davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
The PennSy rliIeage Excess

The Pennsylvania railroad, it is said
on high authority, has decided to ac-
cedc 10 the demands of the merchants
and travelling men of the State for the
abolishmeut of the $40 excess mileage
book. In response to the persistent
agitation of the drummers of Pennsyl-
vauia. which has gone so far as TO in
cludc "a suit in the name of the Com
monwcalth and a campaign for legis-
Iation fixing the maximum rate of fare
ON steam railroads throughout Penn
Sylvauia at cents mile, the com
pany, it is learned intends to sell
books good for 200 miles at $40 fiat.
Just when the new books viii be issu-
ed has not yet been decided, as quite
number of details must be arranged
first and sufficient notice given the
travelling public 1t is not known yet
whether the action of the Pennsyl-
vania road viii affect the interchange
able mileage book in use over the 9th
er members of the Trunk Lines as
sociatiOn now using it, but it is pre-
sumed that it will, for without the
support of the Pennsylvania the traffic
Will not be sufficient to warrant the
maintenance of the present book over
those lines.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
A STRANGER
PURCHASES SILK

The local police on Saturday were
searching the town for man about
five feet, three inches high, with curly
hair and wearing a black stiff hat and
a blush suit with square cut coat.
The man was wanted in connection
with a little business transaction at
one of our stores during the day.
During the forenoon the stranger en-
tered the store ana purchased a piece
of silk valued at 50 -. There was moth
ing at all suspicious in his manner and
after having the silk wrapped up said
he would call for it during the after
noon. The silk was taken care of and
about four o'clock the man, true to
his word, made his appearance.
In a very business-like way in pay
ment he produced a check on a sun
bury bank. At the same moment it
seemed to occur to him that there
might be some hesitancy about accept
ing the check under the circumstances
and viewing the paper musefully for a
moment he remarked: "Well I'll get
it cashed myself" and turned and left
the store. 1t was observed, however,
that he did not forget to take the silk
with him. The mans whole manner
was so natural that no suspicion was
aroused in the minds of the clerk.
When a reasonable period of time had
| elapsed, however, and the man did not
return it was another matter. The
manager of the store was notified, af-
ter which the police got busy; but at
last accounts there were no develop
| ments.
Whether the curly headed stranger
did business elsewhere in the borough h
Saturday, employing his peculiar me-
| thods, has not been learned, but it is
pretty evident that the opportunity y
was open and he might have operated
| in several stores.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
Cows Killed by Lightning.

1t would probably puzzle anyone TO
recall a time when so much damage
was wrought by lightning so early in
the season as this year Following
closely upon the heels of the destruc-
tion wrought during the electric storm
one week before, on last Saturday af
ternoon four valuable cows were kill
ed on the farm of Gideon Hartman
one mile west Of Exchange.
The storm was very heavy one, the
rain being n continuous downpour,
which flooded all the hollows and
washed the fields very badly. On the
farm of Mr. Hartman five valuable
cows were in the field. The animals
had sought shelter under clump Of
low willows. A single bolt of lightn-
ing killed four of the COWS, the fifth
escaping.
The lightning was very vivid and
the thunder was almost continuous.
From the farm house the bolt was seen
as it descended near the willows, but
the full extent of the havoc wrought
was not learned until sometime later
when only one COW of the herd came
home.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
Warning Against Flies.

