Local History and Genealogy

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

POULTRY THROW HERE SATURDAY

Large Flock of Fowls of All Kinds Will Be Released from Tops of Business Houses on Saturday - Yours for the Taking 

     How about a nice turkey for the Christmas dinner table free?  Or how about a nice duck, or a chicken or some other kind of fowl?  All free!
      Sounds rather unusual, doesn't it, but nevertheless a large number of fowls of every kind will be thrown from the roofs of the business houses in Angola next Saturday afternoon, beginning at 1:00 o'clock, which will be free to anyone who can catch them.
     That's easy, isn't it?
     To find out how easy it is, just be on hand and enter the turkey and chicken catching contest when these birds are released.  You will have no warning, of course, just at what point the fowls will be thrown out, but they will be in the business section and mostly on the public square.
     There is no charge for entry.  The only thing you need to do is to catch them, tie them up, and put them over your arm and walk away with them.
     Why not try salt on their tails?  That used to be an old-fashioned recipe for catching birds.
     Some folks say a turkey will hop onto a hot pole.  Well, you may try any way you wish to catch them.
     One thing is certain - that if you are not in Angola next Saturday afternoon, you will miss oodles of fun and perhaps be short a fowl that might fly your way and right into your hands.
     In case blizzard weather prevails, the poultry throw will be held on Monday afternoon instead of Saturday.

Free Show for the Children

     The free matinees at the opera house for children of fourteen and under will be held on Saturday afternoon, December 21.  This feature has proven very popular in the previous Saturday afternoons,  the theater being full to capacity.  You are invited to leave your children here in safe surroundings while doing your Christmas shopping.  Adults will be admitted to the theater at the regular rates.

The Steuben Republican, December 18, 1929

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Fire Does Much Damage To Methodist Church

Pipe Organ, Furniture, Windows and Woodwork All Badly Damaged
Early Estimates Fix Loss Near $75,000
________________________________________________________________________
Bulletin
The Angola Fire Department was called again to the Methodist Church at 11:45 Thursday
because of fire breaking out in the high roof of the church,  The outcome of the third
outbreak cannot be determines at the hour of publishing this paper, but in all probability the latest
outbreak will cause almost complete loss of the inner structure and contents of the church.
__________________________________________________________________________

Fire which apparently originated above the heating plant in the First Methodist church wrought heavy damage throughout the entire structure and contents at an early hour on Thursday morning.  Various early estimates of the probable damage range from $40,000 to as high as $100,000.

The fire was discovered at about 1;30 o'clock, although an electric wall clock stopped at 1:05, which would indicate the fire had made much progress inside the church before it was discovered.  Exact cause of the fire cannot yet be determined, and it may have originated in the coal stoked heating plant or in overloaded electric wiring.  The floor in the sanctuary of the church above the heating plant was completely burned and the interior of the church was charred by the intense heat although damage to the overhead structural construction
 is probably confined to the seared finish of the woodwork.  The large pipe organ in the church is probably a total loss, and replacement at present values will probably cost in excess of $10,000.  Some of the fine art glass windows, particularly the circular top windows were completely destroyed, and these are probably irreplaceable.  The entire woodwork and furniture, including the pews, within the church will require complete refinishing.  The fine carpeting was also badly damaged by smoke and water and actual burning in places.

The church had but recently put in many improvements, particularly in the basement rooms, with new tile floors and redecorating and the full extent of the damage in all of the departments of church cannot yet be fully determined.

The Angola fire department was again called to the church at 8:15 on Thursday because of fire having again broken out about the large chimney in the upper part of the church.  This damage however, was relatively insignificant.  The point of actual beginning of the fire cannot be determined.  No meeting had been held in the church during the evening, but slow fire had been  maintained in the heating plant as was the usual practice.  Rev. J.W. Borders, the minister of the church, states that he had been accustomed  to going into the church nightly to see that everything was in order, and that in his usual visit he detected nothing wrong about the church.

The loss and inconvenience to the congregation of Methodists is especially severe at this time, because of the extra heavy program of church activities.  The board of stewards of the church announced a meeting at 10:00 o'clock Thursday forenoon to plan action both as regards to the church meetings and reconstruction problems.  The First Christian Church and the First Congregational church through their ministers and the official boards promptly tendered use of their church properties to the Methodist congregation for their services.  The board tentatively arranged for regular sessions of the Sunday School and church service in the Angola High School building.  Sunday School classes will be held in the school class rooms and the church worship service will be held in the auditorium.

Herald Republican Friday February 13, 1948





Thursday, November 4, 2010

Fire at Scott Township School

On Tuesday Evening of last week while Sadie Showalter, teacher of school district No 1, Scott township, was sweeping the school room after the scholars had left for home, she heard a noise at the door and on opening it was met by a middle aged man whom she took for a tramp.  The man asked her if she was the teacher of the school and how long she intended to teach.  She told him that she was the teacher and that there were eight weeks more of the term. The man than said: "I will bet $50.00  that you will not teach the balance of the term," and then left the school house.  Miss Showalter was very much frightened, as there are no houses near the school grounds, and after securely locking the door went to her boarding place.  About seven o'clock of the same evening the school house was discovered to be on fire by two men who were passing, who giving the alarm succeeded in saving the building after but little damage had been done.  The tramp evidently got in through the window and started the fire in the wood box, and then made good his escape.  The school was dismissed for one week until the building could be repaired.

Herald Republican Wednesday May 7, 1890