Democratic Press, Volume 1, Number 35, Decatur, Adams County, 13 June 1895 — Page 1

THE DEMOCRATIC PRESS.

VOLUME 1.

Ed Rice left for Warsaw, where he will spend a few weeks with his i ftiends. f Surveyor Fulk and J. W. Tyn dall were surveying real estate in i Root township Monday. 1 Frank Ervin of Berne, with his * wile, passed through here last Friday enroute home from a week in 1 Chicago. : Banker Porter of Geneva, was in ‘ the city Tuesday and reported the banking business in our southern metropolis as being first class ami > all right. ' Herman Confer is representing Place’s mixed variation in the markets abroad. Their sales this year will far eclipse any former year in the business. 1 George W. Bolds, wife and children of Geneva, spent last Thursday , with Treasurer Bolds and family, besides squeezed an eye at Montana's Wildest West. Attorney Butcher was here last Friday on legal business. He quite recently shed his whiskers, the change being quite remarkable. He is the same good natured Jake, however. The county commissioners visited and inspected the county infirmary Tuesday, which they found in a most satisfactory condition. Manager Garber seems to be tilling the bill just right. Many business fronts have been painted, ornaini ntedand improved, among the nur>ix?r being L. Yager. E. Streit, Thomas W. Luckey & Company, the Gas office and ninner ons others, Thespiritof enterprise is abroad in the land. I Ed Ehinger, assistant cashier at the National, is on his way across the briny deep, and in a week will be in Europe. His absence will not be extended any length of time, the ride across the water being of more interest than anything else, A three thousand dollar German coach horse will be onexhibition at Rice’s red front barn next Saturday. He is the property of the Indiana Importing Company, and it will do our farmers good to go and feast their eyes on the beauty. Henry Mayor, Pete Holthonse, D. E. Studebaker, John Heller, J. W. Kleinhenz, 1). P. Bolds, R. K. Allison, D. F. Quinn and J. D. Hale were among the number of Decaturites who visited the conflagration at Geneva yesterday. Viewers Laughlin Martz and Lewton have Iteen busy for the past two days upon their report of the Waggoner gravel road, which runs east to the state line from Berne. The lenth of the road is six miles • and twenty rods, and the estimated cost at 812,586. The total number of acres benefited by the road is 15,35'.). The Case drug store has been closed and the furniture will be removed to Preble. The store was opened some six months ago, but the “long felt want" didn’t seem to demand any more drug stores. It is the in ,st finely furnished store in the city, and it seems a shame to | bury same in a little burg like Preble. A house breaker now langishes in jail where he is paying a fine of five dollars and costs, the same having been judiciously awarded him by Mayor Quinn, in payment for a charge of house breaking or vagrancy. Last Friday night he made an unsuccessful attempt to gain ad mission into the house of A. K. Grubb, but the man of the house assisteel by Jerry Coffee run the intruder down with the results as related. C. M. France is attorney for Howard Stupp who, by his next best friend, Hattie Stupp, has entered suit for damages in the sum of 81,000 against A. K. Grubb, for false imprisonment. The complaint states that on May 18, 1895, the plaintiff went to Bluffton to obtain work, and the son of the defendant went with him, and the defendant sent the deputy sheriff to Bluffton to bring his boy back home, and that the said deputy sheriff took both plaintiff and defendant’s son back home with him, and that then she defendant ordered the deputy I sheriff to imprison the plaintiff, which was done at the order of the defendant. The plaintiff’ was con fined for six hours in the county jail which wounded his feelings and injured his credit to the amount of 81,000. At this rate the Press editor wouldn't mind beingconfined there for a week.

