It appears 1950 was a significant year in our
local history. In January of that year Village Council was told
the construction of the new Wastewater Treatment Plant could
cost $120,000. Today the Village faces a $4 million upgrade to
that same facility.
On March 29, 1950 Cy Young celebrated his 83rd
birthday after spending two and one-half weeks earlier that
month in a hospital with hepatitis. At that time the
Newcomerstown News reported, “Cy returned from the hospital
feeling much better. He has given up his habit of rising early
every morning and doing the farm chores. Sometimes he sleeps as
late as eight o’clock.”
On May 28, 1950 friends and neighbors of Cy
Young gathered at the dedication of Cy Young Park and the
opening of Newcomerstown’s new swimming pool.
When speaking of having the Village Park named in his honor, Cy
Young said it was “one of the biggest things that ever happened
to me.”
On May 24, seventy-two members of
Newcomerstown’s Class of 1950 graduated during commencement
exercises in the auditorium of what was then the Newcomerstown
High School. Dianne Davis and John Murphy were
co-valedictorians. The Class of 1950 is planning its 50th
reunion on July 1, 2000 at the Lewis Center in New Philadelphia.
On July 2 the group will meet for a brunch at the Temperance
Tavern Museum at 10 a.m. Those planning to attend must send
their reservations to Mary Watts, 437 S. McKinley Avenue,
Newcomerstown, as soon as possible.
The Class of 1950’s motto was “Our goal the
sky, our aim the stars.” Many members of the class would be
aiming at something entirely different very soon.
In early morning hours of June 25,1950, North
Korean People's Army under General Chai Ung Jun, invaded South
Korea with seven assault infantry divisions, a tank brigade and
two independent infantry regiments. The United Nations Security
Council resolution called for an end of aggression from North
Korea.
On June 27, 1950 the United Nations asked member
countries to aid the Republic of Korea. The Army of the Republic
of Korea abandoned Seoul and President Harry Truman announced
U. S. intervention.
The United States Armed Forces suffered
157,530 casualties. 33,629 Americans were killed in action in
Korea; 20,600 others died there from non-hostile causes. 3,746
were captured and repatriated, and 8,142 are missing in action.
A total of 54,246 Americans gave their lives in Korea.
On July 29, 2000 the Korean Veterans Reunion
will be held at the David Barber Civic Center in Newcomerstown.
The reunion will coincide with the dedication of the portion of
State Route 36 from the Coshocton County line to Interstate 77
as the Korean Veterans Memorial Highway. More information on
this event is available by calling John Gunn at 740 498-7871.
At 4:30 p.m. on September 10, 1950, Troop train #4 left
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania with 632 soldiers of the 28th
Division. The forward coaches contained men of the 109th
infantry Regiment and in the rear eight coaches of the train
were soldiers of the 109th Field Artillery from the Wilkes-Barre
area. The Train was bound for Camp Atterbury, Indiana, the
unit’s first stop in the Korean War.
One mile east of West Lafayette, the train
suffered a broken airline that disabled it in the early morning
fog. Within minutes, a passenger train called the Spirit of St.
Louis, traveling at approximately 45-50 miles per hour rammed
into the rear of the troop train, killing 33 soldiers and
injuring over 50 others. From Coshocton to Newcomerstown,
citizens of the area responded to the scene with emergency
assistance and civic duty. The train wreck drew national
attention.
On August 26, 2000 the Village of West
Lafayette will observe the 50th Anniversary of the troop train
wreck and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania will hold their observance
at 3 p.m. on September 17, 2000 at the Kingston Armory in
Wilkes-Barre.
Other highlights of 1950 include a strike on
June 5, at the Heller File Plant. The strike lasted for 43 days
and was the fifth such strike since 1939. It was reported 932
were working at the plant, the highest total since World War II.
In July of 1950, Newcomerstown funeral
director W. E. (Bill) Ourant purchased the home of W. M. Brode
on Canal Street and planned to make it a modern mortuary.
On Friday, November 24, 1950 it began to snow
and six days later there was up to 20 inches of snow on the
ground. It was called the worst blizzard since 1901.
