The Daily News from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania • Page 2

PAGE 2 THE DAILY NEWS, Huntingdon and Mount Union, January 31, 1972 Daily Starts With High Hopes In 1922 Newspaper Grows Steadily With Firm Leadership The Daily News. Not a unique name for a newspaper, but one that was chosen 50 years ago for Huntingdon County's first dally after many family discussions led by the father and founder, Joseph F. Biddle. "We need a name to show the paper is- current, one that will come out every day, not just twice a week." The man who had published The Semi-Weekly News and was about to launch the new publication knew exactly what the goals of his paper would be, and set them forth clearly in a statement which is to be found on the reproduced front page in today's issue. The daily newspaper which came into being January 31,1922 was a natural development in the career of the founder who had asked each Christmas a a youngster for a little printing press but never had his wish fulfilled, he told his own children, till he bought a big press of his own.

TEACHER-LAWYER Born and reared on a farm in Bedford County, the Dally News founder attended country school, then Millersville Normal School. He taught school then to earn money to go to Dickinson Law School in Carlisle where he received a law degree in 1897. He practiced law for several years in bedford County, and was also owner and operator of the Everett Press. In 1911 he purchased the Semi- Weekly News In adjoining Huntingdon County from Kimber Cleaver and in 1917 moved his family to Huntingdon, and because a fulltime newspaperman, discontinuing an active law practice. Incorporated into the daily at the time of its establishment in 1922 and In succeeding years were the Twice-A-Week.

Republl-. nal and the Weekly News of Huntingdon. PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS The newspaper founder was an indefatigable worker and strict adherent to business hours and a working schedule. Family members recall that he always ate lunch at his home and the food was expected to be on the table as he walked in the door at 12 o'clock noon. Mr.

Biddle was bested on quick lunch hours only by his general manager Blair Shore who used to explain his noontime speed by a system in which he ingested his lunch through a tube as he rounded the corner of his home at 9th and Mifflin Streets, never leaving the car, and heading then down Washington Street back to work. (No one way streets those days.) The county's new daily paper demonstrated vital interest in all efforts for community growth and lent its active support. And the publisher and editor had strong convictions on the issue of the day and let them be known through the columns of his paper. KU KLUX ACTIVE For example, in the twenties there was a militant Ku Klux Klan organization in Huntingdon. Its activities were reported so efficiently in the Daily News that the newspaper was sued, and the announcement of this suit streamed across the paper in a banner.

A cross was burned in front of the family home on Fifth Street and a letter threatening harm to one of the children was received by publisher Biddle. But he was not deterred in his efforts to expose the Klan organization, the report of the Klan meetings did not suit never came to trial. In the early days of the daily, one thing that puzzled the former editor of the semi-weekly paper was what he did all Hear The Whistle? Here omesTheN ews .1 Did you hear that whistle? Well, that means it is time to dig into the pocket to pay two cents for today's Issue of The Dally News. That's the way it was on January 31, 1922, the day the very first Issue of The Daily News made its appearance on the streets of Huntingdon and neighboring communities. Owner Joseph F.

Blddle and circulation manager David H. with overcrowding and pollution Black equipped newspaperboys it is Interesting to read this bit with whistles and the youngs- Prose in the Juniata Townshirj ters were instructed to blow their column "when we think of the JOSEPH BIDDLE E. BLAIR SHORE JOHN H. BIDDLE EUGENE T. SHORE Four names stand out distinctly in the history of the first 50 years of publishing The Daily News and they are: Joseph F.

Biddle, founder and editor-in-chief; E. Blaire Shore, first general foreman, managing editor and general manager; John H. Biddle, editor, publisher and Eugene T. Shore, city editor and since 1951, editor. Together their careers span the entire history of The Daily News.

For many of our readers through the years the Biddies and the Shores have been "The Daily News." can of Mount Union, he had only two pressfi'nies. Item, Me; Mount Union News, his newspaper life in Newton Hamilton Herald, the Huri-' Huntingdon lie was involved with tlngdon Globe, the Evening Jour- all phases of his newspaper bu- siness. One he especially enjoyed was attending county fairs and reporting them. SUPPORTS SUFFRAGE A strong believer personally and editorially in women's suffrage, Biddle had an unexpected confrontation one time in the years before women had the vote. He was attending the Bedford County Fair and went up to a suffrage booth to encourage the women in their campaign.

