Rapid Progress to Be Made On Funeral Chapel

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press on Tuesday, May 24, 1938. With the excavation on the Geer Funeral Home completed and the footings already poured construction is expected to proceed rapidly with the building scheduled for formal opening about January 1. Worden E. Geer is the owner of the new business. The home will be located on the former site of the First Baptist Church at the corner of Washington and Cross Streets. The building, which will face Washington St., has a total dimension of 75 feet, 8 inches by 63 feet with a driveway from Cross St. Space will be provided for parking. Exterior of both the Funeral Home and attached garage will be of face brick and a colonial design will be followed. The building will have a complete air-conditioning system. On the first floor is located the chapel with accommodations for 150 persons. From the chapel there is a convenient exit to the porte-cochere on the south. Adjacent to the chapel is the family room large enough for 40 people and which has a separate exit to the porte-cochere. Music will be provided by an electric recording organ. On the other side of the chapel is located the entrance lobby, reception room and office. Two slumber rooms are provided on the north side. Corridors provide access to the family room, also to the elevator, garage and storage room. From the Cross St. entrance there is a winding stairway to the second floor apartment consisting of living room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast nook, bath and three bedrooms. There is a fireplace in the living room on the south and a covered porch over the porte-cochere. Mr. and Mrs. Geer will make this their home. Sales Display Room, operating room and equipment room complete the second story. Included in the full basement will be a contagious slumber room with a full length glass door. This room is especially wired for automatic fumigation. There will also be a recreation room, caretaker’s room, utility room, fruit room and a large storage room. Mr. Geer is the son of Mrs. Vera Geer and is well known in Ypsilanti. He served his apprenticeship with Stevens and Bush, after which he attended the Cincinnati College of Embalming. Upon graduation and after passing the examination of the Michigan State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors Mr. Geer was associated with J. E. Moore & Co. of this city. There will be an attendant on duty 24 hours each day.

Pittsfield Has Grange Building

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press on Monday, May 22, 1933. With the building filled to capacity, dedication exercises were held for the new Pittsfield Union Grange Hall, located on Saline Road, Sunday afternoon. The main speaker of the afternoon was C.H. Branble, Lansing, master of the Michigan State Grange, who told of the many activities carried on by the organization and praised the Pittsfield unit for its spirit of progressiveness. The first formal meeting in the new hall is to be held Wednesday evening.

Lightning Strikes Tree and House; Melts Wires

This story was published by The Daily Ypsilanti Press on Thursday, May 22, 1913. A large elm was struck by lightning and spit to the roots in the rear of the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Anderson on South Adams Street during yesterday’s storm. The current followed wires attached to the tree and a chimney, and entered the house, knocking some glass from a shelf and tearing off plaster in the upstairs room. Then the bolt knocked boards off the side of the house, and smoked paint on it. The wires, of which there were several, were completely melted by the lightning. Mrs. Anderson was in the kitchen but was not injured.

Lanterns Left In Cemetery after Ghostly Council There

This story was published by The Daily Ypsilanti Press on Monday, May 21, 1923. Under the ghastly light of some 20 red lanterns ghosts held a council in Spencer cemetery Saturday night, leaving the lanterns there as proof of their visit. Residents in the neighborhood of the cemetery were startled by the appearance of the lanterns but none ventured into the cemetery in investigate, although many a wary glance was cast in that direction. Some of the good folk vouch for the fact that they actually heard Gabriel blowing his horn and fearing that the Resurrection Day was at hand, hastily summoned Constable Schneff and Justice Curtiss, who having safely piloted them through many temporal worldly storms, should be able to guide them up to St. Peter in the end, they felt. The constable and justice proved worthy of the confidence reposed in them, far outclassing a certain young man who, when asked by his young lady companion to stop the car and see what was wrong in the cemetery, stepped on the accelerator instead and tore past the scene with a speed which would have made old Ichabod Crane green with envy had he been able to compare it with his own feeble efforts in Sleepy Hollow nd would have cost him $25 and costs had Chief of Police Connors been on the scene and Justice Stadtmiller on the bench. The Young man is in disgrace today and Constable Schneff and Justice Curtiss the heroes of the occasion. For these two courageous men braved the dangers of a ghost council and invaded the cemetery, taking the lanterns away with them, and apparently breaking up the ghostly conference, for nothing more was heard of Gabriel’s horn and there was no noticeable signs of Resurrection yesterday. Today the lanterns are reposing in the barns back of the city hall,. The city does not claim them, nether does the D. U. R. and they are the only two possible temporal owners who have been questioned. Justice Curtiss and Constable Schneff were of the opinion that some fraternity had sent pledged to the cemetery with the lanterns after first surreptitiously removing them from the city streets, but this explanation having been proved false, it is now assured that they were left there by the ghosts after the justice and the constable broke up the party

