Democratic Press, Volume 2, Number 67, Decatur, Adams County, 23 January 1896 — Page 1

g PAGES I

VOUJME 11.

DECATUR S ENTERPRISE. 10 t ( | WORKS SYSTEM THAT IS THE HIDE Os AU OUR PEOPLE. .„, HOW« bum* * co - Rau * fill thhiw contract. We present this week a <•'»< of. pumping station of the water mrki plant, uow the P r ”I Mr, J " f the city. The cut is from a pbotojniph taken by J. K. Moser, artist oftbis city. The works are nearly completed and we believe it will be profitable to give a short history rs their inception and construction, scdthemen who are responsible tor them.

I A"* - t /sc <■- x -Sr* £ ~ jxvJivv ■ ■ WATER WORKS PUMPING STATION.

Three or four years ago the city voted in favor of waterworks, but at that time the street improvements were being made and the financial condition of the city would not permit the construction by the city. There the whole matter rested until alsmt one year ago, when City Attorney Mann starte 1 an investigation among the old musty law books with the design of beating the constitution of the state of Indiana. After awhile he unfolded a plan to the council, which he recommended, and which the council were not slow to act upon. The council at that time consisted of Mayor B. W. Quinn, and councilmen G. W. Patterson, J. S. Coverdale, John Buhler, J. W. Vail, VV. H. Niblick and J. W. Teeple. The city attorney’s plan involved the granting of a franchise by the city to a contractor, and the issuing of longtime bonds, which the city were to assume the payment of after the completion of the work. Bids were advertised for and things commenced to move. The Toledo Construction Company were first granted the right to the streets and alleys, but it turned out that C. E. Coon, the manager, was composed of more wind than money, and he failed to furnish the required bond. Our subsequent experience confined the belief engendered by Mr. Coon’s actions, that wind will not construct water works. It may lie all right for wind pumps After Mr. Coon’s failure, the council took up the bunt for capital, and after a time succeeded and again advertised for bids. In June, 1895, bids were again received, and among other j bids was that of a Fort Wayne; company, and the Howe Pump and Engine Co., of Indianapolis. Ind.! The bid of the Fort company was the lowest and based entirely upon the specifications prepared by our engineer, Mr. Cook of Toledo, and the council decided to accept their bid. Just here the Fort Wayne People exhibited the same characteristics possessed by C. E. Coon, and they also failed to file a bond. The representative of the Howe Pump and Engine Co., was then sent for and an agreement was reached with him. It might be well at this time to say that the council made no mistake. The hnn is one that does as it says. Their representatives here have all been gentlemenly and businesslike, and we have no doubt but that the test will show they have been efficient in their work. The P'an of City Attorney Mann was slightly changed by the organization of The Decatur Water Works

THE DEMOCRATIC PRESS.

Co., capitalized) nt SIO,OOO. The city took $9,500 of this stock, and the following parties the amounts named: <l. Christen $25, Ed X. Ehinger $25, .1. T. France, $25, J. T. Merryman $25, A. Dugan $25, L. C. Miller, $25, F. M.Sehirmeyrr $25 and L. M. Howe $325. All stockholders, Mayor Quinn representing the city, were elected directors. The directors organized by electing G. Christen president, F. M. Schirmeyer secretary, and ('. A. Dugan treasurer. The council immediately afterward granted a franchise of the streets and alleys of the city to the Decatur Water Works Co., and bound the city to pay $65 per hydrant as rental for the first six years, and $55 j>er hydrant for the next forty four years. These rentals were so fixed as to meet the bonds that the Water Works Co. should issue, to be secured by a Trust Deed of the

