Home Papor —.For lis fine the circulation cf .his paper is in creasing rapidly. It will pay you to advertise in the AMERICAN. SUBSCRIPTION $1 PER YEAR DK. IKYING H. .IKNNINGS, Off.ct Houri 9 .1. M.to 12 M MM St., ! /'. .!/. to i 1' '/ Danville. I'n. 1 SHI'LTZ, M. 4*J. r j Miu. ST., DANVII.I.K. PA. iliwases of the Stomach an«l Intestines .. Speciall" I . W. I». AMiI.K, DENTIST Offick: -Is Mii.i.Struct. '•th Kxtracted without I' Frown i.fi'l HriHije Work h Specialty, with i• • • i*ti* >t »»' l irust improved ln«lrun»«*nt> : nd ♦ to execute t he most dUHou 112 work. DR C. H. REYNOLDS, DENTIST— 2SS Mill St., - Danville, Pa. Deuiiotry mad it;- branches. Charges M derate and ail work Guaranteed. Established 181*2 n«ip M-:us. M ire snow Z«no weather. N v for sleighing. Sharpen the best's shots, frozen pip* s have the call. The iceman ought to get busy now. Th. la sre i-trenuous days for the s .le-ladies— and the salesgeutlemen. Wit her prophet Hicks predicts hliz zar-is and cold waves aud deepsuows lor Christmas What this ect on of the country i.e ils is a good soaking rain that knows its business aud attends to it. Danville's Christmas rrarle gives promise of breaking all previous rec ords. Attached to ihe mining department when it goes into us new quarters iu the new capitoi at Harrisburg will be a mo-euin of mines Its must interest ing exhibit will be the famous model of au anthracite coal ni ne which was one of the chief features of Pennsyl vania's exhibit iu the Mine Building at the World' l - Fair. S.'iHtnokin has a cloak man who i* causing consideia'de excitement by stopping women on t e streets and badlv frightening tlieni Fr day night no less than fiv • women wi re stopped ■ud although b >iiy pursuea it t un known individual v\as able to make good his escai e. The person who begruog'S his gilts or who makes them with ihe hope of getting the hettei ot the excl a ge has no true conception of li e real Christ mas spirit FOB SALK OH HENT—Farm of 115 acres. luqni e of A. H. Weitzel, Dan ville. H. K. IJ. No 1. The assessors hav i been going their rounds for the annual registry. With Christmas near at hand, ti e attendance at Sunday school is steady ily on the increase. There is a water famine in many towns in Pennsylvania, and the de ficiency of rainfall iu this vicinity, since January 1, is twelve inches It isjrlear that the weatl er bureau isn't treating the people right. The Lehigh Valley railroad com pany is installing snow curtains on all of its engines. This is in compii ance with a request of the Brother hood of Railway Trainmen. The storm curtains are a great piotection to the, firemen in cold weather. The Chi istmas rush will soon be at high tide. There are only two things needed to enable a man to experience the exhila ration of sleighing —snow, and the price. No u-.e looking for a rain befoie tiie freeze ur«. The latt-r is in comma id. Invitati j:s have bieti received iu Danville for a dauce to ba given at the Etching Hotel, 8100-n-tiurg, Tuesday evening, December 2ith. The zero weather had many a lead pipe cinch this w. ek. The deposits for the first day at the Catawis-a Natimal Bank, which was opeued Monday morning for business, amounted to SIO,OOO, a very creditable showing. The business men of Shamokin hav made an at solute mle to cease the purchase of tickets for halls, benefits, church festivals and oilier occasions A MATTER OF HEALTH (®M, - - IS! &AKING POWDER Absolutely Pure HAS HQ S v ' ' ' ' ' ' - ' ' ' THIS COUNTRY WILL NEVER BE ENTIRELY FREE UNTIL IT SUPPLIES ALL OF ITS OWN DEMANDS WITH ITS OWN PRODUCTIONS."' VOL. 4SI-NO r>o NARROWLY ESCAPED ; BEING CREMATED The lon 1 mewing, unusual noise anil commotion made by a family cat at the home ot Frank Arms, 23 West Front street, early Saturday morning, doubtless saved the house from being | destroyed by fire, and the family, con -isting of the father and seven cliil | dron, from being cremated in their beds. The smoke from the kitcheu range makes its escape through a large old fashioned stone chimney of wide di mensions. A few iuches below where the stove pipe connects with the chimney, the upper portion of the latter is sepa rated from the lower by a number of I boards, leaving uuder them' a vault t like space several feet square aud about six feet high. This apertnre during the early history of the house was no doubt usjd as a fire place, and the opening into it is closed by a wood en structure composed of light, thin boards that would ignite quickly from a spark. About 9 o'clock on Friday night, Mrs. Arms imagined that she scouted the odor of burning wood or soot. She commenced an investigation iu order to loaru if her suspicions that some thing about the building was on fire, but finding nothing In any of the apartments,she went out side to