Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1909 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat

•1.50 Per Tear.

GRAFT CHARGES AGAINST WINAMAG BRIDGE CO.,

President of Lafayette Bridge Co., Says Company Filed False Claim In Milroy Bridge Contract.

TAXPAYERS BEING ROBBED Openly Charges Before Comity Commissioners That Bridges Are Not Built According to Plans and Specifications, and That He Stands Ready to Prove That There Was A Steal of From S3OO to $350 In Bridge Built By Said Company In Milroy Tp.—WUl File the Necessary Affidavit to Prosecute the Guilty Parties and Asks the Support of the Taxpayers of Jasper County In Backing Up the Prosecution.

Charges of a very serious nature were made before the board of county commissioners Monday afternoon, on their re-assembling after the noon hour. Wallace Marshall, president of the Lafayette Engineering Co., or the Lafayette Bridge Co., made the charges, and in making them stated that he was fully aware of the consequences if his charges were untrue; that he was responsible for what he said, and that he dared and defied the Winamac Bridge Co., to “call” him. Several years ago, Mr. Marshall said, his company used to get some bridge contracts in this county, and he invited an inspection of the work done here by his firm. Of late years, he said, he had sent men here to bid on bridge work in response to advertisements for bids, and they had invariably come back with no contracts—had been underbid. Last September, and again in March, he had come here himself and put in the bids, figuring them down to cost or less on purpose to learn where the difficulty was, but 'twas no use. He w r as underbid again. At the March meeting the contract was let for a 70-foot bridge in Milroy township. His own bid was purposely placed away down, (SIOO to $l5O below that of other bidders, as the records show), but the Winamac company was S2OO below him. He could not understand how this could be, he stated, if there was no chicanery. He had had 25 years experience in the bridge business, his company was equipped to handle the work in the most economical manner and could buy the raw material as cheaply as anyone. How a company of so,little experience and so • jjoorly equipped as the Winamac company could underbid him so much w r as a mystery which he determined to solve. After the material for this particular bridge was on the ground he made a visit to the site—and the mystery was a mystery no longer. A plain steal of S3OO to $350 In the substitution of lighter material was shown. Here was the thing in a nut-shell that enabled the Winamac company to underbid legitimate competition. After learning these facts he determined to prosecute the offenders, and now stood ready to file an affidavit against the officers of said company, charging them with having filed a fraudulent claim against Jasper county, and asked for the support of the people and the help of the prosecuting attorney in his efforts to bring to justice the thieves w'ho have been robbing the taxpayers by giving them work worth much less than what they were tfaying for; work that in five years they will have to begin spending money olKin repairs, when it should stand for forty years if put up acup according to the plans which the different companies bid on. While he made no specific charges as to other bridges put In by this company—for he had not investigated them, he said—he believed, he said, that an investigation

would show that in every case the same steal had been indulged in, and that the commissioners as guardians of the taxpayers’ money should see to it that the guilty ones were punished. He would back up his charges with indisputable evidence and was ready and anxious to file an affidavit charging what he had stated. The latter then turned to Charles A. Kelley, engineer for the Winamac company, and said: “This young man is the engineer for the Winamac Bridge Co., and perhaps he can say something of the charges I have made. Ido not charge him with connivance in these frauds; he is simply an employe of the company and does what he is told,” Charles A. Kelley seemed considerably agitated over the matter, but finally got up and said he did not know anything about this particular bridge. Mr. Marshall said, “You made the working plans for it, did you not?” and the young man replied that he did. “If you were put under oath perhaps you would know more about it, Mr. Marshall said. The young man seemed much agitated but said not a word further. And the commissioners did not even question him at all, nor did they ask a solitary question or offer any comment whatever on the charges made. While charges of such a character ought to cause something of a sensation, no member of the board so much as raised an eyebrow, and did not appear in the least surprised at what Mr. Marshall said.

A YOUTHFUL OFFENDER.

Seventeen-Year-Old Lad Steals Employer’s Money and Watch. Ben Crouch, a 17-year-old lad from old Kaintuck, took the liberty, on the fourth, of course, (or Saturday) during his employer, George Maines’ absence, of helping himself to S2O in cash, a'gold watch, pair of shoes and a coat. George was working in a field some little distance away, and Crouch turning loose the team he was working, went to the house and took the twenty dollars from a pair of trousers hanging on the wall. Packing a small telescope with his own clothes and a few of Maines’ he came to town and proceeded to celebrate five dollars worth. He was captured without trouble at the 11:04 p. m. train as he was trying to escape, by marshal Parks and nightwatch Thomas, and taken to jail, where he spent the night. Sunday morning George came to town and made arrangements for his release, taking him back to the farm to sweat out the five. The clothes he had disposed of to some of his Arkansas friends near the depot. This was the boy's first offense and both George and the officers thought a good lecture was better than to prosecute him.

