Days Gone By In Staunton

Thursday, May 31, 1923 -- FINED FOR DRIVING ON OILED STREETS -- Several residents of Staunton during the past week were arrested and fined for driving over newly oiled streets, which had been barricaded and closed to traffic. The city officials are endeavoring to impress upon the people that a detour sign must be honored and violators are being fined.

Thursday, June 7, 1923 -- WILL ADD TO STORE -- Wm. Huntman for the past week has had a crew of men at work excavating, for a basement to the new addition which he will build to his store on East Main street. The new structure will be of brick, 25x64, one story high, and will give Mr. Huntman some much needed space for the display of furniture.

KILLED BY LIGHTNING -- Miss Lucy Kruger of Springfield was instantly killed by a bolt of lightning Sunday evening at 6 o'clock while visiting at the home of her sister, Mrs. Fred Wallner, near Carlinville. Miss Kruger, in company with Mrs. Wallner and the latter's little daughter, were in a barn at the Wallner home, watching Mr. Wallner milk a cow. The bolt of lightning struck the barn, killing Miss Kruger and injuring Mrs. Wallner and daughter. Mr. Wallner and the cow were uninjured.

THREE STAUNTON MEN ON RECORD-BREAKING CRUISER -- The Star-Times is in receipt of a communication from three former Staunton boys, C. Picton, J. Funderburk and T. Dworzynski, now stationed at Bemerton, Wash., in which they tell of a speed record established by the United States Scout Cruiser Milwaukee, to which they are assigned. The test was made in the Strait of Juan del Fuca and J.A. Eree, vice-president of the Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co. declared that the Milwaukee made the fastest speed ever made by any ship of more than 1300 tons displacement. The 7200 tons of steel which comprise the Milwaukee, were driven through the water at a speed of 35 knots, or about 49 miles, her engines developing their full capacity of 105,000 horsepower. This speed exceeds that made by her sister ship, the Omaha, commissioned in March, and the Staunton lads, who style themselves 'The Jolly Three' are mighty proud of the showing. The Milwaukee has a length of 550 feet, 8 inches; beam 55 feet 4 inches and a displacement of 7200 tons and the speed attained is said to establish a world's record for ships of that size.

DAN CUPID HOLDS HIS OWN -- Dan Cupid had a close race with the divorce mill at Carlinville Monday, but the crafty little fallow managed to draw an even break out of the deal. Eight young people were granted marriage licenses in the county clerk's office and almost simultaneously eight other people secured divorces in the circuit court on the floor above.

PICNIC WELL ATTENDED -- The school picnic given yesterday afternoon and evening at the Zion Lutheran School was largely attended and proved to be a pleasing success from all points of view. During the afternoon games of various kinds provided diversion for the children and in the evening the refreshment stands were accorded a liberal patronage by the older members of the congregation and the public in general. An orchestra furnished music.

STATE WILL BUILD HARD ROAD THROUGH STAUNTON AND OTHER CITIES -- Senator A.S. Cuthbertson of Bunker Hill, who represents this district in the Illinois State Senate, last night shortly before midnight, called Attorney H.H. Willoughby of our city on the long distance phone and informed him that the Bill providing for the State to pay for connecting up hard road paving in cities of 7500 or less had passed. Senator Cuthbertson was the father of this Bill and its passage is due largely to his tireless efforts on its behalf.

This is the best news we have been able to give the people of Staunton since a long time, for it means that the hard road question, which has caused considerable discussion in the past, is now settled and the State of Illinois will build the road. Just how soon work will be started we are not in a position to say, but it is safe to assume that these connecting links will be put in with all possible speed as the mud holes thru a number of cities have in the past interfered greatly with the road attaining its full efficiency.

STATE MAKES ANOTHER ROAD BUILDING RECORD -- Illinois already has a running start toward breaking her own world's record for hard road construction mileage within a single year and 1923 already looms as a red letter period on the international improvement calendar.

According to an official announcement from the office of Frank T. Sheets, state superintendent of highways, there was completed in Illinois since the resumption, about the middle of April, 103.62 of hard paving and 11.33 miles of gravel roads, a total of 114.95 miles.

In 1922, when the world's record was broken by the completion of 722 miles of hard road, there had been built up to May 24 only 51.98 miles, as compared with this year's record over the same period of 114.95 miles.

During the week ending May 24 there ware completed 30.93 miles of paving and Superintendent Sheets predicts that, the weekly mileage, when the work all over the State shall have reached the full swing, will be above the 50 mark.

Ninety-one miles of the total completed this year lie directly on the state system, the remainder being county roads constructed under state supervision.

At present there are employed 7,000 men, 1,650 teams and 87 mixers, in addition to the vast volume of other necessary equipment. Also, the State has fifty percent of the cement required for this year's program stored on the job, in addition to enormous quantities of sand, gravel and crushed atone.

CONDUCTED CLINIC -- Dr. George Thomas Palmer of Springfield on Decoration Day conducted a tuberculosis clinic in our city. Eighteen patients were examined and for three of these sanitarium care was advised, while increased rest and home treatment was suggested for others.