davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
ANOTHER GASOLINE
THIEF is JAILED

Adding another to their long
record of convictions of men arrest
ed after stealing gasoline from ma
chimes belonging to the Imperial Ir-
rigation District, E. B. Henley and
Kirk Oswalt yesterday afternoon
saw Frank Steitel sentenced to 80
days in the county Jail for petty
theft.
The sentence was passed by Judge
v. E. Bailey in Westmorland Steitel
had been apprehended, according to
testimony yesterday, after removing
q quantity of gasoline from an I'M
perial Irrigation District dredger.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
Bedtime Stories
BY HOWARD E. GARRIS
Copyright, 1928, by Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate
UNCLE wIGGILY's ANSWER

What are you doing. Uncle Wig
gily?" grunted Mr.. Twistytaii, the
fat pig gentleman one day as
stamping around in the snow, he
saw the rabbit stringing a long
clothes line toward the Hollow
Stump School.
II am making a telephone, an
swered Mr.. Longears.
"A telephone?" grunted the pig
leaning against snowbank to
scratch his left side.
That's what I said-a telephone,
went on Uncle Wiggily. You see
Twisty (Which he called the pig fol-
short, he being also fat) you see
Twisty, my wife doesn't like the
children to go to school in cold
stormy weather. They get theii
paws wet and catch the snuffles." ="
"Yes, I know grunted Mr.. Twis-
tytail. My little pigs do the same.
and he leaned the other way against
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17

the main bearings and transmits
sion have not been touched.
Many thousands of the miles this
veteran saw during its earlier years
were over western roads the like
of which the car of today seldom
encounters. Some of them were
most primitive across mountain and
desert.
A modern Dodge Brothers eight
milne sedan now is demonstrate
ing dramatically its ability to put
as many miles behind it every
seven months as KloSsen's car has
done in its first II years.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
VOLUNTEERS IMPROVE school

OLIN, Iowa. U.pt-Unaoie 10 al
ford improvements. and yet desirous
of improving the school grounds,
persons whose children attended the
Olin consolidated school sent out a
call for help. Volunteers responded
with ITO farm teams, which graded
the property, while other volunteers
planted trees and shftibbery.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
27-YEAR- OLD HEN FAITHFUL

, COUNCIL BLUFFS Iowa, UP
Ernest A. FRANKIE. farmer, claims
to have good hen 27 years old. 1t
was a wedding present from his
wife's parents. 1t still lays its full
quota OF eggs annually, FRANKIE says.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
CIRCLES WORLD IN 81 MINUTES
NEA San Francisco Bureox

RICHMOND. Ind, Wnl-Thc first
shors-wave radio message to circle
the world was dispatched as part
of the ceremony celebrating the
Tooth anniversary of the Richmond
Palladium. 1t made the circuit IN
81 minutes. Cooperation OF between
500 and 1000 amateur senders ex-
pedited the message
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
FEMININE ATTIRE COST s1oo

DUBUQUE, Iowa, U.PNAlfred
Boge, %, dressed himself in feminine
attire, including corset and dainty
under clothes, and came here from
his home in New Vienna for lark
He went back home the next day,
minus his costume and 500. All
went well throughout the evening
until Boge undertook to show two
women his negligee. The witnesses
called police.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
Looking Backward
What the Press Files Tell of
Imperial Valley for this Date
In Past Years
TWENTY YEARS AGO
uanuar.v IL 1911

The Masonic Building association
of FL Centre has been Incorporated
among the members of the FL Gen.
tro Masonic lodge The directors
are John M. Eshleman, w. c. Ham
ilton, DR.. Virgil McCombs, H. H.
Peterson and Judge Franklin d.
Cole.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
TEN YEARS AGO
January II. 1921

Ell Centro leads all Imperial VAL
ley and many of the smaller cities
in the southern part of the state
in amount Of building permits is
sued last year.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17

Joseph F. Seymour, Jr., will be
the principal speaker at the Com
munity Forum Monday night at
the Christian church. Mr.. Seymour,
who is secretary Of the Associated
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17

The city trustees have taken heed
of the probable advance in values
OF close in realty. and in order that
the city may be able to erect city
hall at some future time without
having to pay too heavily for the
necessary land, they have provided
that an option shall be taken on
lots adjoining the public library
building.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17

The federal government will give
sl50,00o to the California National
Guard for building a permanent
summer camp at San Luis Obispo.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17