i entire system and rentals. The Decatur Water Works Co’s direct [ora met June 5, 1895, accepted the terms of the franchise granted by the city of Decatur, and adopted the following resolution: Resolved, That First Mortgage Bonds of the Decatur Water Works Company are hereby directed to be issued in the sum of thirty-five thousand dollars. Said bonds shall be issued in denominations of 81,900 each, to bear interest at the rate of six per cent, per annum, payable semi-annually, and have interest coupons attached thereto for the installments of interest, the principal and interest to be made payable at the Hanover National Bank, in the city and state of New York. Said bonds shall be numbered from 1 to 35 inclus.ve, and lie issued under date of July 1, 1895, and mature as follows: $3,000 yearly for five years, commencing July 1, 1902, and s? 4,000 yearly commencing July’ 1, 1907, and shall be signed by the president and secretary of said company under the corporate seal thereof, and the said coupons shall be signed by the secretary of said company, and the signature to such coupons may be lithograph ed. The said bonds shall be secured by a first mortgage or deed of trust the Title Guarantee and Trust Company of Chicago, Illinois, on all the rights, property and franchises of the same company. At the same meeting of the Water Works Directors the following further resolution was adopted: “Resolved, That second mortgage bonds of the Decatur Water Works Company are hereby directed to be issued in the sum of $lB,500. Said bonds shall lie issued in denominations of 8500 each, and beat interest at the rate of six per cent, per annum, payable semiannually and have interest coupons attached thereto, for the installments of interest, the principal and interest to be made payable at the Hanover National Bank, of the city ami state of New York. Said bonds shall be numbered from 1 to 37 inclusive, and be issued under date of July 2, 1895, and mature as follows: $2,500 July 1, 1896, $3,000 July 1, 1897, $3,000 July J, 1898, $3,000 July 1, 1899, $3,500 July 1, 1900, $3,500 July 1, 1901. Said bonds shall be signed by the president and secretary of said com pany, under the corporate seal thereof, and the said coupons shall be signed by the secretary of said company, and the signature to such coupons may be lithographed. The said bonds shall be secured by a second mortgage or Deed of Trust

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 23,1890.

to Harry It. Moltz, and his sucessors, on all the rights, property ami franchises of the said company, ' subject to a first mortgage or Deed of Trust to the Title Guarantee and Trust Company of Chicago, HI.” j At the same meeting the Ixmnl of directors appointed J. T. France, C. A. Dugan and G. 1 Christen, a committee to enter into 1 a contract with the Howe Pump and Engine Co. foi the construe , tionof a water works plant in this , city at n< t to exec evd a cost of , $63,590. This contract was en tered intoon June 5, 1895. Should any of our readers care to make the 1 calculation, they will find that ' the amount of bonds to la* issued, plus the SIO,OOO stock subscribed and paid in, equal the contract price for the construction of the works. The bonds found a ready Sale, $35,000 first mortgage bonds wen* taken by Farson, Leach A Co., bankers of Chicago, $1,500 of the second mortgage Ismds were taken by the Decatur National Bank of this city, and $3,500 of the second mortgage Ismds were taken by the contractors of the Howe Pump and Engine Co. The officers of the Decatur National Bank by purchasing $1,500 of the second mortgage lionds are certain ly emitted to, and receive the commendation of the people of this city. The works under the con tract has progressed satisfaetorilly. Sufficient time was given to, ami taken by the contractors to insure ns a good system of waterworks. The waterworks committee consisting of Dr. Coverdale, W. H. Nib-; lick and J. W. Vail have given the construction of the plant careful attention, and certainly earned the additional salary (!) the last legislature awarded them. The consulting engineer is J. D. Cook, but the immediate supervision of the work has lieen under the charge of city engineer J. W. Tyndall. Judging from his latsir he has been the right man in the right placeThe plant was purchased by the city on December 10, 1895, andi the beautiful building which; through the courtesy of artist. Moser we are permitted to illus- I tr ite this article, together with the miles of mains under your streets, ami the hundred hydrants now; forcing themselves upward through the suow upon our streets, belong to we, the j»eople. It has been a long pull ami a strong pull, but fortunately a pull altogether, and notwithstanding the unjust constitutional limit to municipal in ilebtedness, we have a system of waterworks which would be the pride of any city several times the size of Decatur. In business matters politics should lie eschewed , and we freely conceede the busi-1 ness qualities of our present council as exhibited to us in our water works plant. We understand that ! the next move of importance will be the putting in of an electric light system for the use of the city to be run with power furnished by the boilers now used in the pump ing station. This would be a good move, as the city can light her streets for one-fourth the amount she is now paying. Since putting the above article in type we learn that the test ot the water works will lie made today. A pressure of 120 pounds per square inch is to be maintained for four hours, with four streams of water being thrown from different hydrants. It is proposer! to place | the British flagon top of the court house tower and knock it into i “smithereens” with a stream of water from Second street. Mrs. J. L. Gay was thirty-three i years old Monday and besides that; was made the victim of a complete [ surprise, which was planned ami, executed by her husband, anda| ’ few others who were in league with him. The surprise was effectual in every respect, ami Mrs. Gay I hardly knew where she was at, for ; the time being. Those present j were T. F. Auten and wife, J. W. I 1 Teeple and wife, Mrs. B. B. Tecpie, Mrs. J. E. Stoops, John E. Teeple and wife, Mr. Zigler, and J. L. Moser and wife of Wien, Ohio. George Bolds has bought the rig on the Barr farm, and will move it further south where a well will be | drilled either on the Haviland, I Hale or Byrd farms. Bolds Bro’s. ! well on the Armstrong farm was begun Tuesday. These two wells will be a good test for the eastern field. If there is no showing in either, the field is N. G., but if they should fortunately be fair, well, Geneva would experience a boom. —Geneva Herald.

