Looking Back

LOOKING BACK1904A Hastings firm was buying potatoes at Powell for shipment at 25 cents a bushel. Hannibal Helvey had raised 1,500 bushels.1914Fairbury Mercantile Co., managed by Paul C. Huber, offered dress goods and silks including 42-inch silk and wool poplin for $1.25 a yard, all-wool plaids at $1.15 and $1.25, 36-inch tartan plaids for 45 cents, and new fur trimming, 39 cents.1924The Journal noted that the janitor of the new high school building was being paid $2,000 a year, which was $800 more than the superintendent had been paid in 1884.The city appropriation ordinance provided $6,000 for the Fire Department, $4,500 for the Library, $3,000 for the Park Department, $4,500 for the Police Department, $1,000 for “a musical organization providing public concerts,” and amounts for other city activities and salaries.The Fairbury Journal listed wheat acreages and yields reported by 34 Jefferson County farmers, varying from 15 to 35 acres, yields from nine to 40 bushels. The list: Earl and William Adams, James Axtell, L.Q. Bails, Abe and C. Dalke, Dana Bugbee, Will Dick, J.L. Harms, Harms Bros., Charles Hasse, O.R. Hiner, Henry J. Junker, H.P. Junker, Charles and Edwin Hoppe, Charles Knocke, John Kujath, John Lenahan, Fred Leonard, Joch Lu-eck, John Michels, William Riggle, P.H. Shea, James Skillen, Earl Snyder, Henry Stahl, August, John L. and William Schoenrock, Harry Seggerman, John L. and William Schoenrock, Harry Seggerman, Ed Zimmerman and Albert Zwiefel.1934The State Bank of Morrowville was robbed.Nineteen men were taken from federal relief rolls to construct houses on what was known as the “farmstead project,” southeast of Fairbury between the Little Blue River and the Union Pacific tracks. It was theorized production from the small acreages would supplement other family income. Civilian Conservation Corps young men were building farm dams to control soil erosion. Their camp buildings occupied the present fairgrounds.1944Oliver Stull and Wilbur Ewers formed an electrical sales and contracting partnership.Lt. Wesley Helvey, son of the Milton Helveys of Fairbury, missing in action since February after a bombing raid over Germany, was reported killed in action. He is buried in the U.S. Cemetery at Margraten, in the southern part of the Netherlands. The Clyde Moores of Fairbury visited his grave there in 1970, bringing back photos for his mother.Local market prices were butcher hogs, top, $14.15; stock hogs, $16; best beef cattle, $12.50; stock cattle, $11.50; white corn, $1.15; yellow, $1.01 1/2; wheat, $1.37; oats, 65 cents; barley, 96 cents; alfalfa hay, $20; butter, 45 cents; eggs, 31 cents; and hens, spring, 21-23 cents.1954New report cards were introduced by Fairbury Superintendent Don Maclay, intended to give parents better knowledge of their children's progress.Corn ear worms were damaging milo heads, eating the shoots on which the kernels grew.1992Students at Fairbury Jr.-Sr. High school got two unscheduled breaks in their classes when they, along with faculty and staff were evacuated from the building because of bomb threats that were phoned in on two separate days.Citizens of Fairbury and the surrounding area were aiding victims of Hurricane Andrew in Florida and Louisiana through donations of cash, food and household goods.Clyde Moore, longtime Fairbury Journal-News staffer, wrote of a Hebron cat who made a round-trip journey to Red Cloud and back, hitching rides with her un-suspecting owners and another Hebron couple who all attended a golf tourney.2002The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) weather radio system was completed in Jefferson County. Grant funds equaling $134,550 were approved that spring by the USDA Rural Utilities Service and helped secure the financing for the new transmitter that would extend coverage during severe weather.Fairbury native and resident, Jim McCord was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame. He was a three-year letterman under head coach Bob Devaney in 1965-1967. This was during the time when freshman could not letter on the football team.Todd Uhrmacher, Fairbury native was honored with a prestigious award from Greater Omaha Chamber. He created an afterschool theater and performing art class to answer a need in Ralston when students were unable to take theater classes during regular school hours due to other class requirements. The award that was given was one of the states' top educational honors to be given to anyone.Avid fossil hunter, Donovan Harris, uncovered a muskox tooth southwest of Fairbury. He donated his rare find, which has been estimated to be 20,000 years old, to the University of Nebraska State Museum.

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