100 Years Ago This Month

August 1922

August 4

Slagle Hotel Sold

The well-known Slagle Hotel, formally the Emmitt House, in Emmitsburg has been sold to William Roberts of Washington. Mrs. Slagle, during her ownership and occupancy of the premise, has greatly improved it, until it is now one of the best-known hotels in Western Maryland. Since the death of Mrs. Slagle, last fall, the hotel has been the charge of Mrs. Thompson, who, desiring to retire from the business, made the sale. The hotel will once again go under the name of the Emmitt House.

Radios Reach Taneytown

Radio outfits have reached Taneytown. Charles Hesson is installing one, and another is on exhibition at Ott’s store. An altogether wonderful invention, considering everything, but as yet not fully perfect. The one at Ott’s store is connected with broadcasting stations in Pittsburgh and Schenectady New York.

Must Clean Auto Tags

Announcement has been made by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles that motorist must polish their license tags. The first drive against dirt license tags was launched with what was described as "disastrous results’ to motorist, 146 persons having been summoned to appear and traffic court in a single day. The penalty provided for violation of the law covering this offense is a fine from $10-$100.

Held For Fishing With Dynamite

The Frederick County Forest and Stream Club, dating back to 1874 and having a membership of 60, has been instrumental in having the Monocacy and other streams in the county stocked with Bass. Its members were disturbed recently by rumors that some persons were using dynamite to capture fish in the Monocacy. These rumors cultivated in the arrest of Cleveland Hoover, John & William Schaefer, and Dick Myers for fishing with dynamite in the Monocacy near Keysville.

High School Construction Delayed

Patrons of the Emmitsburg High School are beginning to feel apprehensive that the new high school building, which is being erected on the south edge of that town will not be completed when school opens in September. The work of constructing the exterior has not yet been completed and it is not believe that this work can be finished and the whole of the interior constructed before September 1. The work is said to have been hampered by the failure of the building materials to arrive in time. The old building was found to be too small to house the high school. Fireman’s Hall was used for the lower grades last year. It is not certain that the hall will be available for this purpose this year.

August 11

Civil War Veteran Dies

John Peters, a lifelong resident of Fairfield and a veteran of the Civil War died at his home in Fairfield last Saturday, aged 80 years, eight months and 31 days. He was a shoemaker by trade and was widely known. In 1863 Mr. Peters enlisted in Company B, 21st Pennsylvania Calvary and served six months when he was discharged. He reenlisted in Company E, 17th Pennsylvania Calvary and served until the end of the war. He took part in many engagements in the campaign in the West.

War On Glaring Light

Automobilists who have been breaking the headlight law are to be prosecuted hereafter. This was learned recently at the office of the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Within a few days a statewide crusade will begin. Although the law explicitly states the kind of lights permitted, the length of beam and candle power of lights, the majority of automobiles are said to carry blinding lights, making it impossible for motorist traveling in the opposite direction to see. Dimming lights, when passing in opposite direction is said to be an unknown courtesy.

Big Peach Crop

While peach growers around Frederick report a complete crop failure for this year, orchardist in the vicinity of Thurmont and Emmitsburg claim normal, and in some cases, a bumper yield. John Kellaugh, a well-known peach grower of near Thurmont, says he had a good yield. Throughout the southern section of the county, and in a adjacent Adams County, the fruit crop is reported to be at least normal. The frost and ice of late spring did not wipe out the peaches and apples there like it did in the Woodsboro and Walkersville areas.

Preferred The Rest

Albert Esterline, of Thurmont, who was arrested in Woodsboro on the charge of drunkenness and disorderly conduct and insulting women was given a hearing before the Burgess who gave him the option of paying a fine of $10 or taking a rest of 48 hours in the jail. The defendant opted for the rest and was returned to jail.

Lightning Kills Four Cows

Four of the best cows of the herd of Clarence Kechler were killed by a bolt of lightning from a electrical storm that passed over the southern part of Adams County Thursday morning. Mr. Kechler, who resides along the Emmitsburg-Fairfield Road, said the animals where standing under a tree near a wire fence, when it is believed a bolt struck the fence nearby. There are no indications that the tree was struck.

August 18

Flower Mill Changes Hands

On Monday the property and business of the Thurmont Flowering Mill, which has been owned and operated for the past 20 years by Arthur Etzler, was sold to Mr. William Ecker of Woodsboro. The business will be carried on the same as heretofore. Judge Ecker has had 20 years experience in the milling business, 15 years as the head miller of the Glade Valley Milling Company, and five more as vice president of that company. He and one of his sons will move to Thurmont this spring to run the mill.

Granted Divorce

It has been announced that Mrs. Ella Finch of Thurmont, who nearly a year ago married a man giving his name is Dr. Charles Davis, presumably from California, has been granted divorce by the court for Frederick County. Dr. Davis remained with his bride about three days and then had urgent business in Hagerstown. He left and never returned. He was next heard from in York Penna., where he married a Mrs. Rocky. Later he deserted her and reports state that he married a woman in New Jersey. According to rumor he married 16 women in various parts of the country. Upon evidence of his having a lived with another women without having obtained a divorce from his wife in Thurmont, Mrs. Davis was granted a divorce on statutory grounds.

