NEWS: Cambria Freeman; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty., PA; Jan 1908 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cambria Freeman Ebensburg, PA Friday, 3 Jan 1908 Volume 42, Number 1 Local and Personal Miss Mary Akers of Johnstown is the guest of Ebensburg friends. P. N. Shettig Esq. has returned from a week's visit in Philadelphia. Samuel A. Shoemaker of Portage visited Ebensburg relatives Saturday. Harry E. Blair of Patton visited his old home and relatives here Christmas day. Messrs. Walter Port, Conrad Brown and Leo Kimball attended a Christmas dance at Cresson Wednesday evening. The Misses Thelma and Mildred Sharbaugh of Carrolltown are visiting at the home of Attorney and Mrs. F. A. Sharbaugh. Miss Helen Barker, who is attending college at Chambersburg, Pa., spent the Christmas vacation with her parents, Hon. and Mrs. A. V. Barker in this place. William F. Dill Esq., who has been an assistant in the office of P. J. Little Esq., expects to locate in Barnesboro. He was tendered a banquet on Tuesday evening at the Mountain House. Attorney Chas. S. Evans was in Johnstown Monday night attending a banquet given by the Cambria County Alumni Association of the Phi Kappi Psi fraternity of which he is a member. Mine host, Dennis Smith, of the Lansfair Hotel at Lansfair was a jolly visitor in town Monday as were also W. R. Grumbling and J. C. Warner of Dunlo and Peter Louden, a well known farmer of Adams township. J. A. Boney, of this place, is building an automobile at his electrical store on Julian street. Mr. Boney is a mechanic and feels that he can build his own automobile for very considerably less than he can purchase one from a dealer. The regular Sunday services in the Christian Church in this place could not be held on account of the illness of the pastor, the Rev. Joseph A. Klucker. Mr. Klucker was threatened sometime with appendicitis and his physician believed it better for him to not undertake his usual Sunday duties. Mr. Klucker is much improved. World received here from Jack McElroy who recently landed in the United States from Ireland and spent some time with his uncle, Wm. McKay, in this place, and later went to Pittsburg where he is employed with the Pennsylvania company, is to the effect that he is confined to his bed with an attack of typhoid fever, but is getting along as well as could be expected. Late News of County George L. McGuire, the well known Allegheny township farmer, was in Johnstown Monday. W. J. Little of Port Jervis, New York, spent the Holidays visiting his parents in Allegheny Township. Charles F. O'Donnell, proprietor of the Highland House at Loretto, has had a Bell phone placed in his hotel for the benefit of his guests. Frank Burgoon, the well known Justice of the Peace at Cresson, is able to be about again after being confined to the house for the past three weeks with a broken leg. Henry Reseter of the Summit has purchased the fixtures of the Cottage Hotel at Cresson from Joseph Henger, the proprietor, who proposes to retire from the hotel business. A petition was recently presented in the United States Court asking for an adjudication in bankruptcy for Mrs. Sarah Schiffman who conducts a grocery store at Barnesboro. The people of Cresson Saturday night enjoyed for the first time in the town's history the benefit of electric arc lights. Under a recent contract between the borough and the Pennsylvania, Beech Creek & Eastern Coal Company will supply electric power for lighting the streets of Cresson. So far only a few lights on Keystone avenue have been placed in position, but the remaining lamps will be placed as soon as the lineman complete their work. W. J. Meehan of Lilly, a director of the Cambria County Fish and Game Association, yesterday mailed applications from Cambria countains to W. E. Meehan of Harrisburg, the commissioner of fisheries, for 27,000 yellow perch. These fish are expected here in the spring when they will be distributed in the various waters surrounding Johnstown. Matthew Montgomery of Dysart has brought an action against Joseph Remotto of the same place to recover $91.47. Montgomery alleges that this amount is due him for labor he performed for the defendant. St. Boniface Jottings William Quinn, formerly of this place, is working in South Fork. Edwin Dixon, who is a student at Duff's Business college, Pittsburg, is spending his Holiday vacation with his parents here. Messrs. John Noon and Michael Gannon of St. Boniface spent Christmas with friends in Spangler. Miss Elizabeth Kibler returned home recently from a visit with friends and relatives in Altoona. Miss Felicitas Moran, one of our progressive teachers, spent Christmas with friends and relatives at Chest Springs. James Fauls, of this place, spent Christmas with his parents at DuBois. Hugh McCauley, of Pittsburg, is now employed by the Beech Creek Coal Co., of this place. Miss D'Invilliers a Nun Cresson