Decatur Democrat, Volume 41, Number 8, Decatur, Adams County, 6 May 1897 — Page 1

The Decatur J )emocrat

*• VOLUME XLI.

Chris Hocker of Monroe, was in town Monday. The Fair Store greets our readers with a change of advertisement. I. S. Shindlea has been rewarded by the cowers at Washington, with the appointment of postmaster at Markle. Scot Cole has been similiarly rewarded at Huntington. The bonds for the Decatur and Bluffton gravel road were soltiyto W. H Niblick of the Old Adams County Bank, at par. They bear five per cent, interest and aie good property to have around on rainy days. William Hoagland returned Tuesday from a four week’s visit with relatives at Fort Wayne and South Whitley. While absent he was taking treatment for what was supposed to be dropsy. He is greatly improved. Charles True,' of the firm of Sprang & True, bad the misfortune to run a nail in his foot, Sunday, and since that time has been eon fined to the house. All communi cations should be left at his home on Winchester street. Adam Case ami Dm-il'a Parent were married at the Catholic ch nr h Mynday rrtoruing. The contract ing parties are well and favorably known young people ami their many friends wish them success in their journey through life. Oscar Shaw had the two middle fingers of his lef hand badly cut in a stave jointer at Vail’s factory last Monday morning. Perhaps one of the fingers may have to be amputated. It is good and painful and will cause the owner to take a_vacation of a few weeks. The pupils in the Third Ward school held their closing day exercises yesterday afternoo i An elegant program was rendered and the way the scholars conducted themselves in their respective parts plainly showed that they are mak ing rapid advances’iu their studies. Friday afternoon the Decatur band, which came down with the Decatur delegation to the Eastern Indiana Oratorical Association Contest, paid this office a call and gave us a most enjoyable serenade The boys are thorough musicians, fur nished music, that was up to date and equal to any. Come around again, boys. Decatur may well be proud of you.—Portland Sun. OttisG. Rayn has sold the Geneva Herald to his brother Clarence, and has left with his family for Tennessee, where he has already embarked in the newspaper business in that southern state. A change of climate together with a business opening of some import auce, is the cause of his change of base. The Herald was a progressive and well written paper, and in his new field of labor we wish him the same glittering success. Harry Tarr, the lad who had been in jail for some time for stealing money out of the till of Ed Weise’s restaurant at Dunkirk, made his escape Monday night lai about 11:40. He had evidently taken a heavy iron support from the staircase and with it pounded and pried his way through the ventilator and brick wall at the west side. Sheriff Whipple had just got "honte from the was in bed when Ed Tullis, who passed the jail in time to see young Tarr running away, told him that, one of his prisoners was gone. Cull got up ami locked the rest of the gang up into their cells. They all knew of the plan to escape, as Penn said he could have gone with him. Young Tarr is evidently a clever one as well as a bad one. The old jail is dead easy.—Portland Sun. County Superintendent Snow since May 1 has issued county diplomas to Etta Mallonee, Oscar W. Hopne, Lettie Hoffman, Almeda Jackson, E. M. Campbell, M. F. Parrish, Eva E. Johnson, Cora Hower, Edna Barnett, Laura Steele, Cora Johnson, Verna Johnson, Albert Graber, Rose Egan, Noia D, Smith, Lome Dolch, Sylvester Johnson, Wm. Engle, Revillo M. Schearer, Maude Hendricks, James Sutilef, Clyde Graham Forest Sells, Genie E Hocker, Roy A. Gould, Lulu Blanche Rainier, Dora Walter, Carrie May Ensley. Bertha Peele, K. C. McCullum, Rachel Martz, Mary C. Miller, Carolina A. Potter, F. D. Brewster, Lizzie Brewster, John Mdler, Owen Butcher, Fannie E. Eicher, Henry M. Reusser, David Welty, Noah Luginbill, Martha M. Ray, Daniel J. SjSrunger, R. O. Soldner, Frank J. Bixler, Lena Sprunger. -

