NEWS: Items from the Morning Tribune, December 3, 1879, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ Items from the Morning Tribune, Altoona, Wednesday, December 3, 1879 ELECTRIC SPARKS. George Quigg, who was arrested at Reading on Saturday for the murder of Daniel Moore in January, 1878, was discharged yesterday after a hearing, the testimony showing that there was no foundation for the charge. Easton Weavers Strike. EASTON, Pa., December 2.- The weavers of McKean & Raphael's cotton mills, South Easton, about three hundred in number, struck to-day for an increase of ten per cent. in their wages or a decrease of one hour in a day's work. Both demands were refused and the strikers were discharged as they left the mill. STATE NOTES. On the 10th inst. the effects of the Philadelphia Reform Club will be sold under the hammer, Alas, Reforum. The Baltimore and Hanover railroad, which was finished last week, was commenced in December, 1877. Total cost of road, $191,000. In Meadville the two-year-old daughter of Benjamin Spaulding was instantly killed by falling from a chair on a pair of shears, which entered her throat, severing the jugular vein. The Robisons of Ottawa and other heirs of Hannah and Betsy Baker, "claim" 15,000 acres of land on which part of the city of Philadelphia is built, eleven square miles of land on the banks of the Hudson river, a large tract of coal lands in Pennsylvania and scattered properties in New York and elsewhere. A Chester county invention which is attracting considerable attention among millers is a flour purifier invented by Walter A. Huston, of Londongrove township. The purifier consists of a closed chest about seven and one-half feet long, in which there are three screens and three separate air blasts. By the use of a flour purifier the middlings are cleaned and reground, thus making about 80 per cent. of the middlings into first-class flour. Ugly Rumors Put to Rest. For some days past there have been in circulation in the community ugly rumors concerning Mr. Richard Thomas, of Bellefonte, late book-keeper of Messrs. Valentine & Co. These have been happily put to rest by Mr. Thomas settling all errors, damages and claims held by the above firm against him. Mr. Thomas paid all claims presented against him and a receipt in full has been given him. "So all's well that ends well." FROM TYRONE. The iron for the bridge across the Bald Eagle creek, at the foot of Juniata street, is expected here this week. About two weeks more will see the bridge completed. The Tyrone Gas and Water Company recently lifted 500 feet of the old wooden water main and replaced it with new iron pipe, an exchange badly needed. More of it will be replaced in the spring. Holmes is still hammering away after his taxes, attaching persons, store goods and household articles without respect to the financial or moral standing of the delinquent. They talk pretty rough about his severity, but for all that he is a success as a collector and means business. Colonel E. J. Pruner is making long-needed repairs on his store property on Main street. Something, much resembling a huge sign, is being put up on the roof, rearing up perpendicularly to about ten feet in height and running along the comb of the roof the entire length of the building. What is it? Who can tell? School Report Relative standing of the pupils of the Sixth Ward First Grammar School in attendance, recitations and deportment for the month ending December 1, 1879: A CLASS. Esther A. Yerger 100 T. K. Moore 97 Sadie B. Emswiler 100 Cora Herr 97 Essie J. Halliwell 100 E. S. Delaplane 96 Lizzie M. Miller 100 W. Kearney 96 Minnie E. Wesley 100 G. Billinger 95 Vinnie Davis 99 H. A. Paxson 95 G. McDonald 99 E. W. Parker 94 Annie M. Ayres 99 Tillie M. Kerr 93 Katie B. Curry 99 Edith McCartney 93 Alice L. Glunt 99 R. B. Wilson 93 H. W. Craine 98 Carrie M. Munzert 93 O. A. Craine 98 L. F. Kiethly 86 Susie Bollinger 98 C. Knepper 85 O. A. Cherry 97 J. P. McCloskey 85 B CLASS Ella M. Walker 100 Sadie C. McCloskey 96 Sadie C. Durbin 100 Mary E. Wilson 95 Annie F. Houseman 100 Sadie M. Herr 94 Mary V. Potter 100 Annie A. Irvin 93 Harriet A. Dearmitt 99 G. M. Douglass 88 Mary S. Ingold 99 W. P. Owens 87 Marie J. Stewart 99 H. C. Ward 86 J. L. Winkler 98 Nearly all the pupils marked below 100 were absent part of the time. Relative standing of the pupils of the Sixth ward second intermediate school: A CLASS Ellen Louden 100 Lula Harndon 85 