100 Years Ago This Month

July 1922

July 7

Union Bridge Bank Case

Edward Olmstead, the defaulting cashier of the Union Bridge National Bank, was convicted on several counts and sentenced to four and a half years in the Federal prison in Atlanta. Desire to make a "killing" in the stock market is said to have caused the downfall of Olmstead.

His gross shortage has been stated as $163,367. The ceasing of his assets, along with contributions from the Board of Directors reduced the shortage to $30,000, which will be covered by an assessment of about 11% on the depositors, which seems to be the best way to wind up affaires. If the depositors refuse the 11% assessment, the Board of Directors said they would withdraw their $28,000 contribution and the let the bank go into receivership, which would result in the depositors losing more then 11%. It is estimated that without the settlement, depositors would receive 50 to 75 cents on the dollar of their deposits.

Spotlights On Autos Must Not Be Blinding

The Maryland Automobile Commissioner is planning a crusade against automobiles equipped with a spotlight of more than four candle power and without antiglare glass covering. Investigation of recent accidents disclose that a number of the automobiles are being operated with an electric bulb having a greater candlepower and minus the necessary lens required by the law. Several of the accidents happen directly due to this violation of the automobile laws. In connection with the crusade, police officers will be asked to detail a number of men to work on the roads within town limits, beyond this point State Police will look after the violators.

Heavy Rains

During the past week Fredrick County has been visited frequently by heavy downpours of rain, mostly local in character. On Saturday about 1 o’clock Thurmont received a light shower, some hail falling at that time. About 3 o’clock and heavy wind and rainstorm prevailed. During the storm two large panes of glass in Roger Eyler’s barber shop or broken, the wind slamming the screen door against the window. Glass was throwing the length of the room and over customers occupying the chairs. Luckily no one was hurt.

Saturday night around 10 o’clock, a very heavy electrical storm passed over. Rain fell in torrents and lightning was very vivid. Sunday afternoon a series of thunder clouds passed over from different sections. Rain fell from 5:30 until 9 o’clock.

The storms played havoc with the telephone service in Thurmont. That on Saturday put a number of phones out of commission and Sunday storm did still greater damage. They are being rapidly restored to usefulness. Hail from the storm ruined 50 acres of standing week on the Hafner farm. The storm also left 20 acres already cut in bad condition and also some damage to growing corn.

Lightning struck the corner of Mrs. Henry Lamberts Farm dwelling during the Sunday storm, fortunate doing only slight damage, and no fire in soon. At the same time, a shock of wheat was struck in Mr. Kempers field nearby, burning it up.

James England made a narrow escape from being struck by lightning. He had taken shelter from the storm under a pear tree but went to the house, and several minutes later, lightning struck the tree he had been under.

All this moisture is pushing along the corn, oats and potato crops, but it’s not so good for the wheat in the shock.

Chesapeake And Potomac To Add Lines

It is has been said that due to womenfolk tying up phone lines gossiping, the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Co. will have to build a new line from Frederick to Thurmont, Emmitsburg and all the small towns along the way. The Board of Directors have asked all the men in the County to try to limit the time women gossip on the phone to the evening, so as not to interfere with businesses who need the lines during the day, and to under an hour of gossiping if possible.

County Assessors Begin Work

Now that most of the grain has been harvested the rural reassessment or real estate and personal property will begin. On Monday the Woodsboro assessors will start out and on Tuesday so Walkersville assessors will begin. The assessors have been instructed to reevaluate all real estate. Some days ago blanks for the reassessment of personal property were sent to all property owners with a request that they fill out the enclosed. These blanks will be collected by the assessors as they call to re-value real estate. Unless the blanks are filled, personal property will also be reevaluated by the real estate assessors.

July 14

Walkersville Lutheran Church 30 Years Old

The Lutheran Church of Walkersville will celebrate its 30th anniversary Sunday evening, July 16 with special services. Reverend Patterson, who dedicated the church 30 years ago, and now the pastor of the Lutheran Church in Woodsboro, will preach the sermon.

