ER e———— So —————————— — -
8Y P. GRAY MEEK.
Ink Slings.
—The ice man is wearing a look of real
concern these days.
—I¢ wasn’t so beautiful Wednesday
morning when you had to shovel it off the
walks.
—If ANNA GOULD remarries that detes-
table Box1 a commission in lunacy should
be appointed at once.
—Wheat is up to ninety-five cents again.
The question with the average farmer now
is: Will it go to & dollar again ?
—If any of your good resolutions are
still holding ous stick to them like death.
A few weeks more and you will have con-
quered.
—The kind of January THAW they are
baving in New York just now is far from
being the real thing that we bave been ac-
customed to for years.
—Ahbout eight million dollars were spent
for automobiles in this country last year.
Imagine the amount of stivk aod dust
those purchases raised.
—Governor JoHNsoN, of Wisconsin, is,
in our humble opinion, the most suitable
man yet spoken of in convection with the
Democratic nomination for President.
—With all the traps that are being
set for them the capitol trimmers should
certainly be caught in one of them. There
is room for reasonable doubt, however.
—One of the hopeful signs of the fature
for the fellow who expeots to be out of
work lies in the fact that the opening of
the fishing season is scarce three months off.
—1It couldn't be possible that Governor
STUART is postponing the appointment of
that railroad commission against the time
when he will be ready to accept another
job.
—In the United States twenty per cent.
of the men are said to be clean shaven, but
in Heaven—Well about ninety-nine per
cent. of them will have clean shaves to get
in there.
—Measles are spreading in Greater Pitte-
harg bus up to this writing we have not
heard of Mayor GUTHRIE'S intention to at-
tack them. He has been after most every-
thing elee.
—By the time Congress is through con-
sidering relief measures for the country’s
financial system the problem will probably
be relegated to the stand-pat platform with
the tariff question.
—Mayor ScuMiTZz and ABE Ru, for-
mer head officials of San Francisco, are
both in jail now to serve long terms for
grafting, It is the old case of putting a
beggar on horsebask.
—The innovation of placing millinery
and dressmakingestablishments aboard the
trans-Atlantic lines is calculated to make
the average man hesitate all the more be-
fore proposiug a trip abroad to his wife.
—The imports of diamonds baving fallen
off nearly twelve million dollars last year
there is everything to indicate that the
matrimonial market suffered accordingly.
No diamonds, no engagements—so there
you are.
—Senator KNOX was so quick to intro-
duce an employer's liability act to replace
the one declared unconstitutional by the Sa-
preme court that it almost forces us to be-
lieve that he imagives he has a chance for
the presidential nomination.
—Mr. HARRIMAN'S advice to the peo-
ple to ‘‘watob things grow’’ might havea
world of meaning in it and might not.
Perhaps he is going to scoop a few more
railroads. Perhaps he is going to get into
another altercation with the President.
—One of the reasons)’ that they are to
have ‘‘pop’’ only at the BRYAN dinner next
month is probably because it is hopedjthat
Miss Democracy will take the hint aod,
under her leap-year prerogative, pop the
question to the distinguished Nebraskan.
—Statistios show that in three faces out
of five the eyes are out of alignment. Of
course this doesn’t cover TAFT, or FAIR-
BANKS, or KNOX, whose optics are so di-
rectly focussed ou the White house that
there couldn’t possibly be any variation in
them.
—His batter has just made publiciithe
fact that the President’s head has grown
from 7} to 7} wince be was a common Civil
Service commissioner, It is nice to have
this authoritative confirmation ol a sus-
picion that has been lurking in the public
mind for some time.
~-As to the murder trials in Kentuoky.
Jt bas never been denied that some one
killed Governor GOEBEL, nor that some of
the men under conviction have guilty
knowledge of the assassin. Therefore if
they won't tell who the real culprit was
should they not be punished.
~—It is really a wonder that the big boss
vho knows it ail didn’t order a lot of the
Admirals of the navy into canoes and make
tiem paddle their way around The Horn
jast to discover whether, after baving gone
through Annapolis and spent their best
years in the study of naval affairs, they
Inow as much about boate and the sea as
ke does.
