100 YEARS AGO IN THE RECORD
Friday, November 1, 1918. At 11 a.m. today, church bells ring and factory whistles blow throughout the Collar City, calling Trojans to their first weekly Minute of Prayer, The Record reports. Each Friday until the end of the year, Troy residents are expected to pause at 11 a.m. to pray for the soldiers of the U. S. and its allies in the world war, and for President Woodrow Wilson. The event has been organized by the Inter- Church Federation of Troy, partly in response to the closing of churches due to the Spanish flu epidemic. “The observance was general throughout the city, machinery in the factories, business in the stores and offices, trolley cars, automobiles and wagons in the streets and persons everywhere stopping for a moment,” our reporter writes. “Members of the church federation to- day expressed themselves as highly gratified at the response given their suggestion.” Private Taylor of Co. C Dead Foremost in some Trojans’ prayers is Private Joseph F. Taylor of Company C, 105th U.S. Infantry regiment, whose death in combat is confirmed by the federal war department today. Taylor fell on October 4, according to the telegram received by his family. The former resident of 2445 Fifth Avenue worked for the Simpson, Morehead box manufacturing company before enlisting in June 1917. He is sur- vived by three brothers, one of whom is also fighting in France.
The government has also confirmed the death of Private Rupert J. Mahoney, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Mahoney of Seventh Avenue. A printer for Van Zandt, Jacobs and a National Guardsman dating back to the regiment’s border-patrol duty in Texas in 1916, Mahoney fell on September 29, according to the official report.
Canvassers Give Cheering Report
As the world war approaches its climax, the Spanish flu appears to be on the wane in Troy, according to a door-to- door survey still under way.
While the canvassers have found another 100 people suffering from flu today, as of press time for tonight’s edition, our paper reports that “the greater part of these cases were old [i.e. previously reported by doctors] and in many instances the persons were able to get out to business every day.”
Organizers of the Red Cross emergency relief committee are increasing efforts to provide assistance to families of flu sufferers.
“In addition to the continuing need for doctors and nurses there are many homes in which a practical nurse is needed or a visitor who will go in each day for a short time to do the work which the members of the family are not strong enough to perform,” from cooking to shopping.