The Habirshaw Wire and Cable Company
By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Historian, President Emerita Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History, Member of the Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board, and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, December 4th:
1944: Just as a conference on extending the subway to Yonkers using the abandoned Putnam Division tracks was to begin, Chairman of the NYC Board of Transportation John Delaney labeled the project “unprofitable and useless.” He said the location of the tracks not only would be useless for NYC residents, the Board of Transportation “would never propose, advocate or utilize such a route for rapid transit purposes.” He added, New York City was not “empowered to by law to construct or operated beyond the city boundaries and could not lawfully extend this service to Getty Square.” Harold McLean, the Central’s legal representative, pointed out NYC was not interested in extending the line, and reminded those gathered New York had started condemnation of the line right of way since it bisected Van Cortlandt Park.
1937: Henry Bonn Interests, which had purchased 700 lots valued at over $500,000, announced their plans to build a colony of 200 private homes called Revere-at-Crestwood; the name was selected because all homes would be built in colonial design. The proposed community, in the Grandview Park section of Colonial Heights, was bounded by Oakland and Harvard Avenues and Colonial and LaSalle Drives. The builders promised to construct 25 homes on Biltmore Avenue, all to be finished by March.
Tuesday, December 5th
December 5, 1888: Trustees of the Leake & Watt’s Orphan House purchased 33 acres of land in Yonkers to build a new home.
1937: A “new bell” rang for the first time at its new home, St. John’s Lutheran Church on Hudson Street. The bell was the very same bell that rang on the old Yonkers Dock 35 years earlier, to warn people boats were docking, and, if they wanted to get on them, they needed to hurry up! When Yonkers rebuilt the dock, the bell was discarded. Mr. Greenhaugh took it and later donated it to the church!
1952: Mayor Kristen Kristensen announced the City of Yonkers received 2,000 Japanese cherry tree seeds, a gift from school children of Japan! Kristensen gave the seeds to Park Superintendent Louis Tartaglione to be planted in the city’s greenhouses by Trevor Park; they would be transplanted in city parks in the spring, with special ceremonies to mark the occasion. Program sponsors were the Japanese Parents and Teachers Association, the Japanese Travel Bureau and the United Nations Association of Japan.
Wednesday, December 6th
1944: Two Yonkers men, serving in the Pacific Theater for almost three years, were decorated by their commanding officer Major General George Griner. Lieutenant Colonel Hauck was presented a Bronze Star for his meritorious service during the Saipan operations; Staff Sergeant Frank Esposito of Oak Street, injured by an exploding land mine in the same operation, was presented the Purple Heart Medal.
1944: Lieutenant Darwin Day, Jr., of Elliott Avenue, pilot of a Navy Seventh Fleet PBY Black Cat able to land on water, was credited with saving 26 crewmen from a torpedoed US destroyer. Day found the 26 men clinging to a seven-person life raft, landed and managed to get all men on his plane, even though in enemy range and under fire.
Thursday, December 7th
1905: The main attraction of local “Yonkers Amusements” was James O’Neill’s impersonation of “The Count of Monte Christo” at Yonkers Music Hall. O’Neill was the father of the rising young author, Eugene O’Neill.
1936: After Habirshaw won the bid for Yonkers’ waterfront property, plant expansion was assured! They offered $14,000 at the public auction, the only bid; the underwater land at Irving Park had been valued at $17,500.
1942: Private First Class Frank Suchy of Nepperhan Avenue, with the Hawaiian Ordnance Battalion, was pleasantly surprised when he read the many accolades for The Herald Statesman’s “Bumpers for War” program in the Honolulu newspaper! He not only sent his parents the clipping, but also asked them to pass along his congratulations to The Herald Statesman for its “splendid effort” in finding an important way for Yonkers citizens to help the war effort.
Friday, December 8th:
1932: Because they wanted to ensure all employees stayed employed, the 350 outdoor construction workers of the Yonkers Lighting Company voluntarily adopted a five-day work week, giving up their hours of Saturday work.
1936: To insure a clear title to Habirshaw’s recent purchase of land, William Wallin, attorney for the Phelps Dodge Corporation, stated approval was needed from the State Legislature; his legal opinion was it wasn’t clear Yonkers had a legal right to sell land under water without state sanction.
Saturday, December 9th:
1930: Yonkers own Les Hart, Captain of the undefeated Colgate football team, was a star of the Colgate-NYU charity game played at. Colgate, the best scoring team in the Eastern Division, won by a score of 7-6.
1942: Yonkers’ first group of teenagers was inducted into the service, after passing Army physical tests held at Grand Central Palace. The boys who passed were immediately inducted, but they had the option to go home for one week before reporting to duty.
Sunday, December 10th:
1917: The Westchester County Commission of General Safety asked all Yonkers residents who owned binoculars or spyglasses to send them to Washington for the Navy.
1955: Sheldon Pollock, Chairman of First National Bank’s Board of Directors, announced the bank would open a branch office in the Yonkers Train Station by Larkin Plaza! The office was set up across from the ticket window, and the branch would have windows in the station and on the arcade leading to the bus terminal. Except for safe deposit boxes, the branch would have full banking services!
Questions or comments? Email YonkersHistory1646@gmail.com. For information on the Yonkers Historical Society, Sherwood House and upcoming events, please visit our website www.yonkershistoricalsociety.org, call 914-961-8940 or email info@yonkershistoricalsociety.org.
