Pickings from Pike’s Past: 150 YEARS AGO: PITTSFIELD BASEBALL CLUB BEATS ROCKPORT BASEBALL CLUB 58-31
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150 Years Ago
May 13, 1875
The weather still continues cold and uncertain—one day being lovely spring and the next day being cold and disagreeable. The prospect for a crop is gloomy. Our wheat is all dead, and the millions of grasshoppers that are now hatching will take the oats, barley, flax and corn and leave us in a destitute condition.
A subscriber at Chambersburg wants his paper stopped because, as he says, he doesn’t get it half the time. Whose fault is it that he doesn’t get it, we cannot say, but it is mailed from this office regularly every week. The fault is not with us. Inasmuch, however, as he sent us money to pay for the year 1875, we’ll send it a little while longer, hoping he’ll have better luck.
The Pittsfield baseball club indulged in a friendly game with the Rockport club Saturday in Pittsfield. Rockport was badly beaten, 58-31, which does not show up very complimentary for either.
One of the greatest improvements made in Pittsfield this spring is the painting of the store fronts under the Oregon House. We wish Gen. Abe had a million dollars.
125 Years Ago
May 16, 1900
The New Salem Journal has given up the inequal struggle for existence in that place, and the plant is being moved to Pleasant Hill.
About a year ago the bridge over the south fork of McGee Creek was washed out and since then the travel has gone through Samuel Doane’s field south of the creek. The pass way over his land has now been closed by him and now people of Perry and vicinity must go around by way of Griggsville. We learn that our people are preparing for a remonstrance against the closing of the road and are getting ready to make it lively for the road commissioners.
The Pittsfield ball team went over to Barry and defeated the west side windjammers 25-18
100 Years Ago
May 13, 1925
Pittsfield’s first dollar day opened with a bang. At 8:30 in the morning it looked like the biggest selling event in Pittsfield’s history. On the $1-a year subscription offer the Pike County Republican had 22 new subscriptions.
The Armentrouts, managers of the Pittsfield KP Theatre, have recently installed a Reproducto pipe organ, which can be performed from rolls or by a performer.
Miss Evelyn Ransom won first prize in a music contest, a gold medal and $160 scholarship in a meet at Illinois College in Jacksonville.
Night trains of the C. & A. RR from east and west now stop at Nebo. By taking the early morning trains after midnight it is possible to spend 9 hours in Kansas City, 14 hours in St. Louis, 16 hours in Springfield or 9 hours in Chicago, and still arrive home at 12:44 the next morning.
Harry Barber and Miss Irene Stone sang beautiful solos at the Pittsfield Christian Church Sunday morning in honor of mothers.
75 Years Ago
May 9, 1950
A great May storm, roaring out of the southwest, struck this area Friday forenoon and before it had passed thousands of dollars worth of damage had been done to roofs, porches, chimneys, barns and small outbuildings. It was one of the longest and most violent windstorms experienced here in generations, with gusts from 50 to 70 miles per hour. Milton has no phone service as trees were blown down on the telephone lines.
Pittsfield has become a trucking center since Morris Turner added onto his filling station and garage in 1936, and became the only place between Chicago and Kansas City that had bunking accommodations and cleanup services for weary truck drivers. Since Pittsfield was close to the Y it made it possible for trucks going on highway 36 or 54 to rest in Pittsfield. A truck drivers’ banquet was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce Thursday and Friday of last week. Between 100 and 110 truckers and merchants attended each evening.
May 10, 1950
Three performances of the Jay Gould Million Dollar Circus will be presented free by the Pittsfield merchants August 25 and 26.
May 11, 1950
The Pike County Republican has a new automatic folding machine, believed to be the first in the county. It will fold paper sheets at a terrific clip and will do it accurately.
Pittsfield’s Saukees tickled everyone around Pike County when they trounced Quincy at “Q” Stadium Tuesday night, 4-2, but they spoiled their winning streak Wednesday, losing to Meredosia 10-9.
Floyd E. Yaeger, C. J. Stillwell and George W. Schuster have organized the Saukee Flying Club of Pittsfield.
50 Years Ago
May 14, 1975
The 1975-76 officers of the Unit 10 Teachers Association were elected unanimously at the annual spring dinner meeting at the Red Dome Inn. The new officers are John Kolacinski, president; Carol Ward, vice president, Karen Kattelman, secretary and Donna Smith, treasurer. Art Crowder received the Mary Barkley award at the meeting. He was singled out for his support of athletic events at the high school and at Higbee School, including providing transportation for students to attend events.
Jon Thurston Borrowman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Borrowman, celebrated his first birthday May 18. Grandparents are Mrs. Oral Bethard of Barry, Robert Cull of Baylis and Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Borrowman of Nebo.
Barry will graduate 40 seniors this month, West Pike will graduate 27 and Griggsville 28.
Carol Dyer of Carrollton and Dwight Dyer of Canton spent the weekend with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Dyer. Lena Foote was a dinner guest Sunday.
Nine Higbee Junior High track and field performers will compete at the state junior high meet in Bloomington. They are Richie Allen, Rick Frazier, Tom Leake, Terry Haskins, Grant Smith, Marty McCartney, Ben Johnson, Jeff Stauffer and Dean Shepherd.
25 Years Ago
May 10, 2000
The first phase of the demolition of the former Brown Shoe building is down and work is progressing on the rest of the project. The water town came down last week and the smokestack and the eastern third of the factory are scheduled to come down in the next 60 days.
Pike County Sheriff’s deputies were on the scene of a major meth lab near Summer Hill late Tuesday night. Sheriff Paul Petty said officers are anticipating several arrests, but they may not be local individuals.
A growing deer population has brought a boom in the tick population in the area. The Deer tick and the Lone Star tick are much smaller than the more common Wood tick.
The Pleasant Hill representatives on the Barry baseball team helped the Tigers last week. Chris Brawner and Ryan Benz were all smiles after Benz hit a two-run homer to win the game over the Saukees.
10 Years Ago
May 13, 2015
Kindergarteners, and first and second graders had the first performance of spring musicals at South School last week. The songs and skits were directed by Kayla Boren, music teacher at the school. Among the featured singers was Tim Hull, second grader, as one of the Beach Boys singing “Surfin’ U.S.A.”
Griggsville-Perry High School will be graduating 20 seniors this week, Pittsfield High School will be graduating 68, Pleasant Hill, 21, and Western High School will be graduating 36.
Compiled by Michael Boren
