LONG ‘PAWS’: A Rixford reader offers a possible explanation for
that black bear we had told you about with the gigantic feet. He
writes, “What I believe we have here is NOT the common black bear
(Ursus Americanus) but rather the rare (and not indigenous to this
area) Ursus Hesitatus. This would explain the long … paws.”

GEN. GRANT: Holly Marocchi of DeLand, Fla., has a note to add to
our commentary about President U.S. Grant fishing in this area:

“My great-grandfather from Kane, Pa., took Gen. Grant fishing in
the area, only to encounter the game warden! This is documented in
the book ‘Kane in the Upper Alleghenies.’ Gen. Grant gave his
monogrammed sterling silver cigarette case to my great-grandfather
for his ‘assistance’ with the game warden.”

DETROIT TRIP: George Bove of Bradford tells us that there was
one year – and one year only, apparently – that Bradford’s school
patrol boys took their annual trip not to Washington, D.C., but to
Detroit, Mich. And they went by boat! George said it was right
after World War II, probably 1946. After the trip to Detroit that
one year, the school patrols returned to the nation’s capital.

ON THE DIAL: Denny Ordiway in Emporium adds a bit more to our
columns on local radio stations:

“I grew up in the 1960s on the Hilltop with a great AM station
in Buffalo – 1520 WKBW. Back then, radio stations boosted their
power after midnight, and my favorite was WLS in Chicago,” he
writes.

“Another radio station was 600 on the dial – WFRM Coudersport –
and Ed Easton was doing the broadcasting. My dad would listen to
this station on his way to work at Ford Brothers pipe yard in Duke
Center.”

Speaking of radio commentary, we heard from Kim M. Lenaway
regarding a note from Kate Lenaway: “Regarding her letter which
appeared in the April 5 column of RTS, she is the third of nine
grandchildren, and that is important because the elder grandsons
have real memories of Guy Willie’s antics.”

ICE COMPANY: A caller tells us he remembered the Fresh Water Ice
Co. on Cherry Street. In front was a pond inhabited by fish – large
fish, probably Japanese carp, he says.

A short stocky Italian fellow used to deliver the ice all around
town and “he always had a big smile on his face.”