30 years ago – July 1980
Brownsville Time Capsule Editor’s note: At the request of our readers, we are running previously published versions of the Brownsville Time Capsule.
Brownsville Time Capsule looks back over the years through the archives of the Brownsville Telegraph.
n Watch out for that laser beam. Dom’s Foodland on Route 40, east of Brownsville, has introduced an electronic checkout system, and part of the system is a laser scanner.
In addition to assisting the store in inventory control, the new system will allow the customer’s receipt to include a description of each product purchased in addition to the price.
However, one of the most controversial aspects of the system is the elimination of prices marked on each item. Store proprietor Dom Williams emphasized that eventually the prices of products will be posted on the shelves. He said the electronic scanning system will eliminate many pricing errors.
n Giovanni Battista (John) Antonucci, 90, of Hiller, owner of Antonucci’s Bar in Hiller for 44 years, has died. Antonucci was born in 1889 in Fossa, Italy. He served as an officer in the Italian Army (a U.S. ally) during World War I and was awarded the Silver Cross, the highest honor the Italian government bestows upon a soldier. He worked in the coal mines after coming to the United States, then operated his bar after retiring from the mines.
He is survived by his wife, Maria Onesta Calvisi Antonucci; three sons: Linio and Mario of Hiller and Erminio of Alexandria, Va.; and one daughter, Mrs. Arthur (Mary) Moncini of Monessen.
n Senoj kept pace with Grindstone in the Fayette Traveling Softball League by coming through with a 6-3 triumph over Smock. It was the 23rd victory against only two losses for the Braznell club, which trails Grindstone by a half game in the standings.
Randy Wible was the big gun at the plate for Senoj with a triple and two singles. Bill Hadden also played a prominent role for Senoj with a double and single. Bob Volek hit a three-run homer for the losers.
n Newboro nipped Colonial, 10-8, to deadlock the title series in the Luzerne Senior Little League. Mark D’Amico hit two singles and blasted a grand slam homer in the fifth to spark the Newboro attack. Don Ciampanelli, John Apicella, Joe Fagan and Mark Edenfield also chipped in for Newboro, while Kevin Urick had two hits for Colonial.
50 years ago – July 1960
n Thirty-six years ago on July 5, 1924, a portion of the Monongahela Railway bridge over Bank Street collapsed, a tragedy that caused the death of Milo Long and Pete Neville and injury to 18 others.
Hundreds of people had gathered on the bridge and on the Bank Street wharf after a Marmon automobile belonging to the late Charles W. Bowman broke loose from its parking place at the foot of Bank Street and rolled into the river.
The crowd was watching the salvage operation when a catwalk on the railroad bridge broke under the weight of the human load and dropped more than 40 people to the cobblestone pavement 30 feet below.
Among those seriously injured was Earl Storey, now a local stationer, who suffered a fractured pelvis and was laid up for a year.
n In a blockbuster ruling, Fayette County Common Pleas Court Judge Edward Dumbauld has ordered the John A. Bra-shear School Jointure to remain in operation for at least another year.
The ruling was in response to a court action brought by the West Brownsville and Browns-ville Township school boards and a citizens committee from Brownsville Borough. The judge’s decree is in the form of a temporary injunction, which will be made permanent if no exceptions to the ruling are filed within 20 days.
Dumbauld ruled that the withdrawal action of the Brownsville Borough and Luzerne Township school boards was invalid, null and void and that directors abused their discretion in withdrawing and not giving reasons for the action. The decree is effective for the 1960-61 school term.
The judge urged directors to attempt to meet from time to time during the school year to amend the jointure agreement to make the jointure more workable.
He specifically stated that Redstone Township could be brought into the jointure.
n Ed Roebuck, the former Brownsville High School flinger now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, will celebrate his 29th birthday this week at a party at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Roebuck of East Millsboro. The Dodgers are in Pittsburgh this week to play the Pirates.
Ed won his sixth game in relief against only one setback on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Roebuck has become the most dependable relief hurler on Manager Walt Alston’s staff.
65 years ago – July 1945
n Charles E. Keibler has been elected commander of the A. Kramer Axton Post 295, American Legion.
He will succeed Robert Orr and will be installed at the October meeting along with the following new officers: John T. Keffer, senior vice commander; Howard Lyons Jr., junior vice commander; David McJunkin, adjutant; Homer Ross, finance officer; Fred Wible, chaplain; Dominick Pascalle, sergeant-at-arms. Members of the executive committee will be Stanley Zuzak, Charles Pursglove, Joseph Sibert and Joseph Harbaugh.
n Spearheaded by a $500 contribution from A. Kramer Axton Post 295, American Legion, the drive to raise $6,000 for the erection of a permanent honor roll for Brownsville Borough gets under way this week under the direction of Frank L. Seibel, chairman of the finance committee of the Brownsville Permanent Honor Roll Commission. Funds raised in the drive will be placed in the National Deposit Bank by Treasurer John S. Edwards, who will be bonded.
Present plans call for the erection as soon as possible of a permanent monument of three sections, probably of granite or similar material.
It will be constructed on an angle at the northeast corner of the municipal building. At the termination of the war, bronze plaques will be installed on the three sections.
Comments about this column can be directed to Pete Skirchak, Associate Editor, at pskirchak@heraldstandard.com.