OUR LOSS: One of our first acquaintances upon moving to Bradford
was Wilbur Williams, then a state “fish warden” who took
particular joy in pointing out some horrendous examples of oil
pollution in our creeks.
That was about 30 years ago before many of our environmental
laws were in place.
He was a bane of oilmen but, ’til his dying day, a real friend
to fish and a strong advocate for clean streams in this
region.
People forget that, long before there were so-called
environmentalists, it was the fish (and game) wardens who were the
bona fide “conservationists,” keeping any eye out for pollution in
our waterways. (That was before their job entailed spying at
boaters with binoculars, checking for people tipping a few
beers.)
Wilbur, who was 94 when he passed away last week, called us from
time to time with a tidbit for Round the Square. Our region will
miss his vigilance and the fish will miss a friend.
Our condolences to his family.
GAS PAIN: Jim Long of Bradford phoned last Thursday to report
gas prices just south of us: Johnsonburg had $2.65; Ridgway and
Falls Creek, $2.59; and DuBois $2.69.
SMETHPORT NOTE: Jerry Kleisath e-mails us: “Gaskin’s barber shop
was on Main Street across from the Legion Home. I remember getting
my hair cut there many times, but we didn’t notice the difference
in color in Smethport.”
THOSE ‘REDMEN’: Cleaning out our computer files, we came across
an item that got lost in the December shuffle. It was about that
Redmen’s Club on West Washington Street, an RTS subject from quite
awhile ago.
Martha Gould McCabe had written us that her grandfather, Emil
Johnson, was a “Redman.”
“The group dressed in Indian costumes, complete with feathered
headdresses and moccasins to march in all the Main Street parades.
I don’t know the history of the group because I was less than 7
years old at the time. I’m hoping some of my family members have
some recollections to share and I will pass them on,” she said.
We welcome any other information about this fascinating — if
politically incorrect! — group of men.
