VOLUME 3.
McCONNELLSHURG, PA.. JULY 10, 1902.
NUMBER 43.
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
Editor Harron's First School,
liccollcctions of Mrs. Sterret, J no.
S. Rohinson, Davy Dniilap and
Other.
EuiTon Nicws : Thoro wore
ono or two other teachers of the
oldou time that I should not neg
lect to speak of hefore leaving
that subject. Ono of those was
Mrs. Sterrctt. She camo from
Chambcrsburg to McConnells
burg about the time my father
niovod there or a little after and
opened a school iu the stone resi
denco which she owned and I
presume lived in till her death.
She taught continuously whilo wo
lived there and was teaching still
when I was back there in 1873 ;
how long she taught after that I
do not know.
She was one of nature's noble
women. She was intelligent and
full of pluck and energy. She
loved to do good. When I saw
her last she told me she was
thankful that she had been the in
strument of teaching so many
children to read the Word of God.
She and my mother and sister
were very intimate friends and
she was often at our home. Her
family consisted of Ella, Ben,
Clara and Nead. I wonder if any
are living yet. I3on, I under
stood, became sheriff of Pulton
county.
The other teacher I would
nicution was John S. Robinson.
Ho came there in the fall of 1853,
and started a high school which I
atteuded but I think only taught
one or two terms. He was a broth
er of Dr. James Robinson and a
nephew of Samuel U. He was the
lirst to "Jntroduco modern meth
ods iu teaching and classification
of pupils. Among the students
attending his school, I remember
the names of John A. Robinson,
Willian Tritle, William Kendall,
(-barley Robinson, well I can't
recall any other names just now.
The school was held in a brick
building in the western part of
the town, I forget who owned it
then, I have never heard what be
came of John S. Robinson.
It was while I was going to
school to E. G. Day that one of the
directors of the Vallance district
camo to see me about taking the
school, I think it was Caspar Mil
ler. He came to the f chool house
and asked to see me. I was some
what astonished when he told me
what ho wanted. 1 told him I was
rather young to take charge of a
school being only sixteen, but he
said they wanted a teacher badly
and could not get any and finally
persuaded me to try it. He said
they had some rough boys over
there that delighted in running
over a teacher but that the direc
tors would stand by me and see me
through. So I was engaged for
three months at 14 a month and
my board was fifty cents a week.
Just think of that! The school
house was one of the old fashion
ed kind with one long desk along
each side of the room and bench
es with no backs, to sit upon.
There was no chair for the teach
ersimply a short bench. There
was but few in attendance the
first day, and I had hard work
putting in the time. The only
books they had was the old blue
back spelling book, the new testa
mout to read in and for arithme
tics, any old thing would do. But
1 wont to work to do the best I
could. The school was not large
and I had the more time to give
individual attention to pupils.
I was greatly dissappointed
with the treatment the scholars
gave me. Prom what I had heard
of the school I expected trouble ;
although there" were a number of
boys and girls older than I was,
I had not the least trouble with
them the whole winter not having
to punish a single scholar. I nev
er saw a school bette behaved,
and if I do say it myself, I think
it was a success and I earned my
money. There were several that
commenced with their AB C's
and were able to read fairly well
in the testament at the end of the
term.
I boarded with Jacob Ambrose.
He livod about throe-fourths of a
mile east of the school house, and
had a saw mill on the branch that
runs through his farm. Ho had
four daughters and a son. All
went to school to me but the eld
est, Mary. Tho others were.Nau
cy, Ellen, Catharine, and littlo
Jake. I woncfor if any are living.
The only other families that I can
now recall were, the Vallances
and the Glasses. The other names
have all passed from my recollec
tion. But what wonder! It is
fifty years ago, and I have never
been back among them since I
taught tho school. The Glass
boyswere famous rifle shots. Tho
boys were all grown,but the girls
Maggie and Lillie, came to school
to me. The last day I spent over
on the ridges was the Saturday
after the school closed. Old Mr.
