11
Stems.
VOLUME 17
McCONNELLSBURG, PA.. FEBRUARY 10. 1916.
NUMBER 21
THE GRIfl REAPER.
ihert Sketches of the Lives o! Per
sons Who flare Recently
Passed Away.
Mrs. D. E. Strait.
Josephine E. (Chesnut) wife
o David E. Strait, died at her
home near Laidig, Sunday even
ing, February 6, 1916, in the
thirty-first year of her age, from
an acute attack of pneumonia.
The funeral took 'place yesterday
morning at 10 o'clock, the servi
ces being conducted by her pas
tor, Rev. Reidell, of the M. E.
church, and interment was made
in the cemetery at Hustontown.
The deceased was the eldest
daughter of James M. and Malin
da Chesnut, and she was married
to David E. Strait in McConnells
burg by Rev. Chas. M. Smith, of
the Reformed church, on the
fifth day of April, 1905. Besides
her husband, she is survived by
five children, namely, McClellan,
Arthur, Bertha, Sara, and Rob
ert. Her parents are both living
and the following brothers and
sisters: DeKalb, Frank, Emma,
Nora, and Junie.
Keceot Weddings.
Fisher Mann.
Mr. Andrew A. Fisher and
Miss Anna Mann were married
in Philadelphia February 2, 1916.
The groom is a son of Mrs. Sa
die Fisher of McConnellsburg,
and the bride a daughter of Mr.
C. H. Mann, a former resident
of Saluvia, this county, but now
living at St. Cloud, Florida.
Miss Anna was living in Phila
delphia at the time of her mar
riage. Mr. Fisher is an efficient
conductor on the Pullman lines
of sleepers running out of New
York, and enjoys a good salary.
The bride is a lady of refinement
and culture, and is a favorite of
many McConnellsburg friends
who will join with the News in
wishing her deserved happiness
In her new sphere. Immediately
ifter the marriage ceremony, Mr
uid Mrs. Fisher went to Port
Treverton, Pa., to visit the
room's brother Ben, and on Sat
urday of last week, they went to
Philadelphia where they are now
it home to friends at 2041 Arch
Street
Maun Webster.
Norris. C. Maun, son of Mr.
and Mrs. J. C. Maun, McCon
nellsburg, and Miss Bess Web
ster, of West Newton, Pa., were
married in Cumberland, Md., on
Saturday, January 22, 1916. The
groom is head miller with the B.
L. Sampson Milling Company of
West Newton, and the bride a
winning young lady, has been a
very efficient stenographer. The
happy young people have the
best wishes of their numerous
McConnellsburg friends.
Clevenger-Davis.
William S. Clevenger and Mrp.
Nellie A. Davis were married at
Crystal Springs January 29, 1916
by Justice of the PeaceFrank M.
Lodge. Mr. Clevenger is a well
known farmer near Crystal
Springs, and the bride (widow of
the late John D. Davis, of Lick
ing Creek township) resided near
Amaranth. The News joins ma
ny friends in wishing Mr. and
Mrs. Clevenger a long prosperous
life.
Sowers-Keyser.
Elmer Sowers, son of Mr. and
Mrs. David Sowers, and Miss
Gertrude Keyser. dauchter of
Mr. and Mrs. Edward keyser
all of Avr townahiD. were ir ar
ried in Hagerstown Monday, Feb
ruary 7, 1916. The wedding par
ty was taken to Hagerstown and
brought back to McConnellsburg
by Ira Diehl in his touring car.
Severe February Storms.
Forecaster Foster predicts se
vere Jnebruary storms for this
section of the state. Cross-con
tinent disturbances are forecasted
from the 9th to the 13th, warm
wave Irom the 8th tn the 12th.
cool wave from the 11th to the
J5th.
OUR DISTANT FRIENDS.
Interesting Extracts from Letters Re
ceotly Received from "Former Ful-
ton County People.
William Hess, Three Springs:
Here's another dollar. I am not
sure just when my subscription
runs out, but I do not want to
take any chances on missing a
single copy. We love to get the
News at our house.
B. F. Daniels, Hancock; En
closed I am sending money order
for two dollars one to pay up
the year just past, and one to
pay ahead a year. We get two
other papers, but the News is
the one we always read first.
F. C. Mumma, dealer in fine
groceries, Wilkinsburg, Pa. I
see by the label on my paper that
if I don't soon pay up, I will be
on the Dishonor roll, instead of
the honor roll. So, find enclosed
two dollars to pay-up, and boost-
up, the News.
Ladies Win Prizes.
