Decatur Democrat, Volume 47, Number 22, Decatur, Adams County, 6 August 1903 — Page 3

INTERIM news. That the Fort Wayne and Springaid Company mean business when nt ...v they will run the first ’ ction car through Decatur is hownby the following notice to in which they advertise bids for the construction of a. I n de from here to Fort Wayne. NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS. Sealed proposals will be received ’ b y the undersigned until noon of Atignst 11, 1 903 > Hotel Burt, Rooms H and 12. Decatur, Indiana, for t he construction of a grade for a in g]e track, electric railway, from 'p or t, Wayne, Indiana, to Decatur, Ind., following the Piqua road. Each bidder is requested to bid on sections of three (3) miles, or any multipl thereof, of said route. Plans, specifications and profile are on file and may be seen at said rooms from Monday August 3, 1903, until day of sale. Contractors will be requested to let a certified check for one hundred dollars ($100.00) with the proposal, which check shall be forfeited in ease the presons to whom the contract is awarded fails to enter into a satisfactory contract and furnish sufficient bond to for the completion of the work within five days after the proposal is accepted. The Company reserves the right to reject any or all bids. The F >rt Wayne and Springfield Railway Company. Per W. H. Fledderjohann. General Manager. A dispatch from Indianapolis Thursday said: An important meeting of interurban men interested in the project of building an electric road connecting Toledo and Indianapolis was held at the Claypool hotel today and the preliminary steps were taken to organize a syndicate that will be able to build the road. J. Morgan and J. L. Weadlock of Toledo, interurban promoters and builders, are at the head of the movement to establish the Toledo and Indianapolis route. They laid their plans before the number of Indiana and Ohio men. Mr. Morgan is president of the Dayton Traction company and has been engaged for several years with Mr. Weadlock in the establishment of the traction syst ?m that connects several Ohio cities and which forms a network about Dayton. They submitted estimates to the other promoters showing that the road can probably be built at a cost of $2,500.00 a mile. The distance would be in the neighborhood of 250 miles' as they have planned the route. The line would parallel the Wabash for part of the way, connecting Toledo, Defiance, Napoleon and Van Wert, and coming as far as Decatur, Ind iana. From Decatur to Indianapolis no definite route has been

agreed on. The route now being discussed is byway of Hartford City, Alexandria and Noblesville. Part of the territory

ftitiMlMlllll'i y. T |ii|i 1 FROM July 15th to August 15th any thing we have in our store you ■ can buy NOW at a reduced price. We VJ mean just what we say. Our stock is the largest, the best *** quality and finish, as you know we are the experienced dealers in our business, LgJ 4 which enables us to buy cheap and seg ff ? ' I"" lect only the BEST, well made Furniture that will stay together, the kind you always did and always will find in our store. It pays to buy quality at I II I prices right. Call and be convinced as others have done. Do hot forget the Y place, the “old place” opposite court •K h U e C/UA VZ A NEW LINE of go-carts JUST ARRIVED now LYager &Sons ' ON. DECATUR, IND. I

is already occupied by Indiana Union Traction company. The new’ syndicate would have no objections to uniting with the McCulloch company, it is said, to use its tracks and thus give the Union Traction company connection with the Toledo line. Only preliminary steps were taken today to organize the syndicate to build the road. After hearing the plans of Morgan and Meadlock the other capitalists expressed thejjpinion that the line would prove a paying venture, and it was decided to take active steps to finance the road if possible. Among those who attended the meeting were J. P. McGeath, of Hartford City; Mayor Coffee, W. E. Fulk, W. H. Niblick, of Decatur; John Cory, Pennville, and other capitalists from Matthews, Fort Wayne and Dayton. Another meeting will beheld in a few weeks, when it is expected a report favorable to constructing the road the road will be made. Drayton Hill and wife, of near Decatur, Adams county, were in town Sunday and Monday, at the bedside of Grandpa John Shehan, Mrs. Hill’s aged father, who owing to advanced age and broken down constitution, has been quite feeble and for several days it was surmised by the attending physician and relatives that the end was close at hand, but as we go to press he is said to be improving—Monroevile Breeze James Laughlin, eighty five years old, a pioneer of Jefferson township, died at his old homestea d Thurs day afternoon after an illness of six months. Death was due to infirmities and a general breaking down of the system. He has lived in Jefferson township nearly half a century. The children are Martin Laughlin, Mrs. D. B. Ford, Mrs. Andrew Kelly of Jefferson township and Mrs. John T. Kelley of Geneva. The funeral services wepe held at St. Marys Catholic church in Jefferson township Saturday morning at nine o’clock. Invitations were issued Thrusday by Mr. and Mrs. John Niblick for the marriage of their daughter, Harriet Evens to Mr. Arthur D. Suttles. The devent will occur this evening, and while it will be strictly a family wedding, it will be without doubt a most beautiful one. Rev. John C. White of the Methodist church will perform the ceremony at the Niblick home at eight o’clock in the evening and Mr. and Mrs. Suttles will leave at eleven o’clock over the G. R. & I. for a two weeks tour through nothern Michigan. Immediately upon their return they will be at home in their own pretty little cottage on Market street. Invitations for the wedding were sent to fifty five relatives, including a number at Bluffton and Fort Wayne. Both Miss Niblick and Mr. Suttles are well known in Decatur society and the Democrat advances best wishes.