~The fight between FLINN and PEN-
108E, if it is really to be a fight, will not
esult in disclosing much to the people of
Pennsylvania. Usually when such notari-
us persons declare war interesting devel-
(pments follow, but Pennsylvania has been
© deluged with political scandals recently
fiat new ones will scarcely be a surprise,
ror add to her humiliation.
|
VOL. 53
An Unpromising Bargain,
The administration, according to Wash-
ington dispatches, has practically reached
an agreement on certain points in dispute
with Japan. To what extent the battle
ship fleet brought the Japs into an oblig-
ing frame of wind is left to conjecture. In|
any event, however, it is announced that |
the administration’s scheme of limiting
Japanese immigration is now certain of |
fulfillment. The Jap authorities who do |
not like the idea of Japs leaving their own
country have about determined to pocket
the insult implied in forbidding them ao- |
cess to this country fora consideration, |
The Jape, as the late BRET HARTE said of
the Chinese, are peculiar, and like Joey |
BAGSTOCK, they ‘‘are sly—devilish sly.”
A Jap can tell a rainhow from a locomo-
tive with one eye closed.
The cousideration which the administra-
tion offers to Japan in retorn for acquies® |
cence in the exclusion policy of the Presi- |
dent is free access to the markets of the
i
Philippine Islands. Japan bas developed
in to a marvelously energetic and sagacious |
commercial country and is striving assido-
ously to acquire advantages in foreign mar- |
kets. The Filipinos are likewise av artful
people whose products, before the Ameri- |
can conquest, found a ready and profitable
market in Spain. The scheme row is to
establish absolute free trade between the
Japs and the Filipinos and exclude from
the Archipeligo the producte of all other
countries, inolading the United States, by
the process of prohibitive tariffs. This
would give Japan a literal “‘oinoh’ in the
markets of the Philippines.
Meantime what is to become of the trade
profits on the commerce between the Unit-
ed States and the Philippines which were
to reimburse the people of the United
States for the cost of acquiring the terri-
tory and subduing the Filipinos? It will
be remembered that every complaint as to
the vast expense of the Asiatic enterprise
was promptly answered by an assurance
that she magnificent markets of millions of
Asiatics would absorb all the products
which our soil and factories could supply.
That the Asiatics haven’t much money and
don’t wear many clothes made no differ-
ence to those who gave the answers. But
pow even the meagre hope which that de-
ception oreated is dissipated by the new
scheme to “‘pawn’’ our prospect for that
trade in a deal with Japan.
The Riding Test Comedy.
Some of the well-informed in Washing:
ton are having a good deal of fun over the
report of the horseback riding test of army
officers, recently made hy order of the Presi.
dent. The report shows that a considerable
number of the colonels failed to ‘‘make
good’ and are scheduled for retirement.
There is no reason in the world why they
should ride thirty miles a day or that dis-
tance in a year under present conditions.
Most of the colonels are veterans of the
Civil war and woald be retired under the
age iimit within four or five years anyway
and meantime their details in burean work
is neither facilitated nor improved by sad-
dle exercise. Bas ROOSEVELT rides and
insists that others do so or retire.
There is a widespread suspicion, how-
ever, that most of thoee who failed to meet
the horse-hack test did so because they
wanted to. In other words the average
army officer above the age of fifty-five is
anxious for retirement. He feels that there
is little, if any prospect of promotion, un-
less he happens to be a White House fa-
vorite, and while there are plenty of op-
portunities to acquire wealth in civil life
the chances of even acquiring a competency
in army service are meager. The pay al-
lowance of a retired colonel, for example,
which is about $2 500 a year,is a guarantee
against poverty and supplemented by the
profits of a fairly successful business, is al-
most affluence.
