The "Thank You Uncle Jimmy!" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Reading about the baseball card collection that Mr. James Micioni passed on to his seven nephews and nieces after he recently died.  "Uncle Jimmy", as he was known, never married and never had any children of his own.  He lived a modest life as a factory worker and high school janitor.  He loved the Yankees, loved the Pope and loved Jackie Robinson.  And, he definitely loved the sport of baseball.  Loved it so much that when he recently died at the age of 97 his seven nieces and nephews, who ranged in age from 49 to 69, made the journey to the attic of their Uncle Jimmy to see exactly what he had placed up there.  

Uncle Jimmy, master baseball card collector!

They already had examined the baseball memorabilia that was stored in the basement.  They said it was like a mini-museum down there with boxes and boxes of baseball memorabilia.  But, when they entered the attic, they began to realize exactly what he had saved for them.  Notebook binder after notebook binder carried autographed cards; many signed Babe Ruth cards.  He had alwsys told them that Babe Ruth was in his attic.  Actually, there were six signed Babe Ruth 1933 Goudey cards.  They were the highlight of more than 1,000 vintage cards found in remarkable condition.  All told, Uncle Jimmy had an estimated 100,000 baseball cards.  Uncle Jimmy's collection also included rare pennants, World Series programs, signed newspaper clippings, photos, regional sets, pins and so much more.  The relatives chose Mr. Chuck Whisman of Wheatland Auction Services from Lancaster, Pennsylvania to sell their new sports collection.  Wheatland Auction Services in located at 2160 Lincoln Highway East, Suite 3 and takes pride in helping you get the greatest return on your sports memorabilia.  They are known nationwide for their Sports Card, Memorabilia and Autograph Auctions.  They have 40 combined years of experience and knowledge in the sports memorabilia industry.  The collection was authenticated by "Professional Sports Authenticator" and said it was "one of the finest private collections of baseball cards, autographs and photos ever to surface in the hobby.  Wow!  Uncle Jimmy obtained the autographs through the mail by sending the cards and a nice letter asking for an autograph, along with a self-addressed envelope.  The family auctioning only part of the collection with much of the collection, worth millions, placed in a safe place for the future.  What's interesting is that Uncle Jimmy never did the collecting for the money.  He did it for the thrill of getting the cards and having them autographed.  He knew he had a part of history in the game of baseball in his basement and attic.  The following are some of the items that have been or are to be auctioned:

Jimmy put sets together the old-fashioned way each year, opening packs, collating them and putting them away.  Among the sets that will be on the market are his high-grade 1948 Bowman and Topps sets from 1956, 1965, 1967, 1970 and 1971.  He also had numerous obscure vintage sets.  The following are a variety of cards to be auctioned in the near future (I have cut and pasted this from an online story)

*Numerous unopened boxes including 2000 UD Pros & Prospects Football (Tom Brady rookie year), 1997-1998 Topps Chrome Basketball box, 1982 Topps Baseball hobby box, 1981 Topps Football Cello box and others. 

*1951 Topps Blue Back & Red Back complete sets, 1936-37 Goudey Wide Pen Joe DiMaggio RC BVG 4, 1969-70 Topps Lew Alcinder RC BVG 6.5, 1970-71 Topps Pete Maravich Rookie Card PSA 7, 1961 Mickey Mantle PSA 7, 1971 Kellogg’s Roberto Clemente PSA 9.*2011 Bowman Chrome Draft Mike Trout BGS 9.5, 2011 Topps Update Mike Trout PSA 9, 1993 UD SP Derek Jeter BVG 8, 1985 Nike Michael Jordan RC BGS 8.5, 2012-13 Panini Marquee Kobe Bryant Auto BGS 9 (Auto 10), multiple Luka Doncic Prizm rookies (including a BGS 9.5 Gem Mint), multiple Zion Williamson rookies.

*Vintage complete baseball card sets (many in high quality, high-grade condition), including 1959 Topps Baseball, 1960 Topps baseball, 1960 Fleer baseball, 1959 Fleer Ted Williams near set, 1966 Topps baseball and 1988-89 Fleer basketball.

*Vintage advertising pieces, including a 1947 Louisville Slugger Stan Musial original countertop display. 

*Rare baseball pennants and stadium pins from the 1940s-1960s.

*1975 Laughlin Super Stand Ups hand-colored and signed by artist Bob Laughlin. Includes players Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Willie Mays.

If you are interested in bidding, bidding will continue through May 17 on Wheatland’s website.

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His nieces and nephews knew he had collectibles that no one else had.  A true collector.  Uncle Jimmy was one of a kind.  Too bad he didn't have an Uncle Jimmy card that he could have autographed for each one of his relatives. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Little Moments Of Kindness...We All Need Them...You Know!" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Reading a newspaper article titled "Little moments of kindness leave a big impact."  Article about people around the world who shared their stories of sweetness and affection during this time in history where we all can appreciate a heartwarming story.  I have selected a few and have copied them to my blog for you to read.  The names that accompany each story are real names with real locations from around the world.  Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

My mother often traveled for work when I was in high school.  She could be away for weeks at a time.  During one of her trips, I wandered in to my parents' room.  My father was smelling one of her scarves. Blushingly, he put it down and said, "I was just missing your mother."  Sarah Hughes, Rockville, Maryland.

I was walking to the post office.  And older, masked couple walked slowly on the other side of the street.  During the pandemic, people walk fast, avoid contact and try to get their things done quickly.  For a moment, the couple stopped.  They kissed through their masks and continued walking.  It gave me some hope, that even in these times, love and human connection prevail.  Susi Reichenbach, Brussels

I have a balance problem after an operation on a brain aneurysm affected my ability to do certain things like bending or looking sideways.  One day while walking with a stick through the city, I realized that my shoelace was undone.  I just kept walking.  Suddenly a young woman stopped.  "Hey," she said, "your shoelace is undone.  Here, let me do it up in case you trip."  She tied the shoelace, smiled and walked on.  Carol Lange, Oxford, England.

