BY P. GRAY MEEK.
INK SLINGS.
—Tomorrow will be Pennsylvania
day at State College.
—Only forty-six days until Christ-
mas will be here. Think of it! Are
you half ready for the event?
—If the Allies could gain ground in
Flanders as fast as they are losing it
in Italy we would be in Germany in a
short time.
—Pity the poor American soldiers
who have been taken prisoners by the
Germans. Their’s will be an extraor-
dinarily hard lot.
—If the coming winter would only
prove to be as short as the past sum-
mer seems to have been it wouldn’t
be such a fearful thing after all.
+ —Philadelphia did the best she
could, but she is evidently too thor-
oughly wedded to her idols to repu-
diate even government by murder.
—They say “its bad luck to win the
first pot” so we look with more cheer-
fulness on the capture of all our de-
fenders in the first line trench in
France.
—Don’t waste anything. This time
next year you might find many uses
for the seemingly worn out article
you are thinking of consigning to the
rubbish heap now.
—William Henry Harrison Walker
is some runner—when he gets in the
West ward and “Kinnie” Johnston
seems to have Bellefonte laid out in
a regular Marathon path for himself.
—Tammany has .captured New
York city after a long campaign. The
starving tiger will make up for many
a lost meal now and, incidentally, give
Gotham about as good government as
it ever has had.
—The total of the second Liberty
Loan subscriptions was $4,617,5632,-
300. It was not quite up to the five
billion mark but far beyond the three
billions that were needed. As a conse-
quence of the oversubscription all
subscribers for amounts in excess of
fifty thousand dollars will have to be
pared down some. It is needless to
say that this decision doesn’t effect
us.
—Governor Brumbaugh might well
consider the advisability of calling an
extra session of the Legislature for
the sole purpose of enacting into a
law a measure, something after the
Maryland code, that will compel men
to work. We have plenty of able
bodied men all over Pensylvania who
don’t have to and won’t work, while
the farms, the mines and the mills are
crying for help. Of course such fel-
lows couldn’t do bone labor but they
could be made to take other places
during the war and release men who
can do hard work.
—Many farmers declare that Belle-
fonte is being made an impossible
market for them because of the im-
proved state highways. They insist
that owing to the smoothness of the
new roads their horses are constant-
ly endangered and, besides, it is im-
possible for them to draw the same
load over the smooth surfaced roads
that they can over the old clay and
macadam ones. This latter conten-
tion is interesting because of the fact
that the primary motive underlying
the good roads agitation was to im-
prove them to the extent that they
would prove more economical for far-
mers and others moving loads over
them.
—True to custom the “Watchman”
refrained from taking any part in the
local elections held in Centre county
on Tuesday. While in nearly every
precinct the contest was almost col-
orless there were a few in which the
fire of old political feuds broke out
and started things. In Bellefonte es-
pecially was this the case. Here we
had the spectacle of the Republican
organization backing the Democratic
nominee for burgess and the Demo-
cratic organization-that-was btcking
the Republican nominee for burgess.
The Hon. “Deacon” Harris, Republi-
can county chairman, traveled up
from Harrisburg to see to it that Ed-
mund Blanchard got his. Some will
have it that the Hon. “Deacon,” who
rather prides himself on his recently
cratic organization-that-was backing
acquired party eminence in Centre
county, merely did it to discipline
burgess Blanchard because he wasn’t
“regular” when we were having a non-
partisan judicial contest two years
ago. The “Watchman” is inclined to
believe, however, that it wasn't so
much that as it was fear that Mr.
Blanchard’s frequent and untiring
flag-raising oratoricals might have es-
tablished him a little too well in the
minds of the country Republicans and
that he might get notions into his
head before their next county chair-
man is to be elected unless some of
the wind was taken out of his sails.
On the other hand Mr. Walker, the
Democratic candidate, was attacked
behind a barrage of almost identical
nature. Under the questionable
charge that he was not where he was
expected to be when certain thumbs
were put down on him in the recent
judicial contest, he was openly fought
by Democrats who gave that as their
excuse, but who were really clubbing
him because he had the temerity to be
against them in the old reorganiza-
tion fight in our county some six years
ago. This is the real dope on the
most glaringly anomalous contest we
have had in many yearsin Bellefonte
and while Mr. Walker won and Mr.
