NEWS: Items from The Cambria Freeman, January 8, 1904, Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ _________________________________________ Cambria Freeman, Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, January 8, 1904 Volume XXXVIII, Number 54 Local and Personal Miss Blanche McDermitt of Johnstown is visiting friends and relatives in this place this week. S. S. Kinkead spent Saturday in the Flood City. Geo. Porch was a business visitor to Johnstown on Saturday Miss Bird Kinkead of Johnstown visited relatives here this week. Peter Long of Croyle township was a visitor to Ebensburg on Saturday. Rev. James Jenkins is visiting friends in Wilkesbarre. Prof. P. L. O'Connor and son, Francis, are visiting Mr. and Mrs. P. J. Little. It is understood that Ed Carbey will apply for a license for the new Shoemaker Hotel at Big Bend. If "Ed" launches into business for himself his many friends will wish him success. There appear to be many assessors who are inclined in the belief that their oath of office does not include all of their duties. Many of them are derelict in the matter of reporting births and deaths in their district. Some districts are never heard of in this respect. Were any one inclined to be severe the offending ones would soon find that the law provided a punishment for the neglect of any one of the duties of an assessor. T. W. Dick received the commission on Saturday to audit the accounts of the register. Rev. John J. Ludden, now pastor at Ashville, was in this place on Thursday. The Johnstown friends of William Kimball of this place are still looking for a goose promised them by the jovial Kimball. It seems that Mr. Kimball, who is an Elk, promised a treat to some of his brother Elks in the Flood City. A large goose figured in the treat. The Johnstown boys are wondering just which one of them is the goose. The New York SUN recently announced that the Hon. Webster Davis, the former Cambria County boy who became famous over his attitude on the Boer war, will shortly leave Kansas City, Mo., and locate at the Metropolis. It is said that Mr. Davis is to manage some concern at New York on a salary of $25,000 per year. Robert Trece says that the boy is doing very nicely, thank you. Those Blandburg Cases The Blandburg contempt cases were argued before Judge O'Connor on Tuesday and Wednesday. When the testimony was all in the defendants were called before the bench and given a very severe lecture. They were told that they were all clearly in contempt of the order of the court, even in the light of their own testimony. The cases will be finally disposed of at argument court. Holds Up Train on Mountain A big bear on the track which the engineer supposed to be a man caused a long coal train to come to a standstill during the blizzard on the mountain west of Altoona before dawn Sunday morning. The bear got in front of the headlight, remained there half an hour, evidently trying to get warm and then retreated. It was necessary for shovelers to get the train out of the drifts before the run could be continued and the crew nearly froze during the stop. Wilmore There is the best kind of sleighing up the mountain. The snow is about sixteen inches deep and the thermometer has registered 35 degrees below zero. A crowd of young people from South Fork drove to the Cambria House and had a very enjoyable time dancing. They were served with supper and then drove home in that 35 degree frost. Rose Kinney was visiting her sister, Mrs. Philip Burk of Johnstown. Ex-Commissioner, James Costlow, is crippled up with rheumatism and is not able to go about. All the ice houses here have been filed with the finest ice. It ranges from eight to 14 inches and is clear as crystal. Benscreek Farmers are taking advantage of the good sleighing in the country roads and are hauling hay, straw and other farm products to town. H. A. Walker was in Johnstown on business several days last week. George Snavely of the DuPont farm near this place has recovered from the injuries he recently sustained by being caught under an overturned sled. He is now engaged in hauling lime from the Thomas bank at Tire Hill. Samuel Johns of Mishler is also hauling lime from this bank. Leon Holsopple, the Benscreek landlord, fearing damage from a gorge is cutting a channel through the pond in the rear of the hotel. Miners at the Tire Hill workings were unable to supply the demand for coal during the recent cold snap. The Cambria Steel company has men engaged in the erection of a large new fan for the mill mine which extends to this vicinity. For Municipal Lighting Plant The Carrolltown council has adopted a resolution that the proposition to bond that borough in the sum of $10,000 for the construction of a municipal electric lighting plant be submitted to the voters at the February election. Another Coal Deal Negotiations were closed last week by which S. W. Campbell, a prominent Philadelphia coal shipper, becomes the possessor of 338 acres of coal land on Blacklick creek, along the new Ebensburg and Blacklick extension of the Pennsylvania railroad. The sale was made by Harry McCreary of Indiana who acquired the land some time ago and the consideration involved is $11,133.75. Mr. Campbell will begin operations in the spring and will employ 200 men. The coal will be shipped to tidewater and although Mr. Campbell does not at present contemplate erecting any coke ovens, he may do so later, says a dispatch from Indiana. Court House Notes During the past year, according to the returns of the assessors there were 3,628 births and 1,268 deaths in Cambria county. In 1902 there were 3,392 births and 1,163 deaths. During 1903, 1,341 marriage licenses issued. In 1902 there were 1,256. There were 5,018 instruments filed it the Recorder's office during the past year. The number of mortgages filed the past years was 1,500. Number of satisfactors, 