f
Reynoldsville
Reynoldsville
Has modern schools and churches, paved
streets, water, gas and electric accommoda
tions, convenient trolley service, high and
healthful location, varied employment for
labor and many other rexldentlal advantages.
Offers exceptional advantages forithe loca
tion of new Industries i Free factory sites,
cheap and abundant fuel, direct shipping
facilities and low freight rates and plentiful
supply of laborers. ,
VOLUME 17.
REYNOLDSVILLE, PEWA.., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1909.
NFMBEB 43.
( Fire Placed Under the Boilers at the Upper Brick Plant Monday; Brick Tile
( P.n Ppqihtipr Onp.ratinn Marr.h 15: Piv CarlraHs of "HiHps Pppp.i'vrH sit Tpnnprrr
r
Evans Brick
Plant Ready
To Operate
Fifteen to Twenty Men Will
Be Taken On Within
A Week.
FIRE IS NOW UNDER BOILERS
For a month past workmen
have been busy repairing the
"upper brick plant recently pur
- chased by Thomas E. Evans,
ind the plant is now practically
idy for operation. Fire was
:ed under the boilers Monday
laratory to actual opera-
is in the yard. Mr. Evans
Les that within a week from
fteen to twenty men will be
put to work and from this begin
ing will be inreased to the full
capacity of the plant.
For the present the old clay
bank near Wishaw will be tused,
being shipped to the plant over
the R. & E. C. R'y. A standard
grade of brick and tile will be
manufactured and Mr. Evans
will devote his whole time to the
business. The'pottery in connec
tion with the plant will not be
operated
When in operation a few years
ago this concern was one of the
bqst employers ot labor in the
town and its resumption gives
genuine cause for rejoicing.
Summerville Makes .
Important Links
Extends Its Telephone Service
Over a Wide Expanse Ot
New Territory,
By an arrangement which went into
effect last week the rural telephone
lines of Jefferson, Indiana, the western
end of Clearfield, and parts of Clarion,
Forest and Armstrong counties have
been put In contact through the med-
ium of the Summerville Telephone Co.
Three important connections were
made when the Farmers' wires, with
a list of 500 users, were run into the
v Summerville exchange at Punxstu
tawney; the lines of the Paradise Tele
phone system, with 200 instruments
were added' to the switchboard of the
major system at Reynoldsville and con
nection with the big Red Bank farmers'
lines with its 1,500 subscribers, was
made at Brookville. , Service to all
three of the rural systems can be had
and Summerville renters are given
access, counting the S. U. B., to a total
of 2,500 houses In the country districts.
TheJoining up of these companies is
one of the most important moves that
has been made in telephone circles in
this part of the state in a long time and
will prove a great convenience to the
patrons of the various companies. Du-
' Bols Express.
' Grist Mill Changes Hands;
1 ; Brookville Men Purcease.
Some time ago an Important business
deal was consummated whereby the
the grist mil) on Railroad street orgln
ally built and owned by J. C. King &
Co. was sold to Messrs. Wallace &
Stefl, of Brookville and It is probable
that the new owners will assume
charge within the next month. Dur
ing the past three and a half years
the mill has been operated under a
lease by J. W. Hunter & Brother and
run almost continuously during that
period. The managing parter, E. Wray
Hunter, ha linoe beoome associated in
another imDortant POnrtPm Anil Mr a a tin
J longer able to devote attention to the
grist mill business. Wallace & Stefl
are old and experienced mill men, hav
ing long had charge of a mill located
near1 Brookville.
r7 v
At Stronach a union Sunday School was organized in July, 1907, by Jos. E. Kirkwood with forty members. Later thirty
' three professed conversion, twenty of whom appear in this picture.
A REYNOLDSVILLE MAN TRAVELS
OVER SIXTEEN THOUSAND MILES TO i .