As I was headed to the drugstore, a high school-aged boy walked out carrying a bouquet of yellow daffodils.  Someone yelled from across the street: "Are you looking to get lucky?" He answered: "No, I think I'm in love!"  This happened probably 40 years ago, and I still think about it.  Sallie Wold, Oak Park, Illinois.

Riding the bus years ago, I noticed a young man suddenly stiffen and slide sideways from his seat, stricken with a seizure.  The passengers grew silent.  We were concerned, flustered.  The driver radioed for help and pulled over.  Then a woman sat on the floor beside the young man.  Humming quietly, she began stroking his hands.  We all got off the bus, but the woman and boy stayed together.  Her humming became a quiet song as they waited for his spasms to end.  Tracy Huddleson, Garden Valley, California.

I was 6 years old and spending the night at my grandparents.  While I was sitting on the porch, a couple walked past.  The man reached down and plucked one of my grandmother's tulips out of the garden and gave it to his lady love.  I was outraged and ran into the house, yelling that someone had "stolen" one of my grandmother's flowers.  She calmed me down, held my hand and said, "That's what flowers are for." Clare Poth, Buffalo, New York

When I was little, my parents and I flew to Seattle often to visit their friends.  Once, while at the airport, I saw what I presumed to be a husband and wife embrace, kiss and tearfully say goodbye.  That surprised me.  My parents had just divorced and had never been overly affectionate.  I think about that couple often.  Margaret Anne Doran, Charlotteville, Virginia.

As the moring bell rings, one of my Grade 3 students would enter the school lobby holding his younger brother's hand.  My student would carefully help his brother remove his mittens and unzip his jacket.  Then he would tenderly kiss the top of his head before they split up for their own classrooms.  Such a loving and responsible gesture.  Sheila Bean, Calgary, Alberta.

I was standing in a crowded subway train, facing a woman who was sitting.  I was going through a terrible week.  I was exhausted and overcome with emotion.  All of a sudden, I started to cry.  It almost didn't occur to me that anyone could see me.  But, the seated woman did and she handed me a tissue without saying anything except for giving me a comforting, knowing look.  Nicole Shaub,  Brooklyn, New York.

While I was driving, something up ahead brought everyone to a standstill.  There was restlessness and frustrated honking.  But when the cars in front of me moved into the next lane, I saw that a women in one car was repeatedly stopping, getting out, grabbing brown-bag lunches and distributing them to the many homeless people on the side of the road.  She offered them conversation, care and warmth, and seemed not to care about the frazzled drivers behind her.  Sam Alviani, Denver, Colorado.

I've been walking in my local park more often. My heart has been moved by two friends who meet each morning.  They are male an likely in their mid-80s.  They arrive separately, each with coffee and a Dunkin' Donuts bag.  They sit on adjoining benches, 6 feet apart.  One doesn't start his coffee until the other is there.  They aren't particularly talkative with others in the park...I've tried.  Their focus in on one another.  Grace E. Curley, Boston.

The "Memories From The Past" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Cleaning my desktop of notes and unfinished stories when I came across a file marked "Remember When."  Opened it and found a bunch of unused photographs from the past which I have been saving for years in case I ever wanted to write about them.  Thought I would pick a few and write a bit about each one.  The three photographs I chose are Lancaster businesses that no longer exist, but at one time were some of the most popular in the city.  I have made an effort to keep the stories brief, so as not to get too boring or waste too much of your time.  Enjoy...

The lock company: Slaymaker, Barry and Company was founded in 1888 by Samuel R. Slaymaker and John F. Barry of Connellsville, Pennsylvania.  Sam was interested in switch and signal locks while working for the Pennsylvania Railroad as a civil engineer.  In 1894 the company was reorganized and renamed the Slaymaker-Barry Company with Sam the principal stock holder.  The company's first locks filled the demand by the United States Government and various railroad companies for inexpensive locks. Slaymaker's original building in Connellsville was destroyed by fire on May 21, 1898, but was covered by insurance.  They rebuilt immediately.  The following year the company began making steam powered automobiles, but eventually Sam sold his share of the company and moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and opened a lock manufacturing business on North Water Street in downtown Lancaster.  In 1907 the company was renamed the Slaymaker Lock Manufacturing Co.  They purchased Dayton Manufacturing from Ohio in 1917.  Then W.E. Frame bought into the company and the company changed the name again to Slaymaker Lock Company.  Wasn't the end of name changing since in 1921 Fraim bought the controlling interest and changed the name to Frame-Slaymaker Hardware Company.  Fraim eliminated the company business they had with the railroad to concentrate on hardware.  I suppose Sam Slaymaker didn't agree and eventually bought back control of the company and changed the name back to The Slaymaker Lock Co.  In 1973 the company was sold to the American Home Products Corporation and made part of the Ekco Housewares division.  Didn't work and in 1986 the company closed it's doors in Lancaster.  My wife's father was in charge of the workforce at Slaymaker in Lancaster when I met her.  He was still with the company when he died.  The photograph I had saved was one of me holding an old Slaymaker Padlock we had found amongst our belongings years ago.  Evidently a gift from her father.

The world's oldest Goodyear tire dealer was a store in downtown Lancaster known as Lebzelter's Tire and Auto.  Lebzelter's was located in downtown Lancaster at 300 N. Queen Street and eventually opened a second location in Manheim Township  at 1543 Oregon Pike.  A second additional location was opened at 237 Manor Ave. in Millersville, PA.  Total car care was founded in 1854 and was eventually sold to Jack Williams Tire Company after 160 years of selling tires and tire related items.  The photo I had saved was of a matchbook cover from when the company was know as Lebzelter's.

