These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the Valparaiso Daily Vidette and The Evening Messenger newspapers.
July 1, 1924
The Fibroc Insulation Company, of Valparaiso, today made payment of its semi-annual dividend at the rate of eight percent per annum to stockholders of preferred stock of the company. Business has increased in the last six months and the company is now preparing to double the volume of its production.
Edward Mitzner, former Valparaiso businessman, died yesterday afternoon in Nichols’ Sanitarium at Savannah, Mo., according to word received here. The body will be brought back here for burial.
July 2, 1924
At a meeting of the Valparaiso Woman’s Club in the high school assembly room, the members discussed plans for the acquisition of a club home. Celista “Lizzie” Boucher, club president, presented the following properties to the assemblage for consideration: Stevens and Szold properties, corner Washington and Erie; and the W. H. Gardner home, on North Washington Street, now owned by H. V. Deopker.
July 3, 1924
Telephone rates in Valparaiso and Porter County will be boosted August 1, upon the order of the public service commission, it was announced today. The order will be effective for two years, after which the present rates will again prevail. High labor and construction costs, and the fact that the Northwestern Indiana Telephone Company sustained a $100,000 loss because of sleet storm damage, was the cause of the increase.
July 4, 1924
Members of the Ku Klux Klan held a big celebration at the Porter County Fairgrounds. Beginning Thursday night, Klan members began arriving at the grounds, and continued on through the night and next morning. Many booths were arranged for the sale of novelties and for feeding the big crowd. Tiger Bull’s Wild West Show, horse racing, auto racing, drills, band concerts, balloon ascension, and talks by speakers provided plenty of amusement.
Valparaiso Junior Klansmen defeated Elkhart Junior Klansmen in a baseball game, 9 to 8. A big parade was held in the evening from the Porter County Fairgrounds to the business district, followed by the initiation of 200 candidates at the fairgrounds. Between 7,000 and 8,000 persons attended the festivities.
July 5, 1924
Misses Lois Mae Whitehead, Isabell Foster, Anita Parker, Virginia Kirkpatrick and Margaret Lunbeck are attending the Presbyterian Young Peoples’ Conference this week at Winona Lake, Ind. They are stopping at Bethany Lodge, one of the choice places at the park. They expect to see the noted photoplay, “The Ten Commandments.”
July 6, 1924
The Valparaiso National Bank has taken over all the property under the cattle mortgage held by the Lee Motor Car Company on West Lincolnway. All display cars are at present in the hands of the National Discount Company, of South Bend, which holds mortgages on them. R. B. Lee, who was in charge of the sales room, has left Valparaiso, and no receiver will be named as all available property has been seized by creditors.
At the Sunday morning service at the Baptist church, plans were launched to raise $20,000 toward remodeling and rebuilding the present church structure. For nearly a year, officials and members of the church have been planning the undertaking. Meetings will be held every night this week to bring the matter before the congregation and elicit their support. It is expected to occupy the new plant by Thanksgiving Day.
July 7, 1924
The East Chicago baseball team refused to play the Valparaiso Durant-Stars at the fairgrounds yesterday because Walter Zock, manager of the visiting team, demanded 40% of the $.75 tickets after he had agreed to take 40% of the $.50 admissions. Fans were given their money back at the gate when Zock ordered his team from the field.
A. C. Sheets and J. Dolan tied for first in the 75-target event of the Valpo Gun Club shoot held yesterday at Sheridan Beach, Flint Lake. Each broke 67 clay pigeons out of 75. Other scores were Dr. D. C. Shurr, 63; C. Peters, 42. In the 50-target event, Ora Gray broke 46, C. E. Hershman, 45, William Hunsley, 44, O. W. Wickey, 38, R. Westergren, 37.
July 8, 1924
Recent rains have caused the layoff of a number of laborers and the suspension of the excavation work on the new three-story Elks Temple building on West Lincolnway in Valparaiso. Deep mud in the basement makes the use of wagons and trucks impossible. Work, it is said, will not be in full swing until the middle of next week.
