The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1899-09-28

ed merchant with a hatchet. The
sheriff of Bedford county closed
up the business of Messrs. Mont
gomery & Heighard The genial
whole-souled Capt. James Beck
with, made his first venture as a
merchant here, and afterward be-
came hotel keeper, and more
recently as the keeper of the
Pennsylvania railroad hotel, at
Latrobe, Pa. Captain Beckwith
was a very popular man in all the
walks of life, and went to his
grave sincerely lamented by his
host of friends.
John G. Fetter, Esq, in the
days of a young and crude postal
system, here stamped "10 cents
due" and "25 cents due" on
closely written, wafered letters,
envelopes in those days not being
in vogue, he being postmaster in
connection with the tailoring
business. The latter business
did not interfere with his occu-
patton to q great extent. We
venture to say that the mail mat
ter sent out from the McCon-
nellsburg postoffice in one day
at present would exceed that sent
out under Mr.. Fetter's admins
tration during a whole year, al
though postoffices in the neigh
hood are more numerous, and the
population has not materially in
creased. Mr.. Fetter was an un-
Gle of the members of the Scissor
family-William f. Selsor, of
Mercersburg, and John, and sis
ters, of this place. He was an
obliging official and would not al
low letter to remain long in his
care if there was an opportunity
for prompt delivery. He, with
his family, moved to Fairfield,
Iowa, in the latter part of the '40s,
and he has long since been gath
cred to his fathers. The writer,
just here, recalls another case OF
comparison in postal affairs fav-
| orable to the present. He has in
his possession a letter of that
time of only a few lines, from
Peoria, Illinois, on which the post
age was 80 cents. For this sum
he could now mail pair of boots
across the continent, or to any OF
"Uncle Sam s" possessions.
About 1850, the mercantile spi
rit that had it's abode in the an
cient structure, took it's fight
like a sheeted (?) ghost, never tC
return again, and a new enter
prise, and one of advancement
took possession. 1t was in this
building that Fulton County
first newspaper, The Fulton Den
ocrat, made it's appearance under
the able management of James b
SAMSON, deceased. This journa
was started at Bedford under the
title of the Jackson Democrat anC
was removed here at the forma
ton of the county. The editoria
Journeys in which Brother San
som were engaged are well re
membered by many of our oldel
citizens. After remaining for {
year or more, the Democrat tool
up new quarters, and the rooms
Were fitted for school purposes
James Allen here exploited his
peculiar methods of enforc ing OF
der and imparting knowledge
and was followed by Messrs
Crooks and Rhodes, whose sys
TENS had more of common sense
and less of cruelty and harshness
than Mr.. Aliens. We believe the
old McConnellsburg Band then
took possession of it and made il
headquarters. The old banC
made many trips to different
points in the county, and made &
great deal of history as well as
music. During the war of the
rebellion, Messrs. Toston q BaX
ter carried on carriage making
in these all-purpose premises
Mr.. Toston moved to Clearspring
Md, where he died, and Mr.
Baxter resides with his family
in the west.