The Plush Mill Bridge WW1 Plaques and new Delco Sports Book!!

The Plush Mill Bridge over Crum Creek looking west toward Media about 1958. You can see in this picture on the right side Baltimore Pike being widened from two lanes to four.

Note: The Plush Mill Bridge was dedicated in the mid 1920's. The big thing about the bridge were the two plaques on the inside of the bridge that listed all the 282 men and women who died from Delaware Co. serving in WW1. When the bridge was removed in 1958 the plaques were placed in storage for some 40 years. The plaques were placed at the entrance to Smedley Park in Springfield Twp. about 20 years ago. They are there today.

HERO TABLETS ON SPAN UNSETTLED  

Legion to Take Up Matter Next Month Concerning Date

          There has been considerable speculation as to when the tablets at the Victoria Plush Mill Memorial Bridge will be dedicated and also as to what form of exercise will take place at the dedication.  This question will be taken up on December 4, when the American Legion Posts of the county will send representatives to a meeting to be held by the county committee of the Legion.

          When the tablets were ordered it was planned to have the exercises on Armistice Day but owing to the fact that the time for the arrival of the tablets was so indefinite the county commissioners were unable to make any preparation for any kind of celebration.  As a matter of fact the tablets were not completed until about a week before Armistice Day and did not arrive at Swarthmore until two days before.  The company in charge of the erection of the tablets completed its work at noon on Armistice Day.

          At a meeting of the county commissioners held about two weeks ago it was decided by that body to turn the entire celebration over to the American Legion, as the commissioners felt that the honor belonged to the boys who had served side by side with those whose names appear on the tablets.

          A suggestion has been offered that the exercise be held on December 21 and that this exercise be of simple nature, one that will carry with it all of the significance that fits so solemn an occasion.  The thought of the one who offered this suggestion is that the real thought of what the ceremony will mean will be driven home more forcibly if it might be possible to secure a nationally renowned speaker and then to conduct a plain but appropriate dedicatory exercise.

          Another phase that has been given consideration is that while the American Legion by virtue of having been a part of that army that carried on so nobly in France and elsewhere, should be given the right to conduct the program as it deems proper.  There is little doubt that the people of Delaware County will be pleased to participate.

          It has been suggested by a well-known Delaware Countian and one who has been active in all movements of this kind in the county, to set next Memorial Day as the date for the celebration.  This he argues will make better weather possibilities and at the same time enable the organization, which he believes should be a part of the celebration to make preparations for the occasion.

          This public-spirited citizen has voiced the opinion that at that time it might be possible and almost assured that a squadron of aircraft can be secured to take part.  To this there may be added a detachment of sailors or marines from league Island and soldiers from forts nearby.  There is no intention on the part of this man to offer any suggestion that will add any glamour to the occasion, but he feels that this should be the greatest affair of its kind in the history of Delaware County and that all residents of the county should be enabled to pay tribute to those who made the supreme sacrifice.

          These tablets, which are the largest of their kind in the United States, contain the names of two hundred and eighty men and two women and are fifteen feet high and eight feet in width.

          The bridge on which they are hung was erected as a memorial to those who gave their lives in defense of their country.  It was erected at a contract price of approximately $387,000, is two hundred and forty feet in length and has a roadway forty feet wide, with two five feet sidewalks.  The bridge was designed by R. J. Aydlotte, who has since died and the memorial arch was designed by Clarence W. Brazer.