Glass had a barn raising and, of
course, the neighborhood all went
to it, and made quite a frolic out
of it. It was that evening that
tho young folks went over to tho
Dutch Corner to tho spelling at
Davy Dunlap's school. I reracm
bor him well. My first recolloc
of him was at Ft. Littleton, when
I was probably eight years old.
He was clerking iu Isaac Dubb's
store, and used to talk to me and
give me candy when I came to the
store. How theso little acts of
kindness and attention will linger
in their recollection through a
long life !
Dickeys Mountain.
Rev. Funk preached at Bald
Eagle last Sunday at ten o'clock.
Mrs. Cattlettis sponding a few
weeks with her daughter, Mrs.
P. P. Shiv s.
Mr. S. L. Simpson spent last
Sunday in Hancock.
Rev. Funk and daughter, Miss
Cora, of Needmore, spent Sunday
with Mrs. Hess.
George Bishop was in our vi
cinity last week. Mr. Bishop has
ordered a fine lot of fruit trees for
our farmers.
Rev. Garland will preach at
Board Yard next Sunday at ten
o'clock.
Our merchant, miller, sawyer
and farmer, Dennis Everts, is
very happy. A little daughter
arrived at his home last Tuesday.
Covalt.
Mrs. John C. Brewer is conv'a
lescing.
Miss Reba Brewer continues
very ill.
Mrs. Palmer Bernhart is very
poorly with tonsilitis.
"Aunt Lib" Bailey, who was so
Beriously hurt last October is able
to walk again and d o light work.
Shi visited Mrs. Fannie Bernhart
one day last week.
Mrs. D. A. Stoops and five chil
dren, of McKeesport, Pa., are
visiting her mother, Mrs. Dolly
Graves, and her sister Mrs. W. C.
Peck and a host of friends and
schoolmates, who welcomed her
back to old "Thompson."
Miss. Anna O'Rourke is visiting
her brother, James O'Rourke.
The singing at Wm. Sigol'a
Saturday evening was wellatteud
ed. All report a good time.
Mr. John Covalt has gone to
Johnstown, Pa., to spend tho
summer with his son, ,B. P. Co
valt, and daughter Mrs. Carson
Batt His daughter, Mrs. George
Humbert of Big Cove Tannery ac
companied him.
H. W. HatfieM jnade a flying
trip to Franklin county, Satur
day. An Ills Mother Used to Do.
He criticised her pudding and
he criticised her cake ; he wished
she'd make the biscuit his moth
er used to make ; she didn't wash
dishes and she didn't make stew,
and she didn't mend the stock
ings as his mother .used to do.
Oh, well, she wasn't perfect, but
she tried to do her best ; until at
length she thought it time for her
to have a rest. So when one day
this man had growled and whined
the whole day through, she turn
ed him up and fanned his pants
as his mother used to do.
Preaching at Siloam next Sun
day morning at 10:80, and at An
bury at 8 p. m.
EXTENSION OF THE WABASH.
May Run Through Upper l'.nd of
This County.
Last Thursday's Philadelphia
Record says that according to the
latest information, George Gould
contemplates an extension of tho
Wabash eastward from Pittsburg
via Greensburg, Latrobe, Somer
set, Bedford aud Huston town to
a connection with the Western
Maryland and the Reading near
Shippers burg.
The, route outlined for tho Wa
bash extension eastward from
Pittsburg is known to be 35 miles
shorter than the Pennsylvania
Railroad, and the grade selected
is reported to be only 52 feet to
the mile, or 1 per cent. The com
pletion of this line guarantees to
the Wabash 3,000,000 tons of
freight per annum from the Uni
ted States Steel Corporation
alone, and protects that Trust
from any further increase in
rates on the part of the Pennsyl
vania Railroad. It is understood
that J. Picrpout Morgan, acting
upon the advice of Andrew Car
negie, is using his best efforts to
have this great trunk lino com
pleted for the better protection of
tho United States Steel Corpora
tion. So pronounced have the friends
of Mr. Morgan been in their ad
vocacy of the greater Wabash that
it has been reported, with some
semblance of authority, that Mr.
