Decatur Democrat, Volume 51, Number 17, Decatur, Adams County, 23 April 1908 — Page 2

] CASTOR IA Tor Infants and Children. nt KM You Hare Always Bought Dears the yy j; ~ Mgoature of MUCH OF INTEREST Mrs. Morrison Continues Her Pleasure Trip from Mexico Havana, Cuba- Mar. 20, 1908. Dear Folks:—l will try and finish telling you about out winter in Mexico in this letter, and something about | Cuba. It was with much regret we j left Mexico, and Oaxaca especially. I The climate is the finest in the world. , The Oaxacan claims it was the original | Garden of Eden, and tradition says ; that one of the buildings cut at Mitla was the tower of Babel. It is very singular, however, that there is no record or tradition of the people who j built these old cities of Mitla, etc. j These great ruins are found in south- I ern Mexico. Guatemala, Yucatan, and ’ on down into Central America. They > are the wondei and puzzle of archaol- , ogists and others of less knowledge. There are a few patches of cement j left on some of the stones out at Mit- ; la. that have a red glaze and some picture writing, in Egyptian style, in fine workmanship. The ruins are not all excavated. We went in some , underground passages. These an- ‘ cient people at Mitla had no arches as their square top doors show, over which are immense cut stones 12 to 18 feet long. 4 to 6 feet in width, 3 to 5 feet In thickness, the won- j der being Ihow’ they raised these. Some of the columns are Very large, long rows of them. The mosaics are fine and the patterns exact. The stone work true, the cement firm. For hundreds of years these buildings were drawn from, by the villagers around, for buildings, and even the church has some of these stones in her walls. But the government has stopped this vandalism now and set a guard over these ruins. But we can guess what it once was. Every day people from all parts of the world come to see it. I do not think

there was a day we were at the Francia (two weeks) that parties did not arrive and start next morning for Mitla. It takes two days for the trip. Some take three days. For any one interested in such things one is repaid for the trip, but I must not say more about Mitla or I will not have time to speak of other things, and there are so many of them. The merchants! All over Mexico, every place big and little, if you buy anything, often before wrapping the article a record of the sale is made in a book. Each month a government official examines the books, and takes a tax according to the sales. Even the railroad offices are the same. A heavy fine and imprisonment is the penalty of fraud in this mattefl. Another , thing. Every where you are besieged with men, boys and old women, usually hideously ugly, old women to buy lottery tickets. They are licensed by the government and put out by the city to raise money for municipal purposes —streets sewers, etc. They say the people will not stand the tax tor it, but this way the money comes easy and cheerfully. Yet it is very j had for the people themselves as every cent they can get they use for j buying lottery tickets, hoping to draw the grand prize. They sell from ten [ cents to five dollars each. Indeed, I cannot say how high, but I believe five ■ is as high as they go. but may go : to 125.00. I never inquired, although . solicited to buy ten thousand times. • Th.', stores in Mexico all have a name. A drug store may be called the Door •* Heaven, and a saloon (Cantina or a pulque shop) “Our Lady of Angels’’ or "Jesus and Mary” or “The Blessed Virgin." I have read so many queer names, but just at this moment they ; slip from my mind. I write every letter in such haste I forget what I have already told you. After Once Tasting yStbi no one wants an old-fash-ioned cod liver oil preparation or emulsion, because Vinol is a much better bodybuilder and strength creator for old people, weak children, and for coughs, colds, bronchitis, etc. If it does no good we will return your money. SMITH, YAGER & FALK

Hugh Hite is delighted with Oaxaca and his cheeks are filling out and he is getting brown as a berry. The Decatur boys seem to be prosperous and are well respected and liked. I am proud of them in every way, and down here they seem very near to me —like relatives. They have all been very kind to me, to both of us. You will laugh when you see the collection we are bringing home. They use a very curious clay water pitcher on the tables cf La Francia. I remarked one day that I would like to have one. A man friend said I will see if I can get you one. Sure enough one day he came saundering in our court with one in his hand. Os course I was glad to have it, but being several thousand miles from home nearly three I should think. I wondered how I would carry it. But I put it in my straw satchel and put most of the things from there in my trunk. After our trunks were packed and gone. ' another man came with a beautiful I polished box about 7x12 and about ' six inches high to give us. He said 1 the box was rare. They are made ' by the Indians out of wood that grows nowhere else, but in the state of Oaxaca. When green it has no odor, but when cut and dried it develops a beautiful fragrance. In ancient times ■ no one but kings and queens were al- ! lowed to use the wood. Os course ] we were delighted with the box, but jit took some managing to provide a ' place to carry it, as our trunks were gone. But we still are carrying the box and bottle. The American colony ' gave a dance the last night we were ! there and we were kindly invited. But as we would have to get up at hall past four the next morning to get dressed, breakfast and down to the - train by 6 a. m„ we thought best to ' decline the invitation. It took us till Bp. m. next day to reach Puebla. We stayed there over night, re-checked our trunks and started at 8 a. m. for Vera Cruz, reaching there about 8 p. m. We had a toe day through the tropics. Our room at Vera Cruz must have been a thousand years old. At least it was several hundred years old —in an old palace. We visited the cathedral which was curious. One of its chapels was very beautiful, all of white marble, and the windows of green glass that threw a peculiar green light that was very beautiful though curious. An immense side altar in this chapel (there were four or five), was of carved ebony, reaching almost to the ceiling. Another chapel in the cathedral had yellow

