77 ir tS 1t «nn SWAN WA KV -—— PY Td pln en LD VT" WE DID YOU HEAR... This has been the coldest National Jaycee Week in history. SUS Q Vol. 77 No. 3 January 19, 1977 UEHAND Mou Susquehanna Times & The Mount Joy | _...s MARIETTA & MOUNT JOY, PA. Is shifter legend baloney? T. W. Olena, Sr., creator of the shifter, and his son, T. W. Olena, Jr., in an old photo. The younger Mr. Olena recently retired from his railroad career dnd bought a house in Marietta. The Susquehanna Times has finally learned the real history of the shifter sand- wich. The legendary version of the shifter’s origin seems to be nothing but a fairy tale. According to that unfounded legend, railroad men in Columbia, who worked in the shifting yards, were fond of the sandwich. It was named in honor of those men and their ‘‘shifter’’ locomotives. The true story has only one connection with rail- roading: the sandwich was part of a plot to railroad suckers into giving their buddies a free meal. We learned the facts from T. W. Olena, Jr., who recently bought a home on Longenecker Ave. in Mari- etta. Mr. Olena’s father, T.W. “‘Tuffie’’ Olina, Sr., invented the sandwich in his restaurant on Locust St. in Columbia. Late one night, a group of regular customers at Tuffie Olena’s cafe on Locust Street, Columbia, cooked up a scheme to trick the newer (and usually younger) evening custom- ers into buying the regulars a free meal. They pretend- ed to be members of the ‘Shifter Club,”” and tried to persuade newcomers to join. New members were promised a membership badge and a chance to join all club activities. The price of membership was a free meal for everyone in the club. After he joined, the newcomer discovered that the ‘‘official badge’ was a brass paper clip. ‘‘That made you a life member.” Tuffie’s son recalls. The shifter sandwich was invented, he added, ‘‘be- cause fellows were ordering too much. They'd order steaks and chops and things like that.” A club member named Ben Potts, who was an ex-ballplayer, decided that things had gone too far. T.W. Olena, Jr. says, ‘““Being a sportsman him- self, Ben thought it was unfair to take advantage of the sucker. He suggested that everyone order a sandwich.”’ “The shifter was my father’s idea. That happen- ed sometime before 1920. It might have been 1919 or 1918,” The sandwich, according to T.W.Olina, Jr., was named after the Club. “Uncle Nev’’, Stauffer of Columbia sent us a letter with more details. ‘‘At Buchers Drugs across the street, when you wore long pants at age 16 (not sure if this was the age), then you could stand out front and whistle at the girls,”’ Uncle Nev recalls. “Then you were asked if you wanted to join the Shifter Club.”’ Noting that the Susque- hanna Times fell for the incorrect version of the shifter’s origin, Uncle Nev adds, ‘‘Your interest in the Shifter qualifies you for a full vice-presidency. All vice-presidents. All chiefs. No Indians. Welcome aboard.” The letter is signed; “Vice-president Nev Stauf- fer.” A certificate naming our publisher an official vice president was includ- ed. We are displaying it proudly on our office wall. MORE FACTS ABOUT THE SHIFTER T.W. Olena, Sr., went into the restaurant business in Nov., 1914, when he opened a cafe at 307 Locust St., Columbia, in partner- ship with his aunt, Miss Martha Wolf. In March, 1917, the partnership was dessolved, and Olena ran the business alone. He created the shifter in that establishment, which is now known as Hilts. (continue to Page 2) \ y “, Suny der Ho! \ . yO & a : "no \ 2 PA 752 ~ y ’ : Nall Darvin with his prize winning cow and her baby bull. Glenna wins ribbon, has 185 1b. baby Glenna, a heifer raised by Darvin Rodgers, Jr., Marietta, R.D. #1, placed 3rd in the youth division among Holsteins 3 years old and younger at the PA Farm Show last week. The week before the show. Glenna gave birth to a 185-1b. baby bull. Glenna produced the calf, her 2nd, without assistance. The father, Jim, is no longer a member of the Rodgers’ herd. He devel- oped a mean streak, and was sent to meet his reward at the age of 2. “But he sure threw big calves,’ says Darvin. Darvin plans to raise the huge youngster. ‘I'm go- ing to raise him up as big as his daddy was, and see what he can do,” Darvin said. The prizewinning mother had received 9 blue, 7 red, and 3 white ribbons before she traveled to the Farm Show. Neither Glenna nor Darvin had ever entered the state-wide event be- fore, but Darvin was confi- dent. “1 expected to do something with her,”” he said. ‘‘She’s a nice heifer.” We asked Darvin what it takes to raise a prize-win- ning animal. ‘‘Sometimes it's breeding, sometimes it’s luck, and sometimes it’s the name of the farm," he said. Glenna’s sire is Avendale Pride Chieftain. Her dam is Valley Pond Reflection Glenda. Fire in Marietta Firemen battled a blaze for 3 hours at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Smith, 444 East Market Street, Marietta, last Wed- nesday. Ten-degree weather made the job tougher for members of the Marietta, Maytown, Columbia and Florin fire departments. [continued on page 2] “ES FIFTEEN CENTS Pay cut likely for Mt. Joy taxman Mount Joy Borough Council Monday night con- sidered an ordinance to reduce compensation for the tax collector. Presently, the tax col- lector is paid two per cent commission on what is collected. The new proposal is to set the commission at one per cent for the new tax collector who will take office next year. Council feels the job isn’t as demanding as it once was, and that delinquent taxes are collected by the borough instead of the tax collector. The ordinance is sche- duled for adoption at the Feb. 14 meeting of council. In other business, Coun- cil adopted a resolution requiring curbs along Don- egal Springs Road, from S. Angle Street to Musser Road. Council set a tenta- tive completion date of next June. Council said it hopes to convince property owners to hire a single contractor to do the work, so that the most economical rate would be obtained. Council appointed David Deck to the planning com- mission, Ken Gainer to the zoning hearing board, Ber- nard Grissinger to the bor- ough authority, Patricia Post to the board of health, John Lutz to the police civil service commission, Dele- gate Joe Bateman to the advisory committee on local government. Council approved $10 pay to each member of the zoning hearing board per meeting. The secretary of the board will receive an additional $5 per meeting. They hold about 10 meet- ings a year. This is the first time these officials have been paid for service. Council set Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 7:30 p.m., as the public hearing date for zoning ordinance amend- ments.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers