Bemorrai atcom
INK SLINGS.
——Early or late some of us will
have little Christmas shopping to do.
—Vice President Dawes has himself
properly indexed. He admitted it in
Chicago, Monday night, when he said
to the Women’s club of that city: “I
am an accident.”
—Let us hope that the new receiv-
ers of the Centre County bank will
start in to getting some real goodies
to its creditors and leave the deaf nuts
to be cracked until there is nothing
else to do.
—Up to this time the hunters have
been having anything but propitious
weather for their stay in the woods,
but what’s a bit of bad weather to a
fellow who has visions of bringing
down a buck.
—The fact that the new receivers of
the Centre County bank had their first
meeting yesterday afternoon, is en-
couraging. It is assurance that they
intend to lose no time in going to the
job of unraveling the tangle.
—=Show us the person who is claqu-
ing about the receivers Judge Dale has
named for the Centre County bank
and we'll show you the person who
hoped to get something out of it or
some one who is reflecting his disap-
pointment.
—The Governor’s plan for settling
the anthracite coal strike was accept-
ed by the miners Union, and rejected
by the operators. Why? Because it
was all for the Union. In fact quite
as much as it hoped to get when the
men were called out.
—Among our reasons why we are
not out with the deer slayers is the
one that if we were to bring down a
big buck the weather has turned so
warm that he would probably spoil be-
fore we could get all our doubting
friends around to see him.
—Well, we’ve heard Paul White-
man and his band. Individually we
believe them to be artists, but collect-
ively—our candid opinion is that they
are an abomination when they devote
such talent to interpretation of music
absolutely void of either theme or
rhythm.
—The sooner all subscriptions are
paid in the sooner the hospital will be
completed. Don’t expect the board of
directors to do the impossible. They
can’t carry the work to completion
without funds and those who haven’t
paid up are the ones who will be re-
sponsible for whatever delay there
might be.
—The “old guard” of the Republi-
can party has run up the white-flag
already. Ever since the Cleveland
convention they have been cleaning
house nf the radical element, but now
“that Congress is about to convene
again they are trying to gather the
castaways back into the fold. They'll
need them and they know it.
—The Indiana gentleman who
writes that he is not in agreement
with our Democratic policies, but en-
joys the “Watchman,” nevertheless, is
one of the many who have kept us
rainbow chasing for years. Some day,
perhaps, well convert all of our mis-
guided Republican readers and then
we’ll elect a Democrat in Pennsylva-
nia.
—Mr. Ralph Beaver Strassburger,
the Norristown newspaper man who
blighted Pinchot’s hopes of going as a
delegate from Pennsylvania to the
last national Republican convention, is
evidently preparing to throw another
monkey wrench into the machinery.
He denies that he is a candidate for
Lieutenant Governor and says that if
he runs for anything it will be for
United States Senator. To say the
least, Mr. Strassburger is ambitious.
—If we should happen to get seven
more letters from Democrats of Cen-
tre county to add to the eleven we
‘have already received urging us to ask
'W. Harrison Walker to be a candidate
for chairman of our party in the coun-
ty, we would certainly present the ap-
peals to the gentleman, because we
have an awful respect for that seven
—come—eleven combination. We've
dabbled little in African golf, but
enough to make us very hopeful of
what might happen were we to get
seven more letters and Harrison
should decide to put his pepper shaker
into general use.
—We hope that December will not
be a dull month in Bellefonte. It
ought not to be. There isn’t a mer-
chant here who can’t give you more
real value for your money than you
can get out of all the catalogues that
Sears-Roebuck or any other mail or-
der house may have been sending you.
Besides, every merchant in Bellefonte
—except for the chain stores—is
keeping your taxes down by paying
some of them himself. You might get
bacon at the — and — a cent or so
cheaper than you can get it at the
store of the man who is paying the
same mercantile tax—and then all the
local taxes on his home. You might
get “seconds” in hardware, clothing,
this, that and the other thing, from
catalogue houses a cent or two cheap-
er than you can get “firsts” from your
local merchant, but you pay for it
when the tax collector comes around.
Aren’t we wandering far afield? We
started out hoping that December
would not be a dull month. We know
it won’t for those merchants who ad-
wertise their wares in the “Watch-
man.” However December may be,
we know January and February and,
maybe, March are not going to be dull
months in Bellefonte for a new bur-
gess will be in the saddle and we're
looking for great doin’s.
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
VOL. 70.
Governor Pinchot Scores.
