Then and Now

What Happens in Clairton....

Clairton Then: At least 16 new car dealerships, Service stations pumping gas under brand names of Enco (Miller anad Wylie Avenues) Sunoco (Miller and Halcomb Avenues), Nikloich Service (Miller and Park Avenues) Mobil (St. Clair at State Street), Gulf (St. Clair and Fifth Street), Atlantic and Cities Service (St. Clair and Sixth Street) Esso (St. Clair and Woodland Ave.), HC (Woodland Avenue and Halcomb), Spur on State Street, and several others.

Clairton Today: There are no new car dealerships and a handful of used car lots, but many people simply place a “For Sale” in their car window and park the car in an area they hope it will be noticed. Most of the gas stations have closed or changed service. The Enco on Miller became a Stop-n-Go. The Sunoco became Carl’s Auto Repair. Nikolich Service closed. The Gulf station next to the post office that also sold Willys autos still sells cars. Cities Service became a beer distributor. The Esso station was razed and a Chinese restaurant stands in its place and the HC station is now a used car lot.


The U.S. Today - cars: Of the cars sold at the 16 American new car dealerships, Crosley, Kaiser-Frazer, Hudson, Packard, Studebaker, Rambler, and American Motors no longer exist. General Motors today announced it is officially bankrupt. Thus, of the GM cars sold in Clairton, Pontiac will no longer be produced and Chevrolet will be one of probably three GM nameplates that will survive. Chrysler Motors is hanging on by its fingernails and is predicted to also enter bankruptcy shortly and of the Chrysler products once sold new in Clairton, Desoto is long gone as a brand, Plymouth is iffy, and the Dodge and Chrysler nameplates hang on for the moment. Willys, ironically, sold its Jeep nameplate to American Motors, which in turn sold the brand name to Chrysler and has been Chrysler’s strongest revenue source. Ford is the only one of the “Big Three” to remain standing, which is also ironic as it had gone through a phase of buying up foreign brands including Saab, Volvo, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Merkur. But they rid themselves of all foreign nameplates except Volvo, which may also soon be jettisoned.

The U.S. Today – Service Stations: Over the years the term “Service Station” in America changed to “Gas Station” as services such as window washing, oil and tire checks and the like disappeared. The brands in logos from Clairton stations also changed. Enco was brand names for Humble Oil, a brand that traces its roots to Humble Texas in 1911. The Enco brand started in 1960 as an acronym for ENergy COmpany. Humble Oil also featured Esso brand and mottos were “Happy Motoring,” and later “Put a Tiger in your Tank.” But when the company realized the Japanese word for Enco meant “Engine Failure,” they rebranded both Enco and Esso to Exxon, in 1972. “Atlantic Keeps your Car on the Go,” touted Atlantic stations, but merged with Richfield Oil to become ARCO, whose east coast stations were acquired by Sunoco. Cities Service merged with Gulf Oil and became CITGO, and in 1986 was purchased by Petroleos Venezuela. In sum, none of the gasoline brands that graced the signs of Clairton in the 1950s exist today.


Clairton Works Then: In 1946 Clairton Works was using 30,000 tons of coal daily to produce 21,000 tons of coke for the blast furnaces. By 1950 a new battery of sixty-one coke ovens went into operation placing the total number of ovens at 1506. By 1952 Clairton Works set a record high of monthly output when open hearth steel production soared to 83,382 tons. In 1956 US Steel announced plans to build a multi-million dollar light oil plant at the world’s largest coke producing mill, Clairton Works. By 1960 two blast furnaces were taken out of operation as steel production declined. By the late 1960s environmental concerns began to be raised regarding dumping unhealthy residue into the rivers. In the 1970s production continued to plummet and issues of air pollution began to be raised more frequently.

Clairton Works Now: Although steel mills up and down the river have been long closed, throwing the entire Mon-Yough valley into fiscal recession, Clairton Works and its coke production plant hangs on. The community’s size has fallen by half since its heyday and issues regarding air pollution from the mill continue to be battled. On one hand what little income that still exists in the industry comes from what is still the largest coke-producing plant in the world. On the other hand, the air has been deemed to be among the unhealthiest in the country. US Steel recently announced the shutdown of three oven batteries, reducing the plant’s coke output by 25%. It has been more than 20 years since the City of Clairton was named an economically distressed community by Pennsylvania’s Department of Community Affairs. Some efforts have been made to right the economy but the once prosperous city continues to struggle with poverty and its related consequences.

