'"irtllllff ifiT
VOLUME 16
McCONNELLSBURG, PA., APRIL 29,1915.
NUMBER 32
THE GBiil REAPER.
Short Sketches of the Lives of Per
sons Who Have Recently
Passed Away.
Jacob A. Truax.
Jacob A. Truax died at his
home at Breezewood, Bedford
county, Friday night, April 23,
1915, aged CO years, 11 months,
and 16 days. The funeral took
place on Tuesday, services being
conducted by his pastor, Rev. C.
V. Sechrist assisted by Rev. J.
D. Frum and Rev. C. F. Weise,
and interment was made in the
cemetery at the Rays Hjll Luth
eran church. The immediate
cause of his, death was sciatic
rheumatism which affected the
muscles of'his heart, and death
came suddenly.
Mr. Truax was a son of An
drew and Elizabeth Winters Tru
ax, and was born near Dott, in
Bethel tawnship, this county.
He was married to Mis3 Jennie
Wilt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Daniel Wilt, of Breezewood,. who
survives the los3 ot a aevotea
husband. Mr. Truax is also sur
vived by two full brothers Up
ton, near Breezewood, and Simon,
residing at Peabody, Kansas.
There are living six half-brothers
and two half-sisters, namely,
Howard, Robert, and William,
Peabody, Ivans.; Clinton, Harry,
and Nellie, residing in California,
and Hayes and Mary, in Colora
do. Mr. Truax was a member of
the Lutheran church for thirty
years and a member of Breeze
wood Castle, No. 322, K. G. E.,
and altogether a most upright
and reliable citizen. He was a
miller by trade, and conducted
the mill at Emmaville for three
years, after which he purchased
the George Wilson farm near Em
maville, where he remained seven
years, then removing to Breeze
wood, where he successfully con
ducted a temperance hotel.
John A. Alexander.
John A. Alexander, vice presi
dent and general manager of the
A. B. Stove Company and of the
A. B. Enameling and Foundry
Company of Battle Creek, Mich.,
died in that city on Thursday,
April 8, 1915. He had formerly
been connected with the Ameri
can Stove Company of Cleveland
and St. Louis. He had just re
turned from California where he
had been for three months on
account of illness.
Mr. Alexander was born in
Chambersburg in 18G8, and hence
was 47 years of age. He is sur
vived by his .wife, hi3 father
Wm. Alexander, of Lehmaster,
Pa., and by three brothers and
three sisters, one of whom is Ma
ry A., wife of David Rinedollar,
near McConnellsburg.
Entering the stove business as
a young man, he acquired many
friends throughout the United
States and Canada, was one of
the founders of the A. B. Stove
Company, and largely responsi
ble for the erection of the plant
in Battle Creek.
John's early school days were
spent in the Back Run school.
John J. McDonald.
John J. McDonald died at his
home near Saluvia, April 22, 1915
aKed 46 j ears, 4 months, and 1
Funeral was held on the
following Sunday. Rev. E. J
Craft preached the funeral ser
pen in the Green Hill Presbyter
ian church to a large audience
His text was Psalm 90:12. In
terment was made in the ceme
tery near by. The cause of his
fleath was tuberculosis of the
lungs.
Mr. McDonald was twice mar
rH the first time in 1894 toCla-
E. Davis, daughter of Chas,
a!)a Elizabeth Davi3. and to this
""ion was born a daughter, Clara
"ho survives him. His second
Carriage was to ' Alyrtle Aller,
ivnobsville. iie had one
'"U brother David who died some
iar8 ago. One sister, Louie now
'68 RnmourViora in fho Woof
, etl half-brothers and sister?.
irn to hia father's second wife1?
e living and scattered through-
.
TAKEN TO HOSPITAL.
) . .
Donald Folk Thrown From Horse Last
Sunday on West Side of Scrub
Ridge. Jaw Broken.
Donald Polk, aged about six
teen years, son of Seymour Polk,
lives in the old Hessler home with
Miss Fannie and her mother on
Timber Ridge. Last Sunday in
descending Scrub Ridge moun
tain between Christ Deshong's
and George W. Morton's, his
horse, perhaps, stubbed pitching
Donald violently forward to the
ground. It was found that the
young man was seriously injured
and he was taken to the Hessler
home by Mr. Morton. Frank
Skiles, a neighbor who owns an
automobile proffered his services
and bro'ight the young man to
town, tu:ni''l him over to Dr.
