Fire and explosions destroy Boyertown gas station
Flames and several blasts engulfed the gas service station of James Glomstad at East Philadelphia Avenue and Montgomery County line Boyertown. The 35 by 70 foot structure burned to the ground, causing over 15000 dollars in damage including three automobiles. Forty firefighters from three companies fought the blaze for three hours, with the roof of a neighboring home also catching fire. Explosions were believed to result from drums of antifreeze and kerosene stored inside. Patrolman Grant Groff discovered the fire shortly before 5 am. The scene continued on the last page.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
James ©. Glomstad
Philadelphia avenue
Montgomery county
Boyertown
Grant Groff
Boyertown police
Model of Furnace Stolen From Car On Evans Street
A salesman's model of a house heating furnace valued at about 185 dollars was stolen from the rear of an unlocked automobile at 23 South Evans Street Saturday night. Malcolm M. Gillespie, listed as branch manager for Holland Furnace Co, reported the theft yesterday morning. He noted gloves and briefcase contents disturbed but missing. Police Sgt. Daniel J. Linton said the case is under investigation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
South Evans street
Malcolm M. Gillespie
Holland Furnace company
King street
Gillespie
Daniel J. Linton
Girl Injured After Bicycle Fall on Barbed Wire
A Schwenksville Road girl, Donna Hampton, age five, fell from her bicycle onto a rusty barbed wire fence yesterday afternoon. She was treated at Memorial Hospital dispensary for a cut scalp at about 5 pm.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Schwenksville RD 1
Memorial hospital dispensary
Donna Hampton
Weather Overview for Eastern Pennsylvania Today
Mostly cloudy and continued cold with a few snow flurries in the western and northern mountains. In contrast, tomorrow should be fair, bringing a calmer, clearer day across the region.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pennsylvania
Weather notes show extreme cold and low temperatures
Clipped notes report severe cold with temperatures near record lows. Antics and 38 Mercury appear as fragments, indicating an alert for extreme cold conditions and potential travel disruption.
Pottstown Band Plays Before 900 at Christmas Concert
More than 900 people filled the Senior High school auditorium yesterday afternoon for the Pottstown band Christmas community concert. The glee club wore choir gowns as blue lights highlighted the performance of The Night Before Christmas, written by Fred Waring who permitted its use six years ago. Band director William F. Lamb Jr commented on the enduring feature of the annual concert.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pottstown
glee club
Fred Waring
William F. Lamb Jr
Maria Assunta Members Honor Retiring Leader
A testimonial dinner honored Jerry Ottaviano, charter member and 20 year president of the Maria Assunta lodge, as he retires. Surrounded by friends, he accepted the tribute with quiet thanks and wished everyone a Merry Christmas. Continued on page six.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Maria Assunta lodge
Jerry Ottaviano
Ottaviano
Mercury
John Sperat
Cherry street
Hunters Find Stabilizer From Crashed Mustang Near Cedarville
Two hunters and a third man found parts of an F 51 Mustang bomber near Cedarville while deer hunting on July 22. Sigmund Yarmush and Eugene Janderchick located a 14 foot horizon stabilizer four miles south of Cedarville, and Oscar Haws uncovered a three foot rudder portion while hunting with relatives. The discovery is linked to a crash reported last July near Hope.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hopewell
Sigmund Yarmush
Pottstown
Eugene Janderchick
Gilbertsville
Cedarville
Oscar Haws
Cold Spring park
Yarmush
John J. Basco
Potts
Pace
Mercury Carriers Return From New York Trip
The Mercury newspaper carriers and staff returned home after a two day expense free tour of New York City. Thirty carrier boys helped gain 552 new subscribers from Oct 20 to Nov 19. Highlights included a visit to the Paramount Theater and a day at La Guardia airport.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mercury
New York
The
New York city
New
ELSTON HANNA JR
Custercourt
Penn Village
Paramount
Allen Quackenbos
Pottstown RD
Mercury carriers
La Guardia
Richard Isett
High street
William Gable
Madison street
Boyertown
Robert Moyer
Leroy Kaas
William Hornberger
John Chernesky
Michael Mickletz
Lanny Ross
Liam Gabel
William Shaner
borough
Eski Returns With Starry Christmas Tale
Eski the little Eskimo child returns in a new adventure titled Once Upon a Christmas Eve beginning Thursday in The Mercury. Santa Claus and the Astronomers' club brighten Eski's tree with real stars as the tale unfolds Thursday.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
ESKI
Santa Claus
Astronomers’ club
Elsi
Mercury
Eight Year Old Struck by Car at High and Franklin
