Town and Country Newspaper
Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA

These have been posted to the Pabucks mailing list by Deborah Hollowbush with permission to include on the Bucks Co Site. Many of these posting include people from the Bucks County area.

Saturday - May 2, 1903

THE HEART OF THE VILLAGE OF MERTZTOWN GUTTED BY FIRE THURSDAY NIGHT A disastrous fire almost wiped the old part of the village of Mertztown off the map soon after 5 o'clock Thursday evening. The little town has no water works and nothing could be done towards stopping the work of the flames, which originated on the roof of a lumber shed near the railroad, owned by Biery & Pilger, and the high winds prevailing drove the flames along from house to house, sweeping all before it. The fire was started by sparks from a passing locomotive. From the shed the fire spread to the barn of E.J. TREXLER, on the opposite side of the street, and, after a little while, not a house in the village seemed safe. The people were helpless, and almost before they thought of removing the goods the buildings in the fire district were in flames and the saving of the goods was out of the question. The main street runs northwest and southwest and the wind was blowing fiercely from the south, striking the southwesterly side of the street. The barn first ignited was, however, on the southwest side. On the opposite side of the street a fine old stone mansion where E.H. TREXLER resided, and the large swiss barn appurtenant thereto were then set on fire and totally destroyed together with contents. Shortly after this the alarm became general and for a time a district comprising several acres was in flames. The shed at the Hotel Biery was the next ignited, and from there the fire spread to the three-story Hotel Biery. Then to the houses of M.L. FRITCH. One of these was occupied by Mr. FRITCH, while the other was vacant. Then the house of H.J. TREXLER was destroyed, and after these structures were consumed, the flames stayed their course. At 9 o'clock the wall of the hotel fell. The excitement in the village can not be pictured. People ran about wildly, but nothing was to be done but to allow the flames to speed their mission of destruction. Nearly a dozen buildings, including the above residences, were destroyed, besides many others being very much damaged. The handsome Lutheran church was also damaged and only saved with difficulty. Uriah BIERY, of Shamrock, is the heaviest loser and it is thought his loss may sum up to $50,000, as he had a large lot of lumber stored. The loss is partially covered by insurance. The smoke from the fire caused considerable excitement and worry to the residents of the boroughs of Pennsburg and East Greenville. Along 11 o'clock at night the smoke was so dense in some residences that it awakened member of the household and a general feeling was that their own house was on fire. After searching the house and finding no cause they went outside and found the smoke there as dense as in the buildings. Especial excitement prevailed at Perkiomen Seminary, where several hundred students are quartered. Many of the girls started to pack their trunks and placed them near the window ready to throw them out. One girl hurriedly packed all her belongings into a bed blanket, tied it up into a bundle and started to take it out of the room, when she ascertained that the bundle was too large and it could not be moved through the door. By this time all were quieted, as a search had been made of the building and everything found all right. 

SEVERED ARTERIES WITH HATCHET Eugene REINHART, of near Geryville, an employee in A.R. MUMBAUER's cigar factory, near Kumry, met with a painful accident last Friday while he was nailing some staples over wire to fasten cases of cigars preparatory to shipment. In his right hand he held a very keen hatchet and while reaching over it with his left hand to get a staple, he came in contact with the cutting edge and cut a deep gash in his arm above the wrist. The wound bled profusely and upon close examination it was found that three small arteries were cut. 

AGED MAN ATTENDS TO SWARMING BEES Joseph R. MUMBAUER, Sr., of Kumry, Bucks county, is seventy-one years of age, but is still able to attend to his stock of bees as has been his custom all his life. He constantly has bees in hives in his yard and when winter set in he had twenty swarms. Through good attention and care he saved seventeen swarms. Mr. MUMBAUER at one time had seventy swarms of bees. About ten years ago he had a swarm that weighed one hundred and ninety pounds. 

