IF fit toiir
fir ri
VOLUME 16
McCONNELLSBURG, PA., JULY 15.1915.
NUMHER 43
THE grim reaper.
Short Sketches of the Lives of Per
sons Who Have Recently
Passed Away. .
Frank Van Cleve.
Mr. B. Frank Van Cleve, a na
tive of Ayr township, this county,
died at his liome in Harris, Iowa,
at 2 o'clock in the afternoon of
July C, 1915, after an illness of
only a week's duration.
Benjamin Franklin Van Cleve,
a son of Benjamin and Susan
Lesher Van Cleve, wa3 born on
the old Van Cleve farm in Ayr
township, now known as the
Walker Johnston farm, on the
23rd of August, 183G.
He grew to manhood in that
community and at the age of
twenty-six years enlisted in Co.
C, ISSth Regiment of Pennsylva
nia Vols., the lGth day of Octo
ber, 18G2, and served two years
and nine months and was honor
ably discharged at the close of
the war. " On October 18th, 1SG5,
he was married to Isabelle Hess,
daughter of the late Jonathan
Hess, and sister of Mrs. Lavinia
Hill and Miss Lib V. Hess both
of Gettysburg.
To this union were born seven
children. Six of them survive,
Edj;ar Allen having died in in
fancy. The living are: George
Hubert, near Wilmot, S. D. ; Har
ry, of Cross Forks, Pa.; Mary,
wife of Frank J. Boyd, Ocheye
dan; Elizabeth, wife of F. C.
Brewer, of El Paso, 111. ; Franklin
Herman, of May City, la. ; John
Heis, of HarVirf, la.
In 1894 Mr, Van Cleve went
from Pennsylvania to Tama coun
ty, Iowa. Two years later he
moved to Harris, Iowa, and for
almost eighteen years he was a
highly respected resident of that
community.
The many friends of Mrs. Van
Cleve, residing in McConnells
burg and the Cove, extend their
deepest sympathy to her in her
bereavement.
The deceased was the seventh
child of his father's family, the
others being Elizabeth, who mar
ried George W. Smith at Cove
Gap; David Hunter, dying at the
age of 8 years; Abram L., who
died but recently at his home in
Washington, Pa. ; John died in
Iowa; George, drowned several
years ago in Coon River, Iowa;
William died in the West, and
Miss Sue, the last surviving mem
ber of the family resides at Jer
sey Shore, Pa.
W. F. Ensley.
William F. Ensley died at his
home, near Robinsonville, Bed
ford county, Friday, July 2, from
the effects of injuries received
when he fell from a wagon last
April while spraying fruit trees.
In falling one of his ribs was
fractured in such a manner as to
puncture the lungs.Mr. Ensley
was a son of the late Abram En
sley and was born at Emmaville
in September 1845. He was unit
ed in marriage with a daughter
of the late Timothy Hixson, who
survives with the following child
ren: Mrs. Ed. Foor, of Earlston;
Mrs. Walter Glas3, of Everett;
Mrs. Cora Hixson, of Akersville;
Koss, of Monroe township; Clad,
f Six Mile Run; George and Ver
non, at home. He is abo survi
ved by one brother. Albert En-
SW, of Cumberland, Md., and
wo sisters. Mrs. J. E. Connelly,
f Imler, and Mrs. Rebecca Foot
er, of Altoona. Funeral services
Were held on the following Mon
day with interment ' at Emma
villa
Prof. John B. Holland.
Prof. John B. Holland, son of
Uptain" Holland, was born in
a little old log house 'that unti
recently Btood along side of the
road leading from Clear Ridtre to
Fort Littleton, about a quarter
or a mile from the former dace.
anl he died at the home of his
Sheriff H. S. Holland in
Uollidaysburg. June 24. 1915.
sged 81 years, 5 months and 8
s.. As a child he showed a
fondness for books, and by the
"rot of a pine-knot fire on the
Another Railroad Rumor.
The old, old story that tbe
Pennsylvania railroad will extend
the Susquehanna and Western
railroad to Everett and Mt. Dal
las has been revived by the pres
ence of a gang of surveyors at
work in the mountain west of
New German town, Perry county.
The road is finished from Dun-
cannon to New Bloomfield and
connects at that point with the
road that runs to New German-
town. A tunnel was started ma
ny years ago to let the road go
through from New Germantown
into Path Valley and on to Fan-
netsburg, then to Burnt Cabins
and Everett by way of the old
South Penn grade across the
northern end of Fulton county.
