fur -
Wily
VOL 38.
M.OOMSBUKG. PA. THURSDAY. JULY 9. 1903.
NO. 2S
THE MALICE OF IT.
Re-enactmentof the Ordinance
Prohibiting Firecrackers
Is Needed.
Privileges of the 4th Abused.
In 1 870 when the Town of Blooms
burg was incorporated, a section was
introduced in Ordinance Number i,
prohibiting the firing of firearms,
squibs, firecrackers, etc., within the
built up portion of the Town, ex
cept on July 4th. There was such
an abuse of this privilege that two
years later, after a fire had occurred
presumably from fireworks, that
Ordinance No. 6, was enacted,
which repealed that part of Ordin
ance No. i, which excepted July
4th, and made it unlawful to shoot
firecrackers or squibs on any day of
the year. This remained the law of
the town until July n, 1894, when
Ordinance No. 78, was passed which
repealed Ordinance No. 6, khe effect
of which was to revive Ordinance
No. 1, Atticle 6, thus permitting
the use of firearms, firecrackers and
squibs on July 4th.
The town authorities this year
had intended to post notices forbid
ding the use of these things, but an
investigation showed the above sit
uation, and there was no authority
to prevent it.
There is, however, undoubted
authority to prevent such use of
pistols and fireworks as make them
a nusiance and a menace to the
public. The license to use them on
July 4th gives no permission to
annoy others or to endanger their
lives or property.
Many boys and men seem to be
laboring under the impression that
the Declaration of Independence
was signed expressly for the pur
pose of giving them the brutal privi
lege of frightening women, children
and horses on the 4th of July. A
few instances of this will illustrate
what we mean. Two women in a
buggy were driving a horse that
was evidently in a nervous condi
tion. In front of the Bloomsburg
National Bank some boys who were
old enough to know better, began
firing revolvers and other explos
ives, and when the women showed
their fear the boys laughed and
made more noise, deliberately try
ing to increase the horse's prancing,
until they were o.02ped by a man
of more sense.
At the Frst National Bank corner
a man driving a delivery wagon was
struggling to keep control of his
horse which had been frightened by
pistol shots. It was a close question
whether tne horse was not going to
run away, but two boys on the
pavement pulled revolvers and fired
repeatedly as the horse passed thena,
regardless of the fact that the ani
mal was almost unmanageable.
Down Market street below Third,
on Friday evening, nine young men
were quietly sitting on the grass
aloug the gutter, when several
ladies approached. Just as they
were at the nearest point to the men
the latter all drew revolvers and
fired simultaneously. All of the
women were greatly startled, and
one of them nearly fainted from
fright.
Two of these instances were seen
by the writer, and had he been near
enough at the time he would have
"smeared in". There were num
berless instances of less aggravated
cases, such as firing pistols close to
people passing, throwing firecrack
ers under the feet of women and
children, and the like. Noisy ex
plosions are permitted on the 4th,
for the purpose of celebrating our
National Independence. The con
duct of a large number of men and
boys has made the 4th a source of
dread and anxiety to the majority
of our citueus, because it has come
to be largely an occasion ior the ex
hibition ot brutality and cowardice.
No one but a brute would fire a re
volver so close to a woman as to
make her faint, and no one but a
coward would attempt to make a
horse driven by women run away.
We have had nine years of this sort
ot thing and it is time to call a halt.
Let petitions be presented to the
Town Council asking them to for
bid the use of firearms, firecrackers,
squibs, etc.. every day in the year,
including July 4th, and then there
will be no more such exhibitions of
devilish maliciousness as were seen
on our streets last Saturday.
ANSWER FILED.
Counsel for Defendant In Al
leged Canal Nuisance, States
Reasons for Dismissal.
Case of General Concern.
In the equity proceedings in
stituted a few weeks ago by Frank
II. Wilson, E. J. Brown, Paul E.
Wirt, A. V. I lower, J. II. Coleman
R. R. Hartman, John W. Ilarmau,
Wesley Shutt, John E. Moyer, J.
H. Fahringer, II. R. Kahler, M.
II. Rhoads, Frank Kashner and P.
G. Miller regarding the alleged
nuisance ot the canal and for which
the Town of Bloomsburg is claimed
to be responsible, Fred T. Ikeler
counsel for the defendant, yester
day filed an answer.
In their answer the defendant
denies the third paragraph in the
bill in so far as it charges the de
fendant with "negligently leaving
an opening under said fill of about
fifteen inches square; which said
opening or drain fills up and be
comes clogged and is inadequate for
the drainage of the water through
the same." The defendant also
denies as alleged in the third para
graph "that said defendant within
the time alleged has constructed
surface drains at Catharine and
Cherry streets."
