Decatur Democrat, Volume 48, Number 50, Decatur, Adams County, 16 February 1905 — Page 1

ALL the news all the time

VOLUME XLVIII.

FIRE AT BERNE Building Was Owned by R. K. Allison Bis Loss is Three Thousand Dollars— Covered by Insurance—Whole Block Threatened for a Time, Berne, Ind., Feb. IS.—Special.— Simison & Soldner’s big dry goods store was completely ruined by fire which broke out at 5:30 o’clock this morning. The store was in the building owned by R. K. Alli son, of Decatur, and located at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets. Mr. Soldner, a member of the firm, went to the store at five o'clock and built a fire in the stove, then went to breakfast. A half hour later the alarm was given and it is presumed the stove became overheated, as the biaza started in the rear of the store near where the stove was located. The fire burned fiercely for several hours, and for a time it was feared the entire block o f frame buildings next to the Allison block would be destroyed, but the local fire company did excellent work and confined the flames within the brick walls. D. Bixler, who owns the jewelry store next door, moved his entire stock out, but his building was not damaged. The Alliscn building was gutted, but the walls still stand. The stock is a complete loss, from the fire, water and smoke. Mr. Allison's loss is about 13,000, covered by insurance. Simison & Soldner bad at least a <15,000 stock, and carried SIO,OOO insurance, leaving them net losers to the amount of $5,000. Mr. Simison was at Fort Wayne when the fire started and did not learn of his loss until this afternoon. Mr. Allison arrived on the eight o'clock train. The firemen worked faithfully, notwithstanding the cold weather, and the fact that their clothes were frozen. • Had the tire spread to the frame block a disasterous blaze would have resulted. Mrs. Harry Dearn, of B luffton, is in the city a guest of Mr. and Mrs. R K. Alison.

Tho delinquen t tax sale was pulled off Monday at ten o'clock, the sale not being of a size that created much excitement. The total sales aggregated about S3OO, rhe buyer being B. W. Sholty, who captured 'twenty-four in the lot Besides him J. J. Magley, P. G. Hooper. E. A. Allen and F. M. Sohirmeyer were the successful bidders and buyers of tax titles. Adams county is not a fruitful field for this industry, the number of “ales being few and those not of a kind that brings joy to the heart of a buyer. A wise old observer and philosopher, when asked if he ever saw a bald-headed yvoman, replied: ‘"No, I never di 1, and I never saw a worn an waltzing round town in her shirt sieeves with a cigar in her teeth and running into every saloon she saw I have a woman go fishing with a bottle in her pocket, sit on the ground all day and go home drunk at night. Nor have I ever seen a woman yank off her coat and say she could lick any man in town. God bless her, the women are not built that way, leastwise, mcs; of them are net.”

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Herman Yager returned last evening from New Orleans, where he had been for several weeks. Herman made a complete tour of the South, looking for warm weather. "Limburger cheese, laid away in cupboardswill drive awa? ants.” Verily. I say unto you, it will drive dogs out of a tan yard; it will drive buzzirds away from a carcass; it will drive a herd of buffalo through a burning forest, and a mule through a barbed wire fence; it will drive men crazy if compelled to stay within twenty feet of its polluted presence; indeed it will drive away ants’—and unoles, too, and mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters and grandmothers, and even drive away mothers-in-law;, and still there are some claim to like Limburger.” The almost lifeless body of Mrs. Fred Hostetter was picked up Tuesday morning at the Bluffton Clover Leaf bridge by the section men. Mrs. Hostetter was lying on the north side of the bridge just at the west side and was on a small island near the first abutment. From the condition of her clothing, it would seem that she had been in the water which is not frozen at the riflle and had crawled out on this island to escape falling from exhaustion, and was rapidly freezing when found. It is supposed she jumped from the bridge in an effort to kill herself. She will recover. H. H. Harruff, a representative of the Fort Wayne & Spring field Electric line, wis in town on M inday and said that at a meeting last Friday of some of the officers of the company, the prospect of extending the line from Decatur to Berne was considered and things are looking bright for our town. Tais revives the electric road talk for Berne again and this time it is hoped that the talk shall not be in vain. Berne is in need of such a line and every citizen should put his shoulder to the wheel and give the promoters some encouragement. The com pany's line from Fort Wayne to Deoautr is expected to be in operation by the first of next June.— Berne News. Miss Alice Roosevelt, daughter of the president, was twenty-one years old last Saturday, ha ving first seen the light of day February 11, 1884. Though the name of Miss Roosevelt has been coupled with several eligible bachelors prominent in Washington and New York society, she is still, so far as authoritative information goes, “heart whole and fancy free.” Nick Longsworth, the rich bachelor oongresman from Cincinnati, is said to have actually “popped the question to Alice,” but she gave him the “mitten,” and nearly broke his heart. Miss Roosevelt is too thoroughly American to want to marry a duke, and it is a safe bet that she considers Longswrrth as simply “the son of his father.” Longsworth probably imagined that his riches would appeal to the young lady’s heart.*

