May 3

Death Ship Returns from Scene of Titanic Wreck

With flags at half-mast the McKay-Bennett steamed into Halifax harbor Tuesday morning bearing the dead picked up from the scene of the Titanic disaster. The total number of bodies on board was 190; it was found necessary to bury 116 at sea. Of the total number of 306 bodies, 18 were woman, and only two of these were brought in. The body of John Jacob Astor was found floating in an upright position due no doubt to the weight of the cash he had in his pockets, some $2,500.

Religious services were conducted at sea over the bodies it was found necessary to return to the water. The limited capacity of the McKay-Bennett made it impossible to pick up all the dead found floating. The majority the bodies sunk were unidentified.

Surprise Party

A surprise party was given on Wednesday evening, May the 1st, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Topper, of near town, in honor their daughter Miss. Ivy. The evening was very pleasantly spent in dance from eight o’clock until eleven, after which there were a number of musical selections, both vocal and instrumental, followed by some sidesplitting monologues.

At twelve o’clock the guest were invited to the dining room, where they found a table weighted down with all the good edibles of the season, to which everybody did full justice. After supper the younger folks indulged in a number of outdoor games until one o’clock, when all departed for their homes, having spent a delightful evening, which will be long remembered by all who were there.

Aeroplane Flights at Frederick

The aeroplane to be used in the aviation exhibition to be held at the Frederick Fairgrounds under the auspices of The News, arrived in Frederick Monday evening. The machine is of the Curtiss type, designed for high-speed. Aviator Walsh, who is to make the flight in Frederick, is at present at College Park demonstrating a new machine, which the Curtiss people have constructed for the US Army.

The Road to Gettysburg

Perhaps nowhere in between two states is there a road in such bad shape as the road from Emmitsburg to Gettysburg. Autoists avoided it as much as possible and those who use it at all do so under protest. For several years past plans for modernizing this link between Washington and the National Battlefield have been discussed. The governors of Maryland and Pennsylvania have considered the improvement, even promised some material change for the better, if we mistake not. And yet there it remains in the same disgraceful condition that has characterized it for many a year-for many decades in fact.

There is no more direct road from Washington to Gettysburg then this, nor are there two more interesting and important places, in so far as a tourist is concerned then these two points. Hundreds of automobilest now use the road, but the number would increase to thousands if it were made as it should be made.

Maryland made a state road of the Frederick and Emmitsburg Pike - conceded to be one of the finest roads in the state - and it is reasonable to infer that if Pennsylvania would continue the Battlefield Ave ("Confederate Avenue") to the Mason-Dixon line, Maryland would do her share to complete the link. As the idea of the Lincoln Blvd. has been abandoned why not still have a Lincoln Memorial and 10 miles of model thoroughfare?

May 10

Changes in Rural Carriers Pay

After July 1, next, changes will be made in the pay of rural mail carriers. For six day’s work on standard routes of 24 miles in length the annual salary will be $1,074, payable monthly. On route exceeding 24 miles $44.73 per mile per year for each mile in excess of $24 will be paid, and on routes under 24 miles in length a corresponding reduction will be made.

Local Brevities

In unusually large crowd was in town on Saturday, at nine o’clock in the evening every hitching post was occupied. Owners of automobiles took advantage of the fine weather on Sunday. A large number of cars came to Emmitsburg.

Mr. Felix Diffendal presented the town with a new attachment for the public fountain in the square. The spray is now far more effective, especially since the fountain has been redecorated.

During the severe electrical storm on Wednesday evening, lightning struck a bell wire on the property of Mrs. Charles Gillelan at the East end of town, and trying to force an entrance into Mrs. Gillelan’s pantry, remove several boards. The same storm brought a large amount of hail to Emmitsburg.

The primary election passed off in Emmitsburg very quietly. There was no disorder of any kind. A comparatively light vote was cast in the presidential preference election. In the Corporation’s election, Mr. Edward Rowe and Mr. Quincy Shoemaker were elected Burgess and Commissioner respectively.

Tax Collection

The town tax collector was sit at the Hotel Spangler on Saturday evening May 18 and 25th, at which time and place he will be glad to receive taxes due the Corporation. We respectfully ask all those who owe tax for either of the past two years to kindly arrange to pay them at once and save interest in cost.

