Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1915 — Page 6

YANKEES ANNIHILATED TOWN.

It Didn’t Require Fire Nor Artillery, But the Method Was Just as Effective as Either. I have been reading a good deal in the' papers about how the Germans treated Louvain and the other towns in Belgium, and people talk like it w r as something terrible, but it wasn’t a' bit worse than the Yankees did for my town,” remarked Isaiah Lewis, a pioneer citizen of Macon county. Mr. Lewis was in the county capital recently trading at the stores. “And they did it without the shadow of law!" the old gentleman went on vehemently. “You don't mean they shot up the houses, Uncle Ike?” said a friend in the store. •' “No! They ’nihilated ’em! Didn’t leave hide or hair of the town. I'm talking of old Bloomington. Guess you young fellers never heard of the place. Used to be the county seat. And what is it now? A cornfield ♦ Nothing left but ground. And it’s been that way over 50 years. I know,, ’cause I lived there. So did Ame, my brother, and sister Jane. The Yankees just come and tore the placa up by the roots and carried it off — that’s what they did. There’s something left to tell where Louvain is. There's not even a sign-post to mark where old Bloomington stood, and before the^Yankees come it had a courthouse, a big school, two hotels, newspapers, stores all 'round the square, a blacksmith shop, feed barns, tobacco factories and just lots of houses.”

/‘And the Yankees burned ’em up?” remarked a listener. "I never heard of that.” "I didn’t say they burned ’em up,’’ retorted Mr. Lewis; “I say they ’nihilated ’em- —swept 'em off the earth. “When the war started the ‘rebels’ raised several companies there. Everybody in town was ‘Secesh,’ as they called ’em. The day the boys left to join ‘Pap’ Price r several thousand people drove in to attend the ceremonies. It was just like what happened in the shire towns of England the other day when the volunteers were cutting the home ties. There were banners and music and speeches and a general good time; Bloomington was sending off her best and bravest sons to die for her. And the Yankees didn’t dare stop ’em, you bet! ' “Bloomington kept its ‘rebel’ flag floating from the staff on the court house till 1 862. Then the Yankee, General Merrill, over at Macon, had 'em elect one of his majors to the state legislature, and the first thing he done was to get an act through abolishing Bloomington as the county seat. You couldn't have killed the old town deader with a flash of lightning. All the county officers took their books under their arms and came over here. People left the place

in swarms. It was like a mining | camp when the ore's played out. The frame stores were put on wheels and rolled over. Some were taken out in the country and used for barns. The brick court house was wrecked and the brick fetched “Old Bloomington just simply wasn’t any more. It was a perfect clean-up by law, they said. But they didn’t let the ‘rebels’ vote. They came over here and mixed up friend-ly-like with the Yanks, and seemed to feel all right about it. “Only Jane and me and Ame stayed. We’d been there ever siince the county was organized, in 1837, and we didn’t intend that any Yankee legislature should tell us where to get off. Now, Jane and Arne's dead, but I’m still holding on. Since the war stopped I tried two or three times to get lawyers to go down to Jeff city with a bill and make ’em put the county seat back where it belongs. Old Bloomington was in the center of the county, just where the law says it ought to be. I supposed when we got a democrat in as president he’d make it all right, but I guess he thinks this so so far away he can’t bother about it. And I voted for him, too!” In the year 1862 Major Thomas Moody, of the national forces, was ordered by his superior officer to go over to Bloonrington and burn up that ‘rebel nest.’ Major Moody knew many of the people of Bloomington, and he suggested to his chief that instead of burning up the town he would run for the legislature, and if elected introduce a bid to remove the county seat from Bloomington as “a military necessity.” The program was carried out without a hitch. Of all the Missouri counties which have been plagued by factional fights over the removal of a county seat from one town to another, Macon stands alone as the one in which no strife was engendered. It was a military move and when the war was overthere were not enough people left Jn Bloomington to make a fight. As Mr. Lewis remarked, it was almost the same as if the once noted town had been "struck by lightning.”— Kansas City Star.

Hi in ' The Wonder Car' *i jh I hi 1,1 Bf "' W w iNil» ¥ Iri uIE, 1 L j . I?.,,'JMLJi. I uw Biffin Only a Blindfolded man would buy an automobile today without looking the Maxwell over There’s no excuse today for any man who is “jollied” into buying a car before he looks over the 1915 Maxwell. We give you the two vital things in this Maxwell Car and then the 17 new features that have made the 1915 Maxwell the most talked-about car ever produced.

Here are the two vital things that any sane man wants when he buys an automobile In the first place —a handsome, real automobile that he can be proud to ride in. In the second place —a powerful, fast, economical automobile that will take him anywhere and bring him back.

