By Mary Hoar, President Untermyer Performing Arts Council, Member Landmarks Preservation Board, President Emerita, Yonkers Historical Society
Monday, October 26th
October 26, 1899: Responding to a request from Principal Thomas Baker of the High School, Yonkers received a letter from Admiral of the Navy George Dewey greeting the students. The Admiral “begged to express” his hope that the students would grow up with a “high appreciation of their duty to flag and country.” The letter later was published in the Searchlight, the school’s monthly magazine. Dewey is the only person in US history to be awarded the rank of Admiral of the Navy; created at the request of President McKinley on March 3, 1899, it was approved and awarded by the Senate the very same day.
October 26, 1946: Visitors to the Destroyers Fecteler and Isbell, docked at the Yonkers Recreation Pier for Navy Day ceremonies, could not see the sailors lined up because they all were reading copies of The Herald Statesman. Why? The afternoon paper featured several photos of the arrival of the ships in Yonkers that morning, highlighted not only on Page One, but also on Page Four!
October 26, 1947: Children from the Caryl Avenue area held a short ceremony to celebrate their work turning part of the property next to the Caryl Station of the old NY Central Getty Square branch into a playground.
Tuesday, October 27th
October 27, 1918: Schools reopened after a three-week shutdown caused by the deadly Spanish Flu. Yonkers Health Officer Dr. Clarence Buckmaster said all children would be watched closely, and any child showing signs of the flu would be sent home immediately.
October 27, 1944: Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal sent a Navy Day commendation telegram to the men and women of the Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company for their role in the war effort. “The patriotic support of our working forces at home has been a major factor in our successes… it seems appropriate, therefore, on this day when America pays tribute to her fighting Navy, to tender a salute on behalf of the fleet to the men and women who are backing up the Navy in the war plants.”
Wednesday, October 28th
October 28, 1916: Yonkers Public Safety Commissioner Fleming ordered police to monitor children and prevent vandalism; he also told his officers to “let the youngsters have innocent fun.”
October 28, 1929: Although New York State military officials canceled a permit for Republicans to use the armory for an event at the last minute, the Non-Partisan League had to quickly move its reception and dance to Philipsburgh Hall. The 2,500 attendees acclaimed incumbent Mayor John Fogarty as a candidate for reelection; Republican leaders claimed “trickery” had forced the cancellation of their use of the armory.
October 28, 1947: Three Yonkers men were part of a group of men who served on the USS Antietam that held a memorial service for World War II servicemen killed in action. The servicemen were Private First Class Thomas Carroll, USMC, of Portland Place; Seaman Second Class H. Berger, USN, of Bruce Avenue; and Seaman First Class F. J. Pietrantonio, USN, of Waverly Street.
Thursday, October 29th
October 29, 1931: Under a decision by Supreme Court Justice William F. Bleakley, the remainder of the $60,000 left in the Hollywood Inn endowment fund created by the late William F. Cochran was split between the YMCA, the Knights of Columbus and the Jewish Community Center.
October 29, 1947: When fighting a fire of burning leaves at Grant Park, city firefighters proved their ability to saving money. Although the fire threatened the trees and bushes in the park, it was extinguished with the help of Vineyard Avenue men who beat down the flames with brooms, instead of the expensive chemicals normally used!
October 29, 1952: General Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Yonkers, making a campaign stop in Larkin Plaza.
Friday, October 30th
October 30, 1666: Mr. and Mrs. O’Neale sold Colendonck to her brother Elias Doughty of Flushing. Mary Doughty van der Donck O’Neale, widow of Yonkers’ founder Adriaen van der Donck, had won the legal right to claim “Younckers land” as hers just weeks earlier.
October 30, 1927: After Public Works Commissioner William Goldsmith inspected Yonkers’ newly constructed city jail on Alexander Street, he declare it was the “finest example of jail construction anywhere in the country.”
October 30, 1952: Cub Pack 105 had an exciting meeting at School Five. The boys voted to hang placards on all the doorknobs in their area, urging all citizens to vote. Highpoint of the meeting was a visit by Philadelphia Phillies pitcher and Yonkers native Steve Ridzik who spoke on the importance of sportsmanship and clean living.Saturday, October 31st
October 31, 1935: An earthquake that shook 17 states and Eastern Canada hit Yonkers. Although no real damage resulted from the quivers felt in Yonkers, thousands jumped out of bed in panic.
October 31, 1945: A bit of role-playing by a victim caused a bandit to incriminate himself! Detectives William Harding and Louis Ligay had caught William Holmes with a loaded revolver at the USO the previous day. The detectives told butcher shop owner Angelo Colacurcio who had been robbed to dress like a plainclothes policeman. He was to walk into the Detective Division and hand Harding a typewritten paper, saying, “You left this downstairs.” Harding thanked him and called him Tom. To everyone’s astonishment, Holmes shouted, “Cut out the comedy! His name ain’t Tom. He’s the guy we stuck up!”
Sunday, November 1st
November 1, 1907: The Park Hill Lyceum roller skating rink opened at School and Herriot Streets.
November 1, 1936: Because Yonkers resident and Republican gubernatorial candidate William F. Bleakley received more than 20 threatening letters, authorities enlisted twenty New York City plainclothesmen and Westchester County Deputy Sheriffs to provide security for him and his family the last few days of the campaign.
November 1, 1941: After arguably the most contentious debate in the history of the Common Council chamber, Yonkers Councilmembers appointed seventy-six Proportional Representation canvassers to count ballots in the coming election.
For more information on the Yonkers Historical Society, Sherwood House and our upcoming events, please call 914-961-8940 or email yhsociety@aol.com.
