There is no date on this photo but “experts” who have viewed it believe it was probably the late 1800s, studying the clothes and the rifles. The photo was taken by George L. Lyeth (1856-1946) and the only other information claims he was grocer who lived somewhere between Saranac Inn and Saranac Lake. I am guessing he lived in Lake Clear because I was in high school with Bob Lyeth. George was Bob’s grandfather. George was also a great-grandfather to Chantel and Howard Lyeth who lives in Saranac Lake. View the picture with a magnifying glass, it’s worth it. See the nattily dressed women in the hunting party and the young boy in the center, looking tough. There is one man, barely visible after person number six and next to the gent in the white shirt and suspenders ... and a couple of boat paddles leaning against the tree. The gang cut a couple of saplings and trimmed the top branches to make hooks to hang their pots and pans. There are two iron cooking pots sitting by the fire. I will be receiving photos and more information about George that we will publish here next week. (Provided photo — Adirondack Room of the Saranac Lake Free Library)

Last week in this space we covered a bit of hunting news from this wonderful little tabloid, “The Shopping News.” It is also filled with these short — and some unusual — stories, all on page one, the only page in my possession.

I wish I knew more about this newspaper. Above the logo reads “This Is Your FREE Copy” and below the logo “4,000 Copies Weekly” and “Vol. II – No. 38.” So, dear readers, if you should run across a copy in your attic or behind the wallpaper when you are redoing a room, let me know.

When it fits I will use the actual headlines over the stories.

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Time to re-tire

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“After a free admission to a matinee had been offered by the Pontiac Theater to each child who brought to the box office, a worn-out four-ply tire, and after virtually all of the last-ditch reserves in tires had been taken from Saranac Lake’s home garages by the home’s children, the neighbor’s children or by children who roved in search of rubber from distant parts of town, tires nearly filled the lobby, a big boost for the war effort.”

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Troopers new to Ray Brook

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“Sergeant B. B. Watkins has taken over command of the Ray Brook sub-station, state police. [The sub-station was then in the house directly across from where the Ford Auto Agency is located today.] Trooper Watkins came from a former assignment in Tupper Lake. Troopers Karl J. Griebsch, formerly of Keeseville, and E. O. Saasto, Malone barracks, are also new here.”

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Borrowed

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“Money to the amount of $7,000 with which to meet salaries and to pay notes given to cover prior borrowing, by the Board of Education, Harrietstown School District No. 1, in anticipation of school taxes to be collected later this year.”

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Democrats open meeting

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“Approximately 450 committeemen, party leaders and women workers of Franklin, Clinton, Essex and St. Lawrence counties opened the Democratic North Country campaign yesterday with a school for the women held at the Elks Club and a dinner at the Hotel Saranac in the evening at which Senator James Mead presided.”

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Heads W.C.T.U.

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“Maintaining its frontiers of resistance to what its members and friends consider one of the world’s worst evils, the women’s Christian Temperance Union maintains branches in cities, hamlets and crossroads throughout the nation, and among these is the Saranac Lake branch of the union which this week elected Miss Stella Norton its president, Mrs. H. W. Harrington its vice-president, Miss Carrie Liscomb its secretary, Mrs. George Allnutt its treasurer, and Mrs. Mary Stewart its chaplain.”

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Incidental information

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“The dinner-hour music at the Hotel Saranac is swell. And the little silver teapots used by the hotel make the sort of souvenirs that women dream about. And women away from home attending conventions held at the Hotel Saranac, having tea at dinner under the spell of Bryce Lavigne’s orchestra, just can’t resist the temptation to take home a little silver teapot. At least that is the way it was explained by one of the waitresses when larger pots were used during a recent convention. A shortage — or, possibly, just being careful.”

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Crime in the suburbs

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“While sitting in a parked car on Old Military Road in Saranac Lake police picked up William C. Burgess, but they had to call the state police to break open the car to get their man. He was in a car that had been stolen from Rev. Father Farmer, in front of the rectory of St. Agnes Church in Lake Placid. He admitted to having stolen 13 cars, in all, including that of Saranac Lake Village Manager Millar Johnson. William, who is 17 years old, said his home was in Louisville, Kentucky.”

[Maybe William was “frozen in place,” much like what happened to the minority speaker of the U.S. Senate as he stood at the podium delivering a speech. You know, it could be a Kentucky affliction.]

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National guard conference

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“Officers of the New York National Guard, at a conference of company commanders and lieutenants, held at the armory of the Headquarters Detachment, called by Col. George J. Winslow, commanding officer of the 6th Regiment, for the purpose of acquainting officers with the plans for mobilization of units to replace the departing National Guard units.”

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Training course for women

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“A course of training for fit young women to be medical secretaries, to meet a new and growing demand in the medical field, to open with the fall term Sept. 30, by the Saranac Lake Study & Craft Guild, under the direction of Miss Adeline DeCarlo. The course consists of 386 hours of instruction and 10 to 20 hours of lectures.”

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Soldiers worst enemy — a fly

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“A fly on the wing from mess tent to latrine and back again can be a soldier’s worst enemy. Or a dirty KP [KP’s were “Kitchen Police,” usually privates, assigned to clean the mess hall and the cooking gear] may be the means of spreading disease to hundreds if not subjected to sanitary techniques. These and many other useful theories drawn from field experience were laid before members of the Saranac Lake Rotary Club by Lt. William B. Davidson in a talk on Thursday.”