125 Years
July 17, 1898
A joint meeting of the commissioners of Champaign and Shelby Counties was held in Urbana yesterday to consider the Mosquito Creek Ditch. The result was a deadlock on the question of appointing an engineer, each county wanted its engineer to superintend the work. No agreement was reached.
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A game of ball between Jackson Center and Sidney was played at Jackson Center yesterday, resulting in a score of 18 to 7 in favor of Sidney. The local team lined up with F. Keating in the box; Dilts, catcher, C. Elliott, first base; Vincent, second base; Kingseed, third base; Gates, shortstop, W. Keating, left field; Casey, centerfield, and O. Elliott, right field. Jackson Center was assisted by three of Anna’s players.
100 Years
July 17, 1923
The storeroom at the rear of the Timeus Grocery Store, on the west side of the square, was heavily damaged by fire shortly after 1 a.m. today. Early discovery of the fire by Charles Timeus, who was awakened by the smoke, probably saved the lives of other members of the family asleep in the building. No estimate of the loss is yet available. Proximity of the fire to the J. L. Adler clothing store and the First Mutual Savings and Loan Association led to the making of arrangements to move the goods and fixtures from these buildings, although this did not become necessary.
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The plant of the Venus Chocolate Co. was sold at public auction this afternoon by the Trustee Judge H. H. Needles. The entire operation was bid in by Mr. Osborne of the National Surety Co., Milwaukee, at $91,150. The only other bid was submitted by Stanley Bryan and William Revelus, of the old Venue Company, $91,000.
75 Years
July 17, 1948
Two new city ordinances, one of which will provide for salary increases in the Sidney Police and Fire Departments, are expected to be passed later this week. The second ordinance discussed during the regular city council meeting last night would provide two new utility positions in the waterworks department plant operator and meter supervisor.
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The low ebb manifest in sports at Sidney High School during the past year reverberated today with the announcement by School Superintendent Fred Louys that the athletic department had sustained a financial loss of $126.05 in carrying out the 1947 – 48 physical education program. Although the football program showed a profit of $1,983, basketball had a deficit of $1,126.
50 Years
July 17, 1973
HOUSTON – The Hardin Houston Local Board of Education this week hired Edward Smith, R.R. 1, Piqua as principal at Houston High School.
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Smith is a former graduate of the school and holds a bachelor’s and master’s Degree from Ohio State University.
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Sidney’s cable television system will mark its eighth year of service to the community Monday with a change in name. On that date, Compress Cable TV will become Warner Cable of Sidney as part of a similar nationwide name change by all 130 of the Warner Cable Corp. Cable TV systems.
25 Years
July 17, 1998
A new acute inpatient kidney dialysis unit has been opened by Wilson Memorial Hospital. The equipment is locate in the intensive cardiac unit at Wilson. The proceeds to purchase the equipment were raised by proceeds from a recent golf outing and a grant from Con Agra through Gilardi Foods.
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The Sidney City School system lost a good one with the retirement of industrial technology teacher Paul Soliday. He just finished 30 years with the school system. Soliday also taught photography to hundreds of students. Although he taught what most would consider ‘at risk’ kids, he experienced few behavior problems. He said what he will miss the most is the outstanding faculty at Sidney High School.
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.
