Editor, Times-Union: As serious as it is concerning the flooding problem in Pierceton, I couldn’t help but laugh.
We moved to Pierceton in 1929 when my father took the job of principal for the school. At that time Pierceton had a 1922 Reo fire truck. I believe it spent more time pumping out flooded basements than fighting fires. We lived in the south part of town and occasionally had to use kerosene heaters when water put out our coal furnace. That’s well over 80 years ago.
Pierceton didn’t have any money either then as the Great Depression had begun with the collapse of the stock market.
Turner Brown was town marshal at that time and had a push cart he used as he swept the brick streets uptown. Eventually, Mead White was hired as town marshal. He put a red spot light on his old car, making it the town police car.
Mead was paid $120 a month. This caused the weekly Pierceton Record to launch a campaign against such reckless spending. At the bottom of many columns it said: “$120 a month for what? Pierceton needs a working cop.” I never did know what happened to the town push cart.
I am told the population of Pierceton is no greater or even less than when I lived there. It must certainly have had a crime wave or something. I have heard they have several police cars and a couple of marshals.
I know they tore down a number of houses that were paying taxes and built a nice post office. They put up a fancy fire station with several fire trucks; I guess also a police station.
Still, 80-plus years later no money yet for flooding. I doubt if it will be solved in the affected people’s lifetime.
I think the answer to you people’s problem is to take the advice Matt Dillon gave to the outlaws in Dodge City.
