Decatur Democrat, Volume 56, Number 20, Decatur, Adams County, 18 May 1911 — Page 4

THE DEMOCRAT imYTb ukmuay aoaNiae by iEW ELLiNOHAM, PubllelMr. M.OOPBH YMAB IN KDVANOK. Entered at the postoffice at Decatur, ad., as second class mail matter. OFFICIAL RARER OF ADAMS CO. Something like a car load of beer and whiskey was dumped into the river at Noblesville this week, and now the Indianapolis News suggests that the fish don't care what time they get home. Another blaze last evening warns us that a tire department could be used to advantage in Decatur. Let’s don t put off what should be done. It doesn't mean a great outlay of money, the increase of taxes or anything else, but a little “do-it-ive-ness.” The building of the Waring factory, the Decatur Automobile company's addition, the remodeling of a dozen or more dwellings, the erection of three or four school houses in this vicinity, and other building being planned, should make Decatur a busy place this summer. Clean up your yard. Nothing so helps the appearance of a city as clean, well kept lawns, and don't forget the back yard. It’s a very necessary preventative of disease. Owing to the dry weather, you should be careful in burning rubbish. If you do so, watch the sparks, but better haul it away. Is the yard clean? Is the lawn mowed? Don't forget to clean the outside while dusting up the interior. It all counts tor health and then the appearance you known means much. Many strangers are visiting Decatur each day. We want them to be well impressed with the city. The remarks they make when leaving mean more than we know. If we don't care what they say, however, let's do it for our own good. So far the month of May has been a record breaker for hot weather, the first twelve days having been the warmest in ten years. A year ago the cold weather and the frosts were killing the fruit. Now the hot weather is causing human death. Tuesday the thermometer registered ninety in Cleveland and the hot sunt sent four to the hospital and one to the morgue. In Chicago the heat registered eightyseven. Guess we can't just figure on the month of May. Invitations tor commencement exercises will be sent out within the next few days, announcing that on the twen-ty-fifth of the month eighteen young men and women will make their howto the world. They have devoted the necessary years and work in preparing for a diploma. They are fitted to begin their real education. Some will enter college, some will devote their time to business. In either case they will find many new lessons, and will discover that they have only prepared themselves well for the commencement of doing things. The class of 1911 is a standard one, clean boys and girls, who will make their way in the big battle. The Decatur Automobile company has made wonderful strides during the past few months. From an obscure little plant, with apparently no chance to more than exist, they have suddenly taken on life, that means much, not ' only for the stockholders, but for every citizen in Decatur, and the present plans to double their size is but the beginning. All the years they were striving to get breath, they had a truck nearly as good as the one which is 1 meeting with so much success now — < but the world didn’t know it. When ' the boys went east and proved that, I and when they made the wonderful 1 run with a loaded car from New York I to Boston, and that fact was adver- i tised over the country, the vistory 1 was won. Now, it’s only a matter of ’ time. In five years from now you < won’t know the northwest portion of < Decatur. This is not a prediction, but 1 a natural result of what must come with the steady growth of the plant. ’ —i l — 1 ■ I New factories, new business place e s 1

but add to the need and demand for a better fire equipment. Why, even Winchester and Columbia City have thenw Some one should point the way, yea, even lead. Oh, you Decatur —best town on earth! Who said Decatur couldn’t come back? With three new factory buildings In Decatur, with the best outlook for fruit and crops the county has known in years, why look on the dark side of things? Really we can see no reason why the year should not be the best Decatur and Adams county has ever known. It will, too, if we boost. The idea of beautifying the lawns, cleaning the yards and generally improving the appearance of our properties, is meeting with returns already. It helps you, it is better for your health as well as your neighbors' and it means much for the reputation of the community. Don’t be the last to do it. And now, when we catch this dredging fever, the spirit of a deep waterway, there will be sure to be something doing. With four railroads and a water line, this would be the best trading point and the busiest mercantile center along the eastern Indiana line between Fort Wayne and Richmond. Hey, there —you slowboys—get in the game. Now's the time. The supreme court of the Vnited States, highest tribunal in the world, has ordered that the Standard Oil company be dissolved. Now we shall see whether they own the country or we still have the power to regulate them. The stock