CIO j) VOLUME 15 ilcCONNELLSBURG, PA., AUGUST 19,1915. NUMBER 47 THE GRIM REAPER. Short Sketches of the Lives of Tor- sons Who Have Recently Passed Away. Mrs. Nettie A. Alexander. McConnellsburg was greatly startled Tuesday morning when it was learned that the body of Mrs. Nettie L. Alexander, widow of the late State Senator W. Scott Alexander, had been found in the Duflleld spring. While Mrs. Alexander had not been in robust health for some time, none of her friends thought of her as a sick woman by any means. She was able to attend to her household affairs, and min gle with her f riend3 in a social way. Since the marriage of her daughter several months ago, she frequently spent the night at the home of her sisters the Misses Annie and Minnie at the old Dick son home just opposite the Ful ton House. Monday evening she complained of not feeling well, and about 1 o'clock Tuesday morn ing, she sent for her nephew Dr. George M. Robinson. When he came, she told him she felt rest less and could not get to sleep, and asked him to give her some thing to make her rest. He gave her a mild sedative, and after re maining with her nearly an hour and noticing that she seemed to be resting comfortably, he quiet ly left the house. Shortly after six o'clock Tuesday morning, she was found in the Duffield spring drowned. '.The spring which is about 4x4 feet with a depth of 18 inches, is reached by descending six stone steps, and was less than 20 feet from the door of the room in which Mrs. Alexander was sleeping. As no one knows just how it happened, it is fair to pre sume that she walked to the spring to get water to cool her face and head, and fell into the water and irowned. The funeral will take place at 10 o'clock this (Thursday) morn ing, and her remains will be pla ced in the family lot in the Pres byterian graveyard. Mrs.- Alexander was the young est daughter of the late Hon. Mark and Maria Scott Dickson, and was born at the Dickson farm just north of town on the 13th day of March 18G0. It 1887 she was married to Hon. W. Scott Alexander, who died December 5, 1912. She is survived by one daughter Maria Dickson, wife of Clinton B. Alexander, of Washington, D. C. Mrs. Sarah Bergstresser. Mrs. Sarah Wright Bergstres ser, widow of the late Wilson Bergstresser, died at her home at Waterfall, Pa., Thursday, Au gust 12, 1915, and her remains were laid to rest in the cemetery at New Grenada on the follow ing Sunday. Mrs. Bergstresser was of Eng ish descent, her father Isaac Wright being a native of Kent wunty, England, who, with his lather and three brothers, came to the United States when a mere boy. Her great-grandfather, was with Wellington at Water loo. Mrs. Bergstresser was born in nth Valley, Franklin county, pa., March 8, 1830, and hence, "ved to the ripe age of 85 years, a months, and 4 days. In 1854 she was married to Wilson Berg stresser, and they began house keeping in Chambersburg. Five years later they removed to Wa terfall. this pnnntv. where thev yh spent the remainder of their llves. She had four brothers all younger than herself-all of Whom preceded her to the grave, "ham and James, both veter aIS Of thfi P.ivil War A jy at their respective homes at Kittanning, Pa. The other two pothers, Joseph and John, were So in the Union army, William SlnK his life in a cavalry chame ' one of the battles in Virginia. "a John was killed at the battle i bhiloh in 18G2.. 1 he deceased is survived by we following children, namely, Ross Hixson Hurt. While at work on a concrete dam at Tiffin, 0., on the 18th day of June, C. R. Hixson, formerly of this county, but now a resident of Tiffin, 0., fell a distance of eighteen feet landing on his head. For several hours Mr. Hixson lay unconscious, but prompt atten tion by skilful physicians brought him out from the shock, and he is now improving, but it will be a long time before he will be en tirely well. Frank A., Chattanooga, Tenn.; Mary B., wife of A. N. Witter, Esq., and Ihrry II., both resid ing at Waterfall. Meade, a son, died several years ago. Henson L. Powers. Henson L. Powers, youngest son of R :. rrA Mrs. A. G. B. owers of Noe Imore, died at his home at Porldrwood, W. Va Sunday morning, August 8, 1915, aged 39 years, 4 months and 21 days. The funeral took place the following Wednesday, and his re mains were laid to rest in the cemetery at Porterwood. Mr. Powers had been a great sufferer with inflamatory rheuma tism for several years, but on Saturday, he worked all day, came home in the evening feel ing well and not tired. With his wife and children, he strung beans until late at night, then af ter a little play with the children they all retired, he sleeping alone About 2 o'clock a storm of wind and rain came up, he arose put down the windows, and went back to bed. At 6 o'clock next morning his wife called