tvm
VOLUME 4.
McCONNELLSHURG, PA., FEBRUARY 5, 1903.
NUMBER 21.
LETTER FROM NEBRASKA.
Wi
ntten by R Former Resident of
Taylor Township.
Benedict, Neb., Jan. 26, 1903.
Editor News: I send here
with $1.00 to pay for the News
another year.
If you will allow me a little
space I will write a few lines to
let friends in old Fulton know
how we are getting along.
The year 1902 was the wettest
ever known in Nebraska. Some
crops would have been better had
there been more rain. Wheat
was almost a phenomenal crop,
there was some damage and loss
by rains and floods in harvest.
rn was retarded in growth by
1 weather and excessive moist
ure ; and an early frost caused
much of it to be of inferior quali
ty There is, however, more of
it than all the cattle and hogs in
the state can consume.
There was never in this state
such a lack of cars for hauling
grain as exists this winter. The
unusually large number of cars
required for the coal trade ac
counts for. much of the lack of
cars for handling grain. Then,
the large crops require an in
creased number of cars for ship
ment, and the number available
is utterly inadequate to the de
mand. ' Grain elevators in the wheat
belt are full to overflowing. In
the four grain elevators at this
station (Benedict) there are now
not less than 50,000 bushels of
wheat awaiting shipment. To
further illustrate the condition
existing, a prominent railroad of
ficial at Lincoln told the writer
that one day last week there were
nearly 900 cars ordered for grain
on the Burlington system in Ne
braska, and only 18 could be sup
plied. The farmers in the country
surrounding Benedict having
long submitted to the extortion
ate profits of the grain buyers,
organized a company of their own
last summer, built a 10,000-bush-el
elevator near the railroad
track, induced the R. R. compa
ny to lay a side track to it, and in
November commenced shipping
their own grain on a co-operative
plan. We have as yet shipped
only 16 cars of grain owing to the
car famine, but have realized a
handsome profit on our ship
ments. '
During the past year many ru
ral mail routes have been estab
lished in our county. One comes
by our house, and we now get
Lincoln or Omaha daily papers at
noon each day. Telephone lines
are being rapidly extended, and
within three months we expect
to a have telephone in our house.
Bo, you see we are not behind the
times, if we are in what you peo
ple regard as the far West. The
transformation of this country in
a generation has been truly won
derful. But I have said enough.
Yours truly,
D. Webster Baker.
Mound, Minn.
On Christmas day the ther
mometer registered 22 below ze
ro, and during January it was
never below 15 above. We have
had excellent sleighing for two
months. Prospects good for six
weeks more. Ice on Lake Min
netonka is 20 inches thick, and as
clear as crystal. It is cut with
two horses hitched to an ice plow
which cuts down twelve inches,
and then it is broken off with an
ice chisel. They use skids to load
and pack the ice away. Our sport
hero in cold months is fishing
with hook and line. We cut holes
through the ice. Silver bass, one
of the gamiest fish, are taken out
of the water very fast. No trou
ble to catch 20 or 80 in an hour,
We also catch pickerel. I caught
two in an hour. One weighed sev
en; the other, nine pounds. Some
are caught that weigh 10 to 20
pounds.
Best wishes to nil,
Ed, R. Austin.
School Fund Ahead.
About twelve years ago the
Dog-tax act was amended so that
at the end of each year if the
county treasurer had any dog-tax
funds in his hands in excess of
$200 after settlement of the sheep
claims, the excess shall be paid
over to the school fund of the sev
eral districts in the county.
At the auditors' settlement the
first of January, it was found
that the surplus for last year and
the year before was ou hand, nnd
Superintendent Barton, last
Wednesday, drew the excess,
which amounted to $309.33, and
distributed it to the various dis
tricts on the basis of the amount
of dog-tax paid in by the several
school districts in the county, as
follows :
Ayr $50.82.
Belfast 80.81.
