Culled by Judy Garrison With Commentary by Jim Andrews
From October 1919 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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The fire department was called out Saturday afternoon by a fire at the residence of Dr. C. L. Wakeman on Delaware Avenue, but soon succeeded in putting it out. The chimney on the rear wing of the house had burned out earlier in the day and the fire must have been smouldering for several hours, but was confined around the chimney. Four rooms were damaged by smoke and water but the damage was covered by insurance. The fire again broke out around the chimney soon after dark but was easily extinguished by Emory Armstrong who was keeping watch. [Jim Andrews: This was the Italianate house which occupied the site of the Andes Town Pool. The back bay of the house contained the kitchen. Chimneys of that era generally ran up through the center of the house, so that multiple stoves could be connected to the same chimney. This chimney passed through the upper story. The chimney had “burned out” earlier in the day, but apparently managed to ignite surrounding materials. The fire department managed to put out the fire, but thanks to Emory Armstrong (Bob Armstrong’s grandfather) who was keeping watch, the fire was discovered when it rekindled, and was put out. Our fire department has a thermal imaging camera which can detect “hot spots” if any exist, prior to the department’s departure. In the case of a larger fire, the department still has several department members and a truck “keep watch” until they are positive the fire will not rekindle. This is a good example of what happens when you don’t have your wood-burning chimneys cleaned on a regular basis.]
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Mrs. F. W. Terry, of Edmeston, was an Andes visitor Friday and Saturday and arranged for the putting in of the foundation for a monument in Rural cemetery. She will be remembered as Minerva Goodman. [JA: This monument in the Rural Cemetery is the largest and most elaborate, featuring a granite statue atop the monument and is aptly marked as “Minerva”. The cemetery being small, it’s the most prominent monument there. The cemetery is located on New Cemetery Road at the top of High Street.]
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Leslie Woolheater buys store of Wm Clement on Delaware Avenue. [JA: To middle-aged natives, this was the “Snack Shop” building. Les Woolheater operated a general store there for a period and then converted it to a luncheonette. “Les Woolheater’s” was a popular hangout for high school kids in the ‘30s. The business was then purchased by Stewart and LaVerne Ford who ran the “Snack Shop” well into the 1970s. The building, incidentally, is the oldest surviving commercial building in Andes, it being moved by the Dowie family prior to 1858 from its former site on the corner to its current location next to the Tremperskill Stream. Suzanne Fortin now operates her stained glass studio “Atelier Aubergine” at this location.]
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There has recently begun throughout Delaware county the Tuberculosis service available in cities, in the way of free clinics for diagnosis, a Visiting Nurse, and instruction to the public as to essential facts about tuberculosis.[Miss Foote’s] home office will be at Walton. Miss Mabel Gladstone, of Andes, has been employed as stenographer and record secretary…[JA: Tuberculosis was a huge health threat at this time. Also called “consumption,” it claimed many, many lives in our area. It was highly contagious and could spread throughout an entire household. In my mother’s family from Shavertown, my great-grandfather McCune (48), great-great-aunt (22) and two Shaver brothers in their early 20s were claimed by this horrible disease. This news clip demonstrates the county’s attempt to educate the public. Although a cure was not available at that time, efforts were being made to contain its spread.]