Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 5, Number 188, Decatur, Adams County, 5 August 1907 — Page 1

DECATUR DAIIA DEMOCRAT.

Volume V. Number 188

across the deep Another Letter From Mrs. Jennie Studabaker a rE having a happy time Seeing the Many Beautiful Sights Abroad —The Party are Well. Hotel Vittoria. Venezia, July 21, — Sunday morning—I think the last letter I wrote you we were in Paris. We left Paris on the morning of July 12. Our Erst stop was at Cologne, where we visited the fine cathedral, which is considered the finest in all Europe. The cornerstone was laid in 1246 and they were six years in building it. and in all that time the original plans were not changed in the least. Stayed one night in Cologne and then on to Heidelberg. We had one whole day's ride on the river Rhine. The banks on both sides are lined with old castles. noted in history. The scenery is beautiful, but the river itself is a muddy color, which was a disappointment to me. as I had always pictured it as of a lovely green or blue. At Heidelberg we saw a great many of the students of the university,with their faces all slashed, which are considered marks of honor, the more slashes the more honor. The.v have a sort of muzzle they put over the eyes to protect them, otherwise their faces are at the mercy of their opponent in the sword contest. We visited the castle which is the most noted in Germany. We sat down in the gardens and listened to a fine band concert, which is held in these gardens on certain afternoons, especially Sunday. This gave us a good chance to observe the customs of the people. We think the Germans as a class are much more polite than the French. When two gentlemen meet, they take their hats clear off and bow very profusely. Don't just point their front finger to their hat. as many of

our Americans do. From Heidelberg we went to Inter- i laken, and of all the beautiful places . we have seen, Interlaken is the place I for beautiful scenery. In fact all | through Switzerland the scenery is [ unsurpassed. Interlaken is .-ituatedi at the foot hills of the Alps. We were ! taken to the top of the Alps to get a! view of the Jungfrau, the highest peal; which is covered with snow ;he y--a ■ j round. Some of our party indulged in snowballing in July. A great part of, the way the mountain side is under ■ cultivation. We saw so many of the peasants making hay. which I believe they said they could raise three crops iu one year. The harvesting is all done by hand. They would have no use for hay binders and reapers. Our ride from Interlaken to Lucerne, was part way on the lovely and matchless lake Lucerne. The lake itself is a beautiful green color, and the scenery along the banks is beyond my description with pen. The principal thing of interest at Lucerne is the Lion of Lucerne, which is the work of Thorwalsden, and is carved out of the natural sandstone. Was executed in 1821 to the memory of 28 officers and about 700 soldiers of the Swiss guards who fell in defending the Guellieries on the tenth of August, 1792. It is represented as being pieced with a broken lance and sheltering the bourbon lily with its paw. In going from Lucerne to Milan we passed through 44 tunnels. St. Gothards is one and a quarter miles in length and it took us 16 minutes to go through it. The people were years in building it It required the workmanship of 2,500 men. Is double tracked. In Milan we visited the cathedra which is the finest in all Europe, 8 built of white marble. The outside has statutes carved on every little pinacle. lam not well enough ' 1 in European history to know the history of it We are now in Venice, which occupies an area of about % miles in circumfernce, about 11 ■ small islands formed by moie t i.m 150 canals and conectd by 3<B bri ves most of which are stone, rhe I '■>< of St. Mark is the heart of Venice. In summer evenings people who vain to enjoy the fresh air congregate n > There are about 500 pigeons in t n square. In accordance with an o custom pigeons were sent out rom the vestibule of San Marco on Sunday. Down to the close of the republic, they were fed at the pu expense, but are now dependent upo private charity. San Marco, -church of Sa. Mark, is a Romanesq

