ARCHIVESJAN12

YEARS GONE BY
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Pottsville Republican of January 2,1912

HAVEN COUNCIL REORGANIZED

With a full attendance of its members, the Schuylkill Haven Town Council reorganized last evening by electing
Warren Brown as its president, Floyd H. Minnig as secretary, F. B. Keller as treasurer and John Butz as chief of
police. There were two candidates for the position of President of Council and on the first ballot cast, each
candidate had six votes. A ruling in this body provides that in case of a tie vote, the Chief Burgess casts the
deciding vote. This, Burgess Hartman did in favor of Brown. There was no opposition for the other three
offices. Following the election of the above officers, Mr. Saul made a motion to increase the salary of the
superintendent of the light plant by ten dollars per month and the other three men at five dollars. This was
opposed by Mr. McKeone who thought it was the wrong time of year to increases salaries and that the men at
the plant were not doing justice to the council. The motion however passed. The superintendent will now
receive ninety dollars and each of the other men seventy, sixty and forty five dollars respectively. The salary
of Chief of Police John Butz was raised from $150 to $180 per year or $15.00 per month. A motion to have the
salaries of the treasurer, solicitor and secretary remain the same were passed. The wages for laborers and for
single and double teams will also remain the same for the ensuing year. Following the reorganization of
Council, the perfectos were passed around by the newly elected clerk.
Councilman Saul called attention to the fact that the time is fast approaching when it will be necessary to pave
Dock Street and that unless arrangements are made immediately, it will be towards the beginning of next
winter before the work is completed. He stated that Dock Street was the hardest street in the borough to keep
in repair and that it was a continual hauling of dirt off the street and limestone or trap rock there. He stated
that the trolley company would pave eighteen inches on either side so that the distance to be paved by the
borough would only be about six feet on either side of the track. Mr. Saul thought the street should be paved
from Main Street to the Centre turnpike. The paving would save the borough money in the long run and would
not handicap them in the way of finance as the money could be borrowed from the electric light department.
Mr. Saul stated that during the coming summer, the traction company will lay a new track along Dock Street and
if the borough wanted the company to assist in the cost of paving, now was the time and not two or three years
from now. The speaker claimed that the borough could do the work themselves and save money instead of
paying a high price to a contractor.
Burgess Hartman in speaking of the paving of Dock Street stated that there were certain well known citizens
of the town who can compel the council to fix this street and put it in a more passable condition. The Burgess
stated that the street must be paved or repaired and that in a very short time. The cost of relaying the gutters
along this street would cost nearly as much as paving the entire street. The burgess stated that all the license
money must be used on the roads and for some time past Council has been using the road tax money for other
purposes other than for which it was intended. He advised using the road tax money for road purposes and
stated that when this was done it would be only a question of a short time before there was money in the
treasury. Mr. Moore favored the paving of the street from a sanitary standpoint and that it would be the means
of eventually cutting down the expenses as he believed that it would last twenty years before anything would
have to be spent on Main Street. Councilman Smoll opposed the paving on the ground that it would put extra
expense on the people and that the borough was in no position to spend money at the present time. He
claimed that there were very few people along the street who wanted it paved and he thought that council
should obey the will of the people. Considerable paving should be done in the town. Paxson Avenue should
be placed in better condition, the streets and alleys cleaned and the bonded indebtedness got rid of before
any expense is incurred were the remarks of Mr. Smoll. The motion to have the ordinance committee draw up
an ordinance for the paving of this street was passed.
MINOR MATTERS DISPOSED OF
The secretary was directed to notify the Health Board that an ordinance was being violated in as much as
garbage was being thrown in the streets and alleys in the line of decayed vegetable matter and ashes. Mr.
McKeone objected to one or two men doing all the work in and about the town and receiving what actually
amounts to a monthly salary when there are other men who are willing to work but when they apply are told
that there is no work. This was referred to committee. The wall running along the Schuylkill Canal in back of
the property of Dr. Lenker was reported as being in an unsafe condition and was referred to the Highway
Committee. Milton Deibert was appointed assistant police of the East Ward and Harry Becker in the South
ward. The officers for the other two wards will be appointed at the next meeting. The bond of Roger
McCaffrey in the sum of $500 with J. E. Stanton and James Rooney was approved by Council. The bond of High
Constable George D. Naus in the sum of $50 with J. A. Bowen was also approved. Mr. Naus was sworn in last
evening by Burgess Hartman.
After being escorted to the chair by two of the members, President Brown thanked them and stated that he
hoped that it would be a prosperous year. I am willing to hear and accept any suggestion that the members of
council may make to me and will carefully consider them. The secretary was directed to present a bill for all
the cost of laying the sewer in the South Ward, as per agreement with the School Board some time ago. No
election was made of the two applications for borough engineer, those being J. W. Geary of Pottsville and
George Butz of Schuylkill Haven.
PEST HOUSE STOLEN
A motion to repair the pest house brought forth the statement that there was very little or practically nothing at
all left to repair, as it had been stolen. It was stated that all the beds, stoves, etc., had been stolen long ago
and that just recently the roof was carried away and that the place was now being used as a bumming shanty.
No action was taken.
REPORT OF CHIEF BURGESS
During the month of December just passed, I received five dollars for fines. I issued thirteen permits
receiving $13.50 for the same, making total receipts of $11.50. One of the permits I issued was to the American
Union Telephone Company to lay cable underground in crossing from one side of paved Main Street to the
other. I have been somewhat criticized for issuing this permit but am sure those citizens and councilmen who
have done so, do not clearly understand the matter.

