This & That By Jack Coll December 2015

THIS & THAT

A Little Bit of This, and a Little Bit of That

By Jack Coll

12-28-15

     If you are not familiar with this column, welcome. As I continue to research information for my next book I continue to run across interesting tid-bits that won’t be used in the book but I still find these little segments some-what interesting.

     Perhaps you might want to go back and look up some of the This & That past columns that have run exclusively on ConshyStuff.com. This and That is made up of small-short segments of clippings found in past copies of the Conshohocken Recorder Newspaper, advertisements from the Recorder, old football programs and soap box derby programs and/or any other place I find them. This and That sometimes is just something on my mind and I get to share my thoughts with anyone reading this column.

     Before the start of each little segment is the date from which it was taken from the Recorder.

We’ll be reaching way back for most of these tid-bits!

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May 3, 1946

Chosen Queen for Procession

     Miss Mary Gambone, 140 West Eighth Avenue, has been elected to crown the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the annual May Procession in SS Cosmas and Damien R. C. Church, May 19 in the afternoon.

     Attendants to Miss Gambone will be Miss Steila Gravinese and Miss Florence Zinni. Miss Gambone is president and the attendants members of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality at the church. Election of the three took place at a special meeting of the sodality Tuesday night in the church hall.

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August 9, 1946

Four Playgrounds Choose Queens for Mardi Gras

     Chosen by popular vote of their companions at the borough’s four playgrounds, youthful queens reign at the annual Mardi Gras programs at each of the play centers.

     Sylvania Bradley, chosen to reign over the Third Avenue Playground event, was the choice for the second year in succession having been accorded similar honors last year.

     Runners –up in the voting for the Third Avenue Playground included Margaret Gavin, Sally Gavin, Barbara Sivic, and Rita Denno.

     At Mary Wood Park Marlene Fabrize was named Queen, runners –up included Kay Risley, Marjorie Silk, Louise Hawk, and Kathy Shinners. Gertrude McCarrick, playground queen for 1945, will crown the new queen.

     Hector Street Playground Queen was Theresa Donovan, runner-ups included Patsy Jacquet, Frances Jacquet, Joan McQuirns, and Mary Jane Weidamoyer.

     Sutcliffe Park Playground Queen for 1946 was Marie Dippulta, runner-ups included Sandra Carter, Judith Rielly, Dolores Munroe, Carol Lee Bergey, and Ann Quinn. Last year’s queen will crown 1946 playground queen, Crown Bearer was Noel Carroll.

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January 11, 1946

Three Weddings Tomorrow in St. Mary’s

     Principals in tomorrow’s nuptial trio will be Miss Helen Sobotks of 350 West Fifth Avenue, who will become the bride of Stanley Male of 218 West Fifth Avenue, the couple will be married at 10:00 A.M.

     Miss Mary Czajkowski of 348 East Elm Street will wed Watson Majsiak of 346 East Elm Street at 1:00 P.M., (talk about marring your next door neighbor!) Miss Jane Mackiewicz of 471 New Elm Street married Joseph Lewandowski from 413 New Elm Street at 2:00.

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August 27, 1946

Germantown Pike Used for Take-off

     Scores of motorists eagerly watched a pilot transform a section of Germantown Pike into an air strip Saturday afternoon.

     Philip Browne, 25, formerly of the Air Transport Command enlisted the aid of Whitemarsh township police when he was ready to taxi the plane from his home nearly opposite St. Phillip’s Roman Catholic Chapel approximately a quarter mile on Germantown Pike to a position favorable to a successful take off at the summit of an incline where the caddy house is located at Green Valley Country Club, Germantown Pike and Joshua Road.

     Officer John Lebold, who was on vacation, assisted Officer Lloyd Frankenfield in directing traffic. Police held up all vehicles moving in each direction on the concrete highway until the plane, a PT 17 reached a driveway at the entrance to the Timothy Donovan residence.

     The police described the takeoff as remarkable. The pilot was off the road in about 100 feet and executed a right bank turn at 20 feet, one of the officers commented. Browne landed the craft a few moments later at Patco Field, Ridge Pike where he left it until Saturday when he flew to a United Airline field in Boston.

     Brown had purchased the plane and it was delivered to his house by truck, Browne painted the plane while it was in his back yard.

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April 16, 1912

LOST WITH T TITANIC

Sister of a Local Man Supposed to Have Met Death in the Terrible Accident at Sea.

     William J. McAvoy, of Harry Street above Hector Street, and foreman for contractor Louis H. O’Brien, believes his sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Knight have been lost with the Steamship Titanic. They were aboard the steamer and Mr. McAvoy was preparing to go to New York to meet them upon the arrival of the steamer on Thursday. The Knights were residents of Belfast, Ireland. Mr. Knight was in the employ of Harland and Wolff, the builders of the Titanic, as an expert marine engineer. He was assigned to duty on the ship, on her maiden voyage, to aid in the care of the machinery.

