GATSKILL MOUNTAIN NEWS Bervinc the Gommnnities of Allaben, Andes, Arena, Aiicville, Bellesyre, Big Indian, Denver, Dry Brook, Dimraven, Fleistiunanns, Grand Oorse, Halcott Center, HaloottviUe, Hiciunount, Kelly Comers, Margaretvilie, New Kingston, OUverea, Fboenicia, Pine EOH, Boxbmy, Btiandakwi, Shavertown, Union Grove and V ^ ^

YoL 78. No. 16. Whole Number 4020. MARGABETVnXE, NEW YORK, FBlDAT, JCTLY 19, 1040. Established in 18«S. Price Five Ceiita

Kg Indian Qub HouseDestroyed,

Guests Escape $35,000 Fire Takes One o

the Show Places of the Catskills

Wifl R e M SooD Considerable Loss of Cloth-

ing, Currency and Per-sonal Property

The $35,000 Big Indian Mountain clubhouse, one of the show places of the Catskills, was destroyed early last Saturday morning in a fire of undetermined origin. Sev-eral summer guests might have bimied to death had not one of tiieir number smelled smoke and sought the club steward who dis-covered the flames.

It was about five o'clock Satur-day morning when a woman guest smelled smoke. The fumes awak-ened her. She called others and sought the club steward. He made a search for the fire and found it in the cellar ceiling directly over an electric water pimip. The house telephone was on the floor above and directly over the same point.

The steward, with the aid of his father and one of the guests, en-deavored to quell the incipient fire ^ th hand fire extinguishers and water. But the fire gained rapid headway and the steward went to the telephone to call for help. But it was too late. Hie flames had secured access to the floor above and had put the tele^dione out of commission. He grabbed a car and drove to the village of Oliverea, one and a half miles away and phoned the Cniickshank family, owners of the property. This was about 6 o'clock, daylight time. Calls for fire equipment were sent to Phoenicia, Pine Hill, Fleisch-mazms and Margju^etville fire de-partments. The latter was the only one to listen to the plea for assistance and responded at once. "TTiey came quickly and gallantly, said one of the Cruickshank offi-cials. But so much time had been lost that Mr. Bedell, who lives nearest the burning building, phoned Pine Hill to stop the Mar-garetvilie department when it came through. The house was all ablaze and no fire department could be of assistance.

All of the guests and all of the help in the doomed building escaped without injury, many of them in their night clothes. Several of the guests lost all their clothing, jewels and other valuables, in-cluding currency.

"Die clubhouse was a nearly new building. It was constructed in 1936 at a cost of around $35,000. This did not include furnishings. The owners carried an insurance of $26,000 on buildings and fur-nishings. The fire came at the height of an exceUent season and means a great loss to the dub. The Big Indian Mountain dub was oi ganized some years ago. The dub builds cottages for members <m its extensive mountain proper-ty and has construct^ some 35 to 40 sudi homes duiing the last few years. Some of them have cost nearly $10,000, others are at a much less figure. The property is hig^y restricted and becomes more popular with eadi seascm.

Hospital Ball Planned At School on August 14

The annual monster chari^ ball for the M^aretville hospital is planned this year for August 14 at the new school building in this village. Music will be again sup-plied by the famous Grand Hotel orchestra to make the event the big night of the year in entertain-ment.

Boy Scout Council Grows An increase of sixty-eight in the

number of Scouts and of eight Cubs was shown in the report of the Organization ccanmittee sub-mitted by the chairman, Dr. Chsu-les W- Hunt, prindpal of the Oneonta State Normal school, at a meeting of the board of Directors of Otschodela coimcil. Boy Scouts of America, which was held Wed-nesday night of last week at Camp Deerslayer on Otsego lake.

This brings the total number registered in the council to 1,316, of whom 1,289 are Scouts and 27 Cubs. Fifty troops registered, which is thirteen more than the preceding year, and the total en-rollment excels all past records.

The meeting fallowed a delicious beef steak supper prepared by the camp chef and served by Scouts for the committeemen and their wives. The evening was a delight-ful one and the company enjoyed visits to the various "villages where eighty Scout§ representing seven troops are encamped in this the third and most largely attend-ed week of the coping period, the ceremony of the lowering of the colors and a council fire after dark.

Board Organizes, Votes To Save Tax Collection Fee Officers Same as Last Year.