But they were "anti's" arid he had to back off, at least temporarily. The founder of the Daily News had an aversion to fortune tellers and "mediums" and it is recalled that every time one came into the newspaper office to place an ad, he would take time out to deliver a brief lecture on the evils of their trades. Along with his own business, Biddle was involved in other interests, including directorships in banks and savings and loans associations. His abilities in newspapering were recognized on state and national levels, and he served with the directing bodies of both Pennsylvania and national newspaper organizations. He represented Pennsylvania at the Press Congress Of the World in Switzerland in 1926, accompanied by The Biddies enjoyed many trips United States anil abroad and shared their experiences through news- paper reports They were active in Lutheran church circles.

SERVED IN CONGRESS A lifelong Republican, the Dally News' first publisher served on the Pennsylvania State Committee and in 1932 was elected to the United States Congress from the 18th district to complete the unexpired term of Hon. Edwards M. Beers' in the 72nd Congress. Perhaps the most frustrating experience during his newspaper publishing career occurred at the time of the 1936 flood, mentioned in another 50th birthday edition article as one of the news highlights of the half-century. In a later date March 20, 1936, to three daughters who were not in Huntingdon at the time, he wrote: "There has been a whole lot happening in Huntingdon since you heard from us.

The damage by flood will amount to more than a million dollars. For the first time in the history of the newspaper publishing, we were obliged to miss two issues. We do not have power or light at this time (Friday). The town has been in darkness since Wednesday: no power, no light, no gas. PRINTED OUT-OF-TOWN "Last night-we prepared the flood story, working'until after twelve and this morning we fixed up the ragged ends of the news and the boys went to State College, that is John, Karl Knecht and Jim Beatty.

The composition will bedoneatBelle- fonte and State College, the printing will be done some time.to- night and we hope to have the paper for distribution Saturday morning, covering three days. getting back to the Daily News, we hope to have power tomorrow and get out Saturday's edition." In July of 1935 publisher Biddie Incorporated his business and it became the Joseph F. Biddie Publishing Company, organized to do a general publishing and printing business. Stockholders of the company were the publisher and his wife and their five children. DIED IN 1936 Since the deaths of Mr.

and Mrs. Biddle in 1936 the newspaper has been owned by their children, Elisabeth B. McKee, John H. Biddle, Anne B. Pullinger and Josephine B.

McMeen, all of Huntingdon, and Sarah B. Ten Eyck, of Charleston, West Virginia. These are the offspring who as youths 50 years ago participated In the choosing of a name for their Father's big venture, a dally newspaper for Huntingdon County, and later, as adults, all worked in the family business at different times in its various departments, with varying responsibilities, and continue to do so on January 31, 1972. E. Blair Shore The team of Joseph F.

Biddle and E. Blair Shore was a winning combination both were hard workers and both desired to provide Huntingdon County with a life wire daily newspaper. Shore, still in knee pants, worked for The Mapleton Item in his hometown as a printer's devil. 1. Newion Swope, later Huntingdon County prothonotary, was the publisher-editor.

After graduation from Mapleton High School in 1910, where Xopher Beck, later a prominent Huntingdon attorney, was the principal, Shore looked for "greener pastures" and came to the county seat to work for the C. H. Miller Hardware Company at just about the time Biddle bought The Semi-Weekly News. Preferring the newspaper business, Shore went to work for Publisher Biddle in 1912 and stayed with the firm for 54years until his retirement in 1966. In 1912 The Semi-Weekly News was located at 524 Penn Street, the building later occupied by R.

Miller, plumbing and now the home of the Glenn Baker Plumbing Heating Company. Shore was first a compositor and then a Linotype operator and machinist. He was deeply involved in the production of the weekly and 'assisted in the planning for the start of The daily (Cont'd on Page 4) whistles when delivering a paper. This way residents were expected to be alerted so that they could quickly get the paper and protect it from the ravages of rain, wind and snow. Our paper no longer carry whistles and the cost is no longer two cents.

