— Compiled by Betty Jane Wilson, society president
"At one time the old Delaware was very much a scenic river" continued E.J. Stewart in his 'Early Days in Valley Falls' story.
"That was before the drainage board destroyed the beauty by taking out the Leglar and Piazzek dams and putting through a ditch from one to the other to eliminate the bend. The purpose was to get relief from floods but the plan didn't work for in 1951 the flood was the worst in history. It ruined the river. The two dams impounded enough head to operate turbines for two flour and grist mills, a grain elevator and for a long time the first electric light plant.
"There were several famous swimming holes in that river; south of Peter's Creek, Gephart-Kendall pastures, first, second, and third eddy below the Piazzek Dam, Legler's Dam, and Walker's pasture.
"At one time, a small pleasure steam boat took parties of 10 or 15 young people quite a way beyond PawPaw Bend for picnics. In the winter, the river provided swell ice skating and for many years Frank Harman harvested a large ice crop, which he packed in saw dust to serve folks in summer."
Ed. Note: Louis Seible, brother-in-law of Roy Earl Lillie, Vindicator printer to whom the Stewart story was sent, wrote a family history including memories of Valley Falls. His reminiscing included the following Delaware River winter ice story: "During the winter kids skated on the river. The ice got thick enough to put it up to use in the summertime. There was a big ice house on North Walnut Street next to the river. There was a long chute running from the ice house to the river. The ice was marked off in squares about 18 inches wide and three feet long. A horse pulled the marker. A saw was used by hand to cut the cakes of ice. They used pike poles to float the cakes of ice to the chutes where they had a 'johney.' A johney was built with two handles and two or three steel prongs. The workers put one or two cakes of ice on it, pulled it up the chute to the ice house with a team of horses and block and tackle. When the ice house was full, it was packed with saw dust that kept the ice for use throughout the summer."
Continuing Mr. Stewart's story:
"The first electric light plant operated by water power served the stores and three carbon arc street lights. The plant shut down at midnight. Generator capacity was not sufficient for motor service or to serve the homes and there was no daytime service. Most old timers will recall on a still night hearing the noise made by the water wheel drive shaft and gears at Leglar's Mill. The wheel operated old time mill stones that ground corn into chop and meal. There was also a set of mill stones in the Piazzek Mill."
Next: At one time Valley Falls was very much a railroad center.
The society's museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 28.
July 17, 2012
Mr. Stewart's recollections of early Valley Falls, part 2
- compiled by Betty Jane Wilson, society president
"Grocers did not sell meat and very little fresh fruit and vegetables. People raised their own," reminisced E.J. Stewart in his "Early Days in Valley Falls" story written in 1954 and sent to the Valley Falls Vindicator printer Roy Earl Lillie.
"Baker's Bread sold for a nickel. Sugar, oatmeal, crackers, and cookies came in barrels and boxes and sold in bulk. Corn syrup, sorghum, and vinegar came in barrels and one's jug was filled through a spigot that usually dripped to draw flies.
"Coffee came in bulk and in pound paper packages; Arbuckles, Mohaska, and Lions brands. Some people bought green coffee and roasted it in their ovens. Every household had a coffee grinder. There were no percolators or dripolators. Coffee was boiled in a pot.
"There were two meat markets. Round steak sold for a dime a pound and sirloin for 12 1/2 cents. Steaks were cut from the quarter or loin on the block and weighed while the customer waited; however, the butcher wasn't much concerned if the slice was a bit overweight. Meat was wrapped in heavy brown paper. None was packing house wrapped. When one wanted a mess of liver, he would have to tell the butcher beforehand, otherwise he would throw it away. Price? Wasn't worth anything, therefore, no charge.
"The only trouble with those 'Good Old Days' when a dollar would buy so much more than it will today was, we didn't often have the dollar at one time.
"There were four blacksmith shops, three hardware and farm implement stores, two lumber yards, six grocery stores, two furniture stores, three dry goods stores, two drug stores, two clothing stores, two local newspapers, and various other mercantile establishments. In the display windows of the drug stores were large apothecary jars filled with colored water. They had no soda fountains or lunch counters.
