100 Years Ago This Month

October 1922

October 6

Drought Conditions Become Serious

The authorities of Frederick County have taken measures to conserve the water supply. The Monocacy River has not been so low in 50 years and can be crossed. In many parts of the county, many farmers are compelled to haul water for their livestock, and the drying up of pastures has already hurt the dairy business. Farmers are in a quandary whether to sow their wheat in the dust, or wait, and then perhaps be prevented from sowing by a wet spell.

Naturally the fired danger has greatly increased, with not enough water for household use, there would be little for the fire protection, and property owners are warned to observed unusual precautions to prevent fires.

Meets Sudden Death

Just minutes before the lunch whistle was to sounded Charles Colliflower, of Thurmont, was killed while at work near the Portland Cement plant at Union Bridge. Mr. Colliflower was employed at the new plant being erected for the cement company. From what can be learned of the matter he was at the time helping to sink a pit and was about 18 feet in the ground. The earth caved in and crushed him. Colliflower was buried under three to four feet of dirt. The body was brought to his home on Tuesday evening for burial. Mr. Colliflower is survived by his wife and six children. He was 50 years old.

Woodsboro To Play Taneytown

The Woodsboro baseball team, champions of Frederick County, will play the Taneytown baseball team, the champions of Carroll County, in Taneytown on Saturday afternoon. The return game will be played in Woodsboro, on Saturday the 14th.

October 13

Rain At Last

Rain of the settle variety began falling gently last Saturday. Although the precipitation began in a mild away, it gave every indication as the day advanced of becoming more precipitous. Mild though it was, it proved a boon wherever it fell. It was not long until dusty side roads turn to lanes of mud. Brown pastures again took on a more verdant color, and small streams that had dried up almost entirely were once again flowing.

Rain Cancels Woodsboro-Taneytown Baseball Game

The fine rain last Saturday afternoon was generally more needed than the baseball game, but the fans did not think that as the rain had waited so many weeks, it might have waited a few more hours longer. The local baseball management has decided to cancel the Woodsboro game, owning to the lateness of the season, and the uncertainty of the weather. There will be no more games played this.

Horse Drawn Vehicles Increasing

City people who think there is no other way to travel except in street cars and automobiles will be surprised to learn that more than 500,000 buggies are sold every year by the members of the Carriage Builders National Association. Before the automobile came, annual sales averaged 1.75 million. But the automobile cannot make any further inroads in rural parts of the country where sales are increasing. Farmers who have an automobile also have one or two buggies. There are about 27 million horses in United States and the number is increasing. A speaker told the audience that: "as long as gas takes money out of one’s pocket, while horses can eat in fields for free, the automobile will never surpass horses as the principle source of transportation."

Will Again Try To Pardon Eyler

For the third time in six years, and probably the last, a petition will be presented to the State Board of Pardons in an effort to secure the release of William Eyler, convicted of the murder of Howard Miller and now serving a life sentence in the Eastern Penitentiary. Eyler has been in confinement 16 years.

Two years have passed since the last attempt to free the life prisoner. From all reports he remains the model prisoner he has been since his incarceration. He has been made a trustee at the penitentiary and has had an exceptionally good prison record.

Eyler, a resident of Emmitsburg, alleged to be under the influence of liquor, became enraged at some remarks Howard Miller is alleged to have made about a relative of his. Breaking off the iron handle of a pump, Eyler struck Miller a heavy blow upon the head, which fractured his skull, causing his death sometime later.

His trial was a short one and he was found guilty of murder in the first degree and sentenced to die. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment with the understanding that no attempt to have him pardon would ever be made.

October 20

Emmitsburg Lutherans Celebrate Anniversary

Emmitsburg Lutherans concluded a weeklong program celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Elias Lutheran Church by laying a corner stone for the Reinewald Memorial Chapel. The church dates its origins from 1757 on the banks of the Toms Creek, two and a half miles east of Emmitsburg. Later a new building, erected on the same site by the Lutherans and Reformed congregations, took the place of the first log church. The present stone church was erected in 1797. Until 1869 the Lutherans and Reformed congregations owned and used the stone church jointly, alternating their services each Sunday.

