f ; .
VOL 28
BLOOMSBURG, PA., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1. 1893.
NO 37
A VISIT TO WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
A vacation being given us at the
recent meeting of the consistory, we,
the parson anil his wife, took our de
parture for the west on the morning
of the 9 inst. We had three object
ive points, in view, the Hcklclbergc
University, our alma mater, located
at Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio ; the
World's Fair, and friends living in
Wood County, Ohio.
We first stopped at Tiffin and were
entertained here by our good brother,
Rev. J. A. Peters 1). D., who is presi
dent of the University, and was
formerly pastor of the Shiloh Reform
ed Church at Danville, Pa. Wc will
not soon forget the kind attention of
this good brother and the pleasant
interview with former teachers and
students. As wc spent our college
and seminary days at this institution
which now has first class buildings,
wc felt that wc indeed were very much
at.home here amidst familiar scenes
and associations.
Our visit to Chicago wc will not
now attempt to describe, but will con
fine our remarks to Wood County,
()h:o. As we alighted from the cars
at Deshler. where wc expected to
take a train to Weston, we were agree
ably surprised to sec Mr. J. Howard
Kline and Mr. A. II. Kitchen who
had driven theie to meet us. We
were soon seated in the new carriage
of Mr. Kline and on our way to his
home, a distance of nine miles. The
laMer part of our drive was very much
accelerated on account of an ap
proaching shower which overtook us
when we were a few rods from home.
As there had been no rain for weeks,
it was natural to associate this rain
with our coming. As there is so
much that is of interest in Wood
County, I shall be obliged to treat my
subject somewhat historically.
Less than fifty years ago the whole
of Ohio had been settled and occu
pied except a section in which Wood
County is located, then familiarly
known as the Black Swamp. The
great question for Legislative solution
was, what will we do with the Black
Swamp ? Some portions were prolific
in prairie grass, and other portions
were heavily timbered, but the land
being level and very wet, it could not
be drained or inhabited. The per
plexing question of utilizing the Black
Swamp was finally solved by the
nronositinn to die several large and
deep ditches through these lands. This
proposition was accepted and effect
ually carried out. Some of these
ditches are as wide and twice as deep
as the common canal. Into these
county ditches the township ditches
flow ; and into the township ditches
the farmers run their surface and un
derdraws. Underdraining or tiling is
necessary to successful farming in this
county. The tile used here is from
two and a half inches to five inches in
diameter, and one foot long. The
average size can be bought for nine
dollars per thousand, and one thous
and will drain about 60 rods. It costs
about as much to lay the tiles as it
does to purchase them. Using 500
tiles to an acre, it will cost $3 to tile
the same. When the tile is properly
laid, it will last for years. As phos-
pnates are not used on tiled lands, it
is much cheaper in the end to tile in
Wood County than to phosphate in
the east. The soil in this county is a
black loam with a clay subsoiL It is
rich and will produce abundant crops
if properly tiled, indeed not a iew
farmers burn their straw.
This county is a great place for
raising cabbage. We have seen a
number of large patches, some of
which contained ten acres. To see a
ten acre field of cabbage must be
pleasing to the lover of saur krout.
Agents buy up this cabbage at $ia per
ton in the field and ship it to distant
points. Usually the cabbage field will
average $60 per acre.
Hay in. new meadows averages three
tons per acre, and oats about forty
bushels ner acre. The wheat crop
was good here this vear. The yield is
from 17 bushels to 35 bushels per
acre, and averages in the county 25
Ier acre. Mr. Howard Kline had
eight acres out and received 193 bush
els. On a neighbor's farm we saw a
one acre patch which yielded this year
4 a bushels.
