The "Having The Camel Hair Pulled Over Their Eyes!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about a rather unusual topic...camels!  Learned more United States history today than I have in a long time.  And....it all had to do with camels!  You know...the animals with either one hump or two humps.  Goes back to 1851 when Jefferson Davis was a United States Senator and future president of the Confederacy.  Seems he had proposed to import 50 African and Asian camels into the American Southwest with the idea that he could use them to hunt down Indigenous people in the region, thus asserting U.S. control across the continent.  He believed that once safe passage could be secured from Texas to Southern California, white Southerners cold begin to move west in large numbers and bring their slaves with them, thus the camels would help to expand slavery in Southern states.  And...he did it!  After four years of lobbying in Congress he received funding for his camel project.  At the time he was Secretary of War and could oversee the project.  He picked his own agents who set off on a world tour, with stops in Tunis, Constantinople, Cairo and Smyrna who collected a variety of camels and dromedaries as well as Turkish and Arab handlers.  In April of 1856 a cargo of 34 animals landed in Indianola, Texas and nine month later another 41 arrived.  The camels were hard workers and drew crowds of spectators as then hauled large amounts of hay.  Between 1857 and 1859, Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald Beale employed dozens of camels in several high-profile expeditions across the Southwest.  Camel enthusists grew in numbers and observers could see that the camels could survive without water for long stretches of time, manage heavy loads, travel more than 30 miles a day while consuming less food than horses and mules.  But, they did have their faults.  They sneezed, shedded, gave off a foul odor and had the tendency to regurgitate on passersby.  And, some even began to realize that the camels were part of Davis's veiled proslavery plot.  Then Congress refused to fund the animals anymore.  By that time there were more than 80 camels scattered across forts in Texas and California.  The camels could work on the Southern plantations and work faster and harder than mules, thus working the slaves harder to keep up with them.  Slaveholders began to clamor for more camels.  In 1858, a cargo of 89 camels docked in Galveston, Texas and several month later 21 more camels arrived in Mobile, Alabama.  Most could not see that the camels were being used as a smokescreen to help smuggle African captives into North America.  By this time the United States had outlawed the African slave trade, but most did not notice that captive Africans could be stored in the same ship's hold as the camels.  It seems that Mr. John A. Machado, the main importer of camels to the States was also a notorious slave trader.  The camels were a cover for his importation of captive Africans who were usually stored in the ship's hold.  The smell of the camels covered the smell produced by the captive Africans.  Then along came the Civil War which brought an end to the camel trade.   Camels did make a few appearances in Union and Confederate armies during the war, but they weren't widely employed.  By the end of the war most had ben auctioned off or set loose.  Some found their way into zoos and circuses while others disappeared into the wild.  For years and years travelers reported seeing strange beasts moving across the desert landscape of the Southwest.  One such sighting added to the story of the "Red Ghost" who was said to rampage across the West with a headless rider on his back.  Today the historic mining town of Virginia City, Nevada holds camel races every year.  These original residents of our country were more than a mere curiosity.  These transplanted camels were used to expand the insititution of slavery, beginning with the Secretary of War and continuing with individual planters and slave traders.  The senators who snickered at Jefferson Davis in 1851 when he unveiled his pet project had little notion of how deep the plot would run.  Seems his experiment outfoxed many!  So...how many of you have seen a camel walking around the neighborhood recently?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "My Favorite Meal" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished a story for an Internet site called Storyworth which my son, daughter-in-law and grandson gave me as a Christmas gift.  I am given topics to write about and after 12 stories, a booklet is made and sent to my friends and relatives.  Neat idea and a great momento for my relatives.  One of the latest stories I wrote was titled my "favorite meal."  Had a hard time coming up with just one meal, so I wrote about a dozen of them, some from around my hometown of Lancaster as well as favorite meals from the Caribbean.  For most of you who read my stories, you will not have the chance to read the "favorite meal" story, so I posted a copy of the story today.  Hope you enjoy it.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Trying to determine what might be my favorite meal is a tough story to write.  Thought about it for a few days and finally decided I needed to list more than one meal in order to be honest with both myself and those reading this story.  I finally got it narrowed down to ten which was a tough job to do.  Almost as tough as writing the story!  Goes way back to when my Grandpap would make his famous Chicken corn soup.  Tough to tell you just how good it was unless you had a bowl or two of it.  After the first spoonful, you knew nobody could top it.  As a youngster Grandpap would have me help him prepare the ingredients and help him make his famous soup.  While peeling the sweet corn, both white and yellow, if we happened to come upon a silk worm, we would save it and add that to the batch of soup.  Grandpap always enjoyed seeing whom might be the one to get the worm in their bowl of soup.  I think everyone in the family got at least one worm in their soup over the many years he made his soup.  The next best meal I have ever eaten was my wife's creamed peas and eggs on toast.  May not sound interesting to you, but the flavor was, and still is to this day, remarkable.  She would make a cream sauce and place either fresh or frozen peas in it and slowly heat it on the stove.  After hard boiling eggs, she would cut them in pieces and add them to the mixture.  When the mixture was ready, she would make toast and place the mixture on top of the toast.  Unbelievable meal!  My next most favorite meal was found in Chesapeake City, Maryland at a restaurant known as The Chesapeake City Inn.  Their Anaheim Pepper with cheese ravioli was so good that it was just about the only meal I ever had at the restaurant over about 40 years of visits.  From here I must take you to the Caribbean island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten to finish my list.  Next on my list would be Andy & Cheryl's Baywatch Restaurant on Orient Beach.  The "mussels a la Andy" were unbelievable.  You would remove them from their shell, dip them in melted butter and pop them in your mouth.  Not sure if it was the food or the view in front of the restaurant that was mesmerizing.  Closeby were two restaurants with equally delectable meals.  The cheese ravioli at le Piment and the scallops at Safari Grill were both delicious.  A few miles to the west of Orient Beach found us in Grand Case and the Il Nettuno Restaurant where I always enjoyed their cheese ravioli.  And finally, traveling to the Dutch side of the island, we found the restaurant known as Pineapple Pete's where we almost always had the lobster thermador.  Most of my selections seem to be mostly seafood choices, but that's what both my wife and myself enjoy.  Perhaps if you had the chance to try a few of my choices from the Caribbean, you too would love them.  Tough to narrow my list of fabulous meals to one, so I have listed what I could remember as some of my favorites.  I'm sure I missed a few, but I'm no longer hungry after writing this story.

