Decatur Democrat, Volume 48, Number 30, Decatur, Adams County, 29 September 1904 — Page 6

i THE BLIGHT (M Trust Domination As Evidenced In Delaware and Madison Counties. Mills and Factories Shut Down, Workmen Out of Employment, Houses Vacant or Rented for a Song, and i Trade Demoralized —Muncie's Loss I $8,000,000 Annually. Perhaps in no state of the Vnion has the withering blight of the evil genius known as the trust fallen with a heavier hand than in the two counties of , Delaware and Madison. With the discovery of natural gas many factories • were organized with local capital, and . many others came to the two counties from the East where they had been operating for years. Thousands of men were given employment and this particular section of the gas belt. In common with others, seemed destined to be prosperous regardless of what other sections of the country might suffer from financial depression. Then came the era of trust domination and many of the factories, which had been organized with local capital, passed into the hands of the combinations. some of them being forced to do so through the manifest intention of the trust organizers to force the smaller establishments out of business if they did not sell their plants. Factory after factory was thus absorbed, and for a few years there was no apparent change from the conditions tha r had obtained while each individual plant was owned and operated in competition with all the others in the same line of manufacture. But the trust had entered the field , to do away with competition, and it ; soon began to use the power which it had secured through the purchase of competing plants. The employes found that they had no certain tenure of work, that they were employed today and tale tomorrow, and that these periods of employment gradually grew further and further apart and the periods of idleness gradually became longer and longer. Then came the final coup and mill after mill and factory after factory was closed indefinitely. Some have now been closed for three or four months, some for a year and others for two or three years and everything is uncertainty and dis content, where it was once steady em | ployment and a certainty of good wages. The effect of this in the cities of Muncie. Alexandria and Elwood is distressing in the extreme. Business has fallen off, rental property has depreciated in value, hundreds of houses are vacant and idle men are on every street corner. Many have left the state in search of work in other places and many others would go but their long periods of enforced idleness have left them without money on which to move their families. Some of the skilled workmen of Muncie are working as day laborers in the oil fields of Delaware county, some are driving ice wagons and others are engaged on odd jobs about the town wherever they can find work and for anything that the employer offers. The business ot the city of Muncie has suffered a constant annual reduction under these adverse conditions and conservative estimates place the loss to the city’s business at not les' than $8,000,000 a year. In contrast ■with the attitude of the trust toward Its factories, the plants owned and operated by private capital are running - practically full time and the employes j •re all at work. Only the employe of, the trust is walking the streets or working at seme mployment at a wage wholly inadequate to the needs of his family and commensurate in no sense with the years of service which brought him his skill as a craftsman and entitled him to a better ware. On every hand he can see the mill or factory in which he once worked, with doors locked, fires drawn, the smokestacks rearing their heads toward the , eky and the buildings dust-covered and uninviting, the whole a monument to she greed which has throttled compet’*’on and sent him out into the streets to earn a precarious existence for himself and family. Here is a partial rec- ! ord of the factories purchased by the ! trust and closed down in order to lessen the outrun of t»>o ,

■ you write us.dnTl ire trill trrilr. qoiil I how to yet Dinner Sots Toilet Sets. I I lU)cktn<| Choirs DminqChairs, A'ilwrl ■ ■nore.Siile-hoonh, Kitchen Gahinels, I I Htorris C.hinrs.Gouches.lfo-Gafts, I ■ Writmq Oe,sks,Biv,\)tAes.hntf.hcs,S<'.ninij-1 ■ -NUthines.Loce Curtains. lUujs.nml I I I'nrlor of cost hq scll-l ■ inq our Tens and Coffees to your I I friends. Ite iireTen importers und I I Coffee roasters scllinij direct to the I 1 consume,v. unto for 'Gritnloqutlilress fj 11 iiimaOhio||

