Fulton and Montgomery Counties

Fonda - 

4/23/1910 - Martin J. Honan opened lunch wagon in Fonda

11/27/1910 - Nathan Sammons bought lunch wagon of Martin J. Honan who ran it for four months with his wife. Sammons will add confectionery and fruits.

12/29/1913 - Frank Cushney has accepted a position in Sammon's lunch car

4/27/1914 - lunch wagon receiving a coat of paint.

5/1914 - Charles Wagner of Fort Plain purchased Palm lunch wagon of Mrs. Nathan Sammons near the depot.

2/4/1915 - Charles Wagner installed second lunch wagon opposite depot to accommodate ladies.

2/4/1915 - Charles Wagner purchased lunch wagon from Fort Plain party and will attach to his present lunch room.

3/5/1915 Wagner attached kitchen to lunch wagon.

1917 - Tom Tretola working at Wagner lunch wagon.

12/3/1919 - Harold Haig & Carroll Payne bought lunch wagon from Charles Wagner. was located in Fountain Square.

Haig possibly removed or built onto lunch wagon in 1924

10/29/1928 - Broadalbin - The Lunch wagon on West Main formerly owned by Claude Clark has been sold and moved to Fonda.

1/3/1929 - new lunch wagon is under management of Harold Himes which was recently placed in Fonda at Main and Upper Center.

1/12/1929 - Wells Hand and Adam Lingenfelter bought lunch wagon at Main and Upper Center

4/25/1929 - Fire in Wells Hand lunch car (Main @ Center)

4/10/1929 - Wells Hand turned diner around and is making other improvements

4/8/1932 - Wells Hand, who owns the lunch car on Main @ Center, moved the present car over to the end and will erect a new lunch room with help from Fondfult Lumber Co.

7/11/1932 - "Opens lunch Wagon" Wells Hand opened his newly built eating house Friday night.

St. Johnsville - 

7/1/1902 - Frankfort party has leased lunch wagon, which for some time was relegated to "innocuous destitute"

7/7/1902 - White House lunch wagon in town almost had a fire

4/6/1903 - Getman starts lunch wagon on Bridge St. at East Main.

3/24/1904 - D.A. Getman closed lunch wagon at East Main @ Bridge St.

7/7/1903 - Charles Mosher has leased lunch wagon on Sutherland property on West Main St.

5/31/1904 - lunch wagon that was at 9 West Main for two years was moved to Herkimer

2/10/1910 - Lamphere's lunch wagon is open on Bridge St. by Kline's livery

5/5/1911 - Burton Caffey is proprietor of Bridge St. lunch wagon

4/4/1912 - Milo Kretser lunch wagon

6/17/1912 - William Wheeler came to town last December and bought Bridge Street lunch wagon and rented it to Dodson in April.

1/25/1915 - Fire at Bridge St. lunch wagon. Coffee urn boiled over and caused gas stove to explode. Lunch wagon owned by George Wheeler of Utica and managed by Floyd Perry.

The Empire Diner, a modified lunch wagon, turned into a "diner" was replaced with a 1940ish style O'Mahony diner.  This diner lasted into the 1970s with Deforest Swank as the last owner.

Fort Plain - 

1903 - James Dodson has lunch wagon

1914 - Harold Haig lunch wagon robbed. Took $10 and tore screen in window.

Canajoharie - 

1914 - Mr. Sager has a lunch wagon

Northville - 

12/1/1927 - Fred Hutchins who expects to open lunch wagon soon was in Amsterdam.

12/24/1927 - Fred Hutchins, who has been operating the lunch wagon on North Main for the past month sold lunch wagon to Amsterdam party, rumor has it that Hutchins will move to Ticonderoga and open up a similar wagon.

1/7/1928 - Mr & Mrs. Bloom of Amsterdam are proprietors of lunch wagon on North Main

Mayfield - 

2/5/1938 - Mr. & Mrs. John Elliott took over Cozy Diner on West Main St. from Edward Mercer

1940 - Evelyn's diner on Main St. had a small fire

1/12/1940 - Mrs. Evelyn Bennett opened diner on West Main St. that was closed and completely renovated it.

1943 - Third Rail Diner across from Ted's Grill on Mayfield Rd.

