Mystery solved!
The mystery of the double-ended glass jars has been solved, thanks to help from our loyal bloggers!
When 94-year-old Paul Corbin first told me of this mystery, neither of us had a clue as to the purpose for what appeared to be a common Mason jar with two tin screw-on lids on each end. Paul took a reasonably clear photo of the jars and sent it to me, asking me if I would put it on my blog. Thus, the search began, with numerous theories advanced - some quite creative and humorous!
One of our most diligent detectives was former Dexter native, Ken Roussel, alias kkcaver47. He forwarded the mystery on to several of his antique aquaintances...er, I mean, several of his aquaintances who were INTO antiques!! (Does that sound better??) They came through for him with the idea that the jars were part of an old coffee grinder.
Then, another blogger posted a most impressive website at http://www.javaholics.net/html/wall_mills.html In fact, the manager of that website added his own comment on our little blog, so we were well covered on the topic.
These comments sparked a fire in Paul Corbin's impressive, but dusty, brain - and he made a trek down to his equally dusty basement. Searching amid prehistoric toasters, jars, rocks, and other relics, he found an old coffee grinder which he had completely forgotten. There, atop the metal grinder, was a large jar quite similar to the ones his friend Leon Wilton had brought to his back door several weeks ago.
If you're a newcomer to this issue, look back on my last blog -- "Can you solve this mystery?"-- to see the progress involved in this super-sleuthing expedition.
Thanks, fellow Statesman bloggers! Pour yourself a hot cup of java! You deserve it!
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I have some history blogs rattling around in my head, and Gonenow has been bugging me to get some of them loaded and running -- but I've been wrapped up in a story I'm getting together about the old Masters' clinic in Advance. They're tearing it down to build a new Cross Trails Medical Center. I finished reading Dr. E.C. Masters' autobiography last night, and that was one amazing man! His account of making house calls in the swamps was UNBELIEVABLE!! It really made me realize just how primitive this area was in the late 30's and 40's. Well, on into the 50's, as well, I guess. He came to Advance in 1937 and built the clinic in 1952.
I certainly will send you the story when I get it done. In fact, I may put a version on the blogs, too. Dr. Masters practiced successfully in the swamps and hills before penicillin or antibiotics, when malaria, typhoid and pneumonia wreaked havoc on Southeast Missouri.