| YEARS GONE BY ARCHIVES |
| The Pottsville Republican of August 2, 1909 The Schuylkill Haven Fire Department met as required under a recent ordinance passed by Council at Hotel Grand parlors one evening last week. Daniel S. Byerly, representing the Schuylkill Haven Hose Company, was chosen chairman of the meeting. The following committee was appointed on Rules and Regulations: Schuylkill Hose Company, W. J. Saylor, F. J. Hesser; Rainbow Hose Company, Luke Fisher, Ed Maberry; Friendship Hook and Ladder Company, George Gerhart, Charles Weiser; Liberty Hose Company, George P. Saul, J. H. Filbert. The following are the permanent officers of the department: Chief Engineer Luke Fisher, First Assistant Frank J. Heim, Second Assistant Benjamin Luckenbill, Third Assistant Samuel Bast. The work of the department was outlined in a number of speeches and many improvements in fire service are contemplated and will be brought about. A second meeting will be held this month when the Rules and Regulations will be presented and acted upon and other business transacted. The Pottsville Republican of August 4, 1909 SCHUYLKILL HAVEN BOROUGH COUNCIL A regular stated meeting of the Borough Council was held on Monday evening with the following members present: Bubeck, McKeown, Meck, Mengle, Moore, Saul, Berger and President Lautenbacher, Secretary Runkle, Solicitor Noecker. Burgess Hartman and Supervisor Becker were also present. Supervisor Becker reported having laid crossings on Columbia Saint Peter, Union, Dock and Liberty Streets, gutters on Centre Turnpike, Columbia, High, Union, Main and Haven Streets and cleaned gutters on Margaretta and High Streets and in rear of South Ward school building, filled in on High, Main and Berne Streets, upper end of Berne Street is in bad shape and Supervisor asked council to go in a body to view street. Supervisor Werner of the Electric Light Department reported having removed two poles entirely and renewed fourteen poles. John Dewald and C. N. Weber appeared to protest against change of grade on Schuylkill Mountain Road. They claimed their properties will be considerably damaged. Mr. McKeown reported the water Committee's inspection of the water situation is not satisfactory. He also asked if the use for farming of the borough's water property is not worth the taxes. Solicitor Noecker, in reference to the proposed ordinance regulating the running of automobiles through the borough, read the state law upon the subject, which makes the maximum speed twenty four miles per hour and at dangerous places not to exceed twelve miles an hour. Local authorities are not allowed to make speed limits lower than above. Fines collected for violating speed limits go to the borough for road repairs. Attorney Gise made a few remarks upon the subject. Secretary Paxson of the Board of Health in a communication called attention to the unsanitary condition of the borough lot in the South ward and the old canal bed south of Columbia Street. President Lautenbacher severely scored the Board of Health for dereliction of duty and stated that if he is backed by Council he will oust the entire board and appoint a new one. Mr. Keller reported the terrible condition of the Almshouse creek that is full of all the filth that comes from the Almshouse. Dr. Moore stated that Mr. Keller did not overdraw the matter, the borough gets all of the diseases and filth from the almshouse. He could not see why a settling reservoir could not be built on the Almshouse property to remove the filth from the stream before it gets to town. The matter of an inadequate and unhealthy water supply furnished by the local water company was brought up and discussed by various members. Mr. Keller moved that the Solicitor be instructed to ascertain the best way in which to proceed against the Water Company. Solicitor Noecker said the same motion carried last year but a rain came along and the Solicitor was called off. He suggested that the best plan is that a committee be appointed and authorized in conjunction with the Solicitor with power to act. A motion was made and unanimously passed. President Lautenbacher complained on dereliction of duty on part of the Road Committee in that the chairman had not given orders to the Supervisor, but had allowed Supervisor to attend to the work on roads as he thinks best. He thought every committee should follow Council's instructions and do the duty or resign. Mr. Meck, chairman of the Road Committee, said he was willing to resign as the Supervisor was a hard man to deal with. Supervisor Becker took exception to being called stubborn and he and Mr. Meck disposed the matter between them. Mr. McKeown spoke for better discipline and a more systematic way of doing business. It was stated that a resolution of Council required the Supervisor to employ all who asked for work. If he had work to do, Mr. BECKER stated many persons given employment laid down on the job because the work was too hard and he employed