Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 5, Decatur, Adams County, 6 January 1925 — Page 1

Volume XXIII. Number 5.

SENATE SUSTAINS POSTAL PAY VETO

FIRE LOSS IN CITY IN 1924 WAS $36,394 Annual Report Made By l ire Chief Amos Fisher; 27 Fires OXLY ONE BIG LOSS Eornax Mill Fire Was Most Costly; Buildings Well Insured CAUSES OF FIRES 9 Thawing pipes ; n Sparks from chimney '* overheated - Children playing with fire 2 Oi'. ,tove explosion ... spontaneous combustion Burning paper in alley 1 Sparks from locomotive 1 i'h irt’-ie smoking * Overheated chimneys 1 Defective wiring J According to the annual report of I;’- P Chief Amos Fisher, 27 fires oc ctirred in Decatur during 1924. entailing a loss estimated by the Fire Chief at $26,294. According to the Chief-; report, sparks from chimneys caused the greatest number of fires. Only one fire was listed as of ■ unknown origin." No false alarms were sent in during the year. The fire which caused the largest loss of any during the year was the Fornax Milling company. which loss was estimated by Ihe Fire Chief at $25,000. Had it not been for this one fire the loss would have been comparatively small. Several years ago the fire loss in Decatur was only $1,300. one of the lowest losses in the state. The local department also answered eight calls to the country during the year with the new truck and pumper. The loss to these properties is not given, the city not having jurisdiction over them. The city charged sl6l for these runs and has .received $95. From the report it is shown that the local firemen did excellent work when called upon. The estimated value of the buildings and contents endangered by fire is placed at SIOO,490, while the actual loss is only about one-third that amount. The loss on buildings is given at $27,154 and the owners carry a good amount of insurance, the report showing that $93,100 worth of insurance was carried on the property on fire. NEW BOOK BY MRS. PORTER Famous Indiana Authoress Had Finished New Book Just Before Death *’• D. Porter, husband of the late Gene Stratton-Porter, former Adams county woman and noted Indiana authoress who was killed in Los Angeles, on December G, last, when a street car struck the automobile in "hich she was riding, w’rites to i rench Quinn of this city, informing bint that Mrs. Porter had completed a new book, “The Keeper of the f-ces, just two weeks before her death. Mr. Porter left for Los Angeles immediately upon receipt of w «rd of his wife's injuries. Mrs. Porter’s body has been placed in a Moseleum at Hollywood, California. and will rest there until Mr. Porter and daughter determine upon a final resting place for the noted woman. Mr. Porter informed Mr, Quinn that the new book would be published in serial form in McCalls magazine, beginning with the February number ail| l that it would make its appearance in book form on August 17 of this year. Mr. Porter’s daughter and children "'ll make their home in Los Angeles ami he will spend the winter with 'heni. returning to this county early m the spring.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Express Company Buys ‘ Truck; Dobbin Is Retired The American Railway Express company in this city, ut last, has de I elded Io motorize Its delivery system iand retire Old Dobbin. A new Ford ' delivery truck was purchased a few days ago and is now >n service. The delivery system was speeded up to such an extent by the purchase of the truck that ii was possible for the company to reduce its number of employes by one man. The company used horses and bob-sleds during the Christmas rush. Hoberg Krick is ’ driving the new truck. o ARCHBISHOP DIES OF HEART ATTACK Most Rev. Henry Moeller Dies Suddenly At His Home In Ohio Cincinnati, Jan. C. — Most Rev. Henry Moeller, archbishop of the Cincinnati province of the. Roman Catholic church, comprising the states of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and part of Michigan, died suddenly at his home in Norwood, at 10:20 o'clock, last night. He was 75 years old. Archbishop Moeller’s death was due | indirectly to an attack of grippe which followed his observance of the Christmas midnight mass at St. Peter’s cathedral. The direct cause was heart attack, which crept upon him soon after he had finished the evening meal at his home. His death was entirely unexpected and came as a great shock. The archbishop had spent the afternoon in cwitwence with members .of the i St. Joseph sisters of charity at Delhi, apparently in the best of health. He had been ill on several occasions recently and shortly after the celebration of the midnight mass at St. Peter's Christmas day. he suffered an attack of grippe. This attack, however, was not severe and he was not confined to his bed, although he remained in his home for several days. Since Wednesday Archbishop Moeller had been attending to his duties as usual, going to his office daily and carrying on the regular duties of his j position. After the conference Monday afternoon at Dehli he returnedl . to his home and dined. About two hours later, he complained of feeling bad and a physician was summoned. The archbishop suffered a heart | attack. Seeing that the end was enar. Monsignor Louis Nau, president of the Mt. St. Mary Seminary, which is next door, administered the last sacraments. The archbishop died within half an hour. Archbishop Moeller was known to the Rev. J. A. Seimetz and Rev. Otto Peters and to several of the laity in this city. He, officiated at the funeral services held for the late Rt. Rev. Bishop Herman J. Alerding, of Fort Wayne, about a month ago and was the guest of Rev. Thomas M. Conroy. 1 rector of the Cathedral at Fort Wayne. He observed his 75th birthday on ' December 11. o Reward Offered For Arrest Os Fur Thieves , The Maier Hide & Fur Company , announced today that the company would pay a reward of $25 to anyone , who furnished information leading to the arrest and conviction of the parI ties who broke into the company’s . warehouse and stole furs valued at approximately SIOO, Sunday night. The police ore working on the case, ; but so far have no tangible clues. o Recommends Increase In 1 State Gasoline Tax (UNITED PRESS SERVICE) Indianapolis, Jan. 6 —(Special to f Daily Democrat) —An increase of one cent in the state gasoline tax ; was recommended today by the Moti or Bus Association at the closing i session of its annual convention. H. E. Jahns,, of Laporte, was reelected president.

