Daily Democrat, Volume 2, Number 64, Decatur, Adams County, 26 March 1904 — Page 1

VOLUME II

PORTLAND EXPERIENCES AN AWFUL FLOOD'

CONTRACTOR LALLV AND JOHN DOWNING DROWNED

In Efforts to Rescue Farmer Named Noll LOSS MANY THOUSAND DOLLARS

Stores Are All Flooded Guests Rescued From Upper Windows Waters Come Up Suddenly at Midnight.—Many Narrow Escapes Reported. Special to the Rally Democrat. PORTLAND, Ind., Match 26— This city is suffering from a terrible flood as a result of which two lives and thousands of dollars worth of property have already been sacrificed. The rain of thirtysix hours has caused the Salemania river to raise twenty five feet higher than ever known liefore and a cloud burst which occurred late last night has caused the most terrible loss ever known in this community. Not until twelve o’clock last night was it believed that any serious results would follow the rains, but at that hour the water rose so rapidly that it was necessary to give a general alarm. Citizens responded promptly, but could do nothing except remove goods in some of the business houses. BUSINESS HOUSES LOSE HEAVILY. The water is still up to the second story of many business houses. At the Merchants hotel it was necessary to rescue the guests from second story windows. So rapidly did the water raise that It was impossible for the people to escape any other way. The Commercial Review ofllce tried to get out an extra this morning but the press was covered with water before they were scarcely started. The heaviest loosers among the business men are the Fulton Hardware Company, Cartright <ft Headington, dry goods store, 'Min ihiod" Wholesale grocery houta, the Cline & Wilt lumber

The Daily Democrat.

yards. The Adair hotel or old Hawkins house is the only hotel in Portland which is open to the public. TWO MEN DROWN. Though the financial loss is a terrible one and will reach far into the thousands, this fact is lost sight of here because of the death j by drowning of two well known citizens, John Lally and John Downing, who met death in their efforts to save the life of a fellow citizen. STORY OF FATAL ACCIDENT. A farmer named B. K. Noll was trying to drive into the city. When between the Meridian and Wayne street bridges his horse slipped off the levy. Lally and Downing were near the scene on horseback and immediately drove into the raging waters to save the old gentleman. They never reached his side, however, as both men and their horses soon sank from view. Hundreds of people are dragging the streams in vain efforts to recover the bodies. > FARMER ESCAPES. Mr. Noll finally managed to craw] onto the top of his buggy and cling there. A by-standc finally succeeded in throwing a rope to him and he was rescued from his perilous position. LALLY KNOWN HERE. John Lally one of the brave men who met death, was well known hero. Ho is a contractor and with Jack Frost has built several macadam roads in this county. In Jay county he was widely known and one of the most popular men in the county. He was about forty years old and leaves a wife and five children. John Downing the other victim of the flood is a bus driver and worked for the Hotel Adair. He was clever and popular. At three o’clock neither body had been recovered. WATERS FALL SLIGHTLY. During today the water ‘has fallen about a foot and it is believed the worst is over, though stories of narrow escapes uro still hoard frequently. The citizens of Portland finvo formed themselves into a big relief

DECATUR, INDIANA, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 26, 1904.