American sneer steel ana nnpiate ' Company at Muncie. Organized with I local capital and afterward sold to the trust. Employed 1.000 men. Number of employes reduced to 500 the first | year and closed in August. 1903. Has not run a dav since. American Rollins Mill Company. Established by Muncie capital. Employed 700 men. Passed into hands of co-operative company, and after I eight months declared a dividend of • > 25 per cent. Sold to the trust and was > > shut down in December 1903. Muncie Iron and Steel Company. ' I known as the “Grasshopper” mill. I Was built by Muncie capital Sold I to the Republic Iron and Steel company. the trust. Finishing department ■ closed for fifteen months. Puddle department closed four months ago. throwins men out of employment. Merring-Hart Window Glass Company. organized with local capital and sold to the American Window Glass company, the trust. Was never operated a day after the purchase, but was bought simply to get it out of the way as a competitor. Its 300 employes turned out in the cold. The Muncie rulp mill, also organized with local capital and sold to the trust. Ran a week or two at a time after the sale, but was closed permanently four montns ago; 300 employes let out. C. H. Over Window Glass factory. Sold to the trust and closed, its 300 employes turned adrift. United Boxboard and Paper company at Yorktown; bought by the paper trust and closed six weeks ago. Employed 100 men. The conditions at Alexandria, while showing fewer factories on the list of the closed, are even worse because the town's business was almost wholly dependent upon the factories. Prior to the raid of the trust on the industries rents averaged $2.50 per room or $12.50 per month for a five-room house, $lO per month for a four-room house, and so on. Now there are any number of vacant houses in the town, rents have fallen to an average of $1 per room a month, and many families are getting their house rent free because owners would rather have them occupied than have them subject to vandalism. as would be the case if they were vacated. Here is a partial record of the closed factories and of the number of men thrown out of employment: American Window Glass Company; closed two years ago: employed 500 men; has done no w rk since that: time except experimenting with blowing machines. Big Four Window Glass Company: | fell into the hands of the trust and was dismantled and 200 men forced into I the ranks of idlers. Republic Iron and Steel company; has been closed nine months and its 750 employes have been idle. This is the trust whose baneful influence has been felt in several of the cities of the state. It was organized to purchase rival plants and curb production, and has abandoned two plants at Terre Haute, two at Marion, one at Frankton. one at Alexandria and one at New Albany. The Kelley Ax Company at Alexandria is moving its plant to West Virginia. and its 1.500 employes are added to the list of idle. Many of them, how-| ever, will follow the plant to its new I location. One of the effects of the wholesale closing of factories by the trusts is seen in a weed-covered roadbed and piles of unused cross-ties between Muncie and Alexandria. This was an electric line between the two cities, I and the grade was all made and the ■ ties distributed, but when the factories | began to close travel between the two] places practically ceased and the road | I has never been completed. The im-; | pression is that it will not now be fin- j i ished, not at least till conditions im- ■ ’ prove, and the prospect for this is very ; remote. Conditions at Elwood are practically on a par with those at Alexandria, and from the same cause. There are many vacant houses, rents have fallen off in consequence, and the business of the merchants and others has suffered by the growing depression resulting from the closing of factories. I There have already been several busi-I ness failures, and this is in marked i contrast with the general prosperity of the town before the blighting hand of the trust fell upon it. Such, indeed, was its prosperity when the factories were run independently that there waa ' but one mercantile failure in the panic iof 1893. Here are some of the more j ‘important factories that have suc-