Sixty Days to Pay School Tax

Local Business Man Purchases Country Home

At the sale of the Myers prop-erty at Dunraven last Saturday by mortgage foredosure it weus pur-chased by Norman Sanford, mana-ger of the Margaretvilie Victory store. His bid was $1,100.

There is a comfortable dwelling and two bams situate (MI four acres of lemd, mudi of it very fertile. Mr. and Mrs. Sanford ex-pect to move to the new place in the near future, improve it and make it an ideal country home. It is three miles distant wefet from Margaretvilie on routes 28 and 30.

Revokes Pine EDIl license Samuel Locket, Kingston, ac-

cused of driving a car while in-toxicated, has had his license re-voked, the State Bureau of Motor Vehides announced Wednesday. Locket is one of the Ulster county residents whose licenses were re-voked during the two weeks ended July 6, the other being Ora B. Misner of Pine Hill, charged with failure to file report of an acddent.

Dr. Tepfer AppoiDted Appoints Committee to Sell

Former House in Margaretvilie

The board of Education of the MargaretviUe central school met to organize on Tuesday. The follow-ing were chosen: President, James J. Welch; vice-president, Richard Bell of Arkville; clerk, Mrs. Mar-garet Thompson; treasurer, Harry Eckert; health officer. Dr. Milton Tepfer.

It was dedded at the meeting of the board not to appoint a tax collector this year. The collection of taxes will be attended bV Mrs. niompson, clerk of the board. There will be no fee charged for a period of 60 days. This plan will save the taxpayers of the district between five and six hun-dred dollars.

The board would like to dispose of the former Margaretvilie high school. They appointed a com-mittee to seek purchasers. The ccmimittee is W. C. Ruff, S. A. Dugan and C. A. Sanford. Some members of the committee have written Congressman HaD and asked him to report to the war department there is a large build-ing here which could be used. The building would make an ideal plant for the manufacture of war materials. ITie locality is pro-tected by neighboring mountains and there is plenty of room. The section is not unionized and might easily appeal to some manufactur-er. Ample help could be secured in this section. The building will be offered at a bargain price, if a purchaser appears.

Pinewood Wins 3-Day Baseball Tournament

Summer hotels in Fleisc|mianns carried on a baseball tournament at the Fleischmanns park in that village on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the present week. The Pinewood, Takanasee, St. Regis and New Arlington hotels took part. The Pinewood won the tournament.

'Grant Boys' 'Make' N. Y. Times Two of Oneonta's Grant boys,

formerly of a Delaware county family but now well established in Otsego where one is County Judge Donald H. Grant, winner of the Alumni loyalty award to this year's graduate of Oneonta high school, broke into the columns of the New York Hmes Sunday.

The Times correspondent report-ing on activities at Plattsburg Sat-urday where members of the busi-ness and professional men's train-ing camp joined the regular CMTC group at the reservation in a parade, reported: '

"At the extreme right of the line of companies spanning the parade grounds. County Judge Donald Grant of Chieonta shoul-dered a rifle as a buck private in the men's first company. Down at the far end of the line in Co. G Of the CMTC, was Quentin Grant, 18. A basic or first-year boy, he was doing exactly what his father was doing.

"The boy was beginning. His father was taking up where he left off in 1919, when he was a first lieutenant of the 26th.—One-onta Star.

Conunnnity To MakeChurGhOf

Former School Complies With Deed Made

120 Years Ago by Donors of Land

Good Feeders, Here Is Chance to Fill

June IMOIk for Ulster Ulster county plants received

from producers during the month of June a total of 2,329,802 poimds of milk whidi at the uniform pro-ducer price announced for the month had a total value of $36,-344.91.

mtch-EDked to Maine Dick Bertrand and Norman

Bailey left town a short time ago and have hitdi-hiked to Maine, where Didc has found woric on a dude randi.—Pine Hill Cor.

Ilie guests and home owners are most enthusiastic.

^^he Cruickshank brothers said yesterday that the construction of a new dubhouse on the same site will begin just as so<»i as plans and specificati(His can be conq>leted and materials pur-diased.

Breaks Left Arm Few Months Following Right

Miss Miriam Edwards, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Todd Edwards, had the misfortune to break her left arm near the shoulder. Only a few months ago she broke the other arm. Miriam says she could not show partiality with her arms. — Fleischmanns Cor.

Willis Sharpe Kilmer Dies Willis Shaipe Kilmer, 71, pub-

lisher of the Binghamton Press and owner of three of the greatest horses on the American turf— Exterminator, Sim Briar, and Sun Beau— is dead.