The Berne Canning company’s machinery will be sold today at public sale, that is what is left of it The sale is on a decree from the Hancock county court, w here judgment was obtained for about $2,500. Since that time however the Bluffton Canning company has replevined a large amount of the machinery. It developes now that Manager Bowman of the Berne company went to Bluffton last fall, bought the Bluffton plant and paid $15050 down on same. Then he borrowed a large amount of th dr machinery and moved it to the Berne plant. When the chattel mortgage was given on their machinery these borrowed articles were included. When the Bluffton people learned of the sheriff’s sale, they at once began replevin suit against Sheriff Butler and he was ordered not to sell the borrowed machinery until further order ol the court. A representative of the Blnffton plapt was here today enroute to Berne, where he will take possession of his goods. The Berne Canning company are in a delightful mnddle. Manager Bowman had nerve and lots of it.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16. 1905.

“ Yes,” said the Billville citizen, “he wuz a nat'ral born runner fer office—jest run in his blood, so to speak—an’ it’s my firm belief that when he landed in paradise the very fust thing he did wuz to git out a opposition ticket to St. Peter for gatekeeper.” Tue. evening the Haymakers got busy and had a most enjoyable session at their lodge room in the Studabaker building, and although it w»s a little out of the season, they made “hay” by moonlight. Twenty new members were taken through the mystic work of this organization, and twenty men are much wiser this morning than ever before. The hall was crowded t"> its capacity and the meeting was one of the b?st held by this organization. After the work of conferring the degrees had been gone through all proceeded to the Peoples restaurant, where a tine banquet was served, which was enjoyed by all, even the candidates. The Haymakers’ lodge is fast gaining in membership and will soon rank among the foremost lodges of our city. Last Sunday night Mr. and Mrs. William Biebrick entertained a jolly crowd of young people at their ' home near Preble. Tte evening I was spent in progressive pedro and other numerous games. Those i present were Misses Anna Boese, I Lulu Bulltemeyer, Hannah Hooke- ■ meyer. Martha Worthman, Bertha Beberioh, Alma Schroeder, Lvaie Bultemeyer, Ada Fuhrman. Oscar Lankenau, August Bultemeyer, Charlie Zwiok, Theodore Droege and Leo Meyer. After several hours were spent in playing ?ames, the guests were invited to step into the dining room where a large table was spread, and refreshments were served. After that the jolly crowd started for home, saying that Mr. and Mrs. Biebetioh were fine entertainers. Whenever eggs take a jump in price, the uncharitable are inclined to lay the whole blame at the feet of the faithful hen. They conclude, without investigation, that the hen is either frozen up or gone off on one of her periodical vacations. The faithful hen is not to blame for the present high price of eggs. The meat packers are at the bottom of the conspiracy to produce a fictitious hen fruit famine. It is estimated that there are 45,000,000 eggs in cold'storage in Chicago. Notwithstanding this a famine in the product exists and holders are paying from 30 Ito 38 cents a dozen. The meat packers are said to have a corner on the market. List spring when eggs were cheap the meat packers and a few heavy dealers secured hundreds of thousands of cases of eggs, which were at once put away for a time when owing to natural conditions the market supply of fresh eggs would be equal to the demand. The eggs were bought at a price ranging from 15 to 17% cents a dozen.

Julius Haugk, who recently purchased the J. S. Bowers stone quarry, north of town, is arranging to do an enormous business during the coming summer, and will begin work as soon as spring opens. In fact he is already busy, haviug purchased considerable new machinery. It will be remembered that the Bowers plant burned last fall. This will be rebuilt by Mr. Haugk and the lumber is already on the ground. It will be much larger than heretofore and there will be two immense crushing mnachines. The new boiler is already on hands and has been placed in position. Mr. Haugk never does things by halves, and he says he will h- ve the biggest and most modern quarry in this part of the state. He will wholesale, concrete, building and macadam stone and expects to ship ti large amount out of the oouniy. He will employ from twenty to thivty men at the quarry and#expects to use fifty or sixty teams. He says he wants to get all the stone out of the thirty-seven acres he owns just as soon as possible, but it will req tire several years. He will also operate his Blue Creek township quarry.