But these are only two of the many changes that have been made in your Daily News in the past 50 years. The front page of this special 50 year commemorative section Is an actual reprint of the front page of that very first Dally News and it obviously contained a pretty good balance of local, state and national news with the later two obtained through the services of United Press. "Inside" that first News were several standard features of newspapers in that day and one of these was one full page devoted to serialization of a novel, entitled "Harriet and the Piper." Another page of the eight page edition was devoted to a promotional piece urging area residents to subscribe to this new newspaper. Country correspondents, most of them holdovers from the Semi- Weekly News, reported on the happenings in Entriken, Mount Union, Juniata Township, Saltillo, Hartslog Valley, Spruce Creek Valley and Graysville. Cold winter weather was the primary topics for the columnists and in Graysville "farmers In the area are busy harvesting Ice" and the Hartslog correspondent recorded "an electric light meeting was held at Elmer Carver's home." Our writer in Entriken put tongue in cheek and wrote "judging from what we have seen there is still some home brew to be found in our community." In our present world concerned great train of automobiles, and just consider If the money that they cost would have been spent for homes in cities and home improvement and farms and farm improvements and what a safe investment it would have been." And then the Juniata Township writer reminds us that Good Old Days are In the eyes of the be- holder by writing 50 years ago "lots of ice and snowdrifts make us think this is a sample of the Old fashioned winters." Then as now life and death were matters of public concern and three obituaries appeared in that first issue along with a legal resolution on the death of George E.

Simpson who conceived the idea of the Raystown powery dam and constructed it with his brother Warren. Youngsters who grab the 1972 Dally News to catch up on the latest adventures of their comic strip favorites would have been disappointed with the first edition since it included just one four- panel strip and that lone cartoon dealt with printing. Our gardening friends would have been right at home with that first paper since it included "Cottage Gardener" a corner for garden notes. Just a note in passing the Hupp Motor Car Company reported doubling of sales in that issue. Other syndicated features were Daddy's Evening Fairy Tale, a detective short story and Home Town Helps a building col- umn.

There were two sheriff sale notices, a corporation charter notice and a notice of the annual meeting of the Huntingdon and Mountain Railroad and Coal And tills one for our critics in this very first issue Volume 1 was spelled volme 1. Plus Regional, State, National And International 15,500 Editions Crammed With Local News Events The Daily News, marking its 50th birthday today, has packaged a tremendous amount of local history Into some 15,500 editions during the past five decades. In addition to feeding Huntingdon County subscribers a solid diet of regional, state, national and international news since 1922, the editors have included a tasty dessert a constant supply of reports on local happenings. During the past half century, a period that was marked by the emergence of the talkies, television, air travel, computers and man's visit to the moon, Huntingdon County has stayed "in the news" on the home front. What have been the news highlights of the 50-year period, starting with that first edition of The Daily News on Jan.

31, 1922? Flood No. 1 Story Probably the greatest single event of that era was the killer St. Patrick's Day Flood of March 17, 1936 which hit the Juniata Valley and Huntingdon County causing millions of dollars worth of damage. With the biggest story of the century at hand, the editors were unable to tell their story until power lines were restored and roads were opened. But the staff was equal to the challenge and The Daily News was published, in State College for several (jays until Huntingdon got back onto its feet.

But there were many other great events over the years which included three wars, the Depression, Prohibition, the FDR era and "Eight Days at Shade Gap." 8 Days At Shade Gap It took William p. Hollenbaugb, a 44-year-old recluse, to put Shade ami Dublin Township into the national news spotlight when he kidnapped pretty 17-year-old Peggy Ann Bradnick on the afternoon of May 11, 1966. During the next seven days a's many as 750 persons at times joined in a search of the rugged area for "Bicycle Bill" and the abducted school girl. The Shade Gap Storyjended on May 18 when Hollenbaugh was gunned down at a police roadblock near Fort Littleton. A "reign of terror "in Dublin Township that had included several shootings ended with the killing of Peggy Ann's kidnaper.

Golden Era Dawning The Lake Raystown project may well be the story of the century for the Huntingdon area. The multi-million dollar project, due for completion in 1973, is expected tobring millions of tourists to the area in the years ahead a golden age of tourism for Huntingdon County. The project, scheduled to cost $32.5 million at the start, received Congressional approval in 1962, construction work began in 1968 and annually since then the federal government has poured millions into the job, helping the economy of the area, but triggering the exodus of families and vacationers from the once beautiful Rays- town Dam resort area that started in 1912 13 and had a "terrific" expansion. The old Raystown Dam was Wasted in 1970, as area residents looked forward to Lake Baystown, the largest man-made body o( water in the East. Qreat Depression TheStqckMarketCrashofOct.

