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CAMBRIA FREEMAN
EBENSBURG, PA
JANUARY 1903
Friday, 2 Jan 1903
Contributed by Patty Millich
LOCAL AND PERSONAL
Here we are again.
Vintondale is said to have one case of small pox.
With this issue the FREEMAN begins its 37th year.
No better way to start the new year than to square up with the printer.
Mr. Harry Owens, of this place, spent several days in Pittsburg last week.
The days will now grow longer but the difference will hardly be noticeable for a month.
Ex-Register and Recorder James M. Singer was a visitor to Ebensburg on Wednesday.
Miss Victoria Brown of Pittsburg spent Christmas with her brothers and sister in Ebensburg.
County Treasurer-elect Harry B. Heffley, of Johnstown, was a visitor to Ebensburg on Monday.
Mr. John L. Stough, of this place, went to Greensburg this Thursday morning to visit relatives.
Dr. W. R. Shoemaker, of Wilmerding, spent a couple days in Ebensburg this week visiting relatives.
Mrs. P. J. Gallagher, of Youngstown, Ohio, is visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Darragh of this place.
Mr. Leonce Shields, of Pittsburg, spent a couple of days here last week visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Shields.
Editor Gibson of the MOUNTAINEER-HERALD is in Jefferson county this week acting as musical director of the teachers' institute.
Miss Fannie Lloyd, daughter of Postmaster Lloyd, left on Friday of last week for Oberlin, Ohio, where she will attend college.
Coal is worth about any price the operator has the conscience to ask on the car at the mine these days, provided he has the car.
Mr. Robert Jones and wife, of the West ward, are visiting friends in Pittsburg, where Mr. Jones may remove his family in the near future.
Mr. Simon Lantzy, of Garman's Mils, while on a visit to Ebensburg on Friday last, slipped on the icy pavement, breaking his right ankle.
Philip N. Shettig, Esq., and Mr. Edgar Lahey, of this place, have been in Clearfield, Pa., for the past couple of weeks engaged in abstracting titles.
Work on the eastern end of the New Portage railroad is about completed and last week a large force of workmen were moved to the Gallitzin end of the road.
Mrs. Esther Loch, of Lisbon, Ohio, and Mrs. A. E. Humphreys of Lorain, Ohio, both sisters of Mrs. Edward Griffith are visiting the latter at her home in this place.
A young man named Elliott, aged about twenty years, residing about four miles West of Ebensburg on the clay pike with his mother and sister, is suffering from smallpox. He was taken to the pest house at Johnstown on Wednesday.
Steward Hughes, of the county home, and his aides, feasted the inmates of that institution on Christmas Day at dinner on 145 pounds of the finest roast turkey with dressing and other concomitants complete, which was immensely enjoyed by the recipients.
Thomas Dillon's residence at Gallitzin was burned to the ground last Saturday with all its contents, entailing a loss of $800 or $900 on which there is some insurance. The household goods were all destroyed, there being no insurance on them. An overheated stove is said to have
been the cause of the fire.
Mr. Isaac Kelly, while working in the woods a couple miles west of Ebensburg about two weeks ago, saw a black bear, about three-fourths grown, leisurely wandering through the woods. Mr. Kelly had no gun and both he and the bear were satisfied to leave each other undisturbed. Several men from this place started out on the bear's trail but bruin escaped.
Extra train No. 370 got beyond control after leaving the Gallitzin tunnel Saturday morning and crashed into extra No. 1620, also running on No. 1 track between Bennington and the tunnel. The engine and five cars of No. 870 were wrecked and traffic blocked for a time, the Gallitzin wreck crew being called out to clear up the debris. Brakeman Edward Whitesill, of Altoona had his right leg caught under the wheels and it had to be amputated above the knee. He was the only person
hurt.
The famous stone house, located a few miles from Gallitzin on the Old Portage railroad, has been purchased by James D. Callery, a wealthy Pittsburg man, from S. H. Lemon, of Philadelphia, for a cash consideration, aggregating a number of thousands of dollars. Mr. Lemon retains ten acres of the land. It is the intention of Mr. Callery to make improvements about the property. Mr. Lemon, the former owner, is well and favorably known in Cambria county, and spent considerable of this time at the stone house.
Augustine Eberly, of Munster township, has sold his farm, stock and machinery. His health has made it imperative that he leave the farm, which he will do in the spring.
FORESTALLING A DAMAGE SUIT
The Barnes & Tucker colliery at Barnesboro took a peculiar action last week to avert a damage suit on the part of the father of brakeman Berringer, who was knocked off his car and killed by an overhanging chute. The chute was removed within twenty four hours after the accident. L. I. Berringer had intended photographing and measuring the chute to show that the accident was unavoidable on the part of his son. The coroner was busy at another case and did not arrive until after the chute had been removed. In case the elder Mr. Berringer should desire to enter suit for damages he is thus deprived of a valuable piece of evidence.
Mr. Berringer formerly lived in Barnesboro. [Indiana Messenger]
MARRIAGES
Prof. R. H. Beiter, of Gallitzin, well known throughout Cambria county and Miss Fannie Christe, of Gallitzin, were married at St. Patrick’s church, Gallitzin, at 7 o’clock Wednesday morning. The attendants were Casper Beiter and Miss Mame Addlesberger.
Mr. James Peach, of Ebensburg, and Miss Olive Johnston, of Altoona, were married at the parsonage of the Church of the Holy Name in Ebensburg on Tuesday morning, December 30th, 1902, by Rev. J. J. Ludden. Miss Dora Johnston, a sister of the bride and Mr. Charles Davison, of Ebensburg were the attendants. The groom had a house already furnished in the East ward where the newly wedded couple have to gone to housekeeping. The FREEMAN extends its congratulations.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
The following marriage licenses were issued by the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court for the two weeks ending Thursday January 1, 1903:
Thomas Stinson and Mary King, South Fork.
Collins Gregg and Elle May Bowers, Van Ormer.
George Thornton and Catharine Wheldon, Lilly.
Frederick Engler and Barbara Kibler, Elder township.
Frank Fry and Essie Hollen, Glasgow.
Nathaniel Roach and May Retallack, South Fork.
Harvey Ball, Frugality, and Ellen Bradley, Hastings.
Alexand [first name as spelled in newspaper] Frantz, Centre county, Pa., and Rachel Brown, Jackson township.
Francis J. Warner and Margaret Jane Davis, Puritan.
Alfred Owens, Northumberland county, and Agnes L. Cordwell, Puritan.
William E. Rivers and Theresa K. Zolner, Carrolltown.
James R. Lutz, Swissvale, Pa., and Myrtle J. James, Ebensburg.
Frank Hufford, Lock Haven, Pa., and Mollie James, Ebensburg.
R. H. Biter, Portage, and Fannie M. Criste, Gallitzin.
George Albright and Mary Gill, Chest township.
Clyde Young and Laura Calloway, Barnesboro.
James A. Peach, Ebensburg, and Olive May Johnston, Altoona.
Harvey H. Hetrick, Spangler, and Sadie McAnulty, Barnesboro.
Horace G. Smith, Grant, and Dora Anderson, Garman’s Mills.
DEATHS
Mr. Dorsey King, an old and well known citizen of Johnstown, died at his home in that city on Monday of last week, aged 70 years.
John Boreski, a Hungarian laborer, employed at the new Gallitzin tunnel, was caught between two cars on Wednesday morning and fatally crushed. He died as he was being placed on the train to be brought to the Altoona hospital.
