NOTE: This column started in the Warsaw Daily Times on January 13, 1932 and appeared daily through the end of April, 1932. You will find lots of names and incidents mentioned. All has been included along with credits. The date of the newspaper will be at the at the TOP of the column. Several columns will be included in each segment. Names & incidents have been bolded for emphasis. There is no indication who compiled the column for the paper. Marge



Our Town "Way Back When"

Warsaw Daily Times January 13, 1932

Remember way back when:

Wilbur F. Maish, Sr.
built the first auto ever in Warsaw? A stationary engine was mounted on a light frame. It made about three miles per hour. This was years before autos were anything more than a curiosity, probably about the year 1900. The Maish "invention" attracted much attention here as it chugged about town on its few trial runs.

Warsaw high school had a football coach, a colored youth, former Michigan University student, who coached the football team and also played full back with his team and was some fullback, beating Marion or was it Sheridan here on Thanksgiving day for the state championship? Coach Hughes was a student and a gentleman. Another high school coach who played here with the high school team was Coach Brenner, who likewise taught high school classes.

Earl Conrad won the Fourth-of-July bicycle race from Warsaw to Goshen and return, pedaling some 50 miles or more over the bicycle paths which in those days could be found along the edge of the dirt highways.

Joe Campfield operated the cracker-jack and soft drink concession at Lakeside park on Pike Lake

Bob Ettinger used to spit fire. Sprayed gasoline through his teeth and light it with a match, as a special Saturday night entertainment on the court house corner.

Warsaw had a street-sprinkling wagon.

Joe Hansman was the strongest man in town, except Dan Netter?
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Warsaw Daily Times January 14, 1932

Remember back when--
Warsaw drays
used to get $1 for hauling the fire hose-carts from the center, east and west end fire stations to the scene of the blaze. Maish's pulley works steam whistle used to sound the alarm then the 12 or more drays would race to the fire stations for the hose-carts. The first dray there got the dollar job. What a race! At night firemen pulled the hose-cart by hand, using long ropes tied with knots for hand-holds.

Clark Mumaw used to sing illustrated songs at Deaton's five-cent movie theatre here and knocked 'em cold with "Don't Wake Me Up, I Am Dreaming," and "Clover Blossoms". One night Clark was sick and Al Gerard filled in with "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." There wasn't a dry eye in the theatre.

John Collins used to drive his "one-lunger" auto, with the big rubber side-horn with a voice that would put some of these sounders in the shade today.

John Dillon, operating his peanut stand at the old "Book Store Corner," and would throw his cane at bad boys who passed along, grabbed a handful of peanuts and ran away.

"Boots" Shaw, catcher for Yost's Bankable ball team, went to throw to second base to catch a runner and hit the left-handed batter in the back of the head with the ball, which bounced over the grandstand. The runner scored. This happened at Pierceton.

Capt. Pine ran the boat-house and swimming beach at Winona Lake and had a sign out at the beach, "Water temperature 70," regardless of hot or cold weather.

W. H. Collisson sang "The King's Horses," and the recently popularized radio song in "Little Bo-Peep," at Winona Lake 30 years ago. Why don't they write some new songs?

Herb Kehler made balloon ascensions.

There was no Warsaw-Winona street car line and the Pennsylvania railroad ran the "Winona Dummy" train between Warsaw and Winona Lake every half hour. The fare was 10 cents one way.

You could rent a horse and buggy, swell turn-out, rubber tires and gentle horse, from Huffer's or Holbrook's livery barn all day, except Sundays, for $2. You could select your own whip from a rack of about 50 gaudy-colored ten-foot whips. A blanket was furnished with each turn-out. We called 'em lap robes. If the horse was hot and lathered when you brought him in, you caught h___ the dickens.

Boys broke up the Saturday night band concert here by standing around the players eating lemons. Saliva silenced the horns.
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Warsaw Daily Times January 15, 1932

Remember back when--
W. A. Winebrenner
was the best pool player in town, excepting "Pottie" Nye and Frank Bair. But Charlie Douglass could outscore Winebrenner at the Pike Lake Gun club traps, sometimes breaking 100 clay birds without a miss.

Chester "Duck" Zimmerman was the best first-sacker in northern Indiana semi-pro baseball, playing first with Leesburg and later with Warsaw? "Lefty" Glant did the pitching for Leesburg while "Marsh" Wallace was the cleanup slugger.

