Looking Back
Through the pages of the Wapakoneta Daily News
100 YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER 21, 1920
■ The first Auglaize County women to make application for notary commissions did so through Common Please Judge F.C. Layton on September 18. The two women are Mrs. Lewis Stout of this city and Miss Velma Schmieder, daughter of Joseph Schmieder, Minster. Exercise of notarial functions is one of the new powers that have come to women of Ohio through the suffrage amendment to the Constitution. Women from over the entire state are making applications for notarial commissions.
■ BARGAINS in ROUGH LUMBER. Having disposed of our saw mill we find we have on our yards 25,000 feet of inch-thick Oak, Maple, Cottonwood, and Elm. As we must move this stock we are offering this at a very low price. It won’t last long at the price we offer it, and if you are in need of anything like this, drive I and get it before it is all sold. This lumber is just what you want for your barn, horse stalls, hog house, chicken house. Or any other farm buildings. The M. Brown Co., Telephone 111, South Park St.
75 YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER 21, 1945
■ Rosset Francis opened the Sweetland yesterday morning gay in the prospect of starting out on his second quarter of a century in local business circles. He celebrated the 25th anniversary of setting himself up in business in the room where the Sweetland is now located. Surrounded by flowers form numerous well-wishes, he was host to some 65 guests, all or most of them former employees o the Sweetland, come to extend their felicitations on the occasion. “I’ll be here 25 years from today,” Mr. Francis said. Greying about the temples, he announced that he has bestowed upon his daughter, Irene Francis, one-half interest in the business. And they’ll be on hand 25 years hence to celebrate the completion of a half-century. He has seen all kinds of business since he first came t Wapakoneta in 1920 to go into business with his brother, Gus Francis, now a nosiness man in a New York state town. There were the roaring twenties with Warren G. Hardin and Calvin Coolidge as presidents, when things were up and out, only to be followed by the close of that first decade by the depression years of the 20s. The depression was followed by the war years, when Rus almost abandoned the business to take jobs in war plants to help win the war against the Central powers and Hitler, who held his homeland, the Dodocanese Islands of Greece in his firm grasp. During these days Rus turned the Sweetland over to others to run for him. Now he is back. (more about the party on Tuesday)
■ Hope that their son, Robert Schlatter, an aviation ordinance man third class might have been one of the 316 men award the Indianapolis who were saved when the ship went down las July 30, were dashed by a message to MM Levi Schlatter, West Mechanic street. The message from the government says there is no hope that Robert is yet alive. He was reported missing on August 13. Robert Schlatter enlisted on July 19, In addition to his parents here, he is survived by a sister, Helen Schlatter of Washington D.C., and a brother.
50 YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER 21, 1970
■ The Wapakoneta Area Chamber of Commerce has invited area residents and schools to submit designs for a City Flag, At its recent meeting Chamber directors advanced the proposal and agreed to submit it to City Council for endorsement. The Chamber said it would resent a U.S. Savings Bond for the winning flag design. The chamber also passed a resolution to recognize annually the July 20th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s historic moonwalk. All city organizations will be invited to participate in the annual recognition.
■ Plans were formulated for the annual Chamber membership meeting to be held at 8 pm at Brown’s Restaurant, October 20. A panel discussion on civic and area problems will again be featured following the annual election of directors and brief reports to the membership. Directors present at the meeting were James Black, Steve Fisher, Lloyd Gerber, Joe Schmalenberger, Joe Lopresti, Ed Ewing, President Bruce Roser, and Secretary Maxine Pohl.
25 YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER 21, 1995
■ Gloria Boedicker received a $50 gift certificate from Village Green Garden Center for winning the Gigantic Tomato Contest. Her tomato weighed 2 pounds, 5 ounces. Winning tomato tshirts were John Hassenauer Mae Fredricks, Edwin Harpest, and Carolyn Berning.
■ Twelve area young women are competing for the title of Miss Indian Summer today. They are Christi Haag, Rachel Wildman, Jamie Carpenter, Kelly Vorhees, Angie Gierhart, Jamie Back, Kelli Kohler, Sara Payne, Judith Sanchez, Lindsay Braun, Kelly Dewyer and Khrissy Ford. The pageant begins today at 8 p.m. in the entertainment tent in the municipal parking lot.