Hugh O. Berringer, a conductor on the C. & C. branch, was struck by a coal chute which his train paws passing under on Monday of last week, at mine no. 8 near Barnesboro, and knocked under his train and killed. The chute was said to have been dangerous and has since been removed.
During a drunken fight Christmas evening at Claridge, a mining village on the Manor Valley railroad in Westmoreland county, Valentine Laresa was struck on the head with a beer glass thrown by a fellow countryman named Tony Barto and so badly inured that he died Friday morning. He was aged thirty-five and married. Barto had fled the county.
Charles N. Smither was struck by the “Goat” about two miles east of Cresson about 8 o’clock on Wednesday morning and so badly hurt that he died a short time after, at Cresson, where he was taken on the train that struck him. Smither had been riding on a freight train which stopped, when he got off, and failing to notice the approaching train, stepping in front of it. His remains were taken to the almshouse on Thursday and interred in the almshouse cemetery by the poor authorities.
Mrs. William Wilson, of Creekside, Indiana county, was burned to death Saturday morning by falling into a coal fire. Her son had left the house to do some work in the yard, and when he returned to the house, he found his mother lying prostrate on the hearth. She died in a few minutes without regaining consciousness. Mrs. Wilson had been an invalid and it is thought she was trying to fix the fire when she fainted. She was related to Thomas Kahney, the Mt. Washington, Pittsburg, man who was almost murdered two years ago by members of the famous Biddle gang of Pittsburg.
Thomas Nagle, assistant track foreman in the Altoona yard, and Jim Momer, a laborer under him, both died at the Altoona hospital early Saturday morning as the result of injuries received when run down by an engine and cabin car while at work a short distance west of Seventeenth street, drilling holes through a rail at 4:45 o’clock. Deceased was aged 45 years and had been employed by the company for a number of years. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic church, and was much respected and esteemed by a number of friends. He is survived by his wife and six children, also three brothers residing at St. Augustine, this county. The funeral took place Tuesday morning, services at Sacred Heart church. Interment in Calvary cemetery. Momer died at 4:30 o’clock, a short time after his foreman had passed away. He was a single man and aged 23 years and is survived by his mother and two sisters in Italy.
OBITUARIES
Mrs. Edward Humphreys died on Tuesday morning of last week at her home in Ebensburg after an illness which began last May. She had not been at all well for some time and for the last two or three months before her death had been bedfast. Her ailment was cancer of the stomach.
Mrs. Humphreys was the mother of Mrs. Winfield Reese and William Humphreys of Johnstown; Miss Elizabeth of Ebensburg, and John Humphreys of Dakota City, S.D. She was also a sister of John James of Conemaugh borough, David James of Morrellville, and Mrs. Charlotte Matthews, Ursina, Somerset county.
The deceased was born in Ebensburg and was one of the old residents of this place. For a great many years she was a member of the Welsh Methodist church, but at the time of her death she was affiliated with the Congregational church. The funeral took place on Thursday after- noon at 2 o’clock, the services being conducted by the Rev. J. Twyson Jones of the Ebensburg Congregational church. The interment was at Lloyd’s cemetery.
Simon A. Weakland, one of the oldest and most highly esteemed residents of Susquehanna township, died at his home near Hastings on Sunday, December 14th, at the age of 75 years. His death was caused by paralysis, he having suffered from a stroke on the preceding Thursday, from which he never rallied.
Deceased was born in Carroll township in June, 1827 and had been a resident of that section all his life. He had owned and lived on the farm, on which he died for 53 years, and was known and esteemed by everybody in the community as a good citizen, neighbor and friend. He is survived by his aged wife and one son, Isaac J. Weakland of Carroll township, and one daughter, Emma, wife of William E. Lantzy of Susquehanna township. The funeral took place on Tuesday morning when, after services at St. Bernard’s church at Hastings, his remains were laid to rest in the old Catholic cemetery at St. Joseph’s church, where most of the friends of his boyhood are buried.
Mr. Richard Owens, an old and respected resident of Cambria township. died at his home from the infirmities of age on Sunday evening, December 28, 1902, in the 82d year of his age. The deceased was born in Wales in February, 1821. In 1840 in company with his brother, the late Charles J. Owens, he came to America and located in Ebensburg. He soon after married Mrs. Rachel Long by whom he had one child, Joseph, who died in Iowa about two years ago. About eighteen years ago his wife died and sometime afterwards he married Miss Esther Campbell, who survives him. The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon from his late residence, after services by the Rev. John Shaw, of Ebensburg, the interment begin made in Lloyd cemetery.
Mrs. Rosanna Gibson died at the home of her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Shields in Ebensburg on Friday evening, December 19, 1902, aged about 70 years. Mrs. Gibson had been in ill health for some time and her death was not unexpected. Her remains were taken by railroad on Saturday as far as Blairsville, Pa., and from thence overland to Jacksonville, Indiana county, her former home and interred by the side of her husband and other deceased members of the family on Monday.
Mr. Isaac Weakland, one of the oldest residents of Susquehanna township, died at his home on Friday, December 19th, aged seventy-five years. He is survived by three sons and one daughter—-Emory of Elder township; Harvey of Pittsburg; William, at home and Mary, wife of William Baker, who is also at home. Funeral services were held at the Catholic church at Hastings and interment was made there on Monday following his death. Mr. Weakland was a well-to-do farmer and had large holdings of coal and other valuable realty.
At 8:30 o’clock Wednesday morning of last week, Mrs. Caroline Cain, wife of John Cain died at her home in Altoona, of Bright’s disease with which she had been ailing for a long time. The deceased was aged 47 years. She was a member of St. Mark’s Catholic church and was highly esteemed in a wide circle of friends. She is survived by her husband and two children, Herman J. and Mrs. Bert Shultz, both of Altoona. Mr. and Mrs. Cain were former residents of Munster township, this county, the decedent being a sister of Mr. James Singer of Ebensburg.
Mrs. Margaret, relict of John Cain, died at the home of her brother, Hugh Dougherty, near Buck’s Mills, Monday morning of last week, at the age of about 65 years. Her husband has been dead for about five years, and since that time she had been residing among her children and other relatives. Deceased is survived by a number of children. The funeral took place on Thursday at 10 o’clock at Loretto.
David Cense, a young man well known in the northern part of this county, died at his home in Hastings Saturday, December 20th, his death resulting from appendicitis. He was not married. The funeral took place Monday afternoon, interment being made in St. Bernard’s cemetery at Hastings.
Mrs. Baltzer Kline, of Elder township, died at a hospital in New York on Monday of last week, as the result of an operation which she had undergone.
SERIOUS SHOOTING AFFRAY
A serious shooting affray occurred in the camp of the Austrian laborers employed by Contractor Kerbaugh on the New Portage railroad about 9 o’clock Christmas night. The men celebrated the day in drinking and during the afternoon there were several fights and they terminated in the shooting of Evan Dunedovish, aged 26 years, and two of his countrymen. They were seated in their shanty when an unknown fellow countryman opened fire on them through the crevice near the door. At the first shot, Dunedovish fell to the floor. His companions started to his assistance, but before they reached his side, they were also hit, but not seriously hurt. Friday morning, Dunedovish was taken to the Altoona hospital where he died on Sunday
Dunedovish was born in Austria and was 26 years of age. He had been in the employ of the Kerbaugh company but a short time, just since the work on the new Portage railroad was begun.
The man who did the shooting is unknown but is said to have fled. He is supposed to be one the men with whom Dunedovish had quarreled earlier in the day. The camp where the fight occurred is in Blair county.