THIEVES TRY TO ENTER GERYVILLE STORE Thieves tried to gain entrance to U.G. LOUX's store, at Geryville, Bucks county, on Sunday night. They rolled a water barrel under a window, stood on it and drilled three holes into the shutter. They could not drill through them as they were lined with sheet iron. They then tried to pry open the shutters but were unsuccessful. It is supposed they were disturbed, as Mr. LOUX returned to his home at about midnight. 

WILL PREACH IN SCHWENKFELDER CHURCH Rev. Elmer E.S. JOHNSON, pastor of the First Schwenkfelder church, of Philadelphia, will preach in the Hosensack Schwenkfelder church tomorrow morning, at 10 o'clock, in the German language. 

HILLEGASS STORE LEASED Wilson E. SCHULER, of Hillegass, yesterday leased his store property to Wm. KERSHNER, of Pleasant Run. Mr. KERSHNER conducts the store at that place at present. He will move to the Hillegass property in the latter part of next week. 

CAUGHT LARGE CARP IN THE PERKIOMEN CREEK John S. KLINE and Prof. I.F. KULP, of Gratersford, on Monday caught a monster carp in the Perkiomen creek. It measured thirty-two inches and weighed fifteen pounds. 

A BUSY POULTRY BREEDER F.G. WILE, the poultry dealer of Telford, has had an exceptional busy season thus far. He breeds fancy poultry and sells the stock as well as the eggs for hatching. He has thus far this season shipped between two and three thousand eggs to distant points weekly. He almost daily receives letters from parties that he shipped eggs to, stating that the chicks were hatched and that they were doing fine. Last week he shipped over five hundred eggs to Santa Rosa, California. 

KILLED SNAKE AFTER HE WAS BITTEN Wm. T. DELP, of Eureka, had a desperate fight with a snake upon his farm and was bitten badly. DELP discovered the snake sucking a cow in a field near by, and in attempting to beat the reptile off it bit him twice before he killed it. 

HAS BEEN GRANTED A PATENT John M. JACOBS, cashier in the Montgomery Trust Company, Norristown, formerly of East Greenville, has been granted letters patent for an ingenuous nickle-in-the-slot cigar machine, that bids far to become popular in club rooms and tobacco stores. His model is beautifully gotten up and does its work with accuracy. The inventor is now arranging for their manufacture on an extensive scale. 

CIGAR THIRTY-SIX YEARS OLD Edward KLOTZ, of Chapel, Berks county, is the owner of a cigar that was made thirty-six years ago. Charles MOLL, of Macungie, made the cigar at Limeport in the year 1867. The cigar is seven inches in length and is well preserved, considering its age. 

INSANE MAN TAKEN TO NORRISTOWN Theodore GULLY, of Plover, Lehigh county, was taken to the Norristown Insane Asylum on Thursday, by constable A.B. JONES, of Lower Milford. GULLY was declared mentally unsound by a commission.

FROM OUR CORPS ABLE CORRESPONDENTS

ARGUS

Mr. JEFFERSON and wife, of Jamestown, N.Y., and Albert WEIKEL and wife were
among some of their relatives at Argus.

Henry FRICK, of Fricks, was the guest of Aaron WEIKEL on Sunday.

Mr. and Mrs. SHELLEY, of Milford Square; Mr. and Mrs. Allen BENNER, of
Trumbauersville, and Mr. and Mrs. HEBERLEY, of Ridge Road, were the guests of
Mr. and Mrs. Henry PRENTISE, on Sunday.

Mr. and Mrs. Edwin LONG were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Frank LONG.

D.D. DRUCKENMILLER, of Sellersville, was seen in town on Sunday.

Lewis BARTH, of Earlington, moved into the house formerly occupied by Wm.
ROBERTS.

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin HIMMELWRIGHT of Quakertown, were the guests of his
parents Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin HIMMELWRIGHT.

Mr. and Mrs. Harvey BARNDT were the guests of Milton RICHARD, at
Trumbauersville, on Sunday.

