Miscellaneous News Items, Lebanon County PA
The Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, PA)
13 Aug 1823 Page 3
On Monday last, the barn of Mr. John Eshelman, of Londonderry township, Lebanon county, was struck by lightning, and with its contents, consisting of upward of 20 tons of hay, and all the grain, the produce of a year's industrious labour, was entirely consumed. This is a heavy loss, and we sincerely sympathize with the unfortunate man.
The Adams Sentinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
January 24, 1859
Old Officer Resigns
John Bickel, postmaster at Jonestown, Lebanon Co. PA., resigned a few days
ago. He was the oldest postmaster in the U States, having been appointed
by Gideon Granger, Post master General under the administration of Thomas
Jefferson, and had personally attended to duties ever since, a term of 57
years. He is now 84 years old.
Gazette Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
March 10, 1876
The Dunker Hill and Jonestown depots on the Lebanon and Tremont railroad, were robbed last night. The thieve got little if anything.
Gazette Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
May 21, 1878
A Lebanon dispatch of yesterday is as follows. "Considerable excitement was created this morning at Myerstown, a small station on the Lebanon Valley railroad, by the news that one of its citizens, John Stoever, who recently died, made a confession on his death bed, to George Beffelfinger and Percival Daub, two intimate friends, that during the last twenty five years he had been party to four murders.
Years ago a boat captain in the employ of the firm of Wm Eckenrooth & Bros., was missed while on a trip up the river, which circumstance is well remembered in this community, and it has always been suspected that he was foully dealt with, for the reason that he nearly always carried a considerable amount of money with him.
Stoever stated that he helped kill this man and that the five hundred dollars in money was taken from his person and his body sunk in the canal, as also a little boy, who, making the discovery of the crime, was struck on the head with a hatchet, and his body also thrown into the canal. The other two of his victims were disposed of in this way. One was thrown into a brick kiln and his body burned to ashes, and the other was laid beside a lime kiln, so as to creat the theory that while sleeping near its mouth he was suffocated with gas.
The request of the dying man was, that after the burial a statement of his confession should be given to the public, but even that was kept secret until several days ago, when one of the witnesses and a relative of the deceased said to a resident of Myerstown that he could not endure it any longer, and then revealed the crimes as above. Two of Stoever's alleged accomplices in two or three of the murders are still at liberty and residents of this county. Heffelfinger and Daub will be taken before a constable on Wednesday next, and give a full sworn statement of the above affair."
Taken From the Chester Daily Times, Chester Pensylvania
June 1, 1881
A terrific thunder storm passed over the northern part of Lebanon county, in this state yesterday afternoon. John Sarge, a brickmaker, was killed while working in a field near Jonestown. The house of John Colbert, in Salem Massachusetts, was struck by lightning on Monday night and his son Frank was killed. Other houses were struck and several persons injured during the same storm.
The Bucks County Gazette (Bristol, Pennsylvania)
February 23, 1882
A dispatch from Reading, Pa., dated on Monday, clearly showed that a gang of expert safe burglers were at work in at least four different points between Reading and Harrisburg on Sunday night. The safe of Kreider & Co. at Lebanon was blown open and robbed of seventy-five dollars. At Lebanon, two mills, Eureka and Stricker's were entered and the safes were blown open, and money and valuable papers were secured. An effort was also made to blow the safe at Daub's grist mill, near Myerstown, but the thieves were frightened off. It is supposed to be the work of a regular organized band of robbers that has been carrying on bold and extensive operations all winter. One of their leaders is in jail at Lebanon, but a new head has apparently been chosen.
Taken From the Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
May 20, 1884
Lebanon, May 19 - the house of Michael Schaeffer, near Annville, was entered last night by three tramps, who bound, gagged and robbed Schaeffer of a watch, money and clothing. The house was then set on fire and burned. Shaeffer escaped with difficulty from the burning building.
Taken From the Indiana Weekly Messenger (Indiana, Pennsylvania)
May 9, 1888
A gypsy camp between Lebanon and Annville, Pa has now been quarantined by a detachment of the police, owing to being infested with small-pox. Several gypsies are afflicted with the loathsome disease and the neighborhood is greatly excited. Dr. E. Marshall of Annville attends them. The Directors of the Poor of Lebanon County are furnishing them with provisions and medicine. None of the gypsies are allowed to leave the camp. They have a number of tents and wagons and only recently started out from their winter quarters.
Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
March 19 1890
The Lebanon Electric Railway company will extend its line eastward a far as Myerstown and westward to Annville, making a total length of fifteen miles. The company will pay to the Berks and Dauphin Turnpike company two cents a car for every trip made for the use of the latter's turnpike.
Taken From the Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
October 16, 1894
Lebanon, Pa., Oct. 9 - The revival of business in this vicinity is further shown by the resumption of the Sunbeam Publishing Company, of Annville, which will start up on Friday with 150 employees. The North Lebanon Shoe Company has applied for a charter, and will soon begin operations with 200 hands.
The large stone quarries along the Philadelphia & Reading railroad, east of Myerstown, which were not worked for the past two years will resume operators shortly with a full force of employees. Nearly 100 men will be given employment. The Acne Shirt Factory at Myerstown, A. S. Hummel, proprietor, resumed operations. The factory is being enlarged to accomodate the increasing business. Upwards of eighty persons are employed.
New Oxford Item (New Oxford, Pennsylvania)
March 6, 1896
Jonestown, PA, March 4 - Burglers broke into the residence of Mrs. John Wagner, near this place. Her adopted son, aged 12 years, heard them moving about in the house, and obtaining a revolver opened fire upon the intruders. He emptied every chamber of ther revolver and wounded one of burglers, but they escaped. Blood marks were traced for some distance from the house.
Taken From the Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
January 6, 1905
Lebanon, Jan 5 - President Hevin C. Ropp, of Lebanon Valley College, Annville, today announced that the receipt of a letter from Andrew Carnege in which the latter promises to give $50,000 toward erecting a Greater Lebanon College on condition that an equal sum is raised by the college, exclusive of the insurance recovered on the fire which destroyed the administration building.
The announcement was made at a meeting of ministers and lay delegates of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of United Brethren of Eastern Pennsylvania church held in the church at Annville. The purpose of the meeting was to meet the crisis caused by the burning of the main dormitory on Christmas evening. The meeting resulted in pledging the $50,000.
The amount of the insurance is approximately $45, 000. With Mr. Carnegie's gift of $50,000 and the $50,000 to be raised by the college will bring the trustees a total of $145,000. Mr. Carnegie last spring gave the Lebanon Valley College $20,000 for a library.
Taken From the Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
April 18, 1906
Annville Nearly Destroyed
Timely Assistance From Lebanon Saved the Town
Lebanon, April 17 - Fire today destroyed five business houses and dwellings,
besides a number of stables and outbuildings in Annville. The timely arrival
of assistance on a special train from Lebanon saved the town. Loss
about $40,000. The properties were owned by Joseph A. Miler, Samuel
Shenk, Thomas N. Werner, Samuel Keller and John Herr. The flames started
in Miller's furniture repair shop.
Taken From the The Wellsboro Agitator (Wellsboro, Pennsylvania)
January 12, 1910
Albert Shenk, of Annville, one of the best known baseball players in the Lebanon valley, narrowly escaped death in terrible form at the Lackawanna Iron and Steel Company's coke plant. Blinded by smoke, Shenk stepped backward into the machinery of the plant, and his right leg had already been drawn between two cog-wheels when a fellow-workman saved his life by cutting the belt operating the machinery. A large chunk of flesh was torn off the calf of Shenk's leg and he lost a large amount of blood.
Taken From the Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
January 25, 1911
A New Departure - Before long a company will be organized in Lebanon which will operate giant passenger motor vehicles the size of trolley cars. They claim that a five cent fare is in sight for all of the residents of Lebanon and Annville. All the cars will be equipped with the pay-as-you-enter system.
Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
November 13, 1912
Post Office Robbers Blow Safe at Myerstown
Harrisburg, Nov. 12 - The postoffice at Myerstown, Lebanon county, near here,
was entered early this morning and the safe dynamited. The robbers escaped
with several dollars in money, a quantity of stamps and a bundle of letters.
The force of the explosion was so great that the front windows in the building
were blown out and the furniture badly damaged.
Taken From the Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
September 9, 1913
Houses and Barns struck in Lebanon County
Lebanon, Sept 8 - A cloudburst, causing great damage to highways, railways,
and telephone and telegraph lines visited Lebanon and vicinity on Sunday
evening and flooded many parts of the city and some of the county towns.
