Reviewing the news: July Fourth in the north

June 27, 1924: Man is badly injured by train

Claude Longworth, believed to be a worker near Antrim, was struck by a northbound extra Pennsylvania Lines freight train at 1:10 o’clock Friday morning and badly cut to pieces. The man was believed to have been asleep alongside of one of the rails. Engineer Olsen reported noticing the man and that the train whistle was blown and the brakes applied. Before the train could be halted, the engine had struck Langworth.

He was picked up and hurried to Petoskey hospital where it was found both arms were badly mangled, being practically cut off, one lung punctured, several ribs broken and three bad scalp wounds discovered.

The right arm was off a short way above the wrist and the left arm at the wrist.

Conductor W.F. Willers expressed the belief that the man had been drinking.

June 27, 1974: Petoskey July 4 — an all-day event until darkness

Plans are shaping up for a July Fourth celebration and parade here on Thursday, July 4 with the kickoff starting with the annual parade.

There will be plenty of action going on all day including a chicken barbecue at the waterfront park, games for kids and kiddies (two age groups) and the awarding of trophies along with Little League baseball and softball, concluded by fireworks at 10 p.m.

According to Petoskey Jaycees member David Aten, the parade will form at 10:30 at Lincoln School. It will travel east on W. Mitchell-st. cross the bridge and go to Howard-st. From there it will go a block north to Lake-st. then west on Lake to the waterfront.

Jack Scorrer of Petoskey will be the parade marshal.

There are 11 floats entered to date in the parade and two bands including Charlevoix junior high band and the Petoskey Midshipmen American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps.

Immediately following the parade four trophies will be awarded, including the best band, best commercial float, best non-commercial float and best individual participation.

There will also be a bicycle decoration parade with the winner getting a new bicycle from Montgomery Ward of Petoskey.

The winners of the Little Miss and Little Mister contest will also be announced.

For the entertainment in the park, the highly popular clown dunk will be in action with chief targets being Police Chief Ernest Kraus, Mayor Barbara Waters and councilman Tony Scally. Attempts will be made to hit the target with a ball, thus dunking the person suspended on a seat into the water below.

The regular Petoskey Little League game will be held at 6 p.m. and the 11-team invitational softball tournament will be going on at the Pioneer Park diamond.

Fireworks will be fired from the city dock at about 10 p.m. or when it is dark, Aten said.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Reviewing the news: July Fourth in the north