THAT flies are an eXasperatlng an
nOynace not only to man but also to
beast no one need be told. Moreover,
it has been found that the milk pro
ducing power of the COW is materially
reduced by the annoyance of flies.
That flies are one of the greatest pos
sihle sources of danger as disease trans
mitters is also well known but not
sufficiently needed. "
This statement was made recently by
State Health Commissioner Dixon
when he was speaking of what is
known in the scientific world as musca
domestica, but what people i'll general
call the pesky little house fly that
whisks through the small tear in the
screen, that comes in by the scores
when you forget TO close the door. and
that ruins your early morning sleep
ing hours.
I've don't begin to give enough
credit to the house fly for the number
of typhoid fever cases it is responsible
for The fly alights on some germ lad
en- material and then its next stop
ping place may be some food that is
about to be served. 1t was the late DR.
Joseph Leidy's belief that the house
flies carried hospital gangrene and
were responsible for its spread.
1.-The fy's responsibility for the great
number of deaths among the Ameri-
can soldiers during the Spanish Am
erican war WAS conclusively shown.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
Miss Bertha Moore EntertainS

On Monday evening Miss Bertha
Moore entertained a party of friends
at the home of her father, Oliver Moore
in Rush township. The party drove
from this city TO the Moore home in a
hack.
The occasion was Miss Moore's 10th
birthday. Those present were: Elsie
Bennett, Nora Cromley, Pearl Vas
tine, Bertha Clayton, Helen Shannon,
Viola Smith, Carrie Woodruff, Marg-
aret Gearhart, Nora Smith, Lizzie
Probst Susie Bassett, Florence Hart
line, Florence Kashner, and Edna
Dyer, viii Hancock, Will Books,
Harold Mcclure, Joseph Sherwood,
George Dyer, Arthur Reifsnyder, Ray
moud Anderson, Jerry Bassett, Frank
Hartlinc, Harold Bassett, Calvin Pro-
bst, Lloyd Miller, Bruce Moore and
Frank Graham.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
Wooden Awning Removed.

The wooden awning in front OF Ross
mans drug store in the building be-
longing to DR.. Thompson's estate,
Mill street, was torn down Tuesday
morning. The entire front is being
adorned with a coat of silver green
paint. The removal of the awning is
an improvement in itself but the coat
of paint further helps the appearance.
The awning removed is in the midst
OF a row of unsightly awnings taking
in the greater part of the distance be-
tween the ID. l.. e. W. crossing and j.
b. Cleaver's store. Its removal is a
good object lesson to show what could
be accomplished if the whole group in
that part of town We're removed.
The summer before last quite num-
Der of old awnings were torn down.
The merchants in every instance We're
so we'll pleased with the result that
they wondered how they had tolerated
the gloomy structures. The appear
ance of the street in front of the stores
was much improved while the store
itself was lighter and much more
cheerful. Nevertheless the work lag
ged after a time and the awnings seem
to remain a permanent fixture.
There are still some persons remain
ing who advocate the wooden avn
ings, but people generally would like
to see every one on Mill street torn
down and give way to the more taste
full drop awnings of canvas where such
protection is desired
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
Following The Flag.

When our soldiers went to Cuba am
the Philippines, haalth was the .aost
important consideration. Willis T. Nor
gan, retired GommisSdry Sergeant U. S.
A., of Rural Route /, Concord. n. H.,
says: Il was two years in Cuba and two
years in the Philippines and being sub
iect to c,lds | took DIR. Kings New Dis
covery for Consumption, which kept me
in perfect health. And now in New
Hampshire, we find it the best medicine
in the world for coughs, colds, bronchial
troubles and I'll lung diseases. Guaran
teed at Paules & Co., druggists Price
soc aud S1Oo Trial bottle free.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
Death of Samuel carp.

DIR. Samuel carp, well-known
Episcopalian divine and former resi-
dent of Danville, died at his home at
Oil City, Sunday after a short ill
ness. DR.. carp was aged 62 years.
The deceased came to Danvillo in
boyhood with his father, William carp
from Staffordshire, England.
He attended the Danville academy
and completed his education at St
James college, Maryland, and the Cen
eral Theological seminary, New York.
He yserved charges at Williamsport,
Sweickley, Washington, Pa, and Grand
Rapids, Mich. He founded Trinity col
lege for boys at Washington, and for
years has been the head of a private
academy at Oil City.
He is survived by wife, one son
and daughter Mrs. Jane Camp, of
this city, is a sister and Archibald
carp, of Riverside, is a nephew.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
Mishap to Catawissa Division.

