ARCHIVESJUN15

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The Call of June 11, 1915

COUNCIL HELD LENGTHY MONTHLY MEETING

The regular monthly meeting of town council held Monday evening proved quite a lengthy one.
Adjournment was made after almost four hours of strict attention to business, arguments, discussions
and "rippings." The last hour of the session was occupied in a discussion of the building line on South
Berne Street. This matter has been given the attention of the different town councils for the past eight
or nine years and up to this time has not been adjusted to the entire satisfaction of every property
owner on this street. It was brought out at the meeting that it would never be adjusted so it would suit
everyone as there were a number of stubborn and contrary property owners on this street who would
object to the line regardless of how it was run. At a recent special meeting of the council it was
decided to run the line as per the original proposed lines but it has been found impossible to do this
and make this street a straight one, as is desired by the property owners. At the recent special
meeting statements were made as to several properties encroaching on the street. The owners
whose properties were said to have encroached on the street have denied this and stated that their
accusers encroached on the street with their walls and fences. After the meeting it was decided the
street should remain as it was originally intended. If a straight street is now desired it is positively
necessary for some property owners to move back and others to move out. If a little angle is put in the
street no property owner will have to move either way excepting the people at the lower end who are
way out and admit the fact. It was thought the property owners should get together and decide
whether they desire a straight street or not.
Quite a discussion was held about the failure of the Supervisor and the Highway Committee to work
together. The discussion was opened by the question being raised as to who would pay for the putting
down incorrectly of a considerable portion of pavement on West Columbia Street. It was stated that
the pavement in front of the Reed, Miller and Unger properties, a distance of about 160 feet, which was
to be put down at the expense of the borough had been laid in such a manner that it is three inches
higher than the next adjoining property or pavement, that of Mr. Dreisbach. It was also stated the
engineer had given lines, placed points and given blueprints of how this pavement along the street
was to be made. The Supervisor in putting down the pavement did not follow blueprints or grades but
his own inclinations. It was brought out that he had been told to contact Mr. Butz and to stop work
until he found out whether he was doing work correctly. He refused to do this. The Supervisor was
given a severe reprimand by several members of council but he stated he thought he was right and
insisted Mr. Butz was wrong. Mr. Butz stated he was sure he gave correct information and offered to
have another engineer look at the work completed in his directions. If he is wrong he would pay for
the pavement and if he is correct the borough will pay to have it done. It was stated that 68 feet of the
new pavement needed to be torn up and relaid. A discussion as to who would pay for this followed.
On motion it was decided to tear up and relay the pavement correctly on the information of Mr. Butz.
The members of the Road Committee still insisted that they and the supervisor do not and cannot work
in harmony. They issue instructions and the supervisor does the work in an opposite manner. They
stated they had issued instructions for the filling up of Columbia Street with large stone as a sub base
to be covered with trap rock or gravel. The large stones were to be secured on the Schuylkill
Mountain. The supervisor put nothing on this street but large stones from the Schuylkill Mountain
making the street in a worse condition and making a bill for $48 for blasting of stones at the mountain
whereas the gravel could have been secured at the Bittle quarry at considerable less expense. It was
also stated that Mr. Raudenbush, an employee, was instructed to crack or crush some of the large
stones but he felt it unnecessary and it was not done. It was stated the Supervisor listens too much to
the employees and not council. It was said Mr. Frank Raudenbush is more of a supervisor than Mr.
Roeder, so far as giving instructions.
The question was asked about the churches who paid for their paving. It was stated that money paid
into a public treasury is gone and cannot be returned. The council could repay these churches but it
would subject itself as individual members to being surcharged for the amount, that is, the members of
council could be made to pay the amount themselves.
The point was then raised as to the taxing of church properties including parsonages. It was stated in
this town parsonages are exempted from taxes. This was discretionary upon the part of the council.
The law allows these properties to be taxed but the local assessor never assesses them. It was stated
of the court holds that churches and church property cannot be assessed for the amount of ground
actually occupied by the building used as a place of worship, then surely the balance of property can
be taxed by the borough. If the churches are going to enforce this decision as being exempt from
payment of street paving there is no reason why the borough should not expect and demand them to
pay taxes upon property which the law allows to be assessable but which the borough heretofore did
not assess.

