[PRCo] Re: [Fwd: Pittsburgh-Some Place Special]

[Tom Phillips]

Great recollections, Fred -- I've added a few comments for filler.

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of Fred
Schneider
Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 9:41 AM
To: transitmgr2 at earthlink.net
Cc: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: [PRCo] [Fwd: Pittsburgh-Some Place Special]



Isaly's were everywhere ... the one in the Boulevard
[of the Allies] Plant was dad's favorite place for a sandwich.  (There
is a book in print now about that Youngstown Ohio corporation ...
written by Brian Butko.  But Eat 'n Park was there before you came to
the city in 1950 ... the first one dates to the late 1940s and I think
is still open ... on the north side of old route 22 out in Monroeville. 
I ate in it as early as 1950.  

THE STORY, AS I RECALL IT, WAS THAT EAT-N-PARK WAS FOUNDED BY A MAN 
NAMED HATCH WHO LIVED ON VERNON DRIVE IN MtLEBANON (HIS ELDEST DAUGHTER, 
BETTY, WAS A CLASSMATE OF MINE IN HIGH SCHOOL).  HATCH WAS A V.P. WITH 
THE ISALY COMPANY, AND, AS THE STORY GOES, HE WOKE UP ONE MORNING AND 
REALIZED THAT HE WORKED FOR A FAMILY-CONTROLLED COMPANY IN WHICH HE 
COULD ADVANCE NO FURTHER AND, THEREFORE, DECIDED TO VENTURE OUT ON 
HIS OWN, RESULTING IN THE FOUNDING OF EAT-N-PARK, IN THE MID '40's.  

IN THOSE DAYS, WAITRESSES WERE REQUIRED TO WEAR "SNOODS", A NET CAP, ON 
THEIR HEADS. ISALY'S MALE EMPLOYEES HAD TO WEAR A "SODA JERK" WHITE 
CAP - DON'T KNOW FOR SURE BUT, SINCE THIS WAS MORE OR LESS A UNIVERSAL 
REQUIREMENT, IT MAY HAVE BEEN A HEALTH DEPARTMENT FIAT.

(AS AN ASIDE, HIS NEIGHBORS WERE THE THREE HARDY BOYS (HARDY AND HAYES)
WHO DID NOT FOLLOW IN THEIR FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS IN THE JEWELRY BUSINESS 
BUT WENT OUT ON THEIR OWN TO BUY INTO AND GREATLY EXPAND 84-LUMBER CO. 
AND LATER TO BUILD THE MEADOWLANDS RACE-TRACK (ED, CORRECT THIS WHERE 
NECESSARY!) AND THE RYANS WHO EXPANDED THEIR FATHER'S HOME BUILDING 
BUSINESS INTO TWO INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS KNOWN AS RYAN HOMES AND  --?
THE FATHER WAS KILLED IN A TRAGIC CAR ACCIDENT CIRCA 1941.)


I also remember the Island Queen explosion at the Monongahela wharf ...
saw a deck chair on Smithfield Street where it fell out of the air.  And
I saw the GM Train of Tomorrow at the B&O station, and the (original)
Freedom Train at Union Station.

A GIRL FRIEND OF MINE WANTED ME TO TAKE HER TO THIS SHOW-BOAT -- I 
DECLINED BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS A FIRE-TRAP.  THE NEXT DAY'S EVENT 
PROVED MY POINT (she didn't marry me -- guess I wasn't smart enough!)


Dad often asked me what I remembered from World War II, and the answer
was very little.  

I RECALL THE MANY B-17's, P-47's AND P-51's FLYING OVERHEAD PREPARING 
TO LAND AT ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT, APPARENTLY A REFUELING STOP ON 
THEIR WAY TO EUROPE.  ALSO, THE MANY "BOND DRIVES", "SCRAP DRIVES", 
AND, ABOVE ALL, THE FIERCE PATRIOTISM EXTANT.  I ALSO REMEMBER THE
CHROMELESS AUTOS IN 1942 AND THE 2"x8" WOOD PLANK BUMPERS ON THE FIRST 
1946 CARS (THEY WERE REPLACED WHEN REAL BUMPERS BECAME AVAILABLE.)

SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE ON THE STREET HAD A "VICYORY GARDEN".