Bones of War Veteran Found at Gettysburg are Identified. (Tunkhannock Republican) Mrs. D. A. Cruver, of Prospect Hill, received tidings a few days ago concerning the death of her father, G. Arnts, who was among the missing at the Battle of Gettysburg. It was known that he was shot through the hip in the second day’s fight, but what became of him was never known by his family until now. About four years ago a man who had bought a farm on the battlefield decided to raise the barn and stables. When it was jacked up a skeleton was found lying underneath the floor, and examination showed that it was that of a soldier. His gun lay by his side and brass letters on his cap showed that he belonged to Co. K., 143d Regt. His identity is now established, as he was the only man in that company not accounted for. In his pocket was a picture of his wife and oldest daughter, the latter now Mrs. Alson Carr, living near Susquehanna. It is apparent that Mr. Arnts, after being wounded, crawled under the barn to escape capture by the enemy, and became too exhausted to escape. As the barn floor was near the ground, the presence of the skeleton was never observed until repairs were commenced. [Found in Bates’ History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Vol. 10, page 516, George W. Arnst, Co. K, 143d Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, Killed at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. Co. K was recruited in Susquehanna, Wyoming and Lycoming counties.]

Brooklyn – The Junior class of the High school is preparing to give an entertainment on Friday evening, April 2, in the M. E. church, the principal feature of which will be a drama, “The Boys of the Five Points School.” The program will also consist of music and other interesting numbers.

South Montrose – Our teacher, Miss Conroy, has not been in school the past two weeks on account of mumps.

Harford – Walter Jackson, who spent the past winter at a soldiers’ home in Tennessee, has returned home.

Montrose - Mrs. Julia T. Warner, on March 7, celebrated her 92d birthday. Beautiful flowers and many loving messages and gifts made the day a very enjoyable one. Mrs. Warner is remarkably well for one so advanced in years, and almost any bright day may be seen walking on Church street near her home. She hopes to live to see the prohibition of the liquor traffic in Pennsylvania. As a zealous member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union the best efforts of her earlier years were given to bring about his result. Also the Montrose Presbyterian Church has made a somewhat radical change in its plans for paying the pastor’s salary and meeting other expenses of the church. Hereafter all pews are to be free—none will be rented. All church income will be from pledges and contributions.

Springville – J. K. Aldrich lost some chickens and a keg of cider and swore out a search warrant to help locate them. The search was made, but nary cider nor chick was discovered that he could claim. Also in Lynn sap has been running good for the last few days. Syrup is selling at one dollar per gallon.

New Milford – Paul Walworth and Miss Addie VanBuskirk were married in the M. E. parsonage by Rev. H. W. Thomas on Tuesday evening, March 16.

Susquehanna – Frank Albee will soon open a paper and paint store in the Dooley block, on Erie Ave. Also G. Knapp, of Lake View, who was hurt in a runaway last week on Franklyn Ave., died in the local hospital, Friday night.

Forest City - The Forest City police force are making active preparations for their grand ball to take place in the borough hall on April 8. The Mozart orchestra of six pieces will furnish music for the occasion.

East Bridgewater – Some of the portable houses used by the men working on the Scranton & Binghamton railroad were moved on Monday to a point on the line in East Bridgewater, four miles north of Brooklyn, toward Montrose. The advance corps of men and the large steam shovel are working on the Johnston farm about 2 ½ miles north of Brooklyn.

Hop Bottom – The Italian baker has moved out of town. Many people will miss the opportunity of buying his fine baking. Also Milia A. Brown announces an assortment of spring millinery now ready for inspection and invites you to an Easter opening of trimmed hats, March 30 and 31.

West Jackson – George Knapp, a Civil War veteran of this place, was fatally injured by his horses running away, Monday, March 15, while he was in Susquehanna. He was taken to the Barnes’ Memorial hospital, where he passed away Friday evening, March 19th. Funeral was held at the Lake View church, Monday. Interment in Lake View cemetery. [Mr. Knapp was a member of Co. G., 152nd New York Infantry.]