Mrs. Beigley of Dayton, Ohio, is visiting in the city with Dr. Thomas and family. J. H. Tenbrook of the Journal, was called to some point in Illinois - this week, by the sudden and unexpected death of an uncle. The Licheuwaltcr barber shop has been papered and fixed up cozy and nice as yqu please. The change adds much to the appearance of things. John Geinsley of North Dakota, is spending the week among Adams countyfriends. He reports the crops 1 in his immediate vicinity as lieing; in a very flourishing condition. Noah Brandyberry, a former Adan.scoiiHty production, was married to Miss Dora Ray of Bowlder, Colorado, a few weeks ago. He is in the ministry there and is making quite a distinguished mark forhimself. Robert Ogden of Fort Wayne, a plumber and gas titter, was looking up the excellencies about town last Friday. He has been in the present business since Adam was small, and in consequence knows all about it. Laundryman Miller has bought the Reed laundry which he has combined with his own, and is now the only and exclusive laundry in | the city. Fred has all the necessary machinery and knows the business, so we predict nothingbut I success. Ralph Wertzberger the one year ■ old son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Wertz- | berger died at their home at Continental, Ohio, and was brought here for interment, which took place Monday afternoon. The services' were conducted by Revs. Smith and Horton. Will Heasten of Geneva, was in town last Thursday on his way home from Marion, where he had l>een reuning with 300 other former patients at the gold cure. It has been a year and a half since Will has tasted, touched or handled, and what’s morethe inclination has disappeared. J. M. Frieinger and Arthur Fisher left Monday with forty head of fine horses, for Germany, where they expect to effect a profitable sale. It is quite an undertaking but sureily reflects credit upon our townsmen, who don’t allow the distance or water to drown their energies when a horse sale is on hand. In our legal column you will find 'an ordinance passed by the town ' board of Berne, which makes it an offence to haul, carry or convey nitro glycerine through the streets or thoroughfares of Berne. A fine of not less than 8100 nor more than 8500 can be imposed upon any ■ offender of this ordinance. Levi Nelson, a resident of the north part of town, was quite badly i hurt at Robinson & Gillig’s stone ■ quarry last Friday. A board fell on him the effects ofwhich rendered him unconscious for sometime, and I even now some doubt is expressed as to his recovery. He is advanced I in age and this fact retards recovery | to some extent. Work has already begun on the i new Catholic church which is to be built in Geneva. Teamsters are hauling the stone for the foundation, which will lie solid I except two layers of hollow building blocks on which the frame will I rest. No contracts will be let for any part of the work, and home labor will be given the preference in every case. The church will front on Butcher street in thesouthwest part of town.-Geneva Herald. We print next week the franchise granied the Water Works Company I by the common council, and their scheduled prices they intend charg ing for the use of water. A five roomed dwelling is given at 87 per year, and in addition to this if you want to sprinkle the street in front of that resideneethey have another charge of 85. andagainif you desire your lawn sprinkled another additional charge is down on the granted franchise. Now the facts are that j this is exhorbitaut. The Press is : heartilly in favor of water works, but it is not in favor of such exhorbitant charges for the use of water. The company will make a mistake if they endeavor to bring them into effect, for but few people can afford such a luxury. It was thoroughly given out before hand that an ordinary householder could Ire supplied with sufficient water | for all uses for 86 per year. This price is satisfactory and perfectly high enough.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, JUNE 13. 1895.

