Article about Abe Cohn by Fannie Cohen. See notes.
Thanks to the Kansas City Star and Times Newspapers, our dear pap realized an American dream; He became the owner of his first car! Thus began a lvoe affair that became his hobby. Every spare hour he could manage found him delving into this wondrous machine's "Nnards," learning what made it tick.
In 1919 Papa was employed as a carrier for Kansas City’s prime newspaper. Twice a day he delivered papers to his subscribers from horse and wagon. He had to roll each paper up, then bend it into a V-shape for pitching into a yard or onto a porch. At 3 a.m. each day Papa would cross the Central Avenue Bridge from Kansas City, Kansas on his way to 18th and Grand Avenue to load up the papers for his morning route. In the late afternoon he did the same for the evening Star.
I can faintly remember Bill, Pap’s prized horse, who knew the route as well as his master. We children considered it a treat when Mama allowed us to accompany her when she fed Bill his oats. When she did this Papa got an extra 40 minutes before he had to make his trek to the newspaper building to pick up his papers.
Well, one day a supervisor at the newspaper posed a question to Pap; “Would you like to buy a car to use for you paper route?”
Before Pap could catch his breath the man continued, “The Star and Times will help you pay for it!”
Now who could refuse such an offer?
Of course Papa didn’t. He was escorted to the car distributor just nearby at 19th and Grand. At that point in time, motor cars were sold in two portions; the chassis and the body. Papa was given a ride around the block as his first and only driving lesson.
When Papa wasn’t working or “hobbying” with his car, he’d pile us in and off we’d go up and down the Kansas highways. Papa would stop whenever an interesting scene presented itself, such as House of David baseball games (oh, such handsome and neatly bearded young men!) or the amazing feats of the Fort Leavenworth polo players. As we flew by (or so it seemed to us kids), we’d watch the beautiful Kansas wheat
In 1919 Papa was employed as a carrier for Kansas City’s prime newspaper. Twice a day he delivered papers to his subscribers from horse and wagon. He had to roll each paper up, then bend it into a V-shape for pitching into a yard or onto a porch. At 3 a.m. each day Papa would cross the Central Avenue Bridge from Kansas City, Kansas on his way to 18th and Grand Avenue to load up the papers for his morning route. In the late afternoon he did the same for the evening Star.
I can faintly remember Bill, Pap’s prized horse, who knew the route as well as his master. We children considered it a treat when Mama allowed us to accompany her when she fed Bill his oats. When she did this Papa got an extra 40 minutes before he had to make his trek to the newspaper building to pick up his papers.
Well, one day a supervisor at the newspaper posed a question to Pap; “Would you like to buy a car to use for you paper route?”
Before Pap could catch his breath the man continued, “The Star and Times will help you pay for it!”
Now who could refuse such an offer?
Of course Papa didn’t. He was escorted to the car distributor just nearby at 19th and Grand. At that point in time, motor cars were sold in two portions; the chassis and the body. Papa was given a ride around the block as his first and only driving lesson.
When Papa wasn’t working or “hobbying” with his car, he’d pile us in and off we’d go up and down the Kansas highways. Papa would stop whenever an interesting scene presented itself, such as House of David baseball games (oh, such handsome and neatly bearded young men!) or the amazing feats of the Fort Leavenworth polo players. As we flew by (or so it seemed to us kids), we’d watch the beautiful Kansas wheat
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