The US Economy: Some might say that Clairton was ahead of its time, or “as Clairton goes, so goes the nation.” For some of the same reasons – loss of industrial jobs – the nation currently is in the midst of its worst economic times in over 70 years. Most industries that fueled post World War II prosperity have been brought to their collective knees. The past decade of paper profits in real estate has disappeared into thin but polluted air, and the nation’s economy is on the brink of collapse. We have no clever answers or easy fixes to offer. But what once made this country great – sacrifice and ingenuity must again fix what is broken. We are optimistic that it will happen and when it does our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren will enjoy another era of good times.

A little blogging music Maestro... “Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues,” by Danny O’Keefe

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com
www.mifflintownship.org

The Original "Dancing With the Star"

Clairton flyboy: original “Dancing With the Star”

Not exactly a love affair but: Donnabelle Mullenger probably never saw the steel mills and coke plants that belched soot, smoke, and quencher in Clairton, PA. She was born and raised on a farm near Denison, Iowa but moved to Hollywood to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. She changed her name to Donna Reed and starred as Jimmy Stewart’s wife in the sappy holiday movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Ed Skvarna has had a pretty wonderful life himself. He grew up in Clairton, half a country away from cornfields and flat land, inhaling all the dirty air until he joined the Army to fight the Germans. Two of his brothers, John and Leo also served. We’ve highlighted many Clairtonians and former residents of this fair city. This post features a young man who went off to war – WW-II, the Big One... it was in all the papers.

Higher Education – in a B-29: Ed graduated from Clairton High School in 1943 and immediately enlisted in the Army Air Corps, later to be renamed the Air Force. Like so many lads of the era he envisioned the romance of flight and signed up for flight school. He was rejected for pilot training because he was colorblind but selected to be a crew member and sent to Kansas for training as a right gunner on a B-29. Being up in a plane was not the only time Ed’s feet left the ground. One evening at the Wichita USO canteen he gathered up his courage and asked the pretty movie star Donna Reed for a dance. In another movie in which she starred as a nurse with John Wayne, the Duke declined her offer to dance. But Ed is from Clairton and he’s no dummy, so he made the move and asked for a dance. She accepted, and Ed was on cloud nine without his B-29. It was the first celebrity he’d ever met but she seemed so down-to-earth. The memory of that dance stuck with him as he finished his training and went off to fight in the skies above Asia.

Star-struck young G.I. writes: After Ed was sent to Asia he dropped Donna notes now and then from China, India, and the Marianas. In May of 1945, while Ed was based in the Marianas near Guam he received a letter back from the film star. It made him “jump with joy.” He had sent her snapshots of himself and told her of some of his adventures and of course, asked for a photo of her. Similar stories of American soldiers and celebrities are told by the men who return home from war. Some are believed with a wink, and others seem to be stretching the truth. But Ed’s was no brag, just fact.

The Donna Reed Letter Show: Donna Reed, often called "America’s Sweetheart” during the war, kept many of the letters – 341 of them to be exact, from Ed and other lonely U.S. servicemen from all over the world. Many, including Ed’s were simply addressed “Miss Donna Reed, Santa Monica, California.” She kept the letters in a shoebox, perhaps taking them out to read and reflect from time to time. Eventually though the shoebox was relegated to a trunk and stored in a garage at her Beverly Hills home, far from her Iowa roots and even farther from Ed Skvara’s hometown of Clairton. But ironically not so far from Ed who in 1950 had settled in Covina, CA, a Los Angeles suburb not too far from his wartime heartthrob. Both got on with their post-war lives, Ed as a schoolteacher and administrator and Donna as an actress, and that would have been the end of the story. Donna Reed died of pancreatic cancer in 1986 at the age of 64, more than 40 years after Donna and Ed had cut a rug on the dance floor and exchanged letters and photos. It would be another 23 years after her death before the letters were discovered.

Who knows what treasures lie in unopened trunks?: Last year Ms. Reed’s daughter, Mary Owens was rummaging through some of her mother’s old possessions and stumbled across the trunk, the shoebox, and the letters. She got in touch with an editor for the New York Times and the letters were highlighted in a Memorial Day story.

