Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1907 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

si.qo Per Year.

REPORT IS HERE !

But Nothing Sensational Is Shown. A FEW APPARENT DISCREPANCIES But Nothing Glaring, and a Lot of Good Honey Is Paid For Several Neatly Type-Written Sheets of Paper. The long-looked-for report of the Indiana Audit Co., employed to andit the books of the city treasurer, has at last “arrove.” It came by mail Wednesday and is a neat piece of type-written work, embossed with the company’s card, encased with tan-colored paper cover and is tied with regular St. Patrick’s day silk ribbon. There are two “books” of the report, one setting out the financial report and one of recommendation for a system of bookkeeping hereafter. The report shows the operating expenses of the light and plant for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 1906, only, as follows: LIGHT, WATER. Revenue re- Revenue received $13,873.72 ceived . 33.362.51 Expenses 7,031.13 Expenses . 3,332,34 Net profit Net profit for year $6,848.59 for year $30,17

The above does not include natural depreciation of plant, which reduces the above figures soma $4,000/ A lot of recommendations and surmises are contained in this part of the report, which is the principal part of the same. A list of .all the water and light delinquents is given, showing light delinquencies of $643.11 and water delinquencies of $816.03. Many of these have been paid or were cut out and had not been given the proper entry od the books, while some, like the Rensselaer Castle Hall association and several others, are N. G.

The indebtedness of the city is given as follows: Water and light mortgage bonds!(33,ooo Water bonds (regular) 9,600 School bonds 6.000 Electric light improvement 3.355 Total $51,955 There is an apparent discrepancy of $8,05 dne the the cityfrom ex-Treasurer James H. Chapman and $68.50 from Clerk Morlan. Of the latter amount the clerk has the treasurer’s receipts for a part of this sum which is charged against him and they will get together and check over the amounts, and whatever is due the city they will pay, The discrepancies seem to be clerical errors simply. The report is, of course, quite voluminous, but its real value to the taxpayers is, we believe, very little. The regular audit of the books could have been made by local accountants for probably SSO, and the suggestions as to new methods of keeping the books are only what any good bookkeeper would suggest. A special meeting of the council was held Wednesday night to consider the report and a committee was appointed to consider the suggestions made for a system of keeping the books in the future. The experts have not filed a bill as yet for the balance for their services. At the regular meeting of the council Monday night nothing was done outside allowing the regular grist of claims.

G.E. MURRAY GETS POSTOFFICE

Will Succeed Postmaster Myers, and Everybody’s Happy—Except the Defeated Candidates.' The long strain that a half-dozen republioan patriots here have been enduring for several months over which one of them would get the postoffice plum at Rensselaer is at an end. Geo. E. Murray got word from Washington Sunday that he was the lucky man, and the other candidates have gone way back anU>sat down, to suck the lemon Congressman Crumpacker handed each of them with as good grace as possible under the circumstances. Many people were surprised when it became known that Mr. Murray was a candidate for the place, wondering “what he could want with it?” He certainly has about enough to look after now as

head of the G. E. Murray Co. department store, and at first glance it would appear that he would not care to be bothered with a postoffice. However, he may have had a motive outside of the salary connected with the office, and that is the possibility that it might be moved to the next block east if someone else got it. This would be a great calamity to his business as well as that of others in that part of town, and cause a depreciation of value of business property there. Here is no doubt the meat in the cocoanut, for from no other standpoint can'one figure out why be would want the office at all. Mr. Murray knows the needs of the public and ought to prove a good man to be at the head of the office, for if he should not give his own personal attention to it, he will undoubtedly have plenty of competent help there, and, outside those who desired the place for themselves, it is service we all want.

The office pays at. present a straight salary of $1,800; allows 1400 for deputy hire; $275 for rent; also fuel and lights, about S6O more. The other active candidates for the office were G. E. Marshall, editor of the Republican, ex-County Recorder R. B. Porter, County Superintendent Hamilton, Judson Perkins, and several other minor and receptive candidates. Mr. Murray will probably not take charge until the end of the present quarter, March 31. Mr. Meyer’s commission expires March 4, but it is not likely the change in postmasters will be made until April 1, at which time he took the office. Frank states that he intends to engage in the drug business again, but is undecided on a location at present.