the men who would do the work. Mr. Meck stated that all work ordered by Council had been done and done satisfactorily, what more is wanted. Dr. Moore suggested that the Road Committee meet every month. A defective fire plug at Saint Peter and Union Streets was directed to be placed in order. The Pottsville Republican of August 7, 1909 TROUBLE WITH TRESPASSERS The State Police were summoned to George Moyer's farm near Schuylkill Haven this morning to arrest trespassers on his premises. They ordered the offending parties off with the notice that they would be arrested if the offense was repeated. Mr. Moyer's farm is the first one south of Schuylkill Haven. The trolley line passes through it and through the field runs a good sized stream which is filled with fish. He has for some time been annoyed by men and boys who trespass on the property and refuse to get off when ordered to do so , abusing him when he orders them away. They have been fishing with nets, killed his chickens and injured the other stock and have in many ways made themselves a nuisance. They committed beastly depredations about a well which supplies water for all purposes on the farm and he claims that it has become such a burden that he could no longer bear it. The Pottsville Republican of August 12, 1909 HAVEN AROUSED OVER ITS WATER Probably in no time in the history of Schuylkill Haven have the citizens of that town faced a situation so serious as now confronts them regarding the water supply of their borough. In one of the windows in a certain business place on the Main Street are to be found a half dozen bottles filled with water taken from the hydrants in different parts of the town. Sediment in some of the bottles has settled to a thickness of an inch or more. If this was all that was to be found in the water there would be little cause for complaint, but several days ago one of the manufacturers of town had occasion to open his water pipes and took from there parts of decayed fish and decayed vegetable matter. This is a sample of the water that the Schuylkill Haven Water Company is furnishing the citizens to drink. Nor are they supplying them with this microbacteria fluid in abundance. Residents living on the hills are completely without water from the regular mains. They are forced to carry it two and three squares from pumps and springs and then the people on whose premises the wells or springs are located are complaining lest their wells should run dry or their pumps be broken. One well known citizen of that town said, "Should a fire break out on the hill or the northern part of town, everything would go." His statement is no doubt true. Complaint is constantly being heard from the manufacturers and the proprietors of the bleach and dye works complain of poor water or none at all. Five years ago the attention of the general manager of the company was called to the fact that the town was growing and the water supply was insufficient to meet the demands. Little or no attention was paid to the warning until about two years ago when some of the officials came up from Philadelphia, drove around the surrounding country, had a big dinner at one of the hotels, then went home ion the evening and made a statement that arrangement had been completed whereby the citizens of Schuylkill Haven would have an abundant supply of water for many years to come. During last fall when the rainy season was on they started to drill wells. After the one was completed the statement was made that this one well would supply many hundred gallons per minute and no further trouble was anticipated. So well pleased were the officials with this well that they decided to sink the second and third, costing in all nearly $10,000. The results of these wells are a dismal failure and none realize it more fully then do the officials of the Water Company. The Town Council passed recommendations to spring suit against the company. The officials hurriedly came up from Philadelphia and stated they were casting about for another source of supply, the same statement made years ago but they did not think it would be available this year. The Water Company does not want a suit at law. If such was to happen, prominent residents state the true state of affairs might be made plain. They intimate that the production of the gas plant must pay for the running of both itself and water plants and all other expenses. They contend that the money taken in from water rents should be used for improvements to build a larger reservoir or another dam where an adequate supply can be obtained. They further charge that in the memory of the oldest stockholder, no statement has ever been issued showing the receipts and expenditures of the company; that the stockholder receives his insignificant dividend every once and a while but he does not know whether he should receive more or less because no statements were issued. TO STOP DRUNKENNESS AND PROFANITY Chief Burgess Hartman of Schuylkill