Forest City – The beautiful church edifice of St. Agnes Roman Catholic congregation was destroyed by fire on Thursday night of last week. The church with all its contents was totally consumed. For a time it seemed certain that the parochial residence would be destroyed but by the heroic work of the firemen it was saved. Bucket brigades saved the dwellings north of the church. The Enterprise and Hillside Hose companies of this place and Vandling and Browndale responded to the alarm. The insurance on the church and contents totaled about $15,000 and the loss will probably reach $45,000. The church debt had recently been wiped out. The corner stone for St. Agnes was laid in 1888 and the church completed in 1892. Rev. T. F. Coffey organized the parish as a mission of St. Rose parish in Carbondale.
Jackson – A washing machine, a very appreciable Xmas gift, was given by the people of this community to Mrs. Vina Wheaton, equipped with a ringer and a gasoline engine and will be of great assistance to the grateful recipient. About 20 people were present at her home during the evening. ALSO A valuable sugar house belonging to E. E. Leonard was completely destroyed by fire, Sunday evening, with its equipage of syrup utensils. It was also stated that a quantity of grain was consumed by the flames. The origin of the fire is laid to some ashes placed too near the building.
East Clifford – Large bear tracks were seen by Joseph Westgate on the Wm. Carr farm on the Crystal Lake road. The tracks led to Grattan’s swamp where they were lost to view.
Friendsville – Snow drifts are plentiful around here and wood cutting is the chief occupation.
Stevens Point – The many friends of George Prentice of Camp Meade, were he has been in training for the last 3 months, were glad to welcome him home for Christmas. He arrived home Monday afternoon and left Wednesday morning on the Erie Flyer for Scranton, where he expected to leave at 1:30 for Camp Meade on a special train for the soldier boys of Susquehanna Co. and others in the vicinity of Scranton. His wife and sister went as far as Scranton with him. We all join in wishing George and his wife much joy and a long and happy life together when he gets home and the war is over. ALSO The Mountain school closed for vacation last Friday night with appropriate Christmas exercises. All report a good time. Marie Zeigler, teacher.
Hop Bottom – A large sleigh riding party of young people from this place attended the social at Ira Pratt’s, Brooklyn, last Friday evening. ALSO Rev. Howard Flowers, a former pastor of the Brooklyn Universalist church, now of Hartland, Vt., was called here by the sudden death of his four year old son, Thalem. Mrs. Flowers and three children had spent several weeks at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Rose, of this place, when death suddenly carried away the eldest child.
Brooklyn – Brooklyn people will have a good reason for remembering her Christmas celebration in 1817, for all united in a community Christmas for the children and about 300 people joined in the memorable celebration. The program of music, recitation and concert exercises was well rendered by the children. Santa came and distributed oranges and popcorn balls among the children, but the crowning feature was the offering taken for the Armenian sufferers which amounted to over $26.
Susquehanna – Arthur T. Palmer died at his home in Wamego, Kansas, New Year’s day. He was a brother of Polk Palmer, of Susquehanna, and the first engineer to pull a train over the Jefferson division of the Erie between Carbondale and Susquehanna. He had held a superintendency with the Union Pacific for thirty-five years.
Harford – Many of our undrafted men are taking up government work and we shall soon be, indeed, a manless town.
Montrose, etc. – Zero weather continuously for a week past breaks all records within the memory of the “oldest inhabitants.” It is stated on good authority that the mercury has gone lower this week than at any time in 37 years. Sunday morning was the coldest in Montrose, the lowest being 26 below. From Jackson comes the report of -46, from Auburn -36, from Birchardville -40; Rush -32; Dimock -40; New Milford-32, while all places agreed it was the “coldest ever.” Plumbers have been busy day and night thawing out water pipes, and some have burst in homes, causing serious damage. Apples and potatoes have been frozen in cellars all through the country, causing a serious loss. The mercury has been at zero or below every night since last Friday.
