Visitors, Vol.1, No. 2, March 4, 1944

In our last issue we left off with Dave Gruber. Now we take up as follows: Frank Feldhues, a petty officer 3rd class was with us for a few days. Staff Sgt. Frank Young was in for a 20 day leave. Lt. Frank Dorr of the Navy was in town, but your writer never had the pleasure of seeing him. S 1-C Frank Kruse, Jr. was home for a generous stay. Pvt. James Herking was with us for about a week. Les Meldon's brother, Eddie, stopped in for a beer. He's in the Marines.

Purely Personal, Vol. 1, No. 2, March 4, 1944

Chris and George Pharo
Photo Credit: Mark Pharo and Bryan Phillips

Don't be surprised if you come back to the Blue Room and find lace curtains in the windows and frills on the furniture. It's a common sight to see more women than men in the place at various times. 

"Ding, ding" and "have your fare ready" or "step to the rear of the car, please" are common phrases in the Blue Room now.Yeah, you guessed it: we have a street car motorman with us now. John Fennessy is a street car operator. Shinzo now greets him with that famous "ding, ding" of his.

Believe me, gang, it is a thrilling sight to see Uncle Bulgey with those eagle eyes of his glued to the rails and both hands at the controls tearing up and down the Avenue. Last Sunday when he left the barn, his first three passengers were Carl and Willie Heing and Jerk Butler, all armed with Sunday passes. A good time was had by all four.

We want him to hold that job till Doc Prinzbach comes home so he can make a few runs with him. I'll bet if Fennessy has the job when Doc comes home, the drug store will go to hell, we'll have two operators instead of one, because Doc won't let Fennessy have anything on him.

Benton suggested that a few of us get on Uncle Bulgey's car with a few limburger sandwiches and some beer and make a few trips, but John doesn't fave the idea. Wimpy Fischer got his preliminary examination for the armed service and passed with flying colors. All he needs is the official nod from Uncle Sam to put down the Mother's Oats and grab a rifle.

Joe Rechtin, Benton and Norb still shake down their herring for the usual 50 or more each week. They try to make it as painless as possible, but I should think after a fish gets caught between 300 pinochle and 150 trump a few times his gills would start to pain a little. Rechtin says he has to keep someone in tow till Wayne Hogan gets back.

Yes, it's still the same old place. Every squirrel in the country that hits Cincy lands in the Blue Room. Last Sunday we had a fellow light in who was an acrobat and a singer combined. He entertained till closing time and then we put him out. He said his home was in Cleveland, Ohio, so we gave him the general direction and told him to go on his way. Good old Blue Room -- never a dull moment.

Fennessy Hits Moving Van, Vol.1, No. 2, March 4, 1944

Trolley bus off of Eastern Ave. in front of Highlands School
Photo Credit:  Mark Pharo*
Spring 1949

This, my good friends, is a late news flash, so late in fact, that we had to stop the press in order to get it in this issue. We have taken these steps just to prove to you that we are ever on the alert for news that may have some little interest for you.  Now let us refer back to the "Purely Personal" column where you will note that John Fennessy is a motorman. Call it that if you will.

It is indeed quite common to see mothers leading their children to school with a firm grip on their child's hand -- children ranging in age from 6 to 16, ever conscious of the dangers that lay in the path of children when Fennessy is loose with a street car.  Just for your information, Fennessy took his pre-flight training at the Hyde Park barn.  His instructor must have been, not Mr. Jeykl, but Mr. Hyde, for the barn has the title of the HYDE Park barn, and who else could go around the city streets ever seeking out women and children hoping for the chance to run them down. Well, whoever gave Uncle Bulgey his training sure had something on the ball. If ever you have seen the glint in the eyes of other motormen as they rattled along the streets of our fair city, you can forget all those glints, for Fennessy has a glint all his own.

The "Horror of the Highway" really has that evil look.Well, let's get down to the point. Last Thursday about noon, some poor Eight Ball was driving his moving van along Gilbert Avenue, never dreaming that someone like Fennessy was at the controls of the oncoming street car. But alas, that was the Eight Ball's mistake.

Back about a square was the fearless Fennessy and as soon as he saw a truck on the tracks all of his pre-flight training came to him.  With the daring of a demon, he let loose with everything he had and scored a perfect hit on the poor Eight Ball and his truck.

All of our local papers carried an account of what happened, but to the Times-Star, we take off our hat. The picture they carried to show what had been done was a knockout.

Never in all my life have I seen a better display of hillbilly furniture set on any street. No doubt it could have been in a little better order, for the stove was where the sofa should have been, and the pot with the lid on that should have been under the bed was on the dining room table. Light globes were popping louder than popcorn in the lobby of the Orpheum Theatre. Things were in a general disarray. Fennessy stepped off his car with that look of satisfaction on his face just in time to see the Eight Ball climb out from under the living room rug.

