Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 18, Number 159, Decatur, Adams County, 7 July 1920 — Page 1

Volume XVIII. Number 159.

COX AND ROOSEVELT READY FOR RACE KS.' ..... — , i

PROPOSE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE POWER PLANT COUNCIL INTENDS TO BEMOOEL MUNICIPAL PLANT IN MODERN WAY- A NEW GENERATOR AND CONDENSER -TO GUILD COAL PIT AND TRACK,

Steps have been taken for the immediate improvement of the Decatur light and power plant. evening at the regular meeting of the city council, motions were duly made and seconded authorizing NS the purchasing committee, composed of Councilmen Jacob Martin. H. F. Linn and L. C. Helm, to proceed with the purchase of a new condensor, a 1000 k. w. generator or turbin and a three and one-half ton motor truck. Although no motion was made to proceed with the building of an elevated switch from the G. H. & I. tracks to the site recently purchased by the city for a proposed new power house and the building of a coal unloading pit under the track, it is Intown that the council proposes to do this, they awaiting on estimate of the cost of such a project from the G. R. & I. company. It is also proposed that the city improves Short street, beginning at the intersection of North Seventh street, thfc east boundary line of the power plant site, then running east past the North Ward school building, across Fifth street to the present water works plant and there erect a coal unload' ing device, something on the. order of a silo or similar to those now being erected by the Krick-Tyndall company, of this city. It is necessary to improve or brick Short street from Seventh to Fifth street for the reason that the coal will be hauled from the railroad tracks to the water works plant. Short street is one of the very few streets in the city that is not improved and it would be impossible to haul the city’s coal over this route if it was not improved. Added to this it be necessary for the city to build a small building, about 16 by 30 feet for the housing of the new generator and other additional ma- ■ chinery. With the improvement of the light I and water plant with a new turbin. condensor and the Worthington air compressor which was installed recently and put into operation last week, it will be necessary to further improve the plant with spray pond pumps, nozzels, piping and other fixings required in a modern first class power and water plant and Decatur will have one after the proposed improvements are made. Besides this new water wells have also been contracted for, thus assuring the city of an adequate water supply. The money needed for this purpose will be obtained through the sale of the $65,000 worth of bonds sold to the three Decatur banks on June 30th. The transcripts for these bonds are now being examined for the hank’s attorneys and as soon as approved the bonds will bo printed and the money made available. The contracts for the new machinery will not be signed until the bonds are approved. It is thought that the proposed improvements will take nearly all of the $65,000. A rough estimate oflthe cost of some of the improvements would be as follows: The generator, accepting the old bid of the General Electric company which would be less than today's market price, the G. E. company being willing to furnish -the generator at the same figures as those quoted some months ago in order that the city of Decatur could go ahead with the improvement of the plant, $34,500.60. Te air compressor, already install ed $4,000.00. A condensor, $7,500. including the cost of erection, freight and other ex penses incidental to it (Continued on pa?e four)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

TAX LAW HARD HIT 1 I ■ - —- Supreme Court Holds Horizontal Increase Section as Unconstitutional MUST REFUND MONEY To the Taxpayers in Every County—State Will be Bankrupted (United Press Service) Indianapolis, July 7— (Special to Daily Deiuocrat) —That part of (he stale tax law authorizing the slate tax board to horizontally increase tax rates in Indiana was held unconstitutional by the supreme court in a decision handed down today. The ruling was made ini upholding the Marion ; county superior court in 'its injunction to prevent I collection of taxes on the basis of horizontal increases and in reversing the slate appellate court which had reversed the lower court. The decision means that I some of Hie money already collected in various comities must he returned and that in nearly every county in the state the taxes collected will be insufficient to meet anticipated needs. These things can be avoided only by action of the legislature .! which convenes in special ses- ; sion next week to appropriate money for the state institutions The ruling was the climax of s a long legal battle in which a group of farmers of Washings ton township, Marion county, obtained an injunction to prevent county officials from coli lecting the increased taxes i under the horizontal increases B in valuation. P 'Die increases ranged from r ten to one hundred per cent s from the original valuation in I every part of the state. In a Washington township they i ranged from 25 to 50 per cent. I- ‘ Indianapolis, Ind., July 7.—(Special to Dally Democrat) —Following the def cislon of the lower court In granting B the Injunction, the case was appealed s'- to the appellate court. This court reversed the lower court II and the action of the board was legalB Ized for the time being. p' The Marion county tax payers 1m..1 mediately petitioned for a transfer to ;. the supreme court. s| The decision of the supreme court r is one o' the most sweeping in effect (Continued on page four) ♦ THE WEATHER FORECAST + ♦ + 44 cPart cloudy tonight; Thursday fair.