Friday, 9 Jan 1903
Contributed by Patty Millich
OFFICIALS SWORN IN
Court convened on Monday with Judge O'Connor on the bench for the purpose of swearing in the new county officials elected at the late election. The new officials are:
County Treasurer - Harry B. Heffley.
Commissioners - Benjamin Jones, W. S. Stutzman and T. M. Sheehan;
Auditors - John Gittings, L. W. Kaufmann and F. E. Farabaugh.
At noon Deputy Prothonotary Kinkead administered the oath of office to each of them in open court.
County Treasurer Heffley filed two bonds as follows: One of $10,000 to cover the county moneys due to the state, and the other for $80,000 as assurance to the county. On the bond to the state, which was filed in the office of the Register and Recorder, the sureties are H. B. Heffley, Charles C. When, W. G. Heffley and Louis A. Geis. On the county bond appear the names of John Bergman, J. B. Denny, P. S. Fisher, C. J. Mayer, Joe T. Kelly, John H. Waters, John Emmerling, John
Dowling, Conrad Hahn, Patrick Boyle, John Stenger and Charles B. Schry.
Immediately after being sworn in the County Commissioners organized by electing Benjamin Jones, president of the board; F. B. Jones was chosen for chief clerk and John Lehman and James McClune were chosen for transcribing clerks.
The county auditors after being sworn in commenced the work of auditing the receipts and expenditures of the county for the year 1902.
LOCAL AND PERSONAL
Six murders and seven suicides occurred in Cambria county in the year 1902.
Girls can whiten their hands by soaking them in dish water three times a day.
Mr. Henry E. Fenlon, of Bellefonte, Pa., was a visitor to Ebensburg this week.
Miss Della Bearer, of Carroll township, visited friends in Ebensburg on Thursday.
Eight foreigners were naturalized at the afternoon session of court held here on Monday.
Mr. Isaac N. Wissinger, of Blacklick township, was a visitor to Ebensburg on Thursday.
Editor Milton Spencer, of the Barnesboro SENTINEL, spent a few hours in town on Tuesday.
Fred D. Barker, Esq., of this place, went to Philadelphia on Wednesday evening on a business visit.
Mr. C. M. Parrish, of Bellefonte, Pa., spent Sunday with his parents, Squire J. D. Parrish and wife, of this place.
Mr. J. L. Elder, of this place, returned home from Pittsburg on Tuesday where he spent several days transacting business.
Mr. John C. Gates and daughter, Miss Alberta, were in Pittsburg on Tuesday, the latter being on her way to school at Oberlin, O.
The court on Monday appointed Charles Stiffler Constable of Blacklick to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Merton Edwards.
Mr. Edward W. Humphreys, of this place, has sold his property on Julian street in the West ward to Mr. Alex J. Evans for $2,200.
Mrs. J. R. Manion, of this place, accompanied by her sister, Miss Baker, of Susquehanna township, spent a few days in Tyrone this week.
Mr. Webster Griffith, of this place, on Christmas Day surprised his foreman, Mr. Elisha Mahon, by presenting him with a fine driving mare.
Miss Annie C. Oatman, a native of Ebensburg, daughter of the late George W. Oatman, Esq., has been appointed assistant to Postmaster D. W. Coulter at Conemaugh.
A child of Mike Senig, who resides near Lancashire mine No. 6 at Barnesboro, was badly scaled about the arms and face Friday afternoon by falling into a pan of boiling water.
William Isenberg of Ebensburg, driver of Herman Apel's teams, hauled 85 bushels of coal from Nantyglo to Ebensburg one day this week. Pretty good two-horse load.
At court on Monday the wholesale liquor license of James McCann at Lilly, was transferred to I. E. Carman. The retail license granted to Edward Rhue for the Hastings Hotel at Hastings was transferred to T. F. Maher.
Prof. Morris D. High, Johnstown, has sold a copy of the New England Primer, printed at Boston in 1727 to Dodd, Meade & Co., the publishers of Philadelphia for $2,500. Prof. High paid 12 cents for it at an auction sale.
Mr. John F. Tibbott left on Tuesday for a visit to his brother in Georgia and with the hope of benefiting his health by a brief sojourn in a milder climate. During his absence his duties as borough collector and treasurer will be attended to by Mr. G. Calvin Port.
The B. P. Anderson homestead in Allegheny township, between Loretto and Cresson has been sold to a party from Pittsburg, who, we understand, will utilize it for a summer residence, $8,000 being the
consideration. Rev. Father Gallitzin at one time owned the property.
A meeting of delegates from the different Catholic societies of Cambria county was held in the Y. M. I. Hall in Johnstown on Tuesday of last week. Six Catholic societies were represented, they being present from almost all the towns of the county. An organization was effected and two sessions were held.
Frank W. Pearman, a well-known P. R. R. conductor living at Conemaugh, suffered a fracture of the left leg at the ankle Monday evening by falling from a car when his train parted near South Fork.
He was taken to the Cambria hospital at Johnstown. Pearman is aged thirty-eight years and is married. His escape from being killed is said to have been miraculous.
Professor John McCormick, of Wilmore, has in contemplation the writing of a history of Cambria county. It is, needless to say, that it is a work that should have been undertaken by some competent person long ago and that in consequence of the delay much valuable material
and information has been lost. We hope Professor McCormick may see his way clear to the undertaking.
One hundred business and professional men of Johnstown attended a banquet at the Crystal Cafe on Monday night, given by Attorneys Robert S. and Thomas Edwin Murphy, in honor of their guests, Colonel J. A. Johnston, U. S. A., of Washington, D. C., and Captain Timmerlin of the Military Academy.
Among the appointments sent by President Roosevelt to the Senate on Monday was that of Hugh Pitcairn of Pennsylvania, Consul at Hamburg, to be Consul-General at the same place. Mr. Pitcairn is one of the owners of the Altoona TRIBUNE, a brother of Robert Pitcairn, Assistant to the
president of the P. R. R. and has been Consul at Hamburg since early in President McKinley's first administration. He was appointed from Altoona though his home is in Harrisburg.
DEATHS
An infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Herman T. Jones, of this place, died on Thursday of last week.
A child of Mr. and Mrs. John Reddinger of the East ward died on Sunday, its death resulting from a bad cold, aged 26 days. The remains were taken to Nicktown for burial.
Mrs. Mary Davis, a native of Ebensburg, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. R. D. Jones, in Berkeley, California on Wednesday, December 24, 1902, aged about 70 years. Her husband, William D. Davis, died here about 30 years ago and along with five children is buried in Lloyd cemetery. She was a sister of Mrs. D. D. Pryce of Ebensburg.
A married woman named Bubrick, aged about forty years, died at Puritan Monday afternoon from the effects of some slow poison which she told a neighbor she had taken with suicidal intent one week ago. Dr. Stricker, of Portage, attended her before her death and the coroner decided an investigation was not necessary.
Calvin Berkey, a school teacher at Rockwood, died of smallpox on Tuesday there and Dr. White, of Connellsville, Medical Inspector of the State Board of Health, pronounced it one of the worst forms of the disease. Several well-known families have since left the town. There are twelve case of smallpox in Rockwood and the disease is said to be rapidly spreading.
Russel Sheriff, twelve years old, the son of John Sheriff, of Latrobe, was fatally injured on Tuesday. He was skating along a street and when he started to cross, he fell just as a car passed. His right leg was ground off above the knee and he was otherwise injured about the head and body. He was moved to the Westmoreland hospital where it was stated that he could not possibly live.
