Today, leave us turn back the hands of time to exactly 100 years ago today to see what was going on in my hometown. So above you see the front page of the Lorain Journal of January 25, 1924.
I'm sure you're probably wondering if that's a typo in the headline: KIDNAPED CHILDREN LOCATED. But it's correct. Several dictionary websites point out that 'kidnaped' is the American spelling, while those crumpet-eating, tea-drinking chaps across the Big Pond use two P's.
The story about the kidnaped children is a sad one. Their parents had been having 'domestic difficulties,' and two of the children (both boys) had been living with their mother in Lorain at the home of the gentleman for whom she was a housekeeper. The boys' 16-year-old sister, who had been living with their father in Kendallville, Indiana was the one who 'whisked' them away from their mother. The article notes that they were being returned to Lorain and that the court would decide where they should live.
Elsewhere on the front page: at the Lake Shore Electric crossing at Kansas Avenue, a group of boys were tricking cars into stopping (making them believe an LSE car was coming ) and then tying their sleds on the back of the stopped cars to hitch a ride; several fires caused havoc in town, including an entire house and its contents destroyed on E. 23rd street; a restaurant on E. 28th Street was robbed of $12 worth of nickels; and the superintendent in charge of operation, traffic and purchases of the Lorain, Ashland & Southern railroad was preparing to retire after a career of more than 46 years.
One handy feature at the bottom of the page – SAFE TO SKATE – noted that while Highland Park, the marsh near the viaduct, and the pond behind Fairhome school were all safe, the river was not.
And let's not overlook the popular comic panel featuring cartoon philosopher Abe Martin. (Read about it here and here.)
****
Longtime blog contributor and local historian Dennis Thompson left a comment on this post in which he was wondering where the 'marsh near the viaduct' was located. I'm guessing it's the one shown in the early map of Lorain shown below, as it is specifically tagged for skating.
