Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 April 1915 — JOHN GREVE SAYS DEMOTTE IS BOOMING [ARTICLE]

JOHN GREVE SAYS DEMOTTE IS BOOMING

Says Newland and Springer May Be All Right But He Knows That Keener Town is Going Some. John Greve was down from DeMotte today, Tuesday, and informs The Republican that DeMotte is moving right to the front and wishes to have it known that Newland and Springer are not the only places in Jasper county that are progressing. John says he don’t want to detract from the boom towns in Walker and Barkley townships in the least but he does want it understood that the seat of Keener township is doing some progressing and deserves occasional mention. In reply to the inquiry of the reporter as to what was going on he informed us that John White has purchased the old school house and is remodeling it into a 14-room house and will conduct a hotel therein. That “Dutch” White is building a new restaurant building. H. C. DeKock has sold his grocery department to Rev. Peter Schwart and brother, John, and will hereafter conduct only the drygoods, clothing and shoes departments. He is building a good sized brick addition to his store, the addition extending along the south side and the rear of the other building. F. M. Hart, the implement dealer, is building a two-story frame building. His implement store will be below and the upper part will be a hall for various meetings in the town. The kraut factory was enlarged last fall and there will be a large acreage of cabbage put in this year. Mr. Greve is contracting for pickles for the F. C. Clausen & Sons and has arranged for about 100 acres to be put out. There is other building going on in the country and with-the drainage of the Kankakee Valley DeMotte will doubtless become a much more important town. The erection of- the fine new school house last year has served to inspire the residents there to do some other building. Mr. Greve is a booster and says that all that is needed to make DeMotte grow is a few more public spirited men to push it along.