Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 21, Number 105, Decatur, Adams County, 2 May 1923 — Page 1

Volume XXI. Number 105.

earnings at LIGHT PLANT SHOWS GROWTH Report of Supt. .My loti Shows Increase of $15,030.65 in 1922 TOTAL PROFIT LARGE Combined Earnings of Light and Water Department $28,372.13 — business greatly increased In the report of Supt. Mylott of the electric department, it is shown that the gross business of the department increased from $74,863.26 in 1921 to $100,432.79 in 1922. The sale of current and power to commercial users and manufacturers in 1922 was $44.302.18 as compared with $23,140.08 in 1921. The total K. W. H. manufactured by the electric department were 2,804,770 in 1922. The largest amount manufactured on a single day was on December 27. 1922. 12,600 K. W. H. being, manufactured. The smallest day production was on April 16. 1922 when 3,300 K. W. H. were manufactured

The combined net earniings, in eluding non-operating revenue of the electric light and water departments of the Decatur Muncipal plant for 1922 were $28,372.13, the electrii department earning $24,962.16 and the water department, $3,409.97. Exclusive of the non-operatine revenues, which include sales of material and all machinery and labor charges to consumers, the electric department's (income from / these items being, $1,267.00 and the water department's $52.97, the net operat ing revenue for 1922 of the two departments was $23,695.16. These earnings are exclusive of the depr< - elation charges, and interest on bonds totaling $J5,000, the electric department's depreciation charge be ing, $5,836.20, water department $4.362.62 or a total of $10,198.82. These charges were included in the operat ing expenses of the two departments and deducted before the net income was derived.

Increase in Business The above figures were obtained from the report sent to the Public Service commission some time ago. The report proves that the municipal plant enjoyed a big increase in business in 1922 over 1921. In 1921 the net earnings of the electric department were $13,267.48, the water department's, only $74.00 or a total of $13,341.48. The 1922 earnings exceeded the 1921 earnings by $15,030.65, equal to an increase of approximately 112%. The electric department's cash revenue from power, light, street lights, plant earnings, etc. in 1922 was $100,432.79 as compared with $74,863.26 in 1921, an increase of $25,569.53 or approximately 33%. In the water department the net income was even greater as compared with 1921 when that department showed an earning of only $74.00, the profit being $3,409.97, including non-operating income, a gain of nearly three thousand per cent, but not equal to 6% on the investment.

The Vaiue of Plant The value of the electric and water departments as fixed by the public service commission, exclusive of the grounds is, electric depart inent $151,307.80, water department, $135,837.12. Upon these values the (depreciation charges were figured, the rate of depreciation of the electric departments plant and equipment being fixed at two, four and (five per cent, while a flat rate of 3.53% was figured on the water department. Depreciation on the building is figured, while the value of the land where the water wells are located, including the site of the water works lis $12,500.00. Os course no depreciation was figured on the ground. Income from Taxes The electric light department receives SIO,OOO a year and the water department $7,800.0(0 a year f from taxes, this being the charge allowed by the public service commission and the state tax board for street lights and fire hydrants. (Continued on page four)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Free Acts Booked for Bluffton Street Fair v 'lh<- Bluffton free street fair amuse ment commute.. of which Hay Brown is chairman this year, last evening contracted for the free attractions. They include four boohing-, from the burnes Amusement Co., and can be made into live acts. The acts include: Eilers animal circus of trained monkeys, goats and dogs: the Camille Trio of comedy per formance on bars; the Christensens, an aerial thrill; and a quartet of negro jubilee singers. The committee believes that the tuts are the best that can be gotten this year. Ono or two of them are to’ show at tlie Canadian regional fair . EIGHT STREETS WILL BE GILES Property Owners Petition City Council to Have Dirt Streets Oiled Eight streets, petitions for which have been presented to tlie city council, will be oiled as soon as the weather permits and the legal preliminaries relative thereto can be deposed of. Petitions presented to the count I for the oiling of streets, the cost of which will he assessed against tlie property owners are as follows: North Second street, north of intersections of Second and Fifth streets; Eighth street, north of Monroe to Nuttman; Rugg street, east part: Mercer Avenue, from end of brick street, south to the corporation lin ’. near the new hospital; Eighth street, south of Monroe to Adams: High street, from intersection of Merce.Avenue, south tb the corporation line; First street, south of Adams to Oak street. z In an executive session last even ing the -council ordered tlie street ; oiled. Engineer Orval Harruff >wa authorized to prepare the plans ami specifications for the improvements. It will be about June Ist before the plans are ready and as soon as the legal preliminaries are disposed of. tlie streets will be oiled. In all probability two oilings will be given to tlie streets. Object to Assessments

