1895 McKean County Democrat Office
moved to this location from 600 block prior to construction of St. Lukes Episcopal Church
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photo credit:  An Illustrated Souvenir of Smethport, Pennsylvania© 1895

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photo credit:  An Illustrated Souvenir of Smethport, Pennsylvania© 1895

Ross Knapp Writes about Olden Times in Smethport
July 29, 1937

 

The Democrat has received the following interesting reminiscences from Justice of the Peace Ross K. Knapp of Kane, former well known Smethport newspaper man, in which he recalls facts and figures of the food old days here:
Kane, Pa.
Russell R. Lindsley, Editor,
McKean County Democrat,
Smethport, Pa.

Dear Russ:
Reading recent articles in your newspaper has made me reminiscent and I wonder if anyone cares to know what Smethport was like 50 or more years ago. As a kid, eight years old, I started selling papers and sometimes rembrances of those days come to me with keen intensity.

The big event of the evening in those days was when the bus made its final trip of the day from the B., M.Y. & P. station at East Semthport. Jim McGuire was the bus driver in the particular interval of which I am writing, and right here let me state that I am going to use the names known best to me – nicknames, perhaps, and all without quotation marks. When the bus drew up at the Wright House with a wild western flourish handed down from stage coach days, two or three drummers would alight to be greeted beamingly by B. F. Wright, the proprietor or “mine host” Wright as old newspaper writers insisted on calling him. Archie Durke, the colored porter, would assist in unloading the drummers’ trunks (perhaps fro the enlightened generation I had better explain that a drummer was a traveling salesman) and then the bus would proceed to its next stop, the Grand Central.

Here, travelers would be greeted by Frank Taylor, landlord, and a similar scene with different cast would be enacted as the Wright House. However, it is with the arribals at the latter hotel, with which I was most familiar as it was here the newspapers were tossed down by the bus driver to the waiting newsies. Billy Shoemaker, Ernie Theetge (nephew of B.T. Downey) Bernie Crandall, (nephew of the late A. B. Armstrong), were my main cohorts at that time, but there were long intervals when I was the town’s sole newsboy. The curse ofprinter’s ink had me even at that tender age, and eight years later I graduated from a newsie to a printer’s devil in the old Miner office on Church street, with the late Lucius Rogers as my boss.

Clustered around the hotel when the bus drew up was a group, that of course changed somewhat from night to night, but that nearly always was partially composed of B. F. Wright, Shorty Wright, his son; who conducted the hotel livery stable, afterward owned for many years by E. T. Daly; Ren Ingley, the bartender; Wallace Ostrander, Gilbert Lyman, Frank Mackus, Ed Waller, Job Gifford and his lantern, and Mr. Gifford sure needed that lantern for the long, dark trip to his home “across the creek.” These men were served with their newspapers and generally each took one or more extras for their neighbors, then the nightly route began for the newboys.

Directly across the street was the home of Andurs Williams. Diagonally across to the east was the home of Mrs. Bennett and son, Charles. East at the corner of Hill Street was the home of James McNulty and family and his tailoring establishment, and then there were but very few houses between that point and the East Smethport bridge.

Where the Colonial Hotel is now located was the home of A. D. (Bucky) Burbank. Across Mechanic street from the Wright House was the Kittridge Opera House, then almost a new building. Harry Well’s drug store and Mrs. Joe Reilly’s millinery store, occupied the Main street frontage, while on the Mechanic street side Albert Anderson and Lawerence Norberg had a shoe repair shop, and a barber shop run by a man named Bischey. Down Mechanic street was Dick Hussey’s residence, and Don Beatty had a bakery where D. M. Brasted is now located, next to the Eaton homestead.

Going uptown on Main street we served Linn Mason’s hardware store, Robert King, across the street, then Vickery’s grocery (afterward Jay Abbey’s), Specht & Sasse, Harry Wilson’s grocery, Mrs. T. D. Nash, millinery, Rooney’s meat market. ON the other side was Tracy’s store and the Bergstresser house (now I believe, occupied by J. J. Johnston) and on the same side of the street the Rockwell House, which became the Chatauqua Hotel and later the Hotel Imperial. ON the south side E.L. Keenan’s home, the Hamlin Bank, and then the Grand Central. Here we generally found trade brisk as it was a gathering place for residents of the western part of the borough, but I do not recall the names as clearly as those at the Wright House. Then there was the Picard House, Chet King’s billiard room, George Williams’ meat market, Gleason & Lemmier’s harnass store, M.L. Armstrong’s jewelry and toy store and A.B> Armstrong’s drug store.

On the opposite side of the street was M.A. Sprague’s hardware (wonder whatever become of Bob Sprague, a dear friend of mine), Dr. H.L McCoy’s drug store, H.W. Rubin’s clothing store and Brownell Brothers’ grocery. Then the court house and across from the store, office and lodge building, I believe D.C. Young’s store was in this building at the time of which I am writing, and back from the street F.B. Dean’s livery stable and the big skating rink, J.C. Hamlin’s hardware store was a Main and Church streets.

The McKean Democrat was west of the Hamlin Hardware on Main street. Clark Wilson was the editor. This building was inter moved down Main street, ext to Attorney E. L. Keenan’s property.

My route up this way generally ended at the home of P. Ford on Church street, and shall I ever forget Mr. Ford? He used to take the Buffalo Evening News, then one cent a copy, but he used to give me tem cents extra every Saturday night, and ten cents in thos days was “real jack to an 8 year old boy. Another well-beloved customer was Henry Biever, who used to give me a similar tip for delivering a paper at Gifford’s sawmill, when he was on night duty.

