Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 March 1914 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

nenss $1.50 Per Y ear.

TELEPHONE CO. HAVE SOLD OUT

Controling Interest Bought by A. L Clark and W. L. Bott NEW OWNERS NOW IN CHARGE Will Probably Continue the present Magneto System, and Therefore Ask for No Increase in Rates. A controlling intere t in the Jas per County Telephone Co., has been sold to A. L. Clark, of Morocco, and William L. Bott, of Star Q'ty, who are now in possession of the plant. , The new owners secure the stock owned by Delos Thompson, B. F. ■ endig and Mrs. Kate Watson, a little over 60 per cent of the whole amount, we understand. Both gentlemen expect to move here with their families and take active charge of the plant, but will not do so until June, it is understood, on account of closing up their business affairs at their present places of residence.

Both Mr. (51ark and Mr. Bott have had previous telephone experience, the former having owned the plants at Monon and Morocco, and the latter an interest in a plant up in Pulaski county. Mr. Bott is cashier of the State Bank at Star City, but will give up that position to come here. For the present at least all the old employes of the company will be retained, including Supt. J. J. Montgomery, and lineman Tom Hoyes. The old rates will be continued, it is reported, and the present magneto system will not op changed, as contemplated- by the old company, who had expected to rebuild the local plant entirely. Mr. Clark was here a few hours Monday, but The Democrat did not get an opportunity to interview him on the plans of I“e new owners before his return home. It is reported, however, that ■they expect to soon purchase a new switchboard and it will be possible then to render good service with less help than is required with the old board. The Wolcott exchange is also owned by the Jasper County Telephone Co., and of course the new owners also secure a controlling interest in that plant. .The pnbli • utilities co’nmissipn had been asked to. make an appraisement of the property by- the old company and fix an adequate rate for service on such appraisement. Whether the new owners will desire this now is unknown, but the general understanding is that they think the present rates adequate for the system we have, and will ask for no change for the present at least.

Don’t Bite, Mr. Farmer.

A bunch of steel range Salesmen are at work in Jasper county at present with teams and wagons, trying to sell ranges to the farmers, and no doubt they will find many ■who will buy, as did a recent sewing machine agent who worked the country hereabouts. The Democrat advises its readers to buy of the local dealers, who sell reliable goods at a reasonable price and are right here if there are any “come-backs” to complain about. It is very foolish to buy goods of strangers, who are here today ana away tomorrow, and to whom you have very foolishly given your haiM cash or note for about one-third' more than you could have bought the same article for from the home dealer. 1

Republican County Convention Next Monday.

The republicah county convention will be held in Rensselaer next Monday, the primaries for the selection ot delegates to be held this coming Saturday. The liveliest contest promises to be over the nomination for sheriff. There are four candidates for this nomination, Jack Wells and W H. Gratner, of Barkley tp.; C. A. Gundy, of Fair Oaks, and B. D. McColly, of Rensselaer. The latter, who has been a resident of Jasper county fpr less than a year, and had not gained a residence here so that he could vote in the city election, last November, has been making the most active Campaign for the nomination, auditis thought by most people that he wild.

be able to land the place, as he is considered an expert wire puller. The only other announced opposition is for county treasurer and county assessor- Charles V. May, of Carpenter tp., and John T. Biggs, of Wheatfield are the avowed candidates for the nomination for treasurer, while J. E. Moore, of Barkley tp., G. L. Thornton, of Newton tp., and John O’Connor, of wensselaer, are candidates for the county assessor nomination. J. P. Hammond for auditor, J. H. I erkins for clerk and Charles Welsh for commissioner, all present incumbents, will probably be nominated without opposition. H. W. Marble, of Wheatfield, and C. J. Hobbs, of Kersey, are the only announced candidates for county commissioner from the first district and county . irveyor, respectively, and they, too, ■will probably have no opposition in the convention.

THE GRIM REAPER.

