide sometime in the spring whether to seek a third term as New York’s chief executive, said Lt. Gov. Stan Lundine. “Truthfully, the governor and I haven’t even talked about running,” Lundine told The Post-Journal on this morning. Asked if he’d run for governor if Cuomo didn’t, Lundine said, “I think it’s likely that he will run, but if he doesn’t, I think that I would be interested in exploring running for governor.”

A stationary low-pressure system that brought a mixed weather bag to the area during the weekend was moving out, leaving in its wake slippery roads and mostly around-the-clock assignments for highway crews. Slush resulting from extremely wet snow Saturday, along with a freezing mist Sunday night, combined to make travel hazardous, with numerous property damage accidents reported.

In Years Past

In 1915, Miss Edith Ainge, chairman of the Jamestown Woman’s Political Union, and Miss Jane Pincus of the New York Woman’s Political Union were arranging a series of meetings for Miss Helen Todd, the noted California speaker, who would be in Jamestown for a few days during the week of March 13. Miss Pincus was known in Jamestown as she came here about a year ago and opened up headquarters in the Chadakoin building and later during the summer came with several other enthusiastic suffragists and erected a tent in Brooklyn Square. Miss Pincus was planning a trip for Miss Todd which would include all the principal towns from New York to Buffalo.

Although more than two months had passed since the Buffum case was argued, no decision had been handed down by the Court of Appeals in regard to the case. It was usual for the Court of Appeals to hand down decisions on Tuesday and Attorney P.S. Collins had been expecting the decision for the past three weeks. A few weeks ago, the Court of Appeals affirmed three murder cases and the fact that the Buffum one was being held back argued well for the condemned prisoner and the general opinion was that the decision would be a reverse one.

In 1940, a group of citizens, through whom it was hoped a public subscription campaign might be launched to aid in financing a proposed stadium to accommodate the PONY League team of the Pittsburgh Pirates, had been named by Jamestown Mayor Leon F. Roberts to attend the conference with Joe Schultz, head of the Pittsburgh club’s system of baseball “farms” to be held at Jamestown city hall on Tuesday. The group named by Mayor Roberts included representatives of various departments of city government and many elements of the community interested in securing an athletic stadium for the city.

A significant step toward settlement of the nine-month old labor dispute at the plant of the Union National Furniture Company on Crescent Street in Jamestown was taken at the office of Mayor Leon Roberts when Joseph Proudman, representing the United Furniture Workers’ Union, offered to withdraw the picket line at the plant for one week. The offer was made to prevent any possibility of renewed disturbances outside the factory while negotiations for settlement of the trouble continued. Mr. Proudman made the offer voluntarily. He added that he would extend the offer if, at the end of the week, prospects for settlement of the difficulty seemed good.

In 1965, higher revenues combined with less-than-expected expenditures on its 1964 operations enabled Jamestown General Hospital to wind up the year by returning a $118,865 “surplus” to the city treasury. The increased revenue and reduction in spending registered during the year, cut the anticipated deficit to $48,035 and made possible a return to the city of a $118,865 year end surplus. As a result, the portion of the local real estate tax rate needed for support of the hospital was cut from the $2.44 to 70 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation.

A breakdown in financing because of a disagreement concerning utilities had prompted a Cleveland, Ohio, company to abandon its plans for constructing a recreational complex near Fluvanna and look for another site. Robert A. Keller of the Recreation and Development Co., of Cleveland, who the past July announced his company would build a $1 to $2 million project on Chautauqua Lake, said the deal folded. Financers would not go along with the company’s plan to construct and operate its own sewage treatment plant.

In Years Past

In 1915, an editorial in The Journal a few days previously called attention to the urgent need of food in Belgium at the present time, emphasizing the fact that although the Belgian people could use all kinds of supplies to good advantage during the winter, they had to have food at once in order to prevent wholesale starvation. This editorial met with a ready response on the part of Journal readers, several of which had contributed sums of money as the nucleus of a local relief fund and others had made inquiries as to the best means of rendering assistance to the starving Belgians. It had therefore been decided to establish a relief fund in Jamestown.

The world’s mightiest navel unit – the new U.S. fleet – would be seen in review at the Samuels Theater in Jamestown on Jan. 22 and 23 when Lyman H. Howe would present his remarkable reproduction photographed by authority of Secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels. The average citizen read of progress made and the increased efficiency of our navy but at best, he could only realize in a most vague way how tremendous were the strides that had been made even in the past few months. This film was to be presented in order to give the general public an opportunity to realize the amazing efficiency attained.

In 1940, nearly 600 passenger and 36 commercial license plates were issued in three hours on this morning on the final day at the temporary office of the Chautauqua County Motor Vehicle Bureau on 20 East Third Street in Jamestown. A total of 7,202 license plates were issued at the local office during the two-week period ending at noon this day as compared with 7,100 the previous year. Plates could be procured only at the Mayville office commencing Monday with all vehicles required to display 1940 license plates on and after Feb. 1.

There would be plenty of skating for Jamestowners over the weekend, according to Krist Hanson, superintendent of parks, who announced a third rink, 100 by 100 feet, had been opened and was ready for use at Lincoln Junior High School. Another rink was being prepared at the East Jamestown School. It would be available the first part of the following week. Rinks in Allen and Roseland parks and at the west side school would be open from 2-5 and 7-10 p.m. Sunday and every day the following week. Mr. Hanson reported the ice surface was in excellent condition as a result of the cold weather.

In 1965, concern over a number of vacant run-down buildings in their neighborhood was registered by several residents of the Second Ward’s Fourth District at a meeting of Jamestown City Council’s Public Safety Committee. Spokesman for the group, Sylvester Thompson of W. 11th Street, told the committee that there were many dilapidated buildings in their immediate area which were not only eyesores but were a menace to the safety of children in the neighborhood. Noting that Rochester had an ordinance which permitted the city to demolish such buildings or have them renovated at the owner’s expense, Mr. Thompson asked the committee to investigate the possibility of enacting a similar measure for Jamestown.

Jamestown Mayor Fred Dunn said he was unaware of any proposed “deal” to settle a $30,000 debt claimed by the U.S. Federal Housing and Home Finance Agency, as reported by a Washington correspondent. A story quoted Rep. Charles Goodell as saying he proposed that the debt be paid over a five year period by Jamestown. Mayor Dunn said he had not been advised of any such “deal” and that he was sure he would have been consulted before any such action was taken by the Jamestown congressman. The city’s plans for urban redevelopment were frozen pending settlement of the claimed debt.

In 1990, repair work on the Washington Street Bridge in Jamestown might begin as early as Feb. 1 if weather permitted and M. Falgiano Construction of Buffalo did not ask for a delay in the start date. Falgiano was the lowest of four bidders for the work, with a proposal of $1,339,933, said William Casseday, regional construction engineer with the Buffalo office of the state Department of Transportation. “Considering the time of year,” Casseday said, “the company may request a delay until sometime in March.”

What was that white cloud in the valley? The one by the Jamestown light plant. It was not really a cloud although it might look that way at times. It gave the appearance of a stratocumulus formation but it really was only water vapor. That was the explanation given by R. James Gronquist, general manager of the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities at the BPU’s Friday afternoon meeting. Gronquist added that the cloud of vapor was all in keeping with requirements of the light plant’s operating permit issued by the state Department of Environmental Conservation under its state pollution discharge elimination system.

In Years Past

In 1915, as a part of their campaign to recruit up to 100 officers and enlisted men, Company E, 65th infantry, National Guard non-commissioned officers, gave the first of a series of informal social gatherings in the state armory on Monday evening with some 75 of the young men of Jamestown as guests. The entire armory was thrown open for the purpose and, in addition to the special entertainment featured, the pool room, bowling alleys and rifle range were in use throughout the evening, while groups of young men gathered about the piano in the reading room at frequent intervals and sang popular songs. Practically the entire membership of the company was on hand and every effort was made to give the guests a good time.

The Jamestown High School team would open its basketball schedule Friday evening in the school gymnasium, playing the quintet representing Chamberlain Military Institute of Randolph. The J.H.S. five was starting the season somewhat later than usual but owing to the team being allowed to play only a certain number of games, it was thought advisable to start the season late and run the games off in quick succession rather than to play a game and then rest a couple of weeks before the next game.

In 1940, transfer of the lease on the municipal airport on North Main Street extension in Jamestown, from Frederick Larson, present port manager, to Neil B. McCray of Fairview, Pa., suburb of Erie, was formally approved by city council. The vote was unanimous. Mr. Larson was giving up his lease to enable him to accept a position with the Jamestown Telephone Corporation which would include the duty of piloting the private airplane of John H. Wright. Mr. McCray was distributor for the Piper Company as well as for the Stinson Aircraft Company of Detroit.

