Looking Back

By Arline Adamsick

The Crete Record: August 9, 1973

It was time for the Will County Fair, and the entire area was looking forward to another great event…

“Entries Open August 14 for Will County Fair”

“The crowning event of the summer, the Will County Fair, will entertain all comers August 23-26, at the fairgrounds in Peotone. All the traditional contests and exhibits will be seen again at this 70^th annual event. Activity begins Tuesday, August 14, when Fair Secretary William Meyer opens his office to accept the first entries. The office will be open August 14 – 17, inclusive, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. All entries close on the 17^th except those in the Baby Show and the Tractor Pull, which close one hour before their respective contest begin.” Not so in 2023 – it’s already too late to enter your cookies or flowers.

Don’t these children also remind you of the fun to be had at the annual Will County Fair?

–File photo.

Here’s an interesting headline…

“Edward Bruns Almost Retires”

“The clock and watch repairing equipment of Edward Bruns of Crete has been sold to his longtime friend and friendly competitor, Daniel Bub, of Phillips Avenue in Steger.

“Bruns, who has done business from his home on Wood Street for about 40 years, stopped repairing watches about two years, but continued with clocks until the past few weeks. Along with all his old friends and customers, he continually made new ones, as mothers found how handy it was to stop into his place of business across from Crete Elementary School, when they dropped off or picked up their children at school.

“Bruns grew up on a farm northeast of Beecher and lived there until about 1926, when he moved to Crete. He says he is giving up the repair work because he cannot seem to taper off slowly with it, and finds the house growing more and more cluttered with his work tools.

“He does intend to keep on with his hobby (making clocks) in the basement. He makes both battery and electric clocks for the wall. These are porcelain ‘Sportsman’ clocks, featuring ducks, pheasants, fish, quail, and Currier and Ives pictures. He sells these from his home and finds the demand for them growing each month.”

“Freak Frog”

“When the James Wright family went camping and fishing last weekend, all they expected to bring home were some fish. Instead, they came home with a five-legged frog. Mr. and Mrs. Wright, their daughter, Cheryl, age 12, and their son, Jimmie, 10 of Chestnut Street in Monee, spent last weekend at the KOA campground in Crete. While Cheryl and Jimmie were fishing, instead of hooking a ‘whopper,’ they pulled in a bullfrog with five legs. The frog was a small one with two legs in the back and three perfectly formed legs in front. The frog is now in the Wright’s freezer and from there will probably go to a museum.”

The Beecher Herald: August 9, 1973

“Company Sues Beecher, Peotone for Withheld Fees”

“Blacktop Paving of Joliet, Inc., is suing the villages of Beecher and Peotone for the payment of fees the company claims are due for road work performed in 1970. The lawsuits have been filed in Will County Circuit Court.

“In the actions for judgement filed by Attorney Robert Whitley, the suits contend $3,367.20, plus interest, is owed by the Village of Peotone on a $14,66844 contract, and $3,290.96, plus interest, is owed by the Village of Beecher toward a $19,379.16 contract. The amounts represent balances due on the original contract and extras done at the request of village board members, according to Whitley.

“Officials of the two villages tell a different story, contending the street maintenance work performed was unsatisfactory, and they withheld a portion of the money on the advice of the engineer for both villages, at the time James Mulford.

“In both villages, residents complained of tremendous dust raised by excess stone on the streets, according to officials. Peotone Mayor Howard Scrivens said this week nearly twice as much stone was used as the contract called for, and the village had to sweep away the excess with its new street sweeper.

“The chip and seal contract called for 987 tons of stone to be used in Peotone and, when it was not evenly spread to the edges of the streets, the problem was called to the attention of the company.

“The company used 1,616.30 tons of stone in all, said Scrivens, leading to the clouds of dust from loose stone. Although the contract called for 29,610 gallons of oil to be used, only 28,286 gallons were spread.

