125 years
April 2, 1896
The contract for the erection of the plant of the Bimel Carriage Co. was awarded yesterday afternoon to Reuben Smeltzer. The bidders on the plant were: Smeltzer, $11,074; Bemus and Krumm, $11,677; Joseph Altenbach, $11,709; George Schneider, $12,144; H.L. Loudenback, $13,470.
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Five new members were taken in when the Valley City Cycling Club met in their new club rooms in the Taylor block last evening. The new members, C.B. Halladay, J.N. Miller, B.D. Heck, Ed. Stoercer and Robert Ginn brought the membership to 27.
100 years
April 2, 1921
The capture of two alleged safe-blowers and all-around crooks is believed to have been made at an early hour today, when Policeman Ed Welsh and Special Officer Earl Heaston apprehended two men hiding behind a fence at the rear of the Taylor Hardware Store.
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H.F. Raterman, doctor of chiropractory, has opened his office on the second floor of the Oldham building, adjacent to the new Majestic theatre.
75 years
April 2, 1946
Mayor W.W. Wheeler presided at the organization meeting of the newly-appointed Recreation Commission in the city building last evening, at which Cecil Watkins was named chairman for the year. Wayne Bertsch was selected as secretary. Serving with these two on the commission are Arnold Henke, Walter McElroy, and Carl Berger.
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Members of the junior class at Sidney High School are presenting “Come Rain or Shine” as their class play on Thursday and Friday evenings. Members of the cast are: Nancy Foster, Eleanor Aschenbach, Mary Lippincott, Mary Ann Benjamin, Helen Jo Lerch, Carlene Miller, Marilyn Beck, Pat Karch, Phyllis Bender, Beverly Bodey, Rolland Swonger, George Long, Paul Lauterbur, Bob Dormire, and Lee Kaufman.
50 years
April 2, 1971
The Grace Baptist Church on Edgewood Street in North Sidney will dedicate a new $100,000 Christian education building at special services. Dedication of the building will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the founding of the church in a North Main Avenue home. Rev. William Hovestreydt, who moved to Sidney from Detroit, is the only minister the church has had.
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A Sidney High School teacher for the past 28 years has decided it’s time to indulge some of her hobbies. In order to do this Miss Olive Owens is retiring with a 50-year record of teaching behind her. “I plan now to do mostly what I have been doing. I’ll read more and travel more but mainly I plan to work at photography.”
25 years
April 2, 1996
PHOTO: Sidney Dance Company ballerina Sarah Holthaus of Sidney twirls for Sidney Girl Scout Troop 287 members Ashley Stewart, 8, Jessica Rowlison, 7, and Sara Fulk, 8, during a backstage tour at the company’s performance of “Coppelia.” An average of 550 people attended both performances. This reportedly represents the largest turnout for any Sidney Dance Company ballet.
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CINCINNATI (AP) – It was too much to handle. Ballplayers broke down and cried Monday when home plate umpire John McSherry collapsed on the field. An hour after calling the first pitch of the season opener between Montreal and Cincinnati, McSherry, was dead. Even though the grief-stricken umpiring crew was willing to continue, players from the two teams urged them to call off the game, which was rescheduled for today. Owner Marge Schott told The Cincinnati Enquirer how disappointed she was that the game was postponed. “I feel cheated,” she said. “This isn’t supposed to happen to us, not in Cincinnati. This is our history, our tradition, our team. Nobody feels worse than me.”
