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This Week in Rockland: Newspaper Excerpts: Flashback Friday: Week of February 2

January 31, 1874 – 150 YEARS AGO
Rockland County Journal

AROUND HOME
   ☞ A lady in Nyack telling of the death of the Siamese Twins [Chang and Eng Bunker] said that the oldest one died first and when the youngest discovered the fact, he died in two hours afterwards from fright.
   ☞ At the 14th Annual Artist Fund Sale in New York, on Tuesday last, among the paintings sold was one “View of the Hudson River at Nyack” painted by Francis A. Silva, which brought $100.
   ☞ Isaac M. Van Wagner has the original and only negative photograph of the Siamese Twins, and any of our readers desiring cards of this extraordinary couple can be accommodated by calling on him.
   ☞ Don’t fail to hear the Original Louisiana Minstrels, fifteen genuine colored [sic] men, on Monday evening, February 2d, at the Nyack Opera House. The black diamonds of the band are Tody Hedden, Chas. Anderson, Geo. Freeman and Horace Western.
   ☞ William Williams, of Nyack, is the inventor of two or three very useful improvements, one of which is a moveable step to attach to a ladder, and the other is a steam escape to be attached to cooking utensils, so that the steam shall ascend up the chimney instead of escaping into the room.

January 29, 1924 – 100 YEARS AGO
Pearl River News

PEARL RIVER IS GROWING RAPIDLY
[Image: The image accompanied this article.]
       Cold stands for death; heat, for life.
       If Nature had wished upon us an “Old-fashioned Winter,” with its ice and snow and blizzards in this season of 1923–24, the town would have had to stand still and wait for Spring to trip over the mountains.
       But she didn’t. We have been treated unusually well; blessed thus far, with the kind of weather that permitted outdoor activity, and that promoters, builders and private enterprise have taken advantage of their opportunities is very evident, as we look about the town.
       The recent map of Pearl River has opened the eyes of some of us who may have been too engrossed to observe, in a large way, what has been accomplished in this direction.
       Even a glance at this map indicates a bird’s eye view that is very different from that of even a year ago. The makers of the map anticipated the plans of many who had construction in process, and placed the finished buildings among the lithographed reproductions. The First National Bank, the Borst Building, and Sanford’s block are examples of this. Even the old school, which still stood, as the artist went about town sketching, was not “put in” as such; but its disposition foreshadowed, and the two houses, since made from it, are depicted on the map, in position across Franklin avenue, just where they stand today, and will look, when finished.
       Private houses galore have gone up—even since the map was put in hand; and strangers, of not the busy home folks, can almost “feel the town grow” as he looks about.
       A half dozen of the more recently completed structures are sketched in at the bottom of the new town map, among which we find a bird’s eye view of the Serven Lumber and Coal yard, including the many buildings therein.
       The improvements shown at the Serven plant are quite radical and time and labor saving in effect. None in town are more comprehensive, and we are pleased to print the view, now new, as these improvements near completion, but soon to become a permanent feature in the town landscape.
       Besides having one of the largest medicinal laboratories in the world, a manufacturing plant accepted as one of the leaders in the production of book-binding machinery, etc., up-to-date wood-working plants, and many other advantages, Pearl River can now properly boast of having the best equipped and stocked building material yard in Rockland or North Bergen Counties.
       And so, as the world revolves, Pearl River evolves out of the obscurity of her day of small things, into the bright light and warmth and cheerfulness of The Modern Success.

January 31, 1974– 50 YEARS AGO
The Journal News

THE LONG AND SHORT OF ROCKLAND POLICE HAIRCUTS — ROCKLAND SPEAKS OUT
       Rocklanders split hairs Wednesday over whether policemen should be permitted to wear long hair.
       More than half of the 50 residents polled in a random survey supported Ramapo Patrolmen James Woulfe and David Lamond in their fight against police officials, who have slapped them with two 30-day suspensions without pay for refusing to get haircuts.
       However, while most said that Woulfe’s and Lamond’s collar-length hair was acceptable, they also said that longer hair, cascading as far down as the shoulders, would not be proper.
       “I feel strongly for those two fellows on the carpet right now,” said Mrs. Kenneth Carr of Viola Road, Monsey. “I wouldn’t like to see patrolmen walking around with shoulder-length hair. I don’t think they would get the respect they deserve.”
       But Benjamin Levy of 728 Pascack Road, Spring Valley, said: “I think police would be better off without long hair. I just think it doesn’t look appropriate for their job.”
       Ellen Selzer of 57 Oriol St., Pearl River, said: “I don’t feel the hair should be as long as they want. It might hinder their work, in a fight or something. There was no reason for those two officers in Ramapo to be brought up on charges, though. They should be able to wear their hair down to their necks. The suspensions were a foolish kind of action for officials to take.”
       Frank Matone, Haverstraw town police commissioner, said: “The two Ramapo policemen, according to a newspaper photo I saw, had hair a little long but the length was almost unnoticeable. If a guy’s hair is a little bit long but he is serving the public and doing his job, those things should be considered. Dealing with kids who often wear long hair is an important part of police work. There is the narcotics area.”
       Paul D’Ammastro said: “They don’t look nice with long hair. It should be worn short.” D’Ammastro might be prejudiced. He’s a barber.
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