Ararat - “Colonial Jack,” the noted long distance “wheelbarrow pedestrian,” who walked and pushed a wheel barrow 9000 miles around the border of the United States, arrived in this place at 10:30 o’clock on Friday a.m., Sept. 26. He made a short stop here then wended his way toward Herrick where he expected to stop for dinner. “Jack” held a moving picture show Thursday evening in Susquehanna and did well to leave that place Friday morning, walking and pushing a wheel barrow via Jackson and reach this place by 10:30. He was billed for a picture show in Forest City that evening.

Herrick Center – What might have been a serious accident occurred Wednesday of last week, when a team of horses, belonging to J. J. Walker, ran away. Mr. Walker was returning from Montrose and had reached the foot of Johnson hill when the report of a rifle in the hands of some one in the woods nearby frightened the team and they got away from their driver, who was thrown out and left unconscious on the hill. The horses ran to their home at the top of the hill, better than a half mile away, and failing to get unto the barn, ran off the basement wall, piling themselves up in such a manner that they could not get up until help came from an adjoining farm. They escaped without serious injuries to themselves or to the wagon or harness. Mr. Walker, although stunned from the fall, only complains of a lame side and arm.

Springville – Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Kerr, of Kerr & Son, are the manufacturers of the Niagara Fruit Pail (the invention of Homer Kerr) and we are pleased to learn that this pail is finding much favor with large fruit growers, where introduced. It is destined to have a large sale.

New Milford – Traffic on the D. L. & W. was completely tied up for two hours Sunday afternoon owing to the derailment of two cars of a freight train running east of here.

Lanesboro – A wreck in which three lives were lost and one man injured occurred Monday night on the Delaware and Hudson Railroad near here, when two fast freights had a head on collision. The wreck occurred near the D & H coal pockets and is said to be due either to a mix-up in orders or signals. Three young men who were stealing a ride on the back end of the engine tank were instantly killed when the crash came.

West Jackson – Miss Corse and Miss Mallery, of the Lake View school, entertained the scholars and friends on Thursday evening at the church, with pictures of Niagara Falls and a descriptive reading.

Forest City – As W. J. Maxey, W. J. McLaughlin, Henry Weiss, Thos. Stratford and Wm. Connally were coming to Montrose, Tuesday, in the latter’s car, to attend the Republican committee meeting, a tire burst near Henry Booth’s in Harford township and the auto turned turtle, pinning Maxey and McLaughlin under the car. They were taken from beneath the car and were injured, though not seriously, and the party took the train at Kingsley for their homes.

Brandt – A mysterious shooting affray occurred Wednesday morning at 2:30 o’clock in the vicinity of the brick yards here, when William Alexander, of Lanesboro, a D. & H. fireman, was shot in the left side, about four inches below the heart, while at his work. Alexander was firing the pusher and was in a stooping position when he felt a sharp pain in his side. He heard a sharp report about the moment he was hit and at first thought that something from the fire in the firebox had flew out and hit him. He was taken to the hospital at Susquehanna. In conversation with Alexander in the morning, he stated that he could throw no light on the shooting. He said he had a few enemies in Lanesboro but would not accuse any of them directly, or indirectly, of doing such a cowardly trick. A D. & H. detective arrived in Lanesboro and will make a rigid investigation to find out, if possible, who was guilty of the attempt of murder.

Great Bend – Contractor T. H. Gill, who has the contract for the good roads, states that he intends to push the work as rapidly as possible and expects to complete the road early next summer. A large number of teams are drawing dirt on the flats. A steam shovel is helping them get the dirt from W. Colsten’s Hill.

East Rush – We regret to notice so many of our people visiting on the Sabbath and neglecting the preaching services. It seems as though this ought not to be as we only have preaching every other week and every one ought to avail themselves of the opportunity. We are sure those that did not attend services last Sabbath missed a great treat, as Brother Snyder gave us an excellent sermon.

Montrose – J. C. Hawley, proprietor of the new shirt factory, informed us yesterday that the factory will open Monday next. While he has labored under some difficulty in getting his equipment installed, he feels that the time has been well spent making every detail satisfactory to the rules governing factories in this state.

Hopbottom – E. L. Yaw, proprietor of the Foster House, recently purchased a fine automobile for the accommodation of the public.

Glenwood – Our mail deliverer, Mr. Brown, last week, was driving his horse, having damaged a tire on his auto. Old Dobbin may be slower, but he is always sure.

Fowler Hill, Auburn Twp. – Chicken roasts are the order of the nights now. People had better keep their guns loaded and their chicken coops locked.

Uniondale – The Tri-County fair is on this week and a majority of our townspeople are in attendance. School was closed here Wednesday to give the students a chance to attend.