The defendant denies the allega
tion of the plaintiff that the town
has permitted cess pools and privy
vaults to be emptied and discharged
into the canal at points between
Poplar and Iron streets and has also
permitted the refuse and fiHh from
hog pens located along properties
between Poplar and Iron streets to
drain into the canal.
The defendant further denies
that it has adopted the canal or
ditch as a part of its general system
of dainage.
It denies that the authorities of
town have, notwithstanding the
complaints, neglected and refused
and still neglect and refuse to prop
erly construct drains to carry off
the water but on the contrary have
constructed additional drains into
the canal.
To the contrary of all the plain
tiffs' averments, the Defendant
avers as follows, asking for a dismis
sal of the case;
"That all the water now emptied
by the defendant into said canal
was formerly deposited therein at
what is now the foot of Iron street
by an open water course leading
from the property now of Harman &
Hassert and the Bloomsburg Car
Manufacturing Company, across
nasi street (.oy culvert); then by
open ditch to loot of Iron street
into said canal.
"That this was the natural course
of the surface drainage of the TWn
of Bloomsburg, and had been since
its earliest foundation more than
fifty years prior thereto.
"That on or about the vear rsss
the Town of Bloomsburg, in order
10 a Date certain nuisances caused by
the aforesaid open watercourse, and
to take the place thereof, construct
ed an underground drain, for sur
face water, discharging into said
canal at Cherry street, and ahmit
six or seven years ago, for a like
reason, constructed a similar drain
discharging into said canal at Cath
arine street.
"That none of the water deposit
ed as aforesaid remains, or 'stands
in said ditch or canal and becomes
stagnant, nor is any of said wter
prevented lrom flowing off by reason
of any obstruction placed in said
canal at Market or Catharine streets;
but on the other hand, from Cath
arine street to a point near the east
ern limits of said Town, where it
is discharged into a flowing stream
known as 'Kinney's Run,' without
causing or creating any of the nuis
ances complained cf iu Plaintiff's
bill.
"That in order to be absolutely
certain that none of the water de
posited iu said canal by the defend
ant, can be blocked or ' retarded by
any alleged deficiency in the onen-
ings under Catharine or Market
streets, tne defendant has lately
caused to be constructed across said
canal, at a point west of the Cath
arine street drain but east of the
opening under Market street, au
embankment or dam."
To The Public:
It Is no longor considered a violation of banking ethics to ask for
what wo would like to lmve, and acting on the theory that what is
greatly worth having is certainly worth asking for.
0e fjfoom60utg Qtaftonaf Q&mft
Kollclts the accounts of all responsible people, promising all the court
esies tliat are usuiilly extended by nil obliging and carefully conducted
banking house. We propose to continue to conduct our business on
safe and strictly business lines, believing that such u courso will be to
the best advantage of the public generally.
A. Z. SCHOCH, President.
WM. II. HIDLAY, Cashier.
SODA FOUNTAIN EXPLOSION.
Painfully Injures James H. Mercer.
James II. Mercer the druggist,
was the victim of what might have
been a fatal accident Friday after
noon. He was alone in the store
at the time and had gone down in
to the cellar to charge the soda
fountain. It had been his custom
to charge the fountain up to about
two hundred pounds pressure. The
gauge registered one hundred and
seventy five pounds when he was
called up to wait on a customer.
He thought that he had shut offthe
gas before going up and when he
returned he just glanced at the
gauge and observed that the needle
was against the pivot concluded
that the tank was leaking and that
the gas had all escaped. Instead,
the needle had made the complete
circuit and was on the opposite side
of the pivot, and when he bent over
the tank to find the leak it explod
ed with terrific force. A large piece
of the copper sheeting was hurled
against his legs inflicting painful
wounds above the knees, while a
smaller piece of it flew past his face
and buried itself to the depth of
half an inch in one of the rafters.
He succeeded in reaching the
store and summoning Dr. B. F.
Gardner and was removed to his
home on West Third street. He
was able to go to the store on Tues
day. His business is being taken
care of by George Allenian of Moyer
Bros, store.
Mr. Mercer though painfully i n
jured was indeed fortunate. Had
the smaller portion of the tank
which embedded itself in the rafters
struck him in the abdomen it would
in all probability have produced
fatal results.
The regular monthly meetine of
the Towu Council will be held tonight.
GANNON OEAOKEE EXPLOSION.
