Winchell's Dry Cleaners was located next to the Railroad Station, and access to and from the daily train runs. Walking to and from the station meant trying to avoid or treading lightly over the soggy or sometimes flooded ground. The noxious fluids from that business leaked out into the surrounding areas and were later found to have leached into the ground, where their effects remain today and forever. Most of the affected wells, last I knew, had only minimal traces of carcinogens in the ground water, but several homes were /are more highly affected. Those levels were, presumably still are, regularly checked by the health department. Whether the death rate from cancers in folks who lived nearby has ever been calculated, or publicized, is not evident. I can recall several young cancer victims who lived in the affected ground water area, but to what avail.
Of course, the dangers of dry cleaning fluids expelled onto and into the open ground was not known then, but should it be forgotten? When the completed report containing the results of the study was released, a copy was sent to the VFL , but where it is now is unknown.
As a side note to the Winchell business: The owner, Paul (?) Winchell, owned a delivery truck, a blue van as I recall. He employed a man from the village for pickup and delivery. He was let go after, according to reliable sources, he was in a sense running his own business from the truck. Winchell's prices were higher than prices in Troy, as was expected. So the Winchell driver would pick up clothing, bring it to Troy (Roxy's), pay for it himself at the lower cost, then charge the customer the higher Winchell price, and pocket the difference. I don't think he was ever charged. People didn't do that so much back then, and besides the driver had a lot of kids to support.
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