Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 5, Number 113, Decatur, Adams County, 8 May 1907 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT.

Volume V. Number 113

BRICK STREET CONTRACTS [Julius Haugh to Build Madison and I Third Streets

BIX BIDS WERE FILED iDecatur Contractor SIOOO Lower Than Others ■ninth street petition loses B.Fire Department improvement is Posti poned—Sewer Petition Filed — Bills Were Allowed. ■ Last evening being the regular Meeting of the common council, and the time set for receiving bids gjgfei; the construction of Madison and d streets, the council met at the building, every member being Hjnresent. Six bids were filed on the by various contractors, and the were immediately ordered opened read to the council, and the large of citizens, who were present, this stage of the business a motion made by councilman Burns that council go into execu ive session figure out the totals of the blds Hvhich carried, and the room was by Marshal Green. The countogether with Engineer Vogt, got and in a short time had the bids out which totaled as follows: Haugk. Decatur, $16,142.26; ■dcCandliss & Manx. Anderson. Ind . ■517,283.14; Michaels & Minnick, MarSgion. Ind., $17,625.50; Derheimer & Co., Wayne, $17,956.13; Indianapolis ■Construction Co.. Indianapolis, Ind., ■518,173.62; Hayes & Rees, Dunkirk, ■nd., $20,722.80. Upon motion by Mar■tin. the Bedford stone was adopted ■tor curbing purposes, and upon a mo■tion by Van Camp, it was determined ■to construct Madison street between ■First and Second streets with metro■politan block, and the balance of the ■contract should be constructed of the ■famous Logan block. The doors were opened and the crowd invited in, ■after which the bids and actions of ■the council were read to contractors ■and upon motion was awarded to ■julius Haugk. The street and sewer ■committee, to whom was referred the ■petition of Peter Gaffer and others to ■pave Ninth street, returned their re ■jtort the same being in two divisions, ■a majority and a minority report, the ■former not favoring the petition and ■the later favoring the construction of ■the entire street. Upon motion the ■majority report was adopted, and the ■matter of paving this street this sum■mer was killed. The street and sewer reported favorably upon ■the construction of a sewer as petitioned for by Dan Erwin and others

along south Market street and instructed the engineer to furnish plans, specifications and profile for the same. The petition of Clyde M. Rice for a sewer in the north part of the city was read, referred to the street and sewer committee and they at once reported favorably upon the proposition. The matter of better fire protection was then taken up and the fire committee to whom the matter had formerly been referred, filed two reports, a majority report which favored the selling of the vacant lot on Monroe street, taking the proceeds from this sale and putting up a building at the end of Madison street fully equipped with fire apparatus. The minority report favored that the council wait for a few months until the financial condition of the city could be more full) determined and then that they take some dfinite action. Upon motion by Christen the minority report was adopted. However, to enable the present fire department to better able to fight fires, the purchasing committee was instructed to purchase five hundred feet of hose at once. A resolution authorizing the sale of 16.500 worth of school bonds was read and adopted by the council and the city clerk was instructed to give notice of the sale of the same at once. The clerk’s and treasurer's reports for the month of April were filed and referred to the finance committee. The requisition for supplies filed by C. W. Dorwin was read and upon motion he was given permission to purchase the same. The matter of selling the °id junk at the water works plant *as referred to the finance committee

to make such arrangements as they saw fit. The following bills were then read and allowed: Old Adams Co. Bank 95.26 Old Adams Co. Bank 51456 C. H. Tyrrill 3140 Vareney Elecrical Supply Co.. 245.53 Pittsburg Transformer Co 48.88 Weller Mfg. Co 4.30 Decatur Lumber Co 20.25 M. J. Mylott 238.90 Ed Green 75 Wm. Geary 10.00 Sam Frank 45.00 Glidden Varnish Co 4.44 Bass Foundry 1.50 A Cowan & Co 24.60 C. & E 65.46 J. S. Bowers 70.30 J. D. Hale 10.20 W. G. Nagel Elect. Co 8.25 G. R. & 1 281.13 C. Vogt 73.25 C. W. Dorwin 260.14 Christens Niblick 62.08 W. E. Fulk 84.50 Geo. Keiser & Co 34.36 Laman & Lee 5.50 Wm. Burford 12.50 Enterprise Printing Co 32.00 D. F. Teeple 94.69 L. C. Helm 73.00 No other business coming before the council they adjourned to meet again next Friday evening to enter into contract with contractor Haugk, the successful bidder.