While pouring gasoline out of a quart can with which to clean gloves Saturday, Miss Amanda Strayer of Waterloo, Iowa, was burned to death by the gasoline igniting from the heat of the kitchen stove. While attempting to extinguish the flames, Mrs. Strayer, the girl’s mother and a sister were also severely burned. This is the family of John E. Strayer, a former well-known Johnstown newspaper man.
Sarah, wife of J. V. Shultz, a Washington county farmer, was burned to death on Friday near Brocks by her clothing catching fire at a cooking stove. She was alone and made a heroic effort to put out the flames with her bare hands and by rolling in the snow but finding this unsuccessful, she ran to a neighbor’s. She fell exhausted near the house and when found, her clothing except her shoes were burned from her body.
Coroner Miller on Thursday morning of last week went to South Fork and investigated the death of Robert Swanson who was killed by No. 25 Wednesday afternoon, the remains having been picked up by No. 13 and taken to an undertaking establishment and prepared for burial. Papers found on the body identified the unfortunate and showed that he was a Swede and as a common seaman had traveled to all corners of the globe, having made voyages between San Francisco and Honolulu and England the and the Cape.
The Rev. David H. Parron, D. D., for forty-one years pastor of the Presbyterian church in Hollidaysburg, died in that place Saturday from pneumonia, aged seventy-four years.
KILLED ON THE RAILROAD
The badly mangled body of a foreigner named George Skacs was found on the railroad near the freight station at Spangler at about 9 o’clock Thursday evening of last week. Investigation showed that the skull of the unfortunate had been torn open and emptied of the brain, the left arm was almost severed from the body, the right foot ground off and numerous ugly cuts had been sustained on the body. Death must have been instantaneous.
It is thought that Skacs was intoxicated and was sitting or lying on the track and was struck by the evening passenger train.
The deceased was a native of Austria Hungary and was about 35 years of age. He was employed as a miner at Sterling mine No. 18, south of Spangler. He leaves a wife in the old country, who was to have joined him here in a few days.
DRAGGED TO DEATH
Standing on a ledge overhanging the Conemaugh river near Blairsville, Clarence Wilson, a 9-year-old boy of that place, with some companions was prodding ice cakes with a pole Monday evening when a large cake came along and caught the pole, dragging the boy into the surging stream.
All efforts of his companions to rescue him were futile and the body was carried down the stream with the floating ice.
The news of the drowning spread rapidly and searching parties started at once to find the body. All day friends and relatives from Pittsburg dynamited the river from the point of accident all the way to Kiskiminitas Junction, where the Conemaugh enters the Allegheny but their efforts were fruitless.
MARRIAGES
On Thursday evening, January 8th, Mr. Leo F. McKenrick, son of J. E. McKenrick, Esq., and Miss Blanche Buck, daughter of A. W. Buck of Ebensburg, were married at the home of the bridge on Centre street. Only the immediate families and a few friends were present. After the ceremony they departed for a short-tour through the West. The FREEMAN extends its congratulations to the newly wedded couple and hopes their cares may be one of continued sunshine and happiness.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
The following marriage licenses were issued by the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court for the week ending Thursday, January 8, 1903:
Oscar Anderson, Clearfield county, Pa., and Mary E. Swanson, Elder township.
Leo F. McKenrick and Blanche M. Buck, Ebensburg.
John E. Heart and Jane Divers, Bakertown.
Friday, January 16, 1903
Contributed by Patty Millich
EXAMINATION FOR MINE FOREMAN
Tuesday morning, January 20th, in the City Hall, Johnstown, will begin the annual examination for mine foreman and fire bosses in the Sixth Bituminous district, in connection with similar quizzes all over the state. The examinations will be in charge of a board composed of Mine Inspector Josiah T. Evans; John Donaldson, foreman of the Conemaugh mine and Peter Connors, foreman of a mine at Well's Creek, Somerset county.
The examination will last three days, the first two days being for mine foremen and the last day for fire bosses. Mine Inspector Evans says there is a great scarcity of both mine foremen and fire bosses; that for several weeks he had pending applications for at least six coal companies to secure for them mine foremen but that he has not been able to furnish the men.
LOCAL AND PERSONAL
Mr. C. R. Jones, of this place, was a visitor to Altoona on Thursday.
The erection of a new court house is being agitated in Somerset county.
The recent snow storms closed up many of the country roads with drifts.
Rev. Father Ludden, of this place, spent several days in Pittsburg this week.
Mr. William Frailey, of this place, spent the past week with his parents in Irvona.
Miss Bertha McAteer, of Loretto, was a visitor to friends in Ebensburg on Tuesday.
H. H. Myers, Esq., went to Philadelphia Thursday evening on a business visit.
Miss Nellie Lloyd, of this place, is the guest of Mrs. A. M. Stinerman at South Fork this week.
Mrs. Luke Weakland, of this place, who has been seriously ill with pneumonia is much improved and is now on a fair road to recovery.
It is reported that a new roundhouse will be constructed in East Hollidaysburg this spring with capacity for thirty-four locomotives.
While there are still quite a number of smallpox cases in this county, the disease is reported to be abating considerably.
Mr. M. D. Bearer has sold his property on Julian street in the West ward of Ebensburg to Mr. E. J. Luther, the consideration being $3,000.
Messrs. John Thomas, of Cambria township, and Richard Tibbott, of this place started on Monday for Iowa City, Iowa, where they will visit relatives.
The recent cold snap has covered Lake Rowena with a good quality of ice about 12 inches thick and people having ice houses to fill are busy with the harvest.
The commission to inquire into the mental condition of George E. Betz, of Summerhill, this county, appointed at the instance of his wife, have reported that he is perfectly fine.
M. D. Kittell, Esq., of this place, left on Monday afternoon for Bellefonte to attend the funeral of ex-Governor, Daniel H. Hastings. Mr. Kittell was an honorary pallbearer.
Frank Lewis, a guest at the Merchants Hotel, Johnstown, supposed to hail from Pittsburg, attempted suicide by cutting his throat early Tuesday morning. He was suffering from tremens and was removed to the Memorial hospital.
There are 509 cases of smallpox throughout Pennsylvania, exclusive of Philadelphia, and but two deaths from the disease during the month of December, according to the report of Dr. Benjamin Lee, the secretary to the State Board of Health.
Hon. John Dean, of Hollidaysburg, is increasing his purchases of mineral rights in the Brush Valley fields. Recently he has purchased about 900 acres of coal lands in Brush Valley township, Indiana county, and is about to close options that he secured on a dozen other tracts.
Officials of the Pennsylvania Railroad company in Altoona announced on Friday that the company will pay all employees who were members of the National Guard, during the recent coal strike, full time, the same as if they had been working. It will amount to over $10,000 on the Pennsylvania Railroad division.
The coining mill at the Cambria Powder Plant in Westmoreland county near Seward blew up between 1 and 2 o'clock this (Thursday) afternoon and one of the employees, Robert Woods, aged forty years, was badly burned. The cause of the explosion is not known. Two men were killed by an explosion at the same place in November.
Charles W. Bowles, son of Prof. J. W. Bowles, of Altoona, was knocked down late Tuesday night in the back yard of his home and stabbed half a dozen times in the region of the heart. It is believed his assailant thought him an Italian fruit dealer living next door, who has had trouble with some fellow countrymen.
A new bituminous district has been created of the territory in Cambria county, north of Cresson, and Alex Monteith of Benedictine, has been appointed Mine inspector therein.
The semi-annual convention of sub-district No. 2, United Mine Workers of America will be held in the opera house at Hastings on Wednesday, February 27, for the election of officers, including a president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, six members of the sub-district executive board, two adults [sic] and one member to represent the sub district on the district executive board.
