LOOKING BACK
9 road will carry considerable exit traffic and be extended further south to the interchange.
An enormous booze raid was pulled off by Sheriff Decker in the village of Hinckley on the 4th of July, resulting in the arrest of 15 violators. The first to be arrested was Edward Baie, who admitted he had operated a still of the capacity of about 10 gallons. His hired man, Leslie Martin, was arrested next, who admitted he was a co-partner of Baie in the distilling operations and also sold the moonshine, dividing the profits with Baie on a 50-50 basis. Charles O. Larson was recently granted a patent on a baggage truck holder. This truck holder automatically holds the tongue of the baggage truck from the ground and also provides a brake, which prevents the truck from running off the platform onto the tracks. The device is remarkably simple and performs its work without any weights or chains. Mr. Larson has spent about a year’s work on this truck holder and he plans to manufacture and place it on the market. The North Western crossing at Seventh Street was repaired yesterday and will probably last for several months. Today the section gang is leveling up the tracks in front of the station. The heavy traffic on the line makes it necessary to continually keep the roadbed in the best state of repair. The Daily Vacation Bible school opened with great promise this morning. The leaders and teachers are enthusiastic over the prospects. There were nearly 200 children present at the two centers. The Methodist church is being used for the north side center and the First Baptist church for the south side center. It should still be kept in mind that this is a community school and these centers are being used to avoid the necessity of having the children cross the tracks and Lincoln Highway.
Photo provided
Cortland School is pictured in 1934. Photo courtesy DeKalb County History Center Archives.
On Saturday night, “Rusty” Hedberg, of the news stand, who is always in a hurry, threw a tire from his Smith motorcycle in going around the corner at Pine and Fourth streets. Unable to fix it at the time, ”Rusty” pulled the wheel to the side of the road and walked. Officer Martin was called to the corner Sunday night by the residents who feared there might have been a serious accident. He pulled the wheel over to the church lawn. The police wagon was called and the broken wheel was taken to the station.
1946 – 75 YEARS AGO
Sheriff Al Deisz received a call at 1:15 o’clock this morning to the home of George Pigott, who lives west of the Kishwaukee Airport, that someone was stealing his chickens. When the sheriff arrived, no one could be found, but the chickens were still up and about causing quite a disturbance. It was not known whether any were missing or not. It was thought that due to the meat shortage someone was looking for a Sunday meal. On Wednesday, the tree that stood between the two driveways at the north end of the Fargo Hotel in Sycamore was
cut down. The stump is to be dragged out after which the preparations for paving will begin. The alley has been closed for perhaps some half a century and just a short time ago it was opened. After it had been opened a short while, it was decided that it needed some improvement. Since it will be used by large freight trucks, widening and paving is of main importance. W.C. Mummert, farm adviser, announces that there will be an opportunity for farmers interested in new oats to see several new varieties in a trail plot demonstration. The plot, which is in progress for the second year, is on the DeKalb Agricultural Association farm located 1 mile north and 2 miles east of the Waterman airport. A bright new sign is now swinging over what used to be known as Gambles Hardware Store and reads as follows: “Lee Hagen’s Hardware and Auto Supplies.” The products will be the same as before and the management will be the same. One half of the store will be devoted to electrical appliances and household goods while the other half will be for hardware.
DANCE – ELVA HALL. Saturday July 6. Starts at 9 P.M. Music by Brandt’s Orchestra Hemp mill employees from Esmond and their families held a picnic Sunday evening at Kingston Park. Monday, July 1, saw the last of the hemp processed and the future of the plant remains undecided. DeKalb’s playgrounds, which are operating on a regular fiveday-a-week schedule, are to take a brief vacation over the Fourth of July weekend. At the conclusion of the playground activities this afternoon, they will remain closed for the fourth, fifth and sixth of July. The four playgrounds will reopen on Monday, July 8, on regular schedules, which means morning and afternoon at the Glidden, Haish and Ellwood and afternoon sessions at the McMurry school.
1971 – 50 YEARS AGO
After years of delays and work on an extension for Annie Glidden Road from Alternate 30 south to Taylor Street (South Malta Road), the new arterial route opened officially this morning. When the tollway extension is completed, this
The newly created intersection upgrading at 14th and Pleasant streets in DeKalb left the corner with a vast cement expanse that has upset city council members due to its being useless and an eyesore, instead of a green area with plantings or at least with green cement and plastic shrubbery. However, now that the cement work is completed, children can maybe paint a shuffleboard court, hopscotch pattern or model car racetrack on the traffic island and hope they don’t get run over by a wavering motorist. If the island were built in downtown Chicago, it would make a fine bus stop or elevated train waiting platform, but in DeKalb, who has a use for it? After 13 years of business in the Shamrock Tavern, 147 N. Third St., DeKalb, Tom McCabe Sr., plans to open a new lounge in the building that housed Wirtz and Wirtz Furniture.
1996 – 25 YEARS AGO
Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar signed several new gang laws last week, measures local law enforcement officials say could prove helpful, although perhaps not as necessary in DeKalb County as they may be elsewhere. A $1 million pilot program was launched to protect witnesses and victims who help convict gang members by temporarily relocating them. The 3M Midwest Distribution Center in DeKalb is planning an expansion which should double the size of its current facility. The expansion will include a 150,000-square-foot addition of its Corporate Drive location. The new space will be in addition to the 38,000-square-foot expansion, and a new conveyor system, approved about six months ago.
– Compiled by Sue Breese
MIDWEEK The MidWeek / MidWeeknews.com • Wednesday, Jul 7, 2021
1921 – 100 YEARS AGO