SPREAD GOSPEL OF CHRISTIANITY
Joseph E. Kirkwoocl, Missionary of the American Sunday School Union, Is Performing a
Unique and Wonderful Work in Establishing the Sunday School and Church In Districts
Isolated from the Influence of Organized Churches and Schools.
MINING VILLAGE AND
The Star is neither religious nor
sectarian. It aims simply to mirror
the life and achievements of Reynolds
ville men and Reynoldsville institu
tions, and when it discovers in the city
a man who has traveled over sixteen
thousand miles in three years and a
half, in the interest of an institution
devoted to the bettering of social and
spiritual conditions, it delights in pre
senting a sketch of that man's work in
the hope that through the publicity may
be enlisted aid and interest in further
ing his work. The man is Joseph E.
Kirkwood; his work, the carrying of
the gospel to the isolated districts of
Jefferson and Clearfield counties under
the supervision of the American Sun
day School Union.
What is the American Sunday School
missionary? He is 'to-day what the
circuit rider was In the ploneor days
of the country. He goes where the
influence of the organized church does
not reach. He is the forerunner of the
church and of organized Christianity
and all that follows in its wake. With
out creed, without dogmatism, he
preaches the simplest and most primal
form of Christianity and leaves the
preference of denomination to the con
science and reason of his hearers. He
Is a character as unique as useful in
modern society. "
Joseph E. Kirkwood spent his boy
hood days in Reynoldsville and is well
known to many, but few know the real
nature of his work as a missionary of
the American Sunday School Union in
the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield and
Clarion. The story of-his three and
a half years' labor in this cause, during
which he has traveled over Blxteen
thousand miles through the roughest
and most Inaccessible mountain dis
tricts of Ohio and Pennsylvania, reads
like a page from the history of the
noted pioneer circuit riders and reveals
the existence of conditions ail around
us but little suspected by dwellers with
in the boundaries of organized commun
ities. We have asked Mr. Kirkwood to
prepare for us the sketches of his ex
periences given below believing that
they will be of as absorbing interest to
the readers of The Star as they have
been to us.
Mr. Kirkwood commenced his work
in the Southern Ohio district Septem
ber 15, 1905, and stayed there a year
and a half.
EX'rtlENCES IN OHIO.
One night I got off a train at the
village of Henley, Ohio. At ' the
station I heard the oaths of drunken
THE STRONACH (PA.) UNION SUNDAY SCHOOL
.x mm -mra- mv
RURAL SETTLEMENT
'-frC,:4;.l;f
t..-,
JOSEPH E. KIRKWOOD '
men and my Impressions of the place
were not very bright. I made my way
to the school house and found a large
crowd but not one man who could pray.
Next day as I went up to the school
house I witnessed part of a drunken
fight, an old woman with one eye took
the leading part in it. They called her
Old Aunt Sally. ' I used my baby organ
and sang the gospel nrre than I spoke
it. In three weeks 7K professed con
version among them was Old Aunt
Sally, who could prav hs I never heard
a woman pray. Slx'yi-lght were bap
tised and a church organized, the S. S.
doubled and a good S. S. library established.-
In one place I asked a man if he had
a bible. He said "Yes." and brought
out a book of bible readings. He didn't
know, the difference. I asked about
having a Sunday school, but some
laughed and said, "You'll get more
people out for a jug of whiskey than
a Sunday school." I told them I would
try aoyway, so I told everybody to come
to meeting at the school-bouse. I got
a brother to go with me, and we took
the baby organ. When we arrived
there was no light, no fire, no people.
My friend said, "No one is coming."
But we waited, and soon they came
boys with lanterns and girls with
lamps. Soon we had a lively service
of song, which resulted in organizing
a good Sunday school, which has done
excellent work.
T was in another place holding a
gospel meeting, when a woman came
to me and said: "Can't you start a
Sunday school at our place?" "Of
course I can," I answered. "Will you
help?" She said she would, so four
miles away at Jackson Furnace, we
it I
Y
a
THE SCENE OF WORK
opened a school of fifty.