Lay Descended from Ancient Family of French Nobility Enters Convent Miss Marie Adelaide d'Invilliers, a daughter of Camille d'Invilliers of Philadelphia, has entered the convent as a Sister of Mercy at Cresson, Pa., and will hereafter be known as Sister Camille Marie. She is well known in Philadelphia where her musical talents were much admired by her friends and where she twice received a gold medal for composition at the Zeckver Conservatory. Miss d'Invillier (sic) is descended from an ancient family of the French nobility, members of which belonged to the Court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Like many other aristocrats they fled from the country to escape the guillotine during the Reign of Terror. The family resided at San Domingo before coming to the United States. Her father is engineer of maintenance and way of the Pennsylvania railroad. He resides at Chantilly, Cresson, Pa. The ceremony at which she was received into the religious order was presided over by the Rt. Rev. E. A. Garvey of Altoona and is said to have been most impressive. To the strains of a hymn a long procession of professed Sisters entered the chapel from the rear and by the cross-bearer, Miss Adelaide D'Invilliers, sister of the notice- elect. At the end of the procession, Miss d'Invilliers advanced, escorted by the Mother Superior and assistant and proceeded by two little children in white. Miss d'Invilliers was attired in a handsome bridal costume. After the usual formula of admission to the Sisterhood, she retired and when she reappeared she was wearing the religious habit and veil of a Sister of Mercy. Taken to Hospital On Thursday afternoon William M. Kimball, landlord of the Metropolitan Hotel in this place, went to Pittsburg to enter Mercy Hospital where he will undergo an operation Saturday. Mr. Kimball was accompanied to the hospital by his wife and Mrs. Robert F. Notley of this place. Dr. F. C. Jones left for Pittsburg today to be present when the operation takes place. We sincerely trust Mr. Kimball will bear up well under his trying ordeal and that a complete recovery from his illness will result. Woman Ambulance Surgeon New York, Jan. 2 -- Brooklyn will have its first glimpse of a woman ambulance surgeon when Dr. Mary Merritt will answer calls from the Williamsburg hospital. Dr. Merritt is a prepossessing young woman of twenty-three who won the post of ambulance surgeon after a competitive examination in which thirty-four men fresh from college entered. Miss Merritt is a resident of Nyack, N. Y., and a graduate of Cornell. During her college life she was known as an expert caring woman. Ebensburg Students Home Warren O'Hara, a student at Mt. St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, Md.; Dolph Myers, attending the Altoona High School; William Smith, studying at Mercersburg; Philip A. Bender, a student at Villanova, are spending the holiday season with their parents in this place. Will Retire from Office On Monday next Prothonotary C. E. Troxell, who for the past six years has made his home in Ebensburg, will retire from office and shortly thereafter toward spring, return to Glasgow, his old home, and eventually re-embark in the mercantile business which he followed before his election to office. Ebensburgers are very sorry to lose Mr. Troxell as a resident of this town and the people, regardless of political affiliation will be sorry to see him retire from the office which he has so skillfully and satisfactorily conducted for the past six years. As an official Charley Troxell was a clean cut, honest and trustworthy official, obliging to every man who sought his services. As a citizen there are none better than Charley Troxell. We are sorry to see him leave Ebensburg, but our loss is Glasgow's gain and we wish him success in whatever undertakings he may embark in. He can always point with pride to his administration in the office of Prothonotary. We welcome Mr. S. S. Kinkead, the present deputy prothonotary under Mr. Troxell, to the position of Prothonotary, to which he was recently elected by the people. Mr. Kinkead has served in the office for a long time, knows all the ins and outs of the business and has that faculty for being obliging, which will make it easy for him to step into his old chief's shoes. Pleasant Birthday Party The twenty-first birthday of Miss Edna Barker, daughter of Mrs. Cassie Barker of High street, and also of the late V. S. Barker, will long be remembered by her as a result of a party given in her honor by her mother on Tuesday evening of last week. A number of Miss Barker's companions were invited to the Barker home and the evening was very pleasantly spent by the young people. The party lasted until late in the evening. Refreshments were served about 11 o'clock. The names of the guests are: Misses Margaret Richards, June Boney, Ada Lloyd, Elsie McKenrick and Miss Veith and Messrs. Ray Bolsinger, Louis