Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1919 — RENSSELEAR SAFE AND SANE [ARTICLE]

RENSSELEAR SAFE AND SANE

July 4th With Everything Closed Tight As a Drum. < Rensselaer was certainly a very quiet town on the 4th. Everything was closed up—even to the restaurants and ice cream parlors—during the day, except the garages. Many automobile loads of tourists passing through the city could not get a lunch or buy a bottle of pop or a. dish of ice cream, and some of them made quite uncomplimentary remarks of our town as a result. While it is true that the proprietors and employes of such places have as much right to celebrate as any one else, they cater more to the public on such a day than perhaps any other line of business—or should do so —and they ought to arrange to keep their places open as an accommodation to the public. Rensselaer people for most part stayed at home the 4th. It was very hot and the roads were very dusty, yet many drove to the surrounding celebrations—Hazelden, Francesville, Lowell and Monticello' and report large crowds at each place. Many of the farmers worked all day in their fields, which *was a very wise thing to do considering the large amount of wheat that was ready to cut. Lots of people will go some place to celebrate the 4th, and The Democrat has contended for years that Rensselaer should hold a creditable celebration each year, providing the people adjacent to this city with good entertainment and keep the money at home that would otherwise be spent elsewhere. It hopes to see a good celebration held here next year.