125 Years
March 11, 1899
The report of the infirmary directors for the past six months shows since that date five males and two females have been received at the infirmary; one male and three females have died; two females have been discharged and one male has run away. At present there are 40 inmates, 24 males and 16 females. The total expenditures for the six months were $3,617.
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The Knights of the Maccabees have rented the third story of the Oldham Building on Poplar Street for a lodge room.
100 Years
March 11, 1924
At the meeting of city council last evening, a motion instructed the city solicitor to investigate and see why the Western Ohio Railway Co. has not been paying its paving assessment and if necessary, bring suit against the railway for same. Council also gave first reading to an ordinance forbidding the use of sidewalks by the merchants for display of goods.
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The Walsh Construction Co. hauled two big steel spans for the east end of the Miami River Bridge on the Childrens Home Road through the city early today. The spans were placed on skids and pulled on the snow until they reached South Ohio Avenue where they could go no further on account of melting snow. Rollers were used for the balance of the distance.
75 Years
March 11, 1949
The star to which Anna High School had hitched its basketball hopes was no longer in the ascendancy today following a 49 – 37 setback absorbed by the Rockets at the hands of Olive Branch’s aggressive Spartans in a semi-final showdown at the Springfield Class B tourney last evening.
50 Years
March 11, 1974
Discussed at the March 6 Noon Kiwanis Club meeting was the annual pancake day. William Fry and James Humphrey from the Sidney Sunset Kiwanis Club reported the date will be March 20 with serving to be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Elks Lodge home.
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Shelby County Commissioners signed a contract with Frantz Brothers to proceed on an emergency basis to replace Bridge No. 23 on Lock Two Road, Dinsmore Township at a cost of $52,375.12.
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The Sidney area has succumbed to a fad sweeping the nation; streakers were reported in Sidney and Russia over the weekend. Chief Jack Wilson called for a “streak-out” as opposed to a stake-out, but he was only jesting.
25 Years
March 11, 1999
A Columbus attorney has been appointed by local judge John D. Schmitt. A.C. Strip will be the receiver and manage of the cemetery on State Route 47 west of Sidney. A foreclosure suit had been filed against the cemetery in 1997. Larry Johnson, the owner conceded he cannot pay the mortgage. The receiver will explore whether or not the income will be sufficient to maintain the present operation of the cemetery..
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Former football coach Dave Gates has published a book on football. Gates, known to all as “Gator” wrote it about his time coaching at Graham High School. The 128page book chronicles his time as coach at Graham High School before coming to Sidney. He turned the program fortunes around quickly. Gates did not print many copies of his book, which is unfortunate.
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.