News Briefs: Forty-five years ago water-power mills that were located on Martin Creek, beginning near its mouth, where there was a chair factory, were as follows: At the present dam, at Hallsteads, at Bell’s mill, three in Hop Bottom, at Oakley’s, at Kingsley, one a little way above the village, and one at Alford. The exception of one at Hop Bottom and the one at Kingsley, these water-power sites have all been abandoned. ALSO Will women wear trousers? That grim question has long been hotly debated. Since the war trousers have become realities to those women who are doing men’s work, in order that they may be released for fighting. In Paris, however, trousers for women have more than a strictly utilitarian use. The Paris correspondent of Harper’s Bazar writes, “More and more trousers are being worn indoors instead of robes that cling and cling and cling, fashioned of the richest of tissues are these trouser-frocks—trousers of gorgeous metallic stuffs below jackets of soft velvets, below coats rich with embroideries, and exquisitely filmy mousselines. In the salons of Marthe Gauthier in the rue des Capucines, there is a creation of putty-colored velvet embroidered most decoratively with rose and blue thread—the square Chinese coat falling ungirdled over embroidered velvet trousers of the straight variety.
Two Hundred Years Ago from the Centinel, Montrose, PA.
*DIED – December 12, 1817 at Rush, Miss Ruhamah Burnham, a young woman of respectability, after a long and tedious sickness which she bore with patience; and left an evidence to her friends that she fell asleep in Jesus. “Youth, sense and beauty, have not power, To save from death one single hour; The summons came without a stay; And call’d the lovely soul away. Her lover weeps her brothers’ cry, Her mother shrieks, her father sighs, Her breath was stopt, her spirit fled; Alas they cry Ruhamah’s dead. Farewell, Ruhamah, fare you well; Alas our grief no tongue can tell, And yet one cordial drop we find, From words and prayers you left behind.
*20 DOLLARS REWARD. Escaped from the Jail of Susquehanna County on Tuesday evening last, JAMES PERRY, alias JOHN RUNNYAN, confined in said jail for passing forged Bank Notes. Said Perry, alias Runnyan, is about 20 years old, 5 feet 7 inches high, of a sandy complexion, light hair which is very bushy and long ear locks. Had on when he escaped a blue coat, light jacket, and light colored corded pantaloons, stained round the watch pocket with oil of Vitrol. He had in a bundle, which he took with him, a dark colored surtout coat, and an extra hat. He is rather sleepy in his appearance, at first sight, but he undoubtedly is an adept in villainy. The above reward, and reasonable charges, will be paid to any person who will apprehend him and return him to the jail from which he escaped. AUSTIN HOWELL, Sheriff, Montrose, Dec. 26, 1817.
Several years ago, Bob Klein stopped by my office to talk to me about his interest in running for the position of Susquehanna County District Attorney. At that time, Bob knew that I planned on running for judge after the retirement of President Judge Seamans. We had a cordial conversation and I was struck by Bob’s passion and energy. I was also impressed that Bob took the time to come to the office to talk to me about his interest in running for the position.
During our conversation, it was evident that Bob was a prosecutor because he wanted to make a difference. He wanted to be district attorney because he cared about his community, he cared about victims, he cared about defendants, and he believed he could help them through his efforts as a prosecutor.
During the campaign season, I ran into Bob during various events and he always greeted me with a smile and a strong handshake. I was fortunate that I did not have any opponent in my race while Bob was facing two able opponents. Despite the heat of this contested race, Bob was always upbeat and optimistic. At one particular event, he told me that he could not understand why I would want to give up being a prosecutor even if it meant a judicial position. Bob never wanted to do anything else – he loved being a prosecutor.
After his election, Bob worked with me in the District Attorney’s Office in November and December 2015 in order to assist in the transition between administrations. During that period of time, Bob worked hard to acclimate himself to a new court environment. While Bob was familiar with the approach utilized by a larger county court system, he never complained about the lack of resources in Susquehanna County. Instead, Bob was determined to find innovative means to solve the criminal justice problems facing Susquehanna County.
After he became District Attorney, Bob demonstrated seemingly endless energy to accomplish his goals. Bob assisted in the creation of a criminal justice advisory board which was necessary to apply for various state grants. Bob obtained funds to install a controlled substance drop box in the courthouse to allow people to safely dispose of their unused controlled substance. Bob was able to secure monies to purchase a van that became a mobile controlled substance drop box to assist in the recovery and disposition of these controlled substances. Bob also worked on the template for a treatment court in Susquehanna County. He did all of this while performing the everyday duties of prosecuting hundreds of criminal cases.
