Blair County PAGenWeb

Blair County Newspaper Articles

News, obituaries, birth, marriage and death notices, by date.

Items from The Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa.,

Thursday, August 5, 1880

HOLLIDAYSBURG HAPPENINGS.
A Novel Freak of Honey Bees - Interesting Chapter of News.

Billy Brady and Mr. Minor, the artesian man, were fishing yesterday and captured two little cats.

Rev. R. S. Kellerman, of Fitchburg, Mass., a Unitarian minister, is visiting William Kellerman, Esq., in Gaysport.

Miss Delia Condron having been tendered a clerkship in the Pension Department departed yesterday for Washington, D. C.

Detective Albert Sturtzman, who has been rusticating at Bedford Springs for the last month, returned yesterday much improved in health.

Two tramps answering the description of the men who robbed C. A. Lingafelt, near Fostoria, were seen yesterday sleeping in Dell Delight grove.

THAT MOTHER-IN-LAW AGAIN.

On Tuesday evening Constable Saunders arrested and jailed Charles Coleman, who was charged by his mother-in-law, a Mrs. Mary Brush, residing in Duncansville, with assault and battery. The next morning Mr. Coleman was taken before Justice Gibboney and the difficulty was adjusted by Mr. Coleman agreeing to pay the costs.

A RUN OFF.

Yesterday afternoon the mules attached to B. F. Johnson & Co.'s delivery wagon went up Front street at a fearful speed. The only occupants of the wagon were a dog and a barrel of flour. The steep grade of "smoke hill" put a check to the mules, when the dog got them under control without any damage being done to either mules, wagon, or barrel of flour.

CELEBRATING TWINS' BIRTHDAY.

An eventful affair took place at the residence of Mr. David Kochenderfer on Tuesday evening, August 3, celebrating their twins' thirteenth birthday, Miss Bertie and Master Willie. Nineteen couple were present and an enjoyable evening was spend until the hour of 12 o'clock, when many valuable presents were presented to both, such as a silver napkin ring, silk handkerchief, box of fine writing paper, bottle of cologne, cigar case, match holder, gold studs and many other articles too numerous to mention. The little ones then retired to their respective homes at 12 o'clock.

NATIONAL MEETING.

Mr. Atwood, the Greenback orator, who entertained a large audience in the diamond on Tuesday night is an able and forcible political speaker, and if the Nationals had a ghost of a chance, we have no doubt but his address would have made many converts. But as every sensible voter knows that to vote the National ticket at the coming election would be equal to not voting at all. The chances are that Hancock will secure the benefit of Mr. Atwood's able address.

ARRESTED.

On Tuesday, Constable E. T. Swingston, of Saulsburg, Huntingdon county, captured a fugitive named David Walker in Duncansville, who is charged by his wife with feloniously taking and selling her "bacon," and when remonstrated with threatening to carve her with a butcher knife. Mr. Walker secured bail in Altoona and returned on the evening train to his work. Mr. Walker says he owns a farm on which his wife lives, but preferred to give her all and make his bread by day's work rather than to live with her.

HONEY ON TREES.

Mr. John Reese, living in the upper Loop, discovered the other day a swarm of bees on Cove mountain that had settled and built their honey combs on the limb of a small oak tree. By jarring the tree the honey combs became detached and fell to the ground. Mr. Reese and his son secured between thirty and forty pounds of pure honey. Mr. Reese estimates that at least twenty pounds of the honey was lost in the crevices of the rocks. It is a very rare thing for honey bees to build on the outside of a tree in this latitude, but is a common thing in the south to find them build not only on limbs of trees but in bunches of grass.

FRANKSTOWN FINDINGS.
Our Farmers - Uncle Davy Crawford in the Loop - Snake Story.

Mr. Silas Harnish is the owner of two as fine spring colts as can be seen anywhere.

Blackberries is an abundant crop on the farm of Mr. William Brannon. Many gallons are carried away daily.

A GOOD HARVEST.

Harvest is a thing of the past in our vicinity for this year. Our farmers have succeeded in gathering into their barns a large crop of grain in splendid condition, and are now busily engaged in preparing the ground for another crop. There are some good farmers here in this neighborhood who take a delight in keeping their farms in a high state of cultivation, the result of which is good crops and garners filled to overflowing.

