Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 54, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1910 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

01.50 Per Year.

STUNG AGAIN ON BURK BRIDGE

Specifications Not Followed and Work Being Done Over. CONTRACTOR PAID LAST WEEK And Grade Fell Through Before Ink was Dry on His County Order— Contractor, Engineer and County Commissioners to Blame for the Botch Job —Alleged That Contractor Cleared SI,OOO On the $1,785 Contract.

One of the worst stingings the taxpayers of Jasper county have had for some time on a single contract was that of the recent “repairs” to the notorious Burk's bridge, four miles north of Rensselaer over the Iroquois river. As stated by The Democrat recently, this bridge was the longest wooden wagon bridge in Indiana, being some 920 feet long, and as the dredging of the river has lowered the water’ level there considerably, it was thought that the north end of the bridge could be shortened 525 feet, by “cutting off the piling 8 inches below the surface of the ground, dropping down and replacing the caps, stringers and floor planking and then covering with 765 yards of earth and covering the earth one foot deep with 310 yards of gravel 16 foot wide for roadway or grade.” (The part above in quotations is taken verbatim from the specifications in the auditor’s office.) To this end specifications were prepared as above by the county surveyor and the work was advertised to be let, and the contract was awarded last month to Ben McColly of Chicago Heights, formerly of Rensselaer, at $3.40 per lineal foot. While there was apparently good money in the job at SI,OOO or $1,200, no one else for some reason made any bid on the work. McColly hired teams and hauled in dirt and gravel and the job was accepted, and as will be seen by the October allowances made by the county commissioners, published in Wednesday’s Democrat, he was paid $1,785 for the work.

In its issue of Sept, 27 the Rensselaer Republican said: Contractor Ben -MeColly Friday noon completed the long grade on the north side of the river at the Burk’s bridge, and the work looks good and will apparently overcome the long bridge proposition. The grade is 525 feet in length, just that many feet of bridge having been disposed of. The bridge was let down by sawing off the piling and the grade constructed right over the heavy timbers. Special attention was given to the weak spots, including the old channel by doubling up the heavy planks and in some places making them three or four thick. Three feet of earth and a foot or fourteen inches of gravel consitutes the grade, which is 16 feet wide on the surface and consequently about 20 feet wide at the base. While it is probable that some repair work will have to be made in the grade as time goes on, it looks like a very sensible way of repairing the long approach to the present channel anitiiatAlr lfcColjy gave careful attention to the specifications of the contract there can be no doubt. The writer visited it a few days since and inspected it thoroughly. Mr. McColly has done more than he was bound to do. He has had Alex. Hurley in charge of the dumping and leveling of the earth and gravel’ and had instructed him not to stop with the bare num-

ber of loads required if more would make a better road. The result is a solidjgyrade that will be a big improvement over the old frame ramshackle. That the planks may rot and let the grade down in spots after a good while is probable but it would seem that the repair of the grade would be much cheaper than the repair of the bridge. If it proves a success the commissioners will do well to have the south approach similarly altered. Probably in time a 100-foot span steel bridge, will be all that the river at that point will require, which will be a big improvement over the 1,500 foot bridge that was required before the dredge was completed. On the north side of the river and

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

the east side of the grade, a ditch has been dug that will conduct much of the water to the river before it reaches; the grade and it is probable that a similar ditch will be dug on the west of the grade. The contract Mr. McColly was for $1,785. He will probably make some money at that figure. That is what a man is in the contract business for, but the job was advertised two different times and was open to any responsible party that wanted to bid. That he has done his work well we feel confident and that the plan will prove successful we also have great hopes. The above endorsement was published, it will be seen, before •_ the iclaim came up for action by the commissioners. Whether it was published as a paid advertisement or intended to influence the acceptance of the work we know not, but that it is very far from the facts is apparant to anyone

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CHANGE IN LOCAL BOARD OF TRADE.

