Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 18, Number 273, Decatur, Adams County, 18 November 1920 — Page 1

■ Volume XVIII. Number 27.’.

WORKMEN PINNED UNDER ’floors when walls fall TWO MEN KILIED FIVE MAY DiE AND SEVERAL INJURED WHEN NEW HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING COLLAPSES IN INDIANAPOLIS.

I Indianapolis, Nov. 18—(Special to bally Democrat)—Two men were killed and many were seriously hurt today when the steel structure work Ipf the new Emmerich Manual Train ■ng high school collapsed’ I it is thought that four and possibly ■ Hive of those injured may die. I Several workmen were taught bnder the falling brick and concrete Partitions and the brick wall which ivere pulled down with the steel jramework. I The school was to have been a font Lory structure of reinforced concrete Lid brick. The first two floors had been nearly completed and the work Len were rushing work on the two , lipper floors. , I It is thought the accident was i bansed by the falling of a large wood- i bn derrick on the second floor. The , ■nooringa of the derrick let go and , Ihe weight of it carried the brick and it one and steel gerders along. i I The school was being built to ac- ; Limmodate hundreds of pupils. It ■ [was to have been a gymnasium, a i large auditorium and several lunch ■ rooms. It was located on South Me- , ridian street about a block and a bale from the Union station. ( I A negro workman was pinned bnder a steel beam while bricks and ■tones and other debris Jay about 1 bin. His cry later attracted the at:. I |i nticn of tiremen and police who Ivere called to the scene. An acety- . I<tie torch burned the beam in two bud liberated him. One leg was broken. < MR. 01TTING HOME I Charles H. Getting of the film < fclack & Getting, returned today fro; Indianapolis, where he has been th bast seven weeks taking a course i Ihe science and study ot all th • . ci; ■nd racs practical ways of disinfe lion, sanitation and embalming. Th bourse given now is nu.-t complete , pnd covers every phase of the pr. tension. Six professots are constantl' ir the employ of the school, and motif jtlieni is Dr. Hill, who wilk ire a member of the faculty of Col. Reppert'z school of auctioneering starting here 1 In January. ' J. R. Graber of French towpshi; iwas visiting friends here this morn ing. ILLNESS IS SERIOUS Philip Heiman, eighteen year ol< son of Peter Heiman of south of th city, is ill with inflamatory rheuma itism. His condition is quite seldom owing to a complication c-f heart trou hie. » I ■ —— » MRS. NUERGE DIES Mrs. Conrad Nuerge died at the family home near Friedheim Wcdue.; <iay afternoon at 4:30 o’clock, deatn being due to dropsy and general haustion. Mrs. Nuerge was a daughter ot Henry and Sophia Scheimer Bieberb ’ Land was born March 14, 1851. making her age sixty-nine years, eight months and three days. Her parents came to this country from Germany and were among the early settlers in Preble township. Besides the husband four sons, Henry and Carl, at home; Christ and Fred, Wells county; and two daughters, Mrs. Gottlieb Schaper and Mrs. Charles Wiehle, of Allen county. The "deceased was long a member ot the Friedheim Lutheran church, from which the funeral will be held Saturday afternoon, at 1 o’clock, s in time, the Rev. Preuss officiating. Burial will be at the church cemetery. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4- 4" ♦ THE WEATHER FORECAST ♦ Fair tonight and Friday, rising temperature.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

