ufc,
BY P. GRAY MEEK. '.
ink Slings.
‘Tt looks like the beginning of the
break-up of the Republican Machine.
There is but little hope for Senator QUAY’S
recovery.
—It is said that persons afflicted with
cancer acquire a helpless and hopeless
look. When you meet Judge LOVE don’t
imagine this is what ails him.
—The ROOSEVELT - news-bureau is evi-
dently taking an early vacation. It. is
fully twenty-four hours since a blast has
come out from that cave of the winds.
—The bottling up of Port Arthur by
the Japs seems to bave been a job, in
that line of busines, in’ which the license |
of the court concerned was neither asked
nor granted.
__Its war with Japan may be as it is as-
serted costing Russia $25,000,000 a month,
but considering the ‘‘run’’ she is making
it can bardly be claimed there is nothing.
to show for the money;
—¢That President ROOSEVELT has a big
and active brain no one would think of de-
nying,”’ says an exchange. Certainly nos.
Were it otherwise how would heldo the
amount of thinking he does about himself?
—The feeling is growing among know-
ing Republicans that, without the guiding
‘hand of the ‘‘cld man,’’ Senator PENROSE
will prove the KUROPATKIN of the Repub-
lican forces in Pennsylvania. To which
feeling we cheerfully subscribe and re-
spond, sobeit.
—The concensus of Democratic opinion,
as gathered from this point of view, is that
if Judge PARKER would only get over or
out from hehind the HILL that so ob-
soures him, the masses of the party might
gee him in a very different and a more
favorable light.
— What's the matter with the Demo-
orats winningthis year. Theirs will be the
Presidential candidate put in the
field and hasn't the Divine promise been
given that the ‘last shall be first??? Its
a good time for doubting THOMASES to go
ont behind the barn and hide themselves.
— What Russia now seems to need most
is to adopt the Republican platform and
When a
cause is bad there is nothing like putting
‘on a bold front, and in this line our Re-
publican stand-patters could give a num-
ber of valuable pointers to the retreating
last
‘try to ‘‘stand pat,”’ for a while.
Russians.
—Mr.
lighted to throw boquets at him.
—Judging by the sound coming up from
the New England cotton mills, ‘‘prosperi-
ty’? must be striking them with abous the
same effect a sand bagihas upon its victim
—a dull, sickening thud andgthen a last-
And there are people who
wonder why workingmen and women are
n ot hurrahing for Republican good times.
—A kind of a semi-official announce-
ment, from the mouth-pieces of the State
ring, gives us the assurance that the Re-
publicans will elect a Legislature next fall
that will give Mr. DICK QUAY the seat in
the Senate that death only will lift the
And still there are
Pennsylvanians who believe there is no
ing silence.
‘old man’’ out of.
need for a hell.
— And now the wonder is: if the contents
of the bucket have shrank; if the demands
of the workingmen have passed the full
belly-point, or why such dense silence, on
the part of the stand-patters, on the burn-
ing question of the full dinner pail? Sure-
ly there is a slip in the breechband, or this
important issue wouldn’t be side-tracked
so early in the race.
—1It is now announced that the Inter-
national Peace Congress has been called to
meet in Boston in October. When wecome
to consider the great amount of ‘‘ Universal
Peace’ the world is pow enjoying the con-
clusion naturally comes up that this Con-
gress is about as useful in preventing wars,
as a Pennsylvania Legislature is in dis-
couraging public robbery.
—Mr.
awfully discouraging to that class
thing in 1904.
wv
ing revival.
—1¢t is Professor TRUESDALE, we helieve,
who alleges that intelligent investigation
shows a decided decadence in American
minds, and a painfully certain shortening of
We don’t profess to
know about the ‘‘decided decadence,’ bus
if this intelligent investigator will inter-
view his grandmother about her outfit when
starting in life, or somebody else’s grand-
mother about the make and material of her
graduating gown, he will find sufficient
evidence of perfect memories to call for a
““decided’’ revision of some of his ‘‘pain-
In fact he will learn that
there are occurrences and things in this
life that are not forgotten by the faultiest
American memories.
ful’’ discoveries.
memory.
WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST
seems to have knocked the bottom out of
the campaign, the Republican press has
been organizing to insure a bolt at the Ss.
Louis convention, the very first whack.
Now, if Mr. W. R. H. will only advance
to she front of the stage, we'll all be de-
HEARST’S plain statement that
“no matter who the Democratic nominee
at St. Louis may be”’ he will receive his
‘earnest and cordial support,’”’ must be
of
Demcerats who bolted the ticket in 96
and 1900, and who were building so much
on occupying the Democratic pulpit, be-
cause others were willing to do the same
Mr. HEARST'S manly de-
liverance makes it probable that the place
for these gentlemen will continue to be the
mourner’s hench, at least during the com-
=]
- i x we
:
Demacralic
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
VOL. 49
Pennypacker’s Absurd Vanity.
Heaven help a State which has a. vain
egotist for Governor and Pennsylvania is
| suffering from that trouble now more than
any other Commonwealth in this or any
‘other country has ever suffered. For ex-
ample, the other evening Governor PENNY-
PACKER addressed the Wyoming Valley
Historical Society on the ‘‘Eatly Literature
of the State,” and he made such a spectacle
of himself that every’ intelligent observer
of ‘affairs within the reach of his voice
must have blushed with shame. He did
refer casually to the subject and declared
that BENJAMIN® FRANKLIN didn’t cut
much of a figure in the literature of the
State or country. He only printed job
work, laws and advertisements, the Gov.
ernor declared, while another fellow, ROBT.
BELL, who appears to have heen the anthor
of nothing, “gave to America the first edi-
tions of BLACKSTONE,and MILTON, and the
works of Tom PAYNE.”
The moss important thing in the litera-
ture of Pennsylvania, according to our
absurd Governor, is PENNYPACKER’S
Mills and the autographs of the PENNY-
PACKER family six generations back. Such
a reference was entirely irrelevant, of
course, for autographs bave nothing to do
with literature. But autographs of the
ancestors of the Governor are of very vast
importance to that vain old man because
the reference to them enabled him to imply
without exactly alleging, that WASHING-
ToN made bis headquarters in PENNY-
PACKER’S mill, on a memorable occasion,
for the particular reason that he wanted to
bestow a compliment on the PENNY-
PACKER family. As a matter of fact
WASHINGTON probably never knew that
there was a PENNYPACKER family and
-used the mill which is said to have belong-
ed to that family for headquarters for no
other reason. than it was most convenient
for him at the time.
The literature of Pennsylvania is noth-
ing to boast of much, all things considered,
but it deserves an eulogist of more sense
than Governor PENNYPACKER, What he
FRANKLIN is not only not true, but posi-
tively absurd. FRANKLIN did print ‘‘job
work, laws and advertisements,’ because
he printed a newspaper and the laws and
advertisements were inserted in his paper
because it was” the leading mediam for
conzmunicating facts to the public. But
he wrote and printed many great thoughts
and promulgated many sublime principles,
and if PENNYPACKER doesn’t appreciate
the fact it is because his inordinate and
absurd vanity obscures from his mental
view everything that fails to express ful-
some praise of the PENNYPACKER family,
not a member of which from the beginning
has served one useful purpose in the affairs
of Pennsylvania.
———————
Good but Falls Short.
The announcement of Auditor General
SNYDER, that he will refuse to issue war-
rants for the salaries of Judges in commis-
sion at the time of the passage of the judi-
cial salary bill of 1903 under the provisions
of that law, unless its validity is affirmed
by the Supreme court, justifies the hope
that after all something like a decent re-
spect for the obligations of public officials
will be asserted. The decision of Judges
VoN MosSCHZISKER and BELL asserting the
constitutionality of a law which specifically
and emphatically conflicts with the funda-
mental law was so palpably absurd that is
deceived nobody. It created in the minds
of ‘most men the impression that those
judges are either ignorant or corrupt but
that was the only effect it had.
In his opinion affirming the validity of
the salary law Judge VON MOSCHZISKER
says: “When we look at them in the
light of their historical development, as
well as in the light of the true meaning of
the words themselves, the whole section
seems so perfectly plain that one is filled
with wonder that its meaning should be
questioned at all.”’ That is literally true.