Joel Fry and wife of Wells c- unty, were in the city Saturday visiting Sheriff Ashbaucher and wife. < Night Watchman Borden ofGeneva, dropped the coin in the Press slot the other day, in payment ot i the doings herealxnits. ’ i A conference washeld at the German Reformed church last Thursday and Friday, which was attended by a goodly number of the followers of this church. Rev. Horton and w fe have moved into the Presbyterian parsonage and now are residents of our flourishing little city. They are estimable people and we are proud to claim them among us. The Daughters of America meet this week for the first time in their new hall in the Niblick & Tonelier building, corner Monroe and second streets. They have the third floor fixed up in the latest fashion and will be right at home. Simison & Soldner the hustling Berne merchants, have purchased 'one hundred and fifteen acres of land near Oden, Mich., and will speculate thereon. The land being right in the midst of a number of prominent lakes, their chances are \ favorable for asuecessful realization I of profit on the investment. The remonstrance proceedings against Mat Schaffer, the north end saloonist, came up in commissoner’s court last Friday. But few of any of the remonstrators appeared to bear testimony against Mat. and he was granted the necessary license to continue the sale of intoxicants, in his new room, just opposite the Chicago & Erie railroad. This office is now printing the Ohio edition of Shaffer Peterson’s law citations. The form has been revised and is more complete than : his Indiana book. It will contain i about one hundred pages, with every case acted on by the supreme court explained and cited. It will be a corking production, and Shafe is to be congratulated upon its improveI ment. The county commissioners and l city common council are at lager heads, so to speak. The commissioners have ordered Sheriff Ashbaucher to refuse to accept any prisoner turned over to him by the city marshal, who may be sentenced for violation of any law by Mayor Quinn. Both sides have agreed to make a test ease ami see who is at ' fault, as well whoshall pay the bills. Esq. Bryan of Jefferson township has been doing more official business here of late than any body. Esq Jacob Abnet was hauled up and finedonedoilar and costs for assault and battery. Harry Teter was fined for assault and battery and also for provoke. Eizzie Roe paid a fine for provoke, and Miller and Swartz stood trial. Seems to be lots of rukery running loose in that corner. The grocerymen have perfected the organization of a dead beat list, every grocerymen in the city oeing 1 a member. No one, who does not I pay his debts, will be trusted and a inspector goes over all the books every week. If a member of the association trusts a dead beat he will have to pay the fellow’s debts at the other grocery stores. Thousands of dollars are lost every year through the dead beat class, and the grocerymen think they can afford to sell goods cheaper if they can make the protection association work out successfully.—Hartford City News. This city for the past few weeks has been over-run with bums of every description. A reporter for this paper while out walking Sunday* met one of these “Knight’s of the Road.” who braced him with a “con talk’’ which run as follows: “Could you give a poor hungry man a bit’ of money to get a bite to eat, I am a boiler maker from Chicago, hungry* and greatly embarrassed Now, the fact is these fellows are not looking for work. They go about the city* through the day begging money and at night they meet and make up a purse, buy a jug of whiskey and proceed to have a “good time.” This city should be provided with means to work these worthless fellows, and when one “drops off” | here he should be given the full ■ benefit of the law and they would ■ soon stop making this their headi quarters. As it is the tax payers have them to board andget nothing in return for their money* and the ■ “bums” are let off lightly as pos- • sible to save expense. A rock I pile would be a cheap institution. | Why not have one!

Fishing parties are numerous this week, two different crusades being camped some where along the placid waters of the St. Marys. The Methodist Sunday School ob served Childrens Day last Sunday, and their rendition of things excelled any former production witnessed in this line of Christian observance. Dau and Charley Pontius of Hartford township, were callers in our righteous sanctum while taking in the circus last Thursday. Both are realizing big returns in oil, and if they are not careful the Goulds will not be in it. R.B. Allisonand family left Tuesday morning for Oden, Michigan, where they wilbspend the summer. They will return seme time the first of September, spending the remainder of this mouth, Julyand August at that pleasure resort, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas entertained a large company of their friends to a dinner party on Tuesday evening. The occasion was in honor of Mrs. Beigley* <vf Dayton, Ohio. The' guests were numerous ami a good time is the reported results. Decatur Water Works Company organized by selecting G. Christen ■ president, Ed X. Euinger secretary and C. A. Dugan treasurer. It was afterwards discovered that Mr. Ehinger would be in Europe at the the time it would be necessary to sigu the company’s bonds, and he i resigned. F. M. Schirmeyer was I elected secretary in his stead. We are glad to note that A. T. Lynch is coming to the front again, and if luck keeps with him, he will be in the front row*. He has given up the manufacture of chairs and is devoting his time to the spoke in- | dustry. He is also the ownerof an ! oil well that is netting him a hand some income. Between the two he I w'ill be apt to make things hustle with business. The reported stabbing bee in which Emerson Kern was a central I figure turns out to be some other | Kern, a fact we are only too glad to : report and correct. Emerson and wife live in Chicago and are far ' from beingconnected with anything iof the stabbing kind. Besides this ’ Emerson has no younger brother j upon whom he could revenge himself with such fatal results as was reported last week. Fredetick L. Watson applies in the circuit court for a divorce from Catharine Watson. The complaint I shows them to have been married December 12, 1887, and lived together until some time ago, when the defendant abandoned the plaintiff without any cause or provoca- \ tion, and refused to return and dis i charge her obligated duties as a wife. Jacob Butcher of Geneva, is attorney for the plaintiff. J. W. Fellows, a farmer living near Three Oaks, was visiited by two men who conducted negotiations for the purchase of his farm. Twenty-five hundred dollars was | paid to seal the bargain, it being ; further stipulated that Fellows was to deposit an additional 82,500 in a tin box, which was to be deposited in a bank until the remainder of the purchase money was paid by the purchasers of the faun. This was done, but when the box was opened it was found to be filled with worthless paper, while Fellows, the confiding hoosier farmer, mourned the loss of 82,500. A Press representative spent a few hours at Berne last Friday, and found that little town all agog with business and genial business men. I Cashier Lehman and his bookkeeper took time to smile at us at the bank, • as did also Postmastet Michaud and Deputy Wintergreen, Stengel & Craig, the druggists, Simison & Soldner and Campbell & Ervin, the clothiers, furnishers and dry goods I dealers. Both carry immense stocks and do business accordingly. Gott schalk & Rose still hold down their old landmark in the drug business. Will Sheets sells soda and anything you may want to eat and drink. The Cottage Hotel was entertaining the usual number of guests, and in all Berne had on its u-ual business air and looked happy and content. Chris Neuenschwander was in town carrying with him that old-time happy air, and informed us that in spite of the late frosts he hoped to raise en ugh “taters” and sauer kraut to winter him through, providing providence smiled in the least approvingly. The new grist mill is about completed and is a sac simile of the old niilTto a “t.” , It will be ready for business now in | a few weeks.