committee and are using every possible effort to prevent suffering. The sick and poor are being cared for. It is impossible to even estimate the financial loss but it will be a very heavy one. RATES AND DATES F«xed by Railroad Passenger Association for World’s Fair. Genera] Passenger Agent Moulton Houk of the Ohio Central and Chief Clerk M. A. Chambers, of the Clover Leaf, returned this morning from Chicago where they attended the regular monthly meeting of the Central Passenger association. One of the most important points discussed was the dates for the coach excursions to the St. Louis fair. These excursions will lie run during the months of May and June and the first ones will be run on May 17 and 19 and every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter until the end of June. The Lake lines were given the same privileges on world's fair tickets as they enjoyed during the Buffalo exposition. Tickets sold from any point in the east will be honored by either boat or rail lines.—Toledo Bee. AT FORT WAYNE State Bar Association to Meet Five Hundred Lawyers Will Occupy That City Two Days in July. The annual convention the State Bar association will be held in Fort Wayne in July. There will be two days'session. The State Bar association is composed of the leading lawyers of Indiana, and the convention is always the occasion of a large gathering of noted barristers and jurists. At will bring to Fort Wayne 400 or 500 lawyers, and will be one of the most distinguished gatherings the city has ever been called upon to entertain. The executive committee which honored Fort Wayne is composed of Addison Harris, former minister to Austria; John W.Kern late democratic candidate for governor; John L. Rupe and Ephraim Marsh. The officers of the association are: President, William P. Breen; vice president, Oscar H. Montgomery; secretary, Merrill Moore; treasurer, Frank E. Gavin. Bank Statement The New York bank statement as furnished us weekly by J. 1). Hale who receives same by special. This weeks reports show an increase in every department : Reserve, increase >1,583,000, Loans, increase >5,944,900. Specie, increase >487,500. Legale, increase >2,511,500. Deposits, increase, >11,044,000. Circulation, increase >122,200.

GOT THE MONEY Burglars Get in Their Work at Markle in Good Shape. Some time Thursday night robbers entered the post office at Markle by forcing a window and took money, stamps and other valuable amounting to between >250 and <3OO. It is understood there is a clue to the burglary and that the marshal, John Gusman, is following it up. Two nights before some one had broken into the Bender store in the same town. GOT TEN DAYS Sam Railing Sent to Jail Plead for Liberty and Told Tale of Woe, But it Proved Unavailable. Tears stood in the eyes of Samuel Railing, the battle scarred veteran of the Spanish-American war, as he stood before Mayor Coffee yesterday afternoon to answer to the charge of public intoxication and I disorderly conduct. He put up a most pitiful tale to his homr in his endeavor to keep away from the county Iwstile, but his pleading were in vain, and poor Sam was fined one dollar and costs. When asked if he could pay the same ! Sam stated in a strained voice, "No Sir,.” ‘‘Then back to jail for ten days,” quoted Mayor Coffee, and Sam was led away with bowed head, and placed where booze will not have any effect on him for a short time at least. Night Policeman Fisher made the arrest and | ' stated that he experienced no I : trouble GO TO TOLEDO Committee to Call on Mr. Shonts Will Present New Plan and Secure Opinion of the Officials. Nothing new has been learned in the Clover Leaf division enterprise but within a few days, some substantial nows will be at hand. A party of Decatur people including D. F. Quinn and the Commercial Club committee will go to Toledo Monday to interview President Shonts and secure some further information from him. The committee includes John W. Tyndall, E. Woodsand Harry R. Moltz. They have a new proposition to offer Mr. Shouts which they believe ho will favor. The party are all mon ' who have Decatur’s best interests at heart and it is an assured fact that they will leave nothing undone to malto the ileal solid. It is the desire to arrange matters so that the , petition to have the township vote a tax can bo presented to the board of county commissioners at their session one week Rom Monday.