look at j the top ot the chimney to ascertain j whether or uot it was burning. Dis- ; '■ covering no flames issuing from the chimney and no more smoke than ■ would ascend from the fire in the kitch en range, she re-entered the house and 1 shortly afterward retired. Betweeu 1 and 2 o'clock the follow- I ing morning Mr=. Arms was suddenly t awakened by an unusual uoise of some j i kind. At first she was unable to either i 1 locate the point from where the sound \ < came or what was causing it. Then she j ' heard the cat mewing iu a peculiar 1 manner. The animal had frequently j I mowed at nights when wanting out of i the honse, but the placid, unruffled I I ton's of her c tlls on those occasions i were vastly different from what she j c was giving veut to then. The cries, if , i such they can be called, were lond, \ 1 piercing aud agonizing. The cat ap- j - peared in great distress, and to be ap- ; t pealing for assistance with all the j' force and power at its command. j' Mrs. Arms interpreting the yells and j i •n»ws to b> cries of distress hurriedly j ' responded to them, little expecting, ; I however, the startling scene that was so soon to greet her vision. When she ' reached the Ileal ot the stairs she heard another sound, om that deadened I ' rhe -till i.. i. _<• -- j " sounded like the roar of an Niagara, , ? fairly causing the house to tremble. ' Not knowing the cause of the terrifiic, ' thunderous like"vibrations b neath In r feet,and imagining any and everything, 1 Mrs. Arms, after listening for a mo- j 1 meut, hesitated whether to proceed or ( 1 return to her room and awaken her 1 husband. Hut she decided ou the form- 1 er, and courageously continued ou down stairs. Throwing open the door at the bottom of the stairs she discov ered the kitchen filled with smoke,aud the hoard covering of the old fire place behind the range burning fiercely. The 1 flames were leaping up the wide chim ney, and ascending high above its top on tlio outside. It was the roar of these which Mrs Arms had heard dur ing the short time she had stood at the top of the stairs. A thrill cry from her after a single glance had taken in the situation, re sulted in bringing iier husband quick ly to her side. Ho rushed to the front I door and called to the night employes j of thejWater Works, which is nearly j on the opposite side of the street, j They promptly responded and in a short time had the blaze under control and a few minutes later extinguished. When a-sistance arrived the wooden covering in front of the chimney was pnrrlv consumed and the flames mak ing rapid advancement toward the in terior ot the kitchen. Had Mrs. Arms not discovered them when she did, they would soon have reached the stairway leading to the second story. That would have cut off the only ave nue through which tha imprisoned family could have escaped, except to i have jumped out of the windows,thin ly clad into the chilly winds of a Dec ember night—provided thev had been , awakened in time to have taken the i opportunity thus given them to save , themselves from being cremated. , The only thing burned besides the chimney covering and a portion of the ! floor under the range and near the I stairway, was a small hole i*i the roof and a few articles of cloth . g which i Mrs. Arms ha 1 suspended to the shelf I oft' e ringe before going to bed. Oou i sequently the damages are slight com -1 pa r ed to what they might have been, ! had not the cat sounded an alarm. : Sparks falling from the stove pi P 3 and igniting the hoards separating the ' chimney, and these burning through and dropping down and setting tire to the soot ill the old fire place is sup posed to have been the origin of the | blaze. Favorably Impressed. The members of the Printing Com mittee of the School Heard to whom the matter was referred at Monday night's meeting of the Board, are fav orably impresMil with Professor Gor ! dy's proposed O.itlme of Study, and shall so r*• i«» t t i the Board at the next ineiting They have authorized Mr (iordy to get estiniates of the cost of printing the number ot hooks re quired, so as to insert that item in the I report. CHARGED WITH LAR CENY BY BAILEE Saturday afternoon P. Miller,a farm er residiug in Liberty township, wm placed under S3OO bail by 'Squire Dal tjn for his appeartuce at Court to an swer the charge ot' luroeny by bailee, j The prosecutor wis Benjamin Mill er,a junk dealer of this city. Hetesti- I tied to having visite 1 the farm ot' the j defeulautou November 28, and negotiated for the purchase of a lot of I old iron, at 40 cents per hundred. He j paid $2 on account, aid left for home I with the understanding that lie was to return in a few days and g>>t the iron. On Monday, December 5, he weut back j I and upon looking around, discovered I that