Out of the Past

125 Years Ago

Jan. 12, 1882

During the year just closed, six thousand one hundred and forty-six new buildings have been constructed in New York and Brooklyn at a cost of over fifty-seven million dollars. A few years ago, a man would have been considered extravagant who would expend two hundred thousand dollars on a building, but to-day houses costing them from two to three million dollars are in course of construction in New York.

Our schools have opened with a good attendance for the new year, there being over 90 pupils registered for the Senior department, over 70 in the Primary in the Academy building, and about 80 in the Primary at the stone school house.

Mr. Phillip J. Snyder has recently had five stone hitching posts placed in front of his premises on Main Street. The job was done at the Williamsville Marble Works by Mr. Oliver Deazley.

Mr. John Oberhaulser, living at the Eggertsville toll gate, is laid up with pneumonia.

Owing to the mild weather this winter, thus far, some alarm is felt that the ice harvest will be short.

"An advertisement works for you both when you are awake and when you are asleep. It is a friend which is constantly extolling your merits and those of your goods to a large number of people at the same time."

100 Years Ago

Jan. 10, 1907

Mr. A.L. Witmer was elected superintendent of the Christian Sunday School.

H.L. Reist was elected president of the Williamsville Hose Co.

75 Years Ago

Jan. 14, 1932

In Amherst Town Court this week, Nelson S. Button, 67 years old, was charged with running a disorderly house in the Millersport section. He was sentenced to sixty days. Anna Miller, an occupant of the place, was also given sixty days. ( Editor's note: A "disorderly house" is defined as either a house of prostitution or gambling site, according to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary.)

The Amherst Town Board completed its list of appointments on Monday afternoon. The offices of town attorney and town engineer were filled by J. Francis Harter and Cyrus H. Fields.

John J. Wade, of Dietel & Wade, architects of the new Buffalo City Hall, was the guest speaker at the Williamsville Rotary Club meeting at Fink's restaurant on Monday evening.

Construction is well underway on two fine new homes in the Snyder district. One is at the corner of Main and Darwin and is being constructed by Swan and Walter. The house under construction at 32 Roycroft Blvd. is being built by Brogan & Fitzinger Inc.

The Amherst Police Department reported it responded to 83 fire calls and 23 ambulance calls during the year 1931.

50 Years Ago

Jan. 10, 1957

Work is being rushed on the completion of the Nike installation on the Millersport Highway and it is expected it will be ready for opening in a few weeks time. The Amherst Nike base will be capable of launching 12 individual missiles.

Mrs. Florence Schoenthaler Stutzman, for many years a teacher in Eggertsville School No. 13, died suddenly in Rutherford, N.J. on Jan. 5, 1957.

25 Years Ago

Jan. 6, 1982

The Amherst Town Board voted Monday to rescind a resolution adopted last November calling for an investigation of ways to finance further improvements on the 160-acre Farber-Jacobs property on the south side of Sheridan Drive just east of Evans Street.

Erie County Legislator Mary Lou Rath was sworn into office for her second term last Wednesday by her husband, Village Justice Edward A. Rath, in the village court.