Train Car Wheel Brakes

The breaking of a wheel on a train car loaded with coal, one of 40 attached to one of the big Western Maryland engines going east last Friday, came near causing a big wreck near Loys Station. After the wheel broke the train continued about a mile before it came to a stop. In the meantime the portion of the wheel remaining attached to the aisle broke some 40 odd steel rails and put out of use about 500 cross ties. All of the cars stayed on the rails. The accident happened about the time the Fast Mail train west was due and forced the passenger train to be held at Loy’s Station for two hours. Station man from Thurmont and Loy’s made the repairs.

Horse Injured

Last week while Mr. Howard Eigenbrode of Graceham was working a team of horses to pull a harrow, one of the animals was caught by the disc and severely cut. Mr. Eigenbrode was walking at the head of the team and didn’t know how it happened, but suppose that the horse, while passing some trees that stood nearby, stopped to eat some of the leaves and the rest of the team pulled a harrow upon it. Blood poison developed and Dr. Martin, veterinarian, of Emmitsburg, was called to attend the animals. At last report the horse was doing fine and enjoying watching its compatriots work while it munches grass in its pasture.

Celebrates 90th Birthday

Mrs. Sarah Rowe, one of the oldest living residents of Emmitsburg celebrated her 90th birthday on Saturday. Mrs. Rowe spent the day at the house of her daughter on West Main St. where she received the congratulations of her many friends, besides being the recipient of many beautiful gifts.

She was in a pleasant and reminiscent mood and, not only the members of her family but also her many friends, were agreeably surprised at the activity of her mind, recalling many incidents of years ago in such a clear manner as to make it appear as though they occurred just a few days ago.

Mrs. Rowe moved to Emmitsburg as a young girl and has made her home here ever since. She has lived her present home on West Main St., for the last 67 years, noting many changes in the surroundings of the town during that time.

Farmer Dies While Working In Field

Friday the 13th proved unlucky for Charles Hoffman, who while working on Stewart Sites’ farm near Fairfield, was stricken with a heart attack and died. He was 55 years old. Early Friday morning Mr. Hoffman went to the Sites’ farm to haul in corn fodder. He was apparently in good health and work steadily until he was stricken about 10 a.m.. Mr. Sites was on the wagon and Mr. Hoffman was pitching fodder to him when stricken. Mr. Hoffman lived only a few minutes after he was taken ill.

October 27

More Rain

On Monday afternoon rain fell in this vicinity. Several reports of heavy thunder were heard. This shower will be of great benefit to the grain in the ground. The ground is still very dry and many persons are being inconvenienced by lack of water at their homes.

Thurmont Memorial Park Dedication

As the time for the dedication of the new Memorial Park in Thurmont, on Armistice Day, November 11, draws near, keen interest is being felt not only in this community, but also in the neighboring towns. The committee in charge of the program is leaving no stone unturned to make it the most memorable in the history of the town. They are requesting that the citizens of Thurmont cooperate with them by decorating all homes and places of business on that day.

Emmitsburg Water Company Files Answer

The controversy over the new water rates that the Emmitsburg Water Company put into effect October 1st is expected to come to a climax at an early date. Stuart Annan, President of the water company, filed his answer to the petition that customers of the company filed with the Public Service Commission of Maryland protesting against the new rates.

Vincent Seybold, Emmitsburg resident and counsel for the petitioners, stated that while he had received a copy of the water company’s answer, but that he had not read it over yet and will make no comment.

It is understood that the company states in its answer that it has authority to make the advances in the rates and that they were necessary to pay for improvements that the company had made to the water systems. It is expected that the Public Service Commission will set an early date for the hearing of the case. The new rates are now in effect in Emmitsburg.