Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 67, Decatur, Adams County, 19 March 1925 — Page 1

Vol. XXIII- Number 67.

MORE THAN 1,000 KILLED IN STORM

NEARLY 200 ARE KILLED IN SOUTHERN INDIANA

townofgriffen WED OUT; TOLL THERE AB0UT15I) j Scores Burn To Death In Fires Which Follow In Wake Os Tornado PRINCETON IS HIT Whole Families Believed To Have Died In Ruins Os Their Homes (tXITI'D PRESS SERVICRt Evansville, March 19.Thedcad from Wednesdays tornado in the village of (irilTen alone may reach 150 according Io information reaching here laic this after noon. This would make the total storm dead in Indiana nearly 200, 21 being dead al Princeton; 19 al Owensville and vicinity, and two al Stewartsville. — Fifty bodies have been recovered from the smonld-l ering ruins at Griffen and it is believed that many more bodies were practically cremated or are still in the ruins. Scores are reported burned to death in their homes at Griffen in the lire which broke out after lhe tornado. Not a single building was reported standing. Relief workers at Griffen (Continued On Page Five) WINS PRIZE IN SLOGAN CONTEST Miss Amelia A. Tonnelier, Decatur, Wins Prize At New Smyrna, Fla. Miss Amelia A. Tonnelier, of this 'ity. who is spending the winter at Sew Smyrna, Florida. recently won first prize in a slogan contest eon(liicted by the New Smyrna Chamber of Commerce for a slogan for the city. A New Smyrna newspaper gives The following account of the contest award: “Miss Amelia A. Tonnelier. of Decatur, ind., and New Smyrna, won the prize for the slogan for New Smyrna, offered hy the Chamber of Commerce, Exchange Club, Woman’s ( 'lub, Breeze and the News. There " ere more than a hundred slogans submitted and the committee was careful in selecting the best. The selection was narrowed down to three and the final selection was made from these, The award was ma( le to Miss Tonnelier and the slogan adopted is "New Smyrna. Flor- " a—Nature’s Favored Spot. Miss Tonnelier was the successful eontestant in the essay contest on y I Should Own a Home in New ■myrna.” winning the "Bungalow eautiful," which was built by popuar subscription by the people of . e w Smyrna. Bungalow Beautiful m situated on Mangolla street, near ® Hotel Gordon, and Miss Ton- 1 er and two friends are occupy- 1 n R U this season”

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

CAUSES OF TORNADO Chicago, March 19— (United Press) — High temperatures and humidity near the ground and I very low temperatures at about I, feet above the ground combine to ’generate a tornado, Henry J. Cox, local wcutlier forecaster explained today. The average tornado usually travels a path about a quarter of a mile wide, whirls along at the late of between 200 and 300 miles an hour and spends itself inside of 40 miles, lie said. “I imagine it was about 70 degrees above lhe stricken territory," he said. "ITp around 1.000 feet It probably was freezing. A combination of this sort vastly accelerates the whirling motion of the wind. The centrifugal force of the rotating wind exhausts the air within the area covered by the tornado, producing a vacuum. This is why walls of buildings hit by tornadoes burst outward as though an explosion had occurred inside.” FARM MEETING IN BERNE FRIDAY —— Russel East, Agriculturalist Os Richmond, Obtained To Give Talk Brne, March 19—A big time i: being planned for the farmers of this community Friday evening in Berne A large get-together meeting to discuss farming in general will bo held at the community auditorium, and it is exerted that a crowd of from six hundred to seven hundred people wil be present. Every farmer, his : wife and children are invited and as many town people as would like tc attend are also invited. Every one who remembers the splendid sugar beet and dairy meetings that were held here a year ago will, no doubt, want to attend every similar meeting that they possibl; can. Friday’s meeting will be siini lar, but it will not lie a duplicate; it will be better, so it is promised. Supt. W. A. Amstutz, of the Berne schools wil! be the chairman. He was the speaker of the best Farmers’ Institute Berne ever had, last winter, and that much is very inviting, lor he made a real hit. There will be motion pictures, a lot of music, vocal and instrumental. There will be several quartets that will sing and the high school orchestra will play. One of the most templing features is the feed that will be served by the Do mestic Science class girls of the high school. The eats will be served simi lar to the fashion at the Puruile feeding course at the American Milk Co., last winter; the plates will b< passed to the people at their seats in the main auditorium. In the mean while the orchestra will add flavor with pleasant music. The Junior Farm Chib work will be a topic of discussion and an is sue to be boosted. Farm club work is in its infancy in Adams county, however it is growing rapidly with the nourishment of interest that it is receiving. Russel East, of Richmond, an ag riculturist of the Pennsylvania Rail road System, will be here to address the meeting. Club work is Mr. East’s long suit and he will have a message that will have much value to farmers I There will be other speakers to give brief talks during the evening, it is announced.

