July 2, 2024
25 Years Ago - July 6, 1999
Butler city employee John Hamilton was attempting to change a 150-pound chlorine cylinder at the Butler Water Plant on June 30 when a valve on the cylinder broke, creating a leak. The leak forced an evacuation of 30 to 50 people in the area of the Mill Street operation.
“The chemical transport company came in and looked at the tank and removed it,” said Craig Peoples, Pendleton County Emergency Management Services director.
“The chlorine dissipated into the air, leaving no hazardous residue behind,” he said.
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The Pendleton County co-ed bass club went to August June 13. The team of Kenny and Brenda Higgins came in first with 9 pounds, 10 ounces. Second place went to Kim McIlvain and Cathy Ankeny with 3 pounds, 2 ounces.
The big fish of the day went to Kenny Higgins with 4 pounds, 4 ounces.
On June 20, the club visited Big Bone Lick State Park. First place went to Rich and Barb Lindsey with 5 pounds, 14 ounces. Second place went to Kim McIlvain and Cathy Ankeny with 5 pounds, 7 ounces. The big fish was caught by Kim McIlvain at 2 pounds, 2 ounces.
The next stop is July 11 at Elmer Davis Lake in Owen County.
50 Years Ago - July 5, 1974
The drinking water of the City of Falmouth now has fluoride in it.
The fight against fluoridating Falmouth’s water has ended for the present, with the white powder that carries the world “poison” on the bag and which is not to be “touched by human hands,” is now being pumped into the water system by a plastic device furnished by the state but partly paid from funds at the Pendleton County Health Department.
Mayor Max Goldberg acknowledged that he told state officials that the city would fluoridate the water if the state would pay for the equipment, estimated at $1,800 to $2,400.
The state could fine the city $100 a day if it didn’t go along with fluoridation.
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The New Doctor Committee was out until 10:30 p.m. Monday working on securing a new doctor or doctors for the community.
They have arranged for “a fine prospect to come and look us over” on July 11.
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The Pendleton County Extension Office has recently changed addresses.
Until last week, the county and home demonstration agents had been housed over the post office in Falmouth.
They are now in their new quarter in the basement of the Farm Bureau building on the corner of Fourth and Main streets.
Once again, it’s business as usual, and everyone is invited to stop in for a visit.
75 Years Ago - July 8, 1949
Falmouth citizens have in store for them this week a treat. Chief Engineer Ed Davis is scheduled to throw the big turbine switch Thursday morning at the city’s utility plant, thus giving them a much improved electrical service, a power increase of about 500 kilowatts.
The big steam turbine is now installed and as we go to press, the Westinghouse experts are hard at work wiring the turbine to the switchboard.
Mayor D. Barnett Casey and city councilmen are expected to be on hand Thursday when the big switch is thrown, putting the turbine into service.
Last Friday, the big engine was given a trial run to its capacity of 3,900 revolutions per minute and it was acclaimed in tiptop shape, with some minor adjustments being made. The big engine was run to capacity to be sure that the automatic trip was working.
100 Years Ago - July 4, 1924
Clyde Heaton, self-styled “bad man from Harlan County,” is in the Pendleton County jail under bond of $5,000 for the assault and attempt to murder Deputy Sheriff Charles Ashcraft at Butler Sunday afternoon.
Heaton, in company with Earl Bryant, whose home is in Alabama, came to the ball game at Butler Sunday afternoon from the road construction camp near Greenwood, where they are employed by Henderson Construction company in grading the right of way for the concrete highway.
They had imbibed a considerable amount of moonshine, according to the officers.
After the game, the men came to Butler in a Ford coupe. They had a broken spring on their car, and took it into the Butler Garage to have it repaired.
Ashcraft went to the garage, acting on a tip which he had received at the ball park. After words were exchanged, the deputy searched the car and found several bottles of beer. He told the men they were under arrest.
He proceeded to search Bryant when Heaton came up behind him and struck him with a terrific blow behind the ear with an iron rod. The blow rendered the deputy unconscious, and as he fell, Heaton struck him on the forehead and face with the rod, evidently with the intent of carrying out a threat to kill the officer.