Daily Democrat, Volume 5, Number 21, Decatur, Adams County, 24 January 1907 — Page 1

Volume V

FIRST RUN MADE Traffic BegtutJoday on Interurban TAKES crowdtopoultry show Conductor Stroud and Motorman Smith Crew for First Car—Left Here This Morning. In charge of Conductor James B. Stroud and Motorman Fred Smith, the first car for ..raffle, left here at eight o’clock this morning over the Fort Wayne & Springfield traction line for Fort Wayne. Superintendent T. W. Shelton and Bob Dickerson, a Westinghouse expert, were also with the car. Twenty-five tickets were sold by Miss Anna Winnes, beside which several late arrivals boarded the car just as it started. As many more were taken aboard at Monmouth and probably seventy-five people enjoyed the first regular run into Fort Wayne. The car was a special one run to accommodate those desiring to attend the Fort Wayne poultry show, the fare being seventy-five cents for the round trip from here. Within a few days the passenger coaches will be complete and the schedule will then be announced. Speaking of the road this morning’s Fort Wayne JournalGazette said: Culminating the dreams of its builders, linking Fort Wayne and Decatur together, and forming an important commercial link in the chain of electric roads in Ohio and Indiana, the Fort Wayne & Springfield interurban line between Decatur and Fort Wayne will today be opened to regular traffic.

Arrangements for the regular opening of the road were made by Mr. W. H. Fledderjohann, president and general manager of the company, who arrived in the city last night, and the , public announcement was made by Mr. Frank H. Kleekamp, the local attorney of the company. For a time the ( company will maintain a three-hour schedule but when additional cars are equipped, the time will be reduced to two hours and still later an hourly service will be given. The preliminary service will probably be announced today. Officials of the company made final test runs between Decatur and Fort ■ Wayne yesterday, coming only to the 1 city limits. All were highly success- ■ ful, demonstrating that the road bed Is in fine shape for a new line and i showing that the trip may be made 1 easily in an hour and fifteen minutes. A number of passengers who desir- 1 ed to come to Fort Wayne, were < picked up yesterday and carried to the city limits and there was much ' rejoicing over the completion of the line. When the first regular car 1 leaves Decatur this morning it will find a right royal welcome awaiting it at every stop and every farm house i along the way and Fort Wayne will bid it welcome. Officials of the company are highly pleased ever the fact that service is to be started today. The road has been completed in the face of manj 1 obstacles and Mr. Fledderjohann and his associates in the road have won admiration and confidence in theii . efforts. Mr. Fledderjohann will today go to Indianapolis to attend the meeting of i the Central Electric Railway association. He will make the trip with the officials of the Fort Wayne & Wabash i Valley Traction company, in the pri- i vate car, Lawton. t ■ -o INTERVIEWS THEODORE SHONTS Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 24.—’‘Not a damn bit," said President Theodore Shouts of the Isthmian canal commission here in his private car today, ' when asked if the reason he resigned was because the Senate would not confirm his appointment. Congietreated me first rate, so did everybody else. Stevens and I got along all right. He knew that I was boss and that settled it.” — . ■ -o— ——■ AN INDIANA MAN DROWNED Mount Carmel, 111-, Jan. 24. A. R Agar, formerly a member of the Indi | ana legislature, whose home is *•' ( Princeton, walked off a boat in dr ■ Wabash river last night and wa-. drowned. A reward of four hundiidj dollars is offered for the recovery oL the body.

The Daily Democrat.

WOULD FORCE WOODMEN OUT A Bill Now Before Legislature Would Cause One Order to Suspend. According to Indiana officers of ;he Modern Woodmen of America, the Babcock insurance bill, if passed as it now stands, will force the Modern Woodmen to suspend business in Indiana, at least until June, 1908, and perhaps permanently. There are more than 35,000 policy holders in the order at the present time and all of them would be affected. The Babcock bill proposes that all fraternal insurance companies operating in Indiana adopt the rating basis of the National Fraternal Congress—an organization that embraces in its membership between thirty-five and forty fraternal companies. The congress rate is considerably higher than that of the Modern Woodmen —varying from $lO premium on a SI,OOO policy at 21 years of age to $25 at 45 years. The rating basis of the Modern Woodmen can be changed only by action of the Head Camp, the highest legislative body of the order, and another regular meeting is not scheduled until June, 1908. It is very doubtful, members of the order say, whether the Head Camp would change its rating basis merely to satisfy the demands of one state. The total membership in the United States is nearly 1,000,000. There are nineteen Modern Woodmen in the house and they are getting busy. This means that they w'ill endeavor to modify the Babcock bill so that it will not affect their rating basis. Representative John Velz, who is the highest officer of the lodge in the state, being state deputy, will likely lead the fight against the bill. o ■■■ — SHAKESPEARE CLUB

