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.
August 1, 1924
Clarence Quinn, who for a number of years has operated a general store at Winfield, Lake County, has sold the business to W. S. Lindall, and has taken the Lindall farm near Cook’s Corners in Porter County and will move there this fall.
Six Chicago boys, ranging in age from 12 to 15 years, were placed under arrest today noon by Sheriff William Pennington and Deputy Sheriff W. B. Forney, charged with stealing $89 from Bert Sager, of Sager Lake. After stealing the money, the “baby bandits,” who were camping at Sager’s buried the money back of the bath house. All the money was recovered. The boys will be held pending an investigation.
August 2, 1924
Valparaiso will be represented in the Northern Indiana Tennis Tournament at Whiting after all. Miss Helen Schleman, a local star, who was selected as the best girl athlete at Northwestern University by President Walter Dill Scott, has signified her intention of entering the women’s singles. Play will start next week.
James H. McGill, staunch political backer of Robert M. LaFollette for president, on the Independent ticket, was boosting the “Fighting Bob” campaign in LaPorte yesterday. Mr. McGill is optimistic over the headway that has been made in organizing LaFollette clubs in every city, town, and township in the state. A meeting in the interest of LaFollette will be held in the North American Union Hall at 58 Lincolnway in Valparaiso Tuesday evening.
August 3, 1924
Manager Deak Austin’s reorganized Durant-Stars defeated the Columbia City Greys at the Robinson Park in Fort Wayne Sunday by a score of 4 to 2. The only scoring was in the Valpo seventh when four runs were collected by Newkirk, former Chicago Cub hurler, held Columbia City to two hits and struck out 14.
Sheriff William Pennington and Deputy Sheriff W. B. Forney captured a big still and fifteen gallons of whiskey in Portage Township late Friday night. Metro Vingenor was taken into custody charged with violation of the liquor laws. His partner in the business made his escape.
August 4, 1924
Smith and Smiths Lumber Company, of Valparaiso, was awarded the contract for the improvements to be made at the Baptist Church by the board of trustees at a meeting held last night. An entirely new auditorium will be built, and an addition built for a Sunday school room and recreation center. A new heating plant and latest lighting fixtures will be installed. The improvements will cost around $20,000.
August 5, 1924
A party of Canadian farmers from Ontario will spend the night in Valparaiso on Monday, August 18, enroute to Illinois. The party will number 100, including women, and will visit the corn belt of Indiana and Illinois. The visitors will be met at Michigan City and given a supper here. County Agent A. Z. Arehart is in charge of the arrangements.
August 6, 1924
Approximately thirty enthusiastic believers in Senator LaFollette’s program met at the North American Union Hall last evening and organized a LaFollette-Wheeler Club for the ensuing campaign. A number of those present made talks. Another meeting will be held next Monday evening at the Union headquarters, at which the committee of five will make a report on the best plan for a permanent organization.
Charles Nuppnau, former Valparaiso man, has been granted a building permit at Gary to erect an addition to his store building at 579 Massachusetts Street, costing $25,000. The new addition consists of a storeroom and three apartments.
August 7, 1924
Through the efforts of State Senator Will Brown, of Hebron, and other citizens in the south part of Porter County, the Harding Highway has been permanently located and marked through Porter County. The road runs from Marion, Ohio, the old home of the president, to the Pacific coast. The road strikes Lacrosse and enters Porter County in that vicinity, passing through both Kouts and Hebron, and then through Lake County to the state line at Illinois.
The Nichols Construction Company, of Hebron, has been awarded the contract by the Lake County Commissioners for a new steel and concrete bridge at the 21st Avenue Crossing of the Little Calumet. The bridge will not be built until the Burns Ditch is completed sometime next year. The bridge will cost $26,000.
August 8, 1924
Rev. J. P. Findley, an old-time Christian minister, died recently at the Deaconess Hospital in Indianapolis following two operations. Years ago, he officiated as pastor of the Christian churches at Hebron and Boone Grove. He also frequently visited in Valparaiso.
The Walb Construction Company, contractors on the Burns Ditch, will begin operations within a few days. The company will work between the head of the main channel at Dunes Park to the mouth of Deep River. The Broderick Company, of Detroit, Mich., is now excavating the main channel between Lake Michigan and Little Calumet River. A gigantic electric-driven digger is eating its way through a sand dune 56 feet high and 1,000 feet wide. The ditch at this point will be 70 feet wife at the bottom and 250 feet wide at the top of the banks.