BECO3E CLUB MET General Electric Girls Enjoyed Oyster Supper and Delightful Social Hour AFTER WORK HOURS Company Assisting Girls in Welfare Work—Sewing Will Also Be Taken Up The fourth meeting of the Gecodc club, General Electric company, Decatur works, was held in the club room last evening, immediately after the working hour. Practically evdry member of the club was present to enjoy the big oyster supper. The business meeting followed and the various social and educational activities to be taken up by the clul were d*scussed. Plans were also made for the first big club dinner which will be given Wednesday eve nlng. December Ist. Alma Brown Martha Fisher and Glen Ayres is the r mmittee in charge. The girls have decided to take up sowing at the club meetings and ar beginning this by making curtain* for. th# club room. The curtains ariof white material embroidered in green and gold, the club colors, anc will add in giving the room a cheet ful and pleasing app°a,’runci'. The same attractive design on the cur ■ r.ir.s will be carried out in the table -overs, etc. The company has furth >r encouraged this particular course by installing in the club room ar electric sewing machine. Miss Jacl Kissinger, president of the club, i n charge of the sewing. Possibly it would be of interest tc he people of Decatur to learn jus vbat the company is doing for the velfare of its female employes. Th hirst big factor is the setting asidof a room at the factory to be knowi •ind maintained as a girls’ club room So that this will make a convenien and attractive place to meet, th* company is fitting this room up with \ piano, tables, chairs, gas stove, ga. coffee urn, dishes, knives and forks spoons and other equipment. One corner of the room will be fitted up as a kitchenette with sink, cabinets for dishes and cooking utensils, and everything complete. The girls more than appreciate what the company is doing and are working hard to make this room one of the most attractive club rooms in the city. Although the club has been helped substantially in many ways, it is not the desire of the girls to depend on the company for the numerous odds and ends that are needed for the club room. With this purpose in mind, the proceeds of the next G. K. public dance to be given at the Ma sonic hall. Saturday evening. November 27th, will-go to the Gecode club The Apprentice School Orchestra of Fort Wayne works, assisted by Wayne Brunette, of this plant, which delighted the large crowd at the last dance with their real jazz music, will play for this dance. Everybody come. LEAVES FOR WYOMING Charles Holthouse who returned last week from McKeesport and Pittsburg. Pa., left today for Newcastle. Wyoming, where he will look after business matters for the J. F. Arnold, company. He will be gone several weeks. ARE GRANDPARENTS Mr. and Mrs. Ed Aughenbaugh a;--rejoicing the glad ne.ws received this morning from South Bend of the a rival of their first grandchild, bora ,u Mr. and rMs. Milton Yager. The ..ittle miss weighs niii" pound:-, an ! Chas been named Katherine Isabel!. [Mother and babe are doing nicely. I Mrs. Yager was formerly Miss Eva I Aughenbaugh before her marriage.

[WORK OF BOYS Biggest Mail Robbery in History in Which $3,- ■ 000,000 Were Stolen WAS DONE BY BOYS E Two Twenty, One Nineteen and ; Seventeen Year Old Boy Have Been Arrested | Omaha. Neb., Nov. 18. - (Special to 1: Daily Democrat) — The Burlington [railroad mail robbery in Council | Bluffs Saturday, probably the largjest of Its kind in history, in which $3 500.000 was stolen, was planned and executed by a band of boys, scarcely out of their teens. ' Four of the boys have been arre [ed, three of whom are said to ha.e j confess ■ I and of $1,000,000 of the plun . der has been recovered. The boys under arrest are Merle | Phillips, 20; Orville Phillips. 17; Friri , E. Poffenbarger, 19, and a boy named Roberts, 20. All four are residents of [ Council Bluffs and were railroad em I | ployes. Orville Phillips surrendered last 11 night, declaring his h-other, Merle, who was arrested Sunday, bad noth ing to do with the crime, but had confessed in order to shield him. Os iiciais believe both are implicated. The securities which were recov ered were found in a lake near Counci ' Bluffs. Police are. today dragging th lake in an effort to recover the rt mainder of the loot. WOULD IGNORE KING (United Press Service) Paris, Nov. 18—(Special to Dail) ' Democrat) — Great Britain and France will not recognize a Greek government headed by King Con stantlne, the French foreign oftici announced today. The two countries as guarantors of the Greek kingdom are entitled to determine the character of the government the announcement said. CHICAGO MARKET CLOSE (United Press Service) Chicago, Nov. 18 —(Special to Daily Democrat)—Wheat: Dec. SI.BO ; Mar. $1.69%. Corn: Dec. 69%; May, 74%. Oats; Dec. 46%; May, 51 OWNS REAL RANCH Eli Sprunger Has Purchased a 960 Acre Farm, One of Finest in Michigan IN CLAIRE COUNTY His Son, Leo, Will Manage It—Mr. and Mrs. Sprunger to Move to Michigan Eli Sprunger. former Adams count.' citizen who lias resided at Saginaw Michigan, for a number of years, ir here looking after business. He hat disposed of his land holdings in tin west and just before leaving Saginaw .dosed a deal for the purchase of a 960 acre farm known as the Brant ranch in Claire county, Michigan sixty miles northwest ot Saginaw. 1 Js one of the finest farms in all Michigan and is the place which fill a desire long"nursed by Mr. Sprunger to own a real stock ranch. The tarn, is all splendid land and the building include a ten-room house, spli-nd'i' barns, all modern improvements. The buildings are lighted with electricity. . and five wells furnish a supply o. . water that reaches every portion o. the place. Mr. Sprunger will hold the Saginaw I farm but he and Mrs. Sprunger arc planning to move to the city of Saginaw where they will build ft modern home. Their son, Leo, will move to the Claire farm and this will be used 1 for stock raising purposes. Mr. Sprunger is delighted with his pur- ■ chase and is anticipating much pleas--1 ure out of the new ranch. It con--1 ! tains forty acres of tine timber while ! the rest is cleared. Os this, 300 acres [will be farmed and the rest used for ' pasturing. A NEW ASSISTANT » - [ Miss Florence Holthouse is a new a [assistant at the county clerk’s office. | " beginning her duties this week. Mist I Holthouse has been employed in the! I. office of Fruchte & Litterer, and previ | ous to that Peterson & Moran, and she [ .i will make a valuable assistant to Clerk . ' Kelly. |

