125 Years
June 30, 1898
P.J. Kautzman, night operator at the Big Four station here, was shot shortly before 4 a.m. today by a stranger who apparently was intent upon robbing the depot. Although his condition is considered serious, Kautzman is expected to recover. Efforts to trail his assailant with bloodhounds proved ineffective.
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A good deal of time is spent on the street work in Sidney in raking stones off the street and hauling them away. There are many citizens in Sidney who believe that if they gravel put on the streets was screened before it was put on, we would save paying taxes for hauling stones into the street and then hauling them off again.
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The schools of Holy Angels church held a picnic in John Loughlin’s grove yesterday near the poultry plant. In the morning hacks left the church about every half-hour after 8:30 a.m. There was a very large crowd.
100 Years
June 30, 1923
The two large, three-unit electric lighted bill boards advertising local merchants have been erected. The boards are located along the Dixie highway, one being on the Ed McClure farm, south of the city, and the other in the H.E. Bennett subdivision, north of town. The boards are attracting much attention and considerable favorable comment.
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Miss Francis Anderson, champion woman pocket billiards player of the world, will give an exhibition of fancy and trick shots, and will play a number of match games with local cue artists at the Palace pool room tonight. Winning the championship in a match held in Boston in 1912, Miss Anderson has since defended it on numerous occasions. She will play at the Royal pool room on Monday night.
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A number of Sidney Kiwanis members were among the 250 Kiwanians attending the Second district meeting held last evening at the Greenville Country Club.
75 Years
June 30, 1948
The Sidney Junior Chamber of Commerce voted last night to send a request to city council, urging that action be taken to provide sanitary facilities at Gramercy Park on East Court street. In taking the action, it was noted that the grounds were left in an unsightly and unsanitary condition following the recent appearance of a carnival there.
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His last trip as a city carrier for the Sidney post office was made today by Homer Stang, South Brooklyn avenue, as he started on city route 4, covering part of the court square area and southern section of the city. Although completing over 30 years as a city carrier, Stang is no leaving the postal service entirely, as he is taking over the duties of rural carrier on route three.
50 Years
June 30, 1973
MINSTER – Minster Village Council last night viewed Freytag and Freytag Architects plans for the proposed new fire house and decided to advertise for bids.
Council noted that a house on the property where the new fire house will be located has not been removed. Bids were advertised for razing of the property, but non have been received to date.
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Mayor Leo Francis brought along the traditional shovel for ground breaking for a new community park in Russia yesterday, but thew it away in favor of an earthmover that also showed up at the scene.
The $150,000 park, half of which will be federally funded, will include a baseball field, courts, picnic shelters, horseshoe pits, parking areas and other improvements.
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Mrs. Madge Mills, Sidney Municipal Court clerk for more than 16 years, retired from the post today.
She is the court’s third clerk since it was established in 1954. She was preceded by Patricia Hibner and Mary Lee Bowman. Mrs. Mills began her duties with the city court June 4, 1957. Her successor will be Thaleon Blake, former Shelby County Clerk.
25 Years
June 30, 1998
Fairlawn graduate Ryan Coyne has signed to play golf at the University of Kentucky, and UK coach Steve Smitha couldn’t be more pleased. Coyne, the son of Tom and Sally Coyne, plans to major in business management and finance at Kentucky.
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During the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA Board of Trustees meeting Thursday night, Dennis Ruble, executive director, announced the appointment of Char King as aquatic coordinator. King has been involved with the YMCA since 1979 and has served in many capacities.
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Heather Vannette is the new intern with the Loramie Valley Alliance, which is the watchdog agency that studies the water quality in the area to make sure it is safe. The Celina native is a senior at Ohio Northern University in Ada with a major in environmental studies/field biology.
These news items from past issues of the Sidney Daily News are compiled by the Shelby County Historical Society (937-498-1653) as a public service to the community. Local history on the Internet! www.shelbycountyhistory.org. Visit the Sidney Daily News website, www.sidneydailynews.com to read the rest of the week’s columns.
