Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 38, Number 3, Decatur, Adams County, 3 January 1940 — Page 1

»l. XXXVIII. No. 3.

*0 Persons Die In Tragic Fire At Minneapolis . 11l ■■ ■ ■ " "I - ■' !■■ ■ 1.. I — I —

Leant Score Perish In Apartment Hotel Eire At Minneapolis Early SCORES TRAPPED - tinuaapol. . Minn. Jan 3 vU.R) f t ieut J" persons perished total •th that swept up from furnace room through the is and .stairway* of the Marlounh a*ai uiient hotel. cores ot the hotel's 200 real- — ♦to wore trapped when the IdOtheO every stairway women and children lived from second and third ry windows Into the Icy streets, ny wero trapped in their lied*. It hr-is ran Into the flaming hallOra where firemen found their bred taedi. letUhtMTS tor blocks around rered that they wcte awakened rtly after •> am. by the screams the dying and injured Itlstrkt tir- thief William Huttsaid 11 Itodi-s were taken to Hownei' n county morgue Ihin a few minutes a t'nlted ‘NS ougfsei" l - : counted seven re bod I*- carried from the hotel firemen. *"to Kwm< k 4». janitor, said he ■"nt to the furnace room this ■ When ! op- tied the door I was itk by a blast that knocked It feet at roes the hallway," said at general hospital I got np and tried to run. but II down 1 naw a sheet <>f flame _ » out ot me and that's the | a «t emember. How I got here I a-, 't know •' (j I least do were injured Os rse 33 iwqured hospital treat >t. AW' • the injured were firemen Mj *U Were injured seriously when / f Jumped from th* second and /dsutrim I iremea a.- id that when they ar•d st th> scene on the south » of the downtown section re were many persons who had W’OffnMVt ON PAGE Ft VP!) o — BOP EMPLOYED BAS ENGINEER Mlph Roop Hired An City ■Enninrrr In Place Os > Dick Tonnclier -Bslfk B> Roop, former tiiy i-u and who served a» civil MSBBI*-'-nt-t In the last adtutaisr lion has lepl.o ..I Tonneli- as city engineer H cMtrsel has been mad- wuh jsl Roop and the board of iml-li-Ska and safety employing InHrteos SS an engineer tot .<> ■ days S:*eek at an annual sal- " «f UJ* lr. Roop la to Ire general enter for Ute city and also comthtMMss.oy forms for WPA Swets whl- it the city intends to this yoat j . r. Roop had muc h experience VPA work, and civil engineering k under the former city adIstrattos Shue last spring he (\ hwsw employ->t by the Central — ar Company >t thia city, aa an r ineer JManinr. a new system ~s the she of the McMillen Induse will ÜBntlnu* part-time serysmiTOßTr ON PAGE THRKKI ns i ■ sijpii o - - u>ph Rutledge Funeral Thursday — inarsl Mpvlcea for Judge Rute sa-e 70 of near Rockford. >. will he held Thursday after--1 Si 1 fpelack a* the Liberty pel chan-h Mr Rutledge died - dV1 . *0 asphwws and two nieces in r city are among the survivors 1 y are B A IreianHomer Baiit ■ Mrs. Alv.i l.swson and Mrs I er Feuael I UMMfIATURC RIAOINGh I KMOCRAT THERMOMETER e. ?»- 2:oopm 10 OOa.m 1 3:00 pm IS M X.ll | WEATHER Neatly eleudy tonight and tureday; light anew Thursy awd geesibl, In sevthwsst trtien Wwight. net se said.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