MONON NEWS TO QUIT.

Present Lessee To Leave at Once and Plant Is For Sale. The Garrett Herald, published by Geo. T. Weeks, owner of the Monon News plant, states iti last week’s issue of his paper that he wants to sell the latter plant without delay; that the present lessee will move away to another state on short notice —after this week’s issue —so that possibly a few issues will be skipped before he disposes of the plant. He states also that he does not care to lease it again, but wants to sell or trade it for real estate without delay. The plant has been under the management of E. T. Jones, a former employe of The Democrat, for a little more than three months. It is inferred that Jones will return to Covington, Kentucky, from which place he came here.

THE GIFFORD DISTRICT BOOMING

T. M. Callahan, mayor of Newland, was in the city on business Thursday. He states that the Gifford district will be well filled up the coming season. All the farms about Newland are rented and there is not an empty bouse in the town, Tom went from here to Bloomington, 111., to attend a meeting of the directors of the Bloomington Pickle Co., which has been buying pickles at Newland for the past two years. This meeting is for the purpose of increasing the capital of the company from $25,000 to $50,000. The company wants to contract for 1000 acres of pickles and 300 acres of cabbage at Newland the coming season, and will put in a kraut factory there>\ There is nothing new regarding the pending negotiations of the sale of the Gifford railroad to the New York Central interests so far as Mr. Callahan knows, and the option given them by Gifford expired, he understood, Feb. 1. It is thought this road will be sold sometime in the near future by Mr. Gifford, and the New York Central people, who own the old 3-1, are the logical people to buy it, as it would be worth more to them than to any other road, no doubt/

Ladies’ heavy fleece-lined underwear only 19c, at Rowles & Parker’s. It will mean a big saving to you on your next winter’s supply to buy now. Over 5,000 yards new spring Zephyr ginghams, 9| cents a yard, sale days only, worth 12| cents and 15 cents a yard, at the Chicago Bargain Store. New zephyr ginghams only 10c a yard at Rowles & Parker’s big double store.

Rensselaer, Jasper County, Indiana, Saturday, February 2, 1907.

THE COURT HOUSE

Items Picked Up About the County Capitol. / ’ —1 Commissioners’ court convenes Monday. -o Ten marriage licenses were issued last month, against 13 for the month previous, and 9 for January, 1906. Sheriff O’Connor and son Joe and Joseeph Groom took Mrs. John Groom to Longcliff Monday. They hacbno trouble with her. The other Jasper county . patients confined at Longcliff show no change in condition. —o — New suits filed: James T. Randle et al, vs. John Nordhouse; suit on note. Demand $225. No. . 7121. Michael McCauley vs. Charles Schatzley et al; action for specific performance of contract. —-o Marriage licenses issued: Jan. 31, Asa Moore Besse of Rensselaer, aged 21, occupation farmer, to Addie Pearl Karr of Fair Oaks, aged 18, occupation housekeeper. First marriage for each. Jan. 31, Albert Edward Pattee of Newland, aged 22, occupation hotel cook, to Sadie Belle Monroe of Lafayette, aged 25, occupation dressmaker. First marriage for groom, second for bride, her first husband having died Dec. 17,1906, six weeks ago. —o—- . Indianapolis News: The county officers’ lobby is here to defeat any measure looking toward the establishment of a public depository for county funds. The county officers do not object to a depository for state funds, but the county money must remain an interestbearing fund for their own personal benefit. The county officers’ lobby is always on hand, but this year it seems to be more on hand than usual.

