This Was Doylestown, 1916

Violent storm hits Doylestown –

Doylestown and the surrounding country was visited Thursday afternoon by the most terrific electrical, wind and rain storm of this season. Barns and trees were struck, limbs were twisted from trees by an almost cyclonic wind that prevailed for a time, and trolley, telephone and telegraph lines were badly damaged.

Accompanying the first storm shortly after 2 o'clock was a very heavy wind which twisted trees so much that small trees were torn from the ground and limbs were torn from the larger ones. The rain fell in torrents, and while the storm was in progress the streets were almost submerged.

But the severest electrical disturbances occurred at the beginning of the second storm at 5 o'clock. One of the Rapid Transit Company's streetcars coming up Main street was struck twice as it reached Bridge street, but no one was injured. Strokes of lightning followed each other so quickly that the motorman, who jumped off the car when first struck, was unable to get the pole off the overhead wire before the car was struck the second time.

A man who stood nearby declared afterward that the trolley car, the office at Wetherill's coal and lumber yard, and the other buildings appeared to be enveloped in fire, and that he felt the effects of the shock for some time afterward.

At the station of the Philadelphia & Easton Electric Railway Company on North Main street, there was a stampede of the terrified crowd of people waiting outside. So precipitate was the rush for the waiting room that the doorway was jammed and one woman fell headlong over a pile of baskets.

Lightning also struck and damaged a tree on the Dublin pike side of Miss Fanny Chapman's property, "Frosterly." One of Harry Fluck's trees on Ashland street was broken down, and a tree at Fluck's blacksmith shop was snapped off. Telephone and electric lines were badly damaged. At the plant of the Doylestown Electric Company it was said that the storm was the most severe in two or three years.

Three circuits were knocked out for a short time and falling limbs caused a lot of trouble. The high tension was off but once. Officers of the Bell Telephone Company at Doylestown said that 1,200 phone were put out of commission in the district which includes Bucks county, Lansdale and North Wales, but men were put to work quickly and expect to have the damage repaired in a short time.  

Council to consider ordinance to control flies -

On Monday evening, Town Council will have before it for final passage an ordinance submitted by the Board of Health in the interest of the health of Doylestown residents, especially the smaller children. It is an ordinance calling for the screening or covering of manure pits in which flies breed, or the removal of the accumulations of manure every ten days.

Town Council's attitude has been antagonistic, but it is believed that the openly expressed sentiments of many residents favorable to this step toward removing one of the recognized agencies in the spreading of many diseases, and the recommendation of the Board of Health, may induce them to consider the ordinance favorably.

Representatives of the Board of Health will be present at the meeting to urge its passage, and it is said that men representing the Chamber of Commerce will be there to add their advocacy of the movement.

Dr. Henry C. Mercer, of "Fonthill," has sent a letter to "The Intelligencer" urging passage of the ordinance. It reads, in part: "Within the last fifteen years a great deal of medical attention has been paid to the danger of the transmission of disease to human beings by means of the house fly. "The fact has been so well proved that germs of a number of threatening diseases have been carried from filth of various sorts upon the bodies of flies and so communicated to human beings through their skin, food and clothing, that ordinances have been passed in many cities and towns compelling citizens to screen horse manure, which appears to be one of the principal means for the propagation of house flies... "Now it appears that the turn of Doylestown has come, that an ordinance of this highly necessary sort has been proposed, and we earnestly hope that in the name of cleanliness, civilization, common sense and human health it will be passed without opposition."  

Report cites professional growth of teachers -

Carmon Ross, principal of the Doylestown Public School, has submitted his report on accomplishments by the teachers of the school. The professional growth of teachers has constantly been emphasized during the past several years.

In order to encourage this growth on the part of teachers, a professional library has been started in the school. This library has over 100 volumes of pedagogical literature. The teachers also have access to a number of current pedagogical magazines, and to a reference library of about 500 volumes.

During the year, 17 grade school teachers have taken out professional books to the extent of 152 volumes. The high school teachers have not shown the same zeal, for exclusive of the principal, only 12 volumes have been read. One teacher has not taken out a single volume.

The fine spirit of professional growth that seems to actuate most of the teachers may be seen in the following. Three teachers have done work at Temple College and the University of Pennsylvania. Three teachers are doing Summer School work. One teacher has done extension work in connection with one of the Normal Schools.

Addtionally, three teachers have been granted Teacher's Certificates in the Palmer Method of Writing and one teacher has been granted a Supervisor's Certificate in the Palmer Method of Writing.

"These are good signs and point to a fine spirit on the part our teachers to grow in an academic and professional way. This spirit is to be commended and should ultimately be rewarded in a concrete way," Principal Ross stated in his report.  