Bethel 22.93.
Brush Creek 20.43.
Dublin 26.87.
Licking Creek 30.69.
McConnellsburg 6.39.
Taylor 29.03.
Thompson 27.92.
Tod 20.07.
Union 24.47.
Wells 17.71.
Faithful Dad.
We happened in a home the
other night and over the parlor
door saw the legend in letters of
red, "What is home without a
mother?" Across the room was
another brief, "God bless our
home."
Now, what's the matter with
"God bless our dad"? He gets
up early, lights the fire, boils an
ogg, grabs his dinner pail and
wipes off the dew of the dawn
with his boots while many a
mother is sleeping. He makes the
weekly hand-out for the butcher,
the grocer, the milkman and ba
ker, and his little pile is badly
worn before he has been home an
hour. He stands off the bailiff
nnd keeps the rent paid up.
If there is a noise during the
uight dad is kicked in the back
and made to go down stairs and
find the burglar and kill him.
Mother darns the socks, but dad
bought the socks in the first place
and the needles and the yarn aft
erward. Mother does up the
fruit ; well, dad bought it all, and
jars and sugar cost like the mis
chief. Dad buys chickens for the Sun
day dinner, carves them himself
and draws the neck from the ru
ins after everyone else is served.
"What is home without a moth
er ?" Yes, that is all right ; but
what is home without a father ?
Ten chances to one it is a board
ing house, father is under a slab
and the landlady is the widow.
Dad, here's to you ; you've got
your faults you may have lots
of them but you're all right,
and we'll miss you when you're
gone.
Wells Tannery.
Mrs. Mary Hunter and son
John Russsl, of Lewistown, are
visiting her parents, Capt. and
Mrs. Harvey Wishart
Harry Tomley, of Philadelphia,
made a short call in our town a
few days ago, enroute to visit rel
atives around Enid.
Prof. Wolf, principal of Rock-
view Academy at Shippensburg,
and Rev. Finney of Or bison ia,
held an educational meeting at
this place last Wednesday even
ing in the Presbyterian church.
They made some good impres
sions among the young people of
our vicinity.
The social committee of Christ
ian Endeavor will hold a social in
the Hall Saturday evening, 7th
inst. Every person Invited. Pro
ceeds for church purposes.
Several of James Harnett's
children are suffering with soru
throat.
Maurice Bivens attended court
in Bedford last week a witness
in the Salkeld United mine
workers, suit
Miss Jennie Sheeder of Everett
is visiting her a ',1 tit, Mrs. Allison
Gicoulund, -
Interesting Comparison.
The figures placed ou the
bridge at the west end of town
by the U. S. Topographical Sur
vey corps show an elevation nt
that point of 859 feet above sea
level. On the turnpike at the tup
of the Ridge just west of the old
toll-gate, the altitude is marked
1278. By comparison it will be
noticed that the top of the Ridge
at that point is 419 feet higher
than the bridge.
A person whose weight is 150
pounds, in walking from the
bridgu to the top of the Ridge,
expends energy that lifts 150
pounds 479 feet, or62,8"0 pounds
1 foot. In other v ords you gjt
as much exercise in walking from
the bridge to the top of the Ridge
as to lift 31 tons of coal 1 fool,
whether you lift it all in one bulk
or an ounce at a time.
Auother comparison is perhaps
not less interesting. When you
go to Philadelphia over the P R.
R., and step out of Broad Street
station on the east wide, you find
yourself directly in f rout of the
Quaker City's big public build
ing, the City Hall. This build
ing is 480 feet square, which
means that if it were picked up
and set dowu in McConnellsburg
it would cover the ground includ
ed in the square beginning at
Dickson's comer, thence up to
the Court House, across to Frauk
Lynch's, and down to Jno. Ir
win's and back to Dickson's.
Now, here is where the Ridge
comes in : The City Hall is 538
feet in height; consequently if
placed in McConnellsburg, it
would still be 22 feet higher than
the Ridge would bo with theCourt
House on the top of it where the
pike crosses.
