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100 Years Ago This Month

June 1914

June 5

Prohibitionist Get Together

There will be a big get together conference on Thursday afternoon at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Frederick. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss plans for organizing and setting in motion forces which will line up Frederick County solidly for countywide and statewide prohibition. Members of Emmitbsurg’s Former Former Boozers Association say they plan on protesting the meeting, provided they can get back in time for the evening dart match at the Hotel Slagel.

Creagerstown swept by Fire

Creagerstown, a village of 200 inhabitants 10 miles south of Emmitsburg, was nearly wiped out on Tuesday by a fire, which raged for hours. A sudden change in the wind when the flames were at their worst saved all that is left of the place.

Without fire protection and with only wells and cisterns to depend upon, the townspeople had to stand by and watch the fire as it leapt from one building to another, laying in ashes everything in its path. Crowds from Woodsboro, Walkersville, Thurmont, Emmitsburg, and other nearby towns assisted the villagers in removing personal effects beyond the danger zone.

Every house in the town was empty of its furniture and barely enough houses are left to shelter those who lost their homes in the fire. When the fire broke out the townspeople formed a bucket brigade to fight the flames. It spreads so rapidly that attention was turned to removing personal effects from the houses. In a number of cases only a few household goods were saved. The damage will reach between $55,000 and $60,000, less than one third of which is insured.

The fire originated in the boiler room of the creamery and then spread to the Town Hall. It next burned the house and outbuildings of Benjamin Bell, and then made a sweep of the storehouse and barn of Robert Ogle. From the Ogle property the fire leapt across the street.

Word was sent to Frederick for assistance and the Independent Steamer was placed on a flat car on the Thurmont division of the Hagerstown and Frederic Electric Road and a fast run made to Thurmont. At the latter place, however, it was not a loaded because of lack of water at Creagerstown. The fire continued to burn on both sides of the street until a change of wind halted it. By this time it was in striking distance of the Winebrenerian and Lutheran Churches on the West, and the public school on the East side of the street.

The village presented a sorry spectacle when the blaze died out. Every business place was burned and no provisions or clothing could be brought. The churches and schoolhouse are filled with what was saved from the doomed buildings and a number of persons found shelter in them.

An unfortunate feature of the fire is lack of insurance. Several persons lost practically every cent they have accumulated over the years. The town is next to the oldest settlement in the county and consist of one street running the length of the village.

June 12

Supersaturated Alcoholics

The town lockup had as its guest late Wednesday night two supersaturated alcoholics who were trying to make sleep impossible for residents on E. Main St. at the expense of their vocal powers. Policeman Rowe took the men in tow. One prisoner was released in the morning on payment of a fine. The other was committed to Mountevue. Rumor has it that the committed man’s wife was a Sufferget and he had been driven to drink by her non-stop nagging on the ludicrous idea of women having the right to voting, an idea that would drive any man insane.

Verdict in Assault Case

George Sauble of near Taneytown, was awarded $100 by a jury in circuit court against Mead Patterson, a butcher of Emmitsburg, for injuries sustained by an assault. The suit was for $5,000. Mr. Sauble charged that Mr. Patterson beat him so that he was injured and was compelled to expend a considerable sum for nursing and surgical and medical attention. Mr. Paterson contended that false and slanderous statements were being circulated against him by Sauble and as a result, Sauble deserved a whopping.

Mare for Sale

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June 19

Wild West Show

Coming to Emmitsburg, Wednesday, June 24, on Firemen Field. Montana Al's Wild West Show and Reed’s European Show combined will give to exhibitions, 2 and 8 o'clock - rain or shine. Admission, children under nine, $.15, adults $.25. The show consists of first-class cowboy tricks and fancy riding, lady ropers, tossing and spinning. Also a few Vaudeville acts by first-class talent.

Californian’s Arrive in Emmitsburg.

David Locke and a companion arrived in Emmitsburg on Sunday on their way to Washington. The pair had traveled over mountains, across deserts and planes in a Ford automobile - a four-passenger car equipped with every appliance for comfort and with every means for successfully overcoming anything that might happen.

The Lincoln Highway has been the route mainly followed but at times they have been diverted from their course in order that they may take in points of historic interest. The course was changed in order to reach Gettysburg, hence their pilgrimage to this good old town. Mr. Locke and his chum said they have enjoyed every moment of their novel journey and recounted many amusing and dangerous incidents of their travels. Nor have they been dependent upon hotels for accommodation, their tents allowed the pair to stop and rest as they saw fit and their complete cooking facilities allowed them to prepare any game or fish secured by them in route.

June 26

Firemen’s Picnic

The Fourth of July is always a high point in the year in Emmitsburg. It is the day of the Firemen's Picnic, an annual event that brings everybody together for a good time. This in itself is reason enough for holding this enjoyable event, but there is a greater and better reason. It is this: the proceeds from this picnic are applied to the needs of the Vigilant Hose Company, the local volunteer organization of which Emmitsburg is justly proud, an efficient core of brave, unselfish, ever ready firefighters without whom the property interest of the town and community would be in constant jeopardy. Any town would count itself lucky to have a fire and rescue company half as good at the Vigilant Hose Company. The Vigilant Hose Company is simply the very best of the very best!

The lovers of baseball why have a splendid opportunity to see two speedy games. The Thurmont club will play the locals at 10 in the morning, while in the afternoon Taneytown and Emmitsburg will struggle for victory. Rosensteel and Arnold, season slab artists, are slated to troll for Emmitsburg. Thurmont will probably send in their prime pitcher, Root, while it is not unlikely that Taneytown will send in a man not seen pitching for them this year.

Controversy over Hays Estate

Alleging that the estate of her father, the late James T. Hays, should amount to about $75,000. Mrs. Lizzie Snively, of Greencastle, has filed an objection to the claim of her brother, Thomas C. Hays, of Emmitsburg, for $24,800. This claim is alleged by Thomas C. Hays to be the amount due him as a partner of his father’s business.

Fairfield Falls Before Emmitsburg

For the second time this season and Emmitsburg defeated Fairfield here on Tuesday, 8 to 2. Rosensteel was in fine form, and after the first inning in which two singles were made of his delivery, he allowed but two scratch hits that might have been scored as errors. His teammates supported him in fine style. Lowe, who opened on the mound for Fairfield, was hard hit and retired in the third in favor of Bower. The latter pitched a steady game, but the hard hitting of the locals brought in two more runs.

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