Myron, the bright little son of
Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Rishtou, had
a narrow escape from serious in
jury, or perhaps death, on the
afternoon of the Fourth. In com
pany with Robert Mercer he was
playing in front of his home when
they saw a large fire cracker lying
in thestreet. They had seen no one
throw it down and it was not light
ed. Myron picked it up and sat
down on the grass and began to
pull it apart, when it exploded.
His face was cut, his hands burned
and his legs badly bruised at the
knees. It was feared at first that
his eyes were injured but an ex
amination proved that they had
escaped. Several physicians were
summoned by 'phone and Dr. Bier
man reached there first and dressed
the wounds. Myron was able to
be down stairs on Monday, though
feeling very sore. He will long
remember the 4th of July 1903.
Robert Mercer was only slightly
burned.
FIRE DESTKOYS AUTOMOBILE-
The destructive power of fire has
again been demonstrated. This
time it is James M. Stayer's auto
mobile, and so well did the fire do
its work that the once handsome
machine now lies at Mr. Staver's
barn, a mournful relic. The top
and body of the machine were
burned and the pipes bent and
twisted. The fire was the result ol
an explosion. J. K. Lockard, who
was passing at the time heard the
noise, as did some of the employees
at the Woolen Mill, and it was only
the prompt work of the latter that
saved the barn from total destruc
tion. Mr. Stayer is uuable to ac
count for the explosion.
. -
When ignorance keeps peace in
the family, it is downright folly to
tell all you know.
A Full Line of New
HAMMOCKS
FROM
1.00 to 8.00.
All this Year's.
No Old Patterns
Carried Over.
FOR SALE BY
J.Q. Wells,
Cenerbl Hardware,
Bloomsburg, Pa.
COLLISION ON ELEOTEIU RAILWAY.
Accident the Result of Failuro to Heed Regu
lar Signals.
Motorman Harvey Fetterman,
was badly bruised in a head on
collision on the Electric railway
F'riday evening. The accident
occurred out beyond Park street
and was the result of failure to heed
the regular signal. Car No. 3, iu
charge of conductor John Maust
eller and motorman Fetterman was
coming down from Berwick. When
they passed Espy switch the signal
lights were thrown on, and properly
exhibited at Park street. The up
car was somewhat delayed on ac
count of a heavy storm, but reached
Park street and ran upon the switch
in obedience to the signal and wait
ed five minutes. This was sufficient
time, conductor Nagle thought to
allow the car to reach there if it
was in that block. He failed to
take into consideraation that the
passengers were largely work hands
from Berwick and that eighteen
stops had to be made iu Espy, and
concluding that the signal light had
been thrown on by mistake, be
gave motorman Evans orders to pro
ceed. When the car had reached a
point along the burm bank, just
above the residence of John Hoff
man, Evans saw the car coming only
a short distance ahead. His car had
attained a pretty high speed, and
realizing that to stop would be im
possible he jumped as did several
of the passangers, and the cars
crashed into each other. Fedder
exerted his every energy to stop
his car, and was at his post with
his hand on the lever when the
crash came. He was thrown vio
lently backward striking the end of
the car. He was stunned and sus
tained several cutaneous wounds.but
no bones were broken. Dr. Rede
ker was summoned, and lie was re
moved to his home at Rupert.
Both cars were damaged to such
an extent that they bad to be sent
away. The ends were crushed in
and all the glass broken.
Because of their failure to wait,
which was directly responsible for
the accident, both Evans and Nagle
have been laid off for an indefinite
period.
The Hawley-Slate Furniture
Factory is closed down this week,
on account of inventory.
FECIAL
ALE !
WENS' ALL
WOOL PANTS,
Were 3.00, 2.50 & 2.00
All $ 1 .50.
SEE WINDOW.
MSB B OHM
Bloomsburg, Penn'a.,
Corner Main and Center Sts.
Come in and see us,
we'll treat you right.
The LEADER DEPT. STORE.
Style & Quality
Wash Silks - - 75c 50c
Challies " g ST
Fine Madras - - 35c 25c
Fine Batistes - 15c 10c
Fine Lawns - - I5 20C
Mercerized Oxfords 5 T
Plain Oxfords - T"
Striped Grenadines 30c
Cotton Voiles - 35c 22c
Kenilworth Reps 30c 20c
Grass Matting - 50c yjyt
China Matting 30c 20c
Ingrain Carpet 35c 2oc
Velvet Carpet T 1.25 1.00
The Leader Store Co. L'tU
4TH AND MARKET STREETS.
1