WHERE THEY CELEBRATED.

One hundred and ninety people from here saw Parr’s life size celebration Saturday; 158 went to Fair Oaks; 100 to Monticello and 125 to Cedar Lake. Wheatfleld and Remington each had a pocket edition of a celebration Monday. The hard rains in the morning were responsible for slim crowds. At Fair Oaks a few accidents occured at the grounds where the program was given. Guy Potter, a Fair Oaks boy riding a horse owned by a Mr. Wood of Morocco, in one of the races was severely Uruised when his saddle turned and threw him under the horse. He was struck in the face and chest by the horse’s hoofs and remained unconscious for several hours. The horse broke loose and left the grounds, going home. Both Parr and Fair Oaks had good crowds, and at the former place there was little drunkeness. At Fair Oaks it is reported a wagon load of booze was disposed of and fights were too numerous to mention. ,

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1000.

Korah Dewitt took an overdose of joy juice and got % hls arm broke In a drunken shindig, it is alleged. At Parr, Edgar Duvall, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Duvall, fell from a low fence and dislocated his right elbow. Ferd Hamilton was the only one seriously injured here, and he by holding a cannon cracker, got a badly burred hand.

DIVERSIONS ON THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.

The festivities that surround the occasion of our 133rd Independeflce birthday were opened in a blaze of glory Friday evening by Punch Platt in a human skyrocket stunt. He was touched off by the boss canvasman of the “Modern Remedy Company,” and with the myriads of beautiful shooting stars lit somewhere near the State bank. Following “Punch’s inaugeral stunt, W. S. Parks as Marshall of the day, led a parade of the boys filled with the “spirits” of ’76 around the court house. Two distinguished visitors, “Victor” Johnson of Lake county and James Newcomb of Lafayette, paid the expenses, $4.35 per head, of the march. THe drunkfest lasted ’until late Sunday afternoon, when Roy Brouhard of our neighboring city of Fair Oaks, contributed his mite for kicking up a rumpus at the ball park, and another glorious fourth (that’s Roy) was done. His ufn cost him n.

Brook Has a Mutual Telephone Company.

The Rensselaer Democrat is advocating the forming of a mutual telephone company, and pattern after the Brook exchange.. Best thing you ever did. The service is better, cheaper and you have no one to growl at but yourself. The Brook exchange is even better than expected when formed and no one of the stockholders would take par value for their stock. Not only that, but the service is much better and cheaper than * ©> formerly.—Brook Reporter.

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN.

A heavy rain came Friday night, but Saturday and Sunday were pleasant. Monday was a cool, rainy, disagreeable day, and considerable Vater fell. Yesterday started out wet and rainy, and rain fell practically all forenoon. In the meantime cornplowing, wheat harvest and haying must wait for better weather.

ORA BARCE BRUNER MARRIED.

Ora Bruner Barce was married this morning at Rochester, Ind., to Mr. Earl Wicks, a dredge builder of that place. They will make their future home near Rochester. Mrs. Barce went to Rochester yesterday to meet her future husband. She was recently granted a divorce from her former husband, John Barce.

ONE GOT AWAY FROM OUR FELLOW’S.

John Doolittle, a single man r>f 34 years, was declared to be of unsound mind, and on Wednesday Sheriff Sanders and Marshal Johnson took him to Longcliff. Doolittle recently blew in here from Jasper county, when he was promptly sent to the county asylum. He had been at Longcliff before, but was not then credited to Pulaski county. The authorities here think that his proper home should be at the epileptic village, since he is an habitual subject to fits.—Winamac Journal.

MAY FIGHT THE PROPOSED ELECTION.

The Democrat is in receipt of a lettfer from a prominent citizen of Remington in which he states that there will be considerable opposition to the proposal to vote an electric rhilroad subsidy in Remington and Carpenter township. He says: “I don’t believe it will come as near passing here now as It did before, and it seems useless to me for the commissioners to call another election. Of course they can get 25 to sign the petition and that is sufficient to call an election. We are thinking of filing a remonstrance against the holding of an election. We are not opposed to the road, and would like to have it. But do not feel like furnishing the money to build it, to be divided up among the promotors, and there will surely be a good scrap on if they call an election, and we will do it up again.”

Flour at.Bo cents per barrlel less than wholesale, at the Chicago Bargain Store.