' lumr-ea to trust ma~rpmauon: Diamond Plate Glass Company; or-' ganized independently and was gobbled up by the trust. Employed 400 ; to 500 men. Has been closed since December. 1903. American Window Glass Company; employed from 100 to 150 men. Organized by local capital, bought by the trust and run one year: closed in 1901 and has been closed ever since. American Radiator Company; emj ployed from 40 to 50 men: ran the; I plant one year, moved the machinery j ' away; still owns the building, but ' won't sell it because of fear of com- j petition. Macßeth-Evans I-amp Chimney Com- , pany: closed last season but promised to run this fall on reduced wages | which employes refused to accept, i Employed 200 to 300 men. American Tinplate Company: em ' plovs 1.500 men and plays shuttlecock with them. Employes accepted reduction of 18 per cent under promise of steady work, but have received employment only about half the time since reduction went into effect. From the foregoing, which is but a partial list, of course, of the number of men thrown out of employment by the trusts, it will be seen that in the three cities of Muncie. Alexandria and Elwood the aggregate is in excess of 7.000 men. Tni- estimate includes but 750 of the 1.500 employes of the American Tinplate Company at Elwood, for the mill is not closed, though it gives employmen* to its men only about half the time, making really 750 idle Ul the time. People with limited incomes find their expenses have increased while their revenues are stationary. All these people are inquiring why the trusts should be protected by the tariff in selling their products at the j highest possible prices here and a i much lower price in foreign coun- j tries. Many of the voters have dis- I covered that the tariff prevents competition and fosters monopoly, and j that the increased cost for their products that the monopolists charge is a much greater tax than the government receives. Judge Parker’s declaration that If elected in November, he will not be a candidate again, is causing the Republicans a great deal of uneasiness. President Roosevelt's known ambition to succeed himself four years hence if elected this fall has had the effect of calling public attention to the importj ance of limiting the Presidency to one I term, and sentiment in favor of it is : constantly growing. Judge Parker recI ognizes the wholesomeness of this i sentiment and, in common with many ' thinking men, declares that one term j is enough. Notice to the Public. Cataract and all diseases of the eyes cured without an operatihn by Dr. G Thain. It makes no difference how long you have been blind or how sore your eyes are. you can be cured; also, deafness or hard of hearing can be re. stored. Consultation and examination free. Dr. Thain will return here again and be at the Murray House, Thursday, Sept. 29. 51tf A Boy’s Wild Ride for Life With family around expecting him to die, and a son riding for life eighteen miles to get Dr. King’s New Discovery for consumption, coughs and colds'W. H. Brown, of Leesville, Ind., endured death's agonies from asthma, but this wonderful medicine gave instant relief and soon cured him. He writes: “I now sleep soundly every night." Like marvelous cures of con- ■ sumption, pneumonia, bronchitis, coughs, colds and grip proves its matchless merits for all throat and lung troubles. Guaranteed. Bottles 150 c and SI. Trial bottle free at Blackburn <& Christen’s drug store. Bucklen’s Arnica Salve. Has world wide fame for marvelous cures. It surpasses any other salve, lotions, ointment or balm for cuts, corns, burns, boils, sores, felons, tetter, Ulcers, salt Rheum, fever sores, chap- ' ped hands, skin eruptions: infalliable for niles. Cure guaranteed. Only 25c j at Blackburn <& Christen’s drug stole. TO VOTE A STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC TICKET. 7 To vote a straight Democratic ticket make an X within the circle which surrounds the Rooster, as the one above is marked. Make no other mark on your ticket. Any other mark than the X will spoil your ballot and will lose your vote. Use nothing to mark the X but the blue pencil that will be given you by the poll clerk. Should you by accident make any other mark on your ballot, return it to the poll clerk and get a new one. Before leaving booth fold your ballot so that the face cannot be seen, and so that the initial of the poll clerk on the back can be seen. 164 Acre Farm for Sale Three and one-half miles east of Geneva, Ind. Well improved and in the oil belt. For terms, etc., address Jacob Miller, Geneva, Ind. 18w3m