Talented actress and patriot: Donna Reed’s accomplishments included the roles opposite Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne as cited above, and her television show, “The Donna Reed Show,” in which she played Donna Stone. She won an Academy Award for her portrayal of a prostitute in “From Here to Eternity.” Among her many other movie roles she played opposite Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Alan Ladd, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Charleton Heston, and Fred MacMurray. Her TV credits included the role of Ellie Ewing Farlow on Dallas.

Home safe and sound: After the war Ed returned home safely and used the G.I. Bill to earn a teaching degree in Industrial Arts from California State Teachers College in California, PA. He married and he and his wife moved to California (the state) in 1950. There he spent a career as a father of three and an educator – teacher and administrator in the El Monte School District. Ed Skrvana, bombardier, dancer with the stars, educator, and Clairton boy.

A little blogging music Maestro... “Against All Odds” by Phil Collins.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com
www.mifflintownship.org

Clairton's Car History

My designated driver drove me to drink

Not a Honda among us: Many readers of this blog remember Clairton back in the days when men were men and women were glad of it and you were able to tell one from the other by their earrings, tattoos, or the way they zipped their jeans. So return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear when there was no place in Clairton to purchase a new Acura, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Datsun, Hummer, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Kia, Lexus, Land Rover, Mazda, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Saab, Scion, Smart, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Volvo, or Cadillac. Well, ok, I’ll concede, Vauxhall was sold at Carroll Motors Pontiac for a short time during the 1950s.

Readers help me remember to See the USA in my Chevrolet: Reader Ed Gibson, Clairton lad with a wealthy healthy memory for modes of transportation helped me remember some of the cars that one was able to purchase new in Clairton in the 1940s, 50s and beyond. Let’s test your memory and see if you remember the dealerships and even some of the cars that were sold back in the days of the stick shift, suicide knob, chopping and channeling, the Western Auto store on Miller Avenue, and the Clairton Bears fan who would paint up his hearse with white shoe polish for football games.

Cars, boats, and other modes of transport: Ed Gibson is a Clairtonian and an admitted autophile, car junkie, and grease monkey. He currently runs Three Rivers Marine Surveys www.threeriversmarinesurveys.com but spent many years providing for his family in the car business. In his current business he helps owners of new boats solve warranty issues but in his heart beats the engine of a 400 horsepower Dodge Hemi with dual four-barrel carbs. Ed has written articles about boats, water marine surveying, and water safety but he also knows the difference between an Olds Rocket 88 and a Ninety-eight. Ed is a certified scuba diver but was also a Clairton hot rod driver. My best guess would be that Ed’s dream car would be the Amphicar, manufactured by Industrie Werke Karlsruhe in West Germany (see photo above), but alas, never sold in Clairton. The cars listed below WERE sold new in Clairton. A thank you for the assist in the compilation of those cars and their dealers goes to Ed Gibson, Clairton boy.

Of grocery stores and Buicks: Many Clairtonians remember the Marracini markets in Wilson and “on the hill” at the Woodland and Worthington Avenue confluence, but what you may not remember is that the Marracini family also owned the Buick dealership in Blair. The Ford dealership in Wilson had several different owners over the years and one little dealership not to be overlooked was Page Wilcher Crosley near Mendelssohn Avenue and the Spur gas station. Don’t remember that one? Crosley was what today we might call a subcompact car manufactured in the U.S. by Crosley Motors from 1939 to 1952. Industrialist Powel Crosley, Jr, owned radio stations and the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. He built a teeny (80” wheelbase, less than 1,000 lbs.)Convertible that got over 50 miles per gallon and cost about $250. He later added other models including sedans, wagons, and pickup trucks. But the Crosley went the way of the Edsel.

Moving on up with more extinct cars: Caddy-corner to the post office on St. Clair and Fifth Street was a pool hall. But before being a pool hall it was the Airport Kaiser-Frazer dealership. The Kaiser-Frazer Corporation was incorporated in Nevada in 1945. Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser teamed up with auto man Joseph Frazer and tried to catch a wave of the post World War II boom. The Clairton dealership did ok, but the company went bust. Studebaker started building wagons for farmers, miners, and the military during the Civil War. Their car building exploits started in 1902 first with electric then gasoline powered cars. Winters Motors on St. Clair Avenue sold Studebakers until the car company began to lose money and partnered with Packard, which had been building luxury cars since 1899. And yes, Packard had a dealership in Clairton, Niklas Brothers on Woodland Avenue at the corner of Halcomb.

