From the Archives, Feb. 2 - Lifestyle - New Jersey Herald

150 years ago

Feb. 3, 1870

A handsome widow and her victims

The Chicago Tribune thus shows up a “dodge” by which a number of young chaps have been “taken in.”

There appeared on a certain day, in each of the daily papers, an advertisement setting forth that a “young widow lady, of refinement, education, beauty and wealth, intends to make the tour of the Continent, and wishes to engage as a companion and protector, a young gentleman of cultivation and refinement, who will receive a liberal salary and have all his expenses paid.” That brings a crows of the prettiest young men in town to the office of the “Employment Bureau” man, who acts as her agent. Each takes him aside and says, quite confidentially; “My dear fellow, if you get the engagement for me, I will give you” (twenty-five or fifty dollars, as the case might be). Then the agent says: “My dear sir, I don’t think I ought to do it, but still I like your looks and think the lady will — yes, I am sure she will, and I have influence with her; so just take a note from me, see her, and come back.” Each understand that “come back” it means “come down” after the engagement is obtained.

Each and all see her in turn, in a magnificent brown stone mansion, and they find her very pretty, very smart; and when she seems to take a great fancy to each in his order, and engages him as her companion at a splendid salary, each pronounces her an exceedingly charming woman, and himself one of the luckiest men alive. She engages them all, and they all return and pay the agent his handsome fee. The net day the office is closed, the rent has been about due, and this was the grand coup of the agent’s art to close in a blaze of professional glory, “bilking” even the landlord and the man from whom he hired his furniture. As for the beautiful young widow, the places which knew her know her no more. She only engaged board for the week in the brown stone mansion, and left before the week was up.

125 years ago

Feb. 7, 1895

Died suddenly of paralysis

Sudden death of Thomas Hibler — The third mail carrier between Lehigh Junction and Andover who has died of paralysis

The citizens of Andover were surprised to learn of the sudden death of Thomas Hibler, which occurred from paralysis on Wednesday morning of this week. For some time he had been engaged in carrying the mail from the Lehigh & Hudson station to the Andover post office. On the morning of his death he was quite as well as usual and came to the Lehigh station, and after sitting in the depot for about 20 minutes was taken violently ill and fell to the floor. Dr. Straley was at once summoned, as were also members of his family. He lived for probably 20 minutes but never fully regained consciousness. Mr. Hibler was aged about 60 years his whole life having been passed in Sussex County. For many years he occupied a farm near Springdale, but four years ago he sold this farm and removed to Andover. He is survived by his wife, to whom he was married last fall, and two children by his first wife, Lewis, who is engaged in a Morristown bank, and Samuel, a farmer of Nebraska. The deceased was an honorable upright citizen, and respected by his neighbors. He was a member of the Royal Arcanum Society of Andover, in which society he carried a life insurance policy of $1,500. Funeral at 11 o’clock Monday net.

An unusual coincidence is noted in the death of Mr. Hibler. He is the third person employed in carrying the mail from Andover to the Lehigh station, who has died of paralysis. Only five weeks ago, Jacob Pollard, his predecessor, was stricken and fell dead while engaged at his duty. Mr. Pollard’s predecessor, James Young was also stricken with paralysis and died shortly after having been removed to his home. Another man who was also engaged in carrying the mail from Andover to this station, after he had resigned, was also stricken with paralysis while engaged in drawing ice, but the stroke was not followed by fatal results. This succession of fatalities is the subject of much discussion in that locality, and is so remarkable that it’s parallel is difficult to equal.

100 years ago

Feb. 5, 1920

Fire at Stanhope

Three business places damaged

Stanhope had a threatening fire Sunday afternoon in which three business places were damaged and considerable stock destroyed. The fire broke out in the Stackhouse bakery, and proved a very stubborn fire to fight, the fire departments of Stanhope and Netcong being on the scene the entire afternoon. The fire from the Stackhouse bakery extended to the grocery store of County Tax Commissioner John O. Bissell, Durham’s grocery store and the residence of John Keller. Other buildings were on fire several times, but the flames were quickly extinguished before any headway was made. The buildings above named were damaged to the extent of several thousand dollars, and a considerable portion of the stock in the three business places were badly damaged. Mr. Stackhouse’s stock of $1,000 worth of flour and several barrels of sugar were ruined by water and smoke. The loss on buildings and stock is partly covered by insurance. The firemen were handicapped by frozen hydrants.

