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.
September 1, 1924
John G. Marks and Gordon Wheeler left today for Michigan City, where they will attend the annual convention of the Indiana Firemen’s Association. The meeting will last two days.
September 2, 1924
The Beatrice Creamery Company, of Chicago, recently opened a new cream station in the Specht Flower Shop on Lincolnway. Three hundred gallons of cream were handled on the opening day. The cream is delivered daily to Chicago by express.
September 3, 1924
The Walb Construction Company, which has the contract for the excavation of the Burns Ditch, will place the big dredge boat in operation tomorrow. The river dredging started at the point where the Wabash Railroad crosses the Little Calumet River. Mayor R. O. Johnson, of Gary, will throw the first full scoop of mud via dredge boat.
September 4, 1924
The Porter County educational exhibit by the Farm Bureau at the Indiana State Fair won second prize this year, according to a telegram received today from County Agent A. Z. Arehart. Fayette County took first honors, Porter County second, and Howard County, third. Last year Porter County carried off the blue ribbon.
September 5, 1924
P. T. Clifford and Son, of Valparaiso, have just been awarded two big railroad construction contracts. One of these contracts is to build a new yard for the Nickel Plate Railroad at Stony Island. The other contract is for grading and laying rails of the Union Railway at Fort Wayne.
Rev. and Mrs. George Schutes left today for Logan, Ohio, where the local pastor will preach at a mission festival on Sunday. Logan, Ohio, is the old pastorate of Rev. Schutes and the local pastor and his wife are looking forward to a happy reunion with old friends.
September 6, 1924
Attendance in Valparaiso and Porter County schools for the fall opening is exceptionally large, according to reports received today. A total of 1,550 were registered in the Valparaiso City Schools. The count in the county has not been tabulated as yet, but this year’s figure is expected to show an increase over last year.
Miss Annette Ketchum, a graduate of Valparaiso High School, has gone to Ann Arbor, Mich., to enter the nurse's training school there. She is a daughter of Dr. Frederick G. Ketchum, a former Valparaiso physician. She attended Indiana University at Bloomington for two years after finishing high school.
September 7, 1924
The Philley Brothers today announced they had leased the Haste building on Franklin Street in Valparaiso. They will add a bakery and dairy lunch, with H. S. Philley, formerly of the University Bakery and Cafeteria, in charge. It is expected the new place will be in operation by October 1. The Schelling storeroom will be vacated in favor of the new location. The Premier Theatre store will be retained for the present, but eventually will be sold.
The estate of William E. Pinney, local banker, is valued at $85,000, according to an inventory filed in Porter Circuit Court. At the time of his death, Mr. Pinney owned 1,000 acres of land in Porter and LaPorte Counties at a valuation of $60,000. Personal property was valued at $25,000. In 1919, Mr. Pinney deeded 468 acres to Purdue University, and also deeded a number of farms in Porter and LaPorte Counties to his daughter, Mrs. Myra Pinney Clark.
September 8, 1924
A Porter Circuit Court grand jury was empaneled today by Judge H. H. Loring, who instructed them as to their duties. Matthew S. Campbell was appointed foreman, and D. Clark, secretary. The jury, after being instructed, adjourned for one week.
The program broadcast by Station WRBC, of Valparaiso, last night brought many favorable comments and praise from music lovers listening in. Those taking part were Mrs. Larson, the regular organist; Mrs. A.Z. Arehart, choir director and soloist; Miss Elizabeth Wyman, William Von Doehren, and George Wyman.
September 9, 1924
College Hill rooming house owners met and voted to decrease prices on rooms by 25%. The step followed that of Valparaiso University authorities who announced a price reduction several days ago.
September 10, 1924
The Fibroc Insulation Company, of Valparaiso, was today awarded the contract for a new building costing $45,000. The building, which is expected to be completed within thirty days, will give the company 6,000 additional feet of floor space. The company has many large orders on hand from radio manufacturing firms, which use the local product in building radio sets.
September 11, 1924
Vandals are giving school authorities at Westchester Township plenty of trouble these days. The latest is the theft of a big leather belt, valued at $100, from the Westchester Township High School. At the Porter school, a lock to the playgrounds was tampered with and rendered useless by youths stuffing it with small sticks.
Porter County Christian churches will hold their annual meeting in Valparaiso on Sunday, Sept. 14. A basket dinner will be served at the church at Noon. Each church in the county will have a program to render at the meeting and the Rev. Claude E. Hill, a former pastor of the local church, will attend.
September 12, 1924
Valparaiso today celebrated National Defense Day with a parade and fitting exercises held in the Memorial Opera House. Business throughout Valparaiso suspended at Noon to join in the rites. Following the parade, Oswald Ryan, of Anderson, was chief speaker at the exercises held at Memorial. Judge H. H. Loring presided at the meeting. At the Valparaiso High School in the morning, President H. M. Evans, of Valparaiso University, spoke. Schools were dismissed at Noon for the day.