29, 1929 hit the Huntingdon Area as the effects of the Great Depression spread into every nook and corner of the nation- During the recovery years the foundation was laid for a strong industrial development movement that is still under way in the area. World War it, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War saw Huntingdon Countians serving proudft in the armed, forces, While the folks back bonte buckled down to do their bit, enduring the rigors of rationing during "the big war." Local stories concerning the heroism of area GIs, battle casualties and POWs filled hundreds of columns of newspaper space. Sunday war Edition Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, 1941 brought the only Sunday edition of The Daily News in its history. The four-page "War Extra" appeared that Sunday evening.

To mark the date that "will live in infamy," the editors selected their largest type for an eight-column banner line, "U.S. Attacked By Japan." Today the Dec. 7 issue is a collector's Item. Annually fires make headlines in The Daily News, but the 1963 blaze which destroyed five warehouses in West Huntingdon with a loss of $1 million still stands as the county's biggest. Many Costly Fires There have been dozens of other major blazes including the $200,000 Steel fire in Huntingdon on Nov.

27, tre and the Clifton Theatre fires in Huntingdon in 1931, the $350,000 Alexandria School fire in 1968, the $250,000 Heine Garage blaze in 1965, the $200,000 Harpster Chevrolet blaze at Warriors Mark'in 1963, the $200,000 Huntingdon Aragon Grille fire- explosion of 1961 during a midwinter snow, the $100,000 Hotel Huntingdon blaze of I960, the $60,000 fire-explosion in Mapleton Depot in 1962 and the $100,000 Birmingham Presbyterian Church of 1952. Mount Union had the $500,000 Shapiro Furniture Store-Bell Telephone holocaust in 1957 and Orbispnia counted an $85,000 blaze that same year. A Union Township mother and her five small daughters perished in 1952 in the worst fire of its kind in the half-century Loss was set at $125,000 in the Shirley Ayr cannery fire of 1947 and in 1954 Blairs Mills had its worst blaze. Broad Top Hit Hard Following World War 11 the Broad Top faded as a prosperous coal mining area. The rich deep pits closed due to spirallng costs and strip mining was started, but failed to provide jobs for the thousands of jobless miners.

Two historic coal-carrying rail lines, the Huntingdon and Broad Top and. the narrow gauge East Broad Top closed after the mines ceased to operate. The H. B. T.

passenger service stopped on Oct. 1, 1953 and freight services ceased on Nov. 16,1953 for the financially poor lines. Old Easty faded from the scene on Nov. 12, 1953, but staged a comeback as a tourist carrying excursion line and is still prospering.

Iron Horse Vanishes The smoke belching "iron horse" also vanished from the Pennsylvania Railroad during the 50-year period to be replaced by powerful diesel units hauling long freight trains and a few Amtrak passenger trains. Industrial development stories have provided the area with excellent reading over the years. As a result of the Depression, the Huntingdon radiator works folded, the Susquehanna Silk Mill went bankrupt and on Jan. 4,1947 Owens Corning Flberglas Corporation, a bustling firm, bought the old silk mill property from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for $910,000. Fiberglas has spent millions expanding and modernizing the facility until it holds a top spot in the industry today.

Industrial Park Starts In 1954 the Huntingdon and Broad Top Long Siding in Smithfield Township was bought by Huntingdon Business Industry, the start of Industrial Park. Acres were added to the site in later years and the project is a bright spot in the 50-year period with Gerbo Footwear, Arrow, Reeves Parvin, Elco Huntingdon, Bell Telephone, Penelec and John R. Wald Company having offices and factories on the site. Opening of the $1.6 million L- Greif Bro. plant at Mount Union's Industrial Park in 1971 is the highlight of that area's economic picture.

The same firm remodeled and continues to operate its -original sewing factory in Mount Union Borough. New Westab Plant BuUt In 1930 the J. C. Blair Company, one of Huntingdon's old standby industries, was bought by Western Tablet and Stationery Company, placing the former "local" firm on a national scale. The Huntingdon plant was greatly expanded, but in the fall of 1965 the firm, now a division of Westab, moved into a new, modern $1,250,000 plant at Alexandria.

Banking has undergone great advances during the past half century. Once there were at least 12 banks in the county. Mergers took place and today there are only five banks, but they serve the entire area with drive-in offices. All have had excellent growth. One-Room Schools Vanish Progressive public school education has been paramount in Huntingdon County over the half century.

