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Subject: News from Pennsburg - August 6, 1904
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 01:10:18 EDT
Ref: Town and Country Newspaper
Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA
Saturday - August 6, 1904
THE "OLD OAKEN BUCKET" IS BECOMING A RELIC OF THE PAST
Samuel WOODWORTH immortalized the primitive method of getting water from the
bowels of the earth, when he wrote that famous poem, "The Old Oaken Bucket."
The present generation, with our wind pumps, dobble acting force pumps and
other modern devices for raising water from wells and cisterns, can hardly form a
conception of the means employed by our forefathers for this purpose as
practically all of the "old oaken buckets" have been displaced by new innovations.
Years ago the country was dotted with pumpless well. The earliest methods
employed to obtain the pure sparking fluid distilled in nature's retorts and
collected in the artifical cavities, known as wells, was by means of a long sapling
resting on a pole, serving as a pivot for the sapling to swing on. This
swinging leaver as so arranged that one end of it stood over the well and to this
end was attached an oaken bucket by means of a chain, while a dangling rope was
fastened to the other end. The weight of the bucket, when empty, was
sufficient to tilt the lever thus formed and the bucket would descend into the well.
Then by means of the rope the other end would be drawn down, bringing the laden
bucket dripping to the mouth. Later this swinging bar was displaced by the
windlass, and for long years this was considered the acme of perfection, but
modern inventions have displaced this improved contrivance and few are the wells
that still boast an "oaken bucket." Our illustration shows one of these
antiquated wells, located near Finland and owned by Noah SOUDER (picture), who stands
by the side and holds the crank. Mr. SOUDER, although working with improved
machinery in his blacksmith shop which is near by, would not part with this
friend of his boyhood days for the best pump ever invented. For long years he has
been drawing his water this way and he knows that he gets it fresh and
sparkling every time he draws, while if he had a pump, he would always, during warm
weather, find the pump stalk filled with water that might have been standing
for hours and become warm and insipid. Time and change are making great inroads
on our old landmarks and before many years have passed away "the old oaken
bucket," too, will have passed, and even the beautiful poem will not be
understood by the students of the future unless by means of copious notes furnished by
the passing generation.
MAYNE BOLTS AGAIN
Former Assemblyman, Joseph W. MAYNE, of Lehigh, was defeated for a
renomination at the Democratic convention held at Allentown last Saturday, because he
read himself out of the party less than a year ago by resigning and declaring
that he did not in the future claim any support from the party, on Wednesday
announced himself as an independent candidate for Assembly. MAYNE voted for the
Muzzler Bill and was very much censured for his action. This angered him and he
took the step fatal to his future, as a trusted party man. All had supposed
he would be consistent, but to the deep regret of many Democrats, however, he
came back to the fold and announced himself as a candidate for renomination.
From the very first he was suspected of contemplating treachery anew, and it was
an open secret that if defeated he would run independently. His overwhelming
defeat followed at the convention last Saturday.
GOLD MINE NEAR BLUE CHURCH
The citizens of Coopersburg, are becoming excited over the discovery of a
gold mine right in their midst. The precious bit of land is a portion of the
William KEMMERER property, near Blue Church. Mr. STONEBACK, formerly of the
Stoneback Hotel, Quakertown, is engaged in forming a stock company to operate the
mine. It is claimed that ore testing $38 to $40 a ton has been taken out of the
mine. The mine was opened several years ago, but it was never worked
successfully.
POCKET BOOK LOST AND FOUND
W.D. MCGRATH, of Reading, peddling green groceries through these towns, lost
his pocket book on Thursday evening containing between $14 and $15, in the
yard of the Pennsburg Hotel. The same was found on Friday morning by the hostler,
Wm. BOYER, who on finding who had lost it, kindly turned it over to the
owner. Mr. MCGRATH was deeply grateful for the honesty displayed by Mr. BOYER and
rewarded him accordingly.
POOR DIRECTOR SUES COUNTY
Suit has been brought against Berks county, by William M. KASE for $3750,
back salary. Mr. KASE retired as poor director on January 1, 1904, serving three
years and drawing $250 a year as salary. He claims he should come under the
new law which entitles directors of the poor to an annual salary of $1500.
BIG ORDER FOR SNAKE SKINS
The snake king, of Stroudsburg, Monroe County, has booked an order for 10,000
snake skins to be delivered to a firm of purse makers in Europe. Rattle snake
skins are required and Guffydd JONES, the catcher will get from one to five
dollars for each skin. Pike County is one of the favorite hunting grounds for
the reptiles and Mr. JONES has eight men in his employ in that region to
capture the wary game. After the skins are secured they are carefully tanned prior
to shipment and are later made into the most costly purses.
DETERMINED TO DIE
Four unsuccessful attempts at suicide were made by Mrs. Frank RHINE, of near
Myerstown, on Wednesday. On four separate occasions she sat on the railroad
near her home, when she saw trains approaching, but fortunately, on all
occasions her presence on the track was discovered in time to thwart her attempts, and
she is now being closely watched. Domestic troubles are blamed.
ALLEGED BABY STRANGLER HELD
Annie WALTZ, aged 17, of Williamsport, was held by the Coroner for trial at
court on a charge of causing the death of her infant child by strangulation.
The child's body was found in a box. The mother is very ill at the hospital.
PETROLEUM AT POWDER VALLEY
The water sent from one of the springs on the farm of Henry BAUMAN, of Powder
Valley, has been subjected to complete chemical analysis and the chemists
report the oil floating on top to be pretroleum of the finest quality.
DECLINES CHAIR IN SEMINARY
Rev. Thedore F. HERMAN, of Allentown, has declined the chair of systematic
theology in Lancaster Theological Seminary.
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