THE COURT HOUSE

Items Picked Up About the County Capitol. Ira Sigler returned last Wednesday from a prospecting trip in the west. As yet he has found no suitable location and may decide to remain here. v! —° — ’■Marriage licenses issued; July 5, Ebnest Gowland, son of Henry Gowland of Marion township, aged 19, (will be 20 August 20) occupation farmer, to Hazel Hurd, daughter of Herbert Hurd of Rensselaer, aged 18, (19 in September) occupation housekeeper. First marriage for each. The Supreme court of the state of Illinois has decided that street fairs and similar carnivals are nuisances and that a city has no right to permit such exhibitions to use its streets. Anna Van Cleff was injured at a street fair at Ninetysecond and Exchange streets, Chicago. She recovered damages of $15,000 from the city, and this judgment is upheld. ——O—— Mr. Marshall of the Lafayette Bridge Co., who made the sensational charges of fraud "Hi the bridge

contracts let to the Winamac Bridge Co., in this county, stated outside the commissioners’ court room that when the bids were read off here in March by Commissioner Denham, for the Milroy township bridge, they were as follows: Elkhart Bridge Co $1,543.00 Lafayette Bridge C 0...... 1,469.00 Attica Bridge Co 1,583.00 Winamac Bridge C 0...... 1,240.00 Rochester Bridge Co 1,649.00 And he had them so recorded in his note book where he took them down as read. He states that other bidders will bear him out in this; that their notes will so show. When the bids reached the auditor’s hands, the latter says, (and Mr. Marshall thinks this is true) all were precisely as chronicled by Mr. Marshall above, except that of the Winamac company, which was $1,400 instead of $1,240, and the contract was written up for $1,400. Whether a mistake was made in reading the figures or otherwise, Mr. Marshall cannot say, but he is positive as to the amount read off on opening the bids, and he was surprised to find on examining the contract Monday that the amount named within was $1,400. He made no charges, he said, that anyone else was implicated in the steals, but he could not see how they could go on very long without the connivance of others.

Not much of Importance was done by the county commissioners in Heir first day's session except allow claims. Cora Dexter and Vaughn Woodworth appointed to scholarship t<t Purdue. Contract for a bridge in Walker township was let to Winamac Bridge Co., at $6lO, the Lafayette Bridge Co., bidding $725. Interest on county funds for the month of June was reported by the various county depositories as follows: State Bank, Remington....! 24.65 State Bank, Rensselaer. ... 65.79 First Nat. Bank, Rensselaer. 120.32 Jasper S. &T. Co., Rens. . . 59.29 Bank of Wheatfleld 10.82 Total v. . 280.87 No action was taken Monday as shown by the records In the matter of the charges of graft made by Wallace Marshall of the Lafayette Bridge Co., against the Winamac Bridge Co. The company was paid $l,lOO of the $1,400 on this bridge last month, and a claim for SBOO was on file and had been tharked

allowed on the docket, but has since been erased. We understand It is the intention of the commissioners to go out and look at the bridge before paying the balance. They have never seen it, we are told.

EXCURSION TO CHICAGO SUNDAY, JULY 11.

The Louisville division of the Monon will run an excursion to Chicago Sunday, July 11, and the rate from Rensselaer will be $1 for the round trip. Excursions on the Louisville division do not usually stop at stations north of Monon, but this train will stop at Rensselaer and Lowell—at those two stations only.

“TO MOVE INTO 1. 0. 0. F. BLOCK.

B. Forsythe has leased the rooms in the I. O. O. F. block now occupied by Rowles & Parker and will move' his remaining dry goods and clothing stock, etc., into same when the latter firm moves in the Chicago Bargain Store. This class of stock as we understand is not taken by Rowles & Parker in the lease of the latter building, and will be closed out by Mr. Forsythe individually in the rooms they vacate.

WRENS ADD ANOTHER ONE.

Sheldon came over Sunday to scare the Wrens out of their timothy patch, but nary a scratch did they get. John Hanks was powerful strong on his port side, and but four clean swipes did they get, they coming at times when the crowd was howling for something to relieve the awful monotony. A long time after we had the game done up in an airtight package did they get a lonesome tally, when Hanks, with the bases crowded, hit their first baseman in the ribs. Lee Kepner, who gets them all when he wants, got the cleanest hit of the game, and to balance dropped a fly in left garden. Ancient George McLain and his bald spot were the brightest features of the game. Score as follows: Sheldon AB R H SB SH PQ A E Totals. . . 33 1 4 2 0 24 11 9 Rensselaer AB RHSBSH PO A E Totals. . . 26 5 5 3 4 27 9 4

SHEWED EDITORS GOOD TIME.

Monticello Industrial Association Entetains Neighboring Pencil Pushers.

