July

July 7

Union Bridge Bank Case

Edward Olmstead, the defaulting cashier of the Union Bridge National Bank, was convicted on several counts and sentenced to four and a half years in the Federal prison in Atlanta. Desire to make a "killing" in the stock market is said to have caused the downfall of Olmstead.

His gross shortage has been stated as $163,367. The ceasing of his assets, along with contributions from the Board of Directors reduced the shortage to $30,000, which will be covered by an assessment of about 11% on the depositors, which seems to be the best way to wind up affaires. If the depositors refuse the 11% assessment, the Board of Directors said they would withdraw their $28,000 contribution and the let the bank go into receivership, which would result in the depositors losing more then 11%. It is estimated that without the settlement, depositors would receive 50 to 75 cents on the dollar of their deposits.

Orphan Give Concert In Fairfield

The Trussler Orphan Home band rendered a concert, Sunday evening in Fairfield infront of the Lutheran Church. 500 persons gathered round the boys to hear the concert, which consisted of religious and secular numbers.

Farm For Sale

The Boyd farm in Liberty Township, midway between Emmitsburg in Fairfield. This is a level track of land of 100 acres more or less, eight room weatherboard house, new bank barn, all other necessary outbuildings, never failing well of water and some fruit. Asking $15,000.

Young Cyclone Hit Emmitsburg

For a few minutes last Saturday afternoon, Emmitsburg experienced a real touch of a small cyclone. It came without much warning and although no real damage has been reported, there were several incidents that gave ones to worry.

The storm came shooting across from the Southwest and as far as can be gathered was confined mostly to the country. For a short time the rain descended in torrents with a ferocious wind accompanying the heavy drops, knocking down trees, rolling chairs and plants from porches of residence with every appearance of a real Cyclone

The storm rushed on so quickly that the people had little or no time to prepare for it and for a time there was much alarm as to what was to happen. The storm centered mostly over the town, very little rain falling out near Mount Saint Mary’s. The electric light service was put out of commission for about 30 minutes. The storm paid a visit down along the Taneytown Pike and hit the home of Mrs. Charles Scherer with such force that it drove one of the windows in and shattered glass, hitting her baby, effecting a gash on the head calling for four stitches.

Heavy Rains

During the past week Fredrick County has been visited frequently by heavy downpours of rain, mostly local in character. On Saturday about 1 o’clock Thurmont received a light shower, some hail falling at that time. About 3 o’clock and heavy wind and rainstorm prevailed. During the storm two large panes of glass in Roger Eyler’s barber shop or broken, the wind slamming the screen door against the window. Glass was throwing the length of the room and over customers occupying the chairs. Luckily no one was hurt.

Saturday night around 10 o’clock, a very heavy electrical storm passed over. Rain fell in torrents and lightning was very vivid. Sunday afternoon a series of thunder clouds passed over from different sections. Rain fell from 5:30 until 9 o’clock.

The storms played havoc with the telephone service in Thurmont. That on Saturday put a number of phones out of commission and Sunday storm did still greater damage. They are being rapidly restored to usefulness. Hail from the storm ruined 50 acres of standing week on the Hafner farm. The storm also left 20 acres already cut in bad condition and also some damage to growing corn.

Lightning struck the corner of Mrs. Henry Lamberts Farm dwelling during the Sunday storm, fortunate doing only slight damage, and no fire in soon. At the same time, a shock of wheat was struck in Mr. Kempers field nearby, burning it up.

James England made a narrow escape from being struck by lightning. He had taken shelter from the storm under a pear tree but went to the house, and several minutes later, lightning struck the tree he had been under.

Chesapeake And Potomac To Add Lines

It is has been said that due to womenfolk tying up phone lines gossiping, the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Co. will have to build a new line from Frederick to Thurmont, Emmitsburg and all the small towns along the way. The Board of Directors have asked all the men in the County to try to limit the time women gossip on the phone to the evening, so as not to interfere with businesses who need the lines during the day, and to under an hour of gossiping if possible.

July 14

Small Apple Crop

Late frost affecting fruit are said to have done considerable damage to fruit crops. Local farmers will only get about 45% of their normal apple crop and about 42% of their peach crop. Picking of apples has begun and they will begin to reach local market in a week or two. Bad as these conditions are, they show considerable improvement over last year.

Thrown From Buggy And Killed

In a driving accident near Emmitsburg, in which the horse and buggy of Philip Hoffman of Gettysburg figured, Margaret Butler, colored, age 9 years, was instantly killed when she was thrown out of Mr. Hoffman’s carriage and the freighted horse fell on her. Mr. Hoffman had been transacting business in Emmitsburg and pick up two little colored girls who were walking along the road and offered to take them to their destination, several miles further on, when they had nearly reached the end of their ride, the horse took fright at an automobile and reared and overturn the buggy, the horse fell with its full weight on the child, breaking nearly every rib in her body and causing almost instant death. Mr. Hoffman was thrown to the ground with much force and was badly bruised.

Motorcycle And Truck In Collision

A truck driven by Paul Hobbs, and a motorcycle on which two Lewistown boys were riding, collided in the square, in Thurmont on Saturday morning. Nobody was seriously hurt, but the motorcycle was considerably damage. Both drivers claim to have had the right of way. The point in question seems to be which one of the truck’s front wheels hit the motorcycle. With this point settled, the nature of the accident is supposed to decide which one has the right of way.

Electrical Storm

A heavy electrical storm put electric lights out of service in Taneytown on Tuesday night. As the use of electricity becomes more general, so does its absence represents greater inconvenience. The company should increase its trouble force.

