1 Front Volume 142 No. 19
Friday, April 15, 2016
Single Copy Cost 50¢
Dilapidated building on Lostant’s mind Problem could cost the village a lot of $$$ By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com
LOSTANT — A Lostant building on the corner of Second and Eighth streets has fallen into disrepair, and the village is looking into what it can do about the situation. The issue was brought to
discussion during the village board’s Monday, April 11, meeting. “I don’t know what we’re going to do, but we have to do something,” village board member Ray Brierley said. “You can see where the bricks are pyramiding down,” village board member Mike Cooper said.
The issue has existed for a while, but Cooper said it has worsened from its past state. “It’s doubled. You can stick your hand in there,” Cooper said. The simple solution was brought up that the village condemn the building, but it turns out the issue is not
so simple. If Lostant were to condemn the building, the town would be responsible for cleaning up the whole mess, including an asbestos problem. “It’s a catch-22,” Lostant Village President Fred Hartenbower said, noting the funds just are not there for such an endeavor.
Cooper had gotten an estimate of $26,000 for the project’s cost, but he pointed out this estimate was from a while back, and the cost is certain to be more now. Trustee Jack Immel thinks the village should look at emergency funds from the state, noting there must be
something in place to help for issues of public safety. “This, we could still consider an emergency,” Hartenbower agreed, mentioning issues such as potential bricks falling and debris from the roof could pose hazards for the public.
Building Page 3
What do we do with Roosevelt? Lostant looks at street problem By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com
Tonica News photo/Dave Cook
Lostant librarian Christine Hubbard displays one of the many photos of the Godina twins included in the scrapbook of former Lostant resident Vivian Hannum. Hannum created the scapbook during her time on the road as the pianist for the world famous twins and their wives, who were also twins. See more on Page 3.
Linked to Lostant
World-famous Siamese twins had connection to Lostant By Dave Cook
news@tonicanews.com
LOSTANT — The Lostant Library has an interesting piece of not just local history, but entertainment and travel history. A scrapbook once belonging to Lostant resident Vivian Hannum provides a glimpse of what life on the road was like for the Godina twins during the 1930s. Lucio and Simplicio Godina were a pair of internationally famous conjoined twins who found a temporary home in Lostant after The Callahan Dramatic Show, which had performed annually in Lostant for several years and disbanded during the early
years of the Great Depression. According to a newspaper article in the scrapbook, the twins were stranded in Lostant for a month and made many friends of the citizens who became greatly interested in their welfare. When they were able to begin touring again, they invited Hannum to join them as their pianist. Hannum had formerly been an agent for the New York Central Railroad, but lost her position because of the Depression. She’s listed in the LaSalle-Peru Township High School Class of 1926 yearbook as winning third place in a music contest for playing the solo piano piece “Rustles of Spring” by Norwegian composer Christian Sinding.
Lostant librarian Christine Hubbard said, “The first half of the book is filled with advertisements for their shows, playbills and newspaper articles about the twins, but the second half documents more about their travels. There are pictures of hotel rooms, menus, brochures, tickets, a telegram, letters and other memorabilia.” Born on the Philippine island of Samar in 1908, Lucio and Simplicio were pygopagus conjoined twins, their bodies joined at the pelvis and back. When one brother walked forward the other walked backward. If they wished to run, one brother
Twins Page 3
LOSTANT — Roosevelt Street in Lostant has been torn up, and the Lostant Village Board discussed Monday, April 11, what they should do with it. “Basically, it is a block and a half street, if you can call it a street,” Hartenbower said. “The question is, what do we do with it?” “First option is to abandon it, and half of the centerline of the road goes to one property owner and the other half to the other property owner,” he said. “It becomes private property.” The street was described during the meeting as being essentially grass, and the second option would take care of that. “Maybe start graveling it in preparation for putting a gravel road in there, maybe blacktop,” Hartenbower said. “Then we can service two properties.” He then explained the issue which caused the discussion. “There’ve been obvious vehicles going up and down there, tearing up the road,” Hartenbower said. Being as the town maintains the road, it needs to do something about this. “If they’re going to tear up the road, that needs to be stopped,” Hartenbower said. The road had been closed off with barriers as officials tried to resolve the situation, but those did not remain long — someone took down the barriers. With the option to maintain the road presented, the cost of fixing it up was estimated at around $8,000. “Can this town afford $8,000 for that road?” Hartenbower asked. The general consensus was that this was not the case, except if the town were able to use other revenue sources to pay for it. The possibility of using motor tax money was raised, but the board was not certain if that is allowable. Hartenbower compared the situation to a similar project in which the town had not been allowed to use motor tax money. Regardless of the outcome, the town is looking at options for what to do with Roosevelt Street. “Even if it’s just leaving it alone,” Hartenbower said.
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