| YEARS GONE BY ARCHIVES |
| The Call of March 3, 1916 BOROUGH LOSES PAVING CASE The Schuylkill Haven borough lost the paving case brought against the Saint James Episcopal Church and the Trinity Evangelical Church. The Superior Court this week handed down its decision sustaining Judge Brumm in his decision. The decision is to the effect that the borough will have to pay for the paving of Dock Street for the number of feet upon which the churches proper stand. The borough will also have to pay all the costs ion the case. The churches fronting on this street which have already paid for the paving will have no redress or cannot recover the amount paid unless the council sees fit to refund the same. MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD OF HEALTH The monthly meeting of the Board of Health was held Monday evening. Members present were Borda, Coldren, Keever and McKeone. H. V. Keever acted as president Pro Tem. Secretary Lenker and Health Officer Butz were present. The report of the Health Officer showed that during the month of February there were several cases of measles reported, one of membranous croup, one of whooping cough and one of diphtheria. During the month of January there were twelve cases of measles reported, one each of whooping cough, diphtheria and chicken pox. A communication from Dr. Dixon was read relative to the law regarding the examination of public eating places. The law provides and requires that the health officer visit and examine all eating houses every three months. All employees of restaurants and public eating houses must be examined by a physician and a certificate given to the local board of health. Complaint was made to the board about a gutter on Berne Street being in bad condition so that the dish water accumulates therein and menaces the health. The matter will be referred to the Highway Committee of the council. The Call of March 10, 1916 BOROUGH COUNCIL NEWS The Schuylkill Haven borough council worked like a greased piece of machinery Monday evening and established for itself a record in transacting a greater amount of important, beneficial and protective legislation for the public in a shorter period of time than any previous council for many many months. All business was finished and adjournment made at 9:10 o'clock instead of the usual eleven or eleven thirty time for adjournment. Several council members by reason of the early hour hesitated to go home immediately, fearing that their wives would question their veracity as to the reason given for their late return home on past and possible future council meeting evenings. Upon the recommendation of Fire Chief Fisher, the secretary was ordered to advertise for bids for the furnishing of 700 feet of fabric fire hose and the repair of a quantity of old hose. Of this amount 300 feet is for the Rainbow Hose Company and 200 feet each for the Liberty and Schuylkill Hose Companies. Mr. Fisher recommended the purchase of 1000 feet of hose to be divided among the companies as follows: Rainbow Hose Company 400 feet and each of the other companies 300 feet each. He also recommended the placing of several additional fire plugs, one on Haven Street and one in the Liberty Street section of the town. He stated that the borough had valuable property on Haven Street, meaning the light plant and but one plug located at the Maberry property and the next nearest one at the Donat property on Dock Street. Mr. Fisher also requested the Chief Burgess to meet the newly elected fire police at the Schuylkill Hose house, Monday evening at 7:30 o'clock to swear them in. Mr. Fisher stated the matter of the purchase of hose is an important one. At the last fire, it was hardly possible to secure sufficient water from the large hose because of the leaks. The new hose should be made up with screw couplings and no more patent couplings. He stated much of it is good with the exception of the couplings and that he tried hard to get someone to repair the couplings but did not succeed. Mr. Hoffman stated the section of town above Margaretta Street on Union Street should also have a new plug. Mr. Fisher stated that at least one half dozen plugs could be used to good advantage about the town but he simply mentioned the more important ones. Motions were approved both to purchase the 700 feet of hose and to install three new fire plugs. Mr. Saul asked whether there was an appropriation for the Road Committee and he also inquired whether the committee had the power to go ahead and order whatever materials necessary for the roads. He inquired whether it would not be better business to do permanent work instead of repairing only and in this way not accomplishing anything. The matter of continually repairing streets is a waste of money. On Center Avenue a large amount of repairs will be required this year as the street is in very bad condition. This will cost a good amount of money and in a year's time the same repairing will again have to be done. Mr. Saul asked what council thought about building a permanent piece of street on this street, say 16 to 20 feet wide and filling up on the sides with macadam or some other improved method