I might also mention that Fennessy's face looked like he made too close of an examination of a meat chopper while it was in operation. The papers said that Fennessy was hit by flying glass. We were wondering just how much glass the Eight Ball threw at him. Brothers, you can only take my word for it -- he did a perfect job. Again calling to mind his training, he went back to the barn and was given another car to start all over with.

*Photo Credit: Mark Pharo provided this photo, taken in the spring of 1949, from his aunt's front porch. Although it has nothing to do with Fennessy's wreck, I couldn't resist including this picture. Hopefully, I'll eventually be able to find the original article in the Times-Star.

Remember When . . . Vol. 1, No. 1, Monday, January 24, 1944

Remember when we used to have the 500 tournaments every Monday night . . . the Hey You would make its run up the Ohio River on Sunday afternoon with the crew and a KEG aboard . . . Bendel Al and Ace Change played the marble machine . . . the railroads used to run an excursion to South Bend . . . the Blue Room would be so crowded on Saturday night that some of the patrons had to sit on beer cases . . . they used to lock up at 1 A.M. and "take off" . . . the Opera House Club had picnics.

If any of you birds have any "Remember Whens" send them to us for our next edition.  We'll print 'em.

We're Curious, Vol. 1, No. 1, Monday, January 24, 1944

Who made the run with Santa Claus on his 1943 expedition? If you can remember that famous piece of poetry "The Night Before Christmas" there is a certain part in it that says "He spoke not a word but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings and turned with a jerk." WHO WAS THE JERK?

The nearest thing that we can figure, it was Dan Cupid. For after Santa Claus and the Jerk cleared the stack, there was a certain little lady in our neighborhood wearing a very beautiful diamond on that certain finger on her left hand. Then to top it all off, Bob Herking can give you the correct time at any stage of the game, for the old "Flopchild" sports a hell of a swell wrist watch. You can put this all together as we did and draw your own conclusion. We asked the "Flophouse" about the date but he hasn't come down to earth as yet so we can't give you any further dope on this till a later date.

Visitors, Vol.1, No. 1, Monday, January 24, 1944

We were happy to have home some of our friends and neighbors during the holiday season. Helen Schaefer, a member of the WACs, was home in early December and looked like a million, said it was the only life. Loretta Miller, our other member of the WAC's couldn't make it home, so Herb went to her camp to spend a few days with her.

Old "Rose Petal" Andy McGimsey hit town about Dec. 22nd and 23rd, and believe me gang, Sgt. McGimsey let no grass grow under his feet. Then to top it all off, the "Action Man" Harry Geiger showed up. Andy had to leave on the 27th, but Geiger carried on till Jan. 3rd. Marine Private Jimmy "Red" Kroner got in Thursday, Dec.30th. Jim just finished his boot training and was home for ten days. The old red head looks fit as a fiddle. Ray "Inky" Kroner was home from Great Lakes over the holidays. When he returned, he was sent to Shoemaker, California. Bill Conners was supposed to be in but hasn't showed as yet.

Mary Pharo Meldon dressed in uniform belonging to Helen Schaefer (along with Helen Schaefer)

Anthony Grassel was home for a 10 day leave. Mike Sheehy and Bob Hostor were in the Blue Room Sat., January 8th. Mike is in the Army and Bob in the Navy. Al Kroner was inducted in the Navy Jan. 22nd. He spent a week at home here in Cincy from Indianapolis.

Photo Credit: The Betty H. Carter Women Veterans Historical Project

Marie Pharo, Todee, Mary Pharo Meldon
From the Collection of Mary Pharo Meldon

Mail Bag, Vol. 1, No. 1, Monday, January 24, 1944

We had Christmas cards and letters from almost all of the gang at home and abroad. The only ones that are a little slow are the boys from Goat Hill, Sgt. Dreary of the Army and Droopy of the Navy.

Mr. Cooper, the "Kingfish" wants to send this first edition of our paper to them and await results. Lieut. Wolff writes in and raises hell about not getting any mail from you birds. Frank "Hoot Mon" Young will answer anyone who writes him.

Listen gang, the purpose of our "Mail Bag" is to act as a sort of exchange for you and your mail. If you want a letter or any information forwarded to any member of the gang, just drop us a line and if we can get your information past the censors, fine.

If we were to list the address of all our gang in service on this sheet, it would take all the space, and hence, no news. We have a lot of addresses on hand and we have a notice in the Blue Room asking for all other outstanding addresses. So you see we are trying to make "Our Mail Bag" as complete as possible.  It all depends on you.

George Powell tells us that his son, Richard, writes pretty regular, but none of his mail hits the Blue Room. "How come, Dick?" Nothing much has been heard from Lieut. Reise lately, only one letter since his last leave in the late summer.  Lieut. Dorr must be busy as hell, we never hear from him. "Loosen up Frank!"

Well, we can't mention all the letters we have and have not received or we will run into overtime. All you birds get on the beam if you want the second edition of our paper to be published.