Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1911 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

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BIG RENSSELEAR ELEVATOR BURNS

Babcock & Hopkins Have $60,000 Fire Friday Night $40,000 INSURANCE CARRIED Firm Did a Large Transfer Busi ness and Employed a Number of Men—About 35,000 Bushels of Grain In Elevator Not Known How Fire Started— Will Probably Rebuild, But Matter Not Fully Decided Upon At This Time. . The big grain elevator of Babcock & Hopkins, near the Monon depot was totally destroyed by fire at about 10:30 o’clock Friday night, and while* mutual insurance of $40,000 was carried the firm stand to lose from $20,000 to $30,000 on the biulding, Which is estimated to hsve been worth from $40,000 to $50,000. There was in the negihborhood of 35,000 bushels, of grain in the elevator, mostly oats, and perhaps there may be a little salvage on some of this. There were several loaded cars of grain on the track on the north side of the elevator, and some of these were pushed out of the way and escaped, but four loaded cars were consumed*Practically the whole town was out to the fire, which was quite spectacular, the building being about 110 feet to its topmost point. The driveways below acted as a draft and the flames shot out from the top fiercely. It was not more than half an hour before the top part fell in, but the lower part was built of heavier material and lasted about two hours before it finally toppled over, the whole south side giving way first. The southbound 11:05 train was held perhaps a half hour, but finally passed the fire with little trouble on one so the north sidetracks.

Streams of water were poured on the embers and the burning grain, which is still smouldering and will have to be watched fcr several days to prevent its breaking out into flame. Just how the fire started is not known, the. nightwatch having visited the interior of the elevator less than two hours before the flames started. W. C. Babcock and Bert Abbott were working on an auto in the garage near by, and the former had left only a few moments when a light explosion was heard and cn running outside Bert saw the upper part of the building in flames. It is evident the fire started from a spontaneous explosion of dust in one of the upper stories. He rushed to the grain office and broke out a window and sent in an alarm, and soon the fire company was on the ground, but all that could be done was to save adjacent property, which was not so hard to do because the rains had thoroughly soaked the roofs of all the buildings and there was little wind. The building was also covered with corrugated iron which kept the flames pretty well confined.

Insurance of $25,000 was carried on the building and $15,000 on the grain, all in mutual elevator insurance. The total loss is estimated at from $60,000 to S7SJXX), which would leave the net loss $20,000 to $35,000. The elevator • was one of the best on the Monon road and was practically new, it having been built only about ten years ago. New machinery and additions have since been added and dur-mg-nearly two thirds of the time both night and day forces were employed, a total of about 20 men, the company doing quite a transfer business, the elevator being equipped with bleaching and drying apparatus, and hundreds of carloads of both oats and corn from other states even have been bought and shipped here for drying and bleaching. Besides the company has handled the bulk of the grain raised in the vicinity of Rensselaer.

A great deal of unsold grain was stored with the elevator, perhaps several hundred thousand bushels, but most of this of course had been shipped out and sold by the firm, who will make good to the owmers when they get ready to sell. They will also very likely make some arrangements for _ receiving grain ere long if they expect to continue in business, which we rae told they will probably do, although their future plans have not been fully determined on at this writing. • The fire throws quite a number of men out of employment, temporarilly at least, and it is hoped that plans will mature in a few days for rebuilding.

FIRE AT PLEASANT RIDGE

The house occupied by Harley Shields at Pleasant Ridge was burned shortly after noon yesterday. All the contents were saved. We did not learn any of the particulars.

NOT THE PURTELLE ROAD

Fowler Leader: The Covington and Southwestern railroad, better known as the “Bubble route,” was sold Monday of last /week for junk, the price being SII,OOO. This included the power house at Kingman, four miles of track and one car. The route was to connect Danville and Crawfordsville and went via Covington and Kingman, the latter place being the chief promotor.

BABE SMOTHERED.

Coroner Wright was called to Fair Oaks Monday to investigate the death of the three weeks old babe of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Casey, which was found dead in bed that morning when the couple got up. The babe, it seems, had slept in the same bed with its parents and they being a newly married couple, having been wed only a month ago, were not used to caring for children. The coroner found that the babe had been accidently smothered, and no particular blame could be laid on anyone—just a case of carelessness.

BUYS NO. DAKOTA FARM.

Rev. G. H. Clarke Invests In Quarter Section Near Hamilton. N. Littlefield and Rev. G. H. Clarke returned Sunday morning from their prospecting trip to Hamilton, No. Dak. They found everything looking well but seeding had not started. All the farmers were getting everything in readiness to start Monday of this week.