Last summer, the News offer
ed two prizes for historical arti
cles bearing on the pioneer days
of Fulton county. To the oldest
citizen who wrote, we promised
to send the paper for the remain
der of his or her lite. To the
second oldest, for five years. We
received several and published
them. The first, prize went to
Miss Sally Wible who makes her
home with her niece, Mrs. W.
Scott Brant, near Dane. Mis3
Wible is familiarly known to ma
ny as "Aunt Sally." If Aunt
Sally lives until the seventeenth
day of next July, she will be
eighty-nine years of age. She
has been confined to bed since
December 1914, but Bhe retains
her faculties and was able to dic
tate some interesting stories of
things that took place at the time
when the old Chambersburg and
Bedford turnpike was the main
artery of commerce between the
eastern sea coast and Pittsburgh
and the West In those days,
the road that is now known as
the Lincoln Highway presented
more picturesque scenes than its
successor, the Pennsylvania rail
road does to-day, owing to the
modes of travel. The second
prize went to Miss Elizabeth Bai
ley, of Thompson township, who
celebrated her eighty-sixth birth
day on the thirteenth of last De
cember. Miss Bailey described
many customs that surely would
seem strange to the young peo
ple of to-day.
Two coincidents appear in
these letters both ladies are
cripples, Aunt Sally having re
ceived a hard fall in December
1914, from which she has not re
covered, and Miss Bailey never
recovered the full use of one of
her ankles injured fifteen years
ago. The other coincident is,
both are maiden ladies, and their
long, well-spent lives, may be
due to their freedom from the
care of a cranky man whose ec
centricities might have shorten
ed their lives. From this we
reason, like Uncle Rastus, that
many ladies of sixty or seventy
years of age might be now nine
ty or a hundred if they had nev
er married. Leap year girls will
please take notice.
Very Cheap Water Power.
An inventor is demonstrating
at Frederick, Md that electri
city may be generated cheaply
by water power without the use
of a dam. Almjst any small
stream may be harnessed to fur
nish light for farm houses, or to
pump water. A V-shaped float
is anchored on the stream, with
the wide end up-stream. At the
down-stream end of the V which
is not closed is a water wheel
which operates a small dynamo,
a Bmall pump or both while
the float support the dynamo and
pump. Those mechanically in
clined will readily see that great
force can be obtained, and that
the increased rapidity of flow
will prevent freezing at the
wheel.
Costly Fires.
This office is in receipt of care
fully compiled statistics concern
ing the damage by fire to our
forests. In making public this
information, it is with the hope
that private citizens may get
awake to the necessity for bet
ter protection against this use
less waste something that af
fects the welfare of every man
and woman in the State. Fires
not only destroy standing tim
ber, but entirely prevent refor
estation. They destroy our wa
ter sources by burning up the
sponge that holds back floods in
stead of permitting the surplus
water to filter away gradually
during dry months. They make
impure what little water remains
to find its way under ground to
our wells and springs. Space
forbids further elaboration.
The Department of Forestry
reports 1,101 forest fires in Penn
sylvania during 1915. The cau
ses are given as follows: Rail
roads, 274 fires, doing $185,000
damage; brush burning on dry
o'r windy days, 105 fires, doing
$35,000 damage; incendiary, 102
fires, doing $98,000 damage; care
lessness of hunters, fishermen,
and campers, 136 fires, doing
$108,000 damage; miscellaneous,
37 fires doing $52,000 damage;
unknown, 382 fires, doing $3G5,
000 damage.
Department officials say that
reasonable care would have pre
vented practically all the fires
except those caused by lightning
and a few which started from
burning buildings.
The department is anxious that
citizens should demand of their
legislator an increase over the
beggarly amount ($45,000 every
two years) for protection, to at
least $100,000.
New York, which protects
about the same forest area as
Pennsylvania, appropri a t e s a
cent an acre each year fori pre
vention and extinction, and the
average fire covers only 33 acres;
Pennsylvania appropriated only
three tenths of a cent per acre,
and its average fire is ten times
as large it being 300 acres for
Pennsylvania.
Florida Letter.
Mr. Charlie H. Mann, of St
Cloud, Florida, writes the News
that he is gradually recovering
from his long siege of typhoid
fever. He has found the long,
hot, inland summers of southern
Florida a disappointment, but
thinks the winters are charming.
He has built a comfortable home,
planted many shade trees, and
otherwise provided for future
comforts; but he hopes to sell
and go farther north in the state
and nearer to the sea coast where
ocean breezes will take the place
of the burning stillness that fre
quently takes place on summer
days where he is now.
