Kenyon Block dedicated During 1894 Convention

The Kenyon Brothers firm was in the new store when the Journal went to press on Thursday, September 6, 1894, for a redesigned ad that week invited the community to inspect the new building.

Ah, those were indeed the good old days. Oak bedroom suites were offered for $18, mattress were $2.50 and bed springs $2.00. Offered were 17 different oak extension tables for $5.00 each and heavy oak rockers were $2.50.

The 17th Annual County Fireman's Convention was in full swing here and Mr. A.B. Kenyon was elected vice-president during the 3 day meeting. Visiting hose companies were quartered for the meet and had to be fed in private homes for lack of restaurants.

The Elkland Hose Company didn't do so well in the fire fighting competition but our ball team saved the day by beating Wellsboro.

The Tannery Store advertisement offered Melton Ulsters for $5., overcoats were $4, $5 and $6 and cornmeal a penny pound.

Elkland had 8 mail trains daily, and three hotels, yet our great tanning industry was in its infancy. The assessed valuation of the Boro that year was $277,305 and the tax rate was 7 mills. The boro clerk received $15 a year and a sidewalk inspector (who really inspected them) received 15 cents an hour and collected $17 for his yearly service.

It cost only $227.80 to operate the Elkland-Nelson Independent School District and the Elkland School advertised in the Journal for students with tuition charges at $1.00 to $1.50 a month.

Yes, those were the good old days, but we wonder how many of us would swap our many boro services for the low tax rate, oil lights, muddy streets, outhouses, kitchen hand pumps and the like that grandfather lived with.

A coffin is a case for a corpse, did you know it was also a pie crust?

SOURCE: Elkland Journal, 6/23/49