Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 5, Number 107, Decatur, Adams County, 1 May 1907 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT.

Volume V. Number 107

FACTORY FUND WORKING The Decatur Foundry Company to Locate Here

A GOOD FACTORY It Starts Off Working Fifty People LOCATES IN MEIBERS ADDITION The Building to be Rushed to Completion—Operations to Begin Inside of Ninety Days. I Yesterday at Marion the Decatur Foundry Company was born. It is a company incorporated under the laws of the state of Indiana with a capital 61 $30,000, whose factory and business address will be Decatur, Indiana, after July 1, 1907. They will occupy five acres of ground in the Meibers factory addition in the north part of the city, their exact location being between Meibers street and the half section line road, their buildings facing the main line of the Grand Rapids railway. Four buildings will be erected. The foundry will be 60 by 220 feet, and in this building the iron will be melted and moulded into castings. It will also have attached a cupalo house 20 by 20, which will be used for melting iron. The department building will be 36 by 140 feet, and this will be used as a core, pattern, carpenter, cleaning, finishing, and shipping room and brass foundry. The pattern vault and office will be 20 by 25 feet and the sand and coke sheds will be 15 by 100 feet. These buildings will be built with concrete foundations, brick walls, steel truss roofs, covered either with corrugated iron, asbestos or tile roofing. Blue prints and specifications are now being prepared by the Indiana Bridge company, who will also furnish the steel for the structural work. These specifications will be ready to submit to bidders within ten days, and local contractors must be ready to get into the game, as the buildings will be rushed and expected to be completed within sixty days. In fact, the contract with the factory committee is but ninety days until active operations begins, but the management wants to begin business by July 10.

This new plant will manufacture grey l.on castings, their specialty being light, and medium weight. They will also make brass and aluminum castings of every kind and description. Their capacity will be two thousand tons a year, employing from fifty to sixty-five people, running the entire year, and with a ready market for every casting they make . The plant will be under the charge and management of C. R. Kenyon and C. E. Conley, two experienced foundrymen. Mr. Kenyon will have charge of the business end of the institution, and to take up this work is leaving the management of the Marion Malleable Iron works, of Marion. Indiana. This factory is one of the largest of its kind, and at Marion they employ between five and six hundred people. It is by far the best factory there, and has grown to its present capacity from a small concern similar to the one to be located here. Mr. Kenyon has had nine years experienced with the National Malleable Castings t 0., of Chicago, two years with the Standard Malleable Iron Works, of Muskegon, Michigan, and several years at Marion. He is a most thorough business man and knows the iron trade from away back. He is also a genial gentleman and carries credentials of fitness and character from his business associates, and in all will ■be a welcome addition to the business element of our city. Mr. Conley i» a practical foundry man with eighteen .years experience. He is in charge of the foundry and has between two and three hundred people under his con trol. He is well versed in his business. and will occupy the same place here that he does in the Marion plant. The factory committee believe they have been extremely fortunate in io ■eating this industry. They have used the utmost care in protecting the in terests of those they represent, and

they believe that several months hence Decatur citizens and business men will rejoice that both Mr. Kenyon and Mr. Conley and the Decatur Foundry company are part and parcel of the business and manufacturing interests of this city. o ARE WE GOING BLIND? Many More Use Glasess Than in Former Years. In the smoking compartment of a traction car there were nine men of various ages. Five of them wore spectacles or eye glasses. The five were smoking cigars. Os the four others two were middle-aged men who smoked cigarettes, Inhaling the smoke if tobacco has anything to do with the eyes it would seem that of the seven smokers those who smoked cigars were getting the worst of it. There are so many other causes of visual imperfection, however, that it is hardly worth while to consider tobacco. When little- girls and boys are seen wearing glasses where formerly they went without them it would seem that the eyesight of humanity is failing with each succeeding generation. The proportion of people who wear glasses increases to such ad extent each year that a race of sightless beings is promised for the future. It is hard to estimate the number of people who require aid for their vision but it is «not uncommon to see in an assemblage half the persons present wearing glasses. Probably our forefathers paid less attention to their eyes than we do. They only went behind spectacles when old age reminded them of their failing eyesight. And they had not the advantages of light that are enjoyed in the present day. School pupils studied by candle light and in dimly-lighted school rooms. Pupils of today have electric lights and modern school rooms, yet their eyes are failing.