Ida Lockard 100 Charles Lantz 85 Annie Evans 100 Charles Ward 82 Gussie Munzert 100 Charles Murray 8 Mary Findley 98 Thomas Montgomery 78 Horace Douglass 97 May Reynolds 75 Minnie McDowell 96 William Hawk 75 Thomas Keithley 95 Lida Johnston 74 Edith Wilson 85 Annie Mower 69 Annie Hill 94 Annie Exline 66 Emma Grant 94 Albert Price 53 Jacob Gerahert 94 Tillie Kaufman 52 Sallie Olewine 93 Annie Haas 40 George Durbin 90 B CLASS Bertha Armstrong 97 Elsworth Barnacle 86 Charles Coho 91 Barry Holliday 84 William Wiley 90 Rose Stewart 80 Annie Fickes 89 George Conrad 79 Annie Kearney 83 Eddie Eider 71 Anna Davis 87 James Herr 68 Eddie McClune 87 Thomas Mower 60 Harry Dell 86 James Dively 50 Relative standing of the pupils of the Fourth ward intermediate school for the month ending November 28, 1879: A CLASS Bessie Goodfellow 100 Andy Kipple 83 Gertrude Heess 100 Annie Schanz 79 Maggie Baxter 100 Annie Germ 77 Tillie Smith 100 Annie Hughes 73 Rose Rowe 100 Allie Beam 71 Aura Keiste 99 Allie Osterloh 67 Alice Thompson 96 John Crozier 65 Charlie Carr 95 Carrie Burbank 64 Milton Davis 93 Harry Fraley 61 George Fisher 92 Harry Renner 59 Mary Schomberg 90 Maurice Bierbower 58 Grant Wertz 90 Albert Garretson 55 Grace Duffield 89 Lizzie White 52 George Kearney 86 B CLASS Cullie Cherry 100 Annie Freeland 91 Lizzie Seilers 100 Willie Rutherford 91 Calvin Kephart 98 George Heess 90 Robert Hutchinson 98 Birdie Smith 87 Jennie Smith 97 Laura Brashears 85 Samuel Wigton 95 Harry Gamble 82 George Bussman 95 Annie Bartley 46 Levi Bigler 93 Bessie Robinson 34 Ellie Ores 92 Report of scholarship and deportment of pupils of Eighth ward first grammar school for the month ending December 1: A DIVISION Dora Baker 100 Belle Schaffer 93 Lewis Dougherty 100 Lollie Larr 88 Susie Strong 100 George Parsons 88 Harry Gearhart 100 Charles Blake 85 Ella Fick 99 Ella England 82 Belle Bartley 99 John Wood 79 Nannie Freet 97 Louie Hart 67 Adda Burns 97 Louie Valentine 63 Mollie Haddock 95 Alfred Boycott 62 Carrie Kitt 93 Samuel Felty 49 Sadie Claycome 93 B DIVISION Lidie Rose 100 Lola Wensel 92 Emma Simons 100 Jessie Valentine 91 Harry Boycott 99 Sarah Johnston 80 Sadie Markey 99 Lizzie Gardner 78 Charles Molloy 99 Willie McFarlin 77 Charles Eberle 99 Charles Stackhouse 69 John Beatty 99 Russell Houck 66 George Eberhardt 99 Minnie Moore 49 Calvin Schaffer 98 The following report shows the relative standing of the pupils of the Third Ward Grammar School for the month ending December 1, 1879: A CLASS Mollie Metcalf 95 Harry McCartney 81 Sallie Capstick 95 Edward Behm 81 Maggie Clabaugh 95 John Glass 81 James Capstick 94 Charles Behm 79 Albert Schomberg 91 Vara Schollenberger 77 Clara Applebaugh 90 Samuel Saylor 76 Eddie Bowman 89 Harry Heater 74 George Delo 86 George Loudon 73 Harry Schneider 85 Grant Glass 63 Bertha Ramey 83 Ella Finney 51 B CLASS Lillie Michael 95 Gemmil Weir 79 Sue Henington 95 Annie Kerr 78 Bertha Pringle 95 Herman Roberts 75 Penny? Cornelius 94 Willie Thener 75 Parma Clover 94 Emma Knepley 75 Maggie Johnston 93 Freddy Seeger 74 Allie Custer 93 Fannie Mayer 74 Carrie Wolf 91 Linton Trout 78 Maggie Schneider 88 Jacob Keifer 61 Katie Fettinger 87 Clarence Sentman 60 May Burns 85 Katie Yon 57 Harry Fay 85 Bruce Neff 57 Dora Yon 84 Harry Elway 47 Jennie Burns 81 Thomas Carland 41 Willie Houseman 80 The following percentages give the relative standing of the pupils of the respective divisions in attendance at the High School for the month ending November 28, 1879: A DIVISION Coleman Clarkson 100 Clara Hazard 98 George Dougherty 100 Sadie Rowe 97 J. B. Hileman 100 Emma Davis 97 George Wicham 99 James Soulsby 97 Gertrude Woodcock 99 Linda C?nan 96 Minnie Poffenberger 98 Clair Good 95 B DIVISION Amelia Brennecke 100 Anna Hamilton 97 Jennie Postlethwaite 100 Herbert Jaggard 96 Eva Keesberry 100 Jennie Osborne 95 Zella Beamer 100 Anna Abrahims 94 Elda McCune 100 Jennie Atkinson 94 Maggie Goodfellow 99 Arthur Jaggard 90 Ada Marks 99 Mazie Ake 89 Maggie Strasser 99 **Lizzie Mann 89 Ella Yingling 99 Nettie Nixon 85 Sallie Arthur 98 *Harry Bartlebaugh 88 Maggie Dillon 98 Aggie Morrow 85 Lucy Shaw 98 *Hattie Strasser 58 Mollie Adams 97 C CLASS Ettie Lewis 100 Anna Snyder 99 Nettie Plack 100 Annie Carr 98 Sallie Kephart 100 Alvarina Clark 98 Minnie Couch 100 Gertie Crosthwaite 98 Minnie Beegle 100 Freddie Bell 97 Maggie Johnston 99 Clemens Pietsch 95 Lizzie Flack 99 Willie Swank 94 Grace Harkness 99 *Frank Robeson 73 D