Chambers of Commerce, will dis.
cuss the. alleged child labor ques-
ton.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
FIFTEEN TEARS, AGO
January n. 1916

Heat gathered by a sheet Of as
bestos on the wall behind stove
in the home of l.. Lippman at 733
Main street yesterday morning
caused the wall to blaze. the fire
spreading to tapestries.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17

Next Saturday night is the date
set for the second of a series OF
dances TO be given this winter by
the Bachelors club.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
THE WEATHER

LOS ANGELES AND VICINITY
Fair tonight and Sunday prob
ably becoming cloudy and unsettled
Sunday night; moderate temper
ature.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Fair tonight and Sunday; local
frosts tonight: gentle north to
northeast winds offshore.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-01-17
TAKING CHANCES

We're afraid of this proposed law
which would remove the speed limit on
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
DIR. WHARTON RESIGNS POST
Noted Z. of p. Athlete Gives Up
as Physical Director of Penn

DIR. Charles M (Buck) Wharton
of Dover, a former Smyrna boy,
has resigned as Assistant Director
and Assistant Professor of Physi-
cal Education at the University of
Pennsylvania, and may become
Professor of Physical Education at
the University of Delaware to fill
the chair created by the Legisla-
ture at its last session. DR.. Whar-
ton has been asked if he would ac-
cept the position should it be tend
cred him by the trustees of the
University, but has not yet given
an answer Several other persons
were spoken to in reference to the
position as well as DR.. Wharton.
DR.. Walter Hullihen, president of
the University of Delaware, when
spoken to in reference to the mat
ter, said that he had talked with
DIR. Wharton as to whether he
would accept the position should it
be rendered him by the trustees,
but had not received definite
answer.
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
DELAWARE FARM CONDITIONS
SHOW FARMERS UP-TO-DATE
FOUR OUT OF FIVE OWN
CARS-ONE IN FOUR PHONE
1900 Farmers Have Electric Lights
Nearly 60 Per cent of Farm
ers Operate Their Own Farms

About four farmers out of five
in the State of Delaware have
automobiles, some of them more
than one, according to a statement
just issued by the Director of the
Census giving some Of the results
of the 1880 census OF agriculture;
automobiles being reported for
7498 of the 9707 farms in the State
and the number of automobiles on
these farms being 1924. One
farmer in four has a telephone,
telephones being reported for 2,420
farms. Tractors to the number of
1000 were reported for 1 1,447 farms
and 1896 motor trucks were re-
ported for 2.781 farms. On the
1,5OO farms, water was piped into
the farmers dwellings, and 1861
farm dwellings were lighted by
electricity. Of the 9,7O7 farms
enumerated in the State, 1916, or
sop er cent, were operated by full
owners, owning all the land in the
farm. Of these, 2,199 reported the
farm as mortgaged. The total
mortgage debt thus reported was
$5,617, ,231, which is 1877 per cent
of the total value of these farms
namely S14, 4,137, ,O99. Farmers in
the tate of Delaware expended So
684,80 for feed (hay, grain, mill
feed, etc. in 1929 1,3OO,571 for
fertilizer, and $2,518,O58 for farm
labor. They sold 11,435, ,267 gal
Ions of milk, 277,7O5 pounds of
butter, 32,883 pounds of butterfat
and 6,517 gallons of cream. There
were 792,960 apple trees on Della
ware farms, 383, $50 peach trees
and 876,466 grape vines, not in
cluding the young trees or vines
which had not yet come into bear
ing. The growers harvested 91O,-
252 bushels of apples, 400,937
bushels of peaches, 4,713, ,083
pounds of grapes and 1882, ,938
quarts of strawberries There were
1926 sheep in the State There is
a decrease in five years of $50 in
the number of farms, but an in
crease of S10,473, ,381 in the value
of farm land despite the decrease.
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
SMYRNA ROTARY CLUB NEWS
Tribute Paid to Veterans of Three
Wars Who Attend in Person

