Hammond Times, Volume 1, Number 125, Hammond, Lake County, 12 November 1906 — Page 1

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.VOL. 1, NO. 125. NIGHT

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Head-on Collision on B. & 0. Kills Sixty and Injures Thirty. HR01IG INCIDENTS Coaches Eoll Down Embankment and Fire Adds Its Horrors to the Calamity. (Special to Lake County Times.) Chicago, 111., Nov. 12. Reports have reached this city of a head-on collision j between a Baltimore & Ohio freight train and an immigrant train, bound for Chicago, about a quarter of a mile west of Woodville, Ind. The immigrant train was thrown down an embankment and at once took f.re. Few of the immigrants are believed to have escaped death or injury. It is estimated that between. fifty and sixty persons are killed and about thirty injured. The accident, it is declared, was the result of misdirection on the part of a train dispatcher who had held the freight at Chicago Junction, Ind.,. on Its way to this city to let the immigrant train pass. Nothing in the order made mention of the passenger train being In two sections, so when the immigrant train had passed, the conductor of the freight train left the siding and started toward Chicago on the main track. The freight train was making pretty frood time when, about a quarter of a mile from Woodville, Ind., it came upon the second section of the immigrant train. It was too late to stop the freight, which went head-on into the immigrant train. This Is said to have twlngi nearly :filli -w4th-forHsner-ua-able to talk English. Dashing down the steep embankment, the Immigrant train was ablaze in a minute. .Engineer Renneman of the passenger train, Fireman Sellers of the freight and Conductor Lynder of the passenger train are among those injured. Renneman Is said to have been The immigrants are said to have been scalded and crushed beneath his engine, burned in the blazing train and many were crushed to death before the names reached them. Two doctors from Garrett, Ind., seven from Valparaiso, four from South Chicago and three from Christensen, Ind. were hurried on relief trains to the scene of the wreck. As soon as the news of the disaster reached Chicago relief trains were rushed to the spot. Superintendent Batehelder of the Baltimore & Ohio said that he had received, a report of the wreck, but so far as he had learned there was only one fatality, but from the reports sent to him hurriedly he believed the death list would assume greater proportions. As more details come in It is known that the loss of life in the wreck at Woodville was not so heavy as at first reported. The deaths are now estimated at from twenty-five to thirty, five of these having been killed outright and the remainder burned to death in the fire that followed. Twenty-live were injurtl. The wreck resulted from the lack of proper signals on the first section of th immigrant train, the Baltimore & Ohio otlieials say. All but one of the six cars on the passenger train were burned and all but six of the bodies were incinerated. Most of the bodies were incinerated. The officials of the road attribute the wreck to faulty signals on the second section of the passenger train. POLICE It AID 1ILIXD PIG. (Sueeta! to Lake Comity Times.) Gary, Nov. 12. The chief of police and his men made a raid on the Polish community west of Broadway south of the river at noon Saturday. 'One woman was taken into custody as she stepped from the 11:41 with several sacks full of beer and a jug of whisky This she was taking up to the shack where she and her husband lived and where they disposed of the stuff. Her brother, who happened to be near by, was also taken along, besides the witnesses that were summoned. Mr. F.riggs accompanied them to Indiana Harbor but did not intend to prosecute the case. The raid has been planned for some time, but was not made sooner because of the lack of facilities for handling the matter. TRIED TO WRECK TRAIN. La Porte, Nov. 10. Anton Dopziski, 22 years old; Frank Polchowski, 24, and Anton Ashuinski, 22, have been remanded for grand jury action in de fault of bail, accused of attempting to wreck a fast train on the Lake Shore road by placing a tie on the track. The tie was insecurely fastened, and it was knocked aside by the engine. All the accused are Poles, living south of Hud son lake. The young men spent the day at Terre Coupee with a keg of ; beer, and it was while returning that ' the suggestion was acted upon to wreck tiie trafa.

EDITION.