That being the case the President’s whim
is likely to prove an expensive luxury to
the country. Of course is will remove
from the active army list some veteraus
who woanld have trouble in mounting if
called to active field service and put in
their places some of the youngsters who wear
corsets at the post Germans. This change
might add picturesqueness to a street
parade and dash and enterprise to a sham
battle. But such things are not essential
in these ‘‘piping times of peace,” and in
view of the difference in tie pay roll may
seem to practical minds as ‘‘costing more
than they come to.” But ROOSEVELT is an
expensive luxury himself aud a million or
80 doesn’t amount to much in his mind.
—A rich San Francisco merchant gave
his son-in-law a soand thrashing recently
and now the young man has brought suit
for twenty-five thousand dollars damages.
The price 18 pretty high, but if the old man
is rich enough we presume he will figure
that be bad fally shat amount of satisfac-
tion.
Cnnm——
——The conuty auditors are now hard
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE, PA., J ANUARY 1(
Conjuring With the Name of Roose
velit.
!
i
4 1908.
Flinn and Penrose,
ws Cone. 1B
It is impossible to withhold sympathy
Like all other insincere crasaders, Seva- { from Senator WitnLiaM FrLiss, of Pitts
tor FLINN, of Pittsburg, predicates bis | barg, in his aunounced crusade against
movement on a false foundation.
In bis | Senator PENROSE aud the Republican ma-
proclamation of war against the machine | ghine. That organization is so atrocious,
be declares that ‘the essentials of those | 4,4 Senator PENROSE bas been so much a
policies, of which President ROOSEVELT i® | part of it, that any opposition to it and
the great exponent, must be defended and | Lim must be welcomed. As Senator FLINN
the reformation which he bas inaugurated | declares ‘‘for many years a baud of spoils-
wast be carried to completion.” A gieat | men, masquerading under the banner of
writer and philospher has said thas
tfiotism is the last refuge of a sconudrel.”
For half a dozen years the name of ROOSE-
VELT bas been nsed to conjure with in this
State and in this appeal for help Mr.
FLINN has simply followed the example of
others who were tryiog, by false pretenses,
to deceive the public.
A year ago the people of Philadelphia
were urged to vote for JOHN E. REVBURN
for Mayor as an essential step inthe vindica-
tion of ROOSEVELT'S policies. But before
REYBURN was in possession of the office a
week he publicly condemned ROOSEVELT'S
policies and held ROOSEVELT up to popular
execration. Last fall the people were
gravely informed that the election of
SHEATZ to the office of State Treasurer was
in the interest of ROOSEVELT and bis poli
| pies bat before the resnlt was announced the
machine which was saved by his election
was condemning ROOSEVELT. FLINN is
no more sincere than the others in this
matter. He invokes the name of Roosk-
VELT for welfish reasons.
Senator FLINN basa quarrel with the
Republican machine, not because of its
iniquities, but for the reason that he
wasn’t invited to participate iv the spoils.
He is opposed to PENROSE not on accrant of
the bad political morality of PENROSE but
because he imagines that with PENROSE
out he would have a better chance to get
in. The truth of the masteris that one
Republican faction is no better than the
other. If she people of Pennsylvania want
improvement iv the offizial life of the
Commonwealth they will vote all the Re-
publican leaders out of office and inaugu-
rate new methods with new men. Only
bad political organizations have bad lead-
ers. With either FLINN or PENROSE in
command the Repablican machine stands
condemned,
Sign of Party Virility.
There are signs of some pretty earnest
contests for Democratic nominations for mu.
nicipal offices in some of the cities and bor-
oughs of the State. This is an indication
of party virility whioh is most encourag-
ing. Where there are no candidates there
is usnally little hope of party success and
it seldom happens that an earned nomina-
tion, to use the base ball vernacular, does
not lead to a deserved election. An earo-
ed nomination is one acquired by an active
campaign and upon a full vote of the elec-
tore. Such a nomination is an honor even
if it tails to produce the commission. Bat
it hardly ever fails.