Attractive Streamline Body Pure streamline body; graceful crown fenders, With all rivets concealed. All the grace, style and “snap" that you will find in any Of the highest Triced cars. A High-Tension Magneto Nearly all the high priced cars have high tension magnetos. A high tension magneto gives positive ignition. The Simms magneto, with which the Maxwell Is equipped, is recognized as one of the best magnetos made. Left Side Drive-Central Control Left side steer with gear shifting levers in center of driving compartment—center control —has been accepted by leading makers of expensive automobiles as the safest and most comfortable for the driver; that is why the Maxwell has it. The Maxwell is so easy to drive and control that a child can handle it. Three-Speed Sliding Gear Transmission All high priced cars have a sliding gear transmission. It is costly to make, but it Is the best. If the motor has the power, sliding gears will

The Maxwell Company’s Guarantee of Service to Maxwell Owners No other automobile is backed by a more reliable service than that guaranteed every Maxwell owner. More than 2,000 Maxwell dealers —in every part of this country—are always ready to give expert advice, to make adjustments, and to supply new parts at reasonable prices, This splendid Maxwell dealer service organization is perfected and completed by the chain of Maxwell owned and Maxwell operated Service Branches. Sixteen great Maxwell Service Stations are so located throughout the country that a Maxwell dealer can supply any part for an owner within a few hours if not in his stock. Maxwell Service is one of the great advantages enjoyed by Maxwell owners. Order a Maxwell from us now, and when you want it delivered, we will give you your car—not an excuse on delivery day A /JO t “EVERY ROAD IS A MAXWELL ROAD” PAH tpOaO N.C. SHAFER CO., The Main Garage, Rensselaer, Indiana “SS $55 “J™ $55 ™

Read This List of Expensive Features, The 1915 Maxwell Has These Features And Many Others.

We give you these two vital things, and then just about every other detail of refinement, comfort and endurance that you can think of. Take power and hill-climbing ability, for example—when you buy a 1915 Maxwell you buy an exact duplicate of the stock Maxwell cars in which “Wild Bill” Turner and “Billy” Carlson broke two World’s Records in two of the toughest, roughest moun-

pull the car out of any mud or sand. The Maxwell has a three-speed selective sliding gear transmission because Maxwell engineers do not consider any other type to be worthy of the Maxwell car. Double-Shell Radiator with Shock Absorbing Device The Maxwell radiator is of handsome design, gracefully curved, and it is built to be trouble proof. It is the expensive double shell type and has ample cooling capacity. The radiator is mounted to the frame by means of a shock absorbing device on each side, which relieves the radiator of all twists and distortions of the frame, caused by roughness of the road. The shock absorbing device also minimizes the possibility of radiator leaks. The Roomy Full 5-Passenger Body Adjustable Front Seat The 1915 Maxwell has a full grown 5-passenger body. The front seat is adjustable, you can move it three inches forward or backward. This makes the car really comfortable for the driver. No cramped legs for tall people or uncomfortable reaching for short people. Most drivers’ seats are made to fit anyone—so fit no one.

Low “Up-keep” Carburetor The carburetor used on the Maxwell was especially designed for it after long and severe tests under every conceivable condition. Economy tours conducted by hundreds of dealers and owners in different sections of the country have proved its efficiency, its quick response to throttle and Its extremely low consumption of gasoline. It has been termed the “low up-keep” carburetor. Irreversible Steering Gear The greatest margin of safety has been provided in the steering gear of the 1915 Maxwell. The Maxwell irreversible steering mechanism is of the expensive worm-and-gear type and its superiority over every other type lies in its many adjustments. At no time is more than a fourth of the bearing surface of the gear which operates the worm in use. When needed, a new bearing surface may be had by adjusting the gear a quarter of a turn. In short, the Maxwell steering gear has four times the adjustment of any other kind. Heavy Car Comfort What surprises most people Is the smooth, buoy-

tain hill-climbs ever made—Mt. Hamilton and Mt. Wilson. Take speed and endurance, for example—when you buy a Maxwell you buy a car made by the same designers—the same chief engineer —from the same Maxwell Laboratory, heat-treated, tested steel, that was used in the Maxwell Racers in which Barney Oldfield and “Billy” Carlson both broke the 300mile non-stop race records in Corona and San Diego.

ant riding qualities of the Maxwell. The spring suspension of the 1915 Maxwell is the same costly combination of long semi-elliptical front springs and the three-quarter elliptic rear springs that Is used on most heavy weight, high priced care. The Maxwell offers you every essential of the highest priced machines at a fifth of their cost. One Size of Tire—Anti-Skids on Rear The Maxwell car is one of the easiest cars in the world on tires. Maxwell owners carry but ona spare tire and but one size of spare tubes. Economical 30 inch x 3% inch tires are used all around; A famous make of anti-skid tires are supplied on rear wheels. A Dependable Electric Starter For $55 extra, you can have your Maxwell delivered equipped with the famous Slmms-Huft electric starter. This starter is efficient, trouble proof and easily operated. And the Maxwell is completely equipped from the clear vision, ventilating windshield at the front to the spare tire carrier at the rear.