| YEARS GONE BY ARCHIVES |
| The Call of March 4, 1921 NUMBER NINE STRIKES AUTOIST Train number nine, north bound at 9:45 Thursday evening, struck Harry Lankert of Cressona in his automobile at the Connor Crossing. That Lankert escaped uninjured is due to his presence of mind in jumping from the machine just in the nick of time. It is understood he was the only occupant of the car and was returning from Pottsville. He did not notice the approach of the train until he was directly in the crossing and to late to avoid the accident. ANOTHER AWNING COMES DOWN Another awning in front of a Main Street business place has been removed. It was taken from the Bittle building. Its removal considerably brightens the appearance to the building and makes the first floor room considerably lighter. Its removal also enhances the appearance of Main Street. It actually gives the street a broader and more metropolitan appearance when viewed from a distance. At one time there were awnings of the same style in front of most every business place along the street. Each year one or more have been removed until today there remain awnings of this kind in front of but ten business places. Of this number nine are on one side of the street and one on the other side of the street. SLIGHT FIRE WEDNESDAY MORNING Moisture in an iron pipe carrying the electrical wiring in the Michel building, occupied as the confectionery store proper, is thought to have caused a short circuit with the result that a foot of the iron pipe was melted and the rafters set on fire. This occurred Wednesday morning in the basement of the building. An employee passing through the cellar noted the smoke and quickly extinguished the same. All of the fuse plugs in the building as well as well as those on the large transformer on the electric pole at the corner of Main and Saint John Streets were blown by the short circuit. The Call of March 11, 1921 CENTER AVENUE CONDITION Much complaint has been made about the condition of Center Avenue. A great deal of this was brought about by autoists who were compelled to travel over it on their way to Orwigsburg or Pottsville. Little has been heard about the condition of Haven Street but complaint is now being made by butchers, bakers and others who are compelled to use it daily. The mud on this street seems to be deeper, thicker and harder to get through than on other streets and residents along it are asking why the borough is not scraping several inches off of it. SCOUTS TO HAVE MILITARY DRILL Beginning Wednesday evening of this week and continuing for some time the Boy Scouts of town will be put through military drills by Assistant Scoutmaster Allen Klahr, who served several years in the United States Army. The purpose of these military drills is to equip the troops to participate in the big field meet at Port Carbon on the Fourth of July. A JUST COMPLAINT Mr. William Maberry appeared before council and complained of the Union Street crossing being almost continuously blocked with cars so that the pedestrians on the north side of Union Street must wade through mud in the street. He stated that the conditions here were bad at all times. He had made efforts to have the same improved by taking it up with different officials of the Reading Company but without avail. This condition has prevailed for thirteen or more years. Council President Lengle stated he thought if the matter were taken up with these officials the conditions which exist to a greater or less extent at all the grade crossings in town, could be eliminated. The Chief Burgess was asked to take the matter up with the Superintendent of the District. The Call of March 18, 1921 FIRE TRUCK CANNOT MAKE UNION STREET CORNER In a tryout the other evening of the chemical truck of the Rainbow Hose Company, we are informed that the corner at High and Union Streets could not be made. That is the space by reason of a peculiar condition of the gutter and crossing plates are too small to permit the curve being taken. Probably some changes will have to be made at this point. INCREASING SIZE OF SHOE FACTORY Although the size of the W. Y. Miller shoe factory was but recently increased by the addition of a two story brick addition, another increase is about to be made. This addition will be the building of an office at the front end of the building on the upper side. When completed the space now occupied as an office will be used as a packing and shipping room. CHILD RUN OVER BY AUTO Blanche, the six year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Bitzer of West Columbia Street, was struck by an auto Monday evening about six o'clock in front of her home. She was about to cross the street when a car driven by a Friedensburg party happened along. The car struck the child and threw her to the street between the wheels. The mechanism underneath the car caught her head and she was dragged for some distance. When picked up she was unconscious. Severe bruises of the head and a badly injured but not broken leg resulted. Dr. Lessig was summoned. The child is about again. The Call of March 25, 1921 PREPARING THEIR OWN BALL DIAMOND The Goat Hill Sluggers have for the past several weeks been preparing for the summer season by putting their baseball diamond which is located on the old park and circus grounds near the cinder bank between the railroad and Caldwell Street. This section had on it a large number of willow trees, together with bushes of various kinds. Games were much delayed by lost balls that were hit or thrown into the bushes. In order to overcome this, the boys have chopped down most of the large willow trees and intend keeping the weeds and bushes off the diamond and field altogether. It will give them a fairly good space to play the game. COLUMBIA STREET IMPROVEMENTS The large trees on Columbia Street near Saint Charles Street were recently removed in order to permit the putting down of a concrete pavement, curbs and guttering at this point. The improvement is indeed very marked and removes one of the worst sections of pavement in town that has been the subject of comment for years. Curbs and pavements are to be put in better shape at the corner of Columbia and Saint James Streets shortly and with the borough making a concrete gutter at this point will eliminate the nuisance of having pools of stagnant water standing in the gutter. Heavy trap rock in large quantities have been placed on Columbia Street and when crushed somewhat, will give the street a good solid surface. ONE OF THE ENDLESS CHAIN LETTERS Spring Garden seems to be the source of numerous endless chain letters. This was learned this week and it was also intimated that the government may send on an inspector to trace up the writers of the same and put a stop to the practice. We have been handed a letter again this week by one of our friends to whom it was addressed. Its threats of dire consequences for failure to comply with its stipulations causes many persons out of fear to continue the chain. |
| ADS FROM THE CALL NEWSPAPER IN MARCH 1921 |
