It is difficult to figure out from the page 1 story about the new board because it appears that that they were all elected at the same time. Except, one trustee term may have been unexpired. The village was incorporated in 1892 so they had 14 years to get organized.

So before we get to the new cops, here is a sample of the writing style of the Enterprise reporter. (I’ll tell you she\he was no Aaron Marbone.) “The new village board is organized; John Harding takes his seat as president (title changed to mayor in 1928); Dr. F. E. Kendall, Dr. Wicker and John O’Connell take the oath of office. (Now we are guessing that Fred Colbath was not a sitting trustee.)

“Mr. Colbath gazes on with the air of a wiseacre in the business and the village changes fathers without a quake or a tremor of any sort. Mr. Seaver A. Miller, the genial and obliging clerk of clerks, hands over an accumulation of applications and recommendations of applicants of every conceivable office within the gift of the board, also a few problems which the previous board could not dispose of in time; Mr. Michael Curran was sworn in as highway commissioner; gets a free lance commission to stop the water from pouring into objectionable places and goes out to get up an inventory of the highway department.

“Mr. Colbath moved that Mr. Miller be reappointed as clerk of the board and the selection was unanimous.

This photo below shows the work crew, about 15 guys, paving Broadway on May 26, 1936. To the left is the St. Regis Oxford Market, and the tallest building, about where The Enterprise parking lot is today, was Fortune’s Furniture Store. The Public Market and later David White’s Westinghouse Appliance Store is also the site of today’s Bitter & Bones. Now, if all of this is not clear to you dear readers, please direct any questions to Michele Tucker at the Library. (Photo courtesy of the Adirondack Room of the Saranac Lake Free Library)

“The meeting of the new board was a bit strenuous, for things were new but meetings will be held often enough to wear off the newness and in another month the old ship will be sailing before fresh breezes and manned by fresh men.

“Dr. Wicker said the time may come in our administration when we will have to ask the people pay to pave the streets.

“Trustee O’Connell voiced one of the most important suggestions to the board as he favored the purchase of two span of horses (a span is a team, usually in matching color) and suitable wagons for the use of the village. It shall be the function of the teams, he said, to collect the garbage and attend to the street sprinkling and such other work as will come up in the village. He said that it will also require construction of a barn and will save the village enough money to ‘defray the cost of a macadamized highway from the Union Depot to the Riverside Inn.’ “President Harding suggested that the matter be discussed at a special meeting of the board and Trustee Kendall stated that Mr. O’Connell should bring the cost figures of his idea to that meeting.”

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Police hiring

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“The appointments of E. J. English, Henry Finnegan and H. M. Black as members of the police force of this village and of P. A. Gould as a commissioner of the Water and Sewer Board were the features of a special meeting of the Trustees of the village last Friday Night.

“Messrs. English and Finnegan have been police officers for some time and their reappointment is in recognition of their capable service. Mr. Black, although a resident of Saranac Lake for only a year or more and has been the manager of the local office of the Dock & Coal Company, is a comparative stranger to the majority of the citizens of the village.

“By way of introduction it may be said that Mr. Black is 32 years of age, was formerly a resident of New York City where he served 10 years as a private detective during which he had much experience as a police officer. Among the recommendations presented to the Trustees on behalf of the appointment of Mr. Black is that of Mooney & Boland, a detective agency, who speak of Mr. Black in the highest terms. While a resident of Saranac Lake Mr. Black was engaged for a year as baggage master and yard master for the D&H Railroad Company. His boss, A. D. Manning, also commended Mr. Black highly for his service there.

“The appointments were made in executive session and by ballot. There were 15 applications for the three vacancies.

“Trustee Wicker addressed the police hiring practice at length and among his concerns he included the following: ‘I believe that all the officers on the force are good men, but I believe there are certain features of the village ordinances which they should study. For instance I have often met four or five young women walking abreast up and down the street and in order to get past them it has been necessary for me to get into the street. (Golly, I wonder if Trustee Wicker has tried walking the streets in Lake Placid in July and August.) I do not believe that it is necessary to make an arrest in such instances, but an officer should at least speak to them. There is also certain places in this village which are regular loafing places for men. They are in front of saloons or on the corners. An officer should be instructed to keep these men moving. An officer should be detailed to at the school building at 4 o’clock (dismissal time) each afternoon to keep the children from running into the way of the horses. We need to hire a Chief of Police and there should be a headquarters where one may reach an officer when he is needed.”

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An officer not appointed

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The following was an application for the position of police officer sent to Trustee Wicker. I am not sure if was a joke but what follows are a couple of qualifications he has put forth: “I herewith beg to hand in my name in application for the position vacant in your department as police officer.

“Being a stranger in town and not having any political pull I beg leave to offer my own recommendation for your consideration.

“I have had two years’ experience in keeping away from all crowded places; am accustomed to taking a rest every day and would be pleased to arrest anyone else in trouble for a charge., any charge over $5 preferred.

“I can sleep outside as well as inside, so can be on duty 24 hours per day. I will further agree to keep my coat and hat on whenever I take part in a game of cards while on duty.” (Hmmm!)

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Skip Murray and Caperton Tissot have just published an incredible 234-page book about Saranac Lake. If I could gather the words to tell you in detail the beauty of the hundreds of photos and the clever prose you would believe I was exaggerating. The title is “Saranac Lake, An Adirondack Portrait,” so run, don’t walk, to your nearest Book Nook or Riley’s Rock Shop, or wherever, and get a copy. This book will become a treasured historical record of our wonderful Home Town.