With an active and energetio party rank
and file a bad nomination is hardly possi-
ble. The vast majority of the people of
every community favors just and honest
government and a full vote at the prima-
ries guarantees candidates who represent
the majority. Communities would be bet-
ter governed and better off if parties were
evenly divided and when the body of the
voters of both parties attend the primaries
itis practically certain that the majority is
not overwhelming on either side. Wedo
not share in the opinion that partisanship
should be eliminated from municipal elec-
tions. Ours is a government of parties and
the minor offices are the units. Therefore
party lines should be preserved in local
elections but each party should nominate
fit men.
It is no exaggeration to say that the po-
litical history of the country has never re-
vealed a more important era than that
which is impending. The ooming]presi-
dential election will determine whether
the government is to be continned on the
lines established by the founders of the Re-
public or diverted into ohaunels which
were narrowly escaped in the beginning
and involve the greatest danger. Centrali-
zation and paternalism are oaly thin dis-
guises for imperialism and Republican vie-
tory nexs fall means that inevitably. For
that reason Democrats ought to be vigilant
and energetio at the skirmish next month.
— Because of the fact that Denver, Col.,
bas been selected as the place for holding
the Demooratic national convention this
year it might be interesting to WATOHMAN
readers to know that they at least have
some enterprising newspapers in that city.
Oo New Year's day the Denver News pub-
lished as its regular edition twenty pages,
eight columns to a page and a statistical
supplement of thirty-two pages, four ool-
ums to a page, or two hundred and eighty-
eight oolums of live reading matter and
advertisements.
— The Bellefonte Y. M. C. A. basket
ball team won its filth viotory last Friday
at work auditing the accounts of the vari-
ous county officers.
evening hy defeating the Juniata College
five at Huntingdon by the score of 16 to 13.
‘pa- | the Republican party.’’ has been despoil-
ing the Commonwealth and looting the
public and it ie time that the piracy were
stopped. For that reason it is with more
than ordinary satisfaction that we have
read Senator FLINN'S call to arms with the
view of eliminating the evil from the life
of the State.
Isis a sabject of profound regres, how-
ever, that the movement for reform hasn't
another champion than Mr. FLINN. What
he says of PENROSE is probably true. It
would be difficult to frame an indictment
against that political free-booter too severe.
Bus there is the highest authority for the
proposition that the leader of a reform
movement ought to be free from the offen-
ces of which he complains, and itis no
exaggeration to say that Senator FLINN is
worse in political morals shan any of those
he accuses. As a matter of fact there is no
crime in the political calendar in which he
Las mot participated at one time or another.
Senator FLINN ‘‘set the paoce’’ for ‘‘po.
litical contractors’’ in this State aod it was
not until after he had amassed a vast for-
tune by muncipal contracts and contract-
ural excesses thas he became a reformer
and even then he only entered upon a re-
form crusade in order that he might have a
better opportunity to betray his earnest
associates in the work. For that reason
we own toa lack of enthusiasm in the
work of the new crasade. It is probably
based on selfish purposes and we can dis-
cern no advantage in turning PENROSE out
if FLINN is to be tarned in. Isis “six of
one and baif a dozen of the other.”
An Anomalous Condition.
The Seaboard Air Line railroad, one of
the great rail systems of the cohntry, is in
the hands of receivers. It was uvable to
meet interest payments, on the first of the
yeav, and had no alternative. The stocks
in the concern are watered, of course, and
recent betterment operations has been ex-
pensive. But there is no sustained acousa-
tion of bad management and the enterprise
was under the control of the most capable
railroad financiers. The recent tied up
mouey, however, and the siump in com-
mercial activities diminished resources.
Bat the tariff was with us, just the same,
and the Repablican party is in power.
Within the last couple of months the
government has been driven to the necessity
of selling bonds in a time of peace. Worse
still the conntry has been forced to other
expedients to avert financial disaster.
Clearing house certificates to an aggregate
of nearly a thousand millions of dollars
have been issued and the administration
has paid banks as much as three per cent.
for accepting deposits which they are usaal-
ly willing to give something for. In other
words we have been issaing trading stamps
or throwing in chromos to keep business
going. But the tariff is with us, juet the
same, and the Republican party is in
power.
