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THE COLUMBIAN, BLOOMSBURG, PA.
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THE COLUMBIAN.
BLOOMSBUKO. PA.
THURS1AY, JANUARY 29. 1903.
Proposed New County.
To Bo Formed from Part3 of
Columbia, Northumberland
and Schuylkill.
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.
One Finds Constitutional Obstacle! to the
Movement.
Concerning the proposed erection of
a new county from parts of Columbia
and Northumberland, the Ashland Ad
vocate of last week says :
"The proposed transferring of Cen
tralia borough and Conyngham town
ship from Columbia to Northumber
land county, has caused considerable
comment since the project was first
spoken of some weeks ago. The
people of both districts favor the Irans
fer and are soliciting every assistance
to bring it about. Their principal
reason for changing is the inconveni
ence in getting to court at Blooms
burg, being compelled to leave Cen
tralia at 6:00 a. m., and arriving at
Blociusbu'g at 11 o'clock.
Edward J. Flynn, Esq. one of Cen
tralha's leading citizens, when inter
viewed, said that he is heartily in
favor of the transfer, and said he voic
ed the sentiment of the people of Cen
tralia, when he said the transfer would
be gratifying to them. From a legal
aspect he said he did not know whether
it is possible for such a transferral,and
from a political standpoint he thinks
it would make no material change, as
during the past few years the voters
have been about evenly divided in
politics.
The change that would be the most
beneficial to all concerned, Mr. Flynn
added, would be the formation of a
new county; including the upper end
of Northumberland county and por
tions of Schuylkill county, making
Shamokin the county seat and naming
the county after that town.
This is a move that would no doubt
meet with instant favor at Snamokin,
which his long objected to the fact
that Sunbury is the seat of Northum
berland county, while that town (Sha
mokin) is the centre of the great busi
ness and legal interests of the county.
Just what is going to be the out
come of the present agitation is hard
to determine. Time alone can tell."
The Milton Record of last week
says:
"The proposition to create a new
county out of Shamokin and Coal
township and Mt. Carmel and Mt.
Carmel township, from Northumber
land county, the Conyngham town
ships and Centralla from Columbia
and a strip from t'ie northern end of
Schuylkill, would, we apprehend, find
veiy little opposition in the upper end
of this county. The four districts
named from Northumberland comprise
about one-half the county's population.
They supply about four fifths of the
quarter sessions business at our courts
get about three-fourths of the costs
paid in dismissed cases and pay about
two sevenths of the taxes. From a
commercial standpoint the interests of
the coal regions and those of agricult
ural and manufacturing portions of
the countv are not identical. The
townships noted above belong to the
same coal producing districts, so that
in their formation into a separate
county there would be a unity of in
terests. Viewed from a political standpoint
it would not effect any material change
n thin county. The two boroughs
are strongly Republican and the two
townships largely Democratic. On
the whole the Republicans have per
taps .several hundred majority. In
the new county this would be over
come by the Democratic majority in
the Columbia section, but the North
THE OLD
IrvC
matt
Absolutely Pure)
THERE IO M SUBSTITUTE
c
rossr
Poor man I He can't help it.
It's his liver. He needs a
liver pill. Ayer's Pills.
Want your moustache or beard a
beautiful brown or rich black? Use
Buckingham's Dye
SOctl.cfdruggiittorR. P. Hill JtCo., N.ihuN.H
umberland end of the combination
would have the same advantage under
the proposed arrangement that they
have now. Party lines are lost sight
of when home men are nominated,
and their large vote gives them a de
cided advantage and secures them
more than their just proportion of the
offices. In this county, today the coal
regions have the sheriff, mine inspector
county treasurer, prothonotary, two
members of the legislature, two com
missioners and two auditors, about
equally divided politically. Shamokin
would gain the county seat and would
have to pay for it in the way of in
creased taxation."
The Mt. Carmel' Item finds con.
stitutional objections, and thinks there
is not sufficient territory in the old
counties to make three counties of
proper size and proportion. The Item
says :
"Since the growth of the new
county idea there has been consider
able discussion concerning the project.