Taylor.
Mr. David Steveus still contin
ues quite poorly.
The Laidig school is closed for
an indefinite period.
About eight o'clock last Satur
day evening the inhabitants of
the village of Laidig were greatly
shocked by the conduct of a num
ber of young men, who were jour
neying southward from Broad
top. Being filled with bad whis
key, they yelled like Comanche
Indians and swore like Turkish
pirates.
Just below Laidig one of their
number stuck fast in a snow
drift; but the rest got around
and made it so hot for him that
he was soon thawed out.
Fortunate enough it was for
them that an officer who was on
the ground five minutes after
they had gone had not caught
them, or else there would have
been some extra business for the
District Attorney at March term
of court.
Fanners' Institutes.
The farmers of the Big Cove
have shown much interest in lo
cal Farmers' Institutes during
the winter. The meetings have
been spirited, and have developed
considerable talent both among
the farmers and the young peo
ple. It would seem a good thing
if the interest would spread
throughout the county. There is
uced of organization among the
farmers as well as in other lines
of industry. Education, local im
provements and an interest in
the soil would result to the bene
fit of all, as agriculture is at the
base of all our prosperity.
Ilustoutown.
Mr. W. W. H. Kliue has been
packing ice. That is right, Bil
ly. '
Mrs. Agnes Taylor spent one
day last week with her sister,
Mrs. E. Deshong.
Mr. Albert Sipe of Philadel
phia spent some time with his
mother and family and has re
turned to Kansas.
Listen for wedding bells.
Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Jennings
of Harrisburg, came up Mouday
and remained uutil Tuesday with
Mrs. Jennings' father, Rev. Dr.
West.
DEATH RECORD.
Those Who Have Keen Summoned
to the Other World.
OSCAR M'FERRKN DAWNEY.
Death invaded the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Harry Dawney at Hus
tontowu, ou Tuesday of last week
and took from them their bright
little son, Oscar McFerren aged
17 months and 16 days.
Funeral took place on Thurs
day and interment was made at
Clear Ridge Rev. Melroy nnd
Rev. Jackson officiating. The lit
tle fellow had been sick but a few
days, he was their only child, and
those who have been similarly
bereft, can realize what this
means to the grief stricken pa
rents. MRS. ELIZA JANE HANN.
Eliza Jane, wife of Mr. James
J. Hann, died at their homo at
Saltillo, Huntingdon county,
Wednesday January 28, 1903,
aged 62 years, 4 months and 28
days.
The deceased was a daughter
of Nancy Agnes Gibson lienning
er; was married April 12, 104 to
Rowlaud llockcv.siiiith, acd ou
February 3, 181, to James J.
Hann.
She joined the Asbury M. E.
church during the winter of 107
8 and died a. mem bor of the M.
E. church at Saltillo, living a
Christian life for 36 years.
Funeral services were conduct
ed at her former home at Saltillo
Friday by her pastor Rev. Shicf
fer, and" her remains were taken
to Greenhill Saturday and inter
red at Asbury Saturday evening,
concluding services by Rev. A.D.
McClosky of McConnellsburg.
MRS. ELIZABETH LAID1C.
Mrs. Elizabeth Laidig died at
the home of her son-in-law, Mr.
Wm. Wilds, at Fort Littleton
Thursday moruing January 29,
1903, aged 71 years, 7 months,
and 2 days.
Mrs. Laidig was the widow of
the late John A. Laidig, of Taylor
township. She had been a con
sistent member of the M. E.
church for many years.
Mrs. Laidig had been in her ac
customed health and during the
morning returned from the
kitchen to the sitting room seat
ed her self in a chair and began
to remark to her daughter, Mrs.
Wilds that she felt so well, when
suddenly her head dropped, and
her daughter sprang to her only
to find that she was dead.