Blanchard lost the “Hon. Deacon”
merely rolled a cigarette, looked wise
and camouflaged himself.
_VOL. 62. BE
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION,
BELLEFONTE, PA. NOVEMBER 9, 1917.
NO. 44.
Result of the Election.
“Corrupt and “contented,” Philadel-
phia has given the wealthy garbage
man a new lease to loot. The Frog
Hollow gunmen have been endorsed
by the voters of that -city and their
methods and murders are approved.
There were symptoms of a revolt
against the iniquities of a “criminal
combination” but they were disap-
pointing. In the final analysis the
vicious predominated and the metrop-
olis of ‘the Commonwealth of Penn-
sylvania registered herself as infa-
mous. It doesn’t matter much, of
course. The people themselves will
have to pay the price. The grafters
will revel in the spoils and the servile
slaves of prejudice and bigotry will
find recompense in the smiles of the
party bosses.
In Pittsburgh the lines were laid
in a different direction, though the
issue was practically the same. Brum-
baugh’s absurd ambition to party
leadership was the main question in
both contests. Fortunately the Pitts-
burgh end of the enterprise was not
attended by murder though every
other expedient was invoked in his
behalf. But Pittsburgh is not quite
as completely submerged in vice as
Philadelphia and the Governor's
“straw man’ was knocked down and
out. Possibly the people haven’t
gained much by the victory of the
Penrose candidate, the rich and reck-
less lumberman, Babcock. But there
is some consolation in the reflection
that Brumbaugh is rebuked by the
vote of that city against Magee.
Elsewhere throughout the State
the election results were without sig-
nificance. In some sections the spirit
of true Democracy asserted itself and
public interests were promoted as in
the election of Hon. John C. Harman
to the bench in the Columbia-Mon-
tour judicial district. But the Dem-
ocratic party has been so weakened
by selfish and inefficient leadership
that it hardly deserves consideration.
In Harrisburg, for example, there |
was no candidate for Mayor and the
council chosen is unanimously Repub-
lican. This condition is ascribable
entirely to the imbecility of the party
management ‘and at this time there
is no prospect of improvement.
—Of course it is only what might
be expected but we call your atten-
tion, nevertheless, that the ‘“Watch-
man” is the only paper that gives you
the complete election returns of the
county this week.
Dangerous Step Toward Centraliza-
tion.
The government at Washington
has been given vast powers with the
free assent and cordial approval of
the people for the period of the
war. Such a policy was essential to
successful preparation for the great
part the United States will be com-
pelled to take in the world tragedy.
But there is likely to be strong pro-
test against the proposition now be-
ing agitated to put all “motive pow-
er and other necessary equipment, as
well as the railroad man power,” un-
der the control of the Federal gov-
ernment. President Wilson might be
safely invested with this extraordina-
ry power, but he will not always be
President and once ordained it will
probably be impossible to withdraw
the power in the future.
The reason given for this proposi-
tion is that the full measure of serv-
ice is not being given by the trans-
portation companies to meet the re-
quirements of the government dur-
ing the war period. It is reported
that a famine in cars and motive pow-
er exists in one section of the coun-
try and a plethora in another. On
the Atlantic seaboard, the complaint
is, the industrial life is impaired, be-
cause there are not cars and locomo-
tives enough to carry the coal and
other essential commodities to the
points at which they are needed while
in the West and Southwest thousands
of fine locomotives and excellent cars
are lying idle in storage yards. If
that be true there ought to be a
change. But it is not necessary to in-
voke revolution to work a reform.
The railroad managers and men as
well as the operators and miners in
the coal fields can be drafted into
service without confiscation just as
men were enlisted for the army and
navy and money conscripted to pay
the expenses of the war. If the
Southern Pacific railroad has thous-
ands of idle cars there is no necessi-
ty for a menacing scarcity on the
Pennsylvania railroad. An inter-
change of cars may be accomplished
without resorting to the extreme of
absolute government control of cor-
porate property and franchises or re-
sorting to any other innovation that
might cause irreparable trouble in
time to come. Whatever is necessary
to win the war the public will stand
for but there is no use going further.
——The theatre managers who
show so much lip sympathy for the
taxed patrons of the play houses
might mitigate the evil by paying the
taxes themselves.
Evil Effects of False Reports.