We received two circular letters yesterday morning from Chicago stating that the writer, E. W. Wagner, had lately opened up a "board of trade” office in Rensselaer, in the post office bdilding, with G. W. Goff manager, and soliciting our business. The letter states that 36 new accounts were opened Hast week, which would lead one to infer that the crop of suckers in Rensselaer are as easy as ever. . As the Democrat man has no use for great wealth acquired through this get-rich-quick meth-, od, Mr. Wagner has wasted a few cents in sending these letters to us. Mr. Goff has, been local manager of the “board of trade” while under the management of Eugene Purtelle and his successor, the Swashbuckler Co., and it is presumed that Wagner now succeeds the latter.

A RECORD BREAKER

Attendance at County Sunday School Convention. The Sunday School Convention that closed Thursday night at the Presbyterian church was the greatest convention ever held in the county. The attendance at all the sessions was large. The convention began at the Paptist church on Wednesday afternoon with a packed house. Wednesday evening and Thursday morning the crowds filled the Methodist church to the doors. The surprise came, however, when on Thursday afternoon the convention packed the auditorium and the Sunday schoolroom of the Christian church. Enthusiasm ran high. The spirit of giving took hold of the crowd and in a short time about SIOO was raised to meet the present indebtedness and to provide funds for the future. Great addresses were made by Rev. Theodore J. Mayor of Francesville and G. X. Burnie, state Sunday School secretary, of Indianapolis. The parade of Sunday School workers that took place at 1 o’clock Thursday, was a great success. The procession started at the court house square and -was headed by the Rensselaer band. The Rensselaer public schools followed, then came towqship delegations with decorated. wagons drawn,. by four horses, also automobiles decorated with flags, bunting and ban'ners. The banner which had been offered for the largest delegation and the most artistically decorated wagon, went to Union township, which made a splendid showing.' The success of the convention was due to the untiring efforts of the officers throughout the past year, together with the assistance of L. H. Hamilton and O. H. McKay. The officers are : Arthur Waymire. Pres.: W. E. Johnson. Vice Pres.; B. D. Comer, Secretary and Treas. These officers were re-elected for the ensuing year.

It is predicted that the potato market will soon begin a rapid advance. The Home Grocery unloads a car of fine ones at around 75c per bushel off the car.' Better lay in "for the winter.

RENSSELAER, JASPEB COUNTY. INDIANA. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15. 1910.

THE COURT HOUSE

Items Picked Up About the County Capitol. Mr. A. Beasley of Remington, democratic candidate for county auditor, was in the citv Yesterday. I —o pJ uc h» e Hanley is getting more flee automobile rides nowadays than anybody. The auto agents think the Judge is about ripe for buying an auto, and he has hard work to fill all the invitations received for free rides. —o»— New suits filed : No. 7658, Nancy. J. Grenard, et al. vs. John Y. May. et al.: action in partition of real estate. No. 7659. Christian L. Heusler vs. the Fountain Park Co.; action to recover rental of a certain cottage on said Fountain Parkgrounds, known as the Robert Parker cottage, for the years 1909 and 1910. Demand S6O.

No. 7660, Thomas H. Condon, et al. vs. Dennis Condon, et al.; transcript from the Newton circuit court. /p- -; Marriage ’ license issued: Oct. 12, Ernest W ashington Dewey, of Lagrange, Ind., son of Walter W. Dewey, aged 28, service dept, of Western Electric Co., to Ruth Ashlock Libby, of Rensselaer, aged 22, occupation housekeeper. First marriage for each. slOctober 13, John Homer Rusk or Barkley tp., son of Perley A. Rask, deceased, aged 39. occupation farmer, to Bessie Saltwell, daughter of Fred Salt well of Barkley tp. aged 23. occupation housekeeper. First marriage for each. —o— The scandal at Wheatfield, wherein Ray G. Anderson, secretary of the school board, is alleged to have been connected, is still a prime topic of conversation in that burg, and because of Anderson’s refusing to resign, George O. Stembel, the democratic member of the school board and one of Wheatfield’s most prominent citizens, tendered his resignation at the last meeting of the town board. The latter refused to let George go, and tabled his resignation. The trouble, is said to be injuring the school there considerably and Anderson could do nothing more patriotic than to resign. OH— Court notes in Kentland Enterprise: Bert C. Xew. legal advisor to Governor Marshall, was in court Monday and talked over the pending suits brought by the towns of Morocco and Kentland to resist payment of the field examiners who recently examined the books of all the towns of the county. A date will be agreed on to hear the cases and Attorney General Bingham will come up to represent the Public Accounting Board.. ...The hearing of the suit of the Board of Commissioners against Charles W. Spinney to recover an alleged shortage due from Mr. Spinney while he was serving as County Treasurer, is set for the fourth Tuesday, Nov.

