Out of the Past

125 Years Ago

March 16, 1882

In the State of New York there are 900 volunteer fire companies with an active membership of 30,000.

Last Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Michael Windnagle, aged 57 years, 5 months and 9 days, passed quietly from this earth, after a long and painful illness with dropsy, combined with an affliction of the heart.

The public schools will commence on Monday next. Instead of a two-week vacation as was reported, but one will be had.

Mr. Chas. Summers is ready to drill wells by steam, and perform the work promptly and satisfactorily.

Engineer John A. Ditto of Buffalo and an assistant were in town yesterday to ascertain particulars regarding the new stone bridge to be built here.

Roads are in such a bad condition that there is talking of turning them upside down.

"'The truth always pays in the end' is an old saying, and that is the reason why there is so little of it told at the beginning of any business transaction."

100 Years Ago

March 14, 1907 Fred Wooster, a U.S. Army veteran, after spending 30 years in the service, has returned home.

The entire Citizens Party ticket was elected at the annual Williamsville village election.

75 Years Ago

March 17, 1932

The Village of Williamsville's governing board will have no change in personnel. Warren D. Miller, Citizens Party, and George E. Metcalf, Taxpayers Party, were re-elected as trustees.

The children's story hour at the Amherst-Williamsville Free Library was cancelled last Saturday. Unless there is an unexpected increase in the number of scarlet fever cases, the children will again be able to enjoy the story hour next Saturday.

Nineteen Williamsville High School seniors are about to have their fondest dream of the year realized. That, of course, is the annual Washington trip on which they will leave next week.

Three young ladies from Swormville were wonderfully surprised Monday morning when each received a package in the morning mail post marked St. Michael's, Alaska. They were amazed to find that each package contained a beautiful golden fox fur that measured 1 yard and 14 inches in length. The sender was an old-time friend, Mr. William Anderson, who formerly ran the old Lapp Hotel in Swormville.

Henry S. Hughes, who for 45 years had sailed the Great Lakes, died March 14, 1932 at his home in Eggertsville.

50 Years Ago

March 14, 1957

Two Canadian youths have learned it does not pay to battle in the Amherst Police Station. The fisticuffs occurred after the youths had been arrested following a wild goose chase Sunday evening. After they forced a car off the road, State Police nabbed the offenders at Sheridan and Millersport. One started swinging at officers while being booked at the station.

Movies of the 1956 World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers will be shown at the meeting of the Little League Umpires School to be held Thursday evening at Smallwood Drive School.

25 Years Ago

March 10, 1982

The Amherst Central School District has taken issue with a report from the Legislative Commission of Expenditure Review in which it and three others from Erie County were cited for failing to increase district revenue by investing in high-interest certificates.

Judith Huber and Eleanor Hoch are winners of the Williamsville East PTA Council's 1982 American Education Awards.

Harold J. Beck, founder of Beck's Creamery Inc. of Buffalo, died March 8, 1982 in his Amherst home. He moved from Pittsburgh to Buffalo in 1933.