Sheriff O’Connor had another big list of subpoenas to serve this week in the Gilman trial at Kentland, principally parties living in the west part of Carpenter township, and those summoned this week were for the defense. Geo. Bell and wife were the only ones summoned from Rensselaer, we believe, the former by the defense and the latter by the state. Both managed to get excused from going, however; Since the Lake county clerk has decided to issue no more marriage licenses at Hammond, Crown Point has been reaping a harvest in this line. Concerning the number who come there to wed, the Star says: “All kinds of people are coming here to marry—white, black, yellow. Now and then a couple comes with barely enough cash to buy their license and are obliged to stand off the J. P-, and none have been kicked out into the cruel world without the knot being tied. Occasionally a couple come, who from all appearances postponed the ceremony a trifle too long. They are charged but the usual fee and put on the short circuit list. Eight pairs were made happy on Wednesday.”

—-o In the poor fund of the Barkley township report as published last week, an error was made in not giving the “balance on hand at last settlement” and balance on hand Jan. 1, 1907. There was a balance of $879.87 in the poor fund on hand Jan. 1, 1906, and no levy was made last year. There was $12.59 received on delinquent taxes, making the total of “balance and receipts” $892.46. The expenditures for the year on account of poor was $189.38, leaving a balance on band at the beginning of this calendar year of $143.08. Trustee Davisson’s poor expenditures were extremely low for last year for Barkley township, and if they can be kept down in the future to as low a figure there need be no levy in this fund for several years.

Attend The Murray Co.’s muslin underwear sale next week. Dance at Warner Hall, Thursday night, Feb. 7th. Last of the season.

JOST nm PARIS!

A THIS IS THE HEROINE IN The Conquest of Canaan BY BOOTH TARKINGTON Author “ The Gentleman from Indiana,” “ The Two Vanrevels,” etc. which will begin next week in J cup er County Democrat Illustrated by Berger and Copyrighted Competent judges call it the greatest novel Booth Tarkington has written. ‘‘ So overmastering in its intensity of interest, so sweeping in sympathetic enthusiasm that one, carried away in spite of himself, forgets all but the fortunes of Her and of Him, the woman and the man to whom the author has given life.” CHARMING HEROINE The charming heroine in this story who has captivated the critics is sure to fascinate the reader. Ariel is a girl of girls, a pearl of great price, a joy forever. She is the perfect flower.of American womanhood.—New York Press. As for Mr. Tarkington's heroine, she is charming. More than that, she appeals to countless 'American female hearts.—Kansas City Journal. The power, truth and beauty of a true woman’s love is strongly set in the fabric of this interesting story. The work is an American novel and in it Mr. Tarkington has notably surpassed all his other works.—Co vinoton (Ind.) Republican. Subscribe for The Democrat now to Secure the Opening Chapters

ELECTRIC RAILROAD MATTERS.

A meeting of the directors of the proposed Lafayette-Chicago electric line was .held at Reynolds Monday. There was a committee appointed consisting of G. W. Infield of Lafayette, Cecil Mallon of Francesville and Engineer Shaffer to look after the financing of the road, and they left the same night to lay their profile before Chicago capitalists, and from there expected to go to Philadelphia to to do likewise. It is stated that the Murdocks at Lafayette, who already have large traction line interests in Indiana, have shown an interest in the project and might take hold of it.

FARM FOR SALE. I have a good farm for sale of 160 acres, 3 miles east and a half mile north of Rensselaer, on the gravel road, known as the George Barrett farm. This farm will be sold at a great bargain if sold before March 1. Address ■ L. H. Myers, Rensselaer, Ind. We are still hammering down prices on all heavy winter goods. Rowles & Parker.

PUBLIC SALES. The Democrat has printed bills for the following public sales: Saturday, Feb. 2, Geo. H. Bell, at the old Spitler homestead, north of railroad in Rensselaer. Fine driving horse, buggies, harness, household goods, etc. Sale at 2 p. m. Wednesday, Feb. 6, F. P. Morton, 3| miles east of Rensselaer. General stock sale including his two stallions, Picard No. 28831, and Billy Wonder, several head of cattle, pure bred Duroc hogs, etc. Friday, Feb. 8, J. C. Milner, 4 miles southeast of Remington. Big general sale, 18 head of horses, 38 head of cattle, 34 head of hogs and full set of farm tools sufficient to farm 500 acres of land. Tuesday, Feb. 12, B. & L. Welsh, 5 miles south and 1 mile west of Rensselaer. General sale, horses, cattle, hogs, farm tools, etc. Thursday, Feb. 14, P. C. Pursley, on the Peter May farm, 3 miles east and 1 mile north of Rensselaer. General sale, horses, cattle, hogs and farm tools. Muslin underwear, Feb. 4th to 9th, at The G. E. Murray Co.