Met With Mrs. D. M. Trout Yesterday IN AN INTERESTING SESSION Club, Society and Lodge Affairs Scheduled for Today and Tomorrow. BY PEARL BURDG. A very interesting meeting of the Shakespeare Club was held at the home of Mrs. D. M. Trout on Mercer avenue, yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Trout had charge of the program and read the important paper, which each member had sub-topics on the lesson. During the afternoon the following music was rendered: Mrs. Lutz, several piano selections; Mrs. Trout a vocal solo, Mrs. Thomas a vocal solo, piano duet by Mrs. Ellingham and Mrs. Niblick. A delicious three course luncheon was served. Tomorrow evening will occur the regular meeting of the Ben Hur lodge and this evening the Pocahontas and K. of P. lodges will meet. Mrs. D. E. Studabaker will entertain the members of the Euterpean society this evening. The Ladies’ Mite Society of the Methodist church will meet with Mrs. J. S. Peterson tomorrow afternoon. Everyone is invited to attend this meeting. The Young Matrons’ Cub was entertained by Mrs. D. E. Studabaker this afternoon. Ou Saturday evening the Euchre Club will meet with Miss Bessie Congleton. Members of the W. R. C. are requested to meet at their hall Friday evening, January 25, for special business. By order of the president. _ o all the meetings are free No Charge for Admission to Salvation Army Services. Capt. Mihm is completing all arrangemeits for the Salvation Army meetings to be held here Saturday and Sunday, when Commander-in-Chief I Duffin and staff will be here. As annotmced the meetings will be held Saturday evening at the Evangelical ■ church, Sunday morning and afterInoon at the barracks and-Sunday evening at the opera house. All meetings I are free.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday Evening January 24, 1907.

RESTORE CANTEEN Or. Porter of Fort Wayne Favors the Canteen MESSAGE FAVORS SHIP SUBSIDY House Committee Increases the Salaries of Many Postal Employees. Washington, Jan. 24. —Dr. Mlles F. Porter of Fort Wayne, one of the members of the board of trustees of the American Medical association, would restore the canteen to the reg ular army. This is what he says: “After a careful study of the evidence at hand I am convinced beyond the question of a doubt that the abolition of the army canteen has resulted in an increase of intemperance and immorality in the army. I am therefore in hearty accord with the effort that is now being made to restore the army canteen.” Washington, Jan. 24. —The president sent a message to Congress calling attention to the great desirability of enactment of legislation to help American shipping and American trade by encouraging building and running lines of large, sw’ift steamers to South America and the Orient. The urgent need of our country’s making an effort to do something like its share of its own carrying trade on the ocean has been called to his attention, the president says, in striking fashion by the experiences of Secretary Root, on his recent South American tour. State aid to steamship lines, the president says, is as much a part of the commercial system of today as state employment of consuls to promote business. Washington, Jan. 24. —The sub-com-mittee of the house committee on postoffice and post roads, which has been engaged in framing the postoffice appropriation bill, has agreed to report to the full committee the following increases in the salaries of postal employees: Clerks in first and second class offices in towns of less than 25,000 population, minimum salary, S6OO a year, maximum $900; in towns of from 25,000 to 75,000 population, minimum salary S6OO, maximum $1,000; in cities of more than 75,000 population, minimum salary S6OO, maximum $1,200. Carriers in towns of less than 25,000 population, minimum salary S6OO, maximum $900; in cities of from 25,000 to 75,000 population, minimum salary S6OO, maximum sl,000; in cities of more than 75,000 pqpulation, minimum salary S6OO, maximum $l,lOO. The salaries of railway mail clerks are to be increased SIOO in each grade after the first year. The committee will decide before the end of the week upon the increase to be given rural free delivery carriers. For the classes of employees already decided upon the increase in the postoffice appropriation will be approximately $5,000,000.