1942 - Mr. & Mrs. Frank Balcom owned diner

5/11/1949 - Mayfield Diner reopened under new management

1/10/1952 - Mr. & Mrs. Earl Jenkins of Gloversville have taken over Mayfield Diner from Mrs. August Fritzen and Mrs. Ralph Jones and will keep the same hours.

One of the diners in Mayfield was an old trolley car.

Fultonville - 

12/21/1931 - A lunch wagon belonging to Milton Lathers of Randall was placed on Peter J. Rossi's lot on Main between Rossi and Fox stores and is expected to open next week. Egbert Ketchum assisted.

6/28/1932 - Milton Lathers is moving his lunch wagon to Fort Johnson

Broadalbin - 

6/2/1928 - The lunch wagon next to Earl Hotel recently ran by John Canfield, has been sold to Seymour Partridge of Gloversville and opened.

8/15/1928 - John Canfield has sold his lunch wagon to Claude Clark of Broadalbin.

10/29/1928 - The Lunch wagon on West Main formerly owned by Claude Clark has been sold and moved to Fonda.

Johnstown - 

7/5/1894 - A lunch wagon from Gloversville was brought to Main and William St.

7/26/1894 - Mishel, prop of "Night Owl" that stood on Perry and Main lost money in the proposition. He was looking at Little Falls and they said no.

10/8/1894 - Frank P. Bebee granted permission for lunch wagon and put it in place at Main and Perry on the 12th

3/1895 - City council went to Converse's lunch wagon after the meeting and will return if they like it.

5/7/1895 - John Mansfield and T.H. Buckley are given permission for a night lunch wagon

4/29/1897 - Charles A. Legg, treasurer of the Worcester lunch wagon company has been a guest at the Sir William for a few days.

4/29/1897 - Converse is making repairs at his lunch wagon and will not have it at its spot at Main and Perry.

1/19/1898 Buckley is visiting Converse.

5/26/1898 - Converse bought a new lunch wagon for William St. Three years to the day of the original wagon. Arch Stoller hired to work at wagon

6/15/1899 - Converse's William St. lunch wagon is undergoing repairs. T. H. Buckley and a crew from Worcester are putting waterproof panels to protect the windows in the winter.

10/1904 Converse is erecting a large kitchen for his lunch wagons.

1913 - Houck built night lunch room for additional restaurant and to store his two White House lunches.

11/3/1913 - Williams St. lunch wagon will be at the corner of Williams and Main, as usual, preceding the election on Monday and Tuesday.

11/27/1915 - Burton Thrall left Houck's lunch wagon, had worked there for five years.

3/19/17 - L.E. DeMarco & George Main, bellboy at Hotel Kingboro bought lunch wagon of Jay Houck of Johnstown and placed it at 4 Washington St.

9/30/1920 - Orville Vrooman, proprietor of Second hand store, is planning to place a lunch wagon that has been at Caroga Lake during the summer months on Gardiner property on South Perry next to Feeney's cigar store.

4/17/23 - Charles Stoddard bought lunch wagon on South Perry St. from William Van Antwerp.

7/23/24 - Charles Stoddard sold lunch wagon on South Perry to B. Frank Frederick. (At one time conducted by Paul Trejlinek)

11/18/1927 - Clifford opens new diner at his South Perry lot. Uses the old wagon as storage. The O'Mahony diner costs $10,000.

8/1933 - Guy Clifford and Chris Betts went to the O'Mahony convention in New Jersey.

7/13/1933 - Guy Clifford took on son Westel in the diner business and also repainted and renovated diner with silver exterior and black letters.

2/28/1934 - Clifford's Diner moved to other half of lot. This allowed a gas station to be built.

2/15/1943 - Guy Clifford passed away

5/13/1943 - Clifford estate sells diner to Daniel A. Warren. Eight years ago, Clifford built addition in rear of diner and added a bar.

1940 - Union Grill Ad said restaurant at 23 West State had a dining car as an option.

1/31/1927 - lunch wagon being brought to Johnstown required two tractors to get up Broadway hill due to ice in Fonda.

2/11/1927 - Charles Burnett is working at the new Palace Diner in Johnstown. L.A. Martin of Watertown, NY brought diner to town and placed it on the Moose lot.