the pile of iron that he alleges ! was the one lie had purchased, was uot as large as it had baen at the time of his first visit. In fact, lie said, only a fe.v pieces of it remained an I as they were of an inferior qmlicy,he refu-e 1 to take them. He asked P. Miller what had become of the pile, and the latter replied that he liaJ sold them to Jacob Eugle that morning at 50 cents per hundred. Continuing the prosecutor said that he came home, and had a warrant issued for t'te arrest of P. Miller. The .latter claimed that he made no specifi; agreement with Ben jamin Miller to sell him the iron. He ! came there on November 28, and said he wanted a load of iron. He did not say whether he wanted scrap or cast iron, nor did he mention how many hundred weight he desired to secure. "I had seven piles of iron about my premisjs. He simply said he wauted iron, and that ha would be back in a few days. He offered me $2 to bind j the bargain. At first I refused to t»ke j it, but when he insisted tint 1 should, I put it in my pocket. Jacob Engle came to my place ou the morning of Dace lib tr 5, au 1 I sold hi in lfiOO pounds of iron at 50 cent's per hundred. Later in tlie day Benjamin Mlll *r put in an appearance again. He threw a load of iron into his wagon, then he got mad and threw jt off, saving he didn't want it. I gave him ba k his $2 and he thre.v it on the ground, where it buried itself in the snow, j After he weut away I picke 1 it out of the snow and put it in my pocket. "Yes, I have it now," he replied to a question addressed to him by the mag istrate. Benjamin Miller was held in his own recognizance to appear and prosecute the case. Growing in Interest. Under the supervision of Physical Director Carpenter the work of the Y. % t \ _. • i standard. All the classes a "<* w 11 at tended and growing iu interest and popularity. Five physical culture classes are j now in successful operation. The busi ness men's evening class and the bn-i 1 ness men's afternoon class hotii meet twice a week. The latter is not as well attended at present as it might he,but will, doubtless, have a larger number present at the meetings alter the holi days. The class for young men and the boys class each meets twice a week in the evenings, and the young ladies class twice a week in the aftern ions. The latter class is popular with the young ladies, well attended and grow ing in interest. It is confidently ex pected that after the first of the year greater interest will be manifested iu all the classes. Parents who have an interest in tin* physical development of their boys and girls, should present them with a Y. M. C. A. membership ticket,which will he good for one year in any Y.M. C. A in the United States and Canada. Council Will Attend Funeral. There was a special meeting of Town Council last night, at 7:30 o'clock, to take suitable action on the death of Councilman David A. Montgomery, of the Third Ward. Joseph M. Gibson, Amos \astine and George F. Reifsuyder were ap pointed a Committee to draft appro priate resolutions, and to report the same at the next meeting of Council. It was decided to attend the funer al, which takes place at 12:30 this af ternoon, in a body. Council will meet at the City Hull at 12 o'clock, and from there proceed to the family tesi dence, corner of Mill and Centre streets. —— Abutments To Be Filled in. The Commissioners of Northumber land and Montour Comities have taken the initiatory steps toward having the Danville and South Danville approach es to the new river bridge tilled in. At a joint meeting held iu the Com missioners' ollice in this city, yester day, the two boards of Coram is-ioners decided to take immediate ac tion in the matter by advertising for sealed proposals. These will he received at the Montour County Commissioners' , office on or before Saturday, Decern , her 24. Bidders muit state the kind of material to be u.-ed, and lln Commis sioners reserve the right to reject any or all bids. r I he contract, as a matt> r i of course, will he awarded to tlfe low 1 est bidder or bidders, and lie <>. the} will be required to do tie* work with the 1 -ast possible delay. Shoe Shining Parlor. William Anderson lots opened in up to-date shoe shining pirh r in the I Lotier bnil ling opposite t' e P< st a Office. This establishment will no 1 doubt be well patronized as it is the t only shoe sh:ning pail >r in il <• city - Honrs from Ha. in.to Hp. m. Satnr e days until !' pin La.iie-i -hoes n specialty. OANVILLK. I'A.. THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, l!K»4 THE HOLIDAY VACATION The School Board held a regular meeting Monday. The members pres- J out were: President Dr. Harpel, Sec- i retary Orth,Directors Pursel, Fischer, J i Truinbower, Werkheisor, Burns and | Adams. The Finance Committee