\ serious accident occurred on the
Philadelphia and Reading railway at
Catawissa about six O'Clock Tuesday
evening that nearly tied up the whole
Catawissa division.
Bv a peculiar accident the big rail
way derrick at Catawissa, car and
machinery, was toppled over unto the
turntable. completely putting that i'm
portant piece of machinery out of
business, and badly injuring three men
who were on the derrick car at the
time of the accident.
The gravel train had been out on
the division gathering scrap, and,
among other things, picked up an old
truck. At Catawissa it was attempted
to unload this with the derrick, but
the hooks getting only an insecure
hold. slipped. and the momentum threw
the whole massive apparatus over in
to the turntable hole.
Three Italians were on the car at
the time, and it was thought at first
that they had all been either killed or
horribly injured. They were FORUM
ate. however, one of them had his toe
smashed another got off with badly
wrenched hin, and the third had his
leg painfully pinched.
The turn table was put out of COM
mission, and as it is the only table on
the Cataw issa division. its being rem
dered useless seriously handicaps
traffic. Seven locomotives were be-
hind the table and are useless until
repairs are made The steam derrick
at Tamagua was sent for.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
AGED WOMAN
Objects TO TRAIN

An aged woman, who had never rid
den on railroad before, becoming
frantic with terror as the train rolled
along. making it necessary to stop and
let her Oft before she had gone half
mile from the station, was the strange
and pathetic incident occurring on a
b. & : train from Benton Saturday.
The woman was Mrs. Charles Skin
ner. of Jackson, where she has resided
all the 90 years of her life, her home
being not four miles from the rail
road. All her years, she made very
few trips from home, and then only on
short journeys with "A horse and carTi-
age. She had never been on railroad
or trolley car, until the day in ques-
tion when she set out with her son
John 90 make a trip to Danville. The
b. & :. train was boarded at the Ben
ton station. The train had not more
than started when the aged woman be-
came terrified by what was to her such
q strange experience, and as speed was
gained and the rumbling increased,
while the landscape flew by the win
dows, she became actually frantic and
began to scream to let her off. The
train was stopped at Maple Grove,
about a half mile from the Benton sta
tion, where her son assisted his moth
er 10 get OIL. and they returned to their
home. the woman being on the verge
Of collapse.
Witnesses to the incident say they
firmly believe the aged woman would
have actually died Of fright had not
the train been stopped just when it
was
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
| TO ABSORB
THE SILK MILLS

The Srcanton Times of recent issue,
contains the following editorial that
is of interest in this community as it
commentaries upon the gigantic silk
trust" that would, if it plans success
fully materially atfectoneo Danville's
most prominent and valuable indus
tries:
The Times last evening noted that a
gigantic silk trust had been formed,
and the Management was engaged in
securing options or figures for which
the present owners of mills in Scran-
ton and other places in the State would
dispose of their plants
The remarkable growth of the silk
business has been due to competition,
and the establishment of small as well
as large concerns, all over the country,
wherever there was opportunity to Sc
cure female labor, which is used most
ly in the mills.
Scranton has several mills, one the
largest III the United States, and in
creased business, have required addi-
tions, and recently a new factory was
started in West Scranton, which is al
ready adding room, and increasing its
force.
In the towns throughout the valley,
silk mills have been established, and
are prospering, giving employment in
the aggregate to thousands of hands,
and adding to the general prosperity.
The fact that the mills, as rule,
work full time, the year around, and
frequently overtime, and the increase
Of help and additions to the original
buildings are evidence of the prosper
ity of the mills, and that they are a
paying institution.
The mills have proved great boon
to the region, as they afford a means
for the surplus female labor to secure
employment, and during the dull per
iods in the coal business, aid the
families, whose heads are miners, and
the amount of money distributed
through wages, is a material help to
general business.
The trend of the trusts or conccntra-
tion of any business, has been to close
small concerns, and to bring the manu-
featuring or business to large centers,
and avoid the expense which attaches
to many separate establishments.
While the wages now paid, would not
allow of females going away, from
home, pay their board and expenses
elsewhere, and the manufacturing is
dependent upon female labor, yet we
wouI Id find if the trusts get in control
that many of the small concerns would
be closed, and i'll the opinion of The
Times, the city and valley would not
be gamers by trust control of the silk
mills.
OF course, if the owners of mills get
their price, no one will blame them if
they sell their plants. Trust control
will mean control of the raw material
as well, and the American public
which has been enabled to buy and
wear silk and use it in innumerable
ways in beautifying their homes and
adorning their person, will find the
cost of the fabric greatly increased
within a year under trust control Of
| the mills of the country.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
TWO ENLISTMENTS
ARE MADE

