Alford – There is every probability that Alford will soon have a substantial industry, giving employment to several people, through the initiative of one of her wide-awake citizens, merchant J. M. Decker. The old, four-story grist mill is being razed to build a modern factory for use as a silk mill. The water in Martin’s Creek will be harnessed to drive the machinery and furnish lights. Alford, being on the main line of the D.L.&W. railroad, is an unexcelled shipping point.

Oakland/Great-Bend – Hundreds will rejoice in the news that a movement is on foot to connect Great Bend and Oakland Boro with a macadamized road. Atty. John Ferguson, representing the people of Oakland and Great Bend townships, has secured petition blanks asking for state and county aid in constructing an improved road from Oakland Boro line to connect with the State road at Great Bend, a distance of about 7 miles.

Brooklyn – B. I. Jewett, N. J. Richardson and Floyd Jewett went to Scranton to meet four of the Brooklyn boys who have just returned from France. Three of the boys, Wayne VanAuken, Hugh Weston and Archie Richardson, arrived in Brooklyn on the 8:15 trolley and about 60 of our citizens were there to greet them and give them a hearty welcome home. These boys have seen about 18 months’ service overseas, doing service on the ambulance corps.

New Milford – The members of the South New Milford church had a bee. The men worked on the [horse] sheds and the ladies cleaned the church.

Thompson – M. S. Cohen sold his store here to I. Levenie, of Binghamton, who will conduct it as a general store. It is the store Mr. Cohen bought from the Fatah estate.

South Gibson – Mrs. Sabra Carpenter was 99 years old the 23d of last December. She is a remarkable woman in many ways. She is one of the brightest and happiest of persons to be found. The only trouble in conversing with her is that she is quite deaf.

Jackson – Two boys composed the graduating class of the Jackson Graded School. They were: George L. Savory and Jay C. Bryant. A program and commencement exercises were held in the Odd Fellows hall. A pantomime, entitled “Home Sweet Home,” with parts acted by Raymond Page, Gordon Pease and Misses Marian Bailey and Leah Dewitt and accompanied by the singing of “Home Sweet Home,” by W. S. Holmes, held the rapt interest of everyone.

Lenox – Wendell Phillips, of West Lenox, has returned from France. He has been honorably discharged from the army. He was wounded in the battle of Argonne forest, but is in the best of health at present. He has a large scar on his head and neck and is deaf in one ear.

Uniondale – Earl Payne purchased the Whitman building on Main street at a public sale by the administrator of the estate of the late Wallace Whitman. Consideration $955. We understand that Mr. Payne, in connection with D. S. McLaughlin, will use the building as a garage and repair shop.

Flynn, Middletown Twp. – James Conboy has secured a position with a St. Louis firm and expects to commence work at once. ALSO It is reported that we are to have an ice cream and soft drink parlor started here for the summer. Anything will help our little village.

Clifford – The entertainment given in Finn’s Hall, April 22, by the Sheppard & Williams Minstrel Co., was a decided success. After the entertainment the ladies of Clifford served a chicken supper to the minstrels and a number of their friends all coming from Carbondale. The net receipts of the evening were $105, which goes to the Village Improvement Society to pay for street lighting, etc.

Fair Hill, Forest Lake Twp. – The school children, assisted by some of the farmers, raised a fine flag pole at the Forest Lake school. Their teacher is Miss Nina Valentine, of Fair Hill.

Little Meadows – Misses Catherine and Elizabeth Walsh attended the last day of school at the Grave school, of which Miss Mildred Haight was teacher.

Montrose – Friday afternoon, at about half past four, Ray Ackerly and Joseph Kane, alias Joseph Shafer, escaped from the County Jail. They discovered a place in the floor where an old pump had been, loosened the floor and dropped down into the cellar, where they threatened the “trusty,” Wm. McKenna with pieces of lead and walked up stairs, through the hall, and out into the open. McKenna gave the alarm and chased them, giving up and returning to the jail. An alarm was sent to the farming districts and villages by telephone and the State Constabulary at Susquehanna. The next afternoon a message came that the two were on the road to Corbettsville. G. L. Voss and Wm. Holmes immediately went there with two state troopers and a trooper near Conklin reached the prisoners two minutes before them. Taken back to Montrose, Ackerly told Kane to tell the Judge that he was obliged to leave the jail because he put his arm around him and dragged him out. Kane remarked that he already had his sentence, but Ackerly enlightened him as to what would probably happen when he reached the County Seat. Judge Smith revoked Kane’s last sentence and fined him $100 and a sentence of not more than 5 years, or less than one year in the State Penitentiary. Ackerly is awaiting a hearing before the next jury. They said that the farmers must sit up all night for every house was lighted. Finding a hay stack and about to crawl in, a big dog emerged and asserted his rights to that sleeping place. They were very cold and somewhat exhausted when caught by their captors.

East Kingsley – Horse thieves have been plying their trade in this vicinity again. On the night of April 20th a horse, harness and lap robe were taken from the barn of Will Raub at Loomis Lake, and the same night a wagon was taken from the barn of Frank Pratt on the creek road leading to Hopbottom. Mr. Raub traced his horse a long distance by a peculiar track it made, but as yet none of the stolen property has been located.

News Briefs: Chicago brewers will manufacture 2.5% beer after May to throw the issue into courts. ALSO New York brewers will keep on brewing 2.75% beer until stopped by Government. ALSO Is your Victory garden underway? It’s just as uncomfortable to go hungry after the war as during it. ALSO Life is one blamed thing after another. The war is over, but spring house cleaning is just beginning.

200 Years ago from the Montrose Gazette, May 1, 1819.

*[Report on bridge at Wilkesbarre]. We feel happy in having it in our power to announce to the public that the injury sustained by the Bridge over the Susquehanna, at this Borough, is not so material as was at first apprehended. By the united exertions of the Company, and people of the neighborhood, (many of whom, with an alacrity much to their honor, generously volunteered their services to preserve it from threatened destruction), the Bridge remains in such a state that no danger can be apprehended from the passage of the heaviest teams.—The only injury which the Bridge has received is at the Pier nearest to the Wilkesbarre shore, which stands in the current of the river, and which has settled down stream; owing it is believed, to some heavy and long sticks of timber, which lodged at the upper end of it, and formed a fall of water, which partially undermined it. There can be no doubt, from the interest generally felt in the preservation and permanence of this noble and useful superstructure, that immediate measures will be adopted to put it in a situation to withstand any contingency that may possibly occur hereafter.