TO HOLD ROAD MEETING HERE FRIDAY NIGHT — Proposed Improvement Os Fort Wayne Road To Be Explained TO SERVE SUPPER Business Men Will Co-Op-erate With Land Owners To Get Right-of-way Avon Burk, president of the DeIcatur Association, held a meeting of I the local road committee last even-I ling at which time it was decided to ■give a supper at the Industrial room? , Friday evening of this week, at ■ which time all property owners along the proposed right-of-way for the De catur to Fort Wayne highway, will be urged to be present to hear Mr. Sin off and M. l/*e of the state high*? department tell about the proposed improvement of the road. A committee including Cal E Peterson, M. Kirsch. (’. S. Niblick and J. W. Tyndall will cover the route tomorrow and extend a personal invitation to each land owner between here and the Allen county line, to be present at Ute supper. If the right-of-way for a fifty-foot highw'ny can be secured by February 1, the improvement will be made this year, the contract to be let before March 1. Representatives of the state commission will answer all questions Friday evening and will give the details of the work as planned, it is very important, for if this opportunity is. passed up. there is now way to tell just when the hard surfaced road will be built. | The local business men will co-oper-ate with the land owners and will assist them in securing the best improvement possible. Those who attended the meeting last night were Mr. Burk. J. T Myers. Dr. Roy Archbold, Cal Peterson, J. W. Tyndall, W. A. Lower, C. \. Dugan and J. IT. Heller. The supper will b(Continued on Page six) o DAILY DEMOCRAT ENJOYS GROWTH Number Os Readers Grows From 800, At Start In 1903, To 3,500 Twenty-two years ago we were busy with preparations to launch the Daily Democrat and the first edition appeared January 12, 1903. It was set by hand and we were mighty proud of that first number which we felt would meet the demands of the people. We started with 800 subscribers and within a few months increased that to a total of 1,800. Since then there has been a steady growth of the family of readers until now they number 3,500. Support has been splendid during all these years and while we have not growr. rich we have had the satisfaction of paying our bills and improving our plant by the addition of linotypes, a new press and other equipment necessary to the modern newspaper. We have arranged outside connections which give markets, state and national news and the items which we feel are of greatest interest to our readers. Since 1910 it has been our custom each January to urge a renewal *of mail subscriptions, a plan that has proved most satisfactory to every one and permits us to plan for the year and to improve and make our columns more readable. We believe a community is just as good as its newspapers and no better, for by it we are judged by the outside. A snappy newspaper entertains every member of the family, gives you valuable information, keeps you posted on affairs of your community and the day. The way to have it is to continue your support for your home paper, give us suggestions, send in news items and RENEW NOW.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, January 6, 11125.