With a view of getting a clear idea ot
the matter from all sides it has been
decided to look up the constitution
covering the case. The exact word
ing of the constitution on the subject
of new counties is found in Article
XIII, Section I, and is as follows:
"No new county shall be established
woich shall reduce any county to less
than four hundred square miles, or to
less than twenty thousand inhabitants;
nor shall any county be formed of less
area, or containing a less population;
nor shall the line thereof pass within
ten miles of the county seat of any
county proposed to be divided."
Northumberland and Columbia
counties have a combined area of
about 959 square miles. It is there
fore obvious that according to the ex
press provision of the constitution no
new county having 400 square miles
could be formed' out of these two,
leaving the original counties within
the constitutional limit. The only
way to get around this difficulty would
be to take a part of Schuylkill county,
but the citizens of that county don't
seem to enthuse over the proposition.
Another point has been made and
seems to be very well taken. The act
ual value of the land in Conyngham
township decreases every year. It is
valuable only for its mineral wealth,
and the depletion of that wealth in
evitably reduces its value. This must
naturally continue until the coal is
exhausetd. In the meantime there is
no guarantee that the township's ex
penses will decrease, on the con
trary, they are tolerably certain to go
the other way. When a new territory
is taken on by a county the expenses
from that section are compared with
its income, and this is where Conyng
ham would fall short. It will blast
many fond hopes but the new county
project, viewed from all sides, looks
like a dead one."
It is a creat scheme that of the
cigarette manufacturers to give
presents to tnos? who will bring to
them a certain number of wrappers
of cigarette packages. You can get
a piano for 20,000 wrappers. A
little calculation will show you that
it will be necessary to smoke 400,
000 ciearettes in order to eet the
required number of wrappers. If
the " best " are used they will cost
25 cents for two packs, and you will
sDead ;.ooo to cet that piano, and
the chances are that you will need
a harp more than a piano when you
get through with those 400,000
cigarettes.
RELIABLE
Drafted by Committee Appointed
By Senator Quay.
PEN N YP AC KER'8 NEW SECRETARY
How Bromley Wharton Cam to Bo
Appointed Liquor Bills to Be In
troduced In the Legislature Other
Items of Interest at Harrlsburg.
Special Correspondence.
Harrlnburfr, Pa., Jan. 26. The first
practical working week ot the pres
ent session of the legislature
closed with alarmist rumors In the air.
The inauguration of Governor Penny
packer was disposed of amid pictur
esque display, a snowstorm, and some
what mild enthusiasm; both branches
of the assembly Bettled down to work
manlike business the senate particu
larly; several bills were messaged
over to the house from the upper
body; the cabinet and other appoint
ments were confirmed.
Senator Quay, as chairman of the
state committee, appointed a sub-com
mittee, with cx-Senator Hertzler as
chairman, to draft a ballot-reform
bill. This task has been performed.
The measure Is understood to elimi
nate the party circle at the bead of
the columns, do away with the practice
of Instructing voters In the polling
place, and generally return to a modi
fication of the old method, thus en
abling party organizations to distrib
ute tickets ahead of election.
But to Penrose, Elkln, Durham, Sen
ator Focht, and other party leaders
such a bill as this is highly distasteful.
One thing they say they will not con
sent to the elimination of the party
circle. No such bill, they insist, can
pass. The QuaybiU has not yet been
Introduced, nor is it likely to be until
the state committee has had an op
portunity to pass upon it.
But meanwhile the Focht bill of last
session, which retains the party cir
cle, was reintroduced to-night by the
senator from Union, and thus this
phase of the question would seem to
be on. Nothing, however, is likely to
be done with it until Durham returns
from Bermuda about the beginning of
February. The Democrats have a bill
of their own, and this may be intro
duced this week.
Should a difference occur between
Quay and the state leaders on a ballot
hill, it is problematical how it would
end, assuming, of course, that Quay
presses his bill.
The New Private Secretary.
It had all along been supposed that
the selection of Bromley Wharton, of
Philadelphia, as his private secretary
was Governor Penny packer's personal
choice. So in a sense he was, but not
In the way generally understood. It
is said that Governor Pennypacker
had no personal acquaintance with Mr.
Wharton until a short time before his
appointment. The story In its brief
details is as follows: J. Granville
Leach, of Philadelphia, and Judge
Pennypacker have been lifelong
friends. Soon after his election the
ex-judge asked Leach if he would be
come his private secretary. Leach
thought it over and finally said "No.