Within a couple of of weeks, accord-
ing to market reports, there has been
a slump in prices of listed stocks to a
total of a billion dollars. If that rep-
resented an actual depreciation of
values it would be a serious matter.
In that event it would mean a net loss
to the country of that amount of mon-
ey. But as a matter of fact no such
calamity has happened. The slump
in prices was caused almost entirely
by false reports upon matters which
might be expected to have an influ-
ence on ‘values. And strangely
enough the most absurd rumors will
start a movement upward or down-
ward in quotations of stock prices.
Stories that wouldn’t fool an intelli-
gent school boy will drive stock deal-
ers wild. ;
For example, according to an es-
teemed contemporary which gives
special attention to such things, a
man entered a Wall Street office one
day last week and announced that
“Sweden and Holland had declared
war on England,” whereupon “there
was a panic in stocks.” Anybody
who has the slightest understanding
of conditions in that part of Europe
would know that no such incident had
occurred. It is true that Sweden and
Holland are having a hard time of it
owing to their geographical situation
and commercial condition. But there
is no more likelihood of their declar-
ing war on England than there is of
France declaring war on Spain.
Nevertheless Wall Street was ready
to accept the statement as true.
A man who will start a false report
for the purpose of increasing or di-
minishing the value of corporate
property, at a time when such a re-
sult might greatly impair the inter-
ests of the country, is no better than
a traitor. Among reputable traders
such methods of influencing prices
have always been condemned and now
that every thing of that sort has a
tendency to retard the financial oper-
ations of the government, they are
more than commonly repugnant. Of
course brokers ought to know better
than to believe such absurd lies as
that quoted above but after all mei.
are a good deal like sheep in that re-
spect. Where the bel-weather leads
they are all likely to follow.
The Italian army continues its
retreat before the forces of Germany
and Austria and things look bad for
King Emanuel at this writing. But
there will be a change in the near fu-
ture for before long German troops
on that front will be wanted to de-
fend German territory.
Controller Williams Butts In.
Possibly an increase in freight rates
is necessary to the future prosperity
of the railroads of the country. They
have been earning a great deal more
lately than before the war and it may
easily be shown that efficient manage-
ment would greatly increase their
earning capacity. But labor is scarce
and high and neither the railroads
nor the country can afford to cut
wages to a point below the living
standard. Americans must be well
fed and amply clothed to make them
contented and working men who are
not contented are not efficient. In
view of this fact it would be vastly
better to raise freight rates than re-
duce wages of railroad employees.
But there was no occasion for John
Skelton Williams to butt into the con-
troversy. He is Controller of the
Currency and in that capacity has a
good deal to do with regulating the
banks and supervising their methods.
But the financing and operation of
railroads is out of his “jurisdiction”
and he would better let the settlement
of such questions to the railroad finan-
ciers and operatives. Public officials
are altogether too prone to mix into
the affairs of the people. If they
have been in office a considerable
period of time they grow arrogant
and more or less meddlesome and
such things from such sources are of-
fensive to very sensitive minds.
The question of increasing the
freight rates is now before the Inter-
state Commerce Commission and
while it is pending these comments or
arguments by outsiders is quite as ob-
jectionable as similar interference
with the deliberation of a jury would
be. The Commissioners may com-
mand the evidence of experts and in-
vite the opinions of others. But no-
body has a right to obtrude his opin-
ions upon them as Controller of the
Currency Williams has done. His
views on that or other questions may
seem important to himself but they
don’t stand so high in the estimation
of the general public that people are
anxious to hear them. Mr. Williams
is a butter-in.
Dr. Muck, director of that swell
Boston orchestra resigned because he
was compelled to include the “Star
Spangled Banner” in his program.
Now his name is Mud.
——As usual the. election results
have convinced a great many men
that most, if not all, men are liars.
German Criminals Operating.
The disastrous fire at the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad piers, in Baltimore,
last week, strengthens the suspicion
expressed in these columns some time
ago, that agents of the German gov-
ernment are systematically destroy-
ing property in this country, as a war
measure. In the case in point the ev-
idence is almost conclusive. There
were six distinct explosions within
ten minutes after the fire started al-
though there were no explosives on
the pier. Obviously bombs had been
planted, therefore, for the purpose of
making the destruction certain and
as disastrous as possible. Most of the
property destroyed was war material
and the aggregate value amounted to
about $4,000,000.
