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This Week in Rockland: Newspaper Excerpts: Flashback Friday: Week of January 5

January, 1874 – 150 YEARS AGO
Rockland County Journal

SINGULAR TREASURE TROVE
[Image: Blauveltville. Detail from Claire Tholl’s map “Landmarks of Rockland County with Old Roads and Early Buildings.” The buildings represented by solid squares were still standing in 1975. Image appeared in South of the Mountains, vol. 50, no. 2, 2006.]
       At the Huyler auction sale at Blauveltville, a few days since, an old bureau was knocked down to Mr. Bell of Lake avenue, near Rockland Lake. On trekking it home and examining more closely his purchase he discovered two secret drawers, in one of which he found thirty dollars and in the other over one hundred dollars in gold. Not wishing to retain the money he returned it, but the parties selling insisted on his keeping the thirty dollars found in one drawer. Notwithstanding this lucky purchase, we could not advise our readers to pay very high prices for old bureaus.

AROUND HOME
   ☞ An eight year old girl in our village has just completed a beautiful bed-quilt containing 3,876 pieces she began when she was four years old, and if any one can beat this, we want to know it.
   ☞ A feminine gender in Nyack smokes a cigar with the ease and grace of Gen. Grant.

January 4, 1934 – 90 YEARS AGO
Pearl River News

SOCIALISTS ASK VOTE RECOUNT IN PEARL RIVER
       In a letter from T. W. Davis, head of the Rockland County Socialist Party to the County Supervisors a request was made for a recount of the votes in District 10 of Pearl River in an effort to determine whether there were any additional votes for A. F. Aamold, independent candidate for supervisor in that district.
       At the November election it was found that only one vote was cast for the independent candidate in that district. In spite of this record, more than ten people are said to be ready to sign affidavits that they cast a ballot for the independent candidate on election day. Whether a recount will be allowed in one district is doubtful, it was said at the meeting of the supervisors on Tuesday. Further efforts in demanding that the matter be investigated may be made, it was said.

January 3, 1974– 50 YEARS AGO
The Journal News

‘WE NEED MORE ADEQUATE MASS TRANSIT FOR REGION’
       Rep. Benjamin Gilman, R-26, called Wednesday for a new regional transportation agency for the Rockland area
       The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, presently charged with planning mass transit for Rockland, is preoccupied with the New York City area, Gilman said.
       “I have been discussing a regional transportation authority with local and state officials and I have found a great deal of interest,” Gilman said. “Present efforts are being made piecemeal, area by area.”
       Gilman said one of his priorities in his second year in Congress will be to press for federal funds to put into effect a county study that calls for improved cross-county bus service. “We need more adequate mass transit for this region,” he said.
       Discussing other local issues, Gilman said he is waiting for county and town officials to submit reports of damage caused in the Dec. 22 flood. Depending on what they say, Gilman said, he will determine whether to press for federal disaster aid.
       Gilman said he is working on a reform proposal to ease the tax burden on property owners, but he said he doesn’t support an immediate shift away from property taxes to some other form of taxation.
       He prefers a limit on property taxes instead, and he feels shifting entirely to use of income or sales taxes to raise local revenue might hit some taxpayers too hard, Gilman said.
       There is “great need” for reform of the Social Security program for the elderly, Gilman said. “There are a lot of anachronisms and some serious problems with the present system,” Gilman said.
       “Social Security programs now are not doing enough for those getting aid, and they’re placing a heavy burden on those who are paying for them,” he said.
       In other matters, Gilman said he is seeking to extend educational programs for veterans and improve their benefits.
       He said he plans to continue efforts to make sure local Community Action antipoverty programs survive cutbacks in federal aid until their support is taken over by local governments.
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