Reminiscing: December 18, 2008

100 Years - Thursday, December 17, 1908

South branch of the Whitewater.  Editor The Union:-There is a controversy in active progress over the stream called the South Branch of the Whitewater, in which 28 farmers, one unnamed individual, and the Chicago and North Western Railway Company are participants.  The trouble began at Dover when, some years ago, the railroad company exercised their right to excavate on their right of way a place from 6 to 8 rods wide and from 30 to 40 rods long to get material for their road bed.

75 Years - Friday, December 22, 1933

Emergency port for planes may be constructed.  Lease sought on Donahue farm.  Government may spend up to $7,000 for labor improvements.  Prospects for an emergency landing field for airplanes near St. Charles brightened yesterday when it was learned negotiations were being made to lease nearly 100 acres of land on the Frank Donahue farm.  The Donahue farm lies at the northwest limits of the city.

50 Years - December 18, 1958

Consolidated school meets safety conditions.  Since the fire in the private school in Chicago took 90 lives, parents are beginning to ask if their own school is safe.  Residents of the St. Charles district looked far ahead when they built the main building in 1923.  It is built of reinforced concrete and is fire-resistant, meaning its frame is built of materials which will not burn.

25 Years - Tuesday, December 13, 1983

Angry citizens petition state for city audit.  Could cost over $20,000.  Disgruntled citizens, angry over the city council’s handling of $6,000 found missing in liquor store cash receipts, signed and filed last week a petition calling on the State Auditor to impact the city’s records for the past 10 years.

10 Years - Thursday, December 17, 1998

St. Charles Aquatic Center with 180 foot slide.  The volunteers of the Pool Together Capital Campaign realized their loftiest dreams last week when the Pepsi Corporation of Rochester and LaCrosse made a generous contribution to push the capital campaign for a new Area Aquatic Center over the $500,000 mark.

5 Years - Thursday, December 18, 2003

Concerns over taxed Christian building heard.  …The next question came from Dick Wright, the owner of the former Chistian School on St. Charles Avenue.  He Stated that he believes it is unfair to be taxed “$2,600 on a building that you (City of St. Charles) won’t let me remodel.”  He then asked that couldn’t he, since the building is not being used for any purpose, get a break on the taxes.