CITY HAU FREE OF DEBT

DIED EARLY TODAY , Mrs. William Spies Passed Away at Three O’clock This Morning at ‘ DAUGHTER’S HOME I Husband Died a Year Ago June s—Funeral Will be Friday Afternoon After an illness of several weeks from a complication of diseases, Mrs. William Spies, long a resident of this city, died at 3 o'clock this morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Charles Miller, in Preble township. Mrs. Spies wos born in Michigan, March 20. 1837. making her age eightythree years, three months and seventeen days. She was a duaghter of M r . and Mrs. Jacob Stauh, and was married to William Spies in early womanhood. They came to Indiana, and resided in this city a number of years, being earnest workers in the Reformed church. Eight (laughters were born to them, one of whom is deceased. The seven living are Mrs. Fred j Peck, Mrs. Christ Reppert, Mrs. Chas. Miller, o| Preble township;, Mrs. Henry Vitz of Indianapolis: Mrs. Lars Hagen, Oakland, Cal.; Mrs. August Mehr and Mrs. LLydia Overich, of Lafayette. The husband died a year ago June 5. Funeral services will be held Fri- ■ day afternoon at o’ilock from the home, and at 2:00 from the Magley Reformed church. Revs. Englemann and Stolte will officiate. THECAR IS FOUND Ford Touring Car Belonging to Love Woods Located Last Evening ALONG THE ROADSIDE South of New Corydon— Tools and Extra Tires Missing—No Damage The Ford touring car stolen in this city Saturday evening from its parking place in this city was recovered last night and turned over to its owner. Sheriff Melchi received a telephone call from the New Corydon garage that they had it there, and for him to come and get it. The garage man had brought it to his place after deliberating all day as to what to do about the matter. ,! His suspicions were aroused after j he had been called by telephone about . 3 o’clock Tuesday morning to come i out and pull in the car or assist in ! making repairs so the driver could j continue on his way. He drove out to the location given j him over the 'phone, and found the , | car at the roadside, but there was no ■ . one with it. He did not know at that ! time one had been stolen in Decatur. II He did not take the car back to his • j garage, but let it set. Tuesday evenI | ing it was still there, and he decided l i to go and get it. After looking through - the car an envelope was found, bear ing Mr. Wood’s name and he called Sheriff Melchi. The sheriff called Mr. I Woods from his home in Ohio, and - with Deputy Bolter they went to New I Corydon after the Ford. I It was in good condition, in perfect running order, and there was no oct casion to call agarage man to pull it - in or make any repairs. However, two extra tires, a pump, a new Inner - tube, a robe and other articles were > missing. Mr. Woods drove the car back to t this city, the party arriving here at 1 t o’clock, and Mr. Woods continued on ' his wav to his home. The New Corydon man secured the reward offered j for the recovery of the car. J- — *■ Clyde Harden of north of the city •* transacted business here today. y Glen Jackson was a Fort Wayne visitor today.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday Evening, July 7, 1920.