The most complete network in
the State c.'uld be thus form
ed. The Ti:. c.rora railroad then
could be exU m.' :d a few miles
rom Blairs Mills to connect near
Concord in Path Valley. The
Cumberland Valley could be ex
tended from Richmond Furnace
to Fannettsburg and there con
nect. The Neeleyton branch of
the East Broadtop could extend
but a few miies and connect at
urht Cabins, the Broad Top
would automatically be connected
at Everett, and the McConnella-
burg and Fort Loudon could then
build northward a few miles and
connect near Fort Littleton and
in this way put McConnellsburg
almost in the center of a position
that would offer the choice of
many routes. Let'er go boys.
Postmaster's Salary Changed.
A general readjustment of sal
aries of postmasters in the coun
try took place July 1st. There
were 103 increases of salaries,
02 decreases in the State of
nnsylvania. McConnellsburg
was reduced from $1,400 to $1,
300; Chambersburg, no change;
Gettysburg, reduced $2,700 to
$2,500; Everett and Bedford no
change-
Salaries of third class post
masters are based on the amount
of business done during the pre
vious .fiscal year, and as the
amount of business depends on
the patrons of the offices alone,
the postmaster can do little to
change matters one way or the
otner. The growth of business
at our local office during the past
few years has been wonderful if
we take into consideration that
the population tributary to this
place has not increased to any
extent during the last ten years.
With the advent of a railroad, we
may expect a rebound that will
send the business of this office
skyward. We sympathize with
postmaster Lamberson for the
loss of that handy hundred; but
we think it will soon be restored.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kauff man
and Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Kauff
man and two sons all of Altoo
na, were an automobile party
that spent the time from Sunday
until Tuesday in the home of N.
H. Roettger and family.
old hearthstone, he dug out the
rudiments of an education, and
at the age- of sixteen, began to
teach in the public schools. Aft
er having taught in" this county,
and in Huntingdon county, he
"got" a school in Blair county,
married a Blair county lady, and
spent the remainder of his life
in that county practically all of
it in the school work. He served
two terms as County Superin
tendent of that county, and as
has been said by his biographer,
"he touched the sick body of our
public school system, with the
impulse of better methods and
gave to the cause an impetus
that placed the schools of Blair
county among the first in the
State."
Prof. Holland was the last
surviving member of his father's
family one of his sisters, Mrs.
Joseph B. Stevens, of Taylor
township, and one, Mrs. Henry
Rowe, of Wells, died several
years ago. He was buried at
Newry.
New High School Principal.
At a meeting of the Borough
school board a few evening3 ago,
Easton F. Fox, of Hagerstown,
Md., wa3 elected principal of the
High School at a salary of $75 a
month. This completes the corps
of teachers for the ensuing year
at a total salary of $225 a month,
and a term of 8 months. Mr.
Fox is a graduate of Juniata Col
lege, Huntingdon, Pa., and comes
well recommended.
From Secretary Stevens' re
port we get the following facts
about the school year just closed:
Term, 8 months; paid teachers,
including attendance at institute,
$18G0; salary of secretary, $36.37
fees of treasurer, $07.G8; tax col
lector; $30. G5; auditors, $12.00;
janitor and janitor supplies, $1G0.
00; fuel, $194.50; water, $28.00;
text books, $125.23, school sup
plies, $91.19. On the schoolbuild-
ing debt was paid $238 interest,
and $500 on the principal, leav
ing the debt at $5700. Against
that debt the Board starts in
the new year with $S84.34 on
hand.
To meet this expense the Board
received from the State $1053.40;
from the tax collector, $1936.29;
from outside pupils and auditor
ium rent, $542.55, and they start
ed in with $759.51.
Horn Racket Didn't Work.
The Connellsville Courier state
that E. M. Hoffman, of that place
was fined $100 and $5.GG costs by
Alderman Fred Munkonacharge
of shooting a doe last November
in Brush Creek township, this
county. Prosecution was enter
ed by Game Warden Charles B.
Baum, State Game Protector,
and the defendant pleaded guilty.
It was charged that the defen
dant shot the doe and then bC
cured two large horns, which
were fastened to the head, to
give the impression that a buck
had been shot.
The prosecution was brought
after an investigation lasting
since last November, when the
offense is alleged to have been
committed.
Another Booze Victim.
C. H. Richardson, of Baltimore
died in the Chambersburg jail on
Thursday of last week of alcohol
ism. A police found him in a
bad way at the Western Mary
land Railway station in the morn
ing, took him to the jail, and at
four o'clock the man died. This
was the man who sold medicine
Saturday evening July 3rd, at
the stone wall at Seylar's Drug
store. ' 'Doctor" Richardson was
so drunk that evening that he
could do little business and the
boys took all kinds of liberty
with him, upsetting his stand of
store boxes, throwing fire crack
ers and torpedoes at him, and in
many ways having fun at his ex
pense. Richardson's body was
shipped to Baltimore.