Mosser, who st midnight with 0.
L. Greathead, 'lurried him on to
the Chambersburg hospital. An
examination showed thatDonald's
lower jaw had been fractured on
both sides, and he was left in the
hospital for further treatment.
Dr. Palmer, of the hospital
called up Dr. Mosser by phone
Tuesday and told him that Don
ald's jaw had to be reset, and
that while the young man was
not very comfortable, by patient
ly waiting, the jaw would become
all right. As it is now, the jaw
is held rigid by bandages, so that
Donald cannot speak, chew any
food, nor move the jaw in the
slightest manner. All the nour
ishment he will get will be liquid
which must be administered
through a tube.
out the United States including
Florida and Texas. They are
Martha Mellott, and George, of
Saluvia; Lake, Calvin, Robert,
Thomas, Bertha, Cora, Ella, Car
rie, and Edith.
J. J. McDonald was a son of
James McDonald, now of Travese
City, Mich, by his first wife,
Rachel Lake. When quite young
John's mother died and his grand
father Jacob Lake, near Sipes
Mill, took and reared him. ,
Mr. McDonald was for some
time purchasing agent and man
ager of a hard wood manufactur
ing plant at Jamestown, N. Y.,
got a good salary, and saved con
siderable money, which he in
vested in a farm at Eden, Md.
His health failing, he was ad
vised by his physicians to go to
the mountains, and in conse
quence, sold his farm there, came
to Saluvia, and purchased the 738
acre farm known as the Reamer
place on the pike at the foot of
Sideling Hill, to which place he
removed from Maryland last
spring.
Mr. McDonald had no church
affiliations, but was respected as
a good, quiet, unassuming citi
zen. A few days prior to his
death, he spoke to his wife and
daughter of his approaching
death, and said that he had no
fear, and was ready and willing
to go.-'
, J. A. S.
William H. Foff.
William H. Foff, a native of
Germany, died at his home in
Union township, April 17, 1915,
aged 50 years, 8 months and 9
days. He was buried in the cem
etery, at the Lutheran church of
which he was a member. He
lived alone, and was found by
neighbors shortly before h i s
death, suffering greatly from a
bowel trouble. He is survived
by one brother, Charles, of Rich
mond, Va., and by a half broth
er, Joseph Potter, Buck Valley.
Captain McDowell.
Captain John S. McDowell, who
served in the Civil War 'as Cap
tain of a Company in the 77th
Pennsylvania Volunteers, died at
his home in Smith Center, Kan
sas, last Saturday, aged 73 years,
8 months, and 24 days. He was
a resident of Fort Littleton sev
eral years ago, and a brother of
Emma, the wife of Wm. Cline,
and Belle, wife of Wilson L.
Cline-both now deceased.
AUTOMOBILE BL'RXED.
Was Descending East Side ol Cove llloun
tain Last Snndny Tfjlicn Gasoline
Tank Took Fire.
The Elmore Garage Company
of Greencastle kept a big six-cylinder
Franklin for hire. Last
Sunday morning Fred Baker, of
Chambersburg hired the machine
to bring a party of friends, three
women and two men to McCon
nellsburg., Earl Pentz, of the
garage came along to do the driv
ing and the trip to McConnells
burg was made without incident.
Returning they crossed the moun
tain on the Chambersburg pike,
and when about a mile and a half
this side of Fort Loudon, the ma
chine suddenly caught fire. For
tunately it was discovered and
the occupants of the car were
able to get out of the danger zone
before the gasoline exploded.
There were about 20 gallons in
the tank this went off with a
bang.
After the explosion, Chauffeur
Pentz bravely sot about saving
some of the parts, He took' oil
three of the wheels, the Klaxon
horn and lamps before he was
compelled to stop working be
cause of the fire. The machine
war, entirely consumed.
It is thought that the fire start
ed when the a?o!ine tank leaked
a little and the ho?X from the
foot brakes ignited the fluid.
A Word to Correspondents.
Almost every week we receive
letters from correspondents tell
ing all the news except that of
deaths. Since no .more import
ant news can harden than that
of a death, we often wonder why
our regular correspondents do
not tell us of the same tell us at
least, who died. This gives us a
chance to learn the particulars in
time for publication in case our
correspondent cannot give all of
them. The moment you here of
a death, take one of the stamped
envelopes we furnish, or call us
by phone at our expense, tell who
died, when he died, age, and as
much as you can about the de
ceased; but by all means tell us
promptly that a death has oc
curred, and who it was. For
this reason we furnish stamps.
