FROM THE FILES OF THE HURLEYVILLE SENTINEL – September 2020
Compiled by Sullivan County Historian John Conway
September 13, 1916
Electricity is Here
Clarence Baker is preparing to open an electrical supply house in Hurleyville and is prepared to install Western Electric stationary lighting plants. Now that we have electricity, Hurleyville is in need of just such a man as Mr. Baker, who can always be found and can be relied upon to do the right thing and we trust that the people will give him the patronage that such a business needs for support.
Fire Destroys Barn and Contents
Yesterday afternoon about two o’clock the barn of Charles Spitzer’s farm near Divine Corners caught fire and was completely destroyed with about 40 tons of hay and farming implements, involving a total loss of $2,000, there being but $600 insurance on the building. It is not known how the fire started as there was no one in the building and Mr. Spitzer had just gone to Divine Corners and was on his return when he saw the smoke. It was with difficulty that the home was saved although there was plenty of water.
September 27, 1916
New Newspaper in Town
Centerville Station is to be the scene of the first Jewish newspaper to be published in this section if not this side of New York. We wish the new venture success.
Notice
The 1917 Chevrolet is now ready for delivery. Many improvements, among them being a heavier model cone clutch, full honeycomb radiator, electric lights and starter complete for $525 delivered, including speedometer. The cheapest electrically equipped car in the world.
– I. T. McNally, Hurleyville, agent.
September 10, 1937
$700 Stolen from Local Pharmacy
Early Tuesday morning, thieves broke into the Hurleyville Pharmacy and stole about $700 in cash from a box in the prescription room. The store, owned by Max Berman and Al Sakofsky, was closed by Berman about two o’clock Tuesday morning. The theft was discovered by a clerk, Max Rosenstein, when the store was re-opened in the morning. It is believed that the thieves gained entrance through a side window. Nothing else in the store was disturbed and several checks and money orders left with the money were untouched.
State Police, headed by Sergeant Thomas Mangan, have been investigating and are checking fingerprints taken from a filing cabinet in an effort to apprehend the guilty persons.
Fire on former Seidlin Property
Fire which broke out shortly before noon on Wednesday destroyed a barn on the former Seidlin property opposite the New York Telephone Company building in Hurleyville, damaged a summer kitchen of the house and at one time threatened to burn the house. The present owner is Murray Goldman.
Hurleyville and Loch Sheldrake firemen quickly responded to the alarm and prevented the spread of the fire to nearby homes. Traffic was held up for about twenty minutes.
Quietest Labor Day for Sullivan County
The quietest Labor Day holiday ever to occur since Sullivan County became famous as a summer resort was experienced over the past weekend. Although several opinions were heard as to the date of the last concurrence of the Jewish New Year and Labor Day, all were agreed that it was before the present century.
Stores took a three-day holiday which started Sunday and extended until Tuesday night. Even restaurants open twenty-four hours daily were closed for the duration of the Jewish holiday. Somewhat similar conditions prevailed in Monticello, South Fallsburg, Liberty and Woodridge.
Some of the large hotels engaged cantors to conduct religious services while in almost every other resort laymen took charge. Sports and dancing were kept to a minimum, but even though these conditions had been anticipated, all hotels were liberally patronized, though perhaps not quite so heavily as on other Labor Day weekends.
October 1, 1937
Jewish Farmers Association to Hold Annual Conference
Outstanding in importance and interest is the forthcoming event which Sullivan, Ulster, and adjoining counties will witness on Sunday, October 3. This is the Annual Conference and Agricultural Exhibit held by the Jewish Farmers Associations of these sections. This year, other Jewish Societies and Organizations, in cooperation with the Jewish Agricultural Society, are sparing no effort to make this convention the most successful in the history of the “Mountains.”
The affair takes place Sunday, October 3 (all day) in the Auditorium of the Mountaindale High School, Mountaindale, New York. In the forenoon, organization matters will occupy the attention of the assembled delegates, and this part of the program will be under the leadership of Dr. Gabriel Davidson, General Manager of the Jewish Agricultural Society.
After the luncheon, served by the Ladies Auxiliary, Dr. Philip R. Alstate, of the Jewish Theological Seminary of New York City, will deliver an address on “The Partition of Palestine.”
2000 and more farmers are expected to attend.
Work Started on New Feinstein Building
Work has been started this week on the new building to be erected by Ernest Feinstein, local business man. The building, to be located on the lot next to the Hurleyville Pharmacy, will include a bar and grill on the first floor and hotel rooms on the second floor. It is expected that the construction work will be completed within two weeks.