Mrs. John English and Mrs. T. M. Callahan Answer the Death Summons. Mrs, John English, aged 77 years; 10 months and 6 days, who was taken ill about a week ago with erysipelas of the throat, and which gradually spread until it affected her lungs, died at 12:45 a. m., Monday. Quite a little improvement had been noted in her condition Saturday, but all day Sunday she grew gradually worse and the disease finally conquered her waning vitality shortly after midnight. Mary Shannahan English was born in White county, May 17, 18 36, at the home of her mother’s parents, her own parents then residing on the Shannahan farm In Barkley tp., owned at present, by her husband. She has been a resident of Barkley tp., all her life. In 1859 she was married to John English, to which union seven children were born, three dying in infancy. The four surviving children are: Samuel English, Drinkwater, Sask., Canada: Mrs. J. D. Brosnahan, Spokane, Wash.; Mrs. A. E. Brand, Rensselaer, and Mrs. Leßoy Florence, Brookston. Mrs. Florence and Mrs. iTfhnd were at her bedside .wpen the end came, and the other two children are expected to arrive for the funeral today. For the past fifteen years Mr. and j\lrs. English have resided in Rensselaer, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Brand making their home with them 1 the past few years. The funeral will be held at 3 p. m., today from the house, conducted by Rev. Winn,; of the Christian: church; provided .'I?-. 'Brosnahan, oi Spokane, can reach here by that time, and burial made in Weston cemetery.

MRS. T. M. CALLAHAN

iAirs. T. M. Callahan, who has been tin failing health for the past two

y ear sf r ohi tube re u los is, gro win g rapidly worse during the past few weeks, passed away about midnight Saturday, aged 3 2 years, 3 months and 13 days. Her husband, three children, aged 11, 9, and 3 years, respectively, and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ahlers, together with two sisters and four brothers, all residing in Indiana, are left to mourn her loss. Deceased was married to T. M. Callahan July 10, 1900. Tlie- funeral was held from St. Augustine's Catholic church yesterday morning at 9 o’clock, and interment was made in the Mt. Calvary cemetery, south of the city. The body was followed to its last resting place by a large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends.

Notice to Parr and Fair Oaks Rural Route Subscribers.

■ Under the new schedule for the north bound milk train, mail does not reach parr and Fair Oaks each day until after the rural carriers are scheduled to leave, and until their schedule is changed—which it likely •will be soon, as practically all the mail for t<hose places comes in' on this train—-it is likely The Democrat will not each its subscribers over those routes until one 1 day later than usual. This trouble will probably be but temporary, however.

Notice to All Interested. All residents of Newton township, loyal to the Sunday school cause, are requested to meet at Curtis Creek school house in said township at 2 p. m., on Sunday. March 29, for the purpose of organizing one or more Sunday schools in said township.—H. L. WORTLEY, Tp. Ohm.

THE TWICE=A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1914

COURT HOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF

Interesting Paragraphs From the Various Departments OF JASPER COUNTY CAPITOL .1 ‘ . The Legal News Epitomized—Together With Other Notes Gathered j From The Several County Oilices. I The call for the Barkley township democratic convention, to nominate a township ticket, appears on another page. The convention is ■ called for 10 o’clock a. m., Satur- ! day, April 4.

; County Treasurer Fell sold two issues of ditch bonds to the Fletcher > American National Bank of Indianapolis, at par last Friday. Both issues uraw five per cent interest, and Were I for the Erb ditch, $5,848.95, and the Borntrager ditch, $63,027.12. 1... . j A large number of witnesses, with the principals and attorneys in the case, went to Kentland yesterday for the State vs. Tanner rape case taken to Newton county .on change of venue from this county. Mr. Tanner ; had a large number of character witnesses summoned from the neighborhood in which ,he has lived for many years, it is said, who will testify that hjp general reputation has always been first-class, and that he enjoyed the respect and esteem of his neighbors.

Marriage licenses issued: March 21, John Clifford Kaufman, of Battle Ground, aged 32 Jan. 30 last, occupation farmer, to Elizabeth Sophia Long, of Medaryville, aged 27 Oct. 17 last, occupation dressmaker. First marriage for each. Married by Rev. Paul C. Curnick in the clerk’s office. _

March 23, Ross DeWitt Clark, of Medaryville, aged 3 1 Oct.. .30 last, occupation. farmer, to Anna Sena I'lnes, daughter of Julius Hines, of Jasper county, aged 28 Feb. 24 last, occupation housekeeper. First marriage for each.

