Decatur Democrat, Volume 45, Number 50, Decatur, Adams County, 20 February 1902 — Page 1

ALL THE. NEWS ALL THE TIME.

VOLUME XLV.

Four lady Pentecostals are conducting services in the Nichol’s build ing on Monroe street. Meetings each evening at which everyone are cordially invited. Miss Madge Hite entertained a number of her young friends last evening at her home in honor of Miss i'ern Long. Progressive dominoes and refreshments were on the program. The time for candidates to enter the race for city offices closed Tuesday • vening, and now the big show is on in earnest. The boys are out hustling nd as March 7, the eventful day draws near the campaign promises to grow interesting. Hon. Schafer Peterson, the well known attorney, is again greeting friends after a two weeks illness with a bad cold and the old, familiar grip. Schafer says he is too tough to let a little thing like that keep him down very long and is again dancing about in a manner that proves that he is just as young as he used to be. Unclaimed letters at the postoffiee this week are for Henry Brenner, Anna Coohon, Frank Allen, John Harris, Jacob Harmon, Gracie Hite, Mrs. Ida Holcomb, Marion Howell, James Lenghridge, Nathan Menzer, Tillie Moore (2), Chas. Morgan, Jura Nobell, Ind Rain, Lizzie Stanley, John Anders, Elmer Powell, care Waitace Circus, G. C. Durforth, Ellen Brown. In honor of Washington’s birthday the G. A. R. will give a fitting entertainment Friday evening at their hall on Monroe street. The program will be in charge of Miss Alice Freeh and her elass of elocutionists, and bids fair to be one of the most interesting ever given in the city. Falk’s Juvenile orchestra will enliven the occasion with uptodato music and you can’t afford to miss it for the prices are nly ten and fifteen cents. Go and help them honor the father of our country, A banker from Spencerville, Ohio, who is in the habit of taking the bank’s money to Lima once a week for deposit in a safer place, lost his grip eontaimlig SIO,OOO as he left Erie train No. 1. Wednesday. Seeing a friend he approached him, forgetting all about his grip full of cash. After the train pulled out of Lima, Conductor Michael Burgess, well known in this city, discovered the grip on the rear platform of his train, and thinking it contained dynamite and belonged to an oil well shooter, he passed it up. Upon closer exam ination it was found to contain $lO,<IOO in cold cash, which was later returned to the banker. A man drove to town Wednesday morning, a distance of fifteen miles and when he arrived was about as cold as the Muncie Star's attitude toward Mr. Cromer. Besng an old timer he .was onto the ways of warming his chilled veins by quicker method than slow gas. and ho was soon at the bar of one of the saloons. "Gitn’me a Lot whiskey, quick, nearly froze!” The bar keeper gave him a pitying look and said. “Mister, there’s not a drop of liquor iu the house. Republican congressional convention tn town yesterday and sold the last bottle" I had to to the Muncie delegation at six o'clock last night. Sold more wet goods yeste'd’y than I have in tbs last six months. It was a great day, sir. ' Portland Sun. Thetuneralof Mrs. Louisa Kiess, who died on the 15th day of February, 1902, and who attained the ripe age of 72 years, 2 mouths and 2 days, took place at Friedheim Tuesday afternoon. Rev. C. B. Preuss of Friedheim officiating. The deceased was born December 13. 1829, in Wuertenberg, Germany. In the year 1817 she immigrated to this country, taking up her abode in the state of Ohio, where on the 6th day of January, 1850, the state of holy matrimony with John Kiess. This union was blessed with eleven children, three of whom died before their mother. Years after she moved with her husband to Adams county. Indiana, where she resided until her death. Eight children, four sons and four daughters, twenty-eight grand clildren, eight great-grandchild-ren, two half brothers and two half "inters mourn her demise.

Tho regular semi-monthly meeting of the city council was held at the city hall Tuesday evening. Members Myers, Leßrun, Niblick and Maun were present. Mayor Beatty and Mr. Suttles being absent. Upon motion E. A. Mann was chosen chairman of the meeting. Clerk Dallas Hower read the minutes of the meetings of January 27 and February 1, after which bills wore allowed as follows: G. R. & I. K’v Co., freight, $73.47. John Thomas, labor, $12.88. Cl. <Jt E. R’y Co., freight, $72.02. Chas. Beckemeyer, labor, SI.OO. Harvey Hart, coal, $35.60. I). F. Teeplo, freight and drayage, $8.28. H. B. Knoff, pay roll, $11.95. Amos Gillig, labor, $4. John Thomas, labor, SI.OO. Floyd • '"Brun, labor, $1.50. Roma Barthel, labor, $7.80. Ben Middleton, labor. 50.20. W. E. 1 lardon, goods. $155.97. Mr. Niblick moved that the bill of W. E. Fidk bo referred to the street and sewer committee and said motion < arried. This concluded the business brought before the honorable body and an adjournment followed.