Frank Trombaugh, night watchman for the Duquesne Coal and Coke company, of Bradenville, Westmoreland county, had a thrilling experience with two negro highwaymen about 2 o'clock Monday morning. They ordered him to hold up his hands and when he politely refused, fired at him, one ball cutting a gash in his head. Then they took all his garments, but his underclothing. The man was almost frozen when he found shelter.
John H. McClure, of the People's Credit clothing company of Altoona, was arrested to answer a charge of embezzling preferred by Richard P. McCarthy, general manager of the company. About two or three weeks ago, McClure reported to Chief of Police Tillard that the store had been robbed of $338.35, and that the thieves had evidently gotten in the back way, as there were tracks there. At the time the chief investigated the affair but did not take much stock in the story. The amount of the shortage, including the $338.35 cash, is about $1,200. It is stated that McClure recently lost about the amount of cash that was stolen in an Altoona gambling joint.
While thawing out dynamite on Saturday morning about 9 o'clock at the new Gallitzin tunnel, Henry DeVaughn, aged 31 years, and Charles Reonolds, aged 22, both of Bennington, were injured. DeVaughn received a laceration of the scalp while Reonolds received a fracture of both bones of his right forearm. Both men were taken to the Altoona hospital where they are receiving surgical attention.
Messrs. Smith & Courtwright are opening up the coal on what is known as the Moore syndicate on the Blacklick, and it is expected that they will be ready to ship coal from one of their operations within the next sixty days. They have secured about twelve hundred acres of coal land and intend to put in three other operations in order to work the coal to the best advantage.
Arthur Horn, nineteen years old, was arrested in DuBois Wednesday on charges of desertion from the United States army and horse stealing. He was stationed at Fort Robinson, Neb., and deserted after three months service. He hired a horse at Bakerton, this county, on Monday and failed to return it. He was traced to DuBois and the horse was found in his father's barn.
Alfred Ruggles, a young man about 23 years of age, left his home in Altoona Monday evening for no particular destination. He bid the members of his family good-bye and stated that he didn't know when he would see them again. Twenty-four hours later they were startled by receiving letters written by him at Tyrone in which he stated he intended to take his own life and that his body would be found at the bottom of the river. Is he dead or alive, is now a question that is
puzzling the members of his family.
Recently Mrs. Mary Uncapher of Cambria township, made information before Squire Joseph Jenkins., of West Taylor township, charging John Cox, of Vintondale, with adultery and also an information charging her daughter, Miss Ella B. Uncapher, aged 18 years, with fornication. A warrant was issued for Cox but before the officer succeeded in arresting him he got wind of the warrant and eluded the officer. Miss Uncapher claims that she and Cox were married in Canada while on a visit to Niagara Falls a short time ago; while it is said Cox has a wife and two children in addition to Miss Uncapher.
The new Evangelical Lutheran church at Glasgow, this county, will be dedicated on Sunday, January 18th. The church cost $4,000.
An Italian, whose name could not be learned but who was employed by Contractor Kerbaugh and who was known as No. 3,308, was run down and killed near Altoona Monday evening about 5 o'clock. The man was walking along the tracks of the main line when a yard engine ran down through the yard, struck him and knocked him to the track, then ran over him, killing him instantly. The whole top of his legs was broken.
DEATHS
James Wands, son of Chief of Police Wands, of Tyrone, died Friday morning from the effects of a fall from the bridge in the Tyrone opera house to the stage below, a distance of twenty feet. He struck on his head and never regained consciousness.
John Sisk, a prominent Clearfield township farmer, died on Wednesday morning of last week at his home near Chest Springs of diseases incident to advanced age, he being 97 years old. He is survived by a number of children. He was a member of St. Monica’s Catholic church at Chest Springs and the funeral took place Friday morning.
Harry Nicodemus was found dead at his home near Mann’s Creek, Bedford county, Monday morning. He was lying on the floor with his feet in the stove oven. His feet were badly burned. Nicodemus was an epileptic, and it is thought that while sitting by the stove he suffered a stroke. Nicodemus was a farmer, about 25 years old. His wife and children are visiting in Virginia.
William Rolland, 37 years old, of Altoona, a brakeman, was jolted from the top of a box car in the yard in that city Friday afternoon and fatally injured. The wheels of the car passed over Rolland’s body near the waist, grinding off the right leg and severely contusing the body. He was taken to the hospital where he lived until 10:20 that night. His wife and family were with him when he died. He is survived by a wife and four children.
An Italian, whose name could not be learned but who was employed by Contractor Kerbaugh and who was known as No. 3,308, was run down and killed near Altoona Monday evening about 5 o’clock. The man was walking along the tracks of the main line when a yard engine ran down through the yard, struck him and knocked him to the track, then ran over him, killing him instantly. The whole top of his legs was broken.
While returning home from work Thursday afternoon of last week in a blinding snowstorm, two Slavs were killed and two badly injured in the Pennsylvania railroad yard at Conemaugh. The dead are Joseph Makaro,aged 42; and, an unknown foreigner, aged about 30 years. The two injured men will recover. The four men were walking through the railroad yard. They had just stepped out of the way of an approaching train and were struck by another train coming in the opposite direction.
The inquest held by Coroner Miller, at Lilly, on Wednesday of last week to inquire into the death of John J. Smith, the Lilly miner who died at home December 28th under mysterious circumstances, returned a verdict holding John McIntire responsible. McIntyre had a fight with Smith and had knocked him down.
Pearl, daughter of David Vertz, who resides on the John Good farm, one mile west of Ebensburg, died at her home on Wednesday afternoon, aged 22 years. The deceased had been ill with typhoid fever in a Pittsburg hospital until a couple weeks ago when she had sufficiently recovered to return home. A few days ago she caught a severe cold which on account of her weakened condition resulted in her death. Her remains were taken to New Washington, Clearfield county, for interment on Thursday afternoon.
RESULTED FATALLY
While thawing out dynamite at the fire in his shanty at 9 o’clock on Saturday morning, Frank Shafer, an Austrian laborer employed by H. S. Kerbaugh & Co., incorporated, on the work of rebuilding the New Portage railroad near Duncansville, was fatally injured by one of the sticks exploding.
Shafer was 24 years old and has been working at Duncansville ever since the work began there. It has been a common practice among the workmen to thaw out the dynamite when it is frozen. Great care must be taken or an explosion will occur. Shafer had both legs below the knee blown off by the force of the explosion, hurling him through the shanty door. He was picked up by his fellow workmen, who sent him to the hospital at Altoona. When he was admitted it was found that he could not live. He was made as comfortable as possible until 4:30 Saturday afternoon when he died.
Shafer was an Austrian. His face was badly burned. No one else was injured but the shanty was badly wrecked.
Friday, January 23, 1903
Contributed by Patty Millich
LOCAL AND PERSONAL
Miss Florence Evans, of this place, is home from a visit to Cuba.
Mr. A. Strittmatter, of Carroll township, spent a few hours in town on Monday.
Mr. Joseph Huffman, of Blacklick township, spent a few hours in town on Saturday.
Mr. Hugh Bannan, of Loretto, was granted a pension of $30 per month on Saturday.
Mr. William Springer, of Carroll township was a visitor to Ebensburg on Monday.
Mr. Joseph Bearer, of Carroll township, spent a few hours in town on Wednesday.
Judge F. J. Kooser, of Somerset, was here on Tuesday disposing of some cases in which Judge O'Connor was interested.
Mr. Owen Rowland, who has been visiting relatives in Iowa City, Iowa for some time past, returned home on Saturday.