The Harrod & Wa ggoner shoe factory received SI,OOO worth of leather Monday. Nothing but the finest quality of sheep hides are used by the concern, and a mediumsized shipment means a large sum of money. An employee 6f the Wallace Shows got too near the lions cage Saturday and one of the huge beasts struck him [a powerful blow on the shoulder inflicting a painful flesh wound. The injured part was cauterized so as to prevent any possibility of blood poisoning. Clear up the alleys- Nothing is so disgusting as old store boxes, trash,decaying fruit and everything else imaginable, at the edge or in the middle of the alley. Every store that handles perishable articles should have a garbage box and see that these are regularly hauled away. True the alleys are not as a rule centers of traffic, but many people must travel through them, and above all the good health of the community demands better conditions than are prevalent here. The woman peddler of sweepers, Mrs. Ulla Holtz, who backed out of an agreement with Lew Mills the Honduras grocer and then left without paying her board bill is now promising all kinds of trouble for several Adams county people. She was arrested by a young man named J. D. Crowl and brought back to this county where she was tried before Squire Bailey of Monroe and fined $8.50. Crowl is not a duly qualified constable but acted as a special, being deputised by constable Andrews. She had Crowl arrested on a criminal charge of impersonating an officer and he will be tried in Wells county next Tuesday. Not content with that revenge she has employed attorneys Mock and Sons of Bluffton to bring proceedings for $5,000 damages against Messrs Mills and Crowl and ’Squire Bailey. Tne family troubles between Wiley Magner and his wife which have been causing some talk for a month past has resulted in a divorce case as was predicted. The suit was filed Friday by L. C. DeVoss as attorney for the plaintiff, Mrs. Mattie E. Magner. The compaint alleges that Mattie and Wiley were married on New Years day 1889, and lived together until July 8, 1903, when the defendant deserted. Three children have been born to them and are now aged respectively, seven, nine and twelve years. The defendant is charged with drunkness, non-sup-port, cruel and inhuman treatment and accusing his wife of being unchaste and untrue. Mrs. Magner asks the custody and care of her three children and says her husand is an unfit person to have them. She also asks that her husband be ordered to pay into the court each week such sum as is deemed just and right for the support of the children. ••

The smallpox scare among the Amish in (lie southern part of the county is growing favorable and no new cases have resulted. Nor has there been any additional exposures to those who who are under quarantine. Dr. Miller the county health officer is watching the cases closely and Ipmi present indications his assiduity will be rewarded with a quick curbing of the disease. , John D. Crowl of this county who arrested Mrs. Ula Holtz the woman peddlar after she had crossed over the Wells county line and who it is claimed had no authority to plead guilty Friday before ’Squire Wolbert of Bluffton. He was fined ten dollars and costs amounting to $32.50. He had taken a change of venue and had employed Attorney DeVoss of this city to defend him, but apparently changed his mind for his action in pleading guilty was done wholly without advice of his attorney. County assessor Elias Crist has completed his report showing the advances over the previous assessments. The assessment on land in the county is $1,231,004; on improvements is $16,170, on lots is $867,620,; improvements on lots, $170,075; on personal property $191,207, making a total increase in the valuation of assessable property of $1,594,218. Only one appeal from the decisions of the Board of Review’ of the county to the State Tax Commissioners has been made, and that one is by the Decatur Lumber Company wose valuation for taxes was increased from $4500 to S6OOO. Dick Silick, the well known Decatur horse trainer was very seriously hurt at Bucyrus, Ohio Friday afternoon. He was driving Edna Medium, J. W. Place’s fast pacer when the horse in front of them fell. Four horses and sulkeys piled up as a consequence and Dick was taken from underneath, unconscious and badly hurt. A telephone message from George Flanders who was present was received this afternoon and said that Silick was very badly hurt but it was thought the would live. The. sulkey was broken to pieces. True Worth started in th 3 2:23 trot, but failed to get a place in the race. Jack, the steeple and stack painter, has ducked the border and Pete Gaffer is four bits to the bum. Jack was passing the house of Mrs. Mary Rademacker Wednesday when he spied a good looking umbrella on the porch. Now Jack had always been taught to make the most of his opportunities, and secured the umbrella without a struggle. It belonged to Mrs. Snellen w’ho was visiting there, and Marshal Cordua was notified. He found the umbrella with Peter Gaffer, who unsuspecting, had paid Jack fifty cents. All morning’s search failed to locate the offender aiiii ' JacA is pv'i’iom/n-.g his sleight of hand in another city.

