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Looking Back

4 min read

A look at some of the headlines gracing the pages of the Observer-Reporter and Waynesburg Republican this week in Greene County history:

Gasoline fumes permeate county courthouse, making workers ill

WAYNESBURG – Gasoline fumes from an undetermined source have been permeating the Greene County Courthouse, making workers in several offices nauseous and giving them severe headaches.

While the conditions were first noticed in April, it has become particularly severe during the past week, even though plastic bags filled with sand have been placed over basement drains in an effort to prevent the vapors from seeping into the building.

“It always seems to get worse during and after a rain,” said Clerk of Courts Shirley Stockdale, whose office is one of those affected. Mrs. Stockdale first called state police fire marshal Walter Anderson of Washington about the problem in April, and has since been contacting him every time there is flare-up. Anderson agrees.

“It seems to slack off during the summer months when we had so little rain,” he said.

Anderson said he has checked two service stations a half-block away at the corner of Greene and Washington streets, and has found no evidence that any of their tanks are leaking.

Personal care home closed

WAYNESBURG -The High Street Personal Care Home in Waynesburg, closed by the state Department of Welfare, was operating under a “provisional license,” in part because the owners failed to pay the utility bills, said a welfare department spokesman.

The Welfare Department closed the home after department inspectors found the gas and telephone services disconnected, said welfare department spokesman Leroy Hedgepeth.

He added the department believes water and electrical services also were to be terminated soon.

The six residents were removed from the house at 1015 East High Street by family members Thursday evening.

Residents ask Boro Council for curfew on laundromat

A petition signed by 22 residents asking that the borough control operations of the Econ-O-Wash on West Franklin Street was presented to Waynesburg Borough Council Monday night.

It asked that the borough adopt an ordinance establishing an 11 p.m. curfew on the business on the grounds that the present all-night operation constitutes a public nuisance.

The petition states that a juke box in the laundry operates 24 hours a day and that “loud noises and unsightly performances by both sexes are to be observed,” particularly after 11 p.m. and until the early morning hours, which disturbs residents in the area.

Fire destroys barn near Wind Ridge

WIND RIDGE – Fire about 9 p.m. Monday destroyed a large barn on the farm near Wind Ridge occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Max B. McMillan and their family, with loss estimated at many thousands of dollars.

The McMillens managed to get their hogs and some calves out of the burning building, but lost 1,000 bales of hay, several loads of loose hay, 50 chickens, two mowers, a hay loader, sled and other farm equipment.

The farm on Crabapple Run is owned by the David Braddock estate. McMillen said there was probably insurance on the building, but none on the contents.

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