100 Years Ago
In 1912, in one of the most scientific and cleverly fought wrestling matches ever held in Jamestown, Chris Jordan of New York won from Walter Willoughby of Wisconsin in the state armory, securing the second and third falls after the Wisconsin grappler had won the first. The match ended in a dispute. Jordan secured the last fall on what clearly looked to be a leg strangle hold. Referee Hope did his very best to ascertain if the hold was strangling Willoughby or not but he evidently made an error in judgment when he awarded Jordan the fall. Jordan was awarded the third fall after 38 minutes of wrestling.
Ellicott lodge, I.O.O.F., and Pearl City Rebekah Lodge gave a delightful dancing party in the auditorium of Jamestown Business College Wednesday evening. It was in the nature of a calico hop and many of those present were in appropriate costume, the ladies in calico dresses, aprons and sun bonnets and the men wearing overalls or similar garb. There were about 130 persons present and the program of dances by Scott and Laken was thoroughly enjoyed. During the intermission, rolls and coffee were served.
75 Years Ago
In 1937, the same waves of electrical energy which ran the family radio were being studied by experts who hoped they held the secret of better weather forecasting. Wyant J. Williams, professor of electrical communications at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute expressed himself as hopeful the study of "this new medium" would be successful. Prof. Williams was a consultant in an experiment in which discharges of short wave electrical energy were being directed from one mountain top laboratory to another, 130 miles away. The sending station was located atop Mount Washington, a 6,000-foot New Hampshire peak and the receiver was atop Whiteface mountain in Upstate New York.
An attractively appointed wedding took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Johnson, 275 Prospect St., Jamestown, when their younger daughter, Eunice Dorothy, was united in marriage with LeRoy Benson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Benson, 24 11th St. The couple was attended by Miss Esther Benson, sister of the groom and Herbert Johnson, the bride's brother. The bride was charming in a long gown of duchess blue chiffon velvet with a rhinestone band in her hair. She carried a bridal bouquet of shaggy white pom poms. Silver sandals completed her bridal ensemble. A wedding supper was served to about 40 guests. After a short wedding trip, the couple would be at home at 275 Prospect St.
50 Years Ago
In 1962, two Buffalo youths admitted stealing a station wagon, speeding through Lakewood and crashing against Fire Station No. 5. The two youths were spotted by Hoyt Stockwell of East Second Street, Jamestown, a retired city policeman, who thought they looked suspicious and called police headquarters. Earlier, Lakewood Police Officer Nels Carlson, who was patrolling Route 17J near the Flamingo Bowling Alley, gave chase to the vehicle traveling on Fairmount Avenue at speeds upward of 80 mph. The car was traveling erratically along the highway, forcing westbound motorists off the road. Carlson summoned aid from Jamestown Police. After the youths cracked up the station wagon they fled. Thanks to the tip from Stockwell, they were picked up by Officer Edwin Nyholm on East Second Street near Cowing.
A wide section along the northern edge of the tourist mecca of Niagara Falls, N.Y. was engulfed in a cloud of smog after a quantity of chlorine gas spilled into the Niagara Gorge. The State Health Department said the smoke-filled blanket of unpleasantness posed no real threat to health but some persons said it had worsened sinus and respiratory ailments. The gas was created when liquid waste from a chemical plant came in contact with a small amount of acid in sewer lines.
25 Years Ago
In 1987, city workers demolished a house at 880 N. Main St., Jamestown, the previous day. In a joint project with Citizens Opportunity for Development and Equality, the city agreed to demolish the building so the citizens' group could use the land for a parking lot for the building to the right of the demolished house. In return, CODE would develop that adjacent building at 878 N. Main St., to include two offices and four apartments.
The competition between Jamestown's two hospitals to win a local agency's approval for mental health and substance abuse facilities escalated as the issue headed toward a public hearing in Mayville. Staff recommendations from Health Systems Agency of Western New York, a health care review group, favored part of WCA Hospital's proposal but rejected Jamestown General Hospital's plan for a $4.2 million mental health complex to be built next to the hospital.