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100 Years Ago This Month

August 1911

Aug 4

Manager Neely Runs Off With Our Goat

Thirteen hits for 18 bases and dopey baseball tells the tale of Emmitsburg defeat at the hands of Fairfield last Friday. Everything looked charming until they began to find Sellers and the dope began to work.

A word or two about Fairfield. Horner was absent tinkering with a new gas engine, but the age was kept up to the general average by the comeback of Cunningham, a veteran of many forgotten games. As a sample of the game we take no pleasure in giving a detailed account of one inning. Shryock came to the bat and after two strikes hit safely. He was as determined to get the second and Sebold and Sellers were to hold him on first. Three or four times he was held by the nose to the bag, but at last he let go. Sebold pegged the ball to Mondorf, who was fairly frothing at the mouth to bite him, but the ball went through him and Frailey was picking his teeth with a rye straw and failed to back up the throw.

The game went downhill from there with Fairfied scoring six runs in the remainder of the inning. The best thing about the game, outside of the noise from the sidelines, was Dr. Rowe’s catch of a low driver foul ball in the sixth inning.

Wednesday Storm

On Wednesday evening the barn on Mr. Daniel Shorb’s place in Liberty Township, was struck by lightning and burned to the ground together with its contents, hay, straw, harnesses and several vehicles. The heavy rain that accompanied the storm kept the fire from spreading.

Mr. Joseph Hoke had an exciting experience during the storm. He had gotten as far as the Middle Creek Hill, on his way to Emmitsburg from Gettysburg when lightning struck a tree near the road and his horse was thrown to the ground. Mr. Hoke was partially incapacitated by the bolt but ‘Slim Jim,’ a well-known hobo who was in the bridge, came to his rescue. Both the horse and Mr. Hoke were uninjured.

A chimney at St. Euphemia’s school building was struck and partially destroyed.

Early the next morning another storm passed over Liberty Township. Two horses, one dead and the other nearly so, were found in a field of the Zimmerman brothers’ farm. It is supposed they were struck by lightning, although no marks were found to indicate where the bolt hit them. A cow and a calf belonging to Ms. Annie Hardman of French Creek, was killed on the same storm while in the field.

Riding Accidents

Mr. Hugh Roddy was badly bruised about the body on Saturday afternoon when a horse he was riding took fright at an auto car and ran into the machine, throwing its rider to the ground with considerable force. Dr. Brawner was summoned and found that no bones were broken. Another riding accident occurred on Sunday afternoon when Mr. Robert Caney, who lives at "Tanglewood" near town, sitting a young colt, was thrown to the ground when the animal bucked, and suffered a broken collarbone. Drs. Brawner and Jamison reduced the fracture.

Traffic in Emmitsburg

Last Saturday night was the busiest in Emmitsburg for many months. Ninety-two teams, by actual count, were hitched along Main Street alone, which was crowded with pedestrians. Last Sunday holds the record for the number of automobiles that were in town in a single day. All morning, afternoon and late into the evening motorists streamed through the town.

Log Cabin Dismantled

This week witnessed the dismantling of the little log cabin that stood opposite the high school building on Frederick Street. This was probably one of the oldest buildings in town and was recognized as a landmark of the place.

Aug. 11

Roads to be Resurfaced

The town commissioners, so we are informed, will soon give their attention to resurfacing the streets of Emmitsburg. This will be in keeping with the very decided improvements made to the sidewalks by the progressive people of the community. This summer has been great advancement, all on the line, and it is understood that more painting and more construction will be done before the season is over.

Nathaniel Rowe Turns 90

Nathaniel Rowe was born on his family’s farm just outside of town. At the age of 17 he began his apprenticeship to Mr. Armstrong, a gunsmith, and at the age of 20 began making rifles for himself. The history of this community for the last 70 years is fresh in his mind. A Cholera epidemic of 1853 that was instrumental in reducing our population from 700 to 350 is as fresh in his memory as if it had occurred last year. When the Civil War broke out he was 39 years old and, of course, remembers the stirring scenes along the borderline in the 60s. Before the battle of Gettysburg, Union troops were stationed along the Meadows, north of town and in the fields near St. Joseph’s. Six New York officers took supper with Mr. Rowe before the battle. On the day after the victory, mourning the loss of two of their companions killed in the carnage on the third day’s fight, the four surviving officers again were Mr. Rowe’s guests.

During the retreat of the Army of Virginia, Mr. Rowe was halted near Mount St. Mary’s by Gen. Stuart for reliable information concerning the roads. While the invaders passed him by, Mr. Rowe noticed hundreds of horses captured in Pennsylvania by the invaders. Among the men was a Mr. Carr, an Emmitsburg carpenter who had gone south to fight for the Confederates.

Gardens Bursting

Mrs. Michael Hoke’s gardens are producing the finest tomatoes in town. A specimen of the famous beefsteak variety plucked from one of Mrs. Hoke’s vines and sent to the Chronicle office weighed 1 lb. 9 oz. Every branch of a pear tree in Mrs. Adelsburger’s garden is bending with a fine fruit it is producing this season. A small branch of the tree sent into this office has so many pears on it that there was scarcely room for leaves.

Emmit House Outing Party

Mr. Breichner, proprietor of the Emmit House, treated his guests to a delightful outing at Gingell’s Mill Grove. Dinner and supper were prepared and served in the open, and during the day baseball and various amusements were enjoyed by all. Altogether it was a very delightful day. The party was conveyed to and from the grounds in Mr. Weingardner’s automobile.

Broom Company Will Re-Build

At a meeting of the officers of the Emmitsburg Broom Company, it was decided to rebuild the plant on the grounds on Frederick Street, and they hope to be ready to resume business by Dec. 15. Mr. Zimmerman, president of the directors, appointed a committee of three to have charge of erecting the building.

Drunks

Numerous underage drunks have been noticed frequently in town, much to the horror of the authorities. The source of these jags has been traced to Jamaican Ginger, a colic cure, sold by grocers. The medicine is 93% alcohol. Schlitz beer, by way of comparison, contains 3. 7% alcohol.

Aug. 18

A Mountain Walk

Immediately after dinner Tuesday, a small party of the Emmitsburg Walking Club members walked around Carrick’s Knob and the mountain behind it. Before they reached the reservoir, the party had been drenched twice by rain. After leaving the reservoir the crowd was caught in the rain again.

As soon as the last rain was over and the sky cleared, Scout Reiley started the party on the most beautiful walk ever taken by many of the party. The scenery cannot be put down in black and white but must be viewed to be appreciated.

Until the younger set was met by the Emmit House automobile, no stops were made except to take pictures. In all, the walk covered about 15 miles and the party reached Emmitsburg around eight o’clock.

On Sunday afternoon another party walked up to Indian Lookout by the way of the college. Quite an enjoyable half hour was spent admiring the magnificent scenery. On the return the party was caught in the rain and immediately telephoned to the Emmit House. Without delay a carriage was sent out and the older people returned safely. The rest of the bunch, who had walked, got home at the same time, a tired but happy party late for supper.

Aug. 25

To Riding Millers

"The Riding Millers" passed through town on Wednesday on their way from Frederick to Gettysburg. This gentleman and his wife left run of Canada on June 3 on bicycles for a 10,000 mile tour on a wager of $1,000 in gold. The conditions of the wager are that they are to have no means of support except what they can derive from the sale postcards bearing a picture. They are to ride the whole distance on bicycles driven by foot power and are to complete the trip in one year.

So far they have complied with the terms and have ridden over 4,000 miles. Before leaving, they both acknowledged that despite all their troubles, they have never ridden over better road than the pike between here and Frederick.

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