NEWS: Cambria Freeman; 23 Feb 1906; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty., PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ _________________________________________ Cambria Freeman Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, 23 Feb 1906 Volume 40, Number 7 Items Local and Personal Miss Blanche McDermott, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McDermott of Johnstown, attended the banquet given by the Knights of Columbus in this place on Washington's Birthday. The Hon. A. V. Barker of this place will attend a reception and banquet to be given at the Logan House, Altoona, by the Blair County Bar Association on Thursday, March 1st. James McClune of Ebensburg, who is employed in the Commissioner's office at the county seat, after spending the past few days in Johnstown, returned home Monday. Miss Lillian Reese, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Winfield Reese of Johnstown, has returned from her visit of a few weeks among relatives in Ebensburg. Messrs. Eldron Evans, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Evans, and Arthur Evans, son of Mr. Hosea Evans, came home to vote Tuesday. Miss Rosalyn Darragh of Ebensburg was the guest of her sister, Mrs. P. J. Gallagher in Youngstown, Ohio, last week. Herbert Evans of Johnstown spent Sunday here with his parents, Councilman and Mrs. Thomas D. Evans. Mr. Charles Davison of Pittsburg spent election day at the home of his father, Dr. T. J. Davison here. Edgar Leahey Esq., of Judge O'Connor's office, Johnstown, spent Tuesday at his former home in this place. Mr. William Tate, one of the East ward's popular citizens, visited old scenes down about Pittsburg last week. E. J. Luther and Sherman Clement made a business trip to Altoona Tuesday, returning the same day. Matthew Heitchue, of Gallitzin, visited friends at his former home in this place several days this week. Mr. Adam Shettig of Carrolltown is visiting his sons, Shettig Bros., hardware dealers of this place. Albert Fleitzer, the well known hotel man of Vintondale, was in Ebensburg on business Tuesday. A. J. Darragh of this place departed yesterday for Pittsburg on business. Late News of County Miss Jessie Patrick, for some time a popular clerk in the St. Benedictine Store, has resigned and gone to her home in Hastings. Benjamin F. Williams of Cookport, well known about here, is seriously ill. About a week ago he suffered from a slight attack of paralysis and since then, his condition has become more serious. His wife is also ill from heart trouble. Willie Westover, who for many years, resided on a farm near Emigh Run and at the same time operated a coal mine, has retired from active business and removed with his family to Spangler, there to enjoy the fruits of his energy and toil. Although still a young man, Mr. Westover has amassed a competency of this world's goods and will now take life easy. Simply to have something to do, he will engage in the chicken business which no doubt will also prove profitable. Held Up in Daylight Barnesboro Man is Assailed by Two Men Who Demand $100 and Then Use Him Up with Knives Joseph Kneely, a well-to-do Italian, who operates a coal mine between Barnesboro and Cymbria mines, was held up by two men in broad daylight Monday morning and was badly cut with a knife about the face and head as a result of the encounter. The men climbed on Kneely's wagon as the latter was driving to his coal mine and demanded $100. Kneely did not have the money with him and the two assailants attacked him with knives. Kneely went before Justice Brown of Barnesboro and stated the case to the officer. Constable Van Dusen started on the trail of the two men but could not locate them. Two Italians came to Kneely's house and were given their supper on Sunday evening. They loitered about for a while without any apparent object in view and Kneely believes that they are the two men who attacked him Monday. It is thought that they are remnants of the Black Hand association which drove Tony Pelligrino, another well-to-do Italian, away from Barnesboro recently. Diphtheria in Susquehanna Township Dread Malady Said to Have Developed in Families with Whom Some of Susquehanna Township's School Teachers Reside One Death Reported to Date Reports from Susquehanna township are to the effect that a diphtheria epidemic is raging in that vicinity, several cases having recently developed. The nine-month-old child of Robert Byrne of near Barnesboro succumbed to the dread disease this week and several other serious cases are said to have since developed. It is claimed that the spread of the disease began in the Susquehanna township schools and that no measures are being taken by the school board to check it. Four of five cases are said to have developed from the Cymbria school and that in one or two instances, the teachers in some of the Susquehanna township schools reside with families who are afflicted with diphtheria. Family Meets Horrible Death in Burning House Five People Burned to Death in Tunnellhill Fire Which Destroyed Eleven Buildings Firemen Were Seriously Handicapped Five people were burned to death and three or four seriously hurt in a fire which broke out in Tunnellhill borough about 1:30 o'clock Tuesday morning. The dead are all members of the family of Pat Grogan, a miner, as are the injured persons: Mrs. Mary Grogan, aged 63 years Willie Grogan, aged 8 years Patrick Grogan, aged 11 years Katie Grogan, aged 10 years Matthew Grogan, aged 15 years Just how the fire stated no one seems to know. It was 1:30 o'clock when neighbors of the Grogan family were startled at hearing cries and shrieks from the house. The entire second story of the Grogan home was in flames. Neighbors at once rushed to the aid of the people in the blazing structure, but the intense heat by the flames drove them back. Pat Grogan was asleep on the first floor of his home, it is stated. He was awakened by the crackling of the flames overhead and blinded by the smoke he groped his way to the outer air. No one else was stirring. He went to the stairway leading to the second floor and called, but no one answered him. Then Grogan darted up the stairway and despite the fact that he was menaced by the flames he tried in vain to arouse members of the family who where asleep on that floor. Two of the Grogans jumped from a window to the ground and escaped being burned to death, but were nevertheless in a serious condition when they were taken into the homes of neighbors. There is no water supply in Tunnellhill borough which is just above Gallitzin. In the summer time the residents are compelled to carry their supply from springs and wells and from Gallitzin proper. Men in the employ of the Tunnel Coal company were brought from their work in the mines about 1:45 o'clock and put to work fighting the flames. A bucket brigade was formed and water was poured on the fire from pails, boilers and other receptacles. The Grogan house contained five rooms and was of frame construction. The home of Mrs. Mills was a small one. The house adjoining the Grogan home contained about six rooms. From the Grogan home, the flames jumped across the street to the home of Mrs. Mills and to the next house, occupied by Mrs. Sidney McMahon and two families of foreigners. The latter house was at one time a hotel but had been remodeled and was occupied as a tenement. A two- story building occupied by the Bowery Club, a social organization, and a house-and-grocery store, owned by Richard Byrne, a large barn and about a dozen outbuildings were the others to go. The house of John A. Meyers started burning about 2:45 o'clock. This house contained eight rooms. A large building and two small houses were destroyed before this house caught fire. The homes of John Burns and Michael Cisk also burned. Fourteen houses and the Brothy Hotel were directly in the line of the flames. Patrick Grogan, it is stated, has been so prostrated over the horrible fate of his family, that it is feared he will lose his reason. The entire loss will reach over $7,000.