davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-17
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS,
New Hose Cart Purchased for the Friend
ship Fire Co.
REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE.

REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The regular monthly meeting Of the
Town Council was attended last
Thursday night by President w. O.
Holmes, and members Charles Kun
kle, w. ID. Brobst, E. A. Rawlings,
w. R. Kocher and F. J. Richard.
The F,nar ce Committee, Messrs.
Kunkle, Kocher and Richard, made
the following report
We, the members of the Finance
Committee of the Town Council of
said Town, to whom has been referr-
ed the question of holding an election
to obtain consent to issue bonds for
the purpose of raising funds to pay off
the present floating Indebtedness of
the municipality and to provide for
future outlays and Indebtedness to be
incurred in internal improvements,
beg leave to report
That the bonded debt of the said
Town is at present equal to 2 per
cent. of the assessed valuation, and
that there is also floating indebted
ness amounting to about $4,000. 1t
will be seen, therefore, that this float
ing Indebtedness is in excess of the
Constitutional limit and has been
illegally created.
We are advised by the Town Soil
citor, that the Council can not law
fully issue bonds for this excess in.
debtedness, either with or without an
election, for the reason that an cleo
ton, so as is proposed, only relates
to some future Indebtedness hereafter
to be incurred, should the electors
consent, but does not affect questions
of debt already created without sub
mission to the people and that the
said debt could not be funded without
an election because it is in excess of
the limit imposed by law.
AS we have already said in former
report to your body, the only way to
pay this floating indebtedness which
has been improperly created is by
additional taxation, or by snch an
economic administration of affairs as
will permit the Council to gradually
liquidate the same out of the current
revenues.
OF course, at the present rate of
expenditure this could not be done,
but we would again advise, as we did
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-17
BRIEF MENTION.
About People you Know.

John Z. Fider spent Monday IN Danville
Capt. John NJ. Buckalew Of Fishing
Creek, was in town on Friday.
George Patterson of Trenton, N J.. was
Blooms1urg visitor on Saturday.
John Warden of WilkesbArre, spent Mon.
day in town attending to business
Paul b. Shutz Of the University of Penn
sylyania, is home to spend the holidays.
Mrs Abram Fry has been quite i'll for the
past two weeks.
Miss Emma Webb is clerking in the
Leader store.
J. Lee lIarman took business trip to
Scranton on saturday.
VIM Hutton spent few days in Wilkes
barre this week.
Robt Hartman Of Eighth Street, took in
the sights OF Phadelph last week.
Mr. John Turner of Scranton transacted
business in Bloomsburg on Saturday
Hon. NJ. Phillips Of Sullivan County,
was in town on Saturday, on business.
Clark V. Miller of Mill nville, spent Mon.
day at this place transacling business.
Miss Leatha Lockard left last week for
few weeks visit to h r sister, Mrs. Freas
Hicks, at Hummelstown.
Rev. Rogers Israel, Rector of St. Luke's
church at Scranton, preached in st Paui's
church Wednesday evening.
Miss Maude Sherwood is one of the extra.
fOrCa pf ,larkc ,t IIor,r,,r 4
the holiday uade.
Mss Annie Fox returned from Teukintown
on Monday, where she had been spending
several weeks with her sister, Mrs. Gilbert.
Mrs. Chas. B. McHenry, of Benton, is
visiting at the home Of M. and Mrs. J. s.
Woods, on East Fifth Street
Mr. John Warton of Scranton, was in
Bloomsbury between trains on Tuesday at
tending to business.
Judge keller is engaged this week and
next in the contested election case of Judge
in Schuylkil county.
DR.. Johns OF Hazleton, address ed the
congregation of the Lutheran Church, in
the interest of the Y. NJ. c. A. last Sunday
morning.
Mrs. A J. Townsend and son Paul, of
Philadelphia, visited her sister, Mrs. Rev.
B. c. Conner at the NJ. +. Parsonage, cor
ner Market and Third Street, last week
Miss Margaret Laubach is in Berwick
this week teaching the new operator of the
Telephone exchange which has just been
opened at that place.
Arthur Colley, who for some time past
has been employed at the Tube Works, left
on Monday morning for Shickshinny, where
he will fill the position of foreman of the
tube works at that place.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-17
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18th, 1896.

