Week of December 13

December 12, 1874 – 150 YEARS AGO

Rockland County Journal

NEW ICE COMPANY

           The “Rockland Springs Ice Company” is an institution which has lately been formed in our county, with Wm. B. Slouch for President, J. J. Van Boskirk, Vice-President, E. Pierson, Superintendent, and Henry A. Weeks, Secretary.

       The prospectus informs us that the Company have leased land and water privileges on the railroad west of Blauveltville, for a term of fifty years, which will afford the Company a cutting capacity, in the season, of from fifty to one hundred thousand tons of clear spring water ice.

       The company claim that by reason of an upper lake, the water of which they can regulate at will, they will be enabled to overflow a lower body of water or ice, and thus make ice of any desired thickness, even at a moderate freezing temperature, or as it is made for skating ponds in Central Park.

       The company intend and have entered into contract to ship their ice by the Erie Railway, and their market will be the principal cities and towns of New Jersey.

AROUND HOME

  ☞  A distinct shock of earthquake was felt in our village on Thursday night. Houses were jarred and window panes shaken is though a heavy explosion had occurred in our midst. The shock appeared heaviest along the range of hills which bound our village to the west, some of the dwellings there situated shaking violently. A friend of ours says he has felt shocks of earthquake in South America no greater than the one here on Thursday night.

December 11, 1924 – 100 YEARS AGO

Pearl River News

SCARLET FEVER EPIDEMIC IN SPRING VALLEY

       A Scarlet Fever Epidemic has been running for several weeks in Spring Valley. Due to several cases in the 2-A grade of the Grammar School, this class closed for several days. The epidemic has abated somewhat and we trust is under control.

CHANGE ARTIST SUCCESSFUL IN POST OFFICES — Smiling Stranger Robs Nanuet and Pearl River Post-Masters of Twenty Dollars; Committed Second Offense while First Victim Was Chasing Him; Warning Sent to Balance of Uncle Sam's Agents in County

[Image: Post Office, Pearl River, ca. 1900. Image courtesy of the Nyack Library, via NYHeritage.org.]

       New City, N.Y., Dec. 9—Somewhere today a young man is chuckling at the ease with which he duped two post offices yesterday into presenting him with ten dollar bills in exchange for his "blarney" and speed.

       Shortly before one o'clock yesterday a young man about 25 well dressed, smooth-shaven, walked into the Nanuet Post Office where George Edsall, Postmaster, was on duty.

       Smiling agreeably, and commenting upon the unpleasant weather, the stranger presented a twenty dollar bill and asked for a few two cent stamps. The postmaster gave him these, and the change, consisting of ten, a five, four ones, and silver. The young man then asked for change for the ten.

       Unsuspectingly, Edsall handed out another five and five ones. The stranger, however, neglected to hand back the ten dollar bill, but, scooping up all the money, ran from the Post Office to his car, parked a short distance away and fled.

       Edsall gave chase in a few minutes, but due to the fog, was unable to trace him. The Nanuet postmaster then started for Pearl River, to warn Postmaster Harms. When he got there and described the young man, he found that the persuasive stranger had just left, carrying with him a $10 contribution from Mr. Harms.

       Appalled at the strangers unprecedented nerve, Edsall then telephoned to all the other post offices in Rockland County, warning them to be on the look-out for the young Wallingford. "If I had presence of mind to telephone to Pearl River before I started in the car, we could have caught him," said Mr. Edsall this morning.

       The description, as given the Sheriff's office by Mr. Edsall follows: age about 25; height about 5 feet 8 inches; smooth-shaven; light over coat and light gray hat; weight about 160 pounds.

December 12, 1974 – 50 YEARS AGO

The Journal News

CLARKSTOWN OK’S HOSTEL

    The Clarkstown Town Board voted Wednesday to approve the county's first hostel for mentally handicapped adults.

       The board voted 4-0, with Councilman John Maloney absent, after public hearing on the proposed home on land given to Camp Venture by St. Agatha's Home in Nanuet.

       The hostel will provide housing outside institution life for about 24 retarded adults over age 21. They will be able to commute from there to whatever job they are able to perform.

       Mrs. Kathleen Lukens, president of Camp Venture, Inc., told the audience of about 100 that the objections raised to such a home were mainly based on the nearby residents wish not to have the people in their neighbor-hood.

       “They didn't think the retarded had a right to walk down their streets," Mrs. Lukens said of the neighbors who had contacted her.

       But after Mrs. Lukens and others spoke of the need for a home atmosphere for these people—rather than a crowded institution there was no objection and the board voted immediately.

This Week in Rockland (#FBF Flashback Friday) is prepared by Clare Sheridan on behalf of the Historical Society of Rockland County. © 2024 by The Historical Society of Rockland County. #FBF Flashback Friday may be reprinted only with written permission from the HSRC. To learn about the HSRC’s mission, upcoming events or programs, visit www.RocklandHistory.org or call (845) 634-9629.