100 YEARS AGO — 1918

George Avritt, of Junction City, had a portion of the thumb on his right hand amputated by a local surgeon yesterday. The member began to pain Mr. Avritt about eight days ago, he consulted a home physician who lanced the thumb but it continued to give him trouble and he came to Danville yesterday where an X-ray was used. The bone in his thumb was found to be diseased and the operation followed immediately. There is much sympathy for the young man, who was preparing to grow a crop. His legion of friends hope the operation will end the trouble.

The art of knitting two socks at once — one inside the other — has recently been introduced into this country from Europe and is exciting much interest among Red Cross workers.

Danville and Boyle County people will patriotically conform to the new arrangement provided by the Daylight Saving Law, recently passed by Congress and signed by President Wilson, and on Sunday morning, March 31, will set their clocks and watches forward one hour. On Saturday night, Frank Timoney, our jailer and custodian of the clock in the courthouse tower, will turn the big clock forward one hour so that the early risers Sunday morning will not become confused and think their time pieces are out of order.

Fence your chickens up or move to the country. There is an ordinance against chickens running in neighbors’ yards and destroying seeds and plants. The police will get you.

Advertisement: A neatly engraved visiting card is THE proper thing for a lady or gentleman to present nowadays when making calls. Come and see what a beautiful line of samples we have and get our prices for 50 or more. Danville Messenger.

75 YEARS AGO — 1943

Mrs. Arnold Gregory entertained at her home on Windsor Court with a party in celebration of the third birthday of her son, Russell Steele Gregory. Easter colors and motifs were used as decorations, and favors of balloons were given to each guest. A birthday cake iced in yellow and holding yellow candles was served with custard. The guests were Eddie Hankla, Martha Ann Acton, Charles Whitaker, Rebecca Lynn Campbell, Nancy Speckman, Sally Morgan, Lena Bell Robinson, Frances Ann Bailey and Steve Swain.

In an effort to enlist the support of their parents in the food production course being taught on Monday nights at Danville High School, each child in the elementary schools has taken home an attractively decorated Victory Garden letter inviting parents to join the course. Some of the advantages listed in the children’s appeal are that ration coupons will go farther backed by the products from Victory gardens; those staying at home may help win the war through this method; money will be saved; and the exchange of ideas and experience among gardeners will be enjoyable.

A button from the coat of Col. Samuel McDowell, and a string of amber beads worn by Mrs. Mary McClung McDowell have been presented by Mrs. Carl McKnight and her brother, Nicholas McDowell, to Ephraim McDowell-Jane Todd Crawford Memorial to remain on public display. Col. McDowell, an officer in the Revolutionary War, was the father of Dr. Ephraim McDowell, Danville physician, who in Dec. 1809 performed the world’s first ovariotomy on Jane Todd Crawford. The amber beads were worn by Mrs. McDowell, the mother of Dr. McDowell. Mr. Nicholas McDowell lives on Maple Avenue in Danville and Mrs. McKnight lives in New Jersey.

Mr. and Mrs. Hoyt Williams announce the birth of a daughter Thursday morning at their home on Fifth Street. The little girl has been named Joline. Mr. Williams is a grocer with his store located at the corner of Fifth and Smith streets.

50 YEARS AGO — 1968

Snow in Danville on March 22 has been known to fall before, but never in the quantities it fell on Friday afternoon and night. There was a total accumulation of 9.5 inches, accompanied by freezing weather.

A membership meeting of the Dix River Country Club will be held tonight to discuss summer golfing and tournaments. A buffet will be served. Stag night will follow.

Marine Lance Corporal Donald Girdler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Girdler of Harding Street, is serving with the Third Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment of the First Marine Division in Da Nang Vietnam.

A natural gas pipeline blew up in Powell County touching off a fire which could be seen for miles. The Tennessee Gas Transmission Co. said the main gas line was shut off at 5:45 a.m., but some small fires still were burning in the area. The blast damaged the home that was 500 feet away from the scene. A witness said the area looked like it had been hit with a bomb. There was an 8-foot deep hole in the ground and a 75-foot section of the line had been ripped apart.

25 YEARS AGO — 1993

Boyle County officials and Lancaster Road residents are joining together to put pressure on the state Transportation Cabinet to improve a curve on Lancaster Road near The Allen Company. Spurring them to action is a fatal wreck that occurred on March 5.

In what is thought to be a first, Boyle County Fiscal Court, Danville City Commission and the councils of Junction City and Perryville will meet jointly in April. The meeting is being called to discus various concerns about the Danville-Boyle County Planning and Zoning Commission that have been brought up at meeting of individual governing bodies.

Danville has been named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation, Betty Hensley, chairwoman of the beautification committee, made the announcement. To be named a Tree City, Danville had to have a tree board or department, a city tree ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program and an Arbor Day observance.

Preliminary repots in Boyle, Casey, Garrard and Mercer counties show that $61,459 was used for snow removal after a late winter storm dumped as much as 14 inches of snow in some counties on March 13-14.