This was a short lived diner, and it left town, but it left a spot empty that could easily be filled by another diner.

9/18/1929 - Miss Johnstown diner is coming. The diner was built by Ward & Dickinson. Anthony Scriven is the owner and Charles Wood is the manager.

10/1929 - Fireproof kitchen being built on back of Miss Johnstown Diner.

8/4/1935 - Anthony Scriven passed away

11/2/1938 - Mrs. Margaret Scriven, who ran the diner for the past three years, sold the diner to Ralph Brazile and Roy Oare, who took possession this Monday. Scriven focusing on real estate business husband left to her. New onwers planning to redecorate and repaint diner.

1944 - Roy's Miss Johnstown Diner enlarged 14'x16' addition on rear and 5'x25' on the east side which will give 22 more seats.

1/23/1948 - "Chick" Burnett prop will alter the diner.

Gloversville - 

1893 - Tonight, M. Mishel will open a night lunch wagon on the corner of Fulton & Main Sts. opposite the Windsor. The wagon is capable of seating 9 people.

1896 - W.H. Davis had White House cafe in Gloversville, south of Sturm's store

6/30/1898 M. Mishel is doing so well with his lunch wagon, it has been abolished for a small brick building.

1898 - lunch wagon at 32 South Main

4/14/1902 - J.R. Conover has purchased White House lunch wagon on Church St.

11/20/1903 - G.H. Holmes purchased lunch wagon of Fred Morris on Church St.

1912 Pelcher had lunch wagon on Bleaker St.

3/22/1915 - Arthur McQuade lunch wagon on West Fulton sold at auction for $310 to Harry Andrust.

10/20/1915 - John Waldruff purchased lunch wagon formerly conducted by Harry Andrest in West Fulton and has taken possession today.

4/29/1924 - Albert Main sold his lunch wagon on West Fulton St. to Alfred A. Fox who repainted and renovated. New counter and several modern appliances.

1915 - Francis Broderick is the night chef at the Queensborough

1925 - Jason Sanguinette working at Queensborough

6/11/1928 - Queensborough lunch wagon sold from Charles S. Stoddard to son Walter Stoddard and will continue in same manner. Frank Winne is night man.

4/7/1931 - Main's Queensborough lunch had a fire in the back room and the firemen had to cut a hole in the roof.

7/4/1932 - Fire does $1000 damage to Queensborough lunch wagon.

7/5/1932 - Queensborough fire caused by paint remover inside diner catching fire.

7/20/1932 - George Main given permission for lunch wagon at 48 W. Fulton and concrete addition 10' x 9' in back

8/8/1932 - George Main has opened his new lunch car at 48 West Fulton St. having removed from the Queensboro on South Main St. owing to fire.

1942 - Miss Gloversville Diner moved from 21 North Arlington to 162-164 North Main over the Memorial Day Weekend.

7/22/1953 - permit given to Howard Dye to remove old diner at 164 North Main

8/23/1932 - Queensborough lunch wagon razed. George Main was the last proprietor. The space where the lunch wagon sat is being taken over by Ralph Weber who has the diner on Middle St. Has been a lunch wagon on this site since 1903.

This lunch wason was a Closson Lunch Wagon.

1917 - Vaughn Spraker worked at Comar's lunch wagon.

12/31/1919 - Comar given permission for storm house in front of lunch wagon.

5/2/1923 - Leslie Comar has moved his lunch wagon from 70 South Main to 4 Vine St.

3/19/1930 - Leslie Comar permit for addition to lunch wagon at 4 Vine

5/17/1933 - L. Comar permit for addition to lunch wagon at 4 Vine

12/31/1934 - Comar leased Leslie's Lunch to Lee Breeding who was the day chef.

1938 - Miss Lora Ellen Breeding, the brother of Lee Breeding, who worked at her brother's diner married Raymond Shepard.

5/15/1939 - Comar resumed management of diner. Claude Warren, who had the diner for the past year will go into the glove business.

5/26/1939 - Leslie Comar leased diner to Emery Hall and renamed diner Hall's Diner.

5/11/1948 - Lee Breeding leased diner to Dominic Sarro and Paul Vaudry who will rename it Paul & Dom's Diner.

