Bellwood Bulletin 1941-08-14

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VOL. L1 I I
BELLWOOD. PA.f THURSDAY, AUGUST  14*1941
NO. 26
LOCAL HB COLUMN
Short Items That WUl Interest Our Readers
BBIEF SUMMARJffJF THE WEEK
Terse    PaTti-egraphs  Concerning,   tha
Doing  ef   Our  Borough—Tho  Column  Our   Subacribera    Enjoy
HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE COSTS
-—Vacation days will soon be over
for the school kiddies.
•.--.Type writer paper for sals at
tne Bulletin office in any quanity
dsah-ed.
—A much needed rain visited
thia section Monday night and
Tuesday.
--—The Bulletin is the home town
newspaper and It is read by every
member of the family.
—The coo] nights throughout the
week    remind    us  that    Old    Jack i
Frost is soon due.
—The primary election will occur
On Tuesday,    Sept. 9,    tbe general <
election Tuesday, Nov. 4.
—The    Tipton     speedway    races j
'will be held on   Labor Day.   It will
be the next big attraction tm Blair j
county,   and many racing men trill
he there with their machines.
i
—The regular monthly meeting
of the Women's Christian Temperance Union will be held In the home
of Mrs. Mary Bechtol in the Lauver
epartment on Tuesday afternoon, i
August 19, at 2 o'clock. Every
member is urged to attend. |
—The Excelsior Fire company
will attend the, district firemen's
convention to be held in Bellefonte
Thursday of next week. The big
parade will take place at 11 o'clock
in which ths local firemen will,
participate, taking with them their '
fire truck.
 gnto-hx gajjitattire   BPp[
mM"^ruea''i\^
annual state convention of the
American Legion. The big event of
the meeting will be the parade to
be held Saturday afternoon, and
it promises to be the outstanding
parade events of the city.
—Although grape production in
Pennsylvania, due to freezing temperatures (ruling the Spring in the ,
Erie' section, is indicated to show
a decrease of 5,300 tons below tfae
23,000 tons produced last year, pro- ,
duction for tfae country at large is
expected to increase from 2,543,910
tons last year to 2,553,820 tons this
year.
—Chief Burgess Edgar McKinney
returned home last Friday morning
from Beach Haven, near Atlantic
City, N,. J., where he enjoyed a
deep sea fishing trip with a party I
of friends. He succeeded in catching
a number of sea fish, among them
being a tuna, weighing forty-six
pounds, which he, expressed home.
The fish was greatly admired by all
who saw it.
—The members of the Excelsior
Fire company responded to a false
alarm of fire at 8:30 o'clock Tuesday evening. The alarm waa sent in
from the Reighstown section by
some one who is not aware that
there is a severe penalty prescribed
by law for such an offense. If the
firemen ape successful In ascertaining the name of tha party prosecution will follow.
—With the announcement by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
U. S. Department of Labor tfaat
the coat of living is showing a
marked increase -with no signs of
early abatement, Congressman
James E. Van Zandt appealed to
Howard O. Hunter, Comtmissioner of
the Work Projects Administration,
Washington, D. C, to seriously consider an increase in tfae WPA
wage scale in effect since 1989.
—In tha first 18 months of operations on a monthly payment basis,
the annual rate of Federal family
insurance payments in Blair county
rose to $47,112. This figure was
computed by C. Randall Wilson,
manager of the Altoona office of
the Social Security Board, on the
basis of statistics jmrtr'received ffrom
the office of Regional Director
Wlilliami L. Dili, in Philadelphia. The
sum ref Jected insurance in force aa
of March 81, 1941, under the old-
age and survivors insurance program of tha Social Security Act.
[It did not include any of tba public
assistance alls-Bam as under Federal-
State
OBLIGATIONS TREBLED IN
PAST TIN YEARS
Obligations of the Pennsylvania
Department of Highway*! during Ilia
last decade have more than trebled
while the income of the Department from the Motor Lice nee
Fund has increased only approximately 27 per cent.
Officials of the Department point
out that no other agency in the
nation, either public or private,
hss assumed such increased burdens on so small an increase in
revenues without impairing its
efficiency or financial standing.
While the obligations of the Department have been increased
chiefly through legislative enactment in tfae last ten years it has
been to the benefit of local governing bodies such as counties, cities,
boroughs and townships. For
the 1929-81 biennium the total income of the motor fund was $180,-
841,000. In the biennium tfaat
closed May 81, 1941, the total motor fund receipts wet* $170,636,-
000 or an increase of 81 per cent.
