Today in Delaware County history, Feb. 1

100 Years Ago, 1924: Pupils returning from the Immaculate Heart Parochial School had narrow escapes from injury when a large truck and a touring car collided at Second and Norris streets. Both machines were damaged by the impact and a letter box on the sidewalk in front of a drug store was knocked over when one of the machines struck it.

75 Years Ago, 1949: In what is believed to be the largest mass service of subpoenas in county history, 102 city merchants were notified Monday to appear in Media Courthouse for a hearing on the mercantile license tax on Monday, Feb. 14. The subpoenas were obtained by City Solicitor Thomas A. Curran as part of the city’s defense against charges made by the merchants when they instituted a suit Jan. 26 to have the tax invalidated. The papers were served by constables. The merchants are directed to bring with them all records pertaining to their business as part of the city’s answer to claims the tax is “excessive, unreasonable and discriminatory.”

50 Years Ago, 1974: The opening of the Commodore Barry Bridge today “symbolizes what two great states working together can accomplish,” a top New Jersey official said today. Edward Crabiel, secretary of state, made the comment in remarks prepared for delivery at bridge opening ceremonies today at the administration building on the Bridgeport, N.J., side of the bridge. He warned that the bridge opening poses some development problems by making southern New Jersey “more accessible to residents of a more densely populated region.” Crabiel urged that “mistakes made in the past” not be repeated in possible rapid development of the now comparatively sparsely developed area of New Jersey.

25 Years Ago, 1999: Wojie’s Restaurant owner Chuck Wojciehowski is always willing to discuss a reasonable proposal. When a customer in 1997 proposed he market his famous crab cakes from his Brookhaven restaurant, he could not refuse. Two years later his Capt ‘N Chucky’s Creamy Crab Cake Co. is a million-dollar business churning out about 15,000 crab cakes per week from Wojie’s. Capt ‘N Chucky’s will soon open a processing plant, probably in Wojciehowski’s home town of Chester.

10 Years Ago, 2014: A planned discussion of a conditional-use proposal submitted by the Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) to enlarge the Delaware County Technical High School was tabled by Aston township commissioners in favor of a special meeting. The Intermediate Unit is hoping to move students from leased spaces at the Delaware County Academy at the Collingdale Community School and the County Alternative School in Middletown to the Aston site.

— COLIN AINSWORTH