100 years ago — 1912
Robert McGavie, who arrived in Danville for an engagement at the Danville Opera House is the tallest man ever seen in this city. He is seven feet two inches tall. With his partner, Scots, he puts on a sharpshooter act that takes the cake. He is so tall that a crowd of boys usually follow him about the streets. He will make his last appearance at the opera house tonight.
From all over the county come complaints of the damage done by rats. It is said the rodents were never so plentiful in the history of the county and they have grown too wise to nibble at rat biscuits. The rats are hard to trap and the farmers are much alarmed over the situation. While the varmints are numerous in Danville the number has not greatly increased in the county. If the Pied Piper of Hamelin would make a visit to Boyle, he certainly could “clean up.”
Mr. R. Arnold, the local buggy manufacturer who had in recent years established such a wide and enviable reputation for his concern, was notified yesterday by his Washington attorney, the Hon. James L. Ewin, that he had been granted a patent on his Double Reach Vehicle Gear. Mr. Arnold has been using his invention on his vehicles for several years and the same has given such universal satisfaction he decided to have it patented. His friends are congratulating him on his great success and predict all high-class vehicles will in a few years be equipped with his important patent.
75 years ago — 1937
There will be a pre-Christmas dance at the Corner Inn in Shelby City on Wednesday, Dec. 22, with dancing from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The dance will feature Roy Holmes and his orchestra — a 15-piece band with three vocalists and several entertainers, including Pat and Mary of radio fame. Admission will be $1.50 per couple.
Popular toys and gift items being advertised in the newspaper by Bryant Hardware Co. include: a dozen models of bicycles to choose from, ranging in price starting at $26.95; wagons, 95 cents to $4.95; scooters, $1; skates, $1.25; felocipeds, $3.60 to $12.95; games for everyone including, Frisko, Finance, Bulls and Bears, 3 Men on a Horse, Pieces of Eight, Bottoms Up and G-Men; black boards, baby dolls, rag dolls, Shirley Temple dolls and Horsman dolls; cowboy outfits for 50 cents; and a girl’s toy sewing machine, $1; and for adults, ash trays and ash tray stands, Pyrex ovenware gift sets from $1 to $2.95; double toasters, Cory coffee makers, bath scales and clothes hampers.
Ushering in the final week of Christmas shopping in Danville, a host of buyers from Boyle and surrounding counties have descended on stores and indulged in an orgy of purchasing that left clerks tired and dazed but pleased proprietors.
50 years ago — 1962
A brief eruption of violence against non-striking workers at the Fram Corp. plant in Junction City occurred moments before a city police officer and state trooper took up their normal watches at the gates. It resulted in a car being overturned and four cars of workers going to the plant being badly damaged. Two men and one woman were arrested and an injunction was obtained by the firm against the union within six hours. The injunction limits the number of pickets to three at any one entrance to the Fram plant and forbids interference with non-striking workers and trespassing upon, injuring or damaging any property of the plaintiff’s or any public utility serving the Fram Corporation.
The Danville and Boyle County Industrial Foundation purchased the Logan Caldwell farm on Lebanon Road just west of the city limits. The 330-acre tract is near Corning Glass Works and the Bluegrass Plant Foods. It adjoins the property owned by Cincinnati Milling Machine Company and that of the Southern Railway. The purchase price was $400 per acre. The property was purchased from Pierce Lively, executor of the late Logan Caldwell estate.
25 years ago — 1987
The Salvation Army staff, faced with a large number of people needing help with Christmas, is finding it hard to explain why public support has not been greater. As of Tuesday, about 300 names still were left on the “Giving Tree” put up by Kmart employees, and the Salvation Army had few calls from people wanting to adopt one of the 10 families the Army had selected to be spotlighted in The Kentucky Advocate. About 350 families representing 1,069 individuals are seeking help this year. Some of the demand has been due to recent industrial plant closings.
The Danville firefighters are also helping families and are checking their lists to make sure the Army’s efforts and their Toys for Tots program do not overlap. About 130 people have applied to the fire department for help with toys.
Radio Shack is advertising last minute gift ideas including, PC-Compatible Tandy 1000 HX computer for $599. It features built-in MS-DOS. When purchased with a color monitor the price is $848; HQ VHS VCR with remote, $288; cordless telephone, $69.95; CB radio, $79.95; six-band portable radio, $59.95; Realistic dual-cassette stereo system with AM/FM radio, phonograph and 17-inch speakers, $119.95.
A $1,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of vandals who heavily damaged a historic Lancaster house. Police estimate damage to the Kauffman-Petrie House on Danville Street, across from the Garrard Clinic, at $10,000 to $15,000. Odessa Wade, owner of the house, said it has been vacant for the past three years and was on the market to be sold. It was insured for fire but not vandalism because of the high cost of coverage. The house has a winding walnut staircase in the foyer, and the fireplaces have cast-iron mantels. The downstairs ceilings are 11.5 feet and the upstairs ones are 10.5 feet high.
Police said one or more people entered the house and broke windows and mirrors, destroyed light fixtures and doors, and punched holes in the walls. Siding on the outside also was knocked off and limbs were cut off a Douglas Fir in the yard.