. Ml 1.1 II ■■Ue—ll — I .SB. DR. DRAKE IS CLUB SPEAKER Kokomo Pastor Speaks To Decatur Lions Club T uesday Th<> regular m*< ting of the Lions club Tu-aday evening was featur-d l»y an address by the Rev. Hurd Allyn Drak. D It. of Kokomo, who is guest speaker of the ministerial uMua kitloii during th" we. k of prayer observance In this city. "The Quest <rf the Things Worth While" was th» subject <rf the add ress given by th* visiting pastor "Every life la a quest If It lie guided by wisdom, it will lie a quest for things worth while.” Nprwklng of the worth-while things of th* physical, mental and ap'ritual Ilf--. Or rtrake said, "beginwlw* at the i base we use-end to that nigh range of hitman life which we term th" . spirit uul” 1 "There Is but one organization Whose chief business it Is to con-1 I serve the worth while things of the | wplrit- That organization is th<> I church.” In explaining what he meant by the church, the sp- aker' ' said. ”1 spork of organize I religion 1 without reference to creed or nationality or rhe allegiance that 1 any one of ns ow s Io any particular 1 branch of organized religion.". Warning against the prevalent pa Ctnfwm of our times, hr hrake de- : fined paganism as "a turning away ’ from the things of the spirit and 1 giving supremacy to the things of 1 the body. It was when faith was loaf and mnn though' of pork and 1 wine rather than nf piety and high Ideals that Rome cmsl-ed with a re- ’ sounding fall which has come down to us through the long Intervening 1 conturi-e" 1 hr Drake also a-Mressed the students of hm-autr high ik bool yesterday morning, using the public 1 address system for the purpose In ' his address last evening at th" .Methodist church. Or. I>rake -spok--on "The l»eri! of the ftnpty Heart." basing bls thought upon Matthew U:43-M. The spanker wurned against the futility of reformation without regeneration, and tonebtd I ed "The way to victory over sin is I found In giving the ixird entire pot I session of our hearts-" Rev Glen E. Marshall, pastor nf the Church of God. will preside at , r the service to be h"ld this evening at 7 3<> o'clock Musl< will be furn lehed by the young people of the Methodist church, and by the ministers' quartet, which will make Its initial aqipraraiMv at this ser vice. Or. Drake will deliver his 1 message entitled 'Th'- Transflgur- ' Ing Partnership.'" i o Local Man’x Truck > Reported Snowbound i Fred Ahr, I<m al livestock dealer has received word that one ot his - trucks has been sno-wliound east of • Hftringfieid. Pennsylvania since i M<mds> night. The truck la driven ’ by Everett Lough, sho reported four feet of snow in that vicinity. • . p. - — W.H.6ILLIOM : IS APPOINTED • County Surveyor Is Reappointed Highway Supervisor r The lioard of county commissioners was working toward ad.l journment this afternoon, the awarding oil and grease con- ’ tracts being the only Item left on . the docket. I Walter it Gllllom, county surveyor. was reappointed superlu , tendent of the county highway department, Mr Otlllom has served In that capacity, together with 1 hie duties aa county engineer The (our district road supervluori were also reappointed They are: Otto Fuelling, district 1; Ralph Martin, district 2. Elmer Beer, district J. John <’ Augwbur ger. district t. Each super* loot has three townships under his jurisdiction. The commlealonera named the following truck drivers: R F "Bud" Hauers, and Harold Strahm. district 1 ;Dan Meirlter. district 3; Lawrence Noil, district 3: Ed Rplchlger. district 4; Ralph Ross 1 driver of county-wide service i tCONTINt ED ON FAUR TUMBR?

