A
VOLUME 16
McCONNELLSBURG, PA., APRIL 8.1915
NUMBER 29
THE GRIM REAPER.
SHOCKING DEATH.
RAILROAD EDIBLES.
COUNTY AGRICULTURIST PROBLEM.
"AULD ACQUAINTANCE."
FATAL ACCIDENT.
HEADACHE.
0tttltj
Short Sketches of the Lives of Per
sons Who Hare Recently
Passed Away.
Rev. John H. Barney.
Rev. John Henry Barney, of
the Christian church, well known
in this county, died at Clearville,
Bedford county, Saturday after
noon, April 3, aged 75 years, 8
months, and 30 days. The fu
neral took place on Tuesday at
tended by a very large number
of sorrowing friends.
Rev. Barney was married twice
and to his first wife, one son is
living, Joseph Barney, of Clear
ville, with whom the father had
made his home for some time.
Mr. Barney's second marriage
was with Miss Elizabeth Pittman
daughter of the late Matthew and
Louisa Pittman, who years ago,
lived on their farm south of Big
Cove Tannery. To this union
one son is living, Prof. John Wil
lis Barney, a graduate of Elon
College, N. C, and at present
taking a theological course in a
college in New York.
Early in life Mr. Barney enter
ed the Christian ministry, and
for many years was recognized
as a power in the pulpit Dur
ing the period of the Great Re
bellion, he enlisted in the United
States army and rendered valiant
service for his country. Less
than three months ago (January
14th) the News published the
story of Mr. Barney's life in verse
a copy of which is now, no doubt
in the handi of many of his
friends. The edition is exhaust
ed, and no more can be furnished.
W. H. Cunningham.
William Houston Cunningham
died at his home in Englevale,
Kansas, on Sunday morning,
March 28, 1915, aged 87 years,
11 months, and 7 days. In his
earlier life he resided in New
Grenada, this county, and he was
a brother of the late J. G. Cun
ningham, at New Grenada, Aunt
Rachel Bergstresser, of Watefall,
and Joseph Cunningham, of Fort
Littleton. He was married to
Amanda Stunkard, a sister of
Mack and Ferg, and away back
in the sixties he removed to Kan
sas, where he spent the remain
der of his life his wife dying
several years ago. He will be
remembered by the older' people
about New Grenada, Wells Val
ley, and the lower part of Hunt
ingdon county as a jovial, whole
hearted companion, and he had a
host of friends.
Ezra Mellott.
After a lingering illness, Mr.
Ezra Mellott, one of Bethel town
ship's highly esteemed citizens,
died at his home near Franklin
Mills on Monday evening, March
29, 1915, aged 74 years. The fu
neral took place on.- Wednesday,
and interment wa3 made in the
cemetery at the Presbyterian
church at Warfordsburg.
The deceased was a son of Ben
jamin Mellott, Esq., and owned
and lived upon part of the old
homestead. He was married to
Miss Mary, eldest daughter of
the late ex-County-Commissioner
Lemuel Hill, who survives, to
gether with the following chil
dren, namely, Clayton, Howard,
and Jennie wife of Riley Lynch-
all ot Bethel to wnship. Mr. Mel-
ot is survived by one sister, Es
ther, wife of Amos Layton.
Robert H. Sipes.
Robert H. Sipes died at the
home of his brother E. A. Sipes
n Martinsburg, Blair County,
Pa., on Friday, March 2G, 1915,
a8e 76 years. Mr. Sipes was the
woneer marble and granite man
m this county, and conducted the
"Alness at Sirjes Mill vears ago,
Hp was a son of the late Emanu
el Sipes and was born in the busi
jess at Martinsburg, Pa., but
during the last five years he was
enable to work because of an af
fection of his throat, which even
tually caused his death.
"Bob" Si no a a a ha uroa fomtl
,ar'y known to his many friends
R sculptor of more than ordl
Clothing Takes Fire from a Burning
Brush Heap in Field and Child
Burns to Death.