August 9, 1924
The Valparaiso City Council at its regular meeting Friday night adopted a building code ordinance by a vote of 5 to 1. Councilman Louis Gast voted against the measure. The council awarded the contract for improving East Main Street with curb and macadam to William St. Clair at a bid of $9,300, and the contract for combined curb and gutter on North Franklin Street to Gerald McGillicuddy for $2,470.
Preparations for the big Brown-Kinsey banquet on August 13, one of the features of the Valparaiso University homecoming, are now complete. A dinner will be held at East Hall, and a program staged later in the auditorium. The program for August 9, 10, and 11, was announced today. Judge Ninan H. Welch, United States Senator, A. A. Jones, of New Mexico, Patrick H. Kelly, and Father William T. Sloan are on the program for addresses. Miss Burdette Cleveland, Mrs. Gertrude Horn-Cregor, Mrs. Fannie Amstutz-Roberts, Carl Craven, Mrs. Lucille Wynekoop, Ruth Axe Brown, and Anna Krasankas will be featured in musical numbers. Miss Murial Bielter, Miss Louise Horn, and Miss Edna Agar will give readings.
August 10, 1924
Miss Helen Schleman, of Valparaiso, ace of Northwestern University’s co-ed athletes, was defeated in the Northern Indiana tennis finals held at Whiting Saturday. Mrs. Lewis Bailey, of Chicago, a veteran tennis player, was her nemesis. Miss Schleman captured the first set, 6 to 3, but dropped the last two, 6 to 3.
Work on lowering the grade in the stretch of sidewalk from Valparaiso’s new Elks’ temple to Napoleon Street, was commenced this morning. The improvement will remedy the dangerous slope where the walk crosses the post office alley.
August 11, 1924
The plant of the Valparaiso Lighting Company has been purchased by Calumet Gas & Electric Company from the Central Indiana Power Company, which in turn is controlled by the American Public Utilities Company, the Kelsey-Brewer syndicate of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Charles W. Chase, of Gary, will become head of the local company. R. J. Cory will remain as manager. The Valparaiso Company has 2,790 electric and 1,860 gas consumers. It also serves electric customers in Hebron, Kouts, Boone Grove, and other small communities. The average monthly output of electricity is 170-kilowatt hours and gas sales average 3,500,500 cubic feet monthly.
August 12, 1924
Attorney Daniel Kelley and his wife, Angela, returned home recently from a six weeks’ trip abroad. They visited France, Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. Mr. Kelly attended the international bar meetings in London, and both were presented at Buckingham Palace to the king and queen. A dinner party was enjoyed today at the Kelly home at which a number of relatives from Michigan City attended.
August 13, 1924
John L. Foster, 62, Valparaiso wholesale and retail ice cream dealer, died yesterday afternoon in the Christian Hospital of injuries received earlier in the day when he slipped and fell down a stairway in the rear of the Superior Inn on North Washington Street. He was discovered by Jack Stephens and taken to the hospital. Just before he died, he told doctors that he had stumbled and fallen down the stairs.
Valparaiso’s contribution to the Near East relief was shipped out today and consisted of 76 gunny sacks and eight packages. The boy scouts gathered the contributions, and four trucks were donated for the work by local garages. The grocers gave the sacks, and the material was packed in the Methodist church by representatives of the various churches. The Northwestern Indiana Telephone Company shipped out the clothing today.
August 14, 1924
Nine hundred persons attended the banquet given in East Hall last night in honor of Henry Baker Brown and Oliver P. Kinsey, founder and co-founder of Valparaiso University. It was one of the highlights of the annual homecoming celebration of the school. John M. Stinson, of Hammond, acted as toastmaster. Talks were made by Eugene F. O’Riordan, Elmer D. Brothers, Perry L. Sisson, Martin H. Carmody, Mrs. Edward D. Crumpacker, Thomas F. Donovan, Mrs. H. B. Brown and others.
The Northwestern Indiana Telephone Company which recently closed negotiations for the purchase of the Portage Telephone Company, Wednesday began wrecking the Chesterton end of the Portage Home plant and a gang of men are engaged in taking down the old poles and wires. The entire system will be junked, and a cable strung to take care of the increased patronage of the Northwestern company. Next week, the company will begin work putting all the wires in the business district underground and will take all poles out of the alleys and streets.
August 15, 1924
After Engineer Floyd R. McNiece had submitted three different plans for the street grade on Calumet Avenue in Valparaiso, north of the Grand Trunk railroad, and Councilman Louis Gast had tried to get the council to accept one of the three, without result, the matter was finally continued for two weeks. Engineer McNiece told the council to forget that he had drawn any plans and obtain another engineer to make a survey and draft plans.