J. W. Chapman ami wife are the parents of a baby Isiy, born Sunday night. Jesse LaFollette of Portland, was in court Monday looking after some interested cases. Mrs. John Rex was called to Ossian this week by the serious illness of her sister. W. S. Hughes is laid up with a sprained ankle, the results of a fall, a common event this kind of weather. Willis Sprague and wife accom panied the remains of their infant child to thia city Tuesday, where interment took place. Judging from a few remarks by Henry Krick at the board of trade meeting last Saturday night, he is “feruinst” railroads, that is some railroads. By bills printed at this office, Retena Amann of Wabash township, will hold a public sate on February 6. A lot of personal property will lie sold. Dave Smith received his first leap year proposal Monday, but for fear of subjecting him to an unpleasant scene, we will refrain from any further explanations. E. D. Moffett, a former proprietor of »he Journal, but now of Hartford City, was shaking hinds with his many friends in this city Wednesday. Eph says he is now investing , in oil wells. The Adams County Lnmber Co., are now ready for actual business. The mill has lieen rebuilt on a larger scale with the latest improved machinery and other facilities for successfully carrying on the business. William Erwin has been subpoened as a jurist in the federal court, with instructions to appear for duty Februaiy 3. Under the present circumstances and condition of things, will is entitled to a release from this duty, ami probably will get it. W. 11. Shepherd of Hartford township, was shaking hands w ith his fi lends and attending to busi m*ss here the first of the week. His j friends have been urging him into a race for county office, but up to the present time he hasn’t fully determined the matter. T F. Golden of Geneva, is now a resident of Huntington, he having moved his family to that place the first of the week. Tim is general agent for the Provident Savings Life Assurance Society, a position i that is both pleasant and profitable. He fully understands the ids and outs of the insurance business, and and will make the company a competent and trustworthy agent. Some opposition is rising to the gravel road agitation because the roads petitioned for don’t pass the spective lands of those opponents to the road. This isn’t right, and those kickers are making a fatal ! mistake in raising such a petty objection which might be the means of defeating the whole thing. The most public roads are theories that first should be graveled, and when that is done it won’t be much long er until every road leading to the i city will be graveled. Let’s build the roads. The Decatur Board of Trade is the name of the new organization | that will attacn itself to the welfare of the city and devote itself to its financial betterment. This name was decided on by the committee on constitution which reported last Saturday evening, when a full grown constitution was provided and adopted. According to its i provisions it will cost a member i ship fee of $5 to belong to it, be I sides you will be subject to an assessment not to exceed $5 in any one year. This membership fee is for the purpose of paying all incidental expenses that may arise. C. A. Dugan, A. Holthouse and Frank Schirmeyer are a committee who are this week receiving signatures to the constitution. They will report same next Saturday night at ; which time by laws will be adopted land officers and directors elected. The meeting last Saturday night j was well attended, and it was the unanimous approval of those present to organize a board of trade. It will start out smiling, judging from the present enthusiasm manifested on the subject. We firmly beleive that many good things will be in store for us, if this trade organization is properly managed, and that it will be we have no doubt.