The Democrat man had the pleasure Friday afternoon of attending an automobile- ride and banquet given by the Monticello Industrial Association to the editors of Monticello and surrounding towns. Seventeen autos conveyed the editors and a number of the members of the Industrial Association first to the thread factory, which is much more of a manufacturing institution than is generally supposed, employing from 40 to 60 girls and a few men all the time. The output is known as “Kloster £ilk,” which we see so largely advertised in the magazines.' It is a cotton, made to imitate silk, and is made up in various forms, such as real spool sewing thread and crochet thread in balls, skeins, etc. From here the party were taken to the Tippecanoe Power Co; plant, where four large turbine water wheels—only two of which are now needed—furnish some 500 horsepower and give a continous electric service for both lights and power. This plant was put in last year, and the dam and power house are located a few rods north of the Panhandle railroad bridge. From here we were taken to Norway, a small settlement a few miles up the river, which used to be the industrial center for this section of the state, having a sawmill or two, one or two gristmills, a pork packing establishment and other industries. A big dam furnished the the necessary water power. Then Monticello was but a dream. The Panhandle railroad, however, ,was the making of Monticello and the undoing of Norway, and now only a few houses remain there, although it is a natural beauty spot, and the old dam Is gone. A big new dam 23 feet in height will be built there next year, it was asserted, and when completed it is expected to furnish the electric energy for the electric railroads which the Monticelloians expect to soon connect that town with Rensselaer and towns south and west. The possibilities of a dam of that height across the Tippecanoe can be imagined, and it is in the tremendous power of “Old Tip” that the denizens of White county s capital base their hopes for industrial developement. Back to town, from Norway, around by the handsome new poor asylum and to the sites of the Pratt printing plant and the .auto truck factory, two industries lately secured through the efforts of the Industrial Association and which will employ a large number of men—perhaps 75 to 100 to start on for

Vol. XII. No. 26.

each. The foundations for the printing plant are practically complete, and work has begun on the auto truck foundations. Both are large structures located at the north side of town and just west of the Monon tracks. The material is now on the ground for a belt railway which takes in both these plants. The Industrial Association owns some 70 acres of land here, and will soon sell off a large number of lot 3 to raise the necessary bonuses paid for these two industries, which have been guaranteed by the which is some 80 strong and numbers in its membership practically every business man of prominence in the town.

From here the party were taken through several of the beautiful streets of the town—and we want to say right here that Monticello has fewer old, tumble down dwellings than any town we ever saw, In fact it has none, and is distinctly a city of homes, handsome and well kept, with beautiful lawns —across Tioga bridge and around on the east side of the river to Horseshoe Bend, a beautiful spot on the river Immediately east of Monticello but which the casual visitor to the town never sees, where all disembarked and a bevy of pretty girls served lemonade, ice cream and cake. Then back into the autos and to town, crossing the river south of the Panhandle bridge, and up the hill into town and to the Hotel Forbis, where the banquet was held. The trip was a delightful one, and while the writer has visited Monticello scores of times in the past quarter of a century, he learned more of the town and its beautiful surroundings on this occasion than he ever knew before. Mr. White, the promotor who has located the manufacturing enterprises that have thus far been secured and who is now a bonafide resident of the town himself, originated the outing and banquet, and it is the intention to make it a annual event, the object being to promote friendliness and good-fellow-ship between Monticello and her neighboring towns. The Industrial Association has secured a suite of rooms for a term of years which will be in charge of a custodian and open to visitors at all times. It is working in perfect harmony and is going after industries in a way that means much for the future of our neighboring town. But back of all this united energy the association is banking most for its faith in securing industries on the natural resources of the town—the great and practically undeveloped water power lying at its door. Except for Rensselaer, Monticello Is the prettiest town in the state of Indiana and her people are the next best on earth. -

Special bargains in elbow length gloves to close out, at the Chicago Bargain Store.

ST. LOUIS TWICE-A-WEEK REPUBLIC.

Call in and get a sample copy of the St. Louis "i wice-a-week Republic and Farm Progress, both of which papers and The Democrat we are giving a full year for only $2.00. We have sent for these papers for some of our subscribers each year for several years, and they Invariably come back for a renewal, which speaks volumes for them. Every farmer should take them. Come in and get free sample copies.

SPECIAL PRICES ON CALLING CARES.

For a short time The Democrat will furnish 100 engraved calling cards, linen finish, with copper plate, choice of fine styles of script, tied with silk ribbon and packed In handsome box, for only SI.OO. This is the greatest offer on engraved cards ever made, and holds good but a few weeks. Call in and see samples. We also print calling cards and can give you the choice of script or text type. Blank cards in all the latest sizes, plain or linen finish, constantly in stock and sold at very reasonable prices.

Buy bread at the Home Grocery. V* off ribbons, laces, embroideries, shirt waists, etc., at the Chicago Bargain Store. Royal flour—nothing quite so good—Home Grocery. A wash dress goods sale at nearly one-half price to close out, at the Chicago Bargain Store. Oil 10c, gasoline 15c. Home Grocery. \ Last call. Saturday, July 17th, positively the last day of the Chicago Bargain Store. ** " 11 V■■ "" MORE NEWB IN ONE WEEK IN THE DEMOCRAT THAN IN at.t. OTHER PAPERS IN THE COUNTY COMBINED. COMPARE THEM AND SEE IP IT ISN’T SO.