Morgan stands ready, if necessa
ry, to establish direct friendly re
lations between the Gould inter
ests and the Reading system,
whereby the Wabash, under cer
tain conditions, can have a Phila
delphia terminus, the advantages
of which are obvious. Tho per
sistent report that an under
standing has been reached be
tween Mr. Morgan and Mr.
Gould is very largely responsible
for the recent and continued ac
tivity of Reading shares.
The route selected for the pro
posed line from Pittsburg east
ward to a point in the Cumber
land Valley is tho same as that
traversed by the lines of the old
Americau Rapid Telegraph Com
pany, built in 1880, and since tak
en over by the Western Union.
The advantages of this route over
that of the Pennsylvania Railroad
were pointed out to Mr. Gould by
the telegraph men who came di
rectly in contact with him in the
management of the Western Uni
on, and for months past, survey
ors and engineers have been go
ing over the ground preparing da
ta preliminary to the actual work
iug surveys and plans.
It is an established fact that
this routo from Pittsburg to the
East was first mapped out for the
Pennsylvania Railroad, but for
some reason, it was abandoned
for the Juniata route.
LaidiH.
Dr. E. J. Miller of Everett vis
ited Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Lyon last
Saturday.
The recent rains and warm
weather have caused the corn to
grow rapidly and started the late
grass to grow.
Some one has been in tho snake
killing business. A pile of eight
suakes, some of them copper
heads, some blacksnakes and
some rattlesnakes ' having been
seen along tho State Road at the
foot of Sideling Hill last Friday.
Since writing the above we
learn that Stephen Wilson and
Jesse Miller killed quite a lot of
snakes while gathering raspber
ries last week.
Some of our people attendod
Independence Day Celebratiou at
Hustoutou, u, but were disappoint
ed in uot hearing some of the
speakers that had been advertis
ed to Bpoak.
Last Thursday oveuing quite a
storm passed over parts of this
town hip, uprooting trees aud
blowing down trees and fences.
One of James Hampton's little
boys became quite sick at Hus
toutowu last Friday. His sick-
1 ness, was thought to have been
caused by eating pio in the pie
race.
Laudanum by Mistake.
j One day last week Mrs. Susie
Egulf of this place felt a little out
of sorts physically, and went to
tho cupboard where she kept
some mediciucs,and took a spoon
ful of what she supposed was an
effective liniment that she hud of
ten used before. After swallow
ing the medicine, she was horri
fied at discovering that she had
poured the dose out of the lauda
num bottle. Fortunately the lau
danum had been in stock several
years, and with its ago the mis
chievous qualities of the drug had
mellowed down so that there was
just about enough life loft in it
to make Mrs. Egulf feel comfort
able, and no ill effects followed,
what might have been attended
with serious consequences.
New Grenada.
John A. McClain and Wm. S.
Hunter made a trip to Orbisonia
last Saturday evening.
Hayes Borgstresser of Pitts
burg, is spending ten days vaca
tion with parents aud friends at
Waterfall.
Nettio Ileeter of Knobsville.vis
ited her mother a day and night
here last week.
Jacob Shafer and family of near
Saltillo, visited his brother and
family on Sunday at New Grena
da. Chas. Th imas and his new wife
of Saltillo, drove up on Sunday to
his old home in our village.
Tillio Winegardner is spending
a week with friends in Taylor.
E. VV. McClain has closed out
his store at Euid.
Most of our young sports spent
the Fourth pleasantly at Huston
town, and their good and manly
conduct speaks well for our quiet
poaceab'.e village. That's right,
boys; always be good and you will
be happy. .