RUSS ATTEMPT TO FLANK FINN LINES FAILURE Military Experts Say Finns In Best Position Since War • Helsinki. Finland. Jan 3 <U.R) Russia's attempt to flank th" Mannerheim line by sending troops southward along the shore of laikLaiiogii has been frustrated by re- > "nt Finnish successes, and thus one of the chief dangers to th* Finnish armies of the south has i been removed, ft was reported today. Russia had hoped to mak** the M-inneth'-im line untenable by sending a for<e down the lake shore where II would be In posltion to attack the Finnish left wing and drive westwards directly along the defense Hite The asesrte.j colapse of this effort was attributed (tartly to the destruction of the Russian 143rd division. 18.0 MI men. farther north In the Huomtisalmi sector. The narrow winding roads In the thb k forests of this reghnu were reported to lx* strewn with useful Russian material Strategically, according to military experts the Films all along their 1,200-rnile line from the Gulf <>f Finland to the Arctic Rea were in better position than at any time aince the start of the war Five of 12 separate Russian thrusts between latke latdoga and the Arctic Rea had heen smashed, experts said, and great quantities nf war materials which the Finns need badly had been captured. For the present. It was asserted, not only had Russia's flanking movement failed in the south but Immediate hope of driving across to the Gulf of Bothnia In tnld Finland had gone glimmering. Russian columns. Including new crack troop*, had crumpled against the determined Finnish resistance, and on the I’etsamo front in the far north the Finns now had the Initiative. in Ihe south, the Finnish line continued anchored •<» th* Talpale river, on the Labe laidoga side, and the Island of Kolvislo on the western sld»*. -- •—-o— - BANK OFFICERS ARE REELECTED First State Bank Holds Annual Meeting Here Tuesday A second assistant cashier and a new teller of the First State Rank were named by the directors last evening at the annual meet Ing of the board. Th»-<>dore Graiik*r. president of the Institution snnounced. Earl Caston was promoted to assistant < ashler and William lx>s<Jr., was nam» d a telh-r. Both men have been employes of the bank for a number of years and merit | their promotions through dlllg'-ut ‘ service. tifllcers and directors of the bank were reelected at the annual meeting The directors are: Daniel Sprang. Dynols Schmitt. John I’ Batin. Theodore Hobrock. Mr. (Iruliker, E W Bust he and L. H. Haerlu, the latter from Indianapolis The officers of the bank are: Mr Sprang, chairman ot the board. Mr Grsllker. president; Mr. Hobock. vice-president: R E Glendenning. caahier. H. H Kruetkeberg, aaalatant cashier The hank enjoyed a prosperous year and earnings were good. President Graliker stated No caah dividend was declared net proflta being added to undivided profits, the sinking fund, contingency and bond reserve funds Deposits reached a high peak of | 32.&52.547.M. Cash on hand and negotiable bonds totaled more than 41.&34.000 ...i n iii0 ii - hi i Seven More Enroll In Auction School fteven more students hive enrolled in the Fred Rnppeit Mm»l of Auctioneering. It was reported today, bringing the total enrolled to SI. Th* new students are: Will Gale. Green Volley. Mlanosota. Otto C. N'etm-r. Hazen. North Dakota, L E Johnson. Custer. Michigan: Willard Binns. New Hhsron, Iowa; Lynn Chambers L'nadllls. Now York, Clarence Prange. Allison, ■lows and Carroll A. t<ee. flt JohnsvtUe. New York Nightly public auction sales arc being held In the Chevrolet build Ing on Third street.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur. Indiana, Wednesday, January 3. 19HL

Garner Ready For Opening H' i Capital photographers snap th> first of What is i vpritcd to b<- a flood of pl< titres nf Vice President John Nance Garner. Demoerath pi-sideii-lial possibility, as he walks in Washington with his wife and Svii.it>Hecretary Eilwin Halsey Gartiei was on hand for the opening of congress today

ASK GOVERNOR TO SPEAK HERE Gov. Townsend Invited To Speak At February Short Course Governor M Clifford Townsend ’ and l>r G. I Christie. president of the (nitario Agrictil'iiral College. Geiilph. t'ma-la. hav*- been invited to tvpe-ak at toe Agricultural short ! course. to be held here during the i middle of February Hotii men are leader* in the agricultural field and troth are known i here. On a number nt occasion*: ilor. Townsend has been a speak- j |er In thin county. l»r ('hriatie made many friends; in this county when he nerved a* ! director of the igricultural experti*n*nt at at ion and d*parim-nt of agrictllturwl extenskm at Pnrdn • I'niverslty. It la believed by the committee* . In charge that announcement* a* to wether three two men will ar-1 /opt Invitation* to »p<-g» ,ie;e will i>e known in the next few day*. Bozen* of <Hher L attire* tiring planned by the committee* are egf»e<!rd to make thia the biggrat tgrlculutral short course ever held In the atate. The courae is tn las' |over a je-riod of three day* and is • <ipen to all rural and urban rcildetita of Adam* and surrounding (CONTtNUKH ON PAtlB HVIi COUNCIL FIXES 1940 SALARIES) _____ . Pay Os Assistant Light Superintendent Increased To $2,340 The city council last night pas*- ' rd an ordinance fixing the salaries of the employe* and head* of the dn|Mrtment* of the municipal light and water plant*, effective a* of January 1. IM" <)nl> one major change wa* made | in the ordinance Th!* change provided for the payment of a monthly ' •alary of gib.'. to the *Mi*tant superintendent of the light and power ‘ plant. instead of |2.0t»0 per year, ! thus boosting the salary >340 per year, dGrshel Na*h hold* the, position Earlier la*t year, the council decreased the salary of M J Myloft. superintendent of the city light and power plant, from SS.OM to 12. ' woo per year and created the n-"w position nt aaslst-int stiperint-ndent at a yearly salary of 12.000 The ordinance also provide* a maximum wage of Mt cent* per hour for temporary laborer* in th' construction and repair department of the water department The former maximum rate wa* *& cent* per hour The minimum wage for thia work waa kopt at so cent* Mo oTh<-r change* were made In jlhe salaries.

