Harford – Two died and thirty were injured in Harford’s I.O.O.F. Hall fire. Trapped on the 2nd floor of the Odd Fellows hall building, while flames poured up the only stairway used as an exit, nearly 100 persons were forced to leap for their lives, from the windows, to save themselves from death in the roaring furnace of flames beneath. The fire started in the kitchen, which is located near the one narrow stairway to the hall above.  A large lamp gave way and oil spurting from the lamp, as it struck the floor, quickly ignited the building. People had gathered at a reception for Mr. and Mrs. Neil Follett, newlyweds, when the cry of “fire” sounded. Rev. H.A. Green made ropes of curtains by which many were enabled to reach the ground in safety. Others fell or jumped from the windows, a distance of about 15 ft., many breaking legs, arms and suffering internal injuries. The care given the children is shown in the fact that not a child was seriously hurt. They were carefully let down by the curtain ropes or tossed into waiting arms. Mrs. Lee Forsythe, 35, died from serious burns and also, Miss Mary Sweet. Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Whitney were taken by automobile to the Moore-Overton Hospital, Binghamton, both suffering breaks in both legs. Rev. Mr. Green was the last to leave the hall, and the ladder having been brushed aside, he jumped, breaking both legs. Doctors came from surrounding towns and some worked until noon on Wednesday alleviating the suffering.

Forest City – A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph R. Kelleher on Sunday morning. The youngster, who has been named after his dad, besides having a full quota of grandparents, has two great grandmothers living, Mrs. Nora Kelleher, of this place and Mrs. Quinn, of Scranton, mother of Mrs. James Malia. ALSO Bolus Kusmenski was fatally injured while at work in the Gray slope yesterday afternoon by a pre-mature blast. His face and right arm were badly lacerated and the right leg was broken near the knee. He died while being removed to the hospital. He is survived by a wife and two small children, also by a brother Peter. Deceased was 32 years of age and a native of Russia. He had resided here the past ten years and was highly respected.

Thompson – E.[Edwin] P. Potter is erecting a large barn. It will be one of the largest and most up-to-date in the country. The structure is now going up and when the frame was raised, the first of the week, it required nearly a hundred men to raise it.

Dimock – Jesse Kitchen, a veteran of the Civil War, died at his home here of cancer of the stomach on Friday last and was buried on Monday in the Dimock cemetery. He was nearly 79 years old. ALSO Byron Benninger will move, March 1, to his new farm, which he recently purchased, on the “back road.”

Shannon Hill, Auburn Twp. – Mark Overfield, who got the bones in his foot cracked by the horses starting up and his foot being caught in the spokes of the wheel, is able to be out with a crutch and hauls the milk to town.

Lakeside, New Milford Twp. – The farmers are busy filling their ice houses during the cold snap. Those who have just finished filling their houses are: R.R. Jennings, N.B. Rice, C.J. LeRoy, the poor asylum, F.E. Rice, E.E. Mosher, Leo Williams and J.B. Hart.

Silver Lake – A. [Arthur] N. Hill has purchased a new horse and will draw the milk going from here to Conklin for the coming year.

Montrose – A business announcement which came as a pleasant surprise to a very large number of people was that of the purchase of the interest of the late Clark L. Voss, of the firm of Pepper & Voss, by ex-Register & Recorder Milton E. Birchard. This firm sells D.L.&W. coal in Montrose, conducts the express business, and do a general draying business.

Howard Hill, Liberty Twp. – Miss Violet LaSure, who has been ill at her home in this place for the past six weeks, was given a Sunshine Box by her many friends New Year’s day, it also being her 17th birthday. She wishes to thank all who aided in making the box thus helping her in the passing of the lonely hours.

Clifford – Fine skating on the creamery pond is the verdict of the Clifford boys.

Hop Bottom – George Finn, of Kingsley, has opened a mercantile business in the store formerly occupied by G.A. Roberts. Mr. Roberts is building a fine residence on his farm in Lenox, where he will reside in the near future.

Glenwood, Lenox Twp. – Miss Lucille Wilson, of this place, a recent graduate of Syracuse University Library School, has accepted a position in the Syracuse public library.

News Briefs: Although the sleighing is not the best, the roads being miniature glaciers, scores of farmers are hauling lime to their farms from Montrose. Tons of this land stimulant are drawn along the principal avenues of traffic daily, the loaded sleighs at times making a veritable procession. ALSO That the 5,000,000 acres of barren land in Pennsylvania can be reclaimed by reforesting is finally established by reports given out by the Department of Forestry. These reports cover the planting of 21,000,000 trees on 13,000 acres of State Forest land. Pennsylvania set a record last year when almost 6,000,000 trees were planted in one season and a single plantation was made which contained over half a million trees. The nurseries will produce many more trees this year, but the work of planting will be hampered considerably by scarcity of labor and lack of funds.

200 Years Ago from the Centinel, Montrose, Pa, January 18, 1817.

   *MARRIED – In this town [Montrose] on Sunday last, by the Rev. Davis Dimock, Mr. John Bard Jr. to Miss Almeda Wilson, daughter of Stephen Wilson, Esq., all of this town.

  *MARRIED – On Thursday last, by D. Post, Esq., Mr. Stephen Geer to Miss Abagail Olney, both of Waterford [Brooklyn].

  * For Sale at Public Vendue. The subscriber will offer for sale at Pubic Vendue, on the 30th inst. at his dwelling house in Harford township, the following property: viz. One Yoke of Oxen, 1 Cow, some Young Cattle & Thirteen Sheep, and a quantity of WHEAT, RYE, & OATS, and a number of articles of Household Furniture; also, the Lot of Land on which he now lives, containing 88 acres, 30 of which are under improvement; some grain on the ground; there is on the premises a two story dwelling house, a small barn, and 150 apple trees.  Twenty days credit will be given for the moveables and a reasonable credit for the Farm. The sale will commence at 10 o’clock A.M. CYRUS CHEEVER. Harford, Jan. 15, 1817.

*Ardent Spirit – The synod of Pittsburgh, Pa., have recommended to all the ministers within their bounds, to endeavor both by precept and example, to abolish the use of ardent spirits except as a medicine.  Among the evils resulting from its present extravagant use, they enumerate idleness, poverty, wretchedness; the destruction of health and reputation; discord in families and communities; enervating the strong, making ideots of the wise: & as training up thousands for  disgrace, the prison, the gallows and eternal misery.