Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 19, Number 34, Decatur, Adams County, 9 February 1921 — Page 1

Volume XIX. Number 34.

EFFORT IS MADE TO GET TRUCKS Commissioners Ask Senators, Congressman and the Governor to Help Secure TRUCKS FOR COUNTY Letter is Sent to Highway Commission — Old War Trucks Could be Used The board of county commissioners. County Attorney Heller and Superintendent of Highways James Hendricks have had correspondence with Senators James Watson and Harry New, the quartermaster of the war department, and Congressman Albert H. Vestal, relative to the securing of one or two of the old anpy trucks for Adams county, to be used in road work by Superintendent Hendricks. After hearing from the above persons. the following letter was addressed and sent to the state highway commission and Governor McCray of Indianapolis asking that they extend their influence in securing one of the trucks for the county. The letter follows: •'We are in receipt of a letter from Albert H. Vestal, congressman from the eighth district, and also of a letter from Senator Harry S. New, in which they inform us that the war department has turned over to the agricultural department, bureau of public roads, a great number of trucks used during the war and that the bureau of public roads is making the distribution of the trucks through the state highway commissions of the different states. They state that this distribution is being made under the provisions of the Kahn act approved March 15th, 1920.

“We write seeking jour help in aiding Adams county to secure at least one of these trucks. ‘‘While our county has only a population of about 21,000 yet during the war more than eight hundred of our boys answered the nation's call and offered their service in defense of our country’- During the war our county went "over the top" in the several drives for bonds, war saving stamps, united war work, Red Cross society and every other war drive offered to the people. “We have six hundred miles of improved gravel and macadamized roads in the county, more in proportion to size of county than any other county in the state. “We feel that if any of the armytrucks are now being distributed for road work, that our county is entitled to at least one. “May we depend upon your assistance in securing one of these trucks for Adams county, Indiana?" ROBERT J. SCHWARTZ, GRANT OWENS, ERNST CONRAD. Board of Commissioners, Adams County, Indiana. 11. B. Heller, county attorney. MILLIONS FOR ROADS (United Press Service) Chicago, Feb. 9.—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Use of one billion dol lars now available in sixteen states for road building this year was urged before the American good roads congress and the good roads show which opened a four-day meeting here today. COMING BACK HOME (United Press Service) Mexico City, Feb. 9. —(Special to Daily Democrat) —William G. McAdoo and his party were enroute to the United States today. The former secretary of the treasury stated he had accomplished nothing worth comment, Jouett Shouse, a member of the party, indicated there had been discussions regarding extension of the Orient railway line to the Mexican coast, saying there were hopes for such completion.

FAILS TO PASS Washington, Feb. 9— (Special to Daily Democrat)— -1 he senate immigration committee today voted an unfavorable report on the Johnson bill suspending immigration tor a year. The committee will meet tomorrow to frame substitute legislation. Socrates paid but little heed to the scolding of his wife Xantippe.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

APPROVE MORE BONDS The county commissioners late yesterday afternoon granted the petition for four macadam roads, they being the Frank Heaston road In Jefferson township, one-half mile in length, the Geo. Ringger road in French township, two miles, the William Brodbeck road in St. Mard’s township, one mile, and the Ray road also in St. Mary's township, thraee-quarters of a mile in length. The petitions have not yet been published. THE STATE MEET 0. L. Vance and Hugh Hite Will Join the Indiana Rotarians at EVANSVILLE FEB. 21-22 International Convention at Edinburgh. Scotland, June 13-16, 1921 The state convention of Rotarians will be held at Evansville, February 21 and 22, and O. L. Vance and Hugh Hite, of the Decatur club will attend, as the representative of the club. The above men were appointed as delegates at the meeting last evening. There will probably be others from this city to attend the convention, for which an interesting program lias been prepared. Walter E. Pittsford, district governor, of Indianapolis, is one of the conference officers, and he will be one of the foremost members at the Indiana state convention. Besides the business sessions of the convention, there will also be many amusements. Volley ball will be played at the new Y. M. C. A. athletic hall in which seven Rotary clubs over the state will compete on Monday night, February 21. for a handsome silver cup donated by the Evansville Rotary club. On the same night at the new pocket Bowling Emporium, the finest in the southwest, a bowling contest will take place in which nine Rotary clubs will compete, under th? guidance of Louis Nagle. This begins at 7:30 p. m. There will be big eats all over the town, winding up with a mammoth banquet where fifteen hundred people will be served under one roof in the big coliseum. Rotarian Burdette will furnish music on the fifty-thousand dollar organ. President Loewenthal and Secretary I A. L. Sevringhaus and their commit-1 teemen of the Evansville club have been working day and night to make the state convention a success and it is an assured fact that they will succeed.