Rev. Hayes Willis, of Winona Lake, used to officiate as umpire at baseball games at the park and was an excellent umpire, too.

George Ihinger operated a boat house at Center Lake and used to mystify neighborhood children by making a broom dance and obey his commands at night. George used a black thread, invisible at night.

Surveyors used to stake off ice rights on Center lake to keep the various ice-house companies from infringing on the lake ice rights of others.

Mel Minear, now living near North Manchester, drove a produce wagon for Beyer Brothers, out of Warsaw.

The canal between Center and Pike lakes was navigable for row boats, but the passenger steamer succeeded only once in making the trip.

When ice cream soda fountains were not operated in the winter months.

Warsaw had eleven saloons. Then the town voted dry, and there were nightly trips via busses to Pierceton and later to Columbia City. Rev. Billy Sunday led the dry campaign here speaking from a store box or back end of a dray at Shane's grocer corner.

Drum Major Bass used to do a lot of fancy snaredrumming whenever there was a Civil war veterans' reunion here.

The old abandoned Episcopal church building, at the corner of E. Market and Detroit streets, stood vacant and open for years and school boys used to sneak in and ring the old church bell, causing much confusion since it sounded like the city fire bell.

Some 25 Warsaw sports were arrested one Sunday 30 years ago at Lakeside Park, Pike lake, while watching a prize fight between Mase Hawkins, local colored fighter and some imported pugilist.
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Warsaw Daily Times January 16, 1932

Remember back when--
Clark Holbrook
drove the Holbrook bus between Warsaw and Winona Lake while not leading the local band as strutting, baton-twirling drum major.

Skinney Mayfield was property man at the old Warsaw "Opery" house and stock companies played week stands here featuring "East Lynne"; "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," minstrel shows with snappy colored bands and Uncle Tom's Cabin shows with real bloodhounds gave street parades. Then along came Joe Dine and installed the first movie show in the old Opera House, which formerly had been used as a roller skating rink, patronized by society folks, young and old.

Hundreds and hundreds of young and old used to enjoy skating at Center lake and every boy and girl in Warsaw was an excellent skater. Archie Byler and John Hansman did the fancy skating. Clint Dederick was pretty good, too.

You could buy "cracklins" at any butcher shop.

Hudson Brady's twelve-year-old son, Jeff, fell through the ice on Winona Lake and, clinging to it, yelled for help. His father living at the corner of Park Avenue and East Main street, heard and recognized the yells although nearly a mile distant, and ran to his assistance in time to help in the rescue made by ice-packers.

The old mineral well, a 900-foot shaft sunk at the south terminal of Indiana street in an effort to strike natural gas or oil there, gave forth only drinking water thought to have supreme medicinal properties. Small boys with wagons peddled it to all parts of the town at ten cents for five gallons. Later a sanatorium was built on South Indiana street due to the prestige established by the medicinal mineral water's curative qualities.

Wild animals of all kinds were kept in cages at Lakeside Park to attract visitors. Deer, monkeys, bears, etc. were among the exhibits. Sunday excursions brought thousands here every Sabbath during the summer. A large dance floor above the old boathouse attracted the young bloods, while a 40-passenger steam boat made regular excursions around the lake.

Steve Bond and Tony Osborn used to supply the community with fresh fish taken from our lakes. Fish lunches were served by every restaurant in town.

City Engineer J. V. Godman gave his life trying to rescue Police Chief William Funk who died by sewer-damp gas in the lift-well man-hole at North Buffalo and Fort Wayne streets. Charles B. Moon, who went to their rescue was likewise overcome but revived. Moon received a Carnegie hero medal for his daring. The Carnegie Foundation also awarded Godman's family a large monetary gift.

Squire Eiler assessed a fine every week against Tony Osborn for fish-law violations.

A rat ran up Mase Hawkins' pants while he was working in Capt. John Runyan's barn. Mase grabbed Mr. Rat and choked him to death just as he was about to emerge at a top suspender button.

The above Mase Hawkins in the same colored boy who won the Fourth of July bicycle race from Warsaw around Winona Lake and back. The finish was up Buffalo street and 5,000 persons saw Mase come in ahead--without any pants. The 10 or 12 miles of strenuous pedaling had worn away his thin trunks.