During the    fiscal year    1980-81
the Department    had    responsibility
over 18,562 miles of highway.   The
r next fiscal year    the total    mileage
1 had increased to 34,026 wfai n more
than    20,000 miles were added    by
: Bm session    of 1981.    It has   been
increased    since, then to a total    of
40,522  miles.
!     The increase    in the    mileage on
. tfae    State highway aysttm    haa da-
creased  tfae  obligations of the second class   townships for the   maintenance    of    approximately    25,000
miles of road while  cities and boroughs have been   relieved of maintaining about 2000 miles.
To 1929 the Department waa re-..
sponsible for the maintenance of
E 4399 bridges on tfae system. Now
Bm% figure has been boosted to 17--
299 structures of which number
5824 formerly were the responsibilities of counties; 4772 taken
over from townships and 629 from
boroughs. In addition 1675, 8 to
10 foot spans were .removed frolm
the responsibility of townships in
1981 and added to the Department's obligations.
During the 1929-81 biennium
counties received $9,614,000 from
the motor fund and for the 1939-
41 biennium their share was $15,-
818,000, an increase of 59.4 per
cent. The * share of tfae motor
fund received by second class
townships has increased from $5,-
877,000 for tfae 1929-81 biennium
to $8,734,000 during the 1939-41
biennium, or an increase of 48.6
gar cant.
Payments   to   other   Departments
"f BUILDING TO BE SOLO
r
1
has gone up to 31.4 per cent from
$20,861,000 In tfae 1929-81 men-
nium of $87,422,000 for the biennium that ended May 81, 1941.
These payments    are for    auch ex-
I penditures as interest and sinking fund obligations, expenses of
tfae Bureau of Motor Vehicles and
the Pennsylvania Motor Police.
I The balance ojf tfae Motor Fundi
was available for highway purposes. In the 1929-81 biennium
that figure was $94,089,000 white
in the most recent biennium, 1939-
41, tfae amount was §119,162,000,
en increase of 26.7 per cent.
Figures compiled ahow tfaat there
haa been a recurrent saving to sec-
ond class township taxpayers since
the added obligations of road and
bridge maintenance were assumed
by tbe Department and subsidies
to these municipalities. In 1930
township tax collections were $14,-
277,617. Five years later tfae
amount had dropped to $6,131,280
and last year ths amount was $6,-
477,562. The Department does not
keep aay records of tax collections
by cities, • borough and counties to
show whether tfae added obligations of th? State for roads and
bridges has reflected any reductions
in those municipal subdivisions.
|  -~a	
—The Blair County Agricultural
Conservation Committee has called
tn ths attention of wheat farmers
fal tiia county that the notices recently Bant to farmers setting forth
their wheat acreage allotment for
1942, as determined by the county
committee, take on additional importance to the farmers, in view of
the fact that Secretary of Agriculture Wicluu-d haa proclaimed wheat
SUGGESTED THAT BOROUGH BECOME THE OWNER
The special committee representing the board of directors of the
Young Men's Christian Association
presented to the borough council at
its regular monthly meeting fai the-',
public building Monday evening^)
tbe question of the disposition to be;
made of the "Y" building and tht
plot   of ground   upon   which   it li
'located. 	
Tfae coat of erecting the property^
back ln 1917 was about $38,000,1
and during the twenty-four yeara
since its construction this cost|
through careful management hag
been, reduced to slightly less than.
$10,000. As this community haa aa
equity of $28,000 in the property!
the board of directors and trustees
were unanimous in the opinion that
tfae community should have Bm firat
opportunity to purchase it. i
Borough Solicitor Richard H. GM,
bert waa present at the meeting of
the town council Monday evening
and after considerable discussion,*,
the borough council upon motion
decided to submit tbe matter to the
voters of the borough at the generf
al election in November and, if approved, proceed at once to pay ofUf
the bonded indebtedness and theft
the town will become the sole
owner. y -g
Tfae following   special  committee/]
Messrs. B. J. Estep, B. C Lego snap
Ernest Schmidt,    members   of   Bm
council,    were appointed    to confer
with    the    borough    solicitor,  .-, the
trustees   of the Y. M. C. A    and a*
trustee representing the bond hold*
ers to work  out tfae details  and at
the same time .avoid alt unnecessary
expenss to the'borough  in carrying
out the transfer of the property.
Here is Belhvood's opportunity hi
beconrr? the owner of this valuaM|
piece of property. Vte all ksft***.
pa* scxiiwa ter'Has-sT**a**m	
rrtunity through the Y. M. C. A.
during its existence in the team.
Now that it is about to pass out of
its existence and in order to close
up its financial affairs the building
must he sold, and with **T* it will
cease to be a "Y."