Governor Pinchot has scored in his
effort to end the anthracite coal
strike. At least that will be the pub-
lic view of it, because the miner’s or-
ganization accepted his plan at once
and the operators will eventually ac-
quiesce. The miners get practically
all they ask for and the operators are
forced into the position of having to
cut the coat according to the cloth.
The real sufferers from such dis-
turbances are the consumers of coal
and, as the proposition of the Gover-
nor specifically forbids any increase
in the price, the public will be satis-
fied. It will take some time to com-
plete the plan of operations but as re-
sumption of work at once is one of the
essentials, the necessary delay is un-
important.
The Governor’s plan ‘requires con-
cessions on both sides. On one side
the miners agree to a five year con-
tract which will guarantee activity of
the mines for that period. As an es-
teemed contemporary states, the min-
ers are “very jealous of their right to
strike,” and they will have to relin-
quish that right during the existence
of the contract. On the other hand
the operators highly prize their pre-
rogatives of increasing the price of
their product at frequent intervals
and will be obliged to forego that
privilege for five years. The demand
of the miners that the operators serve
as collection agents for organization
dues is modified but not abolished.
These were the principal causes of
quarrel.
The Governor has no legal right to
demand the concessions from either
side that the plan provides, but he has
the right, and it is his duty, to urge
any course that will contribute to the
public welfare, and the settlement of
the labor disputes in the anthracite
coal region will certainly accomplish
that result. His proposition shows
that he has learned in the school of
experience, for in this instance he has
given the interests of the public the
consideration that ought to have been
expressed in the settlement of two
years ago, which helped the miners
and operators at the expense of the
sumers asd cost the public millions
of dollars in the increased price of
coal.
——When Mr. Ferguson admitted
that he is the real Governor of Texas
he was only boasting. Most married
men know who is boss in the house.
Lame Argument for Ballot Thieves.
The Philadelphia Public Ledger,
which seems to have taken upon itself
the office of “spokesman” for the bal-
lot thieves of Philadelphia, continues
to protest against an extra session of
the Legislature. The expense of such
an enterprise appears to the mind of
our contemporary as a bugaboo of
such vast proportions and forbidding
aspect as to cause hysterics. Every
ballot thief in the State would proba-
bly express the same opinion, if
asked, and the more stupid of them
might be expected to support their op-
position with the same arguments.
The present Legislature is opposed to
the proposed reforms and corrective
efforts should be deferred until a
friendly Legislature is chosen.
The expense of an extra session of
the Legislature, held for the consider-
ation of ballot reform, couldn’ possi-
bly exceed half a million dollars and
might be held considerably under that
figure. Such legislation as will result
in honest elections and fair count of
the votes cast in Philadelphia, Pitts-
burgh, Scranton and a few other cen-
tres of population would be worth ten
times that amount to the people of
Pennsylvania. It would bring into the
public life of the Commonwealth an
entirely different type of men and
save enough waste in administration
to reimburse the treasury in less than
five years, besides inspiring confidence
in the government and contentment
among the people.
The suggestion to wait for a reform
Legislature for ballot reform legisla-
tion is even more absurd. Until leg-
islation is enacted that will terrorize
the ballot thieves of Philadelphia and
the other communities in which frauds
are practiced there will never be a re-
form Legislature. The corrupt bosses
will continue to control both the pri-
mary and general elections in the in-
terest of ballot thieves and for the
protection of ballot criminals. The
time to begin a crusade against cor-
ruption of the ballot is now, and any
Senator or Representative in the pres-
ent General Assembly who resists the
progress of the reform will be retired
from public life at the next election.
en ————— A ———————————
———Vice President Dawes may have
some claim to the Nobel peace prize
after he has licked the Senate into a
peaceful frame of mind.
——The Governor resumed his tour
of the State institutions on Monday
and added ballot reform to his list of
things needed.
Clergy and the World Court.
The great anxiety of leading Repub-
licans, in and out of Congress, to en-
roll the government of the United
States in the World Court is amusing
in view of the attitude of the same
gentlemen when the ratification of
the covenant of the League of Nations
was pending in the Senate. We sin-
cerely hope their purposes with re-
spect to the court will be achieved. It
is a Jong stride in the right direction.
But the World Court offers only part,
and a comparatively small part, of the
advantages to Christian civilization
which the League of Nations is now
rendering in the interests of perma-
nent peace. The World Court is a
; creature of the League of Nations and
necessarily limited in its functions.