Johnstown's new shirt factory started operations on Monday. The factory will employ about 1,000 girls when running full.
Mrs. Lester Larimer, of this place, was has been seriously ill during the past week, is much improved and it is hoped she will soon be able to be about again.
Mr. Thomas Peach, a leading liveryman of Ebensburg and candidate of the Democratic nomination for sheriff, was a visitor in the city yesterday. [Tuesday's Altoona Times]
It is reported that Judge F. J. O'Connor, who now lives in Johnstown, will in the near future remove his family to Ebensburg where he will reside during his term on the bench.
W. R. Thompson, former editor and owner of the MOUNTAINEER HERALD, of this place, on Monday, purchased a half interest in the establishment from T. L. Gibson. We congratulate Brother Thompson on getting back among the elect and Brother Gibson in having a partner to share his joys and sorrows.
The convening of the legislature has given the Republican plum tree the customary shake and David D. Pryce, of Ebensburg, succeeded in picking up the position of janitor in the coat room of the house. Our old time fellow townsman, Lemuel Davis, of McKean county, was appointed as one of the transcribing clerks in the house.
Michael Dunn, of Gallitzin, was discharged from the Altoona hospital on Friday morning, where he had received treatment for a fracture of the left arm above the elbow. Dunn remained in the city and on Friday evening was again admitted to the hospital, he having again broken the arm by falling on Eleventh avenue.
At argument court held here on Tuesday Judge O'Connor made it known that he wanted applicants for liquor licenses to be present at license court in order that he could see whether they were fit persons to conduct a licensed house. Also that he wanted photographs of houses for which new applications were filed.
Summerhill borough has been officially declared free from smallpox, the last case of the disease having been last Monday decided by a physician to be cured. Since the outbreak of the epidemic in December, eight cases in all have been treated in the town. Squire E. W. Hull, who acted as Health Officer, reports the place to be in good sanitary condition.
Albert Itell, formerly of Johnstown, Dr. Edwin S. Cooper and Mrs. Delia Talbitzer, of New Castle, Pa., and Dr. J. R. Hahn of Edinboro, Pa., have been arrested, charged with being connected with a criminal operation upon Miss Mable Williams, of Conemaugh, causing her death at New Castle on September 16th last and will be given a preliminary hearing at New Castle on Friday.
Mr. Augustine Yost, of Carroll township, has sold his farm to Mr. John Lantzy,of Elder township, the consideration being $9,000. Mr. Yost will remove to Carrolltown.
Theodore Lythe, death watch over Jacob Gearhart, who will hang for the murder of his wife, robbed the murderer of $25 on Monday in the Sunbury jail and disappeared. Lythe also got money from politicians on the fictions plea of his wife's death. One of them sent a wreath to his home.
William R. Douglass, a farmer who resides a short distance west of Altoona along the Pittsburg division of the Pennsylvania railroad, occupies a bed at the Altoona hospital as a result of an accident which befell him about 6:30 o'clock on Monday evening. In getting off an engine he slipped and fell, striking his head against a tile or stone, causing a laceration of the scalp, concussion of the brain and probably fracture of the skull. His condition is serious and he may not recover.
Rembrandt Peale, owner of the Brawley and Snyder mines, has made the residents of Carrolltown one of the most liberal propositions that will ever be their good fortune to receive, says the Carrolltown NEWS. Mr. Peale is erecting a large electric plant at his mines to haul the cars
and on being consulted, agreed to furnish the citizens of the town with electric light, providing that enough subscribers can be secured to pay the actual expense of the same. Mr. Peale would have to hire an extra man at the power plant, and the cost of stringing wires would also figure largely in the expense. Mr. Peale says he desires no profit from the transaction and wants nothing more out of it than actual expense.
On Wednesday evening of last week there was a disastrous fire in Davistown, a small country village about a mile south of Portage, which destroyed the house and furniture of a man name Richardson. Mr. Richardson and family were at supper at the time, about 6:30 o'clock, he having previously fixed the fire in the parlor stove, opening the draft. Shortly after hearing a cracking noise, he went to the parlor door to find the interior a mass of flames. The wind was high at the
time and the house and contents were quickly consumed. Mr. Richardson had recently built an addition to his house, on which it is said there was no insurance. The loss is therefore heavy and as the family lost nearly all their worldly goods, the kind people of Portage are raising
a fund to assist them in their distress.
Ice seventeen inches thick, is now being cut and hauled to town from the borough dam north of town.
Annie Unko, a Slavish woman in jail, who is demented, attempted to kill her four-month-old babe by strangling it Friday.
DEATHS
The body of Carlos Reshann, the six-year-old child of Francis Reshann of Latrobe, who was drowned Tuesday afternoon of last week, was not recovered until late Thursday afternoon. The little cold hands still tightly grasping the sides of the sled on which he had coasted to his death.
Daniel Laughman, a well-known citizen of Altoona died at his home in that city on Saturday morning about 9 o’clock while sitting in his home, from heart trouble, in the 76th year of his age. For a number of years before his death Mr. Laughman was a successful coal operator near Lilly, in this county.
Andrew M. Cabala, aged thirty-three years, was struck and killed by extra No. 730, running light at the east bound station at Gallitzin station shortly after 7 o’clock on Tuesday evening. He stepped in front of the engine, it is said. Coroner Miller investigated the circumstances and decided an inquest unnecessary. The dead Hun is survived by a wife who moved into a new house the same morning.
Arthur McGregor, six years old, died at the Roaring Springs Sanitarium, in Blair county, Saturday night from the effect of burns received on Saturday. The boy secured a bottle of gasoline and spilled it over his clothing. He walked to the fire to dry it and the fluid took fire. His whole body was burned and he was removed to the sanitarium where he died.
Mrs. Catharine Elizabeth Munday, relict of the late Martin Munday, died at her home in Jackson township, on Friday evening, aged 83 years from the infirmities of age. Mrs. Munday is survived by three children: Fannie, wife of C. C. King, and Elias, both of Jackson township; and Mary, wife of Zacharias Varner of East Taylor township. A daughter, Cassie Munday, was murdered, with Polly Paul, at the latter’s home near Summerhill in 1865 by David Hoser and John B. Howser in the summer of 1865. Hoser and Howser were tried and convicted and executed in Ebensburg in 1868.
Russel, the seven-week-old son of Mr. and Mrs. David Helsel, of South Fork, was smothered to death Saturday evening as its parents were returning from a sledding party to Davidsville. The baby was too closely wrapped and suffocated before the Ferndale toll gate was reached. There it was discovered that the little one was unconscious and though everything possible was done at the home of the toll keeper where the baby was taken, the vital spark fled. The Helsels had been visiting Dale friends and went with a party on a trip to Davidsville. The mother was almost prostrated by the result of her efforts to keep the child warm.
Mrs. Annie Stolz, wife of H. O. Stolz, died at her home in Altoona at 1:30 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, of a complication of diseases. She had been ailing since Christmas. Deceased was a daughter of Lawrence L. and Barbara Wetznintzer, was born in Germany and was about 59 years of age. She came to America when quite young and, in 1864, at Carrolltown, she married to H. O. Stolz, who survives with four sons and one daughter: H. L. of Alliance, O. E. H. of New York; C. A. of Willesboro, N. S., and Lavenia, wife of John Reigel, of Altoona. Her remains were interred in St. John’s cemetery in that city on Tuesday morning.
A FATAL EXPLOSION
An explosion of four kegs of powder in a Slavish boarding house in Windber on Friday night horribly burned John Chupa, Stacco Chupa, Meek Soutemba, Frank Fresack, John Madis and M. Felerick, all Slavs.
