Daily Democrat, Volume 5, Number 17, Decatur, Adams County, 19 January 1907 — Page 1

Volume V

TWENTY FIVE ARE KILLED A Terrible Accident on Big Four Railroad Today

FIFTY ARE INJURED Awful Smashup at Fowler, Indiana THE ENTIRE TRAIN IS BURNED A Score of People Cremated, While Would-be Rescuers are Helpless to Aid Them. (Scripps-Mcßae Special.) Fowler, Ind., Jan. 19. —At an early hour this morning, number thirtyeight, Queen City special on the Big Four railroad, collided with a freight train which had the right-of-way a half mile east of here. At least twenty-five are dead and fifty injured. It wat the most terrible wreck in the history of the road. The passenger train was going fifty miles an hour when the crash came. Twenty people, penned in beneath the wreck, burned to death within half an hour. Owing to the dense fog the engineer of the flyer was unable to see the light on the signal tower, telling him that a freight had the right-of-way. The operator at the block knew this and went out on the track, frantically waved his lanter and fired several pistol shots, but the engineer let her flypast at the rate of fifty miles an hour. A moment later the awful crash came. The tender of No. 38 telescoped the baggage car and the rear end of the tender cut through to within ten feet of the smoker. The firemen of both trains were killed instantly, but the engineers both escaped by jumping. The report of the collision was heard all over town. Fire bells and whistles called people to aid of the injured. The wreckage took fire immediately and the flames, fanned by a high, wind, soon destroyed almost the entire train, cremating many injured, pinned beneath cars. Those uninjured and those who could be hastily extricated, were taken to Kankakee. One man pleading piteously for aid, was extricated when the flames were within six feet of him.

The injured were taken to Kankakee, 111., in Vice President Schaff's private car which was attached to the passenger train and occupied by Mrs. Schaff who escaped uninjured. None of the sleeper passengers were killed. Only a tew of the dead have been identified, including P. J Hlgginer, Indianapols; J. McGee, Indianapolis; Henry Outgate. Cincinnati; John Schamman, Williamsport, W • B. Harris, Indianapolis. The heat of the burning cars was so intense that in many cases the rescuers could not get near the injured and they had to be left to burn alive, pleading piteously to be taken out. Strong men looked and wept because they could do nothing. The only woman in the combination coach cried pitifully for help. Farmers brought axes and sav worked manfully to chop hei " 0 the ruins, in spite of the approac mg flames. Finally they got to her on y to find that she was held down by a steel beam which they could not break. They had to retire only to watch her burn slowly to death wi the most terrific and agonzing cries on her lips. She pleaded that they shoot her but none would do so. . frantically tried to choke he death, but her strength faded _ Those who escaped were expose cold and rain, none had time to manv being attired only in nig tire. In this way they were taken to Kankakee after having seen t e longings and traveling conipau cremated. Several women on the verge of insanity. J° hn 0& ‘ _ died on the train en route o kee. Rev. H. Theo. Wilken was able to be down street this morningfeeling fairly good but shows cent severe illness still slight

The Daily Democrat.

GROWTH OF CATHOLIC CHURCH Remarkable Record is Shown by the New Directory. From advance sheets of the 1907 Official Directory, published in Milwaukee, it is found the Catholic population of the United States is 13,089,353, an increase of 437,309 over the previous year. The total number of Catholic clergymen is 15,093, an increase of 609. During the year there were 334 new Catholic churches established, making the grand total of Catholic churches 12,148. There are 86 ecclesiastical seminaries with 5,697 students, and 4,364 parochial schools with an aggregate attendance of 1,096,842. The Catholic hierarchy of the United States show that there are 255 orphan asylums in which 40,588 orphans are taken care of. Including orphans, children in homes, as well as those attending the 998 institutions of higher education, there are 1,266,175 United States children being educated in Catholic institutions. The oldest archbishop in the world in point of service is the Most Rey. Daniel Murphy of the Archdiocese of Hobart, Australia, who has been a prelate for the past 61 years. The oldest dignitary in the United States is the Most Rev. John Joseph Williams, archbishop of Boston, who was consecrated 41 years ago. The Catholic population of the archdiocese of New York and Chicago are each rated at 1,200,000. The archdiocese of Boston is third on the list with 850,000. The diocese of Brooklyn appears with 600,000. The archdiocese of St. Louis and the diocese of Cleveland and Hartford are eighth, each with a population of 325,000. The largest diocese in the United States, in point of area, is the diocese of Salt Lake, Utah, with 153,768 square miles. The diocese is presided over by the Rt. Rev. Lawrence Scanlan. The next largest diocese is that of Tucson, Ariz., with an area of 131,212 square miles. This is in charge of the Rt. Rev. Henry Granjon. o POSTMASTERS WILL ORGANIZE Meeting Called for Indianapolis in March.

