Through the pages of the Wapakoneta Daily News
100 YEARS AGO, NOVEMBER 3, 1921
■ Three girls, who claim they are from New York City and are walking to Los Angeles, California, to win a wager, blew into town at noon today and stopped for a time. They declared they have covered the distance between New York and Wapakoneta since July 14. To win the wager they must reach Los Angeles by June 1, 1922. They carry their duffle in a twowheeled “trailer,” which contains all the paraphernalia they need for camping along the way. One of the girls wears khaki. The outfits of the other two are not so serviceable. The oxfords of one of them are run down at the heels and the wearer will be a cripple for life if she doesn’t pay the cobbler a visit.
75 YEARS AGO, NOVEMBER 3, 1946
■ John Bailey, 12 West Mechanic Street, is confined to his home today suffering from a bullet wound received at 4 pm today while mushroom hunting with his two small sons, Billy and Danny, and with Leland Stroh. The men and boys were hunting on the Ed Weber farm, three miles west and one mile north of Wapakoneta. On another part of the farm, approximately ¼ mile away, Keny Link, George Ruck, John Conkle, and John Weber were doing mark shooting at old eggs which they placed on fence posts. A bullet from one of the marksmen’s guns traveled the distance between the two groups, striking Mr. Bailey in the left leg slightly below the knee. He was removed to St. Rita’s hospital. The bullet was in three pieces when found. Sheriff Nieter issued a warning at this time to the effect that a back stop should be used at all times in mark practice. This will considerably cut down the risk of accidents and serious injuries.
■ Editor Rue Melching, who has been employed in the editorial department of the Wapakoneta Daily News since 1921, has announced his intention of severing his connection with the newspaper at the completion of 25 years of service, on December 6, 1946. Mr. Melching is the oldest employee of the concern, in point of service. All of those who were working for the company at the time he started have either changed to other fields or died. General Manager C.K. Rockwell states that the retirement was Mr. Melching’s idea entirely and is a matter of regret to the officers and employees of the company. After being discharged from the Army, where he achieved the rank of corporal, Richard Bitters will take up the duties of the news editor of the Daily News. He has had experience with the Wapakoneta Daily News and the Lima News, and his appointment with the position will be a popular one in Wapakoneta, where he makes his home with his parents, MM Dean Bitters, at 304 East Mechanic Street. He was a graduate of Blume High, class of 1945.
■ First Lieutenant Herman Buthker arrived in this city today to spend a 60-day teriminal leave with his mother, Mrs. Joseph Doorley and other friends and relatives. L. Buthker has been serving with the army of occupation in Germany.
■ NOTICE: Our place of business will be closed Wednesday forenoon until 12 o’clock, to attend the marriage of our bookkeeper, Eileen Strominger to William Strohm. The Wapakoneta Farmers Grain Company
50 YEARS AGO, NOVEMBER 3, 1971
■ For the first time in history New Knoxville voters elected a woman mayor of the village. Deloris Fishbach, a housewife running for office for the first time, defeated incumbent Mayor Myron Opperman by a 287-132 vote. Opperman has been mayor of New Knoxville for the past eight years.
■ Wapakoneta voted for a change in the operation of city government Tuesday by electing independent candidate Maurice Bryan, Sr., mayor, upsetting two party regulars. Bryan, who campaigned on a platform promising to replace the city safety-service director, collected 37 percent (1034) of the 2790 votes cast. William Hafe Lietz , Republican, won 995 votes and Democrat Chet Leiberick tallied 761 votes. Leitz, current resident of Wapakoneta City Council, campaigned on the record of the present administration and promised to retain the service director if elected. Leiberick, presently a councilman at large, took no stand on the matter, but promised to evaluate the city’s various departments if he won the mayor’s post. In the past Wapakoneta has been a council-oriented city and the mayor has not played a major role in city government. Bryan plans to change this tradition. “The first thing I am going to do is set up a special, regular time where citizens can come to the mayor’s office and voice their concerns, complaints, ideas, or anything else,” Bryan said. Bryan reiterated his intent to replace the service director, but said he was not as yet ready to disclose whom he will appoint to the job. He said he has interviewed several persons for the position, and has several others in mind.
■ As usual on election night, people gathered at the Elks to get the election returns. The huge blackboard, lined off by precincts, was propped up on a table on the south wall, tables around the room in front of it were filled with people waiting for Paul Fisher to mark up the tallies as they came in from a runner from the Court House. Wayne Mccauley read them off. It was a social affair, but it had plus going for it—anticipation. Among those present were the Paul Fishers, Bud Fishers Dudley Schulers, Jim Shaws, Gillie Smiths, Gus Klipfels, Jim Goetzes, Douglas Gotts, Henry Mosers, Vern Harrufs, Frank Elcherts, Ted Schnells, Silie Wolfes, Lou Herbsts, Jim Kents, Mike Mosers, Tom Balts, Doc Stuckeys, Ellwood Chesbroughs, Lucas Fischers, Ken Dahills, Mark Bowshers, Robert Hermans, and the Charles Bradings, among others.
25 YEARS AGO, NOVEMBER 3, 1996
■ With more than a month to go, United Way executive director Patty Cisco has announced that the 1997 campaign drive has reached about 37 percent of its $296,000 goal Cisco said the early results are very encouraging, as contributions appear to be up so far. The campaign will continue through the end of November.