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FRACKVILLE:::~~.:-:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;=;=;:;=;=;::::::~:~:::::::~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~~:~:~:~:~:~:~~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:!:!:!:.:.:.:~;~ *~ ~

~®llllJ1rackuillt walts I~ N~ N~ N~ N~ N~ N

~~1 1Jjnrraint ~tanton :~~;~ ~~ ~~ ~h ~h ~h ~~ y~ ~* ~.. '.'~ ~~ yh V* ~~ ~~ h~ ~.... ..N ~~ ~~ ~~ ~N ~~ ~» ~N hN ~N YN Y~ ~~ ~~ h~ *N V~ ~~ ~~ ~~ y~ x~ *~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~!'~ ••~ *~ h~ ~

. . ~ ~.~ N~ ~N ~N ~~ ~~ ~~ ~t:: This store opened August 21,1937, at 16 South lehigh avenue (next to the present ::::'.'. _ Home Savings and loan) as a franchise operated by' Stanley Sahutsky and .•••:~~ M~mero Abrachinsky of Shenandoah. The owner was Joseph Kulhavik, right. ~1~~.••• Prices include eggs for 31c a dozen, watermelons 39c, celery tc, lettuce 10c, ....:~1 beefsteak 33c a pound. Ah, for the good old days! . ~11~ ~~ y~ y~ v~ y~ v~:: DID YOU KNOW the first trolley car Did you know the Rotary Club ot Frack- :::::: appeared in Frackville in 1915? The ville was founded in 1928? The first :::§ road to Pottsville closely followed the' officers were: E.H. Suender, president; :::~~ railroad tracks, while the route to George Burchill, vice-president; Rev. ~:::~ Shenandoah followed the present state W. H. Egge, secretary: Robert G. ::::::: highway, went around the Lawrence Garrett, treasurer; and H. 'Curtis *:::: Colliery dirt bank, crossed the I Kalb h :::::~ ac , sergeant-at-arms. The motto :.:

I ::a~;J ;:t~kp' ;:n~~:~i~h~o~~d ~Jh;o:i:~ ~~~r~~c~:::::l ~~~ ~;,~ ~::~ Shenandoah. When the trolleys went out at Lehigh Avenue and Frack Streets :~.:.: of existence, the Reading Tran- first opened for business on February 7, .:~§: sportation Company placed buses in 1934,with a capital of $125,000; surplus, ' ~:::: operation and in 1937 Frackville was $20,000and undivided profits of $&,OOO.? i~ '~~:: ~~ed ;i~he Reading, Schuylkill and The officials. were F. O. Maurer, ::::,'.' es- 0- a-Stage Companies. president; Dr. O.H. Mengel, vice- .::.~president; Robert G. Garrett, cashier; ~:.••• R be f th I and D. F. Hoppes assistant cashier. .'~:.:. emem r some 0 e business p aces .~.~ in town in 1937: Jack Tenenholz Auto I Did you know the Frackville Elks ~~~:: and Radio Accessories Store at 18South Lodge 1533 was instituted June 3, 1927'1 ::::t:: Lehigh, Lewis and Roberts Fashion The charter was granted by Charles ;:::~. Grakelow, grand exalted ruler. .•••::: Shop at 25 West Frack, Hack Hardw~re ::~:e: at Lehigh and Frack and celebrated 15 Seventy-one members were in when the :.:.::.: . t th" H D b charter was granted. The officers ::.::.years 10 town a IS tIme, . . Bo::: were: Richard Krapf, exalted ruler; ::::::.: Company employed 300 at Oak and Robert Phillip" loyal knight; Charles ~::

Broad Mountain, A. Kirelawich the •§ beer distributor, S. D. Chadwick Stores. Drumm, secretary; John Scheffer, :::~: esquire; Rev. S. J. Garstka, chaplairi', :.:::: at 34South Lehigh was a 5 and 10, Ruth :::.:; Studio at 48 N. Lehigh, Bohards men's R. A. Reick, lecturing knight; F. :::~ Joseph Freiler, treasurer; Lawrence :>.1i!~ clothing at Lehigh and Frack, W. A. .'.:~ Nice the undertaker at 9 North Lehigh, Kiefer, tiler; John James, inner guard;, :::'.~ AI d S R. Bruce CMslee, Floyd Kaup, and .'.~:, exan ers 5c to $1 tore opened the Charles O'Donnell, trustees; R. A. *.J ' new store at 44South Lehigh-on October '.'::~ 7, 1937,Burchill Lumber showroom at 6 Reick, organist. :::~ ~:::: South Lehigh, The Frackville Ledger Did you know the first shirt factory in :~:::; which started printing in 1897, Miles Frackville Was built in 1883 by J. J. :::~:: F10ral Shop at 43 North Lehigh, Phillips and Company at the extreme :l:~~ Dengler's Cafe at 47North Lehigh, Jack end of Balliet Street? The factory :.::::: Fox furniture at 126 South Lehigh" suspended in 1920and was destroyed by ::::::: McLaren's Auto Supply hi-test anti- fire in 1925. ::::::: knock gasoline at 141/2cents per 'gallon, :::::: Home Maid Ice Cream, ice cream at Did you know that Frackville had ::::::: fifty cents a quart and Peanut Butter fourteen churches in 1937? There were :::