5/8/1914 - G.N. Symbouras new prop of Northend Lunch at 182 North Main. ??? called lunch room

6/14/1919 - Main & Thompson's lunch wagon at 178 North Main appears to be new.

9/18/1919 - Mr. Main & Mr. Thompson given permission to erect shed behind their lunch wagon at 178 North Main St.

4/14/1920 - Irwin C. Stowell purchased Army & Navy lunch wagon on North Main @ 3rd. Will open it Saturday.

7/29/1920 - Advertisement. Robert Davies had Army and Navy Lunch Wagon at 178 North Main.

8/7/1920 - Irving Stowell who conducted Army & Navy Lunch Wagon last few months vacated when premises were sold.

10/19/1921 - H.G. Thurber permission to move lunch wagon from 182 North Main to 147 North Main is denied.

11/20/1918 - Joseph Amato & William Burett opened A&B lunch wagon at 89 North Main

7/28/1929 - Edward Brenner buys Marcus Lawrence's lunch wagon at North Main and Spring. Lawrence has operated diner since it came to the city.

12/9/1929 - Peck Floral Company being built, and Brenner's lunch wagon must move.

12/20/1929 - Edward Brennan has moved his lunch wagon to 11 Middle St.

4/25/1930 - Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Weber have taken management of lunch wagon at 11 Middle St.

4/30/1931 - Edward Brennan(sp?) filed for bankruptcy

9/7/1932 - Ralph Weber was granted permission to move his lunch wagon from 11 Middle St. to 41 1/2 S. Main St. and build an addition.

7/6/1942 - Ralph's Diner closed because of lack of good help.

2/2/1943 - Guy Harris bought Ralph's Diner

8/1/1944 - Robert Lee and Joseph Buchanan bought diner and renamed B&L Diner. Thoroughly renovated.

3/31/1949 - diner wrecked by patrons, two females had an all out fight, throwing everything.

This is an O'Mahony diner.

7/24/1923 - Albert Main's Palace Diner opens this morning. The diner is 36'x7.5' and Main originally ran a restaurant in Washington D.C. before coming to Gloversville.

8/8/1923 - Albert Main received permission to place sign in front of diner at 60 South Main.

8/24/1926 - Al Main building a basement and heating plant and a picket fence "to keep night owls from roosting."

4/12/1928 - Fred Schelhaas resigns as day chef at Clifford's DeLuxe Diner in Johnstown and becomes manager of the Palace Diner.

4/29/1929 - Albert Main sold Palace Diner to Perlo Vincent, was consummated the following day.

1943 - paper said that Mrs. Edith Main owned diner and leased it to Clute.

"Ponty" Soule then Myron Schufelt then Hollenbeck. Sam Goldfish (Goldwyn) of film making fame ate at Schufelt's place. Ponty created the Trilby which was minced ham and onion sandwich.

3/24/1900 - Bron & Schufelt lunch wagon open

7/9/1909 - Charles Morenus purchased lunch wagon of M.J. Hollenbeck on South Main St in Gloversville - Amsterdam paper

9/25/1913 - Mike Hollenbeck moved his lunch wagon to South Main from site to become Glove Theatre.

1915 - Clyde Argersinger assisted in Mike's lunch wagon.

1/15/1921 - Vincent DellaRossa purchased lunch wagon at 97 1/2 South Main run by Michael Hollenbeck. He will serve Italian and American favorites.

3/19/1917 - L.E. DeMarco & George Main, bellboy at Hotel Kingboro bought lunch wagon of Jay Houck of Johnstown and placed it at 4 Washington St.

4/13/1917 - L. E. DeMarco & Main who operate Waldorf lunch wagon on Washington are now running restaurant in Elite Glove Co. building.

6/5/1917 - Waldorf Lunch Wagon on Washington had a small explosion, Claude Wilder was the proprietor.

8/30/1917 - The lunch wagon at front of Washington St. and conducted by George Main for some time was bought by J.G. Locke.

10/28/1943 - Extensive damage at Don's Diner, but diner reopened in a few hours.