Joe A. Hendricks was in town Tuesday bringing with him three boarders at the county bast lie. He brought them from Geneva. F. W. Christioner, one of our Monmouth subscribers, was in yesterday and planked down the lucre for a year’s advance Dr read lug. Ifepnty Sherift McLain goes to the northern prison today after David Necenschwanite-r, who was sen! up from thisconnty two years ago for forgery. Pete Holthouse is wearinc a painful arm, which was decidedly sprained by a fall last evening. It was swollen out of proportionate stye, and prmlucvd enough (min for a half dozen arms. Postmaster Welfley this week reports unclaimed letters belonging to William L. Hooler, Martha Danner, IL Belford. Millie Martin, (’atharine Shultz, Elias F. Stolman, I killie Wolfe, Willard White ami T. B. Mann. An oil field is lieing opened east of Geneva, and a tester is now going down. If it proves anything like a success, the oil business will take on a new coat of activity, and the future for Geneva will be bright and flowery. Bolds Bros, have a finger in the new deal. Martin Hobrock, a son of Co nmissioner Hobrock, and A. C. Hobrock of Fort Wayne, were here <iver Sunday visiting with J. H. Hobrock and family. The former l is a pretty good sac simile of ye editor, so you may know he is all right, both physically ami morally. Marriage licenses have been is--1 sued this week to Albert H. Brokaw and Sarah A. Farlow, Jere- | miah Hockenberry and Julia A. V. Young, George A. Ray and Laura Hann, Franklin Gilbert and Susan Hudson, Amos Steiner and Nellie • Shepherd, Nimrod Stall and Min--1 nie Gause. Baptismal services were held Sunday morning at the Methodist and United Brethren churches. At [the Methodist four children were baptised, while Rev. Shepherd con ferred the service upon ten. The protracted services at all of the churches are interesting, enthus iastic and resulting in much good. The delegates to the Muncie conj vention that were selected by the republican central committee Saturday, were B. W. Quinn, P. L. ] Andrews, J. F. Lehman, Joseph Hocker, Lafayette Rape, Barney Kalvariski, E. H. Cowan. The alternates were B. W. Sholty, Ves Peterson, O. P. M. Andrews, Will Waggoner, 11. M. Aspy, A. F. Miller and Jerry Andrews, jun. A. C. Hobrock who was in town Monday, is a member of the Summit City Manufacturing Co., who make a late improved heater for residence purpo-es. Trie heater in question is said to be far super ior to anything of the kind yet introd need to the public. It is so arranged that it can be taken apart and cleaned, thus preserving it for a much longer time than most of the heaters now in use. Mr. Hobrock is patentee of the concern. The new company intend pushing this heater to the front. The following cases have been disposed of in the Adams circuit court this week: Melissa Ashbaucher et al. vs. William H. Bollinger et al.; commissioner ordered to make report. Ann (). Amspaugh vs. Mary C. Henderson et al.; continued. Janies 11. Stone vs. Lucy E. Luckey et al.; continued. Harry Miesscvs. Perry Rob Ison; set for trial February 15. John H. Richard vs. Martha Lachot et al., two cases; continued.; Milo Wilson vs. Chicago & Erie R. R. Co.; set for trial Februaiy 14. Sherman Mott vs. Rhoda Durbin et al.; set for trial February 13. Julius A. Studler vs. John Fox; set for trial February 5. Margaret F. Gleckler et al. vs. Sarah J. Hines et al., notices of sale filed, appraisement of real estate filed, report of sale filed; deed ordered reported and confirmed. AnnaM. Lutz vs. Agnes Walkup et al., notices of sale filed, appraisement of real estate filed, report of sale tiled; deed ordered reported and confirmed. Fred Schafer et al. vs. Win. A. Bowman; set for trial February 6. Anna Rebman vs John Sc,hug; set for trial February 7. Nancy M. Cottrell vs. Alice Farlow; set for trial February 10. John Kiefer vs, Alexander J. Peoples; cause dismissed and costs I paid.