"The Vindicator operated its printing presses by a noisy gasoline engine. The New Era presses were hand powered. Electric power was unknown. All type was set by hand. Linotypes were for large city dailies only. My job was that of the 'printer's devil' for I swept out, set a little type, and in spare time wrote locals and personals.
"There were two handmade cigar factories that made 5-cent cigars for many years. One was owned by Charle Hauck and the other belonged to Frank Shaffer. Barber shops were where men went to loaf as well as to get tonsorial service. Haircuts were a quarter and shaves a dime. Many men got shaved only once a week on Saturday and shops stayed open until midnight. Most men went to a barber shop for a shave as safety razors were yet unknown. Some of the old-time barbers included (Pony) Frank Delorme, Jack Williams, Ed Lewis and his father, Maj. Conser, Jake Lowman, Paul Krummery, and Sherm Mayhew. Many customers kept their own shaving mug at their favorite shop."
Next: "At one time the old Delaware was very much a scenic River."
The society museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 21.
"Grocers did not sell meat and very little fresh fruit and vegetables. People raised their own," reminisced E.J. Stewart in his "Early Days in Valley Falls" story written in 1954 and sent to the Valley Falls Vindicator printer Roy Earl Lillie.
"Baker's Bread sold for a nickel. Sugar, oatmeal, crackers, and cookies came in barrels and boxes and sold in bulk. Corn syrup, sorghum, and vinegar came in barrels and one's jug was filled through a spigot that usually dripped to draw flies.
"Coffee came in bulk and in pound paper packages; Arbuckles, Mohaska, and Lions brands. Some people bought green coffee and roasted it in their ovens. Every household had a coffee grinder. There were no percolators or dripolators. Coffee was boiled in a pot.
"There were two meat markets. Round steak sold for a dime a pound and sirloin for 12 1/2 cents. Steaks were cut from the quarter or loin on the block and weighed while the customer waited; however, the butcher wasn't much concerned if the slice was a bit overweight. Meat was wrapped in heavy brown paper. None was packing house wrapped. When one wanted a mess of liver, he would have to tell the butcher beforehand, otherwise he would throw it away. Price? Wasn't worth anything, therefore, no charge.
"The only trouble with those 'Good Old Days' when a dollar would buy so much more than it will today was, we didn't often have the dollar at one time.
"There were four blacksmith shops, three hardware and farm implement stores, two lumber yards, six grocery stores, two furniture stores, three dry goods stores, two drug stores, two clothing stores, two local newspapers, and various other mercantile establishments. In the display windows of the drug stores were large apothecary jars filled with colored water. They had no soda fountains or lunch counters.
"The Vindicator operated its printing presses by a noisy gasoline engine. The New Era presses were hand powered. Electric power was unknown. All type was set by hand. Linotypes were for large city dailies only. My job was that of the 'printer's devil' for I swept out, set a little type, and in spare time wrote locals and personals.
"There were two handmade cigar factories that made 5-cent cigars for many years. One was owned by Charle Hauck and the other belonged to Frank Shaffer. Barber shops were where men went to loaf as well as to get tonsorial service. Haircuts were a quarter and shaves a dime. Many men got shaved only once a week on Saturday and shops stayed open until midnight. Most men went to a barber shop for a shave as safety razors were yet unknown. Some of the old-time barbers included (Pony) Frank Delorme, Jack Williams, Ed Lewis and his father, Maj. Conser, Jake Lowman, Paul Krummery, and Sherm Mayhew. Many customers kept their own shaving mug at their favorite shop."
Next: "At one time the old Delaware was very much a scenic River."
The society museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 21.
July 12, 2012
Mr. Stewart's recollections of early Valley Falls, part 1
written by E.J. Stewart, 1954 (compiled by Betty Jane Wilson, society president)
Part 1 of a series
This story was found among articles belonging to Roy Earl Lillie following his death in 1962. Mr. Lillie was a printer for the Valley Falls Vindicator and the story (Stewart's) was sent to him.
Following are excerpts from Mr. Stewart's story:
"Having been away from Valley Falls, where I was born and reared, for 50 years, many changes are apparent when I return for a visit. My parents were pioneers, settling in 1891."