A SPECIAL AGENT Representative of Japan Here Yesterday TO EXAMINE TRACTION LINE Sent to America to Learn Facts Concerning Our Electric Lines— Left Last Evening. Representative Oukoo. a special agent for the Japanese government, was in our city yesterday inspecting the machinery of the Ft. Wayne and Springfield railway, for the purpose of becoming enlightened upon the different theories advanced by the different electric lines for propelling freight and passengers by electrical methods. Mr. Oukoo was sent to this country by his government about six months ago, and since that time he has visited almost every electrical line in the country, and says that he has gleaned some knowledge in this line that will be of great value to his own countrymen who are endeavoring to have the electric lines take the place of the steam lines now in existence in their country. Mr. Oukoo was much Impressed with the plant of the local company and says that he is inclined to believe that he will recommend the same system to his countrymen when he returns. He has examined both the single and three phase systems and says he Is convinced that the single phase system, as used by the local line, is the best and that better results are forthcoming. Mr. Oukoo left last evening for Ft. Wayne, from thence he will go direct to New York and thence to Berlin, where he has a few minor examinations to make and then expects to return to his own country and submit his report to his government. Mr. Oukoo was a bright young man, being . able to converse fluently in English, and seemed to be thoroughly acquainti ed with the electrical business. His report when submitted will no doubt , prove interesting.

ELIAS PARKER IS VERY SICK. J. D. Hale received a message last evening from Wakarusa, Indiana, saying that Elias Parker, oldest child of Rev. and Mrs. B. Earl Parker, and a grandchild of Mr. Hale was much worse and asking Mrs. Hale to come at once, and she left for there this morning. The child had been ill for about two weeks, but her condition was not considered serious. William Harden and wife went to Decatur this morning and will spend the week at their farm, five miles east of that city.—Bluffton Banner.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, Evening, May 8, 1907.

ANOTHER BOOM IN PARLOR CITY Asphalt Plant Closed and Electric Light Plant Losing Money. Bluffton, Ind., May 7. —(Special.) The municipal asphalt and lighting plants of this city have proved so expensive an experiment that there is no money in the general fund of the treasury and the council has ordered retrenchment in every branch of the city government with the hope of warding off municipal ruin. Three years ago the city built an asphalt repair plant of its own, issuing bonds for $22,000 for the purpose. This proved too costly and the bonds have not been paid, nor has the plant earned even the interest on the money in vested. The elec/ic lighting plant has been no better investment. It is believed that the only way in which the city can recover its lost ground is to dispose of its municipal plants and use the money for paying off its bonded indebtedness. o STUPENDOUS FIGHT Against Timber Covered Idaho Mountain BUILDING A RAILROAD GRADE In the Panhandle—Work is Slow— Eight Ton Steam Shovels are Being Used.

Spokane, Wash., May 8. —Steam shovels, carrying eight tons, ■ every time the scoops are filled, have been pitted against a timber covered mountain in the panhandle of Idaho, in a battle to remove the earth faster than it is shoved into the excavations by the tremendous pressure, and provide a grade for the Cui de Sac extension of the Northern Pacific railway. Engineers have been at work on the cut more than a year and the company has expended hundreds of thousands of dollars, but at present the bottom of one side of the excavation is six to eight feet higher than it was befor the first spade was dug into the earth, while on the other side it is from 12 to 15 feet above the level it is desired to lay the rails. The slide is peculiar in that w hile the earth rolls down the mountain side, it is unlike a landslide. It appears to be loose and soft underneath, so much, in fact, that the pressure of the mountain forces it upward into the cut faster than ordinary shovels can scoop it out. The mountain is covered with a growth of heavy timber, some of the trees being 100 feet to the crown, and as the slide undermines the roots, they topple over and obstruct the work of the shovels. The side of the mountain shows great crevaces, running across the face of the side, instead of from apex to base, and this suggests a hundred or more washouts. Some of the cracks are so deep a 30-foot box car could be hidden in them. The cause of the slide is not known to the engineers, though various theories are advanced. The formation is different to anything in this part of the country, the slide not being more than 100 feet wide. The earth consists of a conglomeration of broken shale, mixed with a peculiar kind of clay. At one time the side of the mountain was uniform in shape, but ages ago, the engineers say, the side of the mountain gave way and millions of tons of broken rock and clay slid down into the valley in which the town of Cui de Sac is built, forming what is called a -Missouri hogback." It is through this that the shovels are working their way in an effort to con quer the slide. A mile and ahalf beyond this point, another slide has been encountered, which threatens to be more serious than the first one. Already an area of five acres of tillable land in a wheat field has broken away and settled two feet. The second slide occurs where a cut is being made on the north side of Papwai creek, at a point where the road begins to enter the canyon which it follows for miles to reach the prairie on the way to Grangeville. When the first steam shovel was half way through the cut about a ear ago the earth started to push upward in the excavation, as a small crack was noticed up the hillside. Little or no attention was given to it, but as the crevasse became larger and deeper investigation showed that other cracks had occurred further up the mountain. As the excavation pro(Continued on page 2.)

