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Wednesday, July 22, 2020

198. Coffee 10 Cents, Jesse Horne, Hiatt Reunion Formed, Construction Wages, Jesse Way, Residence Street.

RCHS Blog Post Number 198. 
Coffee 10 Cents, Jesse Horne, Hiatt Reunion Formed, Construction Wages, Jesse Way, Residence Street

Coffee Raised Five Cents a Cup (1950) 
    The days of the "nickel fer a cuppa coffee" in Winchester have passed--at least temporarily.
  A check of nine Winchester restaurants revealed that five cent coffee has been a victim of the inflationary period along with five cent milk.
  All restaurants have increased coffee to cents a cup, with any additional cups of coffee, with a meal or otherwise, at five cents.
  This increase automatically raised the price of meals five cents. Cafes and restaurants which formerly charged 65 cents for a noon lunch now will list the price on the menu at 70 cents.
  Some increases also went into effect on sandwiches, although the raise was not general. A few restaurants now will charge 30 cents for a ham sandwich instead of 25 cents.
  According to a spokesman for the restaurant operators, they were not "eager to raise the price of coffee, but--"
  For decades coffee has sold in restaurants for five cents a cup. Ten years ago we paid 23 cents a pound for one of the most popular brands of coffee. Now we pay 77 cents a pound.
  "Coffee cream was 12 cents a quart. Now it is 39 cents. Sugar was less than 4 cents a pound. Now it is 11 cents.
  "According  to a bulletin published several months ago by the state association, it costs the average restaurant operator seven cents to serve a cup of coffee."
  Several Winchester cafes and restaurants reported customers leaving "definitely angry," and many refused to pay the additional five cents.
  One place reported that the first three customers of the day cancelled their orders and left when notified of the increase in the price of coffee.
  "Most people are taking it okay," one manager said, but there has been some confusion. Possibly we should have notified the public ahead of time."
  One New York City writer, in an article published when the price was elevated in that city, worded it this way: "It proves one point. You can jump the price of clothing sky high, butter can reach $1 a pound and appliances can carry price tags in the upper income bracket. People won't complain too much."
  "But don't fool with their nickel cuppa coffee."
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Diggs and Way Marriage Certificate (1907)
     While looking some of his old papers which had been filed away many years, W. R. WAY came across the first marriage certificate of his father, Jesse Way, which is quite an unique document. The wedding of his father to Miss Fannie DIGGS occurred at the old Dunkirk church southwest of Winchester, in 1829, which was seventy-eight years ago.
     In those early days it was necessary to have each one that witnessed the marriage ceremony sign their names on the certificate. The following names were signed, most of whom have passed away and will only be remembered by the older citizens of the county: John WRIGHT, Anna JACKSON, Martha OATON, Mary PUCKETT, Isom Puckett, William Way, Arnyla Diggs, Joseph Puckett, William BALLINGER, William Diggs, Tarlton MOORMAN, John Diggs, Jacob SMALL, Ann Diggs, Abigail Wright, Gincy Ballinger, Caroline Diggs, Matthew Way, Mary Diggs, Lucy Diggs, James Wright, Jesse Moorman and Mahala Puckett.
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Chess Playing Jesse Horne of Lynn (1953)   
     The title of "Squire" could never be handed to a more worthy person than Jesse HORNE of Lynn. Jesse is a judge, philosopher, sportsman raconteur and all around fine gentleman. Not only is he proud of his home town but he enjoys acting as a personal member of the Chamber of Commerce whenever it is possible to let others in outlying communities know what a fine place Lynn is.
     Jesse is quite active in the Masonic lodge of Lynn. He is secretary for the lodge, a post held for a decade, and is also a past master. His activities in association with other lodges helps spread the good fellowship for Lynn and the Lynn lodge. He is the "goodwill ambassador" for the community.
     His favorite pastime is chess playing and, we might add, he is ranked as one of the state's best. He plays a lot of correspondence chess and by doing so, communicates with many of the nation's best chess players.
    He, over the period of years, has played with the editor of the Chess Review, and beat him, the winner of the Indiana chess tournament and did quite well, as well as several of the better players in the United States.
     One can usually find him each morning, sitting at his chess table, planning moves for possibly five various games he is playing with people in Walla Walla, Wash., or possibly New York City.
     Last weekend, Jesse went to Logansport to enter the state chess contest. He, there, had a chance to meet some of the men and women whom he has played by correspondence over the past years. It not only gives him a chance to meet them but also gives him a chance to match wits over the chess board with them. Although he did not win the tournament, he made a fine showing.
     His one proud accomplishment stemming from the tourney was the fact that he taught this years winner, Roger OREN of Muncie, how to play chess. Mr Oren is Jesse's son-in-law.
     A story on Jesse would be nothing without mention of his pipe. This straight stemmed briar is as famous as the one General Mac sported during the war.
     One never sees Jesse without his pipe. If he is in a restricted smoking zone, it is still present, just unlit.  His chess playing would be nothing if the pipe were not present. It is as we said to start, the "Squire" of Lynn has all the qualifications to uphold his title.