I There could be no better sign of I democratic victory in New York state than that afforded by the quarrel between Senator Platt and Governor ' Odell. The latter named the state ticket while the former stood by and looked on but took no hand in the contest. Mr. Platt has not thought for some time that this is to be a Republlican vear, and he gave the reins to Odell with the expectation that defeat would overtake the party and that the governor’s leadership would thus be brought to an end. That New York is never Republican when Platt don t ! want it to be, goes without saying. DO IT TODAY. The time-worn injunction, ' Never put off ’till tomorrow what t you can ido today,” is now generally pre ! sentedin this form: “Do it today!” That is the terse advice we want tc give you about that hacking cough or demoralizing cold with which you have been [struggling for several dajs, perhaps weeks. Take some reliable remedy for it todav—and let the remedy be Dr. Boschee’s German Syrup, which has been in use for over thirtv-five years. A few doses of xt will undoubtedly relieve your cough or cold and its continued use will cure you completely. No matter how deep-seated your cough, even if dread consumption has attacked your lungs, German Svrnp will surely effect a cure—as it has done before in thousands of apparenly hopeless cases of lung trouble. New trial bottles 25cts regular size, 750 t. At all druggist GOOD SPIRITS. Good spirits don’t all come from : Kentucky. Their main source is the I liver—and all the fine spirits ever I made in the Blue Glass State could ■ not remedy a bad liver or the hundredi and-one ill effects it produces. You I can’t have good spirits and a bad liver 'at the same time. Your liver must be in fine condition if you would feel buoyant, happy and hopeful, bright of eye, light of step, vigorous and successful in your pursuits. You can put your liver in fine condition by using Green's August Flower—the greatest of all medicines for the liver and stomach and a certain cure for dyspepsia or indigestion. It has been a favorite household remedy for over thirty-five years. August Flower will make your liver healty and active and thus insure vou a liberal supply of “good spirits.” Trial size 25c; regular bottles 75c. At all druggists. Farm Lands That Are Cheap ia Dollars But Rich in Soil. Dick Townsend” has” completed arrangements whereby you can go t-o Mandon, North Dakota, for $26.65 from Chicago and return. Lands from $4 to $1 per acre with free home stead adjoining. Come and see us over First National Bank Decatur Ind., We can also sell yo farms in Virignia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas. Excursion lates to North Dakota any day during the week, except Saturday and Sunday for three or more. Dick Townsend over National Bank Residence 422 Jefferson St. Phone 109. d&w NOTICE I am dcing shoe repairing and am located in Kauffman <k Smith’s harness shop, next door to Schlegel’s blacksmith shop. Bring in your hoes if they need any repairing. Peter Conter. Farmers Take Notice. Are your hogs and chickens healthy and in as thriving condition as vou would like to have them, if not, feed them Egyptian Hog and Chicken Cholera Remedy. Put up in gallon and half gallon cans. For sale at the old reliable drug store, Smith, Y 7 ager & Falk. 48tf Low Rate es Interest. Money loaned at five per cent, interest, payable annually or semi-an-nually, at option of borrower, with privilege of partial payments at any nterest paying time. No delay in making loans. F. M. Schirmeyer, Decatur, Ind. 9tf

EAST. No. 8. The Comm’l Traveler daily. 5:25a. m No. 2. Mail, daily, eicept Sunday ...H-5u a. m No. 4. Day express, daily 6:43 p.m No. 22, Local freight 1:10 a. m WEST. No. 3. Day express, daily 5:25 a. m No. 1. Mail, daily except Sunday .. .11:25 p. n: No. 5. TheComm’l Traveler.daily.. 9:10 p. tr No. 23. Local freight 12:05p. n: RAILROAD CHICAGO & ERIE. In effect June 19, 1904. WEST. No 7—Express,dally ~2:00a rr ■o 9—Buffalo and Chicago United 3:02 a n No 3—New York and Chicago Limited through coach Columbus and Chlcagodaily 12:44pn <0 11—Wells Fargo Express except I Monday 5:50 p n I 4o 31—Marlon-Huntington Acc’m.. 10;10a u EAST No. 48—Chicago and N Y limited 11:21 D . m No B—Vestiouie Limited tor N Y 2:47a n ♦o 23—Marion and Columbus except Sundav 6:58 a n <o 4—New Yoex and Boston Limited through coaches Columbus and Chicago 4:51 pn No. 13 will not carry baggage. 3 and 4 ha 3 | -Isrough coach Columbus to Chicago. | No. 14—8:20 Carry passengers between 1 Hammond ana Marion.

