Lorain Journal Front Page – 100 Years Ago Today

One hundred years ago today, this was the front page of the January 10, 1925 Lorain Journal.

Of course, the headline is of great interest: "Amherst Has Booze Ring, Says Rum Runner." It seems that a bootlegger named Dave Brennin of Amherst "squealed" on George Bailey (another Amherst man) and fingered him as being the supplier of his liquor. Surprisingly (to me at least), Bailey was immediately arrested simply on Brennin's information.

It's kind of funny that George Bailey is the name of James Stewart's character in It's A Wonderful Life.

Illegal booze (it was Prohibition times, after all) also figured prominently in the article directly below the Amherst story.

Also of interest to me is the story about the "Hazard On Lake Road To Go." It notes, "Elimination of the grade crossing on Lake Road, between Lorain and Vermilion, of both the Lake Shore Electric and Nickel Plate Railroads, is included in the 1926 program of the state highway department for Lorain County, it was announced in Columbus today.

I wrote about this dangerous crossing (with photos) back here (in 2010) and here (in 2020).

Alas, the bridge over the railroad tracks would not be completed until September 1938.

August 31, 1938

Sept. 17, 1938

As I've noted before, that overpass is literally outside the window of my condo. Of course the bridge there now is the one that replaced the 1938 one. I remember the old bridge, because it was more ornate than the present, boring one.

Also on that 1925 front page: a story about an unfortunate racial attack; a report about the booming business at the Post Office; and the addition of William E. Ashbolt as a reporter covering news in the state legislature.