Yesteryears
25 YEARS AGO
JANUARY 19, 1978
Your Christmas Light Fund has now reached $465. Thanks to our generous citizens. This is only the beginning — still a long way to go. We haven't heard from any organizations since the Bent Rims donated $100. Maybe other organizations in our town are exhausted from the holidays and haven't got started yet. We are sure you are going to take up the challenge of the Bent Rims and donate to this fund, too, aren't you?
At Monday night's council meeting, Leonard Ellis was made tree supervisor for all the trees on city property. People should be reminded it is illegal to cut trees on city property without getting permission.
50 YEARS AGO
JANUARY 22, 1953
Car license for 1953 may be purchased, as usual, at the office of the city clerk, Mrs. Alice Pierce. The deadline for purchasing tags without penalty is Feb. 15. Tags this year consist of tabs to be placed on the present tags.
The city council held its first meeting of the year Monday night at the city hall. Claim ordinance No. 1 for $588.38 was approved and the treasurer's quarterly financial statement was approved. The council voted to raise the city attorney's salary from $75 to $125 a year.
75 YEARS AGO
JANUARY 19, 1928
Norton Allison, one of our energetic backyard gardeners, presented the Bulletin family with a fine large parsnip from his garden. The parsnip is 27 inches in length, almost 14 inches in circumference, and tips the scales at three pounds and one ounce. It is exceptionally tender and delicious. Mr. Allison says he gathered a bushel of the vegetables and a number of them weigh around two pounds.
J.F. Greenstrut of Wichita was held up by two men Sunday night on the highway between Florence and Marion. Mr. Greenstrut had stopped to repair a flat tire. A Buick touring car passed and later two men returned and demanded that he "Stick 'em up." He was relieved of $18 in cash and a watch. To date no trace of the man has been found. Marshal Eichenberger believes they were from Emporia.
106 YEARS AGO
JANUARY 22, 1897
Some interesting facts concerning train robberies were presented to the judiciary committee by Rep. Hubbard of Missouri, who has introduced a bill to provide the death penalty for the crime. He showed that the number of train "holdups" in six years had been 183, in which 73 persons were killed and 50 were wounded by shots. There were 23 hold ups in 1896 in which 23 passengers and trainmen were killed, four robbers killed, and two injured.
Sam Palatka, a fiend revolting in countenance, has confessed to having perpetrated the great Cahaba Bridge disaster which occurred three weeks ago in Alabama. "I did it," said Palatka. "I wanted money. It's nobody's business what I wanted it for. I did it. I found it very easy. There were plenty of folks with money — one man had $500 — but before I could get at it, the live ones got up and then the crowds came. I skipped out then."