exchanges were not affected, because they do not thins it will make much change. In his own beautiful language, Governor Marshall nas proclaimed the fact hat May 30th has been set aside bylaw and custum and consecrated as Memorial day. He says truly that the public cannot live in the past nor can it survive if it forgets it. He reminds us, tto that not often will this later age have chance to voice its gratitude to ears which can hear. It is the day of all in the year when we should be serious and reverent, and which should be truly observed in fitting manner. Let us obey the call. With a fire department, a city hall, three new factory buildings, every laboring man in the city working full time and more, if he wants to, we are about to enjoy an era of prosperity. Decatur always was the best town on the map. If it hadn't been it couldn't have stood the test it has endured during the past few years. Now the reaction is coming. It is not a boom, but a natural and deserving growth that will make this the best town on earth in which to live. In these movements now going on there is no grinding of axes, no contentions, nothing that will hold us back and there should be none. If we work together the next few years we will grow and prosper. While it is doubtful if the best fire company in the world could have sav-i ed much of the property destroyed byWednesday’s fire, and while the “laddies” did everything they could, and the citizens worked bravely, the blaze recalled the fact that we are sleeping on the oars, as regards a better equipment for fighting flames. Had this fire occurred at midnight, with the same stiff wind blowing, the entire west portion of the city would have undoubtedly been wiped out. Wednesday the central hose company was on the ground in eight minutes after the alarm came in. Had it been night, however, it would probably have been a half hour and the fire would have gained such headway and spread over so wide a territory that it would have just had to bum out. How long are we going to wait before action is taken? Fort Wayne dreamed along until the Aveline hotel was licked up in a ' blaze and thirteen lives paid the toll. The loss of property is terrible, but the loss of life is worse. It’s too important a proposition to play with. I It’s time to act

THE HOUSE RECORD Tne democratic house of representatives has up to the present time mnde a record that is really remarkuble. It has been in session only five weeks, and yet in that short time it has pUHd five exceedingly important bills, and has done it in an orderly way, without any application of the gag rule. There has been no serious complaint on the part of the minority that it has been deprived of its right, though, of course, former Speake r Cannon —of all men —has made a few mild protests, for purely political effect, against what he was pleased to call the despotism of the majority. Monday the farmers' free list bill was passed by a vote of 23G to 109. 1 wenty-four republicans are recorded in its favor. The bill was solidly supported by the democrats. Those republicans in the senate who are disposed to oppose reciprocity on the ground that it is unfair to the farmer, no'v have a chance to even matters up by putting through this free list bill, which is expressly designed to meet this objection to reciprocity, which, by the way, is vary largely fanciful. The bill passed Monday is right. We have no doubt that the bill will be signed by the president if it reaches line. It is for the senate to say whethei it ever gets to him. But whatever hapnens, the house of representatives has done its duty. Incidentally it may be remarked that up to the present time the new rules have fully justified themselves. In addition to this bill the house has, in its session of five weeks, pass ed the reciprocity bill, the bill provid ing for pre-election publicity campaign contributions, the reapportionment bill and the amendment providing for the direct election of senators. Not once has it been necessary to resort to special rules to put through the party program. Thus it has been proved that business, and important business, can be done without making the speaker the dictator of the house. We also see that there is some capacity in the democratic party, at least as represented in congrese, for government, and some ability to follow wise and prudent leadership. Tne record up to date is one of which the party maj- well be proud. It is so good that certain narrowcritics on the other side find it necessary to do what they can to discredit it. But the republicans generally, both in the senate and in the house, as was shown in our Washington dispatches a few days ago, freely admit that up to the present time the house democrats have done remarkably well. It is now for them to look after their own party’s record. Thus far the senate has done nothing. For some time it has had before it the reciprocity bill, the publicity bill, and the other measures passed by the house. The country is now more interested in the probable action of the senate than in any possible differences that may later develop