The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .

The following article has been transcribed from the August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso, Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to that time.

Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.

Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 4, Page 6.

 

P. W. Clifford Is Very Proud of Two Keepsakes

Valparaiso's Patrick W. Clifford has two keepsake possessions which he values highly. One of them, an old boot of the type that men and youths wore during boyhood and young manhood. It is pictured herewith.

Mr. Clifford's other prized possession comes even nearer to him than the boot -- it is a little wooden box in which his father P. T. Clifford, carried the drawings by which he charted his railroad construction. Elsewhere in this issue is the grim story of the elder Clifford's building of some fifty miles of the Pennsylvania railroad at a loss of some $75,000. The box was known as a "profile" box, and carried a chart about as wide as a modern adding machine roll of paper.

But, back to Mr. Clifford's boot: "You will note that the boot is badly wrinkled. Well, that's the way boots often were. When in that condition those who wore the old-time boots endured many agonies. No amount of tallow rubbing would soften up a water soaked boot. A fellow just had to force his feet into them and take the consequences.

It is Mr. Clifford's recollection that the boot herewith pictured is one of a pair once owned by James Lahey, his wife's cousin, or a member of his family. It was worn by a boy of 3 or 4 years of age.

Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook

 

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