July 5

Youthful Couple Disappears

Leaving home on July 4, with the intention of going to Pen-Mar, Jerry Ridge and Florence Shook of Catoctin Furnace had since been missing from their homes. The young man had been paying attention to the girl and many believe they went away with the intention of getting married. The boy is said to be sixteen years of age and the girl only thirteen years. When the boy did not come home, his father grew suspicious and began to investigate. He found that $500 of savings had been taken from under his pillow, a bar of soap placed with the remainder of the money to make the package look as large as usual. Up to this time, nothing has been heard from the runaways.

Lights For All Vehicles

Thurmont Automobile Commissioner Baughman has called attention to the law requiring lights on all horse-drawn vehicles which was passed on July 1. The law applies to the entire state and violations are subject to fines from five to ten dollars. Under the law, horse-drawn vehicles in use or at rest on public highways of the state, or any city, county, town or village, during the period of from one half hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise, shall display at least one bright light, so placed as to be clearly visible from the front and rear from a distance of 200 feet. It also provided that the owner or user may choose to use one white light visible from the front and one red light visible from the rear for the same distance of 200 feet.

Severe Scalp Wound

Mr. Howard Freeze of Thurmont met with a serious accident Wednesday morning at the home of Dr. George Zinkham in Jimtown, where he went to do some spouting. Mr. Freeze was trying to raise a gutter when his foot slipped, and he fell. The ladder fell and struck him on the left side of his head. His scalp was cut several inches and a number of stitches were required to close the wound. He was unconscious for a short while.

July 12

Heavy Tax Proposed

The U.S. Treasury Department is planning to tax luxuries and semi-luxuries in the War Revenue bill. The bill calls for heavy taxes on furniture, carpet, and other luxurious household articles. The bill also calls for taxes on moderately priced and expensive clothes, jewelry, formalwear, automobiles, gasoline, hotel and restaurant bills, soft drinks, tobacco, cigarettes, and many other items.

Dr. Jamison Injured

An x-ray examination at the City Hospital at Frederick showed that Dr. Jamison of Emmitsburg, who was seriously injured in an automobile accident Sunday night, suffered a fractured skull, a broken collarbone and a broken arm. Word is that Dr. Jamison is resting comfortably. His Ford Runabout was struck by a larger machine, driven by Miss Colliflower, and pushed over an embankment. Occupants of the machine driven by Miss Colliflower say that there was a space of 10 to 12 feet between Dr. Jamison’s machine and the embankment when they passed it. The passengers reported that the left rear of the Colliflower automobile scraped the front of the physician’s machine. They took Dr. Jamison to Emmitsburg in their car. It was not thought at the time that the injuries were of a serious nature. Dr. Jamison’s car, however, was considered a total loss.

Fire Destroys Barn And Crops

On Monday, fire broke out on the property of Mr. Harvey Stambaugh on the Graceham-Creigerstown Road about one mile from Graceham. The blaze was first seen on the barn roof. Mr. Stambaugh was doing his threshing and it is supposed that a spark from the engine fell on the roof and started the blaze. One of the men present rushed to the roof with a bucket of water and soon extinguished the blaze on the shingles, but sparks had fallen through on the hay in the mow and soon the entire interior was in flames.

Several horses in the stable were released in the nick of time. The threshing rig was pulled away from the stack unharmed. The Ajax chemical engine at Graceham was taken to the fire, but was of little use; the buildings were practically in ashes when it arrived.

The wheat crop and portions of the rye crop were burned together with the barn, wagon shed, henhouse and hay. Heat from the fire set the dwelling on fire, but this was subdued and little damage was done. Insurance in the amount of $175 was carried on the buildings.

July 19

Livestock Meeting

Plans have been made to hold a meeting in the interest of livestock at the schoolhouse in Emmitsburg, Monday evening. The purpose of the meeting is to increase the number of livestock in the northern part of the county through better methods of feeding, housing and breeding. Every farmer and individual owning livestock and who lives within driving distance should be present. There is every reason to believe that more sheep, as well as better dairy cows, more beef animals, and more hogs ought to be grown in the northern part of the county.

Graveyard Cleaning Notice

Apple's Church has decided to hire a professional to clean its graveyard this year instead of asking its parishioners to do it gratis. Therefore, the members would much appreciate all who have friends and relatives buried in the graveyard to contribute towards the cleaning.

Boozers Call For Prohibition Against Women Drivers

The Former Former Boozers Association has responded to Dr. Jamison’s car accident by rallying for a law to prohibit women drivers in Emmitsburg. "I don’t know a single member of our association that can’t drive better, fully loaded from a night of drinking ‘shine,’ than a sober woman," said Boozer President John Shorb, at the Association’s top secret still on the Mountain. "Women just don’t have the mental capacity, or the attention span, to handle the complexities of driving. We would all be a lot safer if women just stayed at home and did what they were made for: clean the house, wash clothes, and cook vittles for their hard working menfolk. Trust me," Shorb continued to the cheers of the assembled drunks, "…if we don’t stop them here, one day women will be asking us to listen to them when they talk, something no self-respecting man should ever do!" Shorb’s speech met with three rousing cheers, each followed by a round of drinks. Mayor Annan agreed with Shorb’s prediction and said he will work with the town council to prohibit women driving within the corporate limits of the town.

July 26

Traffic Officer Needed

The number of automobiles on the streets in Thurmont fully demonstrates the fact that a traffic officer is needed at the public square. Automobilists and driving teams frequently disregard traffic laws, and serious consequences threatened the town square on Saturday evening. Two machines did come together last weekend, but very gently, and no damage was done to either car. Illegally parking cars near the corner should not be tolerated and the ‘keep to the right law’ should be strictly enforced.

Heavy Storms

Several days of very warm weather this week resulted in heavy thunderstorms on Wednesday afternoon. The heavy rain began falling at 8:30 and continued late into the night. Lightning struck a tree and killed 17 sheep belonging to Dennis Shankle of Four Points.

Barn Burns After Lighting Strike

Wednesday afternoon, lightning struck the large bank barn on the Claubaugh Brother’s farm, five miles east of Emmitsburg, completely destroying the structure and its contents, including 1,000 bushels of wheat, this year’s hay crop, three horses, a heifer and a quantity of farming implements. The barn was struck during a heavy storm. Several flashes of lightning occurred before the rain set in and shortly afterwards the barn was seen in flames. The structure was soon a burning mass and it was impossible to rescue the animals inside. The heifer was found near a wire fence and it is assumed that she was killed by electricity from the lightning traveling through the fence.

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