The ‘‘Our towns’’ column is compiled each month by Carol Johnson of the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection. The entries have been copied from the February issues of the New Paltz Independent. To get a closer look at these newspapers of the past, visit the staff of the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection at the Elting Memorial Library at 93 Main Street in New Paltz, or call 255-5030.
The ice harvest on the Hudson has been in full swing this week, but is nearly finished. The ice is a foot thick or more and of good quality. Near Kingston a number of the men employed who are getting $3 and $3.50 a day struck for $4, but other men under the protection of State Troopers at once took their places.
Year by year the use of automobiles in winter is increasing. There has been hardly any interruption in the service from New Paltz to Kingston.
There has been much excitement in Highland over the discovery that a number of automobiles which had been purchased by residents of that place were stolen property, the real owners being New York city people. The owners of four of the cars have been discovered, but there are two whose ownership is not yet known. All six of the cars were placed in Smith’s Garage. The fact that the cars were stolen became known when application made for new licenses in 1922.
There was a rapid increase in the number of flu cases in New York last week and also in cases of pneumonia. The prevalence of the grippe and influenza has led the nurse’s staff at the Benedictine Hospital in Kingston to give a short course in nursing for the benefit of the public. There is no charge. The lessons are given at the Kingston High School.
Sales of houses in our village continue and in various cases the tenant now occupying them are wondering where they can secure desirable rooms. The need of more houses in our village was never greater than at present. Two or three houses are in course of erection in our village and there will probably be more started in the spring.
Before a large and enthusiastic crowd last Friday night at the Riverside Casino the Big Brothers decisively defeated the Saugerties Celtics to the tune of 29 to 9. At half time the visitors led 8 to 6, but in the second half the locals came to the front and held the much touted Celtics to one foul point while they compiled twenty-three points themselves. Dodd, Smith and Zimmerman starred for the locals while Myers did the best work for the Celtics.
Sixty-five plantations with a total of 587,375 trees have been set out in Ulster County since the beginning of the movement for the reforestation of idle and denuded lands, according to figures compiled by the Conservation Commission. These are exclusive of a state plantation of 20,000 at the Eastern New York Reformatory at Napanoch. The following persons in this vicinity have obtained trees from the Conservation Committee: Elting Harp, 2000; Edward A. Smiley, 6000; Hugh Smiley, Mohonk, 18,000; Degnon Company, Forest Glen, 1,500; Lee F. Hamner, Gardiner, 9,000; Jacob Elting, Clintondale, 1000; Board of the New York Water Supply, 120,000.
The Lincoln’s Birthday exercises were well attended at the Reformed Church on Sunday evening. Prof. William Fuller had the arrangement of the program. Four of the boys of Ralph LeFevre’s Sunday school class, Messrs. Maisenheider, Barnes, DuBois and Clapp read papers on the life of Lincoln. Mr. Fuller told of the characteristics of this great man. Mr. Jacobs of the Normal was the speaker of the evening. He made reference to the idea some people had that Lincoln was an atheist. He could not believe that possible, as Lincoln in his many speeches referred to God and asked his guidance. A pocket Bible was always to be found on him. A short song service preceded the exercises. These Sunday evening services are well attended and interesting, not only to the younger people, but to their elders as well.
A large and appreciative audience greeted the Toy Pageant at the Normal School on Tuesday evening. The large auditorium was filled with students and village people to see, hear and applaud the children in this fine Pageant. The choruses, the solos, the dances were all executed in a clever manner. It seemed that the little entertainers had about as much enjoyment out of the evening as those who were entertained. The stage certainly presented a beautiful sight with the happy faces of the actors, the calcium lights and beautiful costumes typical of the living characters in the Toy Pageant. The dances of the fairies, the Highland Fling, the Surprise Dance and the French Dolls dance were executed with perfect ease and grace and called forth spontaneous and well-merited applause. The orchestra numbers were well rendered.
The party of New Paltz people who are on a trip to the Mediterranean and the Orient are at Cairo at present. A number of postal cards written at Naples and Algiers have been received by friends at New Paltz. The party went by way of the Azores, but no landing was made there as the sea was rough. The vessel made good time on the voyage, going about eleven-hundred miles in three days. There are thirty-one persons in the party. The landing at Naples was on the fifth of February. They found the Mediterranean very calm. From Cairo all the party will go up the Nile to Luxor and cross the desert on camels. Then the party will separate and part of them, including Mrs. Harcourt Pratt and Mrs. Philip H. DuBois will go to Jerusalem.
ROD AND GUN CLUB ORGANIZED — As we have said before, there has been a longing for some time by the men of New Paltz for a club of some sort whereby they could get together and talk over the things they best liked. On Tuesday there was an enthusiastic and well-attended meeting at Dr. Reynold’s dental parlors to form an organization. It seemed the general opinion that a Rod and Gun club would not only be attractive but perhaps necessary in order to preserve what we have, and get fish restocked in the streams, and game, for the fields. Some of us like to fish, some like to hunt and all of us are interested, or should be, in our community.
Join the family! 