Doc Brown remembered here not many years ago as a taxi driver, used to appear in the roll of a dude, in high top hat, cut-away coat, striped trousers and ascot tie.

George Groves and other draymen used to drive bob-sleds nearly all winter over the snow packed streets and all horses were rough-shod to prevent slipping on the ice.

Every Sunday school and grade school had at least one bob-sled party and the youngsters kept warm in the straw, and covered themselves with blankets. The bob-sleds always upset in some big drift.

"Spottie" Ettinger used to re-cover and re-sew our baseballs all free of charge. "Strap oil" was administered to all new frequenters at Ed Ettinger's harness shop then under the Lantz drug store.

Boys used to roam the alleys gathering up empty whiskey and beer bottles to sell to the saloons. Whiskey bottles, quarts, brought five cents each. Beer bottles were worth ten cents per dozen. Corks in good condition could be marketed.

Bud Pattison, despite being blind used to deliver meat around town from the meat markets. At first Bud rode a pony. Later he used a bicycle and managed quite well.

Lou Dunnuck claimed to have sold $200 worth or more of peanuts and popcorn at his stand at the Bradway grocery corner, now the Indiana State Bank corner, on the day Buffalo Bill's show exhibited here. However mathematicians refuted his claim proving it was impossible for one man to prepare, wrap up in sacks and make that many five cent sales all in one day.

Who remembers away back when a little chap by the name of Ted Williams had long yellow curls and rod a bicycle about the city. Rumor had it that Ted's grandfather, General Reub Williams paid for 60 sodas at Foster's Drug store to get Ted to let them cut off those curls.
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Warsaw Daily Times January 18, 1932

Remember back when--
We used to spear carp in the old dump-yard where now stands the community building and boys in winter skated where now stands the center ward school.

C. O. Davis first began as Pennsylvania crossing watchman at Buffalo street where he still keeps surroundings swept neat as a pin, some 35 years ago.

When Alvin Robinson, of 416 South Buffalo street conducted a drug store at Silver Lake and sold quinine for every known ailment.

When Jack Cuffel and other mourners buried Phoebe Hall's dead doggie in Oakwood cemetery and officers objected and the dead dog was returned to Phoebe's premises.

Bicycles were common as autos and bicycle clubs took part in political parades. Each bicycle carried a lighted Japanese lantern and was decorated with bunting twined through the spokes of the wheels and the riders, in gaudy uniforms, executed intricate drills in Indian file or abreast.

Explosives were permitted on July 4th and giant firecrackers, exploding with cannon-like detonation, were shot continuously everywhere. Forty or fifty deaths were expected every Fourth and many eyes and hands were blown away.

Music boxes in restaurants rendered tinkling tunes from steel discs for five cents in the slot.

Warsaw was lighted with carbon-arc street intersection electric lights and Cal Weiss or Jeff Lafollette changed and adjusted the carbons all over town every day, lowering and raising the lights with a small windlass and pulley.

A trip to the maple-sugar camps around Warsaw was a gala event and was always followed by a "taffy pull".

M.D. Polk and Clave Gilliam imported wild western unbroken horses and sold them at auction here.

Sheep, hogs and cattle were driven to market instead of being hauled as now in trucks.

The Pennsylvania and Big Four railroads had a union depot here at the junction. Noble Wolford operated a "bus to the hotel or any part of the city," and never missed a train, day or night for years and years.
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Warsaw Daily Times January 19, 1932

Remember back when--

Bud Moon,
then a small lad, fell into Center lake while skating. Wet through, he was afraid to go to school or home, so hung around the stove in Campfield's store all day long.

High school basketball games were held in the small gymnasium in the basement of the high school building. The ceiling was so low that there was scarcely room to crowd the ball into the basket without hitting the ceiling.

Robbers blew the safe in the Warsaw postoffice which was then in the room occupied by the Quality Shoe store, but did not disturb the night policeman asleep across the street in the Campfield store. Blankets were used to silence the detonation. A special act of congress was necessary before the postmaster could be reimbursed for the $1,500 loss in stamps. Charles B. Bentley was the postmaster then.

Every Warsaw business man bought high-priced lots in Lakeside park to promote the canning factory. Many Warsaw families still hold title to them, but they are practically unsalable. Some on the lake front may be purchased for $20. Losses to Warsaw businessmen over the venture were considerable.

