This Day in History: 1934-03-23
Fire destroyed the home of Daniel Smith located on Kohler Estate off Valley Road. The little house, off Fyke Road was located about a mile from Valley Road, but, although both Mahwah fire companies responded promptly when the alarm sounded the road was nearly impassable because of mud and hols so that by the time the apparatus arrived the house was already completely burning. The only water available was the family well. A hose was put down the well but the water only lasted three minutes. The family was able to save only a few personal possessions. Local authorities found temporary shelter for Smith, his wife and at an unoccupied summer cottage but much help was needed because of the very cold weather. Smith was a veteran of World War I. His wife was a French war bride. They had six children, three boys aged fourteen, twelve and ten, and three (boys?) aged four, three and two. They were said to live a very isolated life. The only contact they regularly had with the outside world, the reporter for the Ramsey Journal related was through the fact that the girls attended the Immaculate Conception School in Darlington. Spearheading the drive to help the Smith family was the local post of the American Legion.
(Bristow)