The mammoth clover is raised her;
for the seed alone. All over the
countv we saw large fields of this pro
duct in process of being cut or thresh
ed. The yield is from 3 to 9 bushels
per acre, and sells at about $5 Per
bushel. Corn, however, seems to be
the principle cereal product of this
county. Wherever you go or look,
you can see corn fields. From Desh
ler to the home of Mr. Kline, a dis
tance of nine miles, one half the fields
on either side of the roid are on an
average corn fields. Sometimes the
corn fields were so connected as to
form one continuous stretch of corn
for two or three miles. The com
field of Howard Kline contains 25
acres and was planted by his son Wal
ter, who is sixteen years old. In
planting this field he used no marker,
only a hand planter and four stakes by
wnicn nc could see to walk straight.
The rows arc 00 rods long and with
out a crook. The corn in this field is
about ten feet high and is considered
among the best in the county. Three
busheis in ears will produce two bush
els shelled corn. In all our travels
this year, we have nowhere found the
co'ii as good as in Wood Countv.
The com which is produced so abun
dantly in Wood County is either manu
factured at home into poik or sent to
any convenient R. R. town where it
is readily disposed of at the market
price.
While Wood County has perhaps
neither coal or iron, it has an abun
dance of natural gas am! oil. We
traveled from Bowling Green, tiic
county scat, to Welkcr, a distance of
3 miles through the very heart of the
gas and oil field of Wood County. At
no time were we out of the sight of
the towering derricks and very often
we could count from one point of ob
servation 25, 50, 75, and tven too
derricks. At Cygnet and Oil Centre.
we saw large tank farms. A tank
faim is land occupied by large tanks,
on an avenge one tank to an acre. A
single tank holds about 35,000 barrels
of oil. It is not unusual to find fifty
of these tanks in one field. This oil
is conveyed to remote cities by R. R
but also thiough underground pipes to
Cleveland, Toledo and Chicago. In
this section is found also an abun
dance of natural gas. Some wells
produce oil only, others gas only,
while others produce both oil and gas.
The gas is conducted in pipes to Tif
fin, Toledo and other neighboring
towns, and is used fit fuel.
The smell of natural gas and oil to
a man prospecting for either on his
own land is pleasant, but to the man
who is not particularly interested in
either, its odor is like the fumes of a
ruptured antiquated egg.
A picnic trip to the Maumee river
was arranged by Mr. Kline and lady
in the interests of their guests from
Pennsylvania. A few of their neigh
bors were invited along. We had a
delightful drive of seven miles to the
river, and on the bank of that cele
brated stream we pitched our tent and
made our coffee. After dinner, some
strolled along the river gathering beau-
t ful shells, others engaged m Doat
riding, and Walter and the writer en
gaged in fishing. I was anxious to
catch a few specimens ot the nsn that
inhabit this river. The fish seemed to
understand my desire, as I succeeded
in catching only one of a kind. In
this river I observed something that
was amusing. Three men were fishing
with a seine in the interest of science (?)
As they were dragging their seine we
observed a bass occasionally jump
over the net, but as they turned their
net toward the shore, thyc, was a gen
eral jumping of the bass over the
seine, and whci it, was finally drawn
to shore, it seemed to ' contain every
kind of fish except the bass every
bass escaped. Some of the bass
would jump out of the net, and then
make two or three more jumps toward
deep water. They evidently wanted
to be sure that they were out of the
net. Toward evening wc started for
home, aod after driving a few miles,
we obsc ved that a spindle ot a wheel
was smoking. I thought, now we are
in a plight. But Howard, being equal
to the emergency, called to his better
half, "Maggie, is , there .any butter
left?" The reply being "yes," the
wheel was taken off, and was not
greased but buttered, and we were
soon on our way again.
During our stay m Wood County,
we had the pleasure of visiting Mr.
Abraham White and Mr. Joseph H.
Sands, who formerly came from Col
umbia County, and all of whom we
are happy to report are doing wei'.
We appreciated very much the kind
ness of our Wood County friends, and
will vouch for the hospitality of Messrs,
Kline, White and Sands to any visitor
from Columbia County. I hese gen
t'emen and their estimable wives
know how to make it pleasant to any
Pennsvlvanian that may come that
way. . . A. II.
Orangeville, Pa., Aug. 25.