Portland Car Wrecked North Os This City An automobile driven by Dallas i Houser, of Fortland, turned over on the Decatur Fori Wayne, road, about | six miles north of this city, last ilast Saturday evening. None of the | occupants were seriously injured. I Those in the car were Dallas and I Orville Houser, of Portland, and Mrs. i Esmond Houser and small son. Jay, .of Fort Wayne. The driver stated that a car approching from the opposite direction failed to give half the I road an din turning out to avoid a collision. Mr. Houser’s car . truck a deep rut ami was overturned. The driver of the other ear assisted the occupants of the wrecked car in freeing themselves from the wreck. WILL LET ROAD CONTRACT FEB. 3 Commissioners Will Have St. Marys Township Road Improved Bids for the construction of the Charles Schenck road in St. Marys township will be received by the board’ of county commissioners on Tuesday. February 3. This road will be one of the few to be constructed in Adams county this year. In those townships where roads are wanted, the bonded indebtedness is beyond the two per cent limit and it will be impossible to build roads this year. In those townships where a credit exists for the road building, no petitions have been filed, except for the Schenck road in St. Marys township. The county commissioners before adjourning yesterday awarded the contracts for turaisiuug supplies at the county infirmary for the next three months. The successful bidders w»re: Giles V. Porter, groceries, $123.04; Fisher &. Harris, tobacco. $28.40; Niblick & Co., dry goods, $85.91; Holthouse-Schulte Co., clothing. $54.30; Lee Hardware company, hardware, $45.50; Miller's Bakery, bread, 9 cents per loaf, an increase of one cent over former price; Burk Elevator Co., clover seed. $126.80. The commissioners adjourned last evening and will not meet again until February 2. FIX PRICE FOR BANQUET TICKETS Price Os Tickets For Industrial Association Banquet Fixed At 75c Walt Johnson, Fred Kolter and Will O’Brien, the committee appointed to complete plans for giving the dinner at the annual meeting of the Decatur Industrial Association on Monday evening. Jammy I.', stated this morning that ti.-kets for the dinner will be sold at 75 cents each. The exact place for holding the meeting has not yet i>een fixed, but it is thought that it will be held at the K. of C. hall. The headquarters of the Industrial Ass'iciatun cannot accomodate more than 75 men at me tables and it is though; that more than 100 wilLattend the meeting. The meeting promises to be one of the most interesting of the year. Ln connection with other business, three directors of the Association will l>e elected and certain projects in the 1925 program will be adopted. The committee will decided on the place Tor holding the meeting as soon as they find out bow fast th" l tickets are selling for the dinner. CHICAGO 'graTn CLOSE ' Wheat: May $1.78; July $1.54%. Corn: May $127%; July $1.28%. Oats: May 61%c; July 61c. Weather Generally fair south portion, unsettled in north portion tonight and Wednesday with possibly some snow. Warmer tonight.