SEE THE POINT — Delphos People Are Worried But Say if Things Are as They Seem it is Useless to Waste Effort. Tha Delphos people believe Decatur is tc be a Clover Leaf division is evidenced from the following from the Delphos Herald: The many things in regard to the Decatur move are peculiar and, when investigated, are very hard ; to overcome. The train service has been changed many times, but invariably returned. For economical operation of the road the present plans have proven the best thereI fore the company is using Delphos as a division point. Os course, if , the Erie railroad and the Clover Leaf are to be linked into one system, then it is useless for Delphos to waste money and effort, or grieve over the prospective move tiecause it is only logic for the management to make the improvement as is undoubtedly outlined. Delphos has done much for the Clover Leaf and feels elated over I the success of the road, but deplore the anticipated removal of their employes and the change of the division p int. It is conservatively estimated there are in the neighborhood of 175 families dependent on ' the Clover Leaf for sustenance j residing in Delphos. The pay roll amounts to nearly >12,000 each j month. The loss of these valuable i people and volume of money will surely be felt by the merchants of our town. We can say, too, that the railroad employes residing here would regret to leave Delphos. POLICE COURT Three Men Were Found Guilty Two Go to Jail and One Stayed the Docket.—Woods Case Set for Monday. Three cases w-ere tried before Mayor Coffee this morning and three men were handed a fine, two going to jail and one staying the docket. The first case called was the State vs William Friday on a charge of public intoxication, to which he promptly plead guilty, and was fined one dollar and costs, making in all nine dollars and thirty confs. Ho went to jail. The next case was against <'harlos Detro a charge of assault and battery on j the person of Sum Smith to which he plead guilty lining assessed a fine of one dollar and costs tunouting to nine thirty. Charles stayed! the docket. The last case called' was one against Sam Smith,first on i a charge of assault and buttery j and as no evidence was offered thatl could convict, the charge was withdrawn and a charge of public intoxi- ! cation substituted. To this charge Smith plead guilty and Mayor ('uffoe lined him the usual amount, . making nine dollars and thirty cents in all. Ho will biyrd it out with ! Sheriff Butler The case of the state against Joo Wood for assault and battery wus continued unti Monday morning at nine o’clock Joe having plead not guilty

NUMBER 64

EUCHRE CLUB — tnjoy Evening With Mrs. Reid as the Hostess. The Friday Night Club met last evening with Mrs. Tom Reid at her \\ inohester street home and a fine time was had by all. At eight o’clock the playing commenced and for three hours all struggled to capture the prize. W’hen the bell rang it was fonud that Miss Eva Acker j was the lucky member and was therefore awarded the first prize. After the excitement had subsided Mrs. Reid proceeded to serve a fine two course luncheon. The next meeting place was not decided upon. ON A TEAR “ St. Marys River at High Water Mark Similar Reports From Over the State. —G. R. &I. Has Bridge Washouts. The St. Marys river is on a rampage and away out of banks. At an early hour this morning the water had reached the high water mark here and has stood at that i point during the day. The heavy rains of the past thirty six hours have caused the streams all over the country to overflow the banks and washouts are reported from . everywhere. The Grand Rapids trains from the south were prevented reaching here today because of , the bridges at Ridgeville and WiirI Chester being washed a wav. Similar reports came from the Lake. Erie & Western railway between . Muncieand Bluffton and interurbans all over the state were forced to suspend business. The only favor by part of the floods is the fact that t^e, rivets «rw free office, and as the G?ld. snap of todfay i las checked tile rain it is believed the waters Will recede rapidly. . PLESSINGER FUNERAL Many Attend From This and Other Counties. The funeral of Colonel James B. Plessinger was preached at the ! Presbyterian church this afternoon at 1 o’clock by Rev. C. G. Miller. As a mark of respect for the memory of Col. Plessinger, all business in the city was suspended during the afternoon. All the business houses, the banks and all public places were closed from 1 o'clock until 5. The city schools were dismissed during the afternoon and the entire city was in mourning for the memory of a man who perhaps was the best known man in the county. The services were in charge of the Odd Fellows, and members of the G. A. R. two orders oft-which Col. Plessinger was a member. The Daughters of Rebekah were present la a body and the fire department also attended. 1 Bluffton’s company of ti.e National Guard turned out in uniform to attend the services also. In spite of the rain there was a largo crowd present. Nearly every Odd Fellow lodge in the county was represented and there were many present from jout of the county. Montpelier lodge sent u large delegation on the 1 o’clock our, and there wore many people hero from Decatur and sur- > rounding towns. In his life time • i through his connection with lodge , i work and as an auction'or, Col. s ; Plessinger made a wide acquaintli unco. People who knew him once e were forever his friends and the It I largo funeral accorded him was a il fitting tribute of the •resjid'it in t, which ho was held. —Bluffton Banner.