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Valley Spirit: December 7, 1870 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Not Cheap Voting
(Column 02)

Summary: Accuses local Republicans of buying black votes and when the former failed to win the election, assessed black voters a fee to compensate for the loss.

Full Text of Article:

During the campaign, the Radical leaders of Franklin County were willing to foot all the bills the payment of which was necessary to qualify the negroes to vote. All they asked of them was that they should vote for Cessna and the whole ticket. Accordingly, in the Borough of Chambersburg, out of the $100,000 corruption fund, they paid the taxes of over two hundred colored suffragists. All but a few who were property holders, were assessed twenty-eight cents and this was the amount that had to be forthcoming in every case.

Now, all this was cheerfully paid under the expectation and in the hope of a glorious triumph. But when defeat was their lot instead of victory, they began to regret the useless expenditure of this money, and, after casting about for some time to reimburse themselves, they hit upon the idea of assessing each colored voter seventy-five cents. They knew that a large portion of them could not, and would not pay anything, and they thought that by assessing three quarters of a dollar, they might raise from those who were able to pay as much as they had expended for all. Colored agents were selected to go among the negroes and collect this assessment. One of these agents got from the poor darkies for this purpose about twenty dollars which he "salted down" in his own pockets, saying "if I hab to do de dirty work, I'se gwine to be paid for it."

The darkies say it isn't cheap work voting the Radical ticket.

Pennsylvania Census
(Column 04)

Summary: The paper prints Pennsylvania's census returns. Franklin's population stands at 45,383, an increase from 42,126 in 1860.

Dramatic Troupe
(Column 01)

Summary: The Coleman Dramatic Troupe performed last week in Repository Hall to small crowds.

Reunion of the 126th Regiment PA. Vols.
(Column 01)

Summary: The Cumberland Valley Railroad is issuing excursion tickets to veterans who wish to attend the reunion of the 126th Pennsylvania Volunteers. It will be held in Chambersburg on December 15th.

The Palace Show of America
(Column 01)

Summary: Dickson and Zucher's Novelty Silver Show and Carnival of Fun will exhibit in Repository Hall on December 6th and 7th. Their performance is reputed to be very entertaining. They will be giving away flour, coal, and silverware to guests.

College Grounds to be Laid Out
(Column 01)

Summary: Donald Mitchell and Dr. John Curwen visited Chambersburg to see Wilson College. Mitchell has a plan for the layout of the grounds, and Dr. Curwen, Superintendent of the State Insane Hospital, has been an important supporter of the college.
(Names in announcement: Donald Mitchell, Dr. John Curwen)

It Don't Cost Much
(Column 02)

Summary: According to the statement of the Borough Treasurer, $12,834.50 have been spent on street repairs. The work of cutting down the Waynesboro road continues. "It is a luxury to have these alterations made in the streets at such figures. The groaning tax-payers seem to favor it and we must 'grin and bear it.'"

A Case of Supposed Lockjaw
(Column 02)

Summary: Job Hockersmith, an employee of S. and J. Robinson in Chambersburg, cut his finger slightly last week and has since come down with the symptoms of lockjaw.
(Names in announcement: Job Hockersmith, S. Robinson, J. Robinson)

Dr. Willits' Lecture
(Column 02)

Summary: Two hundred people heard Dr. Willits lecture on "Sunshine or the Philosophy of a Happy Life." He entertained the crowd with his gift for humor.
(Names in announcement: Dr. Willits)

Dental Society
(Column 02)

Summary: The Cumberland Valley Dental Society met in the rooms of Dr. H. Forrest on December 1st. The society elected officers, including G. W. Neldich, president.
(Names in announcement: Dr. H. Forrest, Dr. J. L. Suesserott, G. W. Neldich, Dr. G. F. Platt, Dr. J. C. Miller, Dr. M. A. Berry, J. N. Wunderlich)

A Thief Caught
(Column 02)

Summary: George Book, a black man wanted for stealing money from the store on Wingert, Phillips, and Co., was apprehended in Harrisburg for a separate crime. Officer Houser brought him to Chambersburg to face trial.
(Names in announcement: George Book, Houser)

Population of Franklin County
(Column 02)

Summary: Lists population census data for Franklin county, emphasizing the fact that the county experienced an increase in population over the last ten years.

Full Text of Article:

We ary under obligations to Gen. E.M. Gregory, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of this State, for the statistics which we give below in relation to the population of Franklin County. Instead of giving us, however, the population of each census subdivision, it would have been far more gratifying and satisfactory to have had the population of each township and Borough separately.