On Monday, in New York, five hun-
dred ministers of various denomina-
tions held a meeting with many lay-
men conspicuous in civic affairs,
| adopted resolutions favoring adher-
‘ence to the court and appointed a
| committee to urge the Senate to adopt
the proposal of the late President
Harding, supported by President Cool-
idge, on the subject. One of the gen-
tlemen named for this service said
“America must become a member of
the World Court if we are to save our-
selves from the national disgrace of
lining up with the dregs of civiliza-
tion.” He probably had in mind the
group of nations, Turkey, Russia and
Mexico, which are our associates on
the outside of the League and with us
outside of the court.
But why were these eloquent and
enterprising pulpiteers “as silent as
the grave” when the more important
question of entering the League of
Nations was pending in the Senate?
Was it because the covenant of the
League of Nations was sponsored by a
Democratic President while the move-
"ment to join the World Court was tak-
en up by a Republican President?
The only material difference in the
propositions is that one is the crea-
ture and the other the creator of a
magnificent enterprise in the interest
of humanity. It is easy to under-
stand the attitude of partisan bigots
like the late Senator Lodge, and why
they should e in a fight with
Woodrow Wilson, but why should the
clergy ‘ support his malignant pur-
pose?
—We note that two hundred Chica-
go grave diggers have gone on a
strike. It’s a morbid thought, but the
people they work for won’t do any
kicking about it.
Rumors of Pepper’s Withdrawal.
Rumors that Senator Pepper will
withdraw from the contest for the
Republican nomination for Senator
persist, notwithstanding his positive
declaration to the contrary made in
Greensburg a couple of weeks ago. It
must be admitted his progress thus
far has been anything else than prom-
ising. The Mellon influence has been
freely given, the corporation support
assured and the efficient services of
State chairman W. Harry Baker are
at his command. But the opposition
of powerful elements in the party will
not abate and the increasing popular-
ity of Governor Pinchot continues.
These are disturbing elements in the
equation, both to the candidate and
his anxious friends.
The idea of Bill Vare running for
Senator in Congress is preposterous,
of course, but nevertheless the exist-
ing uncertainty on the subject gives
the friends of Senator Pepper grave
concern. Probably Mr. Vare wouldn’t
get ten thousand votes outside of Phil-
adelphia, but he would have so many
votes counted for him in that city, un-
less the election laws are . changed
meantime, as to leave Pepper almost
hopelessly in the rear. The only way
to keep Vare out of the race is to buy
him off, the consideration he demands
being assurance that he may name the
candidate of the party for Governor.
Then there are various other elements
of danger impending. In fact his
withdrawal would surprise no one.
At this time the face of the Repub-
lican political map plainly shows Gov-
ernor Gifford Pinchot as the Senator-
ial salient. Of course he will be vig-
orously opposed by President Cool-
idge, Secretary Mellon and the cor-
porate interests of the State, which
means a vast campaign fund and a
forceful sentiment against him. But
his achievements as Governor, notably
his probable settlement of the anthra-
cite coal strike, has such an appealing
influence on the public mind as might
overcome even so formidable an oppo-
sition. ‘Then Gifford has a fairly big
bar’l of his own and is not niggardly
in employing it when his personal in-
terests and political ambitions are
concerned.
——Germany has joined the League
of Nations but we still have Turkey,
Russia and Mexico with us on the out-
side.
——Subseribe for the “Watchman.”
BELLEFONTE, PA.. DECEMBER 4. 1925.
L Judge Dale’s Wise Action.
Unless we have grossly overesti-
mated its importance Judge Dale's ac-
one receiver, for the Centre County
Banking company will very shortly
reveal itself as the outstanding ac-
complishment of his judicial career.
The announcement of his decision
was not so much of a surprise. The
fact that he did not make an appoint-
ment after a day or so of deliberation
presupposed that he was impressed
with the importance of broadening the
control of the settlement of this long
drawn out muddle.
The ability and the integrity of the
gentlemen whom the Court has des-
ignated as receivers cannot be im-
peached. Mr. Ginter is an active and
successful banker and in that capacity
has been called upon, more than once,
to work out just such problems as
those that will confront him as a re-
ceiver for the defunct bank. Mr. Dale
is a man of mature judgment, sound
sense and the highest character. He
will bring to the work an eye and
mind single to the purpose of doing
the best possible for the creditors.