The Foster Lumber & Coal Company is rushing work on the new Elks’ Temple building. Some delay ensued because of failure of steel to arrive, but it is now here, and work is being rushed with hope that all mason work will be finished before cold weather sets in. The concrete men worked last night under the glare of electric lights.
September 13, 1924
The Porter County Farm Bureau directors have completed arrangements for the handling of Farm Bureau commodities, it was announced today. S. J. Brown will act as agent in the handling of all Farm Bureau products, such as feeds, fertilizer, twine, coal, and seeds. These commodities will be handled in carload lots throughout the county.
Frank Cowdrey, S. C. Keeler, William Wareham, Chris Gruenert, Charles Larrew and J. W. Barnes, the latter of Wheeler, are attending the annual outing today at Winona Lake of the Pennsylvania Railroad. A dinner was served at the Winona Hotel and a program followed.
September 14, 1924
Harry Clyde Coffeen, age 47 years, of Oak Park, Ill., was drowned on Sunday afternoon in Lake Michigan off Waverly Beach. Coffeen, a member of the Prairie Club of Chicago, was riding in a canoe with Mrs. Frank Pond, of Oak Park, when the craft capsized as he tried to change seats. Mrs. Pond swam ashore but Coffeen, though a good swimmer, sank. He was brought to shore by other members of the party but could not be revived. Acting Coroner Harry E. Gowland held an inquest.
State Highway Superintendent George Pearce announced today that the pouring of tar for the new black top on the Lincoln Highway east of Valparaiso would begin in a few days, and that, if weather permits, the highway will be open again for traffic within three weeks.
September 15, 1924
Wheeler is to have a new Pennsylvania Railroad passenger station. Plans for the new station are now in the hands of carpenter foreman J. F. Sheley, who states that work will begin at once. The station, a combination freight and passenger depot, will be of frame construction and 42’ by 20’ in size.
C.J. Gruenert, veteran Pennsylvania Railroad conductor, running out of Valparaiso, was elected president of the Western Veterans’ Association of the railroad employees at the annual meeting held at Winona Lake on Sunday. Two hundred and fifty employees with more than twenty-five years of service were in attendance.
September 16, 1924
Charles W. Ronan, age 72 years, and a former resident of Hebron, was found dead around 10 o’clock in the evening at the Peter LeFlesh place at Flint Lake. Mr. LeFlesh found the body after he had failed to receive an answer to a call made by him. Heart trouble was the cause of death.
September 17, 1924
Henry Massey, of Gary, was shot and killed by Deputy Sheriff Howard Walter, of Lake County, last night when he tried to hold up the Tierney soft drink parlor at Merrillville. Shortly after the shooting, a man, giving his name as John Dillinger, and believed to be an accomplice of Massey, was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Walter. Dillinger was sitting in a car parked near the railroad station in Merrillville at the time. He was unable to give any good reason for his presence there.
September 18, 1924
With Valparaiso school buildings crowded, agitation is being started in Center Township and Valparaiso for the organization of a township high school district, similar to Westchester Township. Valparaiso is in dire need of a new high school building and Center Township, outside of Valparaiso, also has a surplus of pupils. Jointly the two corporations, Valparaiso and Center Township, could issue bonds in the sum of $215,000 for the building of a high school. This would allow the Central School to be used for Junior High and grade pupils.
Additional contracts for the new Elks’ Lodge building now being built were awarded last night. A new ventilating system and plate glass windows for the entire building will be installed. The building committee will meet next Wednesday to award the contract for the heat control system.
September 19, 1924
The W. R. C. District Convention convened today at Odd Fellows Hall in Valparaiso. The district comprises fifteen counties, and there are two hundred and fifty delegates present. Flags were displayed about the business district in honor of the visitors. At Noon, a dinner was served to the visitors at Odd Fellows Hall, and this afternoon an automobile ride was given to the delegates, sponsored by the directors of the chamber of commerce.
A large number of Valparaiso people are planning to go to Gary tonight to hear John W. Davis, Democratic candidate for President, deliver an address. Mr. Davis addressed a crowd estimated at 15,000 in Chicago last night at Dexter Pavilion.
September 20, 1924
Michigan City was chosen for the next meeting of the Thirteenth District W. R. C. meeting in 1925 at the annual gathering held in Valparaiso yesterday at Odd Fellow Hall. The meeting was honored with the presence of three department officers, Mrs. Cooper, president, of Evansville; Mrs. Eifler, of Gary, inspector; and Mrs. Hubbard, Hammond, chaplain. Officers of the local corps, headed by Mrs. Ida Cowdrey, president, opened the meeting, later yielding their chairs to the district officers, headed by Miss Josephine Frazier, of Valparaiso. Mrs. A. O. Bondy gave the address of welcome, and Mrs. Blanche Gardner, of Wanatah, the response.
The Valparaiso City Council at a meeting last night adopted a resolution for the improvement of Calumet Avenue, from the Grand Trunk Railroad tracks north to the city limits.