A well-known manufacturer of medicinal supplies in addition to his publishing, horse racing and thoroug ibred breeding interests, Kilmer succumbed Friday of last week to pneumonia at his summer home at nearby Sky lake after being in ill health for the past year.

His wife, the former Sarah Jane Wells, whom he married in Paris, was with him when he died.

Bom in Brooklyn, Oct 18, 1868, Kilmer went to Binghamton with his parents while still a boy. Aft^r attending Cornell university he entered into business with his father in the manufacture of medicinal goods.

The* annual Methodist dambake will be held in the spadous dining hall of the local church next week Thursday, July 25. The bake wiU be under the careful direction of J. A. Brundage and a host of helpers. The Methodists have es-tablished a reputation for these affairs and welcome "good feeders."

The large hall allows them to serve rain or shine. Weather will not interfere with the bake in amy way.

Officers Elected Place Where All May Wor-

ship. No Creed, No Denomination

Birtiiday for Two Mrs. George Sanford of Andes

and Mrs. Otis Whitney of town were given a birthday party at the' Whitney camp in Rider hollow on Sunday. Those present were Mr .and Mrs. Will Seacord, Mr. and Mrs. Arch Coulter, Mr. emd Mrs. John Sliter, son. Jack ,and daughter, Jean, Mr. and Mrs. George Sanford and daughter, Meu-y, Mr. and Mrs. Otis Whitney and son, Dick. Mrs. Sanford and Mrs. Whitney were each presented with a beautiful birthday cake.— Arkville Cor.

]Hay Big Game Yearly At its annual meeting at St.

Louis, July 8, the National League of Professional Baseball dubs voted to continue playing an an-nual game at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, the birthplace of baseball, between two major league dubs, adding the suggestion that dubs rotate in giving their services to the Cooperstown game.

Bed Cross Lacks $100 The Margaretvilie chapter of

the Red Cross yet lades about $100 of the $300 quota for the relief of suffering in Europe. To-date $216.20 has been contributed. Contributi<His not previously ac-kncmtedged are: Mri. J. Frands Murjrfiy $3i)0 James Doran 1.00 Fenton, Fenton & Snyder 2.00

The Old Stone School House Chapel is the name of an associa-tion which was launched last Sun-day afternoon at the Stone school house. The district school there has been abandoned and this left the andent stone building without tenants.

Rev. D. B. Cordes of this village and a group of Dunraven folks spent a day or two last week to look into the ownership of the property. A deed is on record at Delhi, dated July 5, 1820, from John and Anna Van Wagenen to the school district, giving the land for school purposes. But there is a dause in the deed which says that it may be used for religious purposes if school is discontinued.

For the reason the assodation was forined that the traditions of the building may be preserved and it might serve as a place of wor-ship. The organization is HOTI-sectarian, n<»i-denominati<»ial. Hie following trustees were diosen: Frank Mead, George McMurray, Mrs. Robert Dickman, Mrs. Fred Miller. Mrs. Benjamin Feurbaim is secretary-treasurer.

There is a bit of tax money left for the use of the new diapel and needed funds for the operation will be raised by contributions or donations.

Shoots Big Battler Four feet of poison in the form

of a rattlesnake with seven rattles was shot Tuesday afternoon of last week by B. L. Burgess on his farm on the West Davenport road. The reptile was discovered by Mrs. Burgess in the path to the wood-shed oyer which their six-year-old daughter, Virginia, had gone but a few minutes before.

Mrs. Burgess and daughter were on an errand to the woodshed and the latter ,in going ahead, stepped over the tail of the snake without noticing what it was. Her mother saw the rattler, called to her hus-band for help, and instructed her daughter to go on to the woodshed. After the head of the rattler was shot off, the reptile was hung up on the bam. The family is now on the lookout for its mate or a nest of the deadly spedes. This is the furst one ever found on the Burgess property.

Hold Cmiro Funeral The funeral of Howard Lawrence

Conro was held at Browns funeral home in Prattsville Tuesd^. Mr. Conro had been ill four weeks and was at the home of his son, Harry Conro ,in Binghamton, where he died Saturday.

Bom in the town erf Roxbury June l a 1861, he had spent his entire life in that section. He was a painter and carpenter a{bd only a few weeks ago completed paint-ing a residence in Grand Goi^e. He was an active persm and Had always been in exceptionally good health.