Dear Boss Unless you can buy
us several more Senators it will be
impossible to pay tariff dividend
on the investments of the late cam
palgn. ." While the above is not
the exact wording of the message
sent by the caucus of Republican
Senators to King Hanna, it contains
the substance and real meaning of
the request of the caucus steering
committee, that Mr.. Hanna shall
try to Influence" the election of
Senators who will pledge them
selves to act with the Republicans
on the tariff, in several states.
Among the legislatures upon which
the Republican Senators desire Mr..
Hanna to try his Influence" are
those Of North Carolina, Kentucky,
Washington and South Dakota. If
high tariff Senators can be secured
for all these, the passage of a high
tariff bill at the extra session of the
next Congress will be assured.
Otherwise the matter has been made
very doubtful, with the chances
against high tariff, by the action of
the silver Republicans in declining
invitations to enter the Republican
Senatorial caucus.
While the caucus Of Republican
Senators did not by a formal vote
abandon the Dingley tariff bill they
did what was practically the same
thing when they referred it to the
steering committee and empowered
that committee to act upon its own
Judgment. Pressure from the wool
en- manufacturers may compel the
Republican Senators to demonstrate
by some sort of a vote, not necessar-
lily on the bill itself, that the Ding
ley bill cannot pass, but the bill is
as dead as Ben. Harrison's force
bill, so far as any serious attempt
to pass it is concerned. The Re-
publicans couldn't pass it if they
wanted to, and very few of them
want to. This was shown last week
when the bill was before the Senate
for few minutes Con Senator AL
lens motion to take it up, which
carried by vote of IS to 2I), by
the CONSERVATION which existed
among the Republicans who had
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-17
Accidentally Shot.

Jacob Thomas of Wilkesbarre,
started on hunting trip on the Nanti-
coke Mountains yesterday. He stop
ped at his uncle's house to get sup
per, His cousin picked up the gun
and pointed it at the young man,
thinking there was no cap on it, but
the gun went off, the contents strik-
ing Thomas in the side and leg below
the knee, tearing away a large portion
of the calf.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-17

w. G.. Ferguson also presented a
bill of $roo.S SO for putting in the gut
ter at l.. f. Walters, NJ. J. Hess,
Tustin's and Miller's and for work
connected with same. The bill was
referred back for correction.
r. c. Buckalew appeared and ask
ed Council to have a bridge placed
over the Main street gutter at the
alley between the Court House and
Farmers Bank. His request was
granted.
{. w Neal presented a draft of the
proposed extension of Fifth street
from Leonard west about a distance
of 65S feet. He stated he had
releases from Writ and Magee and
himself, and offered to do the neces-
sary work, which would cost about
$500, and take for his pay an order
for the amount and apply same on his
Town taxes. Referred to the Street
Committee to report at a special
meeting.
George Bilig asked Council why
the Ordinance requiring people to
put down their pavements on Leonard
street, is not enforced He says some
of the pr operty holders have failed to
comply, .
l.. S. Wintersteen, attorney for w.
H. Yetter, appeared and stated that
they had filed exceptions and an
appeal in the matter Of the assessment
of damages by reason of opening
Jefferson street, and asks Council to
have the mrtter adjusted soon as
convenient. Referred for considera
ton to the special meeting.
Mr.. Wintersteen, also attorney for
Mrs. H. w. Sloan, spoke in regard to
the appropriations of ground belong
to his client for public highway
along the river or what is known as
Fifteenth st. He wants Council to
go over the ground and see if an
amicable settlement can be made as
to amount Of damages. Referred to
Finance Committee.
w. H. Yetter asked that a crossing
be put down over Fourth Street, at
Jefferson. Referred to Street Com
mittee.
No further business appearing, the
Council adjourned.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-17

Melvin St. Clair of Milton. who
was charged with the murder of Will
lam Californian, was acquitted at
Sunbury last week.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-17

The following letters are advertised
Dec. IS, 1896; Frank Roy Evans,
Mrs. Kate Fletcher, Mr.. Jas. Foster,
Ella Heard, Miss Sallie Hill, Mr..
Hope, N. B, Stapleton, Mr.. Amsey
Vananken, Mr.. Thomas Wilson.
Cards; Mr.. Tobias Williams Will
be sent to the tead letter office Dec.
go, 1896. JAMES H. MERCER, p. M.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-17

