Source:Danver-1938-03-29/content
"Speaking of King alley," writes Frank H. Mellon, a retired business man and owner of the property at 602 Liberty avenue, "it was originally laid out (1805) as a lane between two cow pastures, the owners on each side agreeing that either party could close it by paying the other $200.
"The Henry Oliver estate, about 1910, having acquired the land on each side of King alley, attempted to close it and erect a building covering it. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania issued an injunction, reciting that the closing of the alley at this time would be detrimental to the interests of too many people.
"Prior to 1915," he continues, "the title to all property bounded by King alley, Fifth avenue, Liberty avenue and Oliver avenue were subject to a 100-year cow pasture lease, and are so recorded on the books of Allegheny county."
The injunction suit as brought by Mr. Mellon. At that time he operated a cafe and restaurant in Liberty avenue—a popular rendezvous of politicians and sportsmen. He now makes his home at Conneaut Lake. Among Pittsburgh hunters, by the way, he is known as one of the best shots in the country.
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One of the town's playboys says he always knows he has had one too many if, while passing the County building, the owls in the bronze grillwork wink at him.
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Bandman Jimmy Peyton's $85 piccolo, taken by a souvenir collector who didn't know its value, was returned Saturday by a Weirton, W. Va., feller, who read about Jimmy's sorrow in this column's Lost & Found Dept. . . . The Rialto is agog over reports that a pretty Pittsburgh dancer, now in Florida, is to marry a multi-millionaire. . . . Harry Dippel, the Green Castle Hotel proprietor, played hero last week when fire threatened a log cabin across the road—the summer home of Don Gailey, the electric products man. Harry, a member of the Keating Volunteer Fire Company for five years, seized the chance to wear his fireman's regalia for the first time. . . .
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I can go one better than your East Palestine, Ohio, reader," writes Jimmie Glover of Willock. "I saw a bluebird in my back yard Saturday, March 19. I'm a 10-year-old reader."
Nice work, Jimmie!
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The Preservation of Wild Life exhibits at Schenley Park were quite worth while, according to Florence Ragan of Pitt, who ankled over between classes the other day to have a look. One exhibit especially interested her. This was a display of rabbits, pheasants, squirrels and other species of local wild life which should be preserved. Off in a corner by themselves, contentedly munching some corn and evidently 100 per cent for Preservation, were—three little mice!
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For the Odd Sights Department (think Homicide Detectives Dennis Timpona and Harry Hart): Two couples—the men in toppers, white ties and tails, and their femmes in evening finery—leaving the ball at the William Penn, Friday evening, for a few minutes and returning—after a few hamburgers at the Brass Rail.
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Glimpses: The flag over the old Federal building at half mast in honor of the late William A. Magee. . . . A party of five, including Supreme Court Justice John W. Kephart and Mrs. David L. Lawrence, having dinner in a Fifth avenue night club Friday. . . . And Senator Frank J. Harris, Alderman Martin A. Flanagan and Attorney Alan Reynolds and several faculty members of Duquesne University having a midnight snack in a Sixth avenue restaurant. . . . Neighborhood snapshot: The good-night kisses in the doorway of the Salvation Army's Evangeline Hotel. . . . Attorney Milton Harris tossing a party at Lew Mercur's in honor of the engagement of his sister, Dorothy, to George Levenson. . . . And Herbert Bumgarten, the radio distributor, and Mrs. Bumgarten celebrating his first evening out after a long illness. . . . Jerry Mayhall, the radio maestro, being congratulated by kidders at the Variety Club Friday night on the publicity he received that day as a "club lecturer." . . .
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Happy birthday: To Charles McK. Lynch, Sr., of Moore, Leonard & Lynch, and Charles J. Palmgreen, the architect.
