TimesLeader.com

July 6, 2008

Only Yesterday

A route for a three mile concrete link on Route 92, between Dallas and Tunkhannock, was agreed upon tentatively this week at a conference of the Wyoming County Commissioners and engineers of the State Department of Highways. Ever since the last concrete stretch was completed last year officials have been considering alternate routes for the next links, which will connect the present concrete highway at Evans Falls with the Noxen highway at Lutes’ Corners.

Movies playing at the Shavertown Theatre included “Crashing Hollywood” starring Lee Tracy; “Tip Off Girls” starring Mary Carlisle and Lloyd Nolan; and “College Swing” starring Martha Raye, George Burns and Gracie Allen.

1948 - 60 YEARS AGO

Representing more than 150 active workers for Back Mountain Memorial Library Auction to be held on July 10, committee heads met Sunday at the library to hear preliminary reports and map final strategy in their campaign to fill the barn with new and used merchandise for the auction. Committee heads included Mrs. Phyllis Smith, Mrs. John Doane, Mrs. Thomas Shelbourne, Mrs. A.D. Hutchison, Miss Mary Weir, Mrs. Daniel Robinhold, Mrs. Lettie Culver, Mrs. Robert Van Horn, Mrs. Norti Berti, Henry Peterson, Al Gibbs, Daniel Robinhold, Harry Ohlman, Durelle Scott, Paul Warriner, Mrs. Fred Howell, Miss Marian Lathrop, Mrs. Harry Ohlman, Mrs. Howard Hendricks, Howard Risely, John Corliss, James Hutchison and Murray Scureman.

Great news for every Back Mountain boy is the announcement that Trucksville Firemen will conduct a soap box derby in connection with their annual fair on July 22, 23 and 24. This will be the first time a soap box derby has been held here and members of the Derby Committee, headed by Dr. George Flack and Thomas Shelbourne, are confident that more than 100 boys between the ages of 9 and 14 inclusive will take part.

1958 – 50 YEARS AGO

It was indeed timely that during this past week, which marked Independence Day and the ninety-fifth anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, the existence in the Back Mountain area of a veritable treasure-trove of Civil War lore should be revealed.

The discovery was prompted by the June 13 column in the Dallas Post in which the Oldtimer asked if any records existed of men from Dallas area who had fought in the Civil War. It was learned that perfect records do exist; they are among the mementoes of Captain Daniel Morton, of J.J. Whitney Post 339, G.A.R., which are in the possession of his grandson, Daniel Shaver of Shavertown.

1968 – 40 YEARS AGO

The Library Auction Antiques Committee has two life members, Miss Frances Dorrance and Mrs. Fred Howell. Both women were in large measure responsible for the first Library auction, a project which was looked upon by the community in the light of a rummage sale…until the returns from the auction were announced. Instead of $1,000 which had been the goal, the figure shot well past the $3,000 mark, and the Library Auction at once be the figure shot became a summer fixture in Back Mountain life.

The anticipated return of a motorcycle gang, “The Warlocks,” who invaded old Sandy Bottom a week ago from Philadelphia, failed to materialize on Sunday and there is a strong possibility that the visitors may not make another appearance here. According to eyewitness reports the gang members did go in swimming with their clothes on but there was no other act committed which would necessitate an arrest.

1978 – 30 YEARS AGO

Dallas Women of Rotary held installation of officers last Thursday at the Irem Temple Country Club. Mrs. Kay Whitehead was installed as president. Other officer installed included Mrs. Joann Freeman, first vice-president; Mrs. JoAnn Hall, second vice-president; Mrs. Nancy Slocum, treasurer; Mrs. Ann Dowey, recording secretary; and Mrs. Jessie Anzalone, corresponding secretary.

The following newly elected officers were installed at the Dallas Rotary dinner Thursday night at Irem Temple Country Club: Jack McCain, president; Rev. Andrew Pillarella, vice-president; Fred Dingle, treasurer; and Carl Henderson, secretary.

Winners and runner-up entries in the Dallas Recreation Center horseshoe tournament are Lori Brokenshire, Jonathan Dombek, Mark Richardson, Christine Shalata, Kelly Saba, Jill Radzinski, John Maniskas and Mark Farrell.

1988 – 20 YEARS AGO

Boil water advisories and a water use ban have been reinstated following what appears to be a deliberate assault on the Salla Well, the largest supply well in the Dallas or Shavertown Water Companies, last Friday night.

Thanks to the volunteer fire companies who worked around the clock from the early hours of Saturday morning until late that night filling the water company’s storage tanks, nearly all of the 17,000 customers of the Shavertown and Dallas Water Companies had water within a matter of hours.

Priscilla Allison, of Dallas, has been named Acting Director of Academic Affairs at the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus. Professor Allison succeeds Dr. David Rice. Mrs. Allison, assistant professor of speech communications, has been a faculty member at the campus since 1965.

Information for “Only Yesterday” is taken from past issues of The Dallas Post, which is 119 years old. The information is printed here exactly as it appeared in the newspaper years ago.