ID. l.. & w. RR. Co., freight
on cobble stone ......" 16.4o
Samuel Neyhard, sand for
Centre Street crossing. a.a5
Car Mfg. Co. iron, oak and
work ...........u.." aa.7o
Water Co. 81 hydrants. S9.I7
Knorr and Cup, policemen 5000
X. II. Ringler, Secretary. -. 1000
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-17

The Superintendent of buildings of
New York, last week made the start
ling statement that 3,aoo buildings in
New York City are absolutely unsafe.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-17

Z. b. Ent, recording releases. $27.5o
A. V. Hover, making 3 arrests 1870
W. l.. Demaree, for lumber. 8,72
c. w. Runyon, har Iware. =. 1885
Steam Co., steam for Town
Hall. ....... ........ 1913
Harman q Hassert, IRON jaw
for crusher and work 49,. o.23
O. B. Mellick, cement work at
the Central Hotel crossing I4.6I
Meyer Bros, one bbl. cement 3.2s
Clearheld Brick Co., for 500
vitrlhed brick PAYERS ...... 800
P. & X. RR. Co., freight on
brick ....,....,... 1890
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27
Knots Tied by Machinery.
(Argosy.)


If inventions continue to multiply at
the present rate. the day may speedily
come when man will have to sit with
folded arms while his work and even
his pleasures are turned out for him
by nickel-in-the-slot devices. Science
has lately given us a marvel In the
shape of a card-counting machine. Two
OF the most interesting automatic now
working within the limits Of the United
States are those used by the Govern
ment for counting and tying postal
cards into small bundles. These
machines were made in Connecticut and
the two are capable of counting 500, 900
cards in ten hours and wrapping and
tying the same in packages Of rs each.
In this operation the paper is pulled
off drum by two long fingers" which
come up from below and another finger
dips in a vat of mucllage and applies
itself to the wrapping paper in exactly
the right spot. Other parts of the ma
chine Irvine the paper around the pack
of cards and then thumb" presses
over the spot where the mucilage Is,
and the package is thrown upon a
carry bolt ready for delivery.
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27
The Compressed Air Motor.
Baltimore SUM-

Invention follows on the heels Of In
vention SO rapidly in these days that
one has hardly been fairly broken into ,
public service before another and bet
ter is ready to take its place. 1t was
but short time ago, comparatively,
that the world was discussing the prob
ability of superseding steam by cleo
tricity, and the use of the latter as an
ordinary motive power has scarcely be-
come well established before its reign
is threatened in certain directions, at
least, by compressed air. The success
of experiments with compressed air on
one of the street railway lines in New
York may have far-reaching conse-
puences. Its use on the lexington Road
In Washington has been authorized,
and President Blackstone, Of the Cen
trail line Of this city, announces that
he has decided to equip his road with
1t as soon as possible. 1t Is said to be
cheaper than steam or electricity, fully
as efficient as either, for short dis
tances, at any rate, while the motion
impaired is smoother and the power
Is not affected by the weather II all
these advantages can be demonstrated,
and there are no great disadvantages
connected with its use, II will not be
long, in this practical and rapid transit
age before electricity is Embarrassed
from our street cars and the new steed
put in the shafts. Whether the COM
pressed air tanks from which the cars
are to be supplied would be sources Of
danger Is one of the questions which
will, Of course, have TO be considered
very carefully before the general adop-
] ton of the system in large cities. On
| general principles, 1t would seem that
compressed air ought to be no more
dangerous than steam. One great
blessing which would follow It's adop-
ton would be the removal of the trolley
poles and wires which now occupy our
streets. Such a contamination is most
devoutly to be wished, and the success
Of the idea will be watched with es-
pecial interest at first in its relation
to this particular field. II shown to be
practicable in that direction and cheap
er as a motive power than its predeces.
sors, steam and electricity, its use !:
not, however, likely to be confined (
that especial line Of work, but will
doubtless be extended indefinitely.
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27