Fred Hahnert, one of the best farmers iu Adams county was in town Saturday and paid his subscription to the Democrat. Fred has been doing this regularly for about fifteen years and says he expects to keep up the lick at least that much longer. He knows a good thing when he sees it.

The whist club met Tuesday even ing with Mr. and Mrs. Harry Daniel and as is usual when this popular club meets the occasion was enjoyable. Mrs. Roy Archbold and Mr. Harry Moltz were awarded the high honors and earned them well. The meeting next week will be held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Heller. Hon. Hugh Dougherty leaves Mon day morning on a business trip to New \ork and on his return will stop at Washington City. Although Mr. Dougherty has been in polities for over a quarter of a century, has been state senator, candidate for governor, representative to national conventions and mentioned for the vice presidency he has never seen the national capital and will take his first view of it next week. Bluffton Evening News. The democratic city primary of Bluffton was held last Wednesday and a good strong ticket was nominated. The officers elected with exception of two were below the thirty mark, but they are men of ability who will run the municipal affairs in a straightforward and business like manner. They are, for mayor, John Mock; clerk, Harry Stout: treasurer. Fred Tangeman; marshall, Lem Stout and councilman, DanLannigan, G. R. Veuis, James Clark, John Morris, Herman Thoma and John Poffenberger. Will Baker, about sixteen years old, son of Tillman Baker, had his left leg broken Saturday morning at Vail’s heading factory. The occur rence was a rather singular one and one which seems should not have occurred. The boy desired to warm his feet and went up to the machine known as a hot air funnel used to force the heated air into the dry kiln. On the interior of this funnel are working fans and Will got his foot into the opening such a distance that it was struck by one of these revolving pieces. The leg was broken above the ankle, making a very serious wound. He was taken to the office of Dr. P. B. Thomas, who reduced the fracture. Curtis Mumma, a former citizen of this county, was seriously hurt Tuesday morning in the railroad shops at Indiana Springs, Indiana, where he has been working for some time. The particulars of the accident are unknown, further than his being hurt by the explosion of dynamite and powder which was used in the shops forblasting purposes. L. F. Mumma, a brother of the injured man, and Howard Shackley, his father in-law, left Tuesday for Indiana Springs, and a telegram from the former, received yesterday by friends here stated that the injured man was badly hurt, one leg being broken and he is still unconscious from the shock. His friends here are extremely anxious and have grave fears as to the outcome. Excuse me but are you 40? If so, you will appreciate the truth of Col onel Dryden’s remarks: “A man can’t be a regular, out-and-out first class fool until he has reached the 40 mark. He can be a dude at twenty, an idiot at 38, but nut a full-fledged, unadulterated fool until he has struck two score bv the clock. After a man has reached 40 he should give up flirting, fabricating and getting full. His stomach wont stand the racket. The erstwhile copper lining has departed. His inside is worn out and it would be wise for him to stick to ginger ale and milk skake. There is nothing so indicative of the donkey as for un old fool to try to act like a young fool. He may "smoke cigarettes, part his hair iu the middle, wear a red tie and chrysanthemum in his buttonhole, but everylxxly realizes that he is nearer his coffin than his cradle.

At last we of the later day are to have the privilege of beholding that most famous of all insects, the seventeen year locusts. Ever since a kid in knee breeches we have heard wonderful stories of this creature and have always had a longing to behold one. Each year we have been informed that the time was at hand,but summer came and went, with only the old fashioned singing locusts to lull us to sleep; but now the time has come, for the announcement comes from no less a personage than our own State Geologist Blatchley, wL is surely too smart to ruin bis reputation by such a prophecy unless it lie the truth. In breaking the news, he states positively that Indiana will be invaded this year by the little trouble makers. Some amateur entomologists have been trying to convince Mr. Blatchley that he has his dates mixed as to time of the coming of the pests, but he has produced statistics to prove that ho is correct. The seventeen year locusts, he declares, made their last appearance in Juno, 1885, so then'is no mistake about their being due for another call the coming summer. People who own young fruit orchards, Blatchley says, may just as well get the invasion.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1902.

