The Way We Were

Culled by Judy Garrison

From September 1912 issues of

The Andes Recorder

100 Years Ago

 WEEK IN AND ABOUT ANDES

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  Events of a Week as Chronicled by

the Man on the Street

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 With commentary by Jim Andrews

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 The town board met Tuesday and designated Union Hall, Andes, as the polling place in Dist. No. 1 and the Tompkins hall, Union Grove, polling place in Dist. No. 2. [Jim Andrews: Union Hall was another name given to the Town Hall, also called Bassett’s Hall (for Peter Bassett who owned it), now Alfalfa’s and Tin Horn.]

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Wednesday Dr. Marx, Dr. Shea, Dr. Mills and John Knapp started out to climb Craig Mountain but climbed a tree instead. [JA: I wonder if this Craig Mountain is the same that we refer to now as “Craig Hill”—the location of the former radar tower and the current location of one of the county’s 911 towers?] The party had reached midway of the mountain when they were ambushed by a bull in a clump of brush near the edge of the woods. Mills, in the lead, promptly took to “tall timber” and escaped. The bull by a quick flank movement put Marx up a tree, by further maneuvers also routed Knapp and Shea and they, on the double quick, sought the protection of a forest monarch. General Bull having succeeded in surrounding the enemy prepared for a siege. The stern old veteran was deaf alike to the endearing words of Knapp…nor Shea’s repeated suggestions that he go get a drink or take a (k)nap. As for Marx, words failed him and he could only gaze with longing toward the Tremperskill.

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An hour passed and the bull relaxing its vigilance somewhat, Marx came off his perch and escaped. In the meantime Mills unaware of the perdiciment [sic] of his companions reached the top of the mountain and after enjoying the beauties of the scenery started on the return trip. At the foot of the hill he found Marx and together they went to the aid of their companions Finally they succeeded in getting the attention of the bull and Knapp and Shea dropped from the tree (after a vigil of two hours) and the four started at breakneck speed down the steep acclivity with the bull in close pursuit and they finally escaped, thanks to the stone wall, and came out at A. A. Dowie’s. The M.D.s are convinced that this was the worst “case” they ever tackled. It was “bull run” and the southerner ran this time.

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The month just closed, according to records of the weather Bureau, was the coldest August since 1903. Monday was the coldest September 2d in 27 years, and lacked only three degrees of the coldest September 2d on record. In the west extreme heat has prevailed for several days and nine died of heat in Chicago. The middle west suffers from cloudbursts and floods and 24 persons are dead. [Ed.: the extreme weather conditions sound very familiar.]

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The constant change in the styles of footwear brings loss to both retailer and customer. Dame Fashion tires of certain styles so quickly that the retailers are unable to dispose of the stock on hand. This loss they pass along to the consumer, and the result is the steady increase in the price of footwear. The shoe men want styles standardized and the evolution of freak shoes abandoned. [Ed.: This editor’s head would be swimming at the proliferation of styles and the rapidity of style changes in today’s world.]

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The high cost of living is a frequent topic of conversation, but how many give a thought to the cost of high living. Conditions have changed and people now buy much more and produce less than their fathers and mothers, or grandfathers and grandmothers did. It costs more to live because everyone lives on a broad scale. The time was, and not so long ago either, that nearly every villager kept a cow, made their own butter and raised their own pork; bought beef by the side, mackerel by the kit, and had a big supply of dried fruits. But now all is changed and canned goods is the chief reliance of many families, and even many farmers buy nearly everything except milk. And then the matter of following fashion’s dictates is a mighty factor of expense. If people were content to adopt the living of four or five decades ago the high cost of living would disappear. [Ed.: Are you listening out there: buy a cow now!]

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Dr. Joseph Goldberger and Dr. John F. Anderson, of the hygienic laboratory United States health service, claim to have traced typhus fever to the louse as a carrier. Typhus fever is one of the six diseases the United States considers so dangerous that special quarantine regulations have been issued against it.~