once upon a time...

May 1924, 100 Years Ago

Thurmont Light Plant Cleared $38.01 in Year

That the financial condition of Thurmont is sound and on a firm basis is shown by the following statement of receipts and expenditures including the condition of the corporation finances and the municipal electric light system. The corporation statement is for the fiscal year ending April 15 while the municipal election light statement is for the fiscal year ending April 1.

The cash on hand for the electric light system totaled $38.01.

                                – Frederick Daily News, May 18, 1924

Gets Road Job

The contract to construct nine-tenths mile of State highway east toward Rocky Ridge was awarded to L. R. Waesche & Son, of Thurmont, on Thursday by the State Roads Commission. The bid was $29,770. This stretch of highway was among those recommended by the County Commissioners to be constructed by the State.

                                – Frederick Daily News, May 23, 1924

May 1949, 75 Years Ago

Roads Commission to Correct Seton Ave. Curve

After many months of negotiating by both the State Roads Commission and St. Joseph’s

Catholic Church, correction of the dangerous curve in front of the church on N. Seton Ave. is about to be accomplished. Recently the church donated a strip of its land 9 feet wide and 182 feet long to the State for the purpose of diminishing that traffic impediment.

A major factor in accomplishing this project was the work of Mayor Thornton Rodgers and a committee of church members who have been dickering with the Commission for a lengthy time…

…The chief engineer indicated the approximate cost of the job to be $2,700.

                                – Emmitsburg Chronicle, May 6, 1949

Pinball Machcines Expected to Bring $10,000 to County

Revenue from the Alexander pinball machine licensing bill which becomes effective in Frederick County June is expected to produce in excess of $10.000 per year. The fund, under provisions of the bill, is to be divided equally between capital improvements at Emergency Hospital and the county general fund….

Mr. Alexander estimates there are at least 250 machines at present in operation in the county each of which must be licensed at a fee of $50 per annum. A $500 license fee is imposed by the new law on operators who are described as persons owning three or more such machines. At present, Mr. Alexander says, it is believed that at least four operators fall within the bill’s category.  

                                – Emmitsburg Chronicle, May 13, 1949

May 1974, 50 Years Ago

Mandel Speaks At Mt. St. Mary’s

A crowd of about 200 were on hand to greet Maryland Governor Marvin Mandel when his helicopter landed on the campus of Mount Saint Mary’s College at noon Monday. Governor Mandel was on campus for an informal question-and-answer session open to the public as well as Mount Saint Mary’s students and faculty.

The governor answered a variety of questions ranging from President Nixon to taxes to state aid to higher education. Asked his reaction to the conviction of Dale Anderson and the investigation of corrupt practices among other state officials, Mandel said, “There is no investigation as far as this administration is concerned. We’re not involved in investigations in any way, shape or form. A great disservice has been done to the State of Maryland by the news media who use the State of Maryland in connection with the investigations.”

                                – Emmitsburg Chronicle, May 9, 1974

Scouts Complete Inner Tube Trip

“We all made it”, said the seventeen member contingent of Emmitsburg’s Boy Scout

Troop 284. In spite of cool weather, slow water currents and other natural hazards, the scouts completed an 8 mile trip down the Monocacy River in inner tubes, on Saturday,

May 25. “It was a strange looking crew that assembled at Mumma Ford Bridge”, just south of Emmitsburg, said Scoutmaster Jay Dickinson.

Inner tubes of various sizes, covered with canvas, life preservers, and canoe paddles, were all the equipment that was taken on the trip. Lunches were packed in plastic bags to help keep the Monoccacy River where it belonged.

Only one inner tube went down. The unfortunate scoutjoined another on his inner tube to complete the journey.

                                – Emmitsburg Chronicle, May 30, 1974

May 1999, 25 Years Ago

Emmitsburg Town Deputies

Emmitsburg has a new deputy in town: Officer Willie 011ie. Deputy 011ie will be working with Deputy John Chance to patrol our town. The deputies are concerned about traffic enforcement and the juvenile problem Emmitsburg is having. With warm weather upon us the deputies have been working on plans to curtail curfew violators and vandals.

Emmitsburg has a Dupties Willie 011ie (I) and John Chance juvenile curfew that is in effect from 11:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.(Ordinance .12.040). The deputies have also been working with radar to slow some of the speeders through town.

                                – The Emmitsburg Regional Dispatch, May 1999

Flowers for Main Street

The Town of Emmitsburg and Silver Fancy Garden Club will be planting flowers in the Bradford Pear tree wells along Main Street on May 15 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. This is a tremendous undertaking and we need many volunteers.

We will meet in front of the town office at 8:45 a.m., give  explanations of what, where, and how to plant, and allocate areas. The town crew will help with additional dirt and mulch. Each volunteer should bring gloves, clippers, shovel, and a trowel. If you do not have these please come and the necessary items will be provided.

            – The Emmitsburg Regional, Dispatch, May 1999

“The Old Adage” From The Emmitsburg Chronicle, January 1, 1972