A Ward and Dickinson diner opened in the summer of 1928. There was a newspaper announcement for the opening of the diner, but the entire month of microfilmed newspaper was blurry and only a few words could be made out.AlfredA

9/2/33 - Arnold W. Bushhouse purchases Club Diner from Nina Jeans

9/15/1945 - Polly Izzo and George Vermilyea buy Club Diner

7/1949 - Izzo's Club Diner completely remodeled.

1/29/1954 - Izzo charging 1 cent for coffee, for March of Dimes promotion

12/1954 - Polly Izzo remodeled Club Diner greatly.

Amsterdam - 

1894 - Star night lunch wagon possibly owned by A.L. Jacobson

1898 - Columbia Lunch Wagon at east Main @ Market

7/1/1900 - Eugene Cooper opened his lunch wagon on East Main St.

3/1902 - Thomas Green worked a McNally's lunch wagon at Main @ Market Streets.

6/1902 Mrs. Ida Schiffer made pies for Eugene Cooper lunch wagon on East Main Street

5/1905 - W. N. Carpenter who was renting a barn to store a night lunch wagon was told to demolish the barn.

11/11/1905 - night lunch wagon stationed in front of Newburger store on East Main St. failed to show up for the past two nights. Fred N. Brown, who bought wagon from Eugene Cooper is planning to move to Baldwinsville.

2/8/1907 - Kingsleys new lunch wagon arrived and the old wagon was sent away for repairs.

2/18/1907 - Kingsley paid $1,500 for the new lunch wagon on Market St. known as Empire.

5/6/1907 - Elliott Boise , formerly connected to Kingsley lunch wagon on Market, left to go to Catskill to take charge of lunch wagon placed there by Walter Kingsley. Mr. Kingsley gave up attempt to place lunch wagon in Fonda.

10/1/1907 - Richard Mackin and Walter Kingsley are in Geneva starting Kingsley's new lunch wagon.

6/22/1909 - lunch wagon that was on Spring Street in front of Sweeney building for several months was moved to East Main St. opposite Washington St.

1910 - Star Lunch Wagon of Frederick Traxon at 134 East Main St.

3/8/1911 - Walt G. Kingsley received new lunch wagon to replace his Bridge St. lunch wagon. His old was was at 3 Bridge St. and was known as the "New Empire"

4/1/1911 - Walt G. Kingsley will not have his new lunch wagon ready for business for another month. Will place it at Henrietta @ Division.

9/30/1914 - Harry Wichert purchased lunch wagon at 206 East Man.

4/1/1915 - Carmel Siciliano purchased lunch wagon at 208 East Main.

1916 - Sagers lunch wagon at 178 East Main was for sale. Sager ran since 1910

1/2/1922 - Edgar G. Pough and Charles Stoddard of Gloversville are managers of the American Lunch Wagon on East Main St. `

3/24/1925 - small fire in rear of lunch wagon at 176 East Main St.

3/1928 - 17 stool used O'Mahony diner at 210 East Main in Amsterdam for sale, being replaced with new diner - Schenectady

3/8/1928 - Palace Lunch Wagon was being replaced and stopped on tracks for 40 minutes.

1928 - MY-TY-Fine Diner - "An eating place for Man, Woman or Child"

Carmel's Diner 12x34 @ 208 East Main

4/16/1927 - new diner - DiCaprio's Diner O'Mahony Diner @ 214 East Main

3/15/1934 - OLD— CARMEL'S LUNCH We serve only the highest quality foods obtainable and at no other place can you find such quality at our low price. Cleaniness is our watchword . Our kitchen and food storage rooms are operated under the most sanitary conditions, all food being prepared right before your eyes, all dishes and cooking utensils thoroughly cleansed and washed in full view of everyone.  Our kitchen is always open to anyone for a complete inspection. Transient visitors from various sections of the country, after partaking of the food prepared here and have actually seen its preparation etc, have congratulated us an expressed surprise that they were able to obtain such service and quality in a lunch wagon. A lunch wagon that is modern in every detail, having wash and rest rooms for ladies and men, electric refrigeration and the most up-to-date cooking equipment etc.

Ours is one of the oldest established businesses of its kind in Amsterdam or vicinity. We have worked lon and hard to build up the excellent reputation which we enjoy and we assure you that we are doing everything within our power to uphold it. Pay us a visit. Proof of Good Food is in the Eating.

