80 years ago
March 2, 1944
In the latest war notes, six hundred Russian bombers wrecked much of Finland’s capital; Moscow said fires were seen 200 miles away and still burning; travelers reaching Sweden described panic and heavy damage. Fifth Army troops repealed light Germany attacks on Cassino; Nazi said Allies had landed reinforcements and converted Anzio beachhead into a “fortress.” Soviet troops advanced to within fourteen miles of Pskov at two points.
Foreign Economic Administration reported Lend-Lease goods shipped to the Soviet Union since the beginning war including 7,800 planes, 4,700 tanks and tank destroyers, 177,000 tons of explosives and 11,488,000,000 pounds of food; value of shipments had exceeded $4,500,000,000. U.S. heavy and medium bombers raided northern France, setting a record number of operations for one month; six heavies were lost.
The first official release of the accident toll for 1943 was given by the National Safety Council and showed: 94,500 — killed; 9,700,000 — injured; $5,000,000,000 — cost.
That was the toll exacted from America in the war in the year of 1943, not by bullets on the battle front but by accidents on the home front. It was reported that the time lost during the year through accidents to workers, on and off the job, was equivalent to a complete shut down for an entire year of war time plants employing a total of 150,000 workers.
War weary and defeatist though they may be, the German people were unable to respond with action to Allied leaflets urging them to overthrow the Nazi regime. Professor Meyer, a lecturer at Zurich University, at Bern, Switzerland, who was in close touch with developments in Germany, pointed out a recent public lecture that the French revolution would have been impossible if the Government of Louis XVI had had the weapons, police, and propaganda machinery with which the German masses were held in check.
A munitions workers’ strike in Bavaria marked the beginning of the end of the last war. Kaiser Wilhelm went to the Ruhr to talk to workers at that time. Then workers elsewhere began demanding economic advantages through unions and the Social Democratic Party. There were hunger demonstrations by women. Then there was a revolt by Kiel sailors.
According to a ruling of the United States Supreme Court in Frankfort unclaimed bank deposits, bonds, dividends, and other presumably abandoned property passed into custody of the state of Kentucky. Included in the list of property covered by the 1940 legislative act, which the nation’s highest court unanimously upheld, were even such comparatively small items as deposits made by consumers to insure payment of public utility bills.
60 years ago
Feb. 27, 1964
The Anderson County Red Cross Drive was to start March 2 according to the General Chairman Allen Clark Rowland, who said Mrs. Lafe Ardery had been named the residential chairman, Ezra Sparrow, Assistant General chairman, Ralph Homan and J.T. Tarter, chairmen of the industrial contributions. All areas of the town and country were to be organized, he said, and solicitors obtained, however, he urged any who might not be contacted and who would like to contribute to send a donation to the Anderson National Bank. The 1964 fund goal for Anderson County is $2,406 and 51.37 per cent of the total money collected to remain there. Governor Edward T. Breathitt proclaimed March as ‘Red Cross Month’ and said “it is time to take stock of our own share in one of the world’s great institutions.”
Condemnation suits had been filed in the Anderson County Court by the City of Lawrenceburg against property owners on West Alley in order that the street may be widened. The alley was to be widened a distance of 38 feet so that the street could be made 50 feet wide. The condemned property was owned by Mrs. Cordelia W. Trent, and heirs, L.D. Shryock and Mrs. Maxine Spencer McClure.
A second suit had also been filed on behalf of the Commonwealth of Kentucky for the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources against the heirs or persons having relatives buried in a cemetery which the new Beaver Creek Lake would cover. There were only a few bodies to be moved but there were 85 heirs to be summoned in the case.
The standard oil station on South Main Street, operated by Richard T. Gash Jr., was broken into some time during an early Monday morning and $584 in money and checks was stolen from a floor safe. Gash said the station had been closed at midnight Sunday and opened again at 6:00 a.m. Monday and it was between this time that the break-in and robbery took place. He said George Ward, an attendant, found the station had been entered when he opened up. About half of the money was taken in checks and Gash had said he had stopped payment on about $150 worth of checks.
40 years ago
March 1, 1984
A question whether the county must provide vehicles for use by the sheriff and his deputies was brought up at two previous Anderson Fiscal Court meetings and remained unanswered. Attorney Dale Wright said he had “beaten the books to death” searching for a solution to the dilemma, but found the statutes were unclear. Presently, the county provided one car, including upkeep and insurance, for use by county patrolmen Steve Bowen and Daril Ulery.
A new car was to be purchased for the patrolmen and there had been some discussion on the court about allowing jailer Frances Johnson to have the old vehicle for use in transporting prisoners to nearby jails when overcrowding exists here.
Tornado force winds demolished a mobile home on New Liberty Road but four persons inside remarkably escaped serious injury. “It only lasted about eight seconds I suppose, but it seemed like hours,” said Dale Stinnett of the winds that completely took the roof off over a rear bedroom where he was lying down. Also in the trailer when the storm hit were the owners, Marshall and Odell Stinnett and their son Roger, the father of Dale.
Eighteen-year-old Dale, who was recovering from torn ligaments in his shoulder from a basketball injury, said it all happened too fast for him to get off the bed and the first thing he knew the ceiling was on top of him and the roof was being deposited outside the bedroom. Dozens of neighbors adn volunteer firefighters from Western and Mt. Eden were quick to the scene and had the families’ possessions carried from the demolished mobile home to the former residence, a frame house next door which wasn’t damaged at all by the winds.
Weather permitting, the 30th District basketball tournament opened up at Shelby County. The tournament was to begin Tuesday, but icy roads forced all games to be moved ahead one day with a championship contest now set for Saturday night. The Anderson Bearcats opened against Eminence, and if they were successful, were to play Shelby County Friday night as the Rockets had a buy into the second round. The winner of Friday’s contest was to be in the championship game Saturday night.
Anderson entered the tournament looking for their 20th victory of the season. The Bearcats had lost seven times this season. At press time Coach Kermit Koeing said his starting five was at or near 100% but their substitute guard Tracy Briscoe was about 60% ready to play due to an ankle sprain. The senior athlete saw limited action against Danville in the second finale scoring four points. Leading scorer Orbrey Gritton, sideline for the last half the Danville game after taking a shoulder in the back was ready for the tournament opener despite having some bruised back muscles according to Koeing. Shelby and Anderson had met once the season, with the Rockets taking a 61 to 57 decision on December 16th at ACHS.