The Walkersville congregation was organized in 1891. The brick church, costing $3,500 was built on Pennsylvania Avenue. The corner stone of which was laid in the spring of 1891. The church was formally dedicated in 1892.

In 1903 the congregation received by bequest, a gift from Mary Dodrear, of valuable property, to be used as a parsonage, into which then Pastor Reverend Asper and his family moved the following spring, and since it has been in the parsonage of the church.

Reverend Christ, who served the church from 1906, until his death in 1914 has left many kind memories. Reverend Shilko, the present pastor, was called to the church while a student in the seminary at Gettysburg and took charge of his active duty upon graduation in 1915.

The Lutheran Church, now 30 years old, is the youngest in the family of churches in Walkersville and has enjoyed a steady growth. It now numbers 155 parishioners.

Small Apple Crop

Late frost affecting fruit are said to have done considerable damage to fruit crops. Local farmers will only get about 45% of their normal apple crop and about 42% of their peach crop. Picking of apples has begun and they will begin to reach local market in a week or two. Bad as these conditions are, they show considerable improvement over last year.

Thrown From Buggy And Killed

In a driving accident near Emmitsburg, in which the horse and buggy of Philip Hoffman of Gettysburg figured, Margaret Butler, colored, age 9 years, was instantly killed when she was thrown out of Mr. Hoffman’s carriage and the freighted horse fell on her. Mr. Hoffman had been transacting business and pick up two little colored girls who were walking along the road and offered to take them to their destination, several miles further on, when they had nearly reached the end of their ride, the horse took fright at an automobile and reared and overturn the buggy, the horse fell with its full weight on the child, breaking nearly every rib in her body and causing almost instant death. Mr. Hoffman was thrown to the ground with much force and was badly bruised.

Motorcycle And Truck In Collision

A truck driven by Paul Hobbs, and a motorcycle on which two Lewistown boys were riding, collided on Saturday morning. Nobody was seriously hurt, but the motorcycle was considerably damage. Both drivers claim to have had the right of way. The point in question seems to be which one of the truck’s front wheels hit the motorcycle. With this point settled, the nature of the accident is supposed to decide which one has the right of way.

Falls From Hay Wagon

Mr. Luther Harbaugh fell from a load of hay about 10 days ago and was seriously injured. On the approach of a storm and while hurrying into the barn on the Favorite farm at Jimtown with a load of hay, the load tilted and threw him to the ground. He suffered a slight concussion of the brain, which rendered him unconscious for several hours; he also sustained injuries to his back.

Had 25 Gallons Of Wine

About 25 gallons of blackberry wine was found by the Deputy Sheriff when he visited the home of Newton Kindle near Woodsboro. Kendall was not home, so the Deputy Sheriff poured out about 20 gallons of the wine and brought the rest back to the Sheriff’s office for all the fellow deputies to sample. The deputies attempted to issue a warrant to Kindle for having intoxicating liquor in his possession with the intention of selling it, but when challenged to produce the liquor, Sheriff Deputies were unable to do so, having consumed at all. The charges therefore, where dropped.

July 21

Cure For Freckles

This is the season with freckles that have been dormant blossom forth and multiply overnight. They are a source of much annoyance to the summer girl and why the boys may tell her they don’t mind freckles and they add to her beauty she is always searching for a cure. To absolutely cure freckles old timers recommend you cut each freckle out carefully with a sharp penknife and placed them in a basin filled with strong salt water with a pinch of saltpeter that will give a delicate red shade. Allow them to remain 24 hours then place them in the sun 24 hours, after which take them to a butcher and have him place them in a smokehouse and with hickory wood and corn cobs smoke slowly for 72 hours. "If one is unwilling to do that", the old timers say, "they should just get used to them and accept them as one of the benefits of youth" – something all the old timers would like to return to.