DIVISION Frank Delo 100 Mollie Shaffer 95 Carrie Cole 99 Mollie Markey 95 Joseph Sheeline 98 Effie Shellenberger 94 Agnes Cherry 98 Harry Shellenberger 94 Ella Cherry 97 Horace Lorman 94 Harry Hoar 97 Charles Burley 93 John Olmes 97 Ida Doughman 92 Lottie Olmes 97 Laura Rhea 92 Millie Ake 96 John Wood 90 Mattie Closson 96 **Conditioned. * Unavoidably absent. Average of A Division 98 Average of B Division 94 Average of C Division 97 Average of D Division 95 Enrollment 73 Percentage of attendance 97 FROM HOLLIDAYSBURG. Mr. John Keller, a farmer in the Loop, is feeding a monster hog that good judges say will weigh 1,000 pounds. Engineer Henry Miller, who is now running an engine on a railroad in Ohio, came home yesterday in answer to a despatch informing him of the severe illness of his wife. She is much improved. ACCIDENTS. On Monday a helper in the Gaysport foundry blacksmith shop named Hiram McIntire had one of his eyes severely injured by a spaul of steel striking it. F. P. Bradley, the puddler who was severely hurt one week ago while at work in the big mill, was able to be out yesterday. The burning was caused by the "blowing" of a ball of hot iron while being manipulated in the squeezers. On Monday night the engine on the Williamsburg branch jumped the track at the lower end of town. Two or three coal cars went along. It took about two hours to get things righted when the train and impatient passengers got started for home. FROM STONY TOWN. Mr. C. H. Brown has started a soap factory. We have tried some of his soap and can say, if we are any judge, that it is a good article. Our Logan valley band is learning to play very fast under the instructions of Mr. Filer, of Logantown. They will have their new horns by the 15th of this month, and then look out for music. Our school is progressing very well under the management of our young friend Thomas Anderson. There is an average of from forty to fifty scholars daily. Our new school house is a credit to the Board of Directors of Logan township. It is one of the finest in the township. CITY AND COUNTRY. Things Briefly Told. Edward Yardley, formerly Pennsylvania Railroad Resident Engineer at this point, and who planned the depot shed, passed east yesterday morning on Pacific express. The projected railroad from a point on the Bald Eagle road to intersect with the Tyrone and Clearfield road will open up one of the greatest bituminous coal fields in the world. Wilbur Ruth, a Pittsburgh division fireman who resides on Howard avenue, in this city, was brought to his home here on Monday suffering from injuries sustained by a fall from his engine at Derry. C. D. Bowers, Deputy Prothonotary, was dancing around the city yesterday not quite so lively as of yore. The married state has taken a little of the fire out of "Bob." Still he has a good deal left. Miss Mary Long, of Shirleysburg, widow of Hon. John Long, aged 82, and Mrs. Ruth Wright, of Cassville, widow of Dr. Jesse Wright, aged 91 years, were two of Huntingdon county's estimable ladies who died on the 28th ult. The way passenger train yesterday afternoon comprised fourteen cars, eight of which were filled with emigrants, over three hundred in number. The number of emigrants passing westward this year has been the greatest, perhaps, in the history of the Pennsylvania railroad, averaging nearly one thousand per week. John T. Fowler, Esq., of Fowler station, Centre county, purchased last Saturday from Mr. John Curtin, of Bellefonte, a tract of land containing 3,451 acres and 113 perches, paying therefor $62,000 - one half down and the balance in two equal annual payments. The tract is heavily timbered. The following promotions were announced at the regular meeting of Company D on Monday evening: First Corporal George W. Fowle to Sergeant, Sergeants to take rank as follows: Second Sergeant, R. B. Guthrie; Third Sergeant, G. C. Calhoun; Fifth Sergeant, George W. Fowle. Privates John Enright, Vincent Hudson and Harry C. Roberts were made Corporals. The non commissioned offices are now all filled. Painters are at work on the outside doors at the Logan House, and it was a matter of surprise that Clerk Baer, who is supposed to know when fresh pain is on as well as everything else, should have leaned up against the dining- room door and daubed his clothes all over. A gentleman who saw Baer's predicament suggested that it would be just as well if the Logan House would have a painter permanent employment, as