Aged Resident Electrocuted By Edison Wires

This story was published by The Daily Ypsilanti Press on Monday, May 21, 1923. Coming in contact with a high tension Edison Co. wire which had come down in the storm last week William Gee, 78, was electrocuted Sunday morning. Mr. Gee, who roomed at 104 North Huron ST. had a little garden back of the Reinhart house in which he had been working this spring. Quite early in the forenoon he went down to the garden and in crossing the wires, which were hanging nearly to the ground due to the fact that a pole had given way in the storm, he was killed. The body was not found until 11 o’clock when Henry Teachout chanced that way. He was lying on his back, his hat still on and his pipe in his hand, and burns on his legs showed that he must have touched the wires and been knocked over backwards by the force of the electricity. Chief of Police John Conners and Coroner Birchfield were summoned and although no inquest was held, an investigation is being made. Coroner Birchfield was informed that the wires have been down since last Friday and that other people in the neighborhood have received shocks, but have not been seriously injured. No information could be obtained from the Edison office today as to whether or not the wires have yet been put up. Mr. Gee had lived in Ypsilanti only a short time coming here from Sumpter Township where he had lived most of his life. So far as is known, he had no relatives. Funeral services will be held Wednesday morning at ten o’clock from Belleville Methodist Church with interment at Belleville cemetery.

Arsonist May Be Setting Fires on Farms In County

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press Friday, May 6, 1938. Because of the sudden increase in the number of farm fires Sheriff Jacob B Andres of Washtenaw County is becoming increasingly apprehensive over the possibility of a ‘firebug’. A large fare in Dexter Wednesday evening caused the death of a woman, a fire in Dixboro Thursday night, and the destruction of two barns near Bridgewater Thursday night added greatly to the suspicions. Thursday evening the two barns on different farms belonging to William Klug were almost totally destroyed. The farms are located about seven miles west of Saline and one mile from Bridgewater and are a quarter of a mile apart. The place is known as the Phillip Blum farm. The first fire was discovered about seven p. m. when the barn on the unoccupied farm burned. Eight horses, two colts, a tractor, tools stored hay, straw and grain, and several small buildings were destroyed, although the vacant house was in no danger at any time. The horses had been put in the barn about 6:30. The second fire started in the other barn about 10:15 p. m. At this farm Mr. Klug resides with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hincks. About 30 head of cattle, 17 head of young stock, one horse and one colt, another tractor, tools hay and grain and a toolshed were destroyed. This barn survived a fire last fall which took all the other buildings with the exception of the house. As in the first fire, the house was not endangered. Origin of the fires was undetermined. The first barn was not wired for electricity. The Manchester Fire Department refused to answer the call to the first fire without a cash deposit. The second fire was answered by the Bridgewater Fire Department which had been forgotten in the first excitement. The second fire could not have been caused from sparks from the first as the wind was in the wrong direction. Mr. Hinck discovered the fire. Flames illumined the sky and were visible for miles Thursday night as the house at the Haskell Shankland farm on the Town Line Rd. north of Dixboro, caused extensive damage. An estimate of the loss has not been made and no one was injured in the blaze which attracted a large crowd of neighbors and passing motorists. Mr. Shankland was in the yard at the time the fire started. He noticed smoke on the east of the house, and on investigating, discovered the fire burning around a door frame and up the side of the room. The first ones who arrived saved most of the furniture and some dishes from the first floor; nothing was saved from upstairs, and only a few cans of fruit from the cellar. In about ten minutes it was too hot and dangerous to try to remove anything else. The woodshed, chicken coops and woodpile burned, and the firefighters put all their effort into keeping sparks and small fires from igniting the big barn. The house was gone when the Salem Fire Department arrived but they stayed awhile to put out fires that the brisk wind carried toward the barn and other small buildings from the burning timbers and trees. The house was covered by insurance.

McCormick Farm Barns Burned IN High Wind Today

This story was published by The Daily Ypsilanti Press on Saturday, May 5, 1923. The barns on the old George McCormick farm, 8 miles north of Ypsilanti in Salem Township, burned to the ground this afternoon, causing a damage of around $2,000. Mr. Kruse has been living on the farm and he discovered the blaze at about one o’clock todayin the top of the straw stack. A high wind tanned the blaze and made it impossible to put the fire out although a large number of neighbors soon gathered to lend whatever assistance they could. Because of the high winds and the start the fire had obtained before it was discovered, no effort was made to put it out. There were a few horses in the barn and these were taken out and all machinery moved away and saved. As the wind blew the flames away from the house, the fire was confined to the barn. The building was an old one, and insured, so the loss as far as the barn is concerned may not exceed $1,500. There was some hay in the barns but it is not known exactly how much or whether or not it was insured.