1 hree couple have been granted license to wed this week by County Clerk Johnson, according to the laws of the state of Indiana. Those who have thus been made happy are Abe Wahli and Lena Neukomn, Ira Baker and Ellie B. Andrews, Jacob \V. Shell and Dossie M. Case. We are in receipt of a communication from M. A. Jackson formerly a resident here now living at Carey, ().. where he is employed by the Van Buren company. Manufacturers of i the Buckeye traction ditcher. Millii gan says he is prospering and announI ces that a fat and and hearty boy baby now about five weeks old is making his home with them. “One day,” says an exchange clerk in a Philadelphia department store,” an old fellow from the country came up to my desk, and laying down a package said: “Young man, here's a suit of underwear that I bought here seven years ago. It is too small for me and I would like to have them exchanged.” I was thunderstruck at the nerve of the man but I managed to say something about the time limit on such transactions. “Well,” said he, “I know that but I’ve never had ’em on, and this is the first time I’ve been in town since the day I bought ’em.” Chris. Sehamerloh has resided in I nion township nearly forty years, and is one of the most popular men in that community as was proven Saturday evening when fifty friends and neighbors rushed in upon him about i six o’clock and proceeded to notify I him that the occasion was his 71st birthday and the nineteenth anniversary of his daughter. Miss Beata. A big supper which had been previously prepared was soou spread and the guests fell to iu a manner which showed plainly that they were enjoying themselves as well as the guests i of honor, Uncle Chris, and his fair I daughter. After supper games and other amusements were engaged in until a late hour. Jav Hindman the well known Jlart- . ford City lawyer, introduced Admiral i Schley to the jieople of Asheville, | Forth Carolina, last week. Jay’s train i stood alongside of the Admiral’s as it I rolled into the station. Jay crawled |on board and introduced himself to | the Admiral. Schley was not feeling ! well and did not intend to leave the car but Mr. Hindman told him howall Asheville had turned out to do him honor and how disappointed the people would feel if he did not show himself and shako hands. Schley consented then and appeared on the rear platform. Mr. Hindman introduced him to the crowd, the people of Ashe ville supsosing he was one of Schley’s party and Schley supposing he was the duly appointed representative of the city of Asheville. Fire totally destroyed the home of Frank McConnell, just north of Monmouth, about eight o’clock Sunday morning. While the cause of the fire , is unknown it is b -lieved to have been ! a defective flue. The family had just finished their breakfast when someone opened the door to the kitchen and was greeted with a blast of smoke and flames which drove them back. The alarm was given by ringing the dinner bell and neighbors rushed to the scene. A portion of the furniture in the lower part of the house was saved but all the goods up stairs was burned. The house was an old one but was substantial and would have served its purpose many years vet. The loss is estimated at about SI(XX) with 8550 insurance. Mr. McConnell and family have always been very < areful about fires, and in all their years of experience this is the first loss. They are living at present on the Robert Evans farm. After an illness of several months Mrs. T. R. Moore died at her home on ! Ninth street at an early hour Monday I morning of tubureu’o >'s of the lungs ! the dread disease has been creeping ; upon her for a long time, but she kept up bravely, her fortitude prolonging life even this long. She was a splendid lady and neighbors and friends loved her sincerely. A few months ago she was taken south thinking that perhaps a change of climate might check the ravages of the disease, but the inevitable could not lie warded off Short funeral services were held at the home Monday afternoon after which the remains were taken to Avil la,lnd ,her former home,for interment. Hannah Ruth Lemmon was born in Seneca county, ()., Dec. 5., 1860, and died at her home in Decatur, Ind., Feb. 17, 1902, aged 41 years. 2 months and 21 days. She was married to Theodore R. Moore Feb. 12, 1890 and moved to Decatur where she lived up to the time of her death. She united with tht» Presbyterian church in May, 1891 and when the master called her she was ready to go to her eternal home. She was a charter member of the order of Eastern Star and was ever ready to do her fluty as a member and faithful in attendance until within the last year when that dreadful disease, consumption took hold of her She leaves a husband, three sister an two Btep|]children, Charles M. and Hattg E. V. Moore, who have <jor felt lier tender, motherly care. Tier life was one of gentleness. She was a model wife I Christian.