The "Are You Ready For Some Laughs?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a few jokes in the Readers Digest that were pretty funny.  Thought you might be in the mood for a few to lighten your day. Hope you get a good laugh from them!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

I invented a new word!   Plagiarism!

Did you hear about the mathematician who’s afraid of negative numbers?   He’ll stop at nothing to avoid them.

Helvetica and Times New Roman walk into a bar.   “Get out of here!” shouts the bartender. “We don’t serve your type.”

A woman in labor suddenly shouted, “Shouldn’t! Wouldn’t! Couldn’t! Didn’t! Can’t!”   “Don’t worry,” said the doc. “Those are just contractions.”

Where are average things manufactured?   The satisfactory.

What sits at the bottom of the sea and twitches?   A nervous wreck.

Why can’t you explain puns to kleptomaniacs?   They always take things literally.

How do you keep a bagel from getting away?   Put lox on it.

What do you call a parade of rabbits hopping backwards?   A receding hare-line.

What does Charles Dickens keep in his spice rack?The best of thymes, the worst of thymes.

What’s the different between a cat and a comma?   A cat has claws at the end of paws; A comma is a pause at the end of a clause. 

Why should the number 288 never be mentioned?  It’s two gross.

What did the bald man exclaim when he received a comb for a present?   Thanks— I’ll never part with it!

What did the left eye say to the right eye?   Between you and me, something smells.

How do you make a tissue dance?   Put a little boogie in it.

What do you call a pony with a cough?   A little horse.

What did one hat say to the other?   You wait here. I’ll go on a head.

Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl go to the bathroom?Because the “P” is silent.

What do you call a woman with one leg?   Eileen.

What did the pirate say when he turned 80?   Aye matey.

What is an astronaut’s favorite part on a computer?   The space bar.

Once my dog ate all the Scrabble tiles.   He kept leaving little messages around the house

Did you hear about the two people who stole a calendar?They each got six months.

What breed of dog can jump higher than buildings?   Any dog, because buildings can’t jump.

Why did the M&M go to school?   It wanted to be a Smartie.

Why do bees have sticky hair?   Because they use honeycombs.

I got my daughter a fridge for her birthday.   I can’t wait to see her face light up when she opens it.

What do you call a rooster staring at a pile of lettuce?   A chicken sees a salad.

Why did the nurse need a red pen at work?   In case she needed to draw blood.

The numbers 19 and 20 got into a fight.   21.

Why did it get so hot in the baseball stadium after the game?   All of the fans left.

What do you call a train carrying bubblegum?   A chew-chew train.

Why can’t male ants sink?   They’re buoy-ant.

Where do you find a cow with no legs?   Right where you left it.

Did you hear about the kidnapping at school?   It’s okay. He woke up.

Why does Humpty Dumpty love autumn?   Because Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

Why couldn’t the leopard play hide and seek?   Because he was always spotted.

The "A Photographer To Top All Other Photographers!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking my new MacBook Air when I came across a local online story about a young girl named Morgan Smoker.  Story began with...Hi there!  I'm so glad you're here!  I'm Morgan!  I'm a daughter, friend and photographer who is passionate about capturing memories and glorifying God with my talents.  I am in a wheelchair and I talk using a communication device.  I am able to operate my camera fully with my device!  I've loved taking photos since I was a freshman in high school.  I cherish making people feel good about themselves and I would love to capture your memories.  My experience is mainly in natural light portraiture and wedding photography, but I do enjoy, and have studied studio photography.  Capturing photos shares many of God's masterpieces, and I have an eye for it!  I can't wait to meet you and capture your story!  Let's chat!  Morgan is a 22 year old resident of nearby Gordonville who enjoys playing by the family pool, listening to country music, working, going to church and taking photographs.  She travels, cheers for the Philadelphia Eagles and likes to go to the park with her Yorkie dog named Roxy.  And, she really enjoys making ironic comments on the internet!  And...all this is done while sitting in an electric wheelchair with the help of an Accent 1400 communication device, a machine that assists in composing messages and loading pre-programmed responses. Morgan's message is displayed on the screen and verbalized with a computerized voice.  The machine can also sen emails and text messages.  To operate the Accent 1400 Morgan moves the cursor on the screen through a dot sensor on her forehead.  Morgan was born with glutamic acuduria type 1 which is a hereditary disease that prevents the body from processing certain proteins.  But, Morgan says that even people think she can't do anything, she is 100% mentally competent.  Guitaric acuduria type 1 is found from time to time in the Amish community according to Adam Heaps who is the managing director of the Strasburg Clinic for Special Children where Morgan is treated.  The disease affects 1 in 250 people in the Amish community.  But, neither Morgan, or her parents, were raised Amish.  She did have a grandmother who was Amish, but left the Amish community when she was 16 years old.  When Morgan was only a few months old she became ill and was taken to the hospital.  Her illness was discovered and did result in some brain damage.  She can't walk, talk or control her hands, but can chew and swallow food.  Greg Finger, Morgan's boyfriend, says that the only thing she can't do is walk.  Greg and Morgan want all people with disabilities to know that just because they might be in a wheelchair doesn't mean they can't be successful.  And...I must admit...after seeing her photography...she is 100% correct.  Her Accent 1400 machine helps her take her photographs, but composing her photographs takes place in her head.  And, she does a fantastic job of composing her photographs.  

