Pickings from Pike’s Past 9.29.21
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125 YEARS AGO: SNOWFLAKES ON SEPTEMBER 28
150 Years Ago
Oct. 5, 1871
Whilst at Hannibal we took occasion to make a cursory examination of the magnificent iron railway and highway bridge across the Mississippi.
To have a correct idea of this splendid structure and its approaches by tunnel on the west side, one must see its stupendous grandeur. The cost of the bridge was $485,000, the tunnel on the west bank $36,000, the west approach $56,000 and the east approach $71,000, making the total cost $648,000.
The locomotive of the St. Louis, Alton and Quincy Railroad will be here Wednesday. The rails are just 1½ mile from town.
125 Years Ago
Sept. 30, 1896
The first sleet and snowflakes of the season fell Sept. 28. Then it rained, and there was miserably raw, drizzling weather. This was the earliest since 1887 when a few flakes of snow fell Aug. 27.
The Nebo school has been in progress one week with good attendance. The enrollment the first day was 146.
The Pittsfield Ladies Aid Society meets every week and is prepared to take hold in the good work of making the poor and needy more comfortable during cold weather.
The Griggsville electric light power house caught fire caught fire last Friday, and but for the timely work of the Griggsville fire company, would have been destroyed.
There is a bounteous supply of nuts this fall and the small boy is happy.
100 Years Ago
Oct. 5, 1921
Pittsfield High School opened her home schedule in football Saturday when she met the strong Jacksonville team at Bates Park. The local gladiators went to the battle accompanied by a big parade, headed by the school band and followed by the student body in marching order. One of the features of the parade was Marjorie Nighbert’s goat bearing the placard, “We Have Jacksonville’s Goat.” Pittsfield easily won the game 21 to 7. Jacksonville failed to make a first down until the fourth quarter.
The wires of the Pike County Telephone at Griggsville are all now underground.
If this bare-knee style keeps up until winter there’s a fortune awaiting the manufacturers of chapped skin remedies.
Two oil rigs are drilling in Fairmount Township, but no oil has been discovered as yet.
Winchester High School defeated Griggsville High in football 36-12 at Winchester Saturday.
Barry High School plays Versailles High at Barry Saturday.
75 Years Ago
Oct. 2, 1946
Thermometers generally showed 42 degrees early Monday morning, and the first heavy frost formed on the grass in some of the yards in Pittsfield.
Service on REA lines in Pike and neighboring counties is continuing without interruption in spite of the fact that the union line and service men went out on strike last week.
The two drag-lines which have been removing sand from Pearl are about halfway through the town. Lee Taylor of Pearl, who owns and operates the Shell Station there, expects to be open for business in a week or ten days.
The Pike County Teachers Institute will be held Friday, October 4, at the Pittsfield Community High School auditorium. Miss Evelyn Ransom will play piano to begin the afternoon session.
The Saukees of Pittsfield defeated Pleasant Hill’s Wildcats in an Illinois Valley Conference game at Pleasant Hill Thursday by the score of 28 to 7. Bob Kattelman was the outstanding player on the Saukee 11, scoring two touchdowns and aiding on one.
Pike County’s greatest corn crop has matured rapidly. Farmers generally agree that the corn crop will top the 5 million bushels of the biggest previous crop in 1918.
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Bagent of Pittsfield (Gladys Sneeden) had a son, Emmett Earl, born at Illini Hospital Sept. 25.
50 Years Ago
Oct. 6, 1971
Dale (Toby) Smith shot a hole in one on the par three No. 3 hole of Old Orchard Country Club Tuesday afternoon. With characteristic modesty, Smith said, “There was nothing to it.” He also noted humbly that it was the first hole in one scored at Old Orchard in the past three years.
Governor Richard Ogilvie signed the Bay Creek Watershed application Monday morning at his office in Springfield. Present at the signing were Al Seiler, Don Welbourne, John Sheppard, Ronald Cox, Bill Withus, Lewis Dell, Harold Booth, Dale Moore, J. H. Syrcle, Walter Dehart and Virgil Criss.
Barry’s second annual Apple Festival was a big success. Marsha Moyer, 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Moyer of Barry, was the Barry Apple Queen. Curvaceous “Delicate Debra” was judged to be the “Sour Apple Queen,” believed to be Jack Cruttenden.
The Saukees won their 48th straight victory in a hard-fought contest on a very hot night against Brown County Friday evening. Pittsfield scored only two touchdowns, as they shut out the Hornets, who were close to scoring on about three occasions.
25 Years Ago
Oct. 2, 1996
Pittsfield High School is ready to kick-off its 50th homecoming celebration. “Counting this year’s queen, we could have 39 of the former homecoming queens in attendance on the night of the game,” said Mary Dell Borrowman, one of the committee members. It is also the 100th year of Pittsfield football.
The first 50 inmates arrived at the Pittsfield Work Camp Tuesday. The facility is built to house 400.
Amber Reel, daughter of Billy and Mary Reel, was crowned Milton Corn Carnival Queen Friday night. Krystal Kremer, daughter of Frank and the late Carolyn Kremer, was first runner-up, and Jayleigh Butler, daughter of Joy Potter and Kevin Butler, was second runner-up.
Wesley Dale Willard, 67, of Pittsfield died Sept. 26, 1996 at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. He began his 37-year career in the Pike County and Pittsfield school districts in 1951. Mr. Willard built and operated “Wimpy’s Drive-In,” and the “Dari Ripple” in Pittsfield.
Missy Borrowman was officially sworn in Tuesday morning as interim Pike County Treasurer by County Clerk Roger Yaeger.
10 Years Ago
Oct. 5, 2011
The Oct. 12 meeting to discuss the future of the Florence bridge is only the first step in replacing the drawbridge that was built in the 1930s. There are various options to consider including a major overhaul of the bridge, or total replacement in the same or nearby location.
Rev. David and Charlotte (Foster) Hamilton are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary this fall. They were married Sept. 1 at the Calvary Baptist Church in Pittsfield.
The Pleasant Hill/Western Wolves football team secured the Oaken Bucket for the third straight year, as they defeated Calhoun 43-34, after trailing 27-14 at halftime. Quarterback Matt Gunterman had a career game Friday night, finishing with six touchdowns, four of which came on the ground.
The car show at the 2011 Barry Apple Festival brought in strong crowds and a large selection of vehicles. Rachel Johnson, daughter of Dickie and Brenda Johnson, was crowned Apple Festival Queen.
■ Compiled by Michael Boren