Preaching in a small village one day
I wai'told of a man near by whose wife
lay dead. I went over to see him. He
was half drunk. I oonducted a funeral
service for him, and he told me: "I
have two boys in jail and a girl in re
form school. They never went to Sun
day school."
Another time I was going up a lonely
hollow, when I found an old church.
The doors were open, so I went In.
Everything inside was mouldy. A
bible, opened at the 17 th chapter of
John, lay on the pulpit. I read the
ohapter, and prayed to God to bless
anyone who came into the house. A
Bhort dsstanoe up" the hollow I found
a boy. I asked him if there were any
Christians on that creek, and he said,
"I reckon not, sir." Some miles fur
ther up that oreek 1 found a little
cabin. Insldethere were three small
children. The mother was out gather
ing berries for food. I talked with
them and found that they had not the
slightest knowledge of Jesus. Farther
over tne mountain I asked a man about
opening a Sunday school, and he swore
and said it "Wan't no use." But I
opened a school.
At another place a man said: "If our
children don't know about religion they
won't need give an account." In one
hollow an old man told me that the
"Devil lived there," and when I came
to hold meetings he was there, but two
girls and a young man found a Saviour,
and a school was organized.
A long ride over rooks, through
mud and rain and fording creeks one
Sunday brought me to Mt. Oswego.
There are two abandoned churches on
the mountain. Sunday schools as a
denominational schools had been a fail
ure. I talked to the people about union
principles, and in the evening I organ
zed a union Sunday school. In' one of
the homes I visited there were six
children and no mother. I carried my
baby organ Into that home and for the
first time those children heard and saw
an organ.
LATER WORK IN PENNSYLVANIA. .
Work in the West Central Pennsyl
vania district commenoed April 1, 1907.
Eleanora Shaft I found without a
Sunday school. I organized a good
mission and In evangelistic meetings
the first to accept Christ was a young
Scotchman, who spoke right out In
meeting and said, "I'll take Christ as
my Savior," and he stands firmly on
that decision to-day. Others followed
him In professing Christ.
I went to a place called Alaska, and
the first man I met told me It was the
worst place on earth. He said, "Eph
raim la joined to his idols, let him
alone." But I felt that God was not
Local Tannery
Secures Supply
Of Hides Again
Plant Had Almost Ceased To
i. Operate Through Inability
To Get Hides.
FUTURE LOOKS PROMISING
Five carloads of hides were re
ceived at the local plant of the
Elk Tanning Co., and there is a
rumor, hot confirmed however,
that more carloads are on the
way. Regardless of the truth of
the latter report, the first is a
fact and can have but one mean
ing: the resumption of work in
an industry which had almost
suspended operation. No infor
mation is ever given out by com
pany officials, but from sources
fairly well informed there are
reports which indicate that this
cargo of hides is the commence
ment of a movement which will
put the local tannery in full op
eration again within a very few
months. Many of the old hands
are now employed elsewhere but
if present indications mean may
be trusted, all will be back in
Reynoldsville shortly.
A crew of men were at work
yesterday unloading the present
cargo of hides. It is also said
that large quantities of tanning
supplies have been received.
of that mind, bo I bsgan meetings in
the school-house und 21 professed con
version. We organized a good Sunday
school.
On Sunday morning, May 19th, 1907,
I organized the Prospect Hill Union
S. S. of 60 members. Of these only 4
or 5 were; professing Christlons. In
two weeks I went back and held a
mission for seven nights and 38 persons
made a profession of Christ. The
superintendent and assistant superin
tendent became Christian men and the
present superintentent has led a prayer
meeting every Sunday night sinoe. I
understand he used to call off at dances
new he calls on people to pray.
On July, 1907, I organized the Stron
ach Union S. S. There were about 40
children in day school. The Sunday
school was conduoted in a vacant board
ing house and increased in interest and
attendance. I put in a S. S. library
and an organ was purchased. On Oct,
On October 20, 1908, 1 began some meet
ings in the boarding house. I was
preacher, singer and organist. I did
a great deal of personal work and in
two weeks was able to lead 33 to a
saving knowledge of Christ and gave
each convert a testament. Two weekly
prayer meetings were formed and since
a class and a Y. P. C. E. organized.