scribe the road up the mountain to
one who has never seen it-through
deep ravines, over boulders and cliffs,
through laurel thickets 30 dense that
an army could hide within few feet
of the road, or what was one during the
war, this road being covered with large
numbers Of logs, which had been put
there during the war by the soldiers to
enable them to haul their cannon ard
other munitions Of war. Finally / got
up to where the timber was small and
scanty, and from there I could get
splendid view Of the small coal noun
tains that stretched out in every direc-
ton in a beautiful panoramic view,
there being enough coal and timber In
sight to supply the whole Union for
years to come. 1t Is said that Henry
Clay Travelled this road once when re-
turning from Washington to his Ken
lucky home, and when dinner was
ready one day he was missed, and his
friends went to look for him; he was
found standing on the brink of high
precipice in deep thought and silent
meditation, and when approached ard
asked what he was doing, said: Il am
listening to the footsteps Of the COM
ing millions who will people those beau
| tiful valleys" At last reached
the lost trail, but could not find any.
Caudilps camping ground, where the
soldiers had cleared the timber and
built little log cabins with rock chin
neys while they lived there, but nothing
remains of the grim visages Of war ex'
cept the rock and earth breastworks
built exactly on the line between the
two States, and the dilapidated rock
chimneys, which are now the hiding
places for rattlesnakes and ground
SQUIRRELS. The old pine tree stands il
the centre of the cleared space, lon'
sentinel, standing the storms OF white
and ravages of time. I must comics
that it was with feeling of uneasines
that approached the tree. and gave tn
signal. No one appeared, and sig
nailed again, and was about to leav
in despair, when heard strange vote
behind a clump Of low pine bushe
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27

The Pound Gap, or Sounding Gap
as called by some was then the only
wagon road into Kentucky, north OF
the Cumberland Gap, which Is about
seventy miles southeast. This gap was
never much used by the early settlers
going west as 1t was rough road and
had a bad reputation for highway rob-
berry and several mysterious disappear
ances. 1t was first called Sounding Gap
ON account of the sounds heard when
riding over the summit, like riding over
a cave, and 1t took its name Pound Gap
from the place called the Pound. at the
foot of the mountain on the Virginia
side. This was the place where the first
settlers occupied piece OF ground
shaped like horse shoe, formed by the
Pound River running all around 1t, and
across the hill of which high stockade
was built. In this horse shoe, which Il
called the Pound, they kept their STOCK
at nights to keep the Indians from
stealing them.
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27

near Wild Cat Summit. at which place
we were camping, they were captured
by the Indians. They were not missed
until night and when / tried to form
party to rescue them, the older men
advised waiting until morning. They
said that 1t would be dangerous for
them to go away from camp and leave
the women alone; that the Indians
might be lurking around the camp
waiting to capture them as soon as we
left I could not abide by their decis-
ion, so I induced man named James
Wallen, who was engaged to the other
lady, to go with me to find them. We
agreed with the others to meet them
at the narrow pass in the gap next
morning at sunrise. After searching
the valley Of the south fork Of Powells
River all night, we came in sight Of
the meeting point, and were surprised
to see smoke arising therefrom. We
decided that 1t could not be our friends,
because everything was quiet and still.
pub thot ~ hAAot VIC tAS AhatohSs Nv VIC
proceeded slowly to the spot, and
found that the Indians had been there.
but had gone away. The only thing we
found which indicated their presence
was small piece of an old love letter.
on the back Of which was written.
Captured by four Indians; taking us
to their Chiefs cave; follow hair This
proved to us that we were on the right
trail, and we decided to follow 1t up.
We had great difficulty in finding the
hair. but finally found 1t hanging on
the bushes at regular intervals of about
100 steps. We did not wait for the
others to come up, but left the note
on stake in the middle of the path
We afterwards learned that after they
read the note they feared to go further
in the wilderness. and located in Pow
ellis and Wallen's Valleys.
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27
POUND GAP HERMIT.
BY w. J. HorsIey.

