This week in history
20 YEARS 1993
• Farmington’s Doug Hahn of Boy Scout Troop 483 of Farmington has completed the ranks for Eagle Scout. He was presented the Eagle Scout award by Admiral Fielding Chandler. Hahn began as a Cub Scout and advance through the ranks to Boy Scout where he served as patrol leader, scribe, senior patrol leader, and junior assistant scout master. He earned 21 merit badges.
• “It was a big haul” said Sheriff Bullock of the 32 pounds of processed marijuana seized in a raid in Doe Run early Saturday morning. “It’s the biggest pot bust since I’ve been sheriff and one of the biggest ever in this county.” The sheriff was joined by seven deputies, a Desloge K-9 Officer and his drug detecting dog on the 2 a.m. raid that found 33 of the plastic bags of weed in a storage locker. A Doe Run man was arrested but not charged at the time of this press release. Bullock estimates the value of the pot to be between $35,000 and $40,000.
30 YEARS 1983
• The Ozark Lead Company announced it will close the lead plan located in Reynolds County between Ellington and Bunker. Prolonged depressed economic and lead market conditions were blamed for the action. The mine and smelter employs 224. A total of 85 Ozark Lead employees were indefinitely laid off Jan. 21. The officials told union employees that the plant would have to shut down if operating costs were not reduced by 1 million a year.
• Another burglary occurred in Farmington sometime late Tuesday or Wednesday morning at Treasured Times Video located at the 200 block of East Columbia in Farmington. The intruder took more than $1,400 worth of equipment from the firm that features video recorders and tapes as well as video games and computers. A large box of empty tape cartons were taken, the thief apparently thinking the tapes were inside, but were dumped on the outskirts of town.
• Farmington police arrested a 27-year-old resident for the burglary of Treasured Times Video that was reported earlier in the day. Also in custody is an 18 year old man who authorities said had a stolen motorcycle in his possession. In an unrelated incident a Farmington man turned himself in at the jail Wednesday afternoon on a felony warrant charging him with second degree assault. He was accused of allegedly hitting a woman with a pool cue.
40 YEARS 1973
• Farmington novelist Charles Runyon was notified this week that his recent book, which won the Missouri Writers Award, has also been nominated for the best national paperback mystery in the Edgar Allen Poe Awards. Dorothy Davis, general awards chairman for the Mystery Writers of America, notified Runyon that “Power Kill” has been nominated in the best paperback original category.
• Strout Realty Inc., will open a branch office in Farmington. The large number of prospective buyers who have indicated an interest in this area was the prime reason for establishing this office. Paul K. and V. Darlene Adams have moved to this area to open this office and they would like you to know that you can bring all your real estate problems and desires by their office, located at 421 Quarry St.
• Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Yeargain were honored with a reception to celebrate 54 years of marriage on April 24, 1973. 20 students from the Lutheran School entertained the group with a number of songs.
• Second Lieutenant David A. Tuttle, son of retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel (Doctor) and Mrs. Jay F. Tuttle, of Farmington, has been awarded his silver wings AT Moody Air Force Base, Georgia upon graduating from US Air Force pilot training. Lieut. Tuttle is being assigned to Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington where he will fly the KC-135.
50 YEARS 1963
• At Farmington State Hospital No. 4 it has been found that people can be brought back more quickly to the proper attitude by encouraging them to pursue the activities they are most interested in and profit by. The musical therapy department at this hospital is in its twelfth year and proved itself no exception to this rule. The musically talented patients live for their music and each day of musical therapy brings them closer to the ability to exist normally in the outside world. Each Wednesday they broadcast over station KREI in Farmington and the program is also taped for other purposes. Bob Bryan is the music director, is an accomplished musician both in band and orchestra and sometimes doubles on the trumpet.
• Five members of a team from West Virginia are here in St. Francois County learning how the St. Francois County Extension Program is set up to use as a pattern for their state. Harold Clark, Walter Klinkhardt, Mrs. Wm Lenz, Mrs. Walter Klinkhardt, VK Giessing and William Meyer spent two hours with the group from West Virginia.
• Two salesmen from Fitz-Chevrolet Buick were honored at the Chase Hotel in St. Louis where they received recognition from the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation for their ability as auto salesman. They were Bill Cleve of Farmington and Don Whitener of Cantwell. They both won membership in the division’s Legion’s of Leaders and membership in the fraternity for their sale of cars and trucks for Fitz Chevrolet in Farmington.
60 YEARS 1953
• Many Farmington people saw their first helicopter Monday when a Coast Guard HO3S stopped at the Farmington Airport for refueling. The observation team aboard the helicopter was based in Traverse, Mich., and temporarily assigned to St. Louis. They were inspecting government impounded waters in this area including Bull Shoals, Wappapello, Clearwater, Norfolk and Forsythe to see that people are remaining a safe distance from the dam.
• The circus came to town this week and townspeople could see elephants parading down West Columbia Street.
• Barbara Burmeister of St. Joseph School in Farmington will receive a 17-Jewel Elgin watch as first prize winner of all the eighth grades in the St. Louis Archdiocese, in the World Mission Essay Contest. Barbara will be presented with her prize on the stage of Kiel Convention Hall. Barbara is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Burmeister of Farmington.
• Presbyterian Home for Children has decided to have a new two-story cottage constructed, with a complete basement recreation hall, housing for boys and upstairs will be apartments for workers. Construction should begin this summer.
70 YEARS 1943
• St. Francois County is conducting a gigantic war financing campaign for April and the slogan of the month is “Show the Spirit of St. Francois.” At a meeting of the combined committees of the Victory Fund and War Savings Staff, complete plans were to make April the record smashing month for the sale of war bonds. The “Buy a Bomber” campaign will run simultaneously with the National Victory Drive to sell 13 billion dollars of all types of bonds. With a total quota of $361,750.00 in all types of War Bonds and Treasury notes, every class of investor will have an opportunity to participate.
• A little black hen in Ousseltia, Tunisia outranks the commanding general in the army cook shack. The General was sipping his coffee when Pvt. Neiberger asked him if he would mind finishing his coffee outside. He asked why, and Pvt. Neiberger said Annette wants to come in. Who is Annette asked the officer and the Pvt. said she is my little black hen. Every morning she comes in here and lays me an egg. She comes in around 9:30 a.m. and is finished by 10 a.m. She is bashful and won’t operate if anyone is in here, so they both went outside in the cold while Annette did her bit for the Army.
80 YEARS 1933
• Two local men, ages 35 and 18, were arrested in a midnight raid by state troopers and a federal investigator last Wednesday night at a dilapidated on the bank of a river in the most secluded part of Washington County. About three months ago it was noted that this area was being flooded with counterfeit dimes and quarters. After a thorough investigation it was found that the trail led back to one of the men who was previously suspected of counterfeiting but there was never enough evidence to charge him. Determined to catch his man redhanded the investigator bided his time until the precise moment which occurred on Wednesday night shortly after midnight when he and several state troopers and Constable Jerry Cooper surrounded the cabin and closed in on the suspects. The officers reported that when they made the arrest the older suspect was engaged in melting babbit, a cheap metal somewhat resembling silver in a skillet. Molds made out of plaster of paris were found for the casting of ten and twenty five cent pieces.
• Construction of the impressive building that will house the General Motors exhibit at the Century of Progress International Exposition at Chicago in the summer of 1933 has been completed. The building is the tallest in the exposition, its massive 177 foot tower being surpassed only by the piers of the amusement devices.