Postmaster Jesse Parmenter of Wabash, vice president for Indiana of the National Postmasters’ association, after hearing from the majority of the postmasters of the state, has decided to have a meeting of first class, second class and third class postmasters at Indianapolis, in March, the state meeting being for the purpose of organizing the state. The fourth class postmasters, at a meeting in Wabash, elected J. P. Thompson of Lafontaine, president, and George Miller of Urbana, secretary. They’ are asking a fixed salary, the fourth class postmasters being paid commissions only. The fourth clars postmasters in the state are already organized. o POULTRY ASSOCIATION OFFICERS At a session of the Adams County Poultry Association officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: D. M Rice, president; Tom Durkin, treasurer; H O .Grove, superintendent; Charles Magley, secretary; Fred Bell, vice president; S. R. Peoples, H. C. Clark and Burt W T olf, executive committee. o ■ WRECK ON THE LAKE SHORE (Scripos-Mcßae Special.) Chicago, Jan. 19. —Scores of persons were injured today when train 201 on the Lake Shore, bearing passengers from Chicago to Hammond, ran nto an open switch three miles from Osborne. o Mrs. J. B. Buhler continues to improve and unless some complication arises, is probably out of danger.

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday Evening January 19, 1907.

A HERO GOES TO PRISON Tramp Tried a Scheme Which Worked Rather Badly. Jeffersonville, Jan. 19. —Christian Dans, a tramp by profession, and a would-be hero for the sake of convenience, became an inmate of the Indiana reformatory at Jeffersonville yesterday to satisfy the laws of Indiana. Dans arrived on an early train from Lawrenceburg, Dearborn county, under sentence to serve from tw-o to fourteen years on a convction to the charge of placing an obstruction on a railway track. He was traveling by easy stages on foot from Hoboken to Chicago, and had cleared Cincinnati under full sail, taking the right of way of the Big Four railroad to continue his journey westward. At Lawrenceburg he began to grow footsore, and a bright idea struck him by which he gained the impression he might get a “lift” and perhaps a few dollars. Tired as he was he managed to drag a number of crossties to the track, and placing them in a cattleguard hurried back several hundred feet to flag a fast express that he could hear rumbling in the distance. He stopped the train in ample time to prevent an accident and told a wonderful story as to how he had walked right on to a farmer who was blockading the road because a train had killed a cow. He said he did not have time to arrest the farmer, but hurried down the line to flag the train. No one believed his story, and he was convicted and sent to the Indiana reformatory. -

THE FIRST SALE Decatur Horse Sale Company’s Opener PROVED A BANNER SUCCESS Many Buyers Here From Far and Near and the Bidding Was Spirited. The first of the big horse sales to be given by the Decatur Horse Sale Company at the new sale stables of Boch & Rice, on First street was held today, the sale starting promptly at ten o’clock. The barn, which is one of the largest sale barns in the state at present, was packed with buyers from far and near, representatives of leading horse firms from New York, Chicago, Pittsburg, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Winchester being present, and the bidding was spirited and every horse offered brought his actual worth. Over one hundred and fifty head of horses were offered for sale and at the close it was found that every animal offered had been sold and at prices that met with the approval of all. The sale was auctioneered by Fred Reppert, who, as upon past occasions, conducted hmself in his usual pleasing manner and always got the top price for the horse offered for sale, thus pleasing the owner of the horse and also the buyer. The new sale bam is a dandy and Messrs Boch & Rice were the recipients of many congratulations upon the manner in which the same was erected as to accommodating horses, buyers and crowd and in general upon the mammoth stables The stable is arranged so that several hundred horses can be easily handled, while on the north side of the building is a large pavilion where the horses are shown and sold to the highest bidder. This stable means many dollars for Decatur and also means much to the farmer as he is thus always afforded an opportunity to offer his horse flesh to the market and receive the highest market price for the same. Messrs. Boch & Rice should receive the congratulations of the public at large in this their new enterprise, as they have constructed and erected the best money maker for Decatur that has ever been broached in the city. It will pay any- one to call and look this mammoth stable over. oAWFUL CONDITION AT KINGSTON Kingston, Jamaica, Jan. 19. —This city is suffering from a fearful famine for food and water. The water supply has nit been restored and the natives are drinking from pools. Mary people are dying from neglect and the situation here is growing worse instead of better.