A most distressing accident oc
curred in Union township, near
the Maryland Line, one day last
week, when a little daughter,
aged 6 to 8 years, of Mr.
and Mrs. William Morrison, lost
her life.
Mrs. Morrison is a daughter of
the late Daniel Smith, and the
Morrisons live on the old Smith
farm. On the day of the acci
dent, Benjamin Stoner was
ploughing one of the fields on the
Smith farm, and had some brush
burning. The little Morrison
girl was in the field and got so
near the fire that her clothing
became ignited. Mr. Stoner saw
her clothin;; L.ke fire and ran to
the child's re "ue, but the child
being on the opposite side of the
fire from Mr. Stoner, and ran
screaming in the opposite direc
tion, he was not able to reach the
child until the flames had done
their deadly work.
The heartbroken parents have
the sympathy of every one in
this terrible bereavement.
Dwelling House Burned.
Some time during Wednesday
night of last week, Mrs. John
Mumma's house near Laidig was
discovered to be on fire, and the
amily had barely time to escape
before the floors collapsed, and
the whole interior became amass
of flames. It was impossible,
therefore, to remove any of the
contents of tho house which, with
a nearly smokehouse and its con
tents were consumed. We have
been unable to learn the amount
of loss; but we understand that
there was some insurance. Ow
ing to the progress mide by the
fire before it was discovered, its
origin cannot be determined; but
it is supposed that it was due to
a flue or stovepipe connection.
Mrs. Mumma's neighbors and
friends immediately began mak
ing preparations to build her a
substantial house, and probably,
by the time this reaches our read
ers, she will have had erected a
house that will provide tempora
ry shelter at least On account
of the shock occasioned by the
fire Mrs. Mumma has been seri
ously ill since that time.
Mrs. Mary E. Mellott and her
son Simpson, of Hustontown,
were in town attending to busi
ness last Saturday. Mrs. Mel
lott has recently purchased the
H. E. Palsgrove property, and
moved into it from the Will Lai
dig farm northwest of Huston
town. She has also bought the
Charlie Hoover lot, and her hus
band, CharlesMellott, has bought
the Dan Bishop property both
in Hustontown. Mrs. Mellott is
planning to take a trip west this
summer.
nary ability. He was a genius,
was possessed of an affable dispo
sition and it was a pleasure to
know and converse with him.
His death will be regretted by a
large circle of friends.
Sylvester Shives.
In the Presbyterian Hospital,
Chicago, on Thursday, March 25,
1915 Sylvester Shives, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Frank R. Shives of
Pleasant Ridge, this county, died
of erysipelas of the lungs, aged
30 years, 5 months, and 17 days.
The deceased wa3 married to
Miss Bessie Carter, Wyanet, 111.,
who with two children, Madelyn
and Carter, survive; also, by his
parents and the following broth
ers and sisters: S." L. Shives,
Greencastle, Pa., Earl S. Shives,
Oakiand, I11.;D. G., II. D., and
Mrs. W. B. Deshong, Pleasant
Ridge.
His remains were laid to rest
in the cemetery at Wyanet, on
Sunday morning, March 28th.
He had not been back to this
county since he went west In
1907.
Preliminary Work Nenring Completion.
Woods Full of Contractors Anx
ious to Get the Job.
Beginning where we left off
last week, we are able to say
that the tedious task of complet
ing the work of the surveyors,
so that contractors may know
what cuts and fills are to be made
as well as whether the grading
is in rock, or of more easily re
moved earth, and the getting
ready of other data, has moved
forward as fast as those in charge
can push the matter. Calcula
tions have reached a point so
that many contracting firms, are
sending representatives here to
look over the field and obtain in
formation upon which .the base
bids to build the road. From
President Post we secured a par
tial list of the construction com
panies that have men o n the
ground this week. They are Mr.