PUBLIC SPEAKING The issues of the campaign from a Democratic standpoint will be discussed by the following able gentlemen on the dates and at the places given below: Hon J. B. Peter son REMINGTON, OCT. 15, Opera House . Evening RENSSELAER, OCT. 17 Ellis Opera House Evening Hon. John W. Kern RENSSELAER, OCT. 21. Ellis Opera House Afternoon Lata Ml EsjttNy MH

1.. ..The criminal docket was called Tuesday, and the case agai nst Charles G. Mauzy, charging bribery in connection with the working of railroad tax, was. continued.

GEORGE STRICKFADEN IS DEAD.

VE. P. Honan received a telephone message from Lafayette Thursday night stating that George A. Strickfaden, formerly of Rensselaer, had died there at 8:30 p; m., Thursday and that the remains would be brought here on the milk train Sunday.V The funeral will be held from St. Augustine’s Catholic church at 9 a. m. Sunday and burial made in Mt. Calvary cemetery, south of town, where they have one child buried. Mr. Strickfaden's age was 52 years and he had been in poor health for the past year. A wife, two daughters and one son are left. He was born at Yorkville, Dearborn county, Ind., Feb. 2, 1858. He lived for six years in Champaign City, 111., after reaching his majority, being manager of a hotel there. He later went to Rantoul, 111., and from there went to Crawfordsville, Ind., where he conducted a barber shop. About 1886 he came to Rensselaer and engaged in the saloon business which he followed until a few years ago when the remonstrance drove all saloons from Rensselaer. He then went to Muncie and from there to Noblesville lajer moving to Lafayette where he run a saloon for a year or two, selling out but recently.

He was a member of the Catholic Order Of Foresters and for several years has been one of the state trustees of that order, and was still holding the position at the time of his death. He carried, we understand, $3,000 insurance in the Foresters and $5,000 in an old line company.

MORE ABOUT THAT ACCOUNTING LAW.

Notwithstanding the fact that the non-partisan field examiners who have made theexaminations of township trustees, school boards and town and city offices in Jasper county have found five republican officials past and present, short in their accounts over $3,000, and every democratic official “straight as a die”—and a part of the time the democrats have had eight of the thirteen township trustees—the Republican continues to prate about the iniquitius of the state accounting law.'

It says the examinations have cost in this county; $1,141.08, and that they discovered $781.89 shortage in the accounts of Fred Karch, trustee of Walker tp., : $76.71. in the accounts of Moses Leopold, . ex-treasurer of the city of Rensselaer, and $67.50 in the accounts of Louis Paulsen. ex-treasurer of the Wheatfield school board, a total of 5926.10, which has been paid back, leaving the taxpayers still out $214.98 over what the examinations have cost. It doesn’t consider that the $1,425 found against ex-trustee Fell of Carepnter tp.. —the present republican candidate for county treasurer — or the $725 found against ex-trus-tee S, L. Luse of Keener tp. —a brother-in-law of Abe Halleck — as these amounts will only be paid after the courts have decided -they—shaßbej-says-tbe-Republi-W'.'T

I The advisory boards had absolutely no power to make good these amounts—funds; lost in the Parker and McCoy bank failures —and there is no question, about how the courts will decide when the matter gets before them. As ■ it is, not one in twenty of the taxpayers of those two townships knew that these amounts had not been paid hack, and in the case lof Carpenter tp. the present trusj tee tells us that he has not re- , ceived a penny of the dividends ■ declared in e the Parker failure, and it is presumed they have been paid to Mr. Fell. \ We think even the Republican must grudgingly admit that if the advisory board of Carpenter tp. —illegally it was—made good from the township funds the loss sustained by the trustee, that the dividends declared and paid by the bank belong to the township, and not to