The words to which he obviously refers are
those contained in section thirteen of arti-
ole three of the constitution. The language
of that section is: ‘‘No law shall extend
the term of ‘any public officer, or increase
or diminish his salary or emoluments, alter
his election or appointmenst.’”’ How can
those words he interpreted as authorizing
the increase of salaries of Judges in com-
mission? :
Auditor General SNYDER falls short of
the full measure of his official duty, how-
ever, in issuing warrants for the salaries of
Judges commissioned since the approval of
that law under its provisions, until it is
judicially affirmed by the Supreme tribunal.
If she law is unconstitutional it falls abso-
lately and new as well as old Judges muss
be paid according to the provisions of the
old law, If the language of the law had
authorized the payment of new Judges
under the new law and old Judges under
the old law it would have been valid
enough for the constitution authorizesithe
Legislature to fix the rates ‘‘from time to
time.” But it didn’t do that and as the
failure amounts to a constitutional usurpa-
tion the law is invalid and the only judi-
oial salary law of which the Auditor Gen-
eral can take cognizance is the old one.
the
said in his Wilkesbarre speech of BENJAMIN |
BELLEFONTE, PA., MAY
-# Ls
Reform that Will Fail.
The movement of some of the Allegheny
county Republicans, supported in a meas-
ure by Republicans in some other counties,
for a reapportionment of the legislative dis-
tricts of the State, would be amusing if it
were not so pitiful. The constitution re-
quires a reapportionment every ten years.
That is to say, the language of the funda-
mental law is, that ‘‘after each decennial
census the Legislature shall reapportion
the State into Senatorial and Representa-
tive districts.” But more;than two, in fact
nearly three times the interval between the
census enumerations have passed since the
the last apportionment,and Republican law
makers take no notice of the fact.
A reapportionment is sadly needed for
various reasons. Some districts,as at pres-
ent constituted, have greatly increased in
population since the last apportionment.
Others have decreased, and taking these
facts into consideration, ample reason for
reapportionment is furnished. Under the
constitution the districts which have grown
are entitled to greater representation than
they have, while those thas have decreased
should naturally be cut down, unotas a
penalty for the default, but that represen-
tation from the various districts may be as
nearly equal as possible.
But there will be no reapportionment
during the next session.
The reason is that the Republican mwa-
chine managers don’t want such a conces-
sion to justice. The disproportion of
Representatives in the Legislature, with
respect to parties, enables the Republicans
to conserve their party interests as no other
device of fraud could do. It is safe to con-
jeoture, moreover, that QUAY would not
now be entitled to a seat in the Senate had
apportionments been made as required by
the constitution ; nor would he dictate
who the next Senator would be. With a
fair ballot and an honest count the
Democarts would have nearly balf
Hoase, and with Independen‘s,
who are ready to join in any move-
ment to defeat the} machine, that result
would be achieved. This is why there will
be no reapportionment this session.
How It Was Fixed Up.
Is is now reported that CoL. chambers
‘got out of the contest for county chairman
because he was ordered to do so by Senator
PENROSE who told him that he would
neither be re-appointed State Auditor nor
elected chairman if he refused. That
QUIGLEY laid down on the promise from
LoVE of additional audits, and that DALE
gave up his efforts in the same line after
being; assured that his brother AL. should
be made one of the candidates for the Legis-
lature. You can imagine the size of the
men who are bought at such rates.
SS S—————————_—
Nominate Fit Candidates.
As the time approaches for the nomina-
tion of candidates for Congress and the
Legislatures Democrats throughout the
States should be giving attention to the
selection of fit men. In the present Con-
gress there are only four Democrats in the
delegation of thirty-two. That is nothing
like a just proportion of the membership.
There should be at least a dozen Democrats
in the next delegation, and there can be
that many if wisdom is shown in the nom-
inations and vigor in the support of the
candidates. Among the districts which can
be carried under such circumstances is that
of which this county is a pars.