glass and another of the chapels had windows of red But they wore plainer in every way and the lights not so good. We went out to the little old church, where there is an image of a black Christ. I forgot the name of the church, but over the altar is a very large figure of Christ on the cross which is black as a nigger. The figure were a velvet robe trimmed in a band of gold embroidery, and a wig of long faded brown hair. It is claimed to be the only black Christ except one here in Cuba, but I am sure we saw several in other parts of Mexico, as well as black Virgins. In front of another altar was a huge cross on which was a life size bleeding Saviour carved in wood and bound to the cross, the whole laid on the floor in front of the altars. On the arms and breast and feet were huge bouquets of gorgeous read flowers. The figure was painted, with blood streaming from the wounds. A wig of long hair on the wooden figure, and a crown of thorns. Very realistic in every way. We walked all around, but it shocked our ideas of reverence ; and we hurried away. There are long avenues here of giant cocoanut trees full of fruit, of royal palms 50 and 60 feet high. Another thing peculiar to ; Vera Cruz are the buzzards that you see in the streets. They are the street ; cleaning department of the city and ! work free of charge, and are protected by the government. Formerly I Vera Cruz was a very dirty and un--1 healthy city, but now is clean and safe to visit. We went aboard our steamer for Havana about one o’clock. It was to sail at 2 p. m., but did not get away till six. The Merida was a fine steamer, beautifully clean, and airy and ' comfortable. At six we got up each morning and had our hot sea bath. At seven, first breakfast; at eleven second breakfast; at three lunch, at six dinner; at nine supper. Elegant meals all. But we cut out the three and nine o’clock meals. All the way the gulf was as quiet as a mill pond, a five days’ trip. But of course we were silly enough to be sick the first night and next day. Then I was all right, but Miss B continued to feel uneasy. Our boat stopped at Progresso. Yucatan and some of us went ashore. Progress© is very interesting. Our ship anchored fve miles out. and we went ashore in a tug. We visited the market and the plaza and cathedral and some of the streets then took the train for Merida, the capital, passing through great fields of hennequin from which the sissal hemp is made. This is the great product of Yucatan the raising of which has made multi-millionaires out of a number of people. Large

plantations or farms cr ranches whichever you wish to call them, are called in Mexico haciendas, and the ranchman hacieudado. We pass through large ranches the haciendo or ranch house shaded by trees, while as far as the eye can see. there are fields of hennequin in different stages of growth, but no forests. The state of Yucatan is very fiat, being only a few feet above sea level. It is very rocky, the soil being very scant. When we reach Merida our attention is arrested by the peculiar shape of the city coach or carriage. They are all rubber tired, but of peculiar shape. As we rolled along I was surprised to see the beautiful wide cement streets. All over the city the paving is perfect. Not a poor road anywhere. One very peculiar thing we learned about the sewers. The whole state is underlaid with porous Mmestone. This fact has been utilized for drainage purposes. In the four corners of street crossings and in the center, wells are made under the street, into which the water from rains drain and in the summer or rainy season the rains are very heavy. Because of the porous sub-rock *he drainage soon disappears and the ■ streets and city is clean and healthful. There are no rivers or creeks in Yucatan, but plenty of water is found 25 or 30 feet underground anywhere. The cathedral is a grand one commenced in 1561 and finished In 1592. As you know, whereever the Spanish Conqueror went he forced the people whom he conquered to adopt his religion, and to build his churches. This cathedral is only one more evidence of the work of an enslaved people forced by Spanish despotism. The subjugated people were ordered under the lash to build the churches and then were compelled to worship in them. Now all the Indians are all attendants at church, and pay about a third of their small wages to it. But today, after nearly four hundred years they are liars, thieves and among themselves grossly immoral. The principal plaza is in front of the cathedral and Is called Plaza Independencia. It covers about two acres. Across the road on the four sides of it are the buildings of the state, and of the municipal government, the cathedral and the Montejo House. The plaza is beautiful filled with tropical plants, fruits, shrubs, trees, a fountain and stautory. It is said that here originally was a Hat table of rock. There was no soil or any green thing growing. When they

