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Community Corner

This Was Hatboro-Horsham, 1949

A look back at Hatboro and Horsham, 62 years ago this week.

From the Public Spirit, Week of May 5-11, 1949

Horsham Inn arsonist sentenced to prison -

John Comido, 36, of Hatboro, on Tuesday began serving a three-to-seven-year prison sentence for setting fire to the historic Horsham Inn on the Easton highway, of which he is part owner.

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Comido pleaded guilty to arson on Monday and admitted he started the fire January 23 after pouring 200 gallons of gasoline on the floors of the 160-year-old hostelry. He did it, he said, because the "place was jinxed" and brought him nothing but hard luck since he purchased a share in it two years ago. He also was despondent over the death of his wife a few weeks before the fire.

Judge George C. Corson said he hoped the sentence, which included a $1,000 fine, would serve as "a deterrent to others with similar ideas about setting fires."

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Comido's two brothers-in-law, Ralph Camasso, 30, and Salvatore Pulli, 32, both of Ambler, pleaded guilty as accessories. They are to be sentenced Friday.

Comido, also the proprietor of a taxicab business in Hatboro, confessed to arson at a preliminary court hearing in Willow Grove three days after the fire. The fire was discovered at 4:30 a.m. Sunday, January 23.

Only fast and efficient action on the part of the fire detail at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station, across the highway, and volunteers from Horsham, Hatboro and Willow Grove saved the building and saved evidence that immediately indicated arson. They put out the fire before it had swept through the second and third floors, where rags and bedding were found saturated with the gasoline.

Comido and a partner, who was not involved in the arson plot, bought the inn two years ago for about $50,000 and then spent an estimated $10,000 more on improvements. The place, formerly known as the Hallowell Hotel, has been operated as a roadhouse for about a century-and-a-half.

Hatboro Chamber of Commerce elects president -

William Speakman, proprietor of Hatboro's largest independent food store, was installed as president of the Hatboro Chamber of Commerce at the monthly luncheon meeting at the Fireside Inn on Tuesday afternoon. He succeeds Dr. Louis Kauffman, druggist, who has occupied the chair for the past year.

Other newly elected officers installed were William Ford, Vice President; I.M. Jarrett, Treasurer; Bradford Hull, George Keidan, and H. Chester Morris, Directors.

Plans for the second annual community picnic, to be held at Montgomery County Park on the Perkiomen, were discussed. Wednesday, June 29, has been set as the tentative date.

The subject of an improved street lighting system for the business section of Hatboro was further discussed. It was reported that the project is being given careful consideration by borough council and the Philadelphia Electric Company.

Burgess [Mayor] Warren M. Cornell attended and told the members of a proposed housing project for Hatboro which, if it materializes, will add about 400 home units to the town. A Philadelphia development company has taken an option on the Wunderle Farm between the Old York road and the railroad south of Cemetery avenue. It proposes to erect apartments of the two-story garden court type to rent in the neighborhood of $65 a month. Application has been made to the FHA for approval of the plan.

New Lutheran congregation organized -

Formal organization of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, which has been operating for the past six months as a mission, took place at the morning service last Sunday in the Masonic Hall, Hatboro, before a congregation of about 150 worshippers.

Rev. Orval Hartman of Crescent road, Hatboro, who will be the first pastor of the new church, opened the service. Greetings were brought by Rev. Dr. Emil E. Fischer, President of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania.

A goal of fifty members and $500 in contributions for the building fund had been set for the organization drive. These figures were far surpassed, 68 charter members being received and a collection of $900 reported. There are 45 children of charter members in the church family, and the Sunday school has an enrollment of eighty.

A property on the Old York road between Crescent and James roads has already been acquired. It is hoped the church edifice may be started in about two years. In the meantime, the congregation will continue to gather in the Masonic Hall with a service and Sunday school session each Sunday morning.

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Crooked Billet Women's Club meets -

The Crooked Billet Women's Club met Monday night in Hatboro. Dr. Joseph Post of Wyncote, a specialist in Philadelphia, presented facts about the Federal Medical program before Congress, which will be a most expensive way of providing for medical care.

Members later signed one of two sets of petitions, prepared by the club president, Miss Mary Harris, stating their opposition or approval of such a measure. Many other clubs in the county have sent their opinions to U.S. Senators Martin and Myers and Congressman Samuel J. McConnell, Jr.

