Days Gone By In Staunton

Thursday, March 22 , 1923 -- AUTOMOBILE SALES UP -- An unmistakable sign of the approach of spring is the great activity of the automobile agents. All of them are showing new models and are finding ready buyers. Quite a few new cars have made their appearance in Staunton in the past few weeks and there will no doubt be many more ere long. Sales are said to be good, which indicates that the people have money. Factories everywhere are back on orders and by mid-summer a serious shortage in the popular cars is predicted. Closed cars are now all the rage, almost everyone demanding cars of this type.

HOUSING BOOM EXPECTED -- Indications at present are that 1923 will be a banner year for Staunton so far as the building of new houses is concerned. Contractors everywhere are busy figuring and most of them have a large number of estimates out at the present time. It is safe to predict that from thirty to forty houses will be built this summer and in addition to this there will be several other structures of much greater value erected. Plans for the latter have not yet reached the stage where publication is permissible.

Staunton undoubtedly needs more houses and there will be no mistake made by building here and building now. "Own your own home" should be the ambition of everyone and it is an ambition which may be realized without much inconvenience if properly taken up. High building costs for the past number of years have kept many people from building, and in consequence the house shortage here is acute. Costs however are apparently not coming down, in fact they show a tendency to increase, and many people have come to the conclusion that they might as well face the music now as later.

COMMENTARY ON ROAD SITUATION -- In another column appears a clipping from the Gillespie News |n which Editor Preston says that he's quit trying to get the road through Gillespie fixed and that if the people in general don't give a damn, he don't either. That's just about the way we feel about it with reference to Staunton.

The way some people act on the road question would lead one to think they were afraid someone would get in or out of town. With our present roads that is frequently almost impossible but to make it absolutely certain that nothing of the kind happens, why not build a wall around the old burg? The Chairman of the street and alley committee last week informed us that the piece of road from the Eccles to the Fritz corner was being cindered. We have since learned that this cindering consisted merely of filling in several of the worst holes. There is more than a hundred dollars in cash lying in the city clerk's safe, waiting to be spent for cindering this road. Why the money is not being used is more than we can find out. Perhaps the powers that be could, in their omnipotent wisdom, supply the desired information. So far as we are concerned we will merely say "Ischkabibble."

Thursday, March 29 , 1923 -- DRIPPS RESIDENCE DAMAGED BY FIRE -- The beautiful residence of the Misses Dripps on East Olive street yesterday morning was quite seriously damaged by fire and but for the prompt and efficient work of the Staunton Volunteer Fire Department, aided by the powerful new engine, the entire structure would have been consumed, as would the adjacent residence of Mrs. Anna Stille.

The fire was first discovered at about 10:30 o'clock and had apparently been smouldering under the roof for some time previous for once the flames had broken through the roof, the entire top of the building was a mass of flames. The engine arrived on the scene promptly and several lines of hose were quickly playing streams of water on the base with the result that the fire was under control in a few minutes time.

The east side of the roof on Mrs. Anna Stille's house was also on fire, but this was promptly put out and a small stream of water was kept playing on it to make sure It would not catch again.

The Misses Dripps sustained a considerable loss, the roof being entirely destroyed and the remainder of the building being damaged by water.

The Star-Times feels that but for the fact that the City of Staunton now has some real fire fighting equipment, there would have been a conflagration of considerable proportions.

A brisk wind from the north fanned the fire and carried sparks and but for the prompt and efficient work of the fire fighters much more property would have been destroyed.

EMIL R. REINHOLT APOPLEXY VICTIM -- A pall of sorrow and regret fell over our community Friday evening when the news spread that Emil R. Reinholt had been summoned from this life by a stroke of apoplexy while in the hardware store of Geo. H. Luker, where he was employed.

Friends of Mr. Reinholt were aware of the fact that he had not been in perfect health since some time but his ailment was not considered serious and the news of his sudden death came as a great shock, not only to his family but to the community at large. "Dutch" Reinholt as he was familiarly called by his legion of friends, was one of Staunton's most popular and beloved men. He had reached the age of 45 years.

The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon from the family home at 234 S. Hackman Street followed by services at Zion Lutheran Church.

STANDARD STATION ROBBED THIRD TIME -- For the third time in less than one year the Standard Oil Co.'s filling station in Staunton has been robbed. The most recent visit of the burglars was pulled off Sunday night, when they made their get-away with $207.56, this sum representing.

As in former instances, entrance was gained by forcing the window at the rear of the station. This time, however, the safe had not been left open and the thieves literally pulled the lock out of the safe. Marks on the safe door indicated that a wheel puller or some similar instrument was used and all the bolts holding the lock were pulled out.

Henry Niedernhofer was in charge of the station Sunday night and closed up at about 9 o'clock. The robbery was not discovered until Monday morning when the station was re-opened.

As this goes to press, no clue leading to the identity of the thieves has been secured.

This latest robbery netted the thieves considerable more than was secured on either of the previous visits, the beautiful spring weather of Sunday having resulted in the sale of considerable quantities of gasoline and oil.