Scope and ContentTwo excepts from the Commercial [Record] compiled by Bill Kemperman for the SDHS newsletter inserts. --- Did you ever have anyone snitch goodies you had stashed for later consumption at home or at work? Some mill hands in Saugatuck back in 1877 did, and here's how they solved the problem and caught the thief (from the June 29, 1877, Saugatuck Commercial): "IPECAC -- The men in the old Johnson Mill have missed their lunch frequently of late, and were much troubled to find who was perpetrator of the nightly thefts. Finally young Ripley, who was one of the victims concluded to try and find him out. So he carefully concealed some Ipecac in some jelly. The goodies were missed as usual, but it was not long before one of the boys at work in the mill began to be fearfully sick and was compelled to admit that he had eaten the jelly, but that it was a mean trick to serve a fellow so. One day in bed was sufficient to put his stomach in order and it is hoped that the lesson will not soon be forgotten." --- I remember as a boy my grandmother used to talk about being put in the poor house if we didn't mind our p's and q's. I always thought this was an imaginary place, but apparently it was not. They really existed as the Commercial Record for January 18, 1878, attests: "There are 67 persons, of all ages and sexes in the Allegan County Poor House, and the number is increasing rapidly. No less than nine were admitted to that refuge for the unfortunate last week. Never before has this County had so many poor in its charge." Times must have been very hard then as a place such as that is unheard of in this country today. Makes one a little grateful for all the benefits we have here in American today.-- BK