Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 November 1911 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

$1.50 Per Year.

TORNADO SWEEPS THROUGH INDIANA

Doing Incalculable Damage in Jasper County S2,OOO,OOODAMAG£ IN STATE Most Destructive Storm in Recent Years—Bams and Outbuildings Completely Demolished—Mercury Drops 65 Degrees.

Jasper county was visited Saturday evening by the most destructive w r ind storm in its history. The path of the storm, running from the southwest to the northeast, about half a'mile wide, was over the old cyclone route through Newton and Barkley townships in this county, although this storm extended farther north than former storms here of a similar nature. The storm was general throughout several neighboring states and much damage was done in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, several people being killed in Wisconsin. Saturday was a very warm day for this season of the year, and, while a strong wind prevailed most of the day, the mercury stood at 75. In the evening the wind increased and there was considerable lightning in the north. About S o’clock s he wind reached its greatest velocity. Although Rensselaer escaped damage, as did most of this county, a strip through Newton and Barkley townships was almost completely devastated, causing a damage of thousands of dollars. Barns and outbuildings were wrecked, orchards, shade trees, and timber, uprooted or twisted off. Fences leveled to the ground, hay and straw stacks blown away, and corn fields leveled as completely as though a heavy roller had passed over the stalks. Scores of windmills were blown down and wrecked, some almost beyond repair. Chickens and turkeys were killed by the flying debris. Houses and barns unroofed, or moved off their foundations, and in some cases completely demolished. Chimneys were blown from the houses, and practically all of the outbuildings in the path of the storm were completely wrecked or carried away. The storm was accompanied by a heavy rain, which later turned to snow, and Sunday morning the mercury was down to within 10 degrees of zero, and about two inches of snow covered the ground. Much damage to the telephone and telegraph lines was done and it was not until Sunday evening that the Western Union connections were re-established with the outside world from Rensselaer.

The first damage reported from the west was on the Henry Harris farm occupied by Elias Coons, where the barn and windmill were torn down, and on the Ben Harris farm in Newton tp., (the old Strong farm) occupied by Isaac Parker, the barn and a large hog house were blown down, the wopdhouse moved off iis foundation, window panes, broken in the residence, the or'chard uprooted and much other damage done. H. T. Feldhaus, on the Bi§loski farm, had a valuable horse killed, the barn and other outbuildings blown down, buggies and wagons damaged and the loss on this farm alone is estimated at SI,OOO. The farms ci the Makeever estate also suffered considerably in barns and outbuildings damaged, hay and straw stacks carried away. On the Mrs. Rebecca Porter and Chas. Porter farms damage was done to buildings and ' outbuildings, windmills and trees. At Henry (Rowland’s, all the shingles were blown off the south side of the barn, leaving the sheeting, while on the north side rafters and all were taken.

Practically every outbuilding blown away, the windmill wrecked, the chimney blown off the house and the damage will reach several hundred dollars.— On the W, P. Baker farm, occupied by Samuel Lowry, a large straw stack was blown entirely away, large pine trees in the yard, together with a number of trees in the orchard were uprooted, the smokehouse and two windmills blown down. At W erner Miller’s, a little farther northeast, a large new barn completed a few weeks ago, was moved four feet off its foundation, and so badly damaged that it may necessitate rebuilding same. A buggy shed attached to the barn was completely destroyed and a top buggy badly damaged. A good cow barn, recently moved and put on a new fundation, was entirely blown away, scarcely a piece of it could be found. There were nine head of cattle in the stanchions facing west and they were turned around facing the south. Two of the cattle broke loose, while the others were held tightly in stanchions. A new double corn crib was totally wrecked, and only the weight of the corn kept it from being blown off the foundation. The tool shed was destroyed, the chicken house turned around, and one side unroofed, the summer kitchen unroofed, the windmill blown down, the wheel striking the house and damaging it considerably. The* shingles were torn from the west side of the house, all the bearing fruit trees were uprooted; straw stack blown away, six acres of corn stalks that were husked and tied in bundles ready for stacking, were blown against the wire fences. Quite a lot of poultry was crippled or killed and five turkeys have completely disappeared. , At Emmet Pullins’, a strip of timber was blown down, and the house; barn,;-milk house pud granary on the unoccupied farm of George McElfresh, north of Pullins’ was torn down, the barn being entirely swept away. At the Charlie Pullins farm tjie elk fence was torn to pieces and the three elk escaped, but were recaptured Monday, they not getting far away. A sill was blown out of the cow barn and the gable end of the horse barn torn out.