Haven is determined to rid that town of drunkenness, profanity, etc., and acting on those lines he, on Wednesday, arrested former Prothonotary of Schuylkill County, James R. Deegan, who is now an inmate at the almshouse, and Squire Moyer fined Deegan three dollars and costs, a total of $9.49. Deegan did not have enough money and the squire made out the papers, committing him to prison when friends interceded. On the same charge, William G. Fox, a former saloon keeper of Schuylkill Haven was arrested by the Burgess. He was given a hearing before Justice Moyer. He paid a fine of five dollars and costs which amounted to more then six dollars in order to save himself from going to prison. SLIGHT FIRE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN Late yesterday afternoon the stable of Joseph Meyers, situated in the center of the town and within several feet of Saint Matthew's Lutheran and Saint John's Reformed Churches was discovered to be on fire. An alarm was immediately sounded, the Schuylkill Hose Company responding. Had it not been for the heroic work of the bucket brigade, the whole structure together with the adjoining properties would have been destroyed as the pressure for the hose would not throw a stream three feet long. The fire is supposed to have been started by hot ashes being thrown against the building. The damage will amount to about twenty five dollars. ENLARGING FACTORY J. H. Bast, the enterprising underwear manufacturer of Schuylkill Haven is having built to his mill an additional three story building. When completed, Mr. Bast will have one of the largest underwear mills in Schuylkill Haven. Several months ago he just completed the building of a bleach and dye works, which is a model in itself. Mr. Bast is one of Schuylkill Haven's most progressive citizens and takes a great interest in the welfare of his home town. The Pottsville Republican of August 19, 1909 For loafing on the public highway in violation of a borough ordinance, Homer Kline and Mabel Kantner were arrested Thursday night by Chief of Police Butz and arraigned before Squire Moyer. Mabel paid her fine and went free but Homer refused to pay and was sent to jail. One night in the jug was enough for Kline and on Friday the kind hearted warden complied with his entreaties and communicated with Kline's relatives here who paid his fine and secured his release. The Pottsville Republican of August 16, 1909 WATER SUPPLY IS A MUD HOLE If the people of Schuylkill Haven would only go to the trouble to investigate their water supply instead of growling and finding fault and asking the newspaper people to fight their battles, they would see a sight that would simply astound them. One of the citizens of that town who made an investigation last week says that the Payne Dam through which the water is now being pumped for Cressona and Schuylkill Haven, is nothing more than a disease breeding mud hole and that there is not enough water supply there to extinguish a good sized bonfire and he says extraordinary proceedings should at once be instituted against the Water Company to compel them to give their patrons a sufficient and proper supply. It is suggested that the attention of the State Water Commission be called to the terrible condition affecting Schuylkill Haven and Cressona which would undoubtedly result in stringent methods being used to compel the Water Company to live up to its duties. The gentleman who inspected the water supply says that in the event of a heavy rain the present mud puddle will be increased to a medium sized pond and that this supply will simply be the surplus drainage of the barnyards, whereby disease will be spread. Cressona and Schuylkill Haven certainly are in a bad position as far as their water supply is concerned and the men who are responsible for this state of affairs, to say the least should be ashamed of themselves. The Pottsville Republican of August 17, 1909 SCHOOL NOTES Principal Heckert is spending a week with relatives in Dauphin and Northumberland Counties. He will be home on the 30th of this month. Professor Ralph W. Ziegenfus, the assistant in the high school the past two years and who continues in that position, will be in splendid physical condition for a good year's work because of his open air activities on the Schuylkill Mountain. Parents, do not forget to secure those vaccination certificates and send them to the teacher when your child starts to school. Children going to our schools for the first time this year must secure a permit from the secretary of the board and present it to the teacher. Mr. Robert J. Hoffman, the secretary, will be in his office at his home on Saint Peter Street every evening next week from six to eight to issue such permits. Parents, make up your minds now to send your unemployed children of school age to school from the day school starts or you will have the truant officer at your house the first week. Let it be understood that the compulsory attendance