Allan Benson, Socialist candidiate for President, 1916, from Yonkers
By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Historian, Revolutionary Yonkers 250 Chair, 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, June 24th
June 24, 1953: Audience members attending a softball game at Sullivan’s Oval in Nodine Hill were surprised to see a young doe take part in the action! The doe, resting in a nearby backyard, was startled when the noise startled her; she took off across the field. She made a brief return several minutes later… delicately touched first base, then second… then disappeared into left field and into the night!
June 24, 1953: Efforts of the Yonkers Railroad Company to make work during the summer heat more bearable for its drivers, led to what the company called “Summer Cocktail Parties.” Held Wednesdays in July and August in Getty Square, the featured drink for the Summer Cocktail Party was buttermilk! Besides company drivers, traffic cops in the Square were special guests.
Tuesday, June 25th
July 25, 1942: The State Department listed a Yonkers man as one of the 600+ Americans being returned to the US in an exchange program with Japan. M. Caslae of Yonkers was listed as returning from Hong Kong… but no one by that name was listed in the Yonkers City Directory!
July 25, 1942: Seventeen-year-old Carl Kazimir of Walnut Street became the youngest pilot to solo at Yonkers Seaplane Base. He had just eight hours of training with instructor Ray Schulte.
Wednesday, June 26th
June 26, 1928: An unknown burglar made a bold attempt to rob the F. and W. Grand store at 8 Palisade Avenue! He rented an apartment above the store and drilled through the floor. The plot was discovered by employees who noticed wood chips and plaster on the floor… and a circle of holes in the ceiling. The circle was large enough for a person to drop into the store. No clues to his identity were left in his room, or any indication why his plan wasn’t completed.
June 26, 1942: Ralph Mulligan, Chairman of the Yonkers War Bond and Stamp Committee, announced bettors at Empire City Racetrack would be able to buy War Bonds and Stamps! The Empire City Racing Association approved the Committee’s application for Red Cross volunteers to sell war bonds and stamps at the track. Local banks sponsored the sale, and booths in the clubhouse and grandstand were built with the cooperation of Track Superintendent Michael McDermott.
Thursday, June 27th
July 27, 1940: Commander Orlando Nichols, last Civil War veteran in the Kitching War Post, GAR, was laid to rest at Oaklawn Cemetery in Connecticut. Coordinated by the Central Committee of Veterans, color guards and uniformed members from every Yonkers post accompanied the funeral cortege as it headed to the cemetery. Yonkers Police escorted the procession to the city line, where NYS Police took over until they reached the state line, where Connecticut State Police escorted the procession. Post Seven, American Legion, fired the 21-gun salute, and Past Commander Thomas Pyne sounded Taps at Nichols’ grave.
June 27, 1942: The Young Men’s Chamber of Commerce, later known as the Yonkers JayCees, were in the middle of a quandary! NY Press wrote about its “Hop In” program. The young men distributed car stickers to people willing to give rides to servicemen in Yonkers; drivers put the decals on their cars, alerting servicemen free transportation was available in the stickered car. After distributing hundreds of stickers to Yonkers drivers, the supply ran out. Once the New York press publicized the program, the Young Men’s Chamber of Commerce was inundated with requests for decals from communities outside Yonkers.
Friday, June 28th
June 28, 1916: Yonkers Red Cross women provided quite a send-off at the Yonkers train station to the First Artillery boys on their way to Mexico. The Park Hill Inn, Frankfort’s Inn, the French Bakery, Blanchard Lunch, and Post’s Dining Room donated more than 1400 sandwiches; Shanley’s donated 40 gallons of coffee. Seven thousand cookies were distributed to those gathered at the station.
June 28, 1918: Allan L. Benson of Yonkers, Socialist candidate for President in 1916 who renounced the Party because of its anti-American sentiments, spoke at a War Savings Stamp rally at Philipsburgh Hall.
Saturday, June 29th
June 29, 1900: School Four students were treated to an outing at Hickory Grove on the former Valentine estate. After participating in games and contests, the children were served ice cream and cake at tables built by Charles Valentine.
June 29, 1923: After witnessing “tapping of the old Croton Aqueduct,” Water Bureau Superintendent Harry Foley announced all danger of a “water famine” was gone. The tapping sent 2,000,000 gallons into the Saw Mill River daily.
June 29, 1953: After lobbying for the word “SLOW” to be painted at the intersection of Mile Square and Palmer Roads, Tenth Ward Councilman Joseph Prior found the job was incomplete! The word “SLO” was painted, with no “W.” The “W” appeared on the pavement in a short time.
Sunday, June 30th
June 30, 1923: Because of intense lobbying by First Ward Alderman William O’Mara for his constituents, benches and a drinking fountain were installed at the City Pier.
June 30, 1934: Thousands of Yonkers fans gathered in front of The Herald Statesman to get an up-to-the-minute description of the Jack Sharkey-Primo Carnera world’s heavy weight championship fight. Besides having a large corps of telephone operators answering calls, they had a direct line from Madison Square Garden Bowl in Long Island City. Carnera knocked out Sharkey in the sixth round.
June 30, 1953: Alexander Smith, Inc. continued to “streamline” its Yonkers mills; it moved machinery from wo Saw Mill River Road buildings to other buildings. Rumors circulated Yonkers the company was leasing the buildings it was emptying since it planned to leave Yonkers.
Questions or comments on this column? 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