Morgan Smoker, Professional Photographer

Morgan began taking photographs shortly after attending the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center.  She now takes wedding photos, portraitures and works for Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park taking photos at their "Get the Picture" stand.  She also enjoys going to New Holland's worship center when not taking photos.  She says that it is her faith that plays a major role in her life and success.  "Our God works in a mysterious way, and I love him for it," she says.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "A Story I Will Never Forget...And, I Wasn't Even There!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a very interesting story in my morning newspaper that was written by reporter Ty Lohr who also took several great photographs to illustrate his story.  His story was titled "Keeping History Alive" and told the story of a Polish woman named Linda Schwab who was a 7 year old Jewish girl in 1942 when Nazi soldiers rode into her village on motorcycles.  At the time she couldn't comprehend what was going to happen to her and her family, but that one day back in 1942 changed her life forever.  Today she shares her story with school children to help them understand what if was really like during World War II.  

Linda Schwab (photo by Ty Lohr - LNP)

Her story goes back 80 years, but on the days before she gives her talks, she still finds it hard to sleep the night before her presentation.  The newspaper story tells that her presentation this particular day was to a class of Middle School children whose teacher, Joanne Woodward asked her to speak after one of her students asked her about the importance of the Holocaust.  Linda feels it is important to share her story so others can learn more about the history of WWII.  She tells about her father and his brothers leaving the Jewish ghetto where they lived in what today is known as Belarus and never returning home again.  Not long after they left, Linda's mother and aunts watched as Nazis made the men dig a hole before killing all of them.  It was a massacre she told the Middle School students.  But, somehow that night her father quietly returned, having somehow avoiding his death earlier that day, and led the family out of the ghetto.  But, her father decided to go back to get warmer clothing for the children.  When the family returned they were met by drunken SS soldiers who shot her father.  She still remembers seeing blood as her father lay motionless on the ground while she and the rest of the family were escorted back to the ghetto.  But, later a knock at the door was heard and when they opened the door, there was here father who had been shot in the ear, but had faked death.  He took the family into hiding where they spent 6 months in a potato cellar and another 18 months in a hand-dug cave in the Belrusian woods.  Can you imagine the intense interest that the middle school students must have displayed as Linda told her story!  She continued by telling the class that it was a warm day in April that they all were freed.  They were all skin and bones and yellow she told them.  The Germans had left Poland, but only after setting fires and destroying villages.  

Linda is 3rd from left, front row holding the fan.  Submitted by Linda

Linda and her family left their hiding spot and were met by Russian soldiers, one of whom gave his hat to her brother.  She told the class that it was God's will that they survived.  Linda immigrated to the United States as a young teen and now lives in nearby Harrisburg.  Linda continues to share here story with others, since fewer and fewer Holocaust survivors still remain.  She told the class that the one thing she wants them to remember from her experience is for people to "be kind."  She finished her talk to the middle school students by placing her hand over her heart and telling the class, "I love America.  I'm very American now."  I'll bet that not a single student, including the teacher, in that class will ever forget the day in April of 2022 when they heard 86 year old Linda Schwab tell her personal story about surviving WWII.  I must admit that after reading her story in the newspaper that was written and photographed by newspaper writer, Ty Lohr, I too will never forget it.   Thank you Linda for sharing your life's story so others can see the horrors of war.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.         

The "The Colorful, Rags-To-Riches Saga Of Stephen Smith" Story

It was an ordinary day.   Reading the story of a fellow named Stephen Smith who was a black man whose life was somewhat different than most black men of his era.  Stephen Smith was born a slave in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania around 1795 to a slave woman named Nancy Smith.  His father was unknown.  When he was five years old he became the indentured servant to the Pennsylvanian businessman named Thomas Boude who was a former Revolutionary War officer from Lancaster County.  When he turned 21 he gathered enough money together to purchase his freedom for $50.  After purchasing his freedom he had big plans ahead of him and in the same year purchased a lumber business.  On November 17, 1816 he married Harriet Lee, who worked as a servant in the Jonathan Mifflin home.  Already equipped with entrepreneurial skills, Smith opened a lumber business and became involved in lucrative real estate operations while his wife operated an oyster and refreshment house.  Stephen Smith became involved in civil rights activities early on when he opposed the policies of the American Colonization Society and demonstrated his position in 1831, when he led free blacks in Columbia, Pa. in a pubic meeting.  In 1834 he joined such men as David Ruggle, John Peck, Abraham Shadd and John B. Vashon who were the first black gents for Freedom's Journal and later for The Emancipator.  They were asked to secure subscriptions to the papers and collect what were called arrearages.  Being an astute businessman, he opened a lumber business in Columbia and prospered.  The risky work on the Underground Railroad did not intimidate such abolitionists as Smith and William Whipper.

Mr. Steven Smith

 These two abolitionists and businessmen of Columbia, Pennsylvania escaped bodily harm and jail sentences for secreting slaves.  Smith's success in real estate ventures and work as an abolitionist disturbed whites who led a mob in an attack on his office in August 1834, spurring a race riot, followed by a second one in October.  They wanted to frighten Smith and force him and other black real-estate owners to sell their property below market value and leave town.  In the 1830s, Smith and several antebellum blacks were members of various boards with Mr. Smith being with the Columbia Bank.  At the time he was the bank's largest stockholder, but did not qualify to be President since he was black.  He was allowed to name the white man to be President!  Mr. Smith was inspired by eminent minister, Richard Allen, founder of the AME church and at the age of 31 became licensed to preach.  He was a Teller in the election of every Bishop since Richard Allen until his death in 1873.  Smith built a public hall in Philadelphia for the use of the "People of Color"; but it was destroyed by fire in the riots of 1842.  Stephen Smith was one of the Signers of Frederick Douglas' Men of Color to Arms; during the early part of the Civil War calling Black Americans to join the Union Army.  By the 1850s, Smith had invested $9,000 in the Columbia-Wrightville Bridge, which was burned on June 28, 1863 to stop Confederate troops from crossing into Lancaster County.  although a claim was filed with the Federal Government for the bridge, neither the bank nor its investors were ever repaid.  By 1873 Smith had accumulated a fortune worth more than $1,000,000 in today's modern terms.  And, it was in 1873 that Stephen Smith, businessman, minister an abolitionist died.  The more I searched, the more I found out about Mr. Stephen Smith.  He was truly a man who went from rags to riches.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

