One hundred and fifty years ago, the July 27, 1872 Charlevoix Sentinel told its readers that “When the blood rushes with rocket-like violence to the head, causing hot flushes, vertigo and dimness of sight, it is a certain sign that a mild, salubrious, cooling and relaxing laxative is required, and TARRANT’S SELZTER APERIENT should be at once resorted to.”
“Aperient” is an archaic word for laxative, related to the Medieval Latin verb “aperire” meaning to open. “Aperture” is a related word. As if anyone would know that about “aperient.”
Fifty years later, the July 22, 1922 Sentinel reported on a major dance that would take place in the “Lakeside Pavilion Aug. 10, (with) Winegar’s Orchestra Music ... when the chauffeurs will give their second annual ball for the benefit of the Charlevoix hospital,” which had just pulled out of an eight month financial crisis and closing.
“This arrangement insures a delightful place for holding this annual event where those who enjoy participation in terpsichorean art can indulge in their favorite pastime to the fullest extent accompanied by the most choice select music that can be produced by gifted artistic musicians.”
It was hoped that this second event would bring in even more than the previous one, perhaps break the $500 mark.
Where was this Lakeside Dance Pavilion? It occupied a substantial piece of ground that stood on the south side of lower Clinton Street near the curb, amidst surrounding buildings that would be removed 15 years later to begin the transformation of the area into East Park. Today, it would have sat just west of the harbormaster’s building. Unfortunately, the Charlevoix Historical Society does not possess one single photograph of the once popular destination site.
Chauffeurs were a prominent part of the Charlevoix summer scene from the 1910s into the 1950s, when the summer resorters came to town between mid-June and Labor Day. The latest magnificent specimens of the automotive art, domestic and foreign, were displayed daily along Bridge Street. There was even one stretch when a portion of of the downtown curbs were reserved for chauffeured cars only, since the city knew very well the economic impact of their owners. The drivers made quite a sight as, in full uniform, under a hot sun, they guarded their charges while waiting for their employers to shop or do business, buffing, shining, polishing every square inch of metal and wood. Appreciative crowds gathered around to ooh and aah and discuss the finer points that made one model stand out from the next one. Some local kids even knew every chauffeur by name, what they drove, what they had driven previously, who they worked for, and where they stayed — principally the Belvedere and Chicago clubs, Michigan and Dixon avenues, Mercer Boulevard and Mount McSauba Road.
The same issue reported that the Pere Marquette Railroad had to eliminate half of the summer schedule of its famed Resort Special due to the national coal and railroad strike. Now faced with a reduced coal supply and some striking workers, instead of six Resort trains a week, only three would be coming. This strike had to have an enormous economic impact on the entire national railroad system, but not so much on our own hotel and rooming house situation. Resorters and travelers then had the option of switching to the passenger liners that called here daily. Slower, maybe, not as convenient surely, but come to Charlevoix they must and come to Charlevoix they would and did.
Also, the same issue announced that the Michigan State Telephone Company would be moving from above today’s That French Place creperie across the street to the second floor of the Van Pelt building, now Cherry Republic.
“With this change, the Telephone company will have much larger, more comfortable and better quarters for their operators and much pleasanter and more satisfactory office room in which to transact the ever increasing business of the telephone corporation.” That setup would last for another five decades.
And another classic movie was about to hit town, Mary Pickford now in a trousers role as “Little Lord Fauntleroy” which contains “All the Beautiful Things.” It would “run the gamut of emotional drama, pathos and riotous comedy. It gives her the greatest opportunity she ever has had for the display of that brilliant genius which has so endeared her to the heart of Mr. World and his Wife. In this play, she has the chance to let her public see her as a mature woman and also as a boy of seven.” Whaaaaat? How believable is that? “In the world of dramatic art what could be more difficult? Not only in the same play, but in the same scenes.”
As the accompanying advertisement for the film claimed, “Where ripples of delight/Check the trembling tears.” Awww. Special prices for this showing — 20 cents for children, 40 cents for adults.