CITY MAY GET ! NEW INDUSTRY Directors Os Industrial Association Discuss Matter Wednesday President Avon Burk of the Deca- I tur Industrial Association, called a meeting of his directors yesterday j afternoon and for two hours dismissed plans for securing a valuable industry for, the city. Representatives of a farm implement company were present and it was decided that an investigation be made of the proposed factory. A committee, consisting of three . business men and two well known ■ farmers, was named to take care of the proposition which, it is believed 1 will deveope into a real industry during the next few months, at which time all details will be given out. ■ ■— ■ o -■ ■ • ■■■ George Squires Enjoys Birthday Anniversary George Squires, one of the best known men of Kirkland township, was fifty-two years old Tuesday and that night forty of his neighbors and friends gathered at the Squires home] to tell hint how highly they regarded him and to wish a thousand happy returns of the day, which they did. Then, yesterday, to add to his joys. George received a message from his old friends .Mr. and Mrs. Will Harvey, of Miami. Florida, that they were sending him a crate of genuine Florida grape fruit. It arrived last, evening in fine condition and George drove up in front of the Daily Denio-, j<ut. vili> e and treated the editor to three as fine Wipe fruit sTas any "one ever tasted. The Harveys who for-1 merly lived here, are getting along, fine in the south where Mr. Harvey is making good in the contracting business. SIXTEENPUPILS WIN HONOR BADGE — Make Average Os 90 Or Higher In Tests At Catholic High School Sixteen students of the Decatur Catholic high school ami of the Commercial department received grades of 90 per cent and above in the regu-l tar six weeks examination held at I ’he school last week. The papers have been graded and the report cards have been given out. Those who received 90 per cent or ibove in their grades are entitled to wear the Honor Badge. The number of students entitled to this honor is 'he same as the last time, except several new ones took the place of those who fell below the 90 average. The sixteen high school and commercial students are: George Laurent, Earl Christen. Robert Voglewede, Bernardine Christen, Anna Nesswald, Vice Clark, Ida Baker, Fred Connell. Francis Wertzberger, Richard Miller, Mary Harris. Margaret Voglewede, Magdalen Schmitt, John Dowling, Frances Malley and Helen Holthouse. Forty-six students are now enrolled in the high school and sixteen in the commercial department. The students in the high school will be given a free day tomorrow. Friday, on account of several of the students, in uhlit’on to the members of the bas'setball team, being in Chicago. The ?rade pupils, however, will have school. A free day was given all the pupils in the Catholic schools today it be'ng the feast of St. Joseph, patron Saint of the St. Joseph Catholic schools. A high mass was celebrated at seven-thirty this morning at the St. Marys Catholic church, at which all the school children attended. Practice for the annual senior play will begin shortly and it is hoped that the commencement exercises can be held in the new and beauti-i ful high school building, now- in the irocess of construction.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, March 19, 1925.

Great Tornado Disasters , United Press Service) Notable disasters during the past 25 years in lhe "tornado belt" ' of the middlewest ami southwest ' include these: June 28, 1924—More than 100 killed. 3,000 injured at Lorain and I Sandusky, Ohio. March 27. 1924—24 killed in Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri | and Oliio. July. 1923—63 killed In Pomeroy. lowa. April 25, 1923-Nearly 100 killed in various Oklahoma towns and villages. June 23, 1919—Sixty killed, 400 buildings destroyed at Fergus Falls. Minn. .May 31. 1917—Sixty-seven killed I ami 2<)o injured in southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. Easter Sunday, 1913 —140 killed. 350 injured, 555 homes destroyed. 2500 homeless in Omaha. Neb., tornado. March 13. 1913—Loss of life in Peoria, 111.. Vincennes, Ind., and towns in Louisiana and Tennessee April 24. 1908 —Nearly 500 killed in windstorms in Mississippi. Louisiana and Alabama. June 5, 1908 —27 killed in northern Kansas and southern Nebraska. May 9, 1905 —Thirty killed at Marquette, Kan. May 11, 1905—130 killed at Snyder. Okla. COUNHESGAPES STORM DAMAGE i*County Visited By Heavy Rain Yesterday And Last Night. However — Although there was a heavy rain j fall throughout Adams county yes-; ! terday and last night, accompanied Iby a falny strong wind, no great j damage was reported from any section of the county today. The rivers 1 and streams in rhe county raised J j considerably, but kept below floodl j stage. The Citizens'.Telephone Company, of this city, which operates the telephone systems at Monroe and Berne, also, reported today that no damage had been done to the telephone lines. Only two minor trouble calls were receivec. by the telephone coin-! pany this morning. , —(j Monroe H. S. Orchestra To Give Musical Friday A musical program will be given at Monroe Friday night. March 20. hy the Monroe high school orchestra. The program will he given at the high school building ami will begin at 7:30 o’clock. The program will include solos, duels, trios, quartets and orchestra music. The admission prices will be fifteen and twenty-five cents. The public is cordially invited. Mai! Pouch Stolen Here In December Is Recovered Postmaster Harry Fritzinger has distributed most of the mail recovered from the stolen mail pouch, which was found last Sunday hy a Yocum boy. son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Yocum, living in the west part of the city. The mail pouch was stolen from the G. It. & I. depot on Decern ber 8, 1924. The pouch was found under the barn, back of the old Parrish home on Tenth street. The sack was cut open and a number of the envelopes had been opened by the thieves. No registered mail was contained in the pouch. The Yocum boy was playing in the alley when he noticed the mail pouch under the barn. Postmaster Fritzinger was ' notified and the pouch was taken to the Decatur office. The thief has I not been caught. Weather 1! Generally fair tonight and Friday: | not much change in temperature.