15 HIGH III Questions as to Reasons for Lethargy in the Local Building Situation. 0PIN10NSARE VARIED Exorbitant Price of Building Material Advanced By Some As Cause of Standstill. Is the combined tax levy of Lake county and the city of Hammond responsible for the retarding of the building growth in Hammond? The small man, who had intentions of building, a. id he who pays the rent, seem to think so. Not so the man who owns property. He ascribes whatever lethargy might exist to the highpriced building material, but declares that, nevertheless, buildings are springing up all over the city. The small builder who, in the majority of cases, must borrow the money for his house, and pay six per cent, interest, and the man who pays rent and an enormous one, as a rule are studvinsr the tax Question more seri ously than their more fortunate neigh bors. The would-be builder says that the combined city and county taxes, which last year amounted to $3.91 on the hun dred dollars, and the six per cent, in terest on money invested, do not war rant the outlay and its responsibilities when the rent returns amount to only ten per cent, on the investment. In addition, both the county and city taxes are higher for the year 1907, a raise of sixty-five cents having been made for Hammond alone for the coming year and a raise is looked for from the countv. This, says the small builder, in connection with the six per cent, that must be paid for borrowed money, bring his expenses come. higher than his'inThe man on the other side, however, sees the situation through different spectacles. The taxes do not seem to worry him; in fact, when he is asked how high his last assessment was he seemingly has forgotten it, and does not know at what rate it was levied. He says the small builder is afraid of the street and sewer assessments, and that building material is exception ally high. He admits that a small builder here and there may be holding back in order to wait for lower city taxes, but maintains that returns based on present rentals yield the landlord more than ten per cent, on his investment. The taxes in Hammond for the year 1907 were raised last September from $2.03 to $2.70, a raise of sixty-five cents. It is more than probable that the small builder is justified in holding back to await lower city taxes, which may come in 190S, but will not be lower than $2.23. The latter figure is con sidered a good average for a city the size of Hammond. The sixty-five-cent raise for next year was evidently a necessary one, and the city will be benefited directly. while the taxpayers, both large and small, will be benefited indirectly. It is explained that with the sixty-five-cent raise it is the intention to raise $3S,000, which money will be appropriated for two fire stations, and sewer and sidewalk improvements around Harrison park. The officials were inclined to think that they could not very well ask the citizens to pay for their improvements when their own are being neglected, as is the case with Harrison Park. The two fire stations are an admitted need, and are now sure to come. By giving Hammond two additional stations it not only gets fire protection, but fireinsurance rates must come down. No definite sites have yet been fixed upon for the two fire stations, but it is understood that one is to be erected north of the river near the factory district, while the other one will go up in the south or southeast part of town, near Harrison Park. AX OLD APPLE THEE. In the orchard on Frank Chapman's farm in North Pend township in Starke county stands a mammoth apple tree, eight feet five inches in circumference. This is the largest tree of its kind in this section and probably the largest in the state. It was planted 55 years ago and bears fruit each season. MICHIGAN CITY SUPERIOR COURT. Michigan City, Ind., Nov. 12. Judgo H. B. Tuthill convened the November term of the Superior court here this morning. The docket of the November term has four state cases, exclusive of one that was certified up from the city court today, but the four cases are old and unimportant and may never come to trial. There are seventy-seven civil cases on the docket, eleven of which are for divorce. There are also nine damage suits, most of which have been filed within the last few weeks.

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I HIGH G. A. Karrop, Treasurer of National Construction Co., in the Law's Meshes. mar wuia too East Chicago Scandal Threatens to Swallow a Number of Local Politicians. This morning Geors?? A. Harron treasurer of the National Construction company of South Rend, was arrested by the sheriff of St. Joseph county on the charge of "feloniously and corruptly" paying $.T,000 to William F. Hale, Thomas CConnell and Joseph Hartley, all ex-city officials of East Chicago. James F. Cole, the president of the company, is also wanted, but was out of the city and service could not be had on him. The recent bribery charges which have involved some of the most prominent officials of East Chicago, including ex-Mayor Hale, ex-Alderman Thos. O'Connell and Joseph Hartley, ex-City Attorney Abe Ottenheimer and City Engineer Davidson, have caused a profound sensation in the whole northern portion of Indiana. The only warrants that have been issued so far have been for the arrest of President James F. Cole, and Treasurer George A. Harrop, of the National Construction company of South Bend, who are accused of bribing the above named city officials. Chief of Police James McWeeney of South Bend, when called up over the telephone in regard to the matter late this afternoon, was surpised to hear that warrants had been issued for the arrest of the two officials of the National Construction company, and said he believed the sheriff would have acquainted him with the situation had the warrants been served. From the testimony of the chief of police it appears that although the warrants were issued last Saturday that the arrests had not yet been made and that the much-wanted officials have not vet been arrested. Still later in the afternoon a mes sage was received from Millard F. Keer, deputy sheriff, at South Bend, saying that George A. Harrop, the treasurer of the company, had been arrested this morning and placed under $1,000 bonds. James F. Cole, the president of the company, was not in the city and it was impossible to get service on him. However, it is believed that he will return and face trial. In any event the sheriff has knowledge of his whereabouts and it is believed that he will be arrested tonight or tomorrow morning. Still later in the afternoon a message was received from Millard F. Kerr, deputy sheriff at South Bend saying that George A. Harrop, the treasurer of the company had beed arrested this morning and placed under $1,000 bonds. James F. Cole the president of the companw was not in the city and it was impossible to get service on him. However, it is believed that he will return and face trial. In acy event the sheriff has knowledge of his whereabouts and it is believed that he will be arrested tonight or tomorrow morning. Although no action has been taken against the East Chicago city officials who have been Implicated in. the cs

