Chicago used to have an evening newspaper. It was distributed locally out of a small office at the end of the alley by Young's Appliances. The manager was Ted Holtorf(sp?). He was a great guy who commanded an army of kids who tied their bags of newspapers to their bikes and spread out from North Avenue to Roosevelt Road. I was one of those kids and those days are among the happiest of my life.
I suppose Ted has passed away, though I don't know for sure. Does anyone here know? And did anyone else here have a route back in the day? I have never attended a school reunion and never will, but I would attend a reunion of carriers if I could afford to fly back.

Wasn't a carrier myself, but the Daily News was always our home's paper as a kid in Chicago.

3 routes in Bensenville. Morning, afternoon, and Sundays. If I wanted extra money, I could "bulldog" on Saturday afternoon. That meant stuffing every Sunday paper with the ads and comics.

My great grandfather use to be a sports writer for the Daily news. Or maybe it was the Hearld-American. I forget which, but Mrs or Mr Arten would know.

He printed the sports page for the old Herald American.

I picked up the final edition of the last day's issue of the Chicago Daily News at an estate sale a few months ago for a dollar. I'm hoping it is now worth a bit more than a dollar. The banner headline.... "Goodbye Chicago."

lionheart, ted holtorf is my uncle. my younger brother came across this and I decided to reply to you. he is very much alive, and I wanted to thank you for your kind words. he is a great guy.

Thanks, Peavis, for the news. I hope he is enjoying life. Tell him Bruce Yurgil says hello. He might remember me because I owe him $20.
Another thing I remember about Ted is that he used to own a stable of antique cars he kept stored under the old Sears building. Occasionally, he would ride them in parades. What was their fate?

lionheart, I will ask him if he remembers you when I see him at christmas. I am not sure about the cars, I know he sold the rolls royce he had. I don't think he still has them, but I will ask him about it. as for the $20, the interest has surely grown over time, so I suggest you start working some overtime. I will respond back to you after christmas.

In the Small World department, is this Holtorf related to a J. Holtorf in Huntley? That Holtorf is a classic car guy.

I was a carrier for the Daily News in the early 50s in Lombard and worked for Ted Holtorf. On Sundays in the summer, he would bring his 1926(?) Duensenburg Touring car over to Lombard from Glen Ellyn and take whoever showed up at the local Daily News office just south of Bradley's Drug Store and north of St. Charles Rd. in Lombard for rides around town. I lived on North Main St., just south of Pleasant Hill School and had a Daily News route of about 40 customers all around the housing developments just west of Main St. and south of North Avenue. I think Ted was a model for a good manager that I used for the rest of my working life. I am now 72, a retired PhD chemist and still fondly remember Ted Holtorf.

I was also a carrier for the Daily News in the late '502 and early 60s and worked for Ted Holtorf. I lived on Main street and had a route near downtown for four years or so. I was the first girl who ran papers for Ted. Ted was an incredible personal support to me when my family was in bad financial and personal trouble - which ultimately ended in the divorce of my parents and us moving out of Glen Ellyn. Ted was by far the most influential person in my early life and a role model for me as a good and caring person. I would have been a totally different person without his influence in my life. I am now 55 years old and an attorney in government practice in Boulder, Colorado. If his nephew reads this post, please give Ted my fondest regards.

uichemist and pat mayne, I will let ted know. that stuff is nice to hear. lionheart, I saw him over the christmas and I forgot your name. I will see him in early march, so i'll try again. he does still have a few older cars left. but sold a couple to friends who love cars like him.

I worked for Ted back in the early 70's. Myself and Paul Lomasney, a buddy, both got to ride in his 1936 Rolls Royce. It was the most awesome thing I remember as a boy. We went into that garage. He had a yellow vehicle with a rumble seat. A somewhat run down Stutz Bearcat (sp) and about 5 or 6 others as I recall.
He also new my love of history and gave me a few Daily News papers which he kept in his basement from the war. I still have them today.
There were a few of us that would pull weeds and do odd jobs for Ted. I often remember him playing a small organ which he kept on his back entry area occasionally.
He was a truly gentle man. I am glad to hear he is still well. I often think of him and remember the work ethic he would instill on all of us. You had to work to make money. It was that simple.

lionheart, I saw Ted this past sunday and he does remember you. he remembers your name but can't picture you. well you know he knew alot of young kids in his life.

My older brother also worked as a carrier, so the Yurgil name had twice the chance of retention. I'm sure all the young kids that knew Ted will never forget him, and I'm glad to read the reminiscences here in this thread.

One thing that has not been mentioned is this peculiar skill Ted had mastered. He would often politely ask to have a drink from some kid's soda pop. Of course, he did not want to spread or pick up germs from the bottle by putting his mouth on it, so he developed a way of holding the bottle and extending his thumb, and placing the thumb below his lower lip so that he could pour out a few ounces into his mouth without spilling a drop. All of us kids were in awe at this ability because whenever any of us tried it we ended up soaking our faces and shirts.