July 6

Fourth of July Festivities

Emmitsburg’s Fireman’s Picnic held on the Fourth was largely attended. There were lots of amusement and a Ford Touring car was giving away. Luther Burhman of Graceham was the lucky winner.

Hurt, Asks $10,000 In Damages

As a result of injury sustained in an accident last November, Samuel Eyler, aged 45, of Woodsboro, has brought a suit for $10,000 against John Lewis, Ernest Staub and Roy Graybill, all of Thurmont.

Staub and Graybill, employees of Lewis, at the time of the accident were engaged in hauling fodder from his farm north of Thurmont. At the time, Eyler, was coming from the Western Maryland Railroad station onto the main road running north and south through Thurmont.

Eyler was driving a buggy and claims he had the right away and that Staub and Graybill were not holding the check lines of the horses at the time of the accident.

The tongue of the wagon, which was driven by Staub and Graybill, ran into the rear wheel of the buggy, overturning it and dragging Eyler for some distance. Eyler suffered a split kneecap, a crushed bone in the leg, and injury to the hip. He has been under the care of a physician ever since and claims he will be permanently disabled.

Hail Damages Fruit & Grain Crops

Hail, coming with a thunderstorm, Wednesday afternoon, cause considerable damage to fruit and grain crops in the southwestern part of Adams County. In several places, the hail stones were as big as walnuts. At Fairfield Station some of the hail still covered the ground the following morning. The duration of the hailstorm varied from 15 minutes to half an hour. A wind of high velocity accompanied the downpour.

Fruit growers in the lower section of the County reported considerable damage done to growing apples and peaches. On the farm of Oliver Sanders, near Fairfield, were the storm and wind did most of the damage, a silo was blown over by the high wind.

On many farms in the Fairfield district, the hail shredded the leaves on corn or cut them off entirely leaving only the main stock of the plant standing. In many instances, the kernels were knocked from the heads of grain in the shock.

Over 100 young chickens were drowned on Ralph Musselman’s farm during the heavy rain. Mr. Keefsuver lost 60 peeps and Jacob Althoff lost 26 or more.

Seeks Parole For Safe Breaker

Irving Martz, who was sentenced to 14 years in the Maryland Penitentiary in connection with the blowing of two safes in Frederick in the fall of 1921, when Clarence Wallace shot and killed Leo Krieger, of Thurmont, while Krieger was pursuing him, has made an application to the State Parole Commissioner for a pardon.

Martz and Wallace, it will be remembered, blew the safe in the coal office of Merkell & Ford on Water Street and also the safe in the office of George Kenny on East All Saints Street. The men left Frederick early in the morning, boarding a trolley headed for Thurmont. Persons on the car suspected them up being the man who had cracked two safes in Frederick during the night and telephone messages were sent to Thurmont where the chase was taken up.

July 13

Death of Dr. Seiss

Dr. Franklin Seiss, died at his home Saturday evening, following a stroke a paralysis received on July 5, age 64 years. Doctor Seiss practiced his profession in Taneytown from 1881 to 1921, a period of 39 years. His first location was at Thurmont. He was both successful and popular as a physician, and as a citizen stood high in the eyes of all.

During his life in Taneytown, he served as Burgess, member of the Council of the Lutheran Church, member of the County Board of Health, and as a Director of the Carroll Record. In many ways he was actively identified with local affairs. He was a staunch friend of Taneytown, and the people of the town and vicinity whom he labored for so long. The funeral, which was held at the Lutheran Church in Taneytown, was the largest ever held in that church, thereby attesting to the high regard with which the public held him.

Henry Peter Dies

Henry Peters, a veteran of the Civil War, and lifelong resident of Fairfield, died Tuesday evening at the home of his son, James Peters. Death was due to cancer. Mr. Peters was aged 80 years, eight months and 16 days. Funeral services were held at Saint Mary’s Church, in Fairfield.

Boy Recounts Tale Of Recent Abduction.

An interesting story of abduction and subsequent release was told to William Trago, of Thurmont, the recounter was Alan Immick, of Tacoma Park who was unaware that Mr. Trago was a Thurmont man.

According to his story, Immick was on his home when two men in an auto stopped him and ask if he knew where a certain person lived. The boy knew the person inquired for an entered the automobile to show them the way. After going to short distance the men in the car gagged and bound Immick while the car was traveling at a lively pace.

He says the next stop was in Thurmont in front of a meat shop. One man entered a nearby store to get something to eat while the other guarded the boy. After leaving Thurmont the men headed for Virginia and when nearing Roanoke strip the boy of nearly all his clothing and put him on the road. He reported as soon as possible to a police station and was taken care of until his father sent money for a ticket for his return to Washington. The men, it is stated, had all kinds of burglary tools, blackjacks, guns and liquor in the car, which he believe was stolen.

The alleged abduction occurred on June 20 and citizens of Thurmont, recall, it is said, the fact that a car with two men answering the description given by Immick stopped in Thurmont on the evening designated and invested in food.

Held For Theft

Ervin Munshower, 17 years old, who said his home is in Emmitsburg, was held in jail overnight until the arrival of the sheriff from Emmitsburg, when he was taken back to that place where he was charged with the theft of a bicycle.

It is said that he visited numerous businesses in Gettysburg Monday, and offered to sell the bicycle cheap. His actions aroused suspicion, and he failed to make a sale. When he offered the machine for three dollars, Edward Rosensteel decided police should investigate.

Four Men, A Car, And Moonshine

Moonshine and gasoline are a bad combination at any time, but more especially when the gasoline is flowing into the motor of an automobile, driven at a high rate of speed by someone who has consumed moonshine.

As a result of such a combination, Harry Fleming, is in the hospital, suffering from a chest injury, while Philip Hoffman, Oliver Stull, and an unidentified colored man are thanking their lucky stars for their escape with nothing more than a severe shaking up.