trick building, begun in 830 and rebuilt after a fire in 986, Externally ind internally the church is adorned with 500 marble columns. The interor is profusely decorated with gildng. bronze and oriental marble. The mosiacs, some of them said to date from the tenth century, belong to the period between the 12th and 16th century. and show us what the early Venetians could do in the way of pictures. Over the principal portal are four horses in gilded bronze, the Doge Dandolo brought them to Venice in 1204. The palace of the Doges faces on San Marco square, was founded about 814 for the first Doge of Venice. There is being held now in Venice the Feast of the Savior, a religious feast which is observed each year and lasts three days. Last night (Saturday) was the evening for fireworks. A great many gondolas were hired by our part yand we were taken out on the grand canal to view this spectacle. It was a beautiful sight. Hundreds of gondolas and some of them illuminated beautifully and stationary boats iliuminted with all the colors of the rainbow, to be used as band stands, and concert troops, was a sight, as well as a night, I shall never forget. We leave here Tuesday for Florence, where we stay one week, nine days in Rome then on to Naples, where we sail for home on the 4th of August. I will now quit for fear this is too lengthy now. If I get time I will try to write one more letter. I know I am a poor correspondent, but I promised John Heller. Jennie Studabaker. A FINE PAVILION The State Fair Association Are Bragging COST ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND The New Building is Said to be Without an Equal in the Country— September Ninth. The last legislature appropriated $100.0Qi) for a live stock show pavilion on the Indiana state fair ground, and when the exposition opens on September 9, the fair management says that the largest and best appointed building of its kind in America wi 1 be seen. The work on the pavilion has been pushed by a large force of workmen through the spring end summer. As soon as the legis[latnre authorized the state board of ; agriculture to issue bonds w ith which i to pay for the pa viol ion, a committee representing the board visited many of the large show pavilions of the country, and they have employed in the Indiana structure the good points i of the others and left out the weak points. There are show pavilions in the country which cost more money, but members of the Indiana board are willing to say. to match it against any of them. “We are going to show the people of this state,” said Charles Downing, secretary of the state fair, ‘•that they have the finest live stock pavilion in America. It will also be seen that the money has been conservatively spent, for the cost of the building itself will *be within the -100(000, although some of the equipment. which the state will not have to pay for, will run the total cost above this amount. In beauty, size and appointments, the building on the Indiana fair ground will be without an equal in this country.

FOR JAMESTOWN EXPOSITION. W A. Keubler to Make a Several Weeks’ Trip East. W. A. Kneubler left this morning on the 7:14 G. R. & L train for Jamestown. Virginia, where he will remain for some time taking in the sights at the great exposition, after which he will go to New York City on a business and pleasure trip combined and while there he will purchase the. fall an d winter goods for the Boston store. On his way home Mr. Keubler will stop at Cleveland. Ohio. Tiffin and Mansfield to visit friends for a short time, after which he will return home. He will be gone for several weeks.

Mr and Mrs. Colonel Foreman and child who were here Friday afternoon attending the funeral services of his sister-in-law, Mrs. Wh. Foreman of south Portland, returned on tbe Friday night train to their home in Decatur— Portland Commer-cial-Review.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday Evening, August 5, 1907.

SCHOOL BOOK LAW School Books Now Bought Through Dealers COMPLYING WITH THE NEW LAW Smith, Yager & Falk a Depository, All Other Dealers That Want to Can Handle School Books* An act of the 1907 legislature does away with the old custom of school books being purchased and sold to the ’students by the countv superintendent and trustees, and now all the books that are used in the schools of the county will be placed at the Smith, Yager and Falk Drug store, they having applied and been appointed as a depository. As the new lawreads. one firm will act as a depository, and the other dealers in books must make their requisitions through this firm for what and how much they want, and the depository either will fill their order or send it to the publisher to be filled. The school board, however, has several unexpired contracts with publishers of school books, and until these contracts have expired, they will receive the books and then turn them over to the dealers for sale or distribution in compliance with the late law. All the books the trustees had on hands have been turned over to the dealers, and thus far the law has been fully obeyed by Adams county at least. The new law that governs the above is in chapter 99, section 2, under the head of Sale of School Books, in the acts of 1907 and reads as follows: “Upon the expiration of the last contract for school books now in existence, the governor shall make proclamation that it is no longer the duty of school officers to deal in books, except as herein provided, a copy of which proclamation shall be mailed by the state superintendent of public instruction to each county superintendent throughout the state; and from and after such proclamation, it shall be unlawful for any school officer, trustee, commissioner or superintendent to deal in books in his official capacity, and no part of the expense of dealing in. distributing or return of school books to contractors shall be borne by any school officer or corporation. AU laws in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.''