At this writing, the life of G.W.
Edwards of Enid, hangs in the
balance, the result of a paralytic
stroke last Saturday.
Tho Wells Valley cornet band
held a picnic in Elias' woods on
the Fourth, to raise funds for re
pairing instruments.
New Grenada has two young
meu, George Alloway aud Bertie
Heeter who are excellent miners.
During the last two weeks or
nine and a half days, they loaded
out 133 tons of top coal at Wood
vale shaft at 65 cents a ton mak
ing their wages amount to 80. 40.
The telephone business, of late,
is almost to a standstill on ac
count of tho electric storms, aud
the carelessness of some of the
operators, in not turning off their
phones. If they have ears I
should think they would burn, by
the amount of cuss words used
by other operators.
Libbie Grissinger left on Fri
day for Huntingdon where she is
having her eyes troatod by Dr.
Sears.
The publisher of the Valley
Journal, an up-to-date 5-column
quarto, published at Millvale, a
suburb of Pittsburg, has secured
the services of Clarence B. Sipes,
a former foreman in the office of
the Fulton County News. Now
the paper is just "getting there."
We clip tho following from a copy
of a recent issue : "Last week wo
had the satisfaction of adding
more than a hundred subscribers
to our list. We believe that this
paper is better prepared to meet
tho demands of the public than
ever, having enlisted for thb me
chanical department a youug man
from the hilly old county of Ful
ton, this state, that proudly boasts
of ton feet of railroad across ouo
corner. He comes from one of
the staid old families down that
way and has left the parental roof
and crossed tho hills to seek his
fortune."
A recent letter receivod by her
mother states, that Miss Maggie
Unger has been removed from
tbehospital to the Association
rooms, and the wound healed, but
she is not able to bear her weight
on her foot, and fears she will
have to have the log broken again
and tho bone re-set.
A MOTHER FRIGHTENED.
Her Itnhj -boy Climbs to the
Comb of the Koof.
From the fliirrlHonhunr, Vo.. Newn of July I.
Little Sieber Mellott, the twenty-months-old
baby-boy of Mr.
and Mrs. William Mellott, of Sky,
formerly of Fulton county, Pa.,
put up an unexpected acrobatic
performance onhis father's house
top tho other day which equ lis
the feats of the most daring cir
cus performers and shows that
tho child has a nerve that would
soon put him easily iu tho front
ranks of mid-air performers had
not his thrilling performance so
startled his parents that he is not
apt again to have an opportunity
for cultivating his exceptional tal
ents so long as his parents can
possibly keep him safely under
their own roof.
While Mr. Mellott was away at
his work and his wife was busy
indoors attending to household
cares, little Sieber amused him
self by playing about in the yard
and watching his grandfather, Ja
cob Hinegardner, who was enga
ged iu repairing the shingle roof
on top of the two-story house. Af
ter some time, quitting his work
and descending to the ground by
means of a ladder which ran up
to the spouting in the corner form
ed by the L, and which he allow
ed to remain standing against the
house, Mr. Hinegardner left the
place.
He had not been gone long when
Mrs. Mellott inquired of the other
children about the child, and was
informed he was busy at play. A
few minutes later she went out
herself to look after him and to
her surprise discovered ho was
uot to be seen about the yard.
Her amazement and alarm can be
better imagined than described
when.ou glancing toward the lad
der and from there to tho house
top, she beheld her baby stand
ing erect on the comb of tho roof
looking down toward and laugh
ing at her.
Although frightened until al
most speechless and really fear
ing to move lest her child should
stir, and losing his balance fall to
the ground, nevertheless the moth
er dashed to the ladder and start
ed to ascend iu an effort to rescue
the babe.
The little fellow was first made
aware of his mother's approach
whon she had gained the top
rounds and was preparing to
climb up onto the roof. When he
first saw her his hearty greeting
thrilled her with horror, for, giv
ing a little scream of delight he
clapped his hands and springing
from his position started toward
her.
