Today in Johnson City History, Sunday, November 24, 2024

An election, the Chocolate Bar, a recipe for chocolate bread pudding and tobacco sales

Friday, November 24, 1899: One hundred and twenty-five years ago today, The Journal and Tribune reported news with a dateline from Johnson City and a date of November 23. Readers learned that “The city held its aldermanic election yesterday, the several wards electing the following officers:

“First ward – W. L. Taylor.

“Second ward – W. I. Hart.

“Third ward – John A. Hatcher and L. W. Sizemore.

“Fourth ward – P. H. Wofford.

“All are republications (sic), except Taylor, in the first ward, who is a democrat (sic) and was elected without opposition, no republican (sic) running against him, as the ward is hopelessly democratic (sic).

“Wofford, in the fourth, was also elected without opposition.

“All of the officers-elect are strong Brownlow men and their election is taken as an indication of the sentiment of voters on the congressional race.

“A proposition to establish a public library under a recent statute was also carried.”

The reference to Brownlow was to to Walter Preston Brownlow, who represented Tennessee’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1897 until he passed away in 1910.

The Knoxville Journal and Tribune is now published as the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Monday, November 24, 1924: One hundred years ago today, the Johnson City Staff-News reported that “Actions of the weather on Saturday seem to have put the people in better spirits. It snowed. Just a tiny bit of this little fine, hard, round snow, and was cold enough for a mass of the heal article to lay the blanket o’er hill and dale, cling to the leafesal (sic for leafless) boughs of the forest and pile up ag’in in the fur (sic for far) side of the smokehouse.

“It feels like pictures of Thanksgiving look. The people were evidently thinking of turkeys with the gobble amputated by the guillotine in the woodshed, and the ruffled part of the wing made into the family duster.

“Business looked good; (indecipherable) that had a new overcoat had a chance to use it, and flushed cheeks bracing chill of the regular (indecipherable) November day.

“Winter has come!”

Saturday, November 24, 1934: Ninety years ago today, the Johnson City Chronicle informed readers that “In the heard of the business district of Johnson City may be found a veritable rendezvous, the Chocolate Bar, a place that caters to the professional class as well as high school and college students.

“The Chocolate Bar is affectionately and familiarly referred to as ‘Uncle Arthur’s Place’ after the co-owner, A. T. Earnest, who is jointly associated with Max Lusk, a soda dispenser with 20 years of fountain experience. A luncheon service that compares with any in the city is a specialty of the establishment and from 200 to 300 persons are served daily. A complete line of periodicals and popular sheet music as well as other merchandise is carried at the Chocolate Bar. The fountain service is excellent.

“Mr. Earnest has been manager and owner of the Chocolate Bar for two and one-half years. Prior to this time he was a bank employee in which position he acquired many friends. He recently entered into a partnership with Mr. Lusk, as well known (sic) business man (sic).”

Friday, November 24, 1939: The Johnson City Press provided a recipe for chocolate bread pudding to readers. Here’s the recipe:

“1 cup dry breadcrumbs

“1 square (1 oz.) baking chocolate, shaved or grated

“2 cups milk, scalded

“1 tablespoon butter

“1 cup sugar

“1 teaspoon salt

“1 teaspoon vanilla

“1 egg, well beaten

“Mix breadcrumbs with shaved chocolate and add to scalded milk in saucepan, stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Add butter and cool slightly. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into well-buttered 6-cup casserole, and bake in a moderate over (375 degrees) for 1 hour, or until a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve hot with slightly sweetened whipped cream or honey cream sauce. Serves 6.

“For the child’s lunch box, this pudding may be baked in individual casseroles.”

Note: There was no mention of how to make the honey cream sauce.

Friday, November 24, 1944: Eighty years ago today, according to the Johnson City Press-Chronicle, “Johnson City’s seven tobacco warehouses will open one week from today to receive the 1944 golden leaf crop from three states – Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia – prior to the sales opening December 12, John C. Smith, Johnson City Tobacco Board of Trade president, announced last night.

“The advance opening on December 1, he said, will be a convenience to planters who are anxious to take advantage of having their crop safely stored so that they can dispose of it to good advantage at the market opening.

“More than a million pounds of the 6,155,830 market last season were on the floors when the market opened last December. Warehousemen are expecting as large a volume, if not a slight increase, this year due to increased acreage.

“Washington county (sic) growers, whose sales usually bring more than a million dollars, are stripping their crop, preparing as much as possible for the early marketing.

“However, tobacco cutting and curing was later this season due to the drought. If weather permits, a large part of it can be handled before the end of the year, County Agent Raymond Rosson said last night.

“Tobacco last year brought growers an average of $47.95 per hundredweight on the local market when the total poundage brought (several indecipherable words). ….. that prices this year will be no lower than the base of 41 cents a pound which prevailed last year.

“OPA officials made this pledge at a conference with growers and dealers the first of November in Washington when Burley representatives and OPA leaders agreed on use of a grade ceiling plan of pricing, rather than a ‘weighted average’ system, which the latter at first urged.”

Truly, it takes several people to put together something like you’ve just read. I express profound appreciation to Heidi Dulebohn and Stephanie McClellan Houk for their thoughts and encouragement.

Grateful appreciation is expressed to Collin Brooks for his social media expertise. If you need assistance with your social medial needs, call him at 423-735-8755.

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