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INDIANA, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1906.

REDUCING HIS WEIGHT. it is said that the evidence is so strong against several of them that the prosecuting attorney will will be compelled to take cognizance of the case and start prosecutions. The charges of bribery arose in connection with the letting of the contract for the building of a sewage pumping station. Although it was generally known that there had been crookedness in connection with the deal the matter was not brought to a head until V. T. Carskoddon, one of the stockholders in the company, charged mismanagement at a recent meeting of the board of directors and demanded an explanation for checke made payable to relatives of the president of the company. The officials of the company then admitted that they had been compelled to resort to bribery to get the pumping station contract. When Carskaddon. found this astounding condition of affairs he took the matter before. Judge Tuthill and was advised to hire a lawyer and bring the case before the court. Mr. Cars kaddon did this and instructed Knotts & Bomberger, his attorneys, to spare no expense in prosecuting the officers of the company. In several garbled . accounts of the case John B. Mailing the president of the East Chicago company has been put in a bad light. In an interview with a reporter of The Lake Countt Times, Mr. Maling siad: "The East East Chicago company had been assessed something like $16,000 as their share of the cost of the pumping station and had enough evidence to prove that the assessment had been on some submerged ground and was excessive. They demanded that the assessment be reduced and threatened to appeal the case if they did not get the proper relief. When the construction company and certain city officials saw that the whole deal was about to be uncovered they come to Mr. Maling with an appeal that his company accept $5,000 in bonus drop the appeal. Mr. Maling, according to his own statement, saw that if the matter was brought to an issue and his company was granted a reduction in the assessments by the courts the whole burden of the assesment would fall on the rest of the property owners. Therefore, acting upon the advice of his attorneys, he accepted the $5,000 and let the matter drop. The court records will show that the East Chicago company did file an aoppeal and then let the matter drop later on. Mr. Maling says that furthermore he took the matter before the people and showed them, that while there was only 3,000,000 gallons of sewage to be pumped, the plant was equipped to pump 21,000.000 gallons of sewage and that the Alteration beds which were to take care of the sewage, had a capacity of only 3,000,000 a day. SEVEN JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. It is now the intention of County Clerk Harold H. Wheeler to commission seven justices of the peace and seven constables instead of five each, as was at first the understanding. This will put into office Miles C. Frysinger and Byron M. Cheney for justices of the peace and Andrew Reiner and James M. Lowden for the constableship. LAKE COUNTY EXHIBITS. Lake county is to have two exhibitors at the International Live Stock exposi tion, which is to be held in Chicago, james J. Black has one entry in the Percherons, and Niles & Hough of Crown Point, have made seven entries in the Percherons and two in the shorthorns. Both of these stock raisers exhibited at the county fair and won prizes for their entries. Although he does not happen to have an entry in either of these classes. King Edward VII. of England is an exhibitor, and will send fat Shires from his countryplace at Sandringham, England, to Chicago. THE WEATHER, Partly cloudy tonight and Tneaday; minimum temperature tonight near the f reeling point; slightly warmer Tuesday.

Detroit Journal.

