By Frank Passic
We continue with our theme of “Albion, 100 Years Ago.” May 1, 1926: Chris Petroff, proprietor of the West End Grocery, 619 Austin Avenue, has purchased the grocery of Charles Sprague, 306 Crandall St. Mr. Petroff is making extended improvements in the store and will open for business at his new location on Monday, May 3 with a complete line of groceries and meats.”
May 3, 1926: “Mr. and Mrs. Pencil Martin, a colored couple living at 606 W. Chestnut St., were taken to Sheldon Memorial Hospital at 1:30 this morning for treatment of injuries when an automobile in which they were riding crashed into one side of the bridge which crosses the river at Albion St.”
May 7, 1926. “Mrs. Earl Stark was seriously and painfully burned at her home on S. Clinton St. this forenoon while attempting to set fire to some papers in the furnace. She had lighted the mass of papers but found that they did not burn freely and were smoking the rooms, so she threw some kerosene upon them. Before she could touch them off with a match, the heat which had been generated by the smoldering flame caused the oil to explode, setting fire to her clothes.” “The Union Grand Lodge of Michigan, colored Free and Accepted Masons, which just closed a session at Benton Harbor, voted to make Albon their convention point for the session of 1927. Estis Howard, was a delegate from this city.”
May 8, 1926. Headlines: D. Zollicdoffer Dies Suddenly Friday Evening. Albion Attorney a Victim of Alcoholism at Hotel Room.” “Another Child Dies Beneath Auto of M-17. Helen Handricks, 6, Hit and Killed Today on Austin Ave.”
May 10, 1926. “Beginning Thursday May 13, Afton A. Dibble will start a closing out sale which will mark the finish of his business career in Albion. Having come here 27 years ago and conducted his men’s furnishing business continuously since that time, Mr. Dibble is the oldest merchant in his line of any in the city.”
May 12, 1926. “Chief of Police George Stoddard and Deputy Sheriff G. U. McCarty have secured statements from two local boys to the effect that the youths staged the recent robbery at the Gale Grocery on E. Pine St., where goods valued at about $10 were taken, and three other lads have been placed under suspicion as knowing something about the robbery of the Blackburn grocery on the corner of Dalrymple and Erie Sts.” “Chief of Police George Stoddard this morning served a warrant on Stanley Demske, who has a junk-yard at 509 Austin Ave.”
May 15, 1926: “Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sibal and family are moving from Burr Oak St. to their newly purchased home at 810 N. Berrien St.”
May 17, 1926: Headline: “Opening of the Parker Inn to Occur June 1. New Hotel Will Be Open for Inspection On May 31.”
May 19, 1926: “While clearing up the rear of his lot on S. Hannah St. recently, Steve Matechik unearthed two moose horns” The city has begun work of clearing up the rubbish which has been dumped on the property owned by the Consumers Power Company adjacent to the west mill race on E. Erie St., preparatory to the beautification of the spot by the Company. The officials expect to make a park of it and will plant $500 worth of shrubbery this summer.” [Note: Today this is part of Rieger Park]
May 23, 1926: “The X-ray examination made Friday on the leg of Clifford Ott, injured playing third base for the Union Steel Products team at Victory Park Thursday evening, disclosed two fractures just above the knee, which means that the young man will be laid up for several weeks.”
May 25, 1926: “At its regular meeting Monday evening, the city council granted soft drink licenses to Fred Rutz at the city comfort station; W. C. Blackburn, Dalrymple Street; Ernest Boldt, W. Michigan St; and K. Felisky, Austin Avenue.” Second resolutions on the oiling of Irwin, Eaton, Clinton, River, Center, and Huron streets were passed, as well as first resolutions on the oiling of Perry St. between Oswego and Berrien. City Clerk Paul P. Nagle was authorized to purchase an addressograph for use in the city offices.”
May 26, 1926: “The residence property of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin N. Parsons, 708 S. Superior St., has been sold to Mr. and Mrs. August F. Frank, and the brick store building at 702 North Albion St. belonging to Grace Renda and Nick Daleo, has been sold to Theodore Ewanski [Ivanski]. the F. W. Culver Real Estate agency making both sales.” “The home of August Steinkraus, 409 Mechanic St., has been sold to Tony Jasienski, who has taken immediate possession.” “The first concert of the Concord band will be held Thursday evening at 7:30 Central Standard time, in Concord.”
May 29, 1926: “A detachment of U.S. Army troops numbering about 50 men, in charge of about 100 horses and mules, hiked through Albion Friday enroute from Fort Wayne, Detroit, to Camp Custer.”