Grand Rapids & Indiana. In effect Sept. 19W TRAINS NORTH. No 5-^avesnecatur. yu( . ......... :: Arrives Raids' ' .. Petoskey - oupw .. •• Mackinaw City 4:15 pm N,o 7—Leaves Decatur s-wJS •• - Fort Wavne....... Kalamazoo , - Arrives Grand Rapids P n .. Petoskey ».o»pin Mackinaw City 10:50 pm No. 3—Leaves Decatur Fort Wayne l-.'pm •• " Kalamazoo. " Arrives Grand Rapids S •• - Petoskey !»■“ .• •’ Mackinaw City a m TRAINS SOUTH No. 6—Leaves Decatur. J-<* » m •• “ Portland -['Jara Winchester ??£k am “ Arrives Richmond a m •• Cincinnati ,: rZ ain •• “ Indianapolis ™ : S am “ “ Louisville 10:0a am “ St. Louis I:3opm No. 12-Leaves Decatur Portland Winchester «:56am •• Arrives Richmond 9:42 a m •• Cincinnati K :20 pm “ •• Indianapolis 12:10 pm •• •• Louisville •• St. ‘ Juis :10 p m No. 2—Leaves Deca r VI? pni •• •• P irtland 2:13 pm “ Winchester 2:50 pm *• Arrives Ri :bmond 3:40 pm *• •• Cincinnati 5:55 pm “ •• Indianapolis 11:55 pm Louisville 7:00 a in •• St. Louis 7:22 am No.3o—Leaves Decatur p ni Arrives Portland b:55 pm No. 16—Leaves Decatur.. . f b:46 p m Portland 9:45 pm •• “ Winchester 10:25 pm “ Arrives Richmond 11:15 p m Nos. 6 and 5 daily •• 2, 3 and i 2 daily except Sunday. No. 30 daily except Sunday to Portland. •• 16 Sunday only. No s—Sleeping car to Grand Rapids. Travise City. Northport and Mackinaw < ity. Dining car Gsand Rapids to Mackinaw City : No. 7—Pa rlorcar Gt and Rapids to Mackinaw City—Daily to Grand Rapids. N o. 3—Parlor car Richmond to Grand Rapids Sleeping car to Mackinaw City. No. ft—Sleeping car to Ci weinnat I. Indianapolis. Louisville and Sr. Louis. :.No. 2—Parlor car to Richmond and Cincinnati. J. Bryson. Agt. C. L. Lockwood. G. P. A. Gr. Rapids Mich. PARKER'S JSS HAIR BALSAM and beaa;.f.efi the hair. m Pmnu.teß a luxuriant growth. .JjM Never Faf.B to Restore Gray Hair to ire Youthful Color. ri-a p <1 -• a?*-s & hair falling. at Druggiaa axative firomo (Quinine .res a Cold in One Day, Crip in 2 Days on every Q. box - 25c Weak Men Made Vigorous rr6«T What PEFFER’S NERVIGORDiif It acts powerfully and quickly. Cures when al others fan. Young men regain lost manhood: ok men recover youthful vigor. Absolutely Guar anteed to Cure MervousneHH, Lost vitality. Impotency, Nightly Emission*. Lost Power either sex. Failing Memory, Wasting Diseases, and alle/ecUof or trcesM anc ) Inditcretion Wards off insanity and consumption Don’t let druggist impose a worthless substitute ot you because it yields a greater profit. Insist on having PEFFER’S NER VIGOR, or send for it Cai be carried in vest pocket. Prepaid, plain wrapper |1 per box, or 6 for $5, with A Written Guar anteetoCureor Refund .Money. Pamphlet (re< PEFFEB MEDICAL ASS’N, Chicago. HI Sold by Blackburn & Christen . FOR QUICK CASH SALES 5 r : — T ° i World’s Fair i BT. TjOUTS. Ma J 1904 ? 