It is possible that modern progress is attended by disadvantages. Some people maintain that we bathe too much, therefore we have poorer health than our progenitors. We have scientific foods, therefore our stomachs suffer. We scrub our teeth too often therefore we patronize the dentist. It maybe that we ought to neglect our eyes as they did in olden times. Q DO NOT WORRY Transportation of Pupils May be Continued LATE DECISION HAS NO EFFECT The Last Legislature Provided for the Abandonment of Schools and Transportation of Pupils. Some days ago a supreme court decision which declared illegal the hauling of pupils from abandoned school districts to districts in which schools were maintained was published and it has caused some consternation among trustees at this time. As a matter of fact, they have nothing over which to worry. The supreme court made its decision in a case that was raised under the old law and they were no doubt right in their holding. Their decision can only affect cases brought under the old law, although it is the opinion expressed that all the allowances heretofore made under these circumstances are illegal. When the legisltaors met the last time they passed a law- providing for the abandonment of school houses under certain circumstances, and at the same time provided away for transporting pupils legally. At the present time, the trustees shall transport all pupils between the ages of six and twelve living a mile away from the school district and all pupils who live over two miles from the district. The payment of this expense is legalized and trustees who have purchased new wagons need have no fear of the legality of their act being questioned.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, Evening, May I, 1907.

UNIVERSITY’S GREAT GROWTH Ninety-Two Counties are Represented at Purdue. The wonderful growth of the university is shown by the new Purdue catalogue of students and courses. There are 1,820 students enrolled in Lafayette and 226 in the medical school in, Indianapolis. As a result of the decision of the state legislature this spring, the medics can no longer be counted among the enrolled students in Purdue. Os the number in Lafayette, fifty-one graduate students, 531 are in the freshmen class, 437 in the sophomore class, 319 in the junior class and 241 are in the present graduating class. There are also thirty-six special students enrolled, 108 in the pharmacy school and 107 in the winter course in agriculture. Ninety-two counties are represented among the number, as are fifty-six states and foreign countries. Fourteen foreign countries have students in Purdue and those from the United States come from forty-two states. o FORSTATECONTROL An Important Decision Concerning Railroads APPROVE OKLA. CONSTITUTION President May Suggest Some Changes —Two Hundred Thousand Dollars Sent to China. Washington, May I.—The decision of the United States supreme court that the North Carolina railroad commission has the power to require the Coast Line railroad to make a connection with the Southern railroad at the town of Salem, is looked upon by public men as one of far-reaching importance. The decision was very generally discussed in the administration circles today. The prevailing view is that it is likely to encourage state regulation of railroads rather than federal regulation. Men who are well versed in the law say, after having read Justice White’s opinion in the case, that under the decision there is practically no limit to the power which any state railroad commission may exercise in the regulation of railroads. It means, these lawyers say, that a state commission may not only fix rates, regulate the equipment which a road shall have, but control absolutely, if it desires to do it, the running of trains. That is to say, it may fix the number of passenger trains which a road shall run and may, if it so desires, make the time cards.

Washington, May 1. —While the president is not entirely satisfied with the constitution the new state of Oklahoma has adopted there is every reason to believe that he will approve it. It is suggested at the White House that his approval maybe accompanied by a letter pointing out the features of the constitution he does not like Speaker Cannon and other members of congress who have been conferring with the chief executive about the provisions of the constitution deny that there is any scheme afoot to have the president disapprove the constitution and thus keep Oklahoma out of the Union until after the next presidential election. Washington, May I—Two hundred thousand dollars, the largest contribution for famine relief ever made in one day, was sent to China by the Christian Herald. On the day the transport Buford sailed from San Francisco with the most valuable relief cargo ever shipped, being worth $150,000, $50,000 more in money was cabled to the relief committees, all contributed by the same paper, which made a total contribution of $400,000 for the Chinese famine. BLUFFTON IS BOOMING AGAIN. City Attorney Stine is notifying the Barber Asphalt Co. that it must immediately repair its streets here or the city will proceed to do it and confiscate the guarantee fund. This notice applies to the streets that the city did not get repaired last summer. As before the asphalt company will probably pay no attention to the notice and the city will go ahead making repairs on all other streets, starting the plant about May 15.—Bluffton News. o Harry Dibble returned last night from a business trip to Van Wert.