Vol. IX. No. 44

HIGH SCHOOLS VS. THE COMMON SCHOOLS.

Ed. Democrat! —Examining in your paper the published reports of the various township trustees of this county, we find the expenses in the special school fund seemingly very much out of proportion. At first, we were at a loss to know why this fund should be so heavily drawn upon, but by examination we soon saw that much of the heavy draft was due to tuition paid for high school pupils. Perhaps, two-thirds of this heavy expense is worse than thrown away. Childrenarerushedthrough the common schools knowing but little of the subjects taught. To graduate and to enter high school, with many, is the one great aim of their whole common school life. Teachers, parents, and especially school officers are much to blame for this state of affairs.

Just as pupils begin to take a little interest and begin to know a little something in the common branches they are graduated, hurried off to high school to study latin, algebra, zoology, etc. Now, of the common country school graduates who enter high school, perhaps not one in four ever completes the high school course, They enter the fall term, begin the new studies with minds not half prepared for them.' They drag along, get discouraged and by the middle of the year begin to drop out and at graduation day not over two in six are there to receive their diplomas.

Now these children who have failed in the high school never go back to the district school. They have practically lost all the time spent in the high school, lost much valuable time they might have spent in the district school. Besides, they have been an unnecessary and useless expense to their parents and to their township. Anything less than three years in the high scheol, with the average child, is time lost. Children in the common schools are educated too much with reference to the high school, just as children in the high school are educated too mach with reference to the university. If the common school is the “people’s college,” let’s have our children longer with it and thereby get more out of it. ***

A FORMER JASPER COUNTY MAN A GREAT HUNTER.

A Kooskia (Idaho) paper gives the following account of John Durant, formerly of Rensselaer, having killed four cougars.“at one sitting,” which probably discounts anything in this line ever done by the redoubtable Teddy Roosevelt in his raids on these varmints: To kill four cougars and wound a fifth after tirin? five shots at intervals of about three seconds is the phenominal record made by Forest Ranger John Durant several days ago in the woods above Kooskia on the Selway trail. Supervisor C. M. Day, who is in the city from Kooskia today, tells this story of Mr. Durant’s adventure: “Johnnie is one of our most trusted rangers, and is at the present time working on the Selway trail in company with seven other men. One morning, while on his way to work from the camp, he came across a deer which had been recently killed by the cougars. ‘‘He dismounted and laid in wait but a few moments, when a mother cougar and four smaller animals appeared, returning to complete their carnivorous feast. Durant is an excellent marksman, and in less than a minute after their appearance four of the animals lay dead in their trackswhile the fifth,the mother, escaped with a bullet hole in her shoulder, probably to die in seclusion in another part of the forest.” The bounty law, passed by the last legislature, awarding sls to the person killing a cougar, and demanding that the left forearm of the animal be left in the hide while skinning, was forgotten by Durant.while skinning the cougars, and he has forfeited the money which he would otherwise have received. It is the intention oi Supervisor Day, in company with Game Warden Harbaugh, to present a sworn statement to the legislature to the effect that the killing of the cougars was bonifide and in that manner secure for Mr. Durant the s6o rightfully due him. The hides of the cougars were brought to Kooskia,

DUROC JERSEY BROOD SOW SALE J. A. Teter, the successful Carpenter township Duroc Jersey swine breeder, will hoid his annual sale of pure bred brood sows at the Lock (heated) bran in Remington on Monday, Feb. 11. Forty head from his prize-winning herd will be sold at this sale, 37 head of sows and gilts and 3 fall boars. This will be an exceptional opportunity for breeders who desire to improve their herds as well as those who wish to start in the pure bred hog business. Remember the date, Monday, Feb. 11. The Democrat for job work.