The "The Story Of Wright's Ferry Mansion" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a bit more about the woman known as Susanna Wright.  It was more than 5 years ago that I wrote the first of many stories about Susanna and her Wright's Ferry Mansion which was on the east side of the Susquehanna River in the state of Pennsylvania.  Seems that Susanna was one of the most substantial women in colonial Pennsylvania.  So, exactly what happened to her estate along the banks of the mighty Susquehanna?  According to Lancaster Newspaper writer, Jack "The Scribbler" Brubaker, Susanna had an incredible array of talents and accomplishments.  She was fluent in Latin, French and Italian and had studied the language of the local Conestoga Indians who were her neighbors.  She was a student of both law and medicine as we'll as being interested in science.  Oh, yeah, she also wrote poetry with one poem dealing with the right of women being able to vote in 1750; 169 years before they were given the right to vote. She corresponded with Ben Franklin and James Logan, William Penn's secretary as well as other important colonial Americans.  She was also known for cultivating mulberry trees to feed American's first silkworms who spun silk cocoons which she harvested to make silk stockings.  Wright never married, so, when she died she willed her four nephews as her beneficiaries.  

Wright's Ferry Mansion

She gave Wright's Ferry Mansion and other buildings on her 100 acres to nephew Samuel who lived in the mansion and established the town of Columbia on tha 100 acres.  She divided the ferry property equally among Samuel and his brothers.  She willed her furniture, books and other belongings to Rhoda Wright and children including the four nephews and Susanna's niece, Sukey Wright.  The mansion on South Second Street stayed in the family until 1922 when the Rasbridge family purchased it, saving it from proposed demolition to accommodate a coal yard.  In 1973 the Louise Steinman von Hess Foundation bought the house from the Rasbridge family and restored the property, furnishing the house with antiques of the period when Susanna lived there.  It is now hoped that Susanna Wright's home and legacy will live forever in Pennsylvania history.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

The "Is It Safe To Travel Yet?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  After a few years of missing our trips to exotic islands in the Caribbean, my wife Carol and I have begun to discuss vacation plans once again.  Only problem is that we are now a few years older and will find it more of a struggle to visit some of our favorite vacation spots.  But, for the first time in many years I have found that I have very little back pain due to my recent Spinal Cord Stimulation surgery.  I have one area on my lower back where I now have a permanent battery in place which powers the stimulator and was rather painful for a week or two, but is now beginning to heal and the pain is lessening.  So...what to do.  Should we make plans to travel with our traveling friends Jere and Sue once again or should we travel by ourselves at least one time to make sure we are both physically able to do so before we create problems for our friends.  Jere and Sue, who were my high school classmates close to 60 years ago, always seem to have the best of times together with my wife and me.  We have traveled with them a few times to Hawaii as well as close to a dozen islands in the Caribbean.  Should we take a cruise or make plans to stay on an island that we have enjoyed in the past?  COVID spoiled our traveling plans with them for a few years and we hope that will not happen again, but with infection numbers creeping back up once again, who knows if airlines will fly to exotic locations anytime soon.  Carol and I have also questioned if we should travel by ourselves to avoid passing on any infections to our friends if we would perhaps come in contact with the virus.  Our favorite destination of St. Martin/Sint Maarten is always an option for the two of us.  But...are we really ready to chance traveling at all?  Carol and I have both experienced travel problems in the past.  She ended up in a hospital in Turks and Caicos when she had to have her appendix removed and I had a bad case of shingles while on the island of Sint Maarten.  Neither experience was pleasant and chancing the same thing happening due to COVID doesn't look inviting.  Perhaps it may be best to save traveling out of the country for a bit later...maybe another year or two.  Looks like vacation with friends to a closer location will have to be good enough for now.  We can have just as much fun even though we aren't in some exotic location.  The sun shines just the same no matter where we vacation!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Story Of Lancaster's Original Young Men's Christian Association" Story

It was an ordinary day.  I recently found a photograph that showed the demolition of the original YMCA in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  One of the neatest old buildings in center city Lancaster when I was a young boy.  I made a few visits to the "Y" with friends who held memberships so I could go swimming with them.  Also remember standing in front of the building when local parades marched down West Orange Street.  The YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) was an elegantly refined Beaux Arts building that used some of the same architectural proponents as other Architect C. Emblem Urban buildings such as the nearby Watt & Shand and Stevens High School.  They also reflected the same style as the nearby Griest Building.  The YMCA had four floors which later had an additional floor added to it.  The east side of the building faced North Queen Street and was five bays wide with retail stores lining the ground-level floor.  The south side of the building, facing West Orange, contained the YMCA's entry door where I remember going into the building.  It was centered below a projecting balcony that was on the third-floor.  The pool was in the lower level with a second floor that had a track, basketball court with all types of exercise equipment. The third floor had game rooms of all types with candy machines and pool tabes.  

The YMCA at the corner of N. Queen and W. Orange Streets

Pilasters spanning the second and third floors met the arches of the fourth-floor windows.  The Lancaster YMCA began in 1870 when it opened in a few different buildings.  Then in April of 1895, the YMCA Board of Directors purchased the Shober Hotel property at Queen and Orange Streets for $60,000.  They broke ground for the new building on April 21, 1899 with the corner stone being placed on June 17, 1900.  The building was dedicated on April 8, 1901.  