decided to make a plaza, the rock was blasted out to a considerable depth over the whole plaza. Then to provide water for it during the dry season a pipe irrigation system was laid on a large scale, with sprinklers extending upward at frequent intervals. Earth was hauled from the hills in the interior of the state to fill this hole of two acres. You can judge of the cost when I tell you the same earth retails in Merida for 25 cents a bushel (and there are many beautiful ■ yards in the city). For every tree and shrub sending roots to any depth, additional holes had to be blasted. So you see the little plaza cost the city a great deal of money, but the citizens are proud of the plaza, and congregate here in the evenings when the state band plays on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evenings. The Indian women of Yucatan, who we see on the streets everewhere, dress more strangely tlian any people J have ever seen except the Indian women from the tsthumus of Tehunantepec, whom we saw in Oaxaca Mexico (pronounced wo-hock-a). The dress of tire Yucataa women constats of a white swirt elaborately embroidered in colors around the bottom, which is a foot or more from the ground. A white linen chemise embroidered in the same manner around the neck, sleeves and bottom. The chemise also has lace on the hem. These two are the only garments she wears. Feet neek and arms bare. Sometimes she wears around her neck and hanging to good deal, but we got back on the steamer Merida all right. She is a vessel of 8,000 tens. In due time we reached Havana and after waiting to pass the quarantine which was only a form as we showed a clean record, we were lightered ashore. We had been told to go to the La Trotcha by some people we met, who spent a month here last winter. It is a very pleasant hotel, about twenty minutes ride from the heart of the city in the fashionable suburb Vedado, and only two short squares from the beach. We find that in this hotel the evacuation papers were signed after the Spanish war. This was the hotel for the army and navy officials. Now there is staying here five foreign ministers —the Dutch, the French, the 1 Italian, the Spanish and the Chinese. We see them every day. We have 1 j been out to Moro Castle and Cabanos ’. fortress. We hired a guide and went jail through Cabanos fortress; it is > ’ simply terrible. The dungeons under i ground where two men would be con- ' . fined in a cage in which they could • , not stand up. and in which they coaid 1 I not lie straight when they laid down. ■ Not a ray of light could get to them.

It is like the terrible prisons you : read of. Os course they are not used now. I will tell you more when I' come home. Miss B bought a book of j views of Havana, and in the view of I Parabens fortress on one of the | walks there us a picture with Mrs. Allison in the foreground. Jennie back farther, and near her two men that ' I think are Mr. Allison and papa. Ihs* ■ j Mrs. Allison and Jennie are uninfs-i takable. Is that not strange’ I think we have been everywhere. We went i to the cathedra’ srd saw the place where the Havana people claim Co- j iambus was buried. One of the other islands of the W’est Indies claim they have the body of Columbus. But this body was removed to Spain in 1896. Seville I believe, as the true body of Christopher Columbus. We have been out to Colon cemetery, too. We visited the grave of Maximo Gomez. We also saw the bone yard, the place '’ where they throw the bones of those 1 ' whose bodies are removed from the '! grave after the five years’ lease is | up. These bones are dumped in a ' pile with thousands of others, and ■ ! once in several years a hole is dug ' and they are shoveled in to get them i om of sight. In the center is a great j pavilion a hundred feet in diameter, ■ with closed sides, under which is a i great pit full of human bones. I was - told yesterday by one who saw It, ' that last week he was at the ceme- ■ tery and a covered wagon came from one of the hospitals with the dead 1 I body of a woman. She bad no ■' clothes on and they took her by the hands and feet and tossed her into the grave, and the grave digger (a nigger) shoveled a little dirt over 1 her. The next one would go on top, ■ until four or five would be in the same grave. 1 thought I could get . through with this one. but I guess I will write one more, Jhere is iso much to say. With much love to all of you. Elizabeth Studabaker Morrison.