The third photograph was of an album cover with the company name of Darmstaetter's listed on it.  This little yellow covered album held about 8 to 10 black and white photographs taken with the old box cameras that were in use in the early 1900s.  Darmstaetter's opened in 1905 when the Rev. Jacob Darmstaetter bought the Lancaster Photographic Supply store at 23 East Orange Street from a close friend of George Eastman.  At the time the developing procedures were done at the Darmstaetter home on Vine Street.  Wasn't long before the store was one of the largest and most modern developing plants in Eastern Pennsylvania.  Then in 1917 the business move downtown to 59 N. Queen Street.  They eventually opened up a greeting card department as well as, of all things, a Johnson outboard motor business as well as a home food freezing equipment and radio receivers departments.  In the mid-1920s, Hugo and A.C. Darmstaetter, the sons of the founder, took over the family business.  It was A.C. who had met the Johnson brothers at a boat show in New York and happened to buy five outboard motors from him.  Darmstaetters became Johnson's leading retailer.  Then in April of 1930 the store moved to 37 N. Queen Street which is where I remember them always being located.  I can remember making visits to the store as a child when I would visit my Grandmother Woods when she worked for the Bushong Coal company that was located about a block away from Darmstaetter's.  Eventually, in 1977, when there were no more family members to run the store, it was closed, but the camera department and custom picture framing operation were moved into what at the time was Lancaster's grandest department store, Watt & Shand.  In 1988 Burger King purchased the Darmstaeeter building.  Today, at the Lancaster Historical Society, a collection of about 150 photographs, taken from more then 4,000 negatives belonging to the late Walter Hallowell, staff photographer for Darmstaetter's, can be viewed.

I hope you have enjoyed a bit more information about my historical home town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I have lived here all my life and have seen it grow as well as watched it change over time.  Sometimes for the best and sometimes for the worse.  I suspect it is the same with just about every city and town all over the world.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Chameleon Smaller Than Small" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Just filled the bird feeder and spread some birdseed on the ground by our house to help those little guys and gals outside who need nourishment during this current cold spell.  All my life I have enjoyed feeding the animals, big and small, who call my property home.  Throughout my lifetime I have had animals and insects of all types and sizes as both pets as well as neighbors.  As a child I had a variety of pets from white mice to snakes to tropical fish to parakeets to horned toads.  As a teenager I raised guinea pigs to sell.  My family also was never without a dog when I was growing up in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  After marriage, Carol and I had both dogs and cats.  Our children had pets of all sizes from the time they were very young until they left home.  Our current selection of pets is our two cats, The Gray Lady and Snickerdoodle.  They keep us amused and busy, especially during this time of  year-round indoor living.  In the summer, my wife's outdoor plants and flowers attract just about every type of insect and bug from butterflies to beetles.  I have posted quite a few photographs of our outdoor visitors including the smallest of insects and reptiles.  For those not knowing the difference, an insect is an arthropod in the class "insecta"which is characterized by six legs, up to four wings, and a chitinous exoskeleton while a reptile is a cold-blooded vertebrate of the class "reptilia."  A reptile creeps, moving on the belly or by means of small and short legs.  I must admit that some are creepier than others while some can scare the crap out of you.  My story today tells of the newest discovered chameleon known as Brookesia nana which was recently discovered in the northern Madagascar rainforest.  It is allegedly the world's smallest reptile being it is only about 22-29mm in total length.  It is a blotchy brown color and the adult male measures 22mm while the adult female is 29mm in total length.  

This cute little reptile is known as Brookesia nana.

One big difference between this chameleon and others is that it doesn't change colors and doesn't prefer to live in trees in the forest.  It prefers the forest floor.  It was just discovered in 2021 by Frank Glaw, a herpetologist in a rainforest on the  Sorata massif in northern Madagascar.  For those wondering what a herpetologist might be, it is a person who specializes in the story of reptiles and amphibians.  Scientists that are now studying this new creature learned a few interesting facts about it.  The male might be the smallest reptile in the world and has disproportionately large genitals.  Actually the male has a pair of penises...and I didn't make that up!  I guess he needs both since the females are larger than the males.  The male ride around on the female's back until she is ready to mate.  As I read more about the reptile I found that they are so small due to "island dwarfism" which is the belief that creatures living on islands evolved to be smaller to make up for the lack of resources on that island.  The next largest reptile is The Brookesia micro which is 1.1 inches long and was discovered in 2012 and can fit on the head of a match.  I just wonder what scientists will discover next.  Perhaps you will need a special pair of glasses to be able to see the next type of reptile that is discovered.  I must begin to look around my backyard with my large magnifying glass and see what I might discover.  I will then name it the Woodsesia papa.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The New Kids On The Block" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about a new bobblehead that will be out soon that features the likeness of President James Buchanan.  For those reading this story that have no idea what a bobblehead might be, it is also known as a nodder or wobbler and is a type of collectible doll whose head is usually oversized compared to its body.  Instead of a solid connection, its head is connected to the body by a spring or hook in such a way that a light tap will cause the head to bobble.  I have several bobbleheads already, some that have been given to me by my brother who buys and sells items on eBay as well as swaps and trades with just about anyone for just about anything.  

My Robert Fulton and Thaddeus Stevens bobbleheads

My two latest bobblehead collectibles have been Robert Fulton and Thaddeus Stevens.  Robert Fulton was born in Lancaster County and spent the early part of his life as an artist.  He eventually went into engineering and invented numerous items; establishing the first successful steamboat being one of his greatest inventions.  The other bobblehead of Thaddeus Stevens shows Stevens with his walking cane and his hand in his jacket.  Stevens dreamed of a socially just world, where unearned privilege didn't exist.  He knew the difference between people should not be feared or oppressed but celebrated.  Lancaster, Pennsylvania is home to the Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and is a living monument to our founder's legacy.  The college provides underprivileged individuals with opportunities and creates an environment in which individual differences are valued and nurtured.  Mr. Stevens is the father of the 14th Amendment, the single most important amendment in the Constitution requiring equal treatment under the law.  He also spearheaded the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson.  Stevens was the most powerful congressman during and after the Civil War and was the chief architect of Reconstruction.  He was active in the Underground Railroad and the savior of public education in Pennsylvania for a speech he gave in 1835 that turned back a repeal effort of public education.  I have written many stories about both bobblehead figures in the past and you can find them by typing their names in the white box at the top left of my blog.  The new bobblehead of James Buchanan  has already been made and is one of the 18 "Neglected Presidents" who've never had a traditional bobblehead made of them.  

President James Buchanan bobblehead.

