February 1, 1998
25 Years Ago
Union Bridge Soldier Among Returning POW’S—After four and one half years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, Eddie Drabic, 25, is coming home. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Drabic of Lightner St., Union Bridge, received the good news Saturday night about midnight. They had known only that their son was reported missing in action since September of 1968. It was a long four years. When asked what his feelings are now during the waiting period before he can see his son, Mr. Drabic replied, “Well, I feel a whole lot better than I did!” Mrs. Drabic added, “We know he’s alive. That’s all that’s important. “The Carroll Record, February 1, 1973.
50 Years Ago
Sykesville Planning To Construct Fire House and Hall—Preliminary steps looking to the early construction of a firemen’s building and community hall were taken Monday night at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Sykesville Volunteer Fire Company. The proposal to proceed at once to formulate and execute plans for the erection of a new fire house and community hall was made by President Edward R. Grimes at a meeting attended by all nine members of the fire company’s executive committee. He further proposed that the new structure be named “The Sykesville Volunteer Fire Company Memorial Building,” that it be dedicated to the Sykesville war dead, and carry their names on a bronze plaque. He also recommended that the building contain a “large meeting room, kitchen and auditorium.”Democratic Advocate, February 6, 1948.
75 Years Ago
PRISONER AND STILL IN JAIL – 400 Gallons of Mash Dumped – The Plant in Operation— State’s Attorney Theodore F. Brown and Sheriff E. Edward Martin tell of an interesting experience they had Saturday afternoon near Roller in the extreme northeastern corner of Carroll county. Armed with a search warrant, issued under the Carroll county Anti-Saloon law, they visited the home of Charles Grim, who lives in a tenant house of Joseph Ziegler. The State’s Attorney and Sheriff are kind-hearted folks, and when Grim told them his wife was very nervous and would be much disturbed if they entered the house without giving her warning, they allowed him to go in and prepare her for their coming. When Grim did not come back in a hurry, added to the odor of mash in the air, they smelled a mouse and got busy. In the basement they found nothing. In a bedroom on the first floor stood two barrels, containing about 100 gallons of mash, and over the barrels, hanging on the wall, an artistically framed motto: “Glory to God in the Highest and on, Earth Peace, Good Will Toward Men.” And in the room above they found a tenplate stove, with fire in it, and the coils of a still running through a tub of water, but no still. Upon further search they found under the back porch the 25-gallon still, still hot. Democratic Advocate, February 2, 1923.
100 Years Ago
Gist Items—Mr. Wm. Grimes, who had his eyes badly burned by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge two weeks ago, is getting along very well, and his friends will be glad to learn that he
will not lose his eyesight. He was in the employ of Mr. Geo. A. Shipley, and was pulling stumps at Mr. Joseph Niner’s, near Smallwood, when the accident happened. He was warming a cartridge by the fire when it exploded as a small fire cracker would when it blows out the end and does not burst the wrapper. The cartridge was not capped or the supposition is that it would have blown him to pieces. American Sentinel, February 5, 1898.