Hann Mellott.
On Sunday, April 25, 1915, at
the residence of the officiating
mincer, Rov. J. C. Garland unit
ed in marriage Mr. Jacob Amos
Hann and Miss Dovie Mellott.
The bride is the youngest daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. William H.
Mellott, near Sipes Mill, and the
groom, a son of Mr. and Mrs.
David Hann, of the same town
ship. The contracting parties
are two of Belfast township'9
most estimable young people and
start out in their married life
with the best wishes of their nu
merous friends.
The Sick.
Mrs. S. B. Woollett, who has
suffered for four weeks with
grippe and pneumonia, is better
and for several days has been
able to take and retain a little
solid food, and her many friends
are hoping that she will speedily
recover.
Mr. Morrow G. Kirk is recov
ering from the terrible burns he
received about four weeks ago'.
Parts of some of the burns were
very deep, and these are still
very sore. Friends hope to see
him out soon.
Miss Mary Stouteagle was seri
ously ill latter part of last week;
but she is better.
C. Wilson Peck, who had been
confined to his home since last
October, was able for the first
time to walk from his home on
east Market street to the News
office on Monday.
Earnest Sprowl, mercantile ap
praiser, came over from Wells
Valley last Saturday to meet any
who might wish to take appeal.
As none appeared, all must be
satisfied with the appraisement.
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION.
M. S. McDowell, of State College, Ex
plains What Work Agents of the
I'chool Perform.
The following letter was writ
ten for publication in the News
by M. S. McDowell, Director of
Agricultural Extension, State Col
lege, who is anxious that ali farm
ers should know the benefits to
be derived by the employment of
a representative of our Experi
ment station to live and work
among them.
Pennsylvania has fourteen ex
tension representatives in the
field, and after July 1st, work
will be in progress in not les3
than twenty counties.
This movement is an effort to
place in as many counties as pos
sible men with a thorough, prac
tical, and fundamental knowledge
of agriculture to co-operate with
the farmers individually and
through their organizations to
wards the solution of farm prob
lems. Its purpose is to make the
best agricultural information of
the day common and applied
knowledge. The representative
becomes the link which more
closely connects the farmer with
his Experiment Station. Their
activities are wide.
The men who serve in this ca
pacity do not po3e as knowing all
about agriculture. They serve
rather as students and helpers.
They spend their time studying
the farming interests of their re
spective counties both from the
standpoint of production and of
distribution. They study the
plans, methods and practices and
aid in improving them when this
can be done. They bring from
farm to farm information as to
the best methods practiced by
farmers in the different localities
and the results obtained by the
Experiment Stations. They
study the marketing and trans
portation conditions and aid in
bettering them whenever they
can. They also conduct county
wide movements, such as cam
paigns for special purposes. The
up-building of the soil by the
proper application of manure and
fertilizers; the testing of seed
corn; the renovation of old or
chards; the proper use of spray
'ing materials to destroy insects
and prevent plant disease; the
promotion of the livestock indus
try through the use of pure-bred
sires; the increase of breeding
herds and community breeding;
the organization of exchange bu
reau for feeding stock and pure
seed; the planning of balanced
rations for farm animals, the
making of surveys of the crop
ping systems and business man
agement of the farm; are some of
his activities. '
The yganization of breeding
associations; cow testing associa
tions, and other producing asso
ciations; the organizations of
boys' and girls' clubs and contest
work in corn, tomatoes, pure
bred livestock, etc., are other
lines of activity, some of which
are undertaken by every agent.
In addition, these extension rep
resentatives may be active in
other ways, such as promoting
good roads, better rural schools,
more social life, and better con
ditions in general. In all this
work the agent cooperates with
existing county agricultural or
ganizations. Each man emphasizes some
special line of work and makes
that his leader. Its nature nec
i ssarily depends largely upon the
needs of the county. The work
also varies with the character
and personnel of the bureau
backing him. As no individual
can be a specialist in all
lines of agriculture, each one
calls upon the specialists of the
College, when help is needed.
All the men are in close touch
with the College at all times and
do their work under its direction
and supervision.