Patterson Resigns.
Mr. J. C. Patterson who had
been the efficient Superintendent
of Highways of Fulton County
during the past three years, has
resigned to accept a position with
the National Real Estate Com
pany of Washington, D. C. In
the resignation of Mr. Patterson,
the Highway Department is los
ing one of its most capable cap
tains. The splendid macadam
road on Cove mountain, w'hich
was a proposition of no ordinary
magnitude, is a splendid monu
ment to Mr. Patterson's ability.
If Cam develops the same ca
pability in the real estate
game, and he have every reason
to believe that he will, he will be
a valuable acquisition to that well,
known organization.
t -
Dr. Samuel G. Dixon, State
Commissioner of health, in a cir
cular to all men in charge of
water works and filtration plants,
calls upon them to aid in the
State work of combatting typhoid
fever. The circular urges pre
cautions and the safeguarding of
water sheds,
SUICIDE AT NEW GRENADA.
Abraham Ilcrshcy Feared Expenses Con
nectcd With Wife's Sickness Would
Break Him I'p.
The citizens of New Grenada
were shocked last Thursday
morning when the word was
passed around that Abram Hersh
ey had hanged himself.
About six weeks or more ago,
his wife was stricken with paral
ysis and became helpless. For
her care her physician recom
mended that a trained nurse be
procured. This was done. As
time passed on the thought of
paying twenty-five dollars a week
for the services of the nurse in
addition to other bills weighed
heavily upon the husband's mind
an dlast Thursday morning, when
the nurse stepped into the wood
house, she was horrified at see
ing the lifeless body of Mr. Her
shey dangling at the end of a
rope attached to one of the string
ers. The fact that his body was
cold and rigid, when lound would
indicate that the deed had been
committed during the early part
of the night. Before leaving the
house he had put on a pair of
gum boots so that his footsteps
might not attract attention as he
went to the woodhouse, climbed
up to the top of a coal bin, where
he fastened the rope one end
around the stringer, the other
around his neck, and leaped in
to eternity.
About four years ago he sold
his farm, which was a good one,
to Jere Knepper and went to
New, Grenada, bought a nice
property and was living comfort
ably in retirement. He had no
debts, and had some three thou
sand dollars or more in cash and
commercial paper. Besides this,
being a veteran of the Civil War
he was drawing a pension of $16
a month, and had he waited less
than three monthe, he would
have been at the age when he
would have been on the dollar-a-day
pension roll.
The funeral took place Friday
afternoon at 2 o'clock, and in
terment was made in the Wine
gardner cemetery.
Mr. Hershey was married twice
the first time to Miss Sarah Mil
ler. To the first union, three
sons and six daughters are living
namely, David, and William near
Hiram; Hayes, near Dublin Mills;
Maggie, wife of Daniel Landers,
Taylor tywnship; Rebecca, wife
of Robert Martin, Cooks Mills;
Lizzie, wife of John Barnett, re
siding in the West; Louie, wife
of Samuel Brown, Saltillo; and
Tillie, wife of O.E. Garman Fort
Wayne, Ind. His second wife
was Mrs. Annie Duffy who sur
vives. Dogs Kill Cattle.
During the past six weeks,
dogs have made life miserable for
farmers in the lower end of Ayr
township. W. M. Kendall found
a steer with its throat cut, Rowe
Mellott had a young calf killed,
and James Bivins and Houston
Johnston each lost several sheep
all very plainly the work of a
pack of roving dogs. This is not
the first instance in the State
where dogs pulled down cattle
this summer. A good-sized bull
was pulled down near Lewistown
and but for the interference of
farmers, it would have been kill
ed. What kind of dogs have W3
among us that they attack cattle?
They must be related to the coy
ote. .
Harvest Horns Picnic.
At a meeting of the Committee,
last Saturday evening it was de
cided to hold the annual Big Cove
Harvest Home Picnic in Sloan's
Woods on Saturday the 7th of
August. There will be one or
more speakers from a distance,
and, of course, plenty of music
by the Band. As to "eatins," it
will be a basket picnic; hence the
more you bring in your basket,
the more you'll have to eat Let
everybody turn Dut and have a
jolly day in the woods.
Native of This County.
A letter from Enoch C. Peck,
Kingman, Kans. gives an account
of the death of W. C. McFeaters,
one of that city's aged and most
highly respected citizens, who
died on the nineteenth of June.