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday Evening, November 18, 1920.

I ATTEND* LECTURE School children attended the lecture of Dr. Buxton at the gym, the subject being "Uncle Sam's Pacific 1 Paradise.” Students of the public schools assisted in the -,ale of tickets for the lecture tonight and tomorrow | night. I ■ '■ 1 SCHOOL BOARD CHECKS UP C. B. Peterson, treasurer of the j Decatur school board, has received th. report of the state field examiners who checked up und examined th' books of the school board. The books cheek up O. K. and every penny turned in was accounted for. Messrs. Webb and Casper, the accountants, who examined the. city’s books, the li bn.ry board's books also made check up of the school board’s books. HARDING SEESA BRIGHTER FUTURE President-Elect Speaks tc Chamber of Commerce at New Orleans and Leaves FOR A PANAMA CRUISE Says There is No Reason for Pessimism or Despair —Old Lessons of Thrift (By Raymond Clapper. United Pres staff correspondent) New Orleans, Nov. 18 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Though reverses and discouragements may lie ahead. America will face them courageous!) and will win out, Presidentelect Warren G. Harding said, discussing the economic situation before the chamber of commerce here today. He warned that new burdens may have to be borne, extravagances renounced and the old lessons of thrift learned anew. "With one hundred per cent production and minimized .waste,” he continued, "we may make the re■onstruction and establish sure footing. * “There is no reason for pessimism >r despair," he said. The senator sounded a note of confidence in Ain'erica”s future although warning of the flood and ebb of good fortune. Ascribing much of the present sitution to the war’s aftermath, Senator larding said that inevitably there vill be readjustment. "There are sure to he reverses, here will be endless discouragements, but a confident America will ace them all with good courage," he said. "And we will win. We may dow up a bit now and then; we may have to bend backs to new burdens, surely we are going to be called on nationally, Collectively and dndivid(Continued on page four) TO GIVE RECITAL Mrs. Holthouse, Under Auspices of Woman’s Club, Will Give Entertainment THURSDAY, DEC. 2ND At Masonic Hall—Will Provide Funds to Purchase Piano for Club’s Use Announcement is made today tjiat Mrs. L. A. Holthouse will give a sont recital at the Masonic hall on Thursday evening, December 2, under flit 1 auspices of the Woman's club. Th. recital will be given in an effort to start a fund that the ladies of the club may be enabled to purchase <• new piano for use at their regulai meetings and entertainments of then friends-. Mrs. Carrie Haubold will as sist her. The Woman's club lias been the most prominent of any organization in the city the past three seasons, and they have always used a borrowed piano, and oftentimes the entertainments provider! would have been greatly improved if they had had a piano exactly suited to the class of music used, 'hence the decision io buy a new piano. The program for the recital will b' announced later. Mrs Holthouse >s lone of the best vocalists in tb«‘ city, and her singing has beep greatly ap [preciated in various entertainments, land her friends and friends of tin, 'club, will he delighted to know that [she will give the recital.

