Why is an OF like a historic site? Both are underfunded
The first day of September this year was on a Tuesday, and, through a haze mixed with fog, some OFs had to use their windshield wipers (on their way to the Duanesburg Diner in Duanesburg) in the early morning because of the temperature inversion.
The flood of Tropical Storm Irene four years ago (almost to the day) is still causing problems. Some of the localities have seen some improvement and a lot of work has been done but most of this work was done by people helping people.
To recover from all the havoc caused by this storm, it is easy to understand that complete recovery from Irene, like the complete recovery from Katrina, may never happen. What about all these other natural catastrophes all over the planet? Is “recovery” a good word at all?
This discussion was brought about by the work that has been halted on the little Schoharie creek because the work was not being done to specifications, or maybe the contractor was doing what he thought was right but the oversight was poor and the contractor was never made aware of all the mistakes that were being made.
What prompted this dialogue came from the OFs who live in Schoharie County. They are concerned about how the county is going to raise the $10 million to finish this work. The population of Schoharie “tain’t that big McGee.”
How old is an antique?
The OFs talked a bit on a subject they know well, and that would be antiques, especially if something 50 years old is being discussed.
Many people call a particular item an antique. The OFs call them “well-used” because the OFs are antiques themselves and they probably used the item when it was new.
To the OFs, this is not an antique. An antique to the OFs has to be at least 100 years old.
Replacement parts
The OFs included cars in this conversation and how many cars have gone by the wayside. One OF said he thought manufacturers had to make replacement parts for cars for only seven years. The OF wasn’t too sure about this but he seemed pretty sure.
Another OF said he thought that it depended on what the object was. “That meant,” the OF said, “if you owned a car made in 2008, it was not necessary for the manufacture to manufacture parts for that car now.”
This is going to send the scribe on a little research trek.
This scribe started looking (googling) into this allegation, and by using the words “seven year requirement on parts” found that this phrase is so ambiguous that even using it as a generic term is not too smart. This scribe found that, in looking (googling) up the information, it is so convoluted a Philadelphia lawyer would have problems, and also probably would give up, as this scribe did.
The OFs started mentioning a few of the cars that they remembered, and some of the OFs had these vehicles, or their parents did, and neither parents nor vehicles are still around. These include Nash, Hudson, Packard, Studebaker, Auburn, Hupmobile, LaSalle, and more.
Modern names are gone too, i.e., Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Saturn, Pontiac, Mercury, which are a few of the later-year car models. The OFs think they might have even missed some because one OF said that they had a Maxwell, and another a Graham Page.
One OF said, “Remember the Jack Benny show, and Rochester driving the Maxwell?”
How about the White and Reo trucks? They were good old, dependable farm trucks.
One OF said, “Throw in the makes of tractors that have disappeared and we have quite a list of major business that have either been gobbled up by other companies or have just closed the doors.” A lot of household names of companies have come and gone in 70-plus years, and many of these were large companies too.
Historic sites
The OFs chatted about the Old Stone Fort in Schoharie and how some of the OFs have just completed jobs around the fort that they volunteered for. Many historical places need these types of volunteers because they represent what and how this area came to be.
Unfortunately, many are under-funded but very important to our local history. In addition to that, only a small section of the populace is even interested in going to these places and supporting them.
The OFs, as stated, are antiques themselves so therefore can equate to the plight of many of these historical sites, locally and around the state. The OFs are all underfunded, and can comprehend exactly what these sites are going through. Some OFs have to apply for a grant so the OF can purchase a new set of bibs.
The OFs can remember $5 jeans, 10-cent coffee, a quarter for a gallon of gas, and, in 1940 or so, a four-door Ford sedan was about $700 brand new. Then one OF interjected the following: “I remember making 50 cents an hour and that was good.”
Another OF said he moved up and was given a raise to $88 every two weeks. “On that,” the OF said, “we went out and bought a house.”
This OF said he and his wife said, if they ever made $100 a week, they could live like millionaires.
Restaurants return
The OFs were once concerned that eating establishments on the hill were disappearing but that is now not the case. The OFs talked about two great places to eat on the hill, which are the Township Tavern on Route 146, and Maple on the Lake — the old Scholz- Zwicklbauer’s Hofbrau on Warners Lake Road.
One of the OMOTM plays music on the deck of the Maple on the Lake. So what’s left has been resurrected.
Condolences
The OMOTM would like to offer their condolences and sympathies to Duncan Bellinger and his family on the passing of his wife, Shirley, after 57 years of marriage.
Those OFs who made it to the Duanesburg Diner in Duanesburg, where the fine breakfasts that came from the kitchen prompted the talk about food, were: Roger Chapman, George Washburn, Robie Osterman, Miner Stevens, Karl Remmers, Roger Shafer, Dave Williams, Bill Bartholomew, Jim Heiser, Chuck Aelesio, Glenn Patterson, Mark Traver, John Rossmann, Harold Guest, Jay Taylor, Bob Benac, Joe Ketzeka, Lou Schenck, Jack Norray, Mace Porter, Gerry Irwin, Bob Fink, Bob Benninger, Ted Willsey, Duane Wagenbaugh, Rich Donnelly, Bob Lassome, Mike Willsey, Gerry Chartier, Harold Grippen, Elwood Vanderbilt, and me.