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Flashback Friday Archive 2021-22: Flashback Friday: Week of June 25

2021-06-25 TWIR Image-Mels

June 24, 1871 – 150 YEARS AGO
Rockland County Journal

FIREWORKS
     A week from next Tuesday, the glorious Fourth will be ushered in by all the noise that juvenile men and matured boys, aided by fire-crackers, guns, pistols, and cannon, can make. Being fully aware of the overflowing patriotism of our citizens, John H. Blauvelt has taken care to secure in time, a very choice assortment of Hadfield’s celebrated fire-works, consisting of fire-crackers from one to nine inches in length, wheels of every description, tripod rockets of all sizes and choice variety of garden pieces for night display. His collection of pistols and cannon for boys is very large and each individual piece is warranted to contribute its share toward the bedlamitic propensities of the day. Don’t fail to see his assortment.

AN OLD-FASHIONED CIRCUS
     On Monday next, those of our citizens who may have a disposition to enjoy fun and, at the same time, see their children enjoy it, will have an opportunity to gratify this propensity by attending the Great Commonwealth Circus, which gives an exhibition in the afternoon and evening of that day. The proprietors of this establishment do not consider it essential to the success of their exhibition to make a great street parade and thus create impressions which are never realized inside the tent; they prefer giving a first-class entertainment by experienced artists, in the ring, which they are confident will meet with the approbation and support of the public.
     Admission to the afternoon performance for ladies and children, only 25 cents; evening performance 50 cents. For a splendid array of talent see the advertisement elsewhere.

June 24, 1921 – 100 YEARS AGO
Rockland News

FIVE-YEAR OLD BOY IS FATALLY BURNED — PLAYING WITH FIREWORKS WHEN CLOTHING TOOK FIRE  — RUSHED TO NYACK HOSPITAL WHERE HE DIED OF BURNS A FEW HOURS LATER
     A five-year-old boy named Kob, whose parents live in Spring Valley, was fatally burned, about 10 o’clock Saturday morning.
     The boy was playing with fireworks and matches when his clothes took fire, and he was terribly burned.
     Dr J. A. Levine was called and did what he could for the little fellow and then rushed him to the Nyack Hospital, where he died at 4 o’clock, the same afternoon.

AROUSED FROM SLEEP BY MASKED INTRUDER — CECILA LEVY HAS EXCITING EXPERIENCE TUESDAY NIGHT – TWO MEN SEEN TO RUN FROM HER HOUSE AND MAKE ESCAPE THROUGH THE FIELDS
     Cecilia Levy of Ohio avenue, Spring Valley, was aroused from her sleep at about 11:30 o’clock Tuesday night by a masked man who stood at her bedside pointing a revolver at her.
     She screamed as she woke, and her shouts alarmed the neighborhood.
     The man ran when she shouted and people who were hurrying toward the Levy house attracted by the noise saw two men run from the house down Ohio avenue to Main street and then across Main street into the fields on the west side of the street, opposite Ohio avenue, where they disappeared.
     Nothing was taken from the house and the theory has been advanced that the intruders were only trying to frighten Mrs. Levy as she is said to have had more or less trouble with some of her neighbors.
     Some people who saw them run down Ohio Avenue, think they could identify them, if they saw them again.

June 23, 1971 – 50 YEARS AGO
Rockland Independent/Leader

FLAG DECORATED BAGS RULED OK
     Last year, alleged desecration of the American flag by a student radical touched off a free-swinging melee between construction workers and antiwar demonstrators in New York City.
     But in Clarkstown, a man accused of desecrating the flag is a middle-aged Republican, conservative who has never voiced anything but pride in the nation.
     The gentleman in question is town supervisor, William E. Vines, whose name appears on litter bags, distributed throughout the town, bearing a picture of Old Glory and the inscription, “Take Pride in America  Keep Clarkstown Clean.”
     To Vines’ detractors the old adage “throw your garbage, where your love lies” does not apply in this situation. They claimed the presence of the flag on a litter bag was not only unAmerican but illegal as well.
     As far as any breach of the law is concerned, Vines appears to be out of the woods. County district attorney Robert R. Meehan informed the balding supervisor recently, that, according to an opinion he has received from assistant attorney general Timothy O’Brien of the state General Laws Bureau, “the litter bag with the flag imprint does not violate the spirit or the letter of the New York State General Business Law dealing with desecration and display of the American Flag.”
     Whether or not the legal opinion satisfies Vines’ critics remains to be seen. But for the time being at least, bags with the American flag and Vines’ name will continue to be filled with garbage.

[IMAGE] WINNING TICKETS PICKED
     Steve Rockman helps Mel Liebman pick the winning ticket in Mel’s Army & Navy annual Father’s Day drawing. Prizes are tickets to the New York Mets. Winners were Vince Montella, of Nanuet, Anna Wozniak, of Pearl River, and Frank Wong of Tappan.
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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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