COURTHOUSE NEWS Commissioners to Have a Busy Session MACADAM ROAD REPORTS Settling With Trustees and School Board—Land Values in Adams Unchanged. The commissioners opened what will be an important session, there being many things to be officially considered at this time. The viewers reported on the C. E. Bollinger macadam road, approving the viewers report and ordering the road sold on the first day of the next term, September 2. The Elzey macadam road petition was given a place of record, and John Hessler and Henry Eiting were appointed viewers, they ordering to meet August 8 to qualify. The viewers report on the Blomberg macadam road was found correct, the auditor being instructed to offer the same sold on Monday .September 2. Nathan Shepherd of the Geneva school board, made annual settlement of the affairs of this board with the commissioners. Such a settlement is required twice a year. County Assessor Gentis and the members of the local board of review are satisfied over the way the state was raised to $33.06 and Allen county to $33.57, with this state of raising

the reported land values, they stand-1 ing at $31.33 an acre. Wells county was raised to $ — and Allen county to s—,$ —, with this state of raising values, values. Adams county was fortunate. Four per cent was added to Wells, and flee per cent to Allen counties. ■ -Q— —... DRY FOR TWO YEARS MORE* Lagrange Files Blanket Remonstr a nce Against Saloons. Yesterday afternoon a blanket remonstrance was filed with the auditor of Lagrange county directed against any and all applicants for saloonkeepers’ license in Bloomfield township. The remonstrance contained 359 names, which constitutes many more than a majority of the votes cast at the last general election. After having had experience for two years without saloons, it seems that the people in general throughout the township are well satisfied with the result and want present conditions to continue. Some who prophesied that the absence of saloons would work a hardship to the town of Lagrange are now ready to admit that business and industrial conditions were never so good as at the present time. The merchants and business men in general seem to be having a good trade, and even unskilled labor is so scarce that it readily commands $2 per day, while contractors and others wanting to employ teams have advertised in vain for sufficient numbers at $4 per day.

A NEW RATE CASE Indiana and Michigan Rate Law Violated SUCCESS POSTAL SAVINGS BANK One May Be Established at Porto Rico —First National Bank of Swayzee Organized. Washington, August s.—Theron F. Miller, a Michigan City attorney, has filed a complaint with the Interstate Commerce Commission against the Michigan Central railroad company, complaining of the rate charged for hauling passengers in the states of Indiana and Michigan. Mr. Miller alleges that on July 27 and on various days previous thereto the defendant company asked and received 30 cents i for transporting him ten miles from I Michigan City, Indi, to New Buffalo, Mich., notwithstanding the fact that by legislative enactment, the legislatures of Indiana and Michigan have fixed the rate for such transportation at two cents a mile. Complainant cites that the sum of the two local states fares for transportation between the two points should be twenty cents and that 30 cents is unjust and unreasonable under the law. Mr. Millr was formerly county attorney of Paporte county. Washington, August 5.—A report of the highly successful operation of a government postal savings bank in the Philippine islands and a similar banking system soon may be established in Porto Rico. That such a plan is under consideration is readily admitted by the officials of the bureau of insular affairs, to which bureau the administration of Porto Rican affairs was recently assigned. If present plans are carried out this fall Ben E. Wright, chief of the postal savings bank division of the Philippines, may be brought home to establish the newbank in Porot Rico. Washington, August s.—The controller of the currency has issued a certificate authorizing the First National Bank of Swayzee, Ind., to begin business. The capital is $25,000. Arthur E. Curless is president; Darius Nesbitt. vice-president; James A. Curless, cashier; Eli Miller, assistant cashier. o— With two or three more pickings the raspberry crop for this season will be marketed. The supply this year has been very short, just as it was on strawberries due to the spring frosts. This week the blackberry crop is coming into the market. Prospects are not good for a large crop. The cultivated berries especially are scarce. Wild ones are more plentiful, but on farms where they are found, ‘keep out" signs are more plentiful this year than usual, the owners of the land desiring to do the picking for themselves.