Pottsville Republican of January 6, 1912

BACK BROKEN IN FALL FROM CAR

Bright Reber, a resident of Schuylkill Haven and one of the tallest employees in the service of the Reading
Company, yesterday fell from a box car at Allentown and fractured his back. At present he is confined to the
hospital in that town with slight chances of recovery. His relatives at Schuylkill Haven were notified of the
accident and late Friday afternoon and his mother left for the former city. Young Reber was formerly employed
on the main line of the Reading but during the summer months and early fall, when work was slack, he, in
company of several other young railroaders, went to Allentown, where they have been working since that
time. Young Reber is six feet two inches in height and was considered a good railroader. A number of
bothers and sisters reside in Schuylkill Haven.

Pottsville Republican of January 6, 1912

SCHOOL NOTES

Next week will be afforded the last opportunity for beginners (six year olds) to start school. See the principal
for admission certificates and bring vaccination and baptismal certificates to him if you have them. A storm
door was built at the main entrance to the frame building in the North Ward. The school rooms were fumigated
and scrubbed during the holiday vacation. Medical inspection has just been started in our schools. The State
Department of Health has charge of the inspection while Dr. Heim is the physician appointed to see that the
work is done here. Each child in school is to be examined with reference to sight, hearing, throat, teeth and
breathing. No clothing need be removed for this examination. Parents may be present at the examination if
they so request. The physician will make a note of the physical condition of the child and report to the State
Department of Health. The department will communicate with the parents in case medical treatment of a child
is advised. Such treatment is then optional with the parent and any doctor may be called to treat the child.
Parents have nothing to fear from this inspection while good results are expected. The inspection will cost
the parents nothing. No pupils will be suspended from school because of the inspection unless it is
discovered that some have contagious disease such as tuberculosis. Medical inspection would have been a
great source to our schools in the past and parents should heartily cooperate with the health authorities in
agreeing to the plan. The school board has no part in the inspection since it is carried out by the State.
The furniture for the director's room was placed in position on Tuesday afternoon. It sets off the small room in
the basement nicely and gives it a businesslike appearance. The furniture consists of an oak table and an
office chair. It was purchased from D. M. Wagner by the high school juniors and seniors. To this will be added
by the same classes, probably this week, two vertical sections of fireproof filing cabinets.

Pottsville Republican of January 9, 1912

FIRE SCARE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN

The residents of Schuylkill Haven were given a fire scare Sunday night when an engine whistle blew for some
time, quickly followed by the fire alarm whistle which sounded the second ward. Firemen quickly donned their
coats and hurried to their respective engine houses and pulled out the apparatus but nowhere could they
detect a fire. It is thought that the engine whistle became out of order and before it could be repaired, caused
the employees at the electric light plant to think that there was a fire and the alarm was sounded. This has
occurred on several occasions and has caused considerable excitement.

Pottsville Republican of January 18, 1912

CUTS WRIST WITH BROKEN GLASS

While playing with dishes at the home of her parents in Schuylkill Haven, Wednesday afternoon, Alice, the two
year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond McKeone, accidentally let fall one of the glass dishes which then
broke. Part of the broken glass entered her arm above the wrist, nearly severing an artery. Dr. A. H. Detweiler
was summoned and he removed the piece of glass and dressed the wound.

Pottsville Republican of January 20, 1912

A party of young ladies entertained the Hershey and Schuylkill Haven basketball teams last evening in
Keystone Hall after the game. The evening was very pleasantly spent. Bensinger's orchestra furnished the
music for dancing from ten to twelve. Card games were furnished for those who did not dance. At 12:30 the
guests were ushered into the dining room, where a delicious luncheon was served. The following being the
menu: consommé soup, ham sandwiches, chicken salad, celery, olives, pickles, ice cream, coffee, cake, candy,
nuts, filled dates and fruit. The table was beautifully decorated with candelabras. The boys received small
basketballs and the girls baskets filled with Hershey buds as souvenirs, each being tied with red and gray
ribbon. The ball was also tastefully decorated in red and gray.