James A. Bennett, of the firm of
Bennett and Talbott. Greensburg
Pa. ; a man from F. B. Beasman
and Co., Baltimore, Md.; one
from II. C. Brooks and Co. Mar
tinsburg, W. Va.; one from Phil
ipsburg Construction Co., Yonk
ers, N. Y. ; A. A. Road, of the
Read Construction Co., Hazleton,
Pa.; Ellis I). Thompson, of the
Ellis D. Thompson Co., Philadel
phia. Mr. Klingensmith, oflhe
firm o? Furguson and Edmondson
Pittsburg, who was here hist
week, will return accompanied
by Mr. Edmondson for further
data.
The gentleman who has been
assictin,? Mr. Po.t with an ex
pert's experience, Mr. Samuel B,
Shearer, of Chan-town, W. Va.,
will remain until the road is com
pleted. Some of the firms have
expressed their willingness to
take heavy assignments of bonds
as part payment for their work
of construction. From the fore
going, our readers may learn
that there will be no lack of bids
to build the road.
The promoters of the road have
asked us to make an appeal to
those who are in any manner dis
couraging interest on the part of
home people. It is desired to
make the road a home-owned
road as far as possible. But ma
ny are holding back because of
persistent discouragement on the
part of others. It has been ex
plained a number of times that
this road differs in every point
from any that we have ever tried
to get in the past. A big elec
tric motor locomotive if that
makes it clearer will haul regu
lar freight cars that will be tak
en from the Cumberland Valley
railroad tracks and brought here.
These locomotives run uphill and
downhill same as automobiles.
Further: as to whether a road
will pay, there can be no ques
tion about that. There may have
been a time when easy-going cit
izens could not have been awak
ened to patronize a railroad in
the County, but that day is past.
Our young men will no longer
stand for being hemmed in by
walls of mountains in order to
make a living on the farms. Time
and again we have been remind
ed that more than twice as much
produce should originate here if
the younger generation could be
induced to remain and build up
the farms. Then, too, the inevi
table increase in, population would
call for industries that would
beTnatural to this community.
Do not forget all these things;
and if you are not interested in
seeing a railroad come into this
County, these men who are work
ing so hard to secure one ask you
in all fairness not to throw cold
water on the project. No one
need put money into it if ho do
not wish to do so. Outsiders
whose business it is to deal in
such paper will have to take the
bulk even if home folks invest.
It is, therefore, not so much
home capital, but home enthusi
asm, that the promoters seek.
All "knocking" by home people
has to be overcome in the minds
of strangers who come here to
invest, and it is this influence
that you are asked to eliminate.
W. C. Patterson Enters a Plea for Farm
Counselor. Points out Advantages
and Gives Proof.
Every business of magnitude
has hired experts whose duty it
is to devote their whole time to
furthering the efficiency of their
employers machinery and em
ployees. No detail that makes
for better conditions is too small
to be overlooked. Through the
work of these men, employers
add thousands of dollars to their
profits that could have been gain
ed in no other way. To tell of
the benefits of their expert su
pervision would crowd out the
balance of this article. No farm
er can, alone, employ such talent;
but the combined farmers of a
county can do so at a much lower
cost per individual than can the
owners of manufacturing plants.
Counties are asked to pay but a
small portion of the cost. The
State and Federal Governments
pay the balance. It is to secure
a man for this county that Mr.
Patterson, of Ayr township makes
an earnest plea. His letter fol
lows: "Fulton county looks forward
proudly to possessing a railroad
within another year. Ours is a
farming county almost exclusive
ly. Are we to only keep up our
present rate of production in
corn, wheat, hay, and potatoes?
These, with our bright boys and
girls, are about our only exports.
Why cannot we use more of these
products to better advantage at
home? Only one half of our clear
ed land is bein;: tilled. The rest
has been impoverished by these
very, exports. Why not make
our soils deeper and richer by
marketing on the hoof? Why do
whole communities fail to sow
cloverseed in sufficient quantities?