Little need be said of the Rev. Reed
0. Steely. Everybody about here re-
veres him, but those who don’t know
wonder that in a minister there should
be the amazing business capacity he
has revealed since coming to Belle-
fonte. We can explain that. Before
entering the ministry Rev. Steely was
connected with the accounting depart-
ment of one of Pennsylvania’s largest
corporations and for several years
found himself in sole responsibility
for an important mercantile establish-
ment in a nearby city.
capable of carrying the work delegat-
ed to them to satisfactory conclusion
single-handed. Working together they
should be able to do it with the utmost
dispatch and satisfaction, for they are
all what might be called outsiders to
| fe long drawn out controversy. Their
sion will not be blurred by the preju-
dice of professional or personal bitter-
ness, and as a result they should be
able to view the matter, as it should
ave been viewed from the first, as
purely a bad mess to be cleaned up as
quickly as possible along purely busi-
ness lines.
There may be those who are criti-
comply with the petition of the cred-
itor’s committee that only one receiv-
er be appointed. Such persons lose
sight of the fact that determination of
such matters are wholly prerogatives
of the Court. It is presumed that all
of the appointees are friends of the
Court and, as such, will certainly be
more interested in carrying out his
mandate creditably to him than any
others would be. In appointing
friends who offer qualifications com-
mensurate with the duties involved
Judge Dale has done exactly what any | y
other public official would have done ;
and he is to be admired all the more
for it. |
We congratulate the Judge, we con-
gratulate the creditors and if there |
are no legal inhibitions we will not be
a bit surprised if the creditors begin
to hear pleasant news very shortly.
——The “Watchman” was misin- |
formed last week as to the completion
of the state highway over Nittany |
mountain. On Monday morning of
this week there remained just 243
feet of uncompleted roadway. This
represented about two day’s work at
concrete pouring and the contractors :
were able to work on Tuesday and
Wednesday of this week, and by work- !
ing up to almost midnight, Wednes- |
day night poured the last of the mix-
ture which closed up the gap to the
brick-paved portion of the road at the
watering trough. Thus the roadbed
across the mountain is now complete
and while it will take two weeks to
dry it out the new highway will be
opened about a week before Christ- |
mas. :
i
——And now two weather prophets
have bobbed up in the northern part |
of the State who predict an open and
mild winter with an unusually early
spring, although they admit we will |
have several deep snows. Let us all |
hope they know what they are talking |
about.
——The Grange local organizations
are declaring for an extra session of
the Legislature for the purpose of bal- !
lot reform. It may be added that
only the ballot thieves are active on
the other side.
renner ees
——President Hindenburg may
have disappointed some old friends by
approving the Locarno treaty but he
performed a signal service to civiliza-
tion and gratified millions throughout
the world. |
Ar———— ett s—
——Probably one reason that the
school of experience is unpopular is
that it doesn’t maintain a football
team.
tion in appointing three, instead of
Any one of the three men would be
cizing Judge Dale for his failure to
NO. 48,
| It Is Up to the President Now.
From the Philadelphia Record.
Organizations representing an ag.
| Eregate membership of )
have begun a drive in behalf of Amer-
! ican adherence to the protocol of the
| Permanent Court of International Jus-
Through their headquarters in
Washington they are bombarding the
Senate with demands that stultifying
' obstruction be ended, so that the na-
tion may take its proper share in the
great agency for the promotion of
world peace. This is perhaps the most
formidable undertaking of propagan-
da ever attempted in this country. It
is lobbying on a super-scale. But it
‘ represents pressure that is justified
and necessitated by the facts.
President Coolidge’s attitude on the
proposal has always been correct. Re-
peatedly, in messages to Congress and
in public addresses, he has urged rat-
ification of the protocol. But his tone
has always been judicial. He has
been satisfied to offer a calm recital of
the familiar and unanswerable argu-
ments; never has he exhibited real en-
thusiasm or shown a disposition to do
anything more than placidly advise,
For this reason the Republican :Sena-
tors have been content to let the mat-
ter drift, and the handful of “bitter
ners” have been able to prevent ac-
on.
Inspired reports now represent the
President as being in an aroused mood
of resolution. e intends to “force
the issue,” is “determined to adopt no
half measures,” will not yield an inch
to the hectoring of the obstructionists.
If these forecasts prove accurate,
there will be little need for monster
parades and petitions to induce the
Senate to act. In this matter the
President’s advice expresses the over-
whelming sentiment of the American
people, regardless of party, and a
demonstration of downright enthusi-
asm and insistence on his part
quickly accomplish the result which
his languid advocacy hitherto has fail-
ed to achieve.
