Looking Back
Through the pages of the Wapakoneta Daily News
100 YEARS AGO, MARCH 29, 1921
Local industries have been reduced to a peculiar state by the present unstable market conditions. Employees at practically all of the factories are being laid off, not as a whole, but in bunches of 15, 20 or perhaps 25 as the need for them decreases. Another bunch of men at the Wapakoneta Wheel Co. plant were laid off today. Of the normal working force of 125, 50 or slightly more are at work at this plant. A note of optimism was sounded by the Wapak Holloware Co. today by resuming work after a partial shutdown of months. This industry, while not having a normal force of employees at work yet, gives promise nevertheless of reaching a normal state of affairs in a short time. Practically the same situation exists at the Krein Chain Co. as at the wheel plant. Bunches of men are laid off from time to time and of a payroll comprising over 200 men only 70 or thereabouts remain in active employment. Labor is a drug (i.e., drag) on the marker at present This fact is attested by the numerous men who seek a night’s lodging at the local jail. Only a few among them are bums; the rest are men who had steady work while business was booming, but with the shutdown of industries the men have been thrown on their resources, in many instances without ready money, so they try to beat their way home or to some other town or city in an effort to secure employment. At the Abner plant the force has bene reduced about ¼ and the working hours cut to 40 per week. Manager Carl D. Fischer of the Wapakoneta Machine Co., plant said this morning the force of employees has been cut in half and the plant is only working half time. The normal force is between 40 and 50. At the Standard Churn Co. plant only 15 men are on the payroll at present and they work but three days a week. The normal employment is between 30 and 335. In addition to the pay cut given to the Elverso (cigar) makers at the Deisel-wemmer, the bunch breakers were also cut from 88 to 70 cents per 100. The San Felice rollers also suffered a cut. The men were cut 13 cents and the women 10 cents per hundred. The bunch breakers were cut to 40 cents.
75 YEARS AGO, MARCH 29, 1946
Andrew Jackson (Jack) Reichelderfer, 90, lifelong resident of Auglaize County, passed away at 1 o’clock yesterday at the Auglaize County Home. He worked as a farm laborer and was a member of St. Matthew’s church, near Cridersville. The deceased is the sole survivor of six children and leaves behind only nieces and nephews.
Ferald Ritchie was elected exalted ruler of the Elks lodge at the annual election of officers. New officers will be installed April 4. Other officers re loyal knight Arthur Katterheinrich; leading knight Paul Fisher; lecturing knight William Steveley; secretary Roy Bauer; treasurer Frank Swonguer; tiler Harry Whiteman; and Fred Rogers, trustee for five years.
Henry Gilmore, 81, well known farmer residing south of Wapakoneta, was killed about 3 p.m. yesterday in a crossroads auto collision that occurred near Fletcher, near Piqua. Mr. Gilmore, who drove a horse and buggy because he was afraid of automobiles, died of a fractured skull. He was riding with his neighbor, Egon Berg, Jr., and they were returning home from a farm sale east of Troy. They were northbound on a macadam road and when they came to the intersection with another macadam road an automobile came from the east ad struck the Berg auto squarely on the side. Mr. Berg was only slightly injured.
50 YEARS AGO, MARCH 29, 1971
John Koch, RR 3, has been named to receive a special award for excellence in corn growing. Announced by Funk’s G-hybrids, the award is in recognition of John Koch and Son’s production of a 113.2 bushel corn yield.
Wapakoneta Senior High Thespians presented The Wizard of Oz on Friday night. Ivan Knapp the director must have been responsible for prodding the cats belonging to wicked witch Belinda to scurry across the stage. Moving that quickly on one’s hands and knees isn’t easy, but Cindy Presar, Kathy Boyer, and Irma Hokka mastered the task. A special trick that came off well was the “melting” of the wicked witch, who was played by Jose van de Wiel. Her disappearance went smoothly and was probably believed by some of the children viewing the play. The stamina of Jeff Rider as the tin woodsman was remarkable, as he was able to hold his axe in front of him in his “rusted” position for almost a scene. Darla Delap was Dorothy and handed the role capably. The entire cast was well rehearsed and did not miss lines or make mistakes that were easily detected. Other members of the cast were: Debbie Zwiebel (scarecrow), Denise Green (lion), Janet Taylor, Peggy Yost, Chris Kohler, Peggy Yost, Cheri Wallace, Cindy Ramga, Bev Greve, Joni Watt, Cheri Wallace, Cindy Ramga, Bill Brown, Gary Symonds, Peggy Wolfe, and Jayne Elkins assisted the director.
25 YEARS AGO, MARCH 29, 1996
A Wapakoneta physician is the new president of the Ohio State Medical Board. Charles Denny Stienecker, MD, FAAFP, St. Rita’s Medical Center vice president of medical affairs, will be serving as a one-year term as president. He was appointed to the state medical board in 1992 by Governor George Voinovich. A family physician for 31 years, Stienecker closed his practice in Wapakoneta to become St. Rita’s vice president of medical affairs in 1995. He has served as president of Lincoln Family Practice since 1986 and prior to that was a partner in the Auglaize Family Practice.