GENEVA i Struck by a Hot Wave. ’ 1 865,000 Wont R»*paii< Damage Done, Thirty-Three Buildings Consumed—The Loss Financially Crippled Some Business Men. We are sorry to chronicle the sad intelligence that iiie demoralized I the greater portion of the business lend of Geneva, the hustling oil I metropolis ot southern Adams. But i such is the case and such we will have to tell you, so will convey to j I you the truthful condition of things as presented to a Press reporter who was on the ground shortly after the discovery of the fire, and ’ personally investigated the loss of property. The fire originated in the ware-room of A. J. Juday’s grocery store, which is located on the south sideofthe business street. The true cause of the outburst is r’t known, and we suppose never will be. In a few minutes after its dis I eovery the whole building was in | flames, and iu not less than six or ' eight minutes later a dozen adjoining buildings were Iteyond redempi tion. The wind blew iu a north eastern direction, conveying the! flames across the street where they i began the sad havoc of totally de-! stroying buildings, merchandise, etc. The whole town was soon up itn arms and worked hard to save , the entire obliteration of the town, | and were rewarded for their heroic work by saviugonly a smallchunk. | South of Line street from the Sham | ’rock hotel east to the railroad, in- ’ | eluding the depot, is all burned to the ground. On the north side be ’! ginning at the railroad a whole I • block lay iu aslq-s, without enough ’ saved from any ot the buildings to ’ stick in your eye. Here are the 'losses. Grand Rapids depot, total Uss. | 81,500. Buckeye Supply Com-any, build | ing and contents, 8-4,000; probably insured. John and Michael McGriff, three | business rooms, loss 81,500; no in s irance. M. M. Herr, postoflice; no insur | ance, loss 8500. Bud Shell, saloon, 8’300; no insurance. J. W. Heaston, restuarant, 8400; I no insurance. C. N. Brown, barber shop, building and contents, 8100; no insurance. A. J. Juday, grocery building ' and contents, 82,000; no insurance. J. C. Manley, saloon building and (contents, 81,500; no insurance. Belle Fought, restaurant build ing and contents, 81,000; no insurJ anc ■. Porter & Deitsch, drugs, build ing and contents, 86,000; insurant--82,000. Jacob Wegmiller, saloon, buildi ing and contents, 81,500; no insur ance. A. J. Pyle, building, 8300; no insurance. Will Kelley, restaur mt, 8500; no j insurance. Shamrock hotel slightly damaged. C. D. Porter, five buildings, 82,000; no insurance. j Geneva hotel, contents, 8200; no insurance. George Pyle, two buildings, 81,I 000; no insurance. J. J. Watson, grocery, 8500; no ' insurance. Majors & Foreman, barber shop. I 8300; no insurance. Smith & Co., grocery, 81,000; no insurance. S. F. Biteman, grocery and notion stock, 82,500; no insurance. J. W. Cady & Co. of Cleveland, building, 81,000; probably insured. Mrs. Green, millinery, building and contents, 8800; no insurance. Mrs. Jessie Carey, building, 8100: ■ no insurance. John Didot. jeweler, 8500; no in i surance. J. F. Hoecker of Domestic, Wells I county, building, 8400; no insur- : ance. Schmuck & Bergman,drugs, 8900; i no insurance. ' Tom Drew, harness shop, buildi ing and contents, 81,500; insurance i 8300.