HE MAY HAVE BEEN IN WRECK Relatives Worried Concerning Whereabouts of John Breiner. William Breiner is very much worried concerning his son John Breiner whom it is feared was on board the illfated train destroyed by an explosion of a car of powder at Sanforn near Terre Haute Saturday night. John Breiner lived here until about six weeks ago when his wife died and he then went to Indianapolis, where he began work for the Standard Oil company, between there and Terre Haute. He expected to come home Saturday night to see his children but failed to arrive. Nothing was thought of it until Tuesday when his regular letter failed to arrive Since then relatives have been making diligent inquiry, but have so far failed to receive any information. William Breiner was in the city today sending telegrams in an effort to locate his son. ——o — MARRIAGE LICENSE WAS ISSUED The first marriage license for more than a week was issued at the county clerk's office this morning the lucky —'.’-ties being Perry Johnson aged twenty-six son of Levi Johnson of Kirkland township, and Ocie Baltzell, aged seventeen, daughter of Date Baltzell of Monroe township.

VISITS THE FRANKFORT SHOPS Theodore Shonts, Clover Leaf President, Inspects Railroad Shops. Theodore Shonts, the president of the Clover Leaf railroad and the man who is also in charge of the building of the Panama canal, was in Frankfort a short time Wednesday, he coming in with other officers of the road on a tour of inspection of the property. President Shonts made a trip through I the shops here, noted the improvements that have been made of late and mingled with the men in the employ of the company in the various departments, speaking to them as he passed along. Mr. Shonts also had a look at the piece of land that the tax j payers of the township are soon to' vote upon giving a donation to the company for the purpose of buying this land, it to be used to enlarge the shipping facilties at this point and up-, on which the company will build additional buildings, enlarge those already I there and build additional side tracks. I The party remained in Frankfort ’ about an hour and then left for St. 1 Louis. SENATOR R. ALGER Died This Morning of Heart Trouble FORMERLY SECRETARY OF WAR Ex-Governor of Michigan, a Brigadier General, Candidate for President and a Millionaire. Washington, Jan. 24. —Senator Russell Alger of Michigan, formerly secretary of war. died at nine o’clock this morning at his home in this city, of heart trouble. He was born in Lafayette, Ohio, February 27, 1836. He worked on a farm for years, thus securing money to defray expenses of his education. He was admitted to the bar in 1859, but gave up the practice soon on account of ill health. He

entered the civil war as a captain and rose to a brevet brigadier general. 1 After the war he entered the lumber I business, acquiring a large fortune. He was governor of Michigan 1885-87, was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1888; was commander-in-chief of the G. A. R. in 1889-90, and became secretary of war in 1897. He resigned his office in 1899, wrote a history of the war with Spain and in 1903 was elected to the United States Senate from Michigan. 0 IT GOES TO JURY McKean Case Concluded at Noon A VERDICT IS EXPECTED SOON A Four Days Legal Battle in Which Both Sides are Claiming a Victory. After four days earnestely devoted to hearing evidence, fighting over knotty legal propositions and arguments, the case of George E. McKean : against the city of Decatur, went to 'the jury at noon today and a verjdict is expected hourly. The east has proven very interesting especially to the citizens of the city and also >Mr. McKean, and a verdict will now 'end the agony. A hard legal battle was put up by both sides and the attorneys worked night and day in the 'interests of their clients and left no I stone unturned that might prove of 'interest to their side of the case, and 'it is now up to the jury to determine the same. Both sides are confident of a victory and the fate of both sides now lays in their hands. Judge Aiken, who presided during this case, proved himself a fair and impartial judge and his rulings were fair to both sides.

ARE MOVING HERE I Angola Furnace Machinery on the Cars TO BE SHIPPED NEXT WEEK A Number of Families Will Move to Decatur—Name of Concern to be Decatur Furnace Company. By this time next week the Angola Furnace company will be located in their new and commodious quarters in this city. The plant shut down at Angola last Saturday and this week the machinery is being loaded on cars preparatory to being shioped here. We are authorized to announce that the name of the concern will be change to The Decatur Furnace Company. The plant will employ quite a force of people from the start and within a few months will probably be using fifty people. Mr. Fanning, a representative, is in the city, renting a number of houses for people who will move their families here next week. Among those who will bring their families here at once are Mr. Daugherty, general manager; Mr. Fanning, office man; Mr. Mann and Mr. Sowle, moulders; Mr. Fisher, an expert machinist; Mr. Cockran, foreman of the moulding room; Mr. Mabe, cupilo tender and several others. Besdes these are Miss Butcher, bookkeeper; Mr. Fisher, a furnace man, and Mr. Bryant, moulder. The Decatur Furnace Company will have one of the best and most modern plants in the country. They will make the best furnace on the market and are bound to grow rapidly. At present they will occupy two large new buildings erected especially for this purpose in the Krick & Tyndall addition. Boost for The Decatur Furnace Company. o PROGRAM FOR TOMORROW NIGHT Big Crowd Should Attend the Farmers’ Institute. Especial attention is called to the program of the Farmers' institute for tomorrow evening. A packed house should attend this session, as there will be something said of interest to everybody. The program as announced will be as follows: Music Monmouth Quartette The Young Man’s Opportunity C. J. Lutz Some Elements of Success in Life Senator J. W. Tyndall The Man on the Farm... Rev. Fowler The Misison of the Farmer Judge R. K. Erwin

