The Way It Was

100 years ago

Frank Holmes appointed fire chief

The city council met last night in adjourned session, with Mayor G.T. Stump and all council members except Mr. Faurot were present.

The mayor appointed Frank Holmes to the position of fire chief. He is to receive a salary in compensation in the amount of $60. James Jones and Sam Williamson were appointed as assistants. Two fires and three alarms were reported during the previous week.

75 years ago:

Woods sues Pohl for $10,000

Mamie Woods filed suite in Circuit Clerk Gray's office against Bernard Pohl for $10,000. The suit grew out of the drowning death of Woods' mother, Mrs. Mary Woods, in the rock quarry pool on Aug. 2, 1929.

Mrs. Woods was seated in Pohl's Buick coupe while he and Miss Woods were watching bathers in the pool. The coupe started to roll toward and went into the pool before it could be stopped, and Mrs. Woods was drowned.

The suit claimed that the Buick was either defective or in disrepair or that he had negligently left it improperly parked, which led to Mrs. Woods' drowning.

50 years ago:

School enrollment decreases in Nevada

"The opening of school Tuesday went off smoother and with less confusion than we have had in a number of years," was the opinion of Superintendent C.H. Jones of the beginning of the 1955-'56 school term yesterday.

A total of 934 youngsters were registered in the first six grades, compared with 971 pupils at the same time last year. There are 875 high school students, compared with 834 last year.

In addition, first year Cottey students will be welcomed to Nevada by a Chamber of Commerce committee.

The young ladies will tour the town of Nevada and will be given free, ice-cold Double Cola and prizes will be presented to the girls by various new members.