THE SCHOOL ACES 1— Bill M?y be Presented in . Legislature Changing the I I Compulsory School Age TO SIXTEEN EARS Amish of Lagrange County Want It Reduced to 13 Years for the Girls (United Press Service) ’• Indianapolis, Nov. 18—(Special to Dally Democrat) -Legislation seek ■ ing to increase the compulsory school attendance age from 14 io 16 years and to require all children to complete the eighth grade before leaving school will be proposed to the legis la'iire which will convene in January Representatives of child welfare organizations and school officials meeting in the office of State Superintendent Hines decided to draft a bill embodying these changes in the I 1 present law and present it to Governor Goodrich tor his approval. Under the present law. children ' may leave school after they have reached the age of 14 and after they have completed the fifth grade. A proposal by representatives of II the Amish communities in Lagrange I county to leave the. requirements for boys stand as they are and to lower 1 the standards for the girls met with unanimous disapproval of the meet ing. The Amish wanted to reduce the compulsory age for girls to 1;: years and to require that they complete only the fifth grade. > * LINED UP AND SHOT (United Press Service) Douglas. Ga.. Nov. 18 —(Special to Daily Democrat) Three negroes were lined up and shot today on a country road by a mob of several hundred persons here today. The negroes, two men and a wo man had been implicated in the deaths of a young planter late yesterday. They were taken from the sheriff and ills deputies who were fleeing with the prisoners for safe keeping. i Tlie Baptist Ladies’ Aid so.-iety v. i conduct a ]>astry sale at the Schmit' meal market Saturday . A Io- ot goo ! things to eat. Be sure to patronize I A SECOND RAID Sheriff Melchi and Marshal Reynolds Secure Quantity of “Medicine” at THE COLCHIN PLACE —sf ■ Search Warrant Issued, and the Proprietor is Released Under Bond A second raid on soft drink parlors in this city was made at 10 o’clock this morning on the Joe Colchin place on Second street, and a quantity o; "medicine" secured by Marshal Joel Reynolds and Sheriff Melchi. on a search warrant issued for the purpose tn the raid the officers secured two dozen quart bottles of “Raxana Hit ters,” eight quart bottles of “faysh’s Bitters,” eighteen pint hotties cl "Blackberry Cordial." and four quart hotties of Blackberry Cordial." Tie “medicine" was taken before Mayor Yager, where Colchin plead not guilty to a charge of selling intoxicants in violation of the Indiana law, and asked for a little time in which to make a defense. The hearing was set for November 30. and Colchin was released on bond. Some of the goods taken in the raid contains about eighteen per cent, ol alcohol, and the statute plainly states that it is a violation of the la >v to sell any drink as a beveridg" whlcii contains more than one-hall of one per cent, alcohol. It is said proprietors of soft drink parlors will set up the plea that the "medicine" may be sold, but the law comes back again and charges violating the drug act. The result of the raid this morning will be watched with interest by all citizens. IS NOT A BRANCH Mr. Felix Maier of the local Maio 1 ' Hide Fur company, asks us to correct the statement made in an article in last evening’s paper that the Mai . company is a branch of the Well Brothers company, but a sr pirate eoi poration. Mr. Frank Confer will servo as bookkeeper for the Maier Hide <*■ Fur company of Fort Wayne.

> CITY PLANT IS WORTH ’ OVER HALF A MILLION - ENGINEERS FILE INTERESTING REPORT, SHOWING COST GF PRODUCTION, CAINS AND LDSSES-RECOMIM INCREASED WATER RATES. Eacts about City Plant Valuation of Electric Department• $158,136.00 Valuation of Water Department 323.293.00 Total Valuation of Plant, as of Oct. 1, 1920 $581,429.00 ' (The Electric Department) Number of K. t W. H. manufactured in 1919 1.231.831 Total cost of manufacturing, $35,781.35 or 2.905 certs per K. W. H. Ooerating revenue from electric department 1919 $43,768.99 1 Operating expenses in 1919 35,781.35 Profit from operations in 1919, or better than 6' on investment $7,987.64 • I Plus other revenues, non-operating 1,839.16 Plus surplus on hand, Jan. 1, 1919 1.969.06 f | Balance on hand in Electric Department, 1919. .. $11,795.86 r (The Water Department) ' Gallons pumped in '919135,079,200 ' Tntal cost of pumoing. •$29,706.14 or 21.911 cents per thousand gallons. Operating revenue from sales, 1919512,510.61 Operating expense same period ... 29.706.14 Loss in Water Department in 1919 $17,195.53 Less other revenues, non-operating 341.65 Gross Deficit in water department, 1919 16,853.83 Surplus in water department at beginning of year 2,196.05 n ; Deficit in Water Department. Dec. 31. 1919 $14,657.83 s ,