Camp Dillingham, the Porter and LaPorte County boys’ and girls’ club camp at Wauhob Lake, came to a close last night with a burst of enthusiasm. Many visitors were present at the camp yesterday and saw the boys and girls at work; they formed the bread line with them; they witnessed the impressive flag lowering exercises; they heard the patriotic songs. A campfire closed the day’s festivities.
August 16, 1924
Valparaiso and Porter County will have two new school buildings for use this fall. They are the Banta grade building in Valparaiso, and the Morgan Township consolidated school in Morgan Township, south of Valparaiso. The Morgan school is on the center of a twenty-acre tract. It will contain nine rooms, a domestic science department, and gymnasium. Six teachers will be employed at the school, three of them for the four-year high school course.
Chief Pharmacist’s Mate M. F. Moe was replaced by Chief Torpedoman L. M. Eddy on Wednesday as officer in charge of the Valparaiso recruiting office located in the chamber of commerce building. Mr. Moe, a former Valpo boy, will be added to the recruiting staff of the Indianapolis office.
August 17, 1924
The Valparaiso Durant-Stars defeated the Pontiac, Ill., team at Pontiac on Sunday by a score of 6 to 2. Knight struck out twelve Pontiac batters. Buck Weaver played short for Valparaiso.
Nelson Field has closed the deal for purchase of the T. H. Claussen building at 18 Indiana Avenue, south of the courthouse, in Valparaiso. Mr. Field will move his job printing office into the new location and expects to have his place ready within thirty days.
August 18, 1924
The building code ordinance, regulating the construction of new buildings, extending the fire limits, and so forth, which has been the chief topic for consideration by the Valparaiso City Council for several months, will become a law of the city after its official publication. The first publication was made today.
August 19, 1924
O. C. Ferrell, of Valparaiso, employed in the Gary steel mills, is confined to his home here from a sprained back received while working in the mills Saturday afternoon. He is employed as a pipe fitter.
August 20, 1924
One hundred and ten Canadians in twenty-five automobiles, arrived in Valparaiso last night to spend the night. They left this morning for Steger, Ill., and will then go to Joliet, Ill., for a visit at the state prison and prison farm. They will stay at Bloomington for the night, and then go to the University of Illinois. Friday, they will visit several interesting farms and attend the Interstate fair. The Canadians will cover 1,000 miles in their trip through Illinois counties.
President H. M. Evans, of Valparaiso University, today announced that material reductions in tuition, board, and room would be made for the fall term of school. The tuition rate has been fixed at $48 per term, with $4 for athletics, library, and Torch. Board at Altruria has been lowered from $4.50 to $4, and room rent has been lowered 25%.
August 21, 1924
The large number of accidents on the Dunes Highway in north Porter County has caused agitation throughout the county for additional state roads to relieve the congestion on that highway. Valparaiso interests are trying to interest the state highway commission to build a hard-surface road through Wheeler and Hobart to Gary and then change the Lincoln Highway state road number back so that it comes straight through LaPorte and Valparaiso. Tourists then would have a straight road to Chicago through Hobart and Wheeler.
Valparaiso today sweltered in one of the hottest days of the summer. The official reading on the government thermometer at the Flint Lake pumping station showed 92 degrees at 2:30 o’clock this afternoon.
August 22, 1924
R. D. Raymond, of Valparaiso, well known in Valparaiso and Porter County, returned last evening from Indianapolis where he has been attending a session of independent voters. Duffy obtained prominence at the meeting when he announced as a candidate for governor on the independent ticket. Raymond’s decision to run on an independent ticket resulted from a refusal of the Indiana convention of the LaFollette Progressive Political Action party to recognize a state ticket. Raymond led the insurgent group which named a state ticket. In the platform adopted, one of the planks calls for the driving of the Klan out of Indiana.
The new Morgan Township school was in use for the first time last evening when the Ladies’ Aid of Malden gave an ice cream social at the schoolhouse. The social was given for the benefit of the Adams Sunday School and about $40 was cleared. A new piano will be purchased.
August 23, 1924
The Valparaiso City Council at its regular meeting Friday extended an invitation to the officers of the Indiana Elks’ Association to hold its 1925 meeting in Valparaiso. The council, in a resolution passed, assured that every courtesy possible would be shown the visiting Elks while in the city.
The story of Lowell Thomas, world famous traveler and lecturer, who worked his way through Valparaiso twelve years ago and, for a time, was an assistant instructor in the school, is graphically told in a six-page article in the September issue of American Magazine. It tells of his war record in Palestine, Arabia, Germany, and other countries.
