100 years ago in The Saratogian
Tuesday, Nov. 12, 1918. While the news that an armistice ending the world war had been signed yesterday traveled rapidly around the world, the news of individual soldiers in the great war still lags weeks behind.
Today’s Saratogian reports, for instance, that Private Thomas A. Lysett, a prisoner of war in Germany for the past several months, was recently transferred to his fourth different prison camp. According to a telegram from the American Red Cross to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Lysett of 140 Beekman Street, Lysett is now at Camp Raestatt in Baden.
“With the close of the war, it is to be expected that there will be early liberation and safe conduct out of Germany of the Saratogians who are prisoners of war of the Central Powers,” a reporter writes. The Central Powers included Germany, Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey.
The Lysetts have received better news about their other two sons in uniform. Cornelius H. Lysett and John J. Lysett, both stationed at Camp McClellan, Alabama, have both been promoted to sergeant.
Meanwhile, another local soldier, Private William G. Bennett of Company L, 105th U.S. Infantry, has been reported wounded. It’s unclear when he was wounded, but the latest word is that he’s currently recuperating in an English military hospital.
New ‘Spring’ in City Park
Hopes that a new mineral water spring had sprung up in Congress Park are dashed today when the state reservation that administers the springs tells the real story.
Water recently began bubbling through the ground across the driveway from the Casino. The water “appeared to contain a considerable amount of carbonic acid gas” and “had a distinctly mineral flavor,” convincing those who tasted it that it was spring water.
Technically the tasters are correct, but the water doesn’t come from a new spring. Instead, it comes from a leaky wooden pipe that carries water from the Lincoln Spring to the city bath house. The “spring” will disappear once the reservation authorities shut off the pipe. What’s Happening With all the victory celebrations going on, it’s doubtful whether anyone went to the movies yesterday. Whatever was playing yesterday is long gone, as the city’s theaters usually change programs on a daily basis.
Today, movie fans can see Virginia Pearson in the Fox film, “A Daughter of France,” at the Broadway Theatre. The timely war story shows a German officer abandoning his country out of love for the title character.
At the Lyric, Roy Stewart stars in the western, “Cactus Crandall.” At the Palace, “The Service Star,” featuring Madge Kennedy, is a picture “wherein a dead hero turns out to be a live coward.”