ANNUAL MEETING Decatur Furnace Collects Directors THE OUTLOOK IS BRIGHT Plant Now Ready for Operation and Has a Capacity of Five Large Furnaces Daily. The annual meeting of stockholders and election of eiljfit directors for the Decatur Furnace company took place at the factory office of this company at ten o’clock. With one exception the old board of directors were reelected, they being D. L. Guilfoyle, E. J. Twomey, C. A. Dugan, James Doherty, D. Schmidt, D. E. Studabaker, Henry Krick and P. J. Houlihan. The officers were also re-elected: D. J. Guilfoyle. president; C. A. Dugan, treasurer and James Doherty secretary and manager. The election of both directors and officers was accomplished without a dissenting voice, and in reviewing the outlook, a very bright picture is painted for the Decatur Furnace company. The plant is now ready for operation, although a few weeks will be ncessary to get every department running smoothly. Mr. Doherty, the manager, has accomplished much since his association with the company, although he has been handicapped with the usual delays and difficulties that always present themselves in an undertaking of this or any other kind. He has shown his knowledge of the business, and will soon have the best factory manufacturing the best furnace on the market running to its full capacity, and assisting in the mission of making Decatur famous as a manufacturing city. Mr. H. A. Thomas, of Indianapolis, one of the best salesmen on the road, has been secured for the sales department, and soon you will hear of the Decatur furnace in all quarters of the glqbe. He is a good man, has already closed several contracts and has many more on the wing. The capacity of the plant is five completed furnaces of the largest style, daily. With one of the best furnace buildings to be found any place, and with an equipment the best that can be installed, it is now but necessary to make the sales to insure the success of the project. As the Decatur furnace has all the necessary qualifications to insure its sale, those who own stock in the Decatur Furnace company may expect good reports and good returns one year hence.

WED TOMORROW A Quiet and Happy Marriage Scheduled TO OCCUR IN THIS CITY Miss Grace Dykeman Will Become the Bride of Mr. Frank Kern— Both are Well Known. At the home of Wesley Hoffman on west Monroe street, sometime tomorrow, will occur the wedding of Mr. Frank Kern and Miss Grace Dykeman. Rev. Kessinger will perform the ceremony in the presence of only the immediate relatives, as they have decided to have a quiet affair. Both parties are quite well and favorably known in this community, Mr. Kern being a life-long resident of the county, and Miss Kykeman is the beautiful daughter of P. B. Dykeman, living a few miles east of the city. The bride and groom both move in the best of society, and are held in the highest esteem of all who know- them. The Democrat joins their many friends in wishing for them a future life attended by abundant success. Mr. and Mrs. Kern will reside on a farm north of the city. oRev. Wilcox and wife arrived today from Lagrange and expect to make this their future home. Mr. Wilcox is the minister recently sent here by - the last M. E. conference. His goods have arrived and they will at once arrange them in the parsonage. Until they can get installed in their new home, they will stay with Mr. and Mrs. John Niblick.