In the Legislature there is the same de-
linquency with respect to the relative
strength of the parties in the House of Rep-
resentatives. That is to say, in the last
House of Representatives of the ILegisla-
ture there were only forty-three Democrats
out of a total of !102,{which is less than a
third, whereas there ought to be very
nearly half. In the State Senate the ‘pro:
portion is nearly the same. That is, there
are forty Republicans against ten Demo-
crats, while the ratio onght to be about
twenty to thirty. On joint ballot the vote
of the last Legislature wax 193 to 53, which |
is a helpless minority
The highest possibilities with respect to
strength of the Demociats in the congres-
sional delegation and both branches of the
Legislature can be attained, at the coming
election, by the exercice of proper vigi-
lance in the selection ef candidates and
proper energy in the campaign for their
election. This is especially true of the Rep-
resentative General Assembly distriots.
More than a dozen Republican Representa-
tives in the last Legislature were elected on
a less vote than that polled for the Demo-
cratic candidate for President two years
previously. It is the duty of every man
to do his share in the work, of seeing that
none hut good men are nominated.
——We don’t want to make them feel
badly but the fellows, who are banking on
any expectation that SIBLEY will not be
the next United States Senator from Penn-
sylvania, should remember that the Stand-
ard Qil company has the same kind of a
shirt-tail mortgage on the Republican Ma-
chine that it holds on JUMPING JOE.
20, 1904.
A Signifieant Incident.
-— i L
The Philadelphia papers of last Sunday
all contained elaborate and interesting ac-
counts of a significant, if not an altogether
important evens, and curiously enough, in
one feature of the incident they all agreed.
The event was the appearance in a rather
snobbish parade in that city, the day before
of Miss ALICE ROOSEVELT, daughter of the
President and the Countess Cassini, neice
of the Russian Ambassador in Washington.
The point upon which the papers agreed
was to the effect that during the parade, as
well"as before and subsequently, the Presi-
dent’s daughter was surrounded by a cor-
don.
But it wasn’t the most significant
feature of the event. That was carefully
concealed in the conspicuous association of
the daughter of the President and the niece
of the Russian Ambassador. At this time
the empire of the Czar is having troubles of
its own. It needs money and is starving
to create credit. In the etiquette of
Enropean courts the association of persons
of the royal families is equivalent to an en-
dorsement at the bank. In other words, if
a daughter of the English monarch was
seen in close and friendly society relations
with the neice or daughter of the Russian
Ambassador at the Court of St. James, it
would be interpreted as a public notice that
Russia is to bave the support in her con-
fli ot with Japan, and the Czar’s govern-
ment credit would have taken an upwaril
flight immediately.
In the United States the incident of Sat-
day may have no such effect on the public
mind, but Russia doesn’t expect to borrow
money in this country, anyway. What she
expects is that this country may be inveig-
led into an endorsement of her credit in’
money centres, and that accomplished, the
borrowing will be easy. The association of
the President’s daughter and the Russian
Ambassador’s neice was no doubt for that
purpose, and as eighty per cent. of the
American people are in sympathy with Ja-
pau, 1ather than with Russia, the incident
is au outrage of the gravest character.
P resident ROOSEVELT has neither legal nor
moial right to so use his power.
—It is many, many, centuries since the
HirT-ites were at the front in public af-
fairs , butpresent appearances indicate that
one of them is now to become a standard
bearer for the Republican party. Which
will call to mind, how easily the Demo-
cratic MOSES licked them, and took their
offices and their lands, and all that was
theirs, because of their idolatry, abomina-
tions and general political worthlessness.
Figures that Should Startle Our Own
People.
It is a question now with the sympathiz-
ers with Russia, as to how long that conn-
try can stand the expense of its war with
Japan, that is said to be costing at the
rate of $25,000,000 a month.
It might be just as well for all of us to
look to matters at home and consider, if
past and present conditions are to continue
what is to become of us.
Mr. ROOSEVELT has been President for
less than thirty-six months. In that time
his administration has cost the country
$850,000,000 more than were the total ex-
penditures under Mr. CLEVELAND'S last
term of office. 3
Figured down, this would be an excess
of expenditure, over those of the last
Democratic administration, of $23,611,000
monthly, or within one and a half mil-
lions per month as much as the Russian
war expenses are.