Progressives Will Hold County Convention April 4.

The official call for the progressive county convention appears on another page' of today's Democrat. The primaries for the selection of delewin be held on Saturday, March 2S, and the county convention proper on Saturday, April 4. The progressives, having no county newspaper organ, are paying regular advertising rates for all notices of their party that appear in The Democrat, and they have done so in the past. Such being the case, this, paper does not believe that it has any legal right so refuse to publish these notices, even were it so inclined. The committee says, however, that the Rensselaer Republican refused to publish their call for a county convention, even though proffered pay for such publication.

Jasper County Republican Attends >. Real State Convention. < frank J. Babcock, of Carpenter tp., has moved to Rensselaer and occupies the Mrs. Jessie Roberts property 1 on Division street. Mr. Babcock, who had been in rather poor health for some time, returned last week from a six weeks’ stay at the Fletcher Sanatorium, at Indianapolis. He was greatly benefited by the treatment there and gained nearly twenty-five pounds ip weight during the fdx weeks he was at the saha-

torium. Through the curtesy of 'his cousin, A. D. Babcock, of Goodland, Frank was given a ticket and attended the democratic state convention Igst week, and he thought it the greatest meeting he ever attended. Frank is a republican himself and a member of the county council, and- he had no idea there were so many democrats in the country as ho saw at the state convention.

Progressive Young Farmer Gets in Some Pure Bred Seorthoens.

Chauncey Wood, of south of town, got in three fine, pure bred Snorthorn heifers a few days ago, one 2-year-old, and two yearlings. They are from a herd of Shorthorns at Tiffin, Ohio, one of the most noted 'herds of this breed of cattle in the

country. Mr. Wood is a progressive young farmer and his action is getting started in the breeding of pure bred cattie is. to be commended. Some fifteen head of biiorfliorn, Angus and Hereford male cattle have been brought into Jasper country during the past several months, but this is the first bunch of pure bred 'ers, so far as we have heard, to me brought here. M bile Jasper county is much more ot a stock county than some if its neigjhlbors, especially those on the south, there is not one-half as much stock raised here as there should be. Farmers should engage more generally in the stock growing business, and do so on a larger scale than at present. There is good money in the business and the farms can be kept up in much better condition in handling more stock and feeding most of the grain on the farm.

BLIND BAGGAGE VICTIM.

Voting Man From Ladoga Dies From Injuries Received Friday Night. Harley Brown, aged 28 years, a fine specimen of physical manhood, was picked up from beside the Mo-, non railroad tracks Saturday .morning. by the north bound local freight crew, some fifty yards west of Pleasant;* Ridge station, and brought to this city, where he was attended in the smoking room at the depot by the Monon’s physician, Dr. I. M. Washburn. There were no. bruises on the man’s body to speak of except on his head, but it is supposed he was injured internally in addition to this, as he nevfer regained consciousness, and died shortly after six o’clock Saturday night.

It seems that Brown, who was a cooper by trade, was riding on the tender or the blind baggage of the south-bound midnight passenger train Friday night with two other Ladoga young men, William Smith and Harold Todd, who were likewise beating their way from Chicago back home, when he fell off near Pleasant Ridge and laid beside the track the rest of the night. He was not missed by his com- ' panions until they reached Monon, and when picked up about 8:00 next morning his feet and leit hand were frozen From letters in his pocket it was learned that he .was from Ladoga, and communication was had with an aunt there —-his own parents being ■ end -and she directed that the bo>.. be turned over to the county for burial, but the law provides for turning over unclaimed bodies to state institutions for dissecting, and the State University sent notice that it