Walter Hiltpold, star pitcher of the Valparaiso University baseball team, hurled the Gary Elks to a 5-to-1 win over the Slovak A. C. team in the final round of the Steel City Championship at Gleason Park on Sunday afternoon. He allowed five hits and struck out eight men.
July 9, 1924
Robert Bruce was found guilty of murder in the second degree by a jury in Porter Circuit Court of the slaying of Henry Turner, in Gary, on May 28, 1924. The two men are said to have quarreled over the hauling of some household goods.
July 10, 1924
The $1,000 damage suit of Charles A. Bartholomew, George Morton, L. D. Younglove, and Peter Detlefs against the City of Valparaiso, William Arnold, and E. W. Agar, to abate and enjoin continuance of a nuisance, was commenced in Porter Circuit Court this morning. The plaintiffs allege in the complaint that a large amount of garbage, rubbish, and filth, gathered off the streets of Valparaiso, are deposited on the defendant’s real estate near the premises of the plaintiffs, thereby creating a nuisance. The dump, from which the foul odors are emitted, comprise eleven acres on the road to Hebron, near the county infirmary.
July 11, 1924
Judge H. H. Loring, judge of the Porter Circuit Court, this morning granted a temporary restraining order in the Valparaiso City Dump case brought by residents living in the vicinity of the county infirmary. Certain restrictions were made requiring the city to use the dump in a way not injurious to the health of the surrounding property owners.
The Porter County Board of Charities and Corrections, named by Judge H. H. Loring some time ago for the purpose of making regular inspections of the county infirmity and county jail, have made a report of their findings to the court. The members of the board are Mabel Albe, Mrs. W. H. Lloyd, Dr. G. H. Stoner, of Valparaiso, and Clara Williams, of Chesterton
July 12, 1924
Motion for a rehearing before the Indiana Supreme Court has been filed by Joseph H. Conroy, of Hammond, attorney for Harry Diamond, convicted in Porter Circuit Court of the murder of his wife, and sentenced to the electric chair. The supreme court recently denied a motion and ordered the execution carried out on Nov. 14. If the court denies the new motion, Attorney Conroy plans to appeal to the state pardon board to commute the sentence to life imprisonment.
Wallace C. Sutter, secretary of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, will leave tomorrow for Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., to attend the National Secretary School, sponsored by the United States Chamber of Commerce and the National Secretary Association. The session will last for two weeks.
July 13, 1924
Resolutions for building over 100 sidewalks in Valparaiso, costing more than $20,000, were passed by the city council at its regular meeting last night. Petitions for sidewalks on Calumet Avenue and Hickory Street, together with certain individual ones, were stricken out while other walks in the city were ordered in.
Bernard, John, and Frank McMahon and John Dwyer, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to a charge of petit larceny in Porter Circuit Court this morning and were sentenced to six months at the state penal farm. The quartet were charged with assaulting and robbing five men on the Dunes Highway near Baillytown. Later they were picked up by Michigan City Police for intoxication and violation of liquor laws.
July 14, 1924
Gustaf Swanson, Jr., age 4 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gustaf Swanson, of Gary, was drowned yesterday afternoon in the Listenberger Drainage Ditch, west of Burlington Beach, Flint Lake. Young Swanson, with a boy companion, 3 years of age, was attempting to cross a bridge over the ditch when he slipped and fell in four feet of swiftly moving water. The boy was rushed to the Christian Hospital here but was pronounced dead by a physician.
The building campaign of the First Baptist Church, which has been under way the past week, came to a close last night with subscriptions totaling $25,400, or 25% over the quota. Rev. S. G. Huntington, of Indianapolis, was in charge of the services Sunday when the solicitations were made. The building will be started almost immediately and will be rushed for occupancy by Thanksgiving Day.
July 15, 1924
B. H. Wood, until recently with the McMahan-Wood Company, is establishing a milling firm at 20¼ Indiana Avenue under the name of B. H. Wood and Son. The new mill will be a flour and cereal mill of two units. The firm plans to exchange flour for wheat.