The Department of Justice prompt-
ly began an investigation and ar-
rests have been made though consid-
erable time will be required to thor-
oughly probe the matter. When that
result is accomplished, however, no
mercy should be shown to the miscre-
ants responsible for the outrage. It
is a barbarous system of warfare
which was abandoned years ago by all
civilized powers but has been revived
by the assent if not under the direc-
tion of German authorities who seem
to be influenced entirely by brutal in-
stincts. The guilty wretches should
be made an example of when they are
apprehended to the end that even
beastliness will be restrained in the
future when such crimes are sug-
gested.
The incident, moreover, is an -ad-
monition to the authorities at Wash-
ington and elsewhere, to exercise
greater care in guarding against such
crimes. We have no doubt that there
are plenty of German-Americans who
are as loyal to the country as natives
could possibly be. But there are a
good many who are not and some wil-
ling and anxious to serve the Kaiser’s
cause by the perpetration of any
crime. Such men should be followed
and punished to the full measure of
avenging justice, and ample care tak-
en to prevent them from personating
their more worthy countrymen. It
‘would hardly be fair to suggest that
“none but Americans be put on
guard,” but it is important that only
loyal men be chosen.
The Secretary of the Treasury
manifested abiding faith in the fu-
ture of Russia the other day by lend-
ing that distressed country some
$31,000,000 in good American money.
Men and Money Alike Free.
The second Liberty Bond sale was
quite as great a success as the first.
Of the first issue only two billion dol-
lars were offered and three billions
were subscribed. That was certainly
an emphatic vote of confidence in the
government and faith in the cause
she has espoused. The second offer
was for five billion dollars and the
entire amount was subscribed within
the period of a month. In other
words the country has contributed
seven billion dollars of capital within
a period of six months and history
shows no better expression of sub-
stantial patriotism. The lives and
treasure of the country are laid upon
the altar of duty with equal freedom
and liberality.
There will be other tests of our
patriotism within a year and more
men and more money will be asked
in order that the ideals for which our
government was created may be
maintained. We are only at the be-
ginning of the great strugg le of dem-
ocracy against autocracy and both
combattants are equally in earnest.
If we win autocracy will be eliminat-
ed from the world as a governing
agency and for all time. If we lose
autocracy will be enthroned and for a
period longer than the mind can con-
ceive the people of the world will be
enslaved to a heartless and cruel mas-
tery of the type of the German Kais-
er. No consideration of humanity or
justice shall stand in the way of his
imperial will.
And the principal sufferers in this
event will be the people of the Unit-
ed States. Her fertile lands and rich
mineral deposits have been the envy
of Kaiser William for many years
and almost from the beginning of his
reign he has been conspiring to get
control of them. In the present emer-
gency he hopes to compass that re-
sult and how will he exercise the
power if he gets it? Happily there
is no great danger of such a calamity.
Only the folly of our own people
could bring it about. If we should
fail to support the government by
supplying money and men the disas-
ter would be inevitable. But the suc-
cesses in enlistments and contribu-
tions are guarantees against that.
——That rotten campaign in Phil-
adelphia eliminated Bill Vare as a
candidate for Mayor for all time and
fixed Shunk Brown’s gubernatorial
ambition for the same period.
——Red heads have always been an
abomination to Germans but in the
form of gunners they are simply in-
tolerable.
Pr Col.
TUESDAY'S ELECTION
QUIET.
W. Harrison Walker Elected Burgess
of Bellefonte While Democrats
Get Full Share of Offices in
Townships.
RATHER
Taken in general Tuesday’s elec-
tion was about as quiet a one as ever
held in Bellefonte, the only contests
that seemed to excite much interest
being those for burgess between W.
Harrison Walker and Edmund Blanch-
ard, and tax collector between J. Ken-
nedy Johnston and Harry Badger.
Mr. Walker nosed out by the narrow
margin of twenty-five votes while Mr.
Johnston won by a good, safe major-
ity of 108 votes. In the South ward
J. D. Seibert was re-elected to coun-
cil over William Doll and the candi-
dates split even in the West ward,
Wm. H. Brouse, Republican, and J.
M. Cunningham, Democrat, being
elected. :
One thing was very noticeable when
it came to a count of the ballots in
the evening, and that was the unusu-
al amount of cutting that had been
done. In the entire borough only 129
straight ballots were cast, 61 Repub-
lican and 68 Democrat. From this it
would seem that party lines were
stretched almost to the breaking
point and the winners at the polls
were evidently the people’s choice.