Back in 1922 there were some 125 one-room schools dotting the countryside, but it was on June 7, 1963 that the last one the Smith School closed and brought an end to "the little red schoolhouse" era. Incidentally, Mrs. Mary Croft of Huntingdon was the teacher at Smith when it closed. The Hon. J.

H. Neff, Alexandria, R. served 16 years as county superintendent of schools, a record that will never be broken since the office was phased out of the education picture last July 1. Neft served 1930 to 1946. School plants in the area are among the finest in the state, with practically no building being more than 40 years of age and the majority of the structures being of the 10-20 year vintage.

Millions have been spent in Huntingdon area school centers for Huntingdon, Mount Union, Juniata Valley, Southern Huntingdon County, Tussey Mountain, Northern Bedford and Forbes Road. Politics In News Politics has played an important part in this urea's history. Congressman Edward M. Beers of Mount Union, a distinguished lawmaker, died in 1932 after serving 10 years in the U. S.

House of Representatives. The Hon. Joseph F. Biddle, founder oi The Daily News, filled out Beers' unexpired term, but was defeated in his bid for a full term by the Hon. Benjamin K.

Focht of Lewisburg who had served in the House on two previous occasions. Focht's death brought Huntingdon's Richard Murray Simpson to the forefront in national politics. He resigned his State House seat on May 10, 1937 and succeeded Focht in Congress. Death Ends Career During the next 23 years, until his death on Jan. 7, 1960, Simpson distinguished himself as an expert on tax matters, social security legislation, reciprocal trade agreements and tariff.

"Dick" Simpson brought great credit to himself and to Huntingdon County. On the county scene, C. H. Fetterolf of Mount Union set an all-time record by serving for 20 years as chairman of the Huntingdon County Commissioners. He died June 13, 1952.

In 1967 Huntingdon Countians elected a dead man to office. D.C. Goodman of Mount Union, incumbent county commissioner, was re-elected. He died 30 minutes before the polls closed. A shake-up at the Pennsylvania Industrial School after Gov.

George H- Earle took office in 1935 brought to Huntingdon County Commander John D. Pennington as superintendent of the correctional facility. Gov. Earle fired John R. Cranor as superintendent and the board of trustees named Pennington to fill the position.

A retired U. S. Navy officer, Comdr. Pennington distinguished himself as one of the nation's leading penologists. Dr.

M. Q. Passes A distinguished son, Dr. M. G.

Brumbaugh died March 14, 1930 while serving as president of Juniata College. He had been governor of Pennsylvania in 19151919 and then returned to Huntingdon in 1924 to take over again as bead of Juniata. He had been president of the College Hill institution on two previous occasions. A Penn Township native, Dr. M.G.

at the age of 21 was the youngest person ever to serve as superintendent of Huntingdon County schools. Prohibition ended in the United States on Dec. 5, 1933. Prior to the ratification of the 21st amendment, bootlegging, moonshine making, gave rise to many interesting news stories on the local scene. Liquor raids were common events during the anti- booze era in this area.

Hospital Expands The J. C. Blair Memorial Hospital, a gift to the community by Mrs. Kate Fisher Blair in memory of her industrialist husband, opened in 1911. A $1,126,000 addition was dedicated in 1950 and $4.5 million worth of new construction is now under way on Hospital Hill, including a $1.6 million extended care unit being built by the county.

The Fulton County Medical Center at McConnellsburg was opened in 1950, the Juniata Valley Medical Center at Alexandria is poised to open and the Broad Top Medical Center is nearing the bidding stage. Public Housing Starts The Huntingdon County Housing Authority was formed in 1951. Chestnut Terrace at Mount Union, a $1.5 million housing project, opened in 1954, to be followed by Huntingdon's huge $1,650,000 Crawford Apartments and Mount Union's Greene Street Village. Juniata College, preparing to mark its 100th birthday in 1976, has had fabulous development in the past half century under outstanding leaders, including Dr. M.

G. Brumbaugh, Dr. I. Harvey Brumbaugh, Dr. C.

C. Ellis, Dr. Calvert N. Ellis and Dr. John N.

Stouller. Millions have been spent on new buildings, including the $2.7 million Brumbaugh Science Center completed in 1966 and the $2 million Ellis Hall opened in 1968. Juniata College has now reached the midpoint ol a $10,100,000 Margin of Difference campaign, with the initial phase being an outstanding success. (Cont'd on Page 3).