THE FIRE FIEND Home of Enos Lord Is Burned to Ground HOUSE OWNED BY MRS. WORLEY It Was the First Fire in Decatur for Several Months —Look Out for Two More. For the first time in several months Decatur was visited by a fire Saturday evening, the home of Enos Lord, who resided in the Worley property at the corner of Madison and Thirteenth street being completely destroyed and the loss as far as the building in itself is concerned, is a total loss. The alarm was sounded at ten o’clock, the fire being discovered by some of Mr. Lord’s neighbors, who were returning home after attending to their Saturday evening shopping, and some trouble was experienced in arousing the family, as they had retired for the night and were sleeping soundly. The neighbors kicked and pounded on the door until Mr. Lord answered and he says that when he woke up the door leading from his bedroom to the one occupied by the children was a mass !of flames. However, he got the entire I family out safe and sound and with the assitance of the neighbors, carI ried out all the furniture and fixtures I except what was in the kitchen, that I part of the house being too warm for I any one to go into. The fire depart- ‘ ment did not arrive until about thirty I minutes after the alarm was sounded, and by that time the house was a mass of flames. After getting the hose attached to the hydrant, it was found ■ I that the pressure -was too low to , throw much of a stream and it was '! then several minutes before the wa- ■ ter supply came on. However, the ’ moment they got water the fire was soon under control, but not before the same had been completely wrecked and the loss a total one. Mr. Lord carried some insurance on his household effects and is under the impres- ■' sion that his loss will be very light. ; i We were unable to ascertain whether , | Mrs. Worley carried any insurance or ! not. How the fire started no one I seems to be able to state, and Mr. ■; Lord declares postively that there ' i had been no fire in the stove since :; four o'clock in the afternoon. How- > ever, when discovered, the fire was i confined to the kitchen, and it no ’ 1 doubt started in some manner from

IMPOSED THE LIMIT Standard Oil Company Are Heavily Fined NEAR THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS It is Likely That Criminal proceedings Will One Connected With Rebating. Judge Landis, in the United States district court imposed a fine upon the Standard Oil company of Indiana, of $29,240,000, the maximum amount upon each one of the 1.462 counts of the indictment on which that company was recently convicted of rebating. The judge also recommended that a call be issued for a special grand jury which is to consider the other party to the rebating operations of which the Standard Oil company was found guilty, and it is therefore probable that within a short time proceedings will be commenced against the Chicago & Alton railroad company for the alleged commission of similar offenses. The reading of the opinion by Judge Landis aroused almost as much interest as the presence of John D. Rockefeller and other officials of the Standard Oil company upon the witness stand. _ o— Perhaps no law enacted by the last legislature is causing more widespread discussion over the state than that providing for the construction of gravel roads of less than three miles in length connecting at each end with an improved free gravel or macadamized road. Usually the comment Is unfavorable, and in some counties it is feared bankruptcy is imminent.

INCREASED $12,000,000 DOLLARS State Tax Beard Completes its Work of Making Values. The State Board of Tax Commissioners has concluded its work for this year after a session lasting most of the spring and summer. As a net result of its work the valuation of corporate property in Indiana has beeen increased nearly $12,000,000, of which the railroads will have to stand for over $8,000,000. Only a few of the big public service corporations were left as they were last year, while less than half a dozen were reduced. The board has spent the past month in hearing appeals from the decisions of the local boards of equalization in taxation of real estate. The table showing the result of this feature of the work has not been completed, but it was learned from one member that the state board did not make many changes in the decisions of the local authorities.

The German Lutheran senate of Indiana and Ohio will be is session commencing Wednesday morning and William Schamerloh of this city will go to that place as a delegate from the church of this place. At this session all the Lutheran churches of Indiana and other states send delegates to represent them, and the different ministers will be assigned to the charges they are to take for the ensuing year. DECATUR’S BOAST Finest Municipal Plant in the Country MANY IMPROVEMENTS MADE It is Well Managed and Shows Business Methods in Control of Its Operation. - V .. 7 .- That Decatur can now boast of the finest and best equipped municipal plant in the state at present is beyond argument, and a visit to that place would convince ihe most skeptical. During the past year some very extensive improvements have been made at this place, that brands it as a leader of all municipal plants for its size in the state and the citizens 'have a just right to feel proud of the same. A number of represntatives from various cities surrounding who are contemplating making improvements upon their plants and some of whom are contemplating putting in a municipal plant, have been in our city during the past week and fully gone over the machinery and fixtures and pronounce it far in advance of our neighboring cities. The

