Other Times
100 Years Ago – 1917: The proprietor of the Central Hotel, 308Market St., Chester, was charged by Captain J. Brooke Neilling of the Chester Shipping Co. with receiving a stolen barrel of whiskey, and is held in $500bail. He was taken in custody a few minutes after stepping off a train at Sixth Street depot. It is alleged by Neilling that a barrel of whisky stolen from the plant of the company was found in the personal possession of the defendant.
75Years Ago – 1942: One of the busiest spots in a busy city is the old Deshong mansion in Deshong Park at 10th Street and Edgmont Avenue, Chester. Seven organizations have headquarters there, and much of the charitable work done in this end of the county emanates from the stately white structure which has the natural beauty of the park as
its setting. John Odenheimer Deshong built the mansion in 1850. Deshong had a general store and Fourth and Market streets.
50 Years Ago – 1967: Bootlegging liquor into Delaware County is a thing of the past. Sound unusual for a border county? Perhaps, but that’s what the records of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board would seem to indicate. The question of bootlegging in Pennsylvania is one that arises almost naturally when there are legislative proposals to increase the tax on liquor. There is currently in the State House legislation which would increase the excise tax on state store-sold liquor from the present 15percent to 18percent, at a cost to drinkers of $9.6million a year.
25 Years Ago – 1992: The tiny town of Millbourne has had it up to here with front lawns that look like farmlands. Council passed an ordinance this week that outlaws any vegetable over 6-feet tall anywhere in town and made it illegal for Garden Court residents to grow any vegetables at all in their front yard. Short vegetables are OK at Garden Court, as long as they are grown on the side or rear of the buildings.
10Years Ago – 2007: Newtown officials were wise to move Monday night’s supervisors meeting to the high school auditorium, where about 350residents turned out to hear the board continue discussion of development options for the 205-acre Ellis Preserve. The choice between a town center or a by-right plan for the site will now move to private negotiations involving two supervisors and Berwind Property Group representatives.