FRANK TRIM TOLD HIS WIFE. Left Deliberately, but Provided for His Family. Mrs. Frank Trim, the devoted little wife of the saloon keeper who left Decatur suddenly a week ago, leaving behind a large number of unpaid bills, called at this office today and asked for a correction in the article which appeared in our columns yesterday concerning her husband. She stated that while it is true that Frank has left town and perhaps for good, that he has not deserted her or his family; that they know where he is and that he has amply provided for them during his absence. Mrs. Trim refuses absolutely to divulge the whereabouts of her husband, in whom, however, she has implicit faith. Her devotion is admirable but, nevertheless, the fact remains that Frank is gone and his creditors find but little solace in the fact that his wife knows where and won’t tell. o TOOK HIS OWN LIFE Frank Jackson Committed Suicide FORMERLY LIVED IN DECATUR Went to His Shop in Ossian Yesterday Afternoon and Sent a Bullet Through His Brain. Frank Jackson, a blacksmith and horseman, who lived in Decatur for a number of years, removing from here to Ossian about ten years ago, committed suicide by shooting himself yesterday afternoon, dying at 4:30. He was forty-five years old, leaves a wife and four children, and a number of other relatives, several in this city. Jackson had eaten a hearty dinner and left his house in apparently the best of spirits.] He had been packing his household goods and arranging to remove to Fort Wayne, where he had rented a house near the fair grounds for the coming season. As he left his home he exchanged pleasant words and greetings as usual with the members of his family and went back to a shop situated on an alley about two or three hundred feet away from his house. He then went up stairs, sat down on an old rocker and deliberately placed his revolver to his temple and pulled the trigger He was found shortly after 2 o’clock still sitting in the chair unconscious, with his life dripping away from a terrible, gaping wound, the revolver lying beside his chair.

It is probable that but for his little son Glenn he would have died unwatched and unattended. But it happened that the boy desired his father’s permission to sell some junk, as they are cleaning up the yard, preparatory to leaving for Fort Wayne and upon his mother's request started to find his father. The boy came running back to his mother with the report that his father had ‘'hurt himself” and Mrs. Jackson ran immediately to her husband. The alarm was then given and a physician called, the dying man receiving every possible surgical attention. He was removed from the shop to his home and Dr. Duemling, of Fort Wayne, was called, but did not arrive until he was dead. The immediate cause of the suicide is obscure. Jackson has not been well for several years, having been troubled with his nerves, and head and frequently becoming temporarily unbalanced in mind, though never sufficiently so to warrant sending him to an asylum. Two years ago under the stress of financial worry he left home and it was some time before he was located in the west and induced to return. He was a fine blacksmith, but as the stooping work seemed to hurt his head he gave it up about a year ago and sold his shop to Ignatius Freiberger. Jackson then devoted his time to his horses. He owned some very fine stock and it was his intention to bring it more prominently before the eyes of the horsemen of the state. For this purpose he was preparing to remove to Fort Wayne and establish his stables there. He had trained horses and knew all their good points and in (Continued on page 2.)

COUNCIL MEETING The Mayor Vetoes the Railroad Ordinance WANT ANOTHER BRICK STREET Better Fire Protection was Referred to the Fire Committee, Who Will Take the Matter Up. The Council met last evening at the library building in special session, the meeting having been called by the mayor. Every member was present and after the calling of the roll, the mayor filed his veto on the contract recently drawn by the attorneys for the Grand Rapids and Indiana railroad for a switch to be run from the main line of the railroad across part of the Hanna addition, thence up Parke street to the city water works plant, the same to be used to haul freight and coal for the use of the city. The mayor’s veto was a lengthy affair and consisted of seven reasons why he -w as opposed to the line over the proposed route. The principal reason being that, according to the terms of the contract, the railroad company would thus be afforded a perpetual franchise and would be authorized in building a dock for freight and any other buildings they might see fit along Parke street for their own benefit. He also objected, owing to the fact that the same would have a tendency to disrupt the public school and any passing train would detract the attention of the pupils from their regular routine of work, and would furthermore endanger the lives of the school children, who attended that particular school. He also objected for the reason that the city would have to secure the right of way and condemn certain property and would have to pay all damages resulting from loss by fire or accident that occurred on this particular line of road.