Marie Sampleson, the young lady who was connected with the Dunn murder trial at Fort Wayne, the facts of which are still fresh, died Sunday evening insane and with her heart broken. She was eighteen years old, but has lived twice that in the last i few months. Subscribers to the Democrat have paid us this week as follows: Fred erick Hahnert, Andrew Fuelling, Jacob Borne, Jr., \V. F. Reinking, George Trieker, L. D. Miller, D. Bixler, H. A. Hartman. H. Konrtenbriar, Dan. A. Rumple. Chas. Kiefer, A. F. Tieme, B. F. Briener, John Smith and J. J. Longenbarger. Among those on board' the G. R. & 1. passenger train which was wrecked | last Thursday near Ft. Wayne was D. M. Hensley, of this city. The ac cident was caused by the train jumping the track and might have been quite serious. As it was, Heck was thrown oyer two seats and landed on top of the third. Wu Ting Fang the famous Chinese diplomat and minister was also a passenger on the same train, traveling in his own special car. No one was seriously injured but quite a number received bruises which they will carry as souvenirs of the occurrence for several days.

The jury in the Wabash circuit court rendered a verdict in the suit of Miss Bridget Roche of Huntington against Mrs. Ravarre, better known as Kil-So-Quab,a ninety-year-old Miami Indian, for possession of 120 acres of land near Roanoke, to which Miss Roche claims the old woman years ago made a deed to her brother, John Roche, who owner! all of the tract except twelve acres, in which Mrs. Ravarre owned a life estate, but the jury gave the venerable squaw a life estate in forty acres, while confiming Miss Roche’s title to the estate laud in fee. Judge Paulus did not assess the costs of the case, which has twice been tried, but will return to Wabash in March and decide this question. Progressive pedro, whist and delicious refreshments were the events of a pleasant evening enjoyed by about twenty of the friends of Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Brittson at their beautiful homo Thursday evening. Mr. and Mrs. John Heller won first prizes and Miss Tessie Barkley and Mr. Earl Adams the “boobies.” The occasion was a delightful one and was enjoyed by the following guests who were so luckey as to have been present: Messrs, and Mesdames Harry Daniel, Chalmer Schafer, John Heller, Misses Tessie Barkley, Jennie Congleton, Bess Congleton. June Merryman. Bess Schrock. Harriet Burns and Mabel Hiskey of Belleview, Ohio, and Messrs. Arthur Rose, Earl Adams, Don Quinn, Will Schrock. C. E. Neptune and Marion Smith. Miss Midge Smith assisted in serving. Elmer Moser, the photographer, has turned out some work this week that will be shown in every city of size in the United States and we are proud of the fact for they will reflect credit to the artist. The photographs we speak of were taken with Prof. Fred C. LaDelle as the subject representing that noted magician in the perfor tnance of several of his most difficult feats. The beautiful costumes the grace of the performer, in fact every point and feature which give a finish ed appearance to a picture are there. They will be used as a display before the various theatres at which Prof. LaDelle has booked engagements for the next three months and we venture that more than one judge of art will gaze in wonder and inquire who Mosure is. Fred doesn’t hesitate a moment iu saying that the work is the equal of the famous Baker, of Columbus, or others whose reputations are world w ide. It js now the Great Northern Indi ana Agricultural Association, if you please, that name having been chosen last Saturday, and the new organization succeeds the Adams County Ag ricultural Association. The new fair company, as its name would indicate, will henceforth embrace all surround ing Hoosier counties, and ’ere many years Adams county will each year have fairs unequalled in the state. The grounds even now an' the most beautiful, the officers and members are honest and industrious and their only efforts are to make tlmir fairs the best on earth. Their first effort, last year with only a few week’s work, was a fitting start and proved lieyond question that we can have the liest displays of any county in the state. The officers are already at work and wo can expect delegations to the fair of 11)02 from every county in northern Indiana. Several of the members have been desirous of changing the name of the association for some time and at th<'meeting held at the court room Saturday thi was the principal business. About thirty live members were pscsent and a letter was read from Mi. Willard Steele, in which he stated that if the name was changed ho would extend the lease five years longer on the same terms. When the question was put to vote it lost by a few votes, but after further discussion the question was reconsidered and then canied. In our humble judt’ meat th*< hango is for the better and wo predict great things lor the Great Northern Indiana Agricultural Asso ciation.