there were plenty of people to rub the paint off as fast as it could be put on. Two very handsome wax flower wreaths are on exhibition in the window of Mateer's drug store. The larger one of the two is in a fine square frame covered with glass. This one is the property of and was made by Mrs. T. J. Tries. The smaller one is inclosed under glass in a handsome round frame, and belongs to and is the work of Mrs. Porter Orner. Cards on each frame bear notice that the wreaths are to be "chanced off." The proceeds of the sale are for the benefit of the ladies named. The wreaths will make beautiful parlor ornaments and attract a great deal of attention from the passers-by. Dr. W. R. Findley and Theodore H. Wigton, Esq., Cashier of the Altoona bank, went to Philadelphia last evening on Philadelphia express to attend a session of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. Mr. W. E. Craine, of the Board of School Directors, who has been in delicate health for some time, has taken his departure for North Carolina, in which genial clime he expects to spend the winter in recuperating. Mr. G. P. Carr, a citizen of Altoona whose home is at Seventh avenue and Eighteenth street, but who has been in Brazil for two years past, arrived at Philadelphia yesterday. Mr. Carr will reach his home in this city in a day or two. It is whispered in some circles that Councilman A. F. Kerr for Mayor and M. Fitzharris, Esq., for City Treasurer, would be a ticket that would unite the discordant elements of the Altoona Democracy. Fitzharris' Democracy can't be doubted, at least. His party can always find him ready to work and vote for the nominees. An Attractive Concert - Vegetable Rarities. The Second Baptist Church, colored, will give a concert in the Opera House Thursday evening, the 11th inst., which promises to be not only excellent in vocal music, but attractive in the way of vegetable rarities. Mr. John Ferguson, who paid a visit to the South about a year ago, brought back with him a variety of plants and seeds which he has propagated and will exhibit on the occasion of the concert. These comprise a banana stalk, two kinds of sugar cane - the green and the blue - short and long cotton in blossom, the gin tree, cayenne pepper tree, the sweet pepper tree, the Florida dishcloth, the orange tree, the Florida bean, Florida moss in blossom, the early and late fig tree - one yielding three crops annually and the other only one - and rice in the sheaf and rice growing. Such a collection of Southern plants has never been seen in Altoona, and will add to the interest of the concert. A Florida scene will be acted, which will illustrate life in the land of the flowers and the orange. As this is entirely a home exhibition it should draw a fine house. Almost a Conflagration. William Champeno recently erected a neat room on Twelfth street, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth avenues, in which he opened a neat and tasty grocery store. He came very near having the same reduced to ashes at an early hour yesterday morning. To keep the floor free from tobacco stains and cigar stumps, he placed a box filled with sawdust in the centre of the floor for the reception of the refuse of the lovers of the weed. During the previous evening, it is supposed, some one either threw the stump of a cigar, or emptied the contents of his pipe, into the box, igniting the saw dust and burning the bottom out of the box and a hole through the floor. A gentleman passing the store about 6 o'clock in the morning observed the box on fire, and rapped at the door of Mr. Champeno's residence, informing him of the incipient conflagration going on within his grocery. The box was promptly removed and a bucket of water extinguished the flames burning away at the floor. The fire had about gotten through the floor, when the air would have soon fanned it to greater proportions had it not been for the timely discovery. Mr. Champeno had only insured the building and stock the previous evening, but would not have had the property burned for several hundred dollars more than the insurance covered. A Whole Family Sick and in Need of Help. On Sixth avenue, near Eighteenth street, resides a family named Beard whose condition should command the sympathy of the charitable public. There are nine people in the house - Mr. and Mrs. Beard, Mrs. Beard's sister and six children. Eight of the nine children have been sick with scarlet fever for