GARY WATCHED

The Business Agent to be Superceded by Union Supervisor. his mnnn secret The Union Campaign Against Gary To Begin Tomorrow at South Chicago Meeting. The new $100,000,000 steel city of Gary, Ind., is the first town in the United States to be honored with a union "supervisor." This is the term applied to an agent of the Associated Building Trades of Chicago, which organization of labor unions Is endeavoring to construct a union wall about the steel city. The identity of the "supervisor" is being kept secret, as it is argued that the disclosure of his name would frus trate the system of espionage already in the Indiana ir-Uistrlal center. His duties, as desci;ibd by local union leaders, consist In spying upon the movements of the workmen in the town, chiefly to ascertain which are the union and which non-union men. Watch Iloth Labor and Capital. The union "supervisor" is also expected to report on the plans of the contractors, meetings of executive officials of the steel "trust," and all strategical maneuvers having for their purpose the exclusion of union men and the importation of strike breakers Once a week he is asked to. report to the Associated Building Trades on the status of union conditions in Gary. Martin B. Madden, president of the building trades organization, yester day declared the Idea of having a union "supervisor was new in the labor movement. He asserted that if the experiment proves successful It probably will be adopted by other unions. Its values lies chiefly In that a "super visor" may oversee a large contract upon which a dozen or more different trades are employed, thus superceding the function of the "business agent," who is limited in authority. Plan Action Against Gary. The union campaign against Gary will take an active turn tomorrow, it is expected, when committees from Chicago, Hammond and South Chicago unions will meet at the latter place to draw up plans for a concerted move ment against the steel town. It is said the union officials have dis covered emissaries of the steel "trust in Chicago who are busily engaged in hiring hundreds of nonunion men to ffii:i operations at Gary in the sprin One contractor is said to have been of fered 10 cents a head for every laborer he can furnish to the steel corpora tion between now and next March. FIRE IN IIUEHN BLOCK. i ire broke out in the basement of the Hub clothing store In the Huehn blocK yesterday afternoon but the flames were checked before they could make much headway. The loss has not yet been estimated but it is thought that the damage through the flames is nominal although there was considerable havoc wrought by smoke. It is thought that the fire was started by an overheated chimney, sparks having dropped f?om the first floor in the chimney and set the soot afire.

OR STEVE The "Grim Destroyer " Had the Count on Him But Let Up. SIMPLE HSEOF WILLIES Faithful Messenger Will Live Long Enough to Tackle It Again. When poor Steve Brown gets out and has his nerves reset he will be Interested In the perusal of his own obituary. It is given to few persons to read the summary of their virtues and their shortcomings after the "Grim Destroyer" has counted ten on them. When the good, old Steve gets over his present fit and prepares to tackle it again he will learn that throughout his eventful career he was a good fellow, but he would not do. He will learn that his neighbors were willing to wipe out all old scores and accede that all the un kind things he did in life he did to himself. 'There was a laugh on his lips when the end came." This will put fcteve wise to the fact that he died game. "His was a life of trial, of tribula tion and of hard work." Indeed it was. Yet, by sticking close ly to his schedule of industry he man aged to find time to hoist in enough to furnish him with a moving-picture out fit which brought little red men and four-tailed monkeys climbing over the footboard of his bed. The only pleasure this life afforded him was a thirst In the basement of St. Margaret's hospital this morning "Poor Steve said he did not know how much he had been appreciated by this community until he had died. He had al ways felt that his services as a mes senger between Hammond and Chicago were appreciated, but did not think that the merchants and the housekeep ers whom he had so faithfully served loved him so. Do you want to hear the story of, "Poor Steve's" life? Well, listen (sneaky music please): He came to Hammond about eight years ago trora iJuiasKi county ana worked at various things in Hammond until about two years ago, when he be came a messenger for Hammond busi ness men and people to Chicago. It was in this capacity that he came in contact with many people. He always had a smile and a cheery word for everybody, and would drum-up trade the coldest day in winter and the hot test one in summer. Sometimes treat ed with scant courtesy and rebuffed Steve would pass off with a smile and bob up serenely the next time with the same good nature. His wife died some time ago, his boy broke his leg, and other trials came upon him, but Steve's good nature couldn't be feazed Recently he broke up housekeeping, and his health began to show traces of the hard life he had led, but he stuck to his business up to the end, and it was only last week that he was taken to the hospital, where he died. When the news was broken rather abruptly to Miss Pearl Brown of the Monon restaurant she was so affected that she telescoped an order of "straight-up" with one of "corned-beef and," and fell into a swoon. When she came-to she was informed that the "Grim Destroyer" had suspended judg ment. In order to get at the root of it all a reporter visited Mr. Brown at St Margaret's this morning. "Are you dead, Steve?" was tenderly asked. The answer came promptly, and In a natural tone: "Not yet, but you can't tell." STAND APwD OIL COMPANY DECLARES PtAISE IN WAGES Whiting: Workmen Jubilant Over Ad vance in Salaries Ten Per Cent. Increase For Men Enrnlng Lens than Two Hollar. (Special to Lake County Timed.) Whiting, Nov. 12. Official notices were placed on the walls in the Standard Oil works at Whiting today announcing that on and after Nov. 1 all employes now receiving less than two dollars a day would receive an increase of ten per cent, and that all those receiving two dollars or more would be given an increase of live per cent. This announcement is only one of a series that the Standard Oil company

