Author: SPY

Mission Accomplished: Clocks are re-installed in old church tower [Pictorial]

Columbia’s Dr. Larry Laird and a few helpers re-installed four 19-century clocks in an 1855 Philadelphia church over the weekend. Laird spent seven months refurbishing the clocks. The backstory is HERE.
A worker inspects a completed dial.

Each of the four dials is 48″ in diameter. 
The dials are loaded into a van.

Dials ready to travel

The old church, aka The Loft

Looking up inside the clock tower

A look out through the dial window

Laird inspects the interior of the tower.

A clock is hoisted inside the tower.

Laird restores a wooden beam.

A view of the Philadelphia skyline through a dial window
[Photos submitted by Dr. Larry Laird]

UPDATE: Dr. Laird submitted these photos of two of the installed clocks on November 19:

Unattended Deaths | Columbia Borough Police Department

On 11-18-19 at approx. 12:40 PM the Columbia Borough Police were asked to do a welfare check in the 400 blk. of Union St. Officers arrived and made entry into the house with permission from the family. Officers found a smoke condition in the house and two deceased patients on the first floor. The Columbia Borough Fire Department was called to assist with controlling utilities and ventilation. It was determined that the deceased were husband and wife and that foul play is not suspected. The Columbia Borough Police and the Lancaster County Coroner's Office continues to investigate this incident. Source:  Columbia Borough Police Department

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/post/unattended-deaths

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/post/unattended-deaths

Two people found dead inside home on 400 block of Union Street

Two people were found dead Monday in a Lancaster County home, police say.

Columbia police said the bodies were discovered during a welfare check at a house on the 400 block of Union Street.

Their names haven’t been released.

Police are investigating the deaths but said the case isn’t suspicious and foul play is not suspected.

https://www.wgal.com/article/two-people-found-dead-inside-home-in-columbia-lancaster-county-union-street/29833880

Mount Bethel Cemetery Announced as an Official Location for the 2019 National Wreaths Across America Day

The cemetery will join more than 1600 participating locations across the country on Saturday, December 14, 2019 to proclaim “Everyone plays a part”.

Columbia Falls, MAINE, and Columbia, PENNSYLVANIA—December 14, 2019 —National nonprofit Wreaths Across America [WAA] announced today that Mount Bethel Cemetery in Columbia, PA will be joining in the effort to support the mission to REMEMBER, HONOR, TEACH, as an official location for 2019. This is the THIRD year that the cemetery will participate in this national event.

In 2018, nearly 1.8 million veteran wreaths were placed on headstones at 1,640 participating cemeteries around the country in honor of the service and sacrifices made for our freedoms, with each name said out loud.

This year, the ceremony, held simultaneously across the country at more than 1,600 locations, will be on Saturday, December 14, 2019. Beginning at 12 noon, at 700 Locust Street, Columbia, PA, master of ceremonies Kevin Kraft Sr. will acknowledge seven branches of military service. Included will be the Catholic War Vet color guard, a bugler to play taps and a 21-gun salute.

The Friends of Mount Bethel Cemetery plans to raise enough funds to place 690 remembrance wreaths on the headstones of all the local heroes laid to rest at Mount Bethel Cemetery. Our goal is to place a live balsam fir wreath at the headstone of every veteran buried there spreading patriotism and commemoration for the ultimate sacrifices they made for our country. Mount Bethel Cemetery has veterans from the Revolutionary War and every US conflict up to and including Vietnam.

“Every donation and wreath sponsorship is a meaningful gift from an appreciative supporter who knows what it means to serve and sacrifice for the freedoms we all enjoy,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. “We are so grateful to the community of Columbia, PA for participating in our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach.”

National Wreaths Across America Day is a free event, open to all. For more information, to donate or to sign up to volunteer, please visit www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org.

Deadline for 2019 donations is November 30th Location ID: PMBCC GroupID: PA0358P


About Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at hundreds of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

Location Coordinator MBC:
Jane Moore
[717]-575-9760
jmoore1115@gmail.com

About Town 11/17/19

This week’s photos of Columbia

Superman in jail? The bars must be made of kryptonite.
 This will happen soon enough.

 Here’s a cozy little home shrouded by snow on the first block of South 3rd.

 Last of the season, most likely

 Not necessarily good advice

 But this probably is good advice.

 The many steps to pumpkinhood

 Starling convention near the railroad tracks

 Speaking of the railroad tracks, here’s a couple of fancy train cars.

 And there they go.

 Assuming the snacking stance

 When nuts aren’t available, he’ll settle for maple tree seeds, as shown here.

 The Keeley stoves are still inside the Market House.

 Here’s the third one.

 Differing views on religion

 The Railroad Administration Office of Safety – mobile, no less

 CAT ON BOARD

 Pick yourself up afterwards

 Yes, please patrol.

 Busted windows
At the Mount Zion A.M.E Church on South 5th:
There are several unique stained glass windows, each with a memorial tribute, as shown below.

****************
 Contrail-riddled sky. (No, the government isn’t trying to kill us – at least not like this.)

 Makes for an interesting sunset, though.