A parade passes the old YMCA in Lancaster City.

The total cost for the YMCA was $215,000 which included the price of the property, the furnishings and the building.  The Board of Directors eventually launched a "debt-free campaign" to help raise $100,000.  Businessman James Shand, one of the co-counders of Watt & Stand Department Store, helped raise money to pay for the building.  A 1910 history of the organization stated that the large new building was evidence that the YMCA was keeping pace with the steady and prosperous growth of the City of Lancaster.  Then in July of 1965, with the decline of interest in the YMCA, it was demolished to allow for construction of the Prince Street parking garage which was part of the development of Lancaster Square to the North.  

The demolition of the Lancaster YMCA in downtown Lancaster.

The YMCA was relocated to another location on North Queen Street which was in a smaller building.  Not long ago it was once again moved to a building along the Harrisburg Pike where it remains today. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Evolution Of Lancaster's Fire Company" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the Lancaster Sunday News story titled "Horses and Hoses" which described the city of Lancaster and it's fire department before the first official fire department was organized on April 1, 1882.  Had a hard time believing some of the stories that I was reading that talked about rival firefighting groups that would actually resort to fist fighting and water fights when more than one firefighting group would arrive at a fire at the same time.  Seems that on August 21, 1881, a water fight broke out between the Friendship fire and Hose Company and the American Fire Engine and Hose Company.  While the fire tore through the B.F. Skeen Building at the corner of Sherman Street and Marion Alley, firefighters blasted each other's equipment with water and threw "stones, bricks and other missiles" instead  of fighting the fire.  At the time, arson was a big problem throughout Lancaster.  So bad that the city hired a group of lawyers to prosecute the arsonists, commonly known as firebugs, "who caused so much excitement in this city during the last few years,"  One of the most famous "firebugs" in Lancaster was a guy named George "Tis" Brimmer" who was the head of the "firebug gang."  He earned a reputation as "one of the most celebrated criminals ever developed in Lancaster County."  He was born in the 1860s and would go on to break out of jail, be caught again, and eventually pardoned in 1895 after serving 12 1/2 years in prion.

Lancaster City's Truck A sometime before 1917 when horses were no longer used.

Then, a new fire department was created on Augut 21, 1881 and most of the fighting between neighboring fire companies stopped.  But, getting to the fire for the newly created fire department was still rather dangerous.  At that time, Henry Howell was the city's first fire chief and was in command of 39 men: 19 horsemen, 9 driver, 5 foremen, 4 engineers and one tilleerman and one ladderman.  The equipment required at least two horses to get it to the fire and three stallions were needed for the ladder trucks.  The very first day that the department opened, a building known as the "old match factory", near Chestnut and Duke Streets caught on fire from a spark thrown by a passing locomotive a few feet away from the building.  The fire department made excellent time going to the fire and did good work the local newspaper reported.  On April 11, 1882, a group of insurance men from New York visited Lancaster and were very impresed when an alarm was struck a few blocks away and the firemen arrived minutes later. The newspaper called the run "very satisfactory," even though one of the carts crashed going over railroad tracks, injuring a firefighter and breaking parts to the cart and injuring the horse.  Since the beginning of Lancaster's Fire Company in August 21, 1881, 11 firefighters have died in the line of duty.  The most recent one was firefighter Thomas Horvath who suffered a heart attack on a fire scene in 1992.

A steam engine was used to pump water in 1910.

In the department's first calendar year, firefighters were called to 34 alarms, including two false alarms.  One of the first major fires was on November 5, 1883 at the Inquirer Printing and Publishing Building at 47 N. Queen St.  The firefighters arrived within 3 minutes, but the building was destroyed by the fire.  The newspaper article I was reading told of many of the city's major fires as well as the equipment that has been purchased in the past.  The story also told of the first black firefighter and first woman firefighter to be hired.  Today the fire company not only fights fires but assists with car crashes, medical calls and animal rescues.  Today there 76 firefighters.  Lancaster's Fire Company has come a long way from the 1880s, and I'm sure will look quite different 100 years from now.  But, everyone reading my story today will more than likely not be here to talk about how it used to be.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "So How Well Do You Know Elvis?" Story

 It was an ordinary day.   Mid-1950s and Elvis Presley had arrived on the scene.  The world of pop music changed forever.  Elvis brought a new sound and new aesthetic to rock 'n' roll which was influenced by the blues, Christian gospel and Southern country...and sung in his distinctive baritone voice with a three-octave range.  His high energy performances sent his fans into a frenzy while counting controversy among society's more conservative elements.  Elvis was more than a singer!  He soon became a cultural icon, whose sense of style ranged from a slice of James Dean look to outlandish diamond-studded jumpsuits that inspired the likes of Elton John.  He was endlessly colorful and entertaining, both on stage and off.  In his personal life he had his ups and downs, struggling with both drugs and his health, but few doubted that he deserved the title of the "King of Rock 'n' Roll."  Leonard Bernstein once said, "Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the 20th century.  He introduced the beat to everything, music language, clothes, its' a whole new social revolution."  And...what makes it so neat is that I lived through it all and had the chance to enjoy Elvis while he was in all his glory.  Check out some quotes from the King himself, covering everything from his famously provocative pelvis to his views on fame and fortune.  

Some people tap their feet, some people snap their fingers, and some people sway back and forth. I just sorta do ‘em all together, I guess.

To judge a man by his weakest link or deed is like judging the power of the ocean by one wave.

The first time that I appeared on stage, it scared me to death. I really didn't know what all the yelling was about. I didn't realize that my body was moving. It's a natural thing to me. So to the manager backstage I said, “What'd I do? What'd I do?” And he said, “Whatever it is, go back and do it again.”

Just because I managed to do a little something, I don't want anyone back home to think I got a big head.

