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100 Years Ago This Month

November 1923

November 2

Brother, Five, Shoots Younger Brother

Floyd Kuhn, three-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kuhn of Fairfield, is in critical condition at the Warner Hospital, having been shot in the abdomen by his five-year old brother, while the two boys were playing. Authorities say the little boy’s condition is grave.

According to the story of the shooting as told the hospital authorities, the affair was accidental. The two boys had been playing about the house during the morning when the older one picked up a 22-caliber rifle. The gun was supposed to have been empty, it was said, and the older boy is believed by his parents to have placed the cartridge in the chamber.

From the manner in which the bullet entered the little boy’s body, it is believed that he was lying on the floor on his stomach, and that the brother shot him from a prone position. The bullet took an upward course towards the boy’s lung, passing through the rump and into the groin. The cartridge also pierced the liver.

When the injured lad was brought to the hospital, the bullet wound in the liver was sutured and a considerable quantity of blood in the boy’s stomach was removed. The bullet has not been removed.

The family is unable to account for the presence of the one cartridge in the rifle, except that it was placed there by the older brother before he began playing with a firearm. It was the only cartridge in a gun after the shooting occurred, it is said.

Electrifying A Nation

Realizing that this country is on the threshold of the greatest industrial development it has ever experienced, Secretary Hoover, with the approval of the President, called an Eastern Super-Power Conference in New York City for a preliminary discussion on what steps Federal and State authorities can properly take in the promotion of what is called super-power development in the New England and Mid-Atlantic states.

Hoover explain that the conference was not to put more government in business, but as public authorities were already deeply interested in power production through many forms of regulation and control over power resources, he felt that coordination between public authorities and individuals would help in the advancement in the development of a great service to the public.

Engineering science has at last made it possible, by the perfection of high-voltage transmission lines of great lengths, to send power from distance sources to the thickly populated communities. Great economies in distribution can be secured through the interconnection of loads between systems and at the same time assure more security in the power supply from the effects of coal strikes and transportation interruptions.

A power distribution system stretching across state lines will result, he said, in financial, ownership and legal problems arising which must be coordinated. It was with these ideas in mind that secretary Hoover called the present conference in order that the way be prepared to handle the coming situation in the most efficient and scientific matter.

Mr. Hoover said: "every time we cheap in power and centralize its production we create new users; we increase production, we eliminate waste, we decrease the burden of physical effort upon men. In sum, we increase the standard of living and comfort of all our people."

November 9

Frederick Must Pay

Although Frederick County has been slow in paying for the tuition of children from this County who have been attending border schools in Carroll County, the State School Superintendent has told the Carroll County school system that these children cannot be barred from schools, as the Carroll County Board of Education has warned officials at Frederick County they would do.

The question of barring Frederick County children from attending schools has resulted from the failure of Frederick County to pay a balance of $4,656 for tuition for the 1922 to 1923 school year. The original bill was $8,656, $4,000 hasn’t been paid by the Frederick County School Board, because of an adequate school levy, say school officials. The balance has been unpaid.

Approximately 108 Frederick County school children in high school and elementary grades are attending border schools in Carroll County. Carroll County‘s per capita charge has been $133, which is considerably higher than the per capita cost in Frederick County.

In discussing the question, the Frederick County School Superintend said that the state superintendent had decided that children living near the Carroll County schools can attend those schools and their tuition must be paid by the County in which they live. If these children live near Frederick County high or elementary schools, they are expected to attend the schools of this county. Otherwise the family must pay for the tuition of their children if they wish them to go to out of County schools.

Million Bushels Of Apples In Adams

The apple crop in Adams County is more than double what it was last year and will amount to about 1 million bushels, according to official estimates made by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. While the production is exceptionally large, the crop this year throughout the state falls about half a million bushels below the bumper crop of 1920, according to the official statistics.

Throughout the past five years Adams County has maintained its lead in Apple production, with Franklin County second on the list. The crop in Franklin County this year is an excess of 800,000 bushels.

County Chautauqua

While Frederick City may be tiring of the Chautauqua, County town seem to be taking kinder to it. Practically all the towns and villages of Frederick County either have conducted a successful Chautauqua or plan on holding one. It is felt there an annual performance under the auspice is of the Swarthmore Chautauqua Department is the thing to do.

But Chautauqua season is just opening. Towns are buzzing about preparing to hold the three or four-day afternoon and evenings of literary a musical entertainment. One of these towns is Thurmont which is scheduled to hold their Chautauqua on December 13, 14 and 15th. A committee has been appointed to make the necessary arrangements for the Chautauqua and every effort is being made to ensure it is a success.

