[ad_1]
150 years ago
May 26, 1870
Turned up again
The Port Jervis Gazette says Daniel Stewart, a former resident of Sparta, N.J., and lately of Newburgh, got on a bender in Port Jervis, on Tuesday night last, and made a raid on the house of Mrs. Brink, where he was temporarily staying, breaking a cupboard, table, molasses jug, crockery, and raising “Cain” generally. Officer Burton arrested the fellow next morning, and in conducting him to the station house he broke loose and ran down the railroad track, and would have escaped had not conductor Henry Bristol joined in the pursuit and overhauled the rascal. Stewart was obstreperous, but was finally brought to the station house by Burton, and afterwards taken before Justice Dutcher. The matter was settled by Stewart’s paying damages and costs. Stewart bears a bad reputation where he came from, and has gone back to his old quarters in Newburgh.
125 years ago
May 30, 1895
Forty-seven-year-old cake
Judge and Mrs. Wm. H. Crane, of Port Jervis, entertained a few friends last week and among the refreshments served was a portion of cake which figured at the wedding of Rev. J.T. Crane and Miss Helen Peck in the year 1848, the cake being forty-seven years old. The Union says: “While it can hardly be said that cake like wine, improves with age, the specimen in question has retained much of its original flavor and looks and tastes like cake. Having resisted the destructive action of time and nearly half a century, there is no apparent reason why it should not last another fifty years and figure at the wedding of come of Judge Crane’s grandchildren.”
100 years ago
May 27, 1920
House damaged by lightning
Large pine tree shattered
During the heavy shower last Friday evening a bolt of lightning struck one of the three large pine trees in front of the residence of William N. Rutan, on Sparta Avenue. The tree was shattered, and the bolt passed to the porch of the house, tearing away one corner of the porch and a number of the weather boards on the front of the house. The damage to the building is estimated at about seventy-five dollars. In several parts of the town the air was permeated with electricity, and it was believed lightning had struck near by, investigation, however, revealed no sign of the lightning having struck anywhere in the vicinity.
75 years ago
May 24, 1945
This Saturday is Poppy Day
Girl Scouts and Junior Auxiliary to assist again in Newton
Girl Scouts and the Junior Auxiliary will again assist in the annual Poppy Sale of the Lt. Charles A. Meyer Unit, American Legion Auxiliary, in Newton on Saturday. Girl Scouts also will assist in Andover, which with Lafayette and Sparta-Lake Mohawk are part of the district covered by Newton Unit.
Mrs. Louise Murphy is chairman of the annual Poppy Sale. Mrs. Eda Kilpatrick is in charge of Andover.Mrs. Ann Barber, Lafayette and Mrs. Ethel Knoll, Sparta-Lake Mohawk. Poppy Sale Headquarters will be in the former Wenzel store at 49 Spring Street.
Veterans of World War I and World War II are expected to be among the first to buy a poppy on Poppy Day, Saturday, according to Ralph A. Smith, commander of Lt. Charles A. Meyer Post, American Legion. “Today as in 1917 and 1918 our men are again fighting overseas, giving their lives that we may be safe.” These boys are our relatives, our neighbors, our friends. It is grievous to us that they must suffer, and who better appreciates the amount of suffering they endure than the veterans of this war and the last. Those on the home front who wish to show they remember and revere those who died in both wars wear a poppy. This little red flower expresses for us feelings too deep to put into words. Girl Scouts and Junior Auxiliary members will be on the streets all day Saturday offering the poppies made by disabled veterans to the public. I am sure that veterans and civilians alike will be eager to wear the little read symbol of sacrifice.“
“The wearing of the poppy has become a silent pledge, renewed each year, that the people of America have not forgotten the responsibility they have been given by their fighting men of both wars,” said Mrs. Mary S. Van Ness, president of Newton American Legion Auxiliary. “Many of these men have given their lives or health for us and it is with deep gratitude to them that we set aside a day on which to honor them and assure them that we remember our promise ”to take up our quarrel with the foe: and hold the torch high.“
50 years ago
May 28, 1970
’Half a hamburger to go please’
ANDOVER — Last October, Bates Bros. were moving the first half of a diner’s shell from Lakewood to Tannersville, N.Y., when they ran into some trouble getting the frame, tractor and trailer through Newton’s hills.
Heads were put together and it was decided the second half would be moved Monday — this time up Route 517 to avoid stalling.
Problem was, there are hills around Lake Lenape and as the rig approached the home of Charles Cornine, history repeated itself and the truck refused to move once again. This time Cornine’s big tractor was hired to haul the rig to Sparta Road, but not before traffic in both directions was halted for half an hour.
Hungry drivers on the way home from work might have been miffed with being held from dinner by half an hour. Maybe they should have asked for half a hamburger while they waited.
25 years ago
May 24, 1995
Miss Sparta’s crown has no place to rest
SPARTA — Miss Sparta, we hardly knew ye.
Around since the 1920s, this year she’s taking a break.
It will mark the first year in Miss Sparta’s history that the township has failed to round up enough contestants to hold the yearly pageant.
The Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta solicits contestants for the event at Sparta Day, but this year only one young woman from the township has applied, said Township Manager David Ferguson.
“There just isn’t the interest. One of the reasons is the intense school schedules. Among other things, the girls are simply booked,” Ferguson said at the Township Council’s Tuesday meeting. He said Sparta Day falls on June 10, amidst events like high school graduation and Project Graduation.
Ferguson also speculated that perhaps there is the feeling that the pageant is “passe” and interest in low. Councilwoman Dorothy Witte said that last year the township had a difficult time finding entrants.
The beauty contest is open to young women from age 17 to 21.
Miss Sparta goes on to represent the township in the Queen of the Fair pageant at the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show.
Councilman George Dykstra said he was disappointed that the contest would be scrapped and that the township would have no representation at the county fair. “There’s a lot of pretty girls in this town,” he said.
Mayor Michael Devine said the council has to listen to the community and apparently, there is no interest. However, he expressed a faint hope that perhaps some contestants may step forward in an 11th hour move.
Let’s block ads! (Why?)
[ad_2]