him. Getting no answer she went to his bed and found him cold in death. Early in life he joined the Methodist church and lived a faithful Christian to the end. He is survived by his wife and four small children, and three broth ersRev. C. A. Powers, Sum merville, W. Va. ; Rev. Z. I. Pow ers, Greensprings, W. Va., and I. W. Powers, Needmore, Pa. George G. Geinger. George G. Geinger one of Union township's most estima ble citizens died at the Western Maryland Hospital, in Cumber land last Saturday morning aged C5 years, 1 month and 7 days. His remains were brought to his home in Buck Valley where the funeral took place Tuesday at 11 o'clock, and interment was made in the cemetery at the M. E. church. Some time ago, Mr. Geinger re ceived a slight injury to one of his eyes and went to Cumberland to visit his son Theodore in the hope that while in that city he might find relief. But a violent attack of kidney trouble having developed he was taken to the hospital, and continued to grow worse until the end came. Mr. Geinger was a native of Union township and was united in marriage to Miss Achsah Sha- fer, who survives, together with the following named children: Hillary, Watson, Miss Jessie, Theodore, and Charles. The deceased was a consistent member of the Methodist Episco pal church, and greatly interest ed in the cause of popular educa tion. For many years he served on the school board of his town ship. A. W. Keyser. A. W. Keyser, brother of our townsman Duffield Keyser, died at the home of his son fc,mery at Fort Loudon on Saturday evening August 7, 1915 aged 77 years and 15 days. Death was due to the shock, following an accident he met with last month when he fell a dis tance of eight feet in the barn and fractured one of his arms. From that time on his condition gradually weakened until the end. Mr. Keyser was a son of Mich ael and Susan Keyser, and was born in this county: but when a mere lad his parents removed to Fort Loudon where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a member of the Metho dist Episcopal church. His wife, who was Martha Kriedler, of St. Thomas, died 21 years ago. An Old Friendship. Under the name of Packers' Path, the Forbes Route, Cham bersburg and Bedford Pike, and lastly, the Lincoln Highway, this ancient thoroughfare, connecting the East with the West, through the Allegheny mountains, has led into this place travelers on nearly every conceivable errand, from every eastern state, so that there are perhaps, as many pleas ant memories linked with inci dents that occurred by reason of this being the central meeting point, as can be found at any place in any state. As an in stance, thirty-five years ago, a man named J. K. Packard, of Greenville, Mercer county, stop ped here over night. While mail ing a letter to Mercer county he learned from postmaster Nick Shimer that other letters had been going to Greenville with the result that the lady who received them had changed her name to Mrs. D. H. Patterson, and that she was then living at Webster Mills. Surprised to find that he wa3 so close to an old neighbor and acquaintance, Mr. Packard visited her in her new home, and from that time until the present, he has never failed to send sou venirs of hi3 travels in foreign countres and in America, to Mr. Patterson. On Monday, Mr. Packard passed through McCon nellsburg, not with horse-drawn vehicle as then, but in a big Packard car, and of course, found his old friends with whom he had a pleasant chat. Kurt By Dynamite. Last Friday afternoon Robert W. Mellott was blowing out stumps on his farm near Big Cove Tannery with dynamite. ' After being successful in a number of efforts, he placed a stick and a short piece of fuse. He lighted the fuse, and because it did not seem to "fiz" he took it for granted that the fuse was "no good," and made no effort to get to a place of safety. The fuse was good, and the dynamite ex ploded in due time, Mr. Mellott receiving the full force of the ex plosion'. He was terribly shock ed, and his hands and face badly mutilated. His left eye was very badly injured. Dr. Robinson, of McConnellsburg was summoned, 'and upon his advice, Mr. Mellott was taken by David Morton in Mr. Morton's automobile to the hospital in Chambersburg. The surgeons there say Mr. Mellott's eye will have to be removed just as soon as the swelling goes down. Quick Work. Every time Grant Baker comes to the News office he cheerfully parts with some of his cash in exchange for advertisement. In describing how quickly the ad vertisements work, he almost said that he had to hurry home after placing them, in order to meet customers who say "I saw it in the News." Grant has had such luck with his advertise ments in this paper that he plac ed some more thi3 week in the For Sale Column. Don't forget that Grant is a candidate