a CROMER STILL ON TOP. Federal Appointments Still Wear Cromer Tag. Dr J. W. McKinney this morning received an appointment as a pension > examiner to take the place made vacant by the death of Dr. E. R. Horton. The appointment dates from April 14. and Mr. McKinney was recommended by both the Indiana senators for the place. Several physicians of the county have been having pleasant dreams of expectancy of getting this plum, not from the monetary value alone, but to show the other fellows that they were still in the political running. In the first came the old Cromer and anti-Cromer squabble, and it seems Cromer is still on top as far as federal appointments are concerned. The board now consists I of Drs. Spaulding and McKinney, of this city, and Dr. Newman, of Ossian, a trio that Mr. Cromer can call upon at any hour of the day or night and get them to work. —Bluffton Banner. o HEARST LEAGUE IN STRAITS. Creditors Are After the League for Unpaid Bills. New York, April 17. —The Independence league, the Hearst organization is so beset by determined creditors that it will soon have to pay a large so mos money or go into bankruptcy. If there is not an immediate settlement of the debts contracted by the league with the Trow Directory company and the Whitehead and Hoag company, counsel for these concerns will seek a third creator, and then begin action in the federal court to effect the dissolution of the organization on the ground that it is insolvent. The attorneys for the eerditors intend to push the case to the limit. , ——— o IT WILL TAKE NEW WELLS. Gas Pressure Not Strong at Portland Says the Review. ■ Those whi> had not before realized , j the fact, appreciated Thursday mornI ing, when they started to light the . gas to prepare the morning meal. that this handy fuel will soon be a i, thing of the past, unless new wells i, should be found, increasing the sup- • . ply. ot some other good fortune ini tervened. Practically every constii mer on the Pulton line, and their pres- [ sure has for some time exceeded that . j »f the old company, found that the > | supply was scarely sufficient for - j kindling purposes. Heads of house--1 holds were compelled to hustle for r ’ the wood piles, where there were any, i and resort to other old time methods j to obtain the required heat.—Portland ! Commercial-Review.

- - uei uunii wuvu gvuuß. mm hdnhWsl 1 * XvondX S^h^ft^i^ dnS^° r Bladder Disease not i * Dey«ad the reach of medicine. No medicine can do more. or DUbetsi HOLTHOUSE DRUG COMPANY H

TEXTILE MILLS CLOSE Only Fifty Per Cent Being | in Operation —Do Not Use Binder Twine J. D. Hale is in receipt of a letter from a responsible wool merchant in which many facts concerning the market for same are presented. He stares I that not since the eventful year of 1900 has the wool outlook been so gloomy. The present financial conditions have so affected the textile mills, as much if not more than any other business and not over fifty per cent of the mills are in operation, and these are only working on positive orders. The above stated conditions coupled with the facts of the national election ccnfronting the wool dealers land tariff legislation advocated by both parties and the recent decline of 15 to 25 per cent in the last London auction sales just closed on cross breed wools, such as are raised principally in Indiana, it behooves the wool buyers to be cautious in the purchase of new clip. We are also informed that had it not been for domestic fleece being relatively cheaper than foreign wool during the season of 1907, prices would have been at least four cents lower. It is also an assured fact that the farmers 1 must eradicate the use of binder twine | as there is a concerted action and an agreement among all the manufactures not to buy any wool tied with binder twine or twine of its character. Wool twine must be used or the fleece will not be accepted, hence the growers should take heed and lay in a supply of wool twine. o HE OUGHT TO KNOW

He States That Work on Same Will Begin Some Time in June While in the city Thursday evening, Harry Webber, traveling freight agent for the Toledo, St. Louis & Western railroad, gave Decatur people the assurance that the new depot will positively be constructed this summer, work to begin on same in the month of June. Mr. Webber also emphasized the fact that the new station would be modern in every respect, built of brick, and equipped with the very latest conveniences. As has been stated the old structure will be moved about fifty feet westj ward and converted into a freight house, while the new depot will be built on the ground that has been used for a lawn. According to these plans the new station will be situated near the sidewalk where the railroad and sidewalk meet and much convenience will thus be added. The appropriation for the construction has already been made and Mr. Pletcher, the agent has been instructed to ascertain whether or not a water line is near the site. Many people from this city patronize the Clover Leaf railroad and it is to meet the demands of our people that the new station will be built. o WAS 83 YEARS OLD After withstanding the infirmities of old age for sever*! duriuaf which time extreme feebleness and other complications peculiar to senility were much in evidence, Jacob Bienz. of Willshire township, Van Wert county, Ohio, answered the call of the grim reaper Thursday at his home. The aged man was born in Germany. April 1, 1825, migrating to I this country during the early part of his life, settling in Van Wert county, where he has resided for many years. I The deceased was eighty-three years ■ old the first day of this month and * he has lived a life of usefulness. Four surviving children of the I i man reside in this county and are I ’ respectively as follows: Adam Bienz. I - Union township; Fred Bienz, Union ! - township; Mary Reinking and Anna! Schamerloh, of Union township. Be-I - side these, the widow and following ! t other children mourn the loss of a s loving husband and >Louis r Bienz, Indianapolis; Margaret Smith, r Joliet, 111,, and George Bienz. Van r Wert county. The funeral services ’, will be held at Schumm. Ohio. Monday s morning at nine o’clock and sermon II will be delivered by Rev. Glesse. Interment at church cemetery.