reported |2,584.75 iu the hands of the Treasur er. Ou motion the report was aecept- I ed. The matter of moving the trolley pole from the pavement in front of the Third Ward school building, which was referred to the Building aud Re pair Committee at the last meeting of the Board, was disposed of. W. F. Pascoe, General Super i iutendent of the Standard Construc tion Company was present by request of the Buildiug and Repair Commit tee. Mr. Fischer, Chairman of the Committee,stated the case to Mr. Pas coe,aud informed him what they want ed done with the pole. The Commit tee desired that it be moved from its present location ou the sidew«i» out flush with the curb. Mr. Pascoe said that he had no objection to moving the pole, or of placing it wherever the School Board should instruct him to place it. But he thought that it would be a mistake to move it out flush with the curb. "You will always regret it if you do, but I will put it there if that is where you want it,"he said. Then Mr. Pascoe t-uggested doing away with the pole entirely, and the placing of a bolt in the school build ing to which the trolley wire could be fastened. That was objected toon the ground-" that it might be dangerous to attach the wire to the building. It was finally decided to instruct Mr. Pascoe to set the pole out flush with the curb, as had been first proposed. Mr. Werkheiser reported that now furnace pipe had been placed iu the Third Ward building. Superintendent Gordy was called on to explain a mvtter he had under con sideration. This was relative to a sys tematic outline of study in the schools. There was no complete, uniform line at the present time, and it was ex tremely necessary that one should be compiled, and adopted so that it could be placed in use at the earliest possi ble moment. It should be a course of study that would be of advautage to the teachers and understood by the people. It is as important for the teacher to have a system to work un der,as it is for a builder to have plans i and specifications of the buildiug that I he is erecting. Mr. Gordy is compil iie explained to the Board. tie bai prepared sufficient matter to make a j book of about -10 pages, and before he is through it may reach 150 pages. He ( had made inquiries as to the cost of getting a certan number of the books ( printed, and asked the Board to take some action in the matter. On motion it was referred to the Priutiug Com mittee, to be reported at the next re gular meeting of the Board. It was decided to close the schools ! ou Friday, December 23 and to re-open ' them ou January 3, 11(05. The next meeting of the School Board falling on Monday, December 26, which will he observed as Christmas, it was decided to meet Tuesday even ing, December 27. The following bills were ordered paid : Standard Gas Co . .$ j Danville St ve & M'f'g. CJ .... 4<> HO ; H. O. Sainton 2. SO Miles, Peifer & Co 7.50 j D. R. Williams 55.60 | W. J. Williams . 22 50 ( William Quigg 5.50 j T. L. Evans' Sons 7.50 1 I Xmas Shoppers Out in Force. The near approach of the Christmas ; season is being heralded in this city | iu many ways, but oue of the most . noticeable manifestations of the ad- ; vent of the Yuletide is the steadily | increasing number of shoppers that j throng the Danville stores. Last even ing many persons were on the streets, '■ aud nearly all were bent on gift pur chasing expeditions. in the toyland stores especially large , crowds are to be found, many bring ing the little ones to see the wonder ful collection of toys. This seasou is I always a delight to the children. The windows of the stores are also beginning to reflect the brightness of the season. Many have taken on their | Holiday attire, and are beautiful in their festive decorations. The merch- j ants of Danville deserve great credit | tor the attractiveuess that is always a 1 feature of the stores at Christmas time J in this city. Ready for Distribution. The Executive Board of the Dan ville Fire Department held a meeting Saturday night in the hall of Friend ship lire company. The department hadgi s having arrived, the |secretaries 1 of the four companies were given them Ito distribute to the members. Each ne mix r is entitled to a badge and by e tiling on the secretary of their com panv they can get one. The badges mil t he worn on the lapel of the fire ! incus cents, especially during a fire, in order that they can be recognized aud admitted within the ropes. t | Shot a Rabbit. I'he Rev S. B. Evans, pastor ot St. Paul's M. E. church, went to the wot ids on a hunting expedition oi t Tuesday, and bagged a rabbit. It wasn't a good day lor hunting either. 