The Van Camp machine shop on Eighth street, formerly known as the Eagle Foundry, now looks like a new place. and it is truly an in teresting place to visit. The machine or repair room is situated in the addition which has recenty been completed and the other part of the foundry is used for the erecting machinery which is manufactured exclusively in this city. The casting department is also an interesting place. Here pig iron and scrap iron are melted and run into molds of all kinds. Heavy wheels for traction and stationary engines, grates, rollers and iron bars of all descriptions are cast and in fact the shop looks as well equipped as many of those in the cities. Third week of the Western Chautauqua at Rome City will present a strong program. Rev. Cartwright of Pennsylvania, Rev. Geo. W. Adams of New York, and Rev. Geo. Wood Anderson of Ohio are on the lecture platform. Besides these we note W. C. T. U. Temperance, Reading Club, and Labor Days, with Rev. Anna Shaw, the noted preacher of Methodism; Mrs. L ’Orimston Chant, the eloquent English orator, and Hon. Samuel Gompers, of the American Federation of Labor, us representative speakers. The Sunday sermons will be preached by Rev. Geo. Wood Anderson and Rev. Richard C. Jones. .The Harmony Quartette will give Sacred Concert on Sabbath afternoon. The Cinematograph programs will be of interest.

JrTo Californian grjF and return HB Daily August 1 to 14, Chicago to San Francisco and gg ■ ■ Los Angeles. Correspondingly low rates from all points. ■ ■ gg Variable routes, liberal time limits. The only double-WW Jw Sf track railway between Chicago and the Missouri River. nW llSpecial G. A.R. Train// will leave Chicago 10.30 p. m., August 11, with Pullman drawingroom and tourist sleeping cars through toSan Francisco without J change, through the most beautiful mountain scenery in the J Rockies. Stop-overs en route. Three fast daily trains from Chicago. All agents sell tickets via this route. Write for maps, booklets and special train W. B. KNIBKERN, P. T. M. _ CHICAGO, ILL.

