The title tells it all — a weekly, four-page newspaper that was “Published Every Saturday Morning at Lake Placid, N.Y.” Subscription price $1 a year, J. W. Ball, editor.

Greg Peacock gave me a copy of this newspaper and as we perused his faded, tattered copy, we wondered why the front page was national news and the inside pages carried local news. However, there was an entire column on page one dedicated to advertising.

Well, didn’t most people in 1895 receive the news, local and national, through newspapers — no phones, no radios, no televisions or cell phones. So Editor Ball put the national news in first place.

Then Greg went to see Sarah at the UPS store in Lake Placid where she turned that gray, 128-year-old newspaper into a shining, perfect black and white copy of the Mountain Mirror … and that is what I have today, right here in my ink-stained hands.

Before we dig into the local news — some headlines from page one.

“Mrs. Fleming Charged with Poisoning Her – Mother” — “Fifty Hurt in Coney Island Train Crash” — “Woman Attendant Attacked at Matteawan Asylum” — “Five Gas Company Employees Asphyxiated by Gas,” etc.

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Subscribers listed

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There is a long list of subscribers named under a headline “Paid” and a shorter list marked “Not Paid.” It also reads that the names being published is also their receipt. One list is for the residents of Newman (an area along state Route 73 then described as the John Brown Farm — later the Uihlein Farm — so when the property in that area was purchased by Annie Newman in 1870 the name was changed to Newman.)

Following are a few of the 50 subscribers living in Newman:

Thomas Durgan, D. O’Connell, Jepther Smith, Robert Kilborn, A. C. Mason, F.W. Merrill, James Hurley, Arthur Snow, W.D. Pratt, H.D. Crowningshield, A.C. Wilcox, Frank Major, H.R. Pool, William Bowen, Leslie Martin, B.R. Brewster, Amelia Palmer, Josie Alford, J.R. Call, and H.E. Morhouse.

Here are a few of many subscribers living in Lake Placid:

R. W. Clifford, Fred N. Lamb, Seth Johnson, Dr. E. Lengfeld, Charles Forbes, James Hennessy, C. W. Kennedy, Fannie Nash, Joseph Peacock, James Stanton, Jesse Hayes, Dr. S. Strock, D. C. Peck, Malcolm McDonald, Mrs. J. B. Crosby, Dr. R. E. Kemp, Miss H. M. Dodd, Lottie Somers, Ida E. Billings, E. J. Delehanty, Melvin Dewey, Minnie Still, J.A. Stevens, Henry Allen and Rev. C. L. Bonham.

Under a short list of new subscribers was W.M. Torrance, Lower Jay, N.Y. (I’ve never heard of “Lower Jay,” only “Upper Jay.”)

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Very brief local news

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William A. McKenzie has bought the Ed Major place and will take possession the 1st of October. Consideration $700.

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Miss Nellie Wilkins has secured the school at Cascadeville and will commence teaching October 1st.

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Mrs. G.H. Berkley of Saranac Lake was the guest of Mrs. N. A. Lamoy this week.

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Will Drew has been improving his house by shingling it. Finish it up Drew.

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Miss Ada Peck and Miss Frances Klemann Sundayed at Saranac Lake.

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Joe Merkel of Saranac Lake was in town Tuesday “looking around.”

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Mr. H. A. Potter has completed the fence in front of his cottage.

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Amos Thompson has just finished putting water into his house.

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The receipts at the Lake Placid Post Office during the month of August — over $5,000.

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Mr. Fred A. Pitkins and boys have broken camp in Saranac Lake, Camp Rondack, and is again with us.

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White’s New Opera House is fast being completed and we note that everything that goes into it is of the substantial sort and “made to wear.”

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Prof. Andrews, principal of our school district, and we hope soon to be able to write it, “Union Free School,” arrived in town Wednesday.

School begins Monday, September 9 with the following teachers, Ada H. Hoag, Prof. Almond Andrews, Carrie L. Clifford and Mary McFarland.

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Several of our young people attended the teachers examination at Wilmington this week. Among the number were Misses Nettie and Nellie Wilkins, Blanche Ames, Ida Torrance and Mary Collins.

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Mr. Melvin Kennedy has just purchased a very fine, imported, blooded, hound; price private, but we understand that he secured this dog at a very low figure ($80). The dog never fails to secure a deer if said deer is properly shot beforehand.

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Mr. Escolnate started Thursday morning to join Melvin Kennedy and George Billings in camp at Little Tupper Lake –object — deer.

Longest train in Lake Placid

“The ticket sales on Monday, Sept. 2, amounted to $515.18. Very good for one day. That same evening the longest train in the history of Lake Placid left the depot, it consisted of eight sleepers and two coaches, baggage car and was drawn to Lake Clear by two engines. When this train was made up with the train going south on the A. & St. L. it consisted of thirteen coaches and engine. Surly we are getting to be a summer resort.”