100 Years Ago This Month

February 1923

February 2

Flu

As the flu and other forms of sickness have been keeping the people busy, very naturally there is little news other than that related to the sick. And to tell the story in full, nearly every home would have its quota. Fortunately, there are only a few serious cases, but literally hundreds of mild ones keeping the physicians on the jump.

Coal Shortage In County Acute

The coal situation in the County is daily becoming more acute. On Saturday Emmitsburg was reported to be entirely without anthracite coal. It is reported that Ladiesburg is practically without hard coal and that several other towns in the county are in a like predicament.

As of yet no other Frederick county town has reported an entire lack of coal, but it is known that a number of localities are running short, and is expected more will be in the same class as Emmitsburg unless some immediate steps are taken to alleviate the situation.

Blizzard Snowfall Totals 10 Inches

A total of 10 inches of snow fell during the snowstorm, which hit the County Thursday night. The storm was accompanied by heavy winds, which caused the snow to drift as fast as it fell. The high winds that accompany the storm developed into a blizzard. Every state and county road was blocked due to the drifting of snow.

Still Captured In Woodsboro

Armed with a search warrant issued under the County Anti-Saloon Law, agents visited the home of Charles Grim. When Grim told them his wife was very nervous and will be much disrupted if they enter the house without giving her warning, they allowed him to go in and prepare her for their coming. When Grim did not come back in a hurry they smelled a mouse and got busy. In the basement they found nothing. In the bedroom on the first floor they found two barrels, containing about 100 gallons of mash.

In the room above they found a stove, with a fire in it, and the coils of a still running through a tub of water, but no still. Upon further search they found under the back porch the 25-gallon still, still hot. After sipping multiple samples of the ‘hooch’ to verify its quality, the agents brought Grim and the still to the jail. The remaining ‘hooch’ was also brought to the jail for other officers to ‘sample’. Officers from other districts where invited to sample the ‘hooch’ as well.

February 9

Flu

The general health condition of communities remains much the same as a week ago, there being an abnormal number of cases of flu and allied diseases, keeping positions busy day and night.

Farmers Cut Ice

The coming of the cold spill on Monday and Tuesday brought joy to the heart of many of farmers who happened to have an pond on their place. Ice froze the surface of a number of ponds to a depth of five or six inches and several farmers gather their first ice of the winter. Once before this winter the advent of a cold spell caused the ponds to freeze over, but the farmers waited for it to get better, or some of them did, but a thaw came, breaking things up.

This is not the case this time. As soon as the surface of the ponds became hard, a number of farmers commenced cutting ice and storing it in their ice-houses. Several farmers in the vicinity of Woodsboro and Lewistown were busy cutting ice until the snow drove them in late Tuesday afternoon. The ice crop throughout the county has been the lightest in years, according to some farmers.

County Schools Serve Hot Lunches

Between 15 and 20 one-room schoolhouses in Frederick County are now serving hot lunches to students. It is through the effort of the teachers in these various schools that the children are provided with hot lunches at noon.

Among the schools which have recently adopted hot lunches is New Midway. The efforts of the teacher at that school in serving hot lunches is meeting with considerable success, and parents of students seem well pleased with the results.

The serving of hot lunches to school students develops a spirit of cooperation and community pride that has been found to be quite beneficial. The children all eat their lunches together and each day a lesson is given in table etiquette. It is said that there is a noticeable improvement in the manners of the children in schools were hot lunches are being served.

Great Weather

Monday of this week was a real Spring day. So much so that a poor deluded wasp was fooled into coming from his Winter quarters into the cold light of day. We noticed him as he promenaded on the sunny sidewalk and attempted to lift him out of harm’s way; but he was too much of a contortionist for us and we quickly dropped him, and left him to his fate, which we notice later over took him

Women’s Smokers Suspected

Women smokers are suspected of having caused the heavy increase in losses from fires due to "matches and smoking" in the United States during the last year.

For many men, the news is not unexpected. The increase in fires from women folk infringing upon a man’s domain of smoking, follows on the heals of the increase in auto accidents when women felt themselves equal to men in understanding the complexities of driving an autocar.

We firmly believe that the country would be better off if both the 18th and 19th amendments where repealed and men could once again enjoy the fruits of ‘John Barley Corn’ and women return to their natural role of housekeeping.

February 16

The Flu Epidemic Still Growing

The influenza epidemic throughout the County has grown to alarming proportions, and is still growing. Along with the flu, there is a great increase in cases of pneumonia, diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, and like diseases of lesser importance. There are a large number of unreported cases, without doubt, in almost every community, and it is this that makes the exact situation one of great concerns.

The flu epidemic is taking its toll on the youngest. John Krieger, son of John and Olivia Krieger, died on Sunday morning. He was 2 years in three months and two days old. He had been ill with influenza only 48 hours. George Rice, infant son of Milton and Annie Rice, died at the home of his parents on Wednesday.

Wife Beater Sentenced

In sentencing Samuel Gessaman, of New Midway, to serve three months in jail on charges of assaulting and battery on his wife, the Judge said: "any man who strikes a woman at any time is a coward, but one who strikes his wife is a bastard and a coward. It is too bad the whipping post has been banned; it might come in good in this case."

In addition to serving three months in jail, Gessaman must pay $40 a month for the support of his wife. He was also placed under $300 bond to keep the peace and fined $25.

Mrs. Gessaman, a woman of 55 years, complained of abuse at the hands of her husband dating back to December 1921. Gessaman countered with charges that are one of their numerous quarrels his wife had caught his thumb between her teeth and bit deeply into the bone.

Keymar Smokehouse Burned

The smokehouse on Robert Alexander’s farm in Keymar, caught fire, Monday night and was burned down, with a season supply of meat. The fire evidently originated from the smoking process that was underway. A large quantity of hams and shoulders were destroyed. The building, being built of logs, made a considerable fire and for a time the dwelling and all other buildings were in great danger, but the prompt help of neighbors confined the loss to the one building.

February 23

Influenza Cases Declining

Influenza has had a sharp drop throughout the County this week, and health officials say the disease is on the wane. Cases of pneumonia, typhoid fever and measles, also show a decline. Influenza cases were several hundred a day less then ten days ago.

No Coal At New Midway

New Midway is without coal, and in other towns to supply is getting low, but is sufficient to meet the needs of the residents until the arrival of shipments of coal that are known to be in transport. The cold weather of the past few days cost a greater increased demand for coal but the supply and most of the County towns has been sufficient to meet the demand. There has so far been very little suffering at New Midway as the result of the coal shortage.

Free Publicity Is Not Free To Us

This paper likes to accommodate various forms of publicity, in the interest of the general good; but it does seem to us that ready-made promotion articles are rather numerous, and that the County newspaper should not be regarded only for the free use that it many be made of. We can ensure a lot of publicity seekers (free of charge) that it still cost us a lot of money to publish even a little County weekly.

Woodsboro To Be Awarded For Leading Baseball League

Final arrangements for the baseball banquet that will be held in the opera house in Woodsboro are being completed by the committee in charge. Everybody who wore the Woodsboro uniform at any time during the season of 1922 has been invited. Every member of the Board of Directors for the past season, and of the new Board of Directors, all league officers, and two representatives from each County league club have been invited to attend the banquet, where Woodsboro will be formally presented the cup for winning the pennant last season.