Days Gone By
100 YEARS AGO, 1924 » Disregarding a command to throw up his hands, Henry Foreaker, 75-yearold storekeeper, of Ninth and Jeffrey streets, wielded his cane with telling effect and forced a couple to back their way out of his store. “Come out of there, you scoundrel,” he shouted, as he brought his cane down on the man’s head as he went to the money drawer. Foreaker continued to shower the unwelcome visitor with blows and finally the man drew a pistol and commanded Foreaker to throw up his hands, and then backed his way from the store and disappeared. It was the second time Foreaker has fought off robbers. About a year ago a man tried to rob his place. Foreaker was cutting steak at the time and he slashed the thug across the check with a butcher knife.
75 YEARS AGO, 1949 » City stores will remain open until 9 tonight as another Chester Sale Days program gets underway. The two-day event, offering shoppers attractive bargains in every conceivable line of merchandise, is expected to lure larger throngs than those that responded to previous sale days.
50 YEARS AGO, 1974 » The Delaware County Government Study Commission will announce its decision at 8 tonight in the county commissioner’s room, according to the chairman. Charles C. Keeler said today no vote was taken on recommendations at a closed meeting Thursday night, nor was any vote taken at any of a series of private commission meetings earlier. The recommendations could include continuance of the present form with none or minor changes, adoption of one of several options plans, or writing of a home rule charter.
25 YEARS AGO, 1999 » Newtown Township police said yesterday they’ve zeroed in on a suspect in the theft of roughly $300,000 worth of equipment from an office building. The Campus Boulevard
office complex was burglarized sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning, said Police Chief Lee Hunter. An estimated $300,000 worth of computers and software was stolen. Police believe there had to be more than one thief to clear out so much merchandise.
10 YEARS AGO, 2014 » Haverford Township will pay an additional $1.7 million to settle sticky condemnation proceedings in Delaware County Common Pleas Court concerning the former Swell bubble gum factory site on Eagle Road, now home to the Haverford Area YMCA. The township paid $1.26 million just compensation when it condemned the vacant 6-acre site in March 2009 for use as township and/or community facilities. Arguing the site was worth $6 million, however, Philadelphia Chewing Gum Corp. successfully appealed the matter to Delaware County Board of View.