Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 November 1899 — INDIANA INCIDENTS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA INCIDENTS.

1 RECORD OF EVENTS OR THE PAST WEEK. Bold Burglary In Jeffersonville—Briscoe Building Burns at Hartford— Freight Trains Collide at Reelavllls Bottle FactoriewUsable t* Oct Help. The most daring hold-up ever attempted in Jeffersonville occurred the other night about 10 o’clock in a thickly settled locality. Herbert Loomis, clerk in a drug store, was in the act of closing, when two unmasked men walked into the lighted store and covered him with their revolvers. Otie of the burglars ordered the other to fire after he had counted ten if Loomis failed to open the safe. The safe was then opened and the entire contents, which aggregated nearly SSOO, was taken. The thieves escaped. Boy Famine Worries Factories. The boy famine prevailing ail over the Indiana gas belt, and more especially in towns and cities where bottle factories are located, is seriously felt at Hartford City, where three large bottle (Hants are located. Notices of “boys wanted” have been posted all over the county, and money prizes are offered for the boys who remain in the firm’s employ longest, but there is the greatest scarcity. Many of tbe concerns in thr gas belt are compelled to run only half force owing to tbe scarcity. Business Block Is Burned. Fire broke out in the furniture department of the J. L. Hoover store in the Briscoe - block at Hartford City, and three hose companies battled with the flames for two hours and a half before they were finally subdued. The interior of the structure was destroyed, only the wails being left standing. The R. Kirschbaum block adjoining was damaged by water. The estimated loss is $75,000, about one-third of which is covered by insurance.

Natural Gas Is Diminishing. Natural gas is rapidly failing in the north part of the Indiana field. The Dietrich syndicate has given notice that it will abandon its plants in the smaller towns. Five towns in Howard County are left to freeze and nearly 2,000 families will eat cold victuals and shiver over fireless stoves. Coal cannot be had at any price and there is no wood in the market. Bad Wreck on tbe Yhudalta. Tbe Vandalia Railroad Company suffered a most damaging wreck at Reelsville. Train No. 22, east-bound, was trying to make a switch and was run into by train No. 26. also east-bound. The engine of tbe last train plowed through ten cars, totally demolishing them. One of the cars was loaded with stock. Three of the trainmen were injured, one seriously.

Within Onr Borders, Smallpox at Fort Wayne. Linton wants a city charter. Frankfort is grabbing for a steel plant. Greenwood high school has been commissioned. Fort Wayne water works bonds have been floated. Noblesville is fighting an increase in natural gas rates. Clinton County has the largest com crop in her history. Colnmbus thinks she has a shoe factory within her clutches. Thomas Williams. 73, Mexican war veteran, Salem, dead. North Manchester is planning a fifteenmile sewerage system. William Mabee and wife. Martinsville, celebrated their golden wedding. Marion and heT suburbs are again entangled in the school transfer law. Robert Myler, former county auditor, died at South Bend, aged 58 years. Charles W. Byers, 13-months-old baby, Vincennes, drank carbolic acid ami died. Spencer County will vote on an issue of bonds for the new Southern Indiana Railroad.

At Lapel the 9-year-old son of James Anderson shot and fatally wounded his 2-year-old sister. Prof. F. L. Morris of the chair of mathematics, Hanover College, has resigned. Old age. William Reas, farm Land near Princeton, is tpld that he is heir to a $75,000 estate in Germany. Wesley Harwitk, 87, Hendricks County, has lived on the same farm seventy years. He never used tobacco or whisky. Miss Barbara Frank, Newburg, who was to have been married in a week, avoided tLe ceremony by jumping into a cistern. Cause unknown. Ed Spencer, in jail at Evansville, charged with murdering his sweetheart, Lizzie Swanee, Troy, tried to commit suicide by setting his clothes on fire. The pastor of the Methodist Church in Ebeneczer preached from the text, “Do Away with the Old and Build Anew.” A few days later the church burned. One hundred and twenty-five miners went out on strike at the Princeton Coal and Mining Company plant on account of the scale weights. The company will have the scales tested. At Connersvillc Miss Katherine Welsh, aged 20 years, was found dead, with her head nearly blown off and a shotgun lying by her side. The family express the belief that her death was accidental, but others think it suicide, as she had been in poor health for a long time. Options on 7,000 acres of marl beds near Milford have been taken up by parties who expect to establish an immense cement manufacturing plant at that plate. The purchasers will Incorporate as the Indiana Oincnt Company and build a mill at Milford which will -produce I,OOCk barrel* a day. Free mail delivery has begun at Mar Larger bed* of aaphaltum are under the aa*k*gd of Ixigwsport than was at first, Mrs. Phebe Hole, 70, Munde, *« knocked down fag a crowd and received a broken leg. Beta!) coal dealer* have chalked coal up 10 and 15 cents, and at the mines It goes 40 cents higher.