In an effort to bring back Brad's "Recall of the day:"

My recall for today:

I remember the huge wire baskets we boys put on the front of our bikes when we "carried papers", I remember going to Terre Haute Tent and awning to buy my "paper bag", and the canvas saddle bags that went over the rear fender -- also the "bicycle clip" we used to keep our pants out of the chain, and the water pistol filled with ammonia to ward off the more aggressive dogs on the route.

I remember the black "collection books" we carried in our rear pockets on Saturday when we went out to "collect."

I remember the cheap skates who regularly "stiffed" the "paper boy", by pretending not to be home.

I remember the rather physical initiations in the "paper station" at
13th and Washington where we went each day to "fold our papers."

I remember attempting to "jump the curb" with a tightly packed basket of papers -- and missing.

I remember it' slowed you down a lot when you had to stop and repack the basket.

Bob W-57

That really brings back memories. I delivered papers for four years. I
HATED the winters trying to collect. My station was on 24th between
Crawford and College, (I don't remember the name of the street). We
only went there to pay our "paper bill" each week.

The papers were delivered to our house for folding. My friend and
neighbor, Brian Cottom, had a route at the same time. We would fold the
papers on his porch or mine and then deliver papers.

I picked up papers from the street more than once. What FUN!!

Tony R. - THS 79
Wow Bob, you really were a paper boy -- this stuff is all too familiar, though I haven't thought about it for a long time.

Over a five year period, I delivered the Terre Haute Tribune, Star and Tribune-Star throughout the area bounded by N. 3rd, N.13th, 8th Avenue and Ft. Harrison -- not all at the same time, of course. I had afternoon and morning routes for a couple of years, then morning only after the Tribune ceased production. My brother Tim (THN 84) and sister Tonya (THN 85) also eventually carried papers, which accounts for the vast area I helped serve; we covered for each other often.

My first paper bike was a well-used, heavy-duty beater with no fenders or chain guard, a saddlebag rack on back and a deeply scratched black paint job. The guy I bought it from in 1978 (an older paperboy graduating to pizza delivery) had named it the Hog. It sported a canvas bag lashed onto its broad handlebars, which was then considered "old school".

The removable dark green bag (also well-used) was waterproofed, stiff and had a belt with grommetted holes that allowed you to cinch your load tight before artfully strapping it to the handlebars. There was a rain flap, which never kept anything more than a drizzle out for very long.

I usually had to adjust (tighten) the load at least once between the paper station and the head of my route, as things settled into place. The belt got tightened again after most of the papers had been delivered. Sundays often required multiple loads, and more frequent adjustments.

MThe major advantage of the bag, when properly configured, was that it jumped with the papers when you misjudged a curb height, load weight or both. The baskets that I used later got bent up in spills, and a bad bounce could send everything flying.

y black collection book was held together by two big rings wide enough to thread onto the handlebars. I learned alot about accountability, customer service and how my fellow Hautians live while collecting.

I learned alot about being a teenage boy at the paper station, but that's a whole other story.

Cheers,

Todd Nation
THN 83

Lew wrote:


Speaking of the Tribune Star, any ex paper boys out of the old 13th and
Crawford station among you.


Lew Pringle W-59


Lew--

Yes--I had a Tribune route about '53. I was in Thornton at the time. I
would be interested to know when the Tribune, and Star were
combined--back then--of course--the Star was a morning paper, and the
Tribune was an evening one. I remember getting out of school--tear
assing to the paper station,
folding papers, riding out to the route, and getting chased by BIG dogs
for about an hour or so while trying to deliver the papers. I remember
taking GREAT pride in hitting the porch EVERY time.
If you didn't--you went back and got off your bike, and put it on the
porch by hand. I haven't thought about that for a long time.

It also made me remember lunch time at Thornton. Bill Ervin and I had a
plan worked out to beat the crowd to Cobel's Corner Cafe. One of us
would go get the bike--the other would head the other way
and be standing on the corner waiting. When the guy on the bike came
by--the other guy would run and jump onto the back fender. We would both
put our feet on the pedals, and we could beat anyone
to Cobel's by a good 5 minutes. They had meatloaf manhattens on Wed.
That was my favorite meal. I can still remember how good they were,
almost 50 years later.

Thanks for reminding me Lew--

Bob W-57