          NAMES ON THE TABLETS – The list of names which appears on the tablets are as follows:  Charles Aikens, Harold Ainsworth, Thomas Clark Allen, Antonio Areco, Frederick W. Bense, Joseph Boshell, Frank T. Barnes, William Batesman, Walter E. Beaumen, Herbert W. Best, John B. Block, Clarence H. Blythe, George W. Booth, James Bradley, Harry Brown, Raymond G. Brown, Harry Brush, Clarence F. Buckalew, William Buley, Claude Burrell, Darrell W. Byerly, Eugene B. Eyre, Johnson D. Carr, James L. Carr, Vincenzo Catini, Giuseppe Ceccarelli, Collins Chambers, George Chessolosky, William McChilds, Harry M. Clifford, Stanton H. Cloud, Madeline Cloud, William Powell Colter, James W. Conway, Edmund G. Cook, Julius K. Counchill, DeWitt C. Cowan, Walter Arnson Craneer, Jacob H. Cranfield, John W. Cross, Pentelione Cucinotte, William W. Cunningham, Roy C. Davidson, George Henry Dean, Earl N. Dehmer, Amos E. Deiter, John A. Delaney, Paul Dewnegre, William P. Derrickson, Altorende Dicarlo, Charles A. Dick, Wallace Craig Dickson, Alexander Limeulo, Fransaico Dibetino, William B. Dixon, John Dowling, John Doyle, George D. Dreslin, Clyde Duffieled, Howard Reyduncki, Graham E. Elder, Lawrence J. Emmertz, Howard Evans, Eugene C. Everhart, Gardner Fairlamb, Charles A. Farr, George Farrell, L. Faulkner, Clarence P. Ferguson, Lewis Howard Fielding, Charlie Fids, Anthony Finnocchio, Thomas J. Flennery, William Fleming, James Ford, John Ford, William C. Foreaker, Clarence Freeman, Paul Fullerton, Edward Gallagher, Joseph M. Gardner, Fizzi Garlane, Nicola Gioncatarino, Robert Fullerton Gordon, Paul Grense, Harry J. Grant William C. Grelfzu, Oscar G. Greip, Norman B. Hallman, Edward R. Hemer, Arthur R. Henling, John Harkins, William F. Harkins, Howard Hartley, Richard Hartley, Frederick Hawthorne, James L. Heagerty, Louis R. Heath, Hugh J. Herr, Alfred J. Higgins, Jefris Higgins, John J. Hoffecker, John Hienski, George B. Hoffman, Harry Holladay, Otis Holmes, Carl T. Holt, Robert W. Holt, Jr., Awerko Holuszczek, Charles H. Horsey, Herman L. Hughes, Walter J. Hunter, Lewis E. Ingham, Grace Ireland, Willis Jackson, Wilford W. Jefferies, Mike Jeswmils, Alfred Lee Johnson, Rudolph M. Johnson, Mercer S. Johnston, Samuel Irvin Jopy, John Kadinski, Ernest Kaufman, Anthony Kazlewski, William J. Keher, Andrew J. Kennedy, Warren Kirk, James L. Killen, Joseph King, James E. King, Langston Kirk, Frank Kolsolike, William G. Kork, John Klrumboldt, Leroy Latto, Hewitt Lawrence, Charlie Laxton, Harry Lazaruk, Rufus Earl Leach, John J. Leary, Norman Leonard, Lafayette Liechetti, Robert Logan, Joseph T. Long, William Loveland, Wilson Loyd, Anthony Lukaitis, Edmund W. Lynch, Serafino Maeri, John  McGinnes, Walter Madenford, Joseph F. Maher, George H. Majilton, Henry B. Major, Gennarlo Malgee, Wilmer N. Mannering, Lorn F. Mason, Thomas T. Mason, William E. Magee, William J. Meizner, Howard Melody, Henry S. Michell, 2^nd, Jesse Miller, Benny Miller, James W. Miller, William R. Miller, Philip Oyerton Mills, Walter S. Mitchell, Benjamin S. Mock, G. R. Monroe, Gormley J. Montgomery, William L. Mooney, William D. Moore, Clarence Mortland, Harry J. Mosley, Joseph A. Mullin, Thomas McAndrews, John McBride, John A. McDevitt, George C. McDonald, Robert McKeige, John McKenna, Arthur J. McKinney, William McLean, James W. McMeekin, Edward F. McShane, Howard H. McVaugh, Frank Neroni, Clinton VanPewlt Newboldt, James Newsome, Philip M. Norbeck, William L. Numan, Joseph O’Dirrisio, William Francis O’Hara, James Oliver, Wendell Osborne, Jr., Pasqual Palumbo, Samuel Panasaik, Norman S. Phillips, Joseph E. Pierce, Theodore Pistikoudis, Richard Henry Pittsa, Thomas Robert Reath, Horace Regent, John P. Reilly, George H. Righter, Caetano Rizza, Harry G. Robinson, Jr., Richard J. Rorke, Benjamin Rosenberger, Carlo Rossi, Anthony Ronthkowski, Alexander L. Ruddock, Paul Clinton Rudolph, David Rupp, 3^rd, Joseph A. Ryan, Wedan Rywicki, Benjamin Sabatino, Jacob Sahckem, Joseph X. Saunders, Edward Sauers, William C. Savill, Casper G. Schroeder, William H. S. Shultz, Domenico Scialle, Francesco Sciamume, Genneco Sciplone, Alexander Scott, Edge T. Scott, Louis Sorebuno, Thomas Martin Shaw, David J. Shields, Howard L. Simcox, DeForrest Willard Skilling, Clayton T. Smith, William Clyde Smith, William F. Smith, John Sottile, Charles Spence, William H. Spence, Earl B. Staley, Theodore W. Stein, Alfred Stevenson, Frank W. Stevenson, Ellsworth Stokes, George V. Stuart, Frank F. Sullivan, Walter Syzamanski, Finley R. Taylor, Herbert M. Taylor, Soccorso Tecce, Stephen Terzzito, Roy Thomas, Albert L. Thompson, William Harry Thorpe, Rufus Tolson, Camillo Traino, Toney Trongonew, Thomas A. Veneman, Fillipo  Antonio Vivole, Stephen W. Wondersmith, Frank R. Walker, Jesse H. Walker, John Walsh, Peter A. Warsewiez, Percy Wetmuff, Albert A. Watson, Raymond W. Watson, Pennington H. Way, John W. Wetgel, Raymond Whelanhan, Edwin S. Williams, James C. Wilson, Maurice F. Witmer, Charles E. Worrell, Charles Wright, Albert C. Wunderlich, Lewis Worrall Yarnall, Jr., James Yost, James Zane, Daniel W. Zeising

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