LEGISLATORS PREPARE FOR 1925 SESSION Gather At Capital For Caucuses Preliminary To Opening I I SPEAKERSHIP RACE Two Candidates Claim Strong Support In Race For Office Indianapolis, Jan. G.—(Special to] Daily Democrat) —The $19,000,000 appropriations asked by state institutions will be slashed to the bone, i Walter Chambers, democratic senator and member of the state budget committee declared today. Chamber said there was some •1 sentiment in favor of putting the i state institutions on the 1921 maintenance basis. Chambers said members of the ■ committee were giving serious coni sideration to every measure which , would help cut institutional approipriations down to around the even 'million dollar paid. I Total appropriations of $19,160,457 were asked, an increase of $7,387,- . 477 over the 1923 appropriations i which inturn were an increase of $2,i 000,000 over the 1921 appropriations. i ■ Indianapolis. Jan. 6. — Members of , the senate and house were gathering : here today for caucuses preliminary i to the opening of the 1925 session of the state legislature Thursday. i Harry Leslie, of Lafayette, candi- > date for the speakership of the house. ; opened headquarters at the Hotel : Severin to conduct his race. Leslie ■ is claimed by his friends to have the , speakership practically sewed up.” George Freeman, of Kokomo, an- , other candidate for the speakership, ■ was also to open headquarters to- . day, while half a dozen aspirantsl . were due to begin active campaign- '! tng. : In the senate the race for president (Continued on page two) ’ o— POSTOFFICE HAS GAIN IN RECEIPTS Receipts At Local Office For 1924 Are $236.68 More Than In 1923 The Decatur postoffice continued to show a gain in business over previous years during 1924, the total receipts amounting to $27,271 88. This is an increase of $236.68 over the 1923 record of $27,035.20. The Christmas business this year j was one of the heaviest ever konwn in the history of the local office. The last few’ days were record breakers and on the Monday before Christmas the sale of stamps at the local office amounted to $480.00. The sending of Christmas greating cards in recent years has greatly increased the Christmas rush. It is estimated that several thousand cards were mailed front the local office during the last three or four days before Christmas. Postmaster Harry Fritzinger has forwarded his annual report to the department at Washington. Local parcel post shipments have also increased greatly in recent years and the Decatur office is a busy place the year around. 0 To Settle Alienation Suit Out Os Court (UNITED PRESS SERVICE) Chicago, Jan. 6. — The $500,000 alienation suit against Cyrus H. McCormick. headed of the International Harvester company, will be settled . out of court. Counsel for Edwin H. I Jacobs, the plaintiff, announced to- . day. McCormick's attorney said no agreement had been made.

“Coon” Hunt To Be Held ' At Reiffsburg Saturday A ’’coon’’ hunt Will bo held in the | vicinity of Reiffsburg, Indiana, nix miles south of P.luffton or ten miles I west of Berne, on Saturday, January 110. Tito dogs will star! on the trial promptly at l.’lo p. m. according io I present plans. Two prizes are offered namely,slo and $5. Owing to the weather condition many dogs wore not entered in a chase bold there recently. so it was decided to hold another chase. Anyone having a giod dog is invited to attend and enter his log in the chase. Further information concerning the chase may be obtain ed by calling the Roi’Tsl urg garage. | DAMAGE CASE MOVES SLOWLY Likely Not To Go To Jury Before Late Wednesday Afternoon — The damage suit of Edward Fennig against the Linn Grove Light and Power company, which went on trial in the circuit court Monday morning, is proceeding slowly. The case will not be completed today and it likely will occupy most of Wednesday. Mr. Fennig was on the stand this anorning. He is a house mover and he alleges that he was seriously burned and shocked when he came in contact with one of the defendant's j power lines, carrying a current of, 6.600 volts. Mr. Fennig claims that; he was on top of a house, which he was moving in the vicinity of Berne on June 27, 1921. and when he attempted to lift the tiephones wires over the house the wires touched the (tower lilies and a current passed through his body, throwing him on the house. He alleges that the light wires were not properly insulated. Mr Fennig testified this morning that he lost the power of memory for several weeks, and that he does not remember what happened for several hours before the accident until several weeks afterwards. He is seeking SIO,OOO for his injuries, which he claims are permanent. The defense attempted to show thiss morning that Mr. Fennig was not. permanently injured by introducing evidence to show that he had I been performing the same work recently that he performed before the accident. Mr. Fennig declared that he could not do as much now as he could prior to the accident and that his shoulder and arm pained him some now. Mr- Fennig resides six miles east of Geneva. He is the father of eleven children. The case probably will not go to the jury before Wednesday afternoon. Evidence for the defense was being presented this afternoon. The plaintiff rested his case shortly before noon. 0 Banking Classes To Hold First Meeting Tonight The first meeting of the classes of the American Institute of Banking, recently organized here, will be held this evening in the Catholic school building. The class in English will meet at 6:30 o’clock and the class in Banking will meet one hour later. Sister M. Vera, prinicpal of the Catholic high school will teach the English class and C. A. Dugan, president of the First National Bank, will have charge of the class in Banking. There is still room for a few more enrollments .nd those who wish to enroll are asked to attend the meeting of the ciasses tcnight. ■ o Bruce Patterson Accepts Position In Arkansas Bruce Patterson and family will ; | leave tomorrow for Marmaduke, ArI kansas, where Mr. Patterson has accepted a position as manager of a '! new mill of the Vail-Donaldson coi operage company in that city. They I will motor to Arkansas. Mr. Patterson formerly was employed by the • Vail-Donaldson company there for six ■ years. Recently he has been manI ager of an Atlantic and Pacific tea store in Connersville.

