The masthead read “Publisher and Advertising Manager, Leon O. Bourne – address all communications to P.O. Box 547. The Saranac Lake Mirror will be published every Friday and distributed in every home in Saranac Lake, by carefully supervised carrier boys. If you do not receive your copy of the MIRROR, please phone 643, and one will be delivered to your home free of charge. Printed at the Bourne Print Shop, 65 Margaret Street. Circulation 1900.”

My copy has 16 pages and was No. 46 of Vol. 3 so it apparently had been around for awhile. This edition was almost all advertising and almost no news, except about the big convention; 1,200 delegates of the New York State Rebekah Assembly convening in Saranac Lake.

The July 29 column here showcased another tabloid published in Saranac Lake in 1933, The Adirondack Advertiser. It was 8 pages but loaded with news and my copy was No. 2 of Vol. 1.

Who are the Rebekahs? Wiki tells us:

“The Daughters of Rebekah, also known as the Rebekahs is an International Service organization and a branch of the Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF). It initially designed as the female auxiliary of the IOOF. It is one of the units of the IOOF, but women need not be related to an Odd Fellow [I’m biting my tongue not to make a joke] to be a member of the Rebekahs.”

[The Odd Fellows Hall, a beautiful building located next to the Hotel Saranac in what is now a parking lot, hosted summer theatre productions there under the direction of Joan Frank.]

The lead story on page one:

“Mayor Thomas P. Ward will officially welcome more than 1,200 [another story claimed there were nearly 2,000] delegates of the New York State Assembly of Rebekahs convening in Saranac Lake this week, at the first general meeting of the convention which will be held in the Harrietstown Town Hall on Monday night.

“Miss Ruby Baker, [my high school math teacher] District Deputy President and Chairman of the local committee will greet the delegates on behalf of the Kiwassa Rebekah Lodge of this village which is the hostess organization.

“The Order of Rebekahs has more than one million members in the United States with more than 600 lodges in New York State. It dedicated its existence to the support and supervision of orphanages, homes for the aged and other similar institutions. The Saranac Lake Lodge was organized on Feb. 12, 1907 and since its organization it has done great community good.

“All of the leading state officers will be here for the convention including Mrs. Katherine Tienken New York State President with Mrs. Bertha C. Pearsons, Mrs. Bertha R. Mulford, Miss E. Rogers and Grand Master Peter Krone, all of New York City.”

“The village has planned many forms of entertainment to welcome the visitors including scenic motor trips, mountain climbing, boat trips and various dinners and dances which will all be integrated into a rigid program of business.

This note at the end of the story

“All people having cars which they can donate for sightseeing trips for the delegates attending the convention please phone 206-W, Mrs. Lucy Thompson or Mrs. L. H. Lease, 159-R or Mrs. W. Wilson, 554-J.”

In other news: these short notes

“Dean Towner and Jack Waterhouse were selected as Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the local High School class of 1936.”

“Leon Harvey’s young son, born this week, came into the world with two teeth – my, my, that’s quite a record — considerably more than some folks have at a much later period in life.”

“C. L. Hinds, County Manager of the W.P.A. [Works Progress Administration] in Franklin County spent Tuesday in town conferring with Mayor Ward on local projects. Mr. Hinds was particularly pleased with the work done on the Broadway project.”

Page 3 — What accident?

“Residents of Saranac Lake should turn out 100 per cent for the monster safety meeting which will be held in the Town Hall, Tuesday, May 26th. We might feel that it is just another one of those things but when an accident occurs such as marked the peace of our village last week the realization of what is occurring every day in the week throughout the country is brought home more vividly to us. A large percentage of accidents can be avoided, that much we know and it is up to the people to join in with a movement that will educate motorists to the realization that taking chances with life and limb doesn’t pay.

“Rev. H. W. Lyon pastor of the Presbyterian Church is general chairman of the meeting assisted by Alfred Moody, W. C. Leonard, Arthur Crouch, Mrs. Eileen Benham, A. F. Shortt and Thomas Sheridan.”

That’s all she wrote

Well, dear readers, what you have just read covers every story in that 16 pages, except for editing the lead story; the little tabloid was 99 per cent advertising.

Here are some of the restaurant ads:

“The Queen Restaurant, 39 Broadway, Chinese and American Foods; Dining and Dancing at the Mt. Baker Club, managed by Joe Garbaccio and open until 2 a.m. Standard Time; The Miss Saranac Diner and Dinette, 7 Bloomingdale Avenue, Thomas McVeety, Prop.; Chris’s Day and Night Restaurant, 16 Bloomingdale Avenue; Delia’s Restaurant, 28 Broadway, we are preparing special menus each day of the convention for the delegates; and The Pontiac Confectionary, 11 Broadway, Home Made Ice Cream, Home Made Candy, Tasty Home Made Sandwiches and Light Lunches.”

Also, of course, dining and dancing were advertised at the Hotel Saranac which was the convention headquarters and will be again in the near future; the St. Regis Hotel and the Hotel Alpine and then followed full page welcome ads from the village and town…

“Thomas P. Ward, Mayor; Trustees, George Carson, Louis Kendall, Jay T. Stickney and Sol Drutz and Village Manager, Millar Johnson; Village Clerk, Albert Breier [who I believe, was Major Day’s uncle] and Village Treasurer, James Meagher.”

“Hyman Weiner, Harrietstown Supervisor; C. J. Stickney, Justice of the Peace; Town Council, Frank Sheldon, Cornelius Carey, Jr., and Eugene Christian. Town Clerk, Rodger Bouck.”