CHAPEL

Edwin URFFER, of Chapel, purchased a horse from Nathaniel KEELY, of East
Greenville.

Solomon SCHMOYER and wife visited Samuel SCHMOYER at Gratersford on Saturday
and Sunday.

Elmer FETTERMAN and wife visited Amelia WEIGNER on Sunday.

Mr. and Mrs. John MOYER and Mrs. Alvin BAUS visited Jonathan GEISINGER on
Sunday.

Mrs. Wm. GEISLER and several friends from Pottstown visited Leon FETTERMAN
and Edwin KLOTZ on Sunday.

Rich ROMICH, of Allentown, visited Edwin KLOTZ's on Tuesday.

Edwin URFFER and family visited Nath. HEYDT on Sunday.

CRESSMAN

J.W. REITER spent Monday at Almont on business.

Mrs. Lucetta BENNER formerly of near town has made her home with her son in
law, Lewis WONSIDLER of town.

Henry MERKEL is again out of doors.

Joseph KLINE and family had as Sunday guests Mr. and Mrs. Wm. SCHOLL and
daughter of Quakertown.

Peter FAUSBENNER and family, moved to Thatcher on Tuesday where Mr.
FAUSBENNER will take possession of the store.

C.E. BENNER and Dorey KLINE, of Richlandtown, were noticed in town on Sunday
afternoon.

The sale of Mrs. R. STULL on Saturday was largely attended and things sold at
a reasonable price.

Fred EBERLINE and family, of Quakertown, spent Sunday with Wm. SNYDER and
wife.

Willie EBERLINE, of Quakertown, is spending a few weeks with his grand
parents Wm. SNYDER and wife.

Mr. and Mrs. Z. GEORGE and family of Richlandtown, spent Sunday among
relatives in town.

Miss Sallie NASE who formerly boarded with John WATTS moved her boarding
place to M. HILDENBRAND and family.

Joseph REITER, wife and daughter Kathryne spent part of Wednesday at
Quakertown.

Sidney LABE, of Philadelphia was noticed in town on Wednesday.

Harvey VOID, of Philadelphia, and Samuel VOID, of Red Hill, spent Sunday
under their parental roof.

FRUITVILLE

Levi SCHULTZ was in Allentown, on Monday.

Missess Ella and Amelia YEAKEL, of Allentown and Emma YEAKLE, of Hosensack,
visited friends at this place on Sunday.

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel HEYDT were in Manayunk over Sunday visiting the latter's
parents Mr. and Mrs. G.M. NICE.

Mrs. James CHRISTMAN and son Ralph, of Allentown, visited C. STAHL and family
this week.

Mrs. Isabella KEPLER and children, of Hillegass, were visiting Simon ADAM and
family on Sunday.

Rev. N.L. BECHTEL and wife, of East Greenville, visited friends at this place
on Tuesday.

HOPPENVILLE

Mr. and Mrs. John TRUMBAUER, of Emaus, were the guests of Eugene WAMPOLE on
Sunday.

Mrs. and Mrs. Edwin KLINE were the guests of John RENNINGER, of Red Hill.

Henry KRIEBEL is repairing his house. He also gave it a coat of paint.

Henry KRIEBEL lost a valuable hog by death.

KUMRY

Harry MUMBAUER and family, of Geryville, were visiting friends here on
Sunday.

F.R. MUMBAUER is giving his porch and yard fence a fresh coat of paint.

Harry P. NICE and family were visiting friends at Philadelphia over Sunday.

Geo. THORNS is erecting a fine new hen house with brooder house attached.

John MUMBAUER gave his house a coat of cement, David BIERY, of Pennsburg,
done the work.

Harvey REINERT, Mahlon WOLFE and the Misses Lizzie and Lillie WOLFE were
entertained by R.E.P. MUMBAUER, on Sunday.

Mr. and Mrs. Harvey HARTENSTEIN, of Trumbauersville, were visiting friends
here on Sunday.