fi I J Completing their report of several I hundred pages on the survey mad, i [of the Decatur light and power plant. ‘ Engineers David and James Me ’ : Naughton submitted the totals and e tabulations to tlie council Tuesday e . e evening and showed that the value of the Municipal Light and Power plant, including lands, transmission and distribution lines, building and - i miscellaneous structure, plant equip- ; ment. general equipment, paving, ma ll< rial and supplies is worth the gran I I sum of $5Bl. 429.0(1. the appraisement. . i being taken as of October 1. 1920 I i Included in the valuation is par' ' of ihe new equipment now being ii: [ stalled at the waterworks, but. not in elusive of (he nev. $30,000.00 turbii I which has been set on its foumlatim in he power hou The m st intersting fact in the re I port is that the electric depart men < made a not profit in 1919 of $7,987.6’ . from operations, while the water de ■ [ partment in the same period of tim< I was operated at a net loss of $16.55". ! ss - Increase Water Rates I A special meeting of the counci ’ | will be held Friday evening at whirl : ' time a petition will bo prepared am' ) [ then sent to the public service com ; I mission asking that the water rate: I [ in Decatur, be increased on an aver i i age of one hundred per cent, a tabl< . of the suggested new rates being , ! printed below. No Increase in Electric Rates I At present no steps will be taken i :to increase the electric light rates. , ’ that department being condu -ted on | la profitable basis. The 1920 Survey . I In order to support their figures | .'and to make their 1919 report a I I very systematic one and for compar i > ' Ison purposes, the first six months in ! » !

SUGGESTED INCREASE IN WATER RATES ] w / In view of the loss in the water department the council will petition the Public Service Commission to allow the City of Decatur to increase the water ■ rates. Following is the suggested schedule: First 10,000 gallons, per month, 45c per 1000 gallons. Next 20.0C0y-llons. per month, 40c per 1000 gallons. Next 20,0 JX Z 4 allons, per month, 35c per 1000 gallons. Next 50,(-J gallons, per month, 30c per 1000 gallons. Next 400,000 gallons, per month, 25c per 1000 gallons. Next 500,000 gallons, per month, 22c per 1000 gallons. All over 1.000,000 gallons 20c per 1000 gallons. A minimum annual charge paid quarterly shall be made on the following meters whose consumption does not exceed the minimum amount specified above. Where the consumption exceeds the minimum amount the regular water rates apply and no minimum. Following is the table of minimum rates: % inch meter, registering 40,000 gallons or less in year. SIO.OO. 3 4 inch meter, registering 44,000 gallons or less in year. $12.00. 1 inch meter, registering 48,000 gallons or less in year, $14.00. 1' 4 inch meter, registering 72,000 gallons or less in year, $20.00. I'i inch meter, registering 96,000 gallons or less in year, $28.00. 2 inch meter, registering 120,000 gallons or less in year, $36.00. 3 inch meter, registering 192,000 gallons or lese in year. $48.00. 4 inch meter, registering 240,000 gallons or less in year. $60.00. Note, ihe B or -‘ 4 inch meter would apply to most homes. The minimum charge is now $4.80 per year. If the above rates are granted, the water rates would be increased about one hundred per cent on an average.

Price Three Cent*

this year, front January 1, 1920 to Jitne 30th, 1920. were included in the report and the showing in the electric light department is not as good I in comparison to 1919, the six . months sitowing a gain of only , $2J57,:,'7. while in the water department. basing the figures for a year, a loss of over $22,000.00 will be suffered this year in this department. • What Report Shows The report shows that the electric ! light department generated 1.231.831 K. W. 11. at the switch board last j -ar. at a cost of $33.781.35. making the cost for distribution 2.905 cents .er K. W. H. in 1919. This item in'mhs depreciation of $6,174.69, the en outage of depreciation for the milding being 7.85':. steam, generat>r equipment 4','. which includes oilers, engine and generators. The listribuilon lines depreciated 5%. Although the above shows that the 'leetrie light department made a net nofit in 1919 of $9,826.00, including •on-oporating revenue, or better than >'{ interest on the investment, the ■oport shows that a number of the I'Visions were operated at a loss. Following is the summary of the ■ p.ctrie light department : Profit on street lighting $3,438.06 Profit on commercial lighting 5,912.30 Total of profit from above depart nients $9,350.36 Less loss from commercial. power .. . $1,169.78 Current sold to other utilities, such as Pleasant Mills. Monroe. etc 193.55 i Total loss from above departments $1,363.33 I Gross profit in electric department $7,987.03