The governor-elect then suggested that
he should accept the post of state li
brarian. Again Leach thought it over
and again said "No."
At this stage the judge fell back
upon Mr. Dctterer as his private secre
tary Mr. Dotterer also being a life
long friend and this gentleman ac
cepted. But unhappily Mr. Dotterer
fell sick and died, and again Judge
Pennypacker appealed to Mr. Leach.
Mr. Leach was still averse to taking
the position, but he had a friend Mr.
Bromley Wharton a gentleman be
longing to Philadelphia's exclusive
set. Mr. Wharton had been Mr.
Leach's assistant when Mr. Leach was
appraiser of the port of Philadelphia,
and he could recommend him highly.
Judge Pennypacker took Mr. Leach's
word for it, and that is how Mr. Whar
ton's name was the first sent in to the
senate by the new governor, and the
first confirmed. He is a bright, clean
cut, active young man, and resembles
very much in appearance his predeces
sor, Mr. Gerwlg.
Among the visitors to the inaugura
tion was Amos Mylin, of Lancaster,
ex-auditor-general. He hadn't been to
Harrlsburg for a long while, and a
good deal of his time was taken up in
greeting old friends and swapping
reminiscences. "Uncle Amos," as he
Is popularly known, told me that Sen
ator Quay is developing Into an exten
sive landed proprietor in Lancaster
county. Since ho purcheased his
Mountvllle property he has been add
ing to it little by little, and he Is now
negotiating for the possession of a
slice of rich land a hundred acreB in
extent, adjoining his own and belong
ing to Jonas Garber. The senior sena
tor may be a busy man at Washington
these days, endeavoring to increase
the number ot states in the union, but
he is not neglectful, nevertheless, In
Increasing the number of his own
ucres.
Speaking of Lancaster, a bill will be
Introduced in the legislature thlB ses
sion to encourage the growing of Su
matra tobneco in that county. Suc
cessful experiments have been made in
cultivating shade-grown Sumatra, a
lialf acre at Marietta yielding 855
pounds of an excellent grade. It is
desired by the Lancaster tobacco
growers to continue these experiments
and they think that another year's
work in this direction will attain ab
solute perfection. But a state appro
priation will be necessary.
The gallant and chivalrous Judge
Harry White, of Indiana, has come to
the rescue of the widows. He has
drawn up a bill, which was Introduced
by Senator Fisher last week, and for
which every widow should rise up and
call him blessed. His bill gives the
widow of a husband who dies intes
tate a life Interest In his entire estate.
At present, where there is isBiie, she
has only her widow's rights. This
latter condition, Judge White thinks,
is a remnant of old common law that
should be done away with a relic of
ancient times when the woman was re
gnrded as inferior to the man. "The
trend of modern legislation," says the
Judge, "Is toward the emancipation of
Woman." Hence the bill.
Liquor Legislation.
I mentioned In this correspondence
some time ago that some sweeping
legislation regarding the liquor traffic
In the state would bo attempted, and
a number of bills In this connection
will be introduced within the next
week or ten days. Most of them will
probably emanate from Philadelphia.
One of these measures will place a
penalty on tavern keepers who sell
beer or liquor In "growlers" or bottles
to women to be carried from the prem
ises. A similar bill passed the house
last session but foil by the wayside In
the senate.
The other measures will be In the
interest of the retail dealers. They in
clude the compulsory abolition of the
free lunch, trial by Jury in cases in
volving the revocation of licenses, re
stricting bottlers and wholesalers to
the sale of not less than a gallon of
spirits, and prohibiting grocers alto
gether from engnglng In the sale of
liquor as a part of their business. It
is more than likely that the last two
bills will be fought by the wholesalers
and grocers, but the liquor associa
tions back of the measures believe
that on lofty moral grounds alone all
such legislation, tending to confine the
traffic to its legitimate sphere and dis
couraging homo tippling, can and
should be successfully enacted.
An effort is being made to give the
judicial district composed of Bedford,
Huntingdon, and Mlflln counties an
additional law judge. Senator Miller,
of Bedford, has introduced a bill to
that effect. At present there Is only
one Judge In the district Judge Bai
ley, of Huntingdon and It is claimed
that he is very much overworked.
Bedford alone, according to Senator
Miller, has population enough under
the constitution to entitle it to a sep
arate Judge.