We have been told in the past that bonds
are sold in times of peace only under Demo-
cratic administrations. It can easily be
proved by the files of any of our esteemed
Republican contemporaries that railroads
never go into the hands of receivers except
when there is a Democratic tenant in the
White House in Washington and the free-
traders in Congress are ripping up the tariff
schedules. Bat here we have an absolute
and unmistakable refutation of these as-
surances, The bonds have been sold and a
receivership established beyond question
and the tariff is with us, just she same ,and
the Republican party is in power.
——Qune of the oldest residents of Cen
tre county is W. M. Lewis,of Port Matilda,
who on New Year's day celebrated his
ninety-third birthday anniversary. And
he is not only well up in years but is still
bale aud hearty. Daring his earlier life,
when burning charcoal was quite an in-
dustry in this seotion of the State, Mr.
Lewis was known as ove of the best wood
choppers in Centre county and old as he is
he still delights in going to the woods for a
day’s chopping. Mr. Lewis celebrated his
birthday by spending it with his son, W.
M. Lewis Jr., and family, in Tyrone ; one
pleasureable part of the occasion being that
it was also she birthday anniversary of
Mr. Lewis’ grand-daughter, Mrs. Homer
L. Keatley, so that between making merry
for both of them the guests bad a bappy
time of is.
——Monday morning was the coldest so
far this season, the thermometer register-
ing as low as eight degrees above zero in
this place, according to the location of the
instrament.
se Ne
Cannon and Hughes,
From the Johnstown Democrat.
The bitter fight being made in Ohio upon
Secretary Tafs as a Republican candidate
for the presidential nomination and the
fact that both Indiana and Illinois bave
their own favorite sons, with quite a possi-
bility of New York pressing the name of its
governor forward, puts the Taft candidacy
in a very serious position. Undoubtedly
to-day he is the strongest wan whose can-
didacy has been presented. That means it
is the field against Taft. He has back of
him the strength of the administration of
course, but he has the weakaess as well,
Most recent successfal caudidates for the
presidency on the Republican ticket have
come in without avy record of their own or
any record which they bad to father. Ben-
jamin Harrison was elected as a result of a
revolt against Cleveland ; Cleveland was
re-elected as a result of the revolt against
Harrison. McKinley was swept into office
because of the unpopularity which Cleve-
land had built up and for divers other rea-
sons which everybody knows. President
Roosevels, with his famous luck, was elect-
ed by the greatest popular majority known
to American politics and the greatest elec-
toral majority, though he polled scarcely
four hundred thousand more votes than
his predecessor and ran behind the vote
given to Mr. Bryan in 1900. Thus it ap-
pears that you cannot always be sure that
the nominee who represents the politics of
an administration is going to be strangth-
ened thereby. Politicians in Washington
and elsewhere think that Mr. Taft will
suffer if he appears openly as the residuary
legatee of the Roosevelt administration.
ut it is worth while cousidering three
men, two of whom are national characters,
one a state figare—Fairhanks, Cannon and
Hughes. One of the most prominent finan-
ciers of Washington is quoted as saying.
‘Watch out for a ticket made up of Can-
non and Hughes. Cannon ie a national
character. All his life has been spent in
public service. He has been speaker for
three terms. He represents the revolt
against the Roosevelt radicalism. He has
the best machine in the United States, for
he has every Republican member of con-
gress with him. Hughes is strong iv his
own state and with she well-informed peo-
ple of other states. But he is not known
widely throughont the country. Farther-
more, he knows little of national affairs.
If he should come here for a term as vice
president he would learn much about va-
tional matters of which to-day be is ignor-
ant. Of course it is always possible that
the ident may die, either by disease,
accident or act of the assassin. We have
bad five such cases. In that event, what
better man conld be to succeed to the office
than Gov. Hughes of New York #"’
The argument sounds well. It also sog-
gests that new emphasis should be pot
upon the plea made in this Papegs wesks
ago that the Democratic party should not
again allow its vice president nomination
to he made at the last moment and with-
out thought.
The Defenseless Position of the Repab-
lican Party.
From the New York Sun, Rep.