August 24, 1924
At a called meeting of the Valparaiso Woman’s Club on Saturday, decision was reached whereby the club purchased the Loring property at the corner of Jefferson and Washington Streets, of J. R. Pagin, for a consideration of $30,000. The building will be called the Sarah Porter Kinsey Memorial, after Mrs. Kinsey, who has been a leader in local, state, and national women’s club affairs.
The Kouts Boosters defeated the strong North Judson team Sunday at Kouts by a score of 5 to 4. Crowe and Wellman were the battery for Kouts, and Dunkleburger and Rickey worked for North Judson. Wellman led the Kouts attack with a double and triple. Dunkelburger struck out thirteen Kouts batters.
August 25, 1924
The Porter County Holstein Friesian Association has decided to ship a carload of cattle for exhibition at the state fair at Indianapolis. Walter Williams, of Porter Township, will accompany the cattle, which will leave Valparaiso on Saturday. Herman Homfeld, Charles Ohlfest, Frank Bushore, John Froberk, Edward Anderson, Tom Keene, and Dan Haxton will furnish the cattle.
August 26, 1924
The new Banta School, in Valparaiso’s First Ward, recently completed, will be thrown open for inspection Friday, the school board announced today. A short ceremony, in which the building will be turned over to the city, will be held at the south entrance on Beech Street before the inspection.
August 27, 1924
Valparaiso was yesterday awarded the 1925 Elks’ State Convention at the annual meeting held at Terre Haute. Gary was the chief contender against Valparaiso, but the local lodge went down well fortified to land the honor. The convention will be held in August. The new Elks’ Temple under construction will be ready for the accommodation of the visiting host which is expected to number several thousand.
An accidental death verdict was rendered today by Coroner H. O. Seipel in the death of Edward Murphy, of Valparaiso, who was killed late yesterday afternoon on the Lincoln Highway, just west of the city, when struck by a car driven by R. D. Anderson, of Jamestown, N.Y. Murphy was killed while walking along the highway toward town.
August 28, 1924
Rev. C. E. Burns, pastor of the Christian church, tendered his resignation to the board of trustees at a special meeting held last night, and will be associated with the Children’s Foundation in the capacity of a member of the administrative staff. He and his family will continue to reside here.
Julius Albe, of Valparaiso, was named trustee for three years at the annual meeting of the Indiana State Elks’ Association held at Terre Haute. Charles P. Nuppnau, of Gary, former Valparaiso man, was appointed Chaplain by President Garnet R. Fleming.
August 29, 1924
William E. Pinney, one of the pioneer residents of Valparaiso and Porter County, died at the Chicago home of his daughter, Mrs. Myra Pinney Clark, this afternoon at 1:15 o'clock. He was born in Clinton Township, LaPorte County, seventy-seven years ago. He was an attorney for a number of years, organizer of the State Bank of Valparaiso and Trust Company, and prominent in the civic and business life of the city and county. Mr. Pinney was a large landowner and gave a 468-acre farm in Porter and LaPorte Counties to Purdue University to be used for experimental purposes.
At a meeting of the Valparaiso School Board and Porter County Red Cross Society last evening, Mrs. E. K. Finney was selected as county health nurse to succeed Mrs. Jewell Reagan, who tendered her resignation. Mrs. Finney will begin her new duties on Tuesday morning, Sept. 2.
August 30, 1924
The new Banta School in the first ward was officially turned over to the City of Valparaiso in ceremonies held Friday afternoon at the school. A large crowd was present when Superintendent C. W. Boucher opened the meeting with a short talk. Others speaking were Charles Foster, the contractor; Mittie E. Stoner, member of the school board; Martin Erickson, Gary, architect; A. A. Hughart, president of the school board, and Councilman Rollin C. Higley, representing Mayor E. W. Agar. Following the speech-making, the crowd was shown through the school. The building was started on March 25, and cost $76,000 unfurnished. It was named after William H. Banta, first superintendent of Valparaiso schools.
Midshipman Byron Loomis, of the United States Navy, is here for a visit with his parents, E. L. and Nellie Loomis. He has just returned from a tour of Europe on the battleship Colorado. This is his last year at the academy.
August 31, 1924
The Porter County Cow Testing Association completed the year’s work on August 1 with a total of 174 yearly records averaging 8,023 pounds of milk. This is an increase of 551 pounds of milk per cow or 7% over the average for 1922-23.
William Quinn, a former resident of Valparaiso, was in the city Sunday visiting old friends and relatives. Mr. Quinn, known by his old friends as “Bill,” left for the west forty-two years ago and, since then, no one had heard from him.