NUMBER 35

B. R. Waite & Co., dry goods, building and contents, 88,000; insurance 85,500. W. W. Briggs, hardware, building and contents, 84,000; insurance 82,500. G. H Kelley & Bro., farm implements, building and contents, 81,500: no insurance. <' S. W. Hale, giain elevator and ware-room, building and contents, 810,000; insurance 82,500. Mrs. Meeks, duelling, 81,200;insurance 8700. Miss Moran, dressmaker, dwelling. 8400; no insurance. Plumbing shop, 8150; no insurance. David Palm, shoe shop, 8200; no insurance. David Eckrote, building, 8400; no insurance. F. F. Gregg, photograph gallery, 8500; no insurance. Abe Shoemaker, blacksmith shop 8300; no insurance. Michael McGriff, dwelling, loss 8800; no insurance. B. R. Waite, dwelling, 8700; no ■ insurance. William Nelson, stable, 8150: tm | insurance. The above list of losses approximate something over 860,000, upon | which there is 814,800 insurance. The cause of so little insurance , comes from the fact that most of 1 the buildings were frame, and in consequence were non-insurable, es- ! peciallv at a rate that any ordinary | business man could pay. The only I building of any importance named iu the list of losses, is the brick block owned by W aite & Co. and W. W. Briggs, and occupied with dry goodsand hardware. The flames ! and beat swept into the fronts of (the buildings and entirely gutted them. The her- icefforts of brave) harles Cooper, the porter at the Shamrock, ! was the sole and only cause of the salvation of that building and with it the lemaining business portion of the town west. He cut off the (cornice of the hotel building and -vorked until he was entirely over- <■ >me with heat and exposure, but his bra’.e action saves many a dollar to those interested in property. ' The boy was in bed all day yesterlay. b -t his deserved congratulaitioos -il make him well if anyihiou d- <■-. 1. 11 stoffice furniture and mail maite.' w -sail saved, and yesterday j were mov'd into the A. G. Briggs ■ haniware -*ore where Uncle Bam ■ will continue to do business until j other quarters are secured. Messages tlew thick ami fast yes- ! tei-day to those affected by the blaze and who happened to be aw ay from home. Among the absent number were S. W. Hale, B. R. Waite and wife, Mrs. M T . R. Meeks, an JC. jj Porter. The operator moved his wires and instruments across the track in o John Holloway’s residence. where the “click' went on uninterrupted all day v esterday. Among those affected by the fire our sj mpathies extend in a greater l degree to S. F. Biteman, who lost (the fruit s < f ten years of hard labor i in less than that many hours. Also ; L. W. \\ atsou and several others. Where a man loses every cent he I possesses it is hard to calculate or estim ite the loss, for it is harder to make the second than the first step lin lit". But what can’t be cured must be emlun-d. It will be some time before Geneva will put forth a very majestic appearance, but when sue does, it will be one of the handsomest little towns in northern Indiana. Work on the water works plant will be visible now in a few days. The c.ise of the Utility Paper Company in which they were sued for ended in a verdict | against them in the sum of 8300. ' The amount asked for was 810,000. George W. Robbins of Winchester, thestateagent ofthe Ohio Rake | company, was looking after the ini terests of that company iu this city last Saturday. Schafer & Lock handle their goods here. Don’t fail to hear the Canadian colored singers on June 21. They sing at the Wayne street M. E church two nights before coming here, and will be one of the attractions at Chatauqua this year. Tickets on sale at Nachtrieb’s drug store. Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Hill entertained yesterday at five o'clock dinner Messrs, and Mesdames W. H. Nachtrieb, A. D. Moffett, John Niblick, Frank Schirmeyer, E. T, Gregg amt Messrs. Jeff Bryson and L. D. Adams, in a most delightful and pleasant manner at their home.