Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 149, Decatur, Adams County, 2 July 1903 — Page 1

VOLUME 1

STRIKE RICH OIL WELL

■New Field Opened North of Berne. ■sixty BARREL WELL ON THE SWARTZ FARM. ■Territory is But Six Miles From Here, and Will be the Best in the County. j 1 One of the best oil wells in the H A i.ui.'eounty field came in on the jfl David Swartz farm, four miles ■ ■ north of Berne, making it but six ■< i .. n miles from this cit.v . The ■ v.. . > owned by the Cherry Oil. ■ (vi-w Mining company of Toledo, fl io r.terprising, lucky and hustling ■ a-s. a uition. in which several Berne

OLD GLORY WAVES In the Breeze at the Hill Home. A “Patriotic Party" is the Latest Event in Decatur Society Functions. "Who would be a traitor knave? Who can fill a coward's grave?” If there be such a one, a view of the ]>atriotic display at the Hill home this atfernoon might do him good. The hostess, Mrs. Vctoria Hill.has arranged the most novel event of the season in honor of her daughter, Mrs. C. G. Reynolds and children, of Joliet, Illinois. Unfurling its folds to the breeze, the veteran and bullet-pierced flag of Col Miller waves high above the incoming guests. Within, the house is tastefully decorated with flags, bunting, palms and an abundance of beautiful flowers. The guests are being entertained with various progressive patriotic games, such as Martha Washington acrostic," writing original poems, or the first verses of national hymns, guessing the names of generals, etc. Appropriate prizes will be awarded to the successful contestants in the different games. At four thirty a twocourse luncheon will be served at the home of MrsJ Fred Mills. The walls here are also covered with diminutive flags cunningly set. and the dining table is covered with an abundance of roses and carnations, while towering palms stand at either end of the room. Misses Marie Patterson, Hattie Niblick, Dollie Himooke, Carrie Thomas, Irene Hchirmeyer and Margaret Mills will serve the guests, while Frank Mills, Costumed as Uncle Sam, presides at the punch bowl. The entertainment will end with a regular Fourth of July celebration, including a jwtatoe race and May-pole dance. The event is quite a treat to Decatur’s society and will probably close the festivities this week. WILL BUY DYNAMO. Martin Mylott, T. C. Corbett, Him Fordyce and Charles Teepte went to Portland this afternoon to examine the dynamos of the electric lihgt plant at that place. The plant here is taxi'd to its utmost and a new dynamo is a necessity. The <t>ty will purchase one this week, pending a favorable report from the •'ommittee in charge.

The Daily Democrat.

: business men are interested. This I territory is practically new and is | the closest paying field to Decatur. The Cherry ’company own fifteen hundred acres of leases in the im- | mediate neighborhood and expect to i drill a number of more wells. The Swartz well, number one, was shot yesterday and filled up five hundred feet with oil which indicates almost to a certainty that it will be a fifty l or sixty barrel well. The members of the company are elated and will proceed at once. Their next well is to be located on the Joseph Rich farm in the same territory. The Cherry company are incorporated at ♦ 100,000 and mean business and : their earnest efforts means much for the citizens between Berne and Monroe. While the field is practically new it looks as thouhg it would be the best territory in the county. While this gusher means much for the stock holders and farmers whose lands are leased, it likewise means much for Decatur, jas it proves the rich mineral is nearer here than heretofore shown.

WILL SETTLE MONDAY Adjusters Agree Upon That Date to Square Up. The insurance on the Big Store stock will be adjusted next Monday, according to present arrangements. Mr. Fish, who is here to represent the interests of Kern, Beeler & Company, received a telegram from A. A. Crandel of Cincinnati, representing the Western Insurance Association,, saying he would be here at that time to settle the loss. Mr. Fish and Mr. Wholleben left at noon and will return Sunday evening ready for business. It is supposed the delay in adjusting is because the loss was reported total. The loss on furniture and fixtures was settled yesterday in full, $2,000. This policy was held by the Home Insurance company of New York, and was represented by Mr. Cromer of Indianapojis. Adjusters for the coniprnies on the building arrived at 3:30 this afternoon and are busy settling the loss. THE AUTO RACES International Event Held Today. Kuyff Wins First and Juatez Second. Numerous Accidents. Special to the Dally democrat. S:3O p. tn Ballishannon, Ireland, July 2.— In the international auto race here today for the James Gordon Bennett cup D. E Kuyff finished first and Juatez second. In a bad smash up Jarrott’s collar bone was broken and his chauffeur badly crushed. His auto was totally destroyed. There were numerous other minor mishaps. Foxhall Keene dropped out of the racing owing to trouble with his automobile. A WARNING. Boys and mon who are in the habit of bathing in the St. Marys river within the city limtsare notified hereby that any person caught doing so hereafter, will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Harry Cordua, Marshal

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 2, 1903.