Soldiers Crowded Out; Snubbed by Beveridge 1 ' Major W. W. Robbins, president of the Persimmon Brigade, late* of company G, 21st Ind., and company D, 118th Ind., and a member of Major Robert Anderson Post G. A. R., says in regard to an attempted interview with Senator Beveridge: "I do not feel that it was a personal affront, since I visited the senator in behalf of others. It is the 4,000 veterans of Indiana who were affronted. .1 believe, and for this reason I. have prepared a statement, telling just what occurred, so that the veterans of Indiana may judge for themselves. “I cannot conceive for what purpose Senator Beveridge would desire to address the old soldiers, unless to make promises, for truly he cannot commend himself for anything he has done in the past for the veterans. “I was one of two members of a committee which waited on him when he was here last winter. Our mission was to present to him a petition bearing the names of more than 4,000 ex-soldiers, asking for the enactment of a dollar a day pension law. "We, the committee, waited for an hour and a half before we were admitted to his presence. We presented to him the petition of our comrades, and after glancing it over, he said it would be necessary for use to secure the influence of the president, the vice-president, the committee on pensions and the speaker of the house if we expected to succeed. “We told him that it was for this very purpose we had called upon him—to ask him, as our representative, to secure such influence and help us in our efforts. “Just then his telephone bell rang and he asked us, the committee, to step into the hall just a moment, while he answered the call. “We did so and remained there for an hour waiting to be recalled to his presence. But we were never recalled and finally went away without further recognition from him. But while we waited he and his page ushered politicians into his room from the reception hall. “But now that he seeks his personal advancement by reelection, he desires to address my comrades. There is a great difference between then and now. Last winter he could afford to push aside the representatives of more than 4,000 soldiers, and let them wait in his hall like schoolboys for a summons that was entirey forgotten in the more pressing business of greeting politicians. Would Senator Beveridge care to explain this action to the veterans he now professes to desire to serve?” Comrades, you now have the fruits of Senator Beverjdge’s services for years. You have received no favors. And you now have the pledge of Mr. Kern, nominated on a platform embodying a plank declaring for dollar a day pensions that was written by the editor of this paper and placed in the platform by the chairman of the democratic central committee of this county. —Delphi Citizen-Times. The above, as noted, is taken from last week’s issue of the Delphi Citizen-Times, published by A. B. Crampton. .Mr. Crampton is a veteran of the Civil War with an enviable record for service; having served four years as a member of 48th Ind. Vol., wthout a furlough except when he veteranized. He was color bearer of his regiment and came home as Captain of his company; and is Past Commander of the Grand Army Post at Delphi and stands high in the estimation of Grand Army circles. As he states, he wrote the pension plank in the democratic platform. That plank reads as follows: “We favor the immediate enactment of a pension law by Congress providing for a pension of not less than one dollar a day for all union veterans of the Civil war,” and the convention that adopted this resolution named John W. Kern as candidate for United States Senator. Capt. Guthrie, himself a soldier of the Spanish-American war, is in hearty sympathy with this plank, and if elected to the legislature will vote for Mr. Kern for Senator. One year of action from Senator Kern will be worth more than twelve years of promises from Senator Beveridge. '

the trustee whose loss was made good—jtemporiarilly, at least—by the advisory board. If any taxpayer of Carpenter tp. thinks that the 20 or 25 per cent dividends thus far paid by the Parker bank have been paid to the present trustee. Charles V. May, let him ask Mr. May about it. He tells us that he has not received one penny. Now as, to the cost of the examinations here. Only about

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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. Next Sunday morning the subject of the sermon will be “The Arm of the Church.” In the eventhe pastor will use the stereoptican to illustrate a sermon on “Korea ” Everyone welcome.

CHRISTIAN CHURCH SERVICES. The subject of the Sunday morning sermon at the Christian church is, “In the Light of the Judgment Day.” In the evening, “Ingratitude, or Flowers for the Living.”/ This is in the series of “Popular Sins.” All are welcome. CHURCH OF GOD SERVICES. Preaching Sumjay by Joseph Williams of Frankfort, Ind. Morning subject, “The Medita >tion.” Evening subject, “Confession and Cleansing.” showing by the scriptures how truth frees from sin. s and sufferings make perfect. Everybody not only welcome but .cordialy invited. V

Vol. XIII. No. 54.