In 1911, there was excitement about quitting time at the Chautauqua Worsted Mills on Lister Avenue in Falconer on Thursday evening and as a result Roy Jonbarber had his left arm badly cut up. When the closing whistle blew, Jonbarber, who was about 18 years of age, met a fellow laborer whose first name was Tony, outside of the shop and the two proceeded to mix things up, then and there. Tony was several years younger than Jonbarber but having a knife, he soon got the best of the deal. Their dire threats of murder, etc., which were heard by the shop girls stirred up a general rumpus among the factory employees. Tony escaped and was last seen heading for Jamestown.
Harry Rayner, a lineman in the employ of the Warren-Jamestown Traction Company, would always have occasion, as a result of an accident which befell him the previous day at Akeley, to appreciate the true meaning of the word "safety-belt," inasmuch as this belt probably saved the man from death or serious injury after about 550 volts of electricity passed through him and which rendered him helpless. Rayner was mending a lightning arrester. He reached up and grasped a wire and in so doing his feet touched the lightning arrester which went downward into the ground. This made a direct contact. The safety-belt Rayner wore chanced to be about the pole and when he was rendered helpless by the shock he remained in the air. Co-workers brought him to the ground. It was expected he would recover.
In 1936, the family of beavers which had located on the Brocton village watershed property, south of the village, would not be disturbed, at least for the present, stated Mayor Israel Rubenstein. As long as they were doing no apparent damage they would be left alone to build the dam and store up a winter's supply of food. Both of these activities were keeping the animals busy. The dam was increasing slowing until it was about four feet high. Trees four inches and more in diameter had been cut and dragged to the pond, besides a quantity of brush and smaller trees. There was at least one adult and three smaller beavers in the family.
Charging that Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad bondholders wanted to liquidate in order to realize as much as they could regardless of public interest, Attorney Clive L. Wright of Jamestown, representing the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce and the Manufacturers Association, told the Interstate Commerce Commission in Washington that the groups he represented would continue their struggle against abandonment of the railroad. The railroad sought to abandon its line from a point one mile north of Jamestown to Westfield, selling the remaining property and terminals to the Erie Railroad.
In 1961, discovery of three native American chestnut trees of the same variety as once abounded in the forests of Western New York until they were completely destroyed by blight nearly 40 years ago was reported by a Jamestown man, Edward Johnston, of 615 Pine St. A small branch bearing a nettle-like burr which he had taken from one of the trees was brought to The Post-Journal office by Mr. Johnston and was subsequently identified by District Forester Edward J. Whalen as being an authentic native chestnut. He was at a loss to account for the presence of the chestnut trees since examination of the area revealed no stumps from which they might have sprouted.
Chautauqua County Sheriff Charles C. McCloskey, worked as a "bag boy" in the Lakewood Super Duper Market after becoming the victim of a successful bid for "Slaves For Baseball" the previous Saturday. He was a "slave" for two hours. Funds received for the "slaves" would be used to promote the Jamestown Tigers baseball team.
In 1986, a wide variety of attractions and almost perfect fall weather combined to attract a large crowd to the Busti Apple Harvest festival on Sunday. Visitors watched demonstrations of spinning, candle dipping and weaving and stocked up on treats such as cheeses, cider and funnel cakes.
Two Chinese teachers were spending a year in Jamestown classrooms, improving their English and their knowledge of the United States. Jiang Leihong was working at Jamestown High School, while Zheng Ming-Ding was teaching physics at Jamestown Community College. For Jiang, it was the first time she had been to any foreign country. A graduate of Shanghai International Studies University, she also was an editor at a textbook publishing house in China. "For me, the main reason to come here is to improve my English," she said, but she also was interested in learning about America. During her stay she would visit area classrooms and talk about China with Jamestown students.