IK. OF P. LODGE i EXTENDS HELP Offers Financial Assistance To Sufferers Os Disastrous Storm Dore B. Erwin, of this city, Grand Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias lodges in Indiana, received a telegram rhls morning from Mr. John A. BalI lantyne, of Boston. Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias in America, extending sympathy to the injured and offering financial assistance to sufferers and relatives of any Knights of Pythias who was injured in the storm at Princeton and in the southern part of the state last night. Mr. Erwin got in touch with state officials at Indianapolis at noon and an effort is being made to find out if aid is necessary. If members of the K. of P. lodges in the storm district were injured, Mr. Erwin will, in all probability, leave tonight for Princeton to take charge of the work for the Knights of Pythias. ■ ' o Advertising Association Will Meet This Evening An important meeting of the Detcatur Advertising Association has I I been called for 7:30 this evening by i William Linn, president of the asso elation. The meeting will be held at the Decatur Industrial rooms and ! a good attendance is desired. BeI sides discussing plans for the next j gift day, a matter of great impor' J ante to advertisers and local business , and professimtal men will be brought, lup for action. Letters were received I this morning by members of the association advising them of the meeting. oOBTAINING JURY FOR DAMAGE SUIT — Typhoid Fever Suit From Ft. Wayne Goes On Trial Here Today At 3:15 o’clock this afternoon. eleven jurors had been temporarily • selected to try the case. The twelfth 1 prospective juror wus being examined by counsel for the defense. Two court reporters are taking down the testimony in the case, a reporter from Fort Wayne being secured to assist Mrs. Cecile Moser, court reporter of the Adams circuit court. With a large array of legal talent on hands, representing both sides, the task of obtaining a jury to heat the trial of the damage suit against ' the Pennsylvania railroad company and the city of Fort Wayne resulting from tlie typhoid fever epidemit in Fort Wayne during the fall of 1923. started in the Adams cicuit court here this morning. At a late hour this afternoon a jury had not been i secured. J The suit is the one filed by the Lincoln Trust company, administrator of the estate of Herman Bauer meister, one of the people who died . of typhoid fever during the epidemic. , Judgement for SIO,OOO is demanded , in the suit. Great interest is attached to the case on trial here since | several more suits, based on the . same charges, have been filed against : the Pennsylvania railroad company and the City of Fort Wayne, and the > disposition of those eases depends - greatly on the outcome of the suit on trial here. The plaintiff alleges that the descendants are guilty of negligence in * 1 permitting a valve in the water ’ I main connecting the railroad com--1 pany's main with the city water main, to become deficient permitting pols luted river water to enter the city mains which supplied drinking water Ito the residential districts. There were many objections made (Continued on page three 1