Frank Chromis lost one of his big
bav horses Friday of Jast week. He
took several barrels of coal oil to Mill
will. When he left the town he no
ticed the horse was sick, but thought a
liirht drive home would not hurt it.
The horse died soon after reaching
home.
Harvest Home services were held
at the Reformed church last Sunday
There was a large attendance. The
church was beautifully decorated with
fruits and flowers.
SUNDAY NEWSPAPERS.
AN EFORT MADE TO STOP THEIR
BALE.
NKXT SUNDAY' THE t.AST PAY.
On Sunday last the patrons of El-
mer Brugler, agent for the Sunday
newspapers, were informed that al
ter next Sunday no more papers
would be sold. This action was in
pursuance of a notice served upon
him, a copy of which notice
was printed in full in the
Cot.UMiitAN a few weeks ago. It is
an appeal to all business men to close
their places of business on Sunday,
and to abstain from secular work on
that day. It contains a suggestion
that the law may be enforced against
all who violate the act of 1794. That
law reads as follows (
"If any person shall do or perform
any worldly employment or business
whatsoever on the Lord's Day, com
monly called Sunday (works of neces
sity and charity only excepted), shall
use or practice, any unlawful game,
hunting, shooting, sport or diversion
whatsoever on the same day, and be
convicted thereof, every such person
so offending shall for every such of
fense forfeit and pay four dollars, to
be levied by distress, or in case he or
she shall refuse or neglect to pay the
said sum, or goods and chattels can
not be found, whereof to levy the
same by distress, he or she shall suffer
six days' imprisonment in the house
of correction of the proper county.
Provided always that nothing herein
contained shall be construed to pro
hibit the dressing of victuals in private
families, bake houses, lodging houses,
inns and other houses of entertain
ment for the use of, sojourners, travel
ers, or strangers or to hinder water
men from landing their passengers, or
ferrymen from carrying over water
travelers, or persons removing with
their families on the Lord's Day,
commonly called Sunday, nor to the
delivery of milk or the necessaries ot
life, before nine of the clock in the
forenoon of the same day. Provided
always, that every such prosecution
shall be commenced within seventy-
two hours after the offence is com
mitted." The notice above referred to is
signed by the "Sabbath Protection
Committee of Bloomsburg" and the
"American Sabbath Union . No in
dividual names appear, neither of the
officers of these organizations, nor of
the members of the committee. If
the efforts to stop the sale of news
papers on Sunday be laudable ones
would it not be well to have the pub
lic know who are the active persons
in this movement ?. The Columbian
will be glad to print the names
of the committee whenever it
can obtain the necessary information.
There are some laws that are more
honored in the breach than in the ob
servance, and the law of 1794, so far
as it is applicable to the sale of papers
on Sunday, is one of them. When
that law was passed nearly a century
ago, the puritanical notions of the
Pilgrim fathers were prevalent. There
were no Sunday newspapers in exis
tence, and but very few dailies. There
were no railroads, and the papers . re
ceived a week after publication were
looked upon as "news". The world
has changed since then, and the ideas
of progressive people have changed
with it. All the great ' dailies now
publish Sunday editions, which con
tain the news of Saturday, and unless
business men and all others who wish
to keep informed of the world's doings
read the Sunday papers, they lose the
news of a day. We cannot see what
harm is done by the reading of Sun
day papers, nor what great good is
to be accomplished by their suppres
sion. People will read on Sunday,
and if they can't get good wholesome
newspapers, they will buy the trash
that is sold on Saturday as Sunday
papers, full of sensational stuff, or de
vote their time to novels and yellow
covered literature. No one not other
wise inclined, will be driven to church
by shutting off his Sunday paper. We
believe in Sunday laws, we believe in
the proper observance of the Sabbath,
but we also believe that more harm
than good will result Irom the enforce
ment of the law so far as newspapers
are concerned, and we believe that a
large majority of the business men of
this community feel the same way.
BE REGISTERED.
The last days for the registering of
voters are Wednesday and Thursday,
September 6th and 7 th, between the
hours of 10 and 3, and from 6 to 9
in the evening. Don t forget it.
