TRAIN: What a different time it was a century ago. We were looking at some microfilm of The Era from 1918, and found it fascinating to read about the overwhelming public support for World War I.
The food conservation train visited Bradford in 1918, and set a new mark for the number of visitors with 1,166 adults on hand. This is according to a story in the Sept. 5, 1918, edition of The Era.
Mainly women visited the train and “gave the closest attention to the practical demonstrations of baking bread, cakes, muffins and other products in which conservation of wheat flour and use of substitutes were featured in one car while canning of meats, vegetables and fruits in such manner as to absolutely preserve them for winter use was shown in an adjoining car.
“Not only were the methods employed accurately carried out and the several steps in the process made clear but lectures were given by the young ladies from State College who performed the operations.
“Dividing the auditors into knots of 25 to 30 women, the lecturer would make plain why as well as how the manipulations were performed, incidentally responding instructively to any inquiries.
“The third car was equipped with a collection of war implements and soldiers personal equipment captured from the Huns, including helmet, breastplate, shells and many other objects of interest in determining how warfare is carried on from within the central powers. Maps, carefully charted to indicate steamship routes and distances from sources of supply, gave the other side, showing how America could assist the Allied armies in repressing the Hun by furnishing them with necessary foodstuffs. The arrangement was such as to quickly and conclusively appeal to the spectator — a convincing object lesson.”
“Roy L. French, in charge of the train, was enthusiastic in his commendation of the patriotic interest of Bradford women and joined with his assistants in declaring that not only were the callers of a high order of intelligence, which made it a pleasure to meet with them, but emphasized the fact that McKeesport with a population of between 60,000 and 65,000 was the only city in Pennsylvania to approach Bradford in attendance, the number visiting the train in the Tube City being 1,148.”