Her remains were laid to rest
at Hustontown on Saturday, fol
lowed thither by a laige number
of sorrowing friends and rela
tives. She is survived by the follow
ing children, namely, Mary, wife
of J. V. Deavor, Esq.; Belle, wife
of William King of North Dakota;
Andrew of North Dakota; Frank,
of Iowa; Allie, wife of Robert
Cutchall, near McConnellsburg;
Miss Edith of Pittsourg; Olive,
wife of William Wilds of Fort Lit
tleton, and Joseph and Miss Mag
gie at Hustontown.
Funeral services were conduct
ed by Revs. Meiroy and Jack
son, j
MRS. ELIZA DISHONO.
Mrs. Eliza Dishong widow of
the late Isaac Dishong died at
the homo of her sou Liucolu I.
Dishong near Harrisonville, Fri
day January 30, 1903, aged 78
years, 2 mouths, and 24 days.
While Mrs. Dishong had had a
stroke of paralysis about a year
ago, she had recovered so as not
to sutler from its effects, and had
been in her usual health up until
last Friday when another stroke
proved fatal.
She is survived by oue sou, Lin
coln I. Dishong, Rebecca wife of
George Gress, and Elizabeth, wife
of John Carbaugh both near Mc
Connellsburg; Mrs. Maggie Ribb
lets, of Johnstown; and Emily,
wife of Mr. C. B. Hockensmith
near Harrisonville; also by twenty
four grand-childreu, two of whom
are Profs. Harry and Ernest
Gress and three great-grand
children.
Mrs. Dishong had been a cou-
Improved Mail Facilities.
Action having been taken on the
petition recently sent in to the
postoftice department, our people
will soon have better mail facili
ties from the east. The postof
tice department has advertised
for proposals for carrying the
mails between this place and Lou
don, all bids to be filed not later
than the 15th instant. The con
tract provides that the mails shall
leave this place in time to reach
Loudon for the 7: 30 A. M., and
the 3 : 08 P. M. traius, and on re
turning leave Loudon on the ar
rival of the 8 : 50 A. M. train, and
not later than 9 : 30 A. M., nnd
ou the arrival of the 6 : 15 P. M.
train, and not later than 7 P. M.
aud reach this place iu two hours
after leaving Loudon. This will
give us our first mail, including
the Philadelphia dailies, about 11
A. M., aud our evening mail about
9 P. M.
It will be noticed that only two
hours are allowed for covering the
distance frornLoudon to this place
so this will do away with our mail
stage carrying freight as hereto
fore. The Government pays liber
ally fur all mail service, and we
hope that those putting in bids will
ask for enough to justify them in
giving us first class service, as
well as a profit to themselves.
sisteut member of the United
i3rethern church for twenty-six
years.
Iuterment at the Sideling Hill
Christian church on Sunday,
funeral services conducted by
Rev. A. D. McClosky of McCon
nellsburg. MRS. MARY FISHER.
Mrs. Mary Fisher, or Aunt
Mary as she was familiarly
known, died at the residence of
Joseph Fisher in Pigeon Cove at
I o'clock Mouday afternoon aged
84 years and 4 months.
Mrs. Fisher was the widow of
the late Jacob Fisher and mother
of Ex-Commissioner John Fish
er. She was an exemplary mem
ber of the Primitive Baptist
church for many years. The im
mediate cause of her death was
pneumonia. Besides John, al
ready named, she has two other
sons living Joseph at Canton,
O., and Benjamin at Anderson,
Ind. A daughter, Margaret, died
several years ago.
Interment at the Tonoloway
Baptist church to-day (Wednes
day). CUNNINGHAM.
Five months' old child of Mr.
and Mrs. Sylvester Cunningham
near Knobsville died Monday
evening of pneumonia. Inter
ment at Bethlehem church to day
(Wednesday) at 10 o'clock. The
young parents have the sincere
sympathy of their many friends.
