Things we remember or heard about
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Last updated April 13 2020
Sled Riding. We had more than one good sled riding trails. First, we could start at the top of Bly Street and sled ride down to Royal Street. The advantage to this little traffic, and a nice hill, and about 200 feet long The disadvantage was possible cross traffic on Royal Street or not stopping and running into the curb or building at the end of Bly Street. For the more distance and adventures., you could go to the top of Royal Street then up Nettie. The toral distance was about a quarter of a mile. There were three possible hazards. Cinders at the corner of Bly Street and Gershon Street. and a terminus at East Street. Another good run was down Gershon Street, another quarter mile or so depending on how far up you wanted to go. It also terminated at Royal Street
Biking. Royal and Gershon streets were not only good for sledding, but also biking But sometimes not so good . Rusty recalled the Joe Heinzs’, our policeman neighbor, son riding his English racing bike from the top of Royal Street. A great ride on blacktop until the corner of Royal Street and Bly Street, Royal street went from smooth to cobble stones. He went end over end and the bike was trashed. Another time, George Driver was riding his bike down Gershon Street when the chain broke. He ended up crashing into the front door of the Wagner house at the end of Gershon and across Royal Street.
During the summer, we would often ride our bikes to North Park to go swimming. We would leave in the morning and not be back home until dinner.
Last updated April 5 . 2020
Life at 30 Bly Street would not have been the same without our neighbors. As mentioned in another post, we were a neighborhood of working families. These stories may have to be taken with a grain of salt.
Sesky. One of the most interesting families was the Sesky family. There were at least four boys and one girl. Starting with the oldest boys were Chuck, Donny, Richie and Russell. The girl Patsy, was either the oldest or second oldest sibling. The Seskys’ were hunters. During deer season they would hang a gutted deer from one of the branches of a tree in their front yard. After the deer was cured they would, among other things, make deer burgers and sell them in bulk to the Lyceum.
When Russell Sesky and Rusty were in the eighth grade Ritchie, age 16, was also there. Although it hasn’t been confirmed, Sister Ottilia gave him a passing grade so that he would at least have a grade school diploma.
Chuck was the first boy to have a car, a Studebaker. The car wasn’t new, and looked like it could use a paint job. He gave it one using Kemtone. Kemtone was an indoor paint and didn’t fare well in the outdoors.
Rusty was over at the Sesky house and Richie wanted to try and shoot the ball of the top of flag pole, about 225 feet away. He got his dad’s shotgun and fired at the pole from the second floor of his house out the window. He then dared us to shoot at the pole. He was complaining about his shoulder and was daring us to try. Russell Sesky then got the shotgun and backed up to the far wall in the house. He put the stock of the shotgun on wall so he wouldn’t hurt his shoulder, pulled the trigger and blew out the upstairs window. Whoopings were plentiful
Saar. There were two boys and a girl in the Saar family. The girl, who’s name I don’t, was the oldest. Charlie and Philip (Sip) filled out the kids in the family. In the late fifties or very early sixties Mr. Saar collapsed in front of the Hartmann’s next door neighbors, the Hirmers’.
At around age 18, Charlie was able to buy a new car. It was a purple and white Plymouth Fury. Definitely the coolest car on Bly Street. Imagine the car shown in purple and white.
Sip Saar was quite a character. When riding in a car during one of the street car strikes, he’d approach girls walking down the street with. “Hey girls, streetcas are on strike, wanna ride”. Another of his memorable quotes is: “”I shot the fuckin bird in the fuckin tree with my fuckin bb gun.”
Hirmer. Andy and Cunigunda Hirmer were our nextdoor neighbors. Because of their accents, I believe that they were immigrants. We could often hear “Cunigunda , bring me another beer.” Lest you think Cunigunda was a teetotaler, because she never sat on the front porch with Andy drinking beer, you’re wrong. She would drink her beer behind her house.
Rosmueller. When Sal Rossmueller wasn’t making teeth, he was often drinking beer at the one of the six branches of the WBU (The Workingmen’s Beneficial Union was a German Cultural and Union Organization). Patricia and Brother (Bruzzi)were the kids of the family. Bruzi probably had a real first name, it might have been Sylvester . It was rumored that they “borrowed” electricity from their nex door neighbor, the Straubs.