Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 59, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1911 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

11.50 Per Year.

THORNTON STORE AT SURREY BURNS

Explosion of a Gasoline Stove Causes $3,000 Loss SOME EXPRESS DESTROYED And Entire Stock of Merchandise and Household Goods Went Up In Flames Early Yesterday •' Morning. The G. L. Thornton store at Surrey, four miles northwest of Rensselaer, on the Monon, was completely destroyed by fire at about 6:30 o’clock yesterday morning, the fire starting from a gasoline stove explosion in a room used for testing cream. There was absolutely no means of fighting the fire and soon the entire store building _ and residence combined was a mass of flames. Mel Thornton, Who lived over the store, lost all his household goods, only a rug and a couple of chairs being saved. The Thorntons are the Monon agents at Surrey, and also conduct the postoffice in their store. The depot is some little distance east from the store and what freight they had on hand was in the depot. The express matter, however, of which there was probably S2OO worth, mostly to be shipped out on the milk train, was in the store building, and it was wholly destroyed. The express books, their store books, postoffice supplies, mail, etc., was totally destroyed. The loss on stock of general merchandise is about $1,500 and the building, express matter and other contents is probably as much more, and we understand there was $750 insurance on the stock and a like amount on buildings. Ed Merath of north of town lost from SSO to S6O worth of express matter in the fire.

DRIVER NOT BLAMED

For Death of Little Girl at Monon Run Over by Auto. Little Minnie Dahncke girl who was killed by being run over by an automobile at Monon Monday, while on her way to school, was buried at Wheatfield Wednesday. The auto was driven by Ollie* J. Goble, who has the reputation of an experienced and careful driver, and it is said he was not to blame. The child had started across the street but stopped unexpectedly in the roadway before Mr. Goble could check his machine or change its course. The child was running to meet a little girl who had called to her, and she was concealed from view by another automobile and a wagon in the street until she emerged in front of Mr. Goble’s machine.

ATTY. HONAN SEES COMET

Routs The Democrat Editor Out of Slumberland at the Unholy Hour of 4:30. Wednesday a. m., about 4 o'clock or thereabouts, the editor of The Democrat was roused from a peaceful slumber in a good warm bed to answer a ’phone call. The party calling was Atty. E. P. Honan who desired the editor to parade out in the cold, frosty morn and view a comet which could be seen in the eastern sky. The editor desires to publicly thank Mr. Honan for his remembrance and trusts that he will be able at some future date to return the favor. By preference we hope the thermometer is about 20 below zero when we get the opportunity to favor Mr. Honan in a like manner. The comet is, according to astronomers, only 70,000,000 miles away, and while it is 600,000 miles in diameter, you wouldn’t think so unless some one told you. It’s tail is 15,000,000 miles long—some tail, take it from us. It is called Brook’s comet and is as plain as Halley’s comet was

when the latter’s first came into view. The comet is really worth seeing but it would be nicer if it would appear about 8 a. m. It is clearly visible to the naked eye about 4:30 o’clock of a clear, frosty morning. We know, we have seen it, for which Mr. Honan will please again accept our most sincere and heart-felt—--thanks.

WADENA BOY

Hero of Baseball Fans In Wednesday’s Game In New York. Otis Crandall, the Giants’ ballplayer who turned a rout into a 4 to 3 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics at New York a couple of days ago n the world’s series, is a Wadena, Benton county, Indiana, boy. He has been for years a noted local player, but it is only recently that he has played in the crack teams. He is a reserve pitcher for the Giants, and his two-bagger in the last half of the ninth inning Wednesday, with two men out and one on third, with the score 3 to 1 against the Giants and the crowd already filing toward the exits, thinking it was “all over,” tied the game and in the tenth inning the Giants made one run, winning the game. The immense crowd went wild over Crandall’s hit, and he was the hero of baseballdom the country oyer.

DAIRY BADLY NEEDED

Rensselaer an Excellent Opening for Properly Conducted Modern Dairy. It is doubtful if there is any town in the state the size of Rensselaer that can not boast of at least some s\>rt of a dairy. Rensselaer, with a population of 2,500, has none of any kind. True there are several parties owning cows, who sell milk in small quantities to their neighbors, but there is no regularly conducted da: y nor anything approaching it. A dairy run on modern lines —clean, sanitary, and properly equipped—would, if run on a business-like basis, pay good dividends right from the start, it would seem. In a farmng community such as this, for many of the citizens to be compelled to use artificial milk, canned cow, etc., is the same thing as being marooned on an uninhabited island with a bunch of money in your clothes and a large appetite —you have the consolation of knowing when you get away from there temporarily you can live like other folks. Milk, at present, brings 61-4 cents; buttermilk is an unheard of relic of our boyhood’s happy days, and home-grown country butter, is also becoming scarce as the result of so many selling their cream, and good butter is generally higher here than in the larger cities. Anyone starting a first-class dairy in Rensselaer will earn and deserve a Carnegie medal and several per cent on his investment.

