Read it Again: Week of July 25, 2002

80 years ago this week. A sensational drop in wheat prices occurred, the result of an expected settlement of the railroad strike. No. 2 red wheat closed at Chicago at $1.12/12 to $1.131/2; and NO. 2 hard at $1.14 to $1.16. At Toledo, cash wheat was $1.13; at Cleveland, $1.15; Canton, new wheat, No. 2, $1; and old, $1.02. Corn didn’t follow the wheat market, with prices remaining about the same as last week, with No. 2 mixed and No. 2 yellow 641/2 cents at Chicago; 72 cents at Toledo; 721/2 cents at Cleveland.

A large barn belonging to Bert Armstrong near Alliance (three-quarters of a mile northeast of Lexington) was struck by lightning and burned. The loss, an estimated $8,000, is covered by insurance.

Dover area farmer John Wenger, 50, of Red Hill died from injuries received when he attempted to stop a team of runaway mules at the farm of a neighbor.

50 years ago this week. Ohio agriculture is in such excellent financial conditions that the state’s farmers found it necessary to borrow less money from banks during 1951, and savings and income of family farms reached record levels, according to E.M. Stephenson, the president of National Bank.

“This healthy situation has been particularly valuable in the past few months when farmers have been faced with rising costs of the things they buy and lower prices of the things they sell. Under those conditions, production is the key to keeping agriculture profitable,” Stephenson said.

25 years ago this week. Arthur Ferguson Jr. of Zanesville landed the 1977 Leesville Lake One Ton Muskie honors with a 41 1/2 inch, 20 pound 2 ounce fish. The muskie pushed the lake’s harvest over a ton for the third consecutive year and entitled Ferguson to regular membership into the Ohio Huskie Muskie Club. Art caught his trophy near the Leesville dam. Leesville muskies are obviously thriving under the current Ohio Division of Wildlife management program and persistent anglers are seeing their leisure hours pay off in trophy fish.

Mary Jo Spletzer was named 4-H queen and Mike Cicero the 4-H king at the Trumbull County Fair. Other royal court attendees were Jeanne Farmer, Marcia Kubuj, Janet Dahmen, Marie Pozzuto, Mark Pozzuto, Mark Zelenak, Dave Wilkoski and Ron McCummins.