In 1860, the population of the county was 42,126 and in 1870 it is 45,383. Showing an increase of 3,257 in the last ten years.

The population of Lurgan, Fannett and Southampton townships is 5,435.

Of Green, Letterkenny and Metal townships, 6,954.

Of North Ward of Chambersburg and Hamilton township, 4,611.

Of St. Thomas and Peters townships, 4,516.

Of Warren and Montgomery townships, and Mercersburg Borough, 5,188.

Of South Ward of Chambersburg, 3,333.

Of Guilford and Quincy townships, 6,214.

Of Antrim township and Greencastle Borough, 5,413.

Of Waynesboro' and Washington township, 3,719.

A Curiosity
(Column 03)

Summary: Reports on the exploits of a visiting black man who can do unusual maneuvers with his body.

Full Text of Article:

The Greencastle Echo has the following:--"A colored man, who claims to be a native of Prussia, has been exhibiting himself around the town the past week. He has a double organization, and can change his heart in four different positions, whilst his bowels revolve around like a ball with great rapidity--backward and forward--and when their motion ceases, an extra set of ribs slide down and cover the entire abdomen. He says he does not suffer in the least from their curious freak of nature.--Several of our physicians say that he is a curious phenomenon, and that there is nothing in the medical works pointing to a similar case."

This man was in this Borough last week. He is one of the most astonishing pieces of humanity that we have ever seen. The above account from the Echo is not at all overdrawn.

A Baby Abandoned
(Column 03)

Summary: Tells of an incident where a woman attempted to abandon a baby at the alms house. She was caught but then let a black woman adopt the child. Editor speculates the woman abandoned her baby because the father was black.
(Names in announcement: T. B. Wood, Elizabeth Grimes)

Full Text of Article:

Some time ago, a woman about thirty years of age, came from Cumberland county to the Alms House, having with her a child three or four years old. About nine weeks ago she was confined and gave birth to a male infant.--Both the children remained at the Alms House and the mother went to the Montgomery Hotel to work. On last Wednesday morning, she went out to the Alms House and took the children away.

About ten o'clock of the same morning a child was found in a woodpile on the ground attached to Mr. T. B. Wood's Foundry in this Borough. Its clothing was there with it. This fact was soon noised about town. Dr. Boyle, who is the Physician at the Alms House and who was present at the birth of the infant to which we referred, went to the house to which this child had been taken and immediately recognized the child of the woodpile as the one that belonged to the Alms House. He went to the Montgomery Hotel and confronted the woman telling her that she had abandoned her child, that the fact was known, and that she must at once take it in charge.--She answered him nothing, but afterwards went to the house and claimed the child.--It was discovered that she had made her arrangements to leave town in the one o'clock train of Wednesday and commit the child to whatever fate might befall it.

A colored woman expressed an earnest desire to take the child and raise it, and to this proposition the heartless woman cheerfully acceded, parting with it without any apparent reluctance whatever. She took the older child and left on Thursday. She gives the name of Elizabeth Grimes. She is a white woman, but the father of the child is certainly a black man.

Death of Mr. Isaac Snively
(Column 04)

Summary: Isaac Snively, son of Benjamin Snively of Antrim, died at his father's residence of consumption. He was interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Greencastle. Snively was "a gentleman of the finest feelings, a sincere and true friend, honest, upright and courteous." He served in the 126th PA regiment. He lived in Pittsburgh for quite a while and worked for the Adams Express Company. He recently visited Europe where his health improved for a short time.
(Names in announcement: Isaac Snively, Benjamin Snively)

Married
(Column 05)

Summary: Jacob M. Weber of Green and Miss Elvina C. Rice of Fayetteville were married on December 4th by the Rev. Dr. B. S. Schneck.
(Names in announcement: Jacob M. Weber, Elvina C. Rice, Dr. B. S. Schneck)

Married
(Column 05)

Summary: Samuel Geddes Noonan and Miss Ann E. Rodgers, both of Carrick, were married on November 17th at the residence of Enos Rodgers by the Rev. J. Smith Gordon.
(Names in announcement: Samuel Geddes Noonan, Ann E. Rodgers, Enos Rodgers, Rev. J. Smith Gordon)

Died
(Column 05)

Summary: Miss Jane McConnell died on November 7th at the residence of J. D. Walker. She was 76 years old.
(Names in announcement: Jane McConnell, J. D. Walker)

Died
(Column 05)

Summary: James W. Ginley Witherow, son of William and Laura Witherow, died on November 19th. He was 1 year old.
(Names in announcement: James W. Ginley Witherow, William Witherow, Laura Witherow)