The image is one thing and the human being is another… it's very hard to live up to an image.

In public, I like real conservative clothes, something that's not too flashy. But onstage, I like ‘em as flashy as you can get ‘em.

Money's meant to be spread around. The more happiness it helps create, the more it’s worth. It's worthless as old cut-up paper if it just lies in a bank and grows there without ever having been used to help a body.

Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.

I'm not a loner, I don't think. But I've got to admit. Sometimes I like just getting off by myself. You know. Just off somewhere alone. No crowds or anything. Where it's just peaceful. And quiet. And you can think.

I figure all any kid needs is hope and the feeling he or she belongs. If I could do or say anything that would give some kid that feeling, I would believe I had contributed something to the world.

Money can never buy everything your heart desires. It won't buy love, or health, or true happiness.

My momma taught me one thing right from the very beginning, and that's that everyone's got a right to his own opinion. I believe that. And I also believe that you can't make everyone like you.

I watch my audience and listen to them, and I know we are all getting something out of our system. None of us knows what it is. The important thing is that we’re getting rid of it and nobody’s getting hurt.

I've had a pretty good lesson in human nature. It’s more important to try to surround yourself with people who can give you a little happiness, because you only pass through this life once, Jack. You don’t come back for an encore.

Sound like something Elvis might have said?  Perhaps he really was a good guy to go along with his voice.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Keep An Eye Out When Mowing For Animals & Insects" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Mowing the grass for the first time this summer.  It was getting long in some places while in others it hasn't begun to grow yet.  Began mowing my .9 acre lawn and in no time was on the final stretch of yard above my driveway that led to the garage.  All of a sudden I saw movement in the grass ahead me.  Stopped and watched as three very young rabbits ran from their home along my mowing route to safety.  Visually sighted where I thought they had ran from and got off the mower and walked to the spot.  There was a pile of twigs about an inch high and when I slowly lifted one end, saw a couple more baby bunnies.  Got back on my mower and headed the opposite direction.  The mowing of this area can wait until next week.  The same thing happened last year in another area if the yard and I didn't see one of the young bunnies in time and ran over him.  Something I will never forget or forgive myself for doing.  Just too much time to live yet and to have to finish the job just to make it look good isn't a reason anymore.  Years ago much the same thing happened when I ran into a small nest of bees with the mower.  Now that didn't  take me long to put the mower on fast and head back to the garage.  Luckily the next week the nest was empty when I reached it.  I have a friend who raised honey bees for a few years in his back yard.  

Hal and his HoneyBees

Fellow Industrial Arts teacher who built the hives himself in his basement woodshop.  Beautiful job and the bees began to arrive shortly after he placed them at the foot of his property.  I made a few visits to watch him work with the bees and then traveled with him when he harvested the honey from the hive inserts at a relative's house.  Took photos and added a few stories titled "Hal's Hives".  You can type that in the white box, top left to read them.  Well, I never got stung when I went to watch him harvest the honey so I have no idea if I am allergic to be stings.  

Here you can see some of the honey that had been made in the beehive.

You may not be aware of an allergy until you're stung.  About 5% of the population is allergic to insect stings. Reactions to insect stings range in severity from minor to potentially fatal.  Bee and other insect stings are usually only annoying and can cause a brief, sharp pain along with swelling and redness.  Home treatment is all that's necessary in that case.  If you get a more severe reaction you may need emergency attention.  If that is the case, your immune system produces immunoglobulin E which reacts to the venom injected by the insect.  This triggers your body's release of histamine and other chemicals that can cause severe responses such as itching and hives, swelling of the throat and tongue, difficulty breathing, dizziness and nausea, stomach cramps and diarrhea and rapid fall in blood pressure which can result in shock and loss of consciousness.  As soon as you get stung, remove the stinger and wash the sting area with soap and water.  If you notice a minor reaction, use an oral antihistamine.  If it is more serious call 911 immediately.  Hal always made sure he was protected with a covering over his entire body, but if you happen to be mowing and run into a hive of bees you will have a tough time trying to outrun them.  Be prepared and have a phone handy in case you need to dial 911.  Never fun to run into anything while mowing the grass and I try my hardest to keep my eyes on the area in front of me, but...you never know what can be lurching in that high grass once you begin your mowing.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Will I Ever Be Pain Free Again - Part II? Story

It was an ordinary day.  Finally beginning to feel some relief from the many years of back pain.  For years and years I have been walking with a slight bend in my back.  It has been just about the only way I can walk without feeling overwhelming pain.  All began close to 50 years ago when I lifted a large window air conditioner and shouldn't have.  Well, after four major back surgeries which did give me some pain relief for a few years each time, I decided to give the spinal cord stimulator a try.  The Boston Scientific's SCS system is prescribed for the management of chronic pain.  The system electrically stimulates the spinal cord to alter the perception of pain signals that move along the nerve pathways on either side of the spine.  Paresthesia is the term that describes the light, tingling sensation (the "feeling") of spinal cord stimulation.  I was able to test the procedure for a few days and found I had less pain using the stimulator.  So...I thought I might as well give it a try.  The SCS (spinal cord stimulator) system includes both implanted and external components.  During my surgery two leads were placed along my spinal cord where pain signals to the brain can be intercepted.  The leads were then attached to an implantable pulse generator, also referred to as an implant, or Stimulator.  The Stimulator is commonly placed in the abdomen, upper buttock, or subclavicular area.  The Stimulator sends a small electrical current to a series of stimulating contacts, or electrodes, at the end of the lead.  The battery-powered Stimulator is controlled by a hand-held programmer or Remote Control, and is periodically recharged using a separate Charging System.  The Remote Control is a powerful, yet easy to use, tool for managing every aspect of my pain treatment...from controlling the level, or strength, of stimulation to accessing special treatment programs and program options.  