A WELCOME VISITOR.

Uncle Davy Crawford, of Sinking valley, is visiting the Loop. He is the guest of Mr. William Bouslough. Mr. Crawford is a portly gentleman, and from present appearances he is holding his own pretty well during the summer season. We think he has not fasted thirty-six days yet, as has Dr. Tanner, of New York. He is too fond of good living to attempt a thing so rash. All in all he is a gentleman, and makes friends wherever he goes. Come again, Uncle; there is always a welcome for thee.

A SNAKE STORY.

Last week as Mr. Bouslough and his assistants were engaged in removing an old fence they came in contact with a large snake of the garter species, which was soon dispatched, the reptile measuring nearly four feet in length and of an enormous thickness. Thinking it had swallowed at least half dozen toads, a post mortem examination followed. Instead of toads, eighty young snakes from six to seven inches long were taken from the body. The above can be vouched for by Mr. Bouslough and his family, should any one who read it discredit the story.

THE WATER LOAN.
Councilman Ball Taking the Wind Out of Councilman Kerr's Sails - Some Law.

EDS. TRIBUNE: Councilman Kerr must feel more than repaid from the fulsome and unctuous flattery of a certain up-town demagogue, who professes to edit a paper in the interest of the dear tax payers. "To him," he says, "more than any one man we are indebted for having the water question placed before the people in its true light." And from facts in my possession it would appear that the councilman aforesaid was determined that no one else should have any credit, as he acted throughout the entire business on his own responsibility, and without at any time consulting his colleagues on the committee (of whom there were seven besides himself,) not having the courtesy to notify any of them to accompany himself and the engineer on any of the excursions up the mountain or elsewhere. While the other members of the committee were desirous of waiting until the surveys were completed and a report received from the engineers that they might place the whole subject before the people in an intelligent and concise form, that it might be voted upon intelligently, Mr. Kerr, with the assistance of his unctuous friends of the press, was forcing the matter to an early issue, but half matured, and their success is heralded as a signal triumph of a substantial majority of the people. But it will require a very powerful effort of the imagination to see in a poll of 1,157 votes, in a city of nearly twenty thousand inhabitants the substantial majority claimed and more difficult still to see where the spontaneous vote comes in.

The editor referred to further claims that the amount voted is sufficient to give us an unfailing water supply. How does he know this, and where did he obtain his information? No facts or figures claiming to be official have as yet been given to the public, and there are many intelligent citizens who doubt whether there is water enough in all the streams within a radius of seven miles of the city to constitute an unfailing supply for the city's present needs, without taking into account its future growth and requirements, and it has been pertinently asked, are we to depend in the future on water collected and stored in a great big reservoir during the winter months for our supply, and if so is that a desirable consummation devoutly to be wished, and all for the small sum of sixty thousand dollars? In conclusion I would ask why in some of the wards only tickets in the affirmative were furnished at the polling place, so that those who wished to vote "no" were compelled to write their tickets, or as quite a number did, go away in disgust without voting? Perhaps some of the most interested can answer.

But now that the loan has been voted upon and granted, it should be the "pride and pleasure (as well as the duty) of Council," (to quote the words of the editorial referred to) to see that the money is expended judiciously, and that it be borrowed in conformity with the law as laid down in the new constitution, which says: "No municipality shall borrow money or create a debt without first levying a tax sufficient to meet the interest and create a sinking fund which will pay the principal in thirty years." There is in that instrument no clause or provision enabling a municipality to anticipate its income from any source, and provide for the payment of debt, interest and principal from that source, but it says "a tax shall be levied before or at the creation of the debt," and to provide for it in any other way, I take it as unlawful. Yours, aqua, F. S. BALL.

Died.

SNYDER - August 4, Charles, son of Matilda and Levi Snyder, aged 16 years, 8 months and 1 day.

Funeral from the residence of his parents, corner Fourth avenue and Thirteenth street, on Friday afternoon at 2 1/2 o'clock. Friends and relatives are invited to attend. Interment at Fairview cemetery.

HOOK - August 4, in this city, Charles, infant son of William and Anna E. Hook, aged 5 years, 11 months and 13 days.

Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Thursday, August 5, 1880, page 3

CITY AND COUNTRY.