Rensselaer P. S. Temple Wins Banner.

The Pythian Sisters Temple of Rensselaer was awarded the banner at the recent Grand Lodge meeting for sending in the largest sum for the Orphan’s Home Fund, $42,50. It is a handsome satin banner, mounted on an oak staff, and the Sisters feel quite proud of the distinction of having won out over all other Temples in the state. This banner goes each year to the Temple sending in the largest amount to the Orphan’s Home Fund, and last year it went to Angola Temple, from which the local Temple received it by express a few days ago.

Box Social

There will be a box social given at the James school, three miles south of Rensselaer, on the south gravel road, Saturday evening, November 4. A good program will be rendered. Everybody invited. Ladies please bring boxes. —Elizabeth Luers, Teacher.

Engraved calling cards to order at The Democrat office.

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA. SATURDAY, OCT. 28, 1911.

COURT HOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF

Interesting Paragraphs from the Various Departments OF JASPER COUNTY CAPITOL The Legal News Epitomized— Together with Other Notes Gathered from the Several County Offices. 1 The marriage license business has been very good indeed this month, and up to.yesterday noon eleven licenses had been issued. —io— Except for an occassional tramp who is given lodgings by the city, the county jail has been free of “boarders” for the past month. —o- —■ New suits filed: No. 7792. The Connecticut Mutual Insurance Co., vs. Frank Reany, et al.; action to foreclose mortgage. Demand $2,500. —o—Marriage licenses issued: Oct. 26, Elza M. Coffel of Francesville, son of James H. Coffel, aged 21, occupation butcher, to Mae E. Hoker of Jasper county, aged 20, occupation housekeeper. First marriage for each.

j County Superintendent W. O. Schanlaub announces that he has already engaged the instructors for the next annual county {teachers’ institute, to be held in (Kentland during the first week lin September next year, and that they are: Dr. W. D. Henderson of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Dr. O. |L. Warren, State Institute Director of New York of Elmira, N. Y.—Kentland Democrat. —o—- “ There are strong indications,” says the Pulaski County | Democrat, “that there will be 'an appeal to the supreme court on the Monon ditch. Some of the attorneys representing a ’number of remonstrators state that motions for new trials will be filed at the next term of court. In the event that these trials should be refused, it is asserted that the cases will be I carried to the upper court.” I . i - —o —• The recently appealed case of Patrick Hallagan (by administrator) vs. James W. Johnson, was stricken from the docket of the appellate court Wednesday, the court holding: i (1) The dead are incapable of >tak- ‘ ing legal action, nor can another take i legal action in their name. (2) Where i a party prayed a term time appeal and ! pending the perfecting the appeal the appellant died on July 2, and the record was not filed in this court until the 1 8th day of July, and the appeal was I filed in the name of the decedent, this court will strike the appeal from the docket, on a petition to substitute the adminisrator as appellant, though the appellee is making no congest to the substitution.

The will of the late James Matheson was filed for probate Wednesday. The instrument was written by Mr. Matheson and witnessed by E. L. Hollingsworth and J. P. Hammond. It was made Jan. 19, 1911, and after the usual provision for paying all just debts and testamentary expenses, all property of testator is bequeathed to the widow, including the SI,OOO insurance carried in the Modern Woodmen, except SSO to, testator’s daughter, Mrs. George W. Reed. The widow, Jennie Matheson, is made executrix of the will, and has filed bond in the sum of $6,000 —twice the estimated value of the estate —with E. L. Hollingsworth and Geo. A. Williams 1

METER RATES TOO HIGH.

Private Light Consumers Also Paying for Street Lighting In Rensselaer. At the last meeting of the city council, on Monday night, a meter rate for electric power was adopted which in our opinion is too high to make it much

of an inducement for people to use that kind of power for light manufacturing or other power purposes. The rate adopted was 8 cents per kilowat for the first 200 kilowats used per month ($16.00) and 5c for the next 200, making $26 per month for 400 kilowats. The commercial rate is 8c and the residence rate 10c, and every user of lights knows that their light bill runs up to a pretty stiff figure unless they grope about in darkness most of the time. The old flat rate was much more satisfactory to the users of a medium number of lights, for under it one could light up a couple or three rooms for a few hours of evenings without its costing him so outrageously for the illumination. Now The Democrat has .favored a meter system, and still favors it, but as our light and water system is owned by the city—the people—and is not destined to pay big dividends on watered stock, simply to pay expenses, the light rate should be so arranged as to distribute the cost of operation of the plant fairly and equitably on all persons alike? - The old light rate not on’y brougM in sufficient revenue to pay all the expenses of operation, make repairs, add new machinery as needed, etc., but accumulated several thousand dollars in excess of all this. And that, too, with the light patrons paying about five-sixths of the cost of lighting the streets of the city. Tlie present levy of 10 cents for street lighting brings in only Sl,2'X> per year, and the levy has remained the same since 1908.