There are other prospects beside
the borough and if it is to be acquired by the .town, la a matter for
the taxpayers to decide at the general election in November. There
are many enthusiastic citizens who
think tbe borough should take over
the property.
 e>s »
HAPPENINGS 30 YEARS AGO
ACTIVITIES OF   OUR   CITIZENS
THREE DECADES    AGO       ,
From tha BeUwood Bulletin, June
7th, 1912.
Misses Myra Schenck and Florence Hoover,   spent Memorial Day  in
Harrisburg.
Miss Grace Goss, has accepted a
position as clerk in ths store of P.
W. O. Hummel on Cambria street.
Miss May Reahm, of Altoona,
waa a recent visitor at the homie of
Mr. and Mrs. Ubil, of the north
Side. •;..•:■<-*.
A. E. Barrett and J. W. Wyland,
apent Tuesday night fishing along
the Juniata river near Union Furnace and were quite successful,
J. E. Isenberg, of Schenectady,
N. Y., is quite busy at present, ita
a bright new baby girl that the
stork left juat recently | at his
home.
W. H. Zimmerman, the (popular
Main street barber, haa secured the
service of Oust Ettienne, of Portage, who came highly recommended
as a barber.
The Bellwood business men's picnic will be held at Rhododrendon
park, Lloydsvilfle, on Wednesday,
July 10th, and all merchants and
friends are waiting the event.
Miss Kathleen Greenland, a student at the Peabody Music Institution, of Baltimore, Md., is visiting
at the home of har parents, Mr.
and Mrs. B. E. Greenland, Main
street.
Ralph L. Thompson, wife and two
children, Gertrude and William, of
Juniata, left Monday for Cumberland valley, ts visit tfaa former's
parents at Waynesboro. Mr. Thompson also attended the convention of
the Cumberland Firemen's association held there.
REGORO ofjie oep»rteo|PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS
INVITED TO THE FAIR
Burgess Edgar McKinney, all
other Blair county burgesses as well
as the mayor of Altoona and other
county officials have received an
invitation from the management of
the Huntingdon county fair to be
their guests on Blair County Day
at the Huntingdon county fair, Friday, August 29.
Friday is tfae day Jimmie Lynch
wit ibe at the fair and a full three
hour program of thrills, spills,
crashes, and dare-devil stunts are
promised.
Special invitations have been extended to two Blair county natives
who have been elevated to the high
court: Supreme Court Justice Marion D. Patterson and Superior Court
Judge Thomas J. Baldridge, both of
HolSdaysburg.    ''.'■'>
County officials of Blair county
have not been overlooked in the
scope of the Huntingdon county
fair association's invitation, aa revealed by a check up. Officials of
the county who have been extended
an invitation include Judge George
G. Patterson, District Attorney
Chester B. Wray, County Commissioners Joseph Dixon, Herbert S.
Bolger and Daniel S. Brumbaugh,
County Treasurer Thomas E. Stewart, Sheriff 3. H. Summers, Regist-
' er and Recorder Thomas G. Peoples
and Prothonotary John B. Elliott
♦ r.
—Fall weather has paid this
section aa early visit. But cheer
up! the Summer is not over.
—Mr. George Colbert, of Hollidaysburg, who had acted in tfae
capacity of chief of police of tfaa
borough for a few months, faas tendered his resignation and has accepted a position ia the police de-
partmlent pt ths P. R. R. company
ia Altoona. His successor will ba
appointed within a few daya. bl the
meantime Harry Miller, deputy eon-
a_HMia_MatfMla#liBSSaiSfa
fal of the schools of that borough,
and bis wife, were Monday guests
at the home of tfaeir cousin, Mrs.
L. 8. Wharton. They were on their
wsy home from a honeymoon. They
ware married May 23rd.
THOSE WHO HAVE PAST FROM
TIME  TO  ETERNAL  REST
Cloyd   Berkatreeaer
Death came suddenly to Raymond
Cloyd Berkstresser at his home
near the BeUwood intersection,
along route 220, last Monday morning at 3:40 o'clock, after suffering
a cerebral hemmorrhage. For many
years he had been engaged as a
painter for the Pennsylvania railroad company in ita Altoona works,
and also conducted a service station
for a number of years near the
intersection. He had not been previously ill and the announcement of
his death came as a distinct shock
to his many friends in the borough,
as well as elsewhere. He was a good
citisen and bore the esteem of all
who shared his acquaintance.
Born July 23, 1885, at Saxton, be
was tfae son of John and Rebecca
Berkstresser, both deceased. He was
married November 8, 1906, at
Huntingdon, to Miss Bessie Reed.