of building roads. It was stated the width of Center Avenue was entirely too great to pave in its entirety. The cost would be too great for both property owners and the borough. With a permanent 20 foot street the same result would be obtained. The solicitor was asked whether the property owners could be required to pay for their portion of the improvements if brick were used in the center and some other method of repair along the sides. Solicitor Noecker stated he thought they could be required to do this. The Road Committee was instructed to investigate the cost of a permanent 16 foot street on Centre Avenue. This will mean that the cost of the brick, macadam, etc., will be secured and there is a possibility of centre Avenue being permanently repaired this summer. The matter of the muddy and annoying condition of the railroad crossings in town came up for discussion. The question was asked whether the Reading Company could not be required to either brick between its tracks at the street crossings or put down some other permanent covering in order to do away with the mud, pools of water, and dirt which pedestrians must walk through and the jarring of teamsters and autoists in crossing the tracks. After a bit if a discussion the Chief Burgess was instructed to take up the matter of permanently repairing all of the town's grade crossings of the Reading Company. SCHOOL BOARD HAD SHORT BUT BUSY SESSION The regular monthly meeting of the school board was held Monday night, March 6th. Several truancy cases were heard in the beginning of the meeting. Thomas Borelli appeared before the board, having been notified to do so in advance of the meeting, to show cause why he should not be acted against for not compelling his boy to attend school. Mr. Borelli, who is an Italian, could not understand the procedure correctly and his little daughter acted as interpreter for him. Mr. Borelli said that both he and his wife had told the boy that he must attend school and had punished him but it was impossible for them to do anything with the boy. He was informed by the board that it was necessary according to the law that the boy attend school and he wold be held responsible for the boy's actions insofar as him attending school is concerned. He was warned that he was liable to arrest if the boy did not attend school, at which he remarked, "Me no care. Me no go school and me no care for arrest." The matter was left stand providing Mr. Borelli sees that the boy attends school. Then came the case of Harold Lindermuth. Professor Hoover testified that Harold used profane language, refused to attend school and when he did see fit to attend, his conduct was of such a nature that he was jeopardizing the interest and progress of the other pupils and although he had talked to and warned Harold many times, he continued his misconduct. He recommended that Harold be dealt with severely for these reasons. Director Weiss questioned the boy at length and brought out there from some very interesting facts. The boy admitted to staying out late sat nights, visiting the skating rink, spending a good deal of his time at night in a cigar store and smoking recruits, by shooting snipes as he called it. He gave the board a list of his associates that were his partners in this nefarious work and gave the board the name of a certain dealer who had sold the boys cigarettes and Recruits. His sister was with him at the meeting and was very much perturbed when Harold would testify falsely and corrected him many times during the examination. The sister told the directors that he had been a very good boy and that he was told the right way to go by his mother and others and that for the past two weeks he had been acting in a more proper manner and it was her impression that Harold intended to behave in the future. It was her recommendation that Harold was given another chance for it was undoubtedly the intention of the members to take more drastic action in this matter. The case of this boy is a sad one. He is sickly, being subject to convulsions or a similar ailment, and the use of cigarettes and tobacco has caused him to be mentally deficient. His associates will no doubt be called before the board if they do not stop frequenting cigar store and other misconduct. Enrollment for the month of February was 927. Average attendance was 856 for a 92 percentage. The enrollment for the year is 992, attendance 854 and percentage 86. In view of the large amount of sickness this percentage is very creditable and shows that our school attendance being carefully looked after. Professor Hoover then made several recommendations in line with his progressive policies. The most important among these was to furnish the orchestra that is being organized in the school. This orchestra will consist of about ten pieces and will be a valuable addition to the school from a musical standpoint. He then recommended that in the future the board be consulted in the matter of allowing a lecturer to appear in the schools. It appears that in the past some of those who have lectured here have not given their best efforts and this will be eliminated to a certain degree with