A blog about living in Aberdeen, New Jersey.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

History: Matawan's Response to Johnstown Flood (1889)


The 8 Jun 1889 edition of The Matawan Journal included a supplement full of particulars on the 31 May 1889 flood at Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It also contained the following local blurbs:
  • Mrs G D White is spending the week with her brother in Philadelphia.
  • Peter V Hyer has purchased an elegant team of bays from Frank Bedle.
  • The rails of the Keyport and Matawan street railway were cast at Johnstown.
  • The US Express, by J S Harris, agent, will send packages or money free to Johnstown sufferers.
  • Excellent music and literary exercises at the Reform Club meeting next Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock.
  • We enjoyed a pleasant call from Mr William Reckless, son of the late Hon. Anthony Reckless, on Monday.
  • The lawn tennis ground on the lot fronting Main street of the Chapman estate is a popular after-ten resort.
  • John Albert has removed from Atlantic avenue to the house vacated by Edward Eastmond on Stilwell street.
  • The June meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders will be held at the court house next Wednesday morning.
  • Edward Eastmond has removed from Stilwell street to the house owned by Mr William Spader near the up town pottery.
  • John Stephens is building quite an addition to his house near the junction of the Freehold turnpike with the road to Old Bridge.
  • We are in the very cream of the strawberry season and are having a cream of a crop, and strawberries and cream are especially palatable.
  • The Matawan Building and Loan Association held its regular meeting on Wednesday evening. $1,000 was sold at 1 per cent premium.
  • Mrs Annie Pennington and Miss Emma Burnham, of Delaware, who have been visiting at the Presbyterian parsonage, returned home on Monday.
  • The Union News Co will erect a news stand at Matawan station, similar to the one at Red Bank and those being built at South and Perth Amboy.
  • Mr E S Hammell, editor of the Jamesburg Record, with his wife and child, spent from Saturday to Monday as guests at the residence of Mrs D I Stilwell.
  • Commencing next Saturday June 15, the steamer Minnie Cornell will leave New York every Saturday at 9:30 pm. On the other weekdays she will leave at 4 o'clock.
  • E I Brown will open in a few days in the store room formerly occupied by George B Shepherd as a furniture store, No 10 Commercial Block, with a large stock of new carriages, wagons, etc.
  • An effort is being made to secure a post office at Mount Pleasant, and it is proposed to name it Freneau, after the Revolutionary poet, Philip Freneau, who lies buried on the Hyer farm at that place.
  • J L M Dominick, agent for Adams Express Company, will receive and ship FREE to the flooded districts, any clothing, potatoes or other articles not perishable. They can be left at his express office, or he will call anywhere in Matawan.
  • The funeral services of the infant child of Mr and Mrs John S Woolley took place at the residence of the parents, upper part of Main street, at 3 o'clock last Sunday afternoon, and were conducted by Rev Mr Chattin. The remains were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.
  • On Tuesday evening, at the regular meeting of the Washington Engine Co, Garrett Hendrickson was put in nomination for Chief of the Fire Department. Matawan Truck Co on Wednesday evening nominated Isaac T Rue. The two companies will meet this Friday evening to elect.

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