Why is it that many farmers fail
to breed their cows because there
is no bull in the community?
Why do no farm papers come to
a rural postoffice patronized whol
ly by farmers? Is it any wonder
that many of our brighest boys
have left our farms?
One section of our county, that
is fairly well farmed, is almost
entirely in the hands of young
men. Another section is held
largely by oldmen who farm by
old fashioned methods. They
buy their fertilizer by weight
They test it by smell, and they
pay the dealer a handsome profit
when they could buy it through
cooperation.
We come back to the first wor
ry. What is the railroad going
to haul? Few of us know. A.
B. Ross could tell us if he hid
time. The railway men could
tell us if we ask them. We could
help each other if we were more
accurate and business like; but
that is not what we are here for.
Our great need is for a County
Agriculturist who should spend
his whole time in promoting ag
riculture, organizing corn clubs,
canning contests, advise as to ro
tation of crops, improvement of
roads, &c. &c. "
"A number of these agents
were in attendance at State Col
lege during Farmers' Week at
the last holiday season, and from
one of these men I learned that
Chester, Blair, Montgomery Mer
cer, Butler and Berks counties
were all represented on that oc
casion to the number of 48 boys
and girls in corn and other clubs,
and that they beat the old-line
farmers "all to a frazzle." Blair
county is a frozen-up section on
top of the Allegheny mountains;
but it contains A.ltoona a metrop
olis of 125,000 inhabitants. These
people had to be fed and they
called on the Federal government
end State College, for aid. R.
B. Dunlap was made County Ag
riculturist., This young man got
busy right away to produce more,
to bring the producer and the
consumer closer together, and to
organize corn clubs. One of his
boys raised 144 bushels of ear
corn on an acre of land. 100
boys In Fulton county could do
as well as that If they knew how
Bits of News and Gossip Extracted
from the Letters from Our
Distant Subscribers.
Mrs. Jennie Mellott writes us
to change the address of her pa
per from Richland, to Ollie,
Iowa.
Mr. Andrew Daniels, Pawnee
Rock, Kansas: Please find en
closed a dollar to renew my sub
scription for another year. I am
86 years of age, and stay in my
house all alone; but take my
meals with my daughter-in-law
and grandchildren. I do not
know whether my life shall be
spared that I may read your pa
per another year or not; but if I
do not get to read it. some of the
rest can.
Mrs. E. F. Chesnut, Cumber
land, Md. : Here's another dollar
for another year. The News
comes "like a letter from home."
Mrs. Bessie (Smith) Stiver,
Lansing, Mich.: Find enclosed a
dollar for anothef year's sub
scription to the Fulton County
News. I guess I am a little be
hind in sending it, but better late
than never. I can hardly wait
from one week to another to get
the paper.
Mrs. Mary (Kendall) Shoap,
Pennington, N. J.: Find enclosed
a dollar for the News. I cannot
get along without it. We enjoy
every line of it. "It is like get
ting a letter from home."
Mrs. Annie Bergstresser, Three
Springs, Pa.: Enclosed, I am
sending a check to ' advance my
subscription to the Fulton Coun
ty News. Fulton is my home
county,' and while I do not now
live so far away, yet, were it not
for the Nfws, I would not hear
of the deaths, the marriages, and
the thousand-and-one other
things of interest, that take place
among the people I know so well.
H. M. Everts, Marshalltown,
Iowa: I am enclosing a dollar
for one more year's subscription
to the News. It would be hard
to get along without it, as it is
BETTER than a letter from
home, for the home folks would
not know all that is going on,
and if they did, they would not
have the time to write it to me.
We have had a pretty long cold
winter. The mercury is 20 above
this morning (March 29th). We
do not see any of the hard times
that some people are talking
about. Our farmers are getting
more for their produce now than
for years, and our public works
are running right up to the min
ute. I suppose you know that
Iowa is to become a "dry state"
after the first of January, 191G.