11—III ■■■■ . ■■■— — Mortgage Loans. ■ Money Loaned on favortL'e terms, Low Rate of Interest. Privelege of partial payments, Abstracts of Title carefully prepared. F. M. SCHIRMEYER, Cor. Second and Madison eto. Decatlu', Indiana. n—~ ~ Z n wix • - ■ x •fcJL ■ X s . DON’T BE A SLAVE n iHHRBMHynHHESQSKFSMNKE I - 11 u To the l iquor or Drug Habit □d When a speedy, harmless and m permanen: Cure is within the reach of all? THOUSANDS of □ . happy, prosperous and sober Men on testify to the efficacy of the Cure as administered at THE KEELEY INSTITUTE : INDIANA 120-4 S. Adams Street a Confidences Carefully Guarded

ROY dentist I. O. O. F. BLOCK D. D. HELLER & gQjj ATTORNEYS AT LAW ’ Offica over Blackburn &vhriste|i , POKE B. ERWIN ATTORNEY AT LAW. Officr.—Corner Monroe i General practitioner. No tatlon 1 tge, W'on!" AMOS P BEATTY ATTORNEY AT LAW c A u n t d ed N MERRYMAN & SUTTON ATTORNEYS AT LAW, OECATCR, IND. Office—Noe. 1. 2. 3. over Adim.r, u We refer, by permission to Adam, SCHt’RGER & SMITH ATTORNEYS AT LAW. Notar es. Abstracters. Real Fst.,. . Money to Loan. Deeds and Mor’XS ten on short notice. (iflice in AliM?7” 1 ' KsaaMr ’■’•tek 111 ’' 8 - Neptune Brothers, DENTISTS. Rooms 1.2, 3,4, Spangler Building. Decatur, Indiana. Office ’Phone 207. LadyAtte ldw English. German and Swiss spoken FRED REPPEII, Sale Crier and Auctioneer. DECATUR, - - - ... IXDIASt Speaks English. r Gertnan. Swiss and Low German. MANN & CHRISTEN, Architects. Are prepared to do anv kind in their line. Persons contemplating building can save times, trouble and money by consulting them. Office— MANN & CHRISTES, Bowers Block, Monroe st. AichitM LINN & PJA TT 0 N Garpenters.lContractors and Buildn Slate Roofers and Galvanized Gutters. Shop, Corner Rugg and Market Streets. Linn & Patkt, AUCTIONEER For Good Service See L. H. GAGE (Speaks German and English) Auctioneer and Sale Crier. Ratesßl Sales over JSOO 80c per SIOO. Lew address at Berne Witness Office, Berne, M J. D. HALE, DEALER IN Seeds, H-ay, Wool, 0» Salt, Coal, Lime,Cernee Fertilizer's. Office and retail store store southern ner of Second and Jefferson streets. ? Your patronage solicited. 1 H. O. WELLS, M. D SPECIALIST. 723 CLINTON STREET. FORT Cures Piles. Fistula. Fissure- Sirictik] the Rectum. Itching. Bieed.ng. I Constipation and all diseases of it fl» ( Also Rupture. Dr. Mells will be > ’ Murray hotel, in the for.-uoou. .nfln Shamrocs hotel in Geneva in tbeane • on the first Tuesday ln . e y er J. “Zd order to introduce h:s P? I '-- 1 ' 8 , L oct j will give one treatment free toaliwa see him. —. KDr. Williams' Bleeding I es. It absorostkel e ihe itcWW al o V ltice '-indiaaFh® 111 la a Mr PiM^ 8 -pared for w e Nachtrieb S FuelllM- j DOCTOR E. J. General Practice and But Special A,te “ tlon .?)L e e V«- ' Nose, Throat and Chronic I> - Expert In Fittiafl Glass£ ’ Er ,.l ■ CALLS answered, day « OFFICE-over postofficeRESIDENCE— cor. Monroe i Office Hours-9 to 11 a. m. rs2syg $250,000 to loan proved farms nt of interest, we can your loan[at a lower J interest and iesS « than anyjother Agcn V the city. I The Decatur «hg' c J Rooms 3 and L