A dealership near the cemetery – a bad omen: Hudson Motors built cars from 1909 until 1954 when they merged with Nash-Kelvinator (the latter of refrigerator fame) to form AMC, or American Motors Corporation. The Hudson dealership in Clairton was on Worthington as Nikolich Motors, just up the street from the cemetery, and later to become Johnny’s Glass, operated by John Nikolich, son of dealership owner Nick. The third generation Nick Nickolich now operates a waste management business from the same property. The Hudson dealership was short lived but the American Motors Corporation continued selling Nash Ramblers and other AMC products at Ping Young Motors on Miller Avenue and Wylie, a block from the grade school. Across the street from Miller Avenue school Ed Zupancic opened Zupancic Lincoln Mercury in the mid 1950s. The opening was attended by no less a celebrity than Ed Sullivan whose Ed Sullivan Show was sponsored by the car company.

General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler: In addition to the aforementioned Ford dealership in Wilson and Zupancic Lincoln Mercury, Chrysler Corporation dealerships included Gregg Motors Chrysler on Park Avenue near Clairton High School, Mauro Desoto/Plymouth next to the Blue Bird Restaurant, and Jim Phillips Dodge on Worthington across from the Triangle and Reggie Desiderio memorial. General Motors dealerships included Carroll Motors Pontiac next door to Mauro Desoto/Plymouth, and down the street was Gumble Chevrolet where the Rite Aid Drug Store currently stands. Browns Oldsmobile sat at the bottom of St. Clair Avenue. The last dealer of mention, and ironically one of the few still selling cars in Clairton is Royak Motors which sold Willys Jeep products across the street from the post office. It is operated by Joe Royak, Jr. Willys came to prominence by winning a government contract to produce Jeeps during World War II. After the war they expanded their offerings to cars, trucks, and station wagons that became America’s first SUVs. The Jeep brand was eventually sold to Chrysler.

A review of Clairton circa 1950s: During its heyday Clairton had 16 car dealerships that offered every American car made except Cadillac. The two main streets include St. Clair Avenue, which was the location of the State Theater, at least three hotels, and six car dealerships, and Miller Avenue which had a school, two car dealerships, two movie theaters (Capital and Colonial), most of the business district, three service stations and a church. All this in a town that at its peak boasted fewer than 20,000 residents! In my next post I’ll focus on how some things have changed in Clairton in a half century.

A little blogging music Maestro... “Riding Around in my Automobile,” by Chuck Berry.

Dr. Forgot
http://Drforgot.com
www.mifflintownship.org

Week on the Beach

ATTENTION INVESTORS AND GARDNERS: What goes down must come up

401K to 201K to #%&K: We are in the beginning of a recession – or is it a depression? Or are we in the middle – or closing in on the end? Remember the recession of the 1980s when the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to be a train coming toward you? So many reports about the health of the economy. So many experts. Of course one sage once said that an ex is a has-been and a spurt is a drip under pressure, so draw your own “expert conclusions. Moody’s Investment Services recently said that despite the burgeoning debt of the USA, we still retain the highest possible credit rating –“AAA.” That means that there seems to be a very good chance that the U.S will be able to pay off its debts eventually. AAA also means that if one of your car’s tires goes flat a guy will come out to change it, so that seems to be a good thing all the way around.

GM now stands for Government Motors: Remember the cry, “Save your Confederate money boys, the South will rise again?” Well the same might be said for stock in General Motors as it has sunk below Bambi’s Daddy. That would be a buck. The wild ride, or parachuting of the GM stock began in 2000 when it climbed close to a Franklin per share (that’s a hundred bucks) but began to swan dive shortly thereafter. However it did a Mexican jumping bean dance for the next several years and finished above $ 40 per share in late 2007. But since then GM seems to have gone the way of roll up side windows and tumbled to a low of 85 cents. Now might be a good time to pick up some of the GM stock, especially if the adage at thee top of the blog holds true.