An Irishman was painting a fence and seemed to be in a big hurry to get it done. A friend, who was passing by, accosted him : “What's your hurry, Pat? Haven’t you all the day in which to finish your job‘ J ” and Pat explained his eagerness to get forward bv saying : “Begorra, Oi'm thrying to finish me job before the piint gives out.” A dispatch from Nest Orleans to the Indianapolis News states that Prof. Beery, the famous horse trainer who held forth here two years ago on the vacant lot corner of Monroe and Fourth "streets, was killed this week at the southern city above mentioned. He met his death from the heels of a mule, which evidently objected to his methods of training. He was kicked in the head by the vicious animal and lived but a short time. Those who saw the professor’s operations here have no doubt, however, but that he would have broken the New Orleans mule ’f it had not got in its work first. The roads are almost impassable, owing to the heavy snow drifts and mail carriers have been having a tough 'time making their rounds. Yesterday Will Engle, route number two, was the only one of the twelve carriers out of this city who made the entire route. Today nearly all the carriers were back early, being unable to proceed more than five miles. Supervisors are at work on nearly all the pikes today and by tomorrow it is believed the roads will all be fit for travel. The mail carriers the roads will all be fit for travel. The mail carriers are faithful and when they give up it is an assured fact that travel is difficult. A special session of the city council was held Taes. evening, but not a very great amount of business was transacted. An order was issued to the city treasurer that he pay Dibble & Teeple $37 50 cut of the snibing fund. This firm paid the freight on the new engine and dynamo. A special session of the city council was held this morning to complete arrangements for secur ing a supply of coal. The talk of selling the city plant was mentioned and Attorney Judge Heller stated that under the present laws of Indiana a municipal body cannot sell its property, hence any talk of that kind is a waste of energy. Bankers Dugan and Niblick and City Treasureer Archbold attended the session yesterday find arrangements were made whereby the orders for the city plant will be cashed in the future, thus avoiding any serious complications. While the coal supply is rather short, arrangements have been made whereby a sufficient amount has been obtained to run the plant until a shipment now on the road arrives. The day current will probably be put on within a short time.

The Daily Press and Dakotan-Ga-zete published at Yankton, South Dakota, said in its issue of February Sth: “A large and appreciate audience asemoled at Ward hall last evening to listen to a recital consisting of the following numbers given by Miss Gertrude Moses, assisted by Professor Lee N. Dailey. Sonata—A Min ;r, Schubert, (a) Preamble, Bach, (b) Bowree—G Minor, Miss Moses. Inquesta Tomba, Beethoven. Deh vieni Alla Finestra, Mozart. pMr. Dailey, (a) Improvisatian, MacDowell. (b) Intermezzo, Hu?noresken, Greig. Miss Moses, (a) Lotus Flower. Schumann. (b) Love Song, Brahms. Mr. Dailey. Concert Etude, Rubenstein, Miss Moses. Since Prof. Dailey came to Yankton in September, the conservatory of music has so rapftly increased that it became necessary to have an assistant. Miss Moses, a graduate of the American Conservatory of Chicago and for three years a graduate student ; of Madame Murdau of that city, began her work as assistant in the conservatory at the beginning of the present term. The way inwhich Miss Moses acquitted herself ' last evening shows her to be an ! artist of rare ability and Yankton lis to congratulated in having two i such musicians in her midst as Professor L. N. Dailey and MDs Gertrude Moses.

“Now,” said the teacher of the third class in head-lining, ” what heading wool J you use if a lady's skirt should come unfastened in the street?” A large hand shot up from that part of the middle seat occupied by an aspirant from the rural districts. “ 'Veil, Reuben'- 1 ” said the teacher. “Wreck on the belt line.” said Ruben, solemnly. And the class was dismissed. The funeral services for Mrs. Surah York, who died suddenly Monday afternoon, at the home of Dr. P. B. Thomas, was held at ten o’clock yesterday morning, from Mrs. Crabb’s residence on South Third street, and interment will be made at Maplewood cemetery. Mrs. York was sixty-six years old and was born in Michigan. Her husband died many years ago, and she leaves no family. She had lived with Mrs Crabbs for many years, being her housekeeper, while she lived in Toledo and since coming here. Di. Thomas returned the death cortificate and gave the cause as pulmonary ap poplexy. It ’i s interesting to note that nearly 60,000 farmers of Indiana have reaped the havest of benefit afforded by the farmers’ institute which has been conducted under the auspices of Purdue university. The annual report of farmers’ institutes discloses the enormous amount of institute work, showing that at Pm due and in other parts of the state there were 175 institutes held during the year. The institutes are conducted in accordance with an act of the legislature of 1889. Os tho 175 institutes held, 165 were two-day meetings, making a total of 340 days and 832 sessions. An institute was conducted in every county in the state and in some two or more were held during the year. The average attendance at the institute was 38 and the total attendance was 59,189. Forty-eight speakers were assigned by the man agement to the various institutes, none of them being from Purdue university and the United States experiment station staff.

