1941: "MILKMAN, KEEP THOSE BOTTLES QUIET"

Only those of us who are in the "senior" senior years will remember the milkman delivering milk from a horse drawn vehicle. I can remember how strange it looked when our milkman pulled up with his horse drawn milk wagon with automobile wheels; it was a strange sight. I can also remember Peters' Garage on Liberty Street where Mr. Peters, his son Bill ("Beb") and my brother Bud were one of the repair centers for the Divco "Twins." Those guys knew every inch of those great old milk delivery trucks. Am I the only one who remembers that those Divco trucks had a seat, or, if the driver preferred, he could stand up and drive!.
Note from Tom: This graphic and many others on this site might take a bit longer to post, but I like to embellish certain ones that are certainly worthy of saving. Over the years, I have had many people tell me they cut out my columns as well as many of the posts on my websites and send them to friends and relatives who are not on the computer. I'm sure that many senior citizen would like to see this printed on a page and sent to him or her. That's one of the main reasons this website coined the slogan, "LOCAL HISTORY WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH!"

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM...I RECALL OUR MILK MAN DELIVERING MILK FOR MANY YEARS WITHOUT GETTING PAID. MY FATHER ALWAYS SAID HE WOULD BE THE FIRST PERSON THAT WOULD GET PAID AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE HAD MANY OTHERS WHO ALSO WAITED A LONG TIME AND MY FATHER PAID EVERY ONE WHEN HE WENT BACK TO HIS REGULAR WORK.

Friday, March 15, 2013

LEE BELARDINO said...

Tommy
My uncle Frank Chiarello drove a horse drawn milk truck.I remember him delivering milk around the burg and the horse was a big attraction.We tried to jump on his milk truck and the ice truck and got chased away.30'S and 40's in the burg.
LEE

Friday, March 15, 2013

rayfromvillapark said...

Hi Tom, Horse drawn milk wagons, were around a lot later than many may think. My wife grew up in South Philadelphia. Her family lived on a small side street off of 10th & Snider Aves.I remember turning up Cantrell on one of our first dates, and ending up behind an Abbott's Dairy horse & wagon. The milkman left the wagon and walked up a few houses, turned and signaled the horse, and the horse pulled the wagon up to his location. I couldn't go around, so it took a while to go the length of the street. This was in 1960. I was surprised as anyone, because I'd never seen milk delivered in Trenton, with this conveyance. There were many great Italian Water Ice locations in South Philly, a commodity not found often in Trenton. Peter's Garage was an official repair garage for Divco Trucks, and even was a sub dealer for Studebaker, around 1941. I spent a lot of time during the mid sixties, while still living in Trenton, working on my 1941 Chrysler Highlander Club Coupe in Peter's Garage. I eventually sold him the car, and he restored it. Pete owned one the earliest 1954 Chevrolet Corvettes. I had him display it in the showroom at Patterson Chevrolet, during one of our events and he was tickled pink at all the attention he got. A great and memorable day. My best friend Ray Varga's family owned the Villa Park Dairy, on Columbus Ave., and Pete serviced their fleet of Divco Milk Trucks. They were painted Light Green and Cream, with a cow's head on the side of the truck. They also bottled a tasty Orangeade. It's a wonder Pete and Bib survived all those years, the garage was heated, only by gas space heaters, sitting on the floor, and they laid underneath cars, on the floor, making repairs. We had some great conversations, during those years, about Trenton, cars,politics, you name it. rayfromvillapark

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Tom Glover said...

My brother Bud worked as a mechanic for Mr. Peters along with Bill (known as "Beb" to his close friends. Bud and Beb were friends right up to my brother's death in December 2013. Beb lost his wife just a month or so ago. He lives in Titusville and was one of my clasmates at Kuser Annex. He is an excellent artist as well as an equally excellent artist in the duck carving craft.

Tom

Saturday, March 16, 2013

rayfromvillapark said...

Hi Tom, I just want to make a statement regarding your memory of the Divco Walk In Trucks. You are correct, they could be driven either sitting on a small fold away seat, or standing. It was quite a unique system. How could someone stand up and drive, accelerate and apply the brakes, standing on one foot? Sounds dangerous. Well, it more than likely was only used on a neighborhood route, where stop and go was constant. Time was of the essence, when working a route. The driver had to jump in and out of the truck quickly and efficiently. There was one pedal for both gas and brake. Push down, and the truck moved forward. Lift your foot off the pedal, and the brakes were applied and the driver could just jump out, with his milk carrier. The truck remained stationary, as if the emergency brake was on. Very nice setup. rayfromvillapark

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Ron Bound said...

Hi where was Peter's garage on Liberty St? Ray, what yr was that that you had the Corvette on display at Patterson Chevy? My cousin, Herb, was a manager there for some years.
A buddy heard a crash and ran down the block as we boys would do, and it was a walk in delivery truck, where the driver stood and drove. Johnny never ran to another accident again.
Ron

Sunday, March 17, 2013

rayfromvillapark said...

Ron, Peter's Garage was on Liberty St, opposite Lyndale Ave. Leonard's Barber Shop was next door.
The car show would have been, sometime around 1980 or so. I left Patterson Chevrolet in 1984. I knew your cousin, if it is Herb Conover. He was a salesman, when I was there and became a manager, after I left. I remember Herb having a 1961 or '62 Corvette. rayfromvillapark

Sunday, March 17, 2013

JoeB said...

Ray:
Did you know Bob Hope or Mike Ferrara? They both worked for Patterson? Also I think you mentioned once that you also knew my cousin Jimmy Montani. He purchased his cars there and wash the outside and the motor. You mentioned him riding his bike.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

rayfromvillapark said...

Joe, I met Mike Ferrara in the 1960's when he ran a body shop on Kuser Rd. I was looking for a job, when the first gas crisis hit in 1973. He was the person who hired me at Patterson. Never even had to apply. Hired me on the spot, just on my reputation in the business. I never forgot that. I was his assistant, until I moved up to be a manager in Sales. He was a good guy, and I always had a great relationship with him. Bob Hope came to Patterson as a line mechanic in the mid seventies.
Jim Montani was a gentleman. A mild mannered and very sociable man. He purchased the grocery store at the corner of Lyndale and Centennial, from Harry Miller. I lived right across the street. I remember his Reo panel truck, painted a bright Orange, used for deliveries. I went to school with his daughter, Roseann. Later, when he retired, he found out I worked at Patterson, and would ride his bike over to visit me, quite often. We had some great conversations. I know he lived well into his nineties. You meet some great people on this journey through life. rayfromvillapark

Monday, March 18, 2013