They took dinner twice with C. D. Norman, formerly of north of Rensselaer, who is nicely located on the J. K. Davis farm just a half mile from the business center of Hamilton, which he has This is one of the finest improved farms in that locality and “Doss” is well pleased with the country and the prospects.

Rev. Clarke bought a well improved 160 acre farm one mile west of Hamilton. It is a very choice farm and Mr. Littlefield thinks it was a great bargain at the price paid.

CHURCH OF GOD SERVICES

Elders S. J. Lindsay of Oregon, 111., L. E. Conner of Cleveland, Oho, and Joseph Williams of Frankfort, Ind., are in Rensselaer this week and will, commencing Tuesday night, hold services every evening in the Church of God. S. D. Lindsay will remain over Sunday and preach at 10:45 a. m., and 7:30 p. m. /

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS. April 20, to Mr. and Mrs. David Smith of Barkley tp., a son. . _ April 21, to Mr. and Mrs-John Halladay of Rensselaer, a daughter. - • Some one has said the Lord might have made a better berry than the strawberry, but he didn’t. You can get the best strawberry plants for this part of the country of N. S. Bates. You can benefit by his experience, Kainit in 125 lb. bags, only $13.00 per ton.— Maines & Hamilton. , .

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA. WEDNESDAY, APR. 26, 1911.

THE COURT HOUSE

Items Picked Up About the County Capitol The White circuit court con»cned Monday. Four marriage licenses havs. been issued so far this month. Monday in the last day for paying the spring- installment of taxes. The local option elections in White county will be held tomorrow. Several townships in Pulaski county will vote Friday. Marriage licenses issued: April 24, Frederick George Williams of Fair Oaks, aged 34, occupation painter, to Ethel Cambe, also of Fair Oaks, aged 19, occupation housekeeper. The proclamation of Governor Marshall, putting the new laws into effect, was issued Friday, and from 12 o’clock noon, of that day all the acts of the late general assembly not carrying an emergency clause have been in full force and effect. The commissioners appointed by .the court to make division in the Randle vs. Stoner, et al. case, gave Mr. Randle the lot on Cullen street, just across the street from his brick house and $65 in cash from the other heirs. The Mrs. Randle property was valued at SI,OOO and the lot' at S4OO by the commissioners. Tenry T. Griggs, a prominent and wealthy citizen of Goodland ahd a former commissioner of .Newton county, has been lying at the point of death for several days with pneumonia. He was still alive at the latest reports we have from him with about one chance in twenty of recovering. New suits filed: No. 7726. Cora Schultz vs. John Schultz: action for divorce. The coin plaint alleges that the parties were married Nov. 8, 1903, and that in November 1910, defendant abandoned plaintiff and her child of six years and left them to shift for themselves, and went to North Dakota. Habitual drunkenness, cruel and inhuman treatment, neglect and failure to provide is also charged. Defendant is t alleged to be worth $3,000 in North Dakota real estate, and such alimony is asked as the court may deem proper. The will of the late James E. Hogan of Remington was filed for probate Monday. The instrument bequeathes to his friend James Hyland, S2OO in cash, and to the children of decedent’s deceased brother, Edw'ard Hogan, the following cash bequests: James M., and William Hogan, S4OO each; Dennis, Merlie, Agnes Hogan Fennessie, Anna Hogan O’Connor and Catharine Hogan, S3OO each. All the* residue of the estate is bequeathed to the seven children of decedent’s deceased brother, Edward Hogan (as above) and the children of his deceased brother Dennis Hogan, share and share alike. All real estate is directed to be sold as the executor may deem best. James M. Hogan, nephew- of decedent, is named .as executor of the will, which was executed Dec. 15, 1910- The real estate is of the probable value of SB,OOO.

McCOLLY FOUND GUILTY.

And Brandenberg Plead Guilty —Both Go to the Pen. The petit jury came in Monday and heard the incest case of the State vs. Joseph McColly, from Wheatfield. McColly was charged with having criminal relations with his stepdaughter. He and his wife were parted and he set up the plea that he supposed she had obtained a divqfce. She testified, however, that she had not; she gave an attorney $24.50 to get a divorce, but he had apparently put tfye money where it did the most good and did not jjet the maritial bonds severed. " * The relations of the prisoner and the girl were admitted by

the latter and there was evidence that they had been living together for some time as husband and wife.

