Wapakoneta Daily News
100 years AGO, OCTOBER 18, 1921
■ GRADE CROSSING TAKES TOLL OF WAPAKONETA WOMEN LAST EVENING: Two Wapakoneta women were victims of a terrible accident at the LE&W crossing on the Shawnee pike tree miles south of Lima yesterday evening just about dusk. They wee Mrs. Neola Mcdonal, wife of George Mcdonal, 305 West Vine street, killed, and Mrs. Saraj Kantner, wide of Michael Kantner, 5032 Court street, who was so seriously injured that her death occurred at the Lima City Hospital at 11:55 today. The Ford auto driven by Mrs. Kantner in which they were riding home after attending a session of the convention of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society, Cincinnati, district, and also doing some shopping, was struck by an eastbound LE&W passenger train due in Lima at 5:30 pm Struck squarely in the middle, the auto was lifted onto the pilot of the locomotive and turned over. The train was brought to a stand still by Engineer Hickock as quickly as possible, ad assisted by Fireman Roy Spees and Conductor Morrissey he lifted the dead and injured to one of the coaches. At the LE&W station the train was met by the Williams & Davis ambulance. Darkness was coming on and a drizzling rain falling at the time, making it impossible for them to see the train approaching, it is believed. The auto was dragged 100 yards and reduced to a twisted mass of metal and splintered wood. Nearby residents drug it from the right of way and took it a nearby home. The place where the dreadful tragedy occurred is known as Hoover’s crossing, below the Western Ohio overhead over the LE&W tracks. Mrs. Mcdonal is survived by her husband, section foreman on the T&OC railroad. Mrs. Kantner is the wife of the well-known paper ganger and decorator and was a close friend of Mrs. Mcdonal.
■ It was with much exultance that Fire Chief Vorhees announced several days ago that he and I fire ladies have finally succeeded in controlling the wild and wooly fire in the city dump. Oscar and the boys threw the high pressure from the major fire fighter on it and washed a big portion of the cinder bank down the hollow, but now it would seem that the baptism didn’t reach the desired spot. The thing is smoking more than usual today, indicating the fact that the subterranean fire is still alive. Street Commission Howard attributes the fire to the mass of oily waste, shattered machinery, broken bits of wood that the B&O brought from the Lima carshops and dumped along the bank. The stuff is saturated with oil and burns steadily. He and his men are taking another fling at it and proceeded this morning to dig a huge trench, many times bigger than those dug before, filling it with water to head off the fire.
75 years AGO, OCTOBER 18, 1946
■ Blume High Lantern Chatterbox—did everyone notice how good Dudley Schuler was at the Bellefontaine game in leading the band behind Janis Merkle? He let it be known the next day, though, that he was “mighty” stiff in the joints from the night before. Bob Miller could well be called “The Lip.” Reason—just watch him blow that trumpet! Mary Lou Tester claims her black eye is due to square dancing. It seems some one’s elbow ran into Mary Lou’s eye. Johnny Wehner’s return has helped to ease the man power shortage, not to mention the strengthening of the backfield of the football team. Blume is glad to have Johny back. The rumor is going around that Johnny Nieter just sits with Ann Pangle at noon because he needs company. (Ann isn’t worried, though; Wally Howell is keeping her busy.) Jim Mougey has been dubbed the ”wit” of his communications class. He’s always telling jokes.
■ Auglaize Fish & Game Association will hold its annual membership field trial Oct. 20 at 8:30 am on the Sillin farm southeast of Buckland. Shooting dog, derby, and puppy stakes. Entry fee for members, $1; non-members $1.50 for entry and membership ticket.— Alden Lucas, chairman
50 years AGO, OCTOBER 18, 1971
■ SEARS Pie Contest, October 16th. Enter Your Favorite Pie/ 1st Prize--$2- gift certificate and blue ribbon. 2nd prize--$15 gift certificate and red ribbon. Third prize--$5 gift certificate and yellow ribbon. Judges: Richard Graham, postmaster; Robert Lietz, banker; Harold Hammer, mgr. Grants.
■ On October 6 Jim Schumann and his son John celebrated their birthdays. John was honored on his birthday by having a party with the following friends attending: Robert and Mark Koch, Blaine Kohler, Denton and Kendra Wilcox, Tammy Copeland, Heather Jane Bishop, John Mcclintock, Carla Robbie, and Jack Huebner, Jim, Mike, and Bill Short, Julia Kennedy, and Jon’s brother and sister, Jim and Beth.
25 years AGO, OCTOBER 18, 1996
■ Auglaize County Commissioner candidates Ivo Kramer and Greg Myers took the podium in round two of the debates sponsored by the St. Marys Rotary Club. Like the previous debate last week between commissioner candidates Lester Settlage and John Bergman, both candidates were given three minutes for an introduction, followed by the question and rebuttal stage of the debate. Both were in agreement when the issue of the Auglaize Acres being privatized. The two said here is no need to privatize the county home, and that management is the key to success at Auglaize Acres. Myers is the former mayor of Cridersville and former member of the Wapakoneta School Board, while Kramer is a member of the U.S> Soil Conservation service.
■ Construction of a new Parish Life Center at St. Joseph Catholic Church will begin in the spring of 1997. The announcement was made after a campaign to raise more than $1.3 million was reached and exceeded. Father William O’donnell, pastor, said the current campaign is the most successful of any conducted in the 157-year history of the parish. Plans call for the construction of the new 15,000 square foot building just west of the church.