1,2,3,4 Will they confirm Sotomayor?: Supreme court nominee Sotomayor seems to have been both a needed selection and a brilliant move on the part of President Obama. Although we have looked askance at some of his recent decisions, this one seems to have been right on the money. Of course the nominee is a Latina woman but her credentials are impeccable. In every political decision there must be vetting and opposition – that is how the system works. But political pundits and talking heads from the other party seem to make themselves look ridiculous as they attack phantom issues in an effort to show some level of opposition. We predict that not only Judge Sotomayor be confirmed she will have a distinctive run as Supreme Court Justice.

Maps of Afghanistan are sandpaper: The national bird call in Afghanistan is “Duck.” US soldiers reported killing 34 insurgents in East Afghanistan yesterday. The president says our presence is needed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and many other stans in the neighborhood. Across the globe, the Nut Case of North Korea, Little Kim continues to rattle his bottle rockets scaring the Hell out of his neighbors. One must wonder, “Why are we the only ones upset enough over these world activities to send troops?” We currently have 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea and it is reported that they are preparing for war if needed. Am I the only one who wonders why other superpowers don’t look after their own ‘hoods? Hello! China! Can you hear me? The little nut case poses more a problem to YOU and his Asian neighbors than to the US. Hello! Russia! I know you had the good sense to get out of Afghanistan with your tail between your legs but is this not closer to your neighborhood than to ours?

The future isn’t what it used to be: Future 1 - Football. Tom Brady throws a mean missile and is a Patriot. The New England quarterback’s future however will be determined by how well he recovers from that most dreaded of all football diseases, knee-monia. He missed the entire season last year after a devastating knee injury during the first game. After surgery an infection threatened to end his football career but Brady has a bunch of courage and has returned to practice with teammates. During his glory days he dated the most beautiful models in the world and made a little Brady, but during his rehab he married. Guess it was too hard to run around on one leg.

The future isn’t what it used to be: Future 2 - politics. Its as easy as ABC; All ‘Bout Chicago. Illinois guv Blogo saw the curtain falling on his career about the same time he was to appoint a replacement to finish the Senatorial term of the Barackster. But Babbling Blogo bamboozled Burris to be top banana among a backdrop of balderdash and bluster. A backlash resulted because some saw this as backhanded but Blogo would not budge and Burris would not back down. Burris bade Blogo goodbye and boogied to the badlands of DC faster than a bad check could become a bad debt. Blogo the half-baked bumpkin was left to battle the big boys in his own bailiwick. But unbeknownst to Burris, the FBI was in the basement and with a barrage of double talk they heard him barter and bequeath buckets of bucks to Blogo’s brother. Busted!

The future isn’t what it used to be: Future 3 – Sci Fi. Although we are surrounded by the wonders of technology more or less predicted by Jules Verne, Dick Tracy, and Star Trek, some shortcomings still exist. Namely, traffic free cities, pollution free environments and Jet Packs have yet to appear on the scene. The patent office does not yet need to close for those who imagine items of the future still have plenty to work on including teleporting (Beam me up, Scotty), clean renewable energy, and that doggone jet pack. Live long and prosper.

A little blogging music Maestro… “Another Day in Paradise” by Phil Collins.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

A Flood of Tears and Dollars

A Tale of Two Cities – Clairton and Johnstown

It was the best of times, it is the worst of times: With apologies to Charles Dickens, let me tell you about my hometown; Clairton, PA. As you browse through past posts about Clairton you will see that it has a rich history. The area was originally settled by various Indian tribes, and then farmed under patents from the British and was later the site of the Whisky Rebellion. Industry began to creep in during the latter 19th century with a piano factory, a baling wire factory, a glass factory and other manufacturing plants. Since Clairton sits on the Monongahela River it was an attractive location for factories to receive their raw materials and ship their finished products using the nation’s original interstate highway system – the rivers of the area. In the early 20th century the steel industry discovered Clairton and surrounding communities and giant steel mills were built along the rivers. Clairton grew and thrived. Fortunes were made by a few and a good life was enjoyed by many as the mills paid the bulk of local taxes. The City of Clairton had state-of-the-art police and fire equipment and the schools generated first-generation Americans, African Americans, and Anglo Americans who went on to college and made their marks on the world. Many have been highlighted in earlier posts.

