Montrose - A hose race between the Montrose fire companies will take place tomorrow evening. A purse of $5 and a box of cigars will be presented to the winning company. The bell will be sounded between 7 and 8 o’clock, which will be the signal for the contesting companies to rush to the rooms and mosey down the pike to the corner of Union and South Main streets and lay a length of hose and turn a stream of water on. Judges will be stationed to give a proper decision, and the prizes will be awarded at Gardiner’s tobacco store after the contest. Mr. Gardiner hopes to have a number of these contests during the summer, but several members of No. 2 claim that after Rough & Ready have run a time or two they’ll be mild and ready to quit.
Harford - We are sorry to see the band stand removed from our public square but as our boys are so scattered, it would not be likely to be used for its original purpose. Also The cannon and ball on the green have been painted and the carriage renovated. A new flag has been purchased which will float over the big gun on the green. Also Mr. Withers, one of our old “vets” is confined to his couch, but takes his sickness as he took the hardships that came to him in the war - uncomplainingly.
East Lynn, Springville Twp. - Dyer Taylor recently had a fine lighting system installed in his house and barn. It is so constructed that matches are absolutely unnecessary. Also In Springville, C. H. Lake is installing a modern bath room in his house, also putting in hot water.
Ararat - Mrs. Robert H. [Libbey] Shelley, aged 36 years, died at her home here, Saturday morning, May 18, 1912. The funeral was held on Tuesday afternoon at 5:30 o’clock, Rev. Father Eugene O’Boyle, of Susquehanna, officiating. Interment in Ararat cemetery. Besides her husband, Mrs. Shelley is survived by three children, Marion, age 9; Beatrice, age 7; and an infant, Libbey, who was born but a few hours previous to the sad death of the mother. Mrs. Shelley was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jones W. Walker.
Susquehanna - Rev. Harry A. Mooney, a son of Mrs. Mary Mooney, (organist at St. John’s church and formerly and for many years musical directress at the county teachers’ institutes), celebrated his first Mass in his native town at Susquehanna last Sunday morning. He was ordained Saturday in the cathedral in Buffalo, by Bishop Golton. Father Mooney is well known in Montrose, having spent his vacations for a number of seasons at the home of Mrs. Calby, on Maple street. He is a very fine young man, a writer of excellent verse and a host of friends in all denominations wish him well.
Kingsley - Henry Seamans had the misfortune to lose ten cows, registered stock, which were struck by lightning in the shower Friday afternoon.
Brooklyn - Work on the State road is completed and the contractors have shipped their tools and material away. When Brooklyn bonded the town in order that the county should get the benefit of State aid in building four and a half miles of good road, she ought to have had the short piece of road built that would connect the present State road with the station at Foster [Hop Bottom]. At present the road is worth but a fraction of what it would be if connection were made with the station.
Royal, Clifford Twp. - Arthur C. Severance, postmaster and owner of a grocery store at Royal, near Crystal Lake, was run down and instantly killed at the Carbon street crossing of the Delaware & Hudson railroad in Scranton on Saturday night, when a passenger train struck and smashed to bits an automobile which Severance was driving. Severance was in the middle of the track when a passenger train going to Carbondale came along. Men called to him to jump, but he tried to back his car off the tracks. The pilot hit the auto, carried it 20 feet to one side and it struck the side of a house with a crash, then rolled into a ditch along the tracks. Severance was lifted from the debris to the sidewalk, where he breathed twice and expired. The auto was broken into bits and Severance was badly mangled. The body was removed to Cusick’s morgue and Sunday afternoon taken home to the widow, who was prostrated by the news of her husband’s awful death.
Forest City - Orlin Davis, a clerk in the Davis & Allen pharmacy, was badly burned about the head and face Friday afternoon, when a bottle of alcohol exploded in the prescription room of the store. When the alcohol blazed up, furnishings in the room caught fire. The damage to the store was slight. Davis was standing near an open bottle of alcohol and a can of kerosene oil and was lighting a match when the flame was attracted to the alcohol and then came the explosion.
South Gibson - Mrs. Will Owens has been assisting the town people with their house cleaning. She has a new vacuum cleaner.
Flynn, Middletown Twp. - The young ladies here are practicing playing ball, as they intend to give an exhibition game the day of our picnic, the 15th of August.
Thompson - We are glad to note that the department at Harrisburg has notified the Thompson school board that their application for a High School has been approved. The term will open Sept. 1, with Prof. H. C. Burleigh, of Mansfield, in charge.
New Milford - Elwin Decker’s son was badly poisoned in an effort to clean the nozzle of a spraying pump. In order to loosen it he placed the nozzle in his mouth to suck it out. It loosened suddenly and a large quantity of the poison, composed of Paris green and creolin, entered his mouth and he swallowed some of it. Dr. W. E. Parks was hastily summoned and administered the usual antidotes and soon had the young man out of danger.
Dimock - W. J. Cronk has purchased a fine road horse, which leaves the dust far behind. AND Emma Avery, of Springville, has a large class of music pupils here, to which she gives lessons every Saturday.
Fairdale - Next Sunday in the M. E. church at Fair Hill there will be Sunday school at 1 o’clock and divine service at 2 o’clock. The pastor will preach. Subject, “Lessons from Springtime,” or, “Good sowing means good reaping.” You are cordially invited to the service. Epworth League at 7:30 p.m.