Featured speaker was Miss Grace Chandler of Doylestown, a free-lance writer and editor. She told of the various celebrities who set the tone in Bucks county, sometimes termed the genius belt.

Miss Chandler spoke of Pearl Buck, winner with "The Good Earth" of the Pulitzer Prize, writer of both novels and short stories, the latter revealing her understanding heart. She named as other Bucks county celebrities Oscar Hammerstein, James Michener and Ezra Stone of "Henry Aldrich" fame, his home being near Washington Crossing.

Miss Chandler told much of Dorothy Parker, who lives the simple life in Tinicum, though she installed electric lights when she found candles dripping over everything. While a poet, her real fame is from her short stories.

With Miss Eleanor Leedom, chairman of music, as director, and Mrs. Walter Brown, pianist, the chorus sang "May Morning."

The treasurer reported 195 members with dues paid. She reminded them that dues would again be payable in June and should be in her hands by the middle of August if the names are to be in the year book.

Willow Grove Naval Air Station honors hero -

Brig. Gen. Christian F. Schilt, U.S.M.C., Commander of Marine Air Reserve Training, presented military honors to Major Henry S. Miller, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, in a ceremony at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station on Wednesday evening. The presentation followed the annual inspection of the Naval and Marine Air Reserve Units by Gen. Schilt and Rear Admiral R.F. Whitehead, U.S.N.

Major Miller of Hillside avenue, Jenkintown, received four Gold Stars in lieu of his 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Air Medal with 14 Gold Stars.

Major Miller's citations are for heroism and extraordinary achievement as a fighter pilot in the Solomon Islands and Bismarck Archipelago Area from March 15, 1943 to April 26, 1944. During that time, Major Miller participated in ninety strike escorts, fighter sweeps, patrols and strafing missions.

It was during one of these engagements that he succeeded the colorful "Pappy" Boyington in command of the famous "Black Sheep Squadron," VMF-214, when Major Boyington was shot down over Rabaul on January 3, 1944.

Infant incubator made in Hatboro -

Featured in the nation's press this Thursday morning is a picture of quadruplets born in the Lebanon Hospital, the Bronx, New York.

The quads lie in a "ISOLETTE" infant incubator, made by Air Shields, Inc. of Hatboro. Many of these incubators are used by hospitals throughout the nation. Locally, Abington Memorial Hospital and the Doylestown Emergency Hospital are equipped with this apparatus.

They have also been shipped to France, Holland, Sweden, England, Canada, the Philippines, Hawaii, and Aruba.

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Hatboro and Horsham Happenings -

Patronage of the bake sale on Saturday at the Hatboro fire hall was decided proof of the community appreciation of the efforts of Manderville Bartle, Musical director of the Hatboro High School band and orchestra. The proceeds from the sale and generous contributions will finance a banquet in the near future for seventy boys and girls.

Mrs. Edwin McLaughlin, of Horsham, has returned from a four-week visit to Red Oak, Iowa.

Rev. and Mrs. Jesse Roberts, of Hatboro, entertained at a turkey dinner on Sunday in honor of the engagement of their daughter, Helen Mae, to Charles Washington.

Members of Horsham Monthly Meeting attended the Abington Quarterly Meeting of Friends in joint session at Coulter street meeting-house in Germantown on Thursday.

Hatboro Councilman Francis M. Gentert and Public Spirit Editor H. Chester Morris spent several days this week on their annual trout-fishing visit to Potter county.

John and Roy Michell, sons of Mr. and Mrs. John Michell, have been ill with measles at their home on Meeting House road, near County Line road, Horsham.

Miss Isable Lyttle of Franklin street, Hatboro, visited Mrs. Myrtle Ewer of Limekiln pike, Jarrettown, over the weekend.

Sixteen friends gave Willam Schlachter, of Horsham, a surprise party on Saturday for his birthday. A delicious dinner was served.

The borough of Hatboro will suspend its regular weekly ash collection service after Thursday, May 19. It will be resumed in October. Ashes will, however, be taken if placed out on trash collection days, the first and third Monday of each month.

Now at the home of Mrs. George Lewis of Davis Grove road, Horsham, under the auspices of the Children's Aid Society of Philadelphia, are Jackie and Ann Sutton, who have entered the first and fourth grades in the local school. Mrs. Lewis gives temporary homes to children until they are placed permanently.

The Horsham Fire Company last week installed a new telephone system to speed up the dispatchment of fire apparatus and the ambulance. The new phone number is Hatboro 1266.

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