The 1930s South Buffalo vehicular tragedies in my family tree

By Steve Cichon | steve@buffalostories.com | @stevebuffalo

I don’t think we always realize how much better we live these days.

Both Grandpa and Grandma Cichon had little siblings killed when they were hit by cars on the streets of South Buffalo.

The Buffalo Evening News’ morbid coverage of Grandma Cichon’s little sister’s death is incredible. Mary Lou Scurr was about a year-and-a-half old when she was run over while playing in a toy car in the street.

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marylou2This photo was on the front page, above the fold, May, 1935. Grandma’s little brother Gordon—who was only hours before a witness to the accident which caused the death of his little sister– posed next to the wreckage of the accident. Judging by the description of the scene, it’s fair to assume this mangled car had blood and possibly other remains of his baby sister in it.

Sadly, Gordon Scurr’s next appearance in the news was 11 years later, while in high school, he died of a rare glandular disorder.

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Two years later, Grandpa Cichon’s little brother was killed in a similar fashion.

Roman (also called roman3Raymond) Cichon was five years old and fascinated with trucks. He liked to go to the junk yard at the corner of Fulton and Smith Streets in The Valley to see the trucks in action.

His big brother, my grandfather, used to take him there. The way he told it, while Gramps was stealing an apple off a neighbor’s tree, Raymond was “mangled” by a truck. That word “mangled” was one Gramps often used with us in the hundreds of times we crossed Seneca Street to go from his house to Cazenovia Park.

In his 88 year life, the death of Raymond may have been what caused him the most sadness; even worse in some ways than the unbearable loss of 4 of his own children. As he talked about it, I could feel his guilt in not being right there to save his little brother. His use of the word mangle is the only hint of what the scene looked like—but frankly it’s enough.

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In the end, it certainly wasn’t Gramps’ fault– and the truck driver lost his license. Raymond was killed when that truck bolted onto the sidewalk ran him over.

He was buried at St. Stanislaus cemetery near where another baby Cichon, Czeslaw (aka Chester ) was buried after he died from cancer as a baby.

Buffalo in 1910: Popular First Ward fireboat lieutenant is dead

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

Lt. Simon O’Donnell, a native of Ireland, lived at 268 Elk St. — which today would be 268 South Park Ave., if it were still standing. And, if still standing, the building would be across South Park from the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino.

O’Donnell was assigned to the Ohio Street Firehouse and to the fireboat George R. Potter — one of three fireboats working in Buffalo at the time.  When he died 105 years ago this week, in July, 1910, he was one of the city’s most popular firefighters.

Buffalo in the 1910s: Buffalo’s ‘tattoomen may have to go’

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

In 1910, Buffalo’s health commissioner was not a fan of tattoos.

And while many, if not most, of the tats created 110 years ago in Buffalo were for “nautical gentleman, seaward bound from the Port of Buffalo,” the commissioner was contemplating the idea that tattooing should be considering surgery — and therefore all tattooers might be considered surgeons. All tattoo artists without medical licenses (i.e., all of them) would be forced to close up shop.

July 7, 1910 (Buffalo Stories archives)

Buffalo in the 1910s: Not quite ‘Food Truck Tuesday,’ but visitors are welcome at Larkin Factory

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

While today visits to Larkinville are made to enjoy food, music or culture, 110 years ago, visits to Larkin were all about taking in the majesty of one of the world’s largest manufacturers and retailers of personal items.

Just as Larkin Square represents what’s new and happening in Buffalo for many in 2015, in 1910, the Larkin Company revolutionized how products were bought and sold and was America’s leader in catalog and mail order retail.

Buffalo in the 80s: Get half-off on film developing at Fotomat

       By Steve Cichon
       steve@buffalostories.com
       @stevebuffalo

In 1980, there were 44 Fotomat locations in Buffalo. Not all had the iconic tiny stand-alone blue booth with a yellow roof, but many did.

By 1990, 23 Fotomat locations were still in operation in Buffalo, but changes in film developing technology were making the stand-alone booths — and the promise of next-day developing — obsolete.

In 1992, 13 former Fotomat kiosks became Wiper Check booths, selling and installing Buffalo-made Trico wiper blades.

Buffalo’s Fotomat locations, from the 1979-80 Buffalo Telephone Directory

Buffalo in the 80s: Cassettes on sale at 7 area Gold Circle stores

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

Neil Diamond, Air Supply and the Stray Cats were among the artists featured in Gold Circle’s $3.99 cassette sale in July, 1985.

Gold Circle’s seven area stores had all been Twin Fair locations. In 1984, the regional chain was among the first in the nation to install barcode readers in checkout lanes for faster, more accurate transactions.

When Gold Circle was sold off in 1988, several area locations became Hills stores, several others closed.

Buffalo in the 80s: Looking forward to the second annual Taste of Buffalo

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

With entrees from 50 cents to $3, the second Taste of Buffalo was held in “colorful tents” along Delaware Avenue between Edward and Chippewa 30 years ago this week, in July, 1985.

The event later moved to Main Street before shifting to its current location on Delaware Avenue from Niagara Square to Chippewa.