Bob always demonstrated respect for the court even when things did not go his way. While there were occasions when we did not see things the same way, Bob never took it personally. He understood that we both had jobs to do and that we would both do what we thought was the right thing. Bob was a credit to his profession.
Even after learning of his illness, Bob continued to work at a pace that many healthy people would have a hard time duplicating. When he told me about his diagnosis, I struggled to find the right words to say to him. Bob smiled and simply told me that you have to have faith – which reminded me of the same words that my mother used when she learned that she had been diagnosed with ALS – and it spoke to a depth of character that few of us possess when faced with such adversity.
While I only knew Bob in a professional sense, Bob’s love for his wife, Kelly, and his children, R.J., Olivia, and Nick, was always evident. When Bob died last week, Susquehanna County lost a talented and energetic prosecutor and Bob’s family lost a loving and devoted husband and father. While we often struggle for right words in these moments, Bob had the best closing argument – you just got to have faith. Rest in peace District Attorney Klein.
Should you sleep with your pet if you have cancer?
Mrs. Blake came into the pharmacy and said to the pharmacist, “Ever since my daughter, Susie, got a puppy, the dog has been sleeping on her bed. She keeps getting a rash. Do you think she is allergic to that animal?” The pharmacist reminded her that there are many things a 12-year old could be allergic to – from detergents to her newly found passion for makeup, to certain foods. The pharmacist suggested that Susie try an antihistamine cream and see if that resolves the rash. If the rash doesn’t abate, her doctor should be called.
We know 3 things about dogs and cats. First, they do not wear shoes. So wherever they have been, whatever is on their feet is now on your (once) clean sheets. Second, they do not brush their teeth. So if they like to slobber your face, then think of where else that tongue has been. Third, they do not use toilet paper. Supply your own image of that here. Yet, there are people who will fight for their right to have Fido and/or Fluffy on the pillow with their butts right next to their face.
However, there are many people who have conditions that may warrant banishing their pets from the bedroom because they can incur infections from them. They are people who have cancer, including lymphoma and leukemia (mostly during treatment), cirrhosis of the liver, had an organ transplant, had their spleen removed, or who have HIV/AIDS. Also, people who take high doses of steroids for inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis may have weakened immune systems. These people are immunocompromised and may be advised to give up their pets if and when their immune systems become stronger.
Give up my pet? No way, you say. If you decide to keep your pet, you and your family must be aware of the risk of diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. Here are some tips from the National Institutes of Health. First, ask your veterinarian for information on infections that you might get from your pets. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling or touching your pet, cleaning the litter box, or disposing of pet feces. Make sure your pet’s vaccinations are up to date. If you plan to adopt a pet, get one that is over 1 year old; kittens and puppies are more likely to scratch and bite. Have all pets spayed or neutered. Neutered animals are less likely to roam, and therefore, are likely to contract germs.
Have your cat tested for feline leukemia (FL). Although the virus that causes FL does not spread to humans, they affect the cat's immune system. This puts your cat at risk for other infections that may be spread to humans. Cats can get infections, such as toxoplasmosis, by eating wild animals – notably mice. DO NOT let your pet drink from the toilet. Several infections can be spread this way. Take measures to prevent flea or tick infestations. Bacterial and viral infections are spread by these parasites.
Also, do not adopt wild or exotic animals. These animals are more likely to bite. They can transmit rare but serious diseases. Reptiles carry a type of bacteria called salmonella. If you own a reptile, wear gloves when handling the animal or its feces because salmonella is easily passed from animals to humans. Wear rubber gloves when handling or cleaning fish tanks. For more information on pet-related infections, contact your veterinarian or the Humane Society in your area. Luckily, Susie’s puppy was not the cause for her rash. But if you have a weakened immune system, keep your cleanliness a priority.
Ron Gasbarro, PharmD, is a registered pharmacist, medical writer, and principal at Rx-Press.com. Read more at www.rx-press.com
