Days Gone By
100 YEARS AGO, 1924 » A practical joker turned in an alarm of fire at eight o’clock last night from the box at Sixth Street and Concord Avenue. The district companies responded, but on their arrival could find no fire. An investigation was immediately begun by Chief Bauer in an endeavor to ascertain the identity of the perpetrator of the hoax.
75 YEARS AGO, 1949 » The city today announced plans to utilize the old postoffice building at Fifth and Welsh streets. Vincent F. Sanbe, director of parks and public property, said that in all probability work will start sometime this year to convert the first flood into municipal offices and install a public comfort station in the basement.
50 YEARS AGO, 1974 » A Delaware County state representative has offered some unsolicited advice to Gov. Milton J. Shapp: “Stay home and then the store.” Rep. Stanley R. Kester (R-160) of Chester Township gave the advice in a letter urging Shapp to give up a projected trip to China early next month. Kester said the governor shouldn’t go on vacation now because of all the problems facing state government. Among problems Kester cited were enactment to the 197374 state budget, state highway conditions, the energy crisis, adjustments in public assistance grants, investigations of state agencies and attacks upon Shapp appointees to various offices.
25 YEARS AGO, 1999 » Five of seven Middletown council members say they would support a rezoning application of Senior Campus Living that could pave the way for a 1,166unit retirement community on 40 acres of 79 acres of Elwyn land on Baltimore Pike at the Media bypass. However, Chairman Doug Roger and colleagues Nora Andresen, Eve Beehler, Scott Galloway and Larry Hartley say they’d vote to change the zoning from Special Use Residential to Planned Retirement Community only when fully engineered plans for the project address such key concerns as storm water management and protection of the environmentally sensitive features of the land. “”All in all, I believe the merits weigh in favor of the township,” said Roger of the proposed retirement project.
10 YEARS AGO, 2014 » Chester police are asking the public for help identifying the suspects who robbed the 7-Eleven on Providence Avenue early Monday. One of the men jumped over the counter while the other stood at the doorway. By that time, the cashier had already activated the holdup alarm and was standing out front waiting for police. The two suspects were in the store for only a minute or so before fleeing with four packs of cigarettes and the $80 in cash.