100 YEARS AGO — 1920

 

A heavy hail and ice storm passed over the edges of Boyle, Mercer and Garrard counties yesterday afternoon, causing thousands of dollars of damage to growing tobacco. A lot of corn crops were also damaged.

 

Danville residents were aroused last night at nine o’clock by the stampede of several squads of army horses and mules through Main Street and on out Maple Avenue. The Division recruiting staff of 200 moved from Harrodsburg to Stanford yesterday to conduct a campaign in Lincoln County, Evidently the 50 animals were dissatisfied with their new home because last night they stormed the guards and made a hurried escape back to Mercer County. Troops were sent out by the Headquarters Company to round up the deserters and all were corralled by daybreak. The guards returned through Danville with their prisoners this morning.

 

It seems as though a number of people are interested in the “Do You Remember Way Back When” column. If you have recollections, send them to the Wayback editor. Some samples that have already been sent in include: Do you remember when: the streets of Danville were lighted with coal or oil lamps sitting on wooden posts? When there were eight or 10 saloons flourishing in Danville? When Danville’s only fire protection was a bucket brigade? If your beau paid a dollar for a dozen roses for you to carry to the theatre, you dad warned you not to marry him because he was too extravagant? You saved your money all week and on Sunday spent 75 cents to hire a horse and buggy to take your gal out for a ride? Good cigars and 10-year-old liquor were considered essentials in the successful politicians’ campaign?Court day crowds would gather on Main Street and swap horses between Third and Fourth Streets?

 

Aviators R.H. Smith and W.J. Carr, of Jellico, Tennessee, brought their Curtis plan to Danville yesterday and made a landing in the Baughman field on the Stanford Pike. These young aviators spent the evening at the Gilcher Hotel and are anxious that a flying station be located here because it is the most desireable stop between Louisville and Cincinnati. A level field, 1,200 by 500 feet, would be necessary, they said. The landing would be marked so that all passing aeroplanes would recognize it as one of the service stations.

 

75 YEARS AGO — 1945

 

Reverberations of a single terrifying bomb which possibly obliterated a Japanese military city yesterday, drowned out the roar of high explosives rained by 125 Superforts today on Toyokawa naval arsenal 175 miles southwest of Tokyo. London predicted the Allies would hand Japan a new ultimatum packing the power of the atomic bomb that blasted Hiroshima. Emperor Hiroluto’s advisors would have a choice between unconditional surrender within 48 hours or oblivion for their sacred islands. In the cautious words of an imperial communications person he admitted there was considerable damage caused to Hiroshima by the new type of bombs. Apparently destruction was so great the Nipponese war lords couldn’t believe it was a single bomb.

 

Boyle County Agent John C. Brown has reported that German war prisoners will arrive here next week or soon after to help Boyle farmers in harvesting the tobacco crop. About 200 prisoners will be available to the farmers here and they will be here until the crop is in.

 

All local stores and businesses will close for the balance of the day on which V-J Day is officially announced, should that announcement come before 2 o’clock in the afternoon. In the event the official announcement of the cessation of the war with Japan comes after 2 o’clock, all businesses will close immediately and remain closed during the entire next day. The decision was made after a discussion in which 60 local merchants participated on Friday afternoon when they met in the community rooms of the Farmers National Bank. The group voted unanimously on the closing.

 

Mrs. Charles A. Thomas entertained with a party at her home on Kentucky Avenue honoring the seventh birthday of her daughter, Dorothy. Guests were Norma Kathryn Leathers Harrigan, Doris Elizabeth Horn, Patsy Reynolds, Melba Ruth Lay, Judith McMakin, Charles Hoskins, Jerry Smith, Michael Schaen, Jackie Thurston, Connie Scruggs and Shirley Thurston. After playing games and contests, refreshments of ice cream, cake and candies were served.

 

50 YEARS AGO — 1970

 

The pet show winners of the Danville-Boyle County Fair, which is being held at the RECC grounds on Hustonville Road were: Joe Smith, Chuck Brown, Marty Lawson, Happy Belcher, Tom Trumpy, Larry Green, Mary Cynthia and Gentry Martin, Kerry Wilcher and Mary Charles Foster.

 

Postmaster Frank Edwards announced “Clean-up Week” for the Danville post office as part of a nation-wide postal activity. Edwards said locally the clean-up week will focus on mailboxes and post office quarters. The Post Master General said the program was to establish post offices as a symbol of good housekeeping and a credit to every community in the nation.

 

Intruders entered a home on Bate Street sometime between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. yesterday and took a piggy bank containing about $5 in change. Entry was gained through a window.

 

25 YEARS AGO — 1995

 

The Danville Fire Department appears to have given up on its desire to continue making emergency medical runs. The department is going to be presenting three proposals to the city commission for consideration and one of them is to sell its ambulance.

 

Next month, McDowell Regional Medical Center patients will start having their spiritual needs tended to by students, including seminarians, pastors receiving continuing education credit and people involved in lay ministries. McDowell recently entered into a contract with Life Perspectives under which the Lexington-based pastoral care agency will conduct a 16-week clinical pastoral education program at the hospital. The program is co-sponsored by the hospital and the Danville Ministerial Association.

 

The zone change on the Mitch Clark property remained controversial even as it won approval from the Danville City Commission. The vote was 3-2 to allow the farm on U.S. 127 across from the Walmart SuperCenter to be rezoned highway commercial.