The World Court represents fulfill-
-ment of an American tradition, idcal
and demand; its constitution has been
drafted largely by American jurists;
adherence has been u by Presi-
dents Harding and Coolidge and their
Secretaries of State and by every civ-
ic organization of consequence in the
country. The cause will succeed when
the President shows a willingness to
fightforit."" 7 sass
——————— A ——————
Germany Ratifies.
From the Pittsburgh Post.
The overwhelming manner in which
the German Reichstag recently ratified
. the Locarno pacts gives a new impetus
to the international good will that
, came with the original agreement of
the former enemy nations in Europe
to try to forget past differences and
! strive in unison to outlaw war. It had
been assumed that the nationalists
and communists in the Reichstag
i would fight ratification, but the oppo-
sition was reduced. The result also
; was safeguarded by the ruling that a
i two-thirds majority was not neces-
sary. The vote on the bill to permit
he government to sign was 300 to
4. The required measure for Ger-
many’s entrance into the League of
Nations was approved, 278 to 183, and
finally the entire locarno bill was ac-
cepted, 191 to 174.
President Hindenburg is entitled to
credit for doing well his part for rat-
ification. He lived up to his promise
that while he may have been viewed
in the campaign as a monarchist or
nationalist, he would in his adminis-
tration know no party, but would be
guided wholly by what he considered
best for the republic and the peace
and honor of the land. He supported
the Locarno agreements whole-heart-
edly while some of those who tried to
take credit for his election were
against them.
_. The significance of the German rat-
ification is, of course, clear, since
without it the program upon which
, such high hopes for peace have been
raised would have been a failure. Rat-
ification by the other nations signa-
tory to the agreements has been as-
sumed as a certainty. Ratification of
the Locarno agreement also made it
but a formality that Germany should
arrange to enter the League. League
membership was one of the essentials
to the working of the whole program.
With Germany in the association prac-
tically the only nations remaining on
the outside will be the United States,
Turkey, Russia and Mexico.
By Christmas this year the gain of
the Locarno agreements ought to have
the movement for arms reduction
going at a lively rate.
nt mn enerre— fp te——
Would Wait for 1927.
From the Wilkes-Barre Record.
The Governor has not statéd wheth-
er he intends to call the Legislature
to meet in special session. In so far
as election reform is concerned it may
be just as well to defer the subject un-
til the next regular session in the ear-
ly part of 1927. The members will be
elected next year. There may be bet-
ter prospect of securing the right kind
of action from members elected in a
campaign in which reform appears as
an issue than from members elected
last year. The general impression of
the present members as a whole does
not inspire confidence in their sincer-
ity as election reformers.
——Senator Borah is too peaceful
for this world. He wouldn’t fight any-
body for anything. :
‘size.
sent out was 366,840 sunfish. Many of the
would |
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE.
miner %
—Loukin Sekul, aged 32 years, of Mc-
Keesport, died in the McKeesport hospital
on Monday afternoon from burns suffered
November 25, when he fell into a pot of
molten iron in the National Tube compa-
ny’s plant in McKeesport, where he was
employed. Se :
—“Fork over the cash,” commanded a
young man as he aimed a revolver at A. D.
Pryor, manager of of an Altoona grocery
. | store, last Friday night, while Pryor was
tying up an order. The manager gave him
$6 of his own money and then was impris-
oned in a back room until the bandit took
$80 from the eash register.
—The State Fish Commission has an-
nounced the purchase of 118 acres of land
and an enormous spring at Spring Meadow,
east St. Clair township, Bedford county,
for a site for a new trout hatchery. Nego-
tiations had been pending for many
months, with dozens of other sites in other
sections of the State clamoring for .recog-
nition. :
—Lewis A. Myers, 42 years of age, of
Flemington, near Lock Haven, was found
dead in an outbuilding near his home, at
7 o'clock last Friday night by his wife.
Myers had shot himself through the heart
with a repeating shotgun. Although des-
pondent since the death of his daughter a
year ago, he was apparently in good
health.
—Albert Hart, 41 years old, of Williams-
port, has his choice of attending the Billy
Sunday services every evening for two
weeks or serving a jail sentence for com-
mitting assault and-battery upon his wife
while intoxicated. The sentence was im-
posed upon Hart on Tuesday by Alderman
C. B. Allen. Hart will hear the evangelist
and will report to an officer at the taber-
nacle each night.