Main street was lighted at that time by four huge gas flares, one at the Wright House corner, one at Franklin and Main streets, one near the Grand Central, and one near the Grand Central, and one near the courthouse. The sidewalks were sketchy affairs, generally of hemlock planks laid lengthwise. Years later some inspired genius discovered that much better and more durable walks could be built by sawing the plans into four-feet lengths and laying them crosswise and I wonder if he was ever properly rewarded.

There were no lights off of Main street and you had to travel by instinct. The inhabitants became not only cat-eyed but cat-footed, because if you stepped off the sidewalk in the spring of fall of the year you were liable to sink to you knees in mud. Speaking of mud reminds be of a grand fight that I once witnessed in the middle of the street in front of the Rockwell House. There were eight woodsmen involved in the hostilities and the mud was nearly knee-deep and of a gooey consistency that spread easily and stuck hard. If a movie could reproduce that scene of mud and bold-spattered warriors under the lurid light of the gas flare it would be a real spectacle.

Generally on our nightly trips we paused awhile to tantalize Peanut John Musanti, who gladly would have murdered us then, but as we grew older became our firm ad loyal friend. Peanut John was an institution, alternate deadly enemy and bosom friend of Smethport’s growing youth – withal a splendid character in humble surroundings.

One of the drug stores had a “soda fountain” but the only place to obtain ice cream was a Alfred Sturdvient’s home on Union street, where you were pleasantly served by his wife. Alfred had a barbershop across the street from Brownell Brothers’ store.

The roller skating craze which swept the country was wanning at this time. Charles Kettridge and my father, B.L. Knapp, established the first skating rink at Smethport in the opera house, and they were quickly followed by Charles Moses, who had a rink in a building which afterward became Tom Young’s restaurant, and Chet King moved out his pool and billiard tables and used the room for roller skating. King’s place was later occupied by J.C. Hamlin’s hardware store. Then a stock company was formed which built the big rink opposite the courthouse. This had to effect of closing the smaller rinks and for a time the big building, 400x50 feet, was crowded day and night, but the fad died a sudden death and the big rink although it stood for years after this time, was never a money maker for its owners.

Regarding the newspaper of that period we sold the Buffalo News, Buffalo Times, Elmira Telegram, Toledo Blade and Pittsburgh Post and Leader. Some time later I sold the Buffalo Sunday Express, the first illustrated paper to invade Smethport, aside from the Police News and Police Gazette, The Express used half-tone cuts prepared by the Geo. W. Matthews Co. of Buffalo, and was printed on a flatbed press, but its illustrations received nation-wide acclaim and it was the forerunner of the rotogravure sections of modern newspapers.

Still later I sold the Bradford Star, Era, and Sunday News, but the Buffalo News was ever my standby and twice as many copies were sold in Smethport compared to any other daily. For a time when I was selling the Bradford Star. Waldo Sasse, now of Kane, was selling the Bradford Record. We used to get our papers each evening at the old B. B. & K. station on the flats at the foot of Church street. There Waldo and I learned railroad lore and knew all the narrow-guage engines by their first names. Cap Terry was the engineer and Frank Richmond the conductor, who generally successfully brought the train over the perilous and wobbly right-of-way from Bradford.

But how do I ramble on when the memory of those days recur. If you have stayed with me, Russ, this is the end.
ROSS K. KNAPP

 

Russell Lindsley, Local Publisher, Taken By Death
Found Dead in Bed Saturday Morning -- Was Prominent Citizen and Leader of Democrats In County

Smethport residents were greatly shocked Saturday to learn of the death of Russell R. Lindsley, local postmaster and publisher of the McKean County Democrat, and one of the county's most outstanding citizens.  Death was due to heart failure, according to Deputy Coroner George P. Lull of Bradford.

Mr. Lindsley had been treated by Dr. R. S. Minerd some time after midnight Friday night and had gone home and retired.  Dr. Minerd went to the Lindsley home Saturday morning to see Mrs. A. L. Gallup of Kane, who was ill there, and also went to see how he was.  The physician was shocked to find he was dead, and had apparently been so for several hours.

Mr. Lindsley's health had been poor for years, but in spite of this fact he maintained his many activities, and took a keen interest in the affairs of the town, county and state.  He was an intelligent observer of national and international affairs and his editorials in his newspaper, the McKean County Democrat, were widely read and enjoyed.  A strong sense of humor and kindly interest in his fellowmen, added zest to his numerous writings.

Born in Bradford, June 7, 1889, Russell Ross Lindsley was the son of Sterling R. Lindsley and Lamira Berfield Lindsley.  he spent most of his life in Smethport, coming here with his parents in the late 1890's when his father, who had worked on newspapers in Elmira, N. Y. and Bradford, purchased the McKean County Democrat.

Sterling R. Lindsley died in 1917 and the Democrat Publishing Company purchased ownership of the newspaper and engaged Russell Lindsley as manager when he returned from service in the World War.  Ten years ago Mr. Lindsley assumed full ownership of the publication.

 

Was Democratic Leader

A leader of the Democratic party in the county, Mr. Lindsley had served as sheriff in 1935, completing an unexpired term.  He was a candidate for the state senate in 1932, being defeated by the incumbent, Senator G. Mason Owlett.

An accomplished musician, Mr. Lindsley had been director of the Smethport Band for many years.


Resumes Newspaper Work

Mr. Lindsley managed the McKean County Democrat and afterwards published two American Legion news organs, the Keystone Review and the Keystone Legionnaire.

 


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