A Mustache and a Circus; Also, Bums

Just catching up with a couple of old friends …

Chas. Borger made his appearance last week minus his mustache, which he had worn for about thirty-five years. This was surely a case of parting with an old friend. Those who have noticed the change have remarked that it has caused him to look ten years younger.

This comment from the News in January 1919 suggests that Charles Borger had already lost his beard. Alas, we have no photos of him clean-shaven. We do know he eventually let the mustache grow back.

Recent price increases had led to a boom in one aspect of Charles' business: oiling and repairing harnesses. Within a the last few years, according to the Hobart News, the cost of new harnesses had just about doubled, going from $45 or $50 to $80 or $100. Charles was now so busy during the winter months keeping farmers' old harnesses in working condition that he had hired an assistant.

In February we get news of our friend with the circus.

Ellsworth Humes, who for the past few seasons has traveled with the advertising cars of the Hagenbeck-Wallace shows, has been offered a similar position with the Sells-Floto circus for the coming season.

No mention here of his having worked for Thurston the magician.

As he waited for the circus-advertising season to begin, Ellsworth occupied himself with lettering windows and signs for businesses around town.

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Meanwhile, the Hobart area was beginning to notice effects of the post-World War I recession, but laid-off workers were getting little sympathy from the News:

Since the slackening up of the industries, letting out large numbers of men, tramps and bums are beginning to make their appearance. All we have to say is, the ordinarily healthy individual out of work and no money is entitled to very little consideration. For two years everyone who wanted work in this locality, or almost any other for that matter, could have all the work he wanted at high wages, and if he did not save a small portion of it he should go to South America and live under the cocoanut tree.

Sources:
♦ "Local and Personal." Hobart News 30 Jan. 1919; 13 Feb. 1919; 27 Mar. 1919.
♦ "Oiling and Repairing Harness Has Now Become a Regular Occupation." Hobart News 27 Feb. 1919.