January 5

New Year’s Festivities

On the last Sunday night at 10:30 there is a special watch service in the Lutheran Church to usher in the New Year. There was special music by an augmented choir, including a beautifully rendered duet by Ms. Rebecca Houck and Dr. Carson Frailey. Dr. Reinewald’s sermon was very impressive and particularly fitting to the occasion. A few minutes before midnight, Mr. James Hospelhorn, as has been his custom for 39 years, tolled the bell on the stroke of 12, ringing in 1912.

The Emmett Cornet Band celebrated the birth of the New Year by a short concert on the square. The band started playing a few minutes before midnight and after the bells had announced the dawning of 1912. The numbers played were: Onward Christian Soldiers, Adeste Fideless, The Ensign and Maryland My Maryland.

Meanwhile, the younger element of the community inaugurated the New Year by exploding fire crackers and shooting revolvers and guns into the air.

Emeralds Give Dance

On Wednesday evening the members of the Emerald Society gave a delightful dance in their new home on Frederick Street. Some 50 guests, many from out of town, joined the dance. Refreshments were served and altogether it was a tremendous success. The committee in charge is to be congratulated, especially Mr. Robert Kerrigan, one of its members.

Sleigh Races in Fairfield

Fairfield Burgess Waddle permitted the young bloods to hold sleighing races within the Borough limits. Tom Gingell’s horse was the entire show. Every now and then someone would produce a steed that "could not be beat," but Gingell always led the race. There were more horses in town and more horse talk than for many years.

Trail of Post Office Thieves Grows Cold

The trail of the yeggmen who cracked the post office safe last week is not any too warm. Inspectors and detectives as a rule are not the most communicative men and while rumors of clues are thick, nothing real has taken place that could be told to the public. One report that persists is that a Taneytown man known to the authorities of this county worked the trick with the help of experts.

January 12

Sleigh Racing in Emmitsburg

With the streets in excellent condition for sleighing, several speed matches have been held on Main Street much to the delight of a number of our citizens. Mrs. Meade Patterson and Harry Bollinger had several heats, which were extremely close, but Mr. Patterson drove the faster horse.

Plumbers Kept Busy

The plumbers have been kept busy opening frozen pipes all over town. Households were much inconvenienced on Wednesday evening when the water for the town was turned off without warning.

Presented with a Handsome Watch

The parish hall at Souseville was crowded Wednesday night when the Sunday School of that place assembled to pay honor to Mr. John Davidson, inventor, scientist, author of the split-second speedometrix, and chauffeur of the two-wheeled death wagon that four months passed has figured in various escapades.

In making the presentation, Mr. Knotts said, "We are called together tonight to honor one of the greatest heroes of the age, John Davidson, L.X.D., P.D.Q., O.I.C., Q.E.D. When future history is written it will be recorded that the genius of this wonderful character in words that will never be forgotten. I doubt not that the National Society for the Prevention of Death by Natural Means will build a monument of lapis lazuli, and that Andrew Carnegie would endow the Chair of Fightology at the University of Harney in memory of this man.

It will be remembered that on the 31st of February, four years ago, Capt. Davidson, without having tasted either food or clothing for 92 days, propelled his bull chaser through the icy waters of Friends Creek in search of Dr. John Glass who was making a microscopic examination of an air well 59 feet below the surface. You recall perfectly that when he arose to the surface with his find, he became entangled in his autointoxicatrix short-circuiting his megaphone and changing his legal address to Mount McKinley where he discovered Dr. Cook, thereby clearing up the controversy between the latter and the University of Copenhagen. I can speak for an hour on the deeds of this genius, but as half of you are asleep and I have a two hour thirst on me I will give your testimonial into Capt. Davidson’s hands and adjourn the meeting.

In attempting to swim through the tears of the audience and reply to the chairman, Mr. Davidson was washed out the third-floor window and took to the hills. When last seen he was on Poplar Ridge gazing intently at this time piece and singing, "The Watch on the Rhine."

January 19

Project To Save Partridges

Several gentlemen have clubbed together for the purpose of feeding and saving the partridges now in danger of being starved out. To further their idea they are willing and will pay for the first 50 birds delivered live and well to Mr. William Sellers, the sum of $0.10 a bird. These cartridges will be cared for and liberated as soon as conditions are favorable.

15th Amendment To Give Women the Vote

Votes for women is provided in a constitutional amendment introduced in the House by Representative Victor Berger, the Wisconsin Socialist and noted troublemaker. In the event of the ratification of the amendment (which few in this town think will happen), the amendment proposes to force its provisions by enacting that any state which attempts to evade it, the basis of representation of that state shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male and female citizens therein. Within a few months, Congress will be presented with a petition in favor of woman suffrage, signatures to which are now being secured by the Socialist party. These rabble-rousers have yet to show their faces in our fair town and undoubtedly will receive a hot reception from the men of this town if they should.

Cole’s Cavalry Reunion

Cole’s Veteran Associations, Maryland Volunteers, held its 48th annual reunion. It was the 40th anniversary of the midnight battle in the snow in Loudoun Heights Virginia January 10, 1864. It was decided that a visit to Harpers Ferry, the base of operations of the troop, would be held September 12.

January 26

New Veterinarian

E. C. W. Schubel, D.V.S, a member of the faculty of the United States College of Veterinary Surgery, expects, in a few weeks, to be associated in the practice of his profession with Dr. Reigle in Emmitsburg. Dr. and Mrs. Schubel, R.N., will make his home in this place as soon as he can close up his affairs in Washington.

Source of Disturbance Arrested

A warrant was issued Tuesday morning for the arrest of Frank Lidie of Thurmont for swearing and creating a disturbance in Emmitsburg. Justice MacGil says he intends to break up such disturbances in the future and if the evidence justifies it, he will give Lidie a heavy fine. The minimum fine for offenses of this nature is $5 and a maximum of $10.

Read Prior '100 Years Ago this Month'