Delphia Alpha

This picture from the Eden Historical Files shows the Delphia Alpha class in the early 1900's. Pictured are: Florence Philips, Nina Valentine, Lettie Burgott, Mae Redfield, Fannie Fisher Farmer, Pearl Flint Yager, Mabel Tice Miller, Emma Renegal, Eleanor Lawrence, Edna Machmer, Mabel Redfield Zittel, Edna Miller. Order of people not known. If you can identify some of them, we would be glad to hear from you. Historian - 2795 East Church St., Eden, NY 14057

THE BISON CANNING COMPANY

The picture above was taken about 1971, but the canning company was established in 1927. I thought the following article would be of interest. It is from the Angola Record of June 13, 1929.

BISON CANNING COMPANY

LOCAL CANNERS ENLARGE PLANT. The Bison Canning Co. of Angola was organized in 1927 by Anthony F. and Joseph Drago, who were formerly in the canning business at Fredonia, N.Y., with the Gervaise Canning Co., for eight years previous.

When improvements to buildings are complete increasing floor space and the addition of new machinery, this Angola industry will have a total investment of about $60,000, enabling them to increase their production 100% over the year 1927; a 50% increase over 1928. The sale value of produce canned here last year was $175,000.

Carpenters are now busily engaged erecting an addition to the warehouse and increasing size of the shed for the receiving of beans, making it possible for a number of loads to be handled at the same time. The factory will have a total of 32,000 sq. ft. of floor space when improvements are complete.

How Product is Handled - Produce passes through the factory from raw state to finished product in a continuous operation, at the rate of six cans per minute for the small can and 20 per minute for the large can. Each kind of produce is handled according to its particular needs.

The first product to be packed, raspberries, are unloaded direct onto wire screen conveyors, passing through a sorting and washing machine direct into cans. Cans are fed automatically to the sorter from the upper floor. From there, are passed by conveyor to syrup machine, each can automatically receiving the right amount of syrup; thence to an exhaust machine where the cans are pre-heated before being sealed by a capping machine. Passing through this operation at a rate of 60 cans per minute. Each can is marked by the capping machine to denote product packed therein.

From the capper the cans are taken to the cooking room where they are loaded into large iron baskets and lifted by a hoist into cooking kettles, which are thermostatically controlled keeping them at an even temperature for length of time as required to cook each article. From the cookers the cans are cooled, passing through a 60 ft. tank of running water, taking about 20 minutes to cool, to the warehouse, where they are stacked and labeled when shipped, at a rate of 200 cases per hour.

The same operation takes place in the canning of tomatoes except before going into cans, they are scalded to break the skins, passing by conveyor belts over a long table where the core and skins are removed and thence to the sorting conveyor where any defective ones that may have been missed at the sorting table are taken out. Each tomato is drained for 30 seconds. 20,000 cases of tomatoes will be packed in 1929. An increase of 50% over 1928.

Bean Facilities Increased - Beans require a different operation before canning than do the tomatoes and raspberries, going through a grading, stringing and blanching process before canning. Unloading facilities for beans have been increased, and with the addition of 5 new snipping machines, forming a battery of 11 machines and with the graders, a total of 15 tons of beans can be handled in a 10 hr. day. An extra grader is in readiness to be used in case of emergency. When the beans are unloaded, a sample bag from the load is put in a small grader to determine quality and for pricing. The bulk of beans received are passed through a large grader, capable of taking care of five sizes of beans at one time; and are conveyed by belts to the snipping machines, each size going to the snipper adjusted to its particular size. From the snippers, the beans are passed over an assorting belt where women snip those missed by machine, thence to conveyors which take them to the cutter and blancher. Whole beans go direct to the blancher. The beans are cooked on coming through the blancher and are passed by belt to the cans, then going through the canning process as stated above.

With the increased production will come the employment of more men and women. During the peak in 1928, from 50-60 men and 60-70 women were employed, receiving a total of $25,000 in wages, a large item considering the season runs about three months. The pack this year is expected to run around 85,000 cases, raspberries, beans, and tomatoes.

1,894 Persons Get Swine Flu Shots

1,894 PERSONS GET SWINE FLU SHOTS

I ran into Anthony "Neno" LaRusso at the Museum recently. He was looking for a couple of articles from the Evans Journal. He thought people would find this information interesting.

It has been noted that the strain of swine flu that is around this year is more apt to strike younger people. There was a similar epidemic a little over 30 years ago, and people who were alive then do not seem susceptible to today’s virus.

The following article was in the December 16, 1976 issue of the Evans Journal.