I::: Kups 29 cents a pound at 'Z1 South Leigh, :::::: seven Protestant, three Catholic, a :-:::: Garden Theater at Lehigh and Oak Polish National Catholic, Russian :::::: showed Bobby Breen in "Make a Orthodox, Greek Catholic and a :::~:: Wish," Fannie Stoppi's Cafe at 433 synagogue. Those listed were: ::::~ West Pine Street has specials on Roast Annunciation. St. Joseph's, St. Ann's, :::~:: Pork and Deviled Crabs; The Yellow Holy Ascension Orthodox, St. :::;:: Pine Inn at 29 North Lehigh featured Michael's, St. John the Baptist, Polish :::::~ Georgie Martz and his Swing Club with National Catholic, St. Pet'er's :::::.:.:. beer a nickel a glass, turkey platters 25 :.::.Evangelical and Ukrainian and folish~l: cents and a pink lady twenty cents, Baptist, Reformed, Ukrainian and ~~::~ Mac's Black Eagle Tavern, at 227South Polish Baptist, Holiness Tabernable, ::::::: Lehigh specialized in sea food, Wasaitis Christ Ep~scopal, Methodist Episcopal, ::::::: Hall, North Balliet featured Jolly Jack B'nai Israel, and I the two oldes~ ::::~ Robel's Orchestra and admission was congregations, Zion Lutheran and 1ll~;:: 35c. That's the way it was in 1937! Trinty Evangelical Congregational. :::;~ ~* ~~ N~ ~

. ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ *~ ~~ ~~ hY h~ *y •.y ~y ~y h~ *~ h~ h~ ~~ X~ h~ h~ h~ ~~ h» ~N Y~ X~ ~~ ~» ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ N~ «N ~~ ~~ N~ N~ N* ~u ~~ ~~:: Scene from yesteryear shows three modes of transportation between Frackville ::::~: and St. Clair: Railroad, highway and trolley line. Only the highway remains in ::~::: use. The trolleys went out of business in 1927 and the railroad was never repaired ::::~: after the June 1972 washouts caused by Tropical Storm Agnes. :l:l~: ;:::~ , ~:;- .'.·i:;:;::::::::::s::::::::::::::::::~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:::~:~:~~:~:~:~:~:~:~~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:!:!:!:!:~:!:~:~:~~:!:!:~(~~~:!:!:!:.:<~:!:.:-:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.~:;:;:;:,::::=;:;:;:;::::::::~:::::::::~:.--

EDITIONFRIDAY, APRIL 3D, 1976

30 'Californialove town's

BY CAROL KLINEA sample of coal region

hospitality-Frackville style-was given to a busload oftourists from California lastSaturday night.

The group of 30 men areengaged in farming or oc-cupations connected toagriculture, and were chosenfor a five-state tour that took

\ them across the nation to get Itpractical look at the four basicareas of leadership develop-ment: Economics, govern-ment, communications andsocial-cultural understanding.

The tour is financed by theCalifornia AgriculturalFoundation LeadershipProgram, which selectspromising leaders inagriculture 'for theseeducational safaris.

The stop in Frackville wasunder the heading of social-cultural, but to be morespecific, they wanted to attenda polka party. '

It all came about becauseFrackville Mayor JamesNahas happens to be employedby the county as a communityservices representative. Whenthe tourists found they were ,coming to Pennsylvania, theywrote to the Schuylkill Countycommissioners explaining theyhad heard about the happypolkafests in the Pennsylvaniacoal region, and wondered ifthey might be able to attendone.

The letter came to the at-tention of Mayor Nahas and hemade a bee-line for -one of theregion's top polka centers,Annie Paul's Polka Palace onNorth Lehigh Avenue in Frack-ville.

The always-cordial Anniewas happy to accommodate themayor, and to make the visitone that the tourists woUld longremember. She recuited TomTobin, Ann Butts and AnnBrenhan . for a receptioncommittee, then engagedHappy Stefan's Polka Band toprovide the music, and calledupon some of the region'sprize-winning polka dancers toshow their stuff.

The bus pulled into Frack-

ville around 10 p.m, Saturdayand Mayor Nahas was there tomeet it along with PolicemanMaynard Petri, Tom Tobin andCounty Commissioner EdCook.·

Patrolman Petri boarded thebus to give the driver parkingdirections, and was handed amicrophone to address thepassengers.

"I'm Officer Petri of theFrackville police depart-ment," he began with thepolish of a professional good-will ambassador. "I'm greatlyhonored to welcome you to thisfine community during ourcentennial year and thenation's bicentennial," hecontinued. "I'm quite sureyou'll enjoy the hospitality youfind in this area tonight, and Iknow you '11 love the people youmeet here, just as much as welove having you here with us."

The response was a burst ofapplause and cheers from thebus occupants.