Misses Maude Knorf and Abbie Ashbauchei, Sundayed with Sheriff Ashbaucher and family. The township trustees met with Superintendent Snow last Satur-i day, as a board of education. Considerations to mat ers pertain-' ing to the general welfare of the schools was considered. The examinations of St. Joseph’s Catholic schools will. »>e held on Wednesday, Thursday aud Friday of this week, and the examination will be conducted by Revs. Edward Koenig and Ferdinand Koerdt, of Fort Wayne. Dr. Zimmerman, a former practitioner of Berne, has opened a sanitarium at Portland, where he will administer electric, shower, thermal and Turkish baths. The doctor has been located at Frankfort for some time. The railroads enterii g the city paid their taxes last week and a neat sum was added tot lie county treasury. The Grand Rapids <Ss Indiana pdd $3,748.30, the C. & E. §3,696.89 and the Clover Leaf $1,914.90. a total of $9,3(10.09. The hiidi -ehool have encountered considerable expense in their preparation for commencement, an i as no admission can be charged, every person attending will be ex pected to swell the silver offering, which you will encounter at the door. Dqn’t forget to thaw. Mrs Eliza Johnson, mother of Lem and Jos. Johnson, is seriously ill at the home of her son Joseph, southwest of thistcity . Mrs. Johnson has reached the age of ninety seven ye rs, and is without doubt the oldest lady id the county. We hope that the old lady mayHve to pass the century mark. Fjre last Friday night destroyed' the barn and contents belonging to Gris Lobsiger. in French township, three miles east of Vera Cruz. Four head of hor-cs, seven head of cattle, grain and all his fanning implements were cnsumed in the blaze. The lire was discov red about twelve o’clock, at which -time it was too late to save anything. The loss is estimated at SI,OOO, with but s2ooinsurance. Miss Mary Kohler, who had been employed at A. A. Lehman & Co’s, millinery store some time ago, died last Saturday at her home near Moaroe, alter a lingering sickness at the age of 26 years and 4 months. Her mother, five brothers and two sisters have preceded her in dedh, and she is now survived by her father, two brothers and one sister. Her funeral was held at on Monday afternoon at Vera Cruz, services were conducted by Revs. Vitz of Decatur, and Ruff of this place. —Berne Witness. The H'gh School tendered a reception to the gardu ating class last evening at the home of R. S- Peterson. The Peterson home was beautifully decorated with lingers and the class colors. A gjrand march preceded the evening’s entertainment in which jthe entertainers ami guests a 1 took part. Then came the bicycle contest in which Ellie Woodward captured first prrize Earnest Carr the booby. Refreshments were served to the guests by jzhft-Misses Josephine and Hattie Niblick, Frances Bollman and Bernice Peterson. After this came music rendered by the class and other amusements too numerous to mention. When it came time to depart all were loud in proclaiming the occasion a fitting farewell to their High School career. It is reported that Fisher & Fri singer of this city, who have been exporting horses for the past two years, have a contract to furnish .500 head for the German government. The high grade of horses shipped by this enterprising firm, has brought them into good favor on the foreign shores. Another thing of importance to farmers and stock growers might be added here. The price of horses is steadily advancing, and especially is this true of high grade animals. In this county the demand for fine horses is first-class, Oiling to the number cf buyers who make this city their headquarters, and in conversa ion with one of them a few days ago he said The raise in price had come to stay. This being a fac' it might be well for our farmers to turn some of their attention to the raising of blooded horses as th< re is always a good market for this class of animals, and with good prices, there is certainly money in raising them.

DECATUR. INDIANA, THURSDAY. MAY 6. 1897.

