Out of the Past

125 Years Ago

Sept. 8, 1881

The latest information from Washington is that President Garfield is holding his own. Vice President Chester Arthur may be invited to come to the White House and act as a clerk to sign the president's name is being entertained by two members of the cabinet.

Our public school opened last Monday with a little above the usual attendance, notwithstanding the great heat. The number of scholars is one hundred and sixty, which we hope to see increase as soon as the first cool tidal wave strikes us.

Papers were served yesterday by the sheriff of this county in a suit brought by District Attorney August Dalke, a Black Rock fisherman, to recover four hundred dollars penalty for catching four black bass with a net in the American waters of the Niagara River. The new game laws of 1879 and 1880 are very stringent.

Peaches sold in the village yesterday for $1.00 per basket for Crawfords.

Impure well water is said to be causing diphtheria in some localities.

"Whenever young ladies learn to stick a pin in their apron strings so that it won't scratch a fellow's arm, there will be more marriages."

"A parrot in Harlem speaks 250 words. There being less than that number of profane expressions in the English language, it is presumable that the bird is something of a polyglot."

100 Years Ago

Sept. 6, 1906

A New England clam bake will be held at the Mansion House; special tables will be reserved for the ladies.

Messrs. D. Duncan and Peter C. Chalmers left Tuesday for the west. They travelled by boat to Detroit, from which point they will continue westward, going to California by way of Seattle.

75 Years Ago

Sept. 10, 1931

Warned by the unusual sounds produced by an aeroplane motor, residents Tuesday were horrified as they looked into the air and beheld a ship making a nose dive. In hundreds, the people rushed to the scene, on the Otto Spiesz farm, some distance from the Amherst Villa Road, and saw the two victims pulled from the wreckage with life extinct. (Editor's note: This road is near the present site of the Aero Drive tunnel north of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.)

Williamsville High School had twenty pupils more registered this year than last year on the opening day of school. The total registration in grades kindergarten through high school is 578.

The Amherst Recreation Club at 5365 Main Street near South Long Street will open Saturday evening, Sept. 12, featuring six new Brunswick bowling alleys and four Metallist pocket billiard tables. The manager and owner is Urban N. Krebs.

A reminder is given to those sending letters to Canada that the postage rate has been increased to three cents for each ounce.

The Amherst Drug Store, Main and Rock, advertises a school lunch kit with half-pint Thermos bottle, $1.50.

50 Years Ago

Sept. 6, 1956

Bill Schreider announces the opening of a new Gulf Gasoline Service Station at the corner of Forest Road and Wehrle Drive.

Mrs. Herbert C. Klipfel recently published a book, "The Art and Science of Pattern Making."

The Amherst Drug Store, Main and Rock, advertises a Cape Cod school lunch kit with half-pint vacuum bottle, September special, $2.29.

25 Years Ago

Sept. 9, 1981

Working undercover for about six weeks, a 10-man police strike force has made 65 arrests while investigating bike thefts in Amherst.

Ted Dungey on Monday marks his 50th year as a member of the Williamsville Rotary Club. He was the first pharmacist at the Williamsville Pharmacy, Main and Rock, when it opened in 1923.