From “promiscuous” spitting and cracking down on speeders to a high-flying baby, from beautifying the Expressway to the Great Race, here’s a look back on the week that was 125, 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago in this edition of Turning Back the Clock.

1900

June 12 — The Bradford council has passed an ordinance prohibiting “promiscuous” spitting on the city’s sidewalks and public places. The Olean Herald calls for the matter to come north. “This is an example that the Olean council might follow with advantage to the city,” the Herald says. The matter apparently struck, because city code in 2025 retains a prohibition on spitting in most public spaces from sidewalks and parks to factories and streetcars.

June 14 — The city’s street lights do not work, especially when needed, observers noted — and often when most needed, which is too often. Last night it was raining and pitch dark, and on Union Street from State to Sullivan there was not a light burning for a considerable space of time. Street light issues — while electric instead of gas nowadays — still pop up from time to time at meetings of the common council.

1925

June 10 — North Union and West State streets are in dire need of repaving, but the matter was put off while aldermen looked at which way to go — a new course of brick, or the new-fangled asphalt. A representative of the Kentucky Rock Asphalt Company appeared before the council, directing aldermen to places where rock asphalt had been down for 30 years with complete success. President Luther of the Olean Automobile Club was asked for an opinion, but Luther said the matter needs a great deal of consideration. Officials from the Olean, Bradford & Salamanca Railway Company suggested asphalt, as the rails along the city’s streets would need to be replaced in a decade or so — and brick would make the work more expensive (the matter would not be an issue, as the tracks were closed two years later).

June 12 — Olean Police Chief Jack Dempsey shut down discussions that police should show more “discretion” in enforcing the city’s speed limit. “The present city ordinance … will be enforced, and enforced conscientiously, as long as it is an ordinance,” he said, not giving free passes to speeders due to traffic conditions. The row began after John McAmbley argued his arrest and $25 fine were unneeded as he was pulled over for going more than 10 mph over the limit, noting he was not near any intersections and there were no cars in front of him to be endangered. At the time, speed enforcement was a matter of a motorcycle officer following a car from a uniform distance and checking his own certified speedometer. The chief noted going a mile or two over will likely not cause a traffic stop as to not be a burden on motorists for unintentional minor infractions.

1950

June 12 — More than 200 alumni of St. Bonaventure University attended the first observance of St. Bonaventure Day. Events of the alumni event included a special Mass celebrated by the Rev. Celsus Wheeler, a breakfast, discussion of plans for future St. Bonaventure Days, and the next fall’s Homecoming Game.

June 15 — Talk about well-traveled. Karen Marie Bryant of Hinsdale has logged over 5,500 miles as a passenger of an airplane at a time when few city residents had flown outside of military service or barnstorming. Soon, she will depart with her mother to the Philippines, where her father is stationed in the military. Not bad, seeing as how Bryant is an infant. Her first flight happened when she was two weeks old.

1975

June 14 — A Wellsville woman, Doreen Garrod, gave a talk at the Allegany Christian Church. She told the attendees how Satan had met her and led her through a “test of powers” to become “queen of the black witches.” Garrod came to Wellsville from England last year. Fittingly, the talk was held on Friday the 13th.

June 16 — Landscaping work will soon be done along 5.6 miles of the Southern Tier Expressway through the towns of Allegany and Olean, and the city of Olean. It is hoped the trees and shrubs being planted will beautify the highway and help screen traffic from view and hearing along the Expressway. First proposed in 1953, the final links of the route were opened to traffic in Chautauqua County in 1997.

2000

June 9 — Lawmakers in Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties have backed a plan to create a government authority to take over the 146-mile Southern Tier Rail Extension from Hornell to Corry, Pa., now owned by Norfolk Southern. While several Cattaraugus County legislators voted against it over the loss of assessed property — the line paid about $245,000 in taxes that would have to be absorbed elsewhere — “we’re going to lose it anyway in a year or so” when the line gets abandoned by NS, said Majority Leader Mark Williams. The line east of Olean has not been used in 10 years, and there are several washouts that need to be made to bring the line back into operation. State money is available, said Sen. Patricia McGee, to help with those costs. Steuben County lawmakers would back the plan later in the week, leading to the creation of STERA.

June 15 — Around 100 vintage automobiles and a national spotlight came to Olean as The History Channel Great Race pulled into North Union Street. An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 spectators turned out — from as far as Rochester and Binghamton — despite threats of rain to get a glimpse of the cross-country rally, as well as the various vehicles being used in the race. “This is a one-of-a-kind, historic event,” said Olean Mayor Jim Griffin. “It’s so interesting to see history in action.” The 4,000-mile endurance race made its third of 13 overnight stops in Olean along the route from Boston to Sacramento.