F. M. Schirmeyer, through his at torney, J. T. Merryman, filed a written remonstrance against the preliminary assessments in the matter ol die Dayton Avenue extension, statin -that the amount of benefits given Hi. Pennsylvania were too high and tha' al assessments were not equal, a< cording to the amount of foot front age. The matter was referred to the street and sewer committee, who will meet with Mr. Schirmeyer and his at torney and C. J. Lutz, representing the Pennsylvania, on Monday even jng at 6:15 to adjust the matter. A discussion of the proposed improve inent of -the M’innlck sewer took place, but as yet the committee has not decided what shall be done. No one objected to the opening of Derkes street, this street comprising part of the new district opened by the extension of the two streets. Dayton avenue runs west from the north end of Seventh street, accross the G. R. & I. railroad tracks, and continues to the corporation line. The finance committee allowed a number of bills and the meeting adjourned .

“Fixing” Water Meters Must Stop; All Meters in Citv to be Sealed o— 7 ” The meter reading men and su perintendeut of the water department have found that several people have been tampering with the water meters and in a few' instances the meters were “fixed” so they would not register. The matter was brought up before the council last evening and upon motion Supt. Harruff was authorized to seal every water meter in the city. If the seal is broken it will be evidence that the consumer has been trying to tamper with the meter and wil be liable to prosecution and the meter will be removed, making it impossible for him to secure city water. Water is cheap and the rates of the city water department are low, not making it worth the trouble of trying to “steal" a few gallons which would otherwise be paid for by the uset Supt Harruff and his assistants will begin to seal the meters nt once.

KIN or LINCOLN MURDERED - SB, SH '■ t T* ! | W Z'.x t i fMtl IF * 7 z ■ • ! \ HI < , k ,1 ■ ; X, a' ¥ * w wSk*' * Jib — - Warren J. Lincoln, a distant relative of Abraham Lincoln, the martyred President, was clubbed to death, according to Aurora. 111., police. Search for his body has proved futile. Aurora, 111. —A mystery confronts authorities hero in the disappearance of Warren J. Lincoln, a distant relative oi Abraham Lincoln. While search is being made for Lincoln, whom they believed was clubbed to death, police hold Lincoln’s son and are endeavoring to locate his mother. Byron Shoup, a brother of Mrs. Lincoln, said to have threatened Lincoln, is also sought. Police want both for questioning. Lincoln was president of the Chicago Kent College of Law in 1911,. but gave it up to follow his hobby of floriculture.

SPELLERS WILL MEET SATURDAY “A” Team Contest of County Match to he Finished at H. S. Auditorium The “A" team of the Adams County Spelling Match, which was held two weeks ago. will finish its spelling on next Saturday morning in the high school auditorium beginning at ten o’clock. From all indications it will be a hard fought contest. The pronouncer will be Martin Jaberg. county auditor, and the judges will be Paul W. Linton, principal of Decatur high school; E. S. Christen, county superintendent, and Supt. C. O. Lehman of Berne. The committee hopes that the spellers will be here so the contest may begin at ten o'clock promptly. The spellers who are still in the contest are as follows; Ruth Pusey—Geneva Helen Deitsch —Geneva Thurman Fuhrman —Preble twp. Gerald Zimmerman —Kirkland tp. Harry Dailey—Decatur Chester Nelsqn— Geneva Ruth Preuss —Preble twp. Hilda mutch— Monroe twp. Margaret Rawley —Wabash twp. Luella Burley—Hartford twp. Admission to the contest will be free and the public is invited.

TO LECTURE ON “PASSION PLAY" Illustrated Lecture to be Given at Evangelical Church Next Monday An illustrated lecture on the "Passion Play" will be given in the Evangelical church under the auspices of the men's brotherhood of that church, on next Monday night, by Miss Loretta Schinkle, of Andrews, Indiana. The lecture will begin at 8 o'clock and no admission will be charged. A silver offering will be taken to meet expenses. Miss Schinkle, who is teacher ill the Andrews high school, toured Europe with hor brother last summer and visited the Passion Play, They visited a majority of the countries in Europe and Miss Schinkle has a very interesting lecture.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday Evening, May 2, 1923.

State Highway Official After Law Violators Hal Ayers, of Portland, state highway policeman, is busy at this time looking after violations of the motor vehicle laws. Mr. Ayers says he finds many violations, the most common one being where only one license plate is used tor two autos or trucks. Many owners think they can evade the law by this means, but when they are caught tlie cost is far greater than the amount would have been for a license. besides a license must be bought after all. Speeders anil dangerous drivers of auto cars will be given particular attention this season. With the added number of automobiles it is b 'coming exceedingly dangerous to navel the state highways, and especially so wit It reckless and inexperienced drivers tearing along the roads at higlt speed Portland Republican.