In the fall of 1885, when the Govern
ors election that meant years Of defeat
for the party who lost was at white
heat in Virginia, happened to be trav-
cling in the mountains of Southwest
Virginia. This was before the rail-
roads had penetrated this section and it
was at that time as wild and pictur-
esque country as could be found east
of the Rocky Mountains. 1t was a
railroad desert, and no one knows what
luxuries railroads are until they are
placed in a country that does not pos
sess them. To be compelled to ride horse
back up and down the steep mountains
and subsist on only what is raised by
the mountain farmer and wear home
made clothes, surrounded with people
who follow the ideas and in the foot
steps of their forefathers, like one wagon
wheel follows in the rut of the one be-
FORE produces feeling of ennui. to say
the least.
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27

remember just before the Revolu-
tionary war, in about the year 177S. a
party of thirty families, who came
from Eastern Virginia and North Car
DINA. and settled in the Clinch and
Powell Valleys In this party were two
beautiful young ladies', one of whom
had promised to be my wife. One even
ing while they were gathering nuts
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27

asking what / wanted. answered that
wanted some moonshine. placed
my bottle with the money near the pine
tree, and in a few minutes returned
and found the whisky. AS was leav-
ing to find my way back to the road, a
mountain storm broke out in full force.
To be upon a mountain top and see the
rain clouds below you Is a beautiful
sight, but to be in a storm that RACES
only on the mountain top Is fearful
experience-to see the lightning strike
the huge boulders and shatter them into
pieces. and the giants of the forest torn
UP by their roots and hurled like feath-
ers through the air Is enough to chill
the blood of your veins.
NV horse became frightened and
threw me off and sprained my ankle.
laid there several hours in agony. FL
nally, the old hermit came to me, dressed
In bear skins, and told me he would take
me to his retreat until was able to
walk. I had to lean on him for sup
port while he led me to his cave. was
suffering intense pain, and was obliged
to lay down on a rude bed made of skins
which were nicely dressed. The old mar
| took off his bear-skin robe. which / af
forwards learned was used as disguise
when he went out in the mountains, ant
| put on a long coat made OF coonskin
and then fixed my leg in splinters so
| could not move it. lay In this condi
ton several days and only saw the oil
man In the mornings and evenings
when he brought me nice game AM
bread and honey, and occasionally
drink of whisky that was white and
old that it was almost as thick as syrup
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27

We followed our ''sign," as the hunter
calls 1t, which led US up PowelPs VAL
ley, up Guest River and down Pound
River to the road leading through the
Pound Gap. but could find no more
hair. We had saved the hair we
found, and, judging from the amount
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27

When we arrived at the pound. we
were told such horrible tales of what
had been seen and heard in the Gap
that almost caused our curiosity to
WAIVER but we braced up our nerves
with pure mountain dew to such pitch
that before long LaForce was unable
to proceed further with me, so I went
alone. 1t Is impossible to fully de-
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27
rhe scarcher.

The scorcher now comes on the scene
And claims the earth as his;
But Patrolman Rafferty, runs him In.
For that 10 Rafferty's biz.
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27

One night the old man told me the
story Of his life. which was as follows:
"I was born in the Yadkin Valley, IN
the State of North Carolina, in ., and
was 2s years old when I went into the
revolutionary war, and remember the
great fight we had at Kings Mountain
We fought in Indian fashion, behind
trees and stones, and would have annihi-
lated the British soldiers. who fought as
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27

II in dress parade. They held their guns
to their hips instead of to their should
ers, like we shoot game. II 1t had not
been for the Mulungins-they were peo-
pie who had been sent over to this coun-
try to work out fines and penal servi-
tudes. They escaped from the low-land
farmers and settled in the mountains OF
Western North Carolina and Virginia
and Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee.
People who have Travelled through this
section In going to the fertile lands OF
the West say that the Mulungins have
remained In their mountain Businesses
and have gone further up in these
mountain gorges so as not to come in
contact with advancing civilization.
These people fought US in the revolu-
tionary war because they were jealous
of our prosperity. They never owned any
slaves themselves, and when the civil
war broke out they took sides with the
Northern people because their ancestors
had been slaves, and now and ever since
the war they vote the Republican ticket,
and do everything in their power
against the interest Of their more cultur-
ed and prosperous neighbors. Of course,
there are great many good peaple In
the mountains who are not Mulungins,
but you will find they differ from those
people in politics and progressiveness.
The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-08-27

I was always fond of hunting, and
great friend Of Daniel Boone's. and we
have hunted in this section often to-
gether. When we went back to the old
settlements and told Of the game and
productive lands, 1t would excite the
people so that we had to pilot crowd Of
pioneers every time we came.