Reminiscences of
Edward Speich

 

No 76 Warring Ave.
Buffalo, March, 1928 .........

 

 

Johnny Oldboy,

The TIMES, Buffalo.

My Dear Sir:

I have been a reader of your column ever since it began, and enjoy it very much.

My father's name was Louis Speich and we lived in Frank Link's house on West Genesee and the Terrace,

He was a member of Neptuna Hose, Volunteer Fire Department and got his certificate and it was signed by

Mayor Fargo in 1865. I saw the story of Neptune Hose in your column but never saw his name.

This certificate of his got lost, but I remember it well.

Kindly look it up and I will watch your old timer's column for answer.

We moved to the Hydraulics in 1871, when I was two years old.

And in your writings you remind me of a great many things of bygone days,

like the old mill on North Swan Street, the ravine where we used to skate:

also Saber's tannery, Brush's brick yard on Clinton Street.

When a kid I worked there washing moulds: also Bowan's tannery at Emslie and North Swan,

and "Old Dutch Nine" fire house on Seneca Street.

I also remember the Seneca plank road and the old stage coach.

I must also tell you that I was a newsboy when we had to fold our own papers.

It was somewhere on Washington Street, near Exchange Street and if I remember rightly,

it was called "The Republic". (Afternoon edition of the old Courier.)

They had an old fellow, with a big club, stand around those long tables to make the boys preserve order.

There was one other evening paper then, the Commercial.

I also had two brothers who were newsboys in their early days. Every boy had his own corner and

I had many a sweet roll and spoonful of ice cream on top of the roll,

from Mrs. Moiter, at Main and Seneca Streets, for which we paid her a penny.

Oh, boy those were indeed the happy days. Occasionally we'd go down to Roskopf's Bakery on Seneca Street,

corner of Baker's Alley and get five cents worth of broken cookies.

Do you remember the wooden Indian sign ("Mr. Pickwick:") on Seneca Street, near Michigan?

(At Fred Richl's Smokeshop and the "Indian" was a fine facsimile of Mr. Pickwick).

When I consider the former beauties of Swan, North Division, South Division and Eagle Streets,

in the former years and view the changes of today, it makes one sigh with regret.

I hope this letter will not tire or bore you. I remain.

Respectfully yours,

EDWARD SPEICH

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I printed Louis Speich's name in my list of oldtime members of Neptune Hose
and it is a pleasure to hear from oldtimers like his son.