The international convention of Ro (arian? will be held in Ed’ngbuigh, Scotland, June 13-16. this year, and several of the state officers and district governors may attend, but so far as known none of the Decatur members have signified their intentions of attending. MR. SAUNDERS IMPROVED Word from the Hope-Methodist hospital at Fort Wayne is that Charles Saunders. General Electric employment agent, is considerably improved. Following the first operation on Saturday evening he lias shown wonderful improvement. Surgeons at first thought it wotild be necessary to get at the seat of the trouble by three separate operations, but it is now believed the tme will suffice, and Mr. Saunders may be able to come home next week. It was first announced that he would probably have to remain at the hospital five weeks. THE TRAFFIC COMMITTEE In publishing the list of committees appointed at the Decatur Industrial association Monday evening the name of W. A. Kuebler was given as chairman of the traffic committee. This was an error. W. A. Klepper of the Cloverleaf Creameries is the chairman of this committee, while Mr. Kuebler is a member of the finance committee.

PROVIDE PRISON TERMS Springfield, 111., Feb. 9.—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Baseball crooks will be sent to prison for two years under a bill which comes before the state legislature here today. It provides that the taker and giver of bribes to throw a baseball game be sentenced to two years. The bill was introduced by Representative N. C. Flagg of East St. Louis. He said it was introduced at > the request of the national baseball commission.

GETS PROMOTION Robert K. Walters, Decatur Young Man, Becomes Assistant Manager of WESTERN DISTRICT For Wayne Oil Tank & Pump Company—Now on Way to San Francisco Robert K. Walters, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Walters of this city, left Fort Wayne Monday for Chicago and from there continued his journey to San Francisco, where he will become assistant district manager for the Wayne Oil Tank & Pump company, with headquarters at San Francisco, The San Francisco district is composed of five states, and Mr. Walters will have a responsible position in his new field, a fact in which the many Decatur friends of the lad and of his parents rejoice. Kenneth, as he is known here, began work with the company in the collection department shortly after his return from Camp Douglas, Arizona. and during the year and a half following, had received several promotions until he had become the head of the collection department in the entire United States. About throe weeks ago he accepted a responsible position with the Moellering Bros, company at Fort Wayne. Less than a week after he had ac cepted the latter position a vacancy occurred in the California office, and it was at once offered to Mr. Walters, and after some consideration he de cided to accept the offer. He was home over Sunday, and left here Monday for Fort Wayne and from there to the California city. Mr. Walters is a graduate of the Decatur high school, and following his graduation attended the Ohio Wesleyan university two years. At this time he offered his services to Uncle Sam, and was located at Camp Douglas, Ariz. He did not return to his school work after he was mustered out of the service, but accepted employment with the Fort Wayne concern, and he made good, (Continued on page three)

ASSESSORS MET Every Township and Corporation Represented in Meeting at Court House MR. JAS. SHOWALTER Representative of the State Tax Board, Talked on Taxing Problems Every township assessor and many of the deputies to be employed in the work of listing the property in the various taxing units, were here this morning in answer to the call of County Assessor William Frazier, the meeting having been held in the circuit court room. James Showalter, a representative of the state tax board, was here and was introduced to the assessors interested, by Judge John C. Moran, at the request of Assessor Frazier. Mr. Showalter spent some time in explaining the new tax law. and declared it to be the best of any state in the union, believing it to be abso-. lutely perfect. He said the trouble was not with the law, but in the administration of it, and getting the people to understand it. In speaking of the taxing question, he stated there had always been objection to taxes, even in the biblical days, and that there probably would always be objections, but the thing to do by all taxing units is to get it down to an equal basis for all. The various schedules of the sheets to be filled out by the assessors when they begin their work were discussed by Mr. Showalter, and every assessor had questions to ask which he put to the state representative, and he answered them so that there could be no mistake as to his meaning. He urged the people to answer the questions as they appeared, and it seems to be the impression that the officials of the board want the public to understand that the assessor is in no way to blame for the law, and that if there are objections, it is plainly the duty of every citizen to answer to the best of his knowledge for the property in his possession. The visit here is similar to those being made to every county in the state.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday Evening,February 9, 1921.