The men were seated in one room, and it is reported that one of them was attempting to dry a quantity of powder at the stove when four kegs of the stuff let go. The side of the building was blown out and the six victims were found unconscious on the floor. They were placed in neighboring houses and attended by a quartette of Winber physicians and later removed to Memorial hospital where John Chupa, John Madis and M. Felerick have since died as a result of their injuries.
There is said to be but little hope for the recovery of the others.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
The following marriage licenses were issued by the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court for the week ending Thursday January 22, 1903:
D. J. Bolger, St. Boniface and Martha J. Richardson, Barnesboro.
Charles H. Pease, Lilly, and Margaret A. Lane, South Fork.
Andrew Rhody, Patton, and Lulu Allison, St. Lawrence.
Joseph Donahue and Agnes M. Kline, Hastings.
William Gallaher and Grace Allen, Patton.
Edward J. Hoover and Cecelia Nagle, Clearfield township.
Martin A. Beck and Mrs. Rose E. Kim, Lilly.
Simon Strittmatter, Carroll township, and Annie Huffman, Blacklick township.
Fred Plahs and Nora Ruffing, Portage.
Edward G. Buchanan and Myrtle S. Mangus, South Fork.
Joseph Perry Carter and Jennie Nelson, Hastings.
John C. Barnett and Angeline E. Adams, Chest Springs.
Frank Weatherson and Mary Stirrat, Spangler.
Friday, January 30, 1903
Contributed by Patty Millich
LOCAL AND PERSONAL
Mr. John Lahey, of Lilly, spent a few hours in town on Monday.
Mr. J. E. Shields, of Loretto, was a visitor to Ebensburg on Monday.
Dr. Claire Fitzgerald, of South Fork, was a visitor to Ebensburg on Monday.
Mr. John G. C. Bearer, of Spangler, spent a few hours in town on Monday.
Mr. Henra [as spelled in the newspaper] Dunman, of Barr township, was a visitor to Ebensburg on Tuesday.
Mr. George E. Meisel, of Carroll township, was a visitor to Ebensburg on Tuesday.
Mr. William O'Hara, of Munster township, spent a short time in town on Monday.
Mr. N. I. Roberts of Johnstown, was in town on Thursday in attendance at the funeral of Evan D. Evans.
A petition is being circulated for a Sunday train between Ebensburg and Cresson. A Sunday train will fill a long felt want.
Mr. and Mrs. Abel Lloyd, of Ebensburg, will celebrate their golden wedding this (Thursday) evening at their home in this place.
Mr. Frank Fresh, of Nicktown, recently slipped on the ice and falling, fractured both bones of his right leg between the ankle and the knee.
Dr. T. M. Richards, who has been absent at Zanesville for several months in the interest of a business house in Zanesville, Ohio, returned home on Friday.
Mr. John Murphy, of Munster township, who has been on the sick list for some time, is again able to be about and will soon be fully recovered.
At the sale of the Richard Owens farm in Cambria township on Saturday last, the farm consisting of 95 acres, coal reserved, was knocked down to Ira Bloom for $3,252 and the coal was bought in by John M. Hughes at 29 per acre.
One day last week Mr. Jacob Holtz, of New Germany, brought to town a sled load of coal weighing 7,800, the net weight of the coal being 6,600. Considering the fact that Mr. Holtz's pair of horses only weigh about 1,100 apiece the pull is pretty hard to beat.
About 900 acres of coal land in Barr and Blacklick townships have recently been optioned by Henry Duman, of that locality at $50, $60 and $80 per acre, the latter price including the surface. Rembrandt Peale, the well-known coal operator is the prospective purchaser.
Monday morning fires broke out the house of D. H. Stroup of Glen Campbell and destroyed it and his photograph gallery, and the house of James France adjoining. Mr. Stroup's loss is estimated to be $2,000 and Mr. France's $400, the latter covered by insurance.
The Pennsylvania Railroad company several days ago took out of service a passenger coach used on the Cambria and Clearfield Division because it is said a woman with smallpox had ridden in it. It was side tracked at Cherrytree and thoroughly fumigated before being used again.
A stuffed calf's hide owned by William Fisher of Mt. Union is quite a curiosity. Some time ago the calf was born at Johnstown, but died in three weeks, and the skin was stuffed in Buffalo. It is made up of one head, two eyes, three ears, two bodies and two tails and eight legs.
A sensation was created in Altoona social circles on Wednesday by an announcement that Miss Clara McAlarney, of the Mountain City, had brought suit for breach of promise against John G. Gorsuch, liveryman, claiming $5,000 damages. Gorsuch's marriage several weeks ago to another woman was a society event.
Over in Blair county, the judicial term of Judge Bell expires on the 1st Monday of January next. Judge Bell is a candidate for the Republican nomination for the office and William S. Hammond, Esq., of Altoona, who has served two terms as District Attorney in that county has announced himself as a candidate for judicial honors.
Mrs. Rachel Brode, of Altoona, and her nephew, Berry Dodson, of Altoona, were convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the Blair county court on Saturday. While Mrs. Brode was holding a masquerade party at her home, a party of boys congregated outside. A quarrel ensued between the masqueraders and the boys and in the melee a boy named Ambrose Gehl was shot and killed.
Mrs. Edward Parrish, who has been quite ill at the home of her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Brown of the East ward is improving.
Miss Gertrude Ferguson, of this place, has been selected by the directors of Jackson township to teach the Joint school, the former teacher having resigned.
The Cambria Powder company whose factory is at Seward, has been sued for an aggregate sum of $80,000 damages by four widows, whose husbands were killed in the explosions of June, 1900. The four suits entered at Greensburg are for $20,000 each. Sixteen children were left fatherless,
two having been born after the explosion. It is claimed that the deaths of the four men were due to carelessness on the part of the company.
The tunnel built by the Pennsylvania Railroad company on the Middle Division, two miles east of Altoona, has been completed. On Monday the tracks were connected, and Way Passenger west, known as No. 31 and Mail Express east, known as No. 34 were the first to pass through. The tunnel which is one mile long was built for the purpose of eliminating a curve. It was built by Contractor Kerbaugh and is a fine work of masonry. It will be used only for the passenger service.
On Wednesday morning about 3 o'clock Lambro Yraresco, a young Italian, broke into the post office at Gallitzin by pushing out a large window. The noise of the glass falling attracted the attention of Policeman James Lees who rushed to the scene and caught the man in the building. Yraresco immediately, on being discovered, pulled out a revolver and tried to commit suicide by shooting himself, the last shot being fired into his left ear and producing a wound that may prove fatal. He was arrested and is now in charge of a government officer.
A freight wreck in which four trains participated blocked all the tracks about midway between Wilmore and Portage on Sunday morning and delayed traffic for several hours. None of the trainmen were injured. Freights were standing on tracks Nos. 1 and 2, when another came along on No. 3 and stopped. Shortly after, another train crashed into the one standing on No. 3 and the impact wrecked the cars on the other two tracks in such a way that it was a long time before the debris was cleared up. It is said the property loss will exceed $10,000.
William Murray, of Myersdale, Somerset county, Tuesday morning about 6 o'clock, before starting to the mines, went into the coal house where he keeps his kegs of powder to fill his flask in which he keeps his daily supply. His miner's lamp furnished the light. The light must have fallen over for soon stray grains of powder began fizzing and they traveled toward the keg. Murray fought them a little but had to retreat. Just as he reached the door of the coal house, the powder in the keg was reached and there was a violent explosion, burning the back of his head and one of his ears very seriously. His face and eyes show signs of explosion. He will not be able to work for some time but had a very narrow escape. Powder and the open lamp do not mix except at a great risk.