News Brief: Honesdale clergymen have started a movement to line up the clergy of the state in opposition to the remarriage of divorced persons. ALSO “Suffering
gents” is the way John J. Titman alludes to the female crusaders after the ballot. We are expecting to be able to print another item soon concerning the loss of his life. (From the Tunkhannock Republican) ALSO State College, of State College, Pa., has entered upon its 55th year with 1,500 students enrolled. The opening marked the 5th anniversary of Dr. Sparks as head of the institution.

I received a call from a public interest group doing a survey of prosecutors in counties in which the gas industry has engaged in “heavy fracking” activities. In particular, the group was attempting to create a correlation between “heavy fracking” and increased crime rates. It was apparent from the tone of the telephone conversation that the “survey” was heavily slanted toward a pre-determined conclusion, i.e., crime magically increases whenever the gas industry increases “fracking” activities. The mere hypothesis itself is laughable, yet the young man on the other side of the telephone seemed very serious about his survey.

When I told him that I had not seen any discernible increase in my criminal load as a result of “fracking,” whether it be “light” or “heavy,” the stern surveyor suggested to me that I must be mistaken. He had spoken to other prosecutors who had confirmed that crime increases whenever the frequency and rate of hydraulic fracking increases within a community. I assured him that there had been no such spike in Susquehanna County – but then I could only speak for Susquehanna County and not the other prosecutors in other counties.

I admitted that we have had some arrests in connection with people employed in the oil and gas industry. Generally speaking, these arrests are DUI offenses, some simple assaults and a few sexual assaults. I stressed that whenever you increased a population, the increase in the population will statistically result in more arrests. It has nothing to do with hydraulic fracking – it is simple demographics. On the other hand, I had not noticed anything to suggest our indigenous population had turned to crime as a result of hydraulic fracking in Susquehanna County. At least, no one has admitted to becoming a criminal because hydraulic fracking drove them to it.

When the young man still expressed some level of disbelief, I decided to give him some numbers. I noted that last year we topped 650 cases – marking the first time Susquehanna County had ever exceeded 600 cases in a single year. Bingo! The young man pressed me saying that this means that hydraulic fracking was creating more criminals. He was ready to terminate the telephone call at that moment, but I was not letting him off that easily.

I stated that the statistic was skewed because we had one single criminal defendant who accounted for over 25 cases (burglaries) himself – and his co-defendant who added another 15 or so. They were overachievers, but they were criminals before hydraulic fracking ever came to Susquehanna County. In fact, I noted that I had already prosecuted the one offender three times – and this marked the third time he had been sentenced to state prison since I became a prosecutor 15 years ago. At the time of his sentencing hearing, he never mentioned hydraulic fracking as playing any role in his criminal pathology. No, this prolific burglar blamed his crime spree on the usual culprit – heroin – though I suspect he might have tried to blame hydraulic fracking as well if he thought anyone would have believed it.

I then told him that our criminal numbers are down this year – and down significantly – to the point that we will likely be only around 500 cases this year. If the numbers remain consistent, it will mark a huge decrease from 2012 – and a small decrease from the years immediately preceding 2012. I queried whether it was possible that increased hydraulic fracking could have caused a decrease in crime in Susquehanna County. My surveying friend did not seem amused with my humor. But if my suggestion was ridiculous, as it was, then why would he not see the absurdity in his own inquiries?

There is a quote often attributed to Mark Twain that goes something like this: “There are lies, damned lies and statistics.” I think about that quote whenever I see a survey or a study that purports to definitively connect two unrelated things conclusively in a way that makes no sense. The mere fact that a group was doing a survey seeking to create a connection between hydraulic fracking and increased crime rates probably tells you all you need to know about what the group is trying to sell – and that should be enough by itself to keep you from buying it.

If it is not, I can assure you that we have not seen any crime wave resulting from hydraulic fracking. In fact, I cannot think of a single criminal case caused by hydraulic fracking. Obviously, there have been arrests of individuals connected with the gas industry, but I cannot say that as a population those folks are any more likely to commit a criminal offense than the indigenous population itself. This is not an endorsement of the safety or efficacy of hydraulic fracking in any way – I can simply tell you that there is no evidence that hydraulic fracking creates criminals.

Please submit any questions, concerns, or comments to Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office, P.O. Box 218, Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801 or at our website www.SusquehannaCounty-DA.org or discuss this and all articles at http://dadesk.blogspot.com/.

