Other Times
100 Years Ago – 1920: A disastrous fire, believed to be of incendiary origin, destroyed the finishing department and the machinery building of the Keystone Paper Mills in Upper Darby this morning, entailing a loss of $70,000. While the entire plant was put out of commission, the threestory main building of the plant was saved, where thousands of dollars’ worth of machinery and material was stored, due to the strenuous efforts of six county and two West Philadelphia fire companies.
75 Years Ago – 1945: Six desperate convicts were still at large today after a daring daylight prison break in which 12 long-terms burrowed 50 feet underground from an Eastern Penitentiary cell block to a Philadelphia street early this morning. Six of the convicts, including Robert McKnight, Philadelphia gunman who killed Wesley Major, young Chester
athlete, back in 1937, were captured within a few hours after their escape. Horace Bowers, another life termer, was shot in the stomach when he attempted to ram a police car with a dairy truck he had stolen in his mad break for freedom.
50Years Ago – 1970: When 27-yearold Ron McCracken was singing in the chorus at the former Ridley Township High School 10years ago, he set his sights on a professional singing career. Today he has achieved that goal and is a featured baritone soloist with
Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians, appearing tonight at the Philadelphia Academy of Music. “I really dig the rock scene and I would like to do recording and concert dates using the rock, folk and ballad type music,” he said.
25Years Ago – 1995: Chester High School will be the site of a live broadcast for WHYY (91FM)’s “Earth Talk.” Chester High students will join other teens to hear experts talk about land use, an issue close to Chester which has several dumping sites and has seen its water table damaged by seepage from landfills. The point person at Chester is chemistry teacher and Debate Team coach Delores Wright, who adapted 91FM’s material for use.
10 Years Ago – 2010: A teenager who allegedly fired a shot at Upper Darby police with a pellet gun – reportedly striking an officer in the arm and hitting the side of a patrol car several times – has been arrested. “The car took about four or five hits,” police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. “The kid felt it was a joke, but we took it very serious and charged him with aggravated assault and sent him out to Lima,” the county’s juvenile detention center.