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Doylestown's business district second-busiest in county -

Doylestown is the second-best business town in Bucks county, according to the Mercantile Appraiser. It is second only to Bristol, which has three times as many inhabitants [10,000 versus 3,300] but does less than twice as much business.

Figures in the mercantile appraisement indicate that much more business is done in the County Seat than in any other of the large boroughs, except Bristol. In addition to that, Doylestown has the honor of having the business house, Robert L. Clymer's department store, which does the biggest retail business of any firm in the county.

Mercantile tax paid by the retail and wholesale merchants of the larger boroughs is as follows: Bristol, $2,108.75; Doylestown, $1,054.32; Quakertown, $908.71; Perkasie, $651.91; Newtown, $530.59; Morrisville, $271.21; Sellersville, $240.22; New Hope, $133.25; Yardley, $118.23. Restaurants, eating houses and cafes paid $154.63 into the treasury in mercantile tax; brokers, $630; pool room keepers, $1,245; amusements, $360.  

Plans made for Chautauqua program in Doylestown -

Editor's note - The Chautauqua Movement, which began at Lake Chautauqua, N.Y. in 1874, brought programs of education and entertainment to small towns across America. Meetings often were held under circus tents in towns that did not have permanent pavilions.

Organizers of the Doylestown Chautauqua held a meeting Friday evening at the fire house to meet the representative of the Chautauqua Association of Swarthmore. Mrs. Katharine Heyser explained the nature of this year's program and pronounced it the best program ever presented by the Chautauqua.

Among other features in this year's program will be the Choir Boys of Boston, Victor's Band, the Schubert String Quartet, the Strollers' Quartet, the Bijou Trio, and two plays, "Happiness" and "The Mikado."

"The Mikado" is the biggest Chautauqua feature ever attempted. It is a Gilbert and Sullivan classic, and will be under the direction of George V.C. Lord, director of the famous "Hasty Pudding Plays" at Harvard.

The lecturers will be Dr. Lincoln Wirt, Arctic explorer, who will lecture on "The Conquest of the Arctic"; Dr. Paul M. Pearson, founder of the association, who will give a lecture recital on "Who Is Great?"; and Dr. William B. Forbush, well-known writer of "The Boy Problem," who will be the platform superintendent.

Plans for the advertising and ticket selling campaigns were discussed, committees appointed, and several other matters discussed. The local organization of the Chautauqua is as follows: Chairman, Carmon Ross; vice president, Calvin S. Boyer; treasurer, Charles R. Nightingale; secretary, Mrs. Charles R. Nightingale.  

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Doylestown Town Notes -

Walter C. Weber, automobile editor of the Philadelphia Record, was a visitor in Doylestown on Wednesday. In the morning, he was shown the town by I.J. Vanartsdalen, president of the Chamber of Commerce, visiting the Historical Society Museum, "Fonthill," the National Farm School and other points of interest. At noon, he was given a complimentary dinner at the Fountain House.

Miss Florence Ruos is home from the Episcopal Hospital, where she is studying to be a trained nurse, for a vacation of three weeks.

Coroner Howard P. White is having a new kitchen built at his residence on Court street.

Mr. and Mrs. T.O. Atkinson have returned from Cape May, N.J., where they have been attending the Friends' Conference.

One of the prettiest floral sights in town is at the home of George F. Smith, on Clinton street—a large clump of Tiger lilies with triple rows of petals.

Prof. and Mrs. William H. Bishop, of West Court street, celebrated the silver anniversary of their wedding Saturday by entertaining a number of friends.

Miss Margaret Williams, of Germantown, is visiting her grandfather, James S. Rich, of Doylestown.

With their automobiles loaded down with weak-fish and their faces burned a bright vermilion, a large party of County Seat fishermen returned Wednesday night from Tuckerton, N.J., where they spent two days. Three boats were used by the party, and each boat had prizes for the first and largest fish.

Mr. and Mrs. George D. Armstrong, of East Ashland street, entertained a number of little folks Thursday in honor of the birthday anniversary of their daughter, Margaret.

J. Purdy Weiss on Thursday took the members of his Sunday school class on an automobile trip to Princeton, N.J.

Mr. and Mrs. Zeno Stover and Miss Myrtle Stover, of Clinton street, and Alfred Lehman, of Philadelphia, motored to Valley Forge Park one day this week.

Policemen of the town are keeping a close watch to prevent drivers of automobiles and [horse] teams from passing trolley cars that have stopped to discharge or take on passengers. Friday, the driver of a team was stopped and warned as he nearly drove his horse against an elderly passenger alighting from a car.

From the Doylestown Daily Intelligencer, Week of July 9-15, 1916