Uniondale – The Uniondale Symphony Orchestra gave a fine entertainment in Williams’ Hall last Friday evening, consisting of solos, duets, recitations, chorus, etc. To say the least, it was an entertainment of a high order, and should be patronized on all occasions. Also several new autos are booked for this place in the near future. Eight per cent of the population of this borough own autos.

Franklin Forks – The G. A. R. of Franklin Forks will hold an anniversary of the surrender of the Confederate forces under the command of Gen. Robert E. Lee, at Appomattox, on April 9, 1865, in the Methodist Church in Franklin Forks. Noted speakers will be in attendance and with an appropriate programme, helped by a first class choir, [we] look forward to an enjoyable time.

Heart Lake – Bert M. Brown has the county agency for the Excelsior Motorcycles and will push their sale this summer. Mr. Brown is himself expert in the manipulation of these machines and should do a good business with them. He will also handle a flexible side car, which makes a nifty outfit at a small cost.

Hallstead – William Laurence, of South Rhodesia, South Africa, is the guest of his brother. He was engaged in missionary work in South Africa for some time. He is in this country to regain his health.

Herrick Twp. – The Ladies Grange Aid will serve an egg dinner at the Grange hall on April 3. All are cordially invited. Grangers bring eggs and do not forget that ham goes good with them.

News Brief: The best sermon is one that goes over your head and hits the other chap.

I received an email from a reader regarding the new proposed severance tax on natural gas production.  The reader included a media report which claimed that the proposed legislation would include a provision that “would declare illegal any leases that allow producers to reduce royalty payments to pay the taxes.”  The reader astutely questioned how this would reconcile with Article 1, § 17 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, which provides: “No ex post facto law, nor any law impairing the obligation of contracts, or making irrevocable any grant of special privileges or immunities, shall be passed.”  The United States Constitution has a similar provision under Article 1, Section 10, which provides in pertinent part: “No state shall . . . pass any . . . ex post facto law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts.”

The reader wanted to know how the Pennsylvania legislature could enact a statutory provision that obviated a previous contractual provision between the parties without violating these constitutional prohibitions.  I was impressed that the reader was able to make this connection – it is a great question and one for which I cannot really provide an answer without seeing the final legislation itself.  There are some general principles that provide quick guidance.

First, as the to the question regarding ex post facto laws, this prohibition governs situations where the legislature makes a previously lawful act criminal and then seeks to retroactively impose that criminality.  If the legislation is not penal in nature, i.e., carrying some criminal sanction, then the ex post facto clause is not implicated.  The best example of such a permissible retroactive application of non-penal legislation would be Megan’s Law and its registration requirements.  The courts have generally found that the registration requirements are civil in nature – not criminal – and, as such, an offender may be required to register under Megan’s Law even if there was no such registration requirement when he or she was convicted.

The reader’s question plainly does not involve any criminal or penal statute; rather, the question focuses on the ability of the Commonwealth to retroactively alter a private contractual relationship between private parties through legislation, i.e., by declaring a previously lawful contractual provision relating to the calculation of royalties to be unlawful and unenforceable.

The courts have recognized that the contract clause language (both federal and state) is strong and clear, but it still allows for the exercise “inherent police power” of the State “to safeguard the vital interests of the people.”  What does this mean?  Well, it means that a State legislature does have the ability to step into a private contractual agreement and alter the terms retroactively.  If the new legislation constitutes a “substantial impairment” to the nature of the contractual rights, then the State must demonstrate that there is a “significant and legitimate public purpose” for the retroactive application of the new legislation.  In order to be a “legitimate public purpose,” the State would need to demonstrate that it was addressing “a broad and general social or economic problem” with the retroactive legislation as opposed to simply benefiting some limited special interest.