Be sure to go to our website, www.susqcohistsoc.org, for back issues of 100 Years Ago.
As graduation season approaches, the climate becomes ripe for underage drinking. With underage drinking comes the adult who furnishes the alcohol to the children. Over the years, I have been amazed at the willingness of some parents to provide and furnish alcohol to minors during graduation parties or other functions. This parental conduct is particularly disturbing where the adults understand that the conduct is criminal, but manage to justify their criminal acts. I hear the same excuses repeatedly, i.e., if you can vote or die for your country, you should be able to drink a beer. Other adults justify the conduct by stating that they will make sure that no one drives an automobile or that it is better that they drink under my supervision than somewhere else unsupervised. Regardless of the excuses or the safeguards implemented, the furnishing of alcohol to a minor is a criminal act.
There is no doubt that the children and young adults understand that they should not be drinking alcohol. They know that it is against the law. Yet, there are parents that believe that it is a good decision to show their child that disregard of the rule of law is appropriate behavior. The parents often defend their conduct by suggesting that they are teaching their children to drink “responsibly.” It is truly odd when the term “responsibly” is used to describe criminal behavior, but there are parents who fail to see the glaring contradiction. In any other context, such parental support of a child’s criminal activities would be condemned. In our society, however, there is little condemnation for not only underage drinking, but also for the enabling parents.
While societal attitudes may not persuade parents or other adults from furnishing alcohol to minors, perhaps an awareness of the criminal sanctions connected with such conduct might. Those charged with the furnishing alcohol to minors are often shocked at the potential consequences resulting from such actions. The criminal offense of furnishing alcohol to a minor is a misdemeanor of the third degree, punishable by up to one-year incarceration and a fine up to $2,500. The legislature, however, has deemed this offense to be so severe that a mandatory fine of $1,000 for the initial violation and a mandatory fine of $2,500 for each subsequent violation.
If you consider this matter practically, the potential financial penalty for furnishing alcohol to minors can be staggering. If a parent were to throw a graduation party for his child and allowed his child and 9 friends to consume alcoholic beverages at the party, the parent would have committed ten separate acts of furnishing alcohol to minors. The first violation would have a fine of $1,000 and each subsequent violation would have a fine of $2,500. If convicted of 10 counts of furnishing alcohol to minors, the parent faces a minimum fine of $23,500 and a potential period of incarceration of up to 10 years.
As to the minors, they also face criminal prosecution. The consumption (or possession) of alcohol by a minor is a summary offense, resulting in a fine of not less than $300 for a first offense, and not more than $500 for any second and subsequent violations. For the minors, the financial penalty may not be as severe, but a conviction also results in a suspension of the minor’s driver’s license for 90 days on the first offense, one year on the second offense, and two years for a third or subsequent offense.
Finally, the furnishing of alcohol to minors can also have tragic consequences. Several years ago, I prosecuted three separate motor vehicle accidents that resulted in death to a passenger in each vehicle. In each case, the operator of the motor vehicle was under 21 years of age, the operator was under the influence of alcohol, and each operator was charged with homicide by motor vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol. In the case of a person under 21, the Commonwealth need only establish a blood alcohol content of .02%, which amounts to basically one 12-ounce beer, in order to prove a DUI offense. In each of those cases, the young adult was prosecuted for homicide by motor vehicle while DUI and each defendant received a minimum sentence of 3 years in a state correctional institution. While the punishment is significant, it pales in comparison with the pain and remorse that each young person will bear for the remainder of their lives – knowing that they made destructive decisions that resulted in the death of a close friend.
The bottom line is that the legislature has good reason for prohibiting persons under 21 years of age from drinking alcohol. When children and young adults are under 21 years of age, the issue is not about drinking responsibly, it is simply about not drinking period. Hopefully, this graduation season, and throughout the summer, adults and children will make good decisions that are in accord with the law.
Please submit any questions, concerns, or comments to Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office, P.O. Box 218, Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801 or at www.SusquehannaCounty-DA.org.
June is just around the corner and with June comes the Library’s Summer Reading Programs. Registration online begins on June 1st at www.susqcolibrary.org and in person starting on June 11th. There are programs for all ages, including the return of the county-wide adult summer reading program started last year, and it is all free.
The children’s program is called “Dream Big” and the teen program (ages 12 and up) is called “Own the Night.” Programs and age-groupings vary at the different library locations; however, all the age-specific programs are available at the Montrose location. Please check your local library for details. Special programs will be listed on our web site for all age groups. In general, the programs begin in June and end by August 10th.
The adult program is entitled “Between the Covers” is open to any library card holder throughout the Susquehanna County Library system. Last summer, my husband, who always had a pile of books that he was going to read, made his way through almost 20 books during this time period.
Even if you do not participate in one of these organized programs, we urge you to make visits to the your local library location in Susquehanna, Hallstead-Great Bend, Forest City, or Montrose part of your regular summer activities. If you do not have a library card, stop in today and get one. Remember, why buy when you can borrow!
These programs are just another way the Susquehanna County Library seeks to become your resource for lifetime learning.