I TODAY IS ASH WEDNESDAY ’ Today Is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. A high mass was held at the St. Mary's church at sev-en-thirty and was attended by hundreds. Many people make it u practice to attend mass every morning during Lent and the turnout this ’ morning was splendid. Lenten services will be held at the church on Tuesday and Friday evenings. Easter ’ Sunday comes on March 27th this year. GROCERY STORE IN NEW LOCATION Fisher & Harris Will Open Doors of New Store to Public Tomorrow ONE OF VERY BEST In Northern Indiana—New Stock and Fixtures in a Modern Building Messrs. John Fisher and Matt Harris, enterprising and up-to-date grocers, will greet their many patrons with a happy smiie Thursday morning in their new location, fn the new and modern Erwin block, three doors south of their old store room on Second street. The work of placing the stock and fixtures will be practically completed during the night, and when they open the doorj in the morning. Decatur will have one of the very best , and cleanest groceries in northern Indiana. The show cases and shelving of the new building are now loaded with an entirely new stock, and present a very inviting appearance. Not much of the old stock has been moved as yet, but this will be completed from time to time, and only the perishable foodstuffs will be moved at this time, as tire firm holds a tease on the rid loom until the first of next year. Messrs. Fisher & Harris came to Decatur six years ago this April from Peru, and purchased the grocery store of L. G. Williams & Son. one. of ths oldest and best established concerns in the city. They have conducted the business in an up-to-date and businesslike manner, until it has grown almost in leaps and bounds, until now- it not only requires the services of from six to a dozen clerks and a cashier and bookkeeper, but the constant endeavors of the two proprietors to take care of the business. In addition to the Decatur store they also have a grocery at Van Wert, Ohio, and as a result of the great amount of business they do in the two stores, they are enabled to buy their goods in such quantity that they secure the very best price, and as a consequence can sell at a closer margin than any other store in this section. The equipment of the new store is the very latest, in show cases and (Continued on page three) THE BOARD MET Officials of Adams County Sunday School Association Made Plans FOR THE YEAR'S WORK Session Held in This City, Presided Over by C. 0. Lehman, President The officers of the Adams County Sunday School association held a meeting at the Vance Linn store Monday evening, at which plans were discussed for the year’s work. Each township in the county will have a Sunday school convention, and th" work of the organization strengthened as much as possible, and it is hoped to place Adams county in the front rank in the Sunday school work of , the state. C. O. Lehman, the county president, will go to Indianapolis next week, to attend the state conference of offl- , cers and workers, and upon his re- ; tur, programs will be drafted for the township conventions in various parts of the county. i Those who attended the meeting i here were C. O. Lehman, Berne, couni ty president; E. C. Bierie, Berne, vice president; Menno Liechty. Mori roe, treasurer; Mr. Moser, Monroe; i Miss Jessie Winues, Mrs. Edgar Lewis and O. L. Vance, Decatur.