Frank Cheney, 64, a member of the Bemus Point Village Board for the past eight years, was fatally injured and his wife, Mrs. Sarah Cheney, 46, suffered minor injuries when their automobile was struck by a J.W.&N.W. trolley car at Shore Acres grade crossing the previous afternoon. Mr. Cheney died in the Boyd ambulance while enroute to Jamestown General Hospital. Mrs. Cheney was a patient at the same hospital. Her condition was reported as good. The trolley car was moving at about 10 miles per hour. The trolley car whistle was sounding at the time. It was believed that Mrs. Cheney, who was driving, was unable to stop because of the slippery pavement.

In 1965, a 16-year-old boy became eligible for the “Wrong Way Corrigan” club the past night. Police said he was hitch-hiking to New York City but traveling west instead of east on Route 17. And to add to his miscalculations, he hailed a westbound state trooper’s car at the Waterboro Bridge, East of Kennedy, bringing his journey to an end. The boy, whose name was withheld, was tired, hungry and cold and welcomed the sight of the police car with its flashing red light. Earlier in the day, the boy had left the State Youth Opportunity Camp at Great Valley, hoping to hitchhike a ride to his home in the New York metropolitan area. However, the youth said he became confused on directions and did not realize he was traveling west instead of east until he reached the bridge. The officer treated him to a hot meal at a Falconer restaurant and he was returned to the youth camp.

Snow, driven by gusty winds up to 30 miles per hour slowed traffic to a snail’s pace in Jamestown and Chautauqua County late the previous afternoon and the city was bundled up again against nippy weather. Two inches of snow fell in the Jamestown area, most of it dropping during the traffic rush hour starting about 4 p.m. The County Highway Department dispatched nine plows the previous afternoon and they were kept busy through the night.

In 1990, Ripley property owners near a site where a company wanted to put in a landfill for non-hazardous construction debris didn’t like the proposal or the fact that they hadn’t been told about it. Quintley Leamer, whose property bordered the site of a proposed landfill for non-hazardous construction debris, said he was unaware of the situation until he read about it in Wednesday’s Post-Journal. He said no one contacted him about the proposal and added, “I don’t like the idea. How would you like to live at a dump?”

American and foreign auto makers had lost their last-ditch effort to have New York’s lemon law thrown out. The state Court of Appeals ruled 6-1 on Thursday to uphold a key provision of the consumer-oriented law. Under the process begun in 1987, a consumer whose new car cannot be repaired could take the case to an arbitrator. Both sides would then have to live with the arbitrator’s decision. But auto makers claimed that the lemon law violated their right to a jury trial and set up a “kangaroo court” where consumers had an advantage and manufacturers had no recourse if they lost.

In Years Past

In 1915, fire practically destroyed the building at Allegheny College in Meadville occupied by the Department of Chemistry Friday morning, entailing a loss estimated at from $40,000-$50,000. Insurance in the amount of $10,000 was carried on the building and $1,000 on the contents. The entire fire department was called out and when it was found that the water pressure was too low to be of much value, one of the trucks was stationed near the Odd Fellows’ Home and the pumps started. This was a splendid assistance to the firemen, but despite their efforts, the building continued to burn throughout most of the morning and it was necessary to keep several streams of water continuously playing upon the flames. The greatest loss would be in the destruction of the splendid equipment, the Chemistry Department of Allegheny College being recognized as one of the finest in the entire country.

There was an opportunity for the sportsmen of Chautauqua County to stock the streams in this corner of the state with trout fry by making application to the state conservation commission and Joseph W. Graff of Jamestown had already made application for a supply with which to stock several of the streams in the vicinity of Jamestown. The state furnished the fry free of charge and Mr. Graff had a limited number of application blanks for distribution at his sporting good store on East Third Street. “There are between 500,000 and 600,000 trout fry at the state fish hatchery at Bemus Point,” said Mr. Graff, “and they may be secured for the asking, provided, of course, that they are to be placed in public streams and not used for private purposes.”

In 1940, two Buffalo-built army air corps experimental pursuit airplanes were in Washington, D.C., for a three-day Congressional display of high performance aircraft at Bolling Field. For Lawrence D. Bell, 45-year-old president of the Bell Aircraft Corporation, two years of experimental work to produce the “most vicious fighting airplane in the world” neared reality. The Bell P-39, named Airacobra because if its likeness to the deadly cobra in viciousness, was one of two planes flown the previous day taking part in the air corps’ exhibit. The other was the Curtiss P-40 single seater fighter, an improved model of the Curtiss Hawk.

A public testimonial dinner honoring United States Attorney General Robert H. Jackson, first Jamestown or Chautauqua County man ever to be appointed to the cabinet of a president of the United States, would be held in the ballroom of the Hotel Jamestown sometime in February, The Journal learned. A group of citizens was already at work on plans for the affair. John H. Wright, one of Mr. Jackson’s most intimate friends, had accepted the general chairmanship and would announce his committees within a few days.

In 1990, Chautauqua Lake should have 454 of its 13,000 acres sprayed with weed-killing chemicals in the coming summer, according to a Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development proposal being submitted to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The proposal, based on a two-year study of the lake, called for 100 acres north of the Bemus Point-Stow Ferry to be treated with herbicides, probably Diquat and Aquathol-K. Another 354 acres south of the ferry also should be sprayed with the chemicals, according to the recommendation.

Allegany County residents who blockaded the roads leading to a proposed radioactive waste dump were joined in spirit by a West Valley group that said it would oppose any attempt to put the dump at the existing West Valley nuclear waste site in Cattaraugus County. “Use of the existing West Valley nuclear waste facility for interim or permanent storage of additional nuclear waste is not an option,” Carol Mongerson, spokeswoman for the Coalition on West Valley Nuclear Wastes, said. Mongerson said that the billion dollar cleanup of the nuclear dump about 35 miles south of Buffalo would be derailed if more wastes were brought in.

In Years Past

In 1915, the five-passenger, 1914 Overland automobile, owned by Dr. G.W. Cottis, was stolen on this morning at about 1 a.m. while standing in front of the Jamestown Club. The police were immediately notified and at about 11 a.m. in the morning the car was found at the corner of Allen and Willard streets. The person or persons who stole the car evidently did not understand much about an automobile, for instead of running it on the magneto they had run it on the batteries. The batteries soon became dry and the occupants were forced to abandon the car. No clue had been found as to who did the deed but the police were investigating the matter.

Jeremiah Gifford died at 10:20 a.m. in the morning at his winter home on East Sixth Street in Jamestown. Mr. Gifford had been ill six weeks, but his death was unexpected. He was born Feb. 6, 1826, in the town of Harmony and for later years had resided at Gifford Park, Lakewood. He was well known both at Lakewood and Jamestown and was the founder of Gifford Park which was laid out on the old Gifford homestead. He was widely known and highly respected both in and outside of the city, and his death left another gap in the ranks of the old residents of Chautauqua County. He was a very affable and lovable old gentleman and many would learn with regret of his death.

In 1940, starting the following week, all telephoned fire alarms would be received in Jamestown on a special switchboard to be installed in the office of the fire chief, it was revealed by Chief Rudolph H. Swanson. At present, all fire alarms received by telephone were accepted through the police department and verbally relayed to the fire department next door. The fire alarm telephone number would be the same 4-114, the only change being in the location of the telephone receiver.

A plummeting mercury and strong northwest winds chilled Western New York and left highways slippery and snow drifted in some sections. At Buffalo, Senior Meteorologist James Spencer predicted “near zero” temperatures this night with occasional snow flurries. Strong 35 mph winds from the northwest intensified the nine degree temperature, he added.

In 1965, Henry Hite, billed as “The World’s Tallest Man,” would visit Quality Markets in the Jamestown area in the coming week. He was 8 feet, 2 inches tall without benefit of his size 22 shoes which cost $250 per pair. Mr. Hite was on a tour sponsored by Wilson’s Certified Meats. Hite was 48 years old, weighted 300 pounds, wore a 19-inch collar and had a 45-inch sleeve length. He would stay at the Hotel Jamestown where two beds would be joined together to accommodate his towering height.

The first in a series of guided tours of Jamestown City Hall, sponsored by the Jamestown Jaycees, was conducted on this afternoon to point out the condition of the 70-year-old building. The tours were scheduled Saturdays, from 1-4 p.m., and were part of a Jaycee campaign urging construction of a new municipal building. Termed a “dilapidated old dump” by Mayor Fred H. Dunn, the structure lacked many facilities required in an office building. The tours pointed out structural defects, cramped office space, poor storage facilities, rotted and sagging floors and other factors which the Jaycees cited as proof of the need for a new building.

In 1990, a police officer who interrupted a suspected drug deal in Union City, Pa., had died as the result of a shoot out with an Erie County man who also was killed, police said. John Joseph Kerr, a 32-year-old Union City officer, died Sunday in Hamot Medical Center in Erie about three hours after he was wounded in the chest and leg, police said. The man who police said shot the officer, Bruce Leland Thompson, also 32, of Northeast, died at the scene. “It is definitely a great tragedy, one of our brothers has been taken,” said Capt. Doug Greenfield, commanding officer of state police at Erie. “He was out there doing what he was paid to do.”

