These historical excerpts from one century ago were selected from the Looking Back feature of The Vidette-Messenger, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection.
January 1, 1920
At the court house, R. C. Jones succeeded G. E. Bornholt as county clerk, with W. L. Copeland and Mrs. Mae R. London as deputies. J. G. Graessle succeeded E. J. Gardner as treasurer. His deputy is Miss Kate Anderson. Sheriff W. B. Forney began a new term. E. J. Gardner, retiring treasurer, will become new cashier of the Citizens’ Savings & Trust Co. Bank.
January 2, 1920
Need to look up a story in the original newspaper because the Looking Back is about a woman who was killed by a train in Chesterton.
January 3, 1920
Announcement has been received from Indianapolis that the state highway commission will maintain Lincoln Highway through Porter County after April, 1920, taking it into the state highway system at that time. Improvement of the highway by the state will not be made during 1920, it was announced.
January 4, 1920
Articles of incorporation for the Hampton Oil Company with a capital stock of $150,000, were filed with County Recorder J. W. McNay today. A. N. Stephens, of Chicago, is president; J. B. Green, secretary; and Bruce A. Brown, of Valparaiso, treasurer. The company will drill for oil and market the same. It has a large acreage of oil bearing properties in the southern states.
January 5, 1920
At the January meeting of the county commissioners, Joseph Crowe, who recently resigned as city street commissioner, was appointed county highway commissioner, to succeed R. W. Lytle, whose term expired, and who was not an applicant for the position.
January 6, 1920
Ground was broken yesterday for a big addition to the Indiana Steel Products Company at the Grand Trunk. The new addition is to be 40x60 feet.
January 7, 1920
Elmer Starr sold his store on College Hill to John R. Palmer and his brother-in-law, Edison Eicher. Mr. Palmer has been in charge of the College Pharmacy for a number of years. Mr. Starr has made no plans for the future.
January 8, 1920
George B. Finney, age 75, for many years identified with the business life of Valparaiso, died suddenly last night at his home, 306 Morgan Boulevard. He had been in the employ of Specht-Finney Company for the last twenty years.
January 9, 1920
Considerable difficulty is being had in securing census takers in Westchester Township. C. C. Churchill went to work Tuesday and was the first to record data for Uncle Sam. The appointment first tendered him was refused because of the low pay. He was reappointed and given a flat rate of pay. Two others, Harry Wood and William LaHayn, have not accepted their appointments. P. M. Kent, of Hammond, in charge of the census, is having difficulty securing enumerators.
January 10, 1920
Because contractors failed to submit bids no contracts were awarded for the paving with brick of the alleys around the federal building and the block to the south. It was claimed by several contractors that the engineer’s estimate was too low. This action kills the alley paving for the present, and it will be necessary to start the whole procedure over again.
January 11, 1920
Valparaiso High School basketeers defeated Whiting High School last night at university gym, 24 to 14, in one of the hottest games of the season. The half ended 14 to 5, Valparaiso. The Hiltpold Brothers, Fabing and Scott were the big point winners for the locals, caging twelve baskets. Coach George Keogan of Vaparaiso University, refereed.
January 12, 1920
At the annual meeting of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, John F. Sievers was re-elected president; E. J. Freund, first vice-president; H. R. Ball, second vice-president; P. J. Bailey, secretary, and E. J. Salisbury, treasurer.
January 13, 1920
Valparaiso Lodge of Elks at its meeting passed a resolution going on record has being opposed to soviet rule and prevent its establishment in the United States.
January 14, 1920
Porter Township Farmers’ Association organized a shipping association last night with W. H. Dittman as chairman, and Roy Rigg as secretary-treasurer. Action on the elevator matter was deferred until it is seen whether the shipping association is a success.
January 15, 1920
Work was commenced today remodeling the interior of the Bornholt building formerly occupied by the Wark Hardware Store, for the new Citizens’ Trust and Savings Bank. Delay in receiving the fixtures will postpone the opening until sometime in March, it was announced. At the stockholders’ meeting the following directors were chosen: F. W. Alpen, Isaac Dillingham, George A. Shauer, H. L. Arnold, James B. Dilley, C. E. Fifield and W. J. Henry.
January 16, 1920
The McGill Metal Company held its annual meeting and declared the semi-annual dividend of ten percent on the common stock. The company only recently completed a new factory building. Directors named were: J. H. McGill, H. W. Harrold, Charles Meier, W. E. Brownell and Charles S. McGill.