Bert Light, OF Milton, and Fred
Hopkins, of Mt Carmel, have enlisted
at the local recruiting station They
were accepted Tuesday evening and
Wednesday they left for New York
where they viii join the coast artil-
lcry. William Koncslor of Mt. Car
mel, another applicant Tuesday, was
rejected on account OF impaired Wis
ion
The recruiting office was opened
here on June ith under Corporal Cob
en-. There have been, all told, a round
dozen Of applicants, but tn two above
named, accepted Tuesday were the
| first that came up to all the require
mcnts
Corporal Cohen Tuesday Stated that
recruiting officers generally expect to
reject at least 20 per cent of those
! who apuIv The DrinciDal defect seems
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
Increase of Trolley Travel.

The remarkable increase in the troll
ley system of the State is shown by
the trips which are now being adver-
tised by some of the companies operat-
ing traction lines. Around Pittsburg,
Philadelphia, Scranton, Wilkes Barre
and Reading and even our city there
are splendid systems atfording long
and interesting rides, but it remains
for a crowd of Lancasterians to take
the banner.
This party started from Lancaster
and went to a Allentown passing through
the Reading system. There were $50
in the party and the trip took five and
a half hours. The run between Read
ing and Allentown, thirty miles, was
made in less than three hours.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
Costly String of Fish.

The Mahanoy City American says
that Game and Fish Warden William
Rinkenburger arrested Joseph Kobsh
iusky for violating the fish laws. The
season for bass fishing opened Thurs
day and Kobshinsky journeyed to
Lakeside to try his luck. He had in
his possession when arrested twenty
nine bass ranging in lengthfr three
to five inches and the law states moth
ing under seven inches isl allowed to
be taken from the waters He was
given n hearing before Justice of the
Peace Brennan who il default of his
paying the fine of $40 for each fish
caught or $3.50, was committed to Jail
to serve 300 days or ten days for each
fish under size.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
To Sunday Schools OF County.

Mr. p. f. Matthias, of Highspire,
Pa, who did such excellent work in
the interest of the Sunday schools Of
Montour county last year, and who
recently completed his first year $
study in Yale Divinity school is in
our midst for about one month. He
will lend us his helping hand in org
anizing cradle, home and normal de
partment in our Sundy schools besides
aiding US in holding our annual Sun
day school district institutes before
July 4.
County laborers in Sunday school
work, encourage him and yourself by
asking him to help you in this all i'm
portant branch of religious work.
Yours in faith,
G. ID. LERCH, county President
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
Dodging Taxes in SchuyIkill.