A sma ! l blaze occurred in the law office of J. W. Teeple located in the Stone building, early Sunday morning. The flames were extinguished without much loss. A fire was left burning in the stove on Saturday nigl.t and it is thought the fire originated from that. William H. Bright, an old newspaper publisher of Portsmouth, Ohio, has purchased the Winchester Democrat, taking charge with its last issue. Mr. Hindsley, who has had charge of the paper for several months, has shown considerable ability in newspaper work. A new vault will be built at Maplewood by the Cemetery Association. Plans have already been received and the structure will be built entirely of stone and will cost SI,OOO when completed. This is a long needed improvement, and the officers have taken a step in the right direction. Henry H. Hart will move from this c-ty to Fort Wayne in a week or two, at which place he will again engage in the flouring null business. His long residence here has accumulated ties that will b * I hard to break. His successor on i the board of city council will be made by election by the remaining board, which will insure a republican to fill, that position until the next general election, which will be next spring. The alleged defalcation ofThoraas Lucas and his son, Fred L Lucas, of Huntington, have grown until thev have already reached §35,009 and new victims are being heard fr >m every hour. Both were members of the real estate abstract and loan firtn of T. L. Lucas & Son and both have left the city. The firm, it is secured loans aggregating $9,700 on property worth $5,000; $3,000 more was secured on lots in ficti'ious additions Fred Lucas, it is alleged, secured an eight thousand-dollar loan on a fictitious farm in Wabash county. This loan was obtained from Indi anapolis. County Commissioners Joseph E. Mann and Conrad Brake and County Surveyor W. E. Fulk of Adams county, arrived from Decatur this morning and were met at the depot by M. Baltes of the Baltes Land, Stone and Oil Company The other county commissioner David Eckrote, did not c mie over. The visit of the Adams county officials is for the purpose of getting terms on stone 4ml Mr. Baltes took them out to the quarries to post them on prices and quality. Adams county is not building a court house this year, but the commissioners have decided to erecta numberof bridges in the county, and these will require a good deal of stone. The Montpelier building stone is of first-rate quality.—Montpelier Herald. The Journal sprung a hysterical leaded sensation last week on the subject of stone for bridge abutment purpose*. It was brought about by a visit of Commissioners Brake and Mann and Surveyor Fulk to the Montpelier stone quarries, where they were reputed to have gone for the purpose of contracting for stone. ‘Au investigation of the matter reveals that their visit to Montpelier was not for the purpose stated. They were not there officially, but simply to see and investigate the "supplyj»and grade of stone ' quarried. -They were there individually, so to speak, and at their own expense, and the harsh criticisms hurled at them were out of place. The records show that all or nearly all of the st uie thus far purchased for bridge purposes, are the products of either the Decatur or Buena Vista quarries. The Buena Vista stone is perhaps the best for this class of work, and all contracts made are graded from this quarry. Thai is the stipulation is made, that the stone used under a certain contract, shall be equal to the stone quarried from the Buena Vista or Markle quarries Usually, if not always, contracts are made by the comissionerS for the furnishing of stone and erection of abutments. This takes the purchasing of stone out of the hands of the commissioners and places it in the hands of the contractor, who buys the stone where he Can get the best quality at the most reasonable prices. .Ta e Journal article was full of wailing, but if the stone men of this city and county give reasonable prices for their product, they will no doubt continue to furnish the stone for bridge abutments in Adams county.

Twenty-live years ago last Tues day Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Tm veer were united in the holy bonds of matrimony. To commemorate that event they visited Lafayett-, Ind , and several other cities of interest The trip taken was similar to the one taken on their wedding day, leaving on a train at the same hour and visiting the same cities. On last Monday evening, prior to their departure, the Decatur City Band serenaded them and rendered some excellent music. Barney was feeling like a young man, a person waul I hardly believe that twentyfive years of married life had passed over his head. The members of Sam Henry Post, grand army, at a meeting tied Saturday evening, decided to <»bserveHiecorat'on 1 as cm Saturday, May 29. This is in keeping with a’lvices received from the Com mander in Chief of the grand army. Rev. F. W. Hart of the Baptist I church will Breach the memorial sermon which will be held a' tije eour house at two o’clock on Sun day, May 23. R> v J. F. Horton oi the Piesbyterian church, will deliver the addnss on Decoration Day. The Post desires that alt games and amusements be dispensed with on the 29th. 'Phis request and'program is as authoriz d by the Post committee. As the season for cyclones and tornadoes is here, the cyc'oneeditor of the Democrat has kindly consented to give our readers a few poin ers regarding these occasional outbursts of unnatural fury. Since the great cyclone at St. Louis, people in all sections of the country are becoming accust'mied to watch ing approaching storms, w th a certain degree of terror. It might be well before porceeding further that the storm which devastat-d St. Louis was not a cyclone, but a | tornado. .Meteoroliglsts define a cyclone as a circular storm, the diameter which is between 1,000 and 5,000 miles, usually moving fro a a southwesterly to a northwesterly point, accompanied by rains, wii.ds'and a sudden falling of temperature. The cyclones will itself produce damaging high winds that sometimes reach 100 miles an hour in velocity. It idifferent with a tornado; The force of a tornado lies in the twist or power of its revolution and eminent builders and architects sav that no building now constructed can withstand that “torsional twist.” The section of the coun try of which St. Louis is the center, embracing a territory which is oblong in shape, the longest diameter being from southwest to northeast is said by authorities to have more tornadoes during each year than any place in the world. Chicago ■ is on the extreme edge of this ter Titpry, and as we are nearly two hundred miles east of this point we are somewhat out of the path of tornadoes, as is evince 1 by the fact that Indiana has only had two storms of this character since 1874, one at Indianapolis in 1880 and the other at Attica, in 1886 The average time for the appearance of the tornadoes is between three ami seven o’clock in the afternoon, ami is usually preceded by a veil like cloud which makes its appearance about noon, and this cloud is accompanied by a pale green lightning. A tornado is usually an al moml shaped cloud with a depend ent funnel about the center. This ftimiel cloud can be seen before it approaches, although it is impossible to tell in what direction it will move except that its general diiection will be from southwest to northeast. If there comes a day when the temperature it 8> to 84 degrees and with that heat there is an oppressiveness so that it appears that the thermometer must be registering TOO degrees, .the conditions are favorable 9 for cyclones and tornadoes and the people would do well to have their cyclone cellars in shape. Tornadoes are like earthquakes—they can not be escaped. If your dwelling house or business place is in the line of the tornado it will surely be damaged ifndt totally destroyed. The safest place, if you find a cyclone starting for you, is in the cellar of a frame house, because the building is usually carried away leaving you in the cellar. One thing we desire to impress upon the minds of our. readers (although we can’t be responsible for any change of notion the cyclone may h ave,) if a £ tor in appearing to be a tornado is seen to the north or east of the observer, he need not fear it, as such storms never move south or west.