The Girls Won.
Mrs. Aaron Martin's class of
fourteen boys, and Mrs. C. B.
Steven's class of ten girls all of
the M. E. Sunday school, had a
friendly contest during the month
of January for best attendance.
While the attendance of both
classes was good, the girls won
by a close margin. The forfeit
for the losing side was an enter
tainment, refreshments and ser
vice to be furnished at the Par
sonage. Accordingly, the boys
''paid up" bravely and royally
entertained the little maidens
last Tuesday.
Believes Crop Ruined.
D. M. Ridenour, a well-known
fruit grower, believes the peach,
plum, and cherry crops of Wash
ington county, Md., have been
damaged to the extent of thous
ands of dollars by the warm spell
"I have been a fruit grower for
the past forty years," said Mr.
Ridenour, "and from the condi
tion of the buds of these three
varieties of fruit, it would indi
cate that when the late frosts
come, a large quantity of the
buds will be caught unprotected
and killed."
SCHOOL DIRECTORS CONVENTION.
Thursday Afternoon and Evening, and
Friday Forenoon, February
17th and 18th.
The school directors of Fulton
County will convene in the Court
House in McConnellsburg, Thurs
day, February 17th at 1:30 p. m.
Feeling that the people of Mc
Connellsburg and vicinity have
not heretofore understood that
this is an educational meeting
which all are invited to attend,
we are placing on this program
an invitation to all to attend its
sessions, and especially do we
invite you to attend the lecture
on Thursday evening.
Dr. C. H. Gordonier of the
Millersville State Normal will be
with us on Thursday and Friday
and will also deliver a lecture in
the Auditorium on Thursday
evening.
While this lecture is humorous,
it contains material for thought,
and will delight all who avail
themselves of the opportunity to
hear it
The lecture is FREE.
Thursday Afternoon.
Discussion: "School Visitation
by Directors" U. G. Humbert
John S. Deshong, G. A. Harris,
Lewis D. Wible and M. A.
Barkman.
Address Dr. C. H. Gordonier;
Subject "Rural School Prob
lems." Thursday Evening.
Instrumental Duet
Vocal Solo Miss Emily Great
head. Instrumental Solo Miss Minnie
Reisner. .
Quartette Miss Greathead, Mrs.
George W. Reisner, Messrs.
Runyan and Reisner.
Lecture Dr. C. H. Gordonier;
Subject-"Fire."
Friday Forenoon.
Discussion: School Sanitation
Prof. Clem Chesnut, Dr. J. W.
Mosser, T. S. Hershey, W. R.
Myers, and Harry Henry.
Address, Dr. Gordonier; Subject
"Public Sentiment"
Business Meeting.
Adjournment
Lost Life in Hotel Fire.
Paul Hendricks aged 21 years,
son of Rev. Dr. Hendricks, of the
Reformed church, Chambers
burg, lost his life in a hotel fire
in Atlantic City last Friday morn
ing. Paul was boarding at the
Hotel Overbrook when shortly
before daylight a fire broke out
in the great building, and Paul
was one of the first to be about
the business of saving lives. Be
ing an athlete and a perfect spec
imen of physical manhood, he
succeeded in carrying seven peo
ple down rope ladders from up
per stories in the hotel and di
rected fourteen others to the way
of safety. - Returning to save one
more, Paul was not seen alive
again, and it is supposed he was
overcome by smoke or fell to
death with a floor dropping.
Paul's father, Dr. Hendricks is
well known in McConnellsburg,
he having preached in the Re
formed, and in the Presbyterian,
church, on more than one occa
sion. Grip Causes Suicide.
Franklin P. Lloyd, 65 years
old, a widely known cigar manu
facturer and farmer, of York
county, committed suicide Thurs
day afternoon, following an ag
gravated attack of grippe which
continued for three weeks, by
shooting himself in the abdomen
and slashing himself across the
throat, severing the windpipe.
Either wound would have been
sufficient to produce death.
Shot a Wildcat
Floyd, son of Daniel McQuade,
of Ayr township, was hunting in
the Meadowgrounds last Satur
day when the dogs treed a wild
cat. When Floyd approached
the tree the cat leaped to the
ground, but the dogs closed in on
it and up another tree it went
By this time Floyd was within
shooting distance and killed it.
Farm Notes.
In looking over L H. Wible's
January crop and Livestock Re
port we notice that an unusual
number of his correspondents
complain that dogs have driven
many farmers out of the sheep
industry men who otherwise
have farms suitable for profitable
growing of wool and mutton.