The Southern Tier Expressway and state aid to public school districts would catch the attention of two area state legislators as they leafed through Gov. Mario Cuomo’s executive budget. Those were the two items the legislators mentioned when asked what they were looking for in the budget Cuomo proposed for the state fiscal year that begins April 1. Before seeing the budget, Sen. Jess Present, R-Bemus Point, said he didn’t know what Cuomo would do about expressway money. Assemblyman William Parment, D-North Harmony, expressed both hope and doubt.

In Years Past

In 1915, the New Century Art Club held its postponed Carnevale Thursday afternoon in the assembly hall of the YWCA. Mrs. Alice Bentley Gardiner of Toledo, Ohio, appeared under the auspices of the club and gave several readings and recitations selected from her extensive repertoire. The assembly hall had been transformed for the occasion into a commodious drawing room, for the club members and their guests. Oriental rugs were used liberally and with the chairs grouped about them, a homelike atmosphere was imparted. Both the piano and table to the right of the hall were graced with huge bouquets of pink roses in wicker baskets. All was suffused with a soft glow of light from a tall lamp and pink shaded candelabra.

Thomas Vill and Thomas John, two Albanians, were arrested at 4 a.m. in the morning, charged with vagrancy. They pleaded guilty before Jamestown Police Justice Maharon in police court and were sentenced to serve 30 days each in the county jail at Mayville. Charlie Oliveri and Carl Montagna, two lads taken into custody on Tuesday evening for disobeying the curfew law, were arraigned before Police Justice Maharon. Sentence was suspended in each case and they were placed on probation for a period of one year each.

In 1940, a jail break as the first prisoner was being led to his cell in the county’s new jail highlighted the opening day of the Chautauqua County bastille. No prisoners escaped or made any attempts, no guards were called upon for emergency action, for it was a jail break of the legal variety – if there was such a thing. The incident came about as the guards proceeded to escort the bastille’s first “guest” to his cell after he had bathed and sent his clothing to the prison laundry. Access to the stairway from all floors was through a barred door, with the door in the basement being securely bolted and revealing no apparent intention of yielding. It was believed that a tumbler became disengaged and dropped out of place, preventing operation of the lock with the regular key. Sheriff Chadwick enlisted the aid of Leo Ludwig of Falconer, general contractor of the jail who came to the rescue with a box full of hammers, chisels punches and an electric drill.

Cousin Bert wouldn’t introduce the fellows at Albany Law School to Irene Gerhardt, who worked for the state government, until Robert H. Jackson came along. As cousins would, he kept telling her she wouldn’t like lawyers. But when Robert H. Jackson, who soon would be attorney general of the United States, came to law school, Bert changed his tune. He promptly brought Jackson calling on Irene. Three years later, in 1916, at Jamestown, the two were married, beginning the career which led to her prospective rank as a “cabinet wife.” Mrs. Jackson, whose dark hair was now parted in the middle with striking effect, said she “knew Bob was going places.”

In 1965, the Jamestown area creaked under the coldest weather of the winter the past night when the mercury plunged to five below zero. It was even colder in other parts of Chautauqua County and Cattaraugus County, which recorded the lowest temperatures – down to a reported 32 below zero at Freedom. Forecasters said the cold weather would continue this night and Saturday with intervals of light snow. Only one inch of snow fell on Jamestown the past night. In other Cattaraugus County villages, the temperatures were reported as 28 degrees below zero in South Dayton and 26 below in Elkdale.

Imagine housewives, shopping for groceries in a supermarket without clerks, without market baskets and with all the products behind glass. And with an electronic device to add up the bill and record charges in place of the usual checkout counter. It was coming in perhaps 5-10 years, the experts said. Forerunners already had appeared in France and Sweden. “Of course, the ultimate step may be elimination of all supermarkets,” said Herbert R. Brinberg, who as market research director of American Can Co. studied such possibilities.

In 1990, the state had to take dramatic action to reverse a downward trend in manufacturing which was fast becoming New York’s “forgotten economy,” the president of the Business Council of New York said. “New York has done much in recent years to improve its business climate and the business community’s campaign over the past year to promote manufacturing had helped build further recognition of the importance of our industrial base,” said Daniel Walsh. “Much, much more must be done. The health of our most important economic sector depends on it,” said Walsh.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s motto “We shall overcome,” had spread from the South to South Africa, Eastern Europe and the Far East, but his dream remained unfulfilled, his widow said before this day’s holiday honoring him. Church services, parades and other celebrations were held nationwide during the weekend before the federal holiday, which for the first time fell on the slain civil rights leader’s actual birthday. He would have been 61 this day.

In Years Past

In 1915, the use of the YMCA building and its privileges would be extended to the metal workers of Jamestown on Friday evening. It was expected to make this a big night in the work of the association and everything possible would be done to give the men a good time. The Swedish Mission Church band had been secured and would furnish music throughout the entire evening. It was expected that an indoor baseball game would be staged in the gymnasium between teams representing the Art Metal Construction Company Plant No. 1 and the Salisbury Wheel Works. The bowling alleys would be open during the evening and matches would be bowled between the Webber-Knapp Company, Watson Manufacturing, Dahlstrom Door and the Crown Metal Construction Company. In the main lobby, the men would be entertained with a number of novel events.

Chautauqua County Grange would be pardoned if they needed a little more room to breathe freely in and the male portion thereof if they needed hats of a larger size just now. It was on account of a little rivalry existing between Chautauqua and Jefferson counties. The race had been a pretty one. The past year Jefferson was in the lead by 151 but Chautauqua came in strong this year at the three-quarter pole and won with a total of 8030 members to 8007 for Jefferson. But the latter had no cause for discouragement. Of course, said they, Chautauqua ought to have more grangers for it had the most people. Census 1910, Chautauqua County 105,126 and Jefferson County 80,297.

In 1940, Chief of Police G. Harry Nelson stated that he was going to recommend to Jamestown city council the restoration of one-way traffic on West Second Street, between Main and Cherry streets, in a renewed effort to solve the rush hour congestion at Main and Second streets and on West Fifth Street. The proposed change would also restore about 12 parking spaces on the north side of the block affected. Chief Nelson said that this recommendation, accompanied by a request for the elimination of parking on the south side of West First Street during peak traffic hours possibly from 3:30-6 p.m. – would be submitted to city council Monday night.

Proposals for additional skating rinks in at least two parts of Jamestown were discussed at the organization meeting of the Citizens’ Recreation Commission at city hall. Fred Chindgren, chairman of city council’s recreation committee, presided. Chairman Charles Jones of the Jamestown Recreation council requested a hearing on the skating rink proposals. He said that many younger children in certain sections of the city were unable to avail themselves of the city skating facilities at Roseland and Allen parks. East side residents presented a request for establishment of a rink on the grounds of East Second Street school. it was decided that an effort should be made to provide a rink at that place.

In 1965, Jamestown City Hall’s ancient walls were still shaking after a verbal battle royal which, reports said, saw tempers reach the shouting stage in another struggle of wills between Mayor Fred H. Dunn and a three or four member City Council bloc. The whole thing was said to have taken place the past Monday night behind the closed doors of the mayor’s office and lasted about 10 bellowing minutes, punctuated by shrill name-calling. Insiders said the blowup was over an old problem that ripped Mayor Dunn’s Democratic administration early the past year when his party took over at City Hall. The problem was just who was going to appoint whom to various city boards and commissions.

Winners in the annual Christmas Light-up Contest were presented with pictures of their displays and certificates of commendation at the previous afternoon’s meeting of the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce’s Beautification Committee. The contest was sponsored by the chamber and The Post-Journal. First place winners were: Paul Pennock, 21 Clark St., residential; Mrs. Willis Simmons, 1054 N. Main St., creche scenes; Mrs. Charles Coxson, representing the First Baptist Church, winner in the church category and Harold Foster, representing the Pennsylvania Gas Co., winner of the industrial division.

In Years Past

In 1915, the Mondell resolution, proposing an amendment to the federal constitution granting to women the right to vote in all states, was defeated in the house the past night by a substantial vote. Of the 378 members present, 204 voted against the resolution and 174 voted for it. Women’s suffrage, therefore, polled just 16 votes less than a majority of those present and 41 less than a majority of the full membership of the lower branch of congress. Republicans and Democrats divided on the proposal without regard to their political affiliations. The Democrats from the South voted against the resolution almost to a man. Of the 174 who voted for suffrage, 85 were Democrats, 71 Republicans and 18 Progressives.

A serious effort was in progress to connect Sugar Grove and North Warren with Jamestown and the Chautauqua Lake region by a new trolley line. This had been made evident by the staking out of a proposed line through the town of Busti. The street car line had been staked out through the town from Sugar Grove taking the road south of the Stillwater crossing up through the village nearly to the Brick school house, to Shadyside, thence to Jamestown. It was a good indication that there may be a new line of cars and with the many attractions around the lake it ought to be a paying investment.