IS NO CURRENCY No Currency Legislation at this Session INDIANA DELEGATION DIVIDED Ship Subsidy Bill Making Them Sweat —The House Legislators Increase Their Salaries. Washington, Jan. 19. —There will be no currency legislation of consequence at this session of congress. So much opposition to the bill reported by the house committee on banking and currency, embodying the recommendations of the commission representing the American Bankers’ Association, has developed that the speaker will not open a right-of-way for it. In the meaniime, various suggestions for currency legislation will be informally discussed by the legislators. Perhaps by next December it may be possble for congress to agree on a bill. Washington, Jan. 19: —The members of the Indana delegation in the house have not decided how they will vote on the ship subsidy bill. With possibly one or two exceptions, the representatives from the state were inclined to support the compromise mail subsidy bill until they received letters from home warning them of the strong sentiment in the state against any subsidy legislation. These letters have been coming in by the wholesale in the last twenty-four hours. Washington, Jan. 19. —By a vote of 133 to 95 the house today voted that the salaries of senators, representatives and the delegates from Porto Rico, Hawaii and Alaska be increased to $7,500 a year after March 4, 1907, and fixing the salaries of the vice president, speaker and members of the cabinet at $12,000. SOCIETY COLUMN Young Matrons Club Enjoy Session MISS SCHIRMEYER AS HOSTESS A Meeting of the Ladies’ Aid Society —Civic Society Will Meet on Monday Evening. BY PEARL BURDG. The Young Matrons' Club was delightfully entertained by Mrs. J. S. Peterson at her home on Winchester street, yesterday afternoon. The afternoon’s program was the regular work and at the close of which a two I course luncheon was served. The memIbers were all present and the out of town guests were: Mrs. Cole and Mrs. DeVilbiss of Lancaster, O. At the home of Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Schirmeyer on Mercer avenue, their daughter, Miss Irene, charmingly entertained at a five o’clock tea party last evening. Red candles were used in the dining room, which were beautifully arranged on and around the dining table. The earlier part of the evening was spent with music and toasting marshmallows, after which the girls spent a couple of hours at the skating rink. The members of the I. O. O. F. will have their regular work Monday evening. All members are urged to be present to take part. The degree work will be given. Miss Della Sellemeyer went to Warren today, where she will be the guest of her brother, Albert, over Sunday. At the home of William Scherer of near Monroe, a very interesting musical was given last evening. The honored guests were Prof. Witthaus of Berne, Miss Recheldeffer of Geneva, G. B. Macey and family and Mr. and Mrs. Murray Scherer and family. Mrs. Shanks and Mrs. A. BremerContinued on Page 2.