Little Irrilla Lucile Stetson, six months’ old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey Stetson, who live in the south part of town, died Sunday in her mamma's arms while they were enroute home in a bobsled, from the home of Vai Snell, where they had spent the day. The sad affair is almost unexplainable, as the child was apparently in the best of health when thoy left the Snell home. The parents are nearly distracted over the loss of their baby girl. It was four o’clock yesterday afternoon when the Stetson family prepared to make the return trip home. They carefully wrapped up and took special care to see that the infant was protected from the cold. While on the way the babe started to cry and kept it up for over a mile, when its mother concluded to nurse it. which she did. After a short time the child appeared to be sleeping and the mother held it close in her arms to protect it from the cold, never dreaming that her child would never awake again. The party arrived at their home about 5 o’clock and all hurriedly got out of the sled and went into the house where Mrs. Stetson carefully unwrapped the brbe and proceeded to warm it, but her surprise and grief can be imagined when she found that her darling babe lay cold in death. She gave a scream of grief and astonishment, which brought her husband to her side in a minute and when he looked upon the face of his child he knew the worst had happened. He telephoned to Dr. C. S. C lark, who quickly responded, but could do nothing, as the child was beyond all earthly assistance. He made an examination of the child and gave as his opinion that the child had died from cramps. Coroner J. S. Falk went to the Stetson home last evening and held an inquest, but as yet has not rendered a verdict. The funeral se •vices will be held tomorrow morning at ten o’clo k at the house, the Rev. John C. White. <->fti"i , it'n<r. Interrn»rt wi’l b.i m i i i '■ - i. oj >i .

CIRCULATION 2800 WEEKLY

NUMBER 50

A merry sleiging party took advantage of the beautiful snow and drove to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Mood Beavers, near Peterson, Saturday evening, and a pleasant time they had. The crowd included Misses Leona Stoutenberry, Minnie Brown, Pearl Heller, Jenny Bright, Maggie Brown. Lucy Soherry and Lillie Houck, Messrs. Amos Stoueburner, Orval Heller, Guss Yake, O. P. Andrews and George Myers. They all departed for their homes at a late hour and are all determined to say that Mr. and Mrs. Beavers are royal entertainers. The death of Hiram Shackley, whose funeral was held Tuesday recalls the terrible explosion at the Shackley Wheel factory, when that concern was completely demolisehd, two men, T. Brut and a man called Hunchy, were killed, and a half dozen prominent business men bankrupt. We have heard numerous discussions during the past few days as to the correct date of the accident, and have therefore looked the matter up. The accident occurred February 21st, 1871. In a collection of curios owned by John W. Voglewede and kept at Henry Koenemann’s saloon, can be found a photograph of the wrecked plant and the date of the accident. Th? Shackley Wheel factory was a big concern* ana a prosperous one, and had the explosion not occurred might have grown into a stupanduous industry. Even at that time they employed a large force of men and at good wages. The plant was located on First tsreet on the Kirsch & Sellemeyer Lumber company’s site. In St. Mary’s township a very pleasant surprise awaited me when I arrived at Bobo, where the convention was held. Although there was no session announced for morning a very tine audience had assembled at the church at 10 a. m. Thus a brief but lively session was held in the forenoon. The afternoon was rainy, but there was a very nice audience of 110 workers. The public having dismissed for the occasion, there was a fine meeting with the children. A strong town ship organiaztion was formed with the following as officers: President, O. J. Suman, Pleasant Mills; vicepresident, J. C. Chronister, Bobo; secretary, H. M. Daniels, Bobo; treasurer, Henry Colter, Bobo. The interest was excellent throughout the convention and the workers seemed to be greatly helped. Offering for state work was $3.58, and the subscriptions to the Awakener were taken. St. Mary’s will come out on top yet. A special meeting, outside of the regular program was arranged for Thursday night. A lecture on “The Boy and the Sunday School” was given to a very appreciative audience at Salem M. E. church. Ou Friday, February 11th, the regular program was given. Although there was zero weather all day about 80 workers came out and greatly enjoyed the address and round table conference. The children’s meeting was quite large for the conditions surrounding the church, there being no school houso near. But, one school, one mile away, dismissed at noon and all scholars came over in a sled. About 90 per cent of these boys and girls never go to Sunday school anywhere. The evening session was well attended considering the extreme winter weather. There being moie than 100 percent. Although most of the pupils who attended the convention acknowl edged that it was the finest feast of good things they had ever enjoyed, they rejecting the plan of organization. There are 500,000 persons of day school age outside of Sunday school age in Indiana and part of them are in Blue Creek township, yet interest in soul-saving seemed to be too low to accept the onlyefficient organization now at work in the state to go after them. These townships did grandly. Wat ih for report next week. Adams County convention will be held atDeoaturM. E church Wednesday, March 1. Prepare to enjoy the f»ast. E D Gll *r, Stit-i Fi’ld ■>’ui ker.