’ LAST PAYMENT IS IK HIS FOOTSTEPS 1 MADE BY COUNCIL Franklin Roosevelt’s Career is Similar to That of Building Now Reverts to Col - Theojtoosevelt ] the City, Debt Free— STARTED SAME WA\ Made Possible by ) And Both Were Nominated OUR LOYAL CITIZENS f or Vice-president—Mar-The Citizens Improvement ricd Ted <b’ s Niece Co. Financed Building tumted Press service) jn- tv . . New York, Julv 7 (Special to , and Fire Department Daily Democrat) _.. Roos^t fttnß- - . here today pointed out the similar- , , , . , , , . itv of the careers of the democratic + It has been suggested that the ♦ , + city celebrate the payment of the 4* . t . . , , ~ . , . . D. Roosevelt and of the late Colonel ♦ last obligation on the city hall + Theodore Roosevelt. 4 by having a public demonstra- 4 r » .u . v, .i . J Both attended Harvard; both ent- + tion of the burning of the last 4 orpd tbp poljtjcaJ arpna wfth p)pctjon 4 note. Attorney Clark J. Lutz said 4 so (hp Npw Y()| . k state lpgis|ature; 4 today that meeting of the mem- 4 bp}h sprvpd as asßist;nit SPCrPtarv of 4 bers of the Citizens Improvement 4 . hp navy ~l king fhp pofdtion wben 4 association would probably be 4 , he Unjtpd Statps wag on thp vprgp 4 called to pass a resolution for- 4 )f forp)gn wa ,. and both wpre nom . 4 mally turning over to the city the <f tnatpd for fbp vi< . e .pre S idencv. ♦ building and equipment, and that 4 Eranklin n . Roosevelts mother t 4 the organization would probably 4 wag a fou ,. tll Pousin of , hp former 4be dissolved unless it was 4 president. A more intimate relation--4 thought best to continue it for ♦ - k ip. however, was brought about by 4 some important matters that + be nlarr j agp o f Franklin D. to Anna ( 4 might come up in the future. 4 g] eanor Roosevelt, whose father was , ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (he late Colonel Roosevelt’s only brother. The city council last evening al Colonel Roosevelt gave his niece lowed the sum of $21fi..50 as final way ir her marriage to the present , payment on the city hall and fire de lemolratlc vice-presidential nominee , in Mar»4>, 1665. Colonel Roosevelt r partment equipment on Monroe street. ivas then president. 1 payable to the Citizen's Improvement This accomplishment in eight years DAY FOR SOLDIERS of Tin obligation which was- to have ' been met at the end of ten years, shows a record of accomplishment of ( j () win bp Dat(? f()J , which the city of Decatur can well feel , . , ■ proud. We now have a fine city build Biggest Soldiers' Reuning, a fire department with equipment ion Ever Held in second to none, and a review of how we got it will be interesting reading. NORTHERN INDI4N \ ( Like most other cities, we had to ‘ have a disastrous fire to wake us up . o . . It will be remembered that about 1 Jne Hlindied Sixtieth 1D- ■ o’clock in the afternoon of wednes diana Regiment and All I day. May 10, 1911, with a stiff wind Soldiers Invited raging, fire broke out in the barn ol ' D. I. Weikel in the west part of th< The management of the Great city, which spread to three dwellings Northern Indiana Fair association is j and another barn owned by Mr. Wei planning for one of the biggest sol- ■ kel. a dwelling owned by James Hurst liers’ reunion on Tuesday, August 10. 