J.O. KLINE started cigar making with Joseph HUNSBERGER on Monday.

Supervisor H.K. KLINE is very busy improving the highways in Roeder's
district.

Horace SHENKEL made a business trip to Allentown on Saturday.

NEW BERLINVILLE

Mr. and Mrs. M.Y. JOHNSON, of New Berlinville, spent Saturday and Sunday at
Trexlertown.

KEHS and FRANK, contractors, commenced to build the county bridge over Swamp
creek at this place on Monday.

NEW HANOVER

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Amandus YERGER.

Squire GILBERT, of Pottstown, was noticed in town on Saturday.

David HUNSBERGER and wife, and F.P. HUNSBERGER and family, of Frederick, were
visiting Mr. and Mrs. Clinton SCHOENLY, on Sunday near Geryville.

A two-year-old child of Wm. SCHEFFEY, of Boyertown, died on Monday.

J.B. HERB butcher, at New Hanover Square purchased a new butcher wagon.

Undertaker J.E. SHILLICK, of Schwenksville, was noticed in town on Monday.

Rhine SMITH is in need of a good carriage painter.

Wm. I. HUNSBERGER and family were visiting Mr. and Mrs. Jonas CHRISTMAN, at
Gilbertsville, on Sunday.

The children of Amandus MOYER who were down with scarlet fever are better
again.

Freddie HAAS, of Jacksonville, was the Sunday guest of H.S. RITTER.

SALFORDVILLE

Samuel CRESSMAN and family spent Sunday at Morwood.

Frank FREY received a fine set of nickel plated harness from S.R. CRESSMAN.

Allen FREY bought a fast trotter from Jacob MOYER, of Lower Salford.

A.H. SMITH and family, spent Sunday at Harleysville.

John ZIEGLER and his mother attended the funeral of Eli KRATZ, at Hatfield,
on Wednesday.

Mr. WOLFORD has just completed his workshop.

Dr. BENNER's office is now finished and he occupies the same. The office is
one of the finest in the upper end of the county.

S.R. CRESSMAN is the owner of a pair of young ring doves. It is a very rare
bird and he prizes them very highly.

All our weddings in town have been postponed.

SHIMERSVILLE

Miss Rosa DELONG was on a business trip to Allentown.

Mrs. L.S. SHIMER and Miss Lillie BORGER were visiting friends in Emaus on
Friday.

Osville KREIDER was on a business trip to East Greenville on Monday.

J.M. HUNSBERGER was visiting friends in Hellertown on Sunday.

Mrs. R.A. HELD  is on the sick list.

James MOHR was visiting friends in Reading on Sunday.

Mrs. KERN was on a business trip to Allentown.

Mr. and Mrs. JOHNSON paid a visit to their son Warren on Saturday.

Miss Sallie REESE was visiting friends in Emaus on Sunday.

STEINSBURG

Thomas VANBUSKIRK, of Bethlehem, a son of Jacob VANBUSKIRK, formerly a
resident of this place, was here last Tuesday and made arrangements to have
his brother, Albert, reburied, who was buried at the West Swamp Mennonite
cemetery. He was buried 29 years ago. Undertaker W.E. HANGEN took the body to
Bethlehem last Thursday when they buried him again.

Mr. and Mrs. James SCHEETZ, of Perkasie, were the guests of Mr. and Mrs.
Allen MACK and family last Sunday.

O.J. ENGELMAN made a business trip to Allentown last Tuesday evening.

Henry MILLER who was suffering with a sore hand is improving slowly.

TYLERSPORT

The cigar factory of A.R. CRESSMAN Sons are short of stripper hands and in
consequence are stripping nights this week.

Elmer HARNER has moved into Jonas WENHOLD's house near here last week.

VERNFIELD

Mrs. Samuel MARKLEY, of Philadelphia is spending a few days with Sarah NYCE.

Jonas NYCE made a trip on Wednesday to Salford station taking photographs.

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