Recently in inventions Category

Wouldn't you know it? As soon as I think I'm done learning about local potato chip history, something else pops up.

Did you ever think about who first came up with dispensing the little bags of potato chips and other snacks in coin operated machines? Well, guess what:

According to the August 3, 1953 York Gazette and Daily, the first successful machine was developed by staff of the El-Ge Potato Chip Company, whose York County plant is now Frito-Lay.

By the way, I did call the big Frito-Lay plant in West Manchester Township and they do make all flavors of Lay's potato chips here, as well as all flavors of Doritos. In fact the Frito-Lay website says that the York County plant produced 21 million pounds of potato chips last year.

The vending machine article reads:

I hate to iron clothes and I do as little of it as possible. On the other hand, I don't like to wear wrinkled clothing, so sometimes I do break out the steam iron. I remember when people actually ironed sheets. One older neighbor fascinated me because she ironed everything, like socks. I think she even ironed towels and washcloths.

The ad below, from the June 21, 1863 People's Advocate, brought this all to mind. As far as I'm concerned, this is another example of the good old days being vastly overrated.

William Goodridge's advertisement of the public display of a Christmas tree in 1840, fairly rare for that time, has often been repeated at this time of year.

In the hope of adding a new twist, I did an internet search on Goodridge plus Christmas tree and came up with an interesting coincidence. One hundred twenty-seven years after the York, PA Christmas tree exhibit, Edward S. Goodridge of New York state received a patent for a new way of constructing artificial Christmas tree branches.

The original ad and more information on the patent are below.

Every since humans discovered fire, we have been relying on it for cooking our food, keeping us warm, and lighting our way.

We also know the destruction and tragedy accidental fires can cause. Three items, datelined Hanover, from the April 25, 1908 York Gazette illustrate why fire needs to be treated with respect.

An ad in a 1823 York Recorder reminds us again why the good-old-days weren't so great. Cabinetmaker George Dowdel guaranteed that his improved bedstead was better than any heretofore made.

A recent newspaper article said there is a shortage of court stenographers. It reminded me of Henry Clay Demming, official York County court stenographer for nearly 45 years.

Demming was born in Geneva, NY, but came to Harrisburg to learn printing at the Patriot and Union newspaper as a young man. He served in the Civil War and eventually reached the military rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Before becoming a professional court stenographer, Demming served on the editorial staff of the Harrisburg Daily Telegraph and a verbatim reporter for the Legislative Record.

His friendship with Thomas Edison probably came about because of Colonel Demming’s interest in science, including rocks and minerals, judging by his position as State Geologist in the early 1900s. Edison’s shared interest in minerals, especially iron ore, led to the great inventor’s biggest failure.

What is historical mitigation? A simplified example is that when a structure that might have some historical value is demolished, something is done to compensate for that loss.

When the Sovereign Bank Stadium in York, bounded by George, North, Queen, and Arch streets, quite a few structures were torn down. Some of these were railroad-related, so the York County Industrial Development Authority, with the research assistance of Justine Landis, put together a walking tour History of Rail in York, Pennsylvania. The free brochure, which is available at several sites, including York County Heritage Trust, points out ten sites in the area of historical significance, some of which are no longer standing.

That's what a headline proclaimed in the March 17, 1908 Gazette. It seems that 24-year-old Phares Frey, a cigar maker from York had gone to Boston to raise money for his revolutionary project. How did he plan to raise those funds?

George Anstine's Patented Threshing Machine, 1843.

I recently wrote about the blossoming of York County inventors in the mid- nineteenth century.

Click here to read previous post on inventions.

Read the 1843 ad below to find out just how George Anstine's threshing machine worked.

York Countians have always been readers. At any give time in the nineteen century several newspapers flourished simultaneously in York and Hanover. Just about every small town in the county also had their own weekly paper.

Bookstores, such as Jas. B. Small's Book and Stationery Store in the Hartman Building on Centre Square, were popular and prominently located. They advertised all kinds of reading material, including the latest magazines.