Mr. Buchanan was the 15th President of the United States who was originally from Franklin County, but called Lancaster home.  His longtime home, Wheatland, is now a museum at 1120 Marietta Ave. in Lancaster, PA.  The new Presidential bobbleheads are eight inches tall and part of an individual numbered edition of 500.  They sell for $30 with a few having already been "Sold Out"; but President Buchanan can still be purchased.  One of the James Buchanan bobbleheads will be in the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum's Presidential Exhibit.  I am searching right now for a bobblehead of professional golfer Jim Furyk.  Haven't been able to find one yet, but perhaps I might find one soon.  I had Jim when he was a high school student.  When he was an early teen and not playing golf all the time, he was a good baseball player who was the catcher for my oldest son on a team in Lancaster County.  Collectibles can be fun as well as interesting to collect, but I try and limit my collection to those that I can get for a good price or receive as gifts.  That way I can also have other hobbies without breaking the bank.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Solving The Traffic Problems In The City Of Lancaster" Story: Part II - The Epilogue

 It was an ordinary day.  Picking up my story from yesterday with another story related to the Traffic Signal Tower that I wrote about yesterday.  A rather unusual story I found during my search told of a couple who made a visit to the city of Lancaster.  In the Tuesday, April 24, 1934 edition of the Lancaster New Era was a story titled "County Couple, 60 & 53, Visit City First Time."  Story told of Nathaniel Pannebecker, 53, and Mary Bickel, 60, both of Brecknock township in Lancaster County.  They were making their very first trip to the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Brecknock township is 33 miles from the city of Lancaster or perhaps a half-hour drive.  Hard to believe that Nathaniel and Mary had never been to the city of Lancaster before in their lives.  

Photograph from April 24, 1934 Lancaster New Era of Mary (left) and Nathaniel.

As they stood in Lancaster's square, looking at the rushing cars speed by them, they felt a variety of emotions.  There was the Griest skyscraper, the monument in the center of the square and of course, the police traffic control tower.  Nathaniel Pannebecker, who was 53, lived in nearby Denver, Pennsylvania with his long-time housekeeper Mary Bickel who was 60 years old.  Very seldom did they step off the farm property where they lived in nearby Denver, Pennsylvania.  They kept track of things by reading their Lancaster newspaper.  Other than that, they had very little need to leave their comfortable farm.  Nathaniel did say that at one time he was at Womelsdorf, but that was the nearest he ever came to a city like Lancaster.  Then he pointed to the traffic tower.  Standing nearby was a fellow known as Sam Lazarowitz who was Lancaster's Penn Square newspaper boy.  He was always willing to help a stranger or visitor to the city and probably sensed that Nathaniel and Mary fit into that category.  When Nathaniel asked him, while pointing at the tower, "What's that thing?" Sam told him, "That's the policeman's tower."   Then Sam said to the officer working the lights of the traffic tower, "Hey there, Rosey, put your head out."  That's when Officer Ross Brubaker obediently put his head out the window on the top of the tower and waved.  Nathaniel grinned and smiled as if he had just been greeted by the President of the United States.  Mary, who was thrilled to be in center city Lancaster, was also excited, but speechless.  The town was busy that day with newspaper reporters and photographers walking to and from their nearby office on West King Street, people waiting for a streetcar to arrive, shoppers as well as those waiting to cross the street when the light changed to green and when the bell rang.  Someone asked Nathaniel why he had come to town for the day.  He replied, "About tobacco business.  We had a hard time finding the post office, but we found it.  It's a nice place all right."  Then someone, suspecting he might be a farmer, asked him, "How's the farm situation?"  He told them he wasn't raising tobacco this year and that as long as it suited the government to pay him for raising nothing, it was all right with him.  He thought farmers were entitled to $1.50 on milk and asked if the questioner didn't think so too.  No answer followed, but the questioner did ask, "What do you think of Roosevelt?"  Nathaniel said, " He's all right, if only people would listen a little better.  Don't you think so?"  The questioner didn't respond to that question either, but did ask, "What do you think of the Griest building?" while he pointed to Lancaster's skyscraper nearby.  Nathaniel gave a blank stare as he looked at the building.  "That building over there," the questioner said once more, as he pointed again to the Griest Building.  "Oh, that's a sky scraper all right.  There's nothing like it in Denver, Pennsylvania."  The questioner asked, "Who the biggest people up your way?"  "That's a tough one," but he finally said..."Agnus Cooper, the Justice of the Peace and Howard Hoffman, the produce dealer," Nathaniel replied.  Then he told the questioner, "I inherited the farm from my father and had about 130 chickens, some cows and some horses."  Then as the trolley car that read across the front, "Ephrata-New Holland" arrived, he told his questioner he had to leave.  He did say, "I don't want to try driving into the city, but the street car ride is pretty nice."  Nathaniel and Mary boarded the trolley and waved farewell to their new friends.   On April 8, 1943, the Intelligencer Journal  reported that the traffic control tower in Penn Square was "TO BE REMOVED FROM THE SQUARE."  The Tower in Penn Square was to be razed as soon as city employees could complete tying in the traffic lights with those in operation elsewhere in the city.  A small control box would still remain on site in case the police needed to work the lights manually.  Monday, May 31 and the New Era tells Lancastrians that the "NEW SIGNAL SYSTEM IN SQUARE READY."  Then in the Friday, June 11, 1943 Lancaster New Era, the headline read: "Tower Moved from Square After 14 Yrs."  The end of Lancaster's Traffic Signal Tower had finally come to an end.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Solving The Traffic Problems In The City Of Lancaster" Story: Part I - The Traffic Tower

 It was an ordinary day.  Reading about a traffic tower that at one time sat in the center square of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I have been passing through the square for over three-quarters of a century and I never knew there was a traffic tower in the square.  It was only a few weeks ago that I happened to be searching for something else when I came across a photograph of the tower.  The earliest reference I could find about a tower was in the Thursday, July 14, 1927 copy of the Intelligencer Journal.  The story titled "Propose To Erect Traffic Tower" told of the $3,500 that had been set aside to remedy the congested traffic situation in the city.  Police Chief Guy H. Eckman said the tower would be placed in the northeast corner of the Penn Square monument, but details hadn't been worked out as of that date.  Wasn't until Monday, December 30, 1929 that I was able to find any more news about the tower.  In the Lancaster New Era that day was a story that said Police Chief Eckman announced that he hoped to put the traffic tower into operation by the coming Saturday.  The control tower is mounted on 10-foot steel suppports, high enough to allow clear vision of every traffic intersection in the square, above the level of the roofs of trolley cars.  The chamber at the top in which the traffic director will be stationed is of copper, octagonally shaped, enclosed in plate glass.  The signal lights are the traditional red top, yellow center and green bottom.  