Mr. McFeaters was born in Ful
ton county, Pennsylvania, May
8, 1842, and he spent his boyhood
days among the hills of his native
state. He was a son of Samuel
and Nancy McFeaters of sturdy
Scotch-Irish Presbyterian stock.
During the struggle of the
Civil War, he engaged in his
country's- service, enlisting in Co.
D 154th Regiment of Indiana
Volunteers.
On January 5th, 18G9 he was
united in marriage with Mary
Jane Aller of Franklin county,
Pa., a daughter of George and
Annie Aller of Puritan ancestry.
Immediately after their marriage,
they went west to carve out their
fortune. For 7 years they resid
ed in Missouri after which they
went to Kansas where they re
sided until his death.
He is survived by his aged
wife, three children, and ten
grand children.
The First Automobile.
With the Editor's consent, I
will try to answer a question put
to me recently Who started the
first auto? and when? Twenty
three years ago, Elwood Haynes,
of Kokomo, Ind., started the first
actual construction of the "horse
less carriage", the little machine
that gave birth to the American
automobile industry. The first
public appearance of the pioneer
car was on July 4, 1894, when it
ran about three miles on the
country roads near Kokomo, at a
rate of six or seven miles an
hour. This pioneer car is now in
the Smithsonian Institute, Wash
ington, D. C, as a National ex
hibit. A good many people claim
ing to be wise said at first that
the automobile was only a play
thing for the rich; but what great
things from a little beginning
have grown!
James A. Stewart.
Has White Sweet Clover.
David M. Kendall, of Ayr town
ship, like many other farmers,
lost much of his clover by freez
ing out last winter. This spring
he thoroughly harrowed a part of
one of the bare fields and sowed
white sweet clover, and he has
now a beautiful stand of this
mammoth article. Every time a
farmer tries out some of the
crops that are comparatively new
to this county he adds to the sum
total of . information for others
and paves the way for the young
er generation to determine if
they shall adopt new crops that
may be of greater value than
some of the older ones. It has
been demonstrated that sweet
clover will grow on ground too
acid for red clover.
Leg Broken.
"Captain" Morgret in the em
ploy of Miller W. A. Mellott just
south of Webster Mills, was tak
ing a load of flour over to Frank
lin county, Monday, and while
descending Cove mountain, some
thing went wrong with the
brakes, causing the load to run
onto the horses. In attempting
to control the team, one of the
horses kicked the Captain, break
ing one of his legs. He was
brought home Monday evening.
Our Railroad.
The News has not been saying
anything about the new railroad
for a few weeks just because
there was not anything new to
tell. It takes time to build a rail
road. The right-of-way across
the mountain has been cleared
off; tho contractors have a steam
shovel at work on the east side
of the mountain, and the direct
ors have their regular weekly
meetings. The News has no dis
position to keep ahead of the
game, and when there are any
developments that make interest
ing reading, they will be served
promptly.
A Menace to Society.
While a very large majority of
the locomotive engineers of the
principal railroads of the country
are men who do not "touch, taste
nor handle" intoxicating liquors,
the Companies have found it nec
essary to make it a condition that
no engineer should have charge
of an engine who used intoxicat
ing drinks. This ruling meets
the hearty approval of every cit
izen in the country, for even the
most pronounced liquor man does
not want to ride in a train be
hind a drunken engineer. Now,
if public safety demands that re
striction in locomotive engineers,
should it not insist upon the same
condition in automobile "engi
neers." ' No man should be per
mitted to go out on the road with
a machine whose brain is befud
dled with booze. Just last week
an automobile party stopped in
McConnellsburg, and their condi
tion and conduct was such as to
attract unfavorable attention,
and after having tanked up at
the bar both men and women
they placed a generous supply of
beer in the automobile and start
ed westward. Before they reach
ed the top of the Allegheny moun
tain a telegraph pole stepped out
in front of the machine wrecking
it and injuring the occupants so
seriously that at last account one
of the women was dying in a hos
pital. Recent Weddings.
Brodbeck-Black.
Mr. Eldon Brodbeck and Miss
Elva Black were married in Hunt
ingdon Thursday, July 1, 1915.
The groom is a son of Mr. and
Mrs. V. W. Brodbeck, of Three
Springs and the bride is a daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob S.
Black, of 'New Grenada, this
county. Following the marriage
ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Brod
beck returned to the home of the
bride where a reception was ten
dered them, attended by mem
bers jf the immediate families.
Tho happy couple have the best
wishes of a wide circleof friends.