EAGLE'S MERE STORM BWEPT.
WIND'S I'KCUMAK PRANKS
The storm of Sunday evening as
sumed cyclonic proportions as it passed
over Eagle's Mere, and the wind cut
up some most peculiar pranks in the
short space of time that it was with
the popular mountain resort, says the
Gazette C Itullcthi.
Happily no lives were lost', but there
were some very narrow escape;:, and
property was damaged a good deal.
The storm was accompanied by
thunder and lightning that was most
intense, while the wind blew a gale,
and every one nt the resort was
more or less scared during its preva
lence. The path of the cyclone fras a
most peculiar one, confining itself to
the vicinity of the Hotel Raymond.
The wind first struck the barn in the
rear of the cottage of Dr. G. D. Nutt,
of W'illiamsport and scattered the timb
ers and boards in all directions. Half of
them cannot be found. Then the gale
circled around the cottage of Frank
Gould, of Philadelphia, located be
tween Dr. Null's and the Raymond,
chopping off Mr. Gould's porch, on
the side next to the hotel, en route.
The wind next sailed across the street
and hit the cottage of Mrs. Spencer,
of Philadelphia and which is opposite
Dr. Nutt's. The cottage was almost
completely wrecked.
The hurricane just seemed to knock
the props out from tinder the Spencer
cottage, as it were. The wind got in
to the first story and that collapsed in
less time than it takes to tell it, letting
the second story drop to the ground.
On the first floor there were a lot of
young people, including some Will
iamsporters, who had called, and they
made some narrow escapes. Some of
them, were bruised, but all escaped
serious injury. It is said that one
young lady was blown out the door.
Judge Wilson, with his family occu
pies the Spencer cottage, and the
Judge, who was also on the first floor,
sustained a cut in the back of the
head. Mrs. Wilson was on the second
floor engaged in putting the children
to bed when the cottage was wrecked,
and when that portion of the structure
dropped to the ground so suddenly
the crash never woke the babies, who
were sound asleep. The top of the
cottage alighted in a slanting position,
one edge resting on the porch of the
cottage next door, and those up stairs
were taken out the second story win
dows. Mrs. Wilson sustained a bruised
nose.
After doing this damage the storm
swept across the lake and was lost to
view in the night, without doing any
further work of destruction.
A Williamsport gentleman who was
at Eagle's Mere over Sunday and saw
the storm, says that it was the most
beautiful electrical display he ever wit
nessed. "The storm struck Eagle's Mere be
tween 9 and 10 o'clock," said the gen
tleman, "and I saw the funnel shaped
cloud that is said to come down on
the earth and grab things. Then it
sounded as though a train of cars was
rushing through the place, but of course
there were no cars. The wind blew
a gale, and it was two hours after the
storm before the population knew
what had happened. It was a terrific
stormr but was fortunately confined to
a small space, and the escape of the
people in the Spencer cottage was
miraculous."'
The cylone missed Highland Lake
entirely, and while there was some
rain at that resort there was very little
wind, no damage whatever being done.
No reports of any damage in that re
gion, other than at Eagle's Mere, have
been received.
ATLANTIC OITY EXCURSION.
On Thursday morning last despite
a pouring rain, a crowd of nearly one
hundred excursionists left on the
Reading Railroad for Atlantic City.
The excursion train started from
Jamison City, picking up passengers
at Benton, Orangeville and Lightstreet.
Bloomsburg was we I represented.