'PERSONAL I PARAGRAPHS William Ohl of Bloomsburg spent | friends in this city. Harry Deauer of Catawissa, spent J Sunday with Da-iville friends. Herbert Sweitzer, who is employed iu Sunbury, spent Sunday with his family iu this citv. W. A. Sholeuberg of Berwick, spent Sunday in this city. Ernest F. Paden of Berwick, was a Sunday visitor in this city. C. C. Houseueck of Berwick spent Sunday in this city. Mile 9 Houck of Pottsville, is visit ing at the home of his parents, Mr. aud Mrs. William Houck. Honeymoon street. Mrs. Bigler D. Moyer left yesterday for a visit with friends at Shamokin Alex M. Diehl made a business trip to Watsontown yesterday. Miss Floreuce Smith visited friends iu Sunbury yesterday. Mrs. Daniel Byerly and son Lewis j left yesterday for a visit with friends j at Shamokin. Mrs. John Miller of Cooper town- | ship, is spending a few days with j friends iu Sunbury. H. R. Edmoudson transacted busi ness in Shamokin yesterday. Theodore R. Angle returned from Bethlehem yesterdav. A. J. Leniger made a business trip | to Shamokin yesterday. William L. Antrim returned yester day from a trip to Pittstou. Mr. aud Mrs. John Edwards and Charles Whitmeyfr of Muncy spent yesterday in this city. Mr. and Mrs. John C. Zancr of Washingtonville were among the vis itors iu this city yesterday. .T, W. Lindner of Milton was a vis- \ itor iu this city yesterday. B. F. Shnltz of Berwick spent yes ' terday in this city. John Coleman of Washingtonville ; called on friends in this city yester- | day. Jacob Wintersteen of Jerseytown spent yesteiday in this city. E. W. Reese of H izletoj transacted j business in this citv yesterday. R. W. Smith of Bloomsburg was a visitor iu this city yesterday. .Tames C. Heddens and D. C. Will- ! iams returned last evening from a hunting trip ou Bald Kagle Mountain with 14 rabbits, l.'S gray f-qoirrels and Janies R. Casey ot white nan was a visitor iu this oity yesterday. ;j Mrs. Elizabeth Raup, who for a few davs has been the guest cf Mr. and Mrs. William Andy, East Market street.returned to her home in Milton yesterday. Mrs. Fr ink L. Miles arrived yester day fro.il Nanticoke, and will sp nd a few days with Mrs. Rachel Wertlieim er. East Front street. John R. Jacobs transacted business in H'lOomsburg yesterday. Mrs. John Waters, Mrs. William Waters, Mis. Norman Hess and dangh- j ter. Miss Mildred of Bloomsburg,spent yesterday at the home ot Mrs. Rebec ca Hess, Bloom street. Quail to Be Destributed. Yesterday the committee, appointed by the Danville Rifle aud Gun Club to collect funds for the purchase of qnail for distribution was busy solicit ing aid aim ng the sportsmen in this i vicinity, and met with eurcouragirg I success. Enough money was subscribed to j warrant the purchase of an additional 1 ten dozen of the birds. This, together ' with the twelve dozen quail that the \ j Club decided to buy,will make twenty | two dozen to distribute. Not all of j j the sportsmen have been seen, how | ever, so in all probability the number will exceed the twenty-two dozen now pledged. Anyone desiring to order birds and wishing to take advantage of the club rates, can leave their order with Rob ert Y. Gearhart,Treasurer of the D.iu ville Rifle aud Gun Club. The quail can be obtained for |7.00 a dozen and can be taken as soon as the eonsigu ! meut reaches this city. Revivals Were Successful. I The revival meetings at St. Paul's M. E. church have closed. They had been in progress lor several weeks un der the leadership of the pastor, the Rev. S. B. Evans,anil were one ot the most successful held at that church in many years. The attendance nightly was large, not only on the part of the meiuber ! ship, but on the part of members of other congregations and the public at large. While the pastor labored hard iu bringing about the result which fol lowed, he had the earnest support and assistance of his people. Pulpit and pew worked together as a unit, mid r aied a rich harvest in return toi the efforts pat forth. Much euthusiasm was aroused A spiritual awakening occurred, re sulting in a revival that has not only benefito I the church in which the series of meetings were held, but the entire community. Penitents, having been convinced by the strong and earnest words ot the pastor that they should change their manner of living, i flocked to the altar and later professed conversion. During the course of the revival,thirty new members were add ed to the church. HEATH OF I). A. MONTGOMERY David A. Montgomery, one of Dau vill 's most prominent citizens and a member ot Council, died at 9 o'clock Monday eve, after suffering with a complication of diseases for about two years and a half. The deceased was born in what was then Newberry, but now the 7th and 11th Wards of the city of Williams port, 41 years ago. He was married to Miss Emma Pursel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Pursel. April 1, 1895, he moved to Danville from Haghes vilie. At