Cimematograph and Gramophone Successfully Hitched

An invention, by means of which Cimematograph films and Gramophone records taken of a public man making a speech can be presented simultaneously with the sounds and movements in perfect unison, was demonstrated a few days ago in London. The invention was comprised of two electric motors of identical patterns for driving the gramophone and the Cimematograph. The possibilities of the invention are obvious. At election times, for instance, a great leader can be seen and heard simultaneously in every constituency. The records of famous people will go down to prosperity as they appeared and talked, every town will be able to have its "Cimematograph" opera house.

May 17

Town Fathers Organize

At their meeting on Tuesday evening at Fireman's Hall the Burgess and Commissioners of Emmitsburg organized for the fiscal year with the election of Dr. McForeman as President and Edward Rowe as Clerk. The Commissioners reappointed Mr. Oscar Frailey as Treasurer, and appointed Mr. Frederick Dukehart as Constable and Lamplighter. After being told what was expected of him, Mr. Dukehart is now patrolling the town. The Burgess’ office will be in the room along Frederick Street at the southwest corner of the Hotel Spangler.

Fire at McCarran Stables

An alarm of fire was sounded Sunday afternoon about 1:30. A blaze was discovered in a room at the McCarran stables on Gettysburg Street. The Fire Company responded, but a bucket brigade quench the flames. On Monday morning before seven o'clock there was another fire, this time at the home of Mr. Charles Long, on Gettysburg Street. The fire from the chimney had ignited a partition. It was not necessary to use the Fire Company’s hose. Little damage was done either fire.

Storm Debris Cleaned

The heavy winds the past few days blew down branches from many trees in town. Main Street has been thoroughly cleaned. All the mud and dirt have been scraped up and removed and in many places the road has been regraded and resurfaced.

May 24

Local Brevities

Mr. Richard Zacharias has had installed in his confectionery store on Main Street on new soda fountain of the latest type.

Prof. Strauss met with a painful accident at the schoolhouse on Wednesday morning. In attempting to raise a broken window an artery in his right hand was severely cut.

Constable Dukehart was called to the home of a Main Street resident one night this week, where chicken thieves have been attempting to operate. No arrests in this case have yet been made.

Besides the extensive cement work on his property on Main Street-cement walks, porches and alley approach, Mr. Harry Hopp has improved his lately remodeled dwelling by adding a bathroom with every modern convenience including a toilet that flushes with a handle.

The persons or persons responsible for the dumping of tin cans and rubbish near the entrance to Mountain View Cemetery take notice. Information of trespassers who break trees and shrubs or deface tombstones within the cemetery will be paid for, and all offenders will be prosecuted.

May 31

Novel Scheme to Raise Titanic

A Matteawan hatter is looking for someone to finance a scheme to raise the Titanic. He thinks 1 million or 2 million will do it. His plan is worth trying, he thinks as a sunken ship had a cargo worth 25 million.

The water were the Titanic sank is two miles deep, but the man argues that because of the increased density of the water the ship has not gone to the bottom-probably not halfway down there. He thinks that powerful magnetized hooks attached to chains and lowered from great barges would be attracted to the sides of the ship, he believes that with enough barges and sufficiency of grappling hooks the Titanic can be brought to the surface.

Speeders Arrested

Monday evening around 7:30 an auto with three occupants blew in the pike, rounded the fountain and shot up Main Street. The car came from Baltimore in it brought all kinds of speed with it-most of which were utilized in the short spurts to the end of town. Constable Dukehart quickly assembled at the hostelry where the machine stopped - for gasoline, it is said - and invited the owner and chauffeur to have a little chat with the authorities. All the citizens not having other engagements accompanied these gentlemen to the office of the President of the board of Commissioners - where at the suggestion of the said President, the sum of five dollars was presented to the Corporation by the said owner of the car.

Hoke Horse Falls

A Horse belonging to Mr. Joseph Hoke fell on the cement crossing at the Hoke Patterson arcade on Tuesday, breaking the harness but doing no injury to the animal.

Scholar’s Enviable Record

Ivy and Alan Brown of Dry Bridge, appeared to be entitled to the best record in school attendance in this neighborhood. They are scholars of the Hayfield School and have bodes attended for two years without missing a single day.

Read Prior '100 Years Ago this Month'