STICKS

has been making throughout the coun- day in ord-r l-j claim the 5390 reward, try during the past week. j which v.-as orfcrt d for the return of It was glad news in the works, espe- j 2Iiss Howe. cially as everybody will benefit. It was, however, not entirely unexpected, as I. RU.VI) COLLISION, the employes had heard of the raises made in the east, and they were posi- Chicago, Nov. 12. A rear end collitive that they needed only to wait j elevated this morning at the Sheriiaa their turn. j road station. No one, was injured

No special reason is assigned for the Standard's motive in making the voluntary raise, unless it be the result of the recent election.

ONE CENT PER COPY,

DRflf IT SCANDAL Miss Howe's Reason Said to be Tottering on Account of Disgrace. , , MMRDJE RETURNS Girl Who Eloped With Coachmaa Welcomed Back With Tender Words Now a Prisoner. It is rumored about Chesterton tmJ the neighborhood about the Bailey town homestead, from which Miss Emma Bachman Howe made her sensational elopement with the coachman, Gustave; Christlanson, that the scandal and pub licity about the affair has dethroned thq reason of the girl's foster mother, Misa Frances Howe. Miss Howe, who wel corned the wayward girl home early. yesterday after an absence of thirtysix hours In company with her lover, is today said to be a mental wreck, going from one fit of hysterics to another with alarming persistency. The girl is a prisoner, it Is said, being locked in her own room, and she weep3 constantly for the man who Is a part ner in her disgrace. The latter is now; about Chesterton, complaining bitterly, of his fate and declaring he will not leave until he is accompanied by tha young heiress. The details of the elopement were printed exclusively in The Lake Countt Times Saturday, and has been a subject of constant discussion ever since. It is now claimed that the coachman is a well-connected Dane of aristocratic family whom the younger Miss Howe met while abroad. Hejs said to have followed her to this country to .pres. his suit. Although the coachman and Miss Bachman-Howe had spent thlrty-alx hours together she denied that she had married him, and at midnight in a IIobart livery barn told him in plain language that she would never become his wife. Until late Saturday night the couple spent most of the time In their buggy, driving from one town to another. The young woman hesitated to get married at once, waiting to first receive the foster mother's permission. They came to Hobart late Saturday night and engaged lodging quarters in the Hobart house. Their horse was stabled in Duffy De France's livery barn. In their buggy they carried a telescope, containing some of the clothes belonging to botti of them. Shortly after midnight Miss Howe arose and went to the livery barn and asked for her horse, saying that she Intended to drive home alone. The horse was given her, but after having driven out into the country for several miles she lost her way and returned to Hobart, this time going to the Shearer livery barn, and there asked Bert Pierce one of the barnmen, to take her to the Bailey town ,homstead, fifteen miles away. While in the Shearer livery barn Marshal Fred Rose brought in the coachman, who had asked the marshal's assistance in locating Miss Howe, saying that she had robbed him before leaving her room. When brought face to face with the heiress he repudiated his charge and Instead pleaded with her to marry him. This she flatly refused, and, after giving him ten dollars witn which to pay the hotel charges, and demanding a receipt for the money, she drove away, leaving him alone in Hobart. Reaching the Bailey town homestead she requested her driver to ring the door-bell, which he refused to do. She then did it herself, and was met by her foster mother, who first of all asked for the horse. The daughter seemed to be offended by this reception, and asked her foster mother "Do you care more for the horse than you do for me?' "Oh, no, darling!" was her answer. Miss Howe retired immediately and slept until late in the forenoon, when she heard a commotion beneath her window, and looking out, saw the coachman, who had come from Hobart in a separate rig. The elder Miss Howe refused him admission, but he maintained that he was there to get his bride, as she had promised him to be his wife. The younger girl herself gave him no satisfactory answer, and asked him to mind her foster mother and leave the premises until she herself had decided what she would do. It is said that the foster mother has given her daughter a choice to choose between the enormous Howe estate or the coachman. Marshal Rose anl Charle3 Traeger ; went to the Bail town homstead toj though the passengers were badly shake up. The only damage was a smashed coach and a number of broken windows.

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