November 16

Dropping Gasoline Prices

Gasoline is selling in California from 6 to 13 cents per gallon and in Oregon and Washington from 12 to 14 cents per gallon. The reason for this is California has knock the bottom out of the oil business through the opening of vast new fields producing 600,000 barrels of crude per day, and is said to be capable of producing 1 million barrels per day.

California is now yielding more crude oil than Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas, three of the great petroleum regions of the United States and the bulk of this California oil is being produced in Los Angeles, which until a few years ago, was chiefly devoted to citrus fruit growing and diversified farming.

Within a radius of 35 miles of the city center lays three great petroleum fields and another field, which is reported to be destined to replace the Huntington Beach field in it’s declining years. This latter field has put 40 wells into production in the last 15 months for a grand total of 128 producing, drilling or building rigs.

In less than eight months the oil fields of California, some of which reared their 120 foot derricks above bearing orange tree groves, valued at from $2,000-$5,000 per acre, have caused the petroleum capital of the world to rise within 2 miles of the tidewater at Los Angeles harbor; having put the Panama Canal on a paying basis after the world’s general maritime trade failed to do so, and have provided the United States Shipping Board with $40 million worth of new steel tankers, and knocked the bottom out of the gasoline market of the entire country.

Emmitsburg Wants Better Lights

A movement has been launched to provide a better lighting system for Emmitsburg. At present a moonlight schedule is in effect in that town. While this schedule has been under criticism for sometime, it is pointed out that the Emmitsburg Lighting Company is in no way responsible for the prevailing condition, as they made the contract with the Town Commissioners of Emmitsburg when their plant was installed.

The question of better lighting facilities for the town was taken up at the regular monthly meeting of the Burgess and Commissioners of Emmitsburg. Mrs. Andrew Annan and other interested citizens appeared before the Board and urge a better lighting system be adopted for the Municipality.

Adolph Hitler Captured

Adolph Hitler, the fascist leader of the recent Munich plot, was arrested near Lake Stuffle, Southern Bavaria. He offered no resistance.

Private advances from Munich represent the situation there as wholly in a state of flux. Ritter von Kahr, Bavarian Commissioner, General von Lossow and Colonel Ritter Seiser, who disavowed the Ludendorff-Hitler revolt, are directing the affairs from their barracks in which they have been quartered since last Thursday night. General Ludendorff has been himself entirely incommunicado at his villa.

The preponderance of sentiment among the masses is reported to be for Hitler. His friends are making strong presentations to von Kahr, demanding the dictator arrive at an understanding with the Fascist leader. Reinforcements of troops are reported to be reaching Munich hourly from surrounding districts.

Work On Graceham Moravian Church Nearing Completion

Work on the Graceham Moravian Church is progressing satisfactorily. The new ceiling, which is of Wainscoting, is finished. The painters are now at work. Besides the ceiling, there were numerous other repairs made.

The outside of both the church and the parsonage have been painted, and the interior of the church is to be re-decorated. The Ladies Aid Society has brought new light fixtures as well as carpet and rubber padding for the platform and isles. Three new Port Richey hours and a communion table are being made, all of walnut, to harmonize with the railing and the pulpit. After the work is finish the church will be very attractive. It is hope that everything will be completed for the reopening on December 9.

November 23

Smokes Go Up In Smoke

The fire bell sounded an alarm on Monday morning that for a short time created considerable anxiety, as the fire was at the Taneytown’s Central Hotel. Fortunately, it was discovered before it had made much headway and prompt measures soon had it under control.

The fire started in back of the bar, in a cupboard full of matches, cigarettes and pipes and had evidently been smoldering for sometime. Had the same condition existed an hour or two earlier, the entire building and corner of the square would likely have been involved. The cause of the fire is unknown, but may have been due to mice nibbling the matches. The chief damage of the building was from the dense smoke.

Monocacy Bridge Breaks

A heavy Pierce Arrow truck carrying a load of empty oxygen tanks, broke through the Carroll County half of the Monocracy Bridge at Bridgeport, Saturday afternoon while coming towards Taneytown. About 30 feet of the floor gave way. The driver fell 20 feet into the river, but aside from a bruised face was not hurt. Two other men are said to have occupied the cab with him, but none were seriously hurt.

The bridge has been regarded as unsafe, for some time, and notice was posted warning against loads of over 8,000 pounds. The truck went through and landed standing end up. It was taken out of its position on Thursday morning, very little injured, and moved to Baltimore on its own power.

The bridge has been closed to travel until the floor is repaired and the bridge made safe for travel this winter, as there is no satisfactory detour. The bridge needs rebuilding, and it is hoped that the new bridge will be included in next year‘s work.

