Blair County Newspaper Articles
News, obituaries, birth, marriage and death notices, by date.
Items from The Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa.,
Wednesday, September 30, 1863
ARTEMAS ON THE DRAFT.
Artemas Ward, volunteer assistant to the Provost Marshal General, has issued the following circular. His decisions are clear and explicit, preserving the ingenuity and consistency of the Provost Marshal General, and their style betrays a touch of that dignitary's master hand:
CIRCULAR NO. 78.
As the undersigned has been led to fear that the law regulating the draft was not wholly understood, notwithstanding the numerous explanatory circulars that have been issued from the National Capital, of late, he hereby issues a Circular of his own; and if he shall succeed in making this favorite measure more clear to a discerning public, he will feel that he has not lived in vain:
I. A young man who is drafted and inadvertently goes to Canada, where he becomes embroiled with a robust English party, who knocks him around so as to disable him for life, the same occurring in a licensed bar room on British soil, such young men cannot receive a pension on account of said injuries from the United States Government, nor can his heirs or creditors.
II. No drafted man in going to the appointed rendezvous, will be permitted to go round by way of Canada, on account of the roads being better that way, or because his "Uncle William" lives there.
III. Any gentleman living in Ireland, who was never in this country, is not liable to draft, nor are his forefathers. This latter statement is made for the benefit of those enrolling officers who have acted on the supposition that the able-bodied male population of a place included dead gentlemen in the cemeteries.
IV. The term of enlistment is for three years, but any man who may have been drafted in two places has a right to go for six years, whether the war lasts that length of time or not - a right this department hopes, he will insist on.
V. The only sons of a poor widow, whose husband is in California, are not exempt, but the man who owns stock in the Vermont Central Railroad is. So also are incessant lunatics, habitual lecturers, persons who were born with wooden legs or false teeth. Blind men (unless they acknowledge that they "can't see it") and people who deliberately voted for John Tyler.
VI. No drafted man can claim exemption on the ground that he has several children whom he supports and who do not bear his name, or live in the same house with him, and who have never been introduced to his wife, but who, on the contrary, are endowed with various mothers, and "live round."
Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Wednesday, September 30, 1863, page 1
LOCAL ITEMS.
MORE ABOUT JIM MOORE. - We have had another letter from our soldier friend, Jim Moore, which announces that he is well and hearty. In fact Jim has stood the rough usage of the Army of the Potomac remarkably well, as he informs us that he has not been one day in any hospital, since his connection with the army, now two years, and he has been as faithful to his position as he has been healthy, not having been absent from his company twenty-four hours, either on furlough or "Frenchie," in all that time. The Army of the Potomac is again on the march, and the 5th corps, to which the Reserves are attached, were at Rapidan Station when Jim wrote us. He informs us of the death of private Samuel P. Black, who lived near Fostoria, in this county. Black was a member of Co. F. 2d Reserves. It appears that he went bathing in the Rappahannock, near the R. R. station of that name, and getting beyond his depth, and being unable to swim, was drowned. This occurred on the 3d of September. His body was recovered on the 5th of September and placed in a coffin and interred a short distance from that station. He was a good soldier and beloved by all his comrades. He had been in all the battles of that army from the date of his entrance into it, up to this time, and after escaping all its dangers, it is sorrowful to think that he should be thus suddenly called away from friends and glory.
NEW POSTAL CURRENCY. - The new fractional postal currency, says Thompson's Bank Note Reporter, is to be one of the same denominations as the old, but instead of being different sizes, they will be of dimentions of the present ten cent postal. They are engraved in the highest styles of art, and the colors, which are the distinguishing marks of the different values, are of such a chemical combination, it is asserted, as to defy photographing. They are printed on paper made by a secret process in the Treasury Department, thinner than that now in common use, and very much cheaper. The advantage will consist largely in the fact that it is forty times stronger than the paper now used, and can be washed like a piece of linen without in any way injuring the engraving. It photographs a dark brown instead of white.