The Worst of times: With the decline of the steel industry Clairton began to not only lose jobs and its tax base from the mills, but many of those bright, promising young people who left for college and the military, opted to not return. As the older generation began to die off the hopelessness of a poor economy enticed younger ones with the usual sinister issues of substance abuse, crime, and more feelings of hopelessness. Downtown business closed and a thriving community that once boasted as many as 12 new car dealerships, three movie theaters, and some of the most elegant homes in the area began to crumble – literally. A few hearty souls continue to try to restore Clairton to some semblance of its former glory, but it has been a difficult task. But then there came a glimmer of hope!

Pennsylvania Turnpike Highway Route 43: Route 43 is often referred to as the Mon-Fayette Expressway although it is officially named the James J. Manderino Highway. It was named after the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, who died in 1989. Route 43 is a 66 mile leg of the Pennsylvania Turnpike system that is designed to go from I-68 near Morgantown WVA to I-376 in Pittsburgh. The highway has been mostly completed up to Route 51 in Jefferson Hills near the edge of Clairton, but the funding for the last segment seems to have dried up. The reason that final leg is so important to Clairton residents is that once that it is completed, Clairton becomes attractive as a bedroom community to young professionals who work in Pittsburgh. The 20-30 minute commute will offer the low taxes and unbelievably low housing prices. Clairton is a place where a home can be purchased for less than the price of a car! Where might those funds have gone? Let’s look 85 miles to the east.

The Great Johnstown Flood: In a few days the village of Johnstown, PA, 85 miles east of Clairton, will mark the 120th anniversary of the Great Johnstown Flood. That flood killed more than 2,000 people and caused $ 17 million in property damage. The more recent flood came as the result of a powerful politician by the name of John Murtha – but this time the area became awash in dollars rather than floodwaters. Murtha, a powerful Democrat from Johnstown decided his community needed an airport upgrade and did he ever get one! Using ten times the amount of money caused by damage from the Great Johnstown Flood, Murtha, known as “The King of earmarks” was able to upgrade the sleepy Cambria County airport – which was recently renamed the John Murtha Johnstown Cambria County Airport. (The sign in front of the airport shows the Murtha name much larger than the airport name)

A Study in Earmark Money: The Murtha airport is located about 2 hours by car, or 12 minutes by commercial jet from the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport. If a Hertz car rental is needed at Murtha, one must phone the agent in Johnstown, who will deliver the keys. In the past decade the airport has received over $150 million including money for a $7 million control tower (staffed by FAA controllers of course), a $14 million hangar that mostly sits empty, and an $18 million reinforced runway that can accommodate any commercial plane that flies America’s skies.

A place to explore: At 10 a.m. on a recent morning, one of the busiest times at most airports, not a passenger could be found at Murtha. Sometime later four passengers wandered in and passed easily through the seven-person TSA security line en route to board one of the three daily flights – all to Washington D.C. Each passenger’s ticket price is subsidized with matching funds. An average of 20 people per day cost the government about $2,000 daily for those subsidies. A recent Washington Post article reported, “Inside the terminal on a recent weekday, four passengers lined up to board a flight, outnumbered by seven security staff members and supervisors, all suited up in gloves and uniforms to screen six pieces of luggage. For three hours that day, no commercial or private planes took off or landed. Three commercial flights leave the airport on weekdays, all bound for Dulles International Airport.” Oh, by the way, in case you wonder where some of your stimulus money is going, $800,000 of it went to pave a backup runway at Murtha’s airport.

Highways vs. Skyways: Rep. Murtha uses the airport frequently during his campaign jaunts between home and Washington. It must be important to him to have high tech radar, the type of which is usually only placed in international airports, inside the brand new state-of-the-art tower. He is a large man, so perhaps it is important to have a restaurant in that new terminal, a full contingent of security guards, supervisors, carousels and related luggage equipment. Communities such as Clairton and others along the proposed Route 43 continue to languish without funds for the completion of their highway. They come to the table in sackcloth and ashes and like the orphan Oliver Twist they beg for just a little more. Meanwhile, 85 miles away, some 20 passengers per day walk through a luxurious, fully staffed airport and select one of three nearly empty airliners with leather seats and full amenities that will take them to the Nation’s Capital. Johnstown got the pork. Clairton got the beans

A little blogging music Maestro.... “Pork and Beans” by Weezer.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