Things Briefly Told.

Three car loads of emigrants passed west yesterday.

Furnace No. 1, at Orbisonia, will be put in blast in a short time.

Considerable soft coal is shipped to Boston from Clearfield county via Williamsport.

The venerable Judge Caldwell, of Hollidaysburg, paid his respects to the TRIBUNE yesterday.

The case of Koch vs. the brewer, before Alderman Blake yesterday was dismissed, as there was nothing in it.

A maple tree was recently cut near Orbisonia, Huntingdon county, that measured eight feet across the stump.

Mr. F. S. Barker, of Cambria county, with Congressional aspirations on the Republican side, was in the city yesterday.

We are gratified to learn that Mrs. H. T. McClelland, of Allegheny Furnace, is rapidly recovering from an attack of bilious fever.

Work on the Seventeenth street sewer is progressing finely and Contractor Kelly expects to have the sewer completed inside of ten days.

One day last week Miss Adelaide Hutchison, of Mooresville, Huntingdon county, killed twenty-two house snakes in three and a half minutes.

Work, which has been suspended on the new TRIBUNE building for the past ten days for want of brick, will be resumed to-day, weather permitting.

Bedford county Democrats have nominated D. M. Stoler and William Donahue for the Legislature, and instructed for General Coffroth for Congress.

Charles Snyder, 16 years old, son of Matilda and Levi Snyder, died at the residence of his parents at Fourth avenue and Thirteenth street on Tuesday.

The night work at the company's No. 2 planing mill has been stopped on account of the scarcity of lumber, and about thirty men are temporarily suspended.

Mrs. Charles A. Greer, with a 1-year-old daughter in her arms, fell down a flight of stairs yesterday morning, and strange to say neither received any serious hurt.

Dr. Andrew Smith, of Trough Creek valley, Huntingdon county, owns a two-headed calf. The heads are separate and complete, with the usual number of eyes and ears.

Miles James killed a large copperhead snake a few days since near Spruce Creek. He cut it open and found in its stomach a full sized red squirrel which had been taken without chewing.

The Mayor yesterday had before him a prominent resident of the First ward for maintaining a nuisance in the shape of filthy premises. He was convicted and fined ten dollars and costs.

Mrs. Nixdorf, mother of John Nixdorf, was yesterday sent for to go to her home in Lancaster. One of her grandchildren, a child of Harry Nixdorf, formerly of this place, was ill with diphtheria.

There are several cases of scarlet fever among the children on the east side. A little girl named Hook died yesterday morning on Sixth avenue, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets.

The farmers of Catharine township will hold a harvest home celebration at the Yellow Springs grove on Saturday, August 7, to which the TRIBUNE and family acknowledge the courtesy of an invitation.

A second-class freight agency has been established at Loch Lomond, on the Philipsburg branch of the Tyrone and Clearfield railway, distance 1.3 miles from Philipsburg, and D. W. Holt appointed agent thereat.

The Vigilant Fire Company is fixing up its hose carriage that a horse may be conveniently attached to it. It is also on the programme to fix up a ridding to suspend the harness so that it may be dropped right on the horses.

Mrs. Baldwin, wife of Superintendent Baldwin of the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, with a number of ladies and gentlemen friends, has been visiting the sights in this vicinity from a special train during the past few days.

Quite an amusing incident occurred at the corner of Twelfth street and Ninth avenue about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, caused by a cow getting her head fast in an empty barrel. It took three men and a hatchet to remove the cause of her trouble.

Mr. J. K. Rhodes, Secretary of the Juniata Valley Camp Meeting Association, announces that all goods for tent holders will be carried free on Tuesday, August 10, and returned free on Friday, August 20. The patrons of the camp will no doubt avail themselves of this liberal arrangement.

Since a little squib appeared in the TRIBUNE the other morning in regard to hogs running at large on the streets we have not seen any porkers around taking their accustomed daily wallows in the mud and water standing in pools along the sidewalks. Either their owners or the swine took the hint, and "crawled in their holes and pulled the holes in after them."

The Water Ordinance.