Mayor E. W. Agar, who has been active manager of the Valparaiso Chautauqua for 13 years, and for 29 years a member of the Valparaiso University faculty, is developing a unique home-coming Chautauqua for this summer. It will be made up entirely from talent taken from former students and former faculty members of Valparaiso University, which this year is celebrating its 51st anniversary. Governors, United States Senators, jurists, men and women of note in the fields of music, art, and commerce are to be on the program. The event will be held from Aug. 9 to 17.
July 16, 1924
A check forger worked in Valparaiso cashing a bad check for $2 at the M. Linkimer Store but was unsuccessful when he attempted to pass a $47 check on Joe Gross, in charge of the Bargain Leader on Washington Street. Police were notified but the forger could not be located.
July 17, 1924
Work was started this week on the $330,000 Burns Ditch project. One big dredge is working in the Dunes and another, a floating dredge, will begin work in a few days on the Little Calumet River at East Gary. The two dredges will work toward each other and within nine months there will be a flow of water into the lake from the headwaters of the Little Calumet River. The watershed is at Broadway in Gary. Clyde Walb, of LaGrange, is the contractor, and A. P. Melton, of Gary, is engineer in charge. The ditch will reclaim 53,000 acres of flood land extending from the Columbia River in Hammond east to the Porter County line.
July 18, 1924
The Porter County Bankers’ Association held its annual outing and meeting at Binyon’s Resort at Cedar Lake yesterday afternoon and evening. Following a short business session, a chicken dinner was served at six o’clock. Officers were named as follows: A. E. Wilson, Porter, president; C. J. Hobbs, Hebron, vice-president; E. J. Gardner, Valparaiso, treasurer; T. L. Applegate, Valparaiso, secretary; E. L. Morgan, Chesterton, member-at-large. Boating, swimming, fishing, and dancing were enjoyed during the afternoon and evening. Officials and employees of the banks and their wives attended.
One of the features of homecoming week at Valparaiso will be the presentation of the play, “Pollyanna,” under the direction of Miss Edna Agar. Miss Opal Williams and William Diercks, who have starred in previous plays given by the university dramatic department, will have the leading roles.
July 19, 1924
Work on the new Elks’ Temple building on West Lincolnway has been progressing rapidly during the last few weeks. Twenty employees have nearly completed the excavation work and a score of others are busy pouring concrete for the foundation of the three-story structure. According to the contract, the building will be completed by next May.
Ira C. Tilton and Frank B. Parks, attorneys for Robert Bruce, convicted of murder in the second degree in Porter circuit court on July 8, and sentenced to life imprisonment, will file a motion for a new trial early this week.
July 20, 1924
A several-months-old baby was abandoned in an automobile of two Valparaiso men parked near the Premier Theatre last night. Discovery was made when the young men came out of the show with their girls and started to get in their car. The baby was turned over to Sheriff Pennington. Today the sheriff was conferring with the members of the Mothers’ Club in an effort to find a home for the baby. If no home is found, the baby will be sent to an orphans’ home.
July 21, 1924
Assessed valuation of real estate and personal property in the City of Valparaiso increased $299,520 last year and the county total increase was almost half-a-million dollars, according to figures compiled by Porter County Auditor Byron H. Kinne. The total assessed valuation of Valparaiso is $5,927,500 compared to $5,627,980 last year. The 1924 total for the county is $31,678,410, as against $31,209,130 in 1923. This does not include assessments of corporations.
Mark Palmer, Inc., Ford, Fordson and Lincoln dealers, are today closing a deal with John Sievers for the purchase of the building they occupy on East Lincolnway. The new building was constructed for the Ford agency, and after moving into the new location this year, the Palmer Corporation liked the place so well that steps were taken toward its purchase.
July 22, 1924
Flint Lake is now standing at its normal level. The water is just flush with the top of the old concrete dam, west of the pumping station. Some time ago the company removed the temporary board on top of the concrete dam and the water has been going over the dam, besides being pumped into the new lake. Until now, the level of the lake is at a point ordered by the court in its mandatory injunction order. Besides the water that has gone over the dam, the water company has been pumping three million gallons every 24 hours from Flint Lake into the new lake as well as a million gallons daily for consumption.
