Daily Democrat, Volume 2, Number 55, Decatur, Adams County, 16 March 1904 — Page 1

VOLUME II

UECATUR HAS GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

President Schontz Offers Us Clover Leaf Division

Includes Round House, Refrigerator Plant and Shops

OFFICIALS HERE TODAY Met at Station by 200 Citizens Wants Ground and One Building.— Company Engineer Will Be Here Tomorrow.

i “If Decatur will secure a lease on the necessary ground and furnish enough money to build a round ' house, you may consider the trade ■lade,” said President Shontz of the Clover Leaf as he addressed Several hundred enthusiastic citiaens of Decatur at the station today. He is a man of few words and his offer means just what he ■aid and more. Until this morning it was not known that the Clover ■ Leaf people were anticipating making a division point of Decatur but ' the news spread rapidly. After ft* Agent Miller recieved the following 3L message: Toledo, Ohio March 15 ■T. L. Miller. Ag’t., Decatur Ind. Special party will pass long the Broad tomorrow, (Wednesday) and ■ will reach Decatur about noon. |We would like to have Messrs. ■Sin.th, Carroll, Vail, Niblick, ■ Miller, Hale, Kirsch & Sellemeyer, ■ Krick A Tyndall, the Mayor of the ■ town and other shippers, or parties ■to meet the special party. Signed, T. J. COOK, General Tfr., Agent. The business of such a visit was ■thoroughly' discussed and it soon ■became whispered that a proposition ■was to lx, made whereby if accepted ■Decatur would secure a division .■and railroad shops. Bulletins were ghosted in the Democrat window, ■bills were distributed and as a result ■norethan two hundred businessmen ■and citizens interested in the welfaie ■of Decatur were at the station at 12:■45 when engine 111 with a special ■train pulled in. The party which ■alighted included President Shontz ■of New York City. General Traffic ■Manager Ross, General Auditor Asssistant General Traffic ■Manager Cook, General Freight ■Manager Davis, Traveling Passen■gvr Agent Brown and lesuratice ■Manager Brown. The pie ty wire ■|h lot of genial men and within a minutes had grasped the hands ■of u majority of the people present. ■ The party scorned to be in the ■ hands of Mr. Cook who did his

The Daily Democrat.

part nicely. President Shontz was the chief attraction however and when pressed for some statement conerning the division proposition here said he had not intended to make any statement but the welcome to Decatur was too strong to evade. He admitted that Decatur bad been much faked of in railway circles and had a bright future as both the Clover Leaf and Erie companies would undoubtedly soon make decided improvements here. As for the Clover Leaf he said, “We have the very warmest feelings for your city and have always been met half way by you, now if Decatur will secure us a lease on the necessary lands and furnish enough money to construct a round house we will guarantee to make this a principal division, and will erect all other buildings ourselves. More than this we wll erect a refrigerator plant large enough to hold 50,000 tons of ice and with facilities for handling a thirty car train in thirty five minutes. As to the size of the shops, Decatur is midway between Toledo and Frankfort and the shops would necessarily have to be sufficient to take care of any business. Besides this we will make Decatur the transfer station with the Erie and that road will help us make some other improvements not necessary to speak of now. The Erie would probably remove their ice plant from Gallion Ohio here.” In other words they will make a railroad town of Decatur, if we will help them. Every member of the party was well pleased with the reception given them and even the engineer's face was illuminated with smiles as he halt ed his train. President Shontz said, “My engineer will be here tomorrow and will estimate the amount of land necessary and the cost of the round house. I mean just what I say anil will fulfill evrey promise made, if any encouragement is shown.” The offer is the liest ever made to Decatur. It is genuine and deserving of all our energy and enterprise. It means much for our city and wo cannot afford to pass it up at any cost. Never in history has a city secured the shops and division of a railway like the Toledo, St. Louis & Wesern and not doubled in population within a few years, and Decatur can soon be the best town between Lima and Chicago and between Toledo and Marion. Every one of the two hundred people who heard the offer are enthusiastic and it. only remains to meet the requirements, which even if they should seem large will pay for themselves over and over again. The party was here about fifteen minutes, going on through to Frankfort and from there to St. Louis Io night on a general ins|xiction tour. President Shontz is a wide awake, twentieth century railway President, and his assistance would soon make Decatur the he-t town on the map.. Lets help him do it. As he said in his remarks if we get the -o additions anil once get the railways interest ed, other concerns are bound to come and the f 1 dure is an assured success. Citizens, bus’ness men and manufacturers of Decatur,• the time is here to act, it is now or no ver. .