TWO HOURS OF FUN PROMISED Tired Business Men Can Find Relaxation at Central School Play All tired business men and women can find two hours of real relaxation Thursday and Friday evenings by attending the annual Central school play at tin* high school auditorium. “Her Honor, the Mayor," is the title of the play and it was written solely for the purpose of providing fun. The play is a good-natured satire on the women’s rights question, neither for nor against the movement. The story goes that a certain man who was a candidate for mayor, is running on a platform opposed to woman suffrage. When his wife finds it out site rebels ami tells him he must chdose between being mayor and her. He decides to refuse to deliver a speech against woman suffrage and one of the members of his party decides to steal his antbsufl'rage speech and deliver it at a meeting. In order to keep the man away he decides to hire the negro cook to dope him, but the man’s wife drinks the dope instead. She falls asleep ami dreams sjie is elected mayor and many lively events follow, before she awakens and finds it all a dream. Weather Generally fair in north and unsettled in south portion tonight and Thursday, probably with showers.

SOUGHT r-Ts i -t, ■ •-- t w 1 Mrs. Lina Lincoln, widow of Warren J. Lincoln, whom Aurora. Illpolice say was clubbed to death and his body hidden away. Mrs. Lincoln is sought for questioning

THINK LINCOLN WAS MURDERED Authorities Say Kinsman of Abraham Lincoln Met With Foul Play (United Press Service) Aurora. 111. May 2.—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Warren J. Lincoln, missing from his home here since j Monday* has been murdered or kidnapped, authorities were convinced today. The stories that the lawyer /tnd j kinsman of Abraham Lincoln might ; have disappeared in order to collect ] insurance money, were abandoned when tests of blood found along a path leading from his bungalow home on the outskirts of Aurora .showed that it was from a human being. Several dead chickens had been found in Lincoln's yard and Sheriff W. E. Orr for a time beieved the blood might have come from the fowls. Every effort was being made by I authorities today to locate Mrs. Lina ’ Lincoln, the attorney’s estranged wife, and Byron Shoup, her brother. Both disappeared last January.

TO MAKE PLANS FOR OECORATION G. A. R. to Hold Meeting Saturday Afternoon; May Have Program The regular meeting of Sam Henry Post of the G. A. R. will be heM at the hall at two o'clock Saturday afternoon at which time plans will be discussed for the observance of Memorial Day, May 30th. Other important business will be discussed and every member is urged to be present. The American Legion, Spanish American War eVterans and D. A. R. will, in all probability, plan for the observance of this memorable day, and it is stated these military organizations would be invited to join with the G. A. R. In making plans and drafting a suitable program. Sam Henry Post, organized shortly after the Civil War, now has a membership of only about twenty veterans, the ranks being thinned one by one as time rolls by. o—. .. — Home helps: A splendid way to make a husband stay home nights is to stay there with him.

Linn Grove Light Co, May Extend Service! Efforts are being made to have a definile decision reached today or to morrow on the subject of the extension of th*' power* and light lines of th*- Linn Grove Light anil Power Company, a distance of about three miles, to the n*-w Chester Center school building. If parties living along tiie lin enter into the co-op-eration sought for t)i<* construction of the line current from the light lines will b<- used to light th** new high school building, instead of installing a private lighting system at tlie school. In the event the line is extended to Chester Center it is said it will be extended Ute to furnish current to the-town of Keystone. LIQUOR RULING TO BE ENFORCED Rigid Enforcement Promised; British Seek Way to Combat the Order (United Press Service) Washington, May 2 (Special to Dail> Democrat) —A declaration for rigid enforcement of the supreme court liquor decision in American territory waters was awaitel from tie* treasury department t'.iiry, as Secretary Mellon, Assistant S**< rotary Moss and Commissioner of In ternal Revenue Blair met to put finishing touches on a program ofi policy ordered in drafted by the cabinet yesterday. Snell a decision was foreca.-t tn a, stat* -ment by. Attorney General Daugherty, who said that within ‘0 days tlie government would be ‘‘vigorously enforcing the law" as construed by the supreme court Every agency nt his cor.mat'd, Daugherty said, would be used io. enforcing the law without nnrttallty or discrimination. Two possible exceptions to bonidry. enforcement were however, consider*, d possible. They were: 1---Liquor consigned for Washington d’plomats, which the stat** department has announced is unaffe ted by the supreme court decision. 2 -Stores of medicinal liquor on foreign ships required by the laws from the country under whose flag a vessel sails. British are Puzzled London, May 2 —British steamship officials have submitted the United States supreme court liquor ruling to the highest international lawyers for an opinion as how best to combat ft. ‘l'iiis decision was reached at a meeting of ship owners in Liverpool. Until this opinion is forth-coming, it is expected that no further action can be taken. Further policies considered are: 1— Make all British ships to North America wholly dry. 2 — Establishment of liquor depots outside tin* American three mile limit. 3 — Run liquor ships west bound only* 4 Stop at Halifax to load and unload liquor. o

