Paterson Elks to Honor Dyer, Active More Than 50 Years. Clifton Resident, 76, Has Had Varied Career. Starred With St. Agnes' Teams. By George Homey Herald-News Staff Writer. More than 50 years as a member of the Paterson Elks Lodge will be marked this evening when Edward E. Dyer, Cliftons supervisor of brooks and streams, is honored at a testimonial dinner. The affair for the 76-year-old guest of honor will be held in the Elks home, 232 Broadway. Alpheus M. Krantz is general chairman, and Thomas Milsop and Robert Worsley, ticket chairmen, reservations are limited. Dyer traced the highlights of his career yesterday while sipping a tonic of bourbon and lemon juice in his apartment at 80 Union Avenue, Clifton. He is recovering from a severe cold which has plagued him since last week. A native of Paterson, Dyer has resided in Clifton most of his life and most of his business activities have centered in the Passaic-Clifton area. He has been supervisor of brooks and streams and in charge of flood control in Clifton since 1942. Dyers formal schooling ended in the eighth grade in St. Agnes School, Paterson. After graduation, he went to work for the Lackawanna Railroad, first as a water boy to a section gang and later as a messenger boy where he learned telegraphy. Railroad Towerman. After serving for a time as tower man in the Lackawanna's Paterson junction, Dyer was associated for about a year with the late N. B. Fairclough, Sr., in the contracting firm of Fairclough and Dyer. The firm did small contracting work specializing in the installation of sewers and curbstones. That was back in 1396. Business wasn't too good and Dyer gained employment as a foreman in the Passaic Rolling Mills. Shortly after, he shifted to the boiler shop of the Cooke Locomotive Works, Paterson. But Dyer, realizing he was lacking in education, took a business course in the evenings to help him along with his ambition to go into business. Dyer said he quit his job at the Cooke plant and was quick to explain why. Being quite active in sports, "I told my boss I wanted to take some time off in order to train for a special match race in track. Having had a similar experience with another worker, a boxer, he told me I could take time off and not to come back. As an after-thought, Dyer added he lost the race and his job. Dyer also was active in baseball and football and competed with the old St. Agnes teams His specialties in track were the 100-yard and 220-yard events. Back to railroading Dyer went, this time as a brakeman and later as conductor. He was promoted to yardmaster in the Newark yard and then passenger yardmaster in Hoboken. He served as assistant to the superintendent on the depressing and elevation of Lackawanna tracks through the Kearny-Harrison area. Starts Business of Own. Having met a number of contractors during the course of his service with the railroad. Dyer went to work as a supervisor with a local firm and stayed in the post more than two years. In 1914, he entered business on his own forming the Dyer and Kane Company, a Passaic construction outfit, and the Pompton Sand and Gravel Company. His partner was the late M. John Kane, of Passaic. The desire to learn more about business continued with him and Dyer took an International correspondence course In 1915. During the period from 1925-1930, he dabbled in the silk business and was a partner of the late Emil Hertz in the Lincoln Silk Company, Paterson. In 1929, the depression hit Dyer just as it had millions jot other people. It was like being hit from both sides. Rocky Marciano on one side and Joe Louis on the other, he said. Things got progressively worse until 1934 when Dyer rebounded and formed the International Asphalt Corporation, Passaic. The company shipped asphalt to Italy and received in payment olive oil foots, used in the making of soap. That enterprise lasted three years. Worked for old WPA. In 1937, Dyer went to work for the Works Projects Administration as a district supervisor. His work with WPA took him throughout the state. Five years later, he moved into his present post in Clifton. One of Dyers fondest memories is his membership in the Jesse James Club, a group of poker playing Cliftonites which included the late Henry Doherty, president of the old Doherty Silk Mill. The club was active in the 20's. Dyer, one of the first members of St. Paul's R.C. Church, is married to the former Catherine Hartman. They have three sons, Valentine, director of public works in Hamden, Connecticut; Raymond, a cutter at Howard Company, Clifton, and Robert, an executive with a Baltimore movie chain, and one daughter, Mrs. Mafy White, of Irvin, Texas. They also have nine grandsons, two granddaughters. Summing up his 76 years, Dyer said: "I've lived a wonderful life and had wonderful friends."

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