Hitching racks for horses were in front of every business house and all around the court house. Runaway horses were almost as common as automobile wrecks and often just as disastrous. The usual hero was the man who leaped and grabbed the bridle of the runaway horse and brought him to a stop while the beautiful girl driver fainted from fright.

The blacksmith shop was the center of attraction to boys who stood around and watched the sparks fly as the brawny-armed smith heated and bent the shoes to fit old Dobbin. Dobbin occasionally sent Mr. Blacksmith spinning across the shop with a kick in the rear of the leather apron. Fractious horses were held quiet with a twitch, a method of typing up the ear or lip and twisting the flesh so that when the horse moved the slightest considerable pain was inflicted on him. He usually stood quite docile under such treatment.

Nearly every man chewed tobacco and business houses were "decorated" with convenient receptacles called spittoons or gobboons. Incidentally the cement sidewalks were polka-dotted with the unsightly spatters. Then the Warsaw city council passed an ordinance against expectorating on the sidewalk and there were a few arrests. Then Women wore long dresses which dragged on the ground.

"Rotgut" whisky was sold at drug stores, especially on Sunday, when saloons were closed and required by law to have shades open so police could see right into the barrooms.

Wade Harris was game warden and a pretty brave one too. But the new game laws brought revolt from the fishermen. Harris carried a six shooter and a shotgun in his buggy. At night he would drive to the lakes and lay for the fishermen. Fishermen, like gangsters of the present day, sent warning to Harris to lay off of Ridinger lake. So Harris with his artillery went to the lake with handcuffs and all. About dark he started down to the boat landing when five fishermen jumped him, took his gun, handcuffed him and tied his feet together then put him in a boat and rowed to the center of the lake after tying a large stone to his neck. Three men follow in another boat to the deepest part of the lake. Harris was then lowered over the side of the boat, the fishermen still holding him. "Have you anything to say?" asked the leader. "For God's sake, boys let me go. I'll never give you any more trouble. You can fish all you want to and I'll resign tonight if you let me go home." The fishermen were not fooling. Harris resigned. James Stoneburner took his place. Previously Gamewarden Rigney, of Goshen, had been shot by a Warsaw fisherman. In those days, 35 years ago, it was open season on game wardens the year around. -(Sam Hutton).

Twenty nine years ago ice on Pike lake was 24 inches thick. I helped pack ice for the St. Joe Ice Co. of Elkhart at $1.25 per day and it was 20 below zero all the time. I didn't fish much that winter. It took too long to cut a hole through the ice. Fish were hunting holes to get air so I got all I could carry without much effort, cutting them out where they became frozen in the ice. There was no limit then. I just took what I wanted and left, the rest for my friends. -(Sam Hutton)

Charley Moon was street commissioner and when great mud puddles stood on the six inch mire of Buffalo street after a long rain, George Hendee, local wag, placed a "No Fishing Here" sign beside the small pond.

Hendee was the same wag who made his own balloon and clad in tights essayed a flight. However, a 30-foot altitude was his ceiling and he jumped, escaping with minor injuries. The balloon sailed gracefully away. Hendee also did parachute jumps off barn roofs with large umbrellas.
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Warsaw Daily Times January 20, 1932

Remember back when--
Joe Rupe
was the best, the most original and the noisiest rooter at all the baseball games here. Out of town he was just as noisy and Goshen fans were much piqued by his witticisms hurled at them and their ball team.

Sixty years ago William Cosgrove used to operate the first elevator in Warsaw located where now stands the Pennsylvania freight office. Wagons drove up a bridge incline 50 feet high to dump grain into the top of the elevator. -(A. B. Sloan)

Fire Chief Perry Brown ran a meat market where Burden's store is located. Boys loafed in the back room and broiled meat on the coals in the stove.

Women carried their money in their stockings and you saw many an old girl with her back turned fishing down her leg for the long green.

Men all wore high shoes, winter and summer. Later low-cut oxfords came in style only fur summer wear. Now men wear low-cut shoes the year round.

Sam Loney and other wheat buyers used to stand on the streets here and bid for the purchase of wheat as farmers drove in with their wagons loaded with grain. -(A. B. Sloan)

Men wore celluloid collars. All you had to do to clean them was use the old kerchief and a little saliva. Dudes were collars cut from real leather.

