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BOY SCOUT TROOP 33
First Lutheran Church - DeKalb, Illinois

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News Stories 2019
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MIDWEEK
DeKalb, Illinois
July 31, 2019


DeKalb, looking down the Chicago & North Western tracks, 1948, looking west. Thanks to the Joiner History Room for the photo..



Looking Back for July 31, 2019

1919 - 100 YEARS AGO

The large barn of John Twombly northeast of the city was struck by lightning during the electrical storm. An alarm for help was sounded and farmers and men from the city went out to help fight the blaze. Fire Chief McEvoy and Morris Kennedy who was off for the day, also went out and worked like Trojans. It was thought at four o'clock that the loss would be slight, owing to the large number of workers.

One day this week a tourist in a large Pierce-Arrow car, stopped over here for a time, buying supplies, sending mail and other matters. The big car was placarded "From San Francisco to New York" using a special tire for the trip for advertising purposes.

A tire firm, for which P.S. Corey & Son are the agents, have recently installed a large sign at the corner east of town about a mile and a half, showing the Lincoln Highway as it leaves Chicago, further on west. At the point on the big map showing DeKalb are these words in big red letters. "You are here," and DeKalb is marked with a big red star. The sign was just put up recently and attracts considerable attention, and is of benefit to motorists.

The DeKalb-Sycamore & Interurban traction company is now undergoing a series of repairs that when completed, will put the line in first class condition. Sunday a new bridge was installed just this side of Electric park, recently washed away during the heavy rains, and for several days past men have been at work on West Lincoln Highway, putting in new bonds, and leveling up the roadbed.

GIRLS WANTED - Apply at once ready for work or phone 732 after 6:00 p.m. Nature's Rival Co.

The village of Kirkland to the north of DeKalb was visited by a serious fire when the oil tank truck of the Standard Oil company caught afire in some unknown manner. The fire department did everything possible but the building and the big trucks of the company were completely destroyed. Fortunately, the big supply tanks close by did not catch fire, and after three hours of hard work the firemen had the blaze under control.

The Armory building on Locust street will become the property of the State when Governor Lowden signs the bill recently passed.

1944 - 75 YEARS AGO

DeKalb police were notified at 7:30 o'clock this morning that an International truck, owned by John Donnelly of DeKalb had been stolen from the parking lot of a filling station at the east edge of the city. The truck was filled with empty pea case which are being used at the California Packing Corporation during the present pack.

The fire department received a call at 5:00 Sunday morning when planks of the Second Street crossing of the North Western railway caught fire. The cause was believed due to dropping of hot cinders. Damage was slight.

At the Creamery Package Manufacturing Company on the northeast side of town is an extremely attractive sight, as company employees have planted a long row of hollyhocks. The blooms are varied in colors, and many persons having occasion to be in that section have remarked about the beauty of the flowers, as well as the arrangement.

Boy Scouts of this area yesterday started another week in the series of camps at Rotary MacQueen near Kirkland. Several boys from DeKalb are taking part in the activities that have been outlined for the current period. Members of Troop 33 of the First Lutheran Church of DeKalb which is headed by John Twombly, Scoutmaster, are at the camp as well as several boys from Troop 4 of the Methodist Church and Troop 28 of the Congregational Church.

During the last few days necessary repairs have been made on the large skylight at the county courthouse, following the heavy rains in which water seeped through the space around the edges and into the court room. Necessary repairs have been completed but it is understood additional work of a similar nature will be given attention before cold weather sets in, and greater damage is done.

An unusual outfit came to Fairdale recently and camped for the night. The owner was a man with long black hair and a long beard and was accompanied by a boy about six years old. They drove eight goats hitched to an odd wagon equipped with small steel wheels and pulled a trailer. They also had several goats and two kids tied to the back and there was a cat with the outfit. The man claimed to be from Georgia and had toured the United States.

1969 - 50 YEARS AGO

DeKalb property owners whose grass (or weeds) "exceed the height of 12 inches" are in violation of the city's public nuisance ordinance according to a reminder from the DeKalb city administration.

Rowena Topp, soprano, will be the soloist at the Tuesday evening concert of the DeKalb Municipal Band. Mrs. Topp is a popular soloist and has appeared with the DeKalb band on several occasions.

Illinois' financial crisis has put the funding of DeKalb's proposed $1 million new airport "at a standstill" and has forced the federal government to extend the deadline for the signing of a grant agreement by the DeKalb City Council.

The DeKalb City Council will consider granting a special use permit tonight for the proposed construction of a 16-story apartment building for DeKalb's senior citizens.

A helicopter that was crop dusting on the James Graham farm one-half mile east of the Barber Greene plant crashed Saturday. The pilot, Ray Blevins complained only of a bump on the forehead. Blevins told DeKalb County Sheriff's Deputies who investigated that he was dusting crops at three feet and said he was having some trouble with the spraying device on the helicopter. The aircraft then started gaining altitude and turning. The pilot tried autorotation, but got no response from the helicopter. The aircraft then dropped all collective pitch and gave a full cycle to the left forward position and crashed into the field.

1994 - 25 YEARS AGO

Walgreens' decision not to build a drug store at the corner of Lincoln Highway and First Street was met with disappointment and frustration by city officials. Pat and Bernie Elsner, the owners of the post office building, could not be reached for comment.

Nearly a year after the original work was started, the Adventures in Barbland playground is nearing completion. Sherry Christensen, the coordinator for the Barbland bricks project, said 484 red and gray bricks will be installed in a checkerboard pattern at the site. She said all but 74 of the bricks were sold and have been engraved.

Six students were expelled from District 428 during the 1993/1994 school year, according to Stan Johnson, board president. "We are the first board to expel anyone since 1991," Johnson said. "We have restored expulsion as a disciplinary procedure."

Businesses come and go in DeKalb, but one of the oldest in the city is Ralph's Newsstand and Trophy shop at the corner of Lincoln Highway and Seventh Street. Ralph Seats came to DeKalb in 1949 and opened Ralph's Newsstand. The name of the business was later changed to avoid confusion with several other businesses with similar names.

* Compiled by the Joiner History Room, DeKalb County Archives.






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