MORE: What was Bradford like in 1899? Thanks to Curly Walters, we’re still reading about it.

“The trolley line has been extended to Lewis Run and up over the hill to Olean. It will remain as Bradford’s primary source of transportation until the autumn of 1927, when the trolleys are discontinued forever.”

We’ll tell you more about it soon.

BRASS TACKS: One of the things we find more interesting about old issues of The Era is the particular turns of phrase used in stories and in advertisements.

In The Era on Sept. 20, 1918, we found an advertisement that was marked as No. 8 in A Series of Talks to Those Who Want to Grow With Bradford.

“Get Down to Brass Tacks. The man who jumps from one job to another, never learns enough about any particular class of work to become valuable in it. How many ‘Jack of All Trades’ have you ever known that were howling successes? Not many, if any.

“The Twentieth Century is an age of Specialization. The man who makes a specialty of digging ditches is a better digger of ditches because he knows HOW. The man who makes a study of brick laying is a better mason than the man that knows a little about laying bricks, a little about plumbing and a little about painting. Because the man who studies bricklaying is a Specialist in his line. And so it is with every line of work. Learn to do one thing well. Whatever you are doing now, learn to do it BETTER.

“There are many ways of improvement. And remember — good business sense teaches that the man who makes himself worth more WILL GET MORE. Now is the time to get ‘down to brass tacks.’ Stick to Bradford. Stick to your job. Work faithfully. Save money. Invest in Thrift Stamps and Liberty Bonds and your opportunity will be found right in the work you are doing.”

At the bottom of the ad was a list of businesses — not ones who sponsored the page, mind you, but ones who “are interested in having all workers know more about Bradford.”