LeRoy Pennysaver & News

LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - MAY 20, 2018 Snippets of LeRoy History by Lynne Belluscio Back in 1999, the Histori- cal Society newsletter included “The 1900s in Review. “ Here are some of the early entries. 1900 – Stone wall around O.F.Woodward estate on East Main is built without mortar for $3000 – The Lang Billiard rooms at the Ross Block are equipped with new Bruns- wick-Balke tables – The Mon- archs, a LeRoy football team is formed – Third annual Gen- esee and Wyoming County Firemen’s Convention is held in LeRoy 1901 – The dam at God- frey’s Pond is raised by the New York Central Railroad- The Albany Wheelmen (rid- ing high wheel bicycles) stop in LeRoy on their way to the Pan American Exposition - The new brick B.P.& R. sta- tion is built on Lake Street to replace the old station which was destroyed by fire – News of Western New York Salt Company to be built in LeRoy is announced – LeRoy’s stores are closed for the funeral of President McKinley 1902 – Jell-O buys first advertisement in a national magazine, The Ladies Home Journal 1903 – Fire at LeRoy Plow Company – Charles Hig- gins of Pavilion Center dis- plays a 2 ¾ pound potato at the LeRoy Gazette office – The iron fence around Machpelah Cemetery is installed – Fire damages the Lampson Block 1904 – Several varieties of wheat, developed by A.N. Jones of LeRoy are displayed at the Louisiana Purchase Ex- position in St. Louis – Two Shriners are injured while rid- ing camels into the circus tent in LeRoy Historical Society 1905 - Construction of the Soldier’s Monument on Trigon Park is completed – People of LeRoy prefer snow shovels to the horse-drawn snow plow for clearing side- walks 1906 – The Masons buy the former Universalist Church for a Masonic Lodge on West Main Street – Orator Wood- ward dies – Soldier’s Monu- ment on Trigon Park is dedi- cated 1907 – St. Joseph’s Cath- olic Church Society is formed – High winds fell 115 foot flag pole on Trigon Park - Over- crowding at LeRoy’s Catholic School forces the Italian stu- dents to attend public school 1908 – Chemical Hose Company moves into new quarters in house built by Pearl Wait on the corner of Clay and Myrtle Street – Construction of the new Main Street cement bridge is started – A runaway menagerie wagon strews cages of bears, kangaroos, monkeys, birds, dogs, and an opossum along Main Street – Corner- stone of St. Anthony’s Church in Limerock is laid 1909 – Ingham Univer- sity dormitory in 1887 is de- molished – Cornerstone of St. Joseph’s Church laid and bell is blessed – Speed limit in vil- lage is changed from 8 mph to 10 mph 1910 – Chapel at Mach- pelah Cemetery is built 1911 – Ingham tablet is dedicated in entrance of LeRoy High School – Sunday hours at the LeRoy Post Office changed from 11:30 to 12:30 to 9:45 to 10:15 – Students move into the new high school on Trigon Park – LeRoy is the first in- corporated village in the state of New York whose charter provides for the regulation of aircraft – The “Meteor” a die- sel-electric passenger motor car is introduced for commuter service - The village hall on Bank Street is destroyed by fire 1912 – Edward Perkins purchases the LeRoy Gazette News and merges it with the LeRoy News and forms the LeRoy Gazette News –A small tornado touches down west of the village 1913 – The second Lodi Bridge is erected of the Oatka Creek on Clay Street – An ex- plosion damages St. Joseph’s rectory - Employees of the LeRoy Cotton Mill, strike be- cause they are prevented from opening windows for ventila- tion - Garbage collection is stopped due to an injunction 1914 – LeRoy Lodge Loyal Order of Moose is char- tered – Publication of the Gen- esee Courier is suspended 1915 – Fifteen automo- biles are registered in LeRoy – LeRoy Salt Company dam- aged by fire 1916 – Second Baptist Church is organized – Lapp Insulator Company is found- ed – The Te-Car-Na-Wun-Na Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is formed 1917 – Military registra- tion held on June 5 for every man between the ages of 21 and 30 – 1000 people gather at the NY Central station to say farewell to first 14 LeRoyans drafted by Selective Service - Women’s suffrage is defeated in LeRoy by 38 votes but is passed in the state 1918 – First Motorized fire equipment is purchased – LeRoy High School leads the state in Thrift Stamp sales – Delia Phillips is the first wom- an in LeRoy to vote 1919 – Donald Wood- ward becomes the first LeRoy- an to arrive and depart LeRoy by air – The Botts-Fiortto Post 576 of the American Legion is chartered – Both LeRoy policemen are equipped with handcuffs 1920 –DonaldWoodward buys O.F Woodward Medicine Company and forms Kemp and Lane – Ernest Woodward, Genesee Crushed Stone Com- pany and Osborne Wells ded- icate 640 acres of land north of town for a bird and game preserve SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ADVERTISERS! They help sponsor the local news section of the Le Roy Pennysaver. THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Fence at Machpelah Cemetery erected in 1903