WILL HAVE BIG JULY FOURTH PARADE

Schuylkill Haven is to have a Fourth of July celebration. It is to be held Monday, July 5th and is to be
an all day all town affair. The weather prophets have been interviewed as to the probable weather
conditions for this day and they have without exception prophesied fair weather, theretofore, the
committees on the celebration have put forth renewed efforts to make the day's events successes.
The celebration is to be an all day and night affair. As proposed it will have a two fold purpose; first to
have the town as a unit properly celebrate the national holiday, in other words to have Schuylkill
Haven provide suitable entertainment and amusement for its people and those of surrounding towns
along the modern and up to date safe and sane Fourth idea. The second object is to arouse interest
in the community hall proposition and to aid in securing a sufficient amount of funds to guarantee the
erection of the community hall.
The persons in charge of the different committees report meeting with much success. Everybody they
say is interested and desirous of having a July Fourth celebration. The program of exercises as
outlined and proposed at this time consists of a Automobile Sociability Run, drills and inter Boy Scout
contests and a ball game in the morning. In the afternoon a grand street parade, athletic events, a
patriotic Independence day address, a baseball game and possibly a marathon race. In the evening, a
grand festival, band concerts and perhaps pyrotechnic displays.
The automobile run will be tested before the day and the route secured to give the time necessary to
cover the routes, driving at a moderate rate of speed. The automobile covering the route in the time
nearest that given by the expert will be given a prize. The parade promises to be a large one. Already
the secret orders, the fire companies, Boy Scouts, Sunday Schools, automobile owners, the Bressler
Band, the Citizen's Band and the Orwigsburg Band, together with a number of out of town
organizations have signified their intention of being in the lineup. There will also be a number of
floats. Chief Burgess Lessig has consented to be Chief Marshal. Following the parade an appropriate
address will be given in the Parkway by an out of town speaker. The baseball game, athletic events
and the marathon race will be arranged in the afternoon after the parade. The grand festival will hold
space on the program from five o'clock until midnight on Canal Street.
In order that the true spirit of the Independence Day celebration may be prevalent and general, the
public will be urged to decorate on an elaborate scale as their means will allow. It is probable there
will be several out of town decorators present to accommodate some of our businesses and citizens
who desire to decorate on an elaborate scale.

The Call of June 18, 1915

TRUST COMPANY TO FURNISH TOWN CORRECT TIME
Large Chime Clock Placed on Main Street Building This Week

With the placing of the large clock on the building of the Schuylkill Haven Trust Company a great
convenience has been given to the public and the appearance of our Main Street considerably
enhanced. This is in line with the policy of this institution on giving to the public the very best and
latest service possible. The Trust Company is to be congratulated on giving to the Schuylkill Haven
public something which it has long been desirous of having. Since its being placed on the building
persons from all parts of town have been drawn to Main Street to view it and listen to the beautiful
tones of its chimes.
The clock is a McClintock-Loomis chime clock. The diameter of the face of the clock is three feet. The
case is eight and one half feet high and four and one half feet wide and is placed on the front of the
building in such a manner that the same can be seen for several squares in either direction and the
hour of the day or night easily ascertained. It is constructed of brass and steel and bronzed in a dark
green shade. The clock is operated by a Seth Thomas regulator or wall clock in the interior of the
building. This in turn is operated by a system of fifty two dry cell batteries. The exterior clock is
illuminated by electric power from the local plant.
No one will have any excuse for having any time but the correct time as the new clock will be set to
standard time secured from Washington. The new clock is fitted with a set of beautiful chimes, which
at the quarter, half and three quarter and on the hour, ring out in various musical combinations. On
the quarter hour the chimes are sounded four times, on the half hour eight times, on the three quarter
hour twelve times and on the hour sixteen times after which the hour of the day is struck.

The Call of June 25, 1915

LOCALS SPLIT EVEN WITH COLORED GIANTS - Win The Longest Game Ever Played In This Town

The Philadelphia Colored Giant baseball team which Saturday last and Monday of this week crossed
bats with the Schuylkill Haven nine put up two excellent exhibitions of big league stuff. Regardless of
the fact that this team is one of the strongest colored traveling teams and is composed of men who, if
it were not for their color, would be holding down a berth on one of the big league teams, poor crowds
were in attendance. On both occasions good, fast and exciting games were missed by the local
rooters, who remained away because of the twenty five cent admission. Saturday's score was 6 to 4 in
favor of the Giants and Monday's game was 5 to 4 in favor of the local team. Monday's game was
attended by less than fifty fans, that is, fifty persons who paid admission to the grounds. The game was
a record breaker for the Schuylkill Haven ball park in the number of innings necessary to determine a
victor. Sixteen sharp and fast ones were played.