law is going to be carried out more strictly this year then ever before. All children who are six years of age now or will be before January can start to school at the beginning of the term. On Wednesday of next week, August 25th, special examinations will be held in Room Number One at eight in the morning for those who failed in May and have studied during the summer and such who have taken up special work. The Pottsville Republican of August 25, 1909 The big new tubular boiler that replaced the nest of old fashioned boilers at the Berger Knitting Mill is nearly completed and will be fixed up this week. This one immense boiler is expected to not only do the work of the three old ones but is expected to produce more steam and a greater horsepower to provide for the rapidly growing needs of this big mill. The Schuylkill Hose Company boys have a grievance. At the Meyer stable fire recently some enthusiastic would be fireman kicked in the door of the hose house to get the hose carriage out and when he got hold of the apparatus could not manage it alone and had to wait for assistance. The very next man to arrive was a member of the company who had a key, could have opened the door without damage and would have saved the company a bill for repairs. The firemen are always grateful for assistance but think their helpers should exercise a little judgment. The Pottsville Republican of August 25, 1909 Elmer Shollenberger and Raymond Staller, of town, and Jack Williams, of Minersville, got into a scrap at the skating rink the other night. Manager Naffin phoned for Burgess Hartman who with Chief of Police Butz appeared promptly on the scene, arrested the trio and held them before Squire Moyer, who imposed fines and costs which the boys paid, thus securing their release. The Lautenbacher candy factory is in shape again for work after extensive additions and improvements and will start up full handed as soon as the weather is cool enough to allow the profitable handling of the materials. The Lautenbacher candy factory is only a little over one year old but it has proven such a success that it has been enlarged in that brief space of time to ten times its original size and capacity. The Liberty Hose Company are putting the finishing touches to their handsome new hose house on Columbia Street and will have everything completed before the close of the week. They have arranged to have the hose house open all day on Saturday and extend a cordial invitation to the public to inspect the new edifice. The Liberty boys have a first class hose carriage and fire fighting paraphernalia and are well equipped to give fire protection to the South Ward of town. The public has contributed liberally toward this company, the recent festival netted over $200 and the company's finances are in good shape. The Pottsville Republican of August 26, 1909 TO STOP SALE OF HAVEN GAS AND WATER COMPANY Attorney G. M. Rhoads this afternoon filed a bill in equity restraining the Board of Commissioners from selling the plant of the Schuylkill Haven Gas and Water Company for unpaid taxes, as advertised for the public sale next Monday. The Gas Company is a corporation doing business in Schuylkill Haven. The records show that in 1902 and 1903 it was assessed with a sixty foot lot on Broadway which with the buildings thereon was assessed at $1060. The assessed taxes were not paid and the ground, etc. were returned to the Commissioners and sold to the County Treasurer on June 13, 1904, to the county. Now the lot and buildings are advertised for sale on August 30th in accordance with the law in such matters. The complainant company however, contends that an annual tax has been paid the state upon the capital stock of the corporation and the lot and building are included in this assessment. On this account the officers maintain that they possess the right of eminent domain and are not subject to local taxation upon real estate. Should this be the case, the return to the Commissioners, would of course be nullified. The bill calls upon the Commissioners to enter appearance within fifteen days but Judge Shay granted a preliminary injunction restraining the sale from being made and has fixed Monday next at ten o'clock for the hearing on the same. The Pottsville Republican of August 27, 1909 MYSTERIOUS FIRE IN HOME M. H. Detweiler, a butcher in Schuylkill Haven, was awakened about two o'clock this morning by smoke which filled his room. Hastening downstairs he found a six foot square burned out of his dining room, which is supposed to have caught from an old open fireplace, with no flue connection for the past six months. Spontaneous combustion is the only possible cause of the place taking fire. An effort was made to get water but it was found that there was no water to be had, only from a large tub in the slaughter house. This was used and the fire was gotten under control, which at times threatened much damage owing to the extreme shortage of water. |