Robert McGavie, who arrived in Danville for an engagement at the Danville Opera House is the tallest man ever seen in this city. He is seven feet two inches tall. With his partner, Scots, he puts on a sharpshooter act that takes the cake. He is so tall that a crowd of boys usually follow him about the streets. He will make his last appearance at the opera house tonight.
From all over the county come complaints of the damage done by rats. It is said the rodents were never so plentiful in the history of the county and they have grown too wise to nibble at rat biscuits. The rats are hard to trap and the farmers are much alarmed over the situation. While the varmints are numerous in Danville the number has not greatly increased in the county. If the Pied Piper of Hamelin would make a visit to Boyle, he certainly could “clean up.”
Mr. R. Arnold, the local buggy manufacturer who had in recent years established such a wide and enviable reputation for his concern, was notified yesterday by his Washington attorney, the Hon. James L. Ewin, that he had been granted a patent on his Double Reach Vehicle Gear. Mr. Arnold has been using his invention on his vehicles for several years and the same has given such universal satisfaction he decided to have it patented. His friends are congratulating him on his great success and predict all high-class vehicles will in a few years be equipped with his important patent.
75 years ago — 1937
There will be a pre-Christmas dance at the Corner Inn in Shelby City on Wednesday, Dec. 22, with dancing from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The dance will feature Roy Holmes and his orchestra — a 15-piece band with three vocalists and several entertainers, including Pat and Mary of radio fame. Admission will be $1.50 per couple.
Popular toys and gift items being advertised in the newspaper by Bryant Hardware Co. include: a dozen models of bicycles to choose from, ranging in price starting at $26.95; wagons, 95 cents to $4.95; scooters, $1; skates, $1.25; felocipeds, $3.60 to $12.95; games for everyone including, Frisko, Finance, Bulls and Bears, 3 Men on a Horse, Pieces of Eight, Bottoms Up and G-Men; black boards, baby dolls, rag dolls, Shirley Temple dolls and Horsman dolls; cowboy outfits for 50 cents; and a girl’s toy sewing machine, $1; and for adults, ash trays and ash tray stands, Pyrex ovenware gift sets from $1 to $2.95; double toasters, Cory coffee makers, bath scales and clothes hampers.
Ushering in the final week of Christmas shopping in Danville, a host of buyers from Boyle and surrounding counties have descended on stores and indulged in an orgy of purchasing that left clerks tired and dazed but pleased proprietors.
50 years ago — 1962
A brief eruption of violence against non-striking workers at the Fram Corp. plant in Junction City occurred moments before a city police officer and state trooper took up their normal watches at the gates. It resulted in a car being overturned and four cars of workers going to the plant being badly damaged. Two men and one woman were arrested and an injunction was obtained by the firm against the union within six hours. The injunction limits the number of pickets to three at any one entrance to the Fram plant and forbids interference with non-striking workers and trespassing upon, injuring or damaging any property of the plaintiff’s or any public utility serving the Fram Corporation.
The Danville and Boyle County Industrial Foundation purchased the Logan Caldwell farm on Lebanon Road just west of the city limits. The 330-acre tract is near Corning Glass Works and the Bluegrass Plant Foods. It adjoins the property owned by Cincinnati Milling Machine Company and that of the Southern Railway. The purchase price was $400 per acre. The property was purchased from Pierce Lively, executor of the late Logan Caldwell estate.
25 years ago — 1987
The Salvation Army staff, faced with a large number of people needing help with Christmas, is finding it hard to explain why public support has not been greater. As of Tuesday, about 300 names still were left on the “Giving Tree” put up by Kmart employees, and the Salvation Army had few calls from people wanting to adopt one of the 10 families the Army had selected to be spotlighted in The Kentucky Advocate. About 350 families representing 1,069 individuals are seeking help this year. Some of the demand has been due to recent industrial plant closings.
The Danville firefighters are also helping families and are checking their lists to make sure the Army’s efforts and their Toys for Tots program do not overlap. About 130 people have applied to the fire department for help with toys.
Radio Shack is advertising last minute gift ideas including, PC-Compatible Tandy 1000 HX computer for $599. It features built-in MS-DOS. When purchased with a color monitor the price is $848; HQ VHS VCR with remote, $288; cordless telephone, $69.95; CB radio, $79.95; six-band portable radio, $59.95; Realistic dual-cassette stereo system with AM/FM radio, phonograph and 17-inch speakers, $119.95.
A $1,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of vandals who heavily damaged a historic Lancaster house. Police estimate damage to the Kauffman-Petrie House on Danville Street, across from the Garrard Clinic, at $10,000 to $15,000. Odessa Wade, owner of the house, said it has been vacant for the past three years and was on the market to be sold. It was insured for fire but not vandalism because of the high cost of coverage. The house has a winding walnut staircase in the foyer, and the fireplaces have cast-iron mantels. The downstairs ceilings are 11.5 feet and the upstairs ones are 10.5 feet high.
Police said one or more people entered the house and broke windows and mirrors, destroyed light fixtures and doors, and punched holes in the walls. Siding on the outside also was knocked off and limbs were cut off a Douglas Fir in the yard.