As a rule I find many friends, but a
missionary's experience is not always
crowned with the blessings and com
forts of home. He must he ready to
miss a meal to reach all classes. Then
I have found in some houses not only
extreme poverty, but so filthy I could
hardly find a place to sit down, and the
sight of the table takes one's apetite
away, and still we cannot refuse to eat.
STATISTICAL RECORD.
Sept. 15, 1905 to May 1, 1909. Three
years and six months.
Sunday School Missions Opened 28
Teachers and Scholars 1332
Sunday Schools Re-opened 6
Teachers and Scholars'.... 224
Sunday Schools Aided First Time.. .122
Bible Classes Y. P. C. E. and Prayer
3 Meetings Formed ....7
Classes and Churches Organized 2
Libraries Established in Rural
Districts , 10
Organs Purchased by Missions 4
Visits to Homes ...2210
Bibles and Testaments Dlstrlbuled.1790
Literature Distributed, Value... $329.74
Evangelistic and S. S. Addresses
Made $74
Persons Professing Conversion 231
Miles Traveled 16,346
Brick & Tile
. Completes Its
Repair Work
Will Commence 'Operations
JNext Monday'for a Full
Season's Run.
PLANT IS IN FINE CONDITION
After a suspension of less than
thirty days for the purpose of
making repairs after a steady
run during 1908, the plant of
the Reynoldsville Brick and Tile
Company will resume full opera
tion Monday, March 15th with
every expectation of being able
to continue at full capacity dur
ing the present year. The plant
felt the effect of the panic but
little on account of the contracts
for municipal and state highway
paving and with the return of
normal conditions is regaining
its old trade in building brick.
The Brick and Tile plant is in
better condition, and has a larg
er daily capacity now than at
any time since its erection, and
this with experienced executive
management, has placed it in
the front rank among the clay
working establishments of the
state.
Manuraciunm Driers,
From Furnace Slag
Bellefone Man is Perfecting A
New Process To Utilize
Waste Product.
According to the reports in our ex
changes, J. C. Roe, of the Bickford
Brick Co., of Bellefonte, has been per
fecting a process for the manufactur
ing of brick out of the slag, generally
wasted at iron furnaces, and it is now
alleged that the new material has been
tested and found to be as good for
building purposes as any flr-it class
brick.
It is said that a Bellefonte man re
cently used material made by the new
process for the front of a new business
block in that town and several other
buildings, now in the course of con
struction, are being built from the new
material. It is confidently stated that
the new brick is beyond the experi
mental stage. A'l that is needed to
make brick from slag, is a machine to
crush It, a machine to mix the product
with cement, and a hydraulio press.
Slag brick does not require burning.
The slag brick takes a finish like
marble, is guaranteed not to warp, and
can be made in exact sizes. The nat
ural color Is gray, but they can be made
any color, or size.
If the new brick should become a
marketable article, and be manufac
tured by all the iron furnaces in this
section, the old clay brick might go
out of business in the iron manufactur
ing country. The Adrian Furnace,
when working full time, has a waste
of a large number ' of tons ot the slag'
each day, with a necessary expense of
getting it out of the way, while if the
new process is practical it would mean
the turning of a large amount of waste
into a money making product, and the
establishment of a new industry in thin
section. -
"Flag Day" at Brookville.
The Patrlotio Order Sons of America
will celebrate "Flag Day" In Brookville
on Tuesday, June 15, at which time the
local order will be visited by members
of the order in the counties of Center,
Clearfield, Elk, Clarion and Jefferson,
the above date being the time fixed
upon for the annual reunion of the
members of the order in the North
western District of Pennsylvania, com
prising the above named counties.
Walk-Over shoes In process of mak
ing. At Wonderland next week..