Even if the State gets by these hurdles, the courts are still going to look at the manner in which the contractual rights between the parties were adjusted by the new legislation to determine if the legislative action is reasonably limited in its scope to address its stated public purpose.  The legislation cannot be too broad or sweeping in its application.

With these general principles in mind, I did find a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with a very similar provision – Exxon Corp. v. Eagerton, 462 U.S. 176 (1983) – in which Alabama increased its severance tax and then directed that the oil companies could not pass those increased tax costs on by requiring purchasers to pay more for the oil.  Exxon contended that this was an unconstitutional impairment of its contractual agreements with its purchasers which specifically allowed for such allocation of costs in connection with any increased severance tax.  The United States Supreme Court determined that the this legislation was constitutional and did not violate the Contract Clause as the general price of oil constituted a broad public interest and the Alabama legislature could direct that the oil producer solely bear the costs of any tax increase regardless of any contractual provision that would have allowed them to pass it on to its purchasers.

In that case, however, the Supreme Court specifically noted that it was not ruling on whether a legislature could prohibit an oil company from reducing royalty payments to landowners as a cost of production when a severance tax is increased.  In order to answer the reader’s question would take more room than this column allows – and would be frankly speculative at best.  You now know the general framework that applies to review of legislation that seeks to alter private contractual rights – as well as one example of a somewhat similar scenario in Alabama where the retroactive legislation was upheld by the Supreme Court.  Until any legislation is passed and reviewed by a court, there is no way to answer the reader’s question, but you do have some general information from which you may come to your own predictions.

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/.

Spring! We’ve been waiting for that word to cross everyone’s lips since the first snowflake fell last fall. Thoughts of green grass, vibrant rows of lemon yellow daffodils and tulips in every color a carnival can muster, plus flocks of robins and red-winged blackbirds fill our sunny moments. As soon as the seed catalogs started to arrive, plans for this year’s garden began to unfold. Shall we have more tomatoes this year? Or maybe extend the cucumber patch with hopes of tangy pickles in jars on pantry shelves. Whatever we decide, it is that special homegrown/homemade taste that we have been craving for all winter long.

In the last column, you saw the date for the 2015 Library Auction with more details forthcoming. Well, here they are! The Library Auction will take place on Saturday, April 11th, at the VFW, Route 706, Montrose. The doors will open at 4:15 pm for a peek at all of the goodies you will be able to bid on, with dinner, (a delicious array of soups, salads and sandwiches, topped off with dessert and beverages) starting at 5:00 pm. The Auction begins at 6:00 pm. There is a $10.00 admission fee per person which includes the dinner and may be paid at the door. The Library Auction Fundraiser began in 1999 and, is now, the second largest fundraiser for the Free Library Association, following the Blueberry Festival. It is held annually in the Spring and the items up for bid are of exceptional quality, featuring a wide array of items sure to fit anyone’s taste and pocketbook. Many local businesses generously donate goods and services, with local members of the community donating antiques and collectibles such as unique furniture, stunning paintings and beautiful sculpture. “

The Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association is pleased to announce that the guest for this year’s “Author’s Tea” will be Scranton Author Barbara J. Taylor. The tea, sponsored by the “Library Friends to Benefit the Association”, will be held on Wednesday, May 20th, at the VFW, located on Route 706 in Montrose. A “Hospitality” meet and greet will begin at 3pm, with the Tea starting at 3:30pm, followed by Author Taylor speaking at 4:30pm. Light refreshments will be served. Reservations are required. As in years past, the tickets seem to go quickly, so, don’t delay, stop by your local library location and make a reservation.

Local Author, Barbara J. Taylor was born and raised in Scranton, PA, and, presently teaches English in the Pocono Mountain School District. She has a master’s degree in creative writing from Wilkes University. She still resides in the “Electric City,” two blocks away from where she grew up. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to learn more about one of our local Authors and her work, plus a chance to enjoy a delicious Tea. If you need more information, don’t hesitate to contact your local Library Branch. They will be more than happy to assist you. Hope to see you there!