The Smyrna Rotary Club last
Thursday evening held their an
nual Memorial Day program. The
club was honored by having as
their guests veterans of three
wars: ]. w. Start, E. ]. Skelley,
Civil War Veterans; Frank c.
Armstrong, Spanish War Veteran.
President w. w. Hynson introduc-
ed and welcomed the visitors. W.
E. Matthews chairman of program
and a veteran of the World War,
after a few brief remarks, present
ed Frank S. Heal, commander
elect of the Delaware Post, No. /,
American Legion, who delivered
the address on Memorial Day. Mr.
Heal said in part that Memorial
Day was the outgrowth of the
Civil War History of wars as to
the dates Of their taking place
were briefly outlined as well as
that of the Stone Age where might
was right. The comparison be-
tween the Stone Age method and
the present mechanised system of
conducting wars was outlined.
American liberty as a supreme
right to all citizens carry with it
the obligation to the United States
Government and fellow citizens.
Disarmament was questioned as to
being a good policy for our gov
Heal spoke very feelingly of the
soldier that has paid the supreme
sacrifice, he called attention to the
condition of the ex-service men
who survive as human derilects.
Visiting Rotarian present, w. S.
Taber of the Dover Club.
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
FARMS NOT OUT OF DANGER
j. G. Kincer, Chief of Division of
MeteoroIogy, Refers to Drought

j. G. Kincer, Chief of Division of
MeteoroIogy, Refers to Drought
The United States farm lands are
not yet out of danger as the result
of last years drought, and that
they may suffer a serious relapse
of a single hot and dry month
should occur, is the outlook as
described by ]. B. Kincer, chief of
the division of agriculture meteor
ology of the United States weather
bureau. Although the country in
general is recovering from the 1880
dry spell, it has not yet built up
enough reserve strength in the
form of moisture in the subsoil to
resist another prolonged period of
dry weather. Rains in many sec
tions so far this spring have been
below normal, as was the case last
year, and some areas have had
even less raini n 1881 than in the
drought year of 1890 States in
the northwest have had subnormal
rainfallf or period of fourteen
years, with the result that the re-
serve of soil moisture has practi-
cally disappeared in these areas.
Taking these conditions into con-
sideration, Mr.. Kincer states that
rainfall of normal intensity is es-
sentiala II summer and until the
end Of September to prevent an
other drought and serious damage
to farm crops this year. Accord
ing to the weather bureau there is
faint possibility of another dry
summer, as previous records show
a tendency foro ne dry year to foT-
low another, but this tendency,
however, is not sufficiently reliable
to be used as a basis for forecast
ing. In order to prevent the reoc-
currence of the drought conditions
in 1880, therefore, more rain than
normal will be required to build up
a sufficient reserve supply of mois-
ture in the soil in those sections of
the United States which were so
seriously affected by dry weather
last year.
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
ON THE BOULEVARD
Thousands of Autos Pass Thru
Smyrna Sunday Afternoon and
Night ON Way Up State

] Automobile traffic on the State
/ Highway Sunday reached the
heaviest ever to be counted by
State Highway police, total OF
! 25,056 cars passing Station No. 2,
/ at State Road, from noon to mid
night. Despite heavy traffic but
few accidents were reported The
count showed an advance of 511S
cars passing the station over Mem
orial Day, 1880, when 1898 cars
were counted. The majority of
drivers showed a preference for
Route 13, leading to Kent and Sus-
sex counties, 1908 cars being
counted on this road, while on
Route 40 to Elkton, 9993 machines
passed. The heaviest hour was
from 8 to 9 o'clock, when 4OO1 ma
chimes drove over both highways.
The figures showed a gradual de-
cline to midnight, when 783 auto
mobiles were checked between IL
ard IL o'clock. The traffic over
the State highways running
through Smyrna, was the heaviest
known this year. Between and
6 o'clock Sunday afternoon the
number of cars passing up the
highway police station, north of
Dover, ran considerably over one
thousand for the hour. One check
up gives a total of 8349 automo-
biles counted by the State High
way Police at Station No. 8, at
Dover from noon to midnight
Traffic reached its peak from 4 to 5
o'clock when 1882 cars passed the
fork in the highway near Silver
Lake, Dover The line gradually
diminished until midnight, 1877 cars
being counted during the last hour.
Most motorists chose the east road
in the fork, leading to Milford and
Rehoboth, 1912 machines passing
through from 8 to 5 o'clock, the
two hours at which traffic was at
its heaviest. The count showed an
advance of 1889 cars over that
taken Memorial Day a year ago
when 1860 cars were checked at
the same station.
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
SMYRNA WINS AT BASEBALL
Defeats MarshaIlton ) to 2 Before
Big Memorial Day Crowd