« a NOTICE In order to qualify an Infant a* winner of the litjo Baby lierhy. hl* or her name must be ••■nt to this olice In-fore noon Thursday. January I The child mint be born In the north part of Adam* county i six north township* > and to parent* residing in the north i part of the county The name of the attending 1 ' I physician a* well as th«- date. hour and minute of birth mint Im- given. ♦ —a ♦ NEW JANITOR ! AT CITY HALL .Joe Kortenber Replaces Sain Baumxartner As Custodian A Job a* "custodian and general I utility man." at the city hall was created by ordinance by the ,-ity I council last nixht in regular sess- : l<ni and the place given to Joe Kortenher. who was asked Io resign as a city fireman on fh-cember SI. Mr Kortenber - * new job will replace that of janitor at th*- city ■ hall, held for a number of year* by Sam Baumgartner, who was automatically retired Tin- ordinance, approved by Councilmen Charles Langston. Morri* Pingrey. Russell Owens and K nneth Arnold, provides that a icustodian and utility man Ih- cm I ployed for the city hall and th-' I city of Dncati-r. I The ordinance state* that he Is -to keep the city hall well painted and in good repair and fixe, hl* salary at lt.M* per year The rules were suspended an-l the ordinance reid three time*, voted unanknousb each Hm<-. and declared adopted by Mayor Forrest Elzey Councilman Andrew AppelI man wa* absent The * ouncii corrected an action of last week. In which It apjvoved and *<L«pted an ordln ince. decreasI Ing the number of tinman from iCONTINCEI* ON PAOK FUUKi -*• 10 Dealers Share In Gasoline Purchases Gasoline for the truck* and trac--1 tor* for the count* highway department will be purchased front the I<> deah-ra who *ubmltted proposals to the county cominis*ioner* hast month. The purchase of gasoline will be divided among the dealers ov r the IJononth period at the Standard prevailing tank wagon price The current price today I* 171 cent* per gallon, lea* I t cent*, less on« 1 cent federal tax. making a n»t of 144 cent* per gallon The highway department wa* orderel by the board of commiaalonee* to divide the guaollnc purchase • among the doaiers. each sharing In the e»ti-. 1 mated 3ft.0«0 gallons to be used, during the year, ,

'Roosevelt Calls For National Unity To Safeguard Peace Os Country In Congress Message