“Both villages have turned the lawsuits over to their attorneys, Clinton and Tongren for Peotone, and George Buttell for Beecher. The legal advisors are expected to confer on the cases and base their defense on the unsatisfactory job done in both communities.”

I wonder what this author would have to say in today’s market…

“There Goes $2.89 Up in Smoke”

“From the New London, Iowa, Journal: ‘About the high cost of living – cigarettes sell for about $2.89 a pound, and I don’t recall anyone complaining about them being high. Yet to pay $1.89 a pound for beef steak drives some shoppers right up the wall. It’s a funny thing, but I know people who’ll pay 90 cents or $1.25 for a drink and never say a word about the high cost of drinking, but to pay over $1 a pound for hamburger…it’s a different story.’”

The Peotone Vedette: August 10, 1973

Alas there were TV personalities appearing at the Will County Fair…

“Welk TV Stars to Perform at Will County Fair August 25”

“The sensational talented singing team of Guy and Ralna, from the Lawrence Welk TV Show, will delight audiences on Saturday, August 25, when they appear at the Will County Fair.

“The husband and wife team were both seasoned professionals before they merged. Ralna, a native of Texas, started singing as a tiny tot. She did some radio work in Texas and became well known for her night club act. She toured with Frank Sinatra Jr. and The Kirby Stone Four. During an engagement at a night club in California, Ralna met Guy Hovis, a native of Mississippi, who was singing on the Art Linkletter House Party. They fell in love and were married in 1969.

“A few months later, Ralna was invited to sing on the Lawrence Welk TV Show. She was so well received she soon became a regular. Shortly after, Guy was asked to sing a duet with her and thus was born the singing team of Guy and Ralna.

“These dynamic young people are the top recipients of fan mail on the Welk show. Their popularity has skyrocketed because not only do they delight their television audiences, but they are enjoyed by all who see them perform.”

And at the movies…Robert Redford was in “The Candidate,” plus Paul Newman starred in “The Mackientosh Man” at the Sauk Trail Drive-In, while “Pippi Longstocking” was showing at the Holiday Theatre.

Do you remember some of the merchants taking part in Peotone’s Sidewalk Sale on August 17: Hilsenhoff Pharmacy, Leonard’s Jr. Department Store, Peotone State Bank, Daum Electric, Modern Beauty Salon, Fedde’s Home Store, Peotone Super Market, Cottage Food Services, Hupe True Value Hardware, H.A. Heyerman, Bettenhausen True Value Hardware, Harms Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning, plus Peotone Shoe and Clothing? It appears only three are still around, but the bank has another name.

The Manteno News: August 9, 1973

–File photo.

On a much more serious note, please be careful…

“Fatal Accident on Area Farm”

“Manteno Fire Department’s Inhalator Squad answered a call Monday from a farm west of Manteno where a Braidwood man had been pinned by an overturned tractor. The tractor driver, Vance Evans, 43, was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Autopsy revealed he had drowned when pinned face down in only four-to-six inches of water.

“There were no witnesses to the accident, which occurred as Evans was cutting weeds along a six-foot embankment. The tractor apparently went down the embankment and overturned, pinning Evans face down underneath. He was found by the farm owner, William Brandenburg, and was employed by the farm operator, Nobel Jackson.”

Here’s what was on sale at Manteno Foods grocery store in August of 1973: Hills Brothers Coffee – $2.59/3 lbs.; Del Monte Catsup – three/$1; Country Delight skimmed milk – 47¢/half gallon; Kraft Mac and Cheese dinners – five/$1; Gala paper towels – three big rolls for $1; Montana cherries – 39¢/lb.; and Canfield’s diet pop – 10¢/can.

*****

Have a super week and enjoy these last few weeks of summer before vacations end and school begins. Can’t imagine how we got here so quickly, and it’s not just because of my age time seems to be flying by. Spoke with a lovely young lady while doing business this morning and she, too, couldn’t believe it was August!! Life is Good!!