The prime requisites for an ex
tension representative are that
he must have been brought up
on a farm, or have spent the
HAVE YOU NAMED YOUR FARM ?
The movement to have every American farmer select a
name for his farm and use the name as a trade mark, is meet
ing with great success in some parts of the country. Many
of our exchanges have published lists of the names selected
for the farms of their neighborhoods, the publication acting
as a sort of patent or copy-right. It has been said by some
unthinking persons that the plan is not American, but a little
reflection will convince anyone that the point is not well tak
en. Washington called his home "Mt. Vernon," Jefferson,
the great democrat, named his place "Monticello" and any
schoolboy can give you a dozen other instances
So name your farm and put the name out where everyone
can see it Make it a Trade Mark. A well known, advertis
ed trade mark is worth thousands of dollars to the owner.
Your 'farrn and its products are your stock in trade. Name
them and you have added real hard cash value to everything
you sell. Choose a name well suited to surroundings, a name
that will tell in its very sound some of the characteristics of
your business home; then come to us and have letterheads
made for your correspondence with the name of your farm on
them and your name and your wife's name and your postoffi
ce address beneath. Of course you want your wife's name on
your stationery. She i3 your partner and the best and the
truest, and the hardest working, and the most interested par
ty in the whole concern. Once you were glad to get the
chance to endow her with all your worldly goods, now make
your promise real. Here's how your letter head might look:
EAST VIEW FARM,
James and Mary Smith,
Proprietors.
Warfordsburg, Fulton County.
Penna. R. F. D. No. 2.
If you like you can have a slogan, or a motto or a stock
phrase under the farm name like this:
SHADY ACRES,
Poultry, Eggs, Butter, Fruit, Berries,
"BEST BY TEST."
J. and M. Smith, Managers,
Fulton County.
RAILROAD NEWS.
Bids for the Construction Opened Tues
day and Contracts Awarded to
Hazleton Company.
At a meeting of the directors
of the McConnellsburg and Fort
Loudon Railway Company, held
in this place Tuesday, five bids
for the construction work were
opened and considered. The bid
of the Reed Construction Compa
ny, of Hazleton, Pa., was accept
ed, and Mr. Reed is expected
here to-day tb sign the contract
to clear theright-of-way, grade
the roadbed, lay the ties and rails,
and erect the poles to carry the
feed wire3. Representatives of
rail mills are here to bid for the
furnishing of the steel rails. A
contract for 12,000 ties and 300
poles was let Tuesday to A. B.
Rider, of Fort Loudon. Thi3 sup
ply of ties and poles will reach
from Fort Loudon to the old toll
gate on the Loudon pike.
As to the day to be set for the
formal beginning of construction
work, it will depend upon Mr.
Reed to determine how soon he
can get ready; but it is thought
that one week will be sufficient
time, and the directors feel sure
that it will not be later than May
15th.
greater part of his life on the
farm, that he have a broad fun
damental education, that he be a
good organizer and that he have
a strong, pleasing personality.
One or two days a week are
usually spent in the office where
farmers can call in person or by
telephone. The balance of the
time is spent in the field.
Not less than $2500 is neces
sary the first year. This covers
the salary of the representative,
office and traveling expenses.
The funds are provided co-operatively
from Federal, State and
county sources. In a general
way, plans provide for the'pay
ment of salaries from Federal
and State funds leaving the nec
cessary traveling expenses to be
paid by the county. Frequently
office room is furnished in the
court house, thus reducing the
expense. The amount of local
expense varies with the county
from$G00 to $1500. Two years
ago a law was passed authorizing
County Commissioners to con
tribute not to exceed $1500 for
tnis work. In all the counties
now organized the Commission
ers are contributing. Funds may
be provided by voluntary contributions.
Warfordsburg,
Penna.
Banks Pay Three.
Four years ago, the McCon
nellsburg postoffice was made a
postal savings deposit office. Ex
postmaster Woollet kept up the
formal reports during all that
time without receiving a single
applicant to start an account. A
few days ago, the Department
concluded that further work on
the part of this office along that
line was useless, and all papers
were ordered returned. Postal
deposits receive but 2 per cent,
interest, while banks pay 3, and
this is probably the reason why
no deposits were made here. In
other towns, the patrons of post
al savings department seem to
be chiefly foreigners.
County Gets $2,000.