Mr. Stewart recollects the many times he had heard of the Grasshopper Invasion and the town and river name changes, then continued:
"Whatever became of the town pump water supply? It was a large dug well at the end of North Maple and a small pump was operated by a very large windmill. No one could control the wind and at times the water got pretty low in the elevated tank up on the hill. Few people knew the well was connected directly with the river through a cast iron pipe. The pumps were supported on a platform down quite a ways in the well and whenever the river would get bank full or flood, the water would back up into the well and the pumps would become submerged.
"The old wooden sidewalks about town are no longer in evidence. The boards would come loose, break, and one end would fly up and trip one for a hard fall.
"On dark nights people carried kerosene lanterns.
"People slept either on fluffy feather beds or hard straw mattresses. Few there were who had springs.
"In winter, children allergic to colds would have to take nasty hive syrup and wear a rag of asafetide around their neck. What a terrible smell.
"Remember the old stone school house surrounded by a wooden fence that was painted white and red? To climb over was a great offense. Even if one were late and the peal of the bell that rang out twice in the morning, twice at noon, and again at recess.
"Lessons were prepared on slates, which would not be used today for they likely would not be considered sanitary. It was always a treat to go to the blackboard at recitation time; also a stay after school to dust the erasers.
"The school's water supply was an open dug well with the old oaken buckets that could not be used today. In the morning, at noon, and before recess the janitor would fill cedar and pressed paper buckets and set them on benches near several school entrances.Tin cups were provided to drink from. On a windy day, one would have to push the dust and leaves back with the cup and dip down quickly to get a drink. People didn't know about germs then and nobody ever got poisoned.
"Christmas cantatas and programs were sponsored by Sunday schools. Each child was sure to get a large orange and a bag of hard candy. It was really a thrill to hear sleigh bells in the distance and directly old Santa Claus would walk in, but that was an old-fashioned custom; however, we thought it was fun."
Next week: "Grocers did not sell meat and very little fresh fruit and vegetables. People raised their own."
The society museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 14.
Part 1 of a series
This story was found among articles belonging to Roy Earl Lillie following his death in 1962. Mr. Lillie was a printer for the Valley Falls Vindicator and the story (Stewart's) was sent to him.
Following are excerpts from Mr. Stewart's story:
"Having been away from Valley Falls, where I was born and reared, for 50 years, many changes are apparent when I return for a visit. My parents were pioneers, settling in 1891."
Mr. Stewart recollects the many times he had heard of the Grasshopper Invasion and the town and river name changes, then continued:
"Whatever became of the town pump water supply? It was a large dug well at the end of North Maple and a small pump was operated by a very large windmill. No one could control the wind and at times the water got pretty low in the elevated tank up on the hill. Few people knew the well was connected directly with the river through a cast iron pipe. The pumps were supported on a platform down quite a ways in the well and whenever the river would get bank full or flood, the water would back up into the well and the pumps would become submerged.
"The old wooden sidewalks about town are no longer in evidence. The boards would come loose, break, and one end would fly up and trip one for a hard fall.
"On dark nights people carried kerosene lanterns.
"People slept either on fluffy feather beds or hard straw mattresses. Few there were who had springs.
"In winter, children allergic to colds would have to take nasty hive syrup and wear a rag of asafetide around their neck. What a terrible smell.
"Remember the old stone school house surrounded by a wooden fence that was painted white and red? To climb over was a great offense. Even if one were late and the peal of the bell that rang out twice in the morning, twice at noon, and again at recess.
"Lessons were prepared on slates, which would not be used today for they likely would not be considered sanitary. It was always a treat to go to the blackboard at recitation time; also a stay after school to dust the erasers.
"The school's water supply was an open dug well with the old oaken buckets that could not be used today. In the morning, at noon, and before recess the janitor would fill cedar and pressed paper buckets and set them on benches near several school entrances.Tin cups were provided to drink from. On a windy day, one would have to push the dust and leaves back with the cup and dip down quickly to get a drink. People didn't know about germs then and nobody ever got poisoned.
"Christmas cantatas and programs were sponsored by Sunday schools. Each child was sure to get a large orange and a bag of hard candy. It was really a thrill to hear sleigh bells in the distance and directly old Santa Claus would walk in, but that was an old-fashioned custom; however, we thought it was fun."
Next week: "Grocers did not sell meat and very little fresh fruit and vegetables. People raised their own."
The society museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 14.
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