RELATIONS OF NATIONS HOLD WAR INTEREST Russia’s Relations With Other Nations Overshadow War By Joe Alex Morris tC. P Foreign News falltort Soviet Russia's r-latlons with Europe's belligerent and neutral nations appeared likely today to overshadow the stalled nil army ! invasion ot Finland While th« Finns were reporting that the latest attempt by Russian forces to out-flunk the Karelian Isthmus defense lines had Iteen fntstrsted. the Mostow government witnessed an Increasingly complex diplomatic situation in western Europe and the Balkans In Ijondon. It was reported that Soviet Pl. tiller Vlar heslav Molotov hail w.irm-d lhe British ambassador. Sir William Seed*, that Britain must abandon widespread anti-Soviet activities' If Increasingly unfavorable diplomatic relations are to In- avoided Seeds was said to have been given the warning when he paid a "farewell” visit to the premier before going on leave to London There has been much *pv> illation whether the ambassadoi would return to Moscow and whether the Soviet ambassador to lamdon would be called home In Bucharest, there were reports that both Germany and Italy were taking a greater Interest tn the attitude of Soviet Russia toward the Balkans and especially toward ■ the Rumanian province of Bestmraltia. whicli formerly was Russian ami which the Rumanian premier <i.*«-|a■ >-<l on Neu Y>ars day would b<- defended against any fo> The Bucharest dispatches said that th. German minister had been advised that Italy would take a hat'd in the situation if Russia continued military preparations along th<- B>-«sarablan bordet This was dear rlbisl us meaning that Germany shotlid tell the Moscow government to keep out of the Balkan states or that there might eventually la- a bust up of th" Rome Beilin axis In Rome. It was said that Italian tCONTINUED ON PAtJK HVICI <>• — Clom* County Offices For Fruchte Funeral All offices in the county court house will be clos-d Saturday at noon for the funeral ot Mrs J Frol Frttehte. wife of the circuit court Judg*-. the county > ommissionert announced this morning The offices will close at noon and remain closed during the balance <X th* day MEMBER DRIVE FIGURES GIVEN Red Cross Roll Call Membership Drive Netted 11,736.55 The report of the Red Cross roll call, condur ted here from November 11 to November 30 by th> Adams county chapter, was given today by .Miss Annie Winnea. chapter secretary. The report shows that a total of |1,734.5S was contributed Broken down, the report disclosed that there were 1.31* annual memberships at 11, seven contributing memberships of |6. two sustaining memberahlpa of 410 and one supporting membership <>t IM The report also disclosed that 53 ex-soldiers were aided at u cost of 121.04 through the home service department of the local < hapter The' membership b> units, according to Ml»s Winro-s' report I'nlt Amount Cnlon Township I 37 45 Root SfM* . Preble 54 M Ht Mary's 1135 Washington 25.38 Kirkland 5.<M» French none Monroe 4» So Blue Creek 33 no • Jefferson 1375 t ICONiINL'HD ON PAGE"iuRBRJ

MRS. FRUCHTE DIES SUDDENLY Wife Os JudKe J. Fred Fruchte Dies Suddenly This Morning Mrs. Myrtle M Frucht*. 57. prominent Decatur lady and wife of J. Fred Fruchte. judge of th ■ Adams circuit court. di<-d suddenly at 11 20 o'clock this morning at her home, ::'I4 North Fourth street. Death <ame unexpectedly although she had been in ill health for a long time and aer condition ha* be>-n considered serious lat--ly. Judge Fruchte was presiding at a court trial when cnllv.l to his wife's (M-dsid* lb-foie he arrived, however. sh> was dead. Death wis attributed to comiplications. Mrs Fruchte. until 111 health forced her to retire from an ac tive life, was prominent In the social and civil progress of the city. She was at one tint* president of th<- ladle-' aid of th Zion Reform ed church, of which she was i member. She was active in th* Re-se-trch dub and a member of thPythian Sisters lodg She was always interested In civic affairs and took an active isirt when posiffil*. Site was born in Dark* county <Hilo Jun* 5. I**2, th- daughter of Willhim and Clara lb ai hb-i Mi Betichler, her father, served a* superintendent of *< hoots for a thioafter moving to this citv. She was married to Mr Fruchte oil Ik'ober 14. ISO* by th* Rev C. Il Wilcox of the First Methodist church here Surviving, besides the husband ar* an only child. Mi*s Harii.-' (CGNTINCBn ON Vitin FIVE. FIRE LOSS IN YEARSS,23I Fire ( hies Files Annual Report With City Council Tuesday Th* anntwl r< port of fire chief Ed Hurst was mad* to the city council last night for the year 1M» The report of the chief disclosed that th* local fir* department answered 24 call* during the year, that a total of 1163 worth of property was endangered and that the totil loss to buildings was |2.201 The insurance on the building* was 750 and on the contents was 412,51k' The grand total «sf th' loss was 35.331. It'H.f fires led th list In ninnhei with eight, five fire* being roported because of spontaneous combustion, one of a k *oline stove, on- of a kerosene stove, on* heiatise of gna*" In an oven, two because of defective wiring, three In rirbbish, one at lh< city dump, one iiet-tusr of an ignited match In a truck on* w»* a false alarm, one unknown and one was an auto fir* The departzneat answered four country tails, with the largest losses reporteil at th* Decatur Country Chib «nd the Tom Noll residence The rnport, signed by th* chief, was placed on record Reports Are Made A report from M J Mylott. city' light superintendent, informed thcouncil that a light on Patterson street, asked for by Mrs. Otto Johnson and others had been Installed and another asked f ir in an alley l»-!w*i-n Walnut and Fifth bad also betra placed A petition was read to the council in whh h llov Chlicot* ami oth ers are seeking a light In th* alley intersection, between Third and Winchester. Adame and Patterson streets. The petition Was rbICONTtNIIKD «VN PAGE FOUR! —— —<» Buys Health Bond The Knights of Columbus lodg* has voted pit,chase of a health

