100 Years Ago
In 1912, it was beginning to look as though Jamestown was to have a soldiers and sailors' monument after all. A movement to this end was inaugurated a few weeks ago by Jamestown Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and received great impetus at a meeting of the chapter in the YWCA building the previous afternoon. Representatives of other local patriotic organizations were present by invitation to consider the monument proposition. The gathering was marked by great enthusiasm throughout and judging from the remarks of the members who spoke and the applause which greeted the speakers, the chapter was determined that there should be a suitable memorial to the soldiers and sailors of this city.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Moore and two children would leave on this evening for New York and sail Saturday on the steamship Caronia of the Cunard line for Liverpool, England. The family had come to Jamestown from England nearly three years ago and since that time Mr. Moore had been employed in the Art Metal Construction Company's factory. A few months ago the company established a factory in London and Mr. Moore was returning to his native land to take a position in this factory, being an expert in his line of work and particularly valuable to the company for the reason that he was born in England and had spent nearly all of his lifetime in that country.
75 Years Ago
In 1937, distribution of report cards for the national unemployed census would be made on Tuesday, Nov. 16 to every home on every mail carrier's route in the United States, including the Hawaiian Islands and Alaska. According to Thomas M. Clarke, superintendent of mails, at the local post office, employees of the post office in Jamestown would be prepared for the distribution. In homes where there were more than one unemployed person the carrier would leave two or more cards. The cards had to be completed and returned to the carrier or to the post office or dropped in a mail box not later than midnight on Nov. 20.
Richard Peart, for many years a well-known figure in the business life of Jamestown, died at his home, 225 Forest Ave., on this morning at 10 a.m., aged 63 years. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Carrie Persons Peart. Born in Titusville, Pa., in 1876, Mr. Peart came here in 1894 as a representative of Standard Oil Company, making his home here since that time. From 1900 to about 1915 he was treasurer of the Jamestown Table Company. He joined the Tinkham Brothers' staff a year later as office manager and holding that position until the incorporation of that concern in 1927 when he became secretary. He served in that capacity until his retirement seven years ago.
50 Years Ago
In 1962, Jamestown children would be kept at school instead of being sent home if a defense emergency occurred, it was announced at a meeting of the Board of Education. Dr. Harold L. O'Neal, school superintendent, said the decision was in accord with revised recommendations of school and Civil Defense officials at the county and state levels. It was based upon recognition that school buildings generally had areas which could provide greater protection for children in event of a real emergency than were likely to be available in their own homes, he said. Instructions had already been issued to teachers and other school personnel, he said, providing that when the first emergency warning signal was received - children were to be kept in their buildings until the "all clear" signal or other instructions were given.
WCA Hospital had started its traditional Donation Day Appeals, hoping to receive $35,000. This week also marked the institution's diamond anniversary - 75 years of providing health service to the community. Every year friends of the hospital helped to make up the deficit in the yearly operating costs. In the early days of the hospital, when it was housed in the former Kimball residence at the present location, donations were staple goods, canned goods, jellies, sheets, pillow cases and other useful items. Local residents would bring their gifts as expressions of gratitude for what the hospital did for the community. As the years passed, the donations took the form of money.
25 Years Ago
In 1987, did a mixture of slow-moving horse-drawn buggies and high-powered cars and trucks on the winding, hilly roads of Western New York cause problems? Not too often, said the residents of Leon. But when there was a collision involving the two modes of travel it drew attention and stirred debate. Those who drove the buggies - the Amish farmers and craftsmen who made up a majority of the town's 1,055 residents - said the horse-drawn vehicles were not the problem. "It's the (car and truck) drivers," said Dan E. Miller, whose 4-month-old grandson, John Hochstetler, was killed Wednesday, Nov. 11, in a crash involving a buggy and a pickup truck. That accident was followed early the next morning by a buggy-car collision that seriously injured two brothers.
Dunkirk city officials were trying to keep the railroad grade-crossing issue alive. Dunkirk Common Council unanimously passed a resolution authorizing the city to resubmit a petition, first filed with the state Department of Transportation in 1983, to eliminate the 10 Norfolk Southern Railroad crossings in the Fourth Ward. Six teenagers were killed Nov. 1 when a train struck their car at the crossing on South Roberts Road. "People have a habit when a tragedy happens, of letting the issue go to sleep a couple of months later," said Councilman John Woloszyn, who sponsored the resolution.