from eight to ten days past, and the ninth - a girl 8 years old - was complaining of being sick yesterday. None of the children are over 12 years of age, and the whole family, with the exception of the 8 year old and Mrs. Beard - who is not in fit condition to be about, though she insists on walking around - are confined to bed. The family lives in one room, which is the only comfortable apartment in the house, though there are four other rooms. The victims were taken sick one after the other. Mr. Beard is a laboring man, working by the day, and it will be seen that were he able to work his earnings would be of small consequence in the present predicament of his family. The physician who has been attending the unfortunates stated yesterday that some of the sick were better than they had been. He has hopes of the recovery of all, although it will be some time yet before any of them will be able to help themselves or one another. The case seems to be one worthy the attention of those who take pleasure in alleviating the sufferings of humanity. A Gallant and Successful Hand-to-Hand Encounter with a Deer. Alexander Riling and Martin Turnbaugh, of Eldorado, yesterday had some business up Bell's gap. They took the train in this city and went down to Bell's Mills, and from thence went up the public road, where their business called them. On returning in the afternoon what was their surprise to find a five-pronged buck and two dogs in the middle of the highway, at a point about one mile and a half above Bell's Mills, engaged in a severe fight. They immediately went to the assistance of the dogs, when the latter withdrew and left Riling and Turnbaugh to fight the battle alone, while they rested and enjoyed the fun. The deer gave his new antagonists a heavy fight, and at one time was likely to get the mastery, but they finally succeeded in throwing the deer down. Turnbaugh then got out his penknife and managed to cut the deer's throat. It weighed 160 pounds, and was brought up on the mail train in the evening. Mr. Riling took hold of the buck's hind legs to assist in throwing him down, but it was like taking hold of the hind legs of a mule. He reckoned without his host. The deer had been shot and wounded perhaps one or two years ago in the fore shoulder, which had healed up, leaving one leg about six inches shorter than the other. Messrs. Riling and Turnbaugh are proud of their hard bought victory over this fine specimen of the fleet-footed tribe of the mountains, and well they may be. They are both stout, rugged men, which was an important factor in their success. The Fire Department Election. The fire department held an election last evening for a Chief Engineer and two assistants - one for each side of the city. The polls were open for two hours - from 7 to 9 o'clock - and nearly 200 votes were cast. The candidates were: For Chief Engineer, Alderman B. F. Rose, William Lafferty; for Assistant Engineer, East Side, James McKee, Gust. Klemmert; West Side, John B. Stahl. The vote by companies was as follows: Vigilant - Rose, 63; Lafferty, 0; McKee, 61; Klemmert, 2; Stahl, 61. Good Will - Rose, 1; Lafferty, 57; McKee, 0; Klemmert, 58; Stahl, 58. Empire, Rose, 21; Lafferty, 4; McKee, 2; Klemmert, 22; Stahl, 24. Excelsior - Rose, 24; Lafferty, 2; McKee, 7; Klemmert, 19; Stahl, 25; Maxwell, 1. Totals - Rose, 109, Lafferty, 63; Rose's majority, 46. Klemmert, 101; McKee, 70; Klemmert over McKee, 31. Stahl, 168; Maxwell, 1; Stahl over Maxwell, 167. That Syphon. EDS. TRIBUNE: In your issue of the 27th ult. your correspondent "G.L.M." proposes to bring over the Allegheny mountains Laurel run and Clearfield creek by means of a siphon. After a more mature consideration of the matter we think this plan is not practicable on account of their [sic] being too much elevation to overcome, as a siphon will not operate over an elevation exceeding thirty-four feet. The streams are there awaiting to do us service if we pump them over. Altoona, December 1, 1879. G.L.M. Personal Notes. General Jeff C. Davis, the officer who shot General Nelson in the Galt house, Louisville, died in Chicago on Sunday. He was 53, and his command is in the Indian territory. In Brooklyn, on Saturday morning, died Rev. Dr. William Ives Burlington, pastor of Clinton avenue Congregational church. He had been suffering for some years with a cancer on his lip, and sought treatment from the most famous physicians in this country and Europe.