This shows how the SCS works in my back.  Click to enlarge

To make the most of my system it is important to learn: (1) what to be aware of for safety, (2) how to use the Remote Control, and (3) how to recharge the Stimulator.   My Stimulator uses a rechargeable battery to provide stimulation.  My charging system allows me to recharge the Stimulator battery as needed.  The charging system consists of the Charger unit, a Base Station, and a Power Supply.  The Base Station is designed to remain connected to a power outlet at all times.  When it is not being used, I need to keep the Charger on the Base Station so that it is always ready to deliver a charge.  

This is the remote I have to learn to use.

A booklet I was given tells me how to charge the Stimulator.  I believe I will have a long learning experience, but if this unit will give me pain relief, I am willing to give it a try.  I had the unit implanted in my back on April 13.  I had a few meetings with both my doctor and a specialist from Boston Scientific who both tried to explain to me how to use the unit.  I make mistakes from time to time which in turn send extra strong waves through my body.  Scares the crap out of me, but in no time I end up hitting the correct button on my hand-held device and the shock goes away.  I naturally have to sleep with the unit since it is implanted in my back.  I try and get the best results with the unit for when I lay down, since the schock is different when laying down than when sitting or standing.  I'm in the process of managing my remote so I can make the changes before I recline in bed at night and before I sit up in the morning.  Starting to get the hang of it and am beginning to see the advantages of having the unit in my back.  I haven't had to charge the battery that is implanted in my back as of yet, but I know that is coming and I may need some coaching from my specialists.  I figure I will write another story in a few weeks to let you know how I am making out with my spinal cord stimulator.  I'm convinced this will be my pain savior until I can no longer breathe.  I'm assuming it will last that long.  Stay tuned...It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "E-Town College Student Helps In Solving A Cold Case Murder!' Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading in my daily newspaper about a nearby 20 year old Elizabethtown College student, Eric Schubert, helping to solve the oldest cold case murder in the state of Pennsylvania as well as the fourth-oldest cold case murder in the United States.  He helped the police solve the case using genetic genealogy.  

Eric Schubert

Seems that Eric, a history major, is a top-notch investigator who specializes in genetic genealogy and had volunteered to help the Pennsylvania State Police with the case, if they wanted his services.  It was back in 1964, almost 40 years before Eric was born, that 9-year-old Marise Ann Chiverella was abducted as she walked to school in the city of Hazleton, Pennsylvania.  Her body was found the same afternoon in a nearby coal pit.  

Marise Ann Chiverella

She had been raped and strangled.  More than 230 police investigators had worked on the case at one time or another.  One day Eric was reading about the case and called the police station and offered his services to the State Police.  He was sure they wouldn't want the help of a 20 year-old kid, but they surprised him and accepted his offer.  He worked side-by-side with police investigators.  Eric claimed the case was the hardest genealogy case he had ever faced in his young life.  Well, they traced the killer back to a fellow named James Paul Forte, a bartender with a  record of violent sexual assault, who died ini 1980 at the age of 38.

Pix of James Paul Forte

Forte was 22 at the time and had no known connections with the young girl which made it harder to solve the case.  Generations of State Police worked on the case, but with no results.  By now the little girl's parents had both died, but her siblings were still live.  When a perfect match was made by the police and Eric, the killers body was exhumed and found that his DNA was a perfect match of the DNA left on the jacket of the victim.  Over 230 members of the police were involved in the probe at one time or another.  Eventually new DNA technology established a distant family connection to Forte and with Eric's help they were able to get their culprit.  The little girl's siblings said they had so many precious memories of their sister and knew the guy would one day be caught.  And now, thanks to the Pennsylvania State Police and 20-year-old genetic genealogist Eric Schubert, one of the biggest unsolved murder crimes has finally been solved.  Eric may face a future in genetic genealogy in helping solve other cold-case murders.  I certainly would want him on my side!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of n ordinary guy.

The "A Story For Stamp Collectors" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just left the Neffsville Post Office which is about a mile from my home in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I stopped in the post office to mail a few packages as well as buy stamps.  While waiting in line I noticed something rather unusual.  Stamps that were triangular in shape were in the upper right of the display cabinet next to the main counter.  When it was my turn I asked about the stamps in the display unit and was told they don't have any triangular stamps for sale at present.  They went on to tell me a little bit about the stamps, since I was the only customer in then post office at the time.  I found out that the samples were issued on March 13, 1997 when the US Post Office issued its first triangle-shaped stamps.  Also found out that the world's first triangle-shaped stamps were printed in 1853 by the British colony known as the Cape of Good Hope.  They were created as a triangle to help the illiterate postal clerks identify letters that were mailed from within the colony from those letters that were mailed from other places.  By 1863, the Cape of Good Hope had produced a total of 12 different triangular stamps so their stamps must have been a big help to the postal clerks.  In 1857 the British colony of Newfoundland also had a triangular stamp.  Then in 1908, Ecuador issued their own triangular stamp, but it was slightly different than all the other triangular stamps to date since it was issued with perforations to make it easier to separate the stamps from one another.  Up until that date, the other triangular stamps issued were imperforatable and had to be hand-cut apart.  Over the next several decades, many other nations issued over 1,600 triangle stamps.  The stamps that were made by the United States in 1997 were made to help promote the Pacific Stamp Show.  The two stamps were issued at the New York Coliseum as part of the March MEGA Stamp Event.  The U.S. Postmaster General said that the stamps were innovated stamps, meant to represent our commitment to provide the philatelic community and the American public with exciting new designs and formats.  Up until 1997, all United States stamps issued were rectangular in shape.  The two 1997 triangular stamps were made to honor the brave settlers who opened the American West by land and sea.

1997 triangular USA stamps.

 One depicts a mid-19th-century clipper ship while the other one is a US mail stagecoach.  

A larger view of both stamps.