An eight year old Pottstown boy was struck by an automobile at the corner of High and Franklin Streets and taken to the hospital. The driver, Raymond D Lauer Jr of 117 North Charlotte Street, said he was traveling slowly and stopped immediately. The boy, Martin Koenig of 657 Water Street, ran into the street. A separate incident on High Street involved a truck left double parked by Harold Litvin of 267 High Street rolling into two parked cars.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pottstown
Pottstown” hospital
High
Franklin Streets
Raymond
D. “Lauer Jr
North
Charlotte street
Franklin street
Martin Koenig
Water street
Lauer
High street
Hanover street
Reading concourse
Harold Litvin
Litvin
Driver Runs Off Road And Demolishes Auto
Early Saturday morning on Route 422 at Limerick a one car crash injured Ralph Klock of Reading. The 46 year old was driving a 1919 coupe when it ran off the south side, overturned and demolished the vehicle after clipping a fence at Louis Sager’s property. Troopers said the driver appeared to fall asleep at the wheel.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Limerick
Ralph Klock
Reading
Jeffersonville
Ray Beninato
Carl Ziegler
Louis Sager
Tax Canvass Support Pledged by Pottstown Board
Pottstown school board and teachersback a borough census to raise funds for district needs including new annexes and a West End school. Officers cited building programs and a junior high gym conversion as proof for extra revenue. Teachers chief Marion Giles supports public relations through parent meetings while stressing no talk with other teachers yet. Census plans were authorized at the December 8 meeting and will be reviewed with the school authority tomorrow night.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pottstown school board
Marion R. Giles
Pottstown Teachers’ association
H. Bert Shaw
thhe
Shaw
Charles L. Rohland
prise
board
Carl M. Binder
Earl J. Reidenauer
Rohland
Yohn
school authority
Traces of Snow Only Tease Sledders
Snow covered roofs and branches teased sledders as a half inch of snow melted by noon. Early risers found sled runners scraping hard ground as temperatures dropped below 30 by midnight. A wide wintry belt across 11 states brought colder air and a cold wave with forecasts of occasional flurries to lift spirits.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pottstown
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
Tennessee
Georgia
Florida
Young Ballet Dancers Charm Small Town Audience
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo opened the Politstown Community Concert series before a capacity crowd at the Senior High School auditorium. Despite a bare stage and minimal scenery, the company delivered refined performances of Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Cirque de Deux, and Gaite Parisienne with Anna Istomina and Roman Jasinsky earning repeated applause for their interpretations.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
Politstown
cerpts
Tschaikovsky
Anna Istomina
Roman Jasinsky
prince
Eight prospective policewomen chosen in Pottstown
Eight prospective policewomen were selected Saturday morning for recommendation to the council's Police committee by Earl R. Strange Sr. from 15 applicants. They will assist school children at crossings and begin work January 6, though uniforms may not be ready. The eight include Dorothy Herner, Grace M. Donofrio, Helen C. Luft, George A. Griffiths, Blanche D. Grimley, and others listed with specific intersections in Pottstown.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pottstown
Earl R. Strange Sr
Strange
Dorothy Herner
Franklin street
Walnut and
Hanover street
Grace M. Donofrio
Beech street
Beech and Keim street
Helen C. Luft
Water street
Charlotte street
George A. Griffiths
Beech and Warren
Blanche D. Grimley
Publix Shirt Plans Complete Shutdown of Local Operation
Publix Shirt corporation at Beech and Evans streets begins transferring operations to other factories as a prelude to final closing in the borough. Plant manager Walter Hoffman says pressing will wrap up this week then be laid off, shipping to run about three weeks. about 100 employees not yet assigned to other plants. Major transfers go to Myerstown and Hazleton with other plants in Hazleton, Myerstown, Mechanicsburg, Newmannstown, Mt Alto, and Huntington, Pa.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hazleton
Myerstown
Mechanicsburg
Newmanstown
Mt. Alto
Huntinton
Tenn
Pottstown
Hoffman
Christmas Season in Main Street Celebrates Local Folks
Main Drag residents share holiday scenes including Fred Rohland with greeting cards, Mrs. Moser planning Christmas, Sonnie Nairn with a roadkill possum, Victoria Peiffer with a contest trophy, Puggie Evans recalling a 1917 game, Osborne Jeffries Santa impersonations, J Wayne Knause with his pipe, Charles Warberger calendar, Grant Irey tracking a buck, George Boyer admiring High Street decorations.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
FRED ROHLAND
LEONARD MOSER
VICTORIA PEIFFER
GEORGE (PUGGIE) EVANS
OSBORNE JEFFRIES
Santa Claus
J. WAYNE KNAUSE
CHARLES WARBERGER
Also Mentioned on This Page
Evans Street
ame
MARIA ASSUNTA
BARRY R. NEMCOFF
ehip
Franklin
Rupert building
Ronald Koons
Clarence Koons
Rowland street
Ronald
Council
Publix Shirt
SONNIE NAIRN
GRANT IREY
GEORGE R. BOYER