The case went to the jury at 5 o'clock p. m., and a verdict of guilty was returned at 9:00, and the age of the prisoner found to be 44 years The court was expecting to pass sentence yesterday afternoon, the penalty being two to twenty-one years. McColly will be sent to Michigan City. 'Win. E. Brandenburg, aged 26, the Walker tp. young man arrested on the charge of forging the name of J. C. Calloway to a check for $2220 payable to W. J. Smtih and passing same on A S. Barlow-, a Wheatfield hardware man, entered a plea of guilty yesterday morning and threw- himself on the mercy of the court. Another Check, however, passed on R. G. Anderson, for some sl4, purporting to have been given by John C. Burgett and made payable to Wm. Russell, which endorsement Brandenburg placed on the back of the check, as he also did the name of Smith on the Calloway check, was in evidence. The court wanted to be lenient with the young man, but it having came to him that he had done time before in prison, he questioned him on that score, and he admitted that he had been convicted in Warren county when but 15 years old of horse stealing and was sentenced to the reformatory at Jeffersonville, but was paroled after serving about one year. Mr. Jensen, cashier of the Wheatfield bank, was also in court and thought the law should

take its course, so the court passed sentence, sending him to Jeffersonville for from two to fourteen years. Mr. Barlow, who had made the amount good to the bank, was not in court pressing the charge, and the prosecutor was also willing that leniency be shown. Brandenburg was very penitent and wept considerably while the court was questioning him and pondering over the matter. His aged parents and two sisters were also in the court room during this time. The jury was dismissed yesterday morning until

THE PRICE OF GRAIN.

Farmers Complain That Rensselaer Pays Less Than Many Other Towns. For a long time there has been complaint made that the price of grain at Rensselaer elevators was much, less per bushel than that paid at numerous other towns, especially just over the line in Illinois. Even Brook and Mt. Ayr dealers, it is said, often paying more than Rensselaer. Over in Illinois, reliable 'citizens tell us that the price' has been from four to five cents a bushel more all winter along the western line than here.

Francesville has been paying" from two to cents per bushel more for corn right along than Rensselaer, and there seems no good reason for this. Both towns are located on the same railroad —the Monon—and jt would appear that if there was any advantage in the way of freight rates it should be in Rensselaer’s fa\tor, it being on the main line and nearer Chicago than Francesville, yet it is a fact that Francesville grain buyers have been paying more right along than the Rensselaer buyers. Many farmers seem to think that Inhere is a combine of dealers in this ‘section to keep the price of grain down as low as possible, but w r ith towns on our border paying considerably more than is being, paid here it i,s hurting Rensselaer whether there is any organized plart among dealers or not. The Democrat is loyal to the best interests of Rensselaer “‘and it believes its merchants and tradesmen can sell goods just as cheap and its—grain -dealers pay just as good a price for grain as those of any other town in this locality. If they do not do this there is something wrong some place, and the business interests of Rensselaer have a right to know why it is.

EGGS WANTEDWe will pay 1436 cents for all gpod clean fresh eggs up to .Thursday night. This is to fill a special order. — Fancy Produce Market, phone 39.

State and General News

WELL, “PIGS IS PIGS.” Educated Porker Gets Mixed With Razor Backs and is Murdered. Cincinnati, April 22.—Reuben, the educated pig if the Robinson circus, in some manner got mixed up with a consignment if pigs to the culinary department of the circus and was killed and eaten by the circus employes by mistake. He was worth $1,00(5.

CONTRACT FOR ROAD IS CANCELED.

Lafayette, Ind., April 22.—The contract for building Riverside roaTbetween West Lafayette and the State Soldiers’ Home, has been canceled by the court. The county commissioners let the wirk to William F. Frey for $27,000. Frey’s bondsmen have been released. Judge Vinton ruled that the contract was void because it was let without the appropriation of money by the county council to pay for the road.

MICHAEL DISPLAYS SCARS.

Jury Sees Marks Left by Pitchfork Wielded by Pippinger. Logansport, Ind., April 22. Samuel A. Michael, who is on trial here for killing Levi Pippinger July 28, 1910, in Carroll county, went before the jury yesterday and showed the scars left by pitchfork wounds inflicted on Michael’s arm by Pippinger. The showing of the scars was in connection with testimony by Dr. G. Mi Button of Burrows, who had dressed Michael’s arm. Pippinger, according to witnesses, wounded Michael after the lattei had fired one shot. The second Shot killed Pippinger.

FOND OF NAME SCHULTZ.

Man and Two Sisters Marry Mates of Same Patronymic. Milwaukee, Wis., April 24. That Schultz is a perfectly good name is the belief of the family to which Emil Schultz, Rensselaer, Ind., belongs. So fixed is this belief, according to Mr. Schultz, that two of his sisters / waited patiently until men bearing the name of Schultz came along anff then they were happily married. Mr. Schultz came all the way from his home town, where there are many Schultzes, to take out a marriage license. The young woman who accompanied him and who will join her fortunes with him will not change her name.