Real summer weather is being dished out to Valparaiso and Porter County today. The thermometer at the Flint Lake Pumping Station reached 90 degrees. This is the third time this year that 90 degrees has been recorded. On July 20 and 21, the mercury touched 90 degrees.
July 23, 1924
At a meeting of the Northern Indiana Undertakers’ Association in Hammond, Frank A. LePell, of Valparaiso, was re-elected president of the organization. The next meeting will be held in Shelby, Indiana.
July 24, 1924
The George S. Haste building, formerly occupied by the John D. Stoner Furniture Store, will be ready for renting purposes by September 1. Mr. Haste announced today that the lower floor would be divided into two rooms and that he would maintain the upper floor, known as “Armory Hall,” as a dancing pavilion.
July 25, 1924
Rapid progress is being made on the construction of the Banta grade school building in the First Ward, and the structure will be ready for occupancy when school is resumed in September. The building has been named in honor of Prof. William H. Banta, the founder of Valparaiso High School. Including the kindergarten, 300 pupils can be accommodated. The building will cost $80,000.
James J. McGill left today for Indianapolis where he will attend a conference at which plans will be considered for the perfecting of a LaFollette organization for Indiana.
July 26, 1924
A meeting of Rural Free Delivery mail carriers of the 13th Congressional District was held in the assembly room of the Hebron Public Library building Tuesday evening. Forty carriers from Lake, Porter, Starke, LaPorte, Jasper, Newton, and Pulaski Counties attended. Talks were made by Ross Immel, of New Paris, Ind., member of the Rural Carriers’ Association. Following the meeting, a lunch was served at the Rathburn Restaurant.
Miss Mildred Dillingham, for the last five years deputy county auditor under Auditor B. H. Kinne, resigned her position effective today and will be married within the next few weeks to a Mr. Kuntz, of Iowa. Miss Loretta Reibly will take the place held by Miss Dillingham in the auditor’s office.
July 27, 1924
S. S. McClure, noted magazine publisher, whose boyhood was spent in Valparaiso and where he attended high school, visited Valparaiso today as the guest of Lewis E. Myers, and delivered a talk before members of the Valparaiso Rotary Club. He spoke mainly of his travels throughout the world and the attitude of the people of various countries toward the United States. Mr. McClure will speak at Valparaiso University chapel exercises on Wednesday morning.
Clara Inez Walkinhood, 20, former Valparaiso resident, was shot and instantly killed Saturday by her husband, Donald Walkinhood, 23, at Marshall, Mich. Mrs. Walkinhood was carrying an infant baby at the time she was slain. The child was unharmed. Mrs. Walkinhood was the daughter of Mrs. D. B. Bowman, who resided east of Valparaiso.
July 28, 1924
Miss Alice Parker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Parker, 308 Lafayette Street, has passed a rigid three-day examination in South Bend admitting her to Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Miss Parker is one of a group of 100 honor girl students which are permitted to enter the college each year.
Wallace C. Sutter, secretary of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, returned Saturday from Evanston, Ill., where he attended the two weeks’ session of the National Secretary School at Northwestern University. There were 260 secretaries in attendance from 150 cities in the country.
July 29, 1924
The Fraunfelter China Works, of Chesterton, resumed operations at its plant with all former employees back at work. The plant has been closed for some time during which it underwent a thorough remodeling. Owners see a considerable expansion within the next year.
July 30, 1924
After visiting the scene of Valparaiso’s Calumet Avenue improvement yesterday afternoon, the mayor, city council, and city civil engineer practically agreed upon a new grade for the bad stretch of road extending from the Grand Trunk Railroad to the fairgrounds. Steps will be taken immediately to repair the road which will undergo exceptionally heavy traffic during the Porter County Fair in September.
July 31, 1924
At a meeting in Music Hall last night attended by rooming hall proprietors of College Hill and three members of the Valparaiso University faculty, preliminary arrangements were made for a “Brown and Kinsey” banquet to be given on the evening of August 13, during the university homecoming assembly. Efforts will be made to have a crowd of 1,000 present. Townspeople will be invited.
The Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company will open a new store in the Salyer building on Lincolnway this Saturday. Workmen have been busy for several days placing the room in shape to begin business. Floyd Bonnell will manage the store.