ABOUT THE NEW LAW Regarding Fishing, Stating That the 1907 Law Eliminates Closed Se-son The question as to true construction of the law in regard to a closed sea son In fishing during March tnd April has at last been settled as M. D. Hensley has received a letter to the effect that an act of 1907 amends the o>d law in which a closed season is pro . vided for. The letter is as follows “Replying to yours of April 10, r beg to say that in my judgment the statutes of 1907 amend section 615 of the statutes of 1905, in such a way as to eliminate the closed season. and there is therefore no closed season against hcok and line fishing from March to May. Very truly, Z. T. Sweeney, State Game Com. This will be glad news to the Decatur people who have been anticipating going to Rome City on a fishing trip as many were of the opinion that the season is closed. Several fishing parties will no doubt be soon organized Perch fishing at Rome City is sa id to be very good at present as well as snipe bunting and this famous resort will entertain many recreation seekers before many weeks pass. There are already a number of families occupying | cottages at this place and are enjoy- ■ ing themselves to the limit. Andrew Blowers, east of town, has applied for apatent for a new brooder, j It is the result of Andy's five years’ study and work, and he certainly has an improved brooder. He calls it. “The Old Red Safety Brooder." Its j dimensions are 3 by 10 feet and 2 feet to the eave of the roof. It has sol many advantages over any other kind of brooder, that it seems the invention ought to find read ysales. Frank M. Cottrell is his attorney to secure the patent, and the Berne Lumber company will be the manufacturers.— Berne Witness. The Berne students who passed the county diploma examination, are as follows: Ruth Allen, Elizabeth Balsiger, Herman Baumgartner, Esther Bixler, Mary Burkhalter, Gytress Eley, Franklin Franz, Adina Gilliom, Austin Giiliom, True Gottschalk, Chrisdena Habegger. Arman Hlrschy. Barbara Hirschy, Gertrude Hlrschy. Bertha Kuntz. Clarence Lehman, Melvin Liddy Eddy Rawly, Victor Eichenberger, Henry Schaefer, Cliffton Sprunger, Lydia Sprunger, Martin Sprunger, Ernest Stengel. Auleta Stengel, Gil bert Stuckey, Hulda Stuckey. Joseph M. Crooks, of Washington D. C., an agent of the bureau of sta tistics from Washington, D. C.. is it Bluffton for the purpose of securing data for the department in which hi is employed. He has spent most o the day at the offices of the Marion pany, accumulating figures on th® new traction line. —Bluffton News. H A meeting of the Adams count® Ind., and Mercer county. Ohio, mutu® telephone people was held at Bern® Saturday. These mutual concert® are independents and non charter <>® ganizations, and as a result are sht® out from communiciation wit! ’he side world except upon sufferance some chartered company. The pendents are making an effort to an alliance with a view’ to becoming®chartered organization, in whi®| event they become common ■ and will be entitled to common rier privileges under the charter of the state.—Willshire Herald. ® The Indiana Pipe Line one of the many tributaries of Standard Oil company, the monopoly in the world, paid to urer Lachot the spring installment ® taxes as assessed against them Jg Adams county. The amount was cool 36,060.30, and when added to other collections at the county urer s office, will make their cash ceipts for the day loom up out sight. The Indiana Pipe Line an’ • ways represented by gentlemen of <® first water, and never register a lorous kick —when they can’t help ! They are by long odds the larg4B| 'debtor to Adams county taxes, no ot®| ! individual firm or corporation •within hailing distance as a close ond, Mrs. Chris Vogt living on 5K shall street, will hold a burnt opening on Wednesday and day afternoons and evenings. has some fine work displayed in JU Teeple, Brandyberry and ■ clothing store window. Call and ■|| her burnt wood goods. ££3