30 years ago – July 1980
Brownsville Time Capsule Editor’s note: At the request of our readers, we are running previously published versions of the Brownsville Time Capsule.
Brownsville Time Capsule looks back over the years through the archives of the Brownsville Telegraph.
n The former owner of a well-known Brownsville furniture store has died. Lloyd E. Bockes, 83, of 113 Sixth Ave., was associated with the Woodward-Wright Furniture Co. in Brownsville. Bockes, a native of Garrett, Pa., is survived by two daughters, Shirley Burdette of Pittsburgh and Rosalie George of Carlisle, and a son, Keith Bockes of Tampa, Fla.
n Brownsville Legion nipped California Legion, 12-10, on the West Brownsville diamond. Manager Joe Mazurek’s Brownsville team is in second place in the North Section with an 8-6 record, while Manager Romaine Howell’s California nine drops to 8-7 but still leads the South Section. With the regular season ending in two weeks, both teams are battling to make the playoffs.
Jim Famularo was the big gun at the plate for Browns-ville, with Joe Bochna, Brian Flick and Jeff Slusarick also having multiple hit games for the winners. Ray Huffman continued his heavy hitting for California, and Eric Copenhaver and John Waller each had two hits for the losers.
In Fayette County Baseball League action, Fred Britvich led LaBelle to an 8-6 triumph over Leck-rone. Britvich hit a homer and three singles, and Bill Cleary and John McMonagle also made a lot of noise at the plate for Manager Junior Battaglini’s nine.
50 years ago – July 1960
n Bowman’s castle will be opened to the public on Friday, July 22, 1960. Esther Brain has made arrangements with the heirs of the Bowman estate to open the famous castle for public visits over weekends. Brain is the great-great-great niece of Col. Robert Elliot, one of the partners in the trading post, which is now part of the castle.
The castle is owned by the heirs of Charles W. Bowman of Easton, Md., and Nelson B. Bowman of Sunset Drive, Uniontown. Cleaning, painting and repairing are now being taken care of under the direction of Brain. The original furniture, rugs, drapes and bed clothing will all be in their original positions before opening day. Many gowns dating back to the days of hoop skirts and knee britches are hanging in the closets and presses.
On cleaning up the castle, many pieces of cut glass and other tableware and antiques were found in the attic and the basement. The surplus will be placed on sale on Saturday, July 23.
The main part of the present building was completed in 1789, with the trading post end having been completed in 1786 by Col. Robert Elliot. When Col. Elliot was killed while on his way to join Gen. “Mad” Anthony Wayne, young Jacob Bowman, Elliot’s junior partner, became sole owner of the property.
n The Luzerne Township and Redstone Township school boards, hopping mad about a court injunction issued last week that orders the John A. Brashear jointure to remain in operation for at least one more year, have each decided to seek a reversal of that decision. Prior to the issuance of the injunction, Luzerne and Redstone had agreed to form a jointure between their two districts for the coming school year. The court ruling would scuttle that plan, as Luzerne would be forced to remain in the Brashear jointure.
n A new lock and dam project at Maxwell came closer to reality last week when President Eisenhower signed the 1960 Water Projects bill. The Maxwell lock and dam project, which will cost an estimated $1.4 million, was one of 130 listed in a plan OK’d by Congress and signed by the president.
n No one appeared at a county hearing to contest the claim of Brownsville Borough to ownership of the North Side fire hall near North Bend. The fire hall, occupied by the fire company since about 1913 or 1914, will be demolished to make way for the new high-level bridge across the Monongahela River.
The board of view hearing was for the purpose of determining who is entitled to receive damages from the state Highways Department for the building. The state and the borough have already agreed on a figure of $26,000 for the building. No deed has ever been issued to show ownership of the building, but since the borough fire company has used it, it is expected that the determination will be in the borough’s favor.
n Alan Sepsi, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Sepsi, South Side, and an all-around athlete at Brashear High School, will continue his education and athletic career at Notre Dame University. An outstanding fullback for the Brownies for three seasons, the 6’1″, 195-pound Sepsi decided on the South Bend institution after receiving over 20 scholarship offers. He plans to study business administration at Notre Dame.
65 years ago – July 1945
n Seeking to cool off in the Monongahela River prior to returning to their homes has proven fatal for one of three youngsters. Clarence Rayburn, 11-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Rayburn, National Pike East, drowned in the Monongahela River at the Bank Street wharf.
Accompanied by his brother, Lewis Redmond, 10, and Billy Malenosky, 10, the three decided to journey to the river after leaving a local theater at about 6:30 p.m. Of the trio, only young Malenosky was able to swim. All three removed their clothing and waded onto the sandbar at the mouth of Dunlap Creek. Young Malenosky moved away from the two brothers and was swimming around for 10 minutes when he heard a scream for help.
Malenosky swam to aid Clarence and grabbed him as he surfaced for the first time.
“I told him to hold on to my neck, and I guess he tried before he let go, then I couldn’t find him anymore,” said the youth as tears rolled down his face. It was the seventh river drowning of the summer.
n The Vestaburg Redwings captured the first half championship in the Brownsville Telegraph Baseball League by edging out the California Eagles, 10-9, at the Woodward Plan Stadium in Brownsville.
Trailing 9-8, Vestaburg tied the game in the ninth when Andy Kapcar opened the final inning with a double and stole third. Patsy Ricciutti singled in Kapcar and advanced on an error, then Wilfred Skvarch drove him home with the winning run.
Comments about this column can be directed to Pete Skirchak, Associate Editor, at pskirchak@heraldstandard.com.