HONORS TO AGNES SCHROCK. | SHE WINS SECOND PRIZE ON DECLAMATIONS. THE EASTERN INDIANA ORATORICAL ASSOCIATION PERMANENTLY J ORGANIZED. Razzle, Dazzle-Zip Boom-Bah Decatur High School Rah Rah Rah. The long talked of oratorical contest between the high schools of I Decatur, Bluffton, Portland. Mun-i cie and Winchester took place at ' Portland la<t Friday evening. One hundred of our citizens went to the j scene of the contest to urge our j representatives on to victory. Fifty . Bl nil f <>iii t< s joined us in this city ; and t wo special cars were provided by th G. It. <!t I. railroad to take this galaxy of high school stars t >' do battih and bring honors to heirj respective cities. The Decatur City Band accompanied the e tear- . sionisls am! furnished music for he occasion. The contest took p ace in the auditorium and never befoiv has it held such a-large ami select audience, every inch of available space being taken tong before the contest began. Each city was well represented, Winche-tef sending §2O, Muncie 189, Decatur 100 and Bluffton 50, and as each delegation marched down the street favorite college yells resounded through the streets, and Portland knew that somebody was in town The curtain rose as the orchestra was rendering the first se ection, and when the audience saw the contestants seated on the stage its enthusiasm knew no bounds, and cheer after cheer rent the air, each delegation trying to outdo the other in yelling f r its favorites. Rev. J.S. Axtbll, pastor of the Presbyterian churl h, < ff 'red the invocation of the evening and made an ea rnest and fervt nt prayer Lester Sins, president of the Portland association, made a few brief remarks, stating the object of the meeting ami thus followed the orations. John D. Kerfi of this city’, was the first speaker and his “Eulogy on D uiiel Webster” was handled tn an able manner, showing that he was fully able to represent Decatur iu the contest. As he closed and bowed himself from the front, Decatur’s yells broke out anew and it was s-veral moments before they could proceed Winchester’s representative was next called upon and ta'ked of “John Brown of Ossawatomie.- ’ Mr Miller’s oration was lis ened to with interest ami when he. ceas d. of course Winchester pronounced him alright. He was tberecipi nt of a handsmue floral emblem as he took his seat. Bluffton came next, ami the subject, “Civic IL sponsi ' bilities,” was nicely handled bv Hugh Mcßride. Although Bluffton’s delegation was the smallest in I attendance, their yells were plainly’ audible :it the finish. Forest Cartwright of Portland, was the fourth orator of the evening and he spoke of “JVendell- Phillips.” The gestiVes employed by the speaker showed that he had given much ! study’ to his oration. The last ora I tion of rhe evening, “The Power of I Education,”, was delivered, bjr I Walter J. Lotz of Muncie,'and i ing on a popular subject meds no ! comments. Then came a pleasing ! selection by' the orchestra followed by the declaimers, their subjects being as follows: “ Die Famine —Hiawatha,” Miss Margaret Hand of Winchester. “A Supposed Speech of John Ad;i ms,” J. Edward Jellison of Portland. “The Debating Society,” Miss Helen Hand of Muncie. “Extract From a Cuban Oration,” , Will Wade of Bluffton. “Waking up the Young H'ns. Miss Agnes. Schrock of Decatur. It is useless to comment at e igth upon each of the above declamations for they' were all fine, but the effort made by Miss Schrock of this city is worthy of especid note. Stic was the youngest, of all the contestants, being a child and for this fact her undertaking was a difficult one. Her earnest work was the most liberally applauded by the large audience and she was the general favorite among all the delegations. It was universally