RHODES.
Mrs. Maggie Rhodes, wife of
John E. Rhodes, died at their
home at Orbisonia last Sabbath
morning of typhoid fever. She
leaves a husband and seven chil
dren, the youngest of whom is
only about a month old. The rest
of the family have fever, and Mr,
Khoues ana their oldest son are
reported very low. They moved
from Ayr township last October.
REV. W. W. DALHEY, D. D.
Rev. Dr. Dalbey died at his
homeat Yeadnn.asuburbof Phil
adelphia, Mouday afternoon, aged
about 68 years. H3 had beeu a
victim of Blight's Disease a long
time, and his death was not unex
pected. Rev. Dalbey was one of the
ablest ministers in the South Phil
adelphia Association of the Bap
tist church. IIo and his wife
spent several months in this place
last summer, and during his stay
here, occupied the pulpits of the
various churches iu town occas
ionally, very much to the delight
and profit of those who heard him.
He is th'o father of Dr. A. D.
Dalbey and Mrs. George W, Reis
ner of this place.'
Interment at Malvern, Pa., Fri
day morning.
Yoiiiik People's Meeting.
A union service was held in the
Reformed church in this place
last Sunday evening by the sev
eral Christian Endeavor societies
and the Epworth League. There
is, perhaps, no movement along
the line of Christian effort that
has been attended with more
gratifying results than that of
the various young people's organ
izations. While the well-tilled
church cou taiued the usual num
ber of the older people, the meet
ing was conducted almost exclu
sively by the young people ; and,
during the hour and a half, not a
minute was wasted.
The Christian Endeavor move
ment is not denominational, and
conforms to the usages of almost
any protestant church. It has
just completed twenty-two years
of its existence, and has 63,000
societies and a membership of
over 3,000,000.
Its object is to bring Christian
people into closer relationship
with Christ and the church, and
to aid in the quickening of effort
for the welfare of others and for
personal growth in grace.
The pledge which one takes in
becoming a member says : Trust
ing in the Lord Jesus Christ for
strength, I promise him that I
will strive to do whatever he
would have me to do; that I will
make it the rule of my life to pray
aud to read the Bible every day,
aud to support my own church
in every way especially by attend
ing all her regular Sunday and
mid-week services unless pre
vented by some reason which I
cau give to my Savior; and that
just as far as I ktow how.through
out my whole life, I will endeavor
to lead a Christian life.
iNew Grenada.
Miss Maud Cromwell of Three
Springs spent Sunday at H. Cur
tiss McClain's.
Ida Alloway has a protracted
siege of grip.
Mrs. Jesse O. McClain of Rob
ertsdale is on the sick list.
S. P. Metzler of Burnt Cabins
stopped at the Houck House a
couple of nights during the past
week.
Carlton Grissinger has secur
ed a good position at North Point
coal works in Denithorn's store.
The vicious goat of 773 I. O. O.
F. (with Samuel Houpt the veter
an goat tamer) landed a few in
good old style on Arthur Foster
last Saturday night.
James Lockard has a new and
uovel way of having a social good
time. He hitches up in a sled and
drives around, gathers up a load
of the fair sex mostly elderly la
dies, takes them to his home and
feasts them on the good things
that his wife, Mary, knows how
to prepare; aud, in the evening,
takes them to their respective
homes. Next time, Jimmy, drive
on down to New Grenada and see
how easy it would be to get a load
of hungry jades.
Arthur Cunningham is taking
a rest and nursing a very sore
hand.
Bert McClain purchased a new
ice plow for harvesting ice, which
is much better than the old way
with cross-cut saw.
Samuel and John Gracey, of
Gracey attended Lodge on Satur
day evening here.
H. O. Wible, telephoned our di
rectors his resignatian as teacher
I of No. 4 school taking us all by
surprise, srhe scholars and pa
I trous are up in "G" and looks
j a little "white capish" for any
other teacher coining here and
failin'to finish the term as this
is tle secoud teacher this winter
i! ml still about three months of
scliool to teach.