The Republican national platform adopt
ed at Chicago June 22, 1904, oelebrates
the beneficial effect of Republican policies
upon business in a tone the hoastfulness of
which now reads like bitter irony :
We then (1897) found the country, after
four years of Democratic rale, in evil
plight, oppressed with misfortune and
doubtful of fature. Labor was
unemployed, business was sunk io the
depression which had succeeded the panic
of 1893, hope was faint and confidence bas
gone.
Confidence returned to business, and
with confidence au unexampled prosperity.
The confidence has been all but wreoked
and the unexampled prosperity bas been
halted by one insistent and perpetual voice.
The Rough Bider bas ridden down busi-
ness. What William MoKinley built up
his enccessor bas torn down.
**We have every right,” the Republicans
said in 1904, ‘‘to congratulate ourselves
apon the work since then (1897) accom-
plished.” Can they congratulate them-
selves upon the disaster spread over the
United States by Theodore Roosevelt ?
How will the Republican party, so long
the spoiled child of good fortune, take up
its new role of apologist for the calamities
begotten of an inaptitude and a blindness
Bitharto supposed to be peculiarly Demo-
Jratic
Depends on the Times.
From the Williamsport Sun.
It is asserted that during the past year
pearly one bundred and fifty million dol-
lars were given by private donors to educa-
tional and charitable ivstitutions in the
United States. This notable showing which
eclipses all previous record was due to
the large gilts made by John D. Rockerlel-
ler and Mrs. Russel Sage-—donations co a
soale which is seldom witnessed in other
countries, and whose benefits, if they are
wisely administerd, should extend through
uncounted generations. The abounding
prosperity which existed during the greater
part of the year doubtless accounts for the
size of many contributions, The amount
given for similar purposes in 1908 is likely
to depend largely on whether business and
industry shall resume conditions approach-
their former status.
Bryan Condemses a Proverb.
From a Speech Before the Oklahoma Legisia-
ure.
One proverb I have often quoted is *‘The
wise man foreseeth the evil and hideth
himself, but the foolish pass on and are
punished.” It is a great truth, and beau-
tifully expressed, bus I found it did not
stick in peopisis minds, and so I condens-
ed it, it is the only effort I have ever
made to improve upon a proverb ; and
this is not an improvement, it is merely a
condensation. Itis not as beautiful as
Solomon’s proverb, but more easily re-
membered. It means the same thing in a
condensed form : ‘‘The wise man gets
the idea into his head : the (foolish man
gets it in the neok.”
Spawls from the Keystone.
~The county commissioners of Clinton
county paid out last year for the scalps of
weasels, minks, foxes and wild cate, $413.
—Eutire fields of unhusked corn are still
to be seen on the fine farms in the eastern
part of the state, which is shmething unus-
ual.
—According to the reports filed in the
burean of vital statistics at Harrisburg, there
were 365 suicides in the state during 1907, or
one for each day.
~During the past year the commissioners
of Indiana county paid to different persons
in the county $2,894 for sheep damages. The
money was taken from the dog tax receipts.
—The ten industries of Waynesboro this
mouth will pay to the citizens of the town
$21 250 in dividends. Home investment
pays better than oil stock in the phautom
west.
~Thieves broke into the cigar factory of
Henry S. Herr, at Willow Street, Lancas.
ter, on Wednesday night and hauled
sway about 50,000 cigars. The loss is about
$1,500.
~The Schuylkill Valley Traction company
is storing 2,500 tons of coal at its plant at
Collegeville, Montgomery county, in antici.
pation of a coal famine, should severe winter
weather set in,
—In a mock duel with knives Friday
night, Peter Svedige, 16 years, received an
accidental thrust of his adversary’s blade
near the heart and died from internal hem-
orrhage shortly after.
—Burglars entered Fieldstone, the beauti-
ful suburban residence of Thomas E. Jones,
near Scranton, on Tuesday night, while the
family were entertaining guests at dinner,
and stole jewels to the value of $2.000.
~The commississioners of Clearfield coun-
ty will hereafter refuse to pay bounties on
scalps and have so notified the Justices of
the Peace throughout the county. They are
guided in this course by orders from Harris
burg.