The chief sport for Memorial
Day at Smyrna was the baseball
contest between Smyrna and st.
Barnabas of Marshallton. The
crowd which had assembled in the
morning to see the parade and at
tend the ceremonies at Odd Fell
lows Cemetery shifted to the
Smyrna school grounds in the
early afternoon, packed the grand
stand to its capacity with the
bleachers containing more spec
tators than was in the grandstand.
The weather was clear and sizzling
hot but the crowd fingered to see
the game finished which afforded
an afternoon of good entertain
ment. William Palmer twirled
Smyrna to its second victory by
defeating st. Barnabas by a score
of to g. st. Barnabas gathered
eight hits but Palmer kept them
well scattered. st. Barnabas made
two runs in the sixth inning which
was due to errors on the part of
two Smyrna players. Had it not
been for this, ST. Barnabas would
have been completely shut out. The
pitching of Palmer and the fine
fielding of Dalton and Truax were
features of the game. The entire
Smyrna team was full of pep and
played better as a whole than any
time since they were organized.
The score by innings of Saturdays
game follows:
st. Barnabas. 90 OOO2 OO-2
Smyrna -. 003 90 2 90 Ks
Smyrna is scheduled to play at
st. Georges on Saturday, June 6;
Smyrna at Middletown, Saturday,
June 13, and Middletown at Smyr-
ma on Saturday, June 20.
Ctaudipo nf tbe taorpc.
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
WHOLE NO. 4OO1
FIRE AT FLEM|NG'S LANDING
RESULTS IN $4,000 DAMAGE
STABLE AND COW SHE'D OF
JOHN o. COUNCIL BURNED
Smyrna Fire Company Called and
Kept Flames From Spreading to
Residence-Shift of Wind Timely

Fire of unknown origin destroy
ed the stable and cow shed on the
farm of John Council at Fleming's
Landing last night about 10.45,
burning them both to the ground
with loss estimated about $2500,
partly covered by insurance. The
whining of their dog caused Mrs.
Council to awaken her husband.
He, in turn, got out of bed and
went out to investigate when he
discovered the fire. Having no
telephone he took his gun and
shot seven times in order to arouse
his neighbors. Finally, ]. Wesley
Hawkins, having to go for a mile
to the nearest telephone, gave in
the alarm, summoned the Smyrna
firemen. When the fire was dis
covered the wind was blowing in
the direction of his home and had
it not changed, no doubt, all h is
property would have been burned
to the ground The COW shed, hav-
ing a tin roof, held the flames in
check from eating into the build
ing and the sparks from flying to
other nearby outbuildings. This
probably saved much greater
confiagration. Two cows were in
the stable at the time but were
saved. All of Mr.. CouncilIs hay,
harness, and other implements
were burned In attempting %
save his harness, Mr.. Council was
burned on the ear and then, hav-
ing gotten the harness as far as
the door, he was forced to drop
them because of the intense heat.
Mr.. Council has the sympathy OF
his friends in his loss An effort,
it is said, will be made to rebuild
as quickly as possible.
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
POWER COMPANIES MERGE
Conowingo and Northern Maryland
Combine Formally Approved

The merger of the Conowingo
Electric Power Company, in Har-
ford county, and the Northern
Maryland Power Company, which
operates in Cecil county, has been
approved by the Maryland State
Tax Commission and the Public
Service Commission. The merged
companies will hereafter go under
the name of the Conowingo Elec-
trio Company, with its principal
office in Elkton. The company has
taken over the entire first floor of
the Clayton building.
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
SMYRNA HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
Pupils Active in Athletics Win Let
ter IS" for Proficiency in Basket
Ball and Base Ball at School