The light levy from 1900 to ’9OS varied considerably. In <9OO, 1901 and 190? it was 10c; 1903, 1904, 1905 and 1906, 15c; 1907, 20c; 1908 and on to 1911, 10c. (The higher rate given was when some new machinery was added.) There are now 32 arc lights, 2,000 candle power, and 62 large incandescents of 80 candle power, used in street lighting. The light fund pays for all coal used and all expenses of operating the light and water plant except one man for the latter. At a very low estimate our street lights are run on an average of six hours each night throughout the year, consuming practically 200 kilowats of “juice” each night. If this was metered out to the city, as it should be, and the same rate charged the city that has been fixed for power purposes, it would cost the city approximately $6,000 per year for its street lighting where it now gets out for $1,200, and materially reduce the rate to private cansumers. In other words, the difference between $6,000 and $1,200 is being paid by the private consumer.

This is not right, and the only equitable way to manage this plant is to meter all juice used by the city and levy a general tax to cover the cost. As it now is and has been all the years the city has owned this plant, the non-light consuming tax-payer has been' getting the benefit of street lights at the expense of the private consumer. And many of the wealthiest people in the city either use no electric lights at all or use very few. Prior to 1897, or when the city purchased the light plant there Were 9 arc lights and 50 20-candle power incandescents used for street lighting, and the city was paying SI,BOO per year for its lights. Now, with four times as many lights—and much better ones, too —the city is paying a measly $1,200 and saddling the rest of the actual cost onto the private consumer instead of putting it onto the general taxpayer, where it belongs. If this matter was properly adjusted we i Should have a maximum power rate of from 4 to 5 cents per kilowat, and a comrrercial and residence light rate but a trifle bigger and it is a matter that should be rerpedied in justice to all parties.

A nice lot of extra good milch cows will be offered at the big public sale at Everett Halstead’s next Monday. " ;

CANDIDATES IN CONTEST

Fer the Democrat’s Beautiful Mahogany Plano STRIVING HARDER THAN EVER To Win This Beautiful Premium —As Time of Contest Grows Shorter Candidates and Their Friends Show More Interest. The many candidates in The Democrat’s big piano contest are almost invariably hustling with might and main to win this beautful instrument. As the time 'grows shorter many of them are increasing their endeavor and all those who hope to win one of the. premiums are working confidently and earnestly. Any one of the three premiums are well worth working for and the possibility of winning a piano such as the one offered is a chance not to be overlooked. That few of the candidates are missing any opportunities is evidenced by the way votes are being brought and sent in. The following is the list of candidates in the order of their standing:

Ida Hurley, PanLoretta Nagel, Rensselaer Maribell Kaya, Rensselaer Lizzie Wiseman, Virgie Ethel M Fisher, Rensselaer Alice Daniels, Rensselaer Bessie McElfresh, Rensselaer R-l Fairy Pollard, Rensselaer R-4 Victoria Marsh, Rensselaer R-3 Mildred Rush, Rensselaer R-8 Stella Platt, Rensselaer Arkana Ritchey, Remington R-3 Lucy Morgenegg, Rensselaer R-l Wilda Green, Remington Mary Bice, Rensselaer, R-4 Myrtle Leavel, Rensselaer Ruth E Bull, Rensselaer Elsie Smith, Rensselaer Ruth Wiltshire. Rensselaer Mary Halsema, Rensselaer May Shook, Kniman Bernice Yeoman, Rensselaer R-2 Lena Trulley, Rensselaer, R-l Hazel Shumaker, Rensselaer R-4 Lucy Fulks, Remington R-4 Anna Marion, Parr Lois Spencer, Wolcott Martha Critser, Rensselaer, R-3 Mary Gaunt. Remington R-3 Edna Ward, Rensselaer R-4 Marie Moore, Rensselaer Star Route