Precisely at 6. 10 the train consisting
of five coaches started from Blooms
burg. A good run was made to Ta
maqua where thi party was joined by
a special from Williamsport consist
ing of twelve coaches well filled. We
arrived at the new depoc at Philadel
phia at about 2.30 when the party
separated, some taking the train for
New York, others strolled around the
city. At four' o'clock a portion of the
crowd again met on the Ferry boat for
Camden City ; a few minutes more
and all were aboard the cars for At
lantic City. After a delightful ride,
we lanciea at Atlantic City, where ac
commodations were obtained at Hotels
Ashbure and Osborne After a little
delay supper was ready, and the party
sat down to a substantial meal. , Blue
fish was in great demand, and here let
us inform our friends who like fish, if
they want to eat Blue fish go to At
lantic City, where they know how to
cook them to perfection. After sup
per a stroll to the Beach was taken
and many for the first time saw the
great Atlantic Ocean. The roar of
the surf was listened to with great in
terest while the rolling in of the white
capped waves was a source of surprise
to our friends from Fishingcreek. A
promenade down the plank walk,
which extends for six miles was taken,
and visits made to the various places
of amusement. No matter where you
stopped you could see some of our
party either on the Ferris Wheel or
whirling around on the Carousel or
Hying down the toboggan slide old
and young seemed to be enjoying
themselves to ihc musical strains of
"After the Ball."
The attractions are too numerous to
mention j if you want to sec handsome
women, elegantly costumed, in fact
the typical American Summer Girl
you should take a walk on the prom
enade al Atlantic City. I fear that
some of the party became dazzled as
I am sure they did not retire as early
as they do when at home at their rus
tic homes up the creek. On Friday
the party could be seen during, bath
ing hours, some costumed in bathing
suits, others looking on in surprise as
they did not know their neighbors ever
took a bath. The writer could enum
erate many funny little adventures as
some of our Inencts little thought
there was a "chiel" amon them taking
notes, however every body seemed to
enjoy themselves, and enjoyed the
healthful ocean breeze. We under
stand the party are indebted to W. 1 1.
Smith of the Benton Argus for
making the arrangements and looking
lo the comfort of the excursionists in
general, and we feel satisfied that
whould another excursion be arranged
to Atlantic City from this county, your
correspondent and many others will
certainly join the crowd. J.
E. RODMAN DRINKER.
It is with sorrow that we record the
death of Edward Rodman Drinker,
whose sufferings ended last week
Thursday afternoon at 5 o'clock.
For several years his health has been
failing, and his death was not unlooked
for. His age was 62 years, 9 months,
19 days. Mr. Drinker was a son of
Richard Drinker, and was born in
Luzerne county, November 5, 1830.
In 1846 he came to Bloomsburg with
his parents, and was employed as of
fice boy at the Irondale furnace. Sub
sequently he was made book-keeper
and filled that position for nearly thir
ty years, when he was made superin
tendent and remained so until the
Company sold out to Knorr & Win
tersteen. Since then he has had an
interest in the Hess Manufacturing
Company.
Mr- Drinker had been for many
years a member ot the ot. ram s
Episcopal church, and for more than
thirty years a vestryman. He had
been the Senior Warden for many
years, and held the position up to the
time of his death.- Until within a
short time he was one of the most
liberal contributors for the support of
the church and was one of the lead
ing spirits in the erection of the pres
ent church building which was com
pleted in 1870. For a long time he
was Superintendent of the Sunday
School; and year after year he was
chosen as a lay deputy to represent
the parish in the Diocesan convention,
and he was always in his place. For
ive years he was a member of Town
Council.
Of his father's family there remain
Francis P. and M. C. Drinker of the
town, and two sisters who reside in
Scranton.
He was married in 1859 to Martha
Mendenhall who survives him, with
three children, namely Edward W.
Division freight agent of the Lehigh
Valley R. R. at Wilkes-Barre ; Rich
ard C. residing at Bethlehem, and
Lydia W. who resides with her mother.
Mr. Drinker was a warm friend, a
good citizen, and affectionate and in
dulgent husband and father.
The funeral took place at the house
on Saturday afternoon at 5 o'clock,
and in the absence of the rector where
a telegram failed to reach him. the
services were conducted by Rev. John
Rockwell of St. Gabriel's, Sugarloaf.
About thirty people went from
Bioomsburg on the excursion to At
lantic City last week Thursday, and
returned on Monday. They report
having a good time. James Cadman
who was in the party says that he came
near being drowned in his efforts to
rescue four ladie who got in the un
dertow. No lives were lost.