This leads us to remark that on
February 20th a new law goes in
to effect namely, that constables
will be required to kill all dogs
not bearing a license tag or suf
er a fine of $2 for each neglect of
duty.
22,000 farmers in the State are
using automobiles for business or
pleasure. The number in Fulton
county is said to have doubled
during the year 1915. Total for
the State indicate about one auto
for each ten farmers. Fulton
county farmers have one for each
16 of their number.
The total number of milch cows
in the State increased about one
per cent during 1915, but the
average value decreased a trifle.
Ten years ago there were 1,102,
000 sheep in the State, while in
1915 there were but 806,000.
The number of hogs compared
with a year ago is about the same
with prices a little lower. Horses
are about holding their own in
numbers and price.
Total value of all livestock in
Pennsylvania is estimated at
$167,843,000. Summing up Mr.
Wible's report for Fulton county,
we find few important changes
in the general prosperity condi
tion as compared with a year ago.
From government bulletins and
other sources, many of our read
ers have learned the average
price of lands in the counties of
the State. The price of unim
proved land ranges in price, ac
cording to these reports, from
$20 per acre in Fulton and Potter
counties, the price increasing as
large cities appear, until we reach
Delaware county where the price
ia given at $240. To our mind,
these figures are of little value
since limestone and poorer quali
ties of land are included in the
average. We think we struck a
better plan three years ago when
we took fifty improved farms ly
ing in the county outside of Big
Cove and advertised for sale by
one of our real estate agents.
The average price asked at that
time for the fifty improved shale
and slate farms was $11.50 per
acre. We do not have figures
for Big Cove limestone farms.
Temperance 5,500 Years Ago.
A foreign exchange has this
interesting paragraph: "There
is still in existence an Egyptian
papyrus of the date of 3500 years
before the Christian era, which,
contains the following caution:
'My son, do not linger in the
wine-shop or drink too much
wine. It causeth thee to utter
words regarding thy neighbor
which thou rememberest not
Thou fallest upon the ground,
thy limbs become weak as those
of a child. One cometh to trade
with thee and findeth thee so.
Then say they, 'Take away the
fellow, for he is drunk.' " This
is believed to be the oldest tem
perance lecture in existence.
The Christian Herald.
Hold-Up at Carlisle.
A daring holdup was perpetrat
ed Saturday evening at the edge
of Carlisle. Harry Shultz, who
lives on the Carlisle road, was
returning home and had three
small children with him in the
carriage when he was held up by
a colored man, opposite the alms
house. The man stopped him at
the point of a gun and made
Shultz surrender his money,
which amounted to only $1.80.
The holdup man then command
ed Shultz to drive slowly as far
as the United States avenue and
at the point of his revolver
made his escape. Several
suspects were picked up dur
ing the night by the police, but
they could not be identified.
Snbicribe tor the Niwa.
PNEUMONIA.
Issued by the United States Public
Health Service. For the Readers
of the NEWS.
Ten per cent of the deaths in
the United States result from
pneumonia. It is estimated that
during the past thirty days this
rate has been doubled in some
sections. Tuberculosis and heart
disease, each causing one-ninth
of all fatalities, are the only dis
eases which outrank pneumonia
among the legion of the men of
death, but in certain cities pneu
monia is steadily increasing and
even has surpassed the mortality
from tuberculosis. Seventy per
cent of all cases occur between
December and May. It is dis
tinctly a cold weather infection,
seemingly brought by wintery
blasts, but especially prevalent
during the winter season only
because its victims are rendered
more susceptible at that time by
exposure, debilitating influences
and the presence of predisposing
infections.
Pneumonia principally affects
those at the extremes of life, but
no age is exempt It is invaria
bly a germ disease. The predis
posing and exciting organisms
are so numerous that it would be
futile to attempt their enumera
tion. Many of them are con
stanly present in the mouths and
throats of healthy persons and it
is only through the aid which we
unwittingly extend to them that
they are transformed from harm
less organisms to one of man's
most powerful enemies.
The presence of other diseases
is the great predisposing cause of
pneumonia. They prepare the
soil for invasion. Holding first
rank in this category is influenza,
the increased incidence of pneu
monia at this time being largely
due to the present epidemic of
la grippe. Individuals suffering
from this infection are peculiar
ly susceptible to respiratory com
plication and should properly ob
serve every hygienic rule. In
flammation of the upper air pas
sages, pharyngitis, bronchitis,
and tonsilitis, often predispose
to the development of the dis
ease, particularly among the aged
and infirm. The acute contagi
ous diseases of childhood, more
especially measles and whooping
cough, frequently prepare the
way for pneumonia. Anyone
who through neglect or careless
ness permits the spread of these
infections is therefore cpen to the
severest condemnation. Ex
hausting disease of whatever na
ture, is often sufficient to so re
duce our resistance that we are
unable to cope with organisms
which should be easily overcome
and hence predisposed to the in
fection.