Zillhart’s new blacksmith shop on the old Schreiner farm was torn down, moved barn 4 feet off foundation, tore off roof, caved in side of barn and let his oats out and blown about; blew down windmill and did damage altogether estimated at a thousand dollars. At A. Eib’s blew down windmill and turned apple trees over. Bud Lewis’ corn crib blew into side of his barn and tore both pretty well to pieces. Mike Burns’ barn blowed to pieces and other damage done. On Fred Waymire’s farm west iof Newland roof taken off a new barn just being erected. On Tom Callahan’s farm 44 mile west of Newland, moved barn 28x40 six feet off foundation and broke timbers badly. Double crib 30 feet long up-end-ed and broken. Chimenys torn off house and chicken house carried half a mile and torn to pieces. Chas. Anderson, north of Newland, roof taken off big barn.

At Newland every outbuilding wrecked and torn to pieces, the coal shed at the new school building wrecked, John Dexter’s new chicken house torn to pieces, chimneys blown from houses and wreck and confusion everywhere. . The damage done in Indiana alone will probabiy reach $2,000.000 or 83,000,000. At Bedford several large stone mills were demolished, and the damage there is estimated at half a million dollars. At Lafayette, almost a panic resulted at the Dreyfus theatre where, a performance was in progress. Lights were extinguished in the theatre and several persons were injured in the rush for the doors. Mrs. Harry Myers, wife of a Monon engineer, was seized with heart failure while attempting to escape from the treatre and died

(Contnued on Third Page.)

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 15, 1911.

COURT HOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF

Interesting Paragraphs from the Various Departments OF JASPER COUNTY CAPITOL f The Legal News Epitomized— Together with Other Notes Gathered from the Several County Offices. Robert S. Drake of Hanging Grove and Alfred Barlow of Wheatfield, who were drawn on the grand jury, were excused from service, and B. J. Moore and Doc Nichols of Rensselaer substituted in their stead. The grand jury began grinding Monday with special prosecutor Frank Davis of Brook' in charge. An alleged rape case from up about Kersey was being investigated Monday and yesterday. The jury also visited the poor farm yesterday.

According to the allowances made for the recent Purtelle subsidy elections in Carpenter and Newton townships, the cost of the elections was $140.25 in the former township and $56.15 in the latter. Carpenter has three voting ptecincts and Newton but one, which accounts for the difference in the expense. Purtelle put up a surety company bond for SIOO “to cover the cost” of the election in Carpenter in the event of the proposition losing out, and a like agreement signed by himself as president of the N-W. Indiana Traction Co., to cover the cost in Newton tp. As stated by The Democrat at the time, the surety company bond is probably good, but only covers two-thirds of the actual expense of the Carpenter tp. election.

The figures given are for the money cost of the election, and as many of the voters had to lose from o.ne-half to two-thirds of the day from their work, especially in Carpenter, the actual cost of these elections to the people concerned was several times the amount paid the election boards. New suits have been filed as follows: No. 7796. Bayard Taylor vs. Carrol C. Kent, Warren T. McCray and Chicago, Indiana & Southern Railway Co.; action for an accounting. Transcript from Newton county. No. 7797. Harrison Wasson vs. Joseph G. Jackson; action to enjoin and for damages. This case grows out of the bus business , troubles in Rensselaer. The complaint sets out that on Nov. 13, 1907, defendant Jackon sold out and transferred his bus business and the good will to Frank G. Kresler and entered into a written contract that he would »never re-enter the bus business in Rensselaer, a copy of said contract being filed with the complaint; that on March 21, 1909, plaintiff purchased said bus business of said Kresler who transferred all good will, interest in and to said contract, to him; that the population of said city Js-> approximately the same now'as in 1907, and the bus business is insufficient to maintain two bus lines with profit; that defendant, wholly disregarding hfs said agreement of Nov. 13, 1907, did, on or about Sept. 1, 1911, commence to operate a bus and transfer business and by personal solicitation, etc.,- is endeavoring „to injure and destroy the good will of said business; that numerous people have and do patronize said defendant to plaintiff’s injury. Wherefore plaintiff asks that defendant be Enjoined from owning or operating,; directly or indirectly, any bus and transfer line in Rensselaer or vicinity, and, damages in the sum of SSOO.

Public Sales. The Democrat has printed bills' for the following public sales^ Wednesday, Nov. Clyde Davisson, 10 miles north of Rensselaer, on the Harvey Davisson farm. "General sale of horses,; cattle, hogs, corn, hay, farm tools, household goods, etc*

Mrs. J. A. Larsh Still In Critical Condition.

The condition of Mrs. J. A. Larsh was reported Monday evening as such that grave fears were entertained as to whether or not she would survive until Tuesday morning. Yesterday, however, it was thought she might live a few days, perhaps a week or two. The trouble is an extension of the cancerous growth, for which she underwent. an operation several months ago, to the inside of the lungs, and she may die at any moment or survive some days yet.

Our Envious Contemporaries.

