GUILDERLAND AND BETHLEHEM WILL VOTE ON THE LICENSE QUESTION ON SEPT. 14.

The towns of Guilderland and Bethlehem, in Albany county must again vote on the wet or dry proposition at special town meeting excise elections to be held Sept. 14, as the result of a sweeping decision of the Court of Appeals affecting the wet and dry vote in a large number of towns throughout the state. The town of Nassau, Rensselaer county, will also have a special election on the proposition, and Judge Edward J. Halter of Albany is conducting proceedings based on the same Court of Appeals decision for practically all the towns of Albany, Rensselaer and Schoharie counties which voted dry at the last election.

BIG FIRE AT CLARKSVILLE CAUSES $30,000 DAMAGE

The most disastrous fire in the history of Clarksville started at about 3:45 p.m. last Thursday in the hay loft of the barn owned by Morgan F. Barber, situated on the south side of the main street of the village, near the business section. Ten minutes after the fire was discovered by D. C. Pomeroy, the residence of Miss Estella Shafer, occupied by D. C. Pomeroy, was in flames, and in less than two hours fire had destroyed four dwelling houses and eight barns.

The origin of the fire is yet a mystery and the saddest part of the affair was that so few people were at home to help fight the flames. Both Sunday schools were away on a picnic at Warner’s Lake, and they were summoned home as fast as possible, but the buildings were nearly all consumed when they arrived on the scene at 5 o’clock. The only available means of combating the flames was with pails of water, and everybody worked with a will to save the post office and the store of A. Van Wie and Peter Appleby’s undertaking establishment, and all the other buildings where there was space between that could enable them to fight.

Help was summoned from all nearby places by telephone, and in only a short time the village was filled with people ready to render aid, but everything was so dry and the supply of water was so small that the buildings close to the bays where the fire started could not be saved. Had the fire gone into the Van Wier store, it is thought the whole village would have been burned. Much of the household goods were carried to safety, but a large amount was lost. Van Wie’s store and house was emptied of its contents and carried across the street, as were also the goods from the homes of Rose Van Wie, Frances Dayton and many others.

The residents are very thankful to all who assisted in any way. It is believed that none of the property owners will rebuild.

CHICKEN THIEVES CAUGHT AT FRENCH’S HOLLOW.

For the last three months the residents of Guilderland Center have been greatly annoyed by sneak thieves, and many a fine flock of birds has disappeared, leaving no clue. About two weeks ago the Guilderland Mutual Protective association took charge of the hunt and with the aid of the State Police watched many of the roads all night. Many a late automobilist thought his time had come when a voice behind a flashlight and gun said “Halt!” But the credit for the capture is due to John Henion, who saw a suspicious looking car stop on the French’s Hollow bridge Saturday night. He notified Deputy Sheriff Lape. They found the car had plenty of feathers in it, and they soon had under arrest two gentlemen who had been to Lester Warner’s hen house looking for more.  

After a very interesting all day session on Monday, Justice Waggoner of Guilderland Center held them to await the action of the grand jury.