The accident occurred on the Emmitsburg Road near the state line. According to the report, the automobile, a touring car, passed several houses at its maximum rate of speed. It is not known exactly how the accident happened, but it is believed the car ran off the left side of the concrete roadway and that in an effort to bring it back to its course, it turned turtle.

According to police, a broken jug was found near the overturn automobile. A strong smell of moonshine liquor arising from the spot the jug was broken was identical with a similar odor coming from the passenger compartment of the machine. According to persons who reach the scene of the accident at least three of the man appear to have been drinking. The colored man, it is said, was entirely sober.

The top of the car was entirely torn off, the windshield was shattered, the left rear wheel was off and the fenders broken in several places.

July 20

Covered Wooden Bridge Over Toms Creek To Go

The last covered wooden bridge between Frederick and Emmitsburg will soon be history. The State Road Commission has advertised for bids for the construction of a new bridge over Toms Creek near Emmitsburg on the Frederick-Emmitsburg State Road.

The elimination of this bridge has been agitated for the past seven years. A bill was passed by the Maryland Legislature in 1915 to this end, but the project was put on the shelf because of world war activities.

About a year and a half ago a truck of the Standard Oil Company went through the bridge. When the Marines went through last summer on their way to Gettysburg they pronounced the bridge unfit for their heavy trucks and had to prop it up. A number of heavy trucks have been using the bridge this summer and it has been pronounced unsafe.

The new bridge is to be of reinforced concrete consisting of a single span, 80 foot long by 24 feet wide. Bids for its construction must be submitted to the office of the State Road Commission by noon July 31.

Gasoline Tax

The tax of one-cent a gallon on gasoline has yielded the state a total of $632,143 in the first full year since it has been an operation. This collection bears out almost exactly the estimate of the State Road Commission, which calculated at the time it was impose that it would yield an average of $50,000 a month.

The tax is upon gasoline used in motorcars. Purchasers of gasoline for motorboats, farm tractors, stationary engines, and other purposes are entitled to a refund.

These figures show that 64,412,658 gallons of gasoline were used in Maryland in the 12 months ending on May 31. This is the first time an approximate figure on the total consumption of gasoline in the state have been available.

The one-cent tax will continue until January 1924. The revenues are budgeted to provide funds to wipe out the deficit in the road maintenance fund, which amounts to about $1 million. The tax will increase to two-cents a gallon January 1, 1924. Collections from the new tax will be used for road maintenance.

July 27

Gypsies Not Wanted

A band of gypsies had a rather stirring experience the first of this week, charge for not having taken out a solicitation license as required by law. They had camped in the lower part of the County on Sunday and on Monday passed through Walkersville and Woodsboro on their way towards Thurmont.

The sheriff was tipped off that the band had started for Thurmont when the deputies nab them and took five men and a woman back to Frederick where are hearing was held. They were charged with having no license for solicitation and a fine of $75,000 was imposed, but waved on the condition that they leave the County at once and not return.

From Thurmont the rovers went to Emmitsburg and then proceeded to Gettysburg arriving there early Monday evening. Determine not to allow the gypsies to apply their trade in Gettysburg, state troopers stationed there ask them to move on. The motorized caravan then set forth in the direction of Chambersburg, via Fairfield. The party was escorted to the western Adam County line by the state officers in order to prevent them from camping in that county overnight.

Mountain Fire

A mountain fire near Mount St. Mary’s did great damage from Saturday until Tuesday. 1,500 acres of timber were burned over. The fire burned briskly for a time and had it not been brought under control so expeditiously, damage would likely have resulted to the Mount Saint Mary’s buildings. The fire was principally on the other side of the mountain from the college, all the timber burned is said to belong to Mount St. Mary’s.

For a time the flames seem to be making headway, so an appeal was sent over the surrounding country for help. A large number of men from Saint Anthony’s, Emmitsburg and neighboring places responded. After a hard fight they were able to overcome the blaze which was entirely extinguish. 60 men watched it all night until the rain came on Tuesday morning and there was no danger of it spreading.

The fire, it is believed, was started by the carelessness of someone picnicking in the mountains. The probable cause was a match for a cigarette carelessly thrown away.

Fairfield Fire Co. Buys Hook & Ladder Engine

The Fairfield Fire Company has purchased the hook and ladder apparatus of the Gettysburg Fire Company for $75. The apparatus, which has been the property of the Gettysburg Company for the last 20 years, is fully equipped with 75 feet of ladder, four hand chemicals, axes, bars, rope and buckets. The truck had to be towed to Fairfield because its engine has not worked for years.

Hay And Corn Crops A Failure

Farmers who held onto last year‘s hay crop or wise. The crop this year will be very small, as well as poor in quality. No amount of rain, now, will produce a normal corn crop, while the potato crop is hopelessly ruined, even from the latest planning. Corn for canning purposes will also be a very short crop, and the acreage planted with pees will be largely a complete failure.

The 1924 hay crop will be very shy of clover as it never showed up in the wheat stubble. Due to lack of spring rains and the extremely dry month of June and July, the clover that did get a start has been burned up.

There is a system of farming which is in practice in certain sections of the county, which many farmers in our section may use to their advantage this year. Instead of seeding timothy and clover in wheat, the hay mixture is seeded with wheat planted in August. There are two advantages of the system, clean hay and a sure crop.

It is recommend that farmers disc the wheat stubble from now until the first of August about every 10 days, and then seed with a wheelbarrow seeder, a mixture of 6 to 8 pounds of red clover, 4 to 7 pounds alfalfa, 4 to 5 pounds alsika, and 6 to 8 pounds of timothy. This should then be followed with a pulverizer.

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