When Charlie Moon took the job as night watchman, he was the best the city ever had. Always on the job and not afraid of the devil himself. Didn't wear any bullet proof vest or a belt with side arms. Went right after them with bare mitts. The only officer that ever arrested three armed men at one time. They called them crooks then but now they are "bandits." -(Sam Hutton)

Farmers used to butcher hogs and bring in the frozen carcasses and load them into freight cars for shipment. -(A. B. Sloan)

Ben and Tony Osborn caught a 160-pound catfish in Center lake and sold it at ten cents per pound. They had more luck than any other fisherman. They captured great frogs. Gossip said the frogs knew when the Osborns were coming and croaked warnings which sounded like a gutteral "Tony and Ben" and the little frogs would re-echo the throaty croak. -(Sam Hutton)

Little Benny Phillipson owned a great big St. Bernard dog which he drove around town hitched to pretty red wagon. The dog had complete harness even to a bit in his mouth and was well trained.

Bud Pattison, the blind boy had a team of trained goats which were broke to double harness and pulled a cart in which Bud delivered groceries and meats around town.

C. W. Scott owned a fine well-trained dog that used to carry home all alone any packages which his master handed him even to packages of meat, letters or a small bucket. If other dogs molested him he dropped his package, licked the other dog, then resumed his duties.

Everyone in town went down to the Pennsylvania depot to see No. 3 come in because there was nothing else to do. The Sunday evening crowd at No. 3's arrival here usually was a throng. The girls flirted abominably with the departing strange traveling men--but after the train started to pull out. "Oh! Them Goo-Goo Eyes."

When Dr. A. C. McDonald had his office just north of where now stands the M. E. church in Warsaw and he saved my life by removing my tonsils 31 years ago. I used to drive his horse and buggy all around town. He was always on the go, kind and good to everybody, going day and night to any place called. -(Sam Hutton)

Phillipson's store always had a real live Santa Claus in the big store window filled with toys for weeks before Christmas

Jim Cisney, Perry Brown and Chape Pierce all owned bulldogs that used to fight frequently on the street corners uptown where spectators would form a big ring and watch the canine battle. Then not infrequently the dog owners would stage some antics of their own.

William Gray Loehr, former prosecuting attorney, was the star catcher on the east-end ball team and Paul Summy, Herman Swihart, Red Johnson, Hallie Barrick, Biddie Bash and Lloyd Schue, were also stars. Bill Rowe was catcher for the bigger boys and their team including Leo and Marvin Hankins, Arlie Hillegas, Clint Dederick, Leonard Middleton, the Wahl boys, Bob Douglass and Burr and Emmett Toll.
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Warsaw Daily Times January 21, 1932

Remember back when--
Winona interurban cars for many years were not operated on Sundays. Cy Densel came here from Fort Wayne 26 years ago last August and was one of the line's first motormen. Landon Hale was his conductor. Crews of the cars used to sleep in them at night and park them in front of the court house.

All winter long farmers used to haul longs to town, often on sleds, to the local lumber mills. Teamsters would often walk beside their horses to lighten the load or to keep warm. Some one would always get hurt unloading the logs when releasing the boom pole which was twisted around big chains and held the logs on the vehicles.

Everybody used to walk down the railroad tracks for a Sunday afternoon stroll.

Andy Pollock had an arm blown off when shooting a Fourth of July sunrise salute at Lakeside Park, probably around 1900. Also in 1876, the centennial year, on New Year's day, Stephen Philpott, on a nice warm spring-like morning lost both arms while shooting a cannon salute to the dawning of the new year. While swabbing out the cannon and ramming home a new charge of powder the load exploded, tore away his arms and shot the ramrod 500 feet west where it embedded itself in a wood pile beside the house now occupied by Roy Roberds on East Center street and then owned by the late Adam Rayner. The cannon was located on a slight rise of sandy ground where now stands the Joe Lessig home

After the Civil war and for many years the sight of wounded and maimed Civil War veterans on the streets of Warsaw was most commonplace. Legless and armless veterans there were by the score. This county sent 2,200 soldiers to the Civil war from a sparsely settled county at that time.

About the first circus to come to Warsaw was exhibited on the lot just north of the new postoffice where ____. This was in 1864.

The first balloon ascension took place in Warsaw in 1872 with the G. G. Grady's circus showing on the ground now occupied by the Braude-Pierce factory.