During the storm lightning struck to McPherson home at Catoctin. Two large holes were torn in the slate roof and a part of the chimney was knocked off. The inside of one of the windows was blackened at three places on the bottom and two on the top. Mrs. McPherson says that when the bolt hit the roof the appearance was that of the bursting of a large smoke bomb. No fire thankfully resulted from the strike.

July 21

Locals Sue Emmitsburg Motor Machine Company

Charles Krise of Rocky Ridge, George Naylor of Taneytown, and Henry Dern of Emmitsburg testified at a hearing before receivers appointed for the Maryland Motor Machine Company.

Mr. Krise told of a complicated transaction, involving the exchange of some tractors for $7,500 in money and notes, leaving him still owning the Moline Plow Company $5,100. Because of this he was forced to make an assignment for the benefit of his creditors and today he is ruined financially, owing $26,000 and having property worth only $20,000.

Mr. Naylor said he brought $1,500 worth of stock and is an endorser of a note, held by the company, for $20,000. He made the stock purchase and signed the note on the recommendation of agents of the company, assuring him that the investment would yield a 10% dividend, yet he never got a dime.

Mr. Dern bought $1,000 worth of stock up on the promise of becoming manager of its Emmitsburg garage, which the company had taken over, at a salary of $35 a week. He worked at the garage for two weeks and was then transferred to Waynesboro, where agents of the company were selling stock, he said. He said he received no pay for his employment at the Emmitsburg garage and after working at Waynesboro for 17 days was dropped by the company.

Emmitsburg Lutherans Vote Repairs

At a specially called congregational meeting of the Elias Evangelical Lutheran Church, the congregation voted to point the walls of the old stone church, paint the steeple and exterior woodwork and paint and fresco the interior. They further voted to lay the corner stone of the chapel to be known as the Reinewald Memorial Chapel, in honor of Reverend Charles Reinewald, the former pastor who faithfully served the Church for 27 years, exceeding in point of time, that of any former incumbent. This work is in addition to a handsome new parsonage only recently finished.

Building Big Crusher

Harold Wanke who engineered the construction of the big building and crusher for the Greenstone Products Co. near Thurmont, is at present engaged in the construction of a big crusher plant for the Tidewater Portland Cement company of Union Bridge at a point some distance east of that town. We understand Mr. Wanke has a number of Thurmont men working on the job.

July 28

Central Trust Takes Over Union Bridge Bank

The First National Bank Of Union Bridge, which closed several weeks ago as a result of shortages caused by the embezzlement of funds by Charles Olmstead, has been taken over by the Central Trust Company Maryland and will be open as a branch of that institution in about two weeks. The action has the approval of the Comptroller of the currency and this action will link the commercial affairs of Union Bridge and the surrounding section to Frederick.

The acquisition of the Union Bridge institution makes the Central Trust Co. one of the most powerful financial institutions in the state outside of Baltimore city. Central Trust will have five branches, at Emmitsburg, Monrovia, Myersville, Thurmont, and now Union Bridge

Airplane Engine in Car

The other day a Ford touring car was seeing flying along the Emmitsburg Road at 60 miles an hour! When it entered Emmitsburg it stopped and sometime later numerous and dusty drivers stopped their machines to ask the driver how he did it. To their surprise they found that an airplane engine had been installed in the Lizzie and the back weighted down with iron to hold it on the ground. Perhaps this will give Mr. Ford an idea for his next million automobiles.

Another Drowned Swimming

Louis Harbaugh, Rocky Ridge, age 22 was drowned last Sunday afternoon in the Monocacy, having been stricken with cramps while in midstream. He was an expert swimmer. Medical men say that bathing, after eating a full meal, is very dangerous. A large number of drowning cases have been reported this summer.

Meanwhile While out with other boys along a stream bathing and having a good time last Sunday, Charles Zentz, broke his right leg just below the knee. Charles was standing on a stone. When the stone started to roll, one of the boy’s legs was caught between some rocks when he fell, snapping it in half.

Arrested For Forgery

Paul Hahn of Taneytown was arrested on Sunday and lodged in jail on charge of forging of the name of Nelson Summers of Woodsboro on three checks, two for $40 each and one for $13. The checks contained the forged signature of Summers and were indorsed by Hahn. When the forgery became known, Mr. Summers swore out a warrant for Hahn. Hahn denies the charges.

Bold Thief

Some bold thief, who seems to have known the situation, cut the screen door at the back of William Flickinger’s dwelling, along the State Road, last Saturday afternoon while all were attending a funeral and helped himself to a bucket of gasoline from Flickinger’s car. For a midday act, while cars were passing every minute, this is hard to beat

Peach Crop Here Is Scattered

According to reports from various sections of the county, the peach crop, the harvest which has started, is spotted in some sections, is almost a total failure. Even in some orchards, there are sections where the yield is good, while in other portions of the same orchard; there are a few peaches to be found. They have a frost in the spring are considered responsible for this conditions.

The condition is even worse over the Mason-Dixon line. In Frederick County it is said there will be no crop of peaches this year. The late frost completely wiped out the prospect for the season in many sections of the county. However from Thurmont, on the Emmitsburg Road to the state line, there are some farmers who report affair yield a fruit and several expect a large crop this year.

Injured While Cranking Car

While cranking his car, Saturday afternoon, Merle Baumgardner, received a very painful accident caused by the engine backfiring. The crank struck him a terrific blow on the left side of his head, causing great pain but fortunately no fracture.

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