for County Commissioner. His ex perience with the needs of the County would enable him to han ded the County's business prop erly. Odd Fellows Ticnic. Automobiles were in evidence at the Odd Fellows Picnic last Saturday on the Fort Littleton grounds. Forty-five autos were counted at one time, so that there may have been seventy-five in all that were there during the day as they were coming and go ing at all hours. The day was ideal and the crowd was large, The Band that wa3 engaged dis appointed the managers, and but one speaker Hon. Donald P. McPherson, appeared. But such little mishaps wore not permitted to spoil the anticipated pleasure of the picnickers for they report that they had a good time. DEGENERATIVE DISEASES. Little Talks on Health and Bj gicne by Samuel G. Dixon, M. D., LI. D., . Commissioner of Health. Benjamin Franklin said "Nine men in ton are suicides." The indifference of individuals to their continued personal wel fare which inspired this remark one hundred and sixty, nine years ago applies equally today. Con ditions have changed in many ways and some of them are less beneficial for the individual. Carefully accumulated statis tics show that there has in all probability been a steady increase in Bright's Disease and other degenerative disease incidental to advancing age, within the past few years. Certainly the num ber of deaths from this cause is sufficiently high to warrant the serious consideration of every in dividual advancing toward mid dle life. Of course everyone now-a-days is familiar with the doctrine of fresh air, exercise and simplicity of diet, etc. which make up the creed of the sanita rian. Few are willing to go to the fancied discomfort of denying themselves the pleasures of eat ing, drinking' or indolent ease. They are perfectly aware to be sure that indulgence i3 unwise. They have been warned by oth er people's experiences and not improbably have been admonish ed by their medical adviser as to the evil effects of certain favor ite indulgencies. But the fact that'a single gratification of their weakness is not likely to be ac companied by any of the forcast ed ill effects seems to lead the majority of people on regardless of the ultimate accounting which Nature i3 certain to demand. The way of least resistance seem to be the popular path. Probably every individual will admit to himself that he is run ning a risk and that the ultimate outcome will probably prove seri ous. Nevertheless continue he will and so there is more than a modicum of truth in what Poor Richard said. Self denial and temperance may seem Spartan virtues to the self indulgent but they are worth cultivating if one would challenge Father time and his grim com panion. Four Generations. We received recently a photo of representatives of four gener ations of the Figard family of Huntingdon county. The picture shows Mr. Joseph Figard, aged 82 years, his son L. L. Figard, his granddaughter Mrs. Blair Mort, and his great grandson Chester. We are sorry that we cannot reproduce the photo, as that is out of reach of country printing offices. If those wish ing cuts printed will furnish the plates, we can print from them. Excellent plates can now be had for about $1.50 by , sending the photo to engravers whose busi ness is to make them. We will have it done for any who wish to have them. Freak Potatoes. One day last week, Nathanitl Mellott of this place, brought to the News office a bunch of freak potatoes. As if seeking good plant food, a root of a potato stalk entered one end of a corn cob and formed two or three small potatoes. As the tubers grew, they evidently absorbed the pith of the cob, and then con tinuing to grow, they bursted out one side of their prison, exposing them to view. The potatoes were about the size of pigeon eggs. Another root had entered ,the bro ken end-of a bottle neck and formed a potato, and as it grew it was forced out at the cork end of the neck and there it expand ed until it was about twice as large as inside the glass. ' Miss Eliza Mellott, of Johns town, visited in the home of Mr. and Mis. Joseph Sipes this week. Sober Orbisonia. In a letter to J. C. Peterson, of Burnt Cabins, from Rev. Roy X. Wilson, of Orbisonia, Pa., the Reverend gentleman emphatical ly denies the charge that there is more drunkenness in his town since Huntingdon county went dry. His letter follows: "Those who say 'more drunk enness exists about Orbisonia now than when there wa3 license are liars.' Two arrests were made last year for drunkenness and about twenty-two the year before. Not one tenth a3 much liquor is received at the station as was during license years. The teams are not left in the night hitched late. I saw only one drunk man on Decoration Day this year, while last year, it was a disgrace. I didn't see any on July Fourth and