Following is a summary of the vote
on the borough ticket:
Burgess: nw. S.W. W.W,
Edmund Blanchard | 156] 165| 46
W. Harrison Walker | 176 137] 79
Tax Collector:
Harry Badger ..........%, | 137} 1301 47
J. Rr Johnston.....| 186] 159] 73
John M. Keichline i 10 171 8
Auditor:
W. H. Garman, 4y......... | 155] 123| 38
D. A. Barlett, 4y........+. | 164] 132] 81
Edward L. Gates, R., rnp 124| 46
Edward L. Gates, D., 6y..[. 89] 76] 48
School Director:
M. J. Yocke~R............ | | 224] 109 a 62
M. J. Locke, D.......v. 80
of
G. W. Rees was oa uli
the peace in the South and West
wards without opposition and follow-
ing is the result of the various ward
tickets:
BELLEFONTE—N W
Judge.Saml B Miller 225.8aml B Miller 80
Ins....W L Malin 184....Frank Steele 135
Ass. ...Herb Auman 235. Herd © iuman 90
Coun..Hard P Harris 198, Hard P Harris 78
E H Richard 193...E H Richard 96
BELLEFONTE—S W
Judge. Walt Armstrong 180.J T Zeigler 110
Ins....A M Barri12s..... C A Schaeffer 162
Ass....C H Barnes 156....C H Barnes 107
Coun..J D Seibert 166........ Wm Doll 138
BELLEFONTE—W W
Judge.J D Thomas 48.D Wagner Geiss 74
ns. ¥ Ba JodonB3..,......, G O Gray 66
Ass. . R Houser 51.1. A McQuistion 74
Coun. ow H Brouse 72.J M Cunningham 61
J.C Jodons2,....... G R Parker 46
Following is the complete vote poll-
ed throughout the county for all offi-
ces except that of Jury Commission-
er, and as both the candidates had to
be elected the question of the size of
their vote is immaterial:
Office Republican ‘Democrat
CENTRE HALL BORO
Coun..J F Fetterolf 18..W F Bradford 62
AP Rrape27....... Daniel Daup 59
.D K Keller 72
I A Sweetwood 28...W H Meyer 66
Judge.Geo M Boal32....
John H Puff 61
Ins....C F Deininger32...W T Floray 61
Ass....Jno E Rossman24..D A Boozer 69
Burg..B D Brisbin 30:.Geo H Emerick 61
T Col..G 9 Benner 20.C D Bartholomew 70
S Dir4y C F Emery 36...H G Strohmyer 54
6y.T i Smith 22....... wid E Bailey 65
Aud : J W Stump 19.. O Heckman 68
6y.W A Odenkirk 3 .J H Kanarr 61
HOWARD BORO
Coun..Edward Green 75...... Jno Diehl 49
DA Molter49.......... C M Fox 54
Geo H Leathers 81....John Lyon 64
G F Williams 46..J A Woodward 32
Judge.J F Butler 80........ W_ T Loder 35
Ins....Saml Holter 8)...Chas B Strunk 36
Assr...J L Holter 84..... John Wagner 28
Burg..Fred Leathers 80....... Jos Diehl 33
T Col..T A Pletcher 83....T A Pletcher 21
§ Dir..W J Kurtz 61.. Matthew Rodgers 52
Aud 4y P C Holter 66.. B McDowell 43
6y.John Williams 62.... Wm Weber 46
MILESBURG BOROUGH
Judge. Wilbur B Miles 83.. ed B Graffius 1
Ins....John H Bryan 70. ¢'K Essington 32
Ass....M C Piper
Burgess. Toner A Hugg 67... Wm Bolan 31
Coun 2y Frank L Baird 85..Edw Kinnie 81
2y John Thomas 83. Harry Mann 76
2y Jas G Wallace 75..G McCullough 77
S Dir A Leon Yorks 80
SDr4y.H P Austin 72
S Dir 6y Wilson Heaton 85
Aud 4y G Zimmerman, jt
.W F Fulton 3
Aud 6y..