Last night Rensselaer sports witnessed a wrestling match between two females. The contesants were Miss Cora Livingston of Indianapolis, and May Herman of Chicago. A large crowd was pre*sent, the bald headed row being crowded as usual. This morning every gossip in ihe town is working overtime. Rensselaer is never short on something sensational and only recently two women of that place were fined for having a fistic encounter over chickens.Francesville Tribune.

“Ole Peterson”

No one should miss the opportunity of seeing the wittiest, prettiest and catchiest comedy with music, “Ole Peterson,” that will appear at the Ellis- Theatre Monday, Nov. 20. This play is bright, amusing and interesting and one of the most ambitious and attractive productions seen in our city. Together with the 8 big song hits and all the special scenery carried makes it one of the best attractions that will appear here this season.

ELECTIONS COST $200

County Commissioners Have Taken No Action as Yet Toward Recovering It. While no action whatever was taken by the commissioners on the Purtelle bonds at the board’s meeting last week, we trust that action will be taken at the next meeting at least. The money paid out for holding these elections belongs to Jasper county, and unless it is refunded to the county treasury, action should be brought in the courts to collect it. It belongs to the county just* as much as does any balance due the Iroquois ditch fund from W. F. Smith & Co. for rock used on the Rensselaer-Marion tp. stone roads, belongs to said ditch fund, and the commissioners will be remiss in their duty to their constituency if they fail to make an honest effort to collect it back. t In a recent communication to the Indianapolis News, Purtelle said among other things, concerning these elections:

It is true that we failed to carry these two elections for the very good reason that we had changed the line of the road after calling the elections, leaving these two townships out, making no effort to carry them. The statement that there had been bad faith on my part and that I refused to give an indemnifying bond in both elections as I had promised, is not true, as a good and sufficient bond was given the Jasper county commissioners in each case at the time of the petitions asking for calling the election were granted. Now if these bonds are worth anything let some action be taken to prove it, or let it be officially shown that Purtelle is * notorious falsifier and deadbeat. which is already well known to many people he has had dealings with.

Birth Announcements. Nov. 13, to Mr. and Mrs. John E. Wendell of Union tp., a girl. Genuine Quaker Parchment butter wrappers, either blank or printed, in any quantity desired at The Democrat office.

STORMS HAVE NO TERRORS

Fir Candidates In Democrat’s Big Piano Contest VOTES COMING IN BUNCHES Contestants Working Harder Than Ever Despite Hurricanes, Snow and Rain—Few Changes, Much Enthusiasm. Hurricanes, snowstorms, rainstorms are all looked on with equal equanimity by the hustling contestants in The Democrat’s great 5350 piano contest. Votes are coming into The Democrat office in great bunches even though the weather the past few days has been such as to confine most folks to the fireside. But the incentive—-that $350 mahogany piano—has caused many of the candidates to get out and hustle regardless of the weather. Lena Trueily makes the largest gain this time, going from twenty-fourth to eighteenth. Saturday, Nov. 18, is the last day for new candidates to enter the race. After that date it will be a run for the candidates then entered, and the closing weeks of the contest will be very interesting. The standing of the candidates today is as follows: Ids Hurley, Parr Loretta Nagel, Rensselaer Marl bell Kays, Rensselaer Lizzie Wiseman, Virgin Ethel M Fisher. Rensselaer Alice Daniels, Rensselaer Bessie McElfresh, Rensselaer F-J Victoria Marsh, Rensselaer R-S Fairy Pollard, Rensselaer R-4 Lucy Morgenegg, Rensselaer R-l Stella Platt, Rensselaer Mildred Rash, Rensselaer R-8 Arkana Ritchey, Remington R-8 Wilda Green, Remington ' Mary Bice, Rensselaer, R-4 Myrtle Leavel, Rensselaer Ruth E 8011, Rensselaer Lena Trolley, Rensselaer, R-l Elsie Smith, Rensselaer Rath Wiltshire. Rensselaer Mary Halsema, Rensselaer May Shook* Kalman Hazel Shumaker, Rensselaer R-4 Bernice Yeoman, Rensselaer R-2 Lucy Folks, Remington R-4 Anna Marlon, Parr Edna Ward, Rensselaer R-4 Martha Critser, Rensselaer, R-3 Lois Spencer, Wolcott Mary Gaunt. Remington R-3 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. t The following stores give certificates, one vote for a cent, with each cash purchase. Cut out, and carry it with •you ever/ time you go shopping. And ask everybody you see to do the same,.reminding them, of course, to save their coupons for YOU. The list is: D. M. Worland, Furniture and ltngs Cleve Eger, Hardware C. Earl Duvall, Clothing and Gents Furnishing* B. F. Fendig, Drug Store Sam Fendig, Dry Goods Mrs. Mar/ Meyer-Healy, Millinery Scott Bros., Harness Home Grocery, Groceries Jessen, the Jeweler Depot Grocery, Groceries B. X. Fendig, Exclusive Shoe Dealer C. A. Roberts, Boggles, Wagons and Corn Harvesters. Spencer's Jewelry Store, Remington. Peck’s Drag Store, Remington. Worden’s Harness Shop, Remington. Surrey Store, General Merchandise, Surrey W. L. Wood, General Merchandise, Parr Aix Store, General Merchandise, A lx Reed’s General Store. Virgie Candidates should— bear in mind that it is the subscriptions secured that count fastest; 1500 votes for each year’s renewal, and 3000 votes for each year on