At the Polka Palace, AnniePaul and company formed areceiving line to greet theguests as they entered, andushered them to seats of honor,after which the band struck up'!be fanfare while couples spunaround the floor.

Stephanie. Babinchak andBobby Legutko of New Boston,pint-sised polka specialists,had the dance floor to them-selves for the next dance andreceived a standing ovationfrom the audience.

A large lump of anthracitewas presented to RonaldHendren, of Santa Paula totake back to the CaliforniaAgricultural EducationFoundation to display at themain office at Davies. Mr.H4IP1kenis a purcbaJling agent~~)pliptenance _eer forLiJilonefra Company, whichdeals in fruits and nuts.Making the presentation wasMayor Nahas, Tom Tobin, andCommissioners Cook and AIMatunis: Hendren commented,"The people here are justgreat. We really appreciate thehospitality, I like the people somuch that if I really had thechoice on where to live, I would

Police radio okayedFrackville Borough Council

last night awarded GreenCommunications of Pottsvillethe contract to supply radioequipmerit for the police car tohook in with the forthcomingcountywide network. Greenwas the only bidder, and thecost is eligible for a 70 per centreimbursement through thestate highway safety program.

Two bids for a police carunder the same program weretabled for study. Seitzinger ofFrackville bid $4475 on aPlymouth Valiant and JohnKline of Mahanoy Townshipbid $5225 on a Ford Torino. Itwas noted that Kline's bid didnot include the ten-percentbond required by advertisedspecifications.

The Mission- Bells meet at 8: 15 p.m. May 5 inthe Methodist Church hall.

A meeting of the Spojia Belles is set for 7:30p.m. May 11 at St. John's PNC Church Hall.

Englewood Fire Brush will meet at 7:30 p.m.May 3 in the firehouse.

Centennial Headquarters is open Thursdaysand Fridays 6-9 p.m., and Saturday 3-6.

The Cossack Belles meet In the Holy AscensionHall on May 2 at 7: 30. I

The Belles of St. Peter's to miet on May 11 inthe church hall at 7:00.

All centennial belles meet May 4 inheadquarters at 8:00 .

Hummel's Belles meet on May 5 at Hummel'sCafe at 7: 30.

A bazaar will be sponsored by Zion Belles onMay 22 on the lutheran grounds beginning at 10.All welcome.

A coronation ball meeting will be held citcentennial headquarters on May 4 at 7: 30.

Woman's Club Queen Committee will meetWednesday, Ma,y 5, In the library at 8: 15.

A card party will be held by Good Will Bellesin the Firehouse at 8 p.m. April 30, Publicwelcome.

Centennial executive board and advisorycommittee meeting April 26 at 8:00 inheadquarters.

Centennial general meeting April 28 at 8 p.m.,open to the public. I

Parade Committee meets April 26 at 8:00 inheadqu~rters. ,

Mission Belles meet May 5 In the MethodistHall at 8: 15.

Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor opens May24.

Brothers of the Brush square dance N)ay 15 atAnnunciation Hall from 8 to 11. Food served byBelles.

touristshospitclity

Pictured during the stop of 30 California tourists at Frackville last Saturday nightare, from left, Ann Paul of Paul's Inn, who hosted the visitors, StephanieBabinchak (child at front) who danced the polka for them, tourists Tim laSalie .

. and Ron Pietersma, welcoming committee member Ann Butts, tourists GaryBoyce and Robert Moser, and welcoming committee member Anna Brennan.·( Klinefoto)

actually consider living in thisarea".

Spokesmen for the visitorswere Peter Peterson, owner ofa ranch near Hamilton City,and Arnold Barcellos, owner ofthe B&B Dairy and A-BarFarm at Los Banos. Theypresented the ladies on thecommittee with "CaliforniaRosebud" patches.

Frackville wasn't thegroup's only stop in the county.They arrived early saturdayafternoon at the CountyExtension Office along Route61 below Schuylkill Haven ,and

were greeted by Mayor Nahasand County Extension AgentsDavid Kantner and JohnSullivan.

They were given tours of thenew St. Nicholas Breaker atDuncott;-the Wadesville andPine Forest strippings, hostedby Reading Anthracitemanager Harry Hale of St.Clair.

Next they stopped inMahanoy Plane and chattedwith people at Naspinsky'sCafe before leaving for adinner meeting with countyofficials at the Necho @en

Hotel in Pottsville, whereCounty Solicitor Attorney W.Alan Williams spoke on thecounty economy and the role ofanthracite .'

Following the Necho Allengathering the group left forFrackville. Their stopoverended all too soon, as reflectedin the statement of one visitoras he was leaving: "The worstpart of making friends ishaving to leave them."

For Frackville folks who hadthe privilege of meeting theCalifornians, the sentiment ismutual.

This special bicentennial creation is decorating the wall of the Frackville SeniorCitizens meeting hall. -It was made by Eagle Scout Joseph Alshon, right, andpresented to Senior Citizen President Edith Troxell, left, during theorganization's recent anniversary di~ner at Ace Hall. In center is MichaelOnuskanich, scoutmaster of Troop 89 (Humpfoto)

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