| YEARS GONE BY ARCHIVES |
| The Call of April 2, 1915 SNOW TO MAR EASTER PARADE If you have purchased your new Easter suit, hat, shoes gloves and the complete or a portion of your Easter outfit for the express purpose of being up to the minute in dress for the Easter promenade, you might just as well sell the entire outfit right now. We're going to have snow on easter day and there will be no promenade. Yes sir and it's going to be either six or eight inches deep. This is the dope handed to us by our weather prophet, Sir Augustus Luckenbill, shortly before going to press Friday. The announcement will no doubt strike terror to the hundreds of persons who intend being togged up in the latest creations of the milliner, dressmaker, and tailor on Easter. We're sorry but this is the ultimatum issued by our prophet and what's the use in having a prophet if you don't intend to believe him. The Bible and ancient history tell us that prophets sometime were stoned and otherwise cruelly treated at the hands of the irate public for their prophesies. The Call prophet we hope will not share the fate of the olden timers for his statement that we're going to have snow on Easter. Then right on the head of the snowfall on Easter Day, on Wednesday, April 7th, we're to have a thundershower. There are to be five snowstorms in April. The month is to be a rough one all the way through. The last snow fall for the season is to be on May 7th. After this snowfall there will be heavy frosts. During the summer, Mr. Luckenbill says there will not be a very great number of thundershowers but of the number there will be several that will be particularly heavy and the lightning will be extremely sharp. A prediction for the latter part of the year is to the effect that we will have full moon on November 21st and December 21st. The occurrence of full moon on the same day in each of these months is an unusual one and will not take place again for many years. For a few seconds, two in number, on both of these dates, persons acquainted or possessing the proper knowledge can read and forecast the principal events for the year 1916. The Call of April 9, 1915 PROCEEDINGS OF TOWN COUNCIL At the monthly meeting of town council held Monday evening, eight members illustrated by their vote on the Parkway Ordinance, that they were interested in the welfare and development of the town and voted accordingly to the dictates and pleasure of their constituents. The other four councilmen who did not vote for the ordinance proved the opposite conditions. From the fact that the vote on the ordinance was by secret ballot, those voting for or against are not definitely known and their identity can only be surmised. IN view of developments in this matter in the last week the public no doubt in a large measure can draw its own conclusions as to who voted against the ordinance. The secret vote of Monday evening was the first of its kind cast on an ordinance in many years as votes on ordinances are always by ballot. The secret ballot had as its object and purpose the shielding of council members employed by the railroad companies allowed them to cast their vote in such a manner that it would be impossible for their employers and the public alike to determine how they voted. The Parkway Ordinance passed and its adoption on second reading Monday evening will make it effective as soon as publication,posting about the town and copying into the ordinance book are completed. It will then mean that the Schuylkill Navigation Company will be stirred to action in preventing the borough from taking over this piece of land. Litigation will follow and probably the first legal steps will be to have an injunction issued restraining the borough from proceeding with the improvements contemplated. Mr. Curvin Saylor, formerly of town, and now of Philadelphia and the legal department of the Reading Company, appeared as the representative of the Schuylkill Navigation Company and explained that there would be a legal contest if the ordinance was passed. He explained he was there primarily as a former resident and has the town's best interests at heart and feels it isn't fair to taxpayers to have council spend the money to go into litigation. He asked council if the parkway was sufficiently valuable for them to go to court and stated his company felt it was worthwhile for them to do so. He opposed his company's litigation and thought the matter could be amicably resolved. Mr. Saylor stated his company, in order to prevent litigation, was willing to lease this land to the borough for any number of years at a nominal cost of one dollar annually. If the company ever needed this land, presumably for a railroad, they would reimburse the borough for every cent spent on the plot. The company is even willing to send its gardener to assist in plot improvement. Mr. Saylor also wished to refute published statements that company employees had been coerced or urged to vote against the ordinance under threat of losing their jobs. He challenged Mr. McKeon, Mr. Carr and Mr. Burns as to whether they had been told such things to which they answered "no." Mr. Saylor stated his company admitted their title to the property is questionable but that they intend to litigate the matter and it might take several years to settle it. A councilman added that after the litigation the borough stood a good chance of winning. After a reading of the ordinance, a motion by Hoffman and Bast was made to adopt the ordinance and the vote was positive by a vote of eight to four. No further discussion was held. The next matter of importance was that of the fire alarm whistle. Mr. Bast stated the present alarm system is confusing. On motion of Sterner and Bast the alarm system was changed, going into effect on April 10th. A discussion arose as to persons not making pavements when directed to do so by the Chief Burgess. He had notified a number of persons to make pavements within a certain amount of time but it had not been complied with. The Burgess was instructed to have the supervisor make the pavements where orders have not been followed and charge the property owner for the cost, and a lien placed against that owner if it is not paid. The Burgess was then given a lengthy list of property owners whose pavements are in need of repair. The question of the borough putting down concrete or brick gutters was discussed. The supervisor stated concrete gutters were cheaper and give better satisfaction. A motion by Hoffman and Kauffman was then passed to put down concrete gutters in the borough from this point forward. Mr. Bitzer, a resident of West Columbia Street, appeared before council and requested that the borough properly grade that street so that persons could put down pavements and he also asked that all residents of that street be notified to put down pavement. The grade of this street had been adopted some time ago and therefore on the motion of Bast and Hoffman the Road Committee was instructed to grade the street. The Call of April 16, 1915 WELSH BROTHERS TO SHOW HERE George E. Beckley, the advance agent for the Welsh Brothers Circus, was in town the fore part of the week and completed arrangements for the show he represents to hold forth a day in Schuylkill Haven. The show will be here Tuesday May 18th. Tents will be pitched on the old show ground on lower Main Street. Welsh Brothers show has many friends in Schuylkill Haven, it being an annual visitor for many years. This year many new features have been added and will be offered to the many patrons in town. PEOPLE CAN'T GET HOUSES NUMBERED A number of complaints have come to this office since the last issue of The Call, that it is impossible for them to get anyone to place the numbers on their homes. They state they have placed orders for numbers months ago but as yet have not had the numbers put up. It is claimed the party taking the orders have several times promised to put in an appearance but has failed to do so. It certainly does seem strange that someone does not make a complete canvass of the town with a good line of numbers, take orders and then put them in position. The same thing applies to letter boxes or receptacles for the receiving of mail. RETAIL MILK DEALERS The Retail Milk Dealers of Schuylkill Haven have formed an Association to be known as the Schuylkill Haven Retail Milk Dealers Association. The object of the association will be to bring the milk trade to the best possible standard. It is the desire of the members of the association to have all customers return empty bottles promptly as the retaining of these empty bottles makes it necessary for the dealer to carry a large supply of them in order to take care of his trade. All customers are also requested to take immediate care of their milk after delivery. This will eliminate a great deal of complaints arising during the summer months and also will retain the sanitary condition of the milk for much longer. |