DEMOCRATIC MASS MEETING. - By reference to another column it will be seen that the Democracy intend holding a grand Mass Meeting in this place, on Saturday evening next. A number of the ablest speakers of the party will be present on that occasion. Considering that these men are the expounders of the doctrines of their party, and that the issues involved in the present political contest in this State are momentous, they should be heard by all voters, in order that they may vote understandingly. Arrangements have been made for the issuing of excursion tickets from all stations on the Penn'a R. R., between Altoona and Petersburg, at which 50 or more tickets can be sold. We hope this meeting will pass off as quietly and orderly as did the Union meeting, some two weeks since.
HE DIDN'T MEAN IT, OF COURSE. - A little incident occurred, a few days since, which shows how easily, in these days of party names, a man may say what he does not really mean, and not notice it, and what a handle can be made of his remarks by his opponents. After the Democratic meeting, in Kurtz's Hall, on Thursday evening last, a member of the Union party met a Democrat who had been in attendance, and questioned him as to the speakers and numbers present, &c., and then asked whether there were any Union men there, when the Democrat at once replied "No, not a Union man."
DANIEL'S COMMING. - Of course everybody will read this article, even if they do get fooled. - Printers have a captivating way of heading puffs, in order to get people to read them, and they frequently get "fits" for so doing; but we didn't commence this article to make excuses for our nonsense, we only meant to say that Dan Laughman is now in the city buying his fall stock of ready made clothing, which he will have on hand by the latter part of the week. This is all, you know Dan always brings a good stock and sells cheap.
A MAMMOTH DEPOT. - The new depot of the Pennsylvania railroad now in course of erection at Pittsburg, will have a front on Liberty street of seven hundred feet, and on Elm street of one hundred and fifty-nine feet. Five hundred feet of the Liberty street front will be of iron highly ornamented, and the elevation of the roof in the centre will be seventy-five feet. The plan of the building comprehends a large hotel, dining room, &c, and when finished it will be one of the most expensive and handsome structures of the character in the United States.
FIRE. - A destructive fire occurred at Waterstreet, Huntingdon Co., on Saturday last. The residence and Cabinet shop of David Wilson (both in the same building) were entirely consumed. - The fire was communicated to the building from a dilapidated chimney. The flames spread so rapidly that Mr. Wilson's family (he was absent) had barely time to make their escape from the house, without saving anything. Mr. W's loss will be very heavy. The property belonged to Henry Mytinger.
"GONE AND LEFT US." - "Skeedaddling" appears to be the inscription upon the coat tails of a number of our old and respected friend, and now the appointing power in the Maintenance of Way Department, P. R. R., have gone and given our good-natured friend, Maurice Fitzgerald, a lift into the Supervisorship of the Tyrone and Clearfield R. R., which necessitates his removal to Tyrone. While we are losers, there are three parties benefitted, viz: the P. R. R., the people of Tyrone, and Mr. Fitzgerald.
JIM CARROLL FOR ASSEMBLY. - We notice that our old acquaintance, Jim Carroll, a Mail Agent between this place and Pittsburgh, under Buchanan's administration, is out as an independent candidate for Assembly, in Cambria county, in opposition to Cyrus L. Pershing, the regular Democratic nominee. Jim is a first rate fellow and certainly sound on the Union question. He would make a creditable representative, and we shall take pleasure in chronicling his election.
A cotemporary speaks in terms of high praise of a newly-invented "spark arrester." We doubt whether this new fangled affair is equal to the old ones of a good fierce dog, aided by a stout cudgel in the hands of an indignant "governor." These two combined will generally manage to bring down the "spark" about the time he is scaling the fence, especially if assisted by the old lady with a broomstick. From such "arresters" all "sparks" may well pray to be delivered.
WELCOME PRESENT. - Jake Wilson has our thanks for a box of delicious grapes, from Harshberger's Manayunk Vineyard. They are as fine grapes as we have seen this season. Jake keeps them on hand for sale by the pound or box. He has also apples, peaches, watermelons, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables in season.
THE "BIG POTATO." - Our mountain friend, D. M. Greene, presented us with a monster potato, a few days since. We need not give its weight, suffice it to say that it made a meal for two persons, and we style it the "big potato," until some of our readers present something to beat it.
NEW GOODS. - J. B. Hileman has received his first invoice of Fall goods, which he is selling at the lowest figures, and they are going off with a rush, keeping the Squire and Jake so busy that they hardly get time to take their meals. Call early, ladies, if you wish something nice.
Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Wednesday, September 30, 1863, page 3