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Community Corner

This Was Doylestown, 1939

A look back at Doylestown, 72 years ago this week.

From the Doylestown Daily Intelligencer, Week of Feb. 19-25, 1939

Beloved civic leader dies -

One of Doylestown's most beloved women, Mrs. Hannah Elizabeth McIntosh Weiss, 61, died at her home on West Oakland avenue Saturday noon. A fatal illness of the past year was marked by uncomplaining endurance, until she had brought to a finish her outstanding ambition to see the new $80,000 Doylestown Emergency Hospital completed.

As president of the Village Improvement Association, Mrs. Weiss just four weeks ago took a leading part in the formal dedication of the completed hospital. She was noticeably broken in health that day but did not complain.

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Mrs. Weiss was elected president of the V.I.A. in May, 1936. When the estate of the late Isaiah W. Closson, benefactor of the Doylestown Emergency Hospital, was made public, Mrs. Weiss immediately showed her foresight to get busy and work for the fine hospital unit. At the expense of her own health, she carried on stoically, never losing for an instant her firmness of purpose and sense of good humor.

One of the most active civic-minded women in Bucks county, yet never of the type demanding the front pages, Mrs. Weiss was an outstanding authority on floriculture. Flowers were her hobby and she won many honors in flower show competitions.

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Had she lived until Sunday, Mrs. Weiss would have celebrated her thirty-seventh wedding anniversary with her husband, J. Purdy Weiss, Doylestown banker and a past president of the Bucks County Bankers' Association.

Born in Doylestown November 2, 1877, she was the daughter of Henry C. and Anna B. McIntosh. In addition to her husband, the remaining survivors are a brother, Charles S. McIntosh, of Philadelphia; two nieces, Mrs. Mary E. Guerard and Mrs. William P. Musselman, of New York City; and a nephew, Charles H. Jourdan, of Doylestown.

Council considers one-way streets -

[Editor's note- The New York World's Fair opened April 30, 1939 in Queens. Since there were no turnpikes or interstates then, U.S. Route 202 was the major highway going from west of Philadelphia through Doylestown to northern New Jersey, where another route connected to New York City.]

Anticipating the congestion which will result on East and West State streets (Route 202) because of the New York World's Fair traffic, Doylestown Borough Council on Monday evening authorized Burgess [Mayor] John J. Sweeney and Chief of Police James P. Welsh to make a survey with the ultimate idea of making the thoroughfare a one-way street, sending traffic West on State and East on Oakland avenue.

Councilman G. Thawley Hayman, who made the motion for the survey, pointed out that Council is favorable to adopting the survey if a report indicates that it is the proper move to make and that the majority of people in Doylestown are in favor of a one-way street trial plan.

"I don't think it would be wise to wait until we are in the midst of the World's Fair traffic snarls on State street to adopt the one-way street idea, but we should give it a trial at least a month or more before that time," said Councilman Hayman.

Councilman Hayman said that Doylestown is known as a traffic congestion nightmare for motorists ordinarily. He pointed out that if Doylestown people don't mind getting snarled up in traffic jams, they will have an opportunity to make known their point of view to Chief Welsh and Burgess Sweeney.

Burgess Sweeney and Chief Welsh will make a report of the survey at the next meeting of Council. Chief Welsh assured the councilmen there would be little difficulty in re-routing the traffic or enforcing the carrying out of it.

Firemen hold annual dinner -

About 80 firemen attended the annual dinner-meeting of the Doylestown Fire Company Thursday evening in the Doylestown Inn. Robert F. Goodhue, engineer of the Middle Department Rating Association of Philadelphia, was the guest speaker.

Mr. Goodhue pointed out that the water system in Doylestown is about 70 years old, and the water mains will not carry the present necessary load because they were designed for only one-tenth of the load.

"The present water system was designed to meet the demands of a hand-pump, but today your buildings are congested, there is the possibility of block fires, and ninety percent of the strength of your fire company lays in abeyance," he said.

"Many older cities and towns such as yours are suffering from what was done 50 or 60 years ago, and it is necessary to revamp the entire water system, not all at once, but step by step in order to build up points of hazard. Your water demand has increased one hundred fold, but your cast iron water pipes cannot meet that demand," said Mr. Goodhue.

Following other speakers, the firemen ate a delicious turkey dinner. They enjoyed a clever floor show staged by "The Three Musical Aces and Two Queens." Walter M. Reiff, popular fraternity and service club man, conducted a stirring song fest.

Advertisement -

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Chamber of commerce seeks parking solutions -

With about 30 businessmen and two businesswomen present, the Doylestown Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday evening called for enforcement of parking regulations.