     The morning chess, the evening visitations to other communities, his always present good nature and his ever present pipe.
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Telephone Company Switchboard (1897)
     The new switch board for the telephone company was placed in position April 24. As soon as lightening arresters arrive,several more phones will be placed in operation. Thus far, 105 Winchester homes have been connected. The new switch board will take care of 150 phones.
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Hiatt Reunion at Goodrich Park (1937)
     At the Hiatt reunion at Goodrich Park the following article was read. As it was written 35 years ago, in all possibility it will be of interest to descendants and friends of this locality, therefore, with this thought in mind, the article is herewith reprinted:
     The 1902 Hiatt Reunion Association.  A few days ago Jesse HIATT, who lives one-half mile east of Olive Branch thought that he would invite his brothers and sisters with their children and grandchildren to come and spend a day at his home. These verbal invitations soon extended in a verbal way to the Hiatt family and as a result about one hundred people came to his home to spend the day. The usual good dinner was spread in the grove, but, of course, on this occasion, it being prepared by the Hiatt ladies, surpassed in goodness any other attempts on similar occasions. Why, they say that even Ellis McNEES, of Farmland actually ate all that he wanted and Mrs. E. R. Hiatt, of Winchester found an over abundance of scraps and bones in her dinner basket when she reached home.
     "All be it, an exceedingly pleasant day was spent, so pleasant that at its close it was the unanimous opinion of those present that a permanent organization should be formed and a more general invitation sent out, that the Hiatts and their kin might come together at least once a year to tell each other of their joys and successes in life.
     "Under the permanent organizations Eli Hiatt, of Farmland, was chosen president and James G. STANLEY of Ridgeville, secretary and treasurer and Saturday, Sept. 6, 1903, the day for all persons, who have Hiatt blood coursing in their veins, to meet at Lakeside Park in Ridgeville in their first annual reunion of the Hiatt family.
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Bootblacks Association of Winchester (1902)
     The Bootblacks Association of Winchester met as a body on January 20 in the basement barber shop on the north side of the square (100 W. Washington St.) and unanimously agreed to raise the price of shining shoes from 5 cents to 10, for the reason that the price of liquid polish, shining wax and rubbing cloths have advanced. Signed: "Deacon" FOUSE, Jr., John SEGRAVES, Cleave RYAN, John SMITH, Thomas FALLS and Evert FIELDS.
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The First County Fair in 1852 (1929)  
     The first county fair was held on October 14 and 15, 1852, just a short distance north of the Judge Colgrove brick house, northwest of Winchester. Owing to the fact that so much gambling predominated, it folded up in 1905.
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Union Home Construction Workers Hourly Wages (1950) 
     Average hourly wages paid to union home construction workers is $2.32. Bricklayers $2.86, Painters $2.30, Electricians $2.60, Plumbers $2.63, Plasterers $2.85, Carpenters $2.40, Laborers $1.57.
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Bowling Alley in Winchester (1937)   
     Announcement was made that a bowling alley in Winchester would be opened to the public for play. It is located over the Magee hardware store on the north side of the square.
     Proprietor of the four lanes is Carl "Molly" MIES, whom many sports fans will remember as quite a baseball player. Molly, as he says his friends call him, operates an ally at Decatur.
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The First Automobile in Winchester (1901)  
     Quite a few of our citizens were on the lookout on July 7, 1901, for word had reached this city that a party from Richmond was to drive up to our town to take in a game of ball. Such event marked the appearance of the first automobile in Winchester.
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Old Residence Street Poem (1928)  
     The poem "Old Residence Street" by Charles "Crack" ARBAUGH, a portion of which is quoted, will give you an insight as to some of our citizens who lived along its shady environment in the years of the long ago.

RESIDENCE STREET

"Old Friends, the EDGERS, the JAQUAS and WATTS,
The FRAZES, the STAKEBAKES--you'd nearly forgot;
The GUTHEILS, the GOODRICHES and DIGGS, too
My folks and me; your folks and you

The BOWENS, McALISTERS, WATSONS and WELLS--
Oh, how on their faces my memory dwells;
And a great many more ere my list is complete--
Oh the dandy old neighbors on Residence Street,

"Tis hard to forget--to remember is pain;
When we know those joys will ne'er come again,
But I hope some day--someone I will meet
Once again those neighbors on Residence Street."
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New Winchester City Building (1903) 
     The new city building which was erected on West Franklin Street, cost $21,000. It has a basement and to the rear of the first floor, stalls have been instituted for the horses. Rooms on the second floor are to be occupied by city officials and the building custodian. Dave MARTIN was appointed as fire chief, with a salary of $40 a month and granted the privilege of living in the building. Lem STUDY and Guy WAY are the two other firemen.

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