Ellen Richards House Girls Learn Practical Home Work

This story was published by The Daily Ypsilanti Press on Thursday, May 3, 1933. Some exceptionally interesting work has been done in the Ellen Richards house of the Home Economics Department during the past college year. Over seven hundred dollars has been spent on improvements and new furniture, and a new system established there under the direction of Miss Faith Kidoo, head of the Home Economics Faculty which enables work of a broader scope to be accomplished. A complete new dining room set was among the things purchased. For the kitchen a new gas range was bought and new linoleum was placed on the floor. Besides these things new beds were secured including mattresses. A fine new washing machine was also purchased. For the living room the class has purchased a large davenport, and the floors of this room were varnished by the students. Finances for this project were secured through the home economics lunch room together with some money received from the college. Before selecting the new furniture the Home Economics class visited Detroit and Ann Arbor to get an idea what to buy and then returned here because they felt they could get more value for the money which they had than they could elsewhere. The selecting of the furniture was made the subject of study and was taken up in class discussions where such things as cost, kind and practicability were considered. Besides purchasing the furniture the girls painted and varnished parts of the house without aid. The system under which the students work at the practice house is to have the house occupied by seven girls at a time. They must be seniors in college unless there is a vacancy and a new set of students is taken every quarter. At the present times, Miss Mabel Stanhope of Hart is the pioneer student there. Although getting credit for only one quarter Miss Stanhope has lived at the house during the whole college coarse. This is because it so happened that there was always a vacancy for her to fill. These seven students have a systematized way of going about the art of housekeeping in order to make the atmosphere of the place more home like one of the seven girls is appointed ‘house mother’ Her duty is to take charge of the buying which she does on Saturday. She also computes the cost of keeping house and superintends the six so called ‘House Daughters.’ Each one of the house daughters has her special duty and in order that the unpleasant work is not done by the same person for the whole quarter each week the girls change duties for this way practiced in housekeeping is gained from every angle. As an example of the work accomplished by the students’ costs of meals were given by Miss Kiddo. The average cost of breakfast per person is 9 to 11 cents lunch 13 to 15 cents and dinner 20 to 25 cents. To prove that for this price good meal can be prepared she gave the following menu for dinner: Browned beef stew and dumpling, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, perfection salad. The meals are always served but the person serving sits at the table with other diners. This Miss Kiddo states is to get away from the old idea of class and also to make it seem more home like. Miss Kiddo declared that it would be splendid if more cottages co8ld be established and run by the student co-operatively because of the enjoyment derived from such a system. “The girls value the Ellen Richards house more than they do their sorority,” she concluded.

Caught in Belt, is Killed; Body Badly Mangled

This story was published by The Daily Ypsilanti Press on Saturday, May 3, 1913. Frank Everett, Railroad Street, 32, a laborer at the Peninsular Paper Company, was instantly killed this morning, at 6:45, at the factory, when his hand was caught between a belt he was fixing and a revolving wheel, and he was drawn in. He is survived by a wife and two children. When the machine was stopped and the body recovered, it was found to have broken nearly every bone in his body, and an arm and both legs were torn completely off. Dr. G. M. Hull was called, and the remains were taken at once to the undertaker. When the coroner had made inquiries, it was decided not to hold an inquest, the death having plainly been accidental. Mr. Everett was a balloonist on the side, and had made 18 ascensions. The funeral will be held at the home of his mother, Mrs. Russo.

Ford Dam Open as River Rises

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Press of Tuesday, May 2, 1933. With five sluice gates open two wheels running and nine inches running water over the top of the Ford dam at the power site, the Ford Motor Company is carefully watching the water condition in the rainy period which stated Saturday. A height of 685 feet above sea level is maintained at the dam and water reaching a higher altitude than this is useless to the plaint. When 685 feet of water was attained Sunday night the sluice gates were opened to let the water go down the river. Locally the river reached its peak Monday, when the water came up to the railroad tack which curves along the river bank to the plant. Rain of last night and today has served to increase height of the river. A singular manifestation of Sunday’s storm took place on the William Wiard farm in Ypsilanti Township, on Wiard Road south of the Ecorse highway. The Wiard household had watched six or seven maples and evergreens being uprooted on the Archie Freeman farm owned by Henry Ford, and then saw the funnel shaped cloud cross the field toward the house and barn on the Wiard property, a loud noise accompanying its course. It suddenly changed its direction and went like a whirlwind through a pool of water, catching the water up and carrying it into the air 500 feet it was estimated by members of the family. It then went on across the Ecorse Road. Fish are scattered over the near-by field.

A Saloon No Longer

This story was published by The Daily Ypsilanti Press on Tuesday, May 2, 1913. With John Kings’ passing from the saloon at 304 East Congress Street (now East Michigan Ave.) passes one saloon from the city; and incidentally passes the life of that building as a saloon. It, as well as the saloon at 309 East Congress Street, run by William A. Moore, are within the 500 foot limit, prescribed by law, about a school house, to be kept free from saloons. It will not be rented toa prospective salon keeper in the future. Mr. King is moving from the building because the proprietress will not put in the improvements he deems necessary, as he says. It is within 500 feet of the Woodruff school.