President Frank T. Reynolds began an intensive and venomous attack on the problem of parking which confronts hundreds of out-of-town shoppers. He suggested that the two-hour parking regulation be enforced.

"The parking problem is not getting any better in Doylestown and I think an extra officer should be employed, if necessary, to take care of violators," said Mr. Reynolds.

"We make parking rules and break them," said R. Gerald Hennessy, who said 35 percent of the parking problem would be removed in Doylestown if the businessmen and their employees cooperated by not parking in front of their business places.

President Reynolds suggested that an effort be made to locate some lot in Doylestown, where it is possible to park 75 or 100 cars, and that merchants should provide shoppers with free parking facilities by handing them parking tickets at a very nominal cost. He also suggested the possibility of utilizing the space behind and beside the Fire House as a parking ground.

Antiques show scheduled -

Arrangements are now being made for the sixth annual Bucks County Antiques Show which is to be held at the Doylestown Country Club April 19, 20, 21 and 22. Major Abel MacReynolds, of Doylestown, is again president and general manager of the exhibition. Mary B. Atkinson, of Doylestown, is secretary, and J. Fabian Cooper, of Tullytown, is treasurer.

This annual Bucks county exhibition of household treasures of the past last year drew 1,081 visitors. They came from nearly all the Eastern States. Popular interest in the affair appears to be as keen as ever again this year.

Bucks county early Americana holds a high place in the appreciation of collectors and antiques lovers. This, together with the friendly and intimate atmosphere of the Doylestown show, has made the event a continuous success since its beginning.

Church honors rector -

Celebrating the silver anniversary of his entry into the priesthood of his church, the Rev. Frank Damrosch, Jr., rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, was given a purse of $125 in silver dollars at an anniversary party and tea held in the church school rooms on Friday evening.

The church school rooms were beautifully decorated with flowers. Members of the vestry and their wives, together with the Rev. and Mrs. Damrosch, were in the receiving line. In addition to Father Damrosch's mother, daughter and brother, there were rectors from Episcopal churches in Bucks county and the eastern part of the State present.

In honor of the anniversary, Leigh Mitchell Hodges, poet and columnist, read an original ode which was dedicated to Father Damrosch. The choir presented two numbers, "Passing By," and "Will You Remember, Sweetheart," from "Maytime."

Advertisement -

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Doylestown Town Notes -

Mrs. Harrison Landes, of Lower State road, and children, Billy and Margaret, are improving after being ill with the grippe. Paul Landes, Harrison Landes, Jr., and Lucille Landes are now confined to their beds with the grippe.

Miss Verna McClary, of East Oakland avenue, on Wednesday evening attended a performance of the Philip Barry comedy, "The Philadelphia Story," in a Philadelphia playhouse.

The Doylestown Red Men's indoor baseball team was defeated by the South Langhorne [now Penndel] Red Men's team by the score of 2 to 1.

Albert Smith, local ice cream manufacturer, who underwent a gall bladder operation at the Abington Hospital recently, is reported to be getting along nicely. He expects to return home next week.

A side gate on the property of John L. DuBois, of East Court street, was stolen Saturday night.

Miss Margaret Braising will be in charge of the children's hour in the on Saturday afternoon from 2 until 3 o'clock. Eighteen children attended the reading hour last Saturday.

Dr. Franz Adolf Frank, of the faculty of the National Farm School [now Delaware Valley College], underwent a tonsil operation at the Doylestown Emergency Hospital on Friday.

Delighted with the good music, about 150 people attended the Doyapo Club's dance at the country club on Saturday night. Lee Biddle and his orchestra, of Roxborough, furnished the music. Clarence F. Hawk, a past president, was chairman of the event which was one of the most successful in the history of the club.

Wynne James, Jr. on Friday night attended the fifteenth annual reunion dinner of the Class of 1924 at the Princeton Club in New York City.

Miss Lillian M. Fell, who is employed in the Keystone Automobile Club's office in Doylestown; Mrs. Frank K. Swain, of "Fonthill"; and Mrs. Anna Prock, of Glenside, who were on a motor trip through the South, including a visit to Florida for the past two weeks, returned home on Sunday.

Mrs. Mary Kirk, of Atlantic City, N.J., formerly of Doylestown, is visiting Miss Laura V. Anderson, of Maple avenue.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul H. Rheinwalt, of South Clinton street, announce the birth of a daughter in the Jewish Hospital on Thursday. The baby weighed six-and-one-half pounds. Mr. Rheinwalt is the manager of the Franklin store on South Main street.

 

Illustrations courtesy of Spruance Library/ Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, Pa.

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