Other Times
100 Years Ago – 1917: With special ceremonies, ground was broken last evening for the construction of the new $35,000 home for Chester nest, No. 1228, Loyal Order of Owls, at the southeastern corner of Ninth and Sproul streets. Following this morning’s Liberty Loan campaign drive that the city made a Red Letter event, Delaware County’s subscription was estimated at $5,010,000 at the noon hour.
75 Years Ago – 1942: George D. Carney, president of the Chester Board of Education, will speak on local civilian defense problems June 15 over Station WDEL, Wilmington. His 15-minute address will begin at 7:30 p.m. Carney, who is superintendent of the engineering department at Sun Ship, of a member of the Council Defense and will explain the drive to raise $75,000 for the council’s work. Plans for defense of the city in event of a bombing
attack will also be outlined.
50 Years Ago – 1967: An early morning fire heavily damaged two buildings and partially burned a dormitory at Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne today. Radnor Township[ Fire Chief Frank A. Morris estimated damage at $10 million. Two firemen were slightly injured. Police said students have been out of school for summer break about a week, although more than 200 faculty and staff witnessed the blaze.
25 Years Ago – 1992: A veteran Springfield Township patrolman – who had stopped a driver on a traffic violation – chased down and secured a baby in a runaway baby carriage that rolled off a sidewalk down the middle of a busy intersection. Walt Schopf, 50, on the police force since 1971, said he had pulled over a motorist going north on Saxer Avenue off Baltimore Pike about 10:40 a.m. Friday when he saw the baby coach heading south. Although it “scared the hell out of me to start with,’ he just stopped the car, left and door open and jumped out into traffic to grab the pale light clue coach which wasn’t easy for motorists to see.
10 Years Ago – 2007: Residents of South Old Middletown Road appealed to Middletown Township Council to do something about late-night noise from the nearby PennDOT dumping site. “It’s unbearable,” said one of the residents, noting loud banging sounds begin with the midnight shift. Councilman Doug Roger expressed sympathy to the residents, calling the situation “an incredible imposition” for neighbors to have to live with. He said there are legal remedies, however, he believes the township first should meet PennDOT officials face to face to try to reach some solution.