And then we are sapposed to be at peace
with all Nations. 2
If Russia can’t stand a continuation of
the expenses of her war on Japan, which is
adding but $25,000,000 monthly to her
burden of taxation, how can we stand a
continuation of ROOSEVELT and his in-
creased expenditure of $23,611,000 month-
ly, in times of peace. ;
Is He a Hoodo ?
We don’t know that we are particularly
superstitious in such matters, but frank-
ness compels us to admit that the selection
of Mr. CORTELYOU, as chairman of the Re-
publican National Committee, looks like a
promising augury for the Democracy. As
a politician be has never had a very ex-
tensive experience, but the little he has
had is sufficient to show the kind of a hoo-
do he is to the candidate or cause with
which he is connected. He was first heard
of, in politics, as a private secretary for
Mr. CLEVELAND, and both the Democracy
and Mr. CLEVELAND lost their grip com-
pletely, while he was helping them in the
management of publio affairs. Then be be-
came olosely connected with Mr. McKIN-
LEY’S ad ministration and we all know the
disaster that followed and the untimely
end to which it came. Since that he has
been helping to make the ROOSEVELT rule
such that the peopleare prepared to repu-
diate it in the most summary manner, and
every indication now is that the same
“bad luck’’ that followed both administra-
tions to which he was attached is to hoedo
the party that has placed its management
entirely in his hands.
NO. 20.
* Prom: ise and Performance.
From the Pittsburg Post.
At the beginning of the regular session
of Congress last December President Roose-
velt commented on the somewhat precari-
ous condition of the National finances, and
urged great care and close economy in the
matter of appropriations. A comparison of
the cost of his administration with those of
the two preceding ones will show exactly
how much of pretense.
Cost of Roosevelt administration.... ,000,
Cost of McKinley administration...... 2,329,000,000
Cost of Cleveland administration....... 1,757,000,000
Cleveland in his last message made a
closing appeal to Congress ‘‘for the most
rigid economy in the expenditure. of the
money it held in trust for the people.” The
figures stated above show that the duty of
economy was enforced on Congress by ex-
ecutive action. Roosevelt also made the
$2,640,000,000
plea for economy in face of a threatened de-'
ficiency, but when it came to action he
promoted and encouraged the most reck-
less expenditures, so that the cost of the
Roosevelt administration up to date has
been $883,000,000 in excess of that of Cleve:
land for a corresponding time, and has
been $211,000,000 in excess of the expendi-
tures of the McKinley administration. But
for all that Roosevelt has talked economy
apparently as strongly as ‘either McKinley
or Cleveland. But it was all talk, designed
to promote the plunder of the treasury.
There could be no such honest increase in
expenditures as these figures show. ry
.The total expenditures of Roosevelt for
the four years of his administration have
been $2,640,000,000, which is about the
amount of the National debt at the close of
the Civil war. Neither the population nor
the taxable property of the country, thongh
they have. hoth increased in a remarkable
ratio, have advanced by one-third in
eight years, as the appropriations bave
done under the reckless and profligate ad-
ministration of Roosevelt. The time will
come when these figures will afford seri-
ous matter for consideration and reform,
and it’ may be at the presidential election
of 1904, with Roosevelt as the chief culpri
in the field. }
A Condition That May Have to be Met,
From the Philadelphia Press (Rep.)
The suggestion has been made that if an
act of the last Legislature were challenged
on the ground that the Legislature was not
chosen as the Constitution = requires,
because there had been no reapport ion-
ment, the Courts: would sustain the ¢on-
tention.
Probably it is not seriously expeoted
such a test will be made, and yet there is
some risk as long as the constitutional re-
quirement is not complied with. If other
provisions of the fundamental law apply-
ing to the choice of Legislatures were as
completely set at naught as the one on re-
apportionment the constitutionslity of
their epactment would .soon be attacked.