5/25/1949 -  When the work of remodeling is completed and new modern cooking equipment is installed, it will be open day and night and we are sure our patrons will be well pleased with our service, cooking and pastry. The Lunch Diner is one of the oldest eating establishments in Amsterdam. It was started in 1915 with an old-fashioned lunch wagon pulled by horses, but it was then a now a good place to eat. At that time the lunch wagon was one of the largest and most modern of its type. In 1927 it was remodeled and made modern for that time and was visited by people from different parts of our country, as well as by local people and the management was always complimented on having one of the neatest, best and most reasonably priced lunch rooms in the State. It has been inspected regularly by City and State food inspectors and has always enjoyed the reputation as one of the most sanitary restaurants in New York State. The Management is most thankful for the fine patronage always enjoyed and hopes when the present work is completed it will still enjoy the patronage and support of our citizens and the traveling public. When the work now under construction is completed we will announce our opening on the local radio station and in the newspaper. The Old Carmel's Lunch. 208-210 E. Main Street, Amsterdam, N. Y. Carmel Siciliano, Prop.—Adv

1930 old lunch wagon on Jewitt hill

2/15/1916 - Delay in Service of Thirty Minutes Occasioned. West Bound and Market Hill Car on Late Afternoon. Journeys are Held up When Transportable Fodder Shop Becomes Stalled In Snow on East Main Street. Traffic on the Main and Market hill division of the local trolley line was halted from 5:30 o'clock Monday afternoon to 5:50 o'clock, much to the inconvenience of many persons who were anxious to get to their homes and who are in the habit of traveling there by trolley. All the trouble was due to one of John McNalley's night lunch wagons, which experienced great difficulty In reaching its, customary station near the corner of Market and West Main street.

 The two wagons belonging to Mr. McNally are hauled from the shed on Chuctanunda street to their positions on the streets by one of Baird Bros. teams of horses. The team was attached to the West Main street wagon a few minutes after 5 o'clock Monday afternoon and the driver started down Chuctanunda street in accordance with the regular program. Just after turning into East Main street, and keeping to the roadway north of the trolley tracks, one of the big grays refused to pull. The cumbersome wagon, weighing some 6,300 pounds, accordingly became stalled. The edge projected close to the trolley rails and nothing could get by on the west bound track. A halt of about ten minutes followed in front of the Greenland Jewelry store. Finally the driver got the team in motion again and the wagon moved westward about 100 feet. There, a big delivery sleigh was directly in its course and again the Baird team stopped. The driver managed to get the horses and lunch wagon out into the clearance of the trolley tracks and all went well until the point where the east and West bound tracks join, was reached. Then the king bolt of the wagon broke under the heavy strain, allowing the front wheels to be drawn out from out the restaurant and the latter dropped down. There was nothing to do then but get a new king bolt and in the meantime there were many impatient passengers , on the stalled trolley cars. Jacks were secured and the front end of the wagon was hoisted, the wheels pushed back in place and the new king bolt adjusted. Then the wagon proceeded without further interruption and Superintendent Nellis had to regulate the resumption of traffic on the electric road.

4/18/1944 - William J. McNally William J. McNally, 77, who established night lunch, wagons in Amsterdam which grew to be exceptionally popular with the public for a number of years, died suddenly at his home in Hudson, Mass., last Saturday. His funeral was held this morning in St. Michael's Church at Hudson, where a high mass of requiem was sung, and burial was in the parish cemetery there. Mr. McNally was born in Feltonvllle, Mass., which is now Hudson, a son of John and Bridget (Coyne) McNally. In the early '90's he visited Amsterdam and concluded that this city was a promising field for a night lunch wagon so he decided to embark in that venture here. He established a location on the east corner of East Main and Church Streets, on the East Main Street side of the post office when it was located there, and afterward became the F., J. & G. trolley station. The business thrived from the outset chiefly because of the industriousness of the originator and the sincere confidence of the public which he quickly gained. The demand for the lunch wagon delicacies became so great that Mr. McNally was forced to install a second one, the latest addition being located at the corner of Market and West Main Streets.