Members of the family include
his wife snd these children; Raymond Berkstresser, Mrs. Gladys
Patton, Orlando, and Mra. Rebecca Holes, of Bellwood; Mrs. Gaynell Rehm of New Cumberland,
Pa, and Paul, Donald, Olive and
Beverly, all at home. Six grandchildren and these brothers, Frank
Berkstresser of Altoona, Oscar of
Bellwood, and Clarence of Virginia.
He was a member of the Methodist church. Funeral services were
held from his late home Wednesday
afternoon at 2:30 o'clock in charge
of Rev. H. Thaddlus Colvert, pastor of the * Methodist church, and
were largely attended. Interment
was made in the Logan Valley
cemetery.
People Who Visit Here an*.
Those Wbo Go Awey.
MOVEMENTS 6F OOR CITIZEN
ALONG THE WAY
In walking down the highway—
I stopped below tfae bridge
Across the Juniata, not
to view the rocky; ridge
That's almost perpendicular
down to the water's edge-
But just to see some flowers,
and weeds and vines and hedge.
I marketing quotas far tfas tgtg crop. (atable, to perfonniiag tfas
It's right beside the highway
that there's a small ravine—
That's grown up ful of wonders
with every thing that's green.
In early spring there's nothing
to aaa as you pass by—
The snow Ilea 'deep in winter—   -
fho bird-song then ia nigh.
But Summer brings its flowers,
and Summer brings its weeds.
Aad here are berry bushes
[thistles tall, and reeds.
There's a wild-grape vine starting—
burdock and grasses green.
And near the edge are flowers
to brighten up the scene.
—Ellen Irvin.
»>«»
HIS LOVE FOR PENNA.
The State Department of Commerce recently received a communication, bearing a post mark of the
Midway Islands in the Pacific
Ocean, from a First Class Private
in the Artillery who ia a resident
of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Since many of the soldiers at
the Midway Post sra from Arizona,
and hava never been near the Keystone State, the author requested
literature to show his co-patriots
tfaat his Dove for his home State
is well founded.
file letter reads, in part:—
"I believe that it is the bast state
ia the union, with nice forests,
plenty of natural resources and
nice highways, snd I ain't been
home in two years to (et myself
a good map and convince my
friends here in Midway what Pennsylvania ia Ilka."
 *->»««
—An    unusually   large   crop   of
wi'ld   blackberries  in the  forests of
Pennsylvania    this year   is reported
by tfas foresters in tfas Department
of Forests and Waiters.   One of the
Forfest Rangers  reports  tfaat in  his
, twenty-three    years   experience    be
I has never seen tfas bushes so heavily
ilsdened witfa berries.
Jamea   K.   Hutchinson
Jamea K. Hutchinson,_b*S*. to tfae
T5o*S0e'r "ftofldv/- PeWbti
township, and for many years engaged as a farmer and road builder,
died at his residence at Greenwood
Monday morning at 7:30 o'clock.
He was born on tbe old Hutchinson
homestead Dec. 13, 1869, the son
of Joseph and Sarah Jane Hutchinson and spent moat of his life in
•this part of Blair county, and was
well and favorably known by a
large numJber of people due to his'
activity in road construction. Surviving are his wife and a number of
children. He was of tiie Presbyterian faith. Funeral services were held
at the late home of the deceased
this afternoon at 2:80 oVlock, in
charge of Rev. Eugene G. Slep,
pastor of the Logan Valley Presbyterian church, foUowed by interment in the Greenwood cemetery.
Mrs.  Minerva H. Gei.t
Mis. Minerva H. Geist, of 285
Clark street, died at 6 o'clock
Wednesday evening at her home.
Born March 1, 1868, at Coll
Spring, Pa., she was the daughter
of Andrew and Sarah Hoffman,
deceased.
Members of the family include
these children: Firm, of Pittsburgh;
Elmer L. of BeUwood; Mrs. R.
E. Conrad, Bellwood; Mra T. A.
Simon, Braddock; Mrs. D. W.
Hamilton, Pittsburgh; these brothers and sisters: Andrew Hoffman,
Coll Springs; C. F. Hoffman, Sum-
merville; Mrs. L. S. Alcorn and
Mrs. J. J. Summervi'le, and Mrs.
Martha Brown, Anita, Pa.   ■
Mrs. Geist was a member of the
Evangelical church of Bellwood.
Onsets  Who Are Entertained fay 1 ,__,
Wood Hosts—Personal Msafjaa- et
Those Whe Viait To aai Fro
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. McFarland of North Fourth street visited
friends in Pottsville, Schuyldtt
county, over the week-end.
