Looking Back 8.9.23

1912The county Democratic convention debate over resolutions mirrored the state split in the party between W.J. Bryant and Gilbert Hitchcock factions. The same split showed in the county Republican meeting, when 11 delegates from Fairbury headed by C.H. Denney were denied seats. They "bolted" and had a convention all their own.Incumbent President Taft was opposed by former President Theodore Roosevelt, nationally.1922Four 200-candle power beacon lights were placed on the courthouse tower.Fairbury businessmen were giving away cash and a Ford touring car in a promotion.The railroad strike was becoming even more bitter. The Rock Island secured an injunction prohibiting strikers from picketing or interfering with workers. At the same time, wages of $3 a day and board didn't solve a farm worker shortage as all the men were working for the Rock Island.Citizens of Fairbury pledged enough money so that the following year they would be able to have a Chautauqua. A second crop of oats were harvested this year. The first crop was a failure and many fields were cut for hay. After the rains came in August the oats started growing again and some fields put out heads requiring a second harvest.1932E.A. Wunder was appointed Fairbury city attorney.The Gladstone rural mail route was combined with Fairbury Rural Route No. 3. But the mail was still received at the Gladstone Post Office.Farmers market in Fairbury consisted of hogs, top $4; beef steers, top $5; butcher cattle top $2; corn 23 cents; wheat 32 cents; roosters 4 cents; hens 10 cents; butter 19 cents; and eggs 11 cents.1942Charles E. Gilmore was appointed county commissioner to fill out the term of the late Roy N. McCord.The Rock Island notified the Interstate Commerce Commission that it intended to abandon eight miles of track between Ruskin and Deshler. Originally, the line built in the early 1880s extended on west to Nelson.Rural school districts budgets jumped as teachers' salaries had to be hiked to meet salaries paid to defense workers. There was an acute shortage of teachers due to many entering the service or war industries.1952The Lincoln Telephone Co. used an ad in the Journal to apologize to patrons who'd been used to calling the operators for the time of day.They announced they were discontinuing that practice.E.J. Jenkins, 85, died. Owner of a general store at Powell, he later entered the real estate business in Fairbury; he also had been county treasurer for a time.Two Fairbury residences and two farms were sold by Fairbury Baptists for a total of $77,500, with proceeds going into the congregation's building fund. The property was in bequests from the late Mr. and Mrs. Frank Warren.The Fairbury Methodist congregation authorized officials to proceed with plans for a new church with expected total cost of $175,000.This would provide a "large sanctuary, 34 Sunday School rooms, a chapel to seat 100 and an adequate fellowship room."1962Final tests in the YMCA Learn to Swim classes at the Fairbury pool were passed by 286 youth, out of total enrollment of 647. Instructors had been Celesta Weise, director, Tim Beachler, Randy Jones, Sharlei Malovoz, Dennis Patton, Jim Quinn, Helen Rossmiller, Mary Shamburg, Mike Schwegman and Jeanne Weise. C.C. Bailey, YMCA secretary and Mrs. Don Milligan assisted.Dose two of the three doses of Sabin oral polio vaccine was administered in Fairbury, at the Elks Club.Rock Island closed their car department, which in turn affected six Fairbury families.The men who were either retiring or hoping to find employment elsewhere included Tom Keane, Roy Flower, Harold Barnum, Cal Brown, Wayne Brown and George A. Green.The Fairbury Future Farmers of America chapter, under the direction of Harold Vance, chapter advisor, in a community service project assisted fair board members and others to finish the new metal frame, metal roof livestock barn and have it ready for the opening of the county fair.They built two rows of pens for swine on the east side of the barn.1977Members of the Fairbury State Bank team earned first-place honors in the Beatrice YMCA Summer Basketball League competition completed recently. The FSB squad met First National Bank of Fairbury in the finals of the eight-week session, and posted a perfect 8-0 record.Team members include: Doug Huston, Jim Nespor, Mike Haskell, Mark Bangert, Jim Steele, Tim Gregory, Neal Bretting, Terry Gregory, Ron Stewart and Randy Calder.

Court and Real Estate 8.9.23

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