Woodhaven and Ozone Park News

New York, 1895

Harry Van Wicklen of Ozone Park has been made a special deputy sheriff. The country is safe. Harry never sleeps.

J. F. Wordan of Americus hook and ladder company was elected president of the Woodhaven fire department. H. G. Lippencott of Jones hook and ladder company was elected secretary of the department.

A very pleasant reception was held on Wednesday night at Ballin's Central Hall under the management of the Park Athletic club. The affair was a decided success from start to finish. Among the faces noticed were Miss W. Wilkens, Mildred Burton, Mrs. Geo. Nones, Miss E. Macknight, the Misses F. Flock, S. Kessner, E. Newingham, C. Lovejoy, P. Farnsworth, S. Turk, M. Singer, E. Berger, M. Van Wicklen, L. and E. Boehme, and Messers. H. H. Tuttle, F. Tucker, J. Baulsir, W. and G. Comstock, W. and H. Gothard, E. and A. Pickup, J. Birch, C. Macknight, W. Carle and sisters, and a host of others.

For some time the farm of Stephen Ryder, of South Woodhaven, has been used as a dumping ground for a lot of gas house refuse, mixed with tar and chemicals. On Monday morning the stuff in some way became ignited, and threw out a dense volume of black smoke which could be seen for miles. The people of Ozone Park thought that the school building was on fire and sent out an alarm, which brought out the different companies. Highway Commissioner Wolff drove up hurriedly, stopped the firemen, and explained the cause. This place was complained of to the board of health, who notified Mr. Ryder, the executor of the estate, to have the nuisance abated. He claims he has no authority over the matter. It seems that he leased the ground for a dump, drew his money in advance, and packed up and went, with his family, to Florida, where he is at present.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Jan. 25, 1895, p. 12.