In 1940, a rally would be held at Temple Hesed Abraham in Jamestown Monday night, Jan. 15, when arrangements for the inauguration of the local campaign for the United Jewish Appeals would be made. Speakers would include Rabbi Judah Nadish of the Temple Beth David, Buffalo, Rev. E. Roy Myers, pastor of the First Methodist Church and Rabbi Hans Kronheim of the local temple. A. Russakow of the local temple had made the following statement. “We hope to bring home to the Jews of Jamestown the dire distress of the Jewish people of Germany, Poland, Rumania and other countries of Eastern and Central Europe who must look to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in their time of need.”

Appointment of Robert H. Jackson as attorney general had resulted in renewed speculation concerning the political future of the former upstate New York lawyer. Conjecturing on Capitol Hill had centered chiefly on his chances for obtaining a place on the Democratic national ticket next fall but there also had been talk that he might follow his predecessor, Frank Murphy, to the Supreme Court, when another vacancy occurred there. At present, Jackson’s name was mentioned most frequently as a vice presidential running mate for the tall, dignified secretary of state, Cordell Hull.

In 1965, the Glenn Miller Orchestra led by Ray McKinley would present a three-hour concert and stage show in Jamestown on Feb. 10 under the sponsorship of the Jamestown Lions Club. The concert would be in the Jamestown High School auditorium. Proceeds from the program would be used by the Lions Club for its various charitable projects. When Glenn Miller entered the Army, his close friend, McKinley, went with him as a sergeant and the famed Army Air Force Band was formed. Miller was lost in a flight over the English Channel in 1944.

An evaluation of salaries within the Jamestown Public School system was expected within several weeks. E. Milton Johnson said the evaluation was due after board member, Dr. Gordon Sanctuary, called to the board’s attention an item published in The Post-Journal which quoted a police officer as stating that the city’s garbage collectors earned more per week than a starting patrolman. “We have many robust young men who could qualify as garbage collectors but I doubt that any garbage collector could qualify as a teacher,” Dr. Sanctuary said.

In 1990, there were fewer cars on the roads because of heavy snowfall over the holidays, so Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputies and state police took fewer drunk drivers off the highways, authorities said. Between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day there were about 20 arrests in Chautauqua County on charges of driving while intoxicated or drugged. During the same period last year, sheriff’s deputies stopped twice as many drunken drivers, said sheriff John Bentley. “That’s about what you’d expect. When the weather is good, you get more arrests,” he said.

An ambitious recycling program at Truck-Lite Co. in Falconer had a 1990 goal of recycling 80 tons of paper and cardboard. The program was headed by Roger Elmer and Greg Schwert, who said the material to be recycled was the equivalent of saving 1,360 trees, 54,600 gallons of oil and 240 cubic yards in Chautauqua County’s Ellery Landfill.

In Years Past

In 1915, Miss Nancy Boyer, a charming actress and a favorite in Jamestown, opened a week’s engagement at the Samuels Theater the past evening with the amusing comedy, A Woman’s Way. Miss Boyer had reason to feel flattered over the attendance at the opening night and the reception that was accorded her on her reappearance in Jamestown. It had been a long time since any theatrical attractions had been presented in Jamestown. That there were many willing and anxious to patronize such attractions was evident from the attendance last evening which filled every seat in the lower part of the house and the balcony and gallery as well.

The beautiful home of the Conewango Club, located at the corner of Second Avenue and Market Street in Warren, was visited by fire Sunday afternoon and before the flames were subdued, created damage that would amount to at least $20,000. Water did more damage to the interior than did the fire and the greater part of the loss would result from that source. On account of the headway that the flames had secured before the alarm was turned in, it required two hours of the hardest kind of work on the part of the firemen before the blaze was finally extinguished.

In 1940, Edward Urban, 58, of Dunkirk, who was visiting with a daughter, Mrs. Frank Koprowski of East Eleventh Street, Erie, was killed late Wednesday afternoon when struck by a New York Central passenger train at Fourteenth and Wagner, just east of Wesleyville. Urban was unidentified when police got in contact with the daughter and asked her if she knew an Edward Urban. His name and her address were in the cap he was wearing when he was killed. Urban had been taking long walks each day while in Erie. Wednesday he had gone to the Erie works of General Electric to see a friend. He was enroute to his daughter’s home at the time he was struck.

Practically as much snow had fallen the first 12 days of the current month as the 39-inch record of March, 1936, according to Gilbert C. Olson, weather bureau observer, who reported that the previous day’s fall of three inches brought the total to 37.5 inches. The wet, heavy snow, packed hard as it fell, aided by intermittent misty rain. Other heavy snowfalls were recorded in January 1923, 38.2 inches and March 1932, 37.9 inches. For the first time in more than two weeks the temperature exceeded the 30-degree mark, rising to 35 for the day’s maximum reading. The minimum was 27.

In 1965, Jamestown Community College’s image as a burgeoning and growing institution was given fresh support in a special report presented at the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees. L. Douglas Fols, dean of students, reported that to date the college had received 287 applications from students seeking admission for the semester which would open in September. He said that this figure compared with 166 applications received at this time one year ago.

Lakewood Mayor Roland C. Rapp ignited the fourth annual “Little Burn” at 7 p.m. Sunday before approximately 400 spectators at Beechwood Park. The project, under sponsorship of the Lakewood Area Jaycee’s was made possible through cooperation of the Village Highway Department, Boy Scouts, Police Reserves and the volunteer firemen. Local merchants donated coffee, cocoa and doughnuts, served to the shivering spectators by the committee including chairman Ronald Wilks.

In 1990, a revolt by taxpayers in New York state was about to begin and local government leaders had to share the blame, the president of the state Business Council said. Daniel B. Walsh, president of The Business Council of New York State Inc., made that prediction in a speech before more than 160 business people at a breakfast hosted by the Glens Falls accounting firm Silverstein, Loftus & Ross, CPAs, P.C. at the Queensbury Hotel in Albany. The revolt would start on Long Island and eventually spread throughout the state, Walsh said, because New York’s high taxes were adversely affecting the quality of life for state residents.

Street and road crews throughout Southwestern New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania were hard pressed to keep up with problems created by heavy snow and strong winds. A snow and blowing snow advisory through the night had been issued by the Buffalo office of the National Weather Service. Up to 6 inches of snow fell overnight in the area and was expected to continue at least through the coming night.

In Years Past

In 1915, the Warner Home for the Aged in Jamestown held its second annual gift day reception Friday. Many hundreds of visitors were greeted by the reception committee. A number of persons came from neighboring towns and villages and numerous pleasant new friendships were formed. A munificent response was made by all callers to the appeal for provisions and liberal money contributions were made. A delightful musical program was given throughout the day and tea was served from 4-6 p.m. A feature of the program was two vocal numbers by Mrs. M.C. Atherly, who lived at the home. She played her own accompaniment on the guitar and violin.

The application of residents and property owners along the Chautauqua Creek below the village of Westfield for injunctions restraining the village of Westfield and the Welch Grape Juice Co. from dumping sewage into the creek, were denied by Supreme Court Justice Pooley on this afternoon in Buffalo. Attorney Lee Ottaway represented the village and Judge A.B. Ottaway represented the Welch Grape Juice Co. It was understood that damage actions aggregating $30,000 were pending against the village and the grape juice company for polluting this stream. Those were still to be heard.

In 1940, 80 dogs of various breeds, the largest entry in the history of the Chautauqua County Poultry & Pet Stock Association, were benched in the basement of the furniture market building on West Second Street in Jamestown as its 32nd annual show continued with a large crowd in attendance. Storm Cloud, owned by Mrs. A. Harrison Reynolds, would be exhibited at the show. The dog was not entered in competition but was being shown at the request of the association, through the courtesy of its owner. Storm Cloud was of the Chesapeake breed. He was registered with the American Kennel Club.

Work was progressing rapidly on the police radio system in Jamestown with police mechanics concentrating efforts on the hooking up of the 50-watt transmitter in police headquarters. It was expected to be completed for inspection by RCA officials on Monday, Jan. 15. When other nearby communities became connected with the local system, the transmitter would be stepped up to 100 watts. The 100-foot aerial was erected the previous morning atop Jamestown’s City Hall building.

In 1965, Cattaraugus County recorded its sixth highway fatality of the one-week-old new year on Saturday night on Route 219, two miles south of Limestone. Killed in the accident was Walter D. Bunce, 61, River Street, Limestone. Bunce, listed as the driver of one of the cars, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Bradford, Pa., General Hospital. The other driver, Richard J. Eger Jr., 29, of Bradford and his passenger, Harold Noyes, 37, also of Bradford, were in the Bradford hospital. Bunce was traveling north and Eger was going south. The collision apparently occurred in the center of the highway.

