1917
James Hawkes was awarded the first Boy Scout Pin by the Ontario County Council on June 22, 1917.
The United States entered the First World War. The Lehigh was a direct route from large manufacturing cities to the New York City Harbor. Railroads were the main means of transporting troops. Approximately 40 men from Manchester served in the armed services.
Major expansion occurred at the railroad yard. The freight areas were expanded and a larger roundhouse built. Railroad work was dirty, difficult, and dangerous. Many men were killed or injured in the yard and on the trains, but the railroad offered employment and the men continued to work.
Nov. 29, Thanksgiving (C.O’s diary). “We had dinner with the Lynd’s and it was a good one. For one day the people turned the picture of Hoover to the wall, and ate all they wanted”.
Dec. 5, (C.O’s diary). “Daisy (Osgood’s wife) , went to Canandaigua today with some other ladies to see Mrs. Thompson about Red Cross Matters. We got a half pound of sugar today”.
1918
The “Great Nightmare” flu epidemic broke out with many dying.
Jan. 17, (C.O’s diary). “The government has ordered all factories closed for five days to save coal”.
Jan. 30, (C.O’s diary). “Coal is very scarce; almost none at all and the weather is bad. Louis Dibble, the Fuel Inspector, and Harvey Perry, were looking in cellars to see how much coal people had”.
Feb. 8, (C.O’s diary). “I went to the Lehigh this morning and saw their P.B.X. and talked with them about connecting. The trainmen have a big dance here tonight”.
Scoutmaster, Rev. St. Johns received his Eagle Scout Award, the first in the County.
The first water tower was built on Merrick Avenue.
1919
Clint Mason dismantled his father’s old mill and used the timbers to build his home on Newton Street.
Ezra Smith built a brick structure on the north west corner of Main and State Streets. A general store was operated by Smith and Johnson in this building. Later, John Johnson bought the E. E. Pratt building and moved his business across the street under the new name of Johnson & Bennett.
1920
Joe Lisai’s Restaurant was started on Merrick Circle across from the Round House. A fine Time Restaurant currently operates on this site.
Scoutmaster, Rev. St. Johns left Manchester. His assistant, Ainsworth M. Bennett, agreed to take over the troop until someone else could be found. He was scoutmaster for over 30 years. Ezra Smith, A. M. Bennett’s father-in-law, became involved with the scouts and gave them a piece of land along the outlet where they built a cabin for scouts to use for meetings. This camp was called GE WA NAH, an Indian name meaning “TO HELP”.
Many scouts from the village obtained the rank of Eagle Scout including, Clair Barrows, Leland Barrows, Mike Bolanda, Glenn Herman, Abbott Hessney, Chester Hyde, Mahes Meehan, Lavern Messimer, Newton Randall, Harold Ryan, and David Werner.
The village tax roll in 1920 was $10.000. The roll included 254 houses and lots as well as many hotels, boarding houses, restaurants and a variety of businesses. Property owned by the railroad made up more than half the total tax roll. The money was allocated as follows: Water- $2000 Streets-$2500 Lights- $800 State Highway Maintenance – $400 General Fund – $3700 Hall bond & Interest – $600
1922
Charles Moon bought out James Hosey and started the Moon Coal Company on South Main Street. 1923 The first chest clinic in Ontario County, sponsored by the Manchester Health Association, was held in Trainman’s Hall over Johnson & Bennett’s store, on August 15.
Erza Smith began the first trips to Little Brown Tract Pond in the Adirondack Mountains. These trips continued to the same spot for over 30 years. To help pay for their expenses, the scouts sold baked goods, held minstrel shows, and bazaars. Walter A. Lush was very instrumental in organizing these events. This was the year that John Bolonda made his first A trip to Little Brown Tract.
1927
Alice Boardman plays for the first minstrel show. These shows continued for many years as fund raisers for the Boy Scouts and Firemen.
1929
R. Browning Crowell started a -small bean business on Lehigh Avenue which later expanded to include coal, -feeds, and farm supplies.
1930
Reggie Lush made his first trip to Little Brown Tract. The Boy Scout Camp was expanded to include a gym and general use hall.