/ The following pupils were award
ed the letter IS" at a banquet Civ
en- last evening at the Smyrna
/ High School: In basketball
girls - Edna Slaughter, Bertha
E. Sparks, Mildred Mills, Mary
Hutchison, Elizabeth Crossley Mar
guerite Pawn, Thelma Crossley.
Letters awarded in basketball and
baseball, boys Franklin Hilyard,
Reynolds Stevenson, William Pal
mer, James Messick, Edgar Har-
rington, Carlton Garrison. Boys
in baseball only Melvin Adkins,
John Pratt. Mr.. George W.Wright
of the Commercial Department of
the Smyrna High School acted as
toastmaster while Mrs. Howard r.
Jones, Mrs. Homer d. Hudson, and
Miss Christine Baker were hostess
es. Speeches were made by Pro-
fessor G. w. w. Schantz, Mr. John
]. Dalton, Mr.. George Hendricks,
Miss Grace Hunter, Mr.. Walter W.
Hynson, Miss Mary Hutchison, and
Messrs. John Pratt and James
Messick. The guests present were
Mr.. George Hendricks, State Di-
rector of Physical Education, Miss
Grace Hunter, Miss Marion B.
Hilse, Physical Education instruc-
tors of the Dover High School,
Miss Emily Graham, and Mr.. Wal
ter w. Hynson. Harper Jones and
William Lamb were also guests but
did not receive the letter ''S" They
will not be able to receive their
letter until they have been enroll
ed as High School students The
Smyrna High School Commence
ment Exercises, which will be held
on June 10Th, in the High School
Auditorium, will be conducted
along the same lines that were fol-
lowed last year, namely, that the
members of the graduating class
will be the only speakers. There
will be the customary salutatory
address; the speech by the class
orator and the valedictory address.
This custom is now being followed
in a large number of the leading
high schools. Dorothy Hemsley's
essay written for the Safety Essay
Contest on the subject MY Re
wards for Observing Street and
Highway Safety Rules" was judg
ed the best from those submitted
by pupils from 5th to 8th grades
inclusive. This essay has been sent
to the State Department to COM
pete with other essays throughout
the state. Further recognition,
Dorothy was guest of the Del
aware Safety Council at a dinner
given in the ball room of the du-
Pont Biltmore Hotel on Monday
evening, June AT an art exhibit
in the Wilmington Public Library
in which the Smyrna Public
Schools participated, the pupils of
the sixth grade were awarded sec
ond prize among the public and
private schools throughout the
state The piece Of work exhibited
by the Smyrna Schools was an in
dustrial map of Delaware. The
Smyrna Schools will be presented
with a framed picture. The art
work was judged by a Baltimore
artist The banking results of
yesterday were as follows: Amount
deposited, $5515; 563 present; BAG
depositors, and the total amount
deposited to date, S2,247.98. Per-
centage, 61.4.
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
PAY $4,000 SMYRNA BONDS
Bonded Debt of Town of Smyrna
Reduced From S204 900 to S189, 900

At a special meeting of Smyrna
Town Council Friday evening, it
was voted to add $4,000 more to
the $4,000 already authorized and
to pay on July l, $4,000 on its
outstanding Refunded Bonds num-
bered 1 to Is, inclusive. This pay
ment will reduce the bond debt of
Smyrna from S204, 900 to S1S9, 900.
Notice of said redemption is adj
vertised according to law in an
other column.
Smyrna times., 1931-06-03
BUSINESS MEMS MOCK TRIAL
VIII Feature Their Program to be
Given Friday Night at Fire House

Given Friday Night at FIRE house
Smyrna Business Mems Associa-
tion will meet in regular session at
the Smyrna Fire Hall Friday even
ing. One Of the business matters
to be brought up is a proposition
to join the Del-Mar-Va Association
of Chambers of Commerce, specifi-
cally to agitate tunnel or bridge
across the Chesapeake Bay to link
the Eastern and Western Shores
of Maryland and afford quicker
and shorter route to Baltimore.
Narrowed down, some want a
bridge from COLCHESTER to span the
bay and others want to see a tun-
mel from Kent Island to Annapolis.
AS this section Of Delaware will be
benefited, Smyrna Business Mems
Association by becoming mem
ber of the Del-Mar-Va body, may
be in closer contact with what is
going on in the tunnel or bridge
agitation. When the business at
Fridays meeting is disposed of, a
program of unusual interest will
follow in the form of MOCK
Trial" the case being "the State
VS.. John Doe (impersonated by
James Patterson), charged with
murder" The murder" took place
at a Bootleg Joint on road 10
Blanco, May 26, at 10 a. M, In a
shack owned by John Czemenskl
and the victim was TONY Gra-
zonio." The Business Mems As
sociation will set up a court with
G. Leland Harmonson as "Chlef
Justice" and E. p. Thomas and w.
w. Hynson, associate judges; Har-
vey c. Jones and George w. Gun
ming States Attorneys. and w. +.
Matthews Jr.,and VIII. Kenworthy
as Attorneys for Defense" John
w. Jacobs Jr., will be Sheriff !;
Esley M. Rust, Court Crier," and
c. G. Handy, Clerk. There WIN
be six witnesses" for each SIDE
summoned and a Jury" OF twelve
Smyrna Business Men"impaneled.
1t will be an open meeting and
free to all who want to attend.