     Mr. McAvoy is trying to secure information from the White Star Line officials but will not be able to get any tidings of his sister and her husband until the rescued passengers each land.

     The latest advices are that 1234 lives were lost our or the 2200 souls aboard the ill-fated ship.

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November 6, 1896

     Captain Courduff arrested three small boys at noon on Tuesday. They were spending money recklessly for candy, nuts, or anything that struck their fancy. When placed in the station house and questioned it was found that they were from Norristown and that one of them had stolen Miss Noblit’s pocketbook on Monday. Half of the $12.00 in the pocketbook had been spent. The boy who took the pocketbook is of unsound mind, and therefore no charge was made against him. The money spent was returned to Miss Noblit and the pocketbook which had been hid in the courtyard, Norristown was returned.

November 6, 1896

John McDermody has purchased the grocery store at Hector and Cherry Street.

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January 4, 1968

NOW OPEN AT 45 FAYETTE STREET CONSHOHOCKEN

STAN’S   USED Furniture  **BARGAIN

                    Come and Brouse     Unusual Savings     New and Used

             Household Goods           Surprises

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April 5, 1929

WILRAE CUT PRICE DRUG CO.

Buy Here and Save the Difference

108 Fayette Street

All 50 cent Tooth Paste……………………31 cents

75 cents 3 Flowers Face Powder…….55 cents

75 cent Mifflin Alcohol…………………..23 cents

“FULL PINT”

85 cent Jad Salts………………………….….55 cents

35 cent Palmolive Shaving Cream……27 cents

95 cents Cotys Face Powder……………79 cents

(Coty Compact Free)

50 cent Palmolive Hair Shampoo………32 cents

Cigarettes—Carton………..79 cents

REFRESH YOURSELF AT OUR FOUNTAIN

Make WILRAE Your Prescription Drug Store

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August 3, 1953

Grand Opening

PAT’S   BAR

Elm and Maple Streets

Tuesday, August 4

Come In And Get Acquainted

PAT TOMCZAK, Proprietor

SANDWICHES                       DRINKS

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May 30, 1899

     John Forrest has had an electric fan erected in the bar room of his Spring Mill Avenue Hotel.

     Nelson Silknetter will shortly re-open a harness making establishment at his old stand, Fayette Street and First Avenue.

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July 30, 1912

POLICE RAID CRAP SHOOTERS

FIGHT AMONG STREET GAMBLERS BRINGS THE POLICE

BUT CRAP SHOOTERS MAKE THEIR ESCAPE

ANOTHER GAME GOING ON, ON MAPLE STREET,

POLICE ARREST ONE MAN WHO IS FINED.

     The peace of the quiet neighborhood of Seventh Avenue and Forrest Street was so disturbed early Saturday evening by crap shooters that the police were called upon to restore quietude. Officers Ruth and Masons responded to the call but when they arrived on the scene the gamblers had made their escape.

     The officers were informed that a bystander watching the crap game found one of the players was cheating. He accused the man who denied the charge and drew a razor when his accuser backed away and securing a stone and threw it at the man striking him in the head. The injury was slight. The police secured the names of the men, but as yet, no arrests have been made.

     As the police were returning to the station house by way of Maple Street they saw a crap game in progress at First Avenue and Maple Street. The players saw the police and all made their escape with the exception of one man, George Brown. George was arrested and brought to the station house. Burgess Ray gave him a hearing and discharged him upon the payment of a fine.

     The authorities have been informed that there is much gambling going on in town and especially on the quiet streets. The Officers have been instructed to break up the practice and future arrest may result more seriously than a mere fine.

     A few months ago the street gamblers became so bold that the residents of E. Sixth Avenue were compelled to complain to the authorities. Young men and boys would congregate in groups on Sunday mornings while people were on their way to church and play cards and throw dice for money. They became so bold that they used the steps of houses as their tables despite the protest of owners. Police broke up this street gambling and are just as determined that they will break up all outdoor gambling in the borough.

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August 8, 1902

     While M. K. Wood and Harry C. Wood of this borough were driving near Chestnut Hill on Tuesday evening the horse got frightened at a farmer’s tread mill that was standing in the road. The horse ran away throwing the Messrs. Wood to the ground. M. K. Wood escaped without injury but Harry Wood received a number of severe cuts and bruises. The wagon was badly damaged.

     An addition is being added to the residence portion of the American Hotel at the corner of Spring Mill Avenue and Poplar Street.

     The Crescent Club of St. Mark’s Church are in camp at Betterton, Md. They went there yesterday and will stay two weeks. The club is composed of the following: Edward Davis, Fred Lobb, Henry Nagle, Joseph Blackburn, Horace Speaker, Peter Hanna and Frank Streeper.