If a majority in either house were com-
posed of members under the prescribed
age, or ‘not having the lawful residence, .
their acts certainly would be annulled. It.
is a fact that a very larg= proportion of the
members of each house under the existing
apportionment are not entitled to repre-
sent the districts from which they are
elected. vs
The Constitution requires reapportionment
at certain intervals—immediately after
each United States decennial census—just
as explicitly as it requires certain age and
residence in the members of the Legisla-
ture. To ignore one requirement may be
less dangerous than to ignore another, only
because there might be less disposition to
test the point or more complication in un-
dertaking it. The Courts in some of the
States have not hesitated to declare appor-
tionment acts of the Legislature unconsti-
tutional when they have been made with-
out proper regard for the constitutional
provisions. That question however, when
different from any that could be raised
about. the existing apportionment in Penn-
sylvania, though face to face with the nak-
ed proposition, it would seem impossble for
any one to say that the present apportion-
ment of Senators and Representatives is
constitutional.
The Same Unfit Elkin,
From the Wilkesbarre. Leader.
It may be remembered that when John
P Elkin was a candidate for Governor a
great many of the so-called good Republi-
cans of the State regarded him as absolute-
ly unfit for the position and that such a
strong protest was made aganist bis nomi-
nation that, as a reform measure, Senator
Quay was compelled to dump him over-
hoard—which was considered a very regu-
lar and highly creditable procedure, even
by the reformers—and substitute the pres-
ent inonmbent. Elkin, as declared by the
only straight Republican organ of any con-
sequence in the State, bad secured a ma-
jority of the delegates and was the people’s
choice, but. Quay got his delegates away
from him and torced Penuypacker upon
the convention. And the convention
couldn’t help itself,as Republican conven-
tions never can. As the bosses fiddle they
must dance. This is possibly all right
go long as it pleases the conventions to be
thus manipulated. But how about EI-
kin’s fitness ? Unfit for Governor, is he
fit for the Supreme Court bench? And if so,
how so? . i
But We Don’t Have the Same Kind of
! a Court.
From the Philadelphia Record.
By a unanimous decision the Supreme
Court of Indiana has declared the Repub-
lican ' gerrymandering apportionment of
legislative districts in that State unconsti-
tational. The next Legislature will there-
fore be elected under the apportionment of
1897, making it possible that the Demo-
orate may secure a working majority and
thus bring about the defeat of Senator Bev-
eridge, who is a candidate for re-election.
There is some encouragement in the action
of the Supreme Court of Indiana for bring-
ing to a test the outrageous inequality of the
apportionment in this State, which, owing
to legislative default, gives some counties
excessive representation in the General As-
sembly while denying rightful representa-
tion to others. rn]
. Spawls from the Xeystove.. .
—Franklinville, Huntingdon county, has
a case of small-pox, the victim being Fran
McElwain, a man with a family. . = ©
. —A new hotel is to be built at Clearfield.
It will be seven stories ih height, 125 rooms
| and well equipped with al¥-the modern im-
provements.
—The Pennsylvania railroad company wil
plant 45,000 young spruce trees on a farm
near Coatesville owned by them, to be grown
| for railroad ties.
—Alexander Port, of Huntingdon, has
‘| been reappointed by Governor Pennypacker
a member of the board of managers of the
Huntingdon reformatory.
—Up to last Saturday there have been over
150 people stricken with typhoid fever at
Ridgway and the death list has reached the
alarming number of 22. :
—The large bank ‘barn on the I. A. Packer
farm at Monseytown, Clinton county, was
destroyed by fire about noon last Monday
with all'its contents. ‘One horse, a calf and
a goat perished in the flames.
—Contractor P. W. Finn, of Altoona, has
been awarded the contract for the construc-
tion of a school building in Manhattan bor-
ough, New York city, he being the lowest of
seven bidders. The contract price is $110,-
800.
—The Muncy Ginseng company, of Muncy,
has been chartered by the state department
at Harrisburg. The capital stock is $6,000.
The garden, situated on the land of Smith
Opp, in the southern part of the town, has
nearly 15,000 growing plants.
—Several cases of small-pox exist in Sus-
quehanna township, Cambria county, just
over the line from Barnesboro, and consider-
able indignation exists in the latter place be-
cause the township authorities refuse to act
efficiently for the protection of the public
health. 1 3
—A post office has been ordered establish-
ed at Hyde, Clearfield county, and the ap-
pointment of A. P. Schnars as postmaster has
been approved in accordance with the recom-
mendation of Congressman S. R. Dresser.