Price 2 Cents.

MEASURE LOST WHEN MAJORITY IS TOO SMALL — Proponents Os Bill Fail To Muster Necessary TwoThirds Majority VETOED LAST YEAR Supporters Os President Forecast Passage Os Moses Measure Washington, Jan. 6. — The i senate this afternoon voted to sustain President Coolidge’s I veto of the bill to increase the pay of postal employes. The bill was passed in the last session of congress and was vetoed by the president. Proponents of the measure failed to muster ' the necessary two-thirds major--1 ity this afternoon to pass the bill over the president’s veto. Washington, Jan. 6 —Claims were made today by proponents of the postal pay bill vetoed last session by President Coolidge, sufficient strength will be mustered at 4 p. m. today to pass it again with the two-thirds mai jority necessary. It is reported that three senators who yesterday voted with the president on a test vote will turn against it him on the final roll call this after--noon and shift th6 balance. I Supporters of the chief executive, on the other hand, believe the will <>f the white house will prevail and that ultimately the Moses measure, which has been endorsed by the president, will pass. With both sides claiming “the edge.” it is apparent that no one is certain what will be done. Moses has enough votes for his measure If he Jean block the vetoed bill. It is a question merely of which shall be voted upon first. In the first test vote taken upon the question late yesterday, those aligned against the president, showed a strengtli of 52 votes, three short of the necessary two-thirds majority | to adopt the measure over the president’s veto. o Dr, Mattax Very Low Late This Afternoon A report from the Adams County Memorial hospital late this afternoon stated that Dr. L. L. Mattax. of Geneva. Adams county coroner who is suffering with a case of Tilood poisoning. was very lov. Dr. Mattax’s condition has been critical all day. TO OPEN NEW BARBER SHOP Cowan And Fuhrman To Open Modern Shop On North Second Street Glen Cowan and Ira Fuhrman, who have conducted a barber shop on Madison street for several years, closed a deal last evening for a 1< on the Joseph & Lang building on North Second street, now occupied by the Keller Jewelry Store, and will open a modern shop there February 1. Mr. Keller will move into the Morris block within a short time and work cf remodeling the building for the new barber shop will begin immediately. A new front will be put in and the room made strictly modern. Cowan & Fuhrman will install an f entirely new equipment including every thing of latest pattern, chairs, [ electrical appliances, mirrors and - cases for candy and cigars. A feature - will be their baths, including a showier and the now place of business will ■ also include an up-to-date shining r parlor, a tailoring room for cleaning. ■ pressing and mending and probably da hat blocking and cleaning machine. < They will open with three chairs and - plan to have a shop which will take 1 care of every want of their customers.