This big wide Enterprise, 18 inches, as compared to today’s Enterprise, 11 inches; no wonder those 65 papers I delivered every day as a newsboy were so heavy. As the cost of newsprint went up as the size of the newspapers went down; no mystery there.

There was only brief local storm coverage. The Adirondack storm story, however, were carried in the Associated Press story …

“Traffic in the Adirondack Region was paralyzed and at Malone the state police turned the barracks into a shelter for stranded motorists. Heavy snow barriers shut off travel on many North Country highways today after a blizzard that caused two deaths and marooned motorists and passengers in farm houses. It was 15 degrees below zero in Saranac Lake.

“Meanwhile the number (of) deaths attributed to the fury of the storm increased yesterday and last night. Two persons were killed in Niagara Falls when their automobile was struck by a train when a swirling gust of snow clouded their vision.

“In Minnesota, where the temperature had sagged as low as 39 below at Eveleth, seven deaths were attributed to the cold. At least two were dead in Iowa, including Daniel Devine, 65, frozen to death at the rear of his home in Lost Nation. Seven died in Chicago when their automobile skidded on an icy road and were struck by a train.

“Icy highways were blamed for four automobile deaths in Montana. Two persons were missing in that state and fears were held that they had died of exposure. Wisconsin and Upper Michigan counted five deaths in motor car accidents. In Western Canada, where blizzards raged, the death toll stood at ten, five of the victims frozen to death.”

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Thirteen miners killed in train explosion

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“MONTGOMERY, W. Va., Dec. 27. (AP) — Thirteen miners were killed and at least 20 injured today by the explosion of a locomotive of a train carrying workers to a mine at the Elkhorn-Piney Coal Company in the heart of this mountain country.

“The Fireman and Engineer were among those killed. The blast said to have been caused by a buckling of a fire box cover and the subsequent loosening of the boiler tubes, echoed throughout the valley along which the little train hauled the workers to and from their homes.

“Pieces of the locomotive were blown 100 yards away and the flying debris cut and bruised those of the workers who were able to flee the wreckage itself.

“More than 350 men were on the train who had been picked up at their homes along Elkhorn Creek. All of the men killed were in the first of the three coaches on the train.”

(There was also a train crash in Hamilton, Ontario, on Christmas night at Dundee between two Canadian National Railway cars that killed 15 people and injured 30, some in critical condition.)

Now the local news:

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Party at St. Luke’s

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“Approximately 50 members of St. Luke’s Church School enjoyed a Christmas play and party at the parish home yesterday afternoon.

“The play, which centered about the story of the Christ child, was read and directed by Mrs. F. Ferris Hewitt. Members of the cast were Mary Packard, who played the part of Mary; Howard Hewitt as Joseph; Guy Nutter, William LaBounty and George Doty, shepherds; Jane Nutter, Eleanor Ridenour and Elizabeth Doty, angels; James Daniels, Arthur Pratt and Nathan Pratt, wise men.

“The Rev. George Boys, rector, opened the party with prayers and the recitation of the twenty-third psalm.”

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Police dance reservations

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“Nearly 400 reservations have been made for the Policeman’s Ball to be held at the town hall January 1, Police Chief John Tierney said today.

“The dance, sponsored by the Saranac Lake Police Protective Association, will have a night club setting similar to last year’s.

“Officers Edmund Duprey and James Coughlin (later chief), who are in charge of the ball, said today 10 acts of vaudeville will be a feature of the dance.

“Proceeds of the dance will be used by the Association foe education in police work. Chief Tierney said a fingerprint outfit would probably be one thing purchased.”

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Women’s Club holds dance

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“A pretty and successful dance was held last night at the Hotel Saranac when the Saranac Lake Women’s Club staged its ninth annual Christmas dance. The dance was staged as a fund-raiser for the Saranac Lake Free Library.

“Young people home from college and schools made up a large share of the attendance. The smart and becoming gowns of the young women added color to the scene.

“Patrons and patronesses were Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Bellows, Mr. and Mrs. Francis B. Cantwell, Col. And Mrs. Kenneth Gardner, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Krieger, Mr. and Mrs. James A. Latour, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Mack, Mr. and Mrs. S. D. Matthews, Mr. and Mrs. H. Stanley Parker and Mr. and Mrs. Wayne E. Timmerman.

(Now I have to be careful writing these history columns. This week I want to caution Ms. Katie Welch, catering sales manager at the Hotel Saranac and apparently an avid reader of my column, that she can’t get in touch with any of the people named above to attract them to the Hotel Saranac because that event was in 1934. She is so astute in her job that last week she was trying to get in touch with the officers of the North Country Girl Scout Association who had booked an event at the Hotel Saranac for May, but was it May of 1964.)

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More news from 1934 is coming next week.