ONLYI.SO PER YEAR

NUMBER 67

The clerks in the clothing, dry goods, Issit and shne business in Portland, have petitioned their employers to ch se their stores at eight o'chs k, except Monday und Saturday evenings. Henry Gallmeyer was in from Bingen Tuesday ami planked down the lucre for the continuance of the Pitixnnnother year. He repirted everything serene around Bingen, with the exception of an occasional bobbing of a candidate. New eases filed since last week constats of F. and H. Smith A Co. vs. William Taylor et al, note, demand s|oo. F. and H. Smith & Co. vs. Martin Martz et al, note, demand SIOO. Charles IL Jenkins et al vs. John Miller et al, foreclosure of mortgage, demand SIO9O. John F. Chenoweth ami wife, Rols*rt Peakins and wife and William Worden ami wife, together with a host of other relatives and friends take this method of thanking the many friends and Knights of I*) thins order for their sympathy and attention during the long illness and death of Rheuben Chinowet h. Tonight at ♦> o’clock will «iccur the marriage of Miss Nellie Irene Shepherd and Amos Steiner, isith of Hartford township. The Rev. C. S. Winans will officiate and make the happy twain one. The bride is the daughter of W. H. Shepherd, and is a bright and handsome young lady. The groom is a young man with many friends and bright future prospects. The Prebb joins their long procession of congratulatory friends. Report of school district No. 8, Ibsit township, for the month end ing January 17, 1896: Numlier enrolled for the month, 31; average 1 daily attendance, 33 2-5. Those 1 punctual for the month were: Orville Heller, Henry Archbold, Edgar Baker, Alva Baker, Roy Heller, willie Kibler, Gertrude I Geeis, Joseph Geels, Minnie Schultz, Ruby Sheets, Effie Rinehart, Martha Heller, Janie Close, Ada Elzey, b Bertha Rinehart, Harvey Elzey, Minnie Sheets, Chancy Rinehart, . Olive Close, Samantha S.ieets, . Jessie Rinehart, Rolla Sheets, Pearl Heller, Bertie Close, Harvey Baker, Frankie Baker, Ida Merryman. W. A. Fonner, Tuacher. Louis H. Legler, auditor of Vanderburg county, has made an appeal to the supreme court questioningthe constitutionality of the fee and salary law or a part of it. One of the provisions of the law is that iif the clerk, auditor or treasurer, sheriff and recorder, in their respective counties, have not turned into the county treasury out of fees collected a sum equal to their respective quarterly allowances, then a sum only shall be allowed - equal to the sum turned in. The auditor of Vandeiburg contends that this is unconstitional because it deprives each and every county auditor of the state of all compensation for his services. In the three months ending Decemlier 1, 1895, the total amount of fees collected in Vanderburg county by the auditor was $141.10, and he bad to pay his deputy and other persons employed $946 in that time. The republicans in Adams have selected a new county cornu it tee, as follows: Union, E. 8. Moses; east Root, John A. Mumma, west j Root, David M. Rice; north Preble, H. M. Caston; south Preble, August Bley; Kirkland, J. Stoutenliurry; west Washington, J. H. Barnett; e:ist Washington, John M. Blossom; Decatur first ward, ; Joshua A. Barnhart, second wUrd, precinct a., B. W. Sholty; pre Icinct b., Frank Railing; third ward, precinct a., P. G. Hooper;, ; precinct b., R. 8. Elzey, east St. Mary’s, E. H. Cowan; west St. Mary’s, A. M. Fuller; north Blue Creek M. A. Rapley; south Blue Creek, Alfred Ayers; north Monroe,, Joseph Hocker; middle Monroe, Leander Rieffey; south Monroe, J. F. Lehman; French, V. 1). BellSouth Hartford, Joseph Glendening; north Hartford, A. Schlagenhauf; north Wabash, J.R. Dennis* middle Wabash, John Brown; north Geneva, M. F. Aspy; south Geneva, Nathan Shepherd, Jefferson, Henry Snyder. The committee met in the office of Paul G. Hooper Saturday and elected officers, by making P. G. Hooper • chairman, Joshua A. Barnhart vice chairman, J. 11. Barnett treasurer, and P. L. Andrews secretary. Mr. Hooper was the old chairman, and his re-election is significant of the fact that he suits the wants of the g. o. p. of the county,