Reading through some of the old newspapers I have in my possession I want to share some of the more interesting stories. For instance, in the April 18, 1901 edition of the Morrow County Independent, there is a front page story head lined “Two Fires in One Day.”

The first was from a small blaze in the roof of the Sipe building on east Main street. Please note, the spelling in those days- the only word capitalized was the name of the street, “Main,” while east and street were not.

The first alarm was from a small blaze in the roof of the Sipe building caused by a spark from a chimney. However, the second fire was “just at noon, and called people to a blaze that was more disastrous.” The barn on the old school house lot was completely destroyed and a horse, oil wagon, two sets of harness and seven chickens were burned.

“The barn was the property of M. Loyer and Wilford Booher was the owner of the live stock and other property in it. Outside of the numerous rats which found themselves suddenly left homeless, a cow was all that was saved, Mrs. Booher running much risk in doing that. The fire was started by a couple of children playing in the barn with matches.”

The old school house was on East Walnut Street.

April, 1911: Because cars were relatively new, their sale was listed in the weekly paper. On April 13, 1911, the paper published the owners of new cars and their license tag numbers. Cardington owners were D. J. Babson, H. S. Singer, W. P. Vaughan, Buckingham Auto Company, L. S. Russell, Joseph Klinefelter, E. C. Sherman, V. W. Peck, and Fred Lotte Jr. Mount Gilead purchasers were Phillips and Son; A. J. Gordon, A. V. Miracle, C. B. Chilcote, H. S. Cruikshank and Wood and Wilson.

From the April, 1944 Searchlight: The third and fourth grade news was written by Jeanne Rengert, who said her classmates had made a Food Exhibit. It was prepared by Leo Gattshall, Morris Westbrook, Charlotte Patterson and Rengert. Fifth grade news included the fact that Steve Maceyko had the misfortune of being struck in the eye with a baseball and in the fifth grade Bill Hack noted he had acquired three goats. Bill Burns had a new pony.

Looking back

70 years, April, 1951: Cardington Postmaster Paul D Fleming stated that the number of post office boxes in the lobby would soon be doubled to a total of 72. The Ohio Division of Wildlife stocked the Whetstone Creek both above and below the Cardngton Dam with Spotted Bass.

60 years: April, 1961: Kemp Faust, Cardington High School senior, was awarded a $1500 scholarship from HPM Co. of Mount Gilead.

50 years ago, April, 1971: Don Harvey of rural Cardington, submitted one of the winning slogans in an anti litter contest sponsored by the Morrow County Farm Bureau women. Harvey’s slogan was “Plant a tree instead of Debris.”

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By Evelyn Long

Contributing Columnist