among the democrats. These differences are not, if we may judge by what has so far been accomplished, likely to be serious. Even if nothing else is done —and it is certain that the wool schedule will be revised—the house has already made a record which will impress the people —lndianapolis News. Police courts were busy Tuesday, several cases having attention. The case of Ed Knavel, which was called for trial in ’Squire Stone's court Monday evening, was of short duration, Knavel appearing and pleading guilty to the charge of public intoxication, and making a satisfactory settlement with the court. Another case before the 'squire will be heard on Saturday next, and is on an affidavit filed by Sherman Fleetwood. charging n,s, brother, William Fleetwood, with malicious trespass. Young Fleetwood appeared this morning before the ’Squire and gave satisfactory bond tur his appearance and employed Heller, Sutton & Heller as his attorneys. He says he will contest the case to the “last ditch.” A plain drunk was picked up by Night Policeman Melchi Monday ev ening and he gave his name as Chas. Nelson, and claimed Decatur as his home, but no one can be found who j ever saw him here before. He was try-I ing to oeg in the southeast end of the city and being unsuccessful wended his way up town, where he tried to e

beg at the home of Squire J. H. Stone, and the gtrl. noticing his drunken condtlon. fastened the door and summoned help. He was arraign 1 ed this afternoon and drew fl and costs. . t An affidavit was filed Tuesday, charging Charles Woodward with as 1 sault and battery. it being alleged that he, without cause, struck Cornelius s Rademaker. No reason was assigned i for the assault and today Woodward ■ ejinnoi be found. Policeman Melchi Monday night had a chase In which four strange girls and four of the young men of this • city proved their ability to sprint at > a pretty good gait. He noticed the party going across the river and followed them to Steele's park, where 1 he called them to halt and all ran • In order to thoroughly frighten the I bunch he fired his revolver in the air and one of the girls fainted and quite a time was experienced in reviving her. They were released from custody on a promise of good behavior. —— -- --- -V — A new city nail building that will > be a credit to Decatur, a fire department, up to date, with an auto truck hose cart and chemical engine combined, was definitely decided upon at ' a meeting of twenty-five business men held Monday evening at the offices of . the Ward Fence company. The build- , ing will be erected at once and the new equipment put in as soon as possible, giving our growing town the protection needed. The question has been up for some time and various i meetings have been held. The matter was taken up with the state fire insurance rating bureau, who furnished the information that Decatur is soon to be re-rated, and that by adding a fire department the basis could be re- ' duced about sixteen cents on the SIOO. They also furnished specifications, showing what improvements would be necessary to get this reduction. This included the installation of a fire department with not less than four men, an auto or horse hose cart and chemical wagon, a better water supply, including a reserve reservoir, etc. The question had been discussed pro and con and Monday morning a discussion which arose in this office, soon lead to Messrs. Brackett, Waring and Schafer getting busy. With the assistance of several others interested, a plan was formulated and the committee called upon the business men, inviting them to attend a meeting at the Ward Fence company Monday evening. The men responded, to the number of twenty-five, and it was the livliest meeting held in Decatur for many months. C. A. Dugan was made chairman and W. P. Schrock secretary. Mr. Dugan announced that the plan as formulated was the organization of a stock company, who would buy the lot of the city on Monroe street, 66x44, at a price sufficient to purchase the necessary equipment, the company will then erect a $10,00') city building, two stories, with basement, and will sell the property back to the city, the city to pay about the sum of $lOlO each six months. This will pay the debt off in ten years and in the meantime the city will have the fire protection. The city is to pay the taxes, keep up the property and the equipment, pay the insurance, etc. City offices and a meeting place for the council will be arranged. After the matter had been discussed thoroughly, Mr. Dugan asked for a vote of those present and every man voted in favor of the project. Mr. Brackett then offered a resolution providing that the chairman appoint a committee to look after all the details and make the city hall a reality. The duties of these men will be to arrange the necessary steps with the council, the legal duties, the arrangement for the finances, the inquiries as to the proper fire apparatus, preparing the bonds or notes, in fact make all arrangements necessary to get the desired results. Mr. Dugan announced the committee. Tuesday, including