A 9-year-old youth was cut about the arms Saturday noon when dragged through a cellar window to escape a fire on Buffalo Street. Arthur Jaroszynski Jr. and three other children were playing in the cellar when a pot of boiling tar was accidentally dumped on the stairway, igniting the area. Several unidentified persons joined in pulling the youngsters through the window before firemen arrived at the scene. The youngster was taken to WCA Hospital by members of the family and discharged after being treated for a cut right forearm and wrist. Damage was confined to the cellar steps and walls.

In 1990, if the Sea Lion survived the ice breakup on Chautauqua Lake in the spring, it would be smooth sailing for the ship for next summer and beyond. At least that was the hope of some former members of the ship’s crew and John Glenzer, newly appointed spokesman for the Chautauqua Lake Historic Vessels board of directors. Glenzer and the former crew members had resumed negotiations over the future maintenance and operation of the 16th century replica wooden sailing ship.

The demise of a state grant for operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants spelled trouble for local communities that couldn’t afford to run treatment facilities on their own, a wastewater association official said. Operation and Maintenance Grants established in 1964 by the state Legislature ended in 1989 and this meant hard times ahead for smaller wastewater treatment plants, Kermit Hultberg, president of the Chautauqua Region, said.

In Years Past

In 1915, in the past week a good deal of trouble had arisen in the Frewsburg bowling league over a scheduled game between the Clover Leafs and Brant’s Colts. The match was scheduled for the past Monday evening and it was found that only three men on each team could appear at the scheduled time. It was agreed that the fourth man on each team should bowl their games off at 6 p.m. and the remainder of the match was to be run off at the appointed time. The Clover Leaf man, however, failed to show up at 6 p.m., but the three-man match was bowled off as scheduled, the Colts winning. It was afterwards agreed that the fourth men should bowl the games off at a later time, but the captain of the Leafs changed his mind and as a result it had caused a good deal of wrangling and dispute. The matter had gone so far that things looked as though the league was to be broken up.

The hearts of the women of America went out to their sisters in Europe who were left in misery and want. American women often suffered from derangements that were purely feminine. At the first symptoms of any derangements of the female at any period of life the one safe, really helpful remedy was Dr. Pierce’s Favorite Prescription. It was a woman’s medicine and as such its mighty and marvelous restorative power was acknowledged the country over. Dr. Pierce’s Favorite Prescription was a true friend for women in times of trial and at times of pain. For headache, backache, hot flashes, mental depression, dizziness, fainting spells, lassitude and exhaustion, women should never fail to take this tried and true women’s medicine.

In 1940, the shock and exposure he suffered as a result of a fire which destroyed his farm home in Hungry Hollow, near Salamanca, proved fatal to Thomas Behan, 82-year-old retired railroad engineer. Mr. Behan, who was crippled, and his sister, Margaret Behan, aged 80, discovered the flames late Saturday night and tried to combat them with water from a short length of hose but could not prevent their spread. Starting around a stove pipe in the kitchen, flames spread until the large frame house was destroyed. Neighbors, awakened by the blaze, found the aged couple huddled, wet and shivering, near a turkey house on the farm. They were taken in by neighbors and a doctor called but Mr. Behan died of shock and exposure.

Mrs. C.H. Stickle, mother of Robert H. Jackson, attorney general designate, was this day celebrating her 73rd birthday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ella Springer in Frewsburg. The family birthday dinner was served Tuesday evening and was attended by Mr. Jackson who left afterward for Washington D.C. Mrs. Stickle, who was recovering from an illness, was up and about the house this day to welcome her birthday callers and to enjoy the shower of cards sent in birthday remembrance. Mrs. Stickle was an enthusiastic member of the Rebekah lodge and was district deputy. The Philathea class of the Methodist church, of which she was a member, also sent a remembrance.

In 1990, the village of Falconer was trying to make recycling simpler for residents to understand. Trustee Maurice Roach presented at the Village Board on Monday with a new recycling brochure, which was reviewed thoroughly before its completion. The brochure, published on bright green paper, would be given to residents and thoroughly explained recycling. It requested that residents not use paper bags, cardboard boxes or any kind of bag to place recyclable materials in as these could get wet and rip easily. Residents were asked to wait until they had a full pail of any specific recyclable item before placing it at the curb for pickup.

Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties had reported a high number of flu-like cases this season but the Chautauqua County health commissioner said he was not certain if it was the flu or another viral strain. The high-risk groups included people over age 65, nursing home patients, people with metabolic diseases or lung and heart disorders and youngsters on long-term aspirin therapy, according to the state health department. Chautauqua County went through some 5,000 doses of flu vaccine but availability of the vaccine was not a problem.

In Years Past

In 1915, the mayor of Olean announced that the city would not hire any dog catchers to enforce the state’s dog quarantine. If the state of New York wished to enforce the quarantine, it could hire its own help, declared the mayor. He said the quarantine was simply another case of the people being taxed when they were already taxed to death.

The Police Committee of the Jamestown Common Council would commence the investigation of the charges against Policeman Clarence L. Turner at the council chamber of the City Hall at 9:30 a.m. on the following Thursday. This date was determined at a meeting which the committee held the past Thursday evening at the law office of Cheston A. Price.

In 1940, reports were current that the Dionne quintuplets might be brought to the New York World’s Fair later this year but the officials, while refusing to discuss reports that an offer had been made, said no contract had been signed. In the past year, guardians of the famous five refused to permit them to be brought to the Flushing exposition, but at the time the children had never left their isolated home in Callander, Ontario. Since then, they had made a 180-mile trip to see England’s king and queen at Toronto. The rumors had it that, should the deal be successful, a home would be set up on the site of the demolished Russian pavilion.

“First come – first served” was the policy which was scrupulously followed in the issuance of all automobile license plates in Chautauqua County, according to John Miller of Mayville, deputy county clerk in charge of the temporary motor vehicle bureau at 20 E. Third St. “There’s nothing special about these CX license plates which made their first appearance a year ago,” he said. The constant increase in the number of passenger vehicles had taxed the number of licenses available under the single-letter plan, necessitating the expansion to the double letter group. There were 35,000 cars in Chautauqua County compared with the 11,000 registered in 1921.

In 1965, the New York Motor Vehicle Department advised people not to tug at that new license plate sticker to see if it was on firmly. The bond on the sticker needed about 48 hours to set completely, a department spokesman said. He commented after reporting receipt of “a few complaints” that the new stickers would not adhere to the year-old license plates that were on vehicles. The department would replace stickers that had come off, he added. The 1964 plates would remain on vehicles through this year. A plastic sticker was being issued as proof of 1965 registration.

The Jamestown area’s unseasonable weather might have dampened the usual big-time activity in winter sports but public utility officials were singing in the rain. The city’s public water supply wells in the Cassadaga Valley had increased levels by nearly 7 feet in the past two weeks, including a boost of 2.1 feet during the past week. Recent fast-rising levels were a result of rain weeks ago but heavy rains during the past two weeks would increase the supply for future months.

In 1990, communities would make up the front line in New York’s efforts to rid the state of drugs, Lt. Gov. Stan Lundine said. “Our entire anti-drug strategy centers around the notion of community,” Lundine, who chaired Gov. Mario Cuomo’s anti-drug task force, said. “Government can create programs. We can treat addicts. We can lock up prisoners. We can put new laws on the books. But if the situation is going to change significantly, citizens must become involved.”

Lakewood village residents had joined the ongoing debate between Lakewood village officials and state Department of Transportation engineers over the narrow intersection at Green and Erie streets. Residents presented a petition with about 175 signatures to Mayor Anthony Caprino, requesting something be done about the narrow intersection. Residents were concerned about the potential for serious accidents at the intersection because it was too narrow for trucks and buses to safely make turns, Art Carlson of Gifford Avenue said.

In Years Past

In 1915, John Kofod, a well-known and highly respected resident of Jamestown for over 50 years, died at the home of his daughter, Oscar Pang, on Falconer Street, the previous evening at the advanced age of 75 years. He had been ill for some time and although he visited friends on Christmas day, his health had failed rapidly since that day and the end was not unexpected. Kofod was born in Denmark on Dec. 29, 1839, and after obtaining his early education in the schools of his native land, remained there until he was 24 years of age when he came to the United States, coming directly to the village of Jamestown. His first employment was in the Jefford’s Axe Factory, where he worked for 18 years.

The exhibition of eight huge polar bears on the stage at the Lyric Theater in Jamestown was a novelty that attracted large crowds and would undoubtedly attract large crowds the balance of the week. The task of transporting the animals about the country, of caring for them, training them and giving three exhibitions a day on an ordinary stage, was one that few would care to undertake. But Alber, the trainer and owner of the attraction seemed to have little difficulty. There was a big iron grating that was set up on the stage between the audience and the bears.