Clairton - Your Vote Counts

Take a Risk: Winning = Happiness, Losing = Wisdom
Clairton Bits of Tid, Oddz ‘n Enz

Weekend Blaze of Glory: We spend many words on this blog reflecting on our hometown of Clairton. Today’s Clairton is much different than the one from the 1950s, 60s and even 70s. When once the mills and Coke Works paid nearly all the local taxes, now those entities are dead and dying. The city is in crisis and poverty issues that have plagued many other industrial cities in the Northeast and Midwest are evident in Clairton. But Clairton has always had a cadre of fighters in its midst and that has not changed. Civic groups and churches will gather this weekend for Glory. http://blazeofglorycrusade.com/default.aspx

The Blaze of Glory crusade will include a choir competition, talent show, and exhibitors. We congratulate the fine people of Clairton and wish them well in their Crusade and the rebuilding of their city.

Part of nearly every boy’s life: Life for a boy growing up in Clairton during the prosperous post-WW-II days included a host of common activities. Four boys together comprised a singing group, six boys together meant a 3-on-3 pickup basketball game. Win and you played another team, lose and you were out. Eight boys together meant a 4 on 4 touch football game in the street. More than that meant group hanging out on the corner telling lies about sexual escapades or playing games such as kick the can (glorified hide-and-seek). But one boy alone would deliver newspapers.

Extra spending money: Since Clairton did not print a daily newspaper The Daily News was trucked each day from McKeesport, four miles to Clairton. Papers arrived in a rented garage in bundles of 50 and were counted and distributed to paperboys (rarely were there papergirls), and stores for resale. The typical paperboy made about $ 5.00 per week. Papers cost a nickel each and one and ¼ pennies was earned per paper. However, at age 14 I moved from paperboy to distributor when my father took over the Clairton distributorship. One slight problem was that I was but 14 years of age and the legal driving age was 16. But nobody seemed to notice or complain and I was the only 14-year old in Clairton who had his own wheels. The photo above shows the Willys Jeep station wagon that was used to distribute more than 2,000 papers each day throughout Clairton.

Today is Election Day in Clairton: Many communities including Clairton vote today for various offices including School Board. We are doing an abbreviated version of our post today to get it "to press" in time to encourage all Clairtonians who read this to get out and vote. If you do not vote, you have no right to complain about the politicians.

Summary: In Clairton City School District, Barbara A. Roberts is filed in both party primaries and Joseph A. Julian Jr. is filed as a Democrat in the First Ward. Candidates are unopposed in three other wards. Clairton Mayor Dominic Virgona withdrew from the race for re-election, leaving Deputy Mayor Richard L. Lattanzi, former councilman Dr. Thomas B. Meade and retired teacher and crime watch volunteer Lucille T. Herndon on the Democratic ballot. And finally, not a Clairton race exactly, but in Magisterial District 3-9 in Allegheny County, Deputy Sheriff Armand A. Martin, son of the late Magisterial District Judge Armand Martin, faces Luke Riley, Liberty's police chief and South Allegheny school board's president, on both party ballots.

A little blogging music Maestro.... “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

More Clairton History

Clairton, Parks and Recreation

The impact of Clairton natives: Margaret Brown was born in the Wilson section of Clairton in August, 1914. She was from a multi-generational Clairton family. As a senior attending Clairton High School she dated the Clairton football hero and Notre Dame Athlete Ken Stilley. She even attended Ken’s prom at Notre Dame and the locals decided they’d make a lovely couple. But it was not to be. Ken Stilley married another Clairton gal and Margaret married Ken Norris. They had two Clairton children, Elizabeth and Robert. Margaret passed away in Florida last August at age 93. Her beloved husband passed away in 2004. Her daughter, Elizabeth Banzen was kind enough to share a photo of Margaret as a 16-year old, taken on the opening day of the Clairton swimming pool (front row left). See more about the Clairton pool and its opening below. Margaret Brown Norris, Clairton gal.