the latter place he was en gaged in the livery business with his father-in-law, Mr Pursel,and iu Dan ville he was iu the grocery business with his brother-in-law,E. K. Pursel. Mr. Montgomery was elected to Council about ;i years ago, aud took au active part in the affairs of the Borough He was a member and deacon of the Trinity Lutheran chnroh. He is survived by his wife, also his moth er—Mrs. I'. C. Miller, of Tivoli, Ly coming couuty, and the following brothers: George Montgomery,Eagles mere ; Edward, of Tivoli; Wjlliam, of Picture Rocks and a sister, Mrs. Charles Rooker, ot Muncy. Music of Great Composers. During the time intervening bet ween now aud Christmas day the American will publish a number of music al programs to be rendered by the churches and Sunday schools ou Christ mas. It has become the custom to piesent in the church on Christmas eve or Christinas day, the choicest vocal and instrumental sacred music of the great est composers with augmented choirs, hi ihorate decorations are also an at tractive feature, and the churches in every way endeavor to show their jubilation and joy in commemorating the cmuing of the Savior of mankind. The choral Holy Eucharist ou Christ mas morning in Christ Episcopal church has come to be one of the mark ed religious features of the year's ser vices in the parish. This service seems to meet the convenience of a large number of people who keep a religious \ Christmas before the duties of.the day begin. Ihe service begins at 6:30 o'clock. Following is the musical pro gram to be reudered at this and other services at Chri-t church on Christ mas day: , Processional—" Adeste Fideles" Reading Kyrie Eleison, Gloria Tibi, Gra tias, Credo Simper in C. Sursuni Corda.Sanctus, Benedictus ] Qui Yenit, Agnus Dei, Gloria j j in Excelsis i ."siinc Diiuittis in E Flat .. .Stainer i Recessional—^"lt Came Upon the Midnight Clear" Willis Low Celebration ... ... ...Ba. m. Morniug Prayer 10 a. M.i Choral Holy Eucharist ..10:30 a. m. "Hark the Herald Angles Sing ". Mendelssohn j Kyrie, Gloria Tibi.Gratias, Credo .. Simper iu E Flat | "Sing. Oh Sing, this Blessed Mom" Smart | Presentation of Alms . Anon Sursnm Corda. Benedictus Qui Yenit, Agnus Dei, Gloria in Excelsis Simper in E Flat j Nunc Diiuittis Gregory ; Adeste Fideles Reading Choral Eveniug Prayer. .7 :30 p. m Processional "Regent Square" Smart Psalms 81), 110, 132. Magnificat Gregory! Nunc Diiuittis Gregory Hymn—"O Little Town of Bethle hem" Redner Hymn—"While Shepherds Watch ed Their Flocks by Night".. Tansur Presentation of Alius Whitney ! Recessional "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" ...Mendelssohn. riust Pay Annual Tax. Representative Snyder of Schuylkill j county, is preparing a bill to present to ttie next Legislature asking that a dollar tax bo put upon every man who | j carries a gun. In every sense of the word this law would be a good one if it wer.i properly enforced aud the pro j ceeds of the tax were applied in the direction of increasing and protecting ! the game supply in the State, which, iu this section at least, has reached a ! low point. The trus sportsmen will doubtless ' welcome a law of this character. Cer ; tainly those in those counties where j for many years a few men interested iu hunting have clubbed together and footed bills for importing birds from i the west— putting tlieui out in most I likely places iu the county ouly to ; have them slaughtered by the hordes of gunnels who take to the fields the first tew days of the seasou. Preparing for the Holiday. The public schools will close for the 1 holidays on Friday afternoon, Decem ber 23. During ttie closing afternoon interesting and appropriate Christmas | exercises will be held in the several buildings All the grades will be giv en an oppoir.iuity to participate and as a result,the members of the various ! o 1 ses are kept busy in the double task of preparing themselves for the coming entertainments aud keeping up their regular studies. The programs will he arranged with the greatest care,and in a manner that I will not only interest the pupils of the | school, but all of the parents and ' friends desiring to attend. ESTABLISHED IX 1855 ■FUST TSOI.LKV till OS MILL STEFFI "Mill stieet!" Tlie exclamation was made iu ring ing tones by a conductor ou the Dan ville and Bloombsurg trolley liue, last night. His car was the first to run through to the intersection of Bloom and Mill streets. Hence his jubilant shout. The long expected had really occur red. It was exactly 9:25 o'clock. The car was packed from end to eud with passengers. There was "stand ing room only," and hardly that. Both platforms and all the steps were crowd ed. A number of boys clung to iron rods at the rear of the car. The only space not occupied was the roof. The