Ref: Town and Country Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA Saturday - August 12, 1905 FIREMEN HAVE BIG TIME AT RED HILL TESTING NEW FIRE ENGINE A gala day was enjoyed by the residents of Red Hill and many of the people of the surrounding country, on Saturday, when the Red Hill firemen tested and housed their new chemical engine. An elaborate program had been prepared and although the exercises did not take place till the afternoon, all was din and bustle from early morning to perfect arrangements for the afternoon festivities. The day was an ideal one, everything was auspicious for the occasion and all passed off without a hitch. Prior to the dedicatory exercises there was a parade of firemen through the main street of the borough. The parade was headed by the John STEPHENS Band and the Hancock Chemical Company, composed of about fifty men, of Norristown. Following in order were the Century Fife and Drum Corps. of Allentown; Pennsburg Fire Company, Red Hill Band, Red Hill Fire Company, and last but not least, the Darktown Fire Company, of Pennsburg, under the able fire chief Frank GRABER. The firemen looked their be! st and made an impressive appearance, but all along the line of march the Darktown Company held the gaze of the onlookers and received tumultuous applause on account of their humorous antics and their funny makeup. The Darktown had a number of wagons in line with banners flying and all conceivable utensils for fighting fire loaded on their improvised trucks. The parade was halted in front of the new two story brick fire house of the Red Hill Company when the exercises took place. Justice J.P. KLINE had charge of the program. Prayer was offered by Rev. G.W. LUTZ, of the Pennsburg Reformed church. Several musical selections followed after which a dedicatory address was delivered by Rev. LUTZ. W.H. KERN, of Red Hill followed, who delivered an inspiring address to the citizens of Red Hill and to the firemen. This was followed by an act not on the program, Thomas JAMISON, president of the Hancock Fire Company, stepped to the front and presented a beautiful silver trumpet to the ! new Red Hill Company in a few well-chosen but deeply impressive words. The new chemical engine was then housed by the members of the Hancock Company. The parade was re-formed and all marched to a nearby woods where elaborate preparations had been made to entertain the visiting firemen. The different bands rendered musical selections and the hundreds of people who had assembled spent an afternoon of great pleasure. Promptly at four o'clock a new feature was introduced, the testing of the new engine. This part of the program was in the hands of the Hancock Company. An inflammable structure had been built, the whole saturated with kerosene oil and a match applied. The new engine quickly checked the flames but they were allowed to regain headway again and again so as to more fully demonstrate the superior qualities of the new engine. Towards the end of the test the Darktown Company rushed to the fire with all their rattling paraphernalia and set empty buckets, axes, buck-saws, garden hose and pitcher pumps into motion and by their burlesque called! forth roars of side splitting laughter from the interested crowd. The Red Hill Fire Company is a new organization, composed of one hundred of the representative citizens of the thriving borough of Red Hill. The new engine was secured by subscription. FARMERS' NAMES ON GATE Every farmer should have his name on his farm gate. It is more difficult sometimes to find a farm in the country than a house in a city as the latter are numbered. If every farm should be designated by the name of its owner, or even by number, it would be an improvement over the present system of using nothing at all. - Allentown Democrat. LIGHTNING STRIKES BOY While watching cows near Shanesville, during a thunder storm on Wednesday afternoon, Robert HARSLE, aged 10 years, was rendered unconscious by a bolt of lightning. The boy carried an umbrella and the bolt passed along the steel frame and through his body to the ground. He was found in an unconscious condition by his mother. STILL ACTIVE AT 86 The village of Shimersville is the home of one of the most remarkable octogenarians in this part of the State, in the person of Samuel STOUDT, who is 86 years of age. Mr. STOUDT is a shoemaker by trade and on account of his excellent workmanship he enjoys a very large trade. The aged man is still hale and hearty and is able to do as much work in any line of manual labor as men of 45 years and upwards. HARVEST HOME SERVICES Pennsburg Reformed, August 13, 10. a.m. Christ, Niantic, Aug. 20, 9.30 a.m. Sassamansville Reformed, Aug. 20, 2.00 p.m. New Goshenhoppen, Aug. 13, 10 a.m. TO ASYLUM FROM HORSE BITE Bitten in the shoulder by a stallion the latter part of last week, Lewis RINKER, a veternarian, of Allentown, became violently insane and was committed to the County Hospital where he was kept chained in a padded apartment. His condition became so serious that he was removed to the Insane Asylum at Norristown, on Tuesday. NO MORE FEASTS County Controller LIVINGOOD finds that the table set for the use of the employes and officials at the Berks County Almshouse is entirely too lavish. Last month, he says, $22 was spent for fruit and melons for the employes table alone. This included 140 dozen bananas. Mr. LIVINGOOD, after a visit to the home, says he was surprised to find the dinner one of the most lavish he ever saw at a public institution. He stated there were three kinds of meats, besides chickens, and eleven kinds of dessert. Stewart HOLLENBACH was told that the meals of the employes must consist of plain but wholesome food, with not more than one dessert. "At this rate the cost of boarding the employes will cost more than the maintenance of all the inmates," said the Controller. "The table they now set is entirely too expensive. I am determined to stop this feasting at the expense of the county, and the days of eleven desserts are ended." LODGES WILL CONSOLIDATE With a joint membership of 397, Keystone and Monocacy Lodges, I.O.O.F. of Bethlehem, have agreed to consolidate under the charter of the Keystone Lodge, which is one of the oldest and most influential in the state. DIED FROM LOCKJAW Stepping into a rusty nail, lockjaw developed, causing the death of Frank RAPP, aged 8 years, of Lebanon.