The heavy electrical discharges sounded like artillery fire and lightening
struck in many places.
Barn Fires Light Up the Sky
The heavens to the south were lit up vividly by barn fires along the Lancaster
border. Advices from Cornwall says there were fires near Mt. Hope,
and Lawn and Colebrook residents reported three fires in that region, one
between Mt. Joy and Donegal, one between Colebrook and Mt. Joy and one betwen
Mt. Joy and Union Square. The fire nearest to Colebrook destroyed the
barn of John Hershey, a mile on this side of Mt. Joy.
Near Annville, lightening struck and totally destroyed the barn of Hiram Peffley. All the livestock was saved, but many implements and much hay and straw wer burned. A barn was destroyed on a farm south of Mt. Gretna. Many telephones were put out of service in that section.
The flames of a fire near Bachmanville, Dauphin County, could be seen from Campbelltown, this county. The house of Samuel Sompson, 313 South First Street, was struck by lightening. The chimney was tore off the building and the woodwork was damaged.
Seriously Shocked
At Jonestown, a house belonging to ex-Sheriff Elias Gerhart, occupied by
the family of John Bender, was struck by lightning, but was not set on fire.
Mr. Bender and a daughter were shocked by the current and lay senseless for
some time.
The total rainfall was over two inches. In the southern part of the county the rain was light but the lightning was most destructive. Lightening hit the store building of Edwin M. Miller on South Tenth Street, and following electric light wires, set fire to the interior. Ephraim Gettle, the manager, lives in the building and put the fire out before much damage was done.
Taken From the Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
September 27, 1913
Annville Goosebone Prophet Predicts Coldest Winter
Annville, Sept 26 - An old sage of Lebanon County, Phillip Miller, on the
outskirts of Annville, reports that the coming winter will be the coldest
for a good many years past. He examined the goosebone and says that
the indications point to a severe winter and backs this with many other weather
pointers.
Taken From Daily Independent (Monessen, Pennsylvania)
February 24, 1915
Annville, Feb. 22 - That Miss Josephine K. Urich of Lebanon County, does not share her father's fears on what may happen to women of Pennsylvania if the ballet is given to them, is being demonstrated by the active part which she is now playing in the local suffrage movement. When the suffrage resolution came up for vote in the House recently, Representative Urich made an impassioned protest against its passage. The House passed the resolution nevertheless and right on the heels of that action, his daughter Josephine called the members of the local C. I. G. club to her home and organized them into a suffrage league. She was made secretary of it and Miss Florence Boshm was elected president. Most of the members are students of Lebanon Valley College. Arrangements are now being made by Miss Urich for a number of suffrage meetings to which all the students of the college will be invited.
Taken From the Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
August 23, 1915
Lebanon County Town Suffers Heavy Loss Through Wind Storm
Annville Pa, Aug 22 - Damage estimated at $50,000 was caused by a severe wind and rain storm which swept through the town last night. The German Baptist Church was completed wrecked while several business places, school houses and nearly a hundred dwellings were badly damaged. The wind for a time assumed cyclonic proportions. Thousands of dead birds were found today on Lebanon Valley campus. Crops in the outlying sections were also considerably damaged.
Taken From the Warren Evening Mirror (Warren, Pennsylvania)
October 13, 1916
Annville citizens are planning a new high school to cost $50,000. There are in the present building 129 pupils, and accommodations for only 70.
The Monessen Daily Independent (Monessen, Pennsylvania)
June 1, 1926
Oppose Route
Jonestown, Pa., June 1
Opposition to a proposed route of the new State highway between this borough
and Fredericksburg has precipitated residents into a turmoil. At an impromtu
mass meeting, the taxpayers voted unamimously against the route that would
leave the town off the highway and declared that if the highway is
not projected through the main street of the borough, it will not be built
at all.
The proposed highway eventually is to be the New York - Harrisburg short cut, reducing the distance between those two cities about 50 miles over that of the William Penn Highway. The road would probably become the most traveled highway in the state for freight transportation and trans-state tourists. Construction engineers told the borough residents that the traffic through the center of the town would be extremely heavy and congestion would result. Before work can proceed on the new line, borough authorities must provide legal adoption.
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