Representative Snyder, of Schuylkill
county, who is an ex-county attorney,
has a bill providing that three over
seers of the poor be appointed by the
county judges Instead of elected as
under the existing law. His colleagues
in the house. Palmer, Gardner, Littler,
Crone, and Reed, he says, are with him
on the bill.
Of Interest to Veterans.
The bill prepared by Col. A. K. Mc
Clure and sponsored in the house by
Mr. Cooper, of Delaware, providing for
the erection on Gettysburg battlefield
of a $30,000 monument to General
Robert E. Lee, is expected to lead to
debate on the floor of the house if not
in committee. Virginia is to join
Pennsylvania in the expense. Colonel
McCluro, who was here a day or two
ago, says the thought of erecting the
monument was not inspired so much
by a sentiment for the South or admi
ration for General Lee as by a desire
to adorn the battlefield. Such a monu
ment, be added, would not only efface
sectional feeling, but would be a beau
tiful acquisition to the park. Colonel
McClure will appear before the house
and senate committees when the bill
comes up for discussion and urge that
it be favorably reported.
But there is certain to be something
said on the other side of the question.
Senator Cumings, of Warren, has
voiced the sentiments of the opposi
tion by vigorously disapproving the
bill, and it is more than likely that
Grand Army posts In various parts of
the state will be heard from. Action
has already been taken by the Colonel
Fred Taylor post, of Philadelphia,
which, after a heated discussion, op
posed the proposed statue by a vote of
17 to 9. The majority of the veterans,
however, did not vote at all. Colonel
McClure himself does not think the
bill will pass this session, but he re
gards it as an entering wedge for fur
ther movements of this kind In the fu
ture.
This Is not the only pending meas
ure of interest to veterans. "Farmer"
Creasy, of Columbia, has Introduced
a bill providing for a monument In
Capitol Park to the soldiers and ma
rinea who served in the war of the
rebellion and appropriating $150,000
for the purpose, while still another
piece of legislation of the same class
is a bill for an appropriation of $35,'
000 to erect monuments to the Penn
sylvanla commands that fought on the
battlefield of Antietam 12,500 for
each command. Colonel W. J. Bolton,
In speaking of the projected measure,
says: "We do not ask these monu
ments as a tramp begs at the door,
but as a right to the gallant men who
fell In the battle."
Senator Holdelbaugh, of Lancaster,
has introduced a bill making it a mis
demeanor for persons not entitled as
members to wear insignia or buttons
of the Spanish-American war veterans
or of the Spanish-American or Philip
pine societies. The penalty, If the bill
passes, will be a $100 fine or In default
60 days in Jail.
A bill providing for a reduction of
the poll tax in Philadelphia from 50
cents to 10 cents is In preparation.
This is intended to save much ex-
pense to the party organizations, which
. are compelled to pay out plies of
; money to equip thelv voters with tax
1 receipts, but it will also result In a
. heavy loss of revenue to the Phlladel
; phla city treasury.
ny, has the credit of introducing the
first of the labor bills an elaborate
arbitration measure regulating the re
latlons between employor and em'
ployed In cases of disputes.
1 HUGH DONNELLY.
ECONOMY SALE.
45
lias a double meaning means u stimulus to our
business and saving to our many customers.
We're not expecting profits at (liis time.
"We're sinply reducing stocks and placing and op
portunity before you to save money.
LINENS.
$1.50 Table Linen,
Economy sale price 51.19 yd.
$1.00 Table Linen,
Economy sale price 75c.
50 cent Table Linen,
Economy sale price 42c.
Cotton Towels,
Economy sale price 9c. pair.
Turkish Towels,
Economy sale price 22c.
Cotton Crash,
Economy sale price 3Jc. yd.
Every department
ductions during
CURRENT COMMENT.
PEOPLE WILL TALK, AND THIS IS WHAT
THEY HAVE TO SAY.
That a miss is better than a mile.
She only has to purchase hosiery
for two feet instead of for 5,280.
That women stand before a
mirror while dressing because they
want to see everything that goes
on.
That the demand for dwelling
liouses in Bloonisburg will be great
er this spring than it has been for
many years.
That the frank manner in which
a sixteen year old girl of the lower
end ol town refers to herself as an
old maid is certainly amusing.