In 1940, an explosion of dynamite being used by employees of the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company to blast frozen ground for setting a pole, caused the fatal injury of Frank J. Jones of Ashtabula, Ohio. The accident occurred Thursday afternoon at Thompson, Ohio, eight miles south of Madison, when dynamite which apparently did not fire the first time, was discharged by contact from a crowbar wielded by Jones. He died after being admitted to the Geneva Community Hospital. Jones was formerly employed by the Niagara Lockport & Ontario Power Company in Jamestown. He was born in Union City, Pa., and spent three years in Bradford, Pa., after leaving this city, before removing to Ohio and joining the Cleveland concern in 1937.

Zilpha Beebe Spring, wife of E. Walton Spring and mother of the late Ira Lou Spring, whose name the local American Legion post bears, died suddenly on this morning at the family home on West Fairmount Avenue, Lakewood, aged 73 years. For several years she had been afflicted by almost complete blindness but the end of her gallant life was entirely unexpected. As the mother of debonair Ira Lou Spring, the first Jamestown youth to lay down his life during the World War, Mrs. Spring figured prominently in the affairs of the American Legion auxiliary.

In 1965, Jamestown detectives were seeking leads in the theft of $2,000 worth of diamond rings the previous afternoon from Baldwin Jewelry on East Third Street. The theft of a tray containing 20 diamond engagement rings was reported to police at 5:30 p.m. the day before. Retail value of the rings was placed at between $60 and $120 each. A 13-state alarm was sent out by local police, seeking information on three suspects who they said were in the store shortly before the diamonds were discovered missing by Emory Olson, a partner in the business. He told detectives three people about 30-years-old, two women and a man, came in the store and asked to see watch bands. The two women looked at watch bands while the man stood near the front of the store near the display case containing the diamond rings.

Patients overflowed into temporary accommodations in the corridors of both Jamestown General Hospital and WCA Hospital this day. Fifteen hospital beds were being used in the halls at Jamestown General Hospital. Similarly, WCA Hospital had 10 occupying hall beds. According to spokesmen from both hospitals, the current upsurge in patient population was a seasonal experience and was not attributed to any unusual incidence of disease or ailments.

In 1990, the past 10 years probably had been one of the most prosperous decades experienced by the manufacturing industry, with Labor Department statistics reflecting all-time high employment levels, said Charles Turcotte, acting executive director of the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Manufacturers’ Association of the Jamestown area. “The ’80s,” Turcotte said, “were the decade that saw an awareness of the importance of business and saw a cutback on federal regulations, major tax reforms and keeping a lid on government spending – driving inflation down and expanding employment. And that has had its effects here in Jamestown.”

A proposed Widewaters Lakewood Village Center plaza, set for East Fairmount Avenue, was on schedule and groundbreaking was just around the corner, a company spokesman said. The village rezoned the area in hopes of attracting new development and the plaza could be just the beginning, said Lakewood Mayor Anthony Caprino. The company was negotiating with other tenants to join Quality Markets in the plaza. “We liked the idea of having a new five-lane in front of us and we liked being near the mall. We complement the mall,” said Anthony Pugliese of the Widewaters Group.

In Years Past

In 1915, Albert Pierce, one of the well-known engineers on the Erie Railroad, was caught between car couplings and instantly killed at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon at South Dayton on the B.&S.W. branch of the Erie. Local interest would be taken in the tragedy because of the fact that he married Ana O’Connell of Jamestown. Pierce was engineer on the way freight. The train was cut in two at South Dayton and Pierce alighted from his engine to fix the air brakes. While between the cars, the air was released and the cars came together, catching him and crushing him to death. Pierce was well known among the railroad men of Jamestown and much sympathy was expressed for his relatives.

A bear which was sighted near Woodchuck Hollow led a party of Hinsdale men an exciting chase until early the previous morning when the tracks were abandoned and the bruin was allowed to go his way undisturbed. When the bear came from the vicinity of Humphrey, through the Five Mile, it was driven out of a flock of sheep by Divan Kent. It passed the home of Wilhouser at about 10 a.m., coming out of the woods at Union Valley near Hinsdale. It was seen as it crossed the snow and went through a fence by Will Guile and a number of wiremen and it then entered a swamp between Hinsdale and Olean.

In 1940, Milton Smith, Portland, Maine, pilot and aircraft distributor, brought a new Taylorcraft monoplane to a landing at Jamestown airport the previous morning when forced to seek haven by heavy snowstorms that made further eastward flight impracticable. Smith was enroute to Portland from Alliance, Ohio, where the ship was made. After learning that even more intense snow storms were in the offing east of here, Smith proceeded to Portland by train. Airport Manager Frederick Larson told The Journal that flying from the local port had been brought to a standstill by the snow. A city snowplow, stationed at the port for maintenance of the runways, was not in a useable condition, and drifts were so deep that the hangar was not accessible by automobile.

Fire of undetermined origin Friday destroyed the saw mill of Lyle Gates, located in Salamanca just beyond the city line on Washington Street at the West End with a loss estimated by the owner at $3.000. It was not insured. Besides the mill building, the flames destroyed a gasoline engine, a large tractor and other equipment and about 7,000 feet of lumber. Other piles of lumber at the east side of the building were saved since the wind was from the east and they were blanketed by snow. Salamanca firemen responded to a call for aid but said the flames had progressed too far when they reached the building for them to do anything.

In 1965, Raymond C. Wickmark had been named chairman of the Lakewood Jaycees “Bosses Night” dinner which would be held Tuesday, Jan. 19 at the Red Coach Inn, Route 17-J. Anthony Barone, Lakewood Jaycee president, said the purpose of the affair was to honor Lakewood’s outstanding young man of the year. A.B. Crocker, chairman of the Distinguished Service Award committee, said nomination blanks for selecting the outstanding young man were available at the Lakewood Drug Store.

Casper Jones, mother of Charles Jones, whom she had cared for through his many years of sleeping sickness, both of them patients in the King Manor Nursing Home at Baker and Hazeltine, asked The Post-Journal to express her thanks for the many gifts and greeting cards with which they were showered over the Yuletide season. Jones was affectionately known as The Post-Journal’s Mother of the Year and All Years for her dedicated care of her son through his long illness when he could only communicate with her by fluttering his eyelids.

In Years Past

In 1915, the New York subway was visited by fire and panic this day which resulted in sending some 200 persons to hospitals, caused the death of one woman and demoralized the transportation of the city. The fire was said to have been due to an electrical explosion in a conduit between the 50th and 59th Street stations. The flames and smoke terrified the seven hundred or more passengers of the two downtown trains stalled nearby. In their efforts to escape, many scores were badly bruised and many were rendered unconscious and still others were overcome by smoke.

The hearing in the Hallock Street paving contest before the Jamestown Board of Assessors continued this forenoon with a number of witnesses called by Attorneys Jerome Fisher and Wilson C. Price on the witness stand. They were called to establish the contention of the objectors that the petition for the paving of Hallock Street was insufficient either in property represented or in number of signers or both.

In 1940, President Roosevelt’s nomination of Robert H. Jackson to be attorney general won approval from a Senate judiciary subcommittee in less than five minutes. Senator King (D-Utah), chairman of the group, moved approval and other Senators agreed without discussion. The action was taken without a hearing being held.

Judge Thomas Downs of Queens county court said bingo was “innocent gambling” and wanted to know why it was illegal when horse race betting was not. He suggested that the legislature permit the public to decide the issue. His opinions came out as he upheld an indictment against three men charged with operating a bingo game in November, 1938, for the benefit of the Queensboro Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The judge said he never played bingo, but: “Aren’t we inconsistent when we attempt to characterize as criminals people who participate in the operation of a game from which millions derive pleasure at a very limited expenditure of money and permit gambling on the result of horse races?”

In 1965, James Crissman, Jr., 25 of Lottsville, Pa., formerly of Jamestown, was killed in a one car accident Tuesday on Chautauqua County Road 27-C, between Bear Lake and Panama. A passenger in the car was injured. It was the first Chautauqua County motor vehicle fatality of the new year. Police identified the injured person as Michael Centi, 25, of Water Street, Jamestown. He was taken to Jamestown General Hospital by the Bear Lake Fire Department emergency unit. He was discharged after being treated for bruises. Coroner Frederick Hitchcock said the accident occurred on a straight stretch of the highway, which was icy, due to freezing rain. Crissman was survived by his wife, Janet Griffin Crissman and two sons, Jimmy and Jody, all of Lottsville.

Jamestown City Council’s Public Safety Committee met in City Hall the previous night to discuss traffic problems. Councilman LaVerne Webeck said he had received complaints concerning heavy traffic congestion on Foote Avenue from Cole Avenue to the city line. During peak traffic hours, such as Friday evening, he said, traffic had been backed up from Cole Avenue to the city line with cars being unable to enter the avenue from intersecting streets or the plaza. Police Capt. Roy Peterson said traffic counts for that area indicated that the department would have to come up with something to alleviate the traffic congestion.