 Building for sale on Bridge Street

 There’s the sign.

 The building comes complete with a ghost sign and keystone/datestone.

 Those Warthogs get lower all the time.

 There were visitors at the Elks on Saturday.

 Here’s the “backstory.”

 Rust-colored sign all aglow
 Yes, we did get some foliage.

Giant ice cream cone at Coffee & Cream

Columbia's "Time Wizard" works against time to restore four 19th-century church clocks

Dr. Larry Laird positions an aluminum time ring (the white part) on a wrought iron clock face. The ring is held slightly away from the surface with rubber spacers to prevent electrolysis between the aluminum and the iron.

Why is Dr. Larry Laird working against the clock? Well, to renovate a clock, of course. Or more accurately, four clocks.

Laird, who owns the local company Global Time Wizard, reluctantly took on a big project several months ago: renovating four 19th-Century clocks from an old German Lutheran church in Philadelphia. The clocks had slowly deteriorated since their installation over 150 years ago due to exposure to the elements.

Each clock face has a little square door to access the clock movement once the clocks are installed. The doors are original. Each face is four feet in diameter.
Laird and assistant Cody spent over half a year working on the project at Laird’s Locust Street studio. To begin, Cody spent several months wire-brushing rust and dirt from the wrought iron clock faces, each of which measures four feet in diameter. The next step was to apply a durable exterior paint made by Sherwin Williams. Laird chose a type used on battleships that will withstand rain, snow, and ice. The paint is extremely difficult to apply and each coat takes six weeks to dry, Laird said. 
The drill press Laird is using was used to make Hamilton watches and is extremely accurate. He says it runs “like silk.”
As the paint was drying, Laird made four pairs of aluminum clock hands patterned on the originals, as well as four time rings containing numerals and notches. (The aluminum is specially coated.) He applied the rings to the clock faces with stainless steel fasteners. The rings are kept slightly away from the faces with rubber spacers to avoid electrolysis between the aluminum and iron.

Cody holds a state-of-the-art “movement,” which drives the clock hands. When installed, the movement shaft will fit through a delrin bearing and will self-adjust. The bearing was made at Stevens Trade.
Finally, four sealed clockworks, called movements, were ordered to drive the hands. The movements are state-of-the-art electro-hydraulic motors that will be synchronized and operated from a single power switch after installation. The movements are custom made. “Everything you see here virtually is custom made by somebody in the United States,” Laird added. “We bring together all these skills from around the country.”

Laird shows a specially made metal plate to facilitate lifting the clocks to the tower. An installed movement can be seen near the bottom.
The clocks will be transported by truck in specially made wooden crates to the old church, which is now part of a retirement home known as The Loft. Steeplejacks will then install them into their original settings. Laird hopes to “beat the clock” and complete the installation before the onset of winter weather.

This whimsical automaton will sit in the lobby of the church. 

Santa Claus Headed To Columbia For Small Business Saturday | TownLively

This year, Christmas festivities in Columbia Borough – including a day full of public appearances by Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and their elves – will coincide with Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30. Recognized in towns and cities across the country, Small Business Saturday is an effort to encourage people to patronize small, locally owned businesses. As an added incentive, parking will be free in downtown Columbia on Small Business Saturday.
MORE:

https://www.townlively.com/santa-claus-headed-to-columbia-for-small-business-saturday/

Large crane to occupy street at 4th & Locust – November 21 & 22

Pyramid Construction is planning to lift materials to the roof of the new building’s steel superstructure at 401 Locust Street on Thursday/Friday, November 21-22, 2019. A crane (larger than the previous one) will be situated in the street to perform the work. The intended timeline is two (2) days, weather permitting, with the specific goal to finish late Friday (11/22). Flagger Force traffic control personnel will provide support and signage at strategic places in the one to two block area to minimize convergence of traffic when the crane is operational in the street. 

 After the Thursday workday the crane will be staged in the north parking lane of Locust Street to allow overnight traffic to flow normally. Friday work will again start early and close the street until roof material loading is completed.
[Source: Columbia Borough]

Winter coats needed for Columbia students in grades 5 through 12

Columbia Borough School District is in need of Winter coats for students in grades 5-12. If you have unused coats in good condition please consider donating it/them.

Here is more information from Superintendent Strickler:

Good Evening to Columbia Borough School District Community Partners:

The weather has turned cold very quickly.  Two years ago (2017), you helped our students obtain winter coats.  The response was so great, that the coat donations lasted until now.

At the high school and middle school level (grades 5 through 12), we gave our last coat away this week.  We still have coats remaining at the elementary level.

Our students ages 10 through 18 are in need of winter coats – male and female, all sizes.

If you know of any new or slightly used winter coats – young people style – and would like to donate them to the District, please contact me or drop them off at the District office (200 N 5th St,. Columbia, PA).  If you need items picked up, a phone call to me and it will happen!

Thank you in advance for everything you do for the students of Columbia.  Together, we are making Champions – ONE student at a Time!

Tom Strickler
Superintendent
Columbia Borough School District
Desk: (717) 681-2616