p=. . VOL. 81 NO. 42 DALLAS, PA. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1970 FIFTEEN CENTS sewer grant okayed: bids opened tonight Tilly telegrams sent last week to The Dallas Post from Senator Hugh Scott and Congressman Dan Flood bore glad tidings for residents of the Back Mountain area. According to Mr. Scott and Mr. Flood, the Federal Water Quality Administra- tion of the United States Department of Interior has approved the long awaited $1,584,000 grant to the Dallas Area Municipal Authority for water and sewage facilities. This grant brings to almost $4 million the total funds which have been awarded to the Municipal Authority, a sum which will go a long way toward the system’s total estimated construction cost of approximately $8% million. In addition to the FWQA grant, the Authority has alsoreceived $1,377 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as well as a grant of slightly more than $1 million from the State Health Department. The next phase of sewer planning begins to- night with the opening of construction bids at the Dallas Senior High School. R. Spencer Martin, chairman of the Municipal Authority, suggests that it will still take some time to tabulate the bids and determine the amount of the bond bid. He expects, however, that a break-down of costs to the individ- - ual Back Mountain homeowner will be available within the month. story hours delight tots If . voting age were lowered—to Sears of age,Say—there’s little doubt that the question of municipal support for the Back Mountain Library would win unanimous approval from the Story Hour set. Cefptainly one of the most popular of all the UF goal 100% In Back Mountain The Back Mountain division of the Wyoming Valley United Fund was one of six divisions to make 100 per cent or more of their quota, The Post learned recently. There were 17 divisions in all. The successful campaign was concluded by a final Victory Dinner held last Thursday night at the Hotel Sterling. Edmund H. Poggi Jr. presided at the meeting and received the division chairmen’s reports. The Back Mountain area was under the direction of Mrs. Ray Turner Jr., and Mrs. H. Alex Smith Jy. p1e@kes totaling $1,382,318 were recorded, with the Back Mountain division raising $11,206 of that . amount. The United Fund’s goal this year was $1,465,000. library’s many community service ventures, story hours are held each Wednesday morning from 10 to 11 under the watchful eye of Kathy Downs. Story hours were begun first by Cadette Girl Scouts in 1966, with Saturday morning meetings attracting 30 to 40 children each week. In response to queries at that time, librarian Sue Davern reports, the youngsters unhesitatingly placed stories about the Flintstones and Batman at the top of their ‘favorites’ list. After a short lapse of time, story hours were re- activated with Marilyn Maslow and Carol King sharing the honors—and work—as story ladies. In December of 1967, the first Christmas party was held for story hour participants. Mrs. Lee McCarthy was story lady at that time, and gifts for the children were delivered by a jolly ho-hoing Santa in the form of Dick Oliver. Kathy Downs took over as story lady during the summer of 1968 and initiated the first Halloween party which has become—by popular demand—a yearly event. In June of the following year, Mrs. Davern made arrangements to have the story hours become also movie times; films adapted from (continued on PAGE FOURTEEN) Noxen’s fire company has outgrown its present garage facilities and its members are now hard at work building a spacious addi- tion to their firehouse. THE DALLAS POST—photo by James Kozemchak Sr. Young Joseph Minichowski of Bryan Drive, Huntsville, obvious- ly has his work cut out for him! He reminds us that youngsters have a natural affinity for fallen leaves, and that innocent- seeming piles of leaves by the roadside may be covering a play- ful child. Motorists—BEWARE. pioneer sugar-makers blazed trail to Lehman Few newcomers to the Back Mountain com- munity realize just how rich the historic background of the area is. Tales of derring-do which sound as though they were manufactured in a film studio turn out to be factual happenings, and persons whose lives seem more apocryphal than real are revealed as honest-to-goodness pioneers. Each of the many Back Mountain communities has its own fascinating history, complete with courageous settlers, scuffles with the Indians, and the day to day drudgery which hacking out a homestead from the wilderness entailed. Lehman Township, named in honor of Dr. William Lehman after it separated from Dallas in 1829, had no permanent settlers until 1801. But as early as Revolutionary War days, sugar-makers made frequent excursions into the area, camping in rude cabins for weeks at a time. ‘“Indian’’ Abe Pike, a bold Irishman who had deserted from the British army, was making sugar near what is known now as Pike’s Creek on March 28, 1780, when he was over-powered and captured by ten Indians. His wife and child were captured, too, and one can imagine the terror in the mother’s heart as she watched the savages toss her child onto the roof of their cabin. What relief she must have felt when she returned later, having been painted by the Indians, to discover that her child was safe. Pike, meanwhile, was taken by the Indians to the mouth of the Wysox Creek, where with the help (continued on PAGE THREE) Noxen firemen are ‘do-it-your-selfers All Back Mountain fire companies have certain characteristics in common. Generally speaking, their equipment is the same; their members are volunteers, serving without pay; their aim is to protect the community and individuals from fire. Once you see past these basics, however, you find each company has its own distinct personality. One of the things that sets the Noxen Volunteer Fire Company “apart is the building program they’re in the midst of. Up to the present they have had a building that had room for but one engine. They own two—a 1937 G.M.C. and a 1969 G.M.C. (both completely owned). Incidentally, the ladies of the Auxiliary are said to “deserve a lot of credit for the 1969 truck.” A 24 foot by 50 foot addition to the present structure is being built by the firemen themselves. The outside walls are up and they hope to finish the interior during winter months. The addition will be used for the two trucks. After some remodeling, the present area will be used as a recreation hall, and when needed, as a dining room. Members are constructing a kitchen—to be ° used mostly by the Ladies’ Auxiliary. When the building program is finished, the company plans to serve suppers to help raise money. All fire companies have to depend on projects for fund-raising. Noxen has an auction in the summer and a coin card drive. It might be well to note here that Postmistress Cleona Fritz is the { first woman to serve as general chairman for the auction. She and her workers, male and female, are busy already on the 1971 public sale. The most immediate plan for raising money is the sale of whimpies on election day in November. Noxen’s company is one of the few which owns rental property. The building, which is adjacent to the fire hall, is leased to a dress manufacturer. Monies from these various sources will be used eventually toward getting a third truck. A 10-telephone fire alarm system is utilized by the valley company. This means that when the fire number is called, a telephone rings in each of ten ' private homes. A button on the phone permits the person who answers to sound the siren at the fire hall. Most volunteers then go directly to the scene of the fire while those who drive the engines are getting them on the way. They protect a territory covering a 10-12 mile radius. Men of the Lyons family are prominent in the company’s administration. William J. Lyon is president of the 21-year-old company. His son, John a Lyons, is secretary—but more important, he is fire chief. A second son, Elmer Lyons, is an assistant chief and vice president. Filling other- administrative positions are Jacob Miner, treasurer; Jack Winters, Francis Schenck, Fred Schenck, Stanley Denmon, and Earl Richards, trustees. Calvin Strohl and Harry Freeman are assistant (continued on PAGE THREE) ’
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers