One Last Item: Gilded Potatoes
And finally, the odd incident to which this article alluded at the outset....
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 8, 1897
Huntington Long-Islander, March 7, 1919
Several things about donating the two potatoes strike me. The very concept of it is delightfully quirky. The concealed gold pieces were unexpected rewards for the bidders' generosity (incidentally, $2.50 in 1919 dollars would be equivalent to almost $40 today). The potatoes were chosen so as to promote two popular varieties.
Moreover, the event was in support of a Roman Catholic organization, and Henry Menge was Lutheran. Over the years, Father Fuchs and Hicksville's "Colonel" appeared at, and spoke at, many of the same ceremonies. This little episode suggests that they had got to know and appreciate each other.
See You in February!