Standing over her husband as he lay sleeping Monday night, Mrs. Fannie Estabol, of Crabtree, Westmoreland county, sent a bullet crashing into her brain and died two hours afterward. Her husband is agent for the Loyalhanna Brewing company of Latrobe.
The man who was elected coroner of Huntingdon county, Dr. G. G. Harman, is now acting sheriff of that county, brought about by the death of Sheriff Wilson. The law of the state provides that when the sheriff is removed from office by death or from any other cause, the duties of his office devolve upon the coroner. Dr. Harman will continue in the place until the governor fills it by appointment. But such appointment extends only to the next general election, which will be held next fall, when a new sheriff will be elected in the regular way.
Messrs. J. C. Cameron and Isaac Griffith of Indiana, left for Cambria county on Monday to negotiate for the purchase of a big tract of land being between Spangler and Nicktown and which is owned by Stadden & McHugh, the Glen Campbell lumbermen. The deal will probably be made as it is said there are only a few minor details to be agreed on by the contracting parties. The tract contains 5,000,000 feet of good timber, convenient to railroads and it will take between five and six years to complete the job. Stadden & McHugh will sell only the surface, retaining only the coal, with which the entire tract is supposed to be underlaid. It is the intention of Messrs. Cameron and Griffith to put modern machinery in place on the workings and also to operate lath and
shingle mills. But very small waste will be made in the cutting. [Indiana Messenger]
The Protection Mutual Fire Insurance company of Cambria county, at its recent election, held at the office of the Secretary, T. W. Dick, elected the following officers for the ensuing year: J. M. Thompson, John J. Evans, Webster Griffith, V. S. Barker, John Lloyd, J. G. C. Bearer, Wm. J. Buck, John C. Gates, D. W. Lake, Mathiot Reade, W. J. Hoppel and John L. Stough. At a meeting held for organizing, the following officers were elected: President, Mathiot Reade; Vice President, J. G. C. Bearer; executive committee, John Lloyd, John J. Evans, and James M. Thompson; Secretary and treasurer, T. W. Dick; Agents:, Geo. A. Kinkead's Sons, R. R. Davis, Ebensburg, and I. E. Roberts, Johnstown. The Cambria Mutual still maintains its place as a safe, reliable and cheap company. The company has been in existence 16 years and has levied only 18 assessments in that time. The last one having been levied over two years ago. It is gradually increasing its business along safe lines.
The suit brought by John M. Metzler and D. M. Thompson, executors of Ephraim W. Metzler, against the Pennsylvania Railroad Company to recover $860,000 damages in the Blair county court, has been settled to the parties. The late Mr. Mentzer was a Hollidaysburg coal shipper, owning mines located at Ben's Creek, this county. He alleged that the coal company was illegally discriminating against him by granting drawbacks or rebates on coal shipments to the business competitors, and
he brought suit under the act of 1883 to recover treble damages. These shipments extended over a period of twenty years. The defense was that a large portion of the claim was outlawed by the statute of limitations and that Mr. Mentzer had sold free on board cars at mines, and that
consequently he had not suffered by reason of the alleged discrimination. The exact basis of settlement could not be learned but it is said that the amount approximates $75,000. Suits of a similar character are pending against the railroad company by Max Frick, of Blandburg, $100,000, and J. E. Schmittle & Co., of Lloydsville, $56,000, each of this county.
THE BOROUGH CANDIDATES
On Saturday evening at 7 o'clock the Republicans of the borough of Ebensburg met at the council room and nominated the following candidates to be voted for at the ensuing election, February 17, 1903:
Burgess: Ed. James; Tax Collector, John F. Tibbott; Auditor, George Thomas.
East Ward: Council, E. H. Davis; School Director, Stewart Kinkead; Judge of Elections, Isaac Davis; Inspector, William Gray.
West Ward: Council, Herman Apel; School Director, S. L. Reed; Judge of Elections, Hosea Evans; Inspector: M. Isenberg.
After the Republicans were through the Democrats met at the same place and nominated the following ticket:
Burgess, H. A. Shoemaker; Tax Collector, Lester Larimer; Auditor, Dr. D. H. Shoemaker.
East Ward: School Director, R. L. McBreen; Councilman, M. J. Stoltz; Judge of Elections, J. D. Thomas; Inspector, Joseph Brown.
West Ward: Council, F. C. Lloyd; School Director, M. D. Bearer; Judge of Elections, Robert Bolsinger; Inspector, Thomas James.
DEATHS
Herman, son of Jacob Yost, of Cambria township, aged about 20 years, died about 2 o’clock Tuesday of creeping paralysis with which he had been affected for six or seven weeks.
Mr. William Shields, one of the pioneer citizens of Indiana, Pa., died at his home in that place on Monday, in the 85th year of his age. The deceased was an uncle of Mr. W. C. Shields of Ebensburg.
Clarence Edward Smeal, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Smeal, of Coalport, choked to death recently. The family were at dinner and the baby had just taken a drink of water when it began gasping for breath and before the doctor could reach the house it was dead.
A telegram was received here on Monday by Dr. M. R. B. Creery announcing the sudden death of his son-in-law, Dr. Thomas Sexton. Mr. Sexton had been on a visit to his former home in Maine and on his way to his home at Johnsonburg, Elk county, Pa., was taken ill at Buffalo, N.Y., with pneumonia and died there in a hospital. The deceased was married here about 18 years ago to Miss Minerva, daughter of Dr. Creery, by whom he is survived with two daughters, Inez and Marion, Mrs. Ed. Sexton, of this place, went to Johnsonburg to attend the funeral.
Mary, wife of Joseph Rainey, died at her home in Lilly Tuesday of last week of heart disease. She was aged forty-four years. She leaves to mourn her loss, her husband; both parents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kahoe of Lilly, two brothers and two sisters. The funeral took place on Thursday morning, the interment being the Catholic cemetery at Lilly.
OBITUARY
Mr. Evan D. Evans, one of the oldest native residents of this vicinity, died at the home of Mr. William Tate, in Ebensburg on Tuesday afternoon, January, 27, 1903, in the 81st year of his age. The deceased was born in Cambria township. When a young man he learned the carpenter trade with the late David H. Roberts, Esq., father of Mrs. Tate, and he continued to make his make his home with the family all his life and never married. He was a member of the old Cambria Guards, a company that was raised in Ebensburg for service in the Mexican war, and after doing faithful service until peace was declared, returned to Ebensburg. In the latter sixties, he was engaged for a few years with the late David Lewis in the lumber business, operating a steam sawmill in Susquehanna township. In the later years of his life he was not engaged in any active employment, living quietly and performing the duties of Constable of the East ward, to which office he had been continually elected from many years. His funeral took place this Thursday afternoon from the Tate home, where after services by the Rev. J. Twyson Jones, the remains were interred in Lloyd cemetery. The Highland Lodge of Odd Fellows, of which the deceased was a member, attending the funeral in a body.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
The following marriage licenses were issued by the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court for the week ending Thursday, January 29, 1903:
Paul E. Gilmore and Mary Z. Kuhn, Mountaindale.
John Theys and Annie G. Peden, South Fork.
William P. Brown and Edith Salvanta Williams, Barnesboro.
Thomas F. Gauntner and Mary C. Lumadue, Ashville.
Thomas Inman Jr., Cassandra, and Mary Doney, Portage.
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