would like to have the body, which had been removed to Wright’s undertaking rooms for Im rial, ami where it still is at this writing. | Some friends at Ladoga, it was i said yesterday, would contribute a ■ few dollars to save the body from the dissecting table, and an effort I was being made here to raise the balance, in which event burial will j be made here. When found the man had $4,50 in cash and was dressed for bumming his way. having on four shirts, . two suits of underwear, four pairs lof socks and three pairs of pants. ' He was clean and very well dressed, ilt was thought he might recover, J and arrangements had been made to send him to the hospital at Lafayette, on the milk train, but h« died a short time before the ’ n <amp in. without having regained const-ion - ' ness, although his respiration had become better and it was considero J there was a chance of his living, j Only last spring another ‘blind baggage” victim was picked up jr •> : east of Pleasant Ridge, but he was i dead when found. He proved to be I a rover by the name of Clem Ensly, , and relatives from Ft. Wayne came here and claimed the body. Both of these unfortunate young men might have became useful members of society had they chosen a different niode of life, no doubt, and their tragic deaths should J ’be a warning to all who may be similarly inclined.

Here’s the Explanation for the High Cost of Living.

“Farm products cost njore than ‘they used to.” “Yes,” replied . Mr. Corntassel. When a farmer is supposed to know the botanical name of what he’s raisin’ an’ the zoological name of the insect that eats it, and tSe chemical name of what will *ill it, somebody’s got to pay.”

We want you to call and see our splendid new stock of box stationery. correspondence cards, etc.— THE DEMOCRAT.

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Country, SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings in Distant and Nearby Cities and Towns.—Matteis of Minor Mention From Many Places. Remington Man Lands a 13-Poiiml Salmon. Elmer Zink, of Remington. happened to be here yesterday when Dr. Erie Cowger caught his big salmon, and growing jealous of the doctor's success as a fishenhan took a rod. pole and patent minnow and going down to the river, back of the lib rary, inside of three hours after the doctor s catch, and in less than one hour of fishing duplicated Erie’s catch jn both weight and length, lacking only two Ounces of thirteen pounds. Cowger makes the assertion that Dick Hasirbiller was so excited over the first fish that he almost jumped off Chits brow of the hill to the bottom in his hurry to get to the stream and catch the mate that Zink got.—Saturday’s Monticello Journal.

Well Known Good hind Hotel Keeper Dead.

V Lemman, a prominent demo crat and former county chairman of Newton county and for the past dozen years proprietor cf the Commercial Hotel at Goadland, died at bis homo in that place on Sunday of last week after an illness < f several months, aged about 75 years. The funeral was held the following Tuesday, from the house, John W. Sage, of Goodland, conducting the services, and burial was made in the Goodland cemetery. Mr. Lemman was a native of Ohio, hut his parents located in indianaI’olis when he was but six years of age, where he spent most of his early life, lie was a h'fo-'ong democrat, a well read and very able man He was in the government service for several years, both rt Washington, where he was eniploved in one of the departments, and in the signal corps on Pike’s Peak He leaves a wife and eight children.

SOUNDS WELL!

Spring Weather Is Dur This Week, Say Washington Fellows. Washington, Maroh 22. A gradual jeturn to normal spring temperatures, with generally fair skies, during the week, was predicted by the weather bureau tonight for all sections of the country east of Hie Rocky mountains. “There will be frosts the first part of the week, however,” said the bulletin, "in the east gulf and south Atlantic states, except southern Florida. West of the Rockymountains fair weather and normal temperature'; are probable during the Week. There is nothing to indicate marked storm activity over the country during the week. A disturbance of moderate intensity will appear in the northwest Wednesday or Thursday, cross the middle west about Friday, and the eastern states near t j K , en/ j of the week; this disturbance wil] be attended by local areas of precipitation and be followed by a change to cooler' weather in the northern states, east of the Rocky mountains.” '

PUBLIC UTILITY DECISION

By Jud,ge Tuthill Is in Line With The Understanding of the New Law. Monticello Journal: A dispatch from Michigan City states that Judge Tuthill in t’he Superior Court in that city, has rendered one of the first important court interpretations of the Indiana public utility law He holds specifically that since the new law went into effect, scarcely anything can be done by or with public utility companies without first referring the matter to the public utilities commission and obtaining its approval. A city board or town board can not grant a franchise to a new company for a public service in a municipality where there is in operation a public utility engaged in similar service under a license, franchise or permit, without first securing from the commission a declaration, after a