DECATUR, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 16, 1904.

LECTURE TONIGHT Last Number of Lecture Course — Don’t Miss It. The last number of the lecture course will be given at the opera house this evening. The Danville, Illinois News says of Mr. Amsbary: Last year Mr. Wallace Bruce Amsbary endeared himself to all who heard him; he is a reader of exceptional merit; all who hear him aro well pleased and many are delighted. His manner is so natural that whatever his subject it seems to be original and spontaneous—impromptu ;in his mouth old pieces take on such new meaning that you hear them for the first time; at least a new interpretation for them. This is real historonic genus; it is the personal equation that gives perennial freshness to the best literature, it is the personal presence and manner that says so much more than the mere words of a writer can express. We hope that there will be a good Chautauqua here next year and that Bruce Ambsary may be here with it, improved by time as much as he has ; been the ]>ast year. All will give him a hearty welcome, and laugh and cry a she reads as they have done before. Then his friends want the pleasure of meeting him personally, for he is as genial as talented. FOUGHT IT OUT Women Engage in HairPulling Contest A Scene on First Street at Twelve O’clock Last Ni^ht.—Fight Was Fierce. It is very seldom that a genuine free for all flgh takes place between women but such was the case last night and from the reports that we get from tho fray it was fast and furious with honors about even. The fight started promptly at twelve o'clock with only four eye witneses besides the participants, and directly in front of the county jail. Tne trouble originated over tho fact that one of the two men declared that the other was trying to break up her home and was at that time in company with her son. This seemed to bo the keynote for the tight to commence, which it did with a fury, and which the son stood calmly by watching his mother trying to protect his way ward actions. The fight lasted al>out five minutes during which time each seemed to think they bad been sat isfied and the mother proudly and majestically walked down the street to her home with her son by her side. A largo bundle of hair together with several hairpins were gathered up this morning by tin sheriff which shows that hair pulling was in order, and it is also reported that uno of tho contestants lost her spoctaole-i. A bunch of hair recovered by the sheriff shows a heavy sprinkling of gray, which discloses tho fact that neither of the parties interested were spring

IN WELLS COUNTY Fred Huffman Receives Contract for School House. Fred Huffman again proved tho lucky bidder at Bluffton yesterday and in consequence thereof was awarded the contract to construct a new school house in Union township in Wells county. There were five other bidders there but when opened and the bids read, Mr. Huff man proved to be the lowest and was therefore awarded the contract. The school house is to be modern and up to date in every respect and when completed will cost the neat sum of $15,200 which was the contract price. Mr. Huffman will start work on the construction of this building as sooon as the weather will permit. A NEW FIRM Enos Peoples Again Engaged in Business He Buys Half Interest in the Fashion Stables and Will Move to Town. The Fashion Stables, from this morning on, will be run and operated by the firm of Peoples & Holthouse, a deal having been curried out and completed last evening wherein Enos Peoples bought a one half interest in this business from Louis A. Holthouse, who was formerly owner and proprietor. Mr. Peoples needs no introduction to the people of this city and as to his ability as being a fullfleged livery man, having been in this business nearly all his life and was, prior to the firm of Beery & Holthouse the sole owner of the Fashion Stables. For the past few years Enos has been living a retired farmer's life, with which ho had become dissatisfied here of late and again decided to cast his lot in active business and again move to the city and having a preference to this former business made the above deal wherein he is a part owner in the business. Enos will as soon as the weather permits move his effects and family to this city and make his future home hero. The intentions of this firm is to please their customers in in every | respect and to give them the best they have in stock, and in case you are in need of a turnout in their lino they solicit a share of your patronage. STILL IN BUSINESS Dr. Neptune, Senior, Will Continue to Greet Old and New Friends. Dr. C. E. Nepnne left yesterday for the south where he seeks a new location and will probably remove his family from Decatir during the coining summer. His interest in the dentist business hero has been purchased by Dr. J. Q Neptune, the senior member of the tlrm who is well known to n wrly nil our readers. He will continue the business .t the old stand and will bo glad to greet old and now