Elmer E. Mears' new linns
1 Fifth street is completed, and he has
on
niovea into 11.
BRIEF MENTION.
About People You Know.
J. G. Wells went to Philadelphia on
Tuesday.
William C. Dentlcr returned from
the west last week.
C. P. Yorks Esq , of Central spent
Tuesday in town.
T. Lee Harman returned from his
western trip on Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. R. C. D'inker are
visited at Mrs E. R. Drinker's.
George Hart of Bellefonte is spend
ing this week in town.
Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Buckalew have
gone to Chicago to attend the World's
Fair.
Hon. E. R. Ikeler and wife started
for the World's Fair Monday. They
will be absent two weeks.
Chas. P. Elwcll came home from
Chicago on Monday. He was much
pleased with the Fair.
diaries Evans is seriously ill with
inflammatory rheumatism, at the home
of his parents, A. J. Evans, on Third
street.
H. A. McKillip and W. 1). Beck
ley Esqs. and J. C, Brown attended
the Republican state convention at
Harrisburg last Wednesday.
Edward Moycr returned home orr
Monday after an absence of six
months in the west. He recently
visited the World's Fair.
Boyd Trescott of the Millville Tab
let and Mr. Eckman were in town on
Tuesday on business connected with
the new Lutheran church at Millville.
Moses Hower, a staunch old demo
crat of Catawissa and a long time
reader of this paper, was in town on
Thursday.
Miss Maggie Tubbs, lately em
ployed in the store of McHenry Bros,
at Benton has accepted a position with
H. J. Clark & Son at Bloomsbnrg.
J. G. Wells has contracted with Mr.
Jury for the erection of a handsome
residence on his Fifth street lot ad
joining S. F. Peacock's.
P. V. Weaver Esq. and other friends
of Hazleton, have chartered a car for
a trip to the World's Fair. They will
start in a few days.
J. R. Townsend was one of the ex
cursionists who took in the trip to At
lantic City last week. He stopped at
Philadelphia on his return, and reach
ed home at midnight Saturday,
Thomas Trench and grand daugh
ter Nellie started for Florida, Mon
day. Mr. Trench is now past
80 years 01 age , and is enjoying ex
cellent health. He bids fair to be a
centenarian.
Weslev M. Cleaver of Cleveland
township, was in town Monday. He
has been assisting his father on the
farm during the past year, but expects
to again enter the lecture field some
time in December.
Miss Rebecca Armstrong who is
visitintr Mrs. E. W. Elwell in Towan-
da, is suffering from an attack of ery-
f sii 1
sipeias in ner rignr, nana.
Miss Margery Thayer of Portland,
Oregon, neice of Mrs. William Elwell,
is visiting her Bloomsburg relatives.
On her way east she went to the
Worlds lair.
C. B. Robbins returned last Thurs
day from his vuit to the World's Fair.
. . 1
He was six aays raising in me wonder
ful sights. During the three weeks of
his absence he visited friends, and
places of interest in ten different
states, besides Canada.
Dr. D. J. Waller Jr, and family left
here on Thursday, except his son
David, who m company with John
Shultz, started on horse back for In
diana county last Monday. David
rode the white pony, and Shultz was
mounted on Dr. Waller s horse.
Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Henderson of
Montgomery, spent Sunday with the
latter's parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. C.
Wells. They started for the World's
Fair Tuesday, and will be absent
about two weeks.
Drs. F. W. Redeker, J. C. Rutter,
and II. W. McReynolds, have receiv
ed notice of their appointment as
members of the pension board. They
begin work at . once, the old board
having sat for the last, Wednesday of
last week.
Mrs. Lizzie Coulter of Vunango
county, who has been visiting her par
ents Mr. and Mrs L. H. Creasy, of
Mifflin, and been confined to her bed
by sickness for some time, has si ffic
iently recovered to be about again.
She expects to leturn to her home in
a few weeks.
H :
;T'w'-r'tnr-,