267. In 1902 there were 401 mortgages filed and 213 satisfactions. The total number of letters of administration issued in 1903 was 205. There has been received from record in the Recorders' office the bonds and commission as notary public of Philip N. Schettig and F. J. Hartman of this place and Geo. V. Hager of Johnstown. Portage The ball given by the Y. M. L. Society of Portage, held at the P. O. S. of A. Hall in Cassandra was a financial and social success. The Misses Gertie Hopfer, Nellie Hopfer and Annie Bolen have returned from Philipsburg and Coalport where they spent the holidays. Sam Hall and George Garland left on Monday for Coalport where they will spend the remainder of the winter. Dolliver is not Coming Late Thursday afternoon Superintendent Jones received word that Senator Dolliver would be unable to address the directors' convention owing to illness. Officials Sworn In At "high noon" on Monday, Samuel Lenhart was sworn in as Sheriff of Cambria County. The recognizance of Sheriff Lenhart is in the sum of $25,000 with John Thomas, Sr., John H. Waters, James P. Greene, Robert Sagerson, and T. J. Wolfe, all of Johnstown as sureties; his bond is in the same amount and with the same signatures. Both papers are dated December 9, 1903, and marked recorded on the same day. After the swearing in of Sheriff Lenhart, J. W. Leech, Esq., attorney for John G. Hassinger, represented the following petition: The undersigned having been duly elected to the office of Jury Commissioner in and for the county of Cambria, at the general election held on November 3, 1903, hereby tenders his resignation and declines to serve, "refusing to serve," and prays this honorable Court to accept his resignation, and to fill the vacancy by the appointment of a competent person to fill the office. Signed: John G. Hassinger. The Court directed that the petition be filed and later appointed W. H. Connell of this place to fill the vacancy. M. D. Bearer was formally appointed Deputy and was sworn in by Recorder Strauss. Mr. Bearer and his family have moved into the jail. Mr. Lenhart's family will remain in Johnstown. After the officials were sworn in, the bar list was called and the following motions and petitions presented: Routine Business In re partition in the estate of Jacob Stull, William Davis appointed Auditor on motion of Evans, Leech & Evans to report liens and distribution of funds on recognicence of C. L. Wissinger. In the estate of Eliza Gardner, on motion of Evans, Leech & Evans, E. H. Davis appointed Auditor to report distribution of funds in hands of Jacob M. Baker. Petition of Forest Rose, Auditor to report distribution of funds in the hands of Moses Weaver, Executor of the will of Frederick Fender for leave to file corrected distribution. Petition of Administrators of the estate of Isaac Weakland for decree of specific performance of contract with V. J. Stoltz, M. D. Kittell. Petition of George W. Gallagher, Trustee, to make sale of real estate of James Gallagher of Portage Township for confirmation of account and distribution and for this discharge. Confirmed absolutely. Itell. Petition of Lewis J. Bearer, Guardian of Matthew Augustine and Mary Glass for Leave to pay interest on funds in his hands to Matthew Glass. Shoemaker. Petition of Elizabeth Prescott, relict of Thomas Prescott, Patton, for writ of partition. Kittell. Petition of Annie Kibler for writ of partition in estate of John Krise, Clearfield Township. Kittell. Petition of D. A. Luther, Administrator of Henry S. Dumm for discharge. Kittell. Petition of C. J. Mayer, Guardian of Curtis Fisher, minor child of Emma Fisher, for discharge. Discharged. Petition of William B. Beers, Guardian of Cleveland O. Landis, for an allowance. Evans, Leech & Evans. Petition of David T. Michaels, Guardian of David T. Michaels, Jr., for an order of private sale. Barker & Barker. Petition of Luke Elder, Guardian of Albert McCoy, minor child of James McCoy, Ashville, to sell real estate. Rouel Somerville. Petition of William R. Thomas and James P. Thomas, Executors of the will of Samuel Griffith for an order of private sale for the payment of debts. Writ of Mary E. Culley for a writ de lunite inquirendo, in estate of Joseph P. Pfeister of Allegheny Township. To Inspect Bridges The Court appointed the following to inspect the bridges over the Clearfield Creek on the St. Augustine-Fallen Timber road: William G. James, Alex C. Ivory, Theodore Beam, John Gray, Jacob Krise and V. Rager. The Court appointed the following to inspect the bridge over the Beaver Damn Creek in White Township: Henry C. Clonon, A. G. Storm, Charles Walters, J. G. Davis, John Kring and William Gardner. Master's Reports Report of C. M. Keim suggesting a decree in case of Owen R. McKinney vs. Ellen McKinney. Report of F. J. Hartman suggesting a decree in case of Yingling vs. Yingling. In the case of W. C. Mooney vs. Emily Mooney, a subpoena was awarded. Charters Application was made for charters for the Mountain Summer Assembly, Ebensburg, and the First Presbyterian Church of Barnesboro. More Deaths at Butler Typhoid Epidemic Carries Off Two Well-Known Residents Butler, Pa., Jan. 5. Three more deaths have been caused from typhoid fever. One was Mrs. Nannie Campbell Kerr, wife of Albert J. Kerr, one of the publishers of the Butler County RECORD. Mrs. Kerr was a daughter of William Campbell who lived in Indiana county. She was 32 years old and is survived by her husband and a 6 year-old son who is also ill with the fever. Mrs. Bertha A. Kepple, aged 30 years, wife of John H. Kepple, is another. Her only son died of fever a few weeks ago and her husband and small daughter are ill, the latter not expected to live. Wilber H. Payne, a traveling salesman, died at his home in Portageville, N. Y., of fever. He spent the first week of December here and contracted the disease. This makes the total 92.