1,894 PERSONS GET SWINE FLU SHOTS

Evans Jaycee Project

Chairman David Burke announced that a total of 1,894 local residents received swine flu shots on Wednesday, December 8. (*Note - the clinic was open to people 18-64 years of age.) The clinic was held at the Lake Shore Central Senior High School.

Mr. Burke stated that "It was the largest mass immunization in the town’s history, and it surprisingly ran very smoothly."

The clinic, under the direction of the Erie County Health Department, averaged 379 inoculations per hour for its five-hour duration.

The chairman praised the local volunteers, including the Jaycees, area emergency medical technicians, Lake Shore Central medical personnel and volunteer nurses.

REGISTERED VOTERS

REGISTERED VOTERS

We have a number of miscellaneous items at the Historical Society Museum. This past Sunday I came across a few books that contained lists of registered voters. We have books from 1959, 1962, 1964, 1972, 1980 and the one pictured here from 1917.

They do not give a lot of information except for place of residence, but they are fun to look through.

In 1917 there were only 3 districts in the Town of Evans, probably 900 to 1,000 registered voters. There are, of course, no women listed as women did not have the right to vote until 1918.

THE LAKE SHORE PLAYHOUSE

THE LAKE SHORE PLAYHOUSE

This picture and article first appeared in the Town of Evans Guide for the summer of 1948. The playhouse was destroyed in April of 1957 when a series of arson fires hit the town.

LAKE SHORE PLAYHOUSE

In 1947, a new and interesting enterprise found a place in the Town of Evans, namely, the Lake Shore Playhouse, Inc., a summer stock theater. An enterprise of this nature is certainly a colorful addition to our summer colony, a worthy addition to the entertainment facilities of the community and a convenience for the guests of the Town of Evans.

The thought of originating a summer theater in this area was born at Curtiss-Wright in the winter of 1946 when Mr. John J. Dee, director of the Curtiss-Wright Players, consulted with Mr. Lewis T. Fisher, and Mr. Frank M. Abbate. The three became directors of the corporation. In the oncoming spring, the trio scoured the Buffalo Hinterland for a suitable location to erect their stage. For a time, they searched in vain but finally had the opportunity to purchase the large, red barn which is now the Lake Shore Playhouse from Mr. John Patterson. The barn was conveniently situated on the Old Lake Shore Road, comparatively easy to remodel and very picturesque. The land surrounding the barn was purchased from Mr. John P. Ranahan.

The Playhouse is similar to other summer stock theaters in the United States. It affords a great deal of fun for both the entertainers and the audiences. However, all is not play for the players. In addition to learning their lines and constant rehearsing, they construct and paint scenery flats, obtain props and set stages. They work with a spirit of cooperation and perfection. For their efforts, the young artists are paid a weekly salary, but they are also rewarded in a different vein. The Playhouse offers experience which young professionals must have.

The resident company of players are professionals who hail from New York City and vicinity. However, local professionals are used occasionally. This season the performers include Fred Ross, Ed Morris, Paul Brown, Sherman Severin, Lewis O’Donnel, Nick Sanderson, John Neuman, Jay MacDonald, Elizabeth Wayne, Joan Evans, Frances Ingalls, Jo Fisher, Patricia Maurin, Loretta Dunne, and Alice Maurin. All have had past professional experience.

Mr. Fisher and Mr. Dee, both having New York stage experience, select the cast and players. They also select the plays that are to be produced. For this season, they have chosen The Male Animal, The Patsy, and Yes, My Darling Daughter, all of which are comedies. Then follow Post Road, a mystery, It’s a Wise Child, a farce, The Late Christopher Bean, a comedy, Philadelphia Story, a comedy drama, The Bishop Misbehaves, a mystery, George Washington Slept Here, a comedy, Pursuit of Happiness, a costume play, The Drunkard, an old time melodrama, and Three Men on a Horse, a farce.

The Lake Shore Playhouse, Inc., in conjunction with the Western New York Branch, League of American Pen Women, sponsored a playwriting contest which terminated midnight June 15, 1948. The contest, which was open to everyone exclusive of the staff of the Lake Shore Playhouse, Inc. won recognition throughout the United States. Entries were submitted from Texas, Maine, Vermont, Alabama, and many other states. Twentieth Century Fox was interested in the contest and asked to have the winning manuscript sent to them. The winner will receive a cash award of 100 dollars and will have his play produced by the Players as the eighth play of the season; certainly an opportunity for an industrious playwright.

The Lake Shore Playhouse will undoubtedly become a permanent institution in the Town of Evans. Is should, for the big red barn is a source of good clean fun for everyone.