Culled by Judy Garrison With commentary by Jim Andrews From February 1921 issues of
The Andes Recorder
100 Years Ago
WEEK IN AND ABOUT ANDES
Events of a week as chronicled by the Man on the Street
Uncle Abe says he’d rather be a healthy hobo than a millionaire with a misery.
A school day was wasted Thursday by teachers being taken to Margaretville for a conference. [Jim Andrews: Another editorial comment!]
ANDES FARMERS UP IN ARMS
The chief topic in Andes the past week and still is “Milk”. The league price for February is $2.58 per hundred for 3 percent milk in this zone as sent out from league headquarters, The Andes Creamery Company and L. B. Samuels, who leases the Co-Operative Dairy plant, refused to pay the league price.
Farmers belonging to the league could not accept a less price without paying a fine to the league, so on February 1st no milk was delivered. Wednesday nearly all the milk went to the Delaware & Greene creamery at Arkville by truck…It is a bad situation from whatever angle you take it—for the farmer, the creameries and the village. About 18 families in the village depend on the two creameries for the labor which gives them their daily bread. The farmers simply fighting for existance [sic] and hoping for betterment in conditions. They cannot continue month after month to produce at a loss.
Dr. C. L. Wakeman, who went to Steubenville, Ohio, about two years ago, returned to Andes on Wednesday and will resume his practice here. [JA: Dr. Wakeman was the beloved doctor in this area for decades after.]
Mrs. C. B. Monroe returned home Saturday from Worcester, where she had been for two weeks caring for her son, Earl, who was ill with diphtheria. His condition is much improved.
There is a gigantic plan on foot to harness the Delaware river and to supply power for New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania and southern New York. The plan has been developed to a point where it needs only the final approval of the Federal Water Power commission to start preliminary construction work. About $1,000,000 has been expended for sites, surveys, drawing the plans, etc. It is planned to build dams at East Branch, Cannonsville, Hancock and Livingston Manor. It is estimated that not less than $100,000,000 will be spent during the next ten years. Should this go through the main reservoir would be built at a point near Shinhopple, Delaware county, with dams at various points further down the river. Downsville would be nearly under water and would be wiped off the map. Surveyors have been up the river as far as Pepacton. [JA: The original plan was to build the dam near Shinhopple, but the plan was soon revised to construct the dam above Downsville. This confirms that the fate of the residents of the East Branch valley had been determined as early as 1921.]
Residents of Margaretville are calling attention to the fact that flocks of cranes have been seen flying northward over that village. This is an unusual occurrence at this time of year and many believe betokens an early spring.
Scranton is said now to rival Reno as a divorce center. Judge George W. Maxey disposed of 84 cases in two days at Scranton. The average time for a case was five minutes.
Another red menace: Fifteen year-old girls with the rouge habit. [JA: Editorial comment again.]
Shocking immoral conditions have been disclosed as a result of a visit of C. H. Phelps, humane officer, to Arkville and Margaretville. It is stated that no less than 20 cases of rape upon a half dozen girls from 14 to 16 years have been unearthed. The revelations are believed to disclose a condition unequalled in the history of the county. As a result thus far of Mr. Phelps, Maud Finch of Arkville is in the Western House of Refuge, and Pearl Avery of Margaretville, was taken to the Training School for Girls at Hudson. Only one male offender, Jake Froelich, has been apprehended and his fine was $50 and 3 months in penitentiary. [JA: Obviously the penalty paid for rape (of minors, mind you) was far less than it is today.]
[in another entry]…Maude Finch of Arkville was taken into custody and lodged in the Delhi jail last Sunday of Officer Ferdinand Clute. She was charged as being a common prostitute, the same being preferred by Humane Officer Phelps. The prisoner was taken to Albion Tuesday and committed to the Western House of Refuge.
With this issue the present editor of the Recorder completes 27 years as its publisher—more than half the entire time the paper has been published and nearly three times as long as any of our predecessors. The changes are many. Less than one-eighth of those who resided in the village then are living here to-day. Less than a dozen couples are still living together that were then married, and about a dozen houses are occupied by the same family or a member of it.
George Baker, one of New Kingston valley’s oldest residents, died at his home Saturday morning of pneumonia. Mr. Baker had suffered with blood poisoning in one hand, and went to the Benedictine Hospital in Kingston for treatment where he contracted the measles, which finally developed into pneumonia. About 40 years ago he carried the mail by foot over the hill from Margaretville. In the famous blizzard of ’88 he nearly perished on his return trip which he finished by walking on stone walls.
The complete enrollment figures for the country, 1920-21, are as follows: Number of enrolled voters—Republican, 11,227; Democratic, 4,239; Socialist, 95; Prohibition, 433, no designation, 553; void, 50; grand total, 16,397. Of the total enrolled voters, 10,075 were men and 6,322 women.~