1 and a dwelling owned by Frisinger Y ver held in Indiana. • Sprunger. The loss entailed amounte- This is the day set aside for the ■to SB,OOO with only a small amoun nnual reunion of the One Hundred 1 of insurance. Sixtieth Indiana volunteer infantrv 1 The fire equipment at that time wa egiment, Spanish-American War Vet ! so small that the firemen could no irans, which organization had select- ! combat with any degree of succes d this city for its reunion this year. ' against such a conflagration. The I> ifflcials of the regiment planned early catur situation was discussed amour vith Colonel Reppert to have the r business men for a day or two an -vent during the fair after they learn 1 finally on May 15. 1911, twenty-fiv ff that Decatur was to have a big old--3 business men met at the office o ashioned fair this year. 1 the Ward Fence company, Monroe anc Co-operating with the soldiers’ com 1 Third streets, and formed a stock com nittee the fair officials are doing ei pany, with the end in view to assis’ irything in their power to make thq 1 the city to take care of the proposi lay one of the biggest of the week. 2 tion. These men were Harry Moltz ['he program is being arranged acJO. L. Vance, A. H. Sellemeyer, H. J ordingly and an effort is being made t Yager, Dynois Schmitt, Henry Brem o get Theodore Roosevelt, jr.. one of erkamp, C. J. Voglewede. Jesse G he leading men of the American s Niblick. C. N. Christen, J. S. Bowers .egion. here for the day. There will - M. Kirsch, C. A. Dugan, Mayor J. W ilso be other numbers of the fair asi Teeple, P. L. Andrews. E. Fritzinger lociation’s program. iD. M. Hensley, E. X. Ehinger, L. C In order to help the attendance the Waring. C. C. Schafer. W P. Schrock lay of the reunion every soldier of I M. E. Brackett, M. J. Mylott, Jacob he Civil war. every soldier of thoj Martin, J. D. Hale. G. T. Burk and I Tpanish-American war. and every sol--1 h Heller. Her of the world war, appearing in >’ C. A. Dugan was elected chairman iniform that day will be admitted to of the meeting and W. P. Schrock, sec he grounds free of charge. '1 his does t retary. Later on C. C. Schafer was mt apply to Adams county soldiers ' elected treasurer. The city owned the only, but to every soldier, no matter 1 lot on Monroe street where the citv where he belongs. hall and fire department is now lo- Relatives here who have soldier relr rated, and it was proposed at this atives or friends living a( a distance e meeting that the business men furnish are urged to write to all of them and the money with which to build the give them a special invitation to be o new building, and equip the fire de- present on the occasion of soldiers' 1 partment. dr sign notes in an amount day at the Great Northern Indiana n sufficient to take care of the needs, fair. August 10. They will be w • with the understanding that the city coined. ( d was to keep up the property by paying Mr “p. p. Revnolds. of Chicago, a the taxes, the necessary equipment. (>f )bc wor|d war Rpcnt tbp insurance and Interest, and paying the |i , ourtb jn tbja cjty wjtb Mr and Mrs y money back in semi-annual payments. w R Murphy. Mr. Reynolds is a the first payment to be due when t.. f ormer resident of this city and at; building^one time belonged to the Democrat i (Continued on page four) newsboy force. j