That the construction of the new
switch by the D. L. & W. Rail
road Company, is going to give the
several industries on the south side
of the canal first class shipping
facilities. The Harman Coggar
Company, founders and machinists,
are getting ready to start the plant
immediately upon the completion
of the switch.
That coasting on the leading
streets of town, now so much in
dulged in by children, should be
stopped I efore any fatalities are re
corded. Doubly dangerous is it
after night. A team tnight be
crossing the street, when the coast
er goes down, and he would in all
probability be killed. We have
frequently alluded to the danger at
tending this practice, but it seems
as though an accident is all that
will stop it.
That the movement for a new
play house in Bloonisburg has tall
en into a state of relapse. There
is no apparent reason, other than a
suitable location, why the town
should not have a new and modern
Opera House. Since it was first
mentioned in these columns, a few
weeks ago, several citizens have
expressed a willingness to give the
project substantial support, pro
viding a stock company can be
formed. As we have already stated,
a new house, with the right kind
of management, will pay here aud
there is no doubt about it. We
could then have good shows, say,
once a week. Not, the " Maloney's
Wedding Day," "Muldoon's Pic
nic " or McFadden's Row of Flats"
variety, but attractious of known
merit. Get together gentleman,
lets have a new house.
That an amusing incident occnr
ed to two young men of town the
other morning. They reached Sun
hury from Lewisburg at one o'clock
a. ra. They registered at the Cen
tral Hotel and were assigned to
room No. 12. They told the clerk
to put down a call for 5.30, as they
desired to catch the first motor car
for Northumberland, to make the
Lackawanna train for Bloomsburg.
They impressed upon the clerk
that it would be necessary to ring
until they answered, as they were
both sound sleepers. After every
thing was arranged, the clerk led
the way to No. 12. The dqor was
locked, and he was about to peep
over the transom, when a voice
from within shouted, "What in
the mischief do you fellows want."
Without making any answer the
! trio moved on to room 36. In bid
ding the clerk good night, they
agaiu told him to be sure to call
them at 5.30. When he reached
MUSLINS
Hill Bleached 36m wide,
Economy sale price 10yds 75c
Good Bleached 36m. wide.
Economy sale price 10yds. 62c
Good Unbleached 36m. wide.
Economy sale price ioyds.4Sc
5 cent Apron Gingham.
Economy sale price 3$c. yd.
rercalcs, Ginghams and Madras
cloths, value 12 to 18c. yd.
Economy sale price 9c. yd.
shows special re
the Economy Sale.
the office something else challenged
his attention, and he neglected to
transfer the call from No. 12 to No.
36. At six o'clock in the morning,
the young men awoke, and jump
ing into their clothes hurried down
stairs, but they were too late, tbe
car had left the square 15 minutes
before. The clerk, who was a new
man, was asked for an explanation.
He knew nothing about it, and
turning around, he asked the
porter, who was pushing away for
dear life at an enunciator on the
wall, if he could tell how the mis
take had occurred. The mystery
was explained when the occupant '
of No. 12 appeared at the head of
the stairs and shouted "What in
the devil is the matter with the
bell in my room, it has been ring
ing coutinuously for the last twenty
minutes." The boys were very
sore but the situatiou was so comi
cal they were forced to laugh. The
clerk tried, to repair the wrong by
giving tlieni a free breakfast, and
they reached Bloonisburg over the
Penna. Railroad at 7.20.
TAILOR-MADE SUITS.
N. S. Tingley has accepted the
agency for Reinach, Ullman & Co.
of Chicago, merchant tailors, and is
ready to supply made-to-measure
clothing at prices lower than can be
obtained elsewhere. He has a large
line of samples to select lrom. His
place of business is the third floor of
the Columbian building. 4L
For the Satisfactory
Kind in Up-to-date
Styles, go to
CapwelTs Studio,
(Over Hartman'i Store)
BLOOMSBURG, PA.
SHOES
If you have not seen
our line of SHOES, it
will pay you to see it.
We have the largest
Stock of Shoes
of any store in this sec
tion. Made by the best
Manufacturers especi
ally for me, and will fit
AND WEAR.
Our School Shoes
are made extra strong
to stand the hard ser
vice given a School
shoe.
W. H. MOORE,
Cor. Main and Iron 8tt.
BLOOMSBURG, Pi.