125 years ago, 1896

Taken directly from The Vindicator:

“Ran Amuck. Thrilling experience of an East End mother and her babe, a most miraculous escape. An exciting scene in which an enraged animal is the principal actor.”

The excitement which existed for a few minutes this afternoon at the residence of Mrs. Loof Lirpa, located in a rather sparsely settled neighborhood, has probably never known a parallel in that usually quiet and orderly spot.

At about 2 o’clock this afternoon, passersby were startled by a series of blood curdling screams coming from the above named residence. Judging from the noise to be heard from the road, pandemonium reigned within. A laborer employed in the vicinity hastened to the rear of the house to ascertain the cause of the hideous shrieks and was paralyzed with horror at the sight that met his gaze.

Standing just outside a rear doorway, clad in a bright red grown, armed with a stove poker and screaming and gesturing like one possessed of the evil spirit, he found Mrs. Lirpa and coming toward her, with head lowered, nostrils dilated, frothing mouth and bellowing furiously rushed a maddened bull, followed closely by a horseman, riding at full speed, yelling and apparently bent on heading off the crazed animal before death had been done.

A short distance from the doorway and directly in the path of the enraged beast sat the little 2-year-old child of Mrs. Lirpa. One more bound and it seemed the little babe must be crushed by the hooves or gored to death by the horns of the infuriated bovine. But — it seemed almost a miracle — the animal cleared the little one at a bound, and on it sped toward the terrified mother.

Mrs. Lirpa had become motionless as well as speechless and when the onlooker shouted to her to run into the house, she apparently heard or saw nothing but the wild brute coming toward her. Another bound and the infuriated beast is upon her, but just at that instant, Mrs. Lirpa sprang lightly into the air, and — April 1, 1896.” (An April fools story)

60 years ago, 1961

Young and old alike were thrilled at the Palace Theatre by Walt Disney’s newest animated feature, “101 Dalmatians.” The now-classic film tells the story of Pongo, Perdita and their 15 Dalmatian puppies. The villainous Cruella de Ville and her lackeys, Jasper and Horace, stole Pongo’s and Perdita’s litter along with 84 other puppies to create her heart’s desire: a black-and-white fur coat.

Even the best detectives at London’s Scotland Yard were unable to find the pups, so Pongo utilized the Twilight Bark, a canine telegraph system. The movie was such a success at the Palace that “there wasn’t a single popcorn pilgrimage for the whole under-six crowd during yesterday’s opening. The only ones who left their seats obviously had to go.” Some of the younger audience members could also be heard shouting advice to the rescuers from their seats.

40 years ago, 1981

The first of the initial eight C-130 Hercules transport airplanes arrived at the Youngstown Air Force Reserve Station, and was accepted by Col. Jack Skinner, commander of the 910th Tactical Fighter Group. The C-130 was escorted by an A-37 “Dragonfly” fighter jet, as it taxied toward its new home following a daylong flight from Texas. This marked a significant moment of change in the base’s mission, as the A-37s were being phased out. The Hercules was piloted by Maj. Dennis Vargo of Cortland, the first of the Reserve base pilots to complete the seven-week C-130 flight school. Vargo was welcomed by nearly 100 people, including base personnel, curious onlookers and the media.

The C-130 Hercules plane was unique in its usage with a wide range of roles from defense to mercy and goodwill missions. At the time, nearly 1,600 C-130s were in operation in the Air Force. Its low speed and low-altitude capabilities made it ideal for deploying troops and cargo, even on short or unprepared landing strips or by parachute airdrops. Those initial C-130s were “B” models, powered by four turboprop engines and a tail that featured a fully extendable loading ramp.

• Compiled from The Vindicator archives by Traci Manning, MVHS curator of education.