Deshong Decker.
Mr. Alvie McClellan Deshong,
son of U. S. and Amanda Desh
ong, of Pleasant Ridge, and Miss
Regina R. Decker, daughter of
H. W. and Henrietta Decker, of
McConnellsburg, were married
last Sunday.
Some Trip.
Mr. and Mrs. D. E. Little and
Miss Lillian Brewer, and Mr. and
Mrs. Wilbur Grissinger, left town
in Davy's Crow car about ten
o'clock last Sunday morning for
a little run up to Bedford Springs.
They were so much pleased with
the trip when they reached the
Springs that they continued their
journey until they reached Cum
berland. After resting awhile
in that city, they hit the old Na
tional pike, went to Hagerstown
stopping awhile at Hancock and
Clearspring, and from Hagers
town they came home via Green
castle, making a continuous run
of more than 180 miles. Of
course they had to light the head
lamps before they reached home
Sunday night
' Grandma Michaels.
Mrs. Eliza Michaels and her
daughter Miss Alice, of Everett,
are spending this week in the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. W.
Hays, west Lincoln Way. Mrs.
Michaels is Mrs. Hay's mother
and the widow of Samuel Mich
aels, the second sheriff of Fulton
county, he serving from 1853 to
1856. If Mrs. Michaels lives un
til November she will be 93 years
of age. She made the trip over
from Everett in an automobile
last Saturday and stood the trip
like a 4-year-old. Her memory
is as clear as a bell, and she pos
sesses a fund of information
about events that transpired long
before most of the present gene
ration were born, t
Subscribe for the News.
CHANGE OF ENVIRONMENT.
Little Talks on Health and Hygiere by
Samuel G. Dixon, M. D., LL. D.,
Commissioner of Health.
The majority of people who are
occupied for fifty weeks out of
the year should seek in the re
maining two to find, not neces
sarily rest, but a change of envi
ronment. The man who has struggled
through the crowded streets of
a city, ridden on packed trolley
car3 and railroad trains for many
months on end should make his
way to the quiet country side,
the camp in the woods or some
spot equally free from the press
of humanity.
The man who lives in the coun
try or small town may find a cor
responding benefit from a week
or more spent amid the rush and
turmoil of the city. Each of
these widely varying environ
ments holds the possibility of af
fording a mental stimulus to
those who are unfamiliar with
their moods.
The mind no less than the body
needs refreshments and change.
It needs the stimulation of new
ideas. It is more difficult to ac
quire this in our ordinary sur
roundings than where everything
is strange and unusual and the
mind is stirred to activity. It is
out of the question for the man
who maintains his regular rou
tine day in and day out to con
tinue to put into his work the
same vigor.
We can become over developed
along one line mentally just as
readily as physically and the re
sults may even more seriously
affect our welfare.
If in seeking for a change we
encounter surroundings, which
owing to unfamiliarity, are not
agreeable, in the long run we
profit. If in no other way, at
least they make our own daily
round seem more acceptable by
contrast.
So plan your vacation that it
will bring you to realize afresh
how multifarious and interesting
are the activities of mankind or
how soothing to the weary mind
are Mother Nature's marvels.
Get Ready For iu
Few towns in the State have
better local talent for rendering
a play than McConnellsburg, and
an announcement that one will
be given, means a full and ap
preciative house. This one will
be given in the auditorium by the
Young Men's Bible Class of the
M. E. church, on Friday evening,
July 23rd. The title of the play
"Brother Josiah" will at once
suggest fun fun without fool
ishness, and the play will cover
a period of two hours with eleven
characters. Keep the date in
mind, for you just don't want to
miss it.
Reserved Seats 30 cents; Gen
eral Admission, 25 cents, and
Children 15 cents.
For Better Street
Chief Burgess L. W. Seylar
and J. K. Johnston went to Har-
risburg on Tuesday to see High
way Commissioner Cunningham
about repairing that part of' the
Lincoln Highway inside the bor
ough limits of McConnellsburg
over which there is a controversy
as to whether the Borough or the
State should keep up that portion
of the road. Cunningham said
he would be here to-morrow, and
the matter will be jointly consid
ered by the Council Hand Mr.
Cunningham. Mr. Seylar went
on to Philadelphia on private
business.
Straw Ride.
-
Mr. B. W. Logue took about
thirty members of the Epworth
League of the M. E. church a
straw ride to the beautiful home
of Mr. and Mrs. James McQuade
near Knobsville, Tuesday even
ing. That the young people had
a jolly time goes without saying,
and when the ice cream and cake
were served everybody had an
appetite.