ROBBED HIS WIFE The Johnson Mystery is Clearing HAS DESERTED HIS BRIDE And Took with Him all Her Cash Valuable Papers—Warrant Issued far His Arrest. The mystery concerning Frank Johnson, alias Robert Branam and his roll of money was cleared up considerably when his wife appeared before Mayor Coffee and filed an affidavit against him for wife desertion. Bob or whatever his name is, left here Monday night on the 9:30 car, dressed In a painter’s suit and saying he was bound for Monroeville. He took with him $375 of his wife’s money, a deed to her property, the Insurance policies and about everything else of value whiciThe could put in his pocket, tie is no doubt a smooth crook, but in some way he gained the confidence of Mrs. Longacher, married her and got possession of her little stake, saved for a rainy day. He induced her to borrow money on her property and told her they would move to Terre Haute. As soon as he got her money he passed her up and began going the twentieth century through service pace. Marshal Green started today on a search for this man and if captured, he will probably be made to pay a severe penalty. the white seal Official Mark of Indiana Board of Health

AUTHORITY EQUALS BLUE SEAL When Posted on Store or Business Rooms Indicates that the Place has Been Inspected. Keep your eye out for the white seal. It is official and has as much authority as the blue seal. One is the seal of the Indiana state board of health, just issued, and the other is the seal of the United States government. The new inspector’s seal for the state board of health is an unassuming bit of pasteboard about two inches square. It is printed on white paper, has the seal of the state board of health, a place for the signature of the inspector and the date of the inspection, and is gummed on the back so that it may be pasted anywhere. This seal when pasted on a refrigerator, a cold storage box, a candy store hotel, lunch room, restaurant, etc., means that this place has been inspected and found to be satisfactory from a sanitary standpoint. It is the guarantee of cleanliness that the state affords to patrons and consumers in return for their assent to the passage of the pure food law. It represents the whole authority of the state of Indiana, backing up the new law. Some of the labels have been pasted up in Indianapolis already. One of the largest hotels there has one on the front door. The board has refused to give one to another of the large hotels. The best known candy store in the city, and perhaps in the state, has one pasted on the glass in the front door. They have not gone out over the state yet. Mr. Barnard, in giving out the names of the cities which had been inspected, and those to whose local prosecutors information had been filed, showed up the scheme of the laboratory. It is to work out the new inspectors in the smaller cities and towns, before they are sent to the larger cities. So far the inspectors have been to Jeffersonville, Madison, Elwood, Martinsville. Shelbyville,New Albany, Seymour, Rushville. Kokomo, Tipton, Danville. Conditions in differing degrees of badness have been found at all of J these places and information as to the unsanitary places has been filed with the local prosecutors there. Starting this week, the circuit of the larger cities of the state will be made. Mr. Barnard refuses to state where the inspectors will be, but each city will hear from them in due time.