In 1990, a decision on whether to allow development of a motel-restaurant resort in the Allegheny National Forest had been delayed by inquiries from two congressmen, a U.S. Forest Service official said. David Wright, Forest Service supervisor in Warren, said his decision, which had been expected by the start of this year, would not be made public until the beginning or middle of February. The proposal to build the $10.4 million resort on the Allegheny reservoir, a 27-mile-long lake that stretched across the northwestern Pennsylvania and southwestern New York border, had raised concerns about protecting the pristine beauty of the forest.

A $7 million contract to rehabilitate the westbound, 10-mile New York State Thruway segment between Westfield and the state’s border with Pennsylvania should begin in the spring, according to a Thruway Authority spokeswoman. Patricia Contiello said the contract had not been awarded but the lowest bidder, ABC Paving Co. of Buffalo, should have the okay soon.

In Years Past

In 1915, “The woman who is absolutely sure of her methods of cooking is the woman who is standing still,” declared Mrs. Brown-Lewers at the opening session of the Journal Home Economics school Monday afternoon in the Jamestown Y.W.C.A. building. “I do not claim that my method is the only right method, it is simply one good method.” Several hundred of Jamestown’s housewives turned out for this opening session of the school in cooking. Everything seemed to contribute to the success of the event, even the Weather Man having condescended to provide a wholly delightful and enticing kind of day.

The management of the Warner Home for the Aged in Jamestown announced the second annual gift reception to be held at the home on Forest Avenue on Friday, Jan. 8. Money contributions were most needed but gifts of table linen, bedding, canned fruit, vegetables, jellies, preserves, pickles and all food supplies would be very acceptable. All friends of the Home and those who might be interested in the welfare of this worthy undertaking were urged to attend the reception. Tea would be served and a musical program would be provided.

In 1940, any possible fears of a general water famine in Jamestown because of a break such as the one which cut off the entire supply in Buffalo on Wednesday were set to rest this day. “I can see no possibility of such a breakdown here,” Thomas J. McKee, secretary of the Board of Public Utilities told The Journal. The English Hill reservoir had a capacity of 5,000,000 gallons and the Buffalo Street reservoir contained 1,500.000 gallons of water which was brought in from the receiving wells in the Cassadaga Valley. The reservoirs contained sufficient reserve water for two days of normal usage and in an emergency, might be conserved for much longer.

After a brief respite from a practically continuous battle with snow for several days, Jamestown and county plow crews were called into service again this day when another storm swept over the Chautauqua Region. County highway department officials reported the latest storm more or less general throughout the county, with roads drifting considerably, as a strong west wind blew off Lake Erie. While all main roads were said to be passable, visibility was poor, the air being filled with driven snow.

In 1965, Rep. Charles E. Goodell, (R) Jamestown, said the “broad outlines” of President Johnson’s state of the union message to Congress “sound good and we’ll look at the specific proposals as they come along. I’ll support them when he’s right. It sounds to me like an unfocused program with something for everybody in it. I’m not sure he has really set priorities in this speech to meet the needs of the country.”

The $200,000 New Year’s Day fire at Ripley had spurred action for replacing the existing 4-inch water lines with 8-inch mains. For more than a year now this community had been attempting to get federal aid for the project under the Accelerated Public Works Act. Supervisor Andy Meeder said most citizens agreed that something should be done immediately and if federal help was not available the village might go ahead on its own.

In 1990, directors of American Locker Group of Jamestown had announced the sale of its steel office furniture subsidiary, Signore, Inc., in Ellicottville, to an employee stock ownership plan in which all Signore employees were participants. The gross sales price was reported as $3,477,000, subject to certain post-closing purchase price adjustments based on Signore’s balance sheet.

The Cherry Creek Village Board was looking into ways to increase the water supply from its spring-fed water system. Robert Astry, village water superintendent, told the board there were times the past summer when the reservoir was not full despite the operation of both pumps, 24 hours a day. The two wells wouldn’t be enough if water usage of that volume continued.

In Years Past

In 1915, the triple combination hose wagon, chemical and pumping engine, which was ordered by the Jamestown fire committee of the common council the past summer, had been delivered by the makers, the American LaFrance Engine Co. of Elmira. It was one of the most elaborate pieces of apparatus in the department. The new engine cost the city $9,000. The city was allowed a rebate of $1,000 for the small fire engine which had been in use here for several years, so the actual cost was $8,000. The engine, like the two chemical engines in use, was operated by gasoline and so arranged that when it was taken to a fire if it was required for pumping, the power could be disconnected from the truck and turned to the pump in a moment.

The B Basketball team of the Jamestown Y.M.C.A. took on the Chautauqua High School five for the second time this season on the association court Saturday evening, winning by a 38 to 30 score. As would be seen by the final result, the game was nip and tuck from start to finish and while the locals won, they had to fight every inch of the way to accomplish the trick. During the first half there was little to choose between the teams and the score was tied until just before the whistle sounded when James registered for the B five, giving it a two point lead for the period. The second half saw the Jamestown boys playing just a trifle better that their opponents and they increased their lead to eight points.

In 1940, President Roosevelt nominated Attorney General Frank Murphy to be an associate justice of the supreme court and Solicitor General Robert H. Jackson to succeed him as head of the justice department. Jackson had been with the justice department since 1936. He headed the anti-trust division prior to moving up to the job of solicitor general when Stanley Reed went to the Supreme Court.

Holding that under the statute, the sale and delivery of coffee less than the represented weight, constituted a violation of the law. Jamestown Judge Allen E. Bargar handed down a decision finding the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company guilty of violating Section 2-411 of the penal law and imposed a fine of $50. The defendant corporation was convicted of selling a package of Eight O’Clock Coffee to W. D. McDowell in August, marked and stamped “3 lb. Net Weight” and actually weighing only 2 lb. 10 oz. “The act alone constitutes the offense. It is not excused by the lack of knowledge or intent,” said Judge Bargar in his decision.

In 1965, a Jamestown couple and a Bradford, Pa. man were killed and four others were seriously injured in a head-on collision early the past night on Route 17 about two miles east of Salamanca. Dead were Lewis Massey of Camp St., Jamestown; his wife, Helen, both 46 and Henry Gifford, 28, of Bradford. Admitted to the Salamanca District Hospital were Sylvia Massey, 4, and Barbara Massey, 11, daughters of the Massey couple. Also admitted were Jean DeVoe, 18, Jamestown, passenger in the Massey car and Richard Patrick, 25, of Rew, Pa. Cattaraugus County sheriff’s deputies said the accident happened at 7:30 p.m. on a straight, dry stretch of highway and might have been caused by one of the vehicles swerving into an opposite lane. The Jamestown family reportedly were returning home after taking a son, Charles, back to college at Alfred University. Miss DeVoe was a friend of Charles.

Joy Ruth Darling, 22, of W. 4th Street, Jamestown, who had been serving since October with the U.S. Peace Corps in Bolivia, was killed in a motor scooter accident Sunday near Cochabamba, Bolivia, where she was stationed. Miss Darling, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Darling, was riding with another Peace Corps worker, Lowell Wagner of Quarryville, Pa., on a rented motor scooter when the accident occurred, details of which were lacking. Wagner was in the hospital at Cochabamba with cuts and bruises. It was reported from Washington that Jasin Edwards, Peace Corps director for Bolivia, was flying to Jamestown to visit the Darling family.

In 1990, a new shopping mall was possibly in the works for the Jamestown area, but various sources could not divulge definite plans to The Post-Journal on this morning. George D. Zamias, Developer of Johnstown, Pa., reportedly had expressed interest in building a mall on Strunk Road west of Jamestown, just north of the Southern Tier Expressway. Town of Ellicott Supervisor Frances C. Morgan said the town had been contacted in the matter, but she had no specific information at this time.

There was only one apparent injury suffered by the pilot of a single-engine Cessna that tipped nose-first into the ice after landing on Chautauqua Lake when he taxied into a soft spot on the lake ice. But like most hardy pilots, Paul “Whitey” Durney of Hamburg never complained of the pain. The injury did, however, keep Durney from speaking at length with reporters. That was because he was apparently suffering from a slightly bruised ego. The incident “doesn’t bother me a bit” Durney, a pilot of three years, insisted after yelling “Go away” but smiling all the while when approached by The Post-Journal on the ice.

In Years Past

In 1915, when the Farmers & Mechanics Bank of Jamestown was organized in February, 1891, it occupied small and inconveniently arranged quarters in the Gifford building, Brooklyn Square but the business of the institution had grown steadily from the first and in 1905 it moved to its own building at 215 Main St., which it had occupied since that time. During the past few months the structure had been practically rebuilt and the staff took possession of a banking house which was not only a notable addition to the business section of the city but a model of its kind as far as architectural beauty of both front and interior were concerned and also in the convenience of its arrangements. The bank staff had moved its belongings to the new structure on New Year’s Day and the bank was opened for business at 9 a.m. the previous morning.