Af terithat time, there will not be
a saloon in the State. God speed
the day when there will not be a
saloon under the stars and
stripes.
M. M. Rrakeall. Dravosburcr.
Pa., is much interested in Fulton
County 8 prospect for a railroad,
and hones the time will soon
come when strangers will not
have the opportunity to poke tun
at the natives for belonging to a
"county without a railroad."
James A. Funk, Tiffin, 0.:
Looking at the label on my News
this morning, I found it was
about time to "come across"
with some of the . long green.
The News is very much appreci
ated by our family; it often
brings us glad tidings from our
old home; other times sad tidings
a9 it tells of an acciden t, or the
death, of some dear friend. In
this connection, I must tell you
that our youngest son, Arnold
Funk, is expected home from the
Mercy Hospital to-day, where he
underwent an operation for chron
ic appendicitis on the 22nd of
March. He got along so nicely
that the doctors are allowing him
to return home.
or had a county agriculturist to
tell them. It is cheaper to have
a man like one of these than to
do without him. M. S. McDow
ell, of State College, will tell you
how to get the man."
W, C, Patterson.
Harry Plessinger Died from Injuries
Received by Loaded Wagon Pass
ing Over His Body.
Harry Plessinger, farmer, re
siding about three' miles south
west of Needmore, took a load of
crossties to Hancock on Friday
the 29th day of March. Return
ing home that night, he was sit
ting on a box with his foot on the
brake lever while descending a
hill near Calendine Fisher's. By
a sudden jolt, he was thrown
from the wagon, falling in front
of one of the hind wheels which
passed over his body, injuring
him very seriously. The team
passed on leisurely and went
home. When the family discov
ered that Harry was not with the
team, they started to find out
what had happened, and met J.
Calendine Fisher and one of his
sons taking the injured man to
his home. It is said that Harry
had lain in the road an hour or
two, before he was found.
Dr. Fisher was summoned, and
rendered all the assistance pos
sible, but the poor fellow was so
seriously hurt, that he died last
Saturday, and the funeral took
place Tuesday, his remains being
interred at Pleasant Grove.
He was a Hon of Amos Plessin
ger, and was married to Miss
Blanche a daughter of Joel and
Surah Ellen Plessinger Layton,
who survives, together with two
children Frances and Queen.
He was aged 38 years, 10 months,
and ten days. He was not a
member of a church, but had in
tended to join the Christian
church at Easter.
Recent Weddings.
West Reeder.
The marriage of Ethel L. Reed
er, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T.
J. Reeder of Dane, Pa., and Ad
am West was solemnized Tues
day afternoon, March 30, at four
o'clock, at the home of the groom
near Fayetteville. Franklin coun
ty. The bride entered the parlor
on the arm of the groom to the
strains of the Lohengrin wedding
march, played by Miss Gertrude
Sipes, of McConnellsburg. Rev.
Cuddy of Fayetteville, performed
the ceremony. A delicious sup
per was served after congratula
tions. A number of beautiful
presents were received.
About seventy-five guests were
present at the wedding, includ
ing the children and grand chil
dren of the groom. Among those
present were: Mr. and Mrs. Phil
ip M. Bikle, Mrs. Geo. Zulling
er, Miss Gertrude Sipes, Miss
Bessie Ross, Miss Edythe Mellott
Miss Laura Kline, L. R. Evans,
Ralph Evans, Cyrus Fisher, all
of Chambersburg; Chas. West,
Edward West, Chas. Jamison,
Harry Noll, Irvin Ulrich and
their families, Florence West and
others.
Ramsey Shore.
A special dispatch from Hag
erstown published in last Fridays
Philadelphia Press says that af
ter an auto trip over the moun
tains, in whicn they were nearly
frozen, Blaine Garfield Ramsey
and Miss Daisy Pearl Shore both
of Maddensville, Pa., were mar
ried at the Washington Square
Methodist Episcopal parsonage
Hagerstown, last Wednesday by
Rev. Allan F. Poore.