Traffic Tower in Lancaster.

Pedestrians will be given the right of way throughout the square.  A bell will signal when it is safe for pedestrians to cross.  There were two sets of lights at each intersection with an extra set at the north corner of East King Street for north and west bound traffic.  The traffic lights can be operated independently of each other to relieve the flow of traffic at any one intersection.  The officer stationed in the tower would have full control of all the lights.  The traffic lights were hooked up in six different series with each set able to be operated independently of the others to relieve the flow of traffic.  Can you imagine having to operate all those switches!  The lights were finally put into operation on Sunday, January 5, 1930.  Police Chief Eckman asked motorists and pedestrians to watch the light facing them and move only when it was green.  They were to exercise special care until they have become accustomed to the lights.  Directions were given in the newspaper which went like this:  Three lights are situated on the pole in front of Jacob's Shirt Shop. One facing east governs traffic entering the square from East King Street, one pointed at an angle towards South Queen street governs traffic in the north bound land in the southeast corner of the square, and the third is for pedestrians desiring to use the lane of traffic from the corner to the monument.  The light that controls northbound traffic in the northeast angle of the square is situated on a pole on North Queen Street in front of the Fulton Bank.  The light for the westbound traffic in the same angle of the square is affixed to a pole in front of the Griest building and faces at an angle toward East King Street.  The light on West King Street, at the City Hall, controls westbound vehicles leaving the square.  Lights for pedestrians are affixed to poles and face the lanes of traffic which have been painted on the street.  And, this was to replace what they had before that was much harder to understand?  The following day it was reported in the newspaper that Police are more than satisfied with the operation of the lights and reported little congestion of traffic.  Wow!!  A story in the Lancaster New Era on Friday, January 17, 1930 told of one of their reporters climbing the tower to sit in the tower and watch the patrolman on duty operate all the lights.  Traffic policeman Lew Piersol was in command on the tower while policeman "Ducky" Rohrer was on patrol below the tower.  Officer Piersol was pulling switches, releasing controls and looking in all directions when the bell on the Courthouse tolled at 3:00 PM.  One switch in the center stopped all traffic when pushed to allow for pedestrian movement.  A bell was to be installed soon so pedestrians will know when to go.  And...if that wasn't enough confusion, the trolly cars had to have a turn in the traffic lanes.  As of this time there were two shifts with one set of officers, one in the tower and one on the ground.  One shift worked 8 AM to 4 PM, alternating the men from the tower to the ground every 2 hours, and the other from 4 PM until midnight.  Traffic was allowed to flow as it always had after midnight until 8 AM.  The Police Department declared the tower a hugh success.  Then along came October and the bells that rang for the pedestrians couldn't be heard by motorists with their windows up due to the cold weather.  So, they decided to try numerous bells.  Seemed to work, but when street repairs had to be made, that created an all new set of problems.  Everyone did notice that with the start of the traffic light tower, very few horse and buggies used center square to pass through the city.  Perhaps the bells and lights scared the horses.  Another problem with the tower was when Officer Piersol leaned out of the tower too far, his false teeth fell out.  The final price of the Traffic Tower was $2,750.00 as reported in 1933.  In the January 1, 1935 Lancaster New Era "People's Forum," it was proposed that the trolley be routed another direction, no parking allowed in the square and they get rid of the unsightly traffic tower.   Someone else said that the Soldier's and Sailor's monument in the center of the square was the problem and said it should be removed.  Another resident said, "That monument must stand in Center Square until time has made it a pile of dust."  But, the traffic tower was still there on January 25, 1940 when the Lancaster New Era reported that Mr. Fred Moser saved an older man who happened to step off the curb directly in the path of an eastbound car.   Moser pulled the older man to safety and on-duty Officer Gilmartin called Moser a hero.  On April 8, 1943, the Intelligencer Journal  reported that the traffic control tower in Penn Square was "TO BE REMOVED FROM THE SQUARE."  The Tower in Penn Square was to be razed as soon as city employees could complete tying in the traffic lights with those in operation elsewhere in the city.  A small control box would still remain on site in case the police needed to work the lights manually.  Monday, May 31 and the New Era told Lancastrians that the "NEW SIGNAL SYSTEM IN SQUARE READY."  Then in the Friday, June 11, 1943 Lancaster New Era, the headline read: "Tower Moved from Square After 14 Yrs."  

Removing the traffic tower after 14 years.

The tower was loaded onto a truck to be moved to the Lancaster American Legion Post No. 34 near Eden in Manheim Township.  On Thursday, December 30, 1954, the Lancaster New Era reported: Remember the traffic box that was perched high on stilts in Penn Square?  From that lofty position police operated the traffic signals around the square.  It was just 25 years ago this week that the new fangled traffic tower was ready for operation.  Among the retired policemen who once occupied the tower is Lew Piersol, who for a number of years, has served as ticket-taker at the Colonial Theatre. Finally, on Tuesday, May 1, 1962, the Lancaster New Era reported the death of Lewis B. Piersol, 79, retired city police officer, died today at 2:39 AM.  He joined the Lancaster City Police force Jan. 2, 1922 and after 20 years service submitted his resignation Feb. 21, 1942.  He gained the rank of Lieutenant.  For many years he operated the traffic tower in Penn Square were he worked with the late police officer Ray "Ducky" Rohrer.  His wife had died in 1922.  He was survived by a daughter, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren as well as a sister.  The end of Lancaster's Traffic Tower and those who operated it had finally arrived!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "One Of My Favorite High School Teachers" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Wednesday, February 17 and I had just sat down to look at the morning newspaper.  As I reached page A9 I had to do a double-take when looking at the first photograph displayed in the "Obituaries" section of the newspaper.  There in the upper-right corner was a face I had seen many times in the past.  Actually, knew her as "Shenna...Queen of the Jungle."  Miss Nolan was my French teacher in high school for two years as well as my Homeroom teacher.  

