VETERAN SHOPMEN PRESENT GIFTS Silas S. Fickes and William H. Rice Reach Retiring Age and Are Honored by Their Fellow Workers Other Mechanics Go On The Pension Roll Thomas C. Loudon, George N. Weyandt, Charles Stout and William R. Wilmer Leave Company's Service Silas S. Fickes of 1015 Highland Place and William H. Rice of 2006 Seventh avenue, veteran employees of the Pennsylvania Railroad company in the shops, who attained the retiring age during the past month and retired from the service yesterday, were each given a rousing farewell by their fellow workers. Mr. Fickes was employed in the cabinet shop and at 5:30 o'clock last evening activities were suspended and the foremen and shopmen gathered in one end of the building and the Car Shop band put in an appearance and enlivened the gathering by rendering "Oneata." Foreman J. B. Baker then oon behalf of the men of the department presented Mr. Fickes a handsome traveling bag, and a combination cane and umbrella. R. R. Hunter sang "A Perfect Day" following which Mr. Fickes returned his thanks for the remembrances. The band played "The Star Spangled Banner" and Mr. Fickes was escorted home. He will spend the winter hunting and fishing in Virginia and West Virginia. Mr. Rice Presented Purse William H. Rice retired last night after a service of fifty-one years, during which he was never suspended or reprimanded. He was a machinist and at 5:40 he was called to the shop office where his fellow employees had assembled and he was presented a substantial purse, the address being made by John Carline. Mr. Rice responded, following which he was escorted home by Gang Foreman Joseph Betzendoerfer, George Bridenbaugh and William Kindle. At the home an excellent supper was served. Mr. Rice entered the company's service on Aug. 13, 1866, going into No. 3 roundhouse under Foreman A. C. Vauelain. He was then but 15 and as the work proved too heavy he was transferred to the machine shop department where he remained until his retirement. He is a lifelong resident of Altoona, having been born in the Third ward in the vicinity of Fourteenth avenue and Thirteenth street. For a number of years he was engineer of the old Good Will Volunteer Fire company, Sixth avenue and Thirteenth street. Other Shopmen Retiring. Other shopmen who retired yesterday were: Thomas C. Louden, 1413 Eighth avenue; George N. Weyandt of 611 East Sixth avenue; and William R. Wilmer of 701 Fifth avenue. Thomas C. Loudon was born in Blair county on July 4, 1952 and entered the company's employee on Jan. 15, 1880. He served in various departments and at the time of his retirement was rounding out his tenth year in the car shops. Mr. Loudon was considered one of the company's expert mechanics and in his retirement the company loses a valued hand. George N. Wyandt is a veteran of the Civil war and has been a watchman on the Fourth street bridge for the past seven or eight years, previous to which he worked in the car repair department. A sketch of his career has already appeared in the Altoona Mirror. Charles Stout has been employed in the Juniata shops, entering the company's service on Jan. 2, 1874. He was born Aug. 11, 1852. He worked in a number of departments before going to the Juniata shops where he was employed as a general helper in the erecting shops. William R. Wilmer was born Feb. 23, 1850, and entered the service of the company March 1, 1866. He was employed as a mechanic and general utility man in the Altoona machine shops. He will continue to reside in the now that he has retired from service. -------------------------------------------------------- More Deaths Reported By General Pershing Washington, Dec. 1 The following deaths have been reported by General Pershing in France: Private William E. McGee, Engineers, Nov. 27, septicaemia general, following amputation of both legs. Emergency address: Mrs. Marie McGee, Osgood, Mo. Private Clinton J. Hardwick, Engineers, Nov. 26, cerebro spinal meningitis. Emergency address: D. W. Monroe, Chadbouree, N. C. Corporal Floyd May, field artillery, Nov. 27, possibly accidental gunshot wounds. Mother, Mrs. Isabelle May, Livermore, Ky. First Class Sergeant Charles C. Hartman, Nov. 25, medical enlisted reserve corps, lobar pneumonia. Emergency address: Cora C. Hartman, 1094 E. Main street, Bridgeport, Conn. Corporal Frank J. Mecon, infantry, Nov. 29, bronchial pneumonia. Emergency address cannot be identified. -------------------------------- News of Nearby Counties Lewis Good Knode, aged 68, of Porter township, Huntingdon county, died at the Blair Memorial hospital from kidney and bladder trouble. Frank Began of Patton was killed by an accidental shot while hunting with his brother in Cambria county. Mifflin's sixty-first annual institute is over following one of the most successful meetings ever held. William Bailey, colored, was severely slashed in a fight among several negroes at Johnstown. Johnstown's council has decided on a raise in wages for the city firemen in order to keep the entire force from leaving. J. T. Gephard of Bellefonte sustained a 3 inch wound in his head, following a gun shot from another hunter. Lewis C. Beate?, who was employed in a farm near Bellefonte, was suddenly killed when a heavy farm wagon ran over his head. Cambria county courts have an unusually large number of cases this season. ------------------------------------------------------- Girl Begs Car Fare Scores of people have been stopped in the evenings during the past week at Broad avenue in the vicinity of Twenty-sixth street by a small girl about the age of 7, who asks for a nickel from each passerby, giving the story of being a distance from home and wishing to get car fare to get there. The case has been investigated and it was found that the child's parents were in a good position to support her and it is thought that the annoying practice will be stopped. ---------------------- Bartenders Elect Officers for the coming year were elected last evening at a meeting of the Bartenders' union No. 449. The following were named: President, John Rich; vice president, William Ebersole; business manager, William McKee; treasurer and inspector, Joseph Ketrow; chaplain, John McKelvey; recording secretary, John Bullock; inside guard, Walter Beam; outside guard, George Bower. Annie Whiteman PABlair Rootsweb List Administrator Annie Whiteman/Steve Patz Blair County Coordinators http://www.rootsweb.com/~pablair