GOOD CROWD WAS AT THE RINK Got There Late, But Enjoyed Every Minute. The crowd at the skating rink was rather late in arriving last night, but there were seventy-five there when they all got on the floor. The orchestra was all in line for the first time in a week and the music was good. Music again tomorrow and Saturday night and old-time crowds are expected. Only three weeks left of this great sport. Enjoy it while you can. _ o LONDON MERCHANT MURDERED By an Assistant, Who Then Killed Himself. (Scrfpos-Mcßae Special.) London, Jan. 24. —William Whitley, head of London’s largest department stores, and one of England's wealthiest men, was shot dead today by one of the assistants in his store. The murderer then turned his revolver upon himself, committing suicide. The affair has created quite a sensation in this city. IS IN VERY SERIOUS CONDITION Mrs. Jay Chapman is very ill with muscular rheumatism and kidney trouble at the home of her foster parents, Capt. and Mrs. Phipps. All day yesterday and today her condition has been very grave and her recovery is very doubtful. She is well known in and near this city.

; FIRM BELIEVERS IN ADVERTISING Niblick <B. Company Break all Records for Business. ' Niblick & Co. are firm believers in the merits of the Daily Democrat as an advertising medium. During last year they used over 4,000 inches of display space and as a consequence, their business exceeded any former record by many thousand dollars. During this month they conducted their annual sale and the result has been 1 more than satisfactory. Beginning with a much larger stock than usual, they have on hands today one solitary lady’s coat, certainly a cleaning up that would please any merchant. The secret is one easily guessed—they t advertised liberally, and did what they t advertised. Their sale this year and . their business for the entire past twelve months has far exceeded their . expectations and they have contracted . with this paper for more space than , ever for the year 1907. > . ... o ANNUAL ROLL CALL r i — Very Important Lodge ; Meeting This Evening 3 , DEGREE WORK AND A BANQUET » Celebration of Organization of the Lo- ‘ j cal Lodge Thirty-Two Years Ago s I a Charter Members to be Present.

Tonight at the spacious hall of Kekionga lodge No. 65, K. of P., will occur an event long to be remembered by every member who attends. It is what is known as the annual roll call meeting, when the organization of the lodge is celebrated. On this occasion four charter members, C. T. Dorwin of Lafayette, A. R. Bell, Fred Schafer and Godfrey Christen will be present, i The Kekionga lodge was organized in ] 1875, thirty-two years ago today, and has grown into one of the most prosperous and best lodges in this locality. For tonight’s celebration special invitations have been sent to every member of Kekionga lodge, and all 1 resident Knights and members of other Pythian lodges, are requested to attend. There will be work in the first and second rank and addresses will be made by Rev. J. C. White, Rev. Kessinger and Daniel N. Erwin After the lodge session a royal banquet will be served and the event promises to be a very happy and delightful one. o SOME HANDSOME MENU CARDS Col. Dick Townsend Uses His Original Ideas. We are in receipt of a. number of fancy menu cards from the National hotel, Dick Townsend, host, Peoria, 111. Aside from the fact that the fares are the kind for which Dick is famous, fairly making one’s appetite howl, they are unique because they are origlinal. The New Year’s card has a cover on which is an attractive picture of little Miss Gregory of this city, coasting on her sled. The Christmas card cover design contains a pretty [picture of four happy yougsters, two of whom are recognized as Dan and Dick Jeffries of this city. The cards are all handsome and show that Col. Dick has lost none of his old-time ability and originality in the hotel business. o THREE ARE BURNED TO DEATH Colored Woman Sacrifices Life Trying to Save Nieces. Scripps-Mcßae Special. Indianapolis, Jan. 24. —Mattie Merritt, aged twenty-eight, a colored woman. lost her life early this morning in a brave, but unsuccessful effort to save her two nieces aged three and five years in a fire which destroyed their home. All three were burned to death. The woman escaped, but thought of the babies and ran back into the house where she was cut off by the fierce flames. o-————— THEATRE AT CAPITAL BURNED (Scripps-Mcßae Special.) Washington, Jan. 24. —The Academy of Music, one of this city’s second rate theatres, was totally destroyed by fire today.

Number 2i