The ship design is based on an advertising card for the clipper ship Richard S. Ely while the stagecoach design is based on a drawing by Harrison Eastman who worked as a postal clerk in San Francisco until his art career took off.  It was a decade later that the United States Postal Service produced its second triangle stamp that honored the settlement of Jamestown.  That stamp pictured the three ships "Susan Constant", "Godspeed", and "Discovery" that brought English colonists to America in 1607.  That stamp commemorated Jamestown's 400th anniversary and honored the colony's first triangular-shaped fort.  Next time you visit your post office, check and see if they might have any triangular stamps that you can purchase.  You may want to keep them as souvenirs.  That's what I plan to do if I ever find any at my post office.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

  

The "Why Do We Humans Love Our Pets So Much" Story

It was an ordinary day.  My "Sweetie" is sitting on the bottom of my recliner sound asleep while I am watching "Leave It To Beaver" on ME TV.   My "Sweetie" in this case is my kitty that we call "The Gray Lady."  It's been a little over four years since she and her buddy, whom we call "Snickerdoodle" showed up at the back door with the most pathetic looks on their faces, searching for a handout of food.  Carol managed to grab "Snickeredoodle" and pull him into the kitchen before walking with him into our office where he would spend the next week or so getting to know us before we allowed him free reign of the house.  Then one day after Snickerdoodle was beginning to feel comfortable with us in the same room, we opened the rear door to feed the birds and just as quick as could be..."The Gray Lady" flashed right past us into our dining room.  

The Gray Lady hoping to get in the back door

Well, we made a few changes and before long "Snickerdoodle" was roaming the house while "The Gray Lady" was getting to know us a bit better while living in our office.  The two would talk back and forth to eat other and Carol and I would try and hold both of them to try to domesticate them as house cats.  I'm sure there are many reading my story today that are much like Carol and me, but there are also just as many who would never allow a feline to roam their house...be it a stray or have a pedigree.  Dogs...yes, but not a cat.  And...that's OK since there are probably just as many whom would rather have a cat than a dog.  But, be they a cat or a dog, just why do we humans love our pets so much?  Well, there's this guy, Clive Wynne, who is the director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University, that tells about the evolutionary relationship between animals and people.  "The success of dogs and cats on the surface of the Earth is entirely due to the fact that we take some level of care of them."  Now, there are a few scientists who claim that pets seem to display a form of parasitism by taking food and shelter from humans without offering much in return.  They say that we love our pets because they have hoodwinked us into it.  But...Clive doesn't buy that theory, but does find it hard to understand the warm, gooey feeling we get when we look at our dogs and cats.  The love story between pets and people began at least 1,500 years ago when wild animals scavenged human garbage pits and eventually began to get closer and then moved into human settlements.  Then people began to breed the cutest, cuddliest and most cooperative creatures until we got the pets we know today.  So, we began to name our pets and before long we began to love the animals just the same as the animals began to love us.  For several decades it was believed that pet ownership was good for a human's physical and mental health until a study in 2009 of nearly 40,000 people in Sweden found that pet owners suffered from more mental health problems than their non-pet owners.  But hey, that's in Sweden and that doesn't count in Lancaster, Pennsylvania!  But, some claim that our love of pets is purely social, rather than biological while others say pets are good for your mental health.  Well, one way or another, our two cats give us so much enjoyment that we would be lost without them.  "The Gray Lady" is a very small gray cat while "Snickerdoodle" is more than twice her size and perhaps a bit overweight.  

Snickerdoodle

The two of them love to spend time together and love to play with the toys we supply for them.  They used to sleep in our bedroom with us, but we now find that they enjoy wrestling too much, so we need to pen them out of our bedroom at night.   Mr. Wynne is doing research, trying to explain our love of out pets.  Perhaps an experiment that would examine our brain while we look at our cats and dogs would be interesting.  But, domesticated dogs and cats are more childlike that wild cats and dogs, so he's not sure what to expect with his experiment.  Perhaps, he found, that humans are actually programmed to love soft and helpless things.  Carol and I have found that to be true and the love we have for our two felines brings us happiness every day or our lives.  And...it has been the same with all the other pets, both dogs and cats, we have had during our over 50 years of married life.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Hershey, PA Teddy Bear Record Toss" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading my latest edition of Reader's Digest when I came across a story on page 9 titled "The Fur Flies."  Story was about the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears annual Teddy bear Toss.  My home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania is about 28 miles from the small town of Hershey, PA.  Most might recognize the name of Hershey as being the home of perhaps the best chocolate in the world.  But for many, it is the home of the world record Teddy Bear Toss.  The "toss" has been going on since 2001 when after the first Hershey goal, in a specified game at the Hershey Park Arena, those in attendance are asked to throw Teddy Bears onto the ice.  25 local organizations, including Dauphin County Children and Youth, Cocoa Packs, Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg, Palmyra Lions Club, Autism Society of Greater Harrisburg Area and Children's Miracle Network Hershey, are given the stuffed animals that were thrown onto the ice during the hockey game.  But...wait...for the 7th year, The Sweigart Family Foundation pledged $1 per plush item which in turn is also donated.  Well, on January 19, 2022 the fans at the Hershey Park Arena threw 52,341 stuffed toys onto the ice after the Hershey Bear's player Jonsson-Fjällby scored the games first goal.  The 52,341 stuffed animals broke the previous world record of 45,765 from 2019.  This year's event was the first held since 2019 due to COVID-19.  "Sweet, cuddly mayhem," Bear's broadcast announcer Zack. Fisch said.  "It's Teddy Bear Toss time!"  

It took over 30 minutes to collect all the Teddy Bears that were thrown onto the ice.  Forward Gersich dove headfirst into the pile and disappeared into the mass collection.  What a wonderful event the Teddy Bear Toss is each year.  Can you imagine how many children will benefit from the event!  It was another extraordinary day in the life an ordinary guy.  And...thanks to Reader's Digest for writing about the event in their latest issue of their magazine...one of my favorites.