Ill health forced the man who launched the idea that won such a popular note to seek another climate and the business, still thriving, was turned over to other members of the family, including cousins, and continued until finally abandoned, night lunch wagons on public streets not being in accord with the progress of modern times.

3/31/1937 - lillinan Hospital at Birmingham, Ala., Reports Passing Of Amsterdam Restaurant "Proprietor, Which Occurred on March 24; Admitted Same Day, Badly Emaciated; Difficulty in Learning -Correct Name; Mysteriously Dropped Out Here on December 2f9 Matthew F. Curran, 60, missing from his rooming house at 6 Sweeney Street, and Mis restaurant at 9 West Main Street, since December 29 last", died March 24 in the Hillman Hospital at Birmingham, Ala., of broncho-pneumonia, according to a telegram received in Amsterdam Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock. Later-word from J. W. MacQueen, director of the Hillman Hospital, was to the effect that Mr. Curran had been admitted to the hospital, acutely ill and badly emaciated at 7 o'clock on the night of March 24. He died at 10:55 o'clock the same night. Mr. MacQueen said that it was impossible to get a statement from him on account of his condition. Hospital authorities had difficulty in ascertaining his correct name, which was probably found by papers in his clothes and hence the delay in sending word here.

3/31/1937 - The telegram announcing the death of the long missing Amsterdamian, and inquiry as to disposition of the body, was received by Marietta M. McNee at 6 Sweeney Street, where Mr. Curran roomed. She immediately got in touch with relatives and instructions were forwarded to Birmingham to ship the body at once. It is impossible to say just when it will arrive but if it should reach Amsterdam by tomorrow night . the funeral will probably be held at St. Mary's Church Saturday morning. Possible Amnesia Victim Was Matthew F. Curran a victim of amnesia? This would seem possible now, and friends who knew him intimately accept this as the solution for his strange disappearance and the long lapse of time without at least sending some word back home regarding his business. If he was suffering from amnesia he probably wandered aimlessly about, possibly finding odd jobs at cooking to provide sustenance, and moving from one place to another without any idea of who he really was or what he was about in traveling through the country. The fact that he finally reached the far southern city of Birmingham is further convincing to his friends that he wandered without reckoning, due to his condition, and exposure finally weakened him and brought on the illness that resulted in his death. Mr. Curran is reported to have left the McNee home where he room at abou" 4:30 o'clock on the afternoon of December 29 last and all trace of him was lost on his departure from the house, although there were rumors that he had been seen later the same day in two different sections and at about the same time. One resident of Lower East Main Street reported he was positive he had seen him walking easterly along Route 5. Another said he had seen the restaurant proprietor board a Fort Johnson trolley in this city. Searching parties scoured the surrounding country, it being the belief at first that Mr. Curran, who had not been in robust health, had wandered away and died of exposure after being overcome in some remote spot. Particular attention was paid to the . Widow Susan road, which, his friends said, he would most probably choose for a walk had he gone in an easterly direction. However, all efforts to locate the missing man were fruitless and as the days wore on and no word of him was received, his family and friends were convinced that he was dead. The announcement that he was evidently roaming about until March 24 caused great surprise here. Mr. Curran was practically alifelong resident of Amsterdam. In boyhood he attended St Mary's Institute. -For a number of years he was employed by William McNally, pioneer in-the night lunch wagon business in this city, being located for a long time at the corner of East Main and Church Streets. However, he alternated at the second McNally lunch wagon at the corner of West Main and Market Streets. Later he was employed by the late Eugene Cooper, who also had a night lunch wagon on East Main Street and afterward a lunchroom on Railroad Street, where Mr. Curran worked. In July, 1926, he opened "Matty's" Lunch" at 9 West Main Street which business he was at the head of when he suddenly disappeared, and which was being continued awaiting some word as to his whereabouts. He was a member of St. Mary's Church and is survived by two brothers, John and Joseph, both of Amsterdam, as well as two nieces and two nephews. Known as Frank Matthews Later word received from Birmingham this afternoon revealed that the Amsterdam man was known as Frank Matthews at a rooming house, no address given, from where he was removed to the hospital. How long he had been at this rooming house could not be learned but ~ it was "stated that his real name was established by communicating with Albany, N. Y but with whom was not indicated in the information obtained through the Associated Press.