House listings had increased to 386 on the Village tax roll. Homes were now being built across the outlet on North & South Avenues, Clifton Street, & Newton Street. Italian settlers were building homes on Merrick Avenue. Names from several new ethnic groups appeared. The complete tax roll raised $15,000. The LVRR continued to pay more than half of this total. Village men competed at the Horseshoe Pit in the Village Park.
1931
The Don Herman orchestra was listed as 14th most popular in the State in the New York Daily Mirror. Members were, Armond (Monty) Cianfoni (Banjo) , Fred Hudson (Piano) , Don Herman (Saxophone) , and Bert Lush (Drums) .
A gym, nurse,’ s office, home economics, science, and industrial arts rooms were added to the school at a cost of $180,000.
George Record made his first trip to Little Brown Tract.
1932
Agar Grieveson purchased a dairy on Center Street from James McShea. He started home milk delivery.
Mickey Murray opened the West End Restaurant at the west end of State Street.
1933
Fire Chief, John Robinson started a Firemen’s band and drill team. Both groups won many awards.
John Twenty-five started a grocery store on South Main Street.
Julius M. Liberati, born in Italy in 1893, opened Liberati’s grocery on the west side of Main Street. The new diesel engines terminated his job as blacksmith with the LVRR. The store closed because of his bad health in 1980. He was a resident of Manchester for 66 years, a veteran of WW 1 and served as Commander of Turner Schrader Post American Legion. He was a true gentleman from the heart, always willing to help the needy, friend or stranger. 1934 Because of heavy traffic, it became necessary to build a railroad bridge over Route 21. This made travel easier for both vehicles and pedestrians.
John Boardman started an insurance company.
Emma Moon continued her husband’s business after his death, and employed Elsworth Sanders.
1935
Allen Brothers Canning Factory opened on the east side of South Main Street near the railroad tracks at the site of the former Salter Canning Co.
1936
An article about the Lehigh Valley transfer at Manchester appeared in the March 10th edition of the Rochester Times Union. It stated that Manchester’s freight transfer was 2nd largest in the U.S. The transfer had 72 electric trucks, and 415 employees sorted 3,000,000 packages per year . Workers had Mondays off because freight was not shipped on Sunday. The annual payroll was $600,000.
Bi-weekly pay day on the Lehigh was a big event. The paymaster, guarded by the railroad police, would bring checks and cash. The workers would collect their checks at one window and cash them at the next. Many $2 bills were included in the cash. Many creditors would be waiting to collect money owed. Red Cross and other organizations would be there soliciting donations.
1937
John Corino opened a grocery store and gas station on the west end of State Street.
1938
The advent of the Diesel engine eliminated many jobs. Local men found employment in nearby factories and the Veterans Hospital in Canandaigua.
1939
A sewer system was installed in the village at a cost of $135,000.
The Manchester Firemen Drill Team took the grand prize in the State Convention at the World’s Fair held in Flushing, New York.
1940
Florence Nelson started a restaurant across from the Liberati and Twenty-five stores on South Main Street.
Dr. Seigfried Dikler came here in the late 1940’s. He was a native of Vienna and a graduate of Vienna Medical School. He was one of the many refugee doctors who replaced, on the home-front, the Americans serving in the armed forces. He practiced here until the 1960’s. After he closed his office, house calls in the area were no longer available. Residents now go to modern medical centers in Canandaigua & Clifton Springs for medical care.
Early in the 1940’s, A. M. Bennett felt that the Boy Scouts needed a place to practice marksmanship so he had a rifle range built inside the gym at the scout camp.
1941
The United States entered World War II. Approximately 225 people from the village were called to duty.
The home front cooperated in the war effort in many ways. Women took the place of men in all ranks of employment. Housewives coped with rationing, grew victory gardens and attended Red Cross classes in first aid and home nursing. The Red Cross used the Manchester Health Center as a full time location for women to make dressings for the war effort.
When troop trains went through the village, they would blow the whistle through the yards. Villagers would gather to wave at the troops.
Shortsville & Manchester barbers agreed to raise the price of an adult haircut from $.35 to $.50. A child’s haircut remained at $.35.