Mrs. Joan Nolan Bergan

The newspaper had her name as Joan Nolan Bergan, but I knew as soon as I looked at the photograph that it was Miss Nolan.  In 1961, when I was a senior in high school, schools in the state of Pennsylvania were required by law to have a reading from the Bible every morning during homeroom period.  Miss Nolan assigned readings based on alphabetical order of our last name.  She also would allow anyone that didn't care to read the Bible to find someone in homeroom to read it for them.  I often read the Bible a couple of times a week, but I got paid to do it.  25 cents was my going rate in the 1961-62 school year and there were quite a few people who would pay me to read the Bible for them.  Miss Nolan didn't care, or at least I don't think she cared.  I had Miss Nolan for French, both in my junior and senior years.  I was, at best, a "C" student, but it didn't matter as long as I could be in her class.  She was beautiful!  My buddies and I couldn't figure out why she wasn't married, since she was so good looking.  

Miss Joan Nolan, 1962

The obituary told that Miss Nolan had gotten married in 1965, three years after I had graduated from high school.  She reminded many of my friends and I of a young actress by the name of Irish McCalla who played "Shenna, Queen of the Jungle" in the black and white movie called "Crash in the Jungle" which was shown in movie theaters in 1956.  In my junior year of French, Miss Nolan found a class in France that wanted to be pen pals with students in the United States.  My class thought it would be interesting, so we were asked if we wanted a girl or boy for a penpal.  I chose a girl and before long I had a new French name, Raoul.  My French pen pal's name was Zoē.  We sent letters back and forth for two years until I finally got to meet her on the beach in Atlantic City in 1962.  I wrote a story about our meeting which you can find by typing French pen pal in the white box at the top left of this story.  After graduating, I went to nearby Millersville State Teacher's College and five years later I was back at Manheim Township as a teacher.  At that time I found out that Miss Nolan had changed her name to Mrs. Bergan.  I assume that just about every student who ever went through school had favorites that they remember the most.  One of my all-time favorites was Miss Nolan.  And, when I read of her death today I was saddened.  Her obituary photograph showed a more mature Miss Nolan, but it still was her.  Her two-column, half-page story told of her life as both a teacher as well as wife and mother.  To me she will still be remembered as the teacher who helped me get through French class with a passing grade and as the beautiful teacher who still, to this day, will always be "Shenna, Queen of the Jungle."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Mr. Washington Visits Lancaster, Pennsylvania" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  February 19 and I realized I had forgotten to write my story about President's Day.  Opened my blog site and began to write about something I had read about a month or so ago on the "Lancastrian" Facebook page; little online story titled "Mr. Washington Goes to Lancaster."  

President George Washington

It told me that if I were to "Google" Presidents' Day, I couldn't find it.  Didn't even try, since the next sentence told me that the holiday is technically known as Washington's Birthday and occurs on the third Monday of February.  Wasn't always that way, since before 1752, Washington's Birthday was February 11.  Naturally, I wondered why.  Seems that in 1752, Great Britain adopted the new, improved calendar instituted by Pope Gregory the 13th late in the 16th century.  This Gregorian calendar fixed the length of the solar year at 365 days with an additional day added every four years which we now call our "Leap Year."  Before that time the Gregorian calendar, from the old Julian calendar (named after Julius Caesar), had become out of whack, relative to the sun's and earth's cycles by ten whole days.  In 1752 the calendar was off  by eleven days so those days were just dropped at the end of the year.  I guess you stayed the same age if you happened to be born on one of this eleven days.  Anyway, seems that Washington's birthday that year went from February 11 to February 22.  Now, this seems all well and good, but...it was never explained in the article why it was celebrated on the 15th this year.  Anyway, as years passed, it was an occasion marked with speeches and receptions.  In 1971 it had been added to the roster of federal holidays.  To many of you, 1971 seems like ages ago, but to me, it seems like just yesterday.  Now, being that the story I read was in the "Lancastrian" Facebook page, I read next that our county's first President was no stranger to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  He was said to have made trips to Lancaster on five different occasions.  The first time he arrived in Lancaster was on June 4, 1773 when he had breakfast at "The Sign Of  The Bull" on North Queen Street in downtown Lancaster.  He also made a stop at the Demuth Tobacco Shop on East King Street to purchase tobacco.  

Recent photograph of the Demuth Tobacco Shop in Lancaster

While there he had a chance to meet the proprietor, Johannes Demuth.  That evening he traveled 19 miles to the Susquehanna River where he stayed at Wrights Ferry.  In 1791 he came to Lancaster on Sunday, July 3.  By this date he happened to President of the United States and was making an effort to tour the southern and eastern states.  Before traveling to Lancaster, he passed York, PA which is to the west of Lancaster.  While in Lancaster he made a visit with General Edward Hand, an old friend and military aide.  They first met along the Susquehanna river at Wrights Ferry and Hand escorted him to Abbeville which is on the outskirts of Lancaster.  Ringing church bells and cheering crowds waving flags and firing cannons greeted him at Abbeville.  It was said that Washington hated these greetings since it slowed him down while visiting different locations.  That evening Washington spent the night at the White Swan Hotel on North Queen Street near Penn Square.  

The White Swan Hotel in Lancaster, Pennsylvania by  Charles X. Carlson

The following day he walked the streets of Lancaster and had an elaborate dinner at Lancaster's Court House where 15 toasts were made.  How he was able to have tea with General Hand and his wife that afternoon at Rockford after all those toasts is a mystery to me.  He did stay the evening with the Hand's and headed headed back to Philadelphia the following day.

Rockford, home of Edward Hand

 Then on November 14, 1793, Washington made a stop at Lancaster while traveling from Quittapahilla Creek in Lebanon County to Germantown.  I can't determine if he stopped for the evening or not, but he also made stops that day at Womelsdorf and Reading, both in Pennsylvania.  A stop on October 26, 1794 saw him returning to Lancaster after a troop inspection during the "Whiskey Rebellion." It was a month earlier that he became the only sitting U.S. President to personally lead troops into battle.  He met the 13,000 troops gathered at Caarlisle, Pennsylvania taking them on a nearly month-long march west over the Allegheny Mountains to the town of Bedford to end the "Whiskey Rebellion."  It is thought that he might have stayed at the Grape Hotel in downtown Lancaster during that time.  