January 17, 1920
J. A. Warren, of Kouts, won first prize in a ten-ear corn contest held at the farmers’ short course at Purdue University. Mr. Warren also won fifth prize on single ear and fourth on wheat. Tom Keene, of Porter County, was named president of the Indiana Holstein Breeders’ Association, and B. B. Morgan, of Chesterton, vice-president. Merritt Ritter of Porter Township, was elected a member of the executive committee of the state Ayrshire Association.
January 18, 1920
Porter County Milk Producers meeting at the court house, organized with George Arnold as chairman; S. B. Sink, secretary; F. W. Alpen, treasurer; Tom Keene and James Lenburg, directors.
January 19, 1920
One hundred and twenty-five members attended the party given by the Valparaiso Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, to celebrate the silver anniversary of the chapter. Mrs. Goldie Benny opened the program with a piano number. Mrs. C. A. Nixon and Fred H. Cole sang. Talks were given by Mrs. C. W. Boucher, Mrs. Robert Sandy and Mrs. M. J. Stinchfield. The latter as a member of Spencer Baker chapter of Hebron helped institute Valparaiso chapter. Mrs. J. A. Hauff baked a birthday cake for the occasion. Dancing followed and refreshments were served.
January 20, 1920
A Plumb Plan League was organized in Valparaiso at Moose Hall by representatives of local labor organizations. Another meeting will be held next Sunday to perfect the organization. W. E. Graham, of Indiana Harbor, will make an address.
January 21, 1920
At a meeting of the American Legion Post last evening at the city library the name of the post was changed to Charles Pratt Post, No. 94, in honor of Charles Pratt, a Valparaiso man killed in action in France.
January 22, 1920
Hebron’s 1920 census shows the town to have a population of 832. This is an increase of fifteen over the 1910 count. Charles Mullinex was the enumerator. At this rate Hebron citizens expect the town to reach the 1,000 mark in about twenty-five years.
January 23, 1920
George Battieger, the Chesterton attorney, who lost his life last July while saving the life of Miss Lola Hemstock, of Valparaiso, from drowning at Waverly Beach, has been awarded a Carnegie medal. In addition, his family will receive $4,000 in cash.
January 24, 1920
The cost of dying will be more in Valparaiso from now on. The city council at its meeting last night ordered an increase in the price of digging graves during the winter months. The increases range from $2 to $5 per grave.
January 25, 1920
Because Valparaiso has inadequate hotel facilities, the management of “Oh Daddy” show, scheduled for tonight at Memorial Opera House, was forced to secure lodging for the company in private homes. The company appeared at South Bend last night.
January 26, 1920
Communications from the Gossard Corset Company and the Elgin Motor Company have been received by the chamber inquiring whether the chamber would be interested in locating branch factories here. The motor company wants a building with 200,000 square feet, while the corset company asks for a structure with only 25,000 square feet.
January 27, 1920
The Valparaiso National Bank today announced the purchase of the two Winslow lots south of its present bank building (on S. Washington Street) and will erect a new bank building the coming summer. The new structure will be two stores in height. Increased business of the bank made the expansion in the way of new and larger quarters necessary, President C. W. Benton announced.
January 28, 1920
The matter of building a livestock barn at the Porter County fair grounds was not taken up by the county council at its meeting today. Leaders of the project planned to attend today’s meeting, but several were unable because of illness. Last year the council refused to appropriate funds for a barn and no fair was held as a result.
January 29, 1920
Porter County will be the scene of the trial of a Lake County murder case on February 5, when Frank Pedont, of Hammond, faces Judge H. H. Loring, in circuit court. He is charged with slaying Frank Petrich.
January 30, 1920
Members of the Pleasant Township Farmers’ Institute at a meeting at Kouts decided on the brands of livestock which they will raise in the future. The members will concentrate on Shorthorns for beef cattle, Holsteins for dairy and Poland Chinas for hogs.
January 31, 1920
Farmers living in the stretch of country from Babcock to Flint Lake will soon have electricity. A deal has been closed with the Calumet Electric Supply Company by the Liberty Township Farmers’ Association for the building of a power line twenty miles long. The farmers will advance sufficient funds to defray the cost of the line and after five years will be reimbursed for the outlay. About eighty farmers will receive the service.