"Would he fall and if so could
she catch him ?" These were tho
thoughts which flashed through
her brain as she steadied herself
Cor tho effort she would make to
save him. To them he made hap
py auswer as, with merry laugh
and lively patter of bare little feet
over tho shingles, ho rapidly ran
down over tho roof into his moth
er's outstretched arms.
In order to reach the roof, tho
child had been forced to climb
from the ladder out onto a scant
ling and from there to the house
top, for the ladder rested on a
scantling which had been nailed
across the corner in order to pre- j
vent the ladder's damaging the
water spouts.. The child made
the asceut unnoticed by his plder
brothors, who were playing in an
other part of the yard.
Whon called upon to do so, the
refusal to assist an officer of the
law to make an arrest is a crime,
by the law of Pennsylvania, but it
is seldom that the law in this re
spoct is enforced, but people who
attend the September criminal
court of Franklin county will see
such a case tried. Thomas By rum
aud Norman Swartz, of Waynes
boro, whou deputized by an officer
to assist iu tho arrest of a law
breaker, refused aud are now un
der 100 bail to answer to the
charge of "refusing to assist an
officer while eudeavoriug to ar
rest Charles Schildtnecht.
Trunx Mellott.
At tho residence of the officia
ting minister Elder C. L. Funk of
Belfast township, on Wednesday
July 2, 1902, Mr. Thomas A. Tru
ax of Needmore, and Miss Nellie
A. Mellott of Sipes Mill were uni
ted in marriage.
Sal ii via.
Mr. aud Mrs. Lewis C. Mann
and littlo daughter Miss Miriam,
of Everett, were visiting Mr.
Mann's parents Mr. and Mrs. W.
C. Mann, last week.
Mrs. Harriet Doshong, and
daughter Miss Linna A. Deshong
of Pleasant Ridge, spent last
Wednesday, with Mrs. L. E. Har
ris. Miss Nellie Daniels, of Harris
onville, has been in ill health the
past week.
George Schooley, W. E. Bair,
and Harvey Strait employees of
the Western Union Telegraph
company, who had been spending
a short vacation at their respect
ive homes, returned to their work
in the Lebanon Valley Monday.
Isaiah Kline, met with a serious
accident last Monday, while en
gaged in shooting fire crackers
at W. R. Spoer's store. A large
one exploded in his hand, serious
ly injuring the hand and destroy
ing the sight of his left eye. He
is to be congratulated that it was
no worse.
Mrs. John IL Kline, is suffering
from a fractured wrist, the result
of a fall last Wednesday morning.
The Handkerchief Social held
at Asbury last Wednesday even
ing was fairly well attended, and
a neat sum realized.
A large delegation from this
vicinity were among the big
crowd that attended the ice
cream social at Hustontown last
Friday.
The festival held by the Oak
Glen Band, Saturday evening
was a big success and the mem
bers of that organization, have
proven by their conduct both at
home and abroad, that they are
deserving of the patronage be
stowed upon them.
William Wink, Prof. B. N. Pal
mer, and E. N. Akers assisted
our band in entertaining the large
crowd last Saturday evening.
Among the large number of
students from thisvicinityattend
ing the Needmore normal, are
Misses Katharine Metzler, Mary
Daniels, Dora Deshong, and
Messrs P'rank Daniels, Loy Hol
lenshead and David R. Strait. It
is probable there will be others.
There was a large congregation
at Asbury Sunday morning to en
joy the Children's Day exercises,
which were rendered in a very
pleasing manner. Rev. Dr. W. A.
West of McConnellsburg, was
present and delivered an address
urging the children and youth, of
the importance of coming to-day.
Miss Ruth West of Chambers
burg attended the services at
Green Hill Sunday morning.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Booty
and children of Bedford, were
visiting Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
Sipe, and Mrs. Booty's mother,
Mrs. Ruth Swope, last week.
