100 years ago – September 11, 1924
CAR HITS WALL BETWEEN TWO PLATE GLASS WINDOWS
The Rosenberg Shoe Store and the Sunshine Beauty Shop, “had a narrow escape from death or serious injury,” in the traditional language of the news hound, when a driver jockeyed his big touring car over the sidewalk in front of the Powell Street stores Monday night. The car struck the concrete pier between the show windows of the business houses, damaging the cement a little, but not hitting the glass. The driver backed up and continued on his way toward West Street.
75 years ago – September 15, 1949
LABOR SAVING MACHINE SAID TO PICK PRUNE TREE IN FIVE MINUTES
Although many prune picking devices have been invented, some put on the market, others stored away in someone’s garage, the machine demonstrated this week by inventor William Leighton, Healdsburg, promises to effect radical changes in the prune picking process.
Leighton picked prunes during the war and it was at that time, he said, that the idea for the machine occurred to him. It consists of two units, each the shape of a half cone covered with canvas and mounted on ball bearing wheels. The two units join under the tree forming a complete cone which funnels down into four standard prune boxes. Each unit is equipped with folding “wings” which permit the two units of the machine to be wheeled through prune orchards. Prunes shaken from the tree go directly into conventional wooden boxes by gravity eliminating handling by hand.
The machine is constructed to hold four boxes which if not filled under one tree, remain in the machine for the next tree. When the boxes are filled, they are taken from the machine and stacked to await collection by truck. A three-man crew is most efficient, the inventor explains. One man handles the machine, while two others pick up windfalls and remove boxes.
In this way, Leighton said, it is possible to pick one tree every five minutes regardless of the amount of fruit on a tree. With an average or better crop, the machine will far surpass hand picking, Leighton claimed.
50 years ago – September 26, 1974
THEY’RE CLEANING OUT CLOSETS FOR ST. PAUL’S ANTIQUE SHOW
Antique dealers find their goods in some pretty strange places – not just the traditional attic, closet or basement but in old sheds and barns of every description. And the antiques are frequently not much to look at when the dealer first gets them. But patience and love, and knowing what to do, can work wonders.
For those who love old furniture, crystal, china, jewelry and other antique items, but don’t know which shed to look in to find them, or just what to do to restore them, the fourth annual St. Paul’s Antique Show and Sale will be of interest. The sale will be held here Nov 1 and 2 in St Paul’s Hall, 209 Matheson St. This antique show has become one of the Redwood Empire’s most popular events for antique lovers, attracting visitors from all over Northern California.
The Flashbackers are docents for the Healdsburg Museum. The Healdsburg Museum is open from 11am to 4pm, Wednesday through Sunday, at 221 Matheson St.