Triple Accident

A triple accident occurred on the Harney Road leading to Gettysburg shortly after dark on Thursday evening. Two machines, one driven by Mr. Lucas of Gettysburg and another one by Jesse Chapendale of Taneytown, and driven by his son John, collided on a small concrete culvert as both drivers attempted to avoid a collision with each other and with the concrete abutments on the bridge.

While the two automobile parties were waiting for a truck from Gettysburg garage to tow them into town, James Hoover, of Harney, approach in his machine and while looking at one of the cars in the previous accident, ran into the concrete abutment on the bridge.

As a result, when the wrecking crew reached the scene of the accident, there were three damage cars instead of two. All three machines were damaged to some extent, but no one was injured.

The culvert on which is the collision took place it said to be much narrower than the road, and several accidents have occurred there recently.

Man Injured During Work Awarded Compensation

William Shields, of Emmitsburg, won his appeal of a decision rendered by the State Industrial Accident Commission, which stopped his weekly $8 payment that had been awarded to him when he was injured on June 27, 1922 while working on the foundation for a new building at Saint Mary’s seminary.

Shields was working in a ditch when a premature blast caused the ditch to cave in, fracturing the bones in his leg and hips. He was awarded the eight dollars per week by the State Industrial Accident Commission a short time after the accident but the award was stopped last December, about six months after he was injured.

Shields is reported to be suffering from mental depression and his condition is now such that he is confined to Mount Hope Retreat in Baltimore. The melody from which she is suffering in medical terms is known as manic-depressive-psychosis.

Shield’s was awarded full compensation, which means that he will receive $8 per week for every week since last December and will continue to receive $8 a week until he is paid the sum of $5,000. Shields has a wife and five small children.

Bridge Christmas Present

The work of laying concrete for the structure of the bridge over Toms Creek, 1 mile south of Emmitsburg, has been completed. Filling is being pushed rapidly and should be finish by the latter part of next week.

The State Road Commission will then take over the bridge and place a macadam dressing over the top of the road surface and the bridge will more than likely be entirely completed by the middle of December, just in time to be a Christmas present for Emmetsburg and vicinity.

The new concrete bridge replaces the old wooden covered, one-way bridge that formally spanned Toms Creek at this point. This bridge was condemned and torn away last summer and work was then commenced upon the new modern structure.

November 30

Emmitsburg To Run Water Company

Control of the Emmitsburg Water Company will again be in the hands of Emmitsburg people, according to a deal just completed.

After the receivership of the Annan & Horner Bank, sale of a majority of the water company’s stock was made to outside parties, and it will be of much local interest to learn that the controlling shares will now pass into local hands.

The men who have arranged to take over 635 of the 1,200 shares of the water company are well-known businessmen of Emmitsburg, and their standing in the community assures the customers that the water plant will be run under the best management. These men are: Albert Patterson, Thomas Hayes, Harry Gross, John Hollinger and Edward Ohler.

How soon the management of the company will be taken up by the new owners could not be learned, but it is the intention of the new owners to assume control as soon as possible.

As a result of the collapse of the Annan & Horner Bank, the 635 shares, which were owned by the bank, were taken over by people from outside of Emmitsburg and for a time there was somewhat of a mystery connected with the transfer. When it was understood that the stock was for sale, several Emmitsburg men got together and try to arrange to buy it so as to keep the affairs of the water company in the hands of the home people. But the deal fell through with the results at the 635 shares went elsewhere.

Recently it was learned that the stock could be purchased and the businessmen got in touch with the parties holding the shares, and through their attorney, a bill of sale was drawn up several days ago at which time of some of money was paid in order to cover the transaction.

The Emmitsburg water company was started by I. S Annan and has been in the control of the Annan family up to the late banking troubles.

Harney Tops In School Attendance

Harney grammar school has received the attendance banner for two and three room schools for the month of November, having made a percent of attendance of 97.3. This is also the highest percentage of attendees anywhere in the county.

Two Fall From Roof

Roy Smith and Martin Spalding were injured, on Thursday, while putting a roof on the engine house of the Emmitsburg Railroad. They were on a ladder fastened to the roof, which broke loose, throwing them to the ground, about 16 feet; the former suffered a broken limb, Spalding’s back was injured, but not seriously.

Keystone Chemical Company Is Sold.

An announcement has been made of the purchase of the Keystone Chemical Company of Gettysburg, by a number of Fairfield residents. The name of the firm will be changed to the Keystone Chemical Company of Fairfield. The terms of the sale were private. Possession was taken on Monday evening.

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