Pickings from Pike’s Past: 125 YEARS AGO: HOOCHIE COOCHIE GIRLS NOT ALLOWED TO PERFORM AT QUINCY CELEBRATION

By Editor | October 2, 2024 |

150 Years Ago

Oct. 8, 1874

We are enjoying most beautiful fall weather. One hundred and four carloads of freight were forwarded from Pittsfield during September, consisting of 7000 barrels of flour besides wheat and stock. And still the wheat is being planted, although an immense breadth has already been sown.

The Griggsville Reflector says that the Christian denomination of that place have purchased the east half of the square immediately south of the Congregational Church and will build a church on it as soon as possible. Already sand and stone are fast being hauled to the place.

125 Years Ago

Oct. 10, 1899

A big blaze at Baylis at midnight Oct. 7 destroyed the Baylis Hotel, Wabash Depot, five stores, butcher shop, two barber shops, livery stable, I00F Hall, and one dwelling. The loss was estimated at 30,000.

Nebo is in ruins, with 32 buildings destroyed by a fire starting in a defective flu in the
Collard Bros. Restaurant. The loss was $40,000 and the insurance was only $20,000. Only the brick Bush building in which was located a store and the Nebo Signal on the first floor, and the opera house on the second floor, remains.

Too bad, today rain commences with threatened colder weather. A heavy rain is on and our sympathies go out to Quincy where a street fair is in progress.

The days are getting very short. Have you laid in your coal—either soft or hard? It looks as if both might go higher than a kite.

At the (Pittsfield) Christian Church workmen are enlarging the chimneys and getting ready for a new furnace.

Oct. 13, 1899

Warm and sunny weather has returned, and the street fair and fall celebration in Quincy is the biggest thing that ever happened. They have had the president of the nation, the governor of the state, and a United States Senator; also a big color parade, street exhibitions and side shows galore. But the hoochie coochie girls, where were they? Well, they were there, but were neither allowed to hoochie or coochie. They were given special permission by the management to pose as living pictures, but with a special injunction to stand still and not on their life wiggle just a little bit.

100 Years Ago

Oct. 8, 1924

The Pittsfield High School football team lost the first game of the season to Hannibal 29-0. It was also the first game for many of the players, who showed a great deal of nervousness the first half.

Beginning Oct. 14 both Pittsfield banks will be closed from noon until 1 p.m. each day.

Mr. and Mrs. George Beard will leave today for Lake Worth, Fla., to make their home. Beard will operate the picture machine in the Oakley Brothers new theatre. Beard was until recently employed at the Brun-Mill factory.

Pittsfield Methodist women are making many gallons of apple butter to be donated to the Chaddock School in Quincy.

The Milton Corn Carnival, held October 2, 3, 4, was a success in every way. There were a couple of bands, a large parade and a basket ball game between Milton and Pearl. During the carnival the park was lighted by a Delco system furnished by their district agent.

75 Years Ago

Oct. 5, 1949

Pittsfield High’s Saukees got back on the warpath Friday night swamping the White Hall’s eleven 33-0. The game was the first in the Illinois Valley Conference for Pittsfield and was the local team’s first home game. A big crowd of fans watched the slaughter.

New Canton won its second consecutive Pike County baseball league title, Sunday afternoon, defeating Florence 7-4. The game was finished in semi-darkness. New Canton street lights were burning before the last out.

Oct. 7, 1949

R. A. Boudreau, operator of the Griggsville locker and cold storage plant, was present at the Pittsfield City Council meeting with plans for a modern and sanitary custom slaughter plant to serve the large Pittsfield area, now unserved by any plant of the kind. The location is on the Pittsfield-Griggsville road between the Wabash right-of-way and the paved route 107 right-of-way, which is now used as a rubbish and trash dump.

50 Years Ago

Oct. 9, 1974

Local tax funds totaling $31,125 are budgeted in the contract to be provided by the Pike County Association of Mental Health for the 1974-75 fiscal year.

It’s National Newspaper Week and Wednesday is Pike Press day. Pictured is Tim Belford of the First National Bank striding merrily along with copies of the Pike Press for his fellow employees. Also pictured is Mrs. Mildred Caughlan of the Farmers State Bank as she fills a shopping bag with Pike Presses to take back to the bank.

Local news is furnished weekly by our correspondents: Edith Cox, Here and There; Vernice Franklin, Nebo; Hilda Williams, New Canton; Lena June Scarborough, Barry; Jessie Ham, Chambersburg; Mary Back, Summer Hill; Rho Ann Hoskin, El Dara; Bertha Chaplin, Milton; Bona M. Wade, Florence; Helen Brown, Kinderhook; Laverne Stinson, Fish Hook; Mildred Smith and Mrs. R. L. Brim, Perry; Bernice Daniel and Lillian McAllister, Detroit; Clessent Brinkman, Hull; Faydell Preble, New Salem; Silver Hatcher, Time; Elizabeth Brown, Baylis; Mrs. Asa Heavner, Pearl; Mrs. C. A. Stecker, Martinsburg and John Mart, Fairmount.

Travis Willard, Milton businessman, is seriously ill in a St. Louis hospital.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony officially dedicating the new horseshoe courts at King Park was the highlight of a tournament held there last Sunday afternoon. Floyd Hammitt and his wife coordinated the tournament which attracted 25 horseshoe pitchers from a three-state area.

The Hannibal Pirates downed Coach Dennis Heiman’s scrappy, gambling Saukee team 20-3 at Hannibal Saturday afternoon.

25 Years Ago

Oct. 6, 1999

Grand Marshalls for the Barry Apple Festival were Floyd and Norma Rennecker. They were honored for their years of generosity and involvement in the Barry community. Kali Borrowman was crowned Barry Apple Festival Queen Friday night.

Rebecca Kay Williamson and Richard Alan Rhodes were united in marriage Saturday, July 31 at 1:30 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Pittsfield. The bride is the daughter of Gay and Carole Williamson of Griggsville. The bridegroom is the son of Gaylord and Jo Rhodes of Pittsfield.

The Pike Theatre Guild’s production of the Neil Simon comedy “Rumors” is sure to tickle your funnybone. Cast members are James T. Smith, Cathy Rahe, H. Todd Evans, Dulci Ford, Chris Mitchell, Christine Sandidge, Kristina Winner, Paul Petty, Dan Long and Aimee Preston.

10 Years Ago

Oct. 8, 2014

The Perry Church of Christ was built in 1878 and stood majestically near the downtown area of Perry. The church burned rapidly Wednesday afternoon after it was struck by lightning. It had not been used for services for several years, but was well kept and maintained.

J. Fred Schwartz, 80, of East Hannibal, died Sunday, Oct. 4, 2014 at his home. He owned Schwartz farms in East Hannibal and farmed with sons, Tom and Ted. He was involved in many community activities and was active in Democrat politics, serving many years on the Levee Township board.

Compiled by Michael Boren