Puffs

Everyone enjoys different work, experiences, joy, sorrow and anger. That’s what makes life so interesting. One’s preference does not make other choices “wrong”, they are just different unless they violate moral laws, or even some human laws.

I was reminded of this as of late when I was asked to do a little research into the history of Sacred Heart church in Lawrence and what were things like in the early 1900s when the church in Lawrence was being built. It is amazing what history a person can find and what history cannot be found.

I spent several days last week going through copies of “The Lawrence Locomotive” newspaper looking for some of the history I hoped to find. Some was available, some was not. The time consuming part of the search was my tendency to get off track at times reading items that had nothing to do with the church history. I decided to make note of some of them this week for this column of “old news.”

CORN – One of the most popular items of conversation in 1924, as it is today, considering how dry it is. One large news item was a report on field test plots of corn production averages. It was broken down into different varieties and most all reported yields of between 39 and 45 bushels per acre. The article did not say if those production reports were above or below average (good or bad), just that was what they were.

What do you suppose one of those farmers in 1924 would say with production of more than 200 bushels an acre we often see today on irrigated land?

Interesting change!

VOTING – In my lifetime people have argued over whether or not voting is a “duty” or a “privilege” which we should undertake. Well, back in 1924 it seems that Australia answered that question. Seems their legislature passed a law imposing a $10 fine on anyone who failed to vote. No details on how that system would operate and I have no idea if the law still stands. 1924 was an ‘election year’ and one news item after the election reported the following: “We will hear a whole lot less of the KuKlux Klan from now on since the election is past. There will be little to keep it going.”

NIAGARA FALLS – It was twice in 1924 that a headline read: “Niagara Falls Dry by 3,924.” A lengthy news report was printed twice in 1924 telling us that the famous tourist destination was going to be gone by the year 3,924. It went into the reasons why but didn’t urge any action to save the Falls.

SUNDAY MAIL CARRIER: The U. S. Postal Service advertised for an employee to deliver and pick up mail between Lawrence and Glenvil on Sunday. I can barely remember the days when we had Sunday mail delivery. Postmaster, ‘Doc’ Barrett would make sure the mail was ‘out’ by the time the 8 a.m. Mass concluded so people could stop and pick up their mail. Glen, or Bob, Friend made sure they would leave Mass just a little early so they could get uptown to open the grocery store for the people as well.

STREETS – In October of 1923, it seems that main street received a ‘make-over.’ Several news items talked about the condition of the street and how people had to contend with the mud and slop after a rain. The city government was greatly praised after the gutter work was done and the sand applied to Main Street.

WOLF HUNTS – News items reported on ‘Wolf Hunts’ during the 1923s and 1924s fairly often. The size of the hunts varied from around two square miles up to around eight square miles. The men appointed to certain points were reported in the newspaper. Success seemed to vary considerably. Very few wolves were ever killed, but coyotes were often found and destroyed. The price for the furs made the effort worthwhile, it seemed. Destruction of livestock to area farmers seemed to be the prime reason for the hunts. They must have been successful in eliminating the wolves as Nebraska went for many, many years before any wolves were reported again in the state. A report in November of 1924 reported Mr. Ed Hofstetter was injured in a Coyote Hunt near Bushnell, Nebraska because a a car malfunctioned.

PROBATION – A number of news items gave information about Sheriff Raids in the area to enforce the laws concerning alcohol usage. One such raid southeast of Pauline produced 12 gallons of homemade whiskey. No arrest was made as the person with the whiskey said he would come to town voluntarily today to answer the complaint.

WEATHER – A favorite topic of conversation in 1924 as it is today. A sample of one weather report: “A thunderstorm is reported to have been in progress here Wednesday night of last week, when the rain fell, in the earlier part of the night. A thunder shower on Dec. 3 is getting a little bit late to save the corn – as a feller says.” (In 2024 we’re wondering if an inch of rain at the end of July is enough to save the corn.)

HUNTING – An interesting news item in 1924: “A somewhat rare capture was made 10 days ago when Johnny Maloney shot and killed a porcupine out on the old Maloney farm southeast of Lawrence. The boys were out in the timber with their guns when one of them spied some kind of a large rodent lodged up in the branches of a tree and when the thing was shot, the spines fell to the ground and it was then the boys discovered they had shot a porcupine. The dead animal weighed 14 pounds. It was brought to town by the Kathman boys and left with Ben Mosenbrook at the F. U. cream station where a great many called to view the new comer. The boys kept a few bunches of quills as specimens and buried the decaying remains.

CORNERSTONE – Someday, we may know . . . a news article in 1924 about the laying of the cornerstone of the church being built said the following: “The cornerstone, with the numerous keepsakes was placed in the southeast corner of the building.” I wonder if I’ll still be around when someone finds just what was placed in that cornerstone.

A O

I also wonder what will interest someone 100 years from now about the year 2024?

A O