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100 Years Ago This Month

May 1921

May 7

Lack of News

News of importance seems to be very scarce this week, or perhaps we have not heard it all, which is frequently the case. We know that in bygone days we were frequently accused of not publishing the fact that John, Bill, Mary or Kate had gone on a visit somewhere that was unknown to us. We are not supposed to know and hear everything that happens in the community. So to avoid being accused again, we would kindly ask anyone who has news of importance to hand it to us, as soon as possible.

Never Kill a Snake

A snake is your best friend, says Miss Elizabeth Remington, member of the Reptile Study Society. With only two exceptions – the Timber Rattlesnake and the Copperhead, there is not a snake in America that can bite you or injure you in anyway. A snake will eat the vermin on a farm without touching green things; he will kill every rat and mouse in the cellar, he will purge a well of infection and protect your household at night by driving away deadly pests. Never kill a snake.

Women Protest Boozer’s Women’s Classes

Wives of members of the Former-Former Boozers Association turned out in force Saturday afternoon in front of the Chronicle offices to protest the paper’s promotion of the Boozer’s Women’s classes. They claimed that the paper, by highlighting the courses and ongoing antics of the Boozers, was only encouraging their bad behavior. Unfortunately for the women, the paper’s staff was at the time at the Boozers’ class on ‘How to avoid your woman’s nagging’ .Word of the protest only reach the staff after the question and drinking session was in high gear – at which point the staff broke out in riotous laughter over the effectiveness of the course and vowed they would continue to promote the Boozers, saying "We will not bore our readers with the dreary news womenfolk want, but …’ at which point the speaker fell down on his face stone drunk, which is why we missed the deadline.

May 14

Holdup Man Caught

Charge with being one of the four man who held up the Republican Club in Baltimore several weeks ago, Ernest Myers was arrested two weeks ago at his aunt’s house near Mount Saint Mary’s. The arrest was made on the day the man charged with burglary at Hanover was being chased through the mountains west of Thurmont. When it became known that an arrest was made in this section, many persons thought it was the supposed of burglar that was caught. The officers kept the arrest of Myers undercover hoping that other members of the gang of holdup man might be located.

Myers was trailed to the home of his aunt after he was seeing living his father’s home in a Ford automobile. The license number of the machine was taken down and upon investigation found that it had been issued to his aunt. When they arrived at his aunt’s house, they found a young man standing in front of the house. As his aunt keeps a little store, the officers made a pretense of stopping to purchase some cigars and went into the store while other officers remained outside to watch the man who they thought was Myers. The officers asked his aunt some questions and inquired if the man was Ernest Myers. At first she said she did not know but later confessed that it was her nephew. Myers was placed under arrest. He did not have anything to say.

Was Traveling Fast

The chief of police for Thurmont received a call Tuesday night from Emmitsburg to be on the lookout for a motorcycle that was headed there way like a streak of lightning. The officers were on the lookout for the machine, which had been stolen, but the driver either turned back or took a side road.

Farmer’s outlook not encouraging

Local farmers will start off the season against a formidable array of discouragement. Whatever way they turn they seem to be confronted with difficulties of an unusual and tiring nature. The fruit crop has been seriously damaged by frost and spells of freezing weather. Canning crops hold fourth little inducement, and tomatoes are practically out of consideration as an important crop.

Grain prices have tended steadily downward, with number two red Winter wheat fluctuating around $1.50 a bushel and corn hovering around $.70 per bushel. Live stock prices are low. And for the first time since the World War a summer surplus of milk is anticipated to do the slack demand for milk for condensed products. A winter wheat crop estimated to be the fourth largest in history and 44,000,000 bushels larger than last year’s has been forecast by the Department of Agriculture.

May 21

Falls From Ladder

John Lemmon, of Harny, while preparing to erect a large sign at his place of business, had the misfortune to break one of the rounds of the ladder he was using, which caused him to fall about 10 feet, landing on the cement pavement, headfirst. This rendered him unconscious for a short time, and a large gash in the back of his head caused him to bleed fiercely. The indications are that there will be no permanent serious results.

Home Burglarize

Last Saturday while Mr. and Mrs. Charles Beard, of Thurmont, were downtown, burglars entered their home on W. Main St.. It is said that when Mrs. Beard went home about 10 o’clock she noticed flashes from the flashlight in the house. She entered by the side door and the robbers fled by the way of the front door. After investigating it was found that Mr. Beard‘s best suit of clothing was gone, also Mrs. Beard‘s fur coat and a $10 bill that have been left in the coat. Some other articles were also missed. Tracks of a buggy thought to have been used by the thieves was followed up the mountain road, but so far no trace has been found of the stolen property.

Decorations in Taneytown

Preparations are being made Memorial Day that will be a credit to Taneytown, and that will be bring a large number of people together to enjoy it. The exercises will be held on Monday afternoon, May 30. The Woodsboro Band, of 33 members will furnish the music. All veterans of the Civil War, and soldiers of the Spanish American and World War are invited.

Fire Destroy House

Harry Lambert’s summer home was destroyed by fire about midnight, Monday night. The Taneytown fire company struggled to put out the fire as the mains where filled with mud. The muddy mains only proved what some have been saying for a while, that the mains need regular flushing to keep them in proper trim for use in case of fire. With our week or gravity pressure, it seems evident that the mud will be a handicap in the case of future fires unless the mains are attended too.

May 28

Rain Does Much Damage

During the past week considerable rain has fallen. On Thursday of last week rain fell all day and put some streams out of their banks. On Friday evening, a heavy cloud came over us from the southwest. Rain began falling about 6 o’clock and continued an hour more, at times falling in torrents. The rain was accompanied by very vivid lightning and heavy thunder. Emmitsburg was held in the grip of this electrical storm for about 20 minutes. The factory of the Emmitsburg Broom Company was struck by lightning and caught fire. William Hayes. 18, was at the railroad depot waiting for newspapers and saw the fire start. He broke out a window in the factory, climbed in and smothered the flames with his raincoat before they can make any progress. The fire bell rang and the Emmitsburg fire department turned out but it services were not needed.

Injured By Explosion

On last Friday afternoon while George Florence and Quinn Topper of Emmitsburg were blasting out stumps on the Annan farm orchard near Zora. A blast of dynamite went off prematurely and both men were seriously injured. They had set the blast and a fuse was lighted and the men retreated to wait for the blast. After several minutes had passed and no explosion, the man went to the stump and remove the blast and placed a new one. The new fuse was lighted and an explosion followed instantly while both men were standing over the stump. Both were thrown to the ground by the force of the concussion. It was thought that a short fuse was used and after lighting the men did not have time to reach a place of safety. Mr. Topper had his left arm broken into places and Mr. Florence was badly cut about the face and head.

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