Thursday, August 20, 1914
We have in this county a successful businessman of the town of Durbin, who is a native of Germany, and who is a very fine German gentleman, and who has the respect and esteem of all who know him. He is true to the fatherland, and just now is having a very trying time with his America neighbors, who are criticizing the Emperor for starting something that is not easily stopped. We can assure him that the Germans, as a people, have our profound sympathy, and that we are only sorry that a militant sovereign should have abused his power by plunging that country into war.
A cablegram received today from Miss Genevieve McClintic brings the good news that she is now in London. She was in Berlin at the outbreak of the war.
After trying the new name seventy years or so, the people of the Levels found that while the post office was Academy, the public spoke of the place as Hillsboro, the old name. Therefore they have discarded the innovation, and the post office will become Hillsboro. We do not know why the name Academy did not take for we are all proud of the learning and culture of our county people, and we recount with pride that the county had three academies nearly a hundred years ago. Pocahontas is a county of academic people, and the classical scholar is well received and understood here. But as Horace observed, wringing his hands, “Brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio,” and we will let it go at that.
BANDITS KILLED BY DYNAMITE
Williamson, W. Va. – The chase after five bandits who on last Friday killed Joseph Sheiler, paymaster of the Glen Alum Fuel Co., and his two companions, Dr. W. D. Amick and F. D. Johnson, and stole the company’s payroll of $8,000, ended on Monday when the cave into which the desperadoes had retreated was dynamited and the men killed. Their deaths brought the fatalities to eleven.
In a pitched battle Friday night Detective Burwell was killed and Deputy Sheriffs Edward Mounts and Jacob Groves were mortally wounded. The bandits then retreated to a cave near War Eagle. Detective Lanon Tiller and Squire Belcher were killed during the Saturday night attack.
A heavily charged missile was hurled into the cave, where it exploded. The posse entered the cave and found five mutilated bodies. The valise which had contained the payroll was found in the cave. Five hundred of the $8,000 was missing. The bandits were Italian miners. During the fight Friday, Deputy Sheriff Lindsey Hatfield was seriously wounded…
BARTOW
Miss Cecil Howard, of Nebraska, who has been the guest of Mrs. F. A. Pritchard, has returned to her home.
Mrs. Lula Fry, of Springfield, Ohio, who was taking a vacation at the Grogg Hotel, has gone to Cumberland, Md., to join her husband.
Miss Ruth Ervine, of Boyer, spent a couple of days in Durbin last week, shopping and visiting among friends.
A berry picker reports having seen three bears at the head of one of the creeks putting in at this place. Needless to say he didn’t stay long to pick berries there.
Mrs. Journal Lowe, who was formerly a resident of this place, died of typhoid fever in a hospital in Georgia, where she had been for the past year. Her remains will be brought to Arbovale for burial.
William Rexrode has gone to Virginia with his father, who was visiting his son, Cleve Rexrode, at this place. He expects to bring back a good bunch of cattle sometime in the near future.
This has been the finest blackberry year known for some time up here – plenty of berries and of good size.
Durbin had a street carnival and show there last week. It was well attended, with people coming from miles around to ride the merry-go-round.
MILL CREEK
The drought still continues here. There having been no rain for several weeks.
The army worm has not yet invaded this section, but much fear is evinced by the farmers lest they shall do so.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Kline Slayton, formerly of Boyer, a son.
DUNMORE
Fine showers; fine growing weather. Corn and buckwheat are doing nicely; grass is growing fine; potato crop will be very light – army worms plentiful and grass hoppers scarce.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Ira Sheets, a daughter.
T. M. Gum traded his automobile for a mule.
T. P. Moyers and Jeff Wilmoth had a little automobile wreck at Greenbank Sunday evening. Seven persons were slightly hurt and one machine dehorned.
Russ Campbell’s horse ran off and busted up his buggy.
Withrow McClintic showed us a sample of his peaches that is hard to beat anywhere. Mr. McClintic has 65 acres in fruit trees, which he cultivates and sprays, and has fine fruit. He has peach trees five years old that bring him $10.00 each this dry season. This county is adapted to fruit if the people will cultivate it. Something must take the place of the timber when it is all gone out. One man in the Hill country sells two and three hundred dollars’ worth of blackberries every year and they are not cultivated either.
LOCUST CREEK
Threshing is the order of the day. The wheat crop is fairly good. Corn is looking fine, under the circumstances. The few showers we had recently have improved things wonderfully.
Mr. and Mrs. J. w. beard and little son, Harper, are in Charlottesville. Mr. Beard is in poor health and will be treated while away. We hope for his speedy recovery.
W. W. McCoy has his new residence almost completed.
G. P. Edgar has been buying up the lambs in this part. M. M. McCoy has the champion sheep: the three lambs she raised and her wool brought the owner something over nineteen dollars.
A. H. McCoy bid in the building of the schoolhouse on Lower Droop Mountain.
FOOD PRICES
In the present outcry against the high prices of food, our farmer friends preserve a guilty silence. It is a well-established theory that the farmer is in business for his health, only.