MORE: Jim Remick from Kane remembers a “watchtower” in St. Marys in 1952, similar to the ones we’ve heard about in Bradford and Olean, N.Y.
The St. Marys “Sky Watch” tower was at the Catholic cemetery, Jim said.
“Your reader said his ‘call number’ was ‘Metro Metro 25 Black.’ I found that amusing because our call number was “Metro Metro 22 Black.”
Perhaps it speaks of the perceived importance of the young men’s duties that some 66 years later, they still remember their call sign.
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SEARCH: We’re enjoying looking back through old issues of The Era to bring some history to RTS readers.
Here are some tidbits we found in Volume 1 Number 1 Bradford New Era on Aug. 28, 1875.
“Men who never do wrong seldom do anything.”
“What maintains one vice would bring up two children.”
“Men of the noblest disposition think themselves happiest when others share their happiness with them.”
“A fool may ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can possibly answer in seven years.”
And in the next issue, an admonishment to watch one’s language.
“Profanity never did any man the least good. No man is richer, or happier or wiser for it. It commends no one to any society. It is disgusting to the refined; abominable to the good; insulting to those with home we associate; degrading to the mind; unprofitable, needless and injurious to society.”
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CENTURY: We wanted to share some more information from Curly Walters’ list of what Bradford was like in 1899.
“On June 5, 1899, fifteen girls who work at McCrory’s go on strike. They are working 10-12 hour days and work from 7 or 8 a.m. to 10 or 10:30 each night. Their pay is $2 per week. They strike for better hours and wages. They are unceremoniously fired on the spot. There are many other girls in the city willing to work under these conditions.”
That would equate to about $60 per week in 2018.