Fifth. Now, there is some sold and handled on the sly; but not to be very effec tive. Joseph Kurtz told me they did $1,000 more business in the hardware line than they did dur ing the preceding year. General quietness is evidence that with out the saloon is best. Men (I could name several) are paying their bills now, and are not get ting drunk very often, and these same men formerly got drunk ev ery time they came to town." Sods for Hillsides. We have heard a great many discussions as to the proper way to get most use of hilly fields that wash too badly to break with the plow. The general opinion is that when a mixture of grass seeds is sown in August, on top of the old sod, and scratched in best that can be done with a spike tooth harrow, good results fol low. Land that is pastured close ly cannot re-seed itself. Nature sows her seed in late summer, and by following her teachings, seeds sown as above in August pay well, especially if fertilizer in the form of 75 to 100 pounds of nitrate of soda to the acre is broadcasted and allowed to sink into the ground. This gives the young plant a good start for win ter, and every one who has tried it says that it re-pays; several times the cost. Sow a mixture of several varieties clover being one of them. Toll Shed Gone. The shed that spanned the pike at the. tollgate west of town was removed last week. The dwell ing house at the same place will eventually be moved back from the edge of the pike. With the removal of the shed, another old landmark disappeared. It afford ed refuge for travelers from ma ny a shower of rain, and on hot days there was a cooling breeze through the driveway that invit ed one to linger and which rob bed the traveler momentarily at least, of the disagreeableness of having to pay toll. But obsolete hindrances to modern travel must give way. The narrow place in the pike, caused by the shed, has now been widened to accommo date swift travel on the Lincoln Highway. ' Sheep Trices Good. The Chicago markets indicated last week that those who had a few stray sheep that escaped the dogs, received good prices for them. 22 carloads sold at an av erage price of about $6.50 per cwt. Lambs brought $9.00 per cwt. Poor culls sold from $3.50 to $4.50 per cwt. There is no question about it that if enough farmers in a community banded together to raise sheep in our hilly districts, and rid the coun try of starved dogs that are per mitted to run wild at night, the price of land would soon jump to higher figures on account of the profits from the flocks. Wool will be high for a long time. Worlcfconditions are such that the prices cannot be lowered. James M. Booth, of Hancock, made the News office a profitable call Tuesday morning, How to Buy Fertilizer. To the man who goes to the dealer and buys altogether by smell and by the price asked for the goods, this article will have no interest. But the man who tries to buy what he knows his land needs will have a hard time of it this season if potash must be one of the ingredients of the mixture. With the supply of potash from Germany cut off some of our friends are doing some hard thinking to meet their requirements. Where rank growth of stalk and leaf is the main object, our friends should have no difficulty in supplying their needs, because nitrate of soda, to supply the necessary ni trogen, can be had at a reason able price. Thi3 mixed with the cheap prosphoric acid goods will insure a good start for the young plants, and by the use of lime, (never to be mixed in the air with nitrogen) some pot ash will be liberated from the soil. Indeed, if plenty of manure can be used, lime and phosphoric acid should tide over present con ditions. Or, where the ground has had a good sod of clover, many will use nothing but the acid phosphate, because the pres ence of good clover indicates that lime is not badly needed, and the clover has supplied the nitrogen, having drawn it from the air.' There seems to be a strong aver sion to buying nitrate of soda on account of the price; but is it not better to give young plants a good start, and get it all back again with interest, than to let them start sickly and perhaps heave out this winter on account of slight root growth? Tell The Editor. Did you ever notice how eager ly you read accounts of what your neighbors are doing in the way of good farming? There are lots of men in Fulton county who are venturing to try some of the things they hear about so much. It may have been alfalfa, soy beans, rape, vetch, shallow cul tivation of corn on thin soil, a motor plow, sweet clover, oats or rye cut green for hay, or any one of a score of other things new to many citizens. Please tell us in your own way what conclusions you formed from your experience. Prof. Alva Agee, that good friend of the farmer, says that he can learn more