Debility, either temporary or
chronic, developing from any
cause, increases susceptibility.
Because of this the disease most
often attacks those at the ex
tremes of life. Among debilita
ting influences must be mention
ed cold, exposure to penetrating
winds, and the chilling of body
surfaces as a result of wetting.
The combination of lack of food
and fatigue proves particularly
disastrous during the winter sea
son and is a condition to be avoid
ed whenever possible. Bad hous
ing, mental or physical harass
ment and overwork are alike the
advance agent of the infection.
Overcrowding, in street cars, and
theatres, and other public places,
is unquestionably in part respon
sible for the spread of pneumonia
in cities, as far greater opportu
nity is thus offered for the dis
semination of the predisposing
diseases through indiscriminate
coughing and other means of
droplet infection, as well as the
directly injurious effects--which
inevitably result from exposure
to such environment The over
heating of rooms is also seeming
ly harmful. Promiscuous expec
toration may be, and probably is,
a factor in infection and conse
quently Bhould be avoided by ev
ery citizen. A remaining most
NATURE'S ENDOWMENTS.
Little Talks on Health and Hjgiene tj
Samuel G. Dixon, M. D., LL D.,
Commissioner of B;allh.
Many people make the error of
looking upon hea'.th as a crude
possession that Nature bestows
now and again in defiance of her
own laws. True, from time to
time we meet splendid specimens
of manhood and womanhood that
apparently resist unusual hard
ships in an environment wnich
would not seem conducive to good
health but in Nature nothing
thrives in the long run which is
not given proper conditions.
Every violation of the laws of
Nature makes its impression on
the vitality of man who loses his
resistance at every blow until the
injury is so great that it becomes
manifest to our grosser senses.
The maintenance of health is
to-day based upon both science
and art Fortunately it is with
in the reach of the vast majority
of our people and the man cr
woman who realizes the value of
self control has learned the first
principle.
Appreciation of the things most
worth while, never comes from
excessive indulgence. A rational
life is fairly certain to be an im
portant factor in health and hap
piness. Many a man or woman
whom Nature has endowed with
but a medium physique has cul
tivated and maintained a degree
of bodily health sufficient to in
sure them a rational and pleasur
able life. On the other hand
many a physical giant has so
presumed upon Nature's endow
ment as to have wrecked that
most precious gift a good con
stitution. Dogs and Deer.
The annual complaints that
dogs are killing deer in the coun
ty have reached this office. The
Franklin county papers also con
tain accounts of similar killings
in the South Mountain. Under
the law, South Mountain sports
men are receiving a bounty of
$5.00 for killing dogs found chas
ing deer. The law applies to all
parts of the State, and is explain
ed by Secretary of Game Com
mission, Joseph Kalbfus, in the
following paragraph:
"Where the bounty is claimed
for the killing of a dog, we re
quire that the claimant should
make affidavit, stating when and
where he killed the dog, clearly
stating that the animal was not
his dog, that he had nothing
whatever to do with the starting
and the dog when killed was in
the pursuit of deer, preferably
having the claimant state plain
ly that he saw the deer or saw
tracks of the deer and knew that
the dog was in pursuit of wild
deer. We also require that the
claimant shall send to this office
with his affidavit the ears of the
dog killed."
Bedford County to Raise Hogs.
Organized with a capital stock
of $25,000 a number of Altoona"
business and professional" men
have formed a company which
will be incorporated as the Penn
sylvania Hog company, and will
raise high grade porkers. The
farm belonging to the William H.
Herr estate, near Reynoldsdale,
Bedford county, has been leased,
and the whole tract of 471 acres
will be used in connection with
the business. Charles C. Wehn,.,
of Johnstown, who has been
highly connected with the Na
tional Hog company for some
years will manage the enterprize.
Robert Wilkinson, of Cham
bersburg, spent last Sunday with
his parents Mr. and Mrs. A. B.
Wilkinson, N. Second St
important agent should be men
tioned, alcohol. It is in truth
the handmaiden of pneumonia,
and there is none more certain
or more sure of success, especial
ly if liberally and continuously
used.