CONVENTION ADJOURNSPLANS FOR THE CAMPAIGN COLBY. PALMER AND MCADOO WILL TAKE THE “STUMP’’-GOV. COX WILL CONFER WITH PRES. WILSON -MAY BE NOTIFIED AT DAYTON, 0.

TO ADJUST WATER AND LIGHT RATES City Will Employ Consult ing Engineers to Ascertain Production Cost OF BOTH COMMODITIES Cost of Coal Makes it Necessary to Increase Rates —Council Notes At the motion of Councilman H. F. Linn, it was moved that the city of Decatur employ a consulting engineer for the purpose of ascertaining the exact cost of pumping and furnishing a gallon of water and the manufacturing and selling of a k. w. of electricity by the Decatur water and light plant. Some data on the cost of production has already been prepared by Supt. Mylott, which shows that with th£ enormous in creased cost of coal that the municipal plant is losing money on the water department while in the elec trie light and power department the plant is just about "breaking even.” The engineer will be employed with the purpose of getting down to exact figures and then the city will peti tion the Public Service Commission to inoresse both the water and pow er rates. Nearly every municipal or private owned light and power plant in the country is suffering from the sanu cause anti a majority have already secured an increase. It is costing the city of Decatm several hundred per cent more thi year to pump and furnish water and to manufacture and distribute elec trie current for the reason that tin city is now paying from three to five times as much for coal with which tc run and operate the plant. The city has not increased the power rate foi years. The minimum charge foi water is forty cents per month, which includes meter rental. The present rate for electricity’ is eight cents and then down as low as three cents. An effort will be made to secure an engineer at once and after all data is gathered and an aenrate showing of facts can be made a petition will be made to the service commission for an increase. Routine Business The mayor's quarterly report, in which he reported that he had col lected twenty dollars in fines, turn ing same over to the city treasurer was tiled and approved The resolution on the Bosse sewer was read and adopted and July 20th set as the date on which objections would be heard against it. The street and sewer committee reported favorable on the plans and specifications prepared for the C. N. Christen sewer and the preliminary resolution adopting the improvement was read and July 20tb set as the date on which objections or remonstrance would be heard. The matter of settling with the Decatur Firemen for the license fees due the city from the Carnival company which was here two weeks ago was referred to Mayor Yager and i City Clerk Christen for settlement Chief Dellinger appeared in behalf of the firemen. Bills. Citizens Imp. Co., $210.50: C. r (Continued on Page Three)

Price Three Cents

(United Press Service) Dayton, Ohio. .Inly 7 (Speiul to Daily Democrat) Gov. I lames M. Cox today tired the | opening gun of his campaign or the presidency by appealing to the democratic legislature fl Louisiana to ratify the wo- ■ nan's suffrage amendment imnediately. In a telegram to the chairnan of the Louisiana demo- , ratic central committee Cox ’ declared that the state legislature “owes it as a duty to the ■ democratic party to ratify at nice”. Cox clearly indicated that he neant the telegram as a positive request to the legislature for speedy action so that it f might have the honor of the - diirty-sixlh state ratified. • I'he action of the nominee, - ais friends say. gives an insight nlo tlie nature of the campaign . which he will conduct. They r daim it will be vigorous from > he start. j (By Hugh Balllie. United Press staff correspondent) San Francisco. July 7 (Special to - Daily Democrat) Now for the campaign. Having nominated Governor .lames VI. Cox for president. Franklin D. • Roosevelt for vice-president, demo- ' "ratio leaders today were making preliminary arrangements for the 1 drive which they hope will haul the Ohio governor in the white house. The campaign got under way tolay following adjournment of the democratic convention. Plans were being made to make special efforts to • —ln the women's vote in the belief that that will be the deciding factor i next November. Statements from many prominent 1 women were being prepared indorsing Cox. It was learned that one of 'he first steps will be to line up Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer - and Win. G. McAdoo as stump speakers. Bainbridge Colby is expected to be one of the administration’s best bets in the fight. It is understood he was not given the •nomin. |ion for vice president because leaders believed he could wage a more effective stump campaign if he were not a candidate. Roosevelt was rushed into the vice-presidential nomination after all leaders of big delegations agreed to vote for him. The other aspirants for nomination withdrew. Apparent harmony reigned as the convention adjourned. There was no visable discord except possibly in the camp of Win. J. Bryan who opposed Cox and the plaform. Bryan | maintained ominous silence. The last moments of the convention became general jollification which Tammany, administration forces and states which had held out for McAdoo to the last joined in cheering ('ox and Roosevelt. r | Washington, July 7 (Special to Daily Democrat)—Administration of5 tlcials expect a conference between - President Wilson and Governor Cox. democratic presidential eandi- ■- date, to be arranged soon, they said e today. i- The conference probably will be o held at the white house. The date d and other details have not yet been t. arranged. If Officials here believe the proposed conference would serve a» the final halting of rumors that there is any (’. fribiton between Wilson or his fol(Continued on Page Thee)