The Bowers and Fritzinger stone quarries in the north end are run- j ning under full capacity. Hundreds of yards of crushed stone are turned out each day at the former place, and all departments of the Fritzinger quarry are in operation. At the latter place they make lime, quarry building stone and saw all kinds of finishing and trimming stone. The case against John Crowl -who was arrested for impersonating an officer a few days ago, was tried before ’Squire Chalfant in Lancaster township, Wells county, last Tuesday. Crowl lives near Honduras and went accross the county line and arrested Ulla Holtz, the peddler, who tried to beat Lew Mills out of a board bill. Crowl was given authority to arrest the woman by ’Squire Bailey and acted in good faith.T he case was to be tried at Bluffton Wednesday, but Crowl took a change of venue. He was represented by Attorney L. C. DeVoss ofthis city. During the rain storm Wednesday lightning struck in the vicinity of Decatur and Marshall street and several people were quite severely shocked. Mrs. Harvey Sprague was standing in the door of her home at the time and so severe was the shock which she received that her arm and shoulder pained her later. Mrs. Sprague was leaning against the screen door and it is thought that the metal wires served as a conductor. Daniel Reynolds who lives in the vicinity where the lightning struck was also shocked and was unable to lie about very much Thursday. Just where the bolt struck could not be found but it is thought that it was probably conducted to the earth by some pump or piece of iron to which no damage could be done. The Clover Leaf has issued their new time card which is indeed u surprise. The new trains which were to be run between this city and Cayuga, Illinois, niUvU'iuJ'.'y.u ' added nor will they be in service until next year. There is where the first surprise comes in and it is surprising to learn further that the schedule of trains through this city does not vary a minute from the old time. The only change that affects this city is the changing of the terminus of No. 1 and No. 2, which came through here at 11:55 a.m. and 11:50 a. m. respectively. These two trains formerly had their western terminus at Cayuga while under the new arrangement it will be at Frankfort. The new trains which were to have their eastern terminus at this city will be put on only for the Exposition service, and it is entirely too early for them to start at the present time. A number of Berne citizens met last Wednesday evening and formed an oil company and will commence to drill for oil in the field south of town, at once. The company, known as the Eagle Oil Company, and has already leased two hundred and ninety acres of good oil territory. The first well will be put down on D. C. Sprunger's forty acre piece near Hirschey Bros, good well. The following eight are members of the new company: Levi A. Sprunger, Theodore Beiersdorfer, J. W. Craig, Sam Schoenbeck, Joel Hirschey, and Ed. Moser, Emil Erhart and D. C. Welty. The officres are: Emil Erhart, Pres.; Ed Moser, Vice president; J. W. Craig, manager; Theodore Beirsdorfer, treasurer and D. C. Welty, secretary. Several of the members have already oil experience and the company will benefit by it — Berne Witness.

Mies Elizabeth Swau, for twenty : years librarian at Purdue University diedin New York City last Monday. Miss Swan was one of the most popular of Purdue’s faculty and all students who knew her regret to hear of her death. J. M. Frisinger who left for Belgium some time ago to buy horses for the importing firm of Frisinger and Company of this city is expected to return within a month or six weeks. One bunch of horses left Antwerp Saturday and Mr. Frisinger will bring another bunch when he returns. The Belgian horse has found a place for itself in this country and Frisinger and Company have built up quite a profitable business inthe handling of that breed of horse flesh. The old settler’s excursion which is an annual occurance on the Erie railroad will in all probabilities be run the latter part of September. According to present contemplations the reunion will be held on Sept. 29 at Ossian. Thousands of people take advantage of the cheap rates each year, and the excursion is the means of bringing i together those who now live far apart but at one time were children ' together. The excursion this year ’ will come from the east and the next year it will be the in the ' other direction by alternate years. The management of the excursion, Messrs Flick and Wood of Warren, • Ohio, expect a larger number of excursionists this year than was ever handled before and prepara- ' tions are being made to handle the crowd. Two years ago the exs cursion train ran in four sections of ten cars each. • Hereafter the recommendations ’ of the board of pardons, to Governor Durbin for executive clemency in • the cases of men confined in the 1 penitentiary and reformatory will 1 not be made public. The pardons I and paroles of prisoners were at one s.tfrQP public tliroiT' h the news- ) papers, but George B. Lockwood, j secretary of Governor Durbin, has s deeided that they had best not be • made known. Mr. Lockwood says ■ the publication of the stories rest t on the inspiration of many requests ; for pardons to the great annoyance j of the govrenor’s office and to the 1 board of pardons. The men released also are advertised before they get > back to their homes. Mr. Lockwood says that men after getting ■ i out of prison have been so ‘ humiliated by the newspaper reI i ports of their release that they have II been disheartened in their ambition to begin life anew. Watermelons in plenty will be good news all over Indiana. According to the weekly crop bulletin issued by the United States weather i bureau the melon crop was never > better and the harvest season iis now on. As to other crops the report differs. Wheat, oafs and timothy harvests are about over. I Timothy wherever grown turned I out fairly well, but the wheat and : oats yield was much below the r average. Growing corn was much I benefited by the rainfall of the past i1 week. The sprouts all look healthy ; I and the crop should be heavy. ' Early potatoes ar< yi.-hWng a light II crop and the later potatoes look I j better since the rain. Moisture is . badly needaft, however, not only by I potato. - but by all garden vegeJ tables. Tobacco is protni-ttg. : i Drouth has affected the blackberry II crop. High winds and hail affected 1 ’ the apple crop. Some plowing has -■ been done for fall wheat, but the 1 ! ground does not work well on acI count of the drouth.