Veith, Lawrence Davis, Willis Davis, Clarence Davis and Russell Leech. Almshouse Appointments Steward John A. Gray Takes Charge While Best of Old Staffers Retained John A. Gray, the newly-elected steward of the County Almshouse, entered upon his official duties on Wednesday. John Cunningham of Nanty-y-Glo, newly elected, was received into the Board of Directors. John Davis, one of the old Directors, who served three years, retired in favor of John Cunningham. The board was organized at the meeting by electing Philip Hartzog of Carrolltown, President, Conrad Baker of Johnstown, Secretary and John Cunningham, Treasurer. The board then announced the appointments for the new year. It was decided to retain all the physicians except Dr. John Murphy of Loretto whose services are not needed for lack of work. Also to retain Miss Leah Hughes as housekeeper; Miss Wylia Young as cook and Bert Hughes as head farmer. Mrs. Gray, wife of John A. Gray, was appointed matron. The staff of physicians present is as follows: Spangler, T. Orlando Helfrick; Hastings, D. S. Rice; Patton, W. A. Blair; Mountaindale, W. S. Ruthrauff; Gallitzin, G. F. McDonald; Lilly, F. C. Knee; Salix, F. Livingston; Nant-y-Glo, J. W. Barr; Elmora, E. T. Williams; Ehrenfeld and South Fork, A. F. Stotts; Frugality, W. O. Keller; Johnstown, J. Swan Taylor; Poorhouse, F. C. Jones. Mixed Fire with Powder Loganstown, situated about one mile from Carrolltown and Twin Rocks, another mining village in this county, since New Years' Day have been the scenes of disastrous powder explosions, which, in addition to wrecking two houses, may cost the lives of three men. Two of the latter, at least, are likely to die. In both case the explosions were the result of carelessness on the part of the miners who occupied the houses. The explosion at Twin Rocks occurred at five o'clock Thursday morning in a boarding house conducted by Andy Kruper. Two men who came to this country only three months ago were in a room by themselves filling the five pound cans with powder from regulation twenty-five pound cans. One of the men set his lamp on a window and a spark from this dropped into the open can of powder. The explosion following blew out one side of the house, tore off a portion of the roof, broke every window and set on fire the clothing of the men. Dr. W. A. Prideaux was called to attend the men, both of whom are probably fatally burned. The explosion at Loganstown was even greater than that at Twin Rocks. Mike Chuncik who boarded with Mike Brosko was lying on a cot smoking a cigarette Wednesday afternoon about 1:45 o'clock. He unconsciously tossed the sump of his cigarette into an open can of powder which exploded and set off another can. This happened upon the second floor of a two and one-half-story building. The ceiling was blown down and a portion of the roof collapsed when the walls of the house spread. Mike Chuncik was blown down a flight of stairs. His clothing was blazing and he ran outside, rolling himself in the deep mud of the road. When picked up he was unconscious. Mike Chenesko carried him into his home where Dr. E. F. Arble dressed his injuries. The man's body is burned from his hips up. Little hope is entertained for his recovery. It is said that $500 in paper money was burned. Houses for some distance around were shaken by the detonation. Three other foreigners were painfully but not seriously burned. Murder at Frugality! Foreigner Uses Penknife on His Fellow Countryman and Nearly Disembowels Him The refusal of one man to get another a bottle of wine resulting in a quarrel terminated in a murder at Frugality, this county, Christmas night, when Ivan Sestrick took a penknife from his pocket and swept it across the abdomen of Mike Skonier, almost disemboweling him. The fight occurred in a room where probably a dozen other men were drinking in celebration of the holiday. Some of the men were sober enough to realize the situation, quickly overpowering Sestrick after he had fatally yielded the knife. Constable Gibbons then came along and applied the handcuffs, taking his prisoner to Ashville over night. Both men worked at No. 10 Mine of the Cresson & Clearfield Coal company. The dead man was not married. He has a brother living at Lloydell and an uncle at Smoke Run, Clearfield County. Sestrick was brought to Ebensburg Thursday and placed in jail to await trial. Letters Lately Issued Estate of Mary J. Noel, late of Munster Township. Will probated and letters issued to Michael F. Farren. Estate of Bess M. Johnson, late of Johnstown to Anne E. Slick. Estate of Rebecca A. Glass, late of Gallitzin to James J. Christy. Estate of Mary E. Showe, late of Johnstown to John W. Showe Estate of Frank Amos, late of Hastings to P. M. Kinney. Estate of Carolina Metzgar, late of Lilly. Will probated and letters granted to Annie Caroline Metzgar and Michael Eckenrode. Estate of John Kinkel, late of Johnstown to William Haberlein.