The veto by the mayor was fully expected by the council, as he had intimated that he would never sign until the objectional features according to his own ideas, had been eliminated. After listening attentively to the reading of the veto, Christen moved that the resolution heretofore passed by the council approving the contract be passed over the mayor’s veto. The yea and nay vote was ordered by the (Continued on page 2.) A BOARD MEETING Held Semi-Annual Session Today HOLD COUNTY COMMENCEMENT Exercises Will Be Held in June —First ♦ Event of Kind in History of the County. The county board of education met at the office of county superintendent Oplinger this morning. This board is composed of the township trustees and the presidents of the various corporation boards. There are fifteen in all and every one was present today to discuss the various questions of importance and the new school laws. These meetings are held twice a year, in May and September, and are always of interest to those educationally inclined. Perhaps the most important event of todays sessions was the decision to hold a county commencement, the first one in the history of Adams county. It will be held in the city some time during the month of June, the exact date, the program and other details to be announced soon. On this occasion all common school graduates will assemble and receive diplomas. There will probably be a hundred or more, the first examination to be held this month some time. The inauguration of this commencement is to arouse an inspiration among the students to complete the common school branches, the most important part of one's education, and to start them through high school, thus advancing the educational interests. It is believed the event will prove a popular and interesting one.

Price Two Cents

RESCUED MINERS EXPERIENCE Awful Terrors of a Few Days Imprisonment Johnstown, Pa., May I.—The seven men who were rescued from a mine near here early this morning are all recovering at the hospital. The men were Imprisoned for several days and told terrible stories of the hardships endured in that hole. One of them said: “Hell itself could offer no greater terrors than we endured. Looking back over our awful experience I do not see how any of us escaped without our minds being affected. Our experience was even worse than that of Hicks, the California, miner, who w’as imprisoned fifteen days, because he had food and watr and no companions. The latter only made it worse for us, as we could talk to each other about our coming death and about our having to turn cannibals to sustain ourselves, and we wondered who would be the first victim, but thank God, it is all over now.” o COURT HOUSE NEWS Five Cases are Set for Trial Next Week ADVERTISE A SHERIFF’S SALE The Gfeller Land to be Sold on Order of Court —to Appeal Stahley Road Case. John Zant vs. Albert Gage, notes, demand $270; appearance by D. B. Erwin for defendant; rule to answer. Noah A. Loch et al vs. Anna Myers, suit on account; demand $150; appearance by Peterson and Moran for defendant; rule tp answer. Louisa Zaugg vs. Peter Zaugg; divorce; set for trial Friday, May 10th. Sheriff Eli Meyer is advertising a sale of real estate on order of the court in the case of Fred J. Gerber vs. Albrecht Reber, Fred Gfeller and Mary Gfeller. Five cases are set for trial for next week. They are Ira F. France et al vs. Calvin Miller et al; suit on account and bond; demand $700; Monday; Eli Meyer vs. Julius Haugk, account, set for Wednesday; George A. Bohrer Co. vs., Harry Cordua et al, suit on bond, demand $650, Thursday; David Werling et al ditch petition and the Zaugg divorce case, Friday. In the Hall vs. Reiff case, tried recently for the fifth time at Portland, the motion for a new trial was overruled and an appeal granted to the appellate court, bond fixed at S3OO. Joseph Glendenning, of Berne, was in the city this morning consulting attorneys and making preparations to appeal the famous Stahley-Glenden-ning road case, which w r as tried here on a change of venue from Adams county. The case is one of the largest that has been tried for some time and the report will make an immense transcript to prepare. —Bluffton Banner. oLIVED HAPPY EVER AFTER. Bluffton Man and Geneva Lady Wedded Here Today. Harry Hubbard, an oil worker of Bluffton, and Miss Grace E. Ward, of Geneva, wended their way to this city today for the purpose of being united in the holy bonds of matrimony. After securing the necessary papers, they went to the office of J. H. Stone, where the Squire tied the knot that made them one, and they went on their way rejoicing. 0 SPECTACULAR AND FATAL FIRE Chicago, May 1. —A five-story building at 255 Wabash avenue was burned today. Second floor was occupied by a ladies lunch room. Several were I killed, two fatally injured and fifteen badly hurt. The blaze was a most spectacular one.