On Feb. 25, 1954, Charles Fretz recounted the Blizzard to the Perkasie News-Herald
Fretz was born in Bridgetown on North Main Street. He was a mason and built the first sidewalks in Perkasie, including those on South Main Street when it was called Benjamin. Fretz’s first house was a rental on Walnut Street in South Perkasie for $3.00 a month in 1900. He also walked six miles to work on average as a mason. Fretz recalled in detail the Blizzard of 1888. He and other students shoveled snow at the old school house on Main Street. The only student at school for two weeks after the blizzard was Sally Hendricks. Her father owned the mill on Walnut Street, later known as the Benfield Mill, and took Sally to school each day on a horse.
On April 29, 1954: Katie Groff Dimmick also recalled the Blizzard:
Katie was the sister of Martha Groff Pfleiger. She recalled the Blizzard of 1888 and how her family was stuck at a funeral at the Almont Lutheran Church during the snowstorm. Katie briefly was a cigarmaker but decided to try her luck as a dressmaker, a much-in-demand trade during the Victorian era. Katie used the McDowell pattern system to make dresses. She also spent much of her time making mourning clothing for funerals.
