March 6
Worst Windstorm On Record
One of the worst windstorms in the history of Emmitsburg blew from the Northwest beginning Sunday about noon and reaching its height late that night. According to reports across the county, Emmitsburg appeared to be in the midst of probably the severest portion of the storm that hit county wide. Damage form the storm included un-roofing of
dwellings and barns, demolishing brick schoolhouses, damaging bridges, uprooting trees, and carrying away fencing and doing property damage amounting to thousands of dollars.
A party of persons coming from Thurmont to Emmitsburg Sunday evening around six o'clock had a rough experience on Payne’s Hill. Their autocar was blown off the road and the occupants received minor injuries. Later in the evening a man from Emmitsburg met with a similar mishap about the same place. The buggy in this case was carried over a fence
and some distance across the field. The man escaped injuries, but unlike the autocar riders, he was lucky enough to be able to ride his trusty horse bareback to safety.
The upstream side of the covering over the bridge over Tom's Creek on the state road was torn away in its aeroplaning cut nearly every wire on the C&P company's main line. Telephone poles throughout the area were snapped off like pipe stems, and lines were down everywhere. All day Monday out-of-town telephone communication was at a standstill. The
telegraph line also received a knockout blow.
From every part of this district come reports of the damage wrought by the high winds. These include: the brick gable end of the high school was blown in and over half of the metal roofing torn away. The roof on Mr. Cover’s and Mr. Harner’s houses in town, and Frank Wivell’s home on Dry Bridge were blown off. The Cattail schoolhouse also lost its
roof, and the Track Road schoolhouse was all but destroyed. The Emmitsburg Broom Factory also lost its roof.
Windows through town and in the country were blown in. Windows were blow in at the Hotel Spangler and the Hotel Biddinger. The J. Stewart Annon house on West Main Street lost 17 windows alone. The blowing down of chimneys and the loss of roofs was almost general.
The barns of Howard Clark, Cal Walters, Herbert Koontz, John Septer, George Lingg, Joseph Rosensteel of Motters Station, and Bernard Welty were blown down and completely destroyed. The residence of Edward Long and Charles Worzt were also completely destroyed.
Thurmont was almost inaccessible. All telephone communications were cut, and roofs were torn off portions of the United Brethren Church, the townhall, the public school building and many smaller buildings. Many chimneys were blown over and water pipes burst. It is estimated that from $8,000-$10,000 damage was done.
Livestock has suffered much. Farmers in the country have been compelled to drive their cattle and hogs into the stalls of their bank barns to shield the animals from the piercing cold. Deer in the mountains are suffering and some have been found dead, partially covered with snow. Several deer have been seen in the barnyards.
Deaths
On Friday, February 27, Mrs. Emmeline Cretin, 70, died at her home, Clairveaux, near Mount St. Mary's. . She was the daughter of the late Dr. Dielman, the great musician, also of Mount St. Mary's.
Mrs. Peter Eyler, 66, of near town, died suddenly Sunday evening of heart failure, from which she had suffered for a number of years. The fatal attack was induced by fright caused by a fire in the kitchen, which threaten to assume considerable portions. Mrs. Eyler started to run from the room and fell to the floor unconscious. A physician was
summoned, but she died before medical assistance could reach her.
March 13
Electric Company Expands
Construction work by the Emmitsburg Electric Company is rapidly progressing. During the past week many houses have been connected up and there are promises of many more. As soon as the weather permits, holes will be dug, polls raised, and additional lights added to the lighting system of town.
Baseball Club
The Emmitsburg high school baseball club held its first meeting for 1914 and organized for the coming season. Said one of the nine, "We will do our best to show the fans of the town some classy baseball similar to that which they witnessed a few years ago when Emmitsburg was decidedly on the baseball map. " It is understood that the manager has
arranged games with Taneytown, Frederick and Gettysburg. It is expected that in a short time games also be arranged with several other clubs.
Rents Creagerstown Hotel
Mr. John Hahn, formally of Thurmont, but for the past year a resident of Emmitsburg, has rented the hotel at Creagerstown, one of the oldest hotels in the county, from Mr. Krise. This hotel was run for years by the late Charles Stevens, and later by Mr. Krise, who was there for 21 years. The place has been a hotel for 100 years, and is stated to
be the most desirable hotel. It is Mr. Krise's intention to make various improvements to the hotel, including adding another story.
March 20
United Order of Former Boozers
Under the name of the United Order of Former Boozers, 300 reformed drunkards, many of whom now hold responsible positions, held a dinner recently in New York. After the banquet a constitution was adopted. The organization will be a permanent one, the object of which will be to aid others in breaking their friendship with Mr. John Barleycorn.
Emmitsburg, a hotbed of woman suffrage, was well represented by husbands’ of women foolish enough to believe women are smart enough to vote. Upon their return home, the Emmitsburg representatives converged upon the Hotel Spangler’s bar where they quickly set about making up for lost time.
New Physician in Emmitsburg
Dr. Charles Barnum a graduate of Yale Medical School, who has just finished two years service in New York hospitals as resident physician, will practice medicine in Emmitsburg associated with Dr. Stone.
March 28
What Electricity Will Do
Since electricity has been introduced into Emmitsburg electric power is being consumed here daily, it is interesting to know what a single cent of electricity will do. It will do any of the following things: operate a 12 inch electric fan for two hours; make a Welsh Rarebit in a electric chafing dish; operate a sewing machine motor for 3 hours;
operate a 7 inch frying pan for 12 minutes; make 4 cups of coffee in an electric percolator; keep a 6 pound electric flat iron hot for 15 minutes; and keep an electric curling iron hot once a day for two weeks.
New Bridge At Maxell’s Mill
Claiming that a bridge spanning Toms Creek at Wilhides Ford on the road from Maxell’s Mill to Motter’s Station is necessary, a number of citizens of Emmitsburg have petitioned the board of County Commissioners for a 90-foot structure.
Civic League
The civic league has issued an appeal for contributions to assist in the cleaning of the town and in making it more beautiful and helpful. It is their intention to improve the fountain and dispose of disease breeding places.
New Buggy Shed
Mr. Gillelan has erected a large buggy shed at the rear of his recently purchased residents on West Main St. Mr. Gillelan is no fan of the auto car and thinks the fad will soon come to an end and people will return to their senses and once again placed their safety in the hands of trusty steeds. Mr. Gillelan noted that after the storm in the early
part of the month only people with horses were able to get around the county. "Owners of auto cars", he noted, "were unable to get past fallen phone poles, which of course horses simply stepped over."