Vol. XVI. No. 101. ’

public hearing of all parties interested, that the public convenience and necessity require such second public utility. Neither can even a city itself put in a municipal plant viihout a hearing an finding by the state commission. He also points out that the new art provides that the rates, charges or tolls in effect on 1 • 'Try 1 , are.not to he change i y«.Ty . notice to. and i •prm.; ’ ’fy> state commission. ■ While.” says Judge Tuthill. in his decision. ’Section 110, of the new law, gives the muni iual council quite large powers ;:s regards the kind of product or service to be furnished and the terms upon which a public utHi ty may pccupy the streets and public property, no authority is anywhere in said act given said in nnici pal ity to contract for rates, tolls or charges, without the express consent and authority’ of said coinmission * * ♦ and no authority exists in the law for a change in rates I any other methou than through the commission.” lie held that the Commission method is exclusive of every other manner.” This decision of Judge Tuthill afreets at least three questions in our local situation. According to Judge Tuthill no new company' can be given a franchise in Monticello without a showing to the public service commission that the public necessity requires it. That is, it must bo shown to the commission that the present. Company is not giving and can not. give the service which public convenience and necessity requires, and that a proposed new company call give such service. Even the city itself could not establish a municipal plant without the approval of the commission. All rates, charges and tolls in effect on January 1, 1913, must remain in force, and cannot be changed without the approval of the commission. This woniu probably be construed to prohibit even the adding of a penalty for non-payment at a certain time, as was attempted by the local company in its proposed contracts with the Buffalo people; and it would of course prohibit any Increase in rates without the consent of the commission. The above decision is In line with The Democrat’s reasoning as heretofore expressed in regard to- the telephone situation here. No new company can come in if the company already established is ready and willirg to give good service at the rates fixed by the commission, and all the blow and bluster that has been made from a certain quarter here is only so much silly twaddle,

Notice of Progressive Convention. Notice is hereby given to the Progressive voters of Jasper county, and all others who wish to affiliate with them, to meet in mass convention at ’heir usual vtfiing places (unless other notice i,s given) Saturday, March 28th, 191 f, at 2 o’clock, to select d<d>“'.tt<:>iid • sifirnates to the convention to bedldd at the Couri Room In Re.hsfielaer on Saturday, Auril Ith, at 1 o’clock p m. Thobasisof repre- : <'nf at ion will be one delegate and one alternate for each five votes and one for each fraction of three or more votes cast for A .on J odes for I'resldentiai Elector at the general (lection. IP 12. Each precinct will be entitled to (ho following representation, to-.wit: Votes. Deleg’s Barkley, east ....... ~44 9 Barkley, west ........ 18 4 1 : fpen4er, east ....... 52 10 f'arpenter, west . . . . . . .46 9 Carpenter, south 17 9 Gillam 23 5 Hanging Grove p | Jordan .. . .......... 27 5 Kankakee ..........38 8 Keener 7 ] 14 Marion, No. 1. v . . . . ...62 12 Marion, No. 2. ...... .46 9 larion, No. 3. . . . . , . . .40 8 Marion, No. 4 ...... .39 8 Milroy ...20 4 Newton .17 3 1 nion, north . . 26 5 Union. south ........ 24 5 Walker Q . . 15 13 Wheatfield .. . . •. . ... .33 7 Total . 138 | Notice is further given to the delegates- so elected to meet in convention at the East Court Room in the City of Rensselaer, Indiana, on Saturday, April 4th, ' at 1 (I’clock p. m., for C e purpose of nominating candidates for the following offices: County Clerk County Auditor County Treasurer County Sheriff ' County Surveyor . . County Assessor County Coroner Coirnty Commissioner for First District 1 County Commissioner tor Third District, and to transact such other business as may come before the convention. By order of the County Central Committee, this 23rd day of Mdrcb, 1914. R. B. HARRIS, Chairman. 11. J. KA'NNAL, Secretary. *’• S.——The Rensselaer Republican refused 10 publish the above call, notwithstanding our offer to pay' for such notice. PROGRESSIVE COUNTY COMMITTEE. An armload of old papers for a nickel at The Democrat office.