Days Gone By
100 YEARS AGO, 1924 » Cheese and meat disappeared from the ice box in the store of M. Plafker, at 1901 W. Second St., early today when a burglar visited the place. Entrance was made by breaking one of the store windows. Plafker was awakened by the sound of falling glass and when he went downstairs saw a man running in the direction of West Front Street. An examination showed the store ice box had been plundered of its contents.
75 YEARS AGO, 1949 » If you combined the years of service of the veteran employees of the A.H. Wirz plant at Fourth and Townsend streets, they would total 2,007. Roll back history that many years and the world would be right at the beginning of Julius Caesar’s conquest of Gual. Charles Hax, 328 Engle St., the oldest employee in Delaware County, received an ovation for his record of 63 years’ service. He was the leader of 113 women and 45 men who were honored at a special dinner at St. Hedwig’s Auditorium, Fourth and Hayes streets.
50 YEARS AGO, 1974 » The small borough of Media is gearing up for the national attention it will receive when the murder case of W.A. (Tony) Boyle, former United Mine Workers president, starts in the gleaming white courthouse on tree-lined Front Street. The state will try Boyle for the slayings of his union rival and the man’s family in Washington County in Dec. 31, 1969. Media, the normally quiet county seat with its small-town atmosphere, will be dramatically transformed as Boyle’s trial will bring reporters from near and far, and attract spectators.
25 YEARS AGO, 1999 » The Delaware County Intermediate Unit wants county school districts to team up and confront health insurance giants in an effort to save taxpayers’ money while maintaining quality of service. In a random survey Friday, a majority of the Delaware County school districts are considering joining the effort but have not made the $1,000 annual fee commitment to create a four-county health care consortium.
10 YEARS AGO, 2014 » An alleged burglar with an extensive criminal past is behind bars thanks to the quick actions of a neighborhood resident, Upper Darby police said. “This is a perfect example of a neighbor looking out for a neighbor,” said police Superintendent Michael Chitwood. “He did the right thing and called 911, and thousands of dollars in personal property that was stolen was recovered. It’s almost textbook.” A Wayne Avenue resident knew the owners of a nearby home were away when he saw through a window what appeared to be people with flashlights on the second floor.