FOR A CLEAN-UP Committee of Women Are Making Plans for Disposal of Garbage and Cans I HELP IS VOLUNTEERED Rotarians Inform Committee That They Are Back of the Movement Last evening at the regular meeti ing of the Rotnrians held at the city hall, a committee of women, com- ' posed of Mrs. W. E, Smith, Mrs. J. T. Myers and Mrs. A. D. Suttles walked jin on the boys and through their 1 spokesman. Mrs. Smith, explained I their mission. Mrs. Smith in a few' words told that the women of the I city were making plans for a general clean-up of the garbage anil other; j refuse in the alleys and that they wanted the men to get back of the movement and create sentiment for j a clean-up week of this kind in Decatur this spring. Wai Wemhoff, in behalf of the club, volunteered the help and cooperation of every Rotarian and stated that they would get gladly back of the movement. More details about the plans of the women will be announced later, and a committee of three men, C. E. Bell. Dr. Fred Patterson and Oscar Hoffman were appointed to keep in touch with the women as to when the clean up week would take place. Recited Beautiful Story Rotarian Jimmy Arnold gave a splendid recitation of the beautiful story of "Slippy McGee.” Jimmy has away all his own in telling or reciting stories and every one present appreciated his telling the story of “Slippy McGee,” reformed “safe cracker.” D. B. Erwin also gave a two minute talk on "efficiency” which was well worth while. BANKS CLOSE SATURDAY Saturday, February 12th, is Lincoln's birthday, a legal holiday and the banks will therefore be closed all day. This will include the banks in Denatur and throughout the state.j

WILL SELL BONDS Commissioners Will Call the County Council and Authorize to Order ISSUING OF BONDS For the County Hospital— The Trustees Will Then Proceed With Work County Attorney Henry B. Heller stated this morning that the commissioners before adjourning last evening ordered a call meeting of members of the county council and authorized that body to advertise for the sale of the SIOO,OOO worth of bonds with which to build the hospital. Auditor Martin Jaberg will issue the call for the members of the council to meet and in all probability the meeting will be held this month and the bonds offered for sale within the next few weeks. After the bonds are sold the board of hospital trustees, A. J. Smith. E. M. Ray, Clara H. Anderson and Frank Heiman will proceed with the work and possibly let the contract for the building of the hospital this summer. The hospital will be located on the old fair grounds south of the city and a most beautiful and appropriate site it is for such an institution. It is only about a mile from Decatur and the tract of land contains about twenty acres. Within the last several weeks the trustees have visited several county hospitals in this part of the state and in Ohio for the purpose of obtaining information as to how county hospitals should be built and what they should contain. IN POLICE COURT James Mahan, a conductor on the interurban, was arrested this morning on an intoxication charge, and also on a charge of assault and battery, preferred against him by Mrs. Berth Venis. Both offenses are alleged to have occurred Sunday night. Mahan was taken before Mayor Yager this morning, where he pleaded guilty, and was fined SI.OO and costs, amounting in all to $22.00, which he paid.

| COMBINES OFFICES Tito city council of Portland has 'decided to follow the lead of Decaturj , In combining the offices of city clerk j and treasurer. The city dads fixed) I the salary at $3,000, but lie official will jbe obliged to pay for whatever office ■ help lie may need out of that sum. The ' j new arrangement will be effective' ! next January, when the new admlnis-1 tration takes charge of the reins cf ' city government.

WILL BOOST LEVY If Pending Legislation is Enacted, Says Representative Fifield THE] DIFFERENT FUNDS Boosted Would Total Seven and Three-eighths Cents on SIOO Valuation Indianapolis, February 9. —The state tax levy will be increased at least , 7% cents if legislation now pending : before the general assembly is passed, j Representative Fifield, chairman of j the house ways and means committee | said today. This would make the state levy 27% instead of 20 cents on eacli SIOO worth of taxable property, i The proposed increase would not be ; made in one item, but would come about by boosting the levies for dis--1 ferent institutions of the state gov- ■ ernment system. By the increases, the state educational and benevolent | institutions, the common schools and the state highway commission would receive more money. The house of representatives has rejected a proposal to make a still greater increase when it voted against an amendment to the Fifield hill provid ing a 5-cent levy for the state’s three higher educational institutions. The amendment would have made the proposed levy 7 cents. Likewise a subcommittee of the house ways and means committee agreed to reject a proposal to boost i the common school levy to 20 cents and reduced this figure to 7 cents. The ways and means committee has agreed to accept this and it now

