Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 August 1920 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings of Hoosierdom Reported by Wire. TAX BOOST ORDERED BY BODY State Board of Tax Commissioners Completes Percentages for Horizontal Increases in Jasper and Jackson Counties. ■ I ■ I*l Indianapolis, Aug. 13. —Percentages tor County-wide horzontal Increases in valuations for Jasper and Jackson counties were completed by the state board of tax commissioners. The county boards of review in the two counties refused to approve the 1919 horizontal Increases. The tax board ordered Increases of 11 per cent on real estate and 25 per cent on personal property in Jasper county and 15 per cent on real estate and 30 per cent on personal property in Jackson county. Action of boards of review in 34 counties where 1919 horizontals were approved was affirmed by the board. The board is making every effort to act in the case of each county as rapidly as results are received. Officials of Shelby county, where the state board ordered county-wide Increases after the board of review failed to approve the 1919 valuation, appeared before the board and asked that the percentages of the Increases be changed. The county officials wished a larger percentage placed on personal property and a reduction In the percentage on real estate. It was stated that the request was made Id order to lighten the work of the county auditor. The tax board took the request under consideration and will act on it later.

Letters to Russia Returned. Hartford City, Aug. 18,—The efforts of El Smilack, Hartford City oil man, to get into communication with his father in Russia have failed. Mr. Smllack’s letters have been returned to him with the Infonnation that the part of the conntry in which his parent lives is occupied by the red forces and that communication has not been opened. A brother of the local man served with the Russian contingent in ,France during the war but efforts to locate him also have failed. Balloon Race Goes to Chicago. New York, Aug. 13. —The national and interAational balloon races, which were scheduled to take place from Indianapolis on September 11 and October 23, respectively, have been transferred to Chicago, where they will be held' on the same dates, the contest committee of. the Aero Club of America announced here. Inability to obtain gas to fill the balloons at Indianapolis was given as the reason for the change. The start will be made from White City park. Farmers Gather at Winona. Warsaw, Aug. 13.—“Farmers’ day" was celebrated at Winona lake by more than 10,000 northern Indiana farmers. Townships having the largest present were awarded prizes amounting to more than $1,500. Addresses were delivered by S. L. Strivings of New York, vice president of the National farmers’ federation, and Earl Crawford of Connersville, director of the Eleventh District Farmers’ federation. Grain .Men Picnic September 4. Indianapolis, Aug. 13.—The Indiana Grain Dealers’ association and the Indiana Millers’ association will hold their annual outing at Lake Maxinkuckee, September 4, 5 and 6. Headquarters will be established at the Palmer house at Culver, and the three days will be devoted to boating, fishing and resting. The outing is the first to be held since before the war.

Refuses to Accept Raise, s Greencastle, Aug. 13. —Declaring that the action in 1919 of the state tax board was wrong and that it took away the rights of the taxpayers of Putnam county, the board of review by a unanimous vote refused to accept the horizontal increases and fixed the Putnam county assessment valuations at the same figures the board of review fixed a year ago. Truck Hurled Into Store. Anderson. Aug. 13. —A property Joss of $3,000 was sustained when a truck driven by Phillip Webber was struck by a Big Four freight train and hurled into a drug store. The loss to the drug store was placed at $1,500 and the damage to the truck was estimated at $1,500. The driver was pinned under the wreckage, but escaped serious injury. Mine* Forced to Close. Terre Haute, Aug. 18.—Twenty mines of the Indiana coal district are idle as result of the car shortage. The Terre Haute-Brazil district was hit the hardest, with a total of seven mines idle, while three were not in operation in the Linton district and six In the Bicknell district. The production lost was 17,850 tons. Three Worker* Killed at Whiting. Whiting, Aug. 13. —Joseph Lukatlch, Thomas O'Brfen and C. W. Stevens, all boilermakers from Chicago, were killed here when a scaffold on an oil t tank they were building crashed to the ground. Their bodies were crushed under the debris. They were employees of the Standard Oil company.