100 YEARS AGO — 1919

Lieut. Cecil Williams, of the Danville Messenger office, who has been serving Uncle Sam in Washington for the past eight months has been placed in charge of a clerical force of 85 girls in the department of War Risk Insurance. He is the only man in the building and his position is a very responsible one. No wonder, any man who has to look after 85 of the fair sex has a “responsible” position. Since he has been given this new charge, he is not overly anxious to get back home so long as the present job lasts.

On Feb. 8, 1919 Mrs. Anna D. Moore farm, long known as the Dr. Myer farm on Perryville Road, four miles from Danville, was sold at public auction. Bidders were numerous and the bidding spirited from the beginning to the close of the sale. It was apparent from the beginning that Colonel Robert Evans, Guy Hundley or Mr. Germann would be the successful bidder. After $282 per acre was bid by Co. Evans, no one else entered a higher bid. This was the highest price ever paid for land that lies that far from Danville in the history of the county.

A wagon load of dead dogs was hauled through town and taken to the county farm where they were buried. They were executed under the new dog license law. In all there were 24 dogs of all sizes and breeds executed after having been confined in the workhouse for several days. At the last moment, however, Dick Cornelius saved the last dog from being executed as he paid $1 and tagged him and then turned him loose. The dog seemed to know what the gift of his freedom meant for he is now roaming the streets as proud as a boy with red top boots. Mr. Cornelius has three boys in the Army, with two of them in France, and he understood what it meant for even a dog to face imprisonment and death.

75 YEARS AGO — 1944

Miss Adriana Caselotti, the original voice of Walt Disney’s masterpiece “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” will make a personal appearance at the Danville Youth Recreation Center on N. 3rd St. on Monday night. The proceeds of the event will be contributed to the Boy Scouts financial campaign. Admission will be paid at the door and will be 10 cents for children and 25 cents for adults. Caselotti’s appearance is in connection with the 60-city premiere of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” sponsored by the RKO Radio Pictures, WLW radio station in Cincinnati and Walt Disney Productions. The full-length animated feature film will be shown in Danville at the Kentucky theatre on Feb. 24 and 25. The charming Miss Caselotti’s 20-minute appearance will include singing one of the songs from the film.

A group of five local businessmen have purchased the 121-acre farm immediately outside of Danville on the Lexington Pike known as the W.B. Cecil farm. The property adjoins the ground on which the Danville Water Works Filtration plant stands and has been in the Cecil family for many years. Owned by her father, the residence on the farm has been the home of Miss Sarah Saddie Cecil who lived there with her brother, Sam Cecil, until his death last year. Since his death, Miss Cecil has been running the farm. Because of its convenient location and particularly inviting surroundings, the Cecil farm has been one of the most sought-after properties in Boyle County in the past few years. The purchasers of the property are Evan Edmiston, Joe Davis, Herbert Acton Jr., Hulin Mattingly and Hart Rapier.

Totals in the Fourth War Loan campaign have reached a new high of $778,085.50 bringing Boyle County within sight of its unofficial goal of $800,000. A Kentucky War Loan official stated, “It is gratifying indeed to know that Boyle County has again gone over the top, and this is another tribute to you and your unfailing efforts in the War program.”

50 YEARS AGO — 1969

Centre College will take part in a Danville community project to raise $1,800 to enable Alonzo Whitt, teacher and assistant coach at Kentucky School for the Deaf to compete as a wrestler in August in the World Olympic Games for the Deaf in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Center athletic director and wrestling supervisor Briscoe Inman said the upcoming Centre wrestling match admission will be 50 cents and all proceeds will go to help Whitt. Danville High School wrestling team, coached by former Centre football star Joedy Sharpe, have also raised funds for Whitt.

Alice Bryant, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Bryant of Logan Ave., was honored with a party on her eighth birthday. Those attending were Tammy Boyd, Kathy Westerfield, Connie Brown, Janet Brown, Felica Edwards, Tammy Richardson, LaTisha Galbreath and Anna Galbreath.

Because of rising operational costs, Centre College will increase its student tuition fee by $150 and room and board fee by $50 effective in September. The tuition will now be $1,650 and room and board fees will total $925.

A site committee to find and recommend a location for a new Boyle County elementary school has been named. The action was taken following receipt of a memorandum from the Department of Education which suggested immediate construction of an elementary school in the area of Boyle County High School to house students from East End and Forkland elementary schools and from the seventh and eighth grades from Parksville Elementary.

25 YEARS AGO — 1994

A 13-year-old Casey County boy was arrested on a complaint that he had brought an automatic weapon to school. When officials went to the boy’s home to arrest him, the boy fled. Officers chased him through the rain and mud before apprehending him. The officers brought the boy to the sheriff’s office in the Casey County Courthouse. While trying to process him, the boy allegedly cursed, tore the uniform of a deputy and kicked down a door. The boy was finally turned over to a court designated worker.

A family-oriented recreational center is proposed for property on the Danville bypass at Gose Pike. A Danville couple are proposing Sports R Us on 78 acres now owned by Nancy Granros of Florida. The couple has an option to purchase the property for $4,700 per acres. Planned in the facility are an indoor playground, a gold driving range, softball and baseball batting cages, volleyball courts indoor tennis courts, a miniature golf course, a pro shop and an executive golf course. Eventually, the development could contain a restaurant and some houses.

A storm featuring a dangerous mixture of freezing rain, sleet and snow snapped power lines and blocked roads in the five-county area. Richard McGuire, manager of the KU district office in Danville, reported that 1,000 to 1,500 of KU’s 10,000 customers in Boyle Garrard, Lincoln and Mercer counties were experiencing power outages.