M. E. Brackett, L. C. Waring, E. Fritzinger, C. C. Schafer and John Niblick. They held a meeting at once at the First National bank and will begin the real work at the council meeting this evening. Those who attended and took part in the meeting were Messrs. Harry Moltz, O. L. Vance, A. H. Sellemeyer, H. J. Yager, Dyonis Schmitt, Henry Bremerkamp, C. J. Voglewede, Jesse Niblick, C. N. Christen, J. S. Bowers. M. Kirsch, C. A. Dugan, Mayor J. W. Teeple, P. L. Andrews, E. Fritzinger, D. M. Hensley, E. X. Ehinger, L. C. Waring, C. C. Schafer, W. P. Schrock, M. E. Brackett, M. J. Mylott, Jacob Martin, J. D. Hale, G. T. Burke and J. H. Heller. The old plans prepared several I years ago by Oscar Hoffman will prob-■ ably be revised and used at this time. ! It is not believed that any objections ] will be offered and that the city will 1 soon have what we have so long need- 1 ed, a city hall and a fire department. ! I - Indianapolis, May 16—The friends of Governor Marshall are seriously I thinking of getting busy on a real I

live boom which will wake him the. rostral figure for the 1™ <^ y ' | friends in the state are of the mind that while other candidates for sue honors’*™ either traversing the conn try getting a chance before the peo pie or are working overtime with • bureau, that something in the form of the intentions of democracy should be given th. pub Me t'p to date no attempt has betn made by any organization to place the governor before the people and the country a" “ candidate. The only thing done has been for some o he public men of the state to dtcla e that such would be done. It is though that quite soon some informal gathering of Indiana democrats will meet and after considering the sltuat on. will make the statement to the public press that the Indiana democracy would present to the next democratic national convention the name ol Governor Thomas R. Marshall. There is no question that such a meeting will be held, and there is no question but that they will make such a statement, and that they will follow this statement with an organization that will properly reach every state in the union. What the Indiana democrats attempt they will never half finish On the contrary they will make one of the best organizations, and they will show the next democratic national convention some real Indiana politics. As the situation now stands Govern or Harmon can control more votes than any other supposed candidate,,. His most serious handicap comes in the fact that it takes a two-thirds vote to nominate in a democratic national convention, and it Is freely prophesied that the time will never come when Governor Harmon can command that number of convention votes. Other systems of elimination makes other of the candidates unavailable. and the matter will more than likely end in honoring Indiana and Indiana's governor in the next democratic national covention. When in Indiana a few weeks ago Congressman John W. Boehne of the First district, confided to a few of his friends that he would not be a candidate for the nomination for governor, and neither will he be a candidate for congress again. This is no official announcement, and it is not given as such. But it was the statement given without instruction to conceal it from the public. The reason is not one of fear of defeat, on the other hand Congressman Boehne was never as certain of victory for the democrats in the state and in the nation, as he is in the next election. The real reason is that he is a thorough business man, a successful one, and in love with that feature of life. He is not stuck on public life and his two terms in congress has not appealed to him that it is the sort of thing he likes, and he is going back to his first love. That is the reason and it is the best reason he could assign. It also shows that all is not gold that glitters, and that public life suits some but not all the people, and one of them is Congressman Boehne. Among other members of the Indiana delegation in congress being mentioned for governor the names of both Adair and Moss are heard, and it is also heard that if John Adair gets into the race there will be something doing. Others mentioned for this high honor are Sam Ralston, the big statesman fr<sm Lebanon, and Frank J. Hall, the present lieutenant governor. The standpat republicans are beginning to groom Colonel Durbin for governor, but in putting this across there will be a scrap amnog themselves. Hugh T. Miller is mentioned. as is also Billy Taylor. L. G. E. o TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS — la What John Burris Wants From the G. R. & I. Company. Alleging that he was forced to catch the last car of a Grand Rapids & Indiana train at the local station, i after he had been told the train would i wait ten minutes for breakfast, which | it did not do, and when he did clamber upon one he was rejected by the , flagman, who falsely charged him with , having delayed in order to procure a ( supply of liquor, John W. Burris asks J SIO,OOO from the railroad company. He filed the suit in the circuit court, with Attorneys R. K. Erwin and S. a’ M. Butcher representing him.—Fort Wayne News. I —o Rev. D. O. Wise, pastor of the Evan- ' gelican church, left this morning for * Fort Wayne, where he will meet with ' two committees to arrange for work < in their several lines. Rev. Wise is state president of the Young People’s ' Alliance, one of the societies of the < Evangelical church, and he met today with other members of the committee , from the Fort Wayne district to ar- 3 range for the Fort Wayne district Y. { P. A. convention. The place for hold- f Ing this convention will be determined f today and it is quite probable that Ft. t