The Susquehanna Branch Reader’s Group met on Thursday, March 19th, and discussed their March selection on “The Paris Wife” by Paula McLain. Set in the 1920’s, “The Paris Wife” is a heart-tugging story of two unforgettable people, 28 yr. old Hadley Richardson, who had all but given up on a lifetime of love and happiness until she meets the dynamic writer, Ernest Hemingway. The April Selection is “Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard, A riveting historical narrative of the shocking events surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy and how a sequence of gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath. The Reader’s Group will meet at 4:00 pm on April 16th to discuss this best-selling non-fiction page-turner. If you have not joined the Reader’s Group, but would like to, please stop into the Susquehanna Library location and speak with Laura, Pam, Deb or Elizabeth and they will be more than happy to sign you up.

The Susquehanna Branch Library will be holding their Spring Story Hours on the four Tuesdays in April starting at 10:30 am. Pre-registration is appreciated, but not mandatory. If your children previously enjoyed the Story Hour programs, don’t delay, stop by the Library and sign them up. Stories, Crafts and Fun will be waiting.

The Susquehanna Library Location will also be offering Adult Computer Classes in April as well. Please watch this column for dates and times. Perhaps you need a refresher about a certain aspect of computer use, or would like to expand your knowledge, call or stop by and the ladies will add your name to the waiting list. Space is limited, so act timely.

ENJOY!!

Prescription drugs and herbs do not always mix

Lois, 64, came into the pharmacy and was browsing the vitamin and supplement section. She brings the products she selected to the counter. She asks the pharmacist, “Are these pretty good?” She chose St. John’s wort for the days she feels “blue,” Siberian ginseng for stress, and ginkgo for energy.

The pharmacist explained to Lois that although herbal supplements may have some health benefits, they have not been thoroughly studied. Also, because they are considered foods as opposed to drugs, there are no strict manufacturing regulations on them. Hence, you may not get the dose or purity you expect. Many herbal concoctions are suggested by well-meaning friends or touted by TV ads. Yet, most of these products are not chemically benign but can actually interact with one’s prescription medications, changing the way they work in the body. In Lois’ case, she is taking the blood thinner, warfarin, an anti-inflammatory for her arthritis, and digoxin which regulates her heartbeat. The pharmacist explained to her that all 3 of the products she chose can interact with her meds.

For example, the liver flushes out the body’s impurities as well as most medications. St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) makes the liver work faster, which means it can reduce the concentration of medications in the blood. St. John's wort can lower the blood level of digoxin, which Lois is taking. Thus, the digoxin is not doing its job to make her heart beat normally. St. John’s wort can also interfere with medications such as the cholesterol-lowering statins, and the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra.

Siberian ginseng can reduce the ability of warfarin to thin the blood, thereby increasing the risk of stroke. In addition, ginseng can boost the blood thinning effects of aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve), making one more prone internal bleeding, especially in the gastrointestinal tract.

Ginkgo biloba, another common herb, is known to thin blood at high doses and, therefore, should be used with caution in people, like Lois, who are on a blood thinner. This herb can also decrease the effectiveness of anti-seizure therapy in patients taking medications to control convulsions, such as phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Tegretol), and valproic acid (Depakote).

Many people mistakenly assume that natural products are always safe. After all, St. John’s wort is a flower, ginseng is a root, and gingko is a leaf. However, in reality, these and other herbs and supplements found in pharmacies and health food store can have powerful and even detrimental effects, including interfering with the medications a person is taking.

Lois did not have to be convinced to put those herbal supplements back on the pharmacy shelf because she believed the pharmacist was correct. In the future, she plans to check with her pharmacist if she decides to include any other herb, vitamin, or supplement to her medication regimen.

Ron Gasbarro, PharmD is a registered pharmacist, medical writer, and principal at Rx-Press.com. Send questions or ideas to ron@rx-press.com.