     The eighty-first birthday of John Wertz, a well-known resident of this borough was celebrated yesterday at his home on Elm Street. A large number of people from the surrounding areas along with borough residents attended the event. A large number of descendants of Mr. Wertz assembled to help make the occasion an enjoyable one. Mr. Wertz is the father of nine children all of whom are living and of whom eight were in attendance at his home yesterday, they being Mrs. Louis Hewitt, Mrs. James Powers, Mr. Harry Wertz, Mr. George Wertz, Mrs. Levis Cloud, Mrs. Jacob Mennig, Mrs. Frank Baker and Miss Barbara Wertz, the other member of the family being Mr. Lewis Wertz of Wilmington Del. Besides the nine children there are fifty grand-children of whom twenty nine were present and thirteen great-great grandchildren.

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February 8, 1929

JACOBSON’S 20 %

REDUCTION SALE

Is still going on. There are

Still some Choice Bargains remaining

Final Sale Saturday

JACOBSON’S

Men’s and Boy’s Store

69 Fayette Street

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July 13, 1953

1. Cosmas and Damian To Build Grade School

Four Grades Open in Fall

     Officials of SS. Cosmas and Damian Church, Fifth Avenue and Maple St., announced today that the parish will build its own eight-classroom school building.

     Approval of plans for the structure was granted today by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The school is to be erected on the north side of West Fifth Avenue between Maple and Forrest St. about a half square from the church.

     Until the building is completed the parish will conduct classes for the first four grades in the basement of the church’s new quarter-million dollar edifice. The school is not expected to be completed before opening of the 1954-1955 term. Eighty pupils are enrolled in the parish school for the first four grades during the 1953-1954 term. The modern basement of the church has been partitioned to house the four classes.

     Desk and equipment are now being installed. Enrollment will exceed 100 with the 1953-1954 term Rev. Louis P Giorgi assistant pastor announced.

     Girls will wear maroon uniforms with an emblem of the church initials in gold and matching maroon and gold caps with white blouses.

April 4, 1922

Spring Hats

FLOWERS and TRIMMINGS

Open Friday and Saturday Evenings

Closed Wednesday Afternoons

1. W. Harrison

226 East Hector Street

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Easter Specials

SHELLENBERGER’S

EASTER EGGS

10 cents & up

Shellenberger’s Chocolates

Reduced to

60 cents LB

The Sweet Shop

Fourth Avenue and Harry Street

Conshohocken

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February 8, 1929

On Valentine Day

A GALLANT lady will hide her disappointment

if you forget St. Valentine’s Day.

But not until the last minute of that day

Will she believe you really could have let it

Pass without a token of your love

SEND FLOWERS

See WILLIS BALDWIN

The Telegraph “Florist”

Phone 651

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November 3, 1896

     Ice Dealer Berry DeHaven and son, Thomas Holland and Irvin Supplee returned last evening from a gunning trip to Gettysburg with thirty two rabbits and one pheasant.

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June 24, 1954

West First Ave. Couple To Mark Anniversary

     West First Avenue is one of the borough’s smaller streets, but it looms big in the hearts of the Charles Lare Sr. family. Celebrating a 55^th wedding anniversary next Monday at their home at 127, the senior Lares can see from their front door, homes of two of their married sons and the home of their only daughter. All are within a stone’s throw of each other on the same tiny thoroughfare.

   Next door at 125 First Avenue live Daniel Lare and his family. Three doors above at 121, Charles Jr. and his family make their home. Their daughter Margaret married to Thomas Donovan lives almost across from her parents at 124.

     The Lare’s Sr.’s only unmarried son, Dennis is also a West First Avenue resident, he lives with them. All of their 11 grandchildren are also members of the Lare households on West First Avenue.

     Only member of the family James, who is not a West First Avenue, is an alumnus of the little street. Until removal to Norristown five years ago he occupied an apartment of 119 West First Avenue.

     Lare Sr. and his wife took up their home on the First Ward dwellin 39 years ago. A retired employee of Alan Wood Steel Co. he worked for 37 years at the now closed Schuylkill Iron Works Division of the firm here. Before their marriage June 28, 1899 in St. Gertrude’s Church in West Conshohocken Mrs. Lare was Margaret Dugan of the west borough.

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     Sorry This & That columns have been few and far between lately but due to pressure of completing my next book time has become valuable not allowing me to take the time for columns such as This & That, Talkin Music With Jack, and Conshystuff Hall of Fame additions.

     On the up-side our new book will be a two book series, we hope to release Volume One in the spring and Volume Two by Christmas 2016. A few of the chapters will include “Corner Stores and Family Owned Business,” “The History of Trolley’s in Conshohocken,” “Murder, Mystery and Scandal, “Conshohocken’s African American History,” “Urban Redevelopment in Conshohocken,” and a chapter on “Conshohocken Residents” among others. The book will be a 8 ½ X 11 hard-back publication, with over 500 pages in each book, approximately 1400 photographs in both color and black and white will highlight the publications. Stay tuned for more information and a release date.