Alexander Loucks,  who is  engaged in Akron, Ohio, spent s few days
last week with bis parents, Mr. and.
Mrs. Fred Loucks on Stewart Street. _
Mr. and Mrs. John G. Conunessea-
and son Robert    have returned    to
their home    on    Bellview * avenue, *
after a visit of ten days in Atlanta*
City and  Philadelphia.
Mr.    and Mra    L G. Stoner,    of.
Martinsburg, Pa.,   have just returned from   a visit   of a month   witfa
Mrr. Stoner's brother and famttly at
Centralia,  Washington.   Mrs.  Stoner.
is a   daughter of   Mr. R. C. Green-";
land of Lowther street.
Rev. R. P. Knoebel, paator sf thai
Grace   Lutheran    church on    North -
Cambria   street,   witfa Mra. Knoebel
and children,  left Tuesday morning:;
for their vacation.   They will   spend
some    time st    Geneva-on-the-Lake,
in Ohio,    and from there   wiB visit
Chicago and also tour through Indiana,   Kentucky,   West Virginia   and
Virginia.
Rev. Eugene Gilland Slep, tfae
esteemed pastor of tfae Logan Valley
Presbyterian church, witch Mra. Slep
and older children, are now enjoy-,
ing their annual vacation, and left
the beginning of tfaa week via tfae.^
automobile route, in company
Rev. Step's    parents,    Mr. aad.:
%?'aBMsT"   l "•"*•■"»   -^hbA-mthTt-m
^^ ivnere    they wnTenJoy    tnil
until Sept. 1.    Returning they    will j
cross   the river    and tour    through
Canada    to Montreal,    and    thence !
home.
Mrs. Florence McCcy has return-!
ed to her    home on    North Fourth
street    after a pleasant visit    witfa j
her   daughter,   Mrs.  Robett   Myers,
in    Silver Spring,   Maryland.    Mrs.
McCoy made the return Journey by
automobile witfa her son-in-law and
daughter, Mr. and Mrs. James Gray
of    Port Matilda,    Pa.    She reports
that the   weather was not   unbearable in    Silver Spring   despite    ttasj
pioximity     of   that    city     to    the
nation's capital   where the   temper*-]
a ture and atmosphere are notorious-]
ly hot and humid.
Mr. Wilfred W. McDermitt, ofl
WJilkinsburg, .was a brief visitor in I
the borough lust Saturday evening]
and met many of his old time}
friends on Main street. In converse-1
tion with him we learned tfaat Mai
sister, Mrs. Annie Hill, of Wilkin**-]
burg, who will be remembered by j
many of our citisens, being a daugb- j
tei of the late Colonel and Mrs. [
W. A. McDermitt, suffered a serious I
loss some time ago., when her home I
was destroyed by fire and she had j
a narrow escape from being con- •
sumed in tiie flame, having suffered
third degree burns, from which she
has not fully recovered.
BOY KILLED BY TRAIN
The body of Elwood J. Brooke,
aged 12 years, was found on the
Pennsylvania railroad tracks last
Friday afternoon, Just a short, distance east of tfae old freight station,
presumably having been - run over
by a westbound freight train, which
evidently attempted to hop or was
' run down, the exact cause of how
he met death is unknown. The body
of the lad was badly mangled. The
county coroner decided an Inquest
unnecessary. The boy was a son of.
George A. and Eva Margaret Shaw-
lay and was born here on June 12,
1923, and is survived by his parents
and a number of brothers and sisters. Funeral services were held at
the Fuoss chape'' on Main street
Sunday afternoon, in charge of Rev.
Levi. Goehring, Olivet Baptist ehurch minister, with interment in Logan VaUey cenwtery.
TYRONE  MEN  HELD     ^^
Three Tyrone men were remanded to the Blair county Jail WedneSaji
day night by Justice of the Peace
Edgar McKinney, to await trial on
charges of burglary preferred by
the state motor police as tfae result
of tfae theft of 20 bushels of wheat |
front! tfae farm sf Oscar B. Smith,
near Tipton in Antis township,
August It.
Harvey Cooken, 88, of Tyrone,
was suspected by Smith to be implicated   in tfae burglary   when  tfafa
wheat disappeared,   because be	
aided in the harvesting and tfa-rarfswl
ing and knew where it was stereo*.!
Questioned by police, Cooken
mitted taking the wheat between!
2 and 8 o'clock in tfae inOrning of |
August 6, and named William Sa***V|
or, 42, and John Bryan, 30, both egg
Tyrone as accomplices.
Smith,    the    proprietor    of  	
farm, ls an engineer for tfas Pearsii
sylvania railroad.
m*»
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