Hyde is the steel plant post office just above
Clearfield.
* —Mrs. Jane Pitcairn Campbell, aged 70
years, died in the Pennsylvania railroad sta-
tion at East Liberty, of heart disease, Sunday
evening. With her two sons she had hurried
to catch a train at Edgewood and was over-
come almost as soon as she reached the car.
She was a cousin of Robert Pitcairn, assis-
tant to the president of the Pennsylvania
railroad. :
—Miss Nina Messenger, of Hoges Summit,
Washington county, Somerset township, was
fatally injured Saturday night by being
crushed under a piano. She was pushing it
across a room when the floor gave way and
the piano upset, pinning the woman to the
floor. She was alone in the house and lay
beneath the instrument for two hours before
help arrived.
—Jacob Langenfelter, postmaster at Wals-
ton, Jefferson county, was bound and gagged
by robbers Thursday night and with his fam-
ily placed under guard while the gang rifled
his home and the office of the Rochester and
Pittsburg Coal company. They secured $1,-
000 in money, goods and stamps. When
about to blow up a safe the robbers were
frightened away.
_—A great deal of anxiety is expressed over
the disappearance of Miss Jennie Owens,
daughter. of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Owens, of
Pike township, Clearfield county. Two
months ago she started for Texas where she
expected to teach school, as she had done be-
fore, and has never ,been heard from since.
Her bank account has never been checked
on. Miss Owens is about thirty yearsold.
—At the Standard scale works in Beaver
Falls a talking scale designed for railway
stations and hotels has been perfected. It is
on the nickle-in-the-slot principle, but in-
stead of a dial to register the weight, when a
person steps on it and drops in a nickle, it
will, by means of a phonographic attach-
ment, call out the weight in a loud voice.
By another attachment the scale will cry
“no good’’ when a slug or piece of spurious
coin is dropped in the slot.
—James Colobine, better known among
railroad men along his route as ‘‘Dad,” the
oldest engineer on the Lewistown division
of the Pennsylvania railroad, was retired
last week. “Dad,” who is 68, entered the
service on March 1st, 1857, as fireman for
Jacob Geible on engine No. 8, an old wood
burner, then hauling the work train at Miff-
lin. “Dad” has been un engineer on the
same Lewistown division for 33 years and
claims to have covered a distance of 751,608
miles,
—Two boys disappeared from their homes
in Renovo on Sunday, May 15th. Their
names are Murtie Moriarity and Leo Dwyer.
Murtie was aged 15 years, has light hair,
blue eyes and is rather delicate-looking;
well dressed in mixed gray suit, knee pants,
wore blue cap and carried a bundle. Leo is
about the same age, but stout; wore brown
suit, good clothes, knee pants and gray cap.
Any information will be thankfully received
by their parents or by the chief of police of
Renovo. Papers are requested to copy.
—The Clearfield county centennial will be
held the week of July 4th, commencing on
that holiday and continuing for four days.
At a recent meeting of the committees it was
decided that a general executive committee
be appointed to consist of nine members, of
which Judge Allison O. Smith, B. F. Wil-
helm, president of the board of county com-
missioners, and Matt Savage, chief burgess,
shall be members, the other seven to be ap-
pointed. So things are shaping for a proper
celebration of the hundred year event and a
high old time in Clearfield county’s central
town.
—A large force of men are now employed
in the work of erecting the new fire brick
works of the Hayes Run Fire Brick company
on Beech creck. There are 45 men cmploy-
ed at the works at present, and it is expected
that the frame work of the main building
will be raised next week or at the furthest
the week following. This building will be
212x70 feet in dimensions. The boiler house
which is built of fire brick is completed and
the boilers have been placed in position. The
engine is on the ground and orders have
been placed for all the machinery for the
plant, which will be pushed to completion
as rapidly as possible. The new plant is lo-
cated on Beech creek along the line of the
Beech creek railroad and “is a few miles
above Beech Creek borough.