The free voting certificates given with purchases •at the stores also count up quite fast, and candidates should urge their friends to be sure to ask for them with each cash purchase at these stores. D. M. Worland, Furniture and Hugs Cleve Eger, Hardware C. Earl Duvall, Clothing and Genta Furnishings B. F. Fendig, Drug Store Sam Fendig, Dry Goods Mrs. Mary Meyer-Healy, Millinery Scott Bros., Harness Home Grocery, Groceries Jessen, the Jeweler Depot Grocery, Groceries B. N. Fendig, Exclusive Shoe I>ealer C. A. Roberts, Buggies, Wagons and Corn Harvesters. Spencer’s Jewelry Store, -Remington. Peck’s Drug Store, Remington. Worden’s Harness Shop, Remington. Surrey Store, General Merchandise, Surrey W. L. Wood, General Merchandise, Parr Aix Store, General Merchandise, Aix Reed’s General Store, Virgie Candidates should bear in mind that it is the subscriptions secured that count fastest; q!500 votes for each year’s renewal, and 3000 votes for each year on new subscriptions. A five year renewal counts 7500 and a five year new subscriber counts 15.000.

Almost An Auto Accident

Because of the high speed clutch of his auto being defective, Dr. S. H. Moore had a narrow escape from serious injury Wednesday afternoon. He was i making the turn by the B. J. Moore residence on “low.** and as he rounded the corner he slipped the gear into “high,” the clutch did not take hold at once, and the engine running at a fast rate, so that, when the clutch finally held it shot the car forward at great speed. The

Vol. XIV. No. 59.

machine climbed a curb and passed through a fence before it could be stopped, narrowly missing a telephone pole, which, had the machine hit at the,rate it was going, would have resulted seriously, no doubt. John Braddock was in the machine with Doctor Moore, showing the latter '‘how to- do it,” but this stunt was not on the program.

Public Sales. The Democrat has printed bills for the following public sales: - ■ ■ ' . Monday, Oct. 30, Everett Halstead, on the M. B. Halstead farm, 7 miles northwest of Rensselaer. General sale, 11 head of horses, 100 head of fine cattle, farm implements, etc. Tuesday, Oct. 31, the J. E. Maines farm of 100 acres, 2 miles north and 1 mile west of* Rensselaer. Sale will begin at 1 p. m.

HEAVY RAINFALL

In This Locality During September and October—Rain Fell 22 Days. That it has been extremely damp the past two months few in this section will deny, but that it had rained for 22 days out of a possible 52, from Sept. 1 up to and including Sunday last, is startling for Jasper county. During September rain fell 11 days for a total of 8.04 inches, while this morith the amount of rain that has fallen, not including Thursday night’s shower, has been 5.28 inches, according to the official record kept at St. Joseph’s college. Still it might have been worse, during Noah’s time it rained 40 days and 40 nights, you’ll remember having heard some place. But for a rainfall of 13.32 inches in less than two months is quite a record for northern Indiana. The official figures for the several rains are as follows: Sept. Oct. Date Amt. In. Date Amt. in. 5.. 0.28 f 1 .0.91 7.. .0.4 t 2... 0.12 10.. 0.12 3.... 0123 12.. 0.08 5 ....0.67 14.. ..4.02 6..........0.67 15.. 0.28 14 ... ,0186 18.. 16.... 0.42 21.. .>...0.11 17 .....0.23 24.. .0.07 20......... .OUS25 ...0.87 21 (X»r 29.. . .0.38 22......... .0.79 Total ......8.04 Total to date.. 5.28

UNION MASS MEETING

At Court House Tomorrow Afternoon for Men and Boys. There will be a Union Mass Meeting for men and boys at the Courthouse in Rensselaer, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2:30 p. m. This is a citizen’s meeting and should appeal to good men of all parties and churches. The Civic Union movement seeks to promote legislation on all the social and moral issues, such as the purity of . the ballot, the Sabbath, gambling, profanity, obscene literature, immoral shows, the social evil in its several phases, industrial equity, temperance, and .the peace movement. The plan is to have the good citizens of every community united to hold stated meetings once a month for the study and discussion of all public questions. It is thus a revival of intelligent and faithful citizenship. It encourages the election of the best men to office and faithful law en-“ forcement by unifying moral sentiment and exhorting every man to do his duty in supporting public officers—in law enforcement. The best people everywhere are supporting this movement by active co-operation. The state officers and executive committee are well known and influential men. The movement has been received with favor w r herever presented. Mr. Johnson comes highly commended as a forceful and entertaining speaker and recognized as one of the foremost leaders in reform in -the country. Every man interested in the moral welfare of the community and commonwealth should plan to attend this meeting. xx

Sale bills printed „ while you wait at The Democrat office