The Grape Hotel, a pen and ink drawing by Charles X. Carlson.

George Washington's final visit to Lancaster came on September 20, 1796 when he spent the night with friends on his way from Philadelphia to Mount Vernon.  Lancaster's newspaper, "The Journal" wrote that: "The President of the United States arrived here on Tuesday afternoon, last September 20, and on Wednesday morning at 6 o'clock proceeded on his way to Mount Vernon."  The last part of the "Lancastrian" story I read told that he and Martha were childless which allowed him to be the father of the nation.  The country had just ridded themselves from a monarch, so when the idea of a President was brought forth, there were immediate concerns the states were potentially getting a new one.  But, since Washington had no son or daughter, it put most of those concerns aside.  Not sure how many other people can claim that the first President of the United States made five stops in their city, but I'm proud to say that of my town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Favorite Game Shows From The Past & Present" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Got home from work earlier than I usually do and turned on the TV to watch "The Price Is Right."  I have been watching that show for years and years and on today's episode they actually showed a clip from the 1950's when Bill Cullen was the host of the show.  Game shows actually began on the radio in the 1940s and for many, they were hooked on the excitement and thrill of competition, even while listening on radio.  My mom and dad bought our first black and white TV in the early 1950s and I had the chance to watch my favorite cowboy shows on television instead of listening to them on the radio. I was still a young boy, but was fascinated with television.  One day I watched a game/quiz show with my parents and once again, I was hooked!  By the late 1950's, game/quiz shows boasted some of the highest rated programs on television.  Games that I can remember from back then were "Jeopardy," "The Newlywed Game" and "The Price Is Right."  I can also remember the game show "Twenty-One" which was eventually found to be rigged.  It did produce one of the most popular contestants in game show history when a college professor by the name of Charles Van Doren won almost $130,000.  His photograph even made it on the cover of Time magazine in February of 1957.  But, it seems that he was the one who was getting the answers to game show questions from the show's producers.  I can also remember "What's My Line" and "Password."  In "Password" a celebrity and regular contestant would take turns prompting each other with one-word clues to say the "Password."  Perhaps my all-time favorite game show, "The Price is Right," began in 1956.  Today it is the longest running daytime game show in North America television history.  Seems like Bob Barker was the host since he was a teenager, but it only seems that long.  And then, today I saw Bill Cullen in front of a table of contestants with a sign behind them that read "The Price is Right."  That's the first time I had ever heard that Bill Cullen had been the host.  Also hard to believe that Drew Carey has been the host since 2007.  Other shows I remember are: "I've Got A Secret", What's My Line",  "Name That Tune", "Stop The Music", "To Tell The Truth", and another of my all-time favorites..."Wheel of Fortune."  While writing this story I tried to "Google" Quiz/Game shows and found they are organized by the letter of the alphabet,  by 10-year intervals, by black/white and color and by State in which you live.  Also found that someone has listed "The 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time".  Games on that list that I haven't already mentioned but may match my favorite shows would be "Truth or Consequences",  "Whammy!",  " The All-New Press Your Luck",  "Card Sharks",  "Deal or No Deal",  "Name That Tune",  "Hollywood Squares",  "The Dating Game",  "Pyramid",  "Wheel of Fortune",  "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?",  and "Family Feud".  My daily TV Quiz/Game shows that I now watch each day are: 11:00 AM - "The Price is Right with Drew Carey", 7:00 PM - "Wheel of Fortune" with Pat Sajak, and 7:30 - "Jeopardy" with the recently departed Alex Trebek.  Do you watch any of these shows?  I'm sure if you live in a different state or country, you have your own favorites that if I watched them a few times may like them also.  Sure beats some of the night-time shows that are now on the air.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Oh, How I Need A Day At The Beach In Paradise!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Another snowy, cold, dreary, no-nothing day!  The type of day that's good for...well...nothing...except snow shoveling and napping!  I've suffered through quite a few of those days this winter.  Just finished shoveling about 2 inches of snow that fell overnight and covered our walks and driveway.  I was supposed to be working at the gallery today for a few hours until I got a text telling me I didn't have to come in today due to the snow.  So, the next best thing to do was pick up my MacBook Air and begin typing a story.  It was only last evening that I told Carol I had planned a day trip to a few locations for one of the two week-end days coming up.  We would head south from Lancaster until we crossed into Maryland.  Would then pass through Elkton, Maryland and over the bridge at the C&D Canal at Chesapeake City.  Stay on Rt. 301S to Cecilton and then look for the road that would take us to Betterton Beach. Haven't been to Betterton Beach for ages.  Used to have the best times with friends sitting on the small beach along the Sassafras River where it empties into the Chesapeake Bay.  Swimming is just OK at that beach, but since it is February and that's not going to happen anyway.  I just would love to see a beach somewhere.  Then we could head from there to Chestertown, Maryland which is located along the Chester River.  Neat little town, but not a real good beach location.  After a walk through the town and a stop at the farmer's market we could head home to Lancaster once again.  Just trying to find something to do except sit in front of the TV hour after hour as it seems we have been doing for just about the entire past year.  Carol and I were supposed to go on vacation to the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten/St. Martin in late April of 2020 when Covid-19 hit and closed the island to travelers.  Three weeks of sunning along the warm Caribbean Sea was tough to miss, but we had no option.  

Carol and I on Orient Beach on the island of St. Martin over a year ago.