trip around the Bloom street carve, down' A" street, through the sab way, along Walnut street to Mill was made with ease. Not the slightest 1 trouble was encountered euroute. When the car stopped the inotormau pulled the string and permitted the whistle to get iu several minutes solid j work. Its thrilling tones on the crisp air, was the first notice that many had | of the arrival of the first trolley car to Mill street. Tuesday night's extreme cold weath er caused another delay in getting the Bloom street switch in position aud the work of making the feed wire con nection at that point. Orders were I given during the afternoon for every man employed in laying the switch to j report for duty that night, in order I that the work might be pushed to a finish with the utmost speed. It wasn't a pleasant order to re ceive. The workmen were already tired aud chilled through. The thought of homes and warm stoves weie more to their liking, than that of having to , resume work again at night aud when mercury was hovering around the zero mark. American members of the crew ' readily consented to turn out aud work all night if necessary, but the Italian portion of the gang revolted and em phatically refused to subject them selves to the bitter elements. "We no workee," too much colde; by and by aboxe!" they said. Interpreted the expression is this: "We will not work at night when the weather is so cold. If we do we will get sick, die and be pat in a bcx." The few men who went to work continued at it until 10 o'clock, notwithstanding the stinging, frosty air. But the work was not com pleted, and it took the full crew uutil 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon to finish laying the switch. At about the same portion of track requiring straighten ing and strengthening to be attended to. A portiou of the rails on "A" street and extending along Walnut to Bloom, thence to Mill were covered , with ice and snow to a depth that made them invisible. They had to be dug for, audit was necessary to clean them before cars could be ran over the liue. A crew of men commenced clean ing the rails shortly after dinner and it took them until 4:30 o'clock to reach Mill street, and an hour later to reach the crossing of the D. L. & W. It was impossible for the men with picks aud scrapers to remove the ; ice sufficiently for the current to have any effect on the wlieels of the cars, so to expedite matters a heavy layer iof salt was scattered along both rails j the eutire length of the frozen track. I Then it was op to the salt as to the length of time that mast of a necessity i intervene before the cars could run to I Mill street. The Pure Food Farce. It is suggested that the Pennsylvania pure food laws should be enforced only against dealers who have been warned that certain goods which they handle are impure and who nevertheless per sist iu selling them. Justice would approve such depart | ure from present methods of enforcing the laws. As now enforced these laws ( are farcical. The retailers against whom the arms of the Commonwealth are leveled are in most cases innocent of wrongdoing Jor of complicity in violations of the : law. They buy what they believer are pure goods aud sell them under that belief. It is unjust to mulct them, up on the represcntation of chemists from whose findings there is no appeal, for the selling of alleged adulterated goods. It should be cleai to everybody that the retailer is himself the victim ot the adulteration. What can he said iu defense of that law which punishes the victim of a crime or misdemeanor- What would be said of the mental level of a people who would send to jail the victim of an assault and take no action against the assailant? Owner Pays if Dog Kites. The following will be ot informa tion to mauy a person who owns a vic ious dog. In the case of Joseph Nor whose sou was bitten by a dog belong ing to William Melt, the jury in the court of common pleas at Carlisln.la t Wednesday, rendered a verdict in fav or of the plaintiff. The father re 'fives |320 damages aud the son 112 1,100. The suit was brought for $2,500 damages. Public Library for Willianisport. i The will of the late James V. Brown i bequeaths $400,000 for the building, equipment aud maintenance [ot a pub i lie library for Williamsport. I'his be quest is iu accord with the expressed • intention of Mr. Brown made 10 years I ago. He is estimated to have been worth #1.500,000. JOB PRINTING The office of the AMERICAN being furnished \vith a large ssortment of job letter and fancy type and job material | generally, the Publisher an nounces to the public that he is prepared at all times to ex cute in the neatest manner. JOB PRINTING Of all Kinds and Description LEWIS (HIISSiSC HULK N THE ILL j Teams and vehicles are now