Hand Badly Damaged

Last week, Michael Smith of Graceham, while unloading hay from a wagon, got his hand caught in the pulley and was drawn to the roof of the barn. His little finger was torn from his left hand and he fell to the floor. Two other fingers on the same hand were broken and his other hand badly lacerated in attempting to free himself.

Bullet Hits Two

On Sunday last at the home of Mr. Bushong Eyler near Thurmont, two of the families were injured by the discharge of an automatic revolver. A number of friends had called at the Eyler home, and the conversation had drifted too firearms, murders, &c.. Charles, the youngest son possesses firearms, among which is an automatic revolver. The shooting implements where exhibited and laid on a table. Presently his youngest sister, Mary, came in the room. She picked up the automatic. It discharged, the ball – tour through the ball of her thumb and then into her brother’s Charles left leg from the front. The ball remains in the back of the young man’s leg. It was a 25-caliber bullet. Charles is working and says he suffers little pain.

Playing On The Streets Forbidden

The playing of ball on the streets and sidewalks of Taneytown has been declared a nuisance and is forbidden. Anyone convicted with a violation of the order, will be dealt with according to the provisions of Ordinance Number 66 entitled, ‘Public Nuisance.’ Your attention is also called to the provision of Ordinance Numbers 46 and 97, which makes it unlawful for bicycles to be ridden without being properly equipped with alarm bells and lights at night, and for coasting on the streets with express wagons, &c.

Spectacle Salesman Assaults Deputy

W. H. Long, a spectacle vendor assaulted Emmitsburg Deputy Sheriff Adelsberger Friday, when the latter went to put a levy on his automobile for debt. It is believe he made his escape to Baltimore by a back road and is now in that city. Long had been in Emmitsburg for about two months selling spectacles, where he made a number of acquaintances. He was regarded as a man of mystery and little is known of him.

Deputy Adelsberger received a writ of attachment from a firm in Ohio, and he went to the Maryland Garage, where Long kept his machine to attach it. The officer found Long at the car and told him that he would take charge of it. Just as Adelsberger was leaning over the car to take the key out of the switch, long struck him a hard blow with his fist, felling him. When the deputy gained his feet, he found himself looking into the mussel of an automatic held by Long.

Employees of the garage, fearing that shooting would follow, scattered in all directions. The officer found that he was powerless to do anything. With his gun still leveled at Adelsberger, Long jumped into his car and left. Long, who is between 45 and 50 years old, did not stay at a boarding house, but took his meals at a restaurant and slept in the car, which was stored at the Maryland Garage. The attachment had been taken out on the car by a Cleveland firm which claim that Long old them money on the car.

Radios A Feature At Masonic Camp

Two radio-receiving outfits were a feature of the annual Masonic camp which closed its 10 day outing Tuesday, at the junction of Rock and Marsh creeks near Harney. Each evening during the encampment, the campers were entertained with concerts, news bulletins, and addresses picked up by the air from various sending stations in eastern part of the United States. The largest number of men in the camp at one time was 27. During the day, recreation was furnished the campers in the form of boating, fishing and swimming. A cook was hired to prepare meals for the party. The campers lived in tents during the outing.

August 25

A Fools’ Stunt

A man and his wife, residents of Thurmont, where on their way home close too midnight. Midway between Taneytown and Emmitsburg they saw another car approaching in the opposite direction. This car gave no sign of either slow up or turn from the middle of the road until almost upon the Thurmont car. Then its speed decreased and as it passed three shots were fired from its interior in the direction of the tires of the other car. Whether or not they were fired at the tires is not known. Of course the Thurmont folks, being wise, didn’t stop to inquire of the reasons for the shots.

Schools to Open On September 5

The public schools of Frederick County will open for the 1922-23 school year on September 5. The board voted that the white schools would have to be open for 190 days and the Colored schools of the county must be open for 160. A petition was presented by taxpayers of the vicinity of Woodsboro asking that an eighth grade be added to that school. The petition was not acted upon at the meeting, as all members of the Board were not present.

Cold Snap

After sweltering in the heat for some time, residents were treated to a real taste of fall weather on Wednesday night. People who have been complaining loudly about the continued heat began rummaging about for blankets and quilts and wondering whether last winter’s overcoat should be brought out of storage. The thermometer sank all the way to 47E. It would have taken but little of a drop to produce a frost temperature since that may be expected about 39 or 40E. Wednesday night was the coldest summer night, with one exception, on the local records, that of August 15, 1912.

But the local weatherman says that there’s still more hot weather in store for this part of the country and that in all likelihood it will soon reach us. However this late in the season very warm weather does not usually continue for long stretches and Fall is scheduled to make it debut before long.