—Four children of Nathaniel Brownfield
their ages totaling 824 years, were guests
on Monday at the flag raising held in con-
nection with the opening of the new mil-
lion doilar White Swan hotel at Union-
town. They had with them an American
flag that 75 years ago was presented to
their father, Nathaniel Brownfield, then
proprietor of the famous old inn in the
same name which for 120 years occupi
the site of the new hotel. J
~—Nearly a million fish, worth more than
$60,000, were distributed by the State Fish
Commission during October. These in-
cluded trout, bass, catfish, sunfish, yellow
perch, minnows and frogs and ranged in
age from four months to more than two
years and from an inch to nine inches in
The largest number of:any species
trout shipped were from the Bellefonte fish
hatchery, at Pleasant Gap.
"—James J. Harper, 45 years old, post
office clerk at Pittsburgh for 23 years, was
sentenced to one year and one day in the
Federal prison at Atlanta Ga.,' by Judge
R. M. Gibson in United States district
court in that city last Friday. Harper
pleaded guilty to stealing about 1,600 let-
ters from the mails from September, 1924,
‘to May, 1925. He resigned from the postal
‘employ in May, 1925, and it was not until
after his retirement that the thefts were
discovered.
—A state policeman and Pennsylvania
railroad officer exchanged shots with a
‘burglar at Madera about one ¢'¢lock Moa-
day morning. - ‘According to--a- telephone
message from Madera some one was dis-
covered in the Pennsylvania station. The
police were summoned, They went to the
station, found some one there and called
to him to come out. Coming from the sta-
tion the burglar fired at the officers. They
responded with a volley. There were no
casualties on either side and the burglar
got away.
—John H. Elder, aged 42, and Sherman
L. Myers, aged 28, both of Altoona, were
killed early on Sunday morning when they
were struck by a passenger train in the
Altoona yards of the Pennsylvania rail-
road. Elder was a railroad engineer and
Myers was a fireman. Both worked on the
same engine and they were on their way to
work when they were struck. It is believ-
ed that they crossed the railroad tracks to
avoid walking about two blocks further
down the tracks, where they could have
crossed on the bridge. There were no wit-
nesses to the accident. Elder was single
but Myers was married.
—Obliging thieves who mailed back to
their victim parts of the loot which they
were unable to use, stole several traveling
bags frem the car of C. W. Corbin, of
Huntingdon. Mr. Corbin was formerly a
teacher in the Altoona schools but is now
at the Pennsylvania industrial reforma-
tory. He had driven to Philadelphia with
his daughter and while he was absent from
his motor car, the thieves broke the glass
and removed from the machine the travel-
ing bags of the pair. On arrival at his
home, Mr. Carbon found some mail await-
ing him, which upon opening, proved to be
letters which had been in the bags. The
thieves, unable to make use of the letters,
obligingly returned them to the owner.
—Mrs. M. S. Beebe, 94 years of age, of
Pleasantville, Venango county, widow of
Manley C. Beebe, once a member of the
Pennsylvania State Legislature, attributes
her good health and well preserved figure
to having drunk no water, except what
was contained in foods, since she was thir-
ty years old. The aged woman states that
women of today who exist upon drink diets
in order to keep their trim figures and be-
lieve themselves modern leaders of fashion
are more than half a century behind the
time. Mrs. Beebe says she was taking on
flesh when she decided to abstain from
drinking water as a means to prevent it.
The nonogenarian will not even use water
with medicine. She prefers tea as a dilut-
ing fluid or a means to aid her in swal-
lowing her food.
—An crror in filling a kerosene lamp:
with gasoline caused an explosion at the
home of G. W. Dunmire, near McVeytown,
Saturday night, that totally destroyed the
building and painfully burned Mr. and
Mrs. Dunmire and their daughter, Mrs.
Austin Kerr. The family were sitting
about the table reading when the explo-
sion threw burning gasoline over them.
Dunmire’s clothing aflame, he leaped
through the door a living torch and jump-
ed into a spring. Fera, a son, ran a mile
in his bare feet to neighbors to telephone
for the McVeytown fire department. Mrs.
Kerr obtained a ladder and climbed to the
second-story, where she saved a bureau
drawer filled with valuable papers, the only
thing rescued from the flames, which con-
sumed ‘the dwelling. The loss will total
$10,000 partly covered by insurance. Fail-
ure of the electric lighting plant was the
indirect cause of the fire, forcing the fam-
ily to use discarded oil lamps for tempo-
rary illumination.