A glance in the rearview mirror

August 1922: Howard vs. Hawk. Take “ICE” out of Service. Dandelions picked by the pound.

by Mary Jo David

The following news excerpts are from August 1922 editions of the Stockbridge Brief-Sun newspaper. These are mostly reproduced in the original, without edits or corrections. Visit the Stockbridge Library to view electronic copies of old local news publications dating back to 1883.

Killed by Bull: Mrs. Mary Mayer, aged 65 years, living 3 1-2 miles south of Stockbridge, was killed by a bull about 5 o’clock last Saturday afternoon. Seeing that the animal had got out of the yard, she took a stick and, although warned not to go out into the yard, remarked that she was not afraid, and went out to drive him back. The bull showed fight, but Mrs. Mayer followed him and finally threw the stick which struck him, the bull charged throwing her several feet in the air, then turned and soon trampled her to death. –8/3/1922

Campaign Lies and Innuendos Don’t Deceive: Time was when in the course of a political campaign the circulation of campaign lies was counted upon as effective. That day has gone by. … In the stress of the present campaign, every citizen must expect that there will be attempts to deceive by those who are willing to resort to that belittling method of campaigning. … In the last presidential campaign, some of our best and most prominent citizens were cruelly and bitterly maligned, but it “kicked-back.” (Herbert A. Thompson) –8/10/1922

M.A.L. Train Wrecked: Our train service got another setback last Wednesday when the train due here at 10:19 was ditched near South Lyons. The fourteen passengers were badly shaken up and frightened…. Doctors from South Lyons went out and cared for the injured. It is miraculous how all the passengers escaped with their lives, as nothing but the engine was left on the track. Mrs. Erwin Cardwell, coming here on a visit to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Heying, and Miss Edna Lantis were on the train and all escaped with only slight bruises. … –8/10/1922

State Fair Tickets: As usual this office has a limited number of tickets for the Michigan State Fair, which we sell at 35 cents each or three for $1.00. …this gives you a saving of 15 cents on each ticket, as the admission charged at the gate will be 50 cents. –8/17/1922

Bitten by Rattlesnake: …The five year old son of Franz Verellen, of Green Oak, is in a serious condition from being bitten by a rattlesnake one day last week. …being curious as to what was concealed in a hole he discovered in the ground, he put his hand down into it and was promptly bitten on the thumb. … Almost immediately, the hand and arm became black and greatly swollen. He was brought to Dr. Lamoreaux, who informed the parents that the youngster had encountered a rattlesnake. Upon their return home a search was made of the premises and eight rattlers were found and killed. (South Lyon Herald) –8/24/1922

LOCAL/PERSONAL—August 3, 1922 edition:

• Waterloo: The jurors of last January, Jackson County Court, held a basket picnic at Clear Lake last Saturday.
• Howard Wilson of Parker’s Corners in Iosco Township had a real experience with hawks the other day. He shot a hawk, wounding it, evidently a young one, and in an instant, nearly a dozen…hawks were on his head and back and it was no boy’s play but a real fight to the finish, no quarters asked or given, that followed. After three hawks had been killed Howard escaped from the Hawk’s nest and reached home in safety although covered with blood. (Livingston Republican)

LOCAL/PERSONAL—August 10, 1922 edition:

• LOST: Auto crank, on Stockbridge-Millville Road. Please return to this office.
• Election Ad: Myles F. Gray for Register of Deeds. He took the “ICE” out of SERVICE.
• Fire last Thursday night destroyed the D.C. McLaren hay barn in Chelsea. The barn contained between 150 and 175 tons of baled hay. The total loss will be about $10,000.

LOCAL/PERSONAL— August 17, 1922 edition:

• WANTED: Boarders by weekday or meal, will also furnish lunches. Sarah Oakley, third house east of Baptist church.
• WANTED: Men to pick elderberries. 2 cents per pound this week. A.L. Mayer

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL NEWS

August 10, 1922 edition:

• Boy Scouts—Destroy Pests: Scouts played a prominent part in the recent work of 300 Poncha City (Okla.) boys in collecting 23,000 pounds of dandelions from the lawns and parks of that city. The chamber of commerce paid a bonus of a cent a pound, and 14 truckloads of the plants gathered by the boys were hauled to dumping grounds on the Arkansas River.
• The Booze Curb: A bootlegger in a West Virginia oil town figured out a system that made it unnecessary for him to move for some time. When he sold a drink he made the customer by two and sell one back. Then the customer automatically became a bootlegger, revenue officer or not. So he thought. The courts thought otherwise.

August 17, 1922 edition:

• Curious Fire Engine: What might be described as a double-tandem bicycle, with four wheels arranged like those of a wagon, and four seats for riders, two in front and two behind, and carrying a hose reel, rotary pump, etc., was exhibited recently in Paris. The machine is intended as a fire engine in small towns. When the scene of fire is reached the pedals are thrown in gear with the pump, the hose is unrolled, and the riders, resuming their seats, work the pump by means of the pedals. It is claimed that this machine can outstrip any fire engine drawn by horses on the way to a conflagration, and that its pump is at least as effective as those of the hand engines used in many towns.