from such reports than from any other source. By a little help of this kind from our readers, we could make the Ful ton County News the best farm journal to be had, because it could then treat facts as they really exist in the county. Your friends will read such stories as eagerly as you read theirs. We would like to hear from house keepers also. There is so much said about canning this and that article for winter use, that we feel sure some of our women folks can give pointers to others. Tell the Editor. Some More Frands. State Zoologist Surface has sent out warning that a fraudu lent concern i3 sending agents into the country to cure tree blight by driving nails into the trees. They say that the nails are treated with an acid that is taken up by the sap and cures the disease. There is no virtue in the so-called cure. Last year a man let these fellows treat his orchard, and this year it died. Do not do business of this kind with "secret process" travelers The State has men in the field whose business is to give advice, Send for one of them when in serious trouble. ' Mrs. Marshall McKibbin (Kit Cook) entertained about thirty friends at Dougley Spring last Monday. Originally, the party was intended for ladies only; but the arrival of Mr. Marshall Mc Kibbin from Washington for a day's stay, changed the program and a few men were included to I protect, perhaps, Mr. McKibbin. ABOUT PEOPLE YOU KNOW. Snapshots at Uicir Comings tv.6 Goings Here for a Vacation, or Away for a Restful Outing. Miss Lena Brinkley spent Sat urday an:! Sunday among friends near Lehmaster. Miss Cornetha B. Nesbit is spending a week visiting among her Path Valley relatives and other friends. Miss Edith McCoy, of York, spent a couple days the past week the guest of her cousin Mrs. E. A. Alexander. Mr. and Mrs M. L. Rinedollar, Waynesboro, are spending some time among relatives and friends in this section. William M. Patterson, of Pitts- ' burgh, visited his parents, Hon. and Mrs. D. H. Patterson, at Webster Mills, latter part of iast week. T. Elliott Patterson Esq., and wife, of Philadelphia, are spend ing a week or ten day3 on the old home farm, Erookside, in Ayr township. Druggist Oacar L. Metzler, of Sellersville, Pa., spent the time last week with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George F. Metzler at Harrisonville. Mr. G. C. Mellott and family of Philadelphia, are spending their summer vacation with Bert's pa rents, Mr. and Mrs, S. D. Mel lott, Belfast township. Mr. and Mrs. George W. Sum mers and sons Nicholas and Theo dore, of Dudley, Pa., spent a few days last week visiting among relatives in this county. Mrs. Henry A. Comerer, who had been in the Chambersburg hospital two weeks, returned home Monday very much benefit ed by treatment received there. Floyd Hart and sister Cather ine, and Mrs. J. J. Palmer and Miss Maxine Aletta, accompanied S. Logue Wink on a motor trip to Berkley Springs last Monday afternoon. Miss Eleanor Betz, who is tak ing a trained nurse course in the Medico Chi Hospital, Philadel phia, is spending her summer va cation in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Max Sheets. Mr. Norman A. Wishart, of Apollo, Pa., and his sister Lenore (Mrs. George Fockler), of Johns town, Pa., were guests in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson L. Nace from Saturday until Mon day. Mr. and Mrs. Abram Mellott, and two children, of Pittsburgh, spent two weeks with Mrs. Mel lott's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jo seph Sipes, of Licking Creek township, and then visited friend in Bedford county and Tyrone last week. Dr. I. S. Garthwaite, of Chama, New Mexico, who about a dozen years ago, practiced medicine at Webster Mills, is making a tour of the East, and visited in the home of W. H. Duffy, at Web ster Mills from Monday until Wednesday of this week. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Reisner and the latter's mother, Mrs. Anna Montgomery, of Shippensburg, came to McConnellsburg Satur day evening in their touring car and spent the time until Sunday evening in the homes of Ed's brothers George and Jacob. Re turning they took with them their daughter Elizabeth, and Mildred (Harry Reisner's daughter) both ot whom had been spending a week in McConnellsburg. Mr. and Mrs. W. II. Duffy of Webster Mills, spent the time from Thursday of last week un til Monday with their daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. N. D. Everets, in Harrisburg. Mr. Duffy said that from Shippens burg to the river, dozens of fields of oats in the shock showed green from the train, owing to contin uous wet weather which caused the oats to sprout. He said also that the Cumberland Valley corn does not average as good this year as Big Cove corn, IS
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