I called Karen, our travel agent in Lancaster, and sent an email to Magali, our travel agent in St. Martin and changed the dates to the end of October.  All went well and we had made all the changes necessary for six months from our original trip.  Then...the virus got worst and we had to cancel our trip in October and reschedule it for April of 2021.  Boy, did we miss going to the beach.  Makes all your problems and cares go away.  Something about sitting on a beach chair, under an umbrella and listening to the waves lapping closeby.  That can be so relaxing.  Add to that a good book and a few naps and we are in heaven.  And, the food on an island that is half French and half Dutch helps quite a bit also.  Well, April of 2021 is fast approaching and it doesn't look very encouraging.  The island of Sint Maarten/St. Martin had reopened months ago and was once again allowing visitors to their island paradise.  But, too many people were making visits to the island and not practicing good hygiene procedures and the amount of Covid-19 cases began to rise once again.  French side of the island, where our rental house and favorite beaches are located, naturally, is thinking about closing to visitors.  Should we again call and make new arrangements?  All is not well in paradise!  Oh, how I need a day at the beach in Paradise!  I realize that we can go to the beach somewhere much closer, but if you have ever been to a beach on a Caribbean island...well...you know that it really is paradise!  Not quite the same as the beach at Betterton, Maryland or even the shoreline along the Chester River near the Chesapeake Bay.  Perhaps if we both got our vaccines in time for our trip we could still make it to the island.  But, trying to find a place to get the vaccine is almost as hard as trying to get to the Caribbean.  I know the waves will still be lapping and the sun will still be shining and the sound of the ocean will still be there, but..."Oh, how I need a day at the beach in paradise.  Will it ever happen again?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Looking at the ocean from our beach chairs over a year ago.

The umbrellas have been put away for the day and the sun
has gone down in the distance over a year ago...but we still can't 
seem to pack up and go back to our rental home!

The "Fort Amsterdam's Life Is In The Hands Of The Zoning Committee Of SXM" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking through the scrapbooks I have made after returning from various Caribbean island vacations in the past 20 years after retiring from a career in teaching Industrial Arts.  Trips to Aruba, Antigua, St. Thomas, St. Johns, St. Martin/Sint Marten and Curacao were a few of the spots Carol and I have been lucky enough to visit with our friends Jere and Just Sue.  Each scrapbook was different with photos of  beaches, museums, art galleries, touring and even visits to Forts.  During the last 20 years I have learned more and explored more during our travels to other countries than I had done in the first 50 years of my life.  There have been a few favorites along the way which I have written about in the past, but there are a few other places that I wish I had spent more time visiting than I did.  Some of those places would be the Forts that dot the landscapes on many of the island we have visited.  Most, if not all, islands have at least one fort that would help in the protection of the island.  It would usually be placed on a prominent hill or mountain that was close to the shoreline and accessible to water in case it would be necessary to deploy the island's navy to protect its borders.  I remember visiting a few different forts on the islands of The Bahamas such as Fort Nassau, Fort Charlotte, Fort Montagu and Fort Fincastle. If you do a search of  "Forts" in the little white block at the top left of this story, you might be able to read about a few of them.  I also remember Fort Wayne in St Thomas, Fort Barrington in Antigua and Fort Louis in St. Martin.  The later fort was built high on a hill on the French side of the island.  But, there was also a fort on the Dutch side of the island which I have never visited, but have seen from a distance.  Last year I did try to reach the fort, but it is now on private land and I was not allowed to visit it.  The fort is known as Fort Amsterdam and was built soon after the Dutch settlers arrived in Sint Maarten in 1631 and claimed the island.  Fort Amsterdam was built between Great Bay and Little Bay since it was a great defensive position that was situated at the top of cliffs, but still connected to the mainland.  It was surrounded by water on three sides.  But, two years after the Dutch arrived and built the fort, the Spanish invaded the island and took over the fort.  The Spaniards occupied it as a military outpost supported by San Juan, Puerto Rico until the end of the long Eighty Years War in 1648.  In 1644 the Dutch attempted to recapture the fort with an expedition lead by Peter Stuyvesant, but the bloody battle was unsuccessful.  During the attempt Stuyvesant lost his leg which was later replaced by a wooden leg.  At the end of the war "The Treaty of Westphalia" was signed by the Dutch, Spain and France in 1648.  Sint Maarten changed hands many times during the colonial era, but has been Dutch for most of it's history.  Today the fort is small and in terrible shape.  I have seen photographs of it and had plans to visit and document what remains, but was stopped as I stated.  I can't imagine the historic items that could be found if one walks around and searches a bit during a visit.  It is said that there now is a breeding colony of brown pelicans with close to 60 nests on the west side of the spit of land that juts into the sea.  Because of this, the site has been identified as an important Bird Area by BirdLife International. The main purpose of Fort Amsterdam was to protect the capital of Philipsburg from invasion whether by pirates of the Caribbean or other countries.  The Western wall of the fort shows various stone materials of earlier basalt rock and later cut limestone.  It therefore indicates the various reconstruction periods of the fort walls including a red brick lined drainage arch which allowed waste water to be expelled from the Fort's interior.  The Southern Bastion overlooks Little Bay and has a cannonball from the attack commanded by Peter Stuyvesant embedded in the wall.  The Signal House radio station was originally built in the late 19th century so the signal Master could communicate with the nearby town of Philipsburg about arriving ships.  Much of the fort's basic shape can still be seen, but Hurricane Luis damaged much of the fort in 1995.  The fort was the bastion for the island.  From that location can be seen the islands of Saba, St. Kitts, Nevis and St. Barts.  Evidently the fort is now on property owned by the Divi Little Bay Hotel.  You may recognize that name since it is one of the places that contestants on "Wheel of Fortune" are sent if they win.  The Divi purchased all the land where the fort is located in hopes of expanding their Hotel.  Thank goodness that the Historical Fort is on land zoned as a heritage zone and will never receive permits for development.  Now all I have to do is talk one of the security guards at the Divi into allowing me to take photos of Fort Amsterdam when I vacation soon on Sint Maarten.  Maybe a few US dollars would help me find my way to the fort.  If you read about the fort in the next year on this blog, you will know I was successful.  PS - The drone photos of Fort Amsterdam were recently taken by photographer Christophe La Villa~Sxmdronechristophe.  They were posted on the Facebook Page "WE ARE ST.MAARTENST.MARTIN."

This photograph was taken from a page on Fort Amsterdam.

This photograph was taken from a page on Fort Amsterdam.

A 1966 photograph of Fort Amsterdam taken from a historical site.