100 Years Ago This Month

April 1923

April 6

April First Coldest On Record

Sunday was the coldest April First in Frederick County on record. The temperatures range from 12E to 29E, and Saturday was the coldest March 31st on record, the range was from 12 to 33. These are the official figures from Frederick, but reports from around Thurmont give 10E for the lowest.

In Goldfish Industry

Frederick Tresselt has leased the fishponds at Lewistown, which had formally been leased to the State of Maryland for the State’s fish hatcheries, and will use them for the purpose of propagation of goldfish.

Missionaries Returning

Mrs. Hannah Gardner and family, near Union Bridge, are anxiously looking forward to the arrival of her son, Holly Garner and his wife, who have been missionaries of the Church of the Brethren to heathens in India for over six years. They plan to leave India April 3 and arrive in New York about May 10. They will make a short stay with relatives in Union Bridge and afterwards they will go to Mrs. Gardner‘s home in Illinois and settle down.

Walkersville Christian Temperance Union

The monthly meeting of the Walkersville Women’s Christian Temperance Union was held Monday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Charles Trout. The Union pledged $10 to the Near East Fund.

Monday night, members of the Walkersville’s Boozers Association met at their super secret still in the train station warehouse to sample their last batch of ‘hooch’. Member of the association pledged $25 to help boozers in Woodsboro to upgrade their still to meet the growing needs of hard working men in that community under the condition that if the Walkersville still is ever discovered and destroyed by Revenue Agents, Woodsboro would hare its ‘supply’ with hard working men in Walkersville until a new still can be made up and running.

April 13

For County Commissioner

Roscoe Brown, who has announced his candidacy for the office of County Commissioner for Frederick County, resides between Deerfield and Sabillasville, and has had about ten years experience in modern road building, being one of the pioneers of the "two-to- one" plan of road construction, and it is largely through his efforts that his home district is among the leaders in the county for safe public highways.

Mr. Brown, now in the prime of life, being in his 35th year, is recognized by all who know him, as honest, intelligent and energetic, and if elected, will bring unusual ability and experience to the office for what he aspires, and will fully realize and perform his duty to the people of Frederick County. He has been a party worker for many years, is a liberal in his views and merits your support.

Mules Cause Havoc In Taneytown

Last Saturday evening a mule team belonging to Harry Angel became frightened at the 6 o’clock whistle at the railroad, and broke away from Mr. Angel and ran up Baltimore Street towards the Square. Milton Koons attempted to stop the runaways as they passed his store, but his efforts appeared to have frightened them more, and in the attempt he was struck by one of them and thrown to the ground, two of the wheels of the wagon passing over him. He was severely cut about one eye and otherwise injured about the face and the body, but fortunately, no bones were broken. For several days he was quite ill, but he is now getting better. The mules eventually stopped at the Square, where they proceeded to graze as if nothing had happened.

War On Liquor

The war of the Federal government against bootleggers has cost the lives of 12 men during a six-month period ending in December, according to figures soon to be made public by the Federal Prohibition Commission. In addition, 33 agents were wounded. The figures showing the hazards of prohibition enforcement cover the activities of the federal forces only. In many states the federal agents have received assistance from State and municipal forces. The States having their own enforcement laws, have suffered their own losses of men killed and wounded, according to federal officials.

A compilation of figures covering the activities of federal agents in all parts of the country shows that well over $7 million of property has been seized. The number automobiles seized was 2,211, the value of which was estimated at over $1 million. In addition there were 87 boats and launches valued at $750,000.

Almost 2.5 million gallons of malt liquor was seized, and destroyed by pouring into gutters, & rivers. 5,300 illicit distilleries and 7,180 stills were destroyed.

No Oil For Liberty To Union Bridge Road

Plans for the resurfacing of the old Johnsville Pike, which extends from Liberty to Union Bridge by the way of Johnsville, is up in the air as a result of the refusal of the State Road Commission to furnish oil for the construction work. The County Commissioners of Frederick County asked that oil be furnished by the State, but the State replied that they would be unable to do so because of lack of funds.

The County board had voted to make the improvement which would have connected Liberty to Union Bridge with a modern highway, the resurfacing being of oil and macadam costing $2,000 a mile. But the plans for the resurfacing were dependent upon the State supplying the oil for the work.

It had been expected that part of the work could be done this summer, but since the State is unable to furnish the oil it is not considered likely that any work will be undertaken within the next two years.

April 20

More Snow

Fruit grower in the County became very uneasy last Saturday. With snow falling practically all day, and the temperature slightly below the freezing point towards evening, some were planning to protect buds on trees by building fires on the windward side of the orchards. Icicles clung to leaves until late Sunday afternoon when they, together with the snow, disappeared, and another menace to the fruit crop had passed.

14,000 Killed By Autos Last Year

14,000 people were killed in automobile accidents in the United States last year, according to statistics of the National Bureau of Casualty and Security Underwriters.

This is an increase of 1,600 over 1921, and according to the Bureau, the increase is a direct result of women drivers, which every man knows does not have the mental capacity to handle the complexities of maneuvering autocars. Women drivers, more then men, were at fault, according to the statistics. The chief causes of accidents were listed as follows: reckless driving was responsible for more than half of the accidents, improper lights, broken mechanisms, intoxicated driver, weather conditions, and narrow culverts.

