Pickings from Pike’s Past 1.10.24

By Editor | January 9, 2024 |

150 YEARS AGO: COMPLETION OF THE MISSISSIPPI RAILROAD BRIDGE AT LOUISIANA

150 Years Ago

Jan. 15, 1874

Yesterday morning the thermometer was below zero, and remained below freezing all day. Last night was a most bitter cold one.

One of the grandest illustrations of the enterprise of the times is the completion of the great iron railroad bridge over the Mississippi at Louisiana erected in the short space of 5 ½ months. It was formally opened on Christmas for through trains.

The holidays in Milton passed off with the usual routine of mud, rain, snow and firecrackers. The Milton school, under the management of J. M. Faris, gave a public entertainment, consisting of declamations, orations, music and charades. Mr. Faris seems to be an able teacher and has introduced singing as an opening exercise, and together with some of the larger pupils, procured an organ for the benefit of the school. Immediately some of the old fogies and a few others commenced raising a great disturbance because “the teacher was wasting his time at the public expense playing an organ.”

Last Wednesday night the Masons of El Dara had a grand supper, yea, a sumptuous feast, where 400 invited guests partook.

Our new calaboose in Griggsville has had three inmates in as many weeks, and if this ratio continues for a year it will make a very decent average.

125 Years Ago

Jan. 17, 1899

Last week ended Saturday with a sunshiny day after a week of gloom. Then Sunday and Monday were fine and pleasant, and today the thermometer stands at 24 above with a strong northwest wind, with promise of more of it. Ugh! Such weather!

The circus has come to Rockport. Get your partners, boys, and go to the show. Sam Bolin is putting up a new blacksmith shop in Rockport. We will have four now and no one need kick about having their wagons fixed, for there are plenty of smiths.

Jan. 20, 1899

Tonight at the Opera House in Pittsfield the management has arranged to exclude the hoodlum element from the gallery. All seats upstairs will be 50 cents.

It would be much easier to make a list of those who are well in Milton than to catalogue the sick. Our doctors are on the jump all the time.

100 Years Ago

Jan. 16, 1924

The Pittsfield City Council at its regular meeting last night let the contract for the construction of the entire waterworks system to Nixon and Keeley, the East St. Louis contractors. The price is approximately $120,000.

A bunch of bad actors seems to be developing in Pleasant Hill. The local folks are getting irritated and peevish, feeling that a gang of malicious young desperadoes is making the good community an uncomfortable place. Several items have been stolen and an attempt was made recently to burn the house of Earnest Orrill, a teacher in Pleasant Hill.

Attorney Lee Capps has been elected as president of the Pittsfield School board. He replaces Charles A. Barber, who has been so seriously ill.

In a fast game of basket ball here Friday night the local quintet defeated the Barry High School five by a score of 18 to 12.

Notwithstanding the bad roads and rather unfavorable weather, the first annual show of the Pike County Poultry Association held in Pittsfield proved to be a splendid success. Nearly 400 birds were entered.

75 Years Ago

Jan. 19, 1949

For 50 hours freezing rain fell on much of Pike County, beginning in mid-afternoon Sunday and continuing until 6 o’clock Tuesday evening. Many wires are down, trees are damaged, some homes damaged, and schools closed. Trees began to snap and pop with the coming of dusk Monday, and the noise, which sounded like exploding giant fire crackers, continued all through the night. Downed wires sputtered and flared. The night was as weird as a scene from Edgar Allan Poe.

Almost everyone would have agreed with you Tuesday that the “good old days” were not so hot! Without electricity practically all business in Pittsfield was at a standstill.

Another of the 110 Pike and Pike-connected soldiers who died in the great war found a final resting place in his beloved native soil, as Sgt. Woodson Hack of the famous 9th Division was buried at Milton-Smith Cemetery Sunday. The funeral service was held at the Milton Christian Church at 2:00 Sunday afternoon.

The Pittsfield Saukees defeated Quincy Notre Dame 52-41 at home Friday night. Then they traveled down to Gillespie Saturday night and lost 51 to 36.

A family dinner was hosted by Virgil and Evelyn Criss and Lois, Judy and Carole Ann Sunday. A gift exchange was enjoyed that afternoon by the gathered relatives.

50 Years ago

Jan. 16, 1974

New officers were elected at the annual meeting of the Greater Pike Industrial Corporation Monday night. New officers are: Craig Collver, president; Bill Belt, vice president; Ron Johnson, secretary; Nick Smith, treasurer; Jon Acuff, corporation attorney; and Paul Ransom, executive secretary. Other directors are Tom Dell, Rex Dinsmore, Allan Seiler and retiring president, Don Zimmerman.

Miss Ellen Borrowman will represent the Pittsfield Business and Professional Women’s club in the annual young career woman competition to be held at the BPW district meeting in Quincy March 19.

Mrs. Idella Gaffney of rural Pittsfield died Jan. 13, 1974 at the Iowa City, Ia. Medical Center. She was 56 years old. Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Mrs. Cherryll Allen of Avon, Miss Nancy Gaffney of Quincy; two sons, Gary of Venice, Calif. and Brent of Macomb, and two grandchildren. Mrs. Gaffney was an elementary teacher in the Pittsfield school system for a total of about 13 ½ years. She retired in the spring of 1972 because of ill health.

25 Years Ago

Jan. 13, 1999

Pike County’s first drug bust of an active meth lab occurred early Monday morning as drugs with a street value of over $14,000 were seized in a residence at Pike Station by the Pike County sheriff’s department and various law enforcement agencies working together.

The PHS Saukees rolled over Porta 81-33 Saturday and downed arch-rival Quincy Notre Dame 62-43 Tuesday night for their 11th and 12th victories of the season.

10 Years Ago

January 15, 2014

It has been a year since the state condemned the bridge on Old Pearl Road carrying traffic over Hardy Creek in Pearl. “We have a road now,” Julia Hatcher, Pearl Village clerk, said. “Part of it is on private property and part of it is on the state right of way.”

The Pike County Board’s agriculture and finance committees met with Rick Cornell, a representative of the Grain Belt Express Clean Line project Thursday, Jan. 9.

A new restaurant, Nucci’s Pasta House, is coming to Pittsfield the first week in March.

Illini Hospital is clearing hurdles for a new addition, and it is hoped that construction can begin in May.

• Pickings from Pike’s Past is compiled by Michael Boren.