THREE STATES SWEPT BY A DEADLY TORNADO

TOLL OF THE STORM The southern Illinois death list as revised at 10 a. m.: City Dead Inj. Annapolis, Mo. 2 35 Gorham, 111 30 50 Murphysboro, 111. 400-800 900 Desoto, 111. 150 400 West Frankfort, 111 250 400 Royalton, 111. 5 25 ; Parrish, 111. 25 50 [ Bush, 111. 10 60 Caldwell, 111. 2 15 McLeansboro, 111. 10 25 Logan. 111. 10 40 Orient, 111. 7 The other sections of the country hit by cyclones, the list was increased by the following: City Dead Inj. Griffin, Ind. 25 Most peculation still unaccounted for. Poseyville, Ind. 5 20 Owensville, Ind 5-20 20 Princeton, Ind. 20 200 Sumner Co., Tenn. 25 20 CHICAGO TOURNEY HOLOS ATTENTION Opposing Quintets Fear Decatur Catholic Team At National Tourney This Morning's Scores Rochester, N. Y., 35; North Platte, Neb., 9. Loyalo Academy, Chicago, 26; Akron Ohio, 10. Kansas City, 24; C. C. H. S. Fort Wayne, 20. j St. Louis, 21; St. Rose of Lime. 19. The National Catholic interscholastic baskethall tournament got under way at Chicago this morinng, when the Aquinas Institute team of Rochester. New York, defeated the St. Patrick’s high school of North Platte. Nebraska. 35 to 9. George Wemhoff of the Wemhoff Monumental Works anil well known Decatur fan. is keeping the Daily Democrat informed as i to the progress of the tournament ] One message received from George 1 this morning read: "Boys had a fine workout on floor and will beat any-j thing in America.” Central Catholic J high school of Fort Wayne, semifinalist last year, was defeated in the first round this morning, losing a hard fought game to the Rockhurst Academy team of Kansas City, by a score of 24-20. With the Decatur Catholic high school basketball team in Chicago awaiting the start of its first game at 11 o'clock Friday morning, with several fans already in the Windy City and several others leaving for that city at various intervals, the attention of hundreds of Decatur basketball fans is centered in the national Catholic interscholastic tournament which opened at Loyola University at 9 o'clock this morning and will continue until Sunday night when the final game, which will determine the national Catholic champions, will be played. Several fans have already gone to Chicago. Others are going today and, others tonight. Among those who have already gone or who are going to the tournament are: J. F. Arnold, Francis Schmitt, Mrs. Henry Schulte Mrs. Charles Voglewede. Miss Helen Gass, Mrs. Joe Lose, Mrs. Fred Fullenkamp. Waller Brunnegraff, George Wemhoff. R. .1. Harting. J. G. Niblick, and Gerald Mylott. The Decatur team is feared by oth- • er quintets at the tourney. The Chi- , cago Herald-Examiner gave several ■ ] lines this morning to a discussion of ■ the strength of the locals, who play • I last years champs, Spaulding Instij tute, of Peoria, Illinois, in their first > | game. The Herald-Examiner said: (Continued on page three)

Price 2 Cents.

PROPERTY LOSS ESTIMATED AT SI 0,000,000 Indiana, Illinois And Missouri In Path Os Whirling Death Wind TOLL MAY BE LARGER Fire Follows Wind Storm Adding To Disaster; Hundreds Injured (UNITED PRESS SERVICE) SI. Louis, Mo., March If). —The whirling death wind which laic Wednesday swept over southern Illin'ois, has exacted a 101 l of more than I,(MM) dead; 3.000 injured and has caused property damage of upwards of SIO,(MM),(MM) it was indicated at noon today as ter a check up of Murphysboro, West Frankfort, Dcsola and many other towns of the district. The death figures were based upon bodies recovered from lhe stricken area and upon Hie number of 'persons still unaccounted for in the storm ridden ter ritory. The rural communities still have to report their loss of life and injured and this is expected Io swell lhe to (Continued on Page Six) 0 GOOB AUDIEHCE DESPITE RAIN t Services At L. B. Church Continue Over Sunday And Maybe Later Despite the downpour of rain a splendid audience greeted the speak er at the United Brethren church last Hight. The subject of the discourse was, "No roof for Christ.” One accepted Christ as Savior. This made a total of twenty-one either accepting Christ for the first time or having renewed their faith and purpose to live henceforth for Christ and the church. A number have been added to the membership of the church. The services will continue over next Sunday and, if needful, into the coming week. Miss Himmelheber is scheduled to begin a series of meetings at the First United Brethren church, Washington, Indiana. March 23, but if needed, will remain a fewdays longer at Decatur. She has very faithfully toiled for the blessing of the church and community. She has declared the whole council of God as she has understood the call of God for her own life and others have seen the need and have responded splendidly. Services are held every night except Saturday. Persons belonging to the United Brethren church elsewhere ( who are contemplating membership , in the church here, or those who desire to unite with the church are r asked to make known the same to ’ the pastor or evangelist. The doors will be open Sunday for the recep- . tion of members at both morning and , evening services. i