I conceded by audience and judgrs alike, that had her declamation been of greater length she would have easily earned first prize, a* it was she gained second place and the honors rest lightly upon the shoulders of one so young While the judges were deliberating of their decision, a few appropriate remarks were made by Mayor Bergman. Then the High School Zouaves delighted the audience with their excellent work in silent Turkish drills and the manual of arms. The boys are proficient in their work and deserve a great deal of praise. Miss Lois Hobson of Muncie sang a very pietty solo and then came the judge- decision. As the first prize for declamation was given to Miss Helen Hard of Muncie, the enthusiasm of those from [that city knew no bounds. Decatur was next heard from with a I vim when it was announced that the second prize went to Miss i Agues Schrock of this c tv. Forest i Cartwright of Portland, was awarded the first prize for oration, ami Walter J. Lotz of Muncie, the raeebnd prize, but in the latter case the judges changed their deciision, amt gave these ond prize to i.Joseph Miller of Winchester. It [was near midnight when the contest closed and the* excursion sts returned totheir homeson the night trains. The following figures will give some idea as to how the contestants were placed. Kerns total on manuscript.ls, on delivery 9, making his aggrega e rank 24. Miller’s total on manuscript is.>B, andon delivery 3, making his aggregate 11. Mcßride's total on manuscript i- 9, and on delivery 9, making his aggregate 18. Cartwright’s total on manuscript is 6, and bn delivery 3, making his aggregate 9. Lotz’s total on manuscript is 7, and on delivery 6, making his aggregate ,13. Therefore Cartwright ranks first, Miller second, Lotz third, I ' Mcßride fourth nnd Kern fifth. Mr. Beeler, of the firm of Kern, , Brittson & Beeler, requests us to j say that he is not contemplating . Starting an ice cream factory at [ Warsaw, as was staged in the Evening Journal a few days ago. The council held a lively meeting last Tuesday evening. A petition was presented by a .number I of the citizens of the ci’y asking the council to amend she ordinance recently passed in reference to reII stricting the saloons to the business i i portion of the city. lhe petition was signed by about fifty citizens ■ of the city and county. The peti- ■ tinners were represented by Hon. J. i T. France and the other side by ' Rev. J. F. Hoiton. Each made a speech upon the -question and it ■ was finally agreed that the whole i matter should be left to the voters jof First 'Ward, and the petition i was referred to the Judiciary Com■'mit ee pending the resuit of the J petitions t ■ be circulated in First i Ward. A remonstrance was presented by Ezra Lister and o hers [against the bricking of Second and [ Winchester streets. After some i warm discussion the council .adopted a motion refusing, to grant the?”; I prayers of the p tinners. This [settles the brick street question. ißids will be received for the con[st ruction of the brick street at the next meetiiig of ihe council, to be | held May 18, 1897. The sireet committee to whom was referred [the matter of vacating the alley running north and south between the property of Norman Cdse aud that of Mayor Quinn reported in favor of the vacation, and the whole matter was referred by resoIn ion to the city commissioners, with instructions that they be required to meet on Monday the 31 st inst. at 10 o’clock a. in. at the council room for the purpose of hearing objections to the proposed vacation. A pention was presented asking for a street crossing over Madison strept at the northwest corner of the court house. The petition was referred to the committee. The city clerk reported, the number who find executed waivers for bonds for the alley improvements, and the same was re ferred to the city attorney and finance committee to draw a bond ordinance. The following claims were allowed: The Dtcatur Journal §16.45, H. Stevens $2.17, Gas Co. $47.61, C. Dorwin §40.00, M. Jackson $ 10.00, George Oswalt 82 cents, J. 11. Myers 75 cents, Alex Hoyer §3.00, J. D. Edwards $10.96, Adams Express Co. §1.20, Fire Company, of account of the Stone fire §9 50, C. Smith §1.50, J. T, Parrish §3.00, D. F. Teeple §2.00 and John Brock §1,60.

NUMBER 8