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Flashback Friday Archive 2019-20: Flashback Friday: Week of August 21

August 20, 1870 – 150 YEARS AGO
Rockland County Journal

EPIDEMIC OF CRIME
        It seems wholly impossible for the wisest, most experienced, and best portion of society to account for the alarmingly frequent instances of criminal wickedness with which our otherwise happy land is afflicted. The morning papers, almost daily, contain accounts of some horrible crime committed during the preceding day or night. Frequently quite a number of such deeds of cruelty are perpetrated in different parts of the country, upon innocent, unsuspecting victims, between the setting of the sun of one day and rising upon the next.
       The frequency with which these deeds of violence occur makes the matter assume an epidemic form. Every philanthropist is thus called upon to put forth his best efforts in assisting the authorities to arrest the evil; to devise the necessary remedy for the malady. Its recurrence, day by day, in increasing degrees of aggravation causes the blood to curdle in the veins of the most fearless. No man knows when he retires that his turn will not come next: that he will not be visited by thieves, burglars, or murderers before dawn. This is a fearful state of society. Some plan must soon be adopted to remove the evil or all security to life, person and property will be lost.
       When the country is afflicted, or even seriously threatened, with a visit from some terrible disease a rigid system of quarantine is observed. The spread of the death-dealing malady is thus checked if it has already affected a lodgment upon our shores, or its introduction is prevented if it has not succeeded in planting its destroying foot upon our soil. Why cannot some such wise method of dealing with moral evils be devised? Why cannot some lover of his race put the whole world under heavy obligations to him by finding some certain cure for this horrible moral pestilence?  It is now pretty generally conceded that the matter is caused by disease of the brain, the blood, the liver, the heart, or in the moral training of the man --- and there must, certainly, be a remedy.
       The escape from arrest, and, consequently,  from punishment, a few months since of the murderer of Mr. Rogers, who fell victim to  the blow of the assassin, in day light, near Broadway, in New York City, while quietly shoveling snow from his own door-step, seems to have opened Pandora’s box. Since then all manner of crime, have been committed, in every section of the land. East, West, North and South, almost daily. Mobs, riots, murders, arson, rape, burglary, larceny, highway-robbery, assault, fighting --- in which deadly weapons were used without compunction --- seduction, adultery, abduction, conspiracy, perjury, forgery are the sickening items which make up our daily calendar of crimes.

August 20, 1920 – 100 YEARS AGO
Rockland News

GEDNEY PRESIDENT OF THE STATE FIREMEN
       Walter S. Gedney of Nyack was elected president of the New York State Volunteer Firemen’s Association at the forty eighth annual convention held at Glens Falls this weekend.
       Mr. Gedney has been an active fireman for many years.  He is a member of the Mazeppa Engine Company of Nyack and has been active in the Rockland County Volunteer Firemen’s Association.

THE COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 21
       The second Community Workday has passed, and the enthusiasm still runs high. Over one hundred volunteers presented themselves on Saturday last to do their part toward clearing the grounds of the Memorial Park. Considerable work was accomplished in cleaning the land, and the bricks that had been used in the old building, which are to be used again in the construction of the new Community House. The work is to be carried on this coming Saturday. Come out and show your patriotism and loyalty to your village, by lending a hand to help the good work along.

August 21, 1970 – 50 YEARS AGO
The Journal News

FLOODING ASSISTANCE REQUESTED
       The Squire's Gate Drainage Committee has called on Rockland County legislators to make available money to alleviate flooding of the Mahwah River in Suffern on a temporary basis until the Army Corps of Engineers can end the problem.
       Corps spokesmen have said it will take the army five or six years to solve the problem that results in severe floods during periods of high water in Squire's Gate development.
       The Drainage Committee, a local residents' group, saluted Bergen County for dredging out the Mahwah just south of the New York-New Jersey state line to ease the condition but accused Rockland County of having done nothing yet.

CLAUSLAND PARK NAMED
       The long-fought-for county park on Clausland Mountain will be named "Clausland Mountain–Maidman Conservatory" in honor of the original owner of the property, Irving Maidman of Upper Nyack.
       The name appears to be a compromise designed to please groups which wanted it called Maidman Mountain and those who thought the original name should be retained.
       Maidman made a substantial contribution toward the share of the purchase price that had to be raised by the Save-the-Mountain Committee. Some of the cost was borne by the county and the Nature Conservancy, a quasi-public national foundation.

BACKED SWIMMERS
[Image: Sloatsburg Fire Department officers presenting check to Sloatsburg]
       Officers of the Sloatsburg Fire Dept., Edwin Higinson, treasurer, and John Izzo, president, Wednesday presented a check for $175 to Bill White, pool director of the Sloatsburg Recreation Commission, for the financing of swimming lessons for 5- and 6-year-olds.
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This Week in Rockland (#FBF Flashback Friday) is prepared by Clare Sheridan on behalf of the Historical Society of Rockland County. To learn about the HSRC's mission, upcoming events or programs, visit www.RocklandHistory.org or call (845) 634-9629.

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