....H H Kinnie 75
“HP ‘Curtin'és...... Homer Carr 22
-MILLHEIM BORO
.D J Neiman57........ H E Duck 51
iy W P Catherman?25....T B Motz 42
4y.S W Gramley59....A E Bartges 78
4y.J H Hoffman 51......P P Leitzel 57
kes ..P H Musser 60
eed W A Stover 61
Judge.E H ZIT 24..D W Zeigler 88
Insp...0 S Gramley 33..... H R Auman 82
Assr...Ezra Burd 67..... Daniel Auman 48
Burg..F E Gutelius 68......... H Maize 49
T Col..J W Housman 80J W Housman 31
SD 2y.J 2 Gephart 23.E R Sehrochengu
4y.J R G Allison 29.J C Hosterman 75
6y.H-E Boob2S8......... Stover 79
Aud 4y.W L Swarm 57....H F Frank 4y 41
6y.D L Zerby ™...... D L Zerby 6y 36
PHILIPSBURG—1st WARD
Coun..Ernest E Demi 67....J A Walton 47
Judge.R P Dunsmore 87 R P Dunsmore 22
Ins....E R Hancock 82..... Jno McCabe 29
R Ass.Robt Kinkead 87..Robt Kinkead 24
S Dir..Chas G Avery 79..... ‘Wilson 33
Aud...Geo BarnesS86........ Geo Barnes 20
Claude Adams 86..Claude Adams 22
Burg..John W Beals 92...Jno W Beals 20
T Col..Roy Wilkinson 78..Ellis C Howe 36
PHILIPSBURG—3rd WARD
Coun..John H Cole86....G W_Bratton 73
H B Miller 118....H P Faulkner 79
Judge.Lew Batcheler 64..Thos Deaken 127
Ins....Jas Hawkins 122.J L Daugherty 63
Ass....And Bottomley 41..Jno R Herd 147
S Dir..Chas G Avery 108.J B Wilson Sr 82
Aud 4y Geo Barnes 107...... Geo Barnes 42
6y.Claude Adams 112.Claude Adams 49
Burg..John W Beals 126:John W Beals 46
T Col..Roy Wilkinson 141....E C Howe 49
SNOW SHOE BORO
Coun..W S Budinger 54...D R Thomas 31
Jos Gehret 27. .Harry Viehdorfer 50
H H Robart4l....Scott Wealker 54
Ww - Sickel 54....8amuel Zindell 35
Judge, J F Walker?27..... J M Gilliland 63
Ins....Robt Thompson 55.Frank Burns 35
Ass....LL M Kelley 49......Chas Zindell 40
S Dir..Jas F Uzzle4S...... Robert Kech 40
Aud...Robt Thompson 50..Jas Redding 37
Harry Hoy 40.......Karl Eroused;
(Continued on page 4, Col.
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE.
—The West Branch Knitting company;
of Milton, received an order from the
United States navy department for 250,-
000 light undershirts last week.
~—An army balloon that came from Ak-
ron, Ohio, landed near Clearfield early this
week. It had as passengers five young
men who were non-committal as to their
mission. :
—Mrs. Mary Getty, of Indiana, who is 94
years of age and the oldest woman of that
place, is knitting for the soldiers. Mrs.
Getty has knitted five pairs of socks and a
pair of wristlets within five weeks.
—Fifteen locomotives built at Dunkirk,
N. Y.,, passed through Milton at 6:18
o'clock Saturday evening, enroute to
France, where they will be used to haul
munitions to the United States soldiers.
—The Williamsport Chapter of the
American Red Cross will request the fire-
men of that place to knit socks for the
soldiers, following the patriotic movement
that has been inaugurated in larger met-
ropolitan cities.
—A hydroplane designed and built by
Henry N. Atwood, formerly of Williams-
port, has lifted 1,000 pounds and develop-
ed a speed of from two to fifty miles am
hour on water amd from forty-five te
eighty miles in the air.
—The National Furniture company, of
Williamsport, after being in the manufac-
turing business for thirty-seven years will
soon suspend. The firm has been noted
for the manufacture of dining tables, of-
fice desks and safe tables.
—The home of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel
Poole, of near old Stanton, was dynamited
recently by some unknown persons, the
charge being placed under the front porch.
No one was injured, although the house
was lifted from the foundations.
—A range exploded on Tuesday in (he
apartments of Mrs. William Hogarth,
Williamsport, as she was preparing dia-
ner on it. She had made a wood fire when
the explosion came, demolishing the range.