Of covered bridges and recreation: If you lived in Clairton you have driven along State Street through the area called “Peters Creek Bottoms.” On one side of State Street are the remnants of a still working mill that sits on the Monongahela River’s edge. Peters Creek empties into the river and during the 1940s, 50, and 60s, the smell of quencher would permeate the air so heavily that the kids would hold their breath and car windshields would become coated with the residue from the mill as cars crossed the bridge over Peters Creek. But have you ever given that bridge a second thought? Just an ordinary concrete bridge constructed in 1937 during the height of the Great Depression, one of thousands in the Keystone State built to allow smooth passage over water. It replaced an iron bridge that had stood for years. The iron bridge was built when engineers straightened the channel of Peters Creek from its normal winding route to allow for multiple railroad tracks. In the late 1800s that creek meandered past the first Clairton cemetery and was traversed by a covered wooden bridge. The Peters Creek Valley was the location for Clairton residents and neighbors to enjoy swimming, fishing, and recreation until it became a dumping ground for sewage, coal residue, and finally slag that created the bottoms that now exist.

A walk in the park – a swim in the pool: The City of Prayer might well have been called the City of Parks during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Blair Grove, McGogney and Reed Orchard, and Union Grove were located along the river – later to be supplanted by blast furnaces and mills. Central Park, replaced by the open hearth, had rides and a regular balloonist who would take off then leap from the balloon and open a parachute to return to earth. Mendelsshon Park at the end of Boundary Avenue included a dancing pavilion, merry-go-round and a Midway. But the crown jewel of area parks was the 137 acre City Park, which became Clairton Park as it is now known. Construction of the central feature of the park, the swimming pool, began in 1929 and the pool opened in time for the summer 1930 swim season. The 210 foot long by 130 foot wide pool had a baby pool at the shallow end that added another 15 feet. It cost $ 107,000 to build, no paltry sum, and held 1.3 million gallons of water. A large island in the shallow end and a smaller one in the deeper end were called the first and second floats, respectively. In addition to the 88 underwater lights there were towers, benches and life guard observation posts. The bathhouse of tapestry brick included a first aid station. The refreshment stand and stone pillars at the Walnut Street entrance were added later.

What a difference a century makes: One hundred years ago Clairton was a small village. The third high school class was about to graduate from Clairton High School. A new school that would accommodate more students would be built in a couple of decades to house grades 7-12 and the original high school building would become the Fifth Street Grade School, grades 1-6. Shaw Avenue School opened. Immigrants, mostly from southern and eastern European countries were flowing into the community to work in the mills. Ethnic communities would become defined as immigrants of Slavic descent would congregate in the area, those of Italian descent in another, African Americans in another, and those of Anglo heritage scattered throughout. By 1920 Walnut and Miller Avenue Elementary Schools had opened in an effort to school the burgeoning population. As the elementary children grew to be teens the city saw enrollment in Clairton High School triple. Many Clairtonians remember favorite and gifted teachers including music and art teachers such as Rutilio Rotili, Miss Jennie Mae Botdorf, and Miss Cora Pitcairn. Other outstanding faculty members included famed musician Ben E. Benack, English teacher Elizabeth Bayles who studied at University of London, and Latin teacher Emma Will.

The people and the industry: The people of Clairton have been highlighted in these blog posts as has the steel industry. U.S. Steel was incorporated in 1901 and capitalized at an unheard of $ 1.4 billion – the first billion dollar corporation. Attempts by the federal government in 1911 to break up U.S. Steel under antitrust laws failed. The corporation’s first president was Charles M. Schwab. U. S. Steel's production peaked at more than 35 million tons in 1953. Employment was greatest in 1943 with more than 340,000 employees. By 2000, however, it employed just 52,500 people. As the new century dawned Clairton was on life support. U.S. Steel announced a potential revival in late 2007 in the form of a $ 1 billion refurbishing of the Clairton works, but like so many other empty promises, the economy made that one fizzle.

The outlook for Clairton: Since the decline of the steel industry Clairton has followed suit. From a population high of 25,000 in the 1950s to an estimated 7,000 today the population and economy has contracted. Crime, poverty and unemployment are up. The school system struggles, and some say the future is bleak. But from chaos comes opportunity. The Community Economic Development Corporation of Clairton in conjunction with the Allegheny County Housing Authority and the state of Pennsylvania, recently completed construction of a single-family housing development to encourage people to own rather than rent. Taxes for nearly all homeowners have been reduced, and a new freeway that ends in Large is scheduled to continue on to Pittsburgh. Prospects for Clairton’s future look better today than a decade ago.

A little blogging music Maestro.... “A New Day” by Celine Dionne.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com