The recent sale of a tract of coal
land is Schuylkill county valued at
one thousand dollars an acre, is assess
ed at fifty dollars With this as basis
an investigation was made and it has
developed that coal lands generally are
assessed at about one twentieth their
real value, which means an evasion of
taxation to an enormous extent. The
coal companies are all represented in
what they call the Taxpayers As
sociation" and have for years used
their influences with the county COM
missioners to get a rate of taxation on
their coal lands far lower in proper
tion than that paid by the working
men and business men on their small
homesteads. In order to combat the
work of the corporations through the
TaXpayers' Association the small prop
erty owners have formed a Home
Owners League. - This organization
is being perfected in Pottsville and
VIII eAtehd 10 an paIIS VI Iile Couh'y.
1t is proposed to ask the county com
missioners at the time of the revision
of the valuation Of taxes to raise the
assessment upon corporation lands
many million dollars. If the commits
sioners do not comply with this re
quest these people will go into politics
and elect their own commissioners two
years from now.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
OKLAHOMA.

Oklahoma Will enter the Union as
the thirty third new state to be ad-
mitted to the circle originally formed
by the thirteen colonies that reyolted
against Great Britain No other state
has entered the Union with so large a
population at the time of its admis-
sion, none with so great an aggregate
of wealth, none with so many schools
and churches. Since Utah was admitt-
ed III 1896, a period of ten years has
elapsed, which is longer than the aver
age interval between the admissions
of new states, though it has been by
no means the longest interval. From
the time when the eleventh new state,
Missouri, came in, in 1921, to the adj
mission of the twelfth, Arkansas, six
teen years passed and thirteen years
intervened between the admission of
Colorado, in 1876, and that of the two
Dakotas, Montana and Washington, in
1889.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
CITIZENS Big
PETITION

On Wednesday three OF our leading
citizens went to New York City to
deliver over to the Delaware, Lack
awanna and Western railroad company
the big petition to the president and
directors of thst company bearing over
hundred signatures and asking that
permission be granted the Danyille
and Bloomsbury street railway com
pauy to cross the ID. H. q W tracks
on Mill street The petition was in
troducod at council Friday night and
the twelve men constituting that body
unhesitatingly affixed their signatures,
making the number of signers incIud-
ing ninety business men, slightly
above a hundred.
The petition reads:
To the president and directors OF the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
railroad company:
The petition of the undersigned,
merchants of the borough of Danville
and patrons of the Delaware, Lack
awanua and Western railroad company
respectfully presents:
That it would be greatly TO the in
tcrcst of the merchants of the said
borough of Danvillc as we'll as its en-
tire population if the Danville and
Bloomsbury electric railway were per-
mitted to cross the tracks of the said
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
railroad company and run It's cars over
Mill street in the said borough of Dan
vile.
Your petitioners, therefore showing
these facts most earnestly and respect
fully, request that the said Danville
and Bloomsbury electric railway com
pany be permitted to cross the ira ks
of the said Delaware, Lackawanna and
Western railroad company i'll the bor-
ough of Danville.
Then follows several pages of sign
atures starting out with W. j. Rog-
ers, burgess. and 7. j. Price, of the
Danville Structural Tubing company.
The list contains nearly every bust
ness man and manufacturer in Dan
Vile and in proof of the Importance of
each, opposite his name is set forth the
business which he represents. On the
whole it is hardly likely that such a
| petition Will he without its effect and
it would not be surprising if it should
/ play a very important part in induc-
| ing the D. l.. q w. people to recede
| from their position. should it finally
occur that the trolley company is
| given permission to cross the ID. l.. q
/ W. tracks on Mill street
| The merchants and manufacturers III
! DanyiIle have gotten up this petition
| purely on their own initiative, believ-
/ ing that if the railroad company could
be made to see the thing purely as IT
| affects the inhabitants and the bust
| ness interests of the town it would the
more readily aggree to let the trolley
company cross its tracks.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-21
JUDGE STAPLES AGAIN

While the jury was being drawn at
Easton the other day to try Ernest De
Bergh, a HelIertown justice of the
peace, accused of having disturbed a
religious meeting counsel for the de-
fendant objected to one of the jurors
serving because hc was a Methodist.
Judge Staples, of Monroe county, who
has been assisting the Northampton
county court last week, very promptly
overruled the objection, adding that
he was Methodist, and if the objec-
tion was a good one he would have to
vacatc the bench.