“The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Did you know that September was designated as Roald Dahl Month? Maybe you don’t recognize the name, but I’m betting you have all read some of his works! How about “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”? Or “James and the Giant Peach”? Ahh, do those titles ring a bell? Mr. Dahl wore many hats during his lifetime—Novelist, Screenwriter, Short Story Writer. Poet, Fighter Pilot and was once married to talented Actress Patricia Neal. Many of his books are on the shelves of your local Library Branch just waiting to be selected for your enjoyment—for example: “The Minpins”, “The Magic Finger”, “The Twits”, “The BFG”, “The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me”, Fantastic Mr. Fox”, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”, “Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator”, and “Matilda”, just to name a few. Take some time from your busy schedule and make a date with your family to visit your local Library Branch—these and many other engaging titles and adventures await you!

In Susquehanna, the Reader’s Group met at 4:00 on September 19th and discussed Author Mitch Albom’s book, “The Time Keeper”. You will probably remember one of his other works, “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”, which was made into a movie, among others. “The Time Keeper” is a compelling fable about the first man on earth to count the hours-- the man who became “Father Time”. October’s selection will be “Brooklyn” by Colm Toibin, where you will be introduced to an unforgettable character, Eilis Lacey, who has come of age in small-town Ireland in the hard years following World War II. When an Irish Priest from Brooklyn offers to sponsor Eilis in America, she decides she must go, leaving her Mother and Sister behind. Countless revelations and adventures await her. The group will be gathering for discussion on October 17th at 4:00 pm.

Congratulations and Best Wishes go out to the new Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Nichols who were married on September 21st. Mrs. Nichols is the former Laura Van Cott, who is the Librarian at the Susquehanna Branch Library. Wishing you many happy years together!

September 19th was also the date of the Sixth Annual “Author Luncheon”, sponsored by the “Novel Woman Book Club” and was held at the Stone Bridge Inn and Restaurant in Uniondale. Approximately 75 people enjoyed a delicious Caesar Salad and Grilled Chicken lunch, highlighted by homemade breads and desserts created and donated for the event and accented by the super treat of a scrumptious chocolate bar. All in attendance enjoyed listening to the special guest, Author, Actress and humorous Public Speaker, Angela Shelton. She is best known for the film “Tumbleweeds” and the documentary” Searching for Angela Shelton”, which she wrote, directed, and edited. She has just released her book, ”Finding Angela Shelton”. All proceeds from this event go to the Forest City Branch Library to purchase needed items. If you were not able to attend this time, make a notation on your 2014 calendar to reserve a seat for the Seventh Annual.

Big News!! The “Susquehanna County Reads” Committee is pleased to announce the sixth year of the County Reads Program. The selection for 2013 is “The Hobbit”, the classic fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien and prequel to the Lord of the Rings series. The Hobbit is a delightful tale originally written for children about a little hobbit who is pulled out of the comfy armchair of his quiet unassuming life and thrust into a wild adventure where he encounters everything from trolls to dragons! This beloved tale has taught readers for decades that though they may be small, their impact on the world around them is paramount. The County Reads program is brought to you by the joint efforts of the Susquehanna County Library and the Susquehanna County Literacy Program. Residents of Susquehanna County can register and get their own copy of the book (there is a  registration fee) starting Monday, September 23rd at any County Library Branch ( Montrose, Hallstead-Great Bend, Susquehanna, and Forest City),or Pratt Memorial Library in New Milford. Those who register will be able to participate in several exciting programs and events, such as a special hike at Salt Springs, a panel book discussion, a theatre showing of the 2012 film and much more! All events will be free with a "Reads ID Card" received upon registration with the exception of a Finale dinner at the Stonebridge Inn in Union Dale. Beginning on October 14th, WPEL has graciously allowed us to air the reading of the first six chapters of the book by local readers on their AM 800 station. The readings will run until the 22nd and will start each day at 12:30pm. Dates and times for Reads events will be forthcoming in this column and, and also on a brochure you will receive at registration.

Don’t forget to find us on “Facebook”: (Susquehanna County Library) and look us up on “Pinterest” for lots of interesting nooks and crannies to explore and now, if you “Tweet”, follow us on Twitter (@susqcolib) to check out event information, local scoops and much more.

As the leaves begin to color and cool Autumn nights require a snuggly afghan as you cuddle up with your chosen latest title and a hot cup of chamomile tea, I will leave you with this thought:

“A hidden fire burns perpetually upon the hearth of the world.... In autumn this great conflagration becomes especially manifest. Then the flame that is slowly and mysteriously consuming every green thing bursts into vivid radiance. Every blade of grass and every leaf in the woodlands is cast into the great oven of Nature; and the bright colours of their fading are literally the flames of their consuming. The golden harvest-fields are glowing in the heart of the furnace.... By this autumn fire God every year purges the floor of nature. All effete substances that have served their purpose in the old form are burnt up. Everywhere God makes sweet and clean the earth with fire.”~Hugh Macmillan

Apple Crisp—Fall Mums—Leaf Collections

Enjoy!!