The couple accompanied by the
bride's parents left Maddensville
at three A. M. in Ramsey's auto.
When they struck the mountains
they almost froze and suffered
greatly. As it was about dawn
hey could not stop enroute to
get warm.
When the' car stopped in front
of the court house at Hagerstown
Ramsey attempted to get out of
the machine, but his legs benumb
ed by the cold, refused to sustain
him. He was assisted from the
car into the courthouse, which
had just opened and obtained the
marriage license.
Yeager--Mellott.
At the parsonage in this
place on Monday March 22, 1915,
Little Talks on Health and Hygiene by
Samuel G. Dixon, M. D., LL. D.,
Commissioner of Health. -
Headache is one of the most
common ailments. Almost every
one, even people in comparative
ly good health, are subject from
time to time to this malady. Be
cause it manifests itself in more
or less the same form and gener
al locality, the majority of peo
ple are wont to believe that the
source of the difficulty is located
in the cranium itself. This i3
rarely the case.
The causes of headache are
numerous and cannot be removed
by the use of smelling salts, ice
bags, cold towels and headache
powders. Headache may come
from defective teeth or eyes,
from acute digestive disturban- '
ces, from a sluggish action of the
liver and intestinal canal, long
continued irritation of the nasal
cavities, high blood pressure or
other causes as widely varied as
those mentioned.
Constantly recurring headaches
may also be manifestations of
profound systemic disturbances
of some other part of the body
which demands medical atten
tion. The cause, more serious
than the headache itself, should
be found and cured. Often the
immediate cause of headache is
the over stimulation of the heart.
Undue heart stimulation ac
companies a number of organic
disturbances and results in ab
normally high blood pressure in
the brain; the majority of the
headache remedies which are of
fered for sale contain some pow
erful heart depressant which
brings temporary relief.
There is alwaj'3 danger, how
ever, in the use' by a layman of
any drug which is sufficiently
strong to have this result when
there is some weakness of the
heart These headache cures
which are indiscriminately of
fered do not correct the real
cause of the disturbance.
Serious or even fatal results
may come from constant use and
they cannot effect a cure. Any
one subject to recurring head
aches should consult a physician
that the cause may be determin
ed before any treatment is given.
George Reisner, student at
State College, is spending his
Easter vacation at home, and is
practicing some of the things he
learned in horticulture. The back
yards of his father and uncle will
be benefited by George's sleight-of-hand
tricks of budding and
grafting.
Mr. John II. Yeager and Mis3
Mollie Mellott-both of Cham
bersburg, were united in marri
age by Kev. J. L Yearick. After
the ceremony the bride and groom
went over to the home of Mr.
and Mrs. J. W. Deshong, the lat
ter of whom being the bride's
mother, where they spent their
honeymoon. Mr. Deshong
brought Mr. and Mrs. Yeager to
town last Friday, where theyv
took transportation for th e i r
home in Chambersburg, where
Mr. Yeager holds a good position
as clerk in one of the stores of
that town.
Alexander - Doyle.
John Scott Alexander, son of
the late A. K. Alexender, and
Miss Emma Rebecca, daughter
of M. F. Doyle, west Walnut
street, were quietly united in
marriage at the M. E. parsonage
McConnellsburg, by Rev. J. V.
Royer, on Wednesday evening of
last week. Mr. and Mr3. Alex
ander have the best wishes of
their numerous feiends.
Elvey-Fix.'
At Hustontown on Wednesday,
March 31, 1915, Mr. Roy Elvey,
son of Daniel and Rebecca El
vey, was married to Miss Minnie
daughter of Daniel and Amelia
Fix. The ceremony was per
formed by Rev. L. Benson, of.
the United Brethren church.