A FIERCE STORM Lightning Plays Havoc in Country. SEVERAL BUILDINGS DAMAGED LAST NIGHT. Numerous Losses on Stock Are Reported as a Result of the Thunderstorm. Yesterday was the hottest day of the year, so far, and wound up with the most severe thunder storm seen here for some time. The thermometer registered ninety three in the shade yesterday and the big storm was predicted by many. About six o’clock the big black clouds began to roll up in the northwest and an hour afterwards the elements were reigning all their fury. For six hours the air was filled with lightning and the roll of thunder was continuous. In every direction bright lights could be discerned on the sky, showing that the lightning was doing damaging work. The heavy rain began about ten o’clock and for several hours came down in sheets, bringing joy to the hearts of the farmers, who say the corn was being burned up in the fields. Numerous losses have been reported today: A large barn owned by Mr. Perkins, and located a mile and a half north of Magley, and two miles west of the German church in Wells conuty, was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. All the contents, including nine loads of new hay, was destroyed, making a loss of about |l,ooo. A barn on Michael Miller's farm, near Monroe, was also struck but luckily did not take fire. The rafters were torn loose, roof damaged, with a loss of about seventy-five dollars, insured in the Continental company. Charles Poling lost two valuable horees which were struck while in the pasture. He lives on the Joshua Parrish farm, near the Washington church. Frank Breiner who also lives near Washington church, is minus a calf which got in the way of a bolt of electric fluid. A big barn on the John Hoblett farm, east of Steele, was struck during the storm and is [reported a complete loss with all contents. The barn was the largest in that section of the country and if the loss was total, as our informant says, the loss will reach ♦2.500, with an insurance of ♦9OO. A traveling man who came in today says a hotel at Willshire was destroyed last night, the-result of being struck by lightning. There were several other fires of more or less consequence over the country but it has been impossible to get accounts of them.

WEATHER REPORT. Temperature and Rain for Month of June. The weather report shows that the mean temperature for the month was sixty-five degrees. The highest temperature was reached yesterday. The lowest temperature during June was observed the 13th, when it was thirty nine degrees. The normal temperature for the month of June is 70. degrees, making the temperature during the past month 5.66 below normal. The hottest day of June of last year showed ninetyseven degrees. The rainfall for a month was 6 6 inches. The heaviest rainfall of any one day was on the 6th, when 2.14 inches of rain tell. During the month there were fourteen rainy days, seven clear, sixteen pirtly cloudy and seven cloudy. The crop outlook is hardly as favorable as shown a month ago.

NO PAPER SATURDAY. The Printers Will Celebrate the Fourth. The printers wish to celebrate the Fourth by taking a vacation of one day and believing as we do that they are entitled to the right to thus relieve themselves of an over abundance of patriotism we have decided not to issue a paper on that day. Saturday will be our holiday, so don’t look for a paper on that evening. Collections will be made Friday evening and subscribers are requested to please have their dimes ready for the boys at that time instead of Saturday evening as usual. HAVE A GALA TIME Van Wert Masons Entertain Their Brethren. Members of Decatur Lodge Enjoy Their Hospitality. Thirty-eight Decatur members of the Masonic lodge spent yesterday afternoon and last night in Van Wert where they were guests at a Masonic doings of no mean proportions. The visitors were composed of the lodges from this city and Paulding, Ohio, the secrot work of the MAster Mason’s degree being confrreed upon three candidates. This lodge had the honor of winning deserved applause for the excellent presentation of the unwritten work, and we must confess that the boys outdid themselves and justly earned the praise bestowed. Van Wert is one of the hand somest cities on the map and her Masons fully up to the standard as entertainers. Fully 300 people feasted at a six o’clock dinner, the same being served in the Presbyterian church at that city, and by the ladies of that congregation, and about the midnight hour ice cream and cake was served in the banquet rooms of the lodge. It was a gala time in Masonic circles and one long to be remembered by the Decatur colonj- who attended.

IN TOUGH LUCK. Portland Has Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria. After a brief lull of contagious diseases Portland is doubly- unfortunate. A case of scarlet fever and u case of diphtheria were reported to Health (Iflficer Stanton late Monday evening and although it was getting dark when the word reached him the cautious officer went at once to the house where the disease, exist and put up the yellow flags. The case' of diphtheria is Clara Chamberlain, the one-and-a-half year old child of William Chamberlain living on Race street and the scarlet fever ease is Leona Spohn, the eight year old child of Thomas Spohn on Shanks street, South Portland. — Portland CommercialReview. BACHELOR MAIDS. Miss Mayme Confer Entertains the Popular Ladies Club. The Bahelor maids met last evening with Miss Maine Confer and and indulged in progressive euchre. First prizes were allotted to the Misses Marne and Anna Terveer and boobies to Miss Ada Deininger and Mrs. James Haefling. Refreshments were served and the storm without did not in the least bother the assembled guests.