DIED AT LUTHERAN HOSPITAL. Mrs. Wilhelmina Getting, Well Known in this County. Mrs. Wilhelmina Getting, aged forty years, died at 3; 30 o’clock Tuesday morning at the Lutheran hospital following an illness of seven months. She was removed to the hospital two weeks ago and underwent a surgical operation for cancer of the liver. She was the wife of Mr. William H. Getting, and the family residence is four miles south of this city on the Winchester road. With their father these children survive—Lena, Hulda, Mary, Louisa and Alfred Getting. The funeral will be held Friday afternoon at 12:30 o’clock from the residence in Wayne township, the Rev. F. W. Franke officiating, and at 1 o’clock from Trinity Lutheran church. Interment will be at Concordia cemetery.—Ft. Wayne Journal-Gazette. A GRAND SUCCESS Was the Literary Entertainment at Berne A BUDGET OF BERNE NEWS Condensed Milk Factory a New Concern and a Busy Place—A Wedding on Tuesday. Berne, Ind., May 8. —The entertainment given last night in rhe Miller & Yager hall, by the Arenas and Alphas, two literary organizations of our high school, was a grand success. The hall was well filled and the two societies cleared about $75. The program consisted of speeches, declarations, instrumental music and singing. A debate was also afeature of the evening, the question being “Resolved that the right of citizenship should be taken from the negro in the United States. The affirmative side won. Noah Gilliom, one of the high school graduates this year, who made such a hit as an orator at the commencement exercises, again delivered an excellent oration. The high school male quartette, however, made a hit and were called back again and again. Last night’s program will long be remembered by all present. A Michigan farmer, hailing from the vicinity of Mendon, accompanied by his family, drove through town this morning with three covered wagons, containing his household goods. The family is on its way to Portland,where the man says he will buy a farm. Several farmers from the vicinity of Berne moved to Michigan last fall and early this spring, where they bought farms, but from the report that this man gave of the Michigan lands, prospects cannot look very flattering. The Berne Condensed Milk factory which was recently started here in the old canning factory building on the north corporation line of Berne, is now in full operation and Messrs. Zook & Miller, the owners, receive sevelal thousand pounds of milk from the German farmers around Berne daily. Messrs. Zook & Miller have all the necessary experience to run a factory of this kind successfully, having conducted a factory at Topeka, Ind., for several years. On account of the many Germans, who keep only the best of cows, in this vicinity, Messrs. Zook & Miller were induced to move their plant to Berne and it is hoped that they will do a thriving business. Yesterday morning, at the home of her sister, Mrs. A. J. Moser, on west Franklin street, occurred the wedding of Miss Mary Lehman to Mr. Louis Reiff. The bride is the popular music teacher who has taught music in Berne for over 15 years. The groom is a Bluffton business man, he being the owner of a handle factory, at that place. We congratulate. HORSE AND BUGGY STOLEN. Marshal Green has received a notice from Randolph county that a horse was stolen from the William Ellis bam near Lynn, May 2nd. The animal is a roan mare, 12 years old, weight 1,200, blind in right eye, a steel tired buggy, red running gears and set of harness was also taken. Notify Ed Green, marshal, if you know anything about the outfit. I ’ o Harry Moltz made a business trip ’■ to Auburn today.

CAPTURE SUSPECT Garrett Officers Think They Have Burglar ONE OF THE G. R. & I. ROBBERS Message from the Mayor to Sheriff, Who Refers Him to Railroad Officials. Sheriff Eli Meyer was the recipient of a telephone message yesterday afternoon from Mayor E. B. Thumma, of Garrett, conveying the news that they had captured a man at that place who may be one of the holdup men that burglarized the G. R. & I. and Clover Leaf depots of this place. “The man,” stated Mr. Thumma, “seems to be a dangerous character,” and of just such calibre that would be capable of doing such an act.” Mr. Meyer requested the Garrett mayor to inform the G. R. & I. railroad detectives regarding the matter, as they are in possession of sufficient information to cause the man’s detention, should they think him guilty, and the materialization of the new arrest is anxiously awaited by Decatur people, as well as the railroad officials of both the G. R. & I. and Clover Leaf railroads. o The first county commencement exercises of the common schools of Wells county will be held at the opera house in Bluffton Friday afternoon, June 7, when a class of 128 pupils from the district schools will be graduated. The address will be delivered by Dr. S. D. Foss, president of Antioch college at Yellow Springs, O. COURTHOUSE NEWS Jury Trial is Being Held Today ELI MEYER VS. JULIUS HAUGK Three Marriage Licenses Issued— Ervin Claims to be a Lodge Member and Uses It. The first jury trial in the Adams circuit court for several weeks was that of Eli Meyer vs. Julius Haugk, today, a suit on account. The sum of $21.50 is the amount in controversy, being for livery rigs secured by Haugk’s men to go to work in the country. The case went to the jury this afternoon. Dynonis Schmitt, guardian of Peter J. Braun et al, vs. John Braun, commissioner ordered to pay judgment of John W. Coffee of $159 with accrued interest and costs of suit. Manage licenses have been issued to George Schieferstein and Dora Grandstaff, of Root township; William Melching and Susie Savine, who were recently divorced; John S.Whitehead and Emma Gage, each of the lat ter couple being married before. M. J. Ervin, the old man arrested near Magley and taken to Bluffton Monday to answer a charge of burglarizing Markle stores, claims to be an Odd Fellow and a Mason and is trying to use the fact to aid himself. He is believed by the police officers to be a smooth crook. He has the lodge grip but beyond that we are in formed by a person who tried him, he cannot stand an examination. _o FIRE IN HARTFORD TOWNSHIP Valuable Dwelling Completely Destroyed Monday Evening. The farm dwelling on the Jacob Shoemaker homestead, located in the southern part of Hartford township, was burned to the ground Monday evening, the loss being quite large. The property was owned by George Shoemaker and occupied by Emil Falber and family. The blaze originated from a defective flue and when discovered was under good headway. The household goods on the lower floor of the dwelling were saved, but everything upstairs was a total loss. T. M. Reid arrived today from his I regular trip and will spend the reI tnainder of the week at home.

