HISTORIC: We hope readers are as enamored with the language used in century-old Era stories as we are.
We took a look back at editions in September of 1908. The old editions were completely different than today’s, with no photos, a few drawings and notes about people’s trips, accomplishments, injuries or foibles making the news.
On Sept. 1, 1908, this story ran: “A very ‘paneful’ affair was that which resulted in the breaking of a window at the Emery Hardware Co. store yesterday. A window display of curios from the Emery Museum was being placed in position, among the objects being the huge jawbone of a whale. The jawbone in some manner lost its balance and fell forward, striking the glass, A big hole in the window was the result. The window was insured, however.”
Two days later, a writer’s discontent with hooligans was plain to see.
“There are in Bradford a choice assortment of young hoodlums who seem to have no ambition in life but to be thugs and lawbreakers. Some of them are thieves; others simply brawlers and idlers. They are a constant source of annoyance to the police and they bring humiliation and disgrace to respectable parents. If the authorities should start a chain gang and compel these young ruffians to break stones with heavy hammers on the streets, the punishment would be merited and it might be some benefit as a reformatory measure.”
OLD NEWS: On Sept. 5, 1908, The Era ran a story about some economic development in McKean County.
“The Tuna Manufacturing Co. of Bradford has just received a contract from Elisha Kent Kane to build a pier and abutments for the Smethport Railroad company’s new steel bridge over Potato Creek at East Smethport. Concrete masonry will be used. Work is to be commenced immediately and completed before high water and bad weather set in. The Smethport railroad is part of the Kushequa route. The bridge is required on account of the passenger train service between Smethport and Larabee recently instituted over the Pennsylvania railroad tracks by Kane’s railroad in connection with its own terminals.”