FOUND DEAD IN LUMBER PILE

Will Jeffries’ Life Ends at Andrews. WAS WELL KNOWN AND RESIDED HERE. Body Sent to His Former Home at Springfield, Ohio, and Buried Today. Will Jeffries, a former resident here and who left a few months ago, was found dead in a lumber yard at Andrews Tuesday noon. The Huntington Herald gave the following account of the sad affair: “There was a ghastly find at Andrews today noon. Some one was passing through the Wasmuth lumber yard when he found the form of a man named W. F. Jeffries. It is not known how long the man had been dead, but the body was soon recognized as the man who came to Andrews last Novemlter and followed the vocation of an agent in the sale of a patent churn.

BITTER COMPETITION. Big Shows to Have Another Clinch in Indiana. The Ringlings have returned to Indiana and the incoming of the Bar-num-Bailey show precipitates another war between rival circus companies, and also a fight between the ' trust and independent shows. The Ringlings and Wallace had a sharp competition for business in Indiana early in the spring season, appearing only- one or two days apart in Anderson and elsewhere. The Ringlings were out this season to locate new territory and to fight the circus ' trust at every point. It was expected that the Barnum-Bailey and the Forepaugh-Sells would be pitted against the Ringlings, and that Wallace could be relied upon to favor the trust. The fight extended to St. Louis, where the Ringlings followed Forepaugh-Sells, and then jumped across two states and gave Wallace show another fight by tak ing it and cutting ahead in Ohio. The Ringlings then switched again, and hearing that Batnuiu-Bailey were coming west, returned to Indiana to visit the cities that could not be reached on the former trip. The Barnum-Bailey people say that they will appear in gas belt towns in September. LET S CELEBRATE. Stop Working One Day and Enjoy the Fourth. Saturday is the 127th anniversary of our independence and Decatur is going to celebrate in a patriotic manner. If you wish to enjoy yourself cease your labors on that one day and join in the holiday. The program will lx- interesting, and as stated frequently during the past month, consists of everything in the way of amusement that one could wish. The features of the day are the races and fireworks, though various other sports will help make the day a real Fourth of July. The races include trotting, pacing, running and pony events and can not help being interesting aud exciting. A display of fireworks costing ♦3(H) will be given in the evening and will, without doubt be the finest ever seen in Decatur. The day's program will be given at Steele’s park, admission to which for the entire day is only twentyfive cents. Don’t fail to come.

NUMBER 149

He was about thirty seven years old, and his death was the result of dissipation, he having been a heavy drinker. The theory is that during a period of intoxication he wandered into the lubmer yard , became unconscious and passed away without a struggle. On account of the telephone affording unsatisfactory service it was impossible to learn further details except that no disposition would be made of the body until parties at Springfield, 0., could be heard from. Coroner Morgan was called to Andrews to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death. He left here at Spring in company with a fellow known here as “Churn Bill,” whose aviation was to drive over the country and sell patent churns to the farmers. Will was a bright fellow and when sober was as clever a man as could be found. His parents who are wealthy, live at Springfield, Ohio, and a telegram from them today said that the body had arrived there and was buried to day. His wife and two little sons live here. He was about thirty eight years old. A brother, Charles Jeffries, well known here and who worked at the Burt House several years ago, is now employed at the Burris House, Marion Will was employed as a clerk at the Murray House several months last fall.

RAINS SCHEDULED. Rev. Hicks Says Storms Are Due Now. Rev. Hicks opens his July engagement with a storm which continues up to the fifth. Very warm, muggy weather will prevail during these disturbances, but a very probable change to cooler will pass over the country from west to east between 4th and 7th. The second period covers the 7th to 11th, being central on the 9th, and during this period look for thunder storms, wind and rain. The reactionary storm begins on the 14th. A regular storm period is central on the 20th, extending its influence about the 18th to 23rd, with rain, wind and thunder. One of the warmest waves on from about Friday, the 24th, to Monday the 27th. On and touching the 27th many active electric storms will continue till the close of the month, and the general tone of character of the storm and weather prevailing the last half of July will indicate to a large degree the character of storm and weather through August and much of September. VOTE CANVASSED. St. Marys Township Macadam Road Carried. The inspectors for the St. Marys macadam road election, canvassed the vote at the auditor’s office this afternoon. The total vote cast in favor of the soutli road was one hundred and twenty-five, to sixtyfive against it, making a majority of sixty in favor of the road. The north road records one hundred and eighteen for the road, and sixty six against it, making a majority of fifty-two for the road. The boys worked hard and are now entitled to the reward that is rightly theirs. WILL VISIT HERE. Dr. George Luckey, professor of teaching in the state university at Lincoln, Nebraska, formerly county sujierintendent of Adams county, will arrive in this city tomorrow afternoon for a day's visit with Dr Boyers and family and with his relatives. Professor Luckey is on his way to Boston, Massachusetts, to attend the meeting of the National Educational Association, which convenes from July the sixth to the tenth. Prof Luckey is president of the department of child study at that meeting.