Uncle Ben Richart lived at the old brickyard, one mile north of Warsaw, and Jake Rupe lived on Detroit street where the old woolen mills were located. Later the mill housed the Maish pulley works, and now it is Croop's bakery. Richhart and Rupe used to whisper back and forth, a mile apart. When Uncle Ben got loud, truthful Sam Campbell said you could hear him in Leesburg, five miles away. Sam says when he first came to Warsaw they were just digging a hole to put Center Lake in so the Indians would run away with it.

Lillian Davenport, now Mrs. George M. Thomas, dressed as a boy, played in a home-talent show in the old Empire hall and sang, "Sixteen years of age, my Mother's fair-haired boy; for Ireland is my country, and my name is Pat Malloy."

When surveyors were first locating the right-of-way of what is now the Big Four railroad they surveyed the route down West street, on the west extremity of this town and planned a union depot with the Pennsylvania, down about Union street, but later the Big Four selected the route down Hickory street.

When a man named Harl killed his five-year-old step-son, because the boy would not learn his letters, and put the lad down an old well on what was know as the old Minear farm, now owned by Herb Robinson just south of Warsaw. this was in 1865.

Cornelius Hines owned a horse called Sachem, after a famous Indian chief.

Boys used to gather hundreds and hundreds of real Indian arrowheads on the Herb Robinson farm, just south of Warsaw on the Country Club road. Every boy in town had at least a cigar-box full of flint arrowheads. An Indian camp or battle had evidently been staged there at one time. Tomahawks and Indian hatchets were often found there. Many older Warsawans still have such collections gathered by themselves around Winona Lake.

Picnics were held on Indian mound at Winona Lake near Boy City where was located Hamilton's grave. Hamilton was one of the earliest white settlers around here.

John Bond was engineer and conductor on the miniature lake-shore tramway (railroad) which ran from the entrance building to Kosciusko lodge and transported passengers and baggage in small cars.
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Warsaw Daily Times January 22, 1932

Remember back when--
Uncle Henry Kline, that good old German, was the only merchant in North Webster selling you anything that you wanted.

Charles Raymond was undertaker, took your measure after your death, making a walnut coffin (we called them) for your final resting place.

Henry Kline and Jacob Stemler would sing those good old German songs that would make your ears tingle and your feet step around.

Dan Gerard and Addison Warner made cider and kraut barrels with wooden hoops.

Dan Galentine shod the horses and did all kinds of blacksmithing, while Philip Beghtel shod the oxen, putting the ox feet out through the window and driving the nails while Abe Stamates was on the inside of the shop hold the ox by the horns. Then Phillip would cheer the ox up with music from the old bass drum.

John A. Mock, D. H. Carpenter and Isaac Gerard built the fine residences that help to make North Webster one of the best towns in Kosciusko county.

When J. A. Ketring, J. F. Bockman, J. A. Mock and O. F. Gerard, were the enterprising general merchants of the town.

Then do you remember the hotel, the Warner House, on the public square where the genial landlord and landlady, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Warner, would feed you and keep you as long as you wanted to stay.

The day that Reuben Baker (with Beyer Bros.) drove four fine matched gray horses from North Webster with the biggest load of fresh eggs that ever went into Warsaw.

Benj. F. Yohn was the postmaster and kept the office in his house on the table with a big bullfrog on the table to keep watch over the first-class mail. Then, we got mail once a week, on Fridays, brought overland from Warsaw by John Mock, senior.

Victor D. Mock with the little steamboat "Ethel" plying the Webster lake day and night making trips around the lake on schedule time every two hours with 50 to 150 passengers.

The foregoing "Back Whens" were sent in by Orlando Gerard, of North Webster.

C. W. Charles operated and owned Lakeside Park and a Fourth of July celebration in 1901 was a spectacle, "The Blowing up of the Maine."

The Lakeside park side shows were operated by Joe Campfield and "Doc" Brown and included some wax mummies.

Claude Wheeler walked the slack wire and charmed snakes and Charlie Bass had the talking horse.

George Kellogg ran the Pike lake steamer and Steve Bond gave the high dive from a ladder atop the steamer.

A baseball park was located east of the old Pike lake canal where is now located Christ. Andrews' home. A big high fence enclosed the ball park.