As an expression of appreciation for courtesies extended to the Pearl City sharpshooters, Second Lieut. Charles Sandburg of Company E was presented with a Colt automatic pistol and leather holster by the local organization of civilian riflemen affiliated with the National Rifle Association. The presentation was made in an informal manner. John W. Unsworth, vice president and Chas. J.L. Sundberg, secretary of the Pearl City sharpshooters, calling upon Lieutenant Sandburg at Anderson & Sandburg’s shoe store and turned the gift over to him there without ceremony. The organization felt grateful to Lieutenant Sandburg for granting the use of the outdoor rifle range of Company E at Frewsburg and the indoor range at the state armory to the civilian riflemen and took this means of expressing its gratitude.

In 1949, William Hilton narrowly escaped death from monoxide gas fumes which proved fatal to six cows, two goats and a cat in a barn on his farm on Chautauqua Road near Fredonia. He was reported as being out of danger. Hilton had gone to the barn to cut cornstalks. While using the motor of a tractor to do the work, he closed the barn door to keep out the biting cold. Mrs. Hilton became worried after considerable time had elapsed. Hurrying to the barn, she found him lying unconscious just inside the door. Neighbors carried the stricken man to the house where a physician worked several hours before restoring him to consciousness.

Fred Strassle, former Celoron resident, rescued a Rochester Democrat and Chronicle photographer from an enraged chimpanzee in the Seneca Park zoo at Rochester. The lens clicker, Raymond Culross, Jr., was seeking some animal shots and joined Strassle in the monkey house, where the well-known trainer had been administering to the chimp, known as Tuffy, who was suffering from an ulcerated tooth and not in his usual good mood. As Culross poised his camera, the chimp bestirred himself and, emitting a roar, rushed madly at the photographer, seizing his hand in his teeth he sank his fangs in deep. Strassle seized a chair and banged Tuffy over the head until he was subdued and the chair broken.

In 1990, Gov. Mario Cuomo, facing a possible reelection campaign, called for creation of huge drug treatment centers, expanded health insurance for poor children and a bigger voice for voters in state government. The governor, in his annual State of the State message to the Legislature, also proposed a $1.9 billion environmental bond issue, with the money to be used to purchase land in such places as the Adirondacks and to help local governments deal with solid waste.

Little Allecia Marie Verga posed sleepily with her mother after qualifying as the winner of The Post-Journal’s 49th annual first baby contest. The 6-pound, 9-ounce, dark-haired daughter of Frewsburg residents Sheila J. Haley and John R. Verga, Jr., was born at WCA Hospital in Jamestown at 2:17 a.m. Jan. 1. The birth time entitled the new arrival and her parents to a variety of valuable and practical gifts from area merchants.

In Years Past

In 1915, the usual number of holiday celebrators came before Jamestown Police Justice Maharon for consideration in police court the previous morning. At midnight there was not a prisoner in the city prison but so many welcomed the new year in so hearty a style that by 3 a.m. there was a goodly number. Charles Johnson and Albert Anderson were celebrating at The Inn near the city line. In the course of their celebration a plate glass window was broken and they were arrested and brought to police headquarters. They pleaded guilty to a charge of intoxication and disorderly conduct and Justice Maharon sentenced each one to serve 63 days in the Erie County penitentiary at Buffalo.

The relaxation of the embargo placed upon the exportation of woolen cloth, yarn and wearing apparel from Britain was only a partial one, and no prophecy was ventured as to when the embargo would end. Hair and cashmere in any form, including yarns, tops, noils and cloth, might now be exported without certificates. Shoddy, containing more than one-third cotton, might also go without question. Black cloth was free from the embargo as was fancy cloth with a distinct pattern, provided the material was not suitable for underwear. Cloth for outward wear weighing less than eighteen ounces per yard might also be shipped without a license.

In 1940, Jamestown and Chautauqua County pressed all drift-fighting forces and equipment into service to clear streets and highways of a three-day snowfall nearly two feet in depth. Numerous minor skidding accidents were reported and many cars were stalled in deep drifts on highways throughout the region. Snow flurries were forecast for this night with the following day generally fair and continued cold.

An army pilot skidded a small monoplane to an upside down landing in a snow-covered field near the western Pennsylvania village of New Alexandria early in the morning after a fellow officer had “bailed out” of the ship. Lieut. Dwight Johnson, 32, of Chicago, leaped with a parachute after the plane’s gasoline supply ran out shortly after midnight and a crash seemed imminent. Lieut. Stanley Stewart of Kalamazoo, Michigan, who had intended to jump but changed his mind, brought the plane down belly-up in the dark. Both men escaped injury.

In 1965, a fire raged through the business section of Ripley on New Year’s Day, destroying five buildings and causing damage to a sixth. The fire apparently started in the Hepco Appliance Company’s two story building, quickly spreading to the other brick structures, all located on West Main Street (Route 20). Destroyed in the blaze was the Hepco Appliance Store, quartered in two recently remodeled buildings. An appliance firm delivery truck was also destroyed. Also destroyed was Skinner’s Supermarket, operated by Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Skinner and an adjoining, recently remodeled building to which the store was to be moved the following week. An empty building and a two story garage were also ruined. O’Donnell’s Restaurant and Hotel was damaged by smoke, fire and water.

Two Tidioute youths were killed instantly the past night when their Jeep was hit by an eastbound P.R.R. passenger train at a crossing on Sample Flats Road, about one mile east of Corry in Warren County. Dead were Richard King, 17, and Larry Atkin, 17. Both youths were seniors at Tidioute High School. They had been visiting a Corry girl prior to attending a Tidioute varsity and faculty basketball game.

In 1990, a reorganization at Blackstone Corp. of Jamestown had left 42 employees out of work and could result in furloughs for 150-200 of the plant’s 900-member workforce during the following six months, said President Robert B. Pinkerton. The reorganization of the company into five operating divisions became effective this day, Pinkerton said. He said this approach was being taken in an effort to improve response to customer needs and opportunities. “We’re kind of realigning the plants and that kind of thing,” he said.

Economists said the new year should generally be a good one for agriculture, and that the new decade was starting out with far more promise than the 1980s did for New York’s farmers. “Farmers go into the 1990s with a much healthier agricultural economy than 10 years ago,” said Bernard Stanton, a Cornell University agricultural economics professor. “Net farm income is up in 1989 compared to 1988 and expectations for the first half of 1990 are for continued improvement.”

In Years Past

In 1915, according to correspondents of the Associated Press, Paris women were changing their gait. Said a correspondent from the French capital: “In nothing has the woman of Paris, whose silhouette is copied all over the world, changed so much as in her walk. A short time ago she wriggled her way along and her anatomy appeared to be of the strangest. Today she is gradually slipping back into her old habit of tripping and it suits her much better. Her figure is taking on its old familiar lines, and the flat chest is likely to disappear with the ungraceful wriggle … It is quite probable that with the return of peace, we shall see a return of the old-type Frenchwoman in all classes. And the revival will benefit not only France but the world in general, for what the Frenchwoman does today, the women of all the civilized world do tomorrow.”

John F. (Jack) McLaughlin, the hero of the great Titusville fire and flood of 1892, received a Christmas present of $168.50, which was raised in the city by two of his personal friends “Jack,” who formerly was a physical giant and courageous as a lion, was a mere shadow of his former self. A stroke of paralysis had left him almost helpless and his friends, remembering his heroic work in the fire and flood disaster, asked a few to help them make this indeed a merry Christmas to old “Jack.” If there had been any overlooked they might send a check to the office of the Titusville Herald and it would be promptly handed along to “Jack.” Those who saw Jack during those awful June days so long ago and had recognized him as he had slowly gone along the streets during the past few months would realize that the gift made to him was one of the most fitting made in this city in a long time.

In 1940, the New Year brought the first cold wave of the winter with city and county highway plow and cinder crews working on the holiday to keep streets and roads open to traffic. Highway officials reported all main roads open to traffic, with visibility poor and the high wind causing drifting conditions at various points. According to a report from Arkwright, the snow was a foot deep on the level, with several inches of snow in the vicinity of Cassadaga and Sherman. Twenty-eight plows, including one rotary, working in the Sherman sector, were on duty this morning, the crews spending the night throughout the county in an effort to keep highways passable. As the temperature dropped to near-zero levels, high wind whipped the swirling snow into drifts covering roads already glazed with ice and adding peril to already slippery driving conditions.

Carol Jean Abbey, 6 month old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Abbey, was in Jamestown General Hospital in fair condition with head injuries received Sunday night at 11 p.m. when an automobile operated by her father collided with a Jamestown public works department snow grader at Newland Avenue and Charles Street. Donald Abbey, 32, who was driving the car, was uninjured. Abbey’s automobile crashed into the front end of the grader, both machines being damaged considerably. Frances Abbey, 29, wife of the driver of the car, was bruised about the shins and Shirley Ann Abbey, 4, their other daughter, received a bruised nose. The injured were taken to the hospital in a passing car.

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