Lecture.
The Rev. Samuel Fox of Littles
town, will deliver a lecture in the
Methodist church in this place
Thursday evening at 8 oclock, un
der the auspices of the Epworth
League.
Subject, What I saw in Europe.
Admission free.
Doors open at 7:30. All are in
vited. J. S. Whitmer who has been in
the grain elevator business at
Mcrcersburg for twenty-five
years, and is well and favorably
known to many Fulton county
farmers, has retired from busi
ness, having sold his interest in
the elevator of J.- S. Whitmer &
Co., to Fred Witherspoon, and
Thomas W. Walker, who with
John A. Witherspoon comprise
the new firm.
Dr. J.L. Bradley and D. F. Met
calf of Mercersburg spent Fri
day at McConnellsburg.
EX-DIRECTOR TALKS.
He Makes Some Remarks On
Clem's Ninth Annual He
port. Editor News :
It is putting it mildly to say
that I was astonished whon I read
the latter part of Mr. Chesnut'rt
ninth annual report in the New
last week.
I do not question the fact tha'i
Mr. Chesnut did good work in
the schools, but it looks to mm
now like he was trying to tear
down what he built.
There are those in the County
who may not be acquainted with
Mr. Barton, and who may be In
fluenced against him by Mr.
Chesnut's insinuations, to look
with suspicion upon the ability of
Mr. Barton, thus to a certain ex?
tent handicapping him in the out
start of his work; for without
confidence, there cannot be har
monious work.
More than this. Mr. Chesnut;
tries to make it appear that Mr.
Barton is incompetent, aud ques
tions the morals and veracity o
him, and of the directors who sup)
ported him.
I know not what means may
have been used; but, if anything
unfair was done, I feel safe in say
ing it was done without the knowl
edge of Mr. Barton, whom I have
known for many years, and have
always found him to be a gentle
man in all that the term implies;
and that his character will com
pare favorably with that of his
opponents who came forward af
ter his election in the convention
on the 6th of May and gave him
their hand and promised that he
would have their co-operation and
support in his work in the schools.
I will leave it to the readers of
Mr. Chesnut's "report" whether
that promise is being kept whilo
he is trying to "down" the man.
before he has had a chance to be
gin the duties of his office.
Mr. Chesnut, as well as some
of the other candidate, told me
that if Mr. Barton had staid in
the County to do his teaching, it
would have been useless for any
one to oppose his election.
Now, if being a member of the
faculty in one of the leading pro
fessional training schools for
teachers in the state, and especial
ly in the school in which Fulton
county is a part of the district; if
coming in contact and enjoying
the personal friendship and con
fidence of the leading educational
men in the State; if attending
county institutes in different
parts of the State as a popular and
able instructors I say if these
things disqualify a man then Mr.
Barton is a misfit; but if not, then
his chances of success are at least
equal to a man who never taught
a day in a graded school in his
life, and who scarcely ever looked
beyond the mountain tops of his
own county.
His reference to the directors
who did not happen to frfel that he
was the "whole thing," is an in
sult and a slander that will not bo
soon forgotten.
The writer of this supported
Mr. Barton through a clear sense .
of duty, and will not now sit quiet
ly by and hear such charges made
without protesting.
An Ex-Dirkctor.
July 4, 1902.
Sale Register.
Saturday, July 12. Mrs. Fan
nie G. Rider will sell at her resi
dence atThomastowu ljrmle west
of McConnellsburg, all her house
hold and kitchen furniture. Sale
begins at 1 o'clock.
To enlist in the United States
army applicants for first enlist
ment must be betweeu the ages
of eighteen and thirty-five years,
of good character and temperate
habits, able-bodied, free from dis
ease and must bo able to speak,
read aud write the Euglish lau
guaga. Oliver E. Lightner was among
those from Mercersburg who
came over to witness the ball
game ou Saturday.