Mrs. Hogarth was not injured seriously.
—A brakeman on a Pennsy freight train
running west suddenly lost his reasom
while on duty and left the train as it
stopped in Lock Haven for a short time
on Sunday. His absence was not discov-
ered until the train was on its way to Re-
novo.
—It is said the farmers of Lycoming
county have failed to take advantage of
the labor offered to work on Sunday to
harvest their crops. At the employment
agency it was announced that 300 men had
applied for work on Sunday and only
seventy-five were engaged.
—A. L. Storm, representing the Storm
Silk company, owners of mills at Forty-
Fork and Lehighton, is in Patton, negoti-
ating for the silk mill there. Should he
buy it, the plant will be dismantled and
the machinery taken to one of the other
plants, which doesn’t please Patton peo-
ple.
—Wilbur LeRoy Metz, by William Metz,
his father and next friend, on Friday en-
tered a suit in trespass in the Blair coun-
ty court, through his attorney, John F.
Sullivan, against the Pennsylvania rail-
road company, to recover damages in the
sum of $10,000 in payment for alleged in-
jury at the hands of the defendant : com-
pany, Ri
—The Business Men’s Association of
Lock Haven, and the New York & Penn-
sylvania Paper company filed separate
complaints with the Public Service Com-
mission against the rates for bituminous
coal charged by the New York Central
and the Pennsylvania railroad. The com-
plaint is a sequel of former proceedings
of the same character.
—Northumberland county's strong box
is full to overflowing, according to the rec-
ords in the office of John H. Glass, county
treasurer. The total on hand at the close
of business Saturday night was $238,209.-
91. Of this $198,397.40 was county funds;
$44,160.15 bond sinking funds; $5,000 hunt-
ers’ licenses; $483.88 dog tax money, and
the balance mercantile tax funds, this lat-
ter being state tax money, as well as that
of the hunters’ licenses.
—George C. Tompkins Jr., alleged mur-
derer of the Humphries family of Phila-
delphia, on the State highway between
Ebensburg and Carrolltown in July, will
be tried before a Cambria county jury
next month. The defendant will be rep-
resented by the law firms of Evans & Ev-
ans and John H. McCann, who it is said
will fight the case on the grounds of in-
sanity. The case will likely be put on rec-
ord during the second week of December.
—The tipple and boiler house at the
Red Board mine of the Portage Coal Min-
ing company, Portage, owned by Peale,
Peacock & Kerr, and the trestle from the
mine opening to the railroad, were de-
stroyed by fire, which broke out between
6 and 7 o'clock Monday evening. The fire
is believed to have been of incendiary ori-
gin. The total loss is estimated at about
$50,000. The mine is one of the largest im
that vicinity and has been furnishing gov-
ernment coal orders. It has a daily ca-
pacity of about 1,000 tons and employs
about 400 men. The fire started in the
blacksmith shop, which had not been in
use since noon.
—Although pursued relentlessly by mis-
fortune for the last fifteen years, John G.
Walbeck, a well known farmer of West
‘Wheatfield township, Indiana county,
smiles and digs in. Within fifteen years
he has lost his wife and ten children by
"death. One of his horses died recently,
' making the fourth one lost during the last
four years, and within that period his
barn was destroyed by fire. While at In-
diana last week settling for his Liberty
Loan bonds for which he had subscribed,
Mr. Walbeck said that he would not com-
plain if Uncle Sam continued making
touchdowns in order to prove effective in
the present war.
—John Salvonsky, a Polander, was ar-
rested at ten o'clock Monday night while
prowling around the Logan Valley power
house in Altoona and acting in a suspi-
cious manner. When landed in the jail at
Hollidaysburg he proved equally as sus-
picious because of the clothing he wore,
papers he had on his person and because
of the conflicting stories. Salvonsky ap-
peared about the house about 9:30 and
Special Officer Anthony Murphy noting his
suspicious actions watched him for a time
and then took him into custody. He said
he was looking for a place to sleep. He
was taken to jail and there he wes search-
ed. He wore three suits of clothes, the
outer one being pretty well worn but the
other two were good. He also carried a
bank book on a Clearfield bank that show-
ed $800 on deposit. He also had $32 and a
new watch in his possession. He was held
for further investigation.