Way Back When
November 5, 2012
(The Spirit is pleased to share with our readers vignettes of life in the 19th century as originally reported in past issues of the newspapers. These reproduced stories include their original headlines and spelling.)
Local Intelligence
September 19, 1896
Two Hundred New Ovens
Work was begun this morning on two hundred new coke ovens at Eleanora Mines. Two hundred ovens added to the already enormous coke plant of R. & P. Company which now has close to two thousand ovens will add considerably to the importance of this community as a coke producing centre.
Back From Cookâs Inlet
Henry Roahn, of this place, who went to the Cookâs Inlet gold country last May, returned home last Friday. Mr. Roahnâs reports of the country are not likely to cause a stampede in that direction. The mining is all of the placer kind, and a few good claims have been located, but the ice and water interfere seriously with their workings.
Over three thousand people went to that country last spring, and the majority of them will come away wiser, but not wealthier.
Even opportunities to work are very scarce there at wages ranging from $2 to $2.50 a day. W.H. Hile, who accomplished Mr. Roahn will be home in a few days.
To Introduce Meters
R. A. Townsend, owner of the Punxsutawney gas plant, will introduce the meter system as rapidly as possible.
He is now ordering meters to be places in churches, public halls, and such places are not occupied by families. It appears that the meter system gives much better satisfaction where it is used than the monthly rate.
The gas bills are uniformly smaller, and the gas is more abundant, because it is to the interest of the people to make their gas bills as light as possible, and in so doing they save gas for the company.
The first impulse of the people is to kick against the introduction of meters, but they soon get over that and wonder why they were ever foolish enough to be without one.
