100 years ago in The Record
Friday, Dec. 21, 1917
Many Trojans thought the Collar City would be exempt from the federal government’s order to shut off outdoor lights twice a week during the war against Germany, but The Record reports that it’s not how you get electricity but why you should do without that counts. The government’s “lightless nights” order, which requires all electrical signs to be shut down on Tuesday and Sunday evenings, is designed to conserve coal for the war effort. No coal would be saved by turning Troy’s lights out, since the city uses water power to generate its electricity. Nevertheless, Rensselaer County fuel administrator Albert E. Cluett has announced that Troy will not be exempt from lightless nights. The object of the order, Cluett explains, is “to impress upon Trojans the need of conserving everything. “It is believed that the psychological effect of the lightless nights will bring to the minds of the public more strongly the absolute necessity of conserving not only our fuel resources, but all others,” the administrator adds.
Season’s greetings
Only twenty Rensselaer County supervisors attend this afternoon’s meeting, the last of the fall session, but those who stayed home don’t miss much.
“The proceedings were largely of a farewell and congratulatory character, the work of the board being reviewed and pronounced of great importance,” The Re- cord reports. The last meeting before a new board takes office is an occasion for bipartisan gladhanding. Democratic floor leader Charles P. Riordan, representing Troy’s Ninth Ward, and Fifth Ward supervisor, Thomas H. Curry, representing Republican floor leader Harry A. Lewis, “both spoke of the harmony of action by Republicans and Democrats in advancing the important matters which came before the board,” our reporter writes. Retiring board chairman Alexander Diver “also spoke of the zeal and devotion to public interest which he said had characterized the service rendered by both Republicans and Democrats, and expressed his personal thanks to the members for courtesies shown him.” County attorney Herbert F. Roy joins in the bipartisan praise. He “took occasion to express his appreciation of the support given him by all the members of the board, and the assistance rendered by the clerical staff in the handling of important legal matters which came to him in connection with board proceedings.” Some legislative work does get done today. The supervisors assign the publication of official 1917 county election returns to the printing plants of the Troy Times and the weekend Troy Observer. Those papers, plus the Sunday Budget, the Rensselaer County Standard and Rensselaer Eagle, are designated official county papers. The Record is conspicuously absent from both lists.