ATTEND MEETIi\G Adams County Members of Flour Mill Operators’ Association. A. Van Camp of this city and W. A. Aspy ot Geneva were among the operators of flour mills in eastren Indana who met at Fort Wayne yesterday to organize a millers association. The work was not completed as no officers were elected. The organization includes about a hundred members and their meetings are secret. BADLY HURT George Schroll Victim of Accident Nose Broken and Face Smashed While Working With Bridge Men at Monmouth. George W. Schroll of this city was seriously injured at 10:30 o’clock this morning. He is a member of the bridge gang under Foreman Glancey and was assisting in putting in a false bridge north of Monmouth at a place where a stee 1 bridge is to be erected as soon as possible. He was struck in the face by a piece of the machine known as the Crab handle which flew back. He was trying to hold the handle but slipiKd and though the men near him tried to help him hold it, it was impossible. He received the full force of the blow which broke his nose and mashed his face considerable about the forehed and eyes. He bled profusely and was very weak before help of a physician could be secured He as placed upon a hand ear and brought to his home as soon as possible. Dr. J. S. Boyers was called and dressed the wounds and the injured man was resting easy at last rep irts. AN ASSIGNMENT L A. Henning Files Papers Assets Are $1250, Liabilities Unknown. —French Quinn Made Assignee.

At throe o’clock this afternoon Attorneys Merryman & Sutton filed in the Adams circuit court the assignment papers of Louis A. Henning, the grain and coal man. The petition is in regular form, naming French Quinn as assignee and stating that being financially embarres- I ed and in failing circumstances said ’ L. A. Henning assigns, conveys ! and releases to said French Quinn all his credits, closes in action, and personal property,for the benefit of his creditors. Tho assets amount about $1250, liabilities unknown. Mr. Henning camo hero last fall and s< emed to do a good business until about a month ago when he was arrested, and taken to Auburn on a charge of grand larceny, on indictment having been returned by the grand jury. He formerly lived at Butler, Indiana, where ho also made an assignment. -

NUMBER 55

MORGAN LINE Electric Road to be Taken Up Soon Berne Claims Decatur is Out of the Steam Railway Proposition.

Mayor Coffee has written J. Morgan of Toledo to ascertain what effect the proposed new Toledo Indianapolis steam line would have on the Morgan electric line which has been planned over the same territory and has recieved the following reply: The Cincinnati, Toledo Detroit Short Line Railway Co. Toledo. Ohio, Mar. 14, 1904. Mr. D. D. Coffee, Decatur, Ind., Dear Sir:— The parties who are trying to build this road from Toledo to Decatur got the idea from our suggestion and are trying to put the road through, knowing that we was tied up with a proposition in Ohio for the time being. We had intended to push your proposition as soon as we got through with this. Os course, we can't prevent them from building their road. Yours respectfully, J. Morgan. However the Berne News this morining settled the matter as follows: “According to information given out to the committee last week, the Toledo, Indianapolis & Southwestern Railway Co., have abandoned Decatur as a possible point on its new line. The committee returned Friday night from Toledo. J. J. Hirschy, a member of the committee stated that representatives of the company were anxious to proceed with the surveys and that two and possibly three gangs of engineers would be sent out over the routes this week. One gang will begin work at Toledo, another at Indianapolis and perhaps a third about midway between tho two terminal points. These surveyors will rush the work and hope to have two lines out before many days.

ARE SCARCE Farmers May Have Trouble in Securing Help. Tho dearth of farm hands so pronounced n Indiana last fall that it interfered with the prompt gathering of the corn and consequently delayed the gathering of statistics of the corn crop, will according to State Statistioatn Johnson, he more pronounced this spring. Not only will they be scarcer, but the de-

' mand will be greater, and the fartnj ers ho says, will experience ditlioulIty in getting their spring crops planted as early as usual. The scarcity of farm hand workers has I existed more or less in Indiana for I throe or four years, but with the ■ building of the interurban railroads and the accompanying work of construction the workmen go off the farms to accept positions that seemingly offer more money. Consequently the farm laborer is able to I ask more money this year than at ■ any previous time, Johnson too, finds that the Indiana boy is anxI ious to live in the city under ' circumstances not nearly so good as 1 he has enjoyed on the farm. This pre position of farm help is often ■, heard discussed on the streets, ami ( during the coming season will Is, ' more in cvidenoeo. But thp lucky