Council will have to pass another ordinance explaining the second section of the water loan ordinance which says that the said "bonds shall be used for the building of dams or reservoirs for the storage of water for the use of said city, and for the purchase and laying of water pipe along the streets or alleys of said city, and for THAT PURPOSE ONLY." By this phraseology the bonds can only be used for the purchase and laying of water pipe along the streets or alleys of the city. So the building of dams or reservoirs is cut out by the wording of the ordinance. For these or these purposes only would have covered the whole ground. Council could spend the whole amount in laying water pipe if it saw proper under the above section.

The Street Railway Ordinance.

The street railway ordinance as amended by Council has been sent to the Mayor. If it is signed by him a meeting of the directors of the company will be immediately called and proceedings begun to put the stock on the market. The capital will be fifty thousand dollars, which will be divided into one thousand shares of fifty dollars each. There is a prospect that the stock will be very quickly taken by our citizens, as many of them, especially those living in the outer wards are quite anxious to see the project succeed. The railroad will be of great advantage to persons living in the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth wards, and will probably cause property on the outskirts to advance in price.

Wants a Warrant Issued.

Yesterday morning Constable Al. McGraw, of Logan township, rushed into Alderman Rose's office with one ear swollen to an enormous size and with the appearance of having been roughly used in a scuffle. He wanted a warrant issued immediately. The Alderman grabbed for his pen and paper and asked McGraw when he had been assaulted. He told him early this morning. Then the Alderman asked him who his assailant was, and the officer told him a big fat bumble bee. There are a pair of shoes, a torn hat and some locks of hair lying about the office, but as to where the constable went to is a mooted question.

An Enjoyable Evening.

A short time since President Frank Molloy, of Council, was elected to the office of President of the Vigilant Fire Company. On Tuesday evening of this week he met his friends at the Brant House and celebrated the honor which the Vigilant boys had conferred upon him. Daniel Akern, a friend of the newly elected President, made an appropriate speech and told of the doings of the paid fire departments of Philadelphia and of their brave and systematic efforts in fighting the flames. A glee club also rendered several fine selections. About thirty members came in an congratulated Mr. Molloy during the evening.

Officers of the Millville Garfield Club.

The Republicans of Millville, Logan township, met Tuesday evening at George F. Armstrong's store and organized a Garfield and Arthur campaign club. The following persons were elected permanent officers: President, Samuel Carson; Vice Presidents, Robert Smiley, George F. Armstrong; Secretary, T. W. Brown; Assistant Secretary, S. S. Stains; Treasurer, J. H. Christy. The following Finance Committee was appointed: Ed. Hall, S. S. Stains, Samuel Carson, George F. Armstrong, Alex. Reilly, William L. Johnston, Smith Mitchell. The roll was then opened and about thirty voters signed it. The list was somewhat increased on Wednesday. J. D. Hicks made a few remarks, after which the meeting was adjourned to meet on Friday evening next.

A Rat Catcher.

There is employed at the Logan House a young man who seems to have a knack for catching rats. He can walk out into the stable and with his bare hands capture the largest, wiliest old greybacks which run over its boards. He holds them so tight that they cannot turn, and has never yet been bitten although considerably scratched once or twice. Yesterday he had four big fellows in a box, as lively and healthy as crickets.

Tumbled Through a Window.

Last evening a son of Erin, slightly under the influence of liquor, tumbled through a large window in Neff's store, Eleventh avenue, between Eleventh and Twelfth streets. He was arrested by Officer Whittle and locked up. A companion endeavored to rescue him and was also gathered in. When asked by the Mayor who he was, he told him that he was "a bully old fellow from Pittsburgh, and me name it's James Smith."

THE GREENBACKERS.
Why the Man Who Produces Values Does Not Have Any.