Warm? Somewhat!

Last Wednesday afternoon was considerably warm. If you don’t remember just how warm it was, so much the better. Just forget it – but we worked out last week’s edition of the paper in a temperature of 97E in the shop and that was the temperature at 6 o’clock in the evening! Yes, thank you, it was comfortably warm!

Meanwhile a lady reader suggests pursuing a campaign for the reduction of the mosquito pest. The mosquito themselves, are given, nightly, all the evidence required; and no campaign that we might pursue would likely represent more than wasted effort. We have tried such experiment, many times, and no. The trouble is, the enforcement of the necessary restrictions, or cleanup measures, we make some folks angry and then those engaged in forcing the measures, "might lose business". Raw for the skeeters!

Bee Upsets Car

Mrs. Everett Faylor was seriously cut on the face and head yesterday in an automobile collision and her husband, who is pinned in the wreckage of his car, was bruised severely. Three children escaped injury. A bee stung Mr. Taylor who was driving the car, causing him to run into a truck loaded with young persons from a picnic ground. The car overturned and the truck went through a fence.

Union Bridge Store Robbed

Between $1,000 and $1,500 worth of merchandise was stolen from the general merchandise store of J. T. Miller in Union Bridge, late Monday night. Entrance was gained by placing a ladder against the rear window and forcing it open. After gaining admittance the robbers helped themselves to the trade in stock, including several score pair of shoes and a number of silk shirts. The robbery was discovered by Mr. Miller early Monday when he opened the store. A little later on it was learned that Devilbliss Garage had been entered and robbed of several tires. The fact that so much merchandise was carried off has led to the belief that the robbers used either a truck or several small automobiles.

July 28

Central Trust Takes Over Union Bridge Bank

The First National Bank Of Union Bridge, which closed several weeks ago as a result of shortages caused by the embezzlement of funds by Charles Olmstead, has been taken over by the Central Trust Company Maryland and will be open as a branch of that institution in about two weeks. The action has the approval of the Comptroller of the currency and this action will link the commercial affairs of Union Bridge and the surrounding section to Frederick.

The acquisition of the Union Bridge institution makes the Central Trust Co. one of the most powerful financial institutions in the state outside of Baltimore city. Central Trust will have five branches, at Emmitsburg, Monrovia, Myersville, Thurmont, and now Union Bridge

Another Drowned Swimming

Louis Harbaugh, age 22 was drowned last Sunday afternoon in the Monocacy, having been stricken with cramps while in midstream. He was an expert swimmer. Medical men say that bathing, after eating a full meal, is very dangerous. A large number of drowning cases have been reported this summer.

Meanwhile While out with other boys along a stream bathing and having a good time last Sunday, Charles Zentz, broke his right leg just below the knee. Charles was standing on a stone. When the stone started to roll, one of the boy’s legs was caught between some rocks when he fell, snapping it in half.

Arrested For Forgery

Paul Hahn of Taneytown was arrested on Sunday and lodged in jail on charge of forging of the name of Nelson Summers of Woodsboro on three checks, two for $40 each and one for $13. The checks contained the forged signature of Summers and were indorsed by Hahn. When the forgery became known, Mr. Summers swore out a warrant for Hahn. Hahn denies the charges.

Peach Crop Here Is Scattered

According to reports from various sections of the county, the peach crop, the harvest which has started, is spotted in some sections, is almost a total failure. Even in some orchards, there are sections where the yield is good, while in other portions of the same orchard; there are a few peaches to be found. They have a frost in the spring are considered responsible for this conditions.

The late frost completely wiped out the prospect for the season in many sections of the county. Walter Fogle, of Woodsboro, however stated that although the frost injured his peach crop, he expected to have a fair yield, at this more than he at first anticipated. Mr. Vogel has about 500 trees, which are yielding, and about 1,000 young trees. He expects several hundred baskets of peaches.