Her maiden name is Emma Schultz.

HOSPITAL RULES.

Explanation of Conditions Governing Admission of Tuberculosis Patients. Of thirty persons who have applied for admission to the State Tuberculosis hospital, at Rockville, the board of trustees and the superintendent have found one-third without the necessary papers or credentials. In the cases of one-third more the disease was so far advanced as to make them ineligible for admission, the law providing that only persons who haye the disease in the first, or curable, stage shall be eligible for admission. . The board has distributed among all the township trustees of the state blank forms for filling out when admission is sought. By following the forms, which will be adhered to in all cases, there will be little excuse for an examining physician to send persons to the hospital who ‘may not be admitted, “We have placed the application blanks with the township trustees so they can be obtained by any one,” said Dr. Henry Moore, president of the board of trustees. “By making use of them persons in whom the disease is so far advanced that they can »not be admitted nee * not spend money in going to the hospital, only to be disappointed after arriving there. The physicians, too, can help on th* . score if they will give the matter of examination their conscientious attention. ;“Therp are scores of persons

VoL XIV. No. 6.

in the state who are eligible f.*r admission. We have the teds for them, and the problem is now to get them. The physicians of the state can help us on this, too, if they will give their attention to it."

HAMMOND SPREADS OUT.

Blocks Gary’s Westward Extension by Annexing Nine Square Miles. Hammond. Ind., April 22. The city of Hammond is now the second city in Indiana, territorially, and by annexing nine square miles of land south of the city has stopped the westward spread of the city of Gary. Hammond now includes twenty-five square miles of territory, and adds a new ward, the Eleventh. The annexation was made to become effective April 21. The city of Gary threatened to invade the territory, and Hammond acted so as to checkmate the Gary expansionists. The annexation of the territory was necessary to Ham*" mond’s sewer projects. Citizens of Hessville, as citizens of Hammond, will get city advantages. It is said the annexed land is worth 20 per cent, more than it was before the annexation. Mayor Smalley says there was danger in procrastination, hence the annexation.

THE COMMON COUNCIL.

The city dads met in regular session Monday night with all members present except Councilnan Dean. The clerk was directed to give notice to property owners of assessment on lots and lands in the narrowing of Emmet avenue. The council will hear objections on May 8. In matter of alley in block 3, original plat of Rensselaer, resolution was read, the rules suspended and resolution passed. In the matter of improving Leopold alley, resolution read, Atles suspended and resolution

passed. Ordinance No. 138 regarding the practice of medicine .was introduced and passed to second reading. Supt. of water plant was instructed to extend water main to Mrs. Frank Kannel's property upon her payment of cost of installing, she to have credit on rentals.

The petition of Ed Miller, et al. for street light was referred to light committee. The fire company, on motion of council, was allowed each 50 cents per hour for time employed at Babcock & Hopkins elevator fire.

In petition of H. R. Kurrie, et al. for sewer, attorney for instructed to prepare resolution for same. The following claims were allowed : CORPORATION FUND. Geo Mustard, sal. marshal.. $30.00 Prank Critser, nightwatch .. . 25.00 J L Griggs, fire for council. . 2.40 Chester Zea, teamster...... 25.00 Jno Albertson, work on street 4.00 John Hordeman, 5ame...... 1.00

LIGHT FUND. C S Chamberlain, salary. .. . 50.00 Mel Abbott, same 30.00 Dave Haste, same 30.00 Standard Oil Co. oil. .. . 45.13 Kenneth Rhoades, work on li 23.88 Jesse Gates, hauling coal. ... 26.43 Western El. Co. supplies.... 31.69 Vandalia Coal Co. c0a1...... 53.36 R D Thompson, freight paid. . 53.13

■ WATER FUND. T E Malone, salary. ....... SO-OOn John Hordeman, work on m’n 5.10 National Lead Co. lead pipe. . 26.26 Clinton Oil Co. packing. .. . 17.74

PARK FUND John Albertson, labor ,8.00 John Hordeman, 5ame...... 2.50

ADVERTISED LETTERS. The following letters remain uncalled for in the Rensselaer postoffice for the week ending April 24, 1911: Ei*nest Owens, Margaret Short, John Blaze, John Sanders, C. G. McClain. The above letters will be sent to the dead letter office May 8, 1911. In calling for the above, please say “Advertised,’’ giving date of list.-—G. E. Murray, P. M. Kainit in 125 tt>. bags, only $13.00 per ton.—Maines & Hamilton.