It will be seen by Mr. McDow
ell's letter elsewhere in this pa
per, that by July, twenty coun
ties in the state will have secur
ed Farm Counselors or Exten
sion Agents as they are now call
ed. The State, and United States
gevernment, jointly pay the sal
ary, and the county pays expen
ses, which in our case, would
amount to perhaps, 25 cents per
farmer. For every year that a
county postpones the securing of
one of these agents, it loses not
less than $2,000, and in some cas
es, $5,000. It is like losing mon
ey because we would not stop to
pick it up in the road.
Schoolhouse Burned.
On Thursday afternoon of last
week, Alexander Mellott, of
Thompson township, was clean
ing out an old fence-row, pre
paratory to resetting the fence,
and was burning the brush. It
being a very dry afternoon, the
wind carried sparks into the
roof of Center schoolhouse, sev
eral hundred yards distant from
the burning brush, and set the
building afire. Efforts were
made to save the building, but
outside of getting out some of the
furniture and the library, the
property wa3 a total loss.
Since the English government
has taken over all kinds of facto
ries and converted them into pla
ces for making ammunition and
other war material, it has been
noticed that the presence of one
or two half-drunken men can
cause a great less of daily output
Where all the men are compelled
to keep perfectly sober, the aver
age output and earnings, have
nearly doubled.
RAW FOODS.
Little Talks on Health and Hygiene b?
Samuel G. Dixon, M. C LL.
Commissioner of Health.
This is the season when the
amateur gardener's eyes are de
lighted by the rows of eumnier
vegetables that are poking their
greenleaves above the warm earth
The season for raw foods has al
ready arrived.
Lettuce, water-cress, radishes,
parsley, cucumbers, leeks, ber
ries and many other toothsome
growing things burden the mar
ket stalls and tempt the house
wife after the winter menu of
canned vegetables.
A certain percent, of raw foods
is an excellent stimulant to the
appetite and a wholesome change
at this season of the year. Care
should be experienced, however
that they are properly cleansed
before being eaten. Often the
loborers in the truck gardens and
those who handle the truck be
fore reaching the consumer are
careless in the use of dangerous
fertilizers and some pick and pre
pare the vegetables for market
who are also carec a degree
that is almost crimuu.
All vegetables to be eaten raw
and berries, even at the risk of
slightly injuring their flavor
should be thoroughly washed be
fore being eaten.
Gardens should be fertilized
with care. No night soil should
be used on truck gardens from
which the produce may be serv
ed uncooked. Watercress must
not be grown in polluted streams
Watercress from polluted streams
often produce epidemic of typhoid
fever. Bananas should be thor
oughly washed as soon as they
come into the hands of the con
sumer, so that the dir"; taken on
during transportation will not be
conveyed to other edibles.
, ''When the Railroad Cnmes."
In addition to last week's sug
gestion that packing boxes could
be profitable made in this county
after suitably s-hipping facilities
have been secured, may be enu
merated many small articles that
are made of wood; and by getting
into touch with users, many profi
table hours could be spent dur
ing slack times making them for
these people.
Manufacturers of planes and
saws use tons of apple wood and
they must depend for their needs
on small quantities purchased
wherever they can be found.
Many an old apple tree log goes
to the fire, that might otherwise
have been used for planes, or
for saw handles.
Walnut billets, perhaps no lar
ger than 2x2x6 inches find ready
sale to dealers who collect them
until sufficient quantity has been
secured, and they are then ship
ped to foreign manufacturers of
furniture. We have seen hun
dreds of hollow logs sawed up in
to commercial-sized billets and
sold at a good profit Another
walnut product are knotty, curly
pieces that may be used for gun
stocks and butts because of theX
beautiful grained wood.
Of course, every body knows
of the demand for good hickory
and oak for spokes and felloes.
Turned table legs find ready
sale in quantities. Then, there
is the question of wooden hand
les for a thousand articles all of
the foregoing articles might be
turned, or split out, during win
ter months, in little shops on the
farm.
Of course, the proper thing to
do would be to get into touch
with your customers, then make
the articles to their specificat
ion; The objects of our arti
cles is merely to suggest and
the leave then accomplish
ment to the tastes and recources
of the producer. German coun
tries, and German communities
in this country, are given to mak
ing many extra dollars by watch
ing up opportunities as suggest-
ed.
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