Out of the Past

125 Years Ago

April 6, 1882

Quite a ripple of excitement has been caused in our village, and numerous old stories revived, in regard to the building which D. Wehrle is tearing down preparatory to building a new one. During the forepart of the week, workmen engaged in the excavating under the building discovered a number of human bones. This, taken in connection with the fact that the building was formerly used as a hotel for about fifty years, and that suspicions of foul play were aroused, and some persons known to have mysteriously disappeared, have naturally caused many inquiries.

The wheat fields are rapidly putting on their green coats.

An exchange says the total number of cows in Erie County is 41,200.

"A traveler asked a saloon keeper if there were any cases of sunstroke in the town. 'No, sir,' he replied, 'If a man gets drunk here he says he is drunk and never calls it by any other name.'"

"A half loaf is better than a whole loafer."

100 Years Ago

April 4, 1907

C.C. Summers has been appointed to succeed L.L. Grove as superintendent of the Williamsville Railroad Co.

Managers of Bell Telephone said that a complaint has again been made that people take their receivers and listen while others are talking on the same line. This must be stopped. Anyone found guilty is liable to have his phone removed. Telephone users are also reminded that the hour from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Sundays is used for dinner and there is no operator on the switchboard.

75 Years Ago

April 7, 1932

Reorganization of the Village Board took place Monday evening. Highlights of the session included reductions in the annual salary of the village clerk, from $2,200 to $2,100; the superintendent of public works, from $1,800 to $1,650; the janitor, from $1,200 to $1,100; and the stenographer, from $18 per week to $15 per week.

Brigadier General William F. Schohl, our distinguished townsman, is expected to return this morning from New York, where further honors have been conferred upon him. Last Saturday evening, the commander's cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta was bestowed upon him by the Polish government in recognition of his work in behalf of a betterment of relations between this country and the Republic of Poland, both during the World War and since that time.

Bee Editorial: "Municipalities all over the country are now looking for ways to increase their revenues. It is suggested that considerable money would find its way into local government coffers by the adoption of ordinances which would require solicitors and peddlers to pay fees for licenses. Over the course of a year, this should mean quite a few hundred dollars, if proper attention is given to the matter."

50 Years Ago

April 4, 1957

The Snyder Fire Dept. has continued its leadership by taking delivery this week of a 75-foot aerial ladder truck. It is the first such truck in the Town of Amherst and cost $35,000.

Juveniles are blamed by Amherst Police for breaking into the Smart-Form Corset Shop, 5550 Main St. sometime last Thursday night. Money totaling about $20 was taken, including $8 in rolled pennies.

25 Years Ago

March 31, 1982

Vandals caused several hundred dollars in damage to the Williamsville Cemetery last week, knocking over an estimated 20 tombstones.

On loan to the Clearfield branch library is a Commodore VIC 20 computer, as part of a public service from a local Computerland store. It is the only branch in the Buffalo and Erie County System to offer a computer for patrons' use.