OTHER CITIES HAVE TROUBLES | Marion Was in Dense Darkness—Dyna mo Burned Out. Mysteriously through the drizzle and the black night circulate 1 the r 1 tut (he i yna,. t • <■ light plant w’as burned out and that the town was again to be in a thick darkness, enduring for many weeks. In support of this the city light plant was totally deserted last night, and not a street light was burning in the city. After a fruitless effort to get Supt. Otis Weesner of the light plant last night, the News-Tribune sent two men to the light plant, with express orders to enter and take a look at things. The nearest they came to accomplishing their purpose was to hammer on all the doors, gawk curously through the window and avoid the slippery banks of Boots creek. The light plant was lighted somewhat, and within were the dynamos, engine and other machinery and apparatus. But if the dynamo made any sound ,it w-as drowned by the dainty ripple of the creek, and if there was a man within he was asleep, and his sleep was burglarproof.—Marion News-Tribune. o A GOOD PROGRAM Says Prof. Latta of the Farmer’s Institute MEETING SHOULD BE A SUCCESS Mr. Latta Speaks in Highest Terms of the Lecturers Secured For Adams County. Lafayette, Ind., Jan. 17, ’O6. Mr. Ed S. Moses, Decatur, Ind., Dear Sir: — Replying to yours of the 15th, I thank you for program of your Decatur meetng which has just come to hand. The program is a very good one indeed. With such subjects and speakers as you have, it seems to me you ought to have a highly successful institute if the weather is at all favorable. Mr. Whistler, who is the assigned speaker for the first day, is a very successful, practical farmer of this county, who is making money on his farm. I have been to his home and know whereof I speak. I consider him authority on such practical subjects as he may care to present. Miss Miller, who is lecturing on Domestic Science topics this winter at many farmers' institutes, is very highly commended, indeed. It will be gratifying to you to know that Miss Miller stands very high at her own home. The farmers’ wives and daughters who come out to hear Miss Miller will be both entertained and instructed. Very truly yours, W. C. LATTA. THE GIBSON GIRL HAS FADED The 1907 Maid is Slim of Waist and Shy in Manner. The manish “Gibson Girl” has been placed on the shelf of Dame Fashion and the “1907 girl” is built entirely on different lines. She is tall, slim and extremely simple. In fact, the simplicity should be named first, and it is not the simplicity of the unsophisticated backward girl, but an artistic simplicity entering into her manners and her makeup. The 1907 girl is restful to behold and will win the heart of man by her delightfully quiet air rather than conquering by her superior knowledge or her physical prowess. The ideal girl of the year wears her hair parted and falling over the temples, and coiled around her head by a couple of Dutch braids. Her childish form is enhanced by a slimness at the hips, a quality which has not been altogether in favor for some time, but which must now be had at any cost of labor and treatment, violent massage being resorted to, as well as certain forms of athletic exercises practiced in the bedroom. Her hips must be narrower than her shoulders. Her height and slimness may be aided by high heels. Brown tones in hair and dress are favored.

COURT HOUSE NEWS Closing Day of the November Term NEW PARTITION SUIT IS FILED By J. E. Moser Against Harry Cordua —Motion to Dismiss Fritzinger Appeal. Today marked the closing of the November term of the Adams Circuit court and a two weeks’ vacation follows, preceding the February term. James E. Moser, through Attorneys Peterson & Moran, has filed suit against Harry Cordua for partition of real estate located in the south part of this township. The case is said to contain an interesting law question. In the appeal of Erastus Fritzinger from his assessment on North Second street, L. C. DeVoss representing the city of Decatur, filed a motion to dismiss the appeal. Susie Melching vs. William Melching, divorce and alimony, answer filed by prosecuting attorney. Old Adams County Bank vs. W. E. Smith et al., defendant ruled to answer on February 4th, 1907. Elizabeth Kern vs. Chicago & Erie railroad company, SISOO damages, defendant ruled to answer first day of February term. Andrew Miller vs. Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad company, S3OO damages, defendant ruled to answer on first day of next term. Daniel N. Erwin, guardian for Benjamin and Clarence Hoagland and filed bond for SISOO. A petition was filed for the sale of an interest in real estate and W. A. Lower and Curtis Brown were appointed appraisers. Attorneys Beatty and DeVoss had a heated argument over the Fritzinger appeal in court this morning and the court reminded them as to time and place, an apology being the result. o BOY WHO SETS UP THE PINS Lifts Great Many Pounds in a Day’s Work. Bowlers who stop to figure howmany pounds they lift, carry and roll during an evening's play are astonished to find how- much work they do in pursuit of pleasure. But even those who are curious enough to w-onder ■ how much work they do themselves seldom trouble themselves about the much abused pin boy. The pin boy does more work in one evening than do several bowlers, as figures show-. The regulation pin weighs a little more than three pounds, and the whole set, weighs approximately 35 pounds. If every bowler rolled perfect scores the pin boy w-ould have to lift the pins and place them after each ball, as each bowler rolls probably an average of 16 balls, the pin boy w-ould have lifted 560 pounds by the time the game was completed. Making an allowance for the pins that do not fall, the pin boy probably sets upon an average, two-thirds of the pins after each bowler finishes his inning. This would give the boy a record of 373 pounds lifting pins in the game. Each man bowls three games, when playing with a team and hence the pin boy sets up 1,119 pounds of pins for one man in the course of the evening's play. Five men constitute a team, and thus for each team the pin boy sets up enough pins to w-eigh 5,595 pounds. c RURAL CARRIER EXAMINATION Eleven Applicants Want Jobs With Uncle Sam. George Everett, as secretary of the local examination board, conducted an I examination of rural route carriers at the postoffice here today, beginning at nine oclock this mornings There ' were eleven applicants and the examination was on the common branches. The vacancies to be filled at this time are all in the south part of the county.

Number 17