—Mrs. Susan Shaffer, the oldest resident
at Tomb's Run, Waston township, Lycom-
ing county, died Thursday, January 2, aged
100 years. The deceated is survived by one
daughter, Mrs. Thomas McCullough, of
Jersey Shore.
—Negotiations have been completed
whereby the state secures the control of 17,
000 acres of mountain land in the northwest.
ern part of Berks and the southern part of
Schuylkill county, as a forestry and game
preserve at a cost of $50,000,
—0. 8. White, a letter carrier in Wilkes-
barre, who has been collecting mail from
the boxes for ten years, has kept a record of
the distance he and his horse, Billy, have
traveled and he says his figures show that
just 67,000 miles have been covered.
~The state registrar of vital statistics has
threatened to institute proceedings against
a large number of physicians in Lycoming
county on the charge that they fail to make
reports of births. The number of births re-
ported has fallen far below the number of
deaths.
—The county officials of Westmoreland
county have taken possession of the fine new
$2,000,000 court house, with the New Year,
und Friday, January 31, has beon.selected as
the date for the dedication of the new build.
jog. Ivis proposed to have an imposing
ceremony.
—Profe:sor J. Anson Wrigiit, superinten-
dent of public schools in Bedford county,
has been elected cashier oi the Hartley
Banking company, Bedford, to succeed
William Hartley, jr,, who bas resigned on
account of ill health. Professor Wright will
not assume his new position until the expira-
tion of his term as superintendent on June
1.
—George B. Kaffroth, for a number of
years a hotel clerk in eastern Lancaster
county and now a manufacturer of cattle
powders at Houneybrook, Chester county,
has just come into the possession of a fortune
of $70,000 bequeathed him by Frederick Otto
Kuenzler, a native of Switzerland, who for
years was a hotel hostler in Laucaster and
Berks counties, aud whom Kaffroth bad fre.
quently aided when in need.
—So quietly and effectively have the
county authorities of Cambria county, gone
about their work that it was not learned
until recently that there is approaching its
climax one of the most vigorous and far-
reaching crusades against the illegal sale
of liguor that was ever attempted. Fifteen
informations have been made before Squire
Lauffer, of Portage, it is said, and {something
like forty more, in various parts of the coun-
ty. are to follow soon.
—James P. Thomas’ 4,000 acre tract of
valuable clay lands in Dean and Reade
townships. Cambria county, and Antis town"
ship, Blair county, will not ouly prove use-
fal in future brickmaking but a part of itis
shortly to be turned into a magnificent game
preserve, according to plans being formed by
Mr. Thomas, which he will stock with wild
hogs. These animals will be turned loose on
the property,and allowed to roam at will for
several years, when wild boar hunts will be
a diversion in the preserve.
—While Mrs. Cramer Bernhard, of East
Providence township, Bedford county, was
polishing a stove that was slightly
warm, using “Easy Bright” and rub-
bing the stove with a brush, the
polish ignited and immediately flew to
the pan and ignited and burned the con-
tents. Mrs. Bernhard dropped the pan and
threw dish pans of water on it but did not
succeed in extinguishing the fire until about
six square feet of the floor had been burned,
causing damage also to the paints and paper
near the stove. Mrs. Bernhard’s hands were
burned to a blister.
—Patrick Kerwin, aged almost 111 years,
of Seward, who was apparently recovering
from a severe illness, collapsed Saturday
morning and died within a few minutes. He
was believed to be the oldest person in the
state. For several years he had been living
in retirement with relatives at Seward. Mr.
Kerwin was born in County Donegal, Ire-
land, on March 17, 1797. At the age of 30
years, he arrived in New York, later going
to Philadelphia, where he worked as a stone-
mason, He finally bought a farm near
Johnstown, where io Ah alone until
twenty years ago. Mr. Kerwin never mar-
ried. He knew many great men and his
tales of the early days of Pennsylvania were
interesting. Hea ted his youth, to a
strong conststution and absence of worry.
a