Price Two Cents

WILSON IN HURRY FOR TRIAL. His Bondsman Quits Him and He is Now in Jail. John Wilson, who has been under indictment for some time on a charge of perjury and who is to have his trial in the Adams county court on the fourteenth of this month, is now waiting at the jail, on the Inside, for the court to get ready for his case. Since the indictment has been returned. Manson Reiff has been on Wilson's bond. It Is claimed that for the past several weeks John has been drinking pretty heavily. Reiff decided that he wanted off the bond and yesterday decided to turn John over to the officers of the law. In the afternoon Wilson went to his room to change clothes, found the door locked and kicked it in. When Deputy Sheriff Pierce found him, John was waiting in his best bib and tucker, declaring that if he had to go to jail, he was not going to look like a tramp. —Bluffton Banner. ARESIGNINGBONDS Commissioners Sign Five Series of Bonds MADE AN ENVIABLE RECORD Treasurer Lachot Left But Few Delinquents When the Books Closed Monday Night.

After the adjournment of the regular May session of commissioner’s court, the board were recalled to sign some macadam road bonds, the bonds not arriving from the lithographers before adjournment. They were signed today, being French township extension two, Preble and Root township extensions one and two. Brushwood college two and the Reiter & Buhleman road. Treasurer Lachot made an enviable record during the spring tax collection, and as a result there are fewer delinquents than ever before reported. The office was kept open from seven o’clock in the morning until eight and nine o’clock in the evening for ten days prior to the last date allowed for payment without penalty. Mr. Lachot showed the right spirit and has clear ly demonstrated his ability to serve the people well. The few who failed to pay before the books closed Monday night will now have to pay the ten per cent penalty. Under the law the treasurer must collect it, or pay it himself with the chances of a fine added. Delinquents can blame no one but themselves, as Treasurer Lachot afforded them every opportunity to pay before the penalty was added. DON’T ASK THE NEWSPAPER. To Keep Your Name Out of the Paper When You Get in Trouble. After you’ve “gone and done it" — when it is everlasting too late — when you get into trouble or bring disgrace upon your family—don't spend time trying to get the newspapers to “keep it out of the paper.” “It,” whatever it was, wouldn’t be in the paper if it wasn't for your own conduct. The newspaper men merely chronicle that which you and your neighbor hav|e made. And if you don’t like the variety you have made, it is your lookout, not the newspaper’s. Especially, don’t go into a newspaper office with that stale hypocritical plea: “Think how it will hurt my mother, my wife, my family!” It's not what the newspaper prints, but what you yourself have done that hurts. Don’t think because you live in a mansion that, when your name goes on the police docket or the divorce court record, you are any more entitled to the suppression of the news than the poorest citizen. Don’t wail about your relatives. Thene never was a man locked in a jail who wasn't some mother’s son. If you’ll spend as much time thinking about “how it will look in print” before you commit the offense, as you would spend chasing around newspaper offices afterward —nine hundred times out of a thousand there wouldn’t be such news to print. —Logansport Journal. o A. C. Sellemeyer made a business trip to Ft. Wayne last evening. Frank Schoemaker was a business caller at Ft. Wayne last evening.