Met Iriff A- Bergen as attorneys for Mrs. Ida Flodding have filed in the circuit court of this county upon change of venue, a $3,000 damage ease for slander, against Aramintha A. \ anev. The case bids fair to be a I real, live, juicy one and the allegations are such that we cannot give I them to our readers. Jay county’ is > becoming famous for such affairs. Jack Bremerkamp of Decatur, is now employed on the Herald as compositor. As his home indicates, Jack is very fond of buckwheat cakes and \ lasses, with an occasional dip of gravy and saner kraut. Nevertheless he is a mighty good boy to have around, which is saying a whole lot more than (Can be said of a good many Decaturites who come to Willshire occasionally.- Willshire Herald. Our editor-in-chief and manager of the Witness Co., Fred Rohrer, has been quarantined since Sunday on account of his son Paul having been taken down with scarlet rash. The boy has however quite recovered and Fred may appear in the office now most any moment. Meanwhile “we” that are left to ourselves steer the boat as best we are able. Later: Fred has just returned. Berne Witness. Tuesday evening marked the closing time for the assessment of candidates for city officers, subject to the decision of "the primary to be held Friday, March 7, to be paid and those who did not put up the cash by that time are out of the fight. The list of candidates is as follows: For mavor, A. P. Beatty and D. D. Coffee; for clerk, D. M. Hower and Benj. Knapke; for treasurer, W. J. Archbold; for marshal, Harvey Hart. W. H. Baker, Tarlton Selby and Thomas Buckmaster; for councilmen first ward, W. B. Suttles, Daniel W. Myers, Albert Buhler. Daniel Haley, Alex Leßrun and Elisha Reynolds; second ward, H. S. Porter, E. H. Leßrun, John Stoneburner, Jacob Miller, Heiry Stetler and John R. Cline; third ward, W. H. Niblick, Peter Gaffer, George Dutcher, E. A. Mann and Cyrus Weaver. A peculiar case is on in the Adams circuit court this week in which Peter Stiener is the defendant and the State of Indiana is conducting the prosecution. The charge against Stiener is a serious one, being that of allowing his thirteen yearold son, Noah, to die without the aid of a physician or the giving of medicine toalleviate the suffering or heal the poor lad. Mr. Stiener and family are members of a religous society which believes in the sick being cured by faith and this is given as the reason why their son should go out of the world without any appar- I ent effort to save him. The evidence j showed that Noah had been sick. about five weeks and that at the same time three other children were also ill and that Mr. Stiener was suffering from kidney trouble and asthma. No medicine was given but all received good nursing and all got well except Noah, who the family believed was called by the Almighty. The defendant is sincere in his belief and the case is pathetic to say the least. The jury were charged by the court yesterday afternoon after short arguments by the counsel. Cases have been disposed of in the circuit court this week as follows: Peter D. Steiner, cruelty to child, motion to quash indictment overruled and case tried by jury. State vs Ed-! win L. Wilgus, tried by jury with dis- j aggreement as a result. L. C. Helm. | ex parte, excused as juryman on account of being fire chief. Milwaukee I Ave. State Bank vs Anson Van Camp, | allowed ten days to answer. Evelyn ! Eckert vs Erastus Fritzinger, deposi-1 tions of Mrs. R. N. Van Meter, Oscar Flungher and Charles O’Donnell, of I Hammond be taken February 24.1 Mary Baumgartner vs Emil Baum- i gartner, divorce granted and $175 alimony. Roma Merryman vs William J. Myers, set for trial March 26. Leona Twigg vs Wm. Twigg, defend-1 ant ordered to pay into court $25 forj support of plaintiff. Samuel Hurless, I et al vs August Koihorst, default as to Lola Foster, separate paragraph of answer by Leona Harshman, rule to reply. Hattie M. Rice vs G. R. AI. Ry. Co. change of venue granted to! Jay county. Orvando Morgan vs Fannie Morgan, set for trial March 28. James Wagonner vs Jonathan Andrews, demurer filed to petition. John T. Williams vs. Calvin Miller, motion sustained that plaintiff furnish books for examination by defendant. Oliver D. Reynolds vs Alfred Reynolds, et al, separate answer by Charles Reynolds, rule to answer. Peter Holthouse vs William G. Span eer, Holthouse A Schulte made part ies defendant. Henry Deimer vs I James K. Niblick, appearance by A. P.- Beatty for defendant, rule to an-1 swer. W. H. Niblick, ndmr. of Tim othy Coffee estate, judgment for $197,- i 15, attorney Lutz allowed $5. Bar-1 bara A. Bohr vs Barbara Bohr. admr.. claim allowed for $3Ol. 43. Christy ; Slogdill vs Joel Myers and Nathan j Roe, appearance by L. C. DeVoss for [ defendant Myers and by Peterson A Franco for defendant Roe, demurer ! filed by each. Assignment by Ed ward B. I laefling, schedule filed, oath of assignee filed, bond approved. Thomas J. Murphy vs James Lewis, et al. affidavit of non-residence filed.

