Out of the Past

125 Years Ago

Feb. 22, 1883

Last Friday as a man named Fritz was driving Mr. George Hartman's team, attached to a sleigh loaded with mill feed, he met with a bad scare and what might have been a serious accident. In attempting to cross the Central track on the Main Road at Buffalo Plains, the sleigh got stuck, and as a freight train was approaching, the horses could not move the load. The engine struck the hind part of the sleigh, smashing it and scattering the feed for some distance along the track. The horses escaped with slight injuries.

O.F. Ayer offers for sale one thousand cedar posts and one good work horse.

Owing to the flood, it was impossible for the members of the Erie County Protection Association to meet last Saturday. The meeting was therefore adjourned to this week Saturday, the 24th. All interested in the welfare and progress of the institution that cannot help but prove beneficial to members and the public should attend.

During the high water, the road bridge in Dodge's meadow was swept away.

A highly respected 72-year-old farmer of Cambria slipped on the ice on his way to his barn Friday and fell on a stick that stuck up from the ground, breaking several ribs and driving one of them into his lungs. Likely to die.

"The best time to offer your hand to a lady - when she is getting out of an omnibus."

100 Years Ago

Feb. 20, 1908

Mr. John Oehman and his son-in-law, Mr. George Kuhn, were awakened by the loud barking of their dog, and on looking out of the window, saw a rig stopped at the front of their house, and something being thrown out, then a hasty departure. In the morning, three strange chickens were found wandering about the grounds. Gregory G. Wick, whose henhouse was entered about four weeks ago, immediately identified the chickens as his.

Williamsville was aroused when two autos entered in the world's endurance contest from New York to Paris passed through town.

75 Years Ago

Feb. 23, 1933

Alfred F. Beiter will leave next Tuesday for Washington, D.C. to attend the ceremonies incident to the inauguration of President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt on Friday, March 4.

Operations were scheduled to begin this morning on unemployment relief projects in Williamsville. The men will be paid at the rate of $3.20 per day.

Bee editorial: "More and more, we in this community regret the absence of a recreational center for the young men and women here. The young person around is left mainly to find his own diversions."

50 Years Ago

Feb. 20, 1958

Barely recovered from last week's blizzards, Amherst and Williamsville snow removal crews again proved their mettle by doing an outstanding job when the second storm of the winter struck here in the forepart of this week.

Peter Jahreis of Rensch Road, a tool and die maker at Bell Aircraft Corp., is now serving the Sweet Home territory as a salesman for the Fuller Brush Co.

Richard J. Aquino of Williamsville has been promoted to private first class in the U.S. Army. He is stationed in Germany with the 14th Armored Division.

25 Years Ago

Feb. 16, 1983

An agreement whereby Daemen College will have the exclusive use of gymnasium facilities at the old St. John Neumann High School has been reached by President Robert S. Marshall of Daemen College and Msgr. Donald W. Trautman of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

Jason Epstein has been nominated for a Boy Scout Medal of Merit for saving a Heim Middle School classmate from choking on Dec. 12.

Town Supervisor Jack Sharpe suggested on Monday that four board meetings be held in various parts of the town before the end of the year.