Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles From the Past
Franklin County Pennsylvania
Mad Dog Threatens Community
The Centinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), September 11, 1811
Mad Dog
On Sunday the 18th instant a dog belonging to Daniel Rhea went mad and bit a Negro boy belonging to Mr. Parks and several cattle and hogs belonging to different people in the neighborhood. On the evening of the 19th he came to the town of Mercerburg and bit a number of dogs in said place. On Tuesday the 26th, a number of the citizens with arms, sallied forth against the poor curs and in less than 8 hours killed forty-five. On Wednesday the 21st they killed twenty more and wounded one which fled for refuge to the borough of Hagerstown. On Sunday the 25th three more were killed in a real state of madness. Numbers are killed daily in the neighborhood.
Mercersburg, Aug. 29, 1811
Manufacturers of Franklin County
The Centinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), September 6, 1809
MANUFACTURES
From the Franklin Republican
As the legislature of our country have requested information to be collected respecting the manufacturing of our raw materials into useful necessaries, where by the great importation from Europe may be abridged, and as I consider it the duty of every manufacturing citizen to step forward and give every information which he may possess, relative to the points above stated, I conceive it may not be intruding on the patience of your readers to give a brief sketch of the cotton manufactory, as it is now established in Shippensburg.
In the year 1803, the first machinery was erected for the purpose of carding and spinning cotton yarn, which was applied to the fabrication of Bedticking, fastians, coverlids and other strong heavy goods. The establishment comprised one carding machine and one spinning machine of 54 spindles. Notwithstanding the very low price of British goods, want of capital and every other disadvantage, the business gradually extended itself, and new establishments have been formed. At present this place and its vicinity contains 3 wool and 4 cotton carding machines and 557 spindles, which on a moderate calculation will average 83 dozen or 44 lbs of yarn per day. Thus far the operations are carried on without robbing agriculture and commerce of one useful hand, for none but woman and children are employed. The raw material is increased in value by those operations 220 percent, and after all wages, useful repairs and common expenses are paid, there will be a net profit of from 90 to 120 percent, on the capital employed. You will perceive by this statement of lasts the impropriety of the remarks of some gentlemen in congress, that direct encouragement by protection duties or restraints of commerce would be raising a new and unnecessary order of men in this. Manufacturing of cotton already furnishes better wages than the same hands could earn in any other employment, exclusive of the advantage derived to our country, of making an annual saving of from nine to twelve thousand dollars, which without this establishement, would certainly be lost to the United States.
A Curious Observer.
William Maxwell New States Attorney
The Centinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), April 12, 1809
William Maxwell, Esq., is appointed to conduct the State prosecution for Franklin county.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
December 27 1820
The noted Plymert, who twice made his escape from the Pittsburg jail, has been taken up in this city, and safely lodged in prison - Franklin Gazette
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
January 23 1822
Page 1
Chambersburg, Jan. 1
A Large Hog – Mr. Benjamin Winters, one of the victuallers of this Borough,
killed a hog on Wednesday last, of his own fattening, which weighed when
dressed, six hundred and thirty-seven pounds - Repos.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
February 26 1823 Page 5
Chambersburg, Feb. 13
Fatal Accident
The horses of a wagoner took fright on the road between this place and Campbellstown on Friday last, and run off. A young man by the name of Free, galloped before to stop them, when he was run over and instantly killed. The wagoner was dragged by one of the wheels, 30 or 40 rods, had severeal of his ribs broken, and otherwise materially injured, but, it is supposed, will recover. - Repub.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
April 2 1823 Page 4
From the Franklin Republican
On Wednesday the 28th of February, a man by the name of John Thomson, a carpenter, left his dwelling near Lance's Quarry, with the intention of going to Bann's Sawmill, situate in the South Mountain, nearly opposite Shippensburg, and returning again at night. Not returning, little uneasiness was felt, as his connexions supposed he had fallen to work expecting he would surely be home on Sabbath. His friends on his not arriving on that day, began to fear he had perished in the Mountains. On Monday some of the neighbors went to Bunn's Sawmill, but he had not been there nor at Shippensburg; a search was then concluded on, and on Tuesday 15 or 16 Horsemen took his track, and after traversing the Mountains in different directions, perhaps the distance of 15 or 20 miles, found him dead on the head waters of the Conococheaugue, about 2 miles above Cobean's Sawmill. It appeared evident from his track, which was followed the whole route, that he got bewildered within about half a mile of Bunn's sawmill, as he then took a direction which led him further into the mountains. It would seem also, that when he first arrived at Conococheague he knew where he was, as he then took a direct course homeward fro about one mile, when it is supposed night came on. He then went on in a circular direction until he arrived at the Conocheague again, not far from the place where he left it, and near where he was found. He never halted in his whole route till within the last half mile, and then he lay down often, and always bent down the ground oak bushes with leaves to lie on; an evidence that he retained his senses to the last. He appears evidently to have went on as long as he was able, and considering the route he went, through snow from 15 to 18 inches deep, and very soft, over very rough mountains, few men would have went so far. He has left four small children to deplore his loss.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
April 9 1823 Page 3
On Sunday morning, 30th ult, such was the violence of the storm, that as one of the coaches belonging to the Union Line, between this city and N. York, was coming on from New Brunswick to Kingston, a tree fell on it, crushed the body of the carriage, killed Mr. Burslem, late of the Circus, and injured Mr. McClellan, a brother of Dr. M'Clellan, and two other persons. - Frank. Gaz.
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