O ———O I “Paint Your Front" Movement Officially Started Today by Two o <> Hurray! They've started. Two paint brushes were drafted into service on Second street today and two enterprising business firms began painting the front of their store building. And to the North, end goes the honor. The two business houses where the activities started were the (’outer Tee Cream company and the McConuel A? Son. wholesale tobacco company on North Second street. Unable to obtain the services of a painter, these firms placed their own employes on the job Tomorrow the work is expected to be on in full force. Peter Gaffer, veteran painter and a public sjurited man. announced today that he would 1 be on the job tomorrow morning with a force of fifteen painters. With this crew at work and possibly more, the business district will soon be all painted, up. Practically all of the business fronts will be painted. Meanwhile the cleanup and paintup campaign is going on throughout the entire city. * The tin cans and other rubbish are being hauled away land an improvement is already j noticeable.

Price: 2 Cents.

MUCH INTEREST IN APPOINTMENT OF NEW JUDGE Four Local Republican Lawyers Are Mentioned As Probabilities GOVERNOR APPOINTS Judge Appointed M ill Hold Office Until Next Regular Election Win will receive th** appointment ol judge ol the twenty-sixth judicial circuit, succeeding the late Judge John C. Moran? The question is uppermost in the I minds of many and is ol great interest to every citizen of Adams county. The appointment will be made by Governor McCray. perhaps within the next few days anti there are several candidates. Those prominently mentioned al this time are Earl It. Adam-. Fred Litterer, Jesse C. Sutton and C 1., wallers, all of this city. The appointment coming through the governor will no doubt lie political which means tital the new appointee will i be a republican and tit*' appointment will probably lie made in the regular way through the county and district committee qhairmen. John S. Peterson is republican county chairman and Mr. Cartwright of Portland, district chairman. Other republican lawyers in the ‘county include Judson W. Tecpie. of 1 Decatur; Frank Crtttrell, of Berne, 'and Wade L Manley, of Genova. So [far as learned however none of these t 'arc aspiring. Democratic lawyers have been tipped they need not apply. The appointment will, it is generally believed by attorneys, io be for the period of about twenty months until . the people elect a judge al the next • regular election and he qualifies. By some it was contented that the ap ■ pointment would be for the iMtexpired - term of Judge Moran which would be* until November 28th. 1925. However. ■ the law is clenr and a decision to lie found in the Indiana reports declares the policy of the law to be that appointments of judges in ease of vacancies are for such time until the people can select an officer by regular election. The case at Huntington a few months ago was thought to be similar and as it was held in that ease that the appointment be for th* term , I that it might effect the term lr-*re' I However, that was an entirely differ ,(ent question. Judge Kinder resign**! ■ !after the primary and before tlie <-!•-« tlon and it was hold there was no i vacancy. Tlie decision was purely i political. ,I Local contenders for the appointi ment are now busy lining up their friends, securing endorsements and seeking tlie assistance of those ill :* i position to help secure tlie favor ol Governor McCray. i In case tlie i>erson receiving the * appointment is a republican, win -It appears certain, it will be the first I time in history of Adams county that the Tli publican party lias held ton trol of this office. The county was organized in 1836 and every judge since that time has l>e--n a Democrat.

New State Laws Become Effective Late Today (United Press Service) Indianapolis. May 2—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Indiana’s new laws enacted at the last session of the legislature came into effect today with receipt of communication from all counties that copies had I been received. Ed Jackson, secretary of state, announced. Governor McCray issued a proclamation late today declaring the laws in effect. o * — Attendance Officer Was Not Selected Tuesday The county board of education, in session here yesterday. di<l not select 'a county attendance officer forth- : coming year. There was much other business, relative to enumeration ■ and the closing of schools to be disi cussed and when this business was !' completed it was too late to take up the matter of selecting an attendance officer, it was said. The mat t ter will be taken up at the next I meeting of the board, in Juno. There ' are several applicants for the posi- ’ tioti. G. H. McManama is the -• tendance officer at present.