In my quest to understand more about how the people on the quilt thought and felt about the world around them, I’m reading through the 1903 Pine Plains Register newspaper. I started a while ago, but 1) I’m lazy and 2) the microfilm machine rests on its film cabinet with no space for legs or papers so it’s crazy uncomfortable to work on. As I am sure I’m the only jerk who uses the thing, I don’t think the fine folks at the PP Library want to hear about how much I think their set up stinks. So I can read through and make notes on about three papers per session before either time runs out or my tailbone snaps in half.
Below are some notes I made that are probably not useful for the book, but I thought were funny, interesting, or weird.
3 Apr: “If corsets were worn in sight – what a revolution there would be in their appearance!”
27 Mar: Two Pine Plains locals Frank Barton and Wm Bostwick went to Mexico to speculate on mines. Came back with gems, trinkets, and a small boar. Had adventures.
20 Mar: A party at Hattie Sheldon’s in Elizaville where they had food, organ playing, singing and John Detel with his “best selections on his gramophone”
13 Mar: “Dear obituary poets, no doubt you mean well, but, unless your work is approved by somebody of acknowledged good judgement, print it on little slips, if the friends really want it, and let it comfort them in that way.” (This must was probably in response to a really bad poem in the previous issue I saw but did not note). “Regard for the feelings of the family and for the reputation of the writer moves the editor to consign the rest to the waste basket. Do be careful how you write poetry on sad occasions.”
6 Mar: ‘Pon Honor Coffee, 18 cents/lb
27 Feb: At the Bowman opera house “De Rue Bros. Merry Co” of New York City “not a single vulgar feature in their entire program”
20 Feb: Snow of a foot or more, fences taken down in Mount Ross so teams could go through the fields. Some train delays.
13 Feb: Mr & Mrs E.J. Teator of Cokertown received uninvited guests from all over until 1AM with food, music and dancing. (Assume this was a newlywed “serenade”/skimelton/shivaree)
23 Jan: Phone cable across the Hudson from Newburgh to Fishkill was problematic, kept getting snagged by anchors.
9 Jan: “Old newspapers to put under carpets for sale at this office”