100 years ago
Masonic Temple has $10,000 fire
Fire, which is believed to have originated from a defective fuse, broke out on the third floor of the Masonic Temple on West Second Street this morning at 10 o’clock, causing a damage estimated at more than $10,000.
The blaze fortunately was discovered before it has gained much headway by H.T. Platter, who resides in the house west of the Masonic Temple, and the fire department succeeded in checking the conflagration within a short time after it was discovered.
75 years ago
Repair begins after spectacular Big Inch explosion injures 18; five structures, 14 vehicles burn
Repair was underway today at the site of the pumping station of the Big Inch pipeline about 5 miles north of Seymour, destroyed in a spectacular explosion early Friday night which injured 18 employees of two companies on duty at the pumping stations.
The explosion, worst ever to occur on the pipelines, shot flames 500 feet in the air for a period of more than two hours with an accompanying roar heard as far away as Columbus and deafening as far as three-fourths of a mile from the scene. The ground vibrated near the scene as long as the uncontrolled gas blazed high in the air.
50 years
Population data studied
A Purdue University population projection for 1980 indicates that Jackson County will show little change in the 10-year decade of the ‘70s.
A population figure of 33,200 in 1970 is expected to show only a 2.8% increase by 1980 rising to 34,100.
This is the smallest growth figure in the five-county Region 11, which includes Jackson, Brown, Bartholomew, Decatur and Jennings counties.
25 years
Gift boxes on their way to children
Children in third-world countries will receive Christmas gifts from Jackson County for the third consecutive year as part of a union between Friends Christian Fellowship and Samaritan’s Purse, a Billy Graham ministry.
More than 100 shoeboxes were filled with candy, toys and other goodies by local residents, and the boxes will soon be shipped to other countries and given to boys and girls ages 2 to 14. The boxes were taken to a central delivery center in Indianapolis Friday.
“We never really know who gets them,” Jim Ochs, a member of Crossroads Community Church and Friends Christian Fellowship, said.