CIRCULATION 2800 WEEKLY

NUMBED TO

George W Tester died at his home ‘ at Liberty Center, Ohio, at ouo o’clock Tuesday morning, after suffering with ! heart trouble for six months or longer. He was about seventy years old and ' a pioneer of Ohio. His son Jacob Tester ami wifeof this citv, his daughter Mrs. Noah Amspaugh, of Berne, and his brother Jacob Tester and wife |of the south part of the county left for Liberty Center yesterday. The funeral services will be held this ; afternoon. New cases filed this week with the clerk of the Adams circuit court are entitled: The Memmonite Publishing House, ex parte, petition to change name. Mary Kranz vs Edward John son and Joseph Tonnellier, account $125. Assignment of E. B. Haefling, James I'. Haefling, assignee. Christian G. Egley vs. Catherine Egley, et al, partition. Thomas J. Murphy vs James Lewis, et al, suit to quiet title. Ida FlandingvsA. A. Young, slander, from Jay county. Postoffiee Insjiector D. J. Foster of Chicago, was in this section of Indiana several days last week and succeeded in locating the writers of some obscene letters which had come under his notice, and on Tuesday he filed five affidavits before United States Commissioner T. J. Logan at Fort Wayne. The affidavits were sent to Indianapolis and a deputy marshal from there will make the arrests some time this week. It is said that one or two of the parties live at Bluffton but just where the others reside will not be made public until after the arrests. The offense is a very serious one and the least possible punishment is a fine of SSOO while imprisonment may be added. Many people send just such articles through the mails each day and this occurrence shonld bo taken as a warning to those who have es caped this time. Yesterday’s Fort Wayne Sentinel said: At 4 o’clock this afternoon a special committee will go into session at the rooms of the Commercial club for the purpose of outlining a program for the dedication of the court house. This work is done at the reqest of the county commissioners, who have in vited suggestions from the business men and others regarding the dedication of the splendid building of which Allen county is justly proud. In a number of conferences with the county officials the matter has been gone over and a wealth of suggestions offered. From these the commit tee this afternoon, comprising the Commercial club’s directors and its committee on railroads and assemiblages, will outline a schedule to be ! submitted to the county commission- , ere. The dates selected will doubtless ibe in the early summer and present plans are to make it the most magnificent public gathering of its kind ever held in Fort Wayne. An effort will lie made to secure a one-fare rail road rate good for the entire week, though the program proper is not likely to extend over two or three days. Governor Durbin and many other prominent Indiana men are to be invited. One of the most serious fires which has occurred in the down town dis trict for several years was the one at Niblick A Co’s dry goods and grocery store yesterday morning. The loss is estimated by those who are in a position to know the value of such stocks at various amounts ranging from S3,(XX) to $9,000, and we are unable to state accurately just what the damage will be. The biaze was caused by the sudden increase of the gas pressure which overheated the furnace underneath the grocery department and set fire to the wood work. When John Henry Bremerkamp opened the doors at 6:15 o’clock yesterday morn ing he found the store so filled with smoke that he was unable to locate the fire for a time. Realizing that the conflagration was a serious one he at once telephoned the proprietors and they arrived in time to keep thejerowd which had gathered rapidly from bursting in the doors and allowing a draft which would have caused the loss to be much heavier. The floor in the grocery department was burned through over a space of about fifteen feet square and several dollars worth of groceries were destioyed. The big loss, however, is from smoke and will reach several thousand dollars. It is fully covered by insurance, the entire stock being valued at $27,000 with $21,000 insurance as follows: SI,OOO each in the Merchants of Newark. Niagara. Hartford, Philadelphia Un derwriters, Underwriters of New York, Royal, Teutonia, German of Freeport, Phoenix of London. Ger man American and Pennsylvania, and S2,(MX) each in the Michigan Fire A Marine, Aetna, Northwestern National and National. The building is also amply insured in the Indiana and Teutonia, a representative of the former being in the city at the time and reporting the loss at once. The representative of the Hartford com pany arrived yesterday afternoon and a settlement by all the insurance com panics is expected within a short time I after which Niblick A Company will at once prepare for business. Several i thousand dollars worth of spring gtMxls had just arrived and the loss is thus made much heavier than if the fire had occurred at some other time.