the board's consultations. The Call of March 17, 1916 THE REORGANIZATION OF THE OWLS The local lodge of Owls have reorganized and indications point to their being a very strong order in this vicinity in the near future. A committee composed of Chairman Canfield, and Messrs. Reed, McKeone, Schrader and Schumacher have charge of the new turn in the order and promise some surprises for the future. The first of these is the announcement that the committee have leased rooms in the Schuylkill haven Trust Company building where they will be able to entertain their members and visitors as well as hold their business meetings. The rooms are to be commodiously furnished and everything done to make them inviting. The membership of the Owls represents some of our best citizens and with the inducements they have to offer in a fraternal way, there is every reason to believe that they will enjoy a larger membership under the new regime than one can now imagine. Another feature that is greatly in favor of the new member is the small amount of initiation fees together with the small dues as compared to the benefits that are to be derived. The Owls will hold a euchre on Easter Monday night and judging from the sale of tickets it will be largely attended. TOWN GIRL LEAVES FOR PARTS UNKNOWN Miss Mary Hurst, sixteen years of age, is missing from the home of her grandmother, Mrs. Bernard Carr. The girl left Thursday of last week in company with one or two girls from Pottsville. The police of all the nearby cities have been given a description of the three girls and it is possible they will be apprehended sooner or later. The Schuylkill Haven girl was clad in a plaid suit trimmed with red velvet when last seen. She is five feet tall and weighs 132 pounds. She was employed in the R. J. Hoffman Knitting Mill. The Call of March 24, 1916 BIG RACING PROGRAM Quite an attractive roller racing program has been arranged by Paul Naffin, manager of the local roller rink for Tuesday and Wednesday evening of next week. The proceeds will be for the benefit of Charles H. Luigard, the blind skating promoter. Mr. Luigard was at one time a champion racer and has managed some of the fastest skaters in the world. He is well known in Schuylkill haven and it is expected quite a large crowd will be in attendance. The use of the rink has been secured free of charge and the skaters have volunteered their services in order that the proceeds for Mr. Luigard to have his eyes treated may be all the larger. The racing program will consist of a race between Charles Burns of Schuylkill haven and Max Hess, the one arm wonder from Scranton. On Wednesday evening Burns will race William Wilson of Dunmore. Wilson is the man who won the cup in the Town Hall at Scranton two weeks ago. In this race Burns came in second and Hess third. Another reason for believing this race will be specially interesting is the fact that Burns has beaten Wilson in South Bethlehem and Wilson defeated Burns in Scranton. The Call of March 31, 1916 CLEANING UP STREETS A force of the borough "white wings" were busy Thursday cleaning the ice and mud from the paved streets. It will require several days time before they can be thoroughly cleaned. The dirt streets or roads in the language of the teamsters are a "mess" and the mud is then carried to the paved streets in large quantities. By the cleaning this week, however, the condition is much improved. NEW STREET CLEANER A new street cleaner will shortly be put on the paved streets to keep them clean as has been done for the past two years. Mr. Phillip Deck, who so capably filled this position last year is not available for the position this year having accepted employment elsewhere. LOOKING FOR A SITE The Schuylkill haven Rifle Club is looking for a suitable site upon which to erect a range. The site selected some time ago, a short distance south of town, in the "Eck" it has been discovered, will be unsatisfactory and possibly dangerous and therefore a new location must be secured. BOY SCOUT NEWS The Boy Scouts met on Monday with Scoutmaster Neuin presiding. There were 31 present and 4 absent. Charles Lechner was admitted to the Scouts as a candidate and was voted in the Panther Patrol. The boys are trying hard to gather a carload of paper until June and the public will do us a favor by letting us know when to gather their paper or pasteboard. The merit contest is going nicely and there promises to be a great rivalry later on for first honors. On Thursday of last week the Scouts first basket ball team met Orwigsburg and defeated them 49-8. Goas and Mills were the stars of the evening. Every Scout is urged to be present on Monday evening at the meeting as plans will be laid for the coming camping trip. If any people know of any good camping sites, we would appreciate if you would tell us of them. On the first Saturday in April the Seal and Buffalo Patrols will hold a candy sale. The proceeds of this sale will be put towards the buying of tents. On Saturday the Signal Corps will meet at the Scoutmaster's and do work in signaling. Every one of this corps should be present. The Pioneering Committee will also work in the afternoon. |