awaits house action. The present levy for Purdue and Indiana universities and the state normal schools is 2.8 cents and that for the common schools is 5.6 cents. Os course, these proposed levict . may be reduced still further when , they go to the senate, but proponents of the increases say they have no i fear that senators will disapprove the figures set by the house. The largest increase provided for is probably that of the state highway commission. A bill giving the commission a ten cent instead of a .>.9 cent levy is now in the house ways and means committee and it was said it probably will remain there until j a complete policy of taxation is formulated. it is believed that all the i tax bills which will be placed in the. I hopper are now in the hands of the ; ways and means committee. ** + ** + + + ** + *' i, ' i ' * TODAY IN CONGRESS * *sfs.|. +t + Wl , < , + 'l , 'H (UniteJ Press Service) Senate. House and senate meet in joint session at 1 o’clock to canvass result of presidential election. Foreign relations committee at work on diplomatic and consular bill. Postoffice bill probably will be call ed up in senate. Manuacturers’ committee to make effort to close hearings on Calder coal bill. House. Surgeon-general Cumming of publit health service testifies before immigration committee regarding typhus eases among immigrants. . Representatives of the state de | partinent appear before foreign >ffairs committee regarding resolution j for trade with Russia. 1 Shipping board committee continues its investigation. Ways and means committee continues hearings on revision of tariff schedules and sundries. Appropriation subcommittee con- ' tinues hearings on fortifications bill. RED CROSS MEETING The regular monthly meeting of the 1 executive committee of the Adams j county Red Cross organization will be held Friday afternoon in the directors' room of the Peoples Loan & Trust company. Members are urged to attend.

Price Three Cento

PEOPLE MAY VOTE ON PRIMARY BILL Referendum May be Taken Whether Primary Law Should be Repealed IT’S ONE WAY OUT

. Decision Would he Made at City Primary Election— A Superior Court (United Press Service) i Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 9. — (Spec'al to Daily Democrat) —Governor McCray dropped out of the battle in the legislature over the question of repealing ’ the primary law. The governor hat | been an arde.nt booster for abolishment of the primary election system but the bill he first sponsored was deI seated in the state senate. 'AI have gone as far as I can go with the. primary fight and I am through with it,” he said. “I believe it is a party platform proposal and the rest depends on the party organiza--1 tion. The governor added however he will suggest to the senatorial faction ere- ' atc.d by the primary battle that they submit the question of a referendum at the next regular election in 1922. The senate passed the Ratts bill, making the term of office of attorneygeneral four years instead of two ’ years and extending the provision of the measure to U. S. Lesh, the incumbent. The vote on this hill was along party lines, six democrats opposing it and republicans voting for it. The Meeker-Bainum bill creating a commission to investigate the practicability of a waterway connecting I the great lakes and the Ohio river ■ was also passed by the senate. If the I house adopts this bill the commisjsion would report its findings to the , j 1923 legislature. Senator Hays’ bill increasing the | minimum penalty for rape to five instead of two years was passed by the senate. Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 9 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —The people of Indiana may get to decide by a referendum vote whether the primary election system shall be abolished in this state. The question of primary law reI peal has been reopened in the legislature and republican party leaders seeking to bring harmony back into their overwhelming majority of the assembly suggested today that the matter be referred to a vote of the people. The referendum would bo held in conjunction with the city elections throughout the state next November. Both the primary legislators and ! the. antis have insisted the people share their views. The former group has contended the women especially are opposed to any change in the priI mary law. The referendum, it was said would settle the entire question. In line witli the plans made yesterday afternoon, during a voluntary visit by seventeen pro primary senators to the office of Governor McCray, Senator John Aldredge, leader of the anti-repealists in the senate, lias appointed a commission of five senators to confer with a like committee from the republican state central committee regarding the primary question. Tile committee appointed by Aldredge is composed of himself and Senators Hartzell, Nejdl, Strode and Moorehead. The republican state body has not yet appointed its committee. Indianapolis. Feb. B—(SpecialB—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Representative J. Glenn Harris, of Gary started a move ment here today to create a superior court in St. Joseph county as a memroial to Representative Asa E. Matthews, of South Bend, Ind., who died here Monday night, providing the St. Joseph county liar association will also put a bronze tablet in the [court in the memory of Matthews. The court is provided for in a bill introduced in the legislature by Representative Beyler of South Bend and tile movement by Harris virtually assured its passage. Beyler's bill was to come up for second reading today and Harris was prepared to amend it by adding another section saying “This bill is to be known as the Asa E. Matthews Bill.” Representative Harris was a staunch friend of his deceased colleague and he attributed Matthews” death to overwork in the assembly.