75 years ago

Feb. 8, 1945

Brownout in force in business section

Business men cooperate in WPB order to dave coal and other fuel

Newton began general observance of the War Production Board’s recent “brownout” order this week.

The order calls for the elimination of unnecessary electrical lighting to save coal and other fuels. At the direction of the Town Committee in compliance with WPB’s order, the police called upon business places and the theaters with neon lights and asked that they be turned off. Monday night the town was thoroughly browned out, general cooperation being accorded by the business men. The ruling extended to neon and other lights in windows, only lights in entrances being allowed.

The order states that all lighting except that determined to be necessary for public safety. The order was effective Feb. 1 and some of the merchants and theaters cooperated. Others willingly cooperated when the matter was brought to their attention by the police.

50 years ago

Feb. 5, 1970

School flunks sale test

The school nobody wants is begging for takers

The Linden Avenue School in Stanhope, up for sale for almost two years, is unique in this day and age of school construction referendums by municipalities with growing pains. In June of 1968, the board of education approved the sale of the building, listing it as obsolete.

The single interest in the structure was from the local fire department and it wanted only the eagle on top of the cupola. After taking that down, interest fizzled outside of the Mount Olive school board which leases part of the annex as temporary classrooms until its building program is completed, no one else has offered ideas for the structure.

Perhaps someone might take a hint from an obsolete school building in Dover, which was turned into a profitable apartment building with a few minor changes.

25 years ago

Feb. 2, 1995

Groundhog Day reveals signs of early spring

No shadow seen at Space Farms

WANTAGE — Sussex County’s own furry forecaster agreed with the decision of his peers Thursday morning.

There will be an early spring.

Stonewall, age 4, is the groundhog in residence at Space Farms in Wantage, and gives the local perspective on Groundhog Day. Weighing a healthy 10 pounds, Stonewall emerged from his den Thursday and did not see his shadow, said Parker Space, a zoo keeper at Space Farms.

Last year, Stonewall was snowed in, but this year’s milder winter gave way to high hopes earlier this week that Stonewall would predict that spring was on the way.

Legend has it that if the groundhog doesn’t see his shadow, we can look forward to an early spring; if he does — look out, they’ll be six more weeks of winter. It is believed that German immigrants who settled in Punxsutawney, Pa., area started the rumor.

Punxsutawney Phil is one of Pennsylvania’s most prominent citizens. Each year as they have since 1887, those who believe rout Phil from his den to determine whether there will be an early spring.

Phil was dragged from his burrow Thursday morning at 7:29 a.m. by handler Bill Deeley. He was placed on a stump outside his home, and failed to see his shadow.

His forecast was announced to a cheering crowd of about 7,000 people who witnessed the annual event.

Veteran woodchuck Charles G. Hog, “Chuck” to his friends, also peeked from his pen Thursday and spotted cloudy skies. “He did not see his shadow,” said Staten Island zookeeper Vincent N Gattullo. “Spring is around the corner.”

Unlike last year, which produced record snowstorms, this year’s groundhog prediction may not seem as significant because of the milder weather.

Phil is not only honored on Groundhog Day, but also during the Groundhog Festival in June. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club claims a membership that numbers in the thousands.

A life-size statue of Phil and a groundhog zoo are exhibited at the Mahoning East Civic Center festival during the week of July 4.

Now, it seems that Phil has a feisty rival, Pocono Philomena.

Recently, the animal keepers at Claws ’N’ Paws Animal Park in the Poconos tried to lure Pocono Philomena out of her den to give the female perspective on Groundhog Day.

But even dishes piled high with carrots, corn on the cob, animal biscuits and other groundhog delights could not entice this bewitching female, a park spokeswoman said.

Fred Space of Space Farms has said each woodchuck on a farm is estimated by the state Department of Agriculture to cost a farmer about $20 a year in crop damage.

He said the groundhog awakens in early February and is actually looking for a mate.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.njherald.com/lifestyle/20200202/from-archives-feb-2

2020-02-02 06:27:03Z
CBMiP2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5qaGVyYWxkLmNvbS9saWZlc3R5bGUvMjAyMDAyMDIvZnJvbS1hcmNoaXZlcy1mZWItMtIBAA

Bagikan Berita Ini