bond. W Guy Brown, chairman of the Chrlatmaa •Ml drier, announced today. Proceed! from the health bond fund are uaed to aid in the tight against tuberculoala and to carry on work and program of' th • tuborculoals aaaociaUoa. t

CHRISTMAS SEALS g He/p to Pretocf four bam

Price Two Centa.

New Taxes Arc Proposed For Emergency Defense Plans; Hopes To Keep Nation Out Os War. ANNUAL MESSAGE Washington, Jun I 'UR) Proposing new taxes for enw-rgeii. < y defense and extension of r<-< ip. roral trade agreements as n further safeguard. President Roosevelt today called for national unity tn safeguard American democracy ll* also reaffirmed in his annual message to congress his hop* and expeitation that th* I’niteil Slates would remain at peace. But the hope of peace coincided with a request for new emergency powers which would permit the president to commandeer factories, ships nod materials of any kind in time <>f peace. The request was made liy Mr itoosi velt for serietary of navy. Charles Edison, who was nromoied December .30 from acting serretary to full command ot the department Navy officials said the request for additional pein <• time emergen; cy powers was a precautionary measure Such authority Is limit'd now by statute to wartime Mr Roosevelt will submit his 1941 fiscal year budget estimates to congress tomorrow and the formalities of a vital legislative session and th* inauguration of a presidential election year will !>»• out of the way Mr. Roosevelt was d*scrll>ed by one of his legislative lieutenants 1 to have determined to leave up to congress the question »f raising new taxes or lifting the present s|'>nonimhi.immi limitation on the national debt It was understood the presid-nt would point <mt that if congress provides taxes to finance some lItMI.fMIO.OIHI to 3'>00.. OOO.UOO of special national defense expenditures it will not lie necessary to raise th* debt limit Whether Mr Roosi-velt pro|M>ses them or not fundamentally controversial issin-s are before congress. Some of the administration’s adverse critics doubt that the most impressive New Year's resolution to avoid party-splitting Issues can prevent bruising contests during this session Statements of administration electrical power, insurance and tax policies are awaited with some trepidation by those who feel that the new deal has seriously encroached upon private enterprise to th* detriment of th<« profits system Potent Factor Washington. Jan ■; <U.P> High lights of President 4CONTINUKD ON PAGK PJVB? Two Autos Collide At Street Crossing Card driven by Ernest Worthman ami George Whlltenharger, both of this city, collided this morning at 7 45 o'clock at the Intersection of Third and M tdison street*. Only slight damage tt-siilt d to the nir, bit- mt ornosm-tMai ia up post on the northeast corner was broken off when th cars slid Intc It. Police Chief .lame* Border* lnv> -• ligated DECATUR YOUTH AWARDED PRIZE Robert Johnson Wins First Prize Os sslto In State Contest Roliett Johnson, son of Mr and Mr* Roy Johuion. nt thi* city has been ;«ward>-d a fT.oo first prize In a ,tat*-wii|* pkty-writlng oonteat, according Io word received her* Johnson was given first prize foe hl* phty. "The Mlie|t*r*d." which will lie -produced at Indianapolis next FebrtHry, it was reported Th* contest was staged by 'ho Civic Theaters st Indlanopolls in cianmemoratlon of their silver anntvenmry and was open to all writers of th* state, whether professional or amateur Forty-two contestants participn'*d in the event. Johnson lx a graduate of *h* Decatur high school and a> present l« enrolled aa a junior in Indiana uni* ivereity at Moomington H* be* had <m* play published In book form and has sold several (Olbera.