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100 Years Ago This Month

August 1913

August 1

Child Injured by Speeding Autocar

While playing in the road in front of her home on the Waynesboro pike, 1 mile and a half from Emmitsburg, Friday evening, Pauline McCleaf, seven years old, was struck by an autocar in which five men were riding. She was severely injured, but it will not be known until further examination is made by the doctors whether her condition is dangerous.

The men in the car, who where from Washington, were speeding at a rate of up to 30 or 35 miles an hour witnesses say, and the girl, becoming confused, failed to get out of the path of a car. Although the wheels did not pass over her body she was struck by the side of the auto and hurled to the edge of the road.

The autoist immediately stopped the car and went to the child’s assistance. They carried her into her father’s home and then speeded to Emmitsburg and took Drs. Stone and Jamison back to the home of the injured girl. The men remained at her home and did everything in their power to aid to the little sufferer’s comfort, promising to pay all expenses for the best medical treatment obtainable.

Gettysburg Road to Become State Highway

The Governor of Pennsylvania has signed a bill which will make the road leading from Gettysburg to Emmitsburg a State Road. For years this has been one of the most heavily traveled roads for miles around, being on the main route from the South to Gettysburg. Many and loud have been the complains, not only from citizens of Emmitsburg and Gettysburg, but from tourists from every state who often have the occasion to traverse it. In light of these facts, there will be a general rejoicing and thanksgiving when this new Pennsylvania State Highway is brought to the usual high standards of roads of that state.

Train Robbers Forget Powder

Word has reached us as we go to press of an old style train robbery out west. The eastbound Northern Coast Limited of the Northern Pacific was held up by three masked men a mile and a half west of Homestead, Montana on Monday. The desperados compelled the engineer and the train crew to uncouple the engine and express car from the rest of the train and proceed ahead, leaving the train on the other side of a tunnel about 400 feet distant.

When the engine was brought to a stop, one outlaw announced that he had left the dynamite that was supposed to be used to blow the safe back with a train. The incident brought for snickers from the train crew, which were stopped by the firing of shots. The bandits then hurriedly disappeared among the rocks, and it is said that they left the scene on horses that they had tied nearby.

August 8

Appointment at Harney University

Prof. Jacob Turner who has just accepted the chair at snakeoligy at the University of Hardy has announced his intention of opening a correspondence school with the idea of teaching all takers a course on the science of snake charming. The professor now has 28 snakes of different varieties fully trained and he says he has no difficulty in making them do anything he asked. In the collection, there are two copperheads which he has taught to dance the tango and a black snake taught to walk the slack wire blindfolded.

Child Nearly Drowns in Bathtub

The probable death of the two-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Annan was averted by the prompt action of the little child's brother, Richard, who is only three years old. The two were playing in the bathtub when the faucet fell off. Richard succeeding in getting out but before he could warn his mother who was in the adjoining room, the water had covered William, the younger son who in an attempt to follow his brother out but had fallen face down in the tube.

Mr. Comer at the new Hotel Slagle came to their assistance and applied restoratives until the doctor could be called. Dr. Jamison and Browner responded and in a short while the little fellow was able to be around again.

August 15

Nathaniel Rowe Turns 92

The remarkable thing about Mr. Rowe is that his memory, that faculty - as a rule the first to fail in persons of advanced years - is as retentive as a youngster. He can recall with the greatest of ease, can name the time and place of, and the persons present, at events that happened over a half century ago. He remembers very vividly the scenes during the Civil War, having visited Gettysburg and Antietam shortly after the battles of these places.

That he has lived to such a remarkable age and still enjoys good health, Mr. Rowe attributes to the fact that he is most particular in his diet. It has been many years since Mr. Rowe has eaten meat of any kind.

It is a good thing to note the lively interest of Mr. Rowe takes in all public events, both locally and in the nation. He watches the doings of Congress very carefully. He is a reader of the newspapers and regrets that his eyes are beginning to feel the effects of their almost continuous use. Though not able to get around as freely as a few years ago Mr. Rowel is not invalid by any means. A lover of the open air, he goes out of doors when the weather permits.

Autocar Sabotaged

When Laurence Mordorff, proprietor of the new Slagle Hotel, started to take his autocar out yesterday morning, as usual, he found that something was wrong, as the machine refused to “go”. Upon investigating it was found that some persons, evidently with malicious intent, had put emery dust in the valves of the car.

August 22

Horse Accidents

On Monday evening, a five-year-old colt belonging to Mr. Henry Eckenrode, who resides near this place, was struck by lightning during the night.

On Wednesday afternoon, what might have been a serious accident, occurred on E. Main St. when a colt belonging to Mr. Mead Patterson and driven by Howard Johnson, ran away. It ran in on the pavement at Beam’s Livery and stopped. No damage was done.

Emmitsburg Band

The Emmitsburg Band has four new pupils who are making splendid progress, and there is room for more. Boys, keep up your musical organization and be a credit to yourself and to your town. Every town is proud of its band when it is a good one.

Mr. Krietz Meets With Accident

Mr. Joseph Krietz, of this place, met with a very painful accident on Tuesday morning when removing a tree which was blown over during the storm on Monday night. Mr. Krietz was cutting off the branches with an ax, when it caught on a clothesline just behind him and the blow dealt by the reaction rendered him unconscious. The physician was summoned to dress the wound. The wound was on the front of his head and while very painful is not considered serious.

August 29

Local Brevities

Two automobiles “came together” on the Square Wednesday night. No one was hurt and only slight damage was done.

Last night two buggies collided in the square, causing considerable excitement for the moment. Although one buggy was badly broken by the impact, none of the occupants of either was injured, and both horses escaped injury.

Several gentlemen occupy the detention cells of the town this week.

Local G. A. R. Post Disbands

The sale last Saturday of the furniture etc. of the local G. A. R. post definitively ended the existence of the Emmitsburg branch of that organization. Local members have been affiliated with the Thurmont a Post. The only G. A. R. members of Emmitsburg district are John Mentzer, Michael Hoke, James Hospelhorn, George Eyster, Samuel Wagerman, Abraham Herring, Jacob Turner and Peter Gearhart.

Men Killed During Initiation

The Chronicle got word this week of two men who were killed by an electrical shock at the hall of Loyal Order of Moose in New Orleans. An initiation was in progress and electrical shock was part of the ceremony. In some way the two men received too much current.

More than 150 members of the lodge were present at the initiation. Several other candidates had passed all the ceremonies and the two men were preparing for their branding. The metal emblem of the order was made red-hot why they looked on. Their chests were bared and both candidates were blindfolded.

A magneto was attached to one leg of each candidate and a chilled rubber emblem was pressed against their chest, while electric current was completed by a small wire touching their shoulders. Both men fainted. Lodge members thought they were “playing possum.” The presiding officer did not stop the initiation until it was seen that the two men were dying. Five minutes after the electrical current was applied both men were dead.

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