Frank Hoffman ran the Warsaw junkyard and paid more for junk than anyone ever previously . Hoffman kept a fine horse and buggy and whenever the bank played Hoffman and his horse would follow it on the march.

When the city fathers kept the alleys nice and level, but now they don't pay any attention to them.

George Groves had the fastest dray team in town and won most of the races to the fire station for the privilege and job of hauling the fire hose cart.

The Times is indebted to Sam Hutton for the foregoing Warsaw "Remembrances."

Warsaw had no street cars and Perry Kantner ran a bus to Spring Fountain Park and competed with the Pennsylvania railroad "dummy" every hour.

When Warsaw streets were lighted by gas and Harry Cosgrove would light them and "blow them out" every morning.

When Lakeside Park was on the boom and for ten cents you could get in at the gate and see the bears, deer and squirrels.

A cable car suspended about fifteen feet above the ground cost ten cents to ride on at Lakeside Park. It was a forerunner of the street fair giant swings. Andy Pollock operated the cable car.

Virgil Lower and Byron Spitler went boating down the Tippecanoe and the current was too strong to make the return voyage. They secured a wagon from a farmer, hauled the boat back to Warsaw, returned the wagon and walked home, making the distance of eighteen miles. Were they tired and cross? Ask them.
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Warsaw Daily Times January 23, 1932

Remember back when--

James H. Cisney owned the largest ice House on Center Lake and drove his rig, a horse and buggy, all over the lake, watching his men cut ice.

A. T. S. Kist was staking off the route for the "Gold Spike Railroad" around Pike Lake. They ran out of spikes because the railroad was never built.

There was a big hotel at Mineral beach, on the northeast side of Pike lake and the place was laid off in lots and half a dozen summer cottages were built there. The hotel was moved two miles across fields to the Winona golf links where for years it served as a club house, located where now is the plant of the Western Sand and Gravel Co. The building burned.

Peas, corn, tomatoes and pumpkins was canned at the Pike Lake Canning factory. Laborers got from 2 cents for boys up to ten cents per hour for men and they worked day and night and you could work as many hours as you wanted to.

Miss Edna Charles lost a $6,000 diamond ring in sawdust at the canning factory owned by her father, C. A. Charles. I sifted sawdust for a week and got a $10 reward and a free ride on the Lakeside steamer and a case of canned corn. -(Sam Hutton)

A dance was held in the canning factory. Rumor had it that that night the world was coming to an end. Some old bug was always predicting that. The dance ended in a rough-house fight.

Sportsmen and resorters came from all over the United States to fish all summer at the beautiful grounds at Lakeside park. Big shows from Chicago exhibited in the large auditorium. The auditorium was always used for the county political nominating conventions and public speeches.

You could catch all the fish you wanted in the Pike-to-Center lake canal and the swimming hole was located at the bend in the canal.

The old graveyard located where now stands the Warsaw gas plant was torn up and the dead were removed, with tombstones and crumbling coffins and ghastly bones and skulls to Oakwood cemetery.

The Pennsylvania railroad was a single track road and had a side track running to the Chapman ice-houses of 12 rooms on Eagle lake, now called Winona lake. Fifty men were employed in the summer shipping ice every day and 200 in the winter during the packing. Mules pulled the freight cars on the switch.

The Pennsylvania railroad had a terrible wreck at the curve in the east part of Warsaw.

Dolph Moore was manager of an elevator company, which occupied a large and dilapidated old frame building where now is located the Little Crow Mill. Millions of rats infested the building. When it was torn down huge timbers were removed. Boards used for siding were placed vertical instead of horizontal.

It took one or two hours to ride to Chapman's lake via Dr. Smith's horse and buggy.

All the children in the neighborhood attended the funeral of old "Dan", C. W. Scott's big black dog and many a neighbor's flowers were borrowed for the occasion.

Old folks, young folks, and every one who had skates was down at Center lake on winter afternoons. Perhaps we'll have some winter weather this spring.

There was an avenue of trees in the center of West Main street and an old red brick tenement house stood where the Simonses now live.

Sure enjoy your "Way Back When" column it brings back many happy memories of when we were "just kids." -Hazel Kantzer, Wabash.

(NOTE: The next column on January 25, 1932 was titled Our Town and Others. For more "Remember When's" be sure to read part 2, 3 and 4.)

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