Special Night Watchman Cornelius Buckingham went on duty Wednesday night. Officer Buckingham is fully prepared for an emergency. His equipment consists of a formidable gun and a stout apple wood club and sliver helmet. Citizens can now rest easy for he will parade the town from 10 pm until sun up.

On Sunday afternoon, the summer home of Mrs. J. Gloninger near St. Anthony's Church was destroyed by fire. The flames were discovered too late to save the building, but by the assistance of neighbors, and students of the Seminary and College, almost all of the contents of the house were moved to a safe place. It is supposed that the fire was due to a faulty flue. Mrs. Gloninger, who is from Pittsburgh, moved here sometime ago and purchased the Elder Property. Last spring, $1,500 worth of repairs were made to the building.

The work of the College students during the fire was in some instances spectacular and some narrow escapes were made. The household goods were handed out the house from man to man and with little injury to them. Everything that was done to save the building availed little.

On Tuesday morning the Emmitsburg Railroad was tied up by reason of motive force taking to the ties just outside of the roundhouse. The track hands got everything in running order after several hours of work.

On Monday afternoon, Contractor Ed Baker fell from the third story of the Gelwick’s building in course of construction on East Main Street, and broke three ribs besides sustaining fatal internal injuries.

Mr. Bake, with George Shorb, was measuring supports for the rafters when the accident happened. He was holding a heavy piece of timber and at the same time was steadying the step-ladder on which Mr. Shorb stood. In some way the bottom of the timber slipped out and its weight threw Mr. Baker from his balance and he fell. An unavailing effort to catch hold of the building turned his body and he fell on the top of a fence and then to the ground hitting his head on one of the foundation stones.

All the workmen hastened to the prostrate body of Mr. Baker and he was carried home. Dr. Stone was summoned and the broken bones were placed in position but the internal injury was too severe and on Wednesday Mr. Baker died. For many years he has been Emmitsburg’s leading contractor and builder. He was forty-one years old and is survived by his wife and four children.

Fairfield was deeply shocked when on Wednesday, it was known that Mr. David Musselman had suddenly died while seated at his desk. In apparent good health this highly respected citizen was stricken, as it were, at his post of duty. Although several friends were with him at the time the dread summons came on so suddenly that nothing could be done and even before these witnesses of his death could rush to his aid he was beyond human assistance.

Mr. Musselman was a life-long resident of Fairfield, having been born on the Musselman farm sixty-seven years ago. For many years he was engaged as a merchant and his honesty and fair dealings made him successful in business. A score of years ago he was appointed justice of the peace and had filled that position until the day of his death.

A two horse team belonging to Mr. John Creager ran off on Monday afternoon, much to the damage of the team and one of the Government markers on the Square. The team was standing at the railroad depot unattended when for some reason the horses started off. A man tried to stop them at the creamery but his efforts were fruitless and they kept on up the pike towards Creager’s stables. In crossing the Square, they demolished the marker to the East of the fountain and the surrey hung up on the telephone post in front of Mr. Shuff’s store minus one wheel. The horses then ran up Gettysburg Street and in front of Mr. Ashbaugh’s house, one of them struck a tree and was thrown to the ground. Fortunately, neither horse suffered serous injury.

Emmitsburg made a narrow escape for a serious conflagration on Wednesday shortly after 12 noon, when it was discovered that the roof of the Rowe property occupied by the Home Bakery, Mr. Harry Hopp and Mr. Peter was on fire. The alarm was sounded and with remarkable quickness the fire department responded. By the time the a stream of water could be played on the burning roof the adjoining properties, the Reformed Church parsonage and the house occupied by Mrs. Virginia Gillelan was ablaze.

The splendid work of the Vigilant Hose Company, after a well directed fight, overcame the blazes in these adjoining and every effort was directed to the house where the fire originated. A high wind aided the flames and for a time it was thought that nothing could be done to save the Rowe property although every effort was being made in that direction.

About this time, Miss Lulu Patterson discovered the Motter building occupied by Ruth Gillelan’s store was ablaze. As soon as possible water was directed to these buildings and also the residence of Mr. Eyster and a shed on an adjoining property which was also on fire.

Inside of an hour the flames had been overcome and Emmitsburg, at least a part of it, was saved. The buildings that were on fire during the time between one and two o’clock were the dwellings of Mrs. Zimmerman, Messrs. Rosensteel and Hemler, Mr. Harry Hopp, Mr. Peters, Rev Shulenberger, Mrs. Virgina Gillelan, The Misses Motter, and Mr. Eyster.

The loss has not been fully estimated, but already, Mr. Rowe, whose property was the worst damaged, has arranged for its repair and a few hours after the fire had purchased the necessary lumber. The Home Bakery, with characteristic enterprise, immediately took up temporary quarters in the Chronicle building and will continue their business uninterrupted.

Early Christmas morning it began to snow and before the fall was over the ground was covered to a depth of about a foot. All Christmas night a high wind drove the snow into drifts that completely closed up the tracks of the Emmitsburg Railroad. Country roads were made impassable. The Emmitsburg Railroad was compelled to use their snow plow to remove the snow which had drifted to a great height in many exposed places on the track. The rural mail carriers were unable to cover their routes on account of the snow drifts, which in some places are as high as fifteen feet. Despite the obstructions, many people are enjoying the sleighing between the obstructed points.

The Christmas celebration at St. Anthony’s was beautifully carried out. The service began with a solemn High Mass on Christmas Eve at midnight. Just before the Mass, our old friend Larry was on the hillside playing the ‘Adeste" on his flute. To all who heard the music it was a great delight. The lantern in the old Church tower on Christmas Eve caused a sensation.

A number of Gettysburg people who were out with the early birds on Friday morning tell of seeing a huge aeroplane flying rapidly over town in north-easterly direction.

The airship was seen by a number of Western Maryland Railroad men and some of the residents of town also claim to have seen it. They say the machine was flying high and fast and that it had a tail. Some thought it was a balloon but the tail mentioned evidently indicates an airship.

Where the machine came from or where it was going is not known. There has been nothing in the city or nearby papers to give any clue whatever to Gettysburg’s early morning airy visitor - Gettysburg Times

Discovered At Last! Curses!

We had hope to keep the matter quiet, but those W.M.R.R. employees - who can see anything-may yet foil Dr. Cook in his efforts to get recognition for discovering the North Pole!

The truth is that the object that flew over Gettysburg on Friday was an airship, built, owned, and navigated by Prof. Dan Shorb and Dr. "Bill" Snyder of the University of Harney. These men of science who had been working on Dr. Cooks’ solar records for two months eleven and a half days and a few nights completed their calculations and started on their airship journey from Poplar Ridge last Friday at 1 A.M.

The expedition proceeded in a northerly course, but on reaching an altitude of 88 and one half miles the clobhaggle on the hakiscope got tangled up with Dr. Snyder’s memory, throwing the machine off about twenty-three points to the Eastward.

We are glad to state, from the late message by wireless that Prof. Shorb and Dr. Snyder have arrived at Gogenhaben, have had an audience with the sheriff, and have been decorated with the Order of the ‘Tin Hat.’

It might be mentioned that the thing that hung from the airship was the tale Dr. Snyder told the chancellor of the University of Hendark.

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