A glance in the rearview mirror

March 1922—River too drunk to freeze. Entertaining shingles. Poland bars shimmy & trot.

by Mary Jo David

The following news excerpts are from March 1922 editions of the Stockbridge Brief-Sun newspaper. These are mostly reproduced in the original, without edits or corrections. Visit the Stockbridge Library to view electronic copies of old local news publications dating back to 1883.

River Will Not Freeze Over:  Residents of Beaver, Pa, couldn’t figure out during the recent zero weather why the Ohio River continued to flow placidly on. … Chemists were employed, and their report in brief was this—the river is on a genteel toot and can’t freeze. … Great quantities of moonshine mash are coming from a great many sewers emptying into the Ohio River … the alcohol permeates the water of the Ohio, preventing it from freezing….  –3/2/1922

These Oats Expensive: Sorrow came to several Ann Arbor people recently when they were informed that oats which they had taken from an overturned freight car on the Ann Arbor railroad tracks would have to be paid for. …those whose names had been turned over to the police … were notified to appear to the police station and settle up… –3/2/1922

Takes Life in His Hands: The man who dares to drink the present-day moonshine is in danger at any time of turning his toes to the stars … The state director for Colorado says it is true that a man can still get a drink in Colorado, “but he takes his life in his hands when he swallows that white lightning stuff. … A man had better increase his life insurance and bid good-bye to his family before he takes a drink of the stuff that is made in unsanitary cellars and dirty attics and in all kinds of vessels from a foot tub to a tin boiler.” –3/23/1922

LOCAL/PERSONAL—Mar. 2, 1922 edition:

• The contract for building the White Oak–Plainfield Road, 2.691 miles, has been let to Clarence Diehl of Dansville for $13,361. Cost per mile $4965.15. Highest bid $26,653.44.
• Reports came in from west of town last week that “Bushnell,” wanted in Jackson for murder, had been seen around Derby Neighborhood. … After investigating, “Bushnell” was found to be Rube Moeckel waiting for some friends to come along and take him to auction.
• WANTED TO TRADE—Reo car, five passenger, in good condition. Will trade for good milk cow, sheep, or hogs. –Monroe Budd.

LOCAL/PERSONAL—Mar 9, 1922 edition:

• I will hatch chickens for people. –Mrs. Fred Lydle.
• Gregory: Several people from here attended the play “Pinafore” at Stockbridge, and pronounced it fine.
• Plainfield: Frank VanSyckle is entertaining shingles, but feels that he is the party being entertained.
• Plainfield: Frank Lidgard, aged 50 last Sunday, found the surprise of his life when he marched right into the front door to find the house overflowing with Hoosier friends. … Frank will never be quite sane as the surprise was so great. Eatables with limit were sat down to… 

LOCAL/PERSONAL—Mar 23, 1922 edition:

• and Mrs. Claude English attended the funeral of his father at Concord last Saturday. He was a civil war veteran, and served under Custer and belonged to the same regiment.

LOCAL/PERSONAL—Mar 30, 1922 edition:

• Ed Binding was able to walk down town Tuesday, the first time in six months.
• A large flock of wild geese, evidently lost in the heavy fog, made several circles over this village Monday night.
• Last Thursday night someone (evidently very dry) took a small window out of D.N. Collin’s barn and helped themselves to a barrel of vinegar. D.N. says if they will let him know when they will call again he will have a head of cabbage handy and they can use the vinegar better with a boiled dinner than drinking it.

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL NEWS

March 2, 1922 edition:

• Another Scout Hero: Fire broke out in a tenement house in East Fourteenth Street, New York city. Frank Catalano, a fourteen-year-old boy scout was among the crowd that assembled. “I got through the fire line,” Frank says, “on the strength of my scout badge. I heard a woman screaming for her baby…I wiggled through the smoke along the floor and got the baby.” … He went back into the building and led a woman and two children out … He then guided two more adults out of danger and rescued a dog. Then he went on to school.
• Russian Famine’s Awful Toll Worst Since “Black Death” Era: Not since the “Black Death” swept Europe in the Fourteenth century, taking a toll of 25,000,000 lives in a single year, has such a horrible calamity threatened the world as is now taking form in the famine-stricken regions of the Volga Valley in Russia … a cry went out to the world that millions were actually starving, living from day to day on acorns, locusts, field mice, grass, bark from the trees and the sun-parched clay of the earth…

March 9, 1922 edition:

• 5,000-Year-Old Seeds: A morning glory seed, reputed 5,000 years old, has been planted in the garden of Mrs. W. Champlin Robinson, in a Maryland village. The seed is one of twelve found in the hand of a mummy of a young Egyptian girl.

March 23, 1922 edition:

• Long Ride on Wheels: Sunbury, Pa—To travel 900 miles to Florida on a bicycle without mishap was the experience of William Burell, aged sixteen … Young Burell is a mechanical genius and found no trouble in finding work at garages along the route. He will leave soon on the second leg of his journey to California…

March 30, 1922 edition:

• Poles Bar Shimmy and Trot: Warsaw—The “shimmy” the “scandal” and even the fox trot are under ban of the Polish government. All American dances, with the exception of the one-step, were prohibited by official order at the recent annual military ball.