Job printing of the better class type, ink and typography in harmony—The Democrat office. Sale bills at Democrat office.

Vol. Xiv: No. to.

Girl Leaves Her Home.

After searching for his missing daughter, Beatrice Rice of Mt. Ayr, who mysteriously disappeared from her home there over two weeks ago, Dr. Rice, her father, located his daughter in Hammond yesterday morning, where she had been staying at 189 Indiana avenue. A few days ago Dr. Rice learned that his daughter was located in Hammond and he at once notified F. C. Miller, with whom well acquainted. After a long search Mr. Miller heard of the girl at 189 Indiana avenue and notified Dr. Rice, who came to Hammnod yesterday morning. The girl would not tell why she left her home and said if they took her back she would never be satisfied to remain, as she would run away again. Just what she has been doing in Hammond is not knovCn, but it is said that she Spent a good share of her time in West Hammond. The girl was still in town this morning, and it is doubtful if her father .will be able to take her back home. She was staying in a flat over 9. G. Towle’s grocery, on Indiana avenue. Hammond Times (Nov. 11.) Dr. Rice is located at Roselawn, and no doubt that place is meant instead of Mt. Ayr.

The Common Council.

At the regular meeting of the “city dads” Monday night, Mayor Meyers and Councilman Hopkins were absent. In matter of alley in block 9, Mose Leopold presented assessment list showing assessment of benefits and award of damages to property owners affected by the opening of said proposed alley. Clerk ordered to give notice as fequired by law, notifying property owners. Council fixes Nov. 27 as date for hearing remonstrances. C. S. Chamberalin was authorized to sign agency, contract with General Electric Co., to secure extra 5 per cent discount for city in the purchase of electric motors. The following claims were allowed : CORPORA/TION FUND. Geo Mustard, marshaJ $30.0O 1 Frank Crltser, nightwatch. . 25.00 B F Fendig’, rent of barn. . 12.00> Amer-La " Frarice Fire Eng Co., hose 5.50 W B Burford, bks dlerks of 20.00 Healey & Clark, SOOO c blks 7.00 Chas Morlan, clerk. 25.00 ROAD FUND. Chester Zea, city teamster. 45.00 H F King, blacksmith wk. . 42.65 W S Day, corn.' . 9.57 R D Thompson, frt pd, stone 14.85

PARK FUND. Franklin Grant, wk on park 5.25 O S Baker, same, 1.00 WATER FUND. T E Malone, salary. ..... 45.00 John Hordeman, wk on main 4.60 Monroe Carr, same 2.88 Sam Hoshaw. same.. ~ l.go LIGHT FUND. C S Chamberalin, salary... 50.00 Mell Abbott, same. ........ 45.00 Dave Haste, same.. 45.00 Ed Duvall, wk on 1ine...... 45.00 Tcrarce Thompson, same. . . 49.50 Jesse Gates, haul c0a1...... 20.40 Gen Electric Co, meters. .. 1576.40 TIL Electric Co, supplies... 224.84 Jasper Co, rebate on lights 4.00 R D Thompson, frt paid. . . . 43.88 Ed Hall, unloading p01e5..,. 1.25 Curt Bouster, same 1.25 John Platt, same • 1.25 Robert Smith, same 1.25 Will Lewis, same.. 1.25

COL. C. G. THOMSON DEAD.

Veteran of Wilder’s Brigade Expires After Week’s Illness. Lafayette, Ind., Nov. 11.— Colonel Chester G. Thomson, age seventy-nine, one of Indiana’s best-known civil war leaders, and a colonel in Wilder's brigade, died at his home this morning, after a week’s illness. Colonel Thomson’s health began to fail in 1904, shortly after the death of his wife, but he was not in a serious” condition until a week ago, when he suffered an acute attack of diabetes. His death had been expected for several days. One son, John D. Thomson of New ' York city, and a sister, M rs. Amanda Brockman of Crawfordsville, survive.

Piano certificate's given with job printing orders at The Democrat office. Ask for them. Engraved calling cards to order at The_ Democrat office.