During the same period, the number of fatalities due to horse accidents decreased to less then 12, or by 98 percent. The decrease, the Bureau noted, was due to the fact that only experienced horsemen still used horses, and that the horses in use were now "seasoned trusty old souls."

Free Advertising

The Pennsylvania Weekly Publishers’ Association has passed stringent resolutions against the publishing of free write-ups of any sort pertaining to business firms, public service companies, &c., and even limiting church and fraternities to the barest of news facts.

Unquestionably, the demand for free "puffs" is growing, and the practice is especially followed by certain concerns that contract for a paid advertisement, then accompany it with a write up, or publicity matter of some kind for publication, the space of which is worth a great deal more then the space of the paid advertisement. Very often these write ups are so worded as to create the impression that the editor is himself voluntarily giving his personal endorsement, often for matters and movements as to which he is not in the least interested; and often the free write up is attached to the advertising contract itself.

The resolutions’ state that those request are but veiled demands, and are sometimes even insolent, having no regard for a just remuneration for the services of the paper, nor any consideration for how they are to secure revenue sufficient to conduct their businesses.

Our Pennsylvania brethren are all together right, and it rests with the cooperation of the weekly publishers, as to whether they are to continue to be made a dump for all sorts of request of this sort, or whether they will assert their right in the matter, and demand real pay for real services rendered.

This paper has recently dumped a number of those free "puffs" into the wastebasket and expects to continue doing so. Not because of any feeling against those who asked for the favors, but against their policy of trying to gain publicity of this sort; and we especially resent having ready-made editorial expressions furnished to us.

Women’s Club Meets

The women’s club of Walkersville, met and its fortnightly meeting at the home of Miss Courtney Stafford, on Maple Avenue. After a short business session, and instructive and enjoyable program of fine arts was given. Mrs. Robert Clapp gave a pleasing talk on the meaning of art, in which she refer to some great women artist and briefly to some of their work. Mrs. Robert Town sang very beautifully several songs. Mrs. Carrie Holland, President of the Women’s Club of Mount Pleasant, read an instructive paper on the history of literature, its beginning and development in England, the influence which was felt by early American writers, aiding the development of great American literature. An interesting reading of minor and major arts was given by Mrs. Devilbiss. After singing America the Beautiful, the club adjourned.

April 27

Mountain Fires

A pall of smoke from one of the worst forest fires in the history of Frederick County hung over the County Wednesday night. Fanned by a heavy gale, the fire swept along the eastern slope of the Catoctin Mountains, and practically the entire section from Yellow Springs to Thurmont was affected.

The fire, which broke out on Sunday evening, and which had flared up a fresh in unexpected places in at least a dozen times since, was not brought under control until Thursday night. The origins of the fires are unknown, but all are suspected to have been the work of an arsonist.

Several hundred men were said to have fought the fire. Much difficulty was experienced in getting men to fight the fires, for this reason, the State Forester deputized a number of men, which allowed him to order them to fight it. Soon after, the fire was brought under control. While most of the men have since left the scene of the fire, some have remained on guard as a precaution.

The extent of the fire damage will not be known for several days. It has been estimated that an area of about six or seven thousand acres of timber have been damaged. All the sections in which the fire burned are comparatively thickly settled, but no homes, as far as it can be known, however, have been destroyed.

Accident At Union Bridge

A serious accident occurred at the Western Maryland Railroad crossing at Union Bridge early Monday morning. John Eline, Theodore Crouse, Philip Weller, Orville Hamberg and Earl Hahn, all of Uniontown were going into Union Bridge to go to work in a car. In attempting to cross the railroad tracks, they crashed into the engine of the fast mail train going West. Our information is that the fast mail was late, and the safety gate was not down, which led the driver of the car to think the crossing was safe.

Mr. Crouse was the most seriously hurt, receiving injuries about the head. The others were more or less bruised, but not seriously. Had the car been two seconds faster, all five might have been killed. This is an extremely dangerous grade crossing, no matter which way it is approached, and especially where the train running late, should be most carefully guarded.

April Weather

April has been remarkable, throughout, for its continuous cold winds and near freezing nights. Very little real Spring weather. The snow that fell last Saturday nearly all day would have given the ground a considerable covering, had it not been for the big rain that preceded it. Evidently, Old Man Winter is not lingering up in Michigan.

Attempted Hold Up In Daylight

Henry Eyler, a Thurmont, a well-known dealer in horses was held up on the public road, near Lewistown, Friday afternoon by two men at the point of a revolver. While it is suppose that the objective was robbery. It is understood that no money was obtained.

For a little information, however, could be obtained about the hold up. It was said that no report of the attempted robbery has been made to the authorities. It was said that soon after the men interrupted Mr. Eyler they made a harried retreat. No description of the pair could be obtained.

Death of Raymond Long

Raymond Long, a well-known resident of Woodsboro, died Saturday morning, age 64 years. Mr. Long was born and had lived for many years on the home farm near Rocky Ridge. For 29 years he was engaged in the farm implement and carriage business in New Midway. For the past five years he had lived in Woodsboro, dealing in automobiles. The past year he had led a retired life. He was a member of Grace Reformed Church, and the Monocacy Tribe I. O. R. M. of Union Bridge.