Wayne will get the meet. Th,, one was held in this city last ' 1 The Fort Wayne district ln<| U(1( , s "“ len and Adams counties, a ' jay, and various charges | n E Mt Ohio. Another committee on he will serve thic afternoon is th having charge of the "Forward M , rnent," an evangelistic work R./ J. Wise of Fort Wayne is chalrm and other members are Rev Rarey Fort Wayne, Rev. D O. Wise, R ev E. Miller of Markle. Included In th forward movement is mission work the building of new churches. n church Is now being planned Linn Grove, and another at Celin Ohio, these coming tn the province < the “Forward Movement' work. STILL SELLING THEM. Frislnger &< sprunger sotd and shit ped another fine Belgian Monday, nn hogany bay in color, and three'ye at old. He was purchased by VVatter & Pfeneger of Bay City, Michigan, an is not the first horse to be sent up t this state, as most of the horses in ported by this firm are sold to Mich gan buyers. The Michigan market d< mands heavy draft horses to do th Intensive labor in that region, and th demand has been so great that the it cal company has sold and shippe, nearly a hundred registered horses ti Michigan. Perhaps no firm in thi line is better known in Michigan that this local company, which has alwayt done just what it has agreed to do. o — St. Mary's, Ohio, May 16— (Specia to Dally Democrat) —Over three kun dred people Interested in the river in provement met at tne L. E. & \y bridge at 10 o'clock ths morning, bu soon adjourned to meet with the com missioners at 11. A short meeting wai had at eleven o clock, but the com missioners, desiring to organize, ad journed the meeting until 1 o’cloci this afternoon. A speech will be mad, by one of the commissioners, and some action will be taken, althougl any forecast as to results is impozs! ble. The meeting is divided into tw< factions, and those opposed seem t, be very set in their opinions. The meeting is expected to last until late this afternoon. At St. Mary s, Ohio, today the future welfare of this and the nearby Ohio counties will be to a great extent be moulded by the stand taken la the meeting being hold there in reference to the proposed dredging o’ the St. Mary’s river. It is a propcsi tion that means much to us. as without the river improvement we will see the Ohio river traffic go up the Minster canal to Defiance, Ohio, and there make the connections with the Chicago,New York canal, traveling about 150 miles out of their way and losing valuable time. Our river is mapped on the government surveys as a navigable river, which means that the government will stand the cost of the improvement to the permanent welfare of this locality. At Chicago on May 18th there 'll be held a meeting which will discuss ways and means of getting the ChicagoNew York canal in operation and many of the people interested will meet in the chamber of commerce building to hear what the promoters have to say. The business men of Michigan City are enthusiastic over the project as that city is the logical terminus of the canal. They recognize the possibilities of the waterway and will do all in their power to boost the proposition. While we will not be on the direct line of the big canal, we will be on the greatest branch of it, as Pittsburg, Gncinnati, Louisville, and all the big Ohio river towns are wanting a waterway to Chicago and our river is the logical solution to the saving of several days travel and the people hereabouts should not be slow in having the government know of this fact. To hate the iron and coal, which is shipped from these towns to Chicago and o’ - er points by rail come through t 5 city by water will mean that we v ill have an opportunity to get trade, and we will. At this time dredges are already a work on the tributaries of the St. Mary's river, a dredge being in operation in Clear Creek, and another 1 ■ Center Fork. A Toledo contractor doing the work and over a mile of the bed has been excavated. 8080 LEAGUE INSTALLATION. The Epworth League at Bobo had a fine installation service Sunday, 1 charge of Miss Etta Mallonee of Be catur and Mrs. Brown of Bobo. Th service lasted the entire evening an was not only pretty, but very inipre sive. The church was. tastefully 11 rated in league colors and flowers, and those present report a fine sel ice. It was the twenty-seecond anm versary of the league and this sin ject was nicely handled by the president, Oliver Brodbeck. league is planning some fine sen ce for the future. We invite the youn people to attend these services and help the Lord's work.