Last evening the Greenbackers were called upon to assemble at the corner of Eleventh avenue and Twelfth street to hear the issues of their party discussed by Nathan L. Atwood, of Venango county. A stand was erected on the pavement, and shortly after 8 o'clock several hundred persons were grouped around it to hear the arguments of the orator. T. P., Esq., introduced the speaker with a few appropriate remarks. Mr. Atwood then stepped forward and delivered a speech of about two hours length, saying: My fellow citizens, the Republican and Democratic parties are raising sectional questions about the tariff, the unpacified South, etc., but the great question which interests the people to-day is the financial issue. Our country is a peculiar one; it is a new one; and it contains the best people on the face of the globe - men who only desire a chance to exercise their brains and muscles to gain a living, and men who want the results of their labors after they have honestly earned a reward. In this country they had up to 1861 a better chance to get it than in any other country. Wealth is based on labor, and represents labor, and there is no such thing as wealth without it. In Europe there are two classes of people - one which performs the labor and the other which endeavors to destroy as much of it as possible. And since 1861 this has become the case in America. There are two kinds of value - one may be called an intrinsic value, such as any article actually is worth to a person to use; and the other the market value, the price for which it can be sold. When the colonies became free they founded a general government in this country and gave it the power to coin money and regulate the market value thereof. Money was made as a standard of value and the government had the authority to coin it out of metal, leather, paper or whatever substance it chose. Congress was given the power to regulate the value thereof, and right well has it done it, giving us no less than seven standard dollars within as many years, of which no two have the same value, and which are chiefly for the profit of the bondholders. But there is not much money in actual business; a comparatively very small amount is sufficient for all ordinary needs. It has been proven that in the exchange of values 97 1/2 per cent. is made in promises to pay; 2 per cent. in bank notes, and but one-half per cent in coin. The annual production over the whole country is 2 1/2 per cent, or the country grows that much richer every year. Now, with all these figures it will be my endeavor to show how that most villainous scheme, the national bank system, has robbed this country. During the war money raised to 2.85 paper dollars for every gold dollar. A man or several men would start a bank. They would have $36,000 in gold. With this they would but $100,000 of paper money, which they would use for a basis. They would lend this to the government and receive in return a national bank circulation of $90,000. Now they would have $100,000 in bonds bringing them $6,000 per year in gold, $90,000 in notes bringing them in fifteen per cent. or $13,500 per annum. Thus they would rob the workingman of $19,500 per year, while they were going about glorifying themselves that they had lent the government $36,000 in gold. Why the national banks of this country have robbed it of one and a half thousand million dollars. He thanked the Republican party for crushing the State bank system, but thought they had built up a worse one. The speaker then attacked the Government for resuming specie payments, and stated that our country was now suffering on every side from the effects of throwing men into bankruptcy, which was done every day. He also paid his respects to the tariff bills and was evidently a strong free trader. This part of his address, however, was not received with much relish by his auditors. He also blames John Sherman with storing his vaults instead of paying off our national bonds with the silver dollars, a more valuable kind of money than was paid for them. He was listened to with attention throughout and made an ingenious address.

A Serious Accident to a Boy.

Alonzo Taylor, aged about twelve years, resides with his mother, Mrs. Charles Taylor, in Millville borough, Cambria county. For some time past he has been engaged in light employment in the wire rod mill of the Cambria works, and yesterday, while not having anything particular to occupy his attention for a short time, he was enjoying his leisure, in company with several of his fellow employees, in out- door exercise. It happened that while he was standing on one of the tracks of the Cambria Iron Company, which passes close to the mill, the locomotive backed down its train of cinder dumps, and he did not notice it until too late to get out of the way. He was knocked down, and the wheels cut the flesh of the calf of his right leg clear to the bone, while the bone of his left leg, below the ankle, was fractured. His right thing was also badly contused, and his back sprained.

A Queer Object.

A day or two since Andrew Patrick found a rather curiously maimed animal near Kittanning Point. It was a mouse which had all four feet cut off and one eye gouged out, and which had then got well. The poor creature managed to hobble around on its stumps. It was brought in and presented to a physician in this city.

The Odd Fellows' Picnic.

The lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of this county propose holding their third annual picnic at an early day, and the committee having the arrangements in charge is now at work. The time and place have not yet been fixed yet, but will be in a few days.

The Logan House Concerts.

Below will be found the programme prepared by the Logan House quartette under the leadership of Mr. Praetorious. Exercises will begin at 11:30 A. M.:

Fatinitza March, Suppe
Overture - "Freischutz," Weber
Selection - "Flying Dutchman," Wagner
Waltz - "Visioner," Launer
Gavotte, Seeligsohn
Selection - "Prophete," Meyerbeer
Cello Solo - "Ave Marie," Schubert
Hungarian Czardas, Hasselman

Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Thursday, August 5, 1880, page 4