Items of interest from past Fulton newspapers.
150 years ago (1873)
Callaway at the St. Louis Fair. Jacob Maddox of Fulton, MO won second premium ($30) with his team of
mules in the "Best pair of mules for farm or draft purposes." Henry Larimore won second premium ($15)
with his "Bull under one year." {This fair, a precursor to the World's Fair, was held in St. Louis'
Fairgrounds Park from the 1850s until 1902. After the 1902 Fair, preparations began for the World's Fair,
held at the same location, and the St. Louis Fair ceased. Rich in history, this was the site of the Benton
Barracks in the Civil War. Over the years, many additions were made at this location, including a
zoological garden in 1876. At the corner of Grand Boulevard and Natural Bridge Avenue, the façade of
the old bear pits guards the main entrance.}
Leslie C. Johnson and Miss Bell Northcutt, niece of Mrs. J.B. Williams (Fulton), were wed. The happy
couple left that evening for the St. Louis Fair. "What a retreat for a bridal tour!"
125 years ago (1898)
In 'County Correspondence, items of interest from different sections of the Kingdom,' Carrington and
vicinity included the following words of wisdom...Only what we have wrought into our character during
life can we take away with us...The man who loses command of himself need not think he can keep
command of others...It is worth a thousand pounds a year to have the habit of looking on the bright side
of things..."We want no kings but kings of toil, No crowns but crowns of deeds. Not royal birth but
sterling worth must mark the man who leads. ~Samantha." In theirs, Hams Prairie included, "He that
opposes his own judgment against the consent of a majority ought to be backed up by unanswerable
truths, but he that hath truth on his side is a fool, as well as a coward, if he is afraid to own it (the truth)
because of the currency or multitude of other men's opinions."
75 years ago (1948)
A one dollar gold coin, minted 99 years ago, was found by a city workman at the bottom of a seven foot
ditch which he was digging for a new sewer line on West Fourth. John Tackett found the coin which bore
the year 1849. It was as shiny as a new coin. He told City Engineer P. D. Thurmond that he had sold it for
$10. An official of The Callaway Bank said Tackett came out on the long end of his sale. A coin book lists
its value at $1.50 - $2. That was the first year such coins were minted. Had it been minted by Pacific &
Co. of California in 1849, it would be valued at $25 - $50. The ditch where the coin was found is near the
South Side Cemetery. There is no way of knowing how long it had been buried or how it happened to be
seven feet belowground. A part of that area has been filled in over the years but Thurmond said the fill
would not be seven feet in depth. No other coin was found nor did his discovery set off a rush for more
buried gold.
50 years ago (1973)
The Fulton Hornet cross country team defeated Rock Bridge, bringing Coach Fred Binggeli's team to a 5-
0 record. Vic Ferrugia, who has been the leader throughout the season, finished first with a time of
11:13. Vic was followed by another Hornet leader, Greg Reynolds, with a time of 11:14. Bill Brooks, Mike
Allen, John Stambaugh, Cliff Frost and John Davies finished in the top eleven for the Fulton team. In
junior varsity action, Steve Minnick and Dave Rigdon tied for first with a time of 12:03. They were closely
followed by teammates Dennis Harop, Steve Cooke, Doug Roderick, Allen Hillard and Larry Pabst.
25 years ago (1998)
Trevor Craighead, 1998 graduate of FHS, and the son of Ken and Sue Craighead has been invited to
perform with the London based organization, "Youth Music of the World," that runs the annual New
Year's Eve Day London Parade. While touring with the group, Craighead will visit various castles,
Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Bath (Roman founded city), Salisbury, Hampton Court and
watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. The band will also present an evening
performance at Wembley Auditorium. Other bands represented in the parade include bands from
England, Germany, Czechoslovakia, France, the United Kingdom and Japan. The parade will wind its way
past Big Ben and the House of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, 10 Downing Street (residence of Prime
Minister) and on to Piccadilly Circus. Craighead, a freshman at Central Methodist College in Fayette, is
studying physical therapy and music.
Library officials stand by their confidentiality policy despite objections from Callaway County law
enforcement officials who say the policy has hampered criminal investigations. Daniel Boone Regional
Library system's board of directors voted 14-1 to keep the policy, which requires investigators to obtain
a court order before they can access library records. The board was asked to examine the policy in
response to a report that a man used a Fulton library computer to view child pornography via the
internet. Police had hoped to identify the man by using the library's log of computer users. Library
officials cannot release the log without a court order. Library officials say their confidentiality policy is
based on state law and the same practice is held by libraries around the county. Criticism and call for
change abound. A Callaway County Conservation agent called for policy change after he was denied
access to checkout records of a book found in an illegal dumping of trash. Callaway County Presiding
Commissioner Lee Fritz also calls for change so the board can use discretion when a request for
information is received. Only Eva Sterner, wife of Callaway prosecutor, voted to change. She didn't want
to be a part of a public entity that is not supportive of law enforcement.