new Allis-Chalmers engine, installed ( last spring, is a beauty, and is ear- , rying the heavy load demanded of it in easy fashion and the city officials , are to be congratulated upon their ( move in purchasing this piece of ma- ( chinery. The engine is pronounced , the best on the market, and at the ( price it was purchased, was indeed a bargain. The newly established three , phase machine purchased of the Ft. Wayne Electric Works, is meeting with all requirements and certainly all that has been said concerning it, and the service furnisheed is satisfactory to all. The only thing lacking is a new boiler, which must be installed for the heavy work required of the plant during the winter, and ' as bids have been asked for in this respect this defect will soon be remedied. The plant under the supervision of C. U. Dorwin and Electrician 1 Mylott is moving along in excellent 1 style, and is now more than paying for itself. Nothing but first class fire- ‘ men and other laborers are employed. ' and they are thus keeping the plant - in the condition it should be kept. A close tab has been kept on the fire- ' men during the past several months. A registering machine having been installed and it shows that the steam pressure has been kept about the same thing for every twenty-four hours, which is something new for the plant. During the past week the plant has been equipped with a new cement floor in the boiler and engine room and that portion of the building now looks as neat and clean as the main part of the plant. The variods superintendents are no be congratulated upon the condition of affairs, as the plant now stands, it is in the ■ best condition of its history. If you > are dubious concerning the workings s and equippment, it would at present pay you to visit the plant.

Price Two Cents

ARE AFTER THEM Prosecutor Heller After Sunday Law Violators AFFIDAVITS AGAINST SALOONS A Cleaning Up of Sabbath Violators Seems Imminent—A Busy Day. Prosecutor Henry B. Heller has started a regular house cleaning for Decatur, and from all appearances expects to wipe out all crime in our city, and those who have been guilty of any misdemeanor or offense of Sunday violations may look out for the ax is going to fall. Prosecutor Heller was quartered all day at Squire Smith’s office, while the constable was busily engaged in looking up various people who had seen violations and they were shown the affidavit which they were asked to sign, and the case was thus made against the violator. The charges that are being made today are practically against the saloon keepers, and from all appearances every saloon man in the city is going to taste the bitter pill of the law. Prosecutor Heller has been hounded to death by various citizens and on yesterday they accompanied the prosecutor and showed him where prac tically every saloon was open, and where ever}- one of them were violating the law, and at each place they visited names were taken of the people whom they saw enter and today

each man whose name was taken was called into Squire Smith’s office, the affidavit read to him and he was duly asked to sign the same. Under these circumstances and under these conditions affidavits were secured against fifteen saloon keepers, who will no doubt be given their hearing some time tomorrow, when they will be permitted io either fight their case, or plead guilty. From what Prosecutor Heller says, he has sufficient evidence to secure a conviction in each and every case, as in some instances they secured as high as five and six names of parties whom they saw admitted to the back doors of the saloon, and in some of these same cases they have witnesses who will testify that they purchased drinks while in the saloon. The cleaning has started on in earnest, and from all appearances it now looks as if Decatur was bound to be a dry town on Sunday, as prosecutions will follow each and every offense. The law is very strict in this respect, and states that all blinds and screens must be so thrown back that a person walking along the street may be able to distinguish every object in the place of business. Some

of the affidavits are in relation to this offense and those guilty of this charge are as guilty as those who permitted persons to frequent their place of business or those who purchased drinks. The Sunday base ball will undoubtedly be the next offense on the calendar and from all appearances evidence in this particular line should not be lacking, as they eould use any one of the thousand people who attended the game yesterday. While nothing definite has been done in this line, it is generally expected that since the crusade has started against the Sunday saloon business, that all other offenses will be taken up in rotation and disposed of. As we go to press the court of inquiry was still in session and numerous witnesses were being interviewed by the prosecutor and his assistants. O 1 ARMY NEEDS MORE PAY. Brig. Gen. Franklin Bell Recommends Light Beer for Soldiers. Spokane. Wash., August s.—Brig. Gen. J. Franklin Bell, chief of staff of the United States army, who was at Fort Wright military reservation, near Spokane, on a tour of inspection today, said in the course of an interview that the army needs not only more pay, but also more officers, ‘and," he added. "I believe it would be better for the morale of the soldiers to permit light beer to be sold at the post canteens.” o— Lefty Geyer left this afternoon for Columbus, Ohio. He has been a regular pitcher on our ball team since the season opened and he has many admirers, who hate to see him leave, but he has been losing many hard t luck games and wanted to get his release. .