The New York Times carried an illustration recently, showing front pages from different years, how the newspaper had shrink in size. Also with the Enterprise, where I started my first job as a newsboy 75 years ago, when one had to have long arms to open and read the paper … it was 17 inches wide, it is now 11 inches wide. As the price of newsprint went up, the size of the newspaper went down.

A big difference in the Enterprise of 1939 – out of 18 news stories on page one there was one local story … the weather.

The entire back page carried the headline “Where to Dine, Dance and Entertain – The Guide on Which Incoming Guests and Campers Rely.” The advertisements accompanying this column are from that back page.

Now inside to page 2 — a really big story about the Lake Placid Olympic Arena:

“North Elba Park district officials have made things easier for summer guests and tourists who formerly tramped uncomplainingly to the hills back of the arena on hot days for snowballs as fleeting souvenirs.

“The several hundred pounds of ‘snow’ which is scraped daily from the arena ice sheet is now dumped close to the curb on Main Street, providing a constant and conveniently-close supply for all comers.”

[So now we all know when that tradition began. It draws a continuous stream of tourists, oh, sorry, visitors, to that pile of ‘snow’ for photos.]

–

Church on Chapel Island restored and rededicated

–

“The tiny church on Chapel Island in Upper Saranac Lake, which has served the summer campers along the lake for the past 45 years will have an interesting ceremony Sunday morning, when special services to mark the rededication of the house of worship will take place.

“At the service there will be a sermon by the rev. Robert G. Andrus, counselor to Protestant students at Columbia University and summer minister at the island chapel; there will also be singing by a choral group for the eagle Island Girl Scout Camp.

“The Presbyterian Church will be represented by the rev. Aaron Maddox of Tupper Lake, chairman of the Champlain presbytery.

“The occasion for the rededication is the reconditioning of the little chapel, which was seriously dilapidated from its many years of exposure to the winds and storms which have swept the lake.

“The restoration project was undertaken by Mrs. Francis Remington of Rochester in memory of her mother, the late Mrs. Carol H. Lyon of Rochester. She was aided in the work by other summer residents among who were Mrs. John VanVoorhis of Rochester, Franham Yardley of Llewellyn, Park, N. J., Maj. And Mrs. Enneis Wagaman of Washington, D.C. and New Orleans, La.”

–

Auto accidents in Ray Brook

–

“Motorists miraculously escaped without injury when an automobile driven by Charles Bruce Cooper, 20, of Lake Placid club, crashed into a machine [auto] operated by John N. Bach of Rochester, in front of the Ray brook Inn [where the Ford Agency is now located] at ray brook.

“The accident occurred about 10 o’clock Wednesday morning when, according to state police at Ray brook, Cooper apparently became confused and crossed the road to the left side onto the shoulder to drive his machine into Mr. Bach’s sedan.

“Mr. Bach, who is staying at Meadowbrook campsite at Ray Brook had just purchased some gasoline at the inn and was turning around in front of the Inn with his car’s right wheels on the pavement and the left wheels still on the dirt at the time of the crash.

“Police said this morning that young Cooper apparently thought Bach was going to cross the road and consequently drove across the highway to his left to try and avoid the turning car but struck the Bach machine causing extensive damage to both machines.”

–

Car/truck crash at Union Falls intersection

–

“Charges are reported to be pending this morning in connection with an accident Wednesday on the Plattsburgh road which resulted in damage to two vehicles, although no persons were injured.

“The accident occurred at 3:45 o’clock Wednesday at the junction of the Saranac Lake-Plattsburgh road with the Union Falls road beyond Bloomingdale.

“Owner and operator of one automobile was Filmore Ashline of Redford, who was driving a sedan toward Saranac Lake. As he approached the junction – state police said this morning that a pickup truck owned and operated by Joseph Keese of AuSable Forks came into the intersection from the Union Falls road and struck the Ashline machine.

“Mr. Ashline may prefer charges against the AuSable Forks man, state police said.” [It becomes obvious in these accident stories of long ago that the persons involved brought the charges, not the police.]

–

Big dance in Gabriels

–

“Brighton and Harrietstown grange will hold a dance in the Grange Hall at Gabriels tonight, with round and square dancing from 9 o’clock until 1 o’clock. Trombley’s orchestra will furnish the music and refreshments will be served at midnight. Joseph McMaster is chairman of the dance committee.”

[I have attended square dances at the Grange in Gabriels. Remember the call to start the square dancing. ‘Partners to Place, Corners Address, It’s Sixteen Hands Around to the Left.’ Now you can stop at the Grange, say hi to Holly and look over her great collection of antiques.]