September 21, 1924
Rev. E. W. Streker was returned as pastor of the Valparaiso Methodist Episcopal church at the annual conference held at Clinton, Indiana. Announcement of appointments was made today. Rev. Bender was sent to the Hebron church in place of Rev. J. A. Lord.
John Piepho, of Hebron, today filed suit in Porter Circuit Court for an injunction against the Town of Hebron. He avers the town is constructing a new sewer and that the outlet is on his 123-acre farm. He has never consented to the move, he alleges.
September 22, 1924
The Valparaiso High School lost its first football game of the season to the strong East Chicago team at East Chicago by a score of 33 to 0 on Saturday. The locals were too light for the heavy East Chicago team. Mohnssen, Valparaiso fullback, suffered a broken collar bone while making a tackle.
Sunday was one of the hottest days of September with the thermometer at the Flint Lake pumping station showing a temperature of 90 degrees. Late in the day a heavy fall of rain broke the heat wave. About seven tenths of an inch of rain fell in a few minutes. A heavy electrical display prevailed.
September 23, 1924
The Lewis E. Meyers Company has bought eight acres adjoining its plant, recently acquired from the Pitkin & Brooks Glass Company. The land was owned by L. S. Higley and F. A. Turner. The deeds were filed today on record. The land will be used in further expansion of the company.
September 24, 1924
If plans for engineers for the Michigan Central railroad are carried out, the Town of Porter is going to lose the site of part of its business houses, if not all of them. Plans of the engineers call for the taking of the greater part of the present business area for the connection of the Michigan Central tracks with those of the New York Central. A plan is being advanced to open Sherman Street to the Dunes Highway and locate the business houses on the street.
September 25, 1924
Attendance at the annual Porter County Fair Wednesday was not up to standard, and fair officials were keenly disappointed because of the fine program given, especially in the race events. The free acts were also of fine character. Judging of the various exhibits began yesterday and premiums were awarded.
A motion for a change of judge in the famous Carr Land Case pending in the LaPorte Circuit Court was made at LaPorte Tuesday by attorneys for the defendant. The case was venued to LaPorte Tuesday by attorneys for the defendant and after the State Supreme Court had sent it back for retrial. It involves ownership of valuable property on Lake Michigan near Miller.
September 26, 1924
Unless the State Highway Commission intervenes, the Dunes Highway will be cut in two by the digging of the Burns Ditch. Broderick Brothers, digging the main channel, are approaching the Dunes Highway at the rate of fifty feet a day. Orders have been given to the contractors to pay no attention to the state highway but dig right through it. According to the report, the highway is said to be a trespasser across the ditch. No permission was ever asked by the Highway Commission when the road was built. A bridge over the ditch would be 150 feet long, with a seventy-foot span thirty-five feet above the ditch bottom. It would entail a cost of $100,000.
Pickpockets operated at the Porter County Fair yesterday and several losses were reported. One lady is said to have lost a piece of jewelry valued at $1,500, while one farmer lost $125. A number of others lost articles.
September 27, 1924
An airplane operated by J. J. Grady, an aviator, at the Porter County Fairgrounds, crashed yesterday afternoon. Grady suffered cuts and bruises, and Edward Fraley, age 18, of near Boone Grove, a passenger suffered a broken leg, broken collarbone, fractured nose and other injuries. Grady, according to accounts of the accident, had taken Fraley for a ride, when about 850 feet up the controls jammed, due to, it is said, someone tampering with the machine. Grady managed to prevent the plane from nose diving, but the craft struck the ground with terrific force, completely wrecking it.
The Ku Klux Klan held a big initiation last night at the Porter County Fairgrounds following a fireworks display. A fiery cross was a feature. The Chesterton Klan took charge of the ceremony, initiating a class of fifty-five candidates.
September 28, 1924
The Philley Brothers’ newsstand and confectionery store is moving to its new location, across the street from the Schelling Theatre, and is now doing business in the new place. They plan to hold a grand opening later.
Edward Fraley, of near Boone Grove, who was badly injured in an airplane crash at the Porter County Fairgrounds Friday afternoon, is reported to be on the road to recovery, despite rumors that he had died. He will be confined to his home for some time with his broken leg.
September 29, 1924
The people of Porter County will have an opportunity to vote on whether they want a county hospital. A petition has been filed with the county commissioners asking the erection of such a building, not to cost more than $100,000, and asking for a $2M tax levy to be levied over a period of 20 years. The county board will place the petition before the voters at the November election.
The Salvation Army Band, of Chicago, gave a concert Sunday afternoon at the courthouse lawn. Col. Alexander Damon was in charge of the band. The concert was given gratis.
September 30, 1924
The Valparaiso Kiwanis Club has closed the contract for the appearance here on Oct. 28 of the famous Bohumir Kryl and His Band, of Chicago. The band will play in the Valparaiso University auditorium. A metropolitan grand opera soloist travels with the band.