(Last year the number of public
schools in Pennsylvania reached
29,631, taught by 80,640 teachers.
The average pay of male teachers
was $44.92 and of female teachers
$33.78. The average school term
was 8.82 months. The number
of pupils reached 1,163,509 and
the expense of maintaining the
schools was $23,027,678.82.
LOCAL AND PERSONAL.
Brief Mention of Persons and
Places You Know.
Joseph Funk and his sister
Miss Cora spent last Friday at
McConnellsburg.
Mr. and Mrs. N. H. Evans of
Thompson, spent a few hours iu
town last Thursday.
The Racket Store people have
a new ad this week that will prob
ably interest you. Read it.
W. H. Sapington with the Pyri
tes Paper Pulp Company at Can
ton, N. Y., is visiting his brother
Dr. Sapington at Webster Mills.
Mr. and Mrs. Grant Baker,
Miss Bessie Reese, Miss Lillian
Fleming and Miss Mertie Kelso
spent Tuesday evening of last
week at Daniel E. Fore's.
Jacob W. Mellott of Belfast
towuship spent a few hours in
town last Friday. He says Harry
Mellott has moved into the Brick
House, and will have charge of
that farm this summer.
Miss Ethel Hays expects to go
to Chambersburg Thursday and
visit friends there and at Waynes
ooro until next Monday, when
she will go to Philadelphia for a
special course of training at Dau-
nebaum's in the art of millinery.
Mr. Richard Maddeu of Dublin
Mills, was in town last Thursday.
As will be noticed by referring
to our sale register Mr. Madden
will have a sale. He has purchas
ed a farm in Huntingdon county,
and has secured tenants for both
his farms, and will retire from
farmii g for the present.
The Osterburg (Bedford coun
ty) News was burned out on
Wednesday night of last week.
The paper was owned and edited
by W. F. Hendrickson. It was
burned out in August 1901. Both
fires are supposed to be of incen
diary origin. The loss to Mr.
Hendrickson is about $2000.
Grant Mann of Burlington,
Col, in sending another dollar to
renew his subscription says, "I
could not handily get along with
out the "News," and it reaches
me regularly I missed only one
last year. L. B. Kline is out here
and he always likes to see the
"News," as it is from his old
home."
The County Commissioners of
Bedford county have passed a
resolution not to make any change
in the assessment laid on stock
and dogs through the assessors
of the respective districts, and iu
no case will a change of the as
sesment levied be allowed by the
commissioners after the first day
of May of each year.
John C. Brewer formerly of
Thompson township, sends a dol
lar and says, "I can't get along
without the "Fulton Count'
News." We are living in Gar-
nett, the county seat of Ander
son county, Kansas, a town of
2500 people. The weather is more
changeable here than in Pennsyl
vania one day you tire comfort
able in yonr shirt sleeves, next
you must have an overcoat."
Mrs. J. J. Patterson of Pit
cairn, Pa., is visiting her mother,
Mrs. Sarah J. Cromer of Fort
Littleton Mrs. Patterson, who
is, perhaps, better known amoug
the teachers as Fannie Cromer,
accompanied by Mrs. J. U. Bald
win of Burnt Cabins, spent last
Wednesday at McConnellsburg.
Fannie's sister Miss Catharine,
who had been at Pitcariu, came
home with Mrs. Patterson, aud
will stay some time with her
mother.
Farmers' should be on the look
out for a clever swindler who
claims that 1 e is organizing a
"National Threshers' Protective
Association." He secures the
membership of many farmers' by
assuring them that he is forming
a national association by which it
would be impossible to raise the
prico of threshing. Tho mem
bers are required to sign a certif
icate which they are told entitles
them to a lifo membership. La
ter their signature turns up at
the bottom of a note ranging iu
sums of from $5 to $50.