Ref: Town and Country Newspaper Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA Saturday - November 14, 1903 STABLE SAVED FROM FLAMES The frame stable of Granville W. GERHART, of Pennsburg, was saved from destruction by fire on Tuesday forenoon by Edward LIVEZEY and James PFLEIGER. They were engaged in hauling cornfodder in a field near Mr. GERHART's stable when they saw smoke issuing from the windows in the hay mow. They at once ran to the stable and found the manure ablaze under the horse's feet and the stable filled with smoke. They hurriedly set to work to extinguish the flames and save the horse from being roasted alive. After heroic work they got the flames under control and thereby saved the building. The cause of the fire is a mystery. OLD ESTABLISHED SEED FIRM FAILS Four creditors of the D. LADRETH and Sons, seed merchants, of Philadelphia, on Friday filed a petition in the United States District Court, asking that the firm be adjudged involuntary bankrupts. A receiver being asked for judge McPHERSON, of Philadelphia, appointed Bayard HENRY to act in that capacity, and he entered security in $25,000. The house of D. LADRETH and Sons is one of the oldest in the country, having been founded in 1784. FORMER WEALTHY BREWER'S REMOVAL DELAYED Detective Henry MANGER, of Milwaukee, who is at Reading, with requisition papers issued by Governor LaFOLETTE, of Wisconsin, for George F. LAUER, on the charge of obtaining $115 in cash on false pretenses from a Milwaukee firm, has met with an obstacle to the former wealthy brewer's removal. LAUER is under $800 bonds for an alleged offense committed in Philadelphia, and he cannot be taken to Milwaukee until the matter is settled. TRAMP BROKE WINDOW PANES Because she refused to give him anything to eat a tramp broke nearly all of the window panes on the first floor at the home of Mrs. William KUHLMAN, at Reading. FORMER EAST GREENVILLE RESIDENT NOW A PROMINENT HOTEL PROPRIETOR AT POTTSTOWN Elias H. GILBERT (picture), a former resident of East Greenville, is one of the proprietors of the Merchants Hotel (picture), at Pottstown, one of the most complete and well appointed hotels in Montgomery county. This famous hostlery has just been entirely, remodeled and refurnished throughout, and it was formally thrown open for the inspection of the public on Thursday. The alterations and rebuilding have consumed nearly a year. The hotel has been rebuilt from top to bottom, and thoroughly refurnished until now it is the handsomest and largest hotel in the Schuylkill Valley. The offices have been removed to a central location and within easy reach of the clerk is a system of call and return-bells that reach every room in the building. The dining room has been enlarged, and is now capable of accomodating 150 guests and similar improvements and conveniences have been placed in every department. A new passenger elevator was also placed in the hallway. The entire house is lighted by electricity and heated by steam. There are seventy-five sleeping rooms, two parlors, six bath rooms and in fact every comfort known to hotel life has been secured. The Merchants hotel has been conducted by E.H. GILBERT & Co., for the past ten years, and before that it was run by Elias Y. GILBERT, father of the present proprietors. It was erected in 1846, and in all these years it has been recognized as one of the leading hotels in the Schuylkill Valley. It is owned by the FEGELY estate. SHOT MANY RABBITS AT HEREFORD Alderman Henry L. WICKEL, Constable John BORRELL and his son John, of Reading, spent two days last week in Hereford and returned with 53 rabbits. Fred DEEMER and John BAKER, also of Reading, had 16 to their credit. FORTUNE TELLER CAUSES TROUBLE It cost the wife of George WOODLEY, a Reading railway watchman at Hanover street, Pottstown, $17 to have a Washington Hill fortune teller inform her that her husband was unfaithful. Mrs. WOODLEY haunted the neighborhood of the crossing to discover evidences of his alleged guilt. The watchman was so indignant over her belief in the fortune teller's accusations that, it is alleged, he struck his wife. She had him arrested, but the case was settled. The WOODLEYs have been married twenty-seven years, have twelve children, and had always lived happily. SIXTY-EIGHT YEAR OLD CIDER Mahlon HILLEGASS, a prominent and respected resident of East Greenville, is the possessor of a quantity of cider which is 68 years old. It was made by his father in 1835 and carefully preserved ever since. It is now very strong but of excellent flavor. There are few people who can keep such beverages any longth of time and especially for such an extended period when, as is said of wine, it improves with age. SUED FOR DAMAGES Simon P. KLINE, of Lansdale, on Wednesday, instituted suit against the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company for $10,000 damages to compensate him for personal injuries sustained by being struck by a passenger train at Clifton's crossing in North Lansdale last April. He was driving a three horse team across the railroad when the rear of his wagon was struck by a south bound train. It was broken to pieces and he was hurled out being impaled on a nearby fence. He sustained compound fractures of the leg and was so severely injured otherwise that he is crippled for life. He alleges that he stopped, looked and listened carefully. A north bound freight train had just passed between him and the southbound track. After waiting for the freight to pass he exercised due caution before attempting to cross. Although he had a clear view he did not notice the oncoming passenger train which he alleges failed to sound either bell or whistle. A.C. GODSHALL & Co., of whose wagon KLINE had charge, have brought suit against the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company to recover the value of the wagon which was demolished by being struck at North Lansdale crossing. They claim $260 damages. HEIRS SECURE SETTLEMENT On motion of H.P. KEISER, the heirs of Andrew K. SCHULTZ, Hereford, deceased were called in the Reading court on Tuesday to accept or refuse the real estate of the decedent, under proceedings in partition. Andrew H. SHULTZ, a son of the decedent, appeared and desired to accept the real estate. A store stand and lot of ground on High street, in Pottstown, at its valuation, $12,000 and none of the other heirs offering to bid more, the property was allotted to him at the valuation. A recognizance in $24,000 was entered into to secure the payment of the shares of the other heirs within one year, with interest from April 1, 1904. FOUND A VALUABLE HORSE BLANKET Jeremiah HAAS, of Hereford, an employee in the Eureka silk mills of Pennsburg, on Monday morning found a valuable lap blanket in the street in front of Joseph GRIESAMER's place, near Hereford. He made inquiry as to whose it was and it later was discovered that H.E. WERLEY, of the Keely House, owned the blanket to whom it was returned. The blanket was lost by Mr. REPPERT, clerk in L.Y. MESCHTER's store, of East Greenville, who had hired Mr. WERLEY's team. TOOK POSSESSION OF THE WOXALL STORE William SHISLER, has resigned his position in the Salfordville store, and has rented the Woxall store, of which he took possession this week. Harry EMERY, of Harleysville, fills the vacancy at the Salfordville store. ELECTED PRESIDENT OF LUTHER LEAGUE Howard LINSENBIGLER, of Spinnerstown, was elected as president of the Luther League of the St. John's Lutheran church of near Spinnerstown. CANDIDATE FOR MERCANTILE APPRAISER William B. DIEHL, of Pennsburg, has announced his candidacy for the Mercantile Appraisership. Mr. DIEHL is a staunch republican and a party worker. He would be thoroughly competent to fulfill the duties of the office, should he secure the appointment. FORGED ORDER FOR CLOTHING Charged with forging an order by which he secured clothing from Weitzenkorn & Sons, Pottstown, Frank LOWERY, with a long string of aliases, was committed to prison. BOYS ARRESTED FOR WRECKING SIGNALS Robert R. CLOUSER and Edward M. YOCUM, aged 17 years, were arrested for wrecking signals along the Reading and Womelsdorf trolley lines and crippling the service for a day.