crossing the river ou the ice. The mail was brought over in a wagon Tuesday even ing ; teams crossed yesterday without mishap. Pedestrians are still making 1 good use of the foot path. Tne path way is safe in every respect at the 1 present time, but in order that it may ; continue in that condition, the News ' suggests that wagons, sleds aud other heavy vehicles be given an entirely different and distinct route to follow. Wheels and horses hoofs will wear ' the ice through more rapi lly than the j feet of men and women. Conseqoent- I ly there should be two roads across the river. Leave the present patlkfor j pedestrians and locate another for ! vehicles. As a safe guard against possible j slipping and tailing when descending ( the South side bank, the snow and ice should be coveted with ashes. The same precaution should be taken on this side. Thoughs on Christmas. Christmas with its many hallowed | and enchanting associations is again about to dawn apon the world. Christmas! What magnet in the sound: what subtle charm in the word. How it stirs the fount of memory. With the quickness ot the lightning's | Hash it restores childhood. Old age is j given a backwaid glance into the dis taut past. A moving panorama por trays scenes of other days when the years were young aud hopes bright. The faces aud forms of youthful com panions, now either bent with age or gone to their reward, distinctly ap pear on the canvass. Loved parents, around whom children gather at the old homestead aud listen to the story of the babe born in the manger, ate presented with startling effect. Their features are so distinct aud clear that the beholder is nearly forced to believe that the picture before him,is real and not a trick of memory. The whole world loves Christmas. It gives pleasure to youth and joy and contentment to age. Children look forward to it with bright anticipation, wondering what the day of all days is going to have in store for them. Par ents anxiously await its coming, hap py iu the thought of the pleasure they can give their children. It is a day of family re-union, when parents, brothers and sisters long sepa rated, are re-united around the old family hearth stone, wishing each oth "Oii 'ncqnamtandfa are renewed aud friendship re-cemented. Angels rejoice aud again herald abroad the glad tidings of "Peace ou Earth Good Will to All Let everybody try to make the com ing Christmas oue of genuine pleasure and rejoicing throughout Danville. Above all things else "remember the poor, whom ye have always with you." Make it ail objoct to make some oue outside of the pale of your immediate family aud friends, happy ou Christ mas. From your abundance give to the needy and the distressed, remem bering that it "is more blessed to give than to receive." Holding Church Fair on Sund. Despite the fact that the church au thoi ities are violently opposed to the scheme, the church fair in the base ment of a Sbamokin house of worship is open to the public Sunday evenings and there is great indignation over the desecration of the holy day. The fair is run full blast aud one of the prominent features is the wheel of fortuue giviug each and every oue a chaucj to wiu a prize. Although the profits resulting from the fair are turned over for a good cause, there is great objection over the practice of conducting the place of amusement openly on Sunday even iDg'- • a During th* progress ot the fair Sun day evening, Wallie Bellskey, of On eida street, aud Joseph Zubky, of Mo hawk street, Sliamokin.got into an al tercation over a girl. A fight ensued and Wallie laid his antagonist out for some time by dealing him several wicked blows ou the head with a "bil ly." The defeated youth was uncon scious for some liuie and was severely cut about the head. Vacation for Rural carriers. Representative Lafean. of Pennsyl vania, has introduced a bill in Con gress which provides for the grautiug to all carriers who have beeu in service for over a year i rior to July 1, 1905, a l. ave ol absence of litfeeu days witli ; out loss of pay. Carriers who have beeu less than one year iu the service are to be entitled to a leave of ab sence of one and a quarter days for each month served. The bill also pro vides for the employment of substi- I tutes at a salary of S3OO per annum. National Guard News. The bill for the construction of arm • ories has beeu prepared aud will be in troduced early in the session of tne legislature. The olive drab cap, recently made regulation in the United States army has not yet been adopted in Pennsyl vania but probably will be before the next encampment. Some of the companies of the Twelfth are making good progress with the New Drill Regulations but others are taking things so ea=v that the spring inspection is bound to catch them un prepared.