Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1895 — The March of Improvement. [ARTICLE]

The March of Improvement.

Messrs. Thompson and Sig!er"intend to install their telephone exchange in Rensselaer, immediately, or as soon as they can secure men to do the work. At present the number of subscribers pledged is 65, of whom about half are business houses, and half residences. That-this,number, especially in residences will be greatly there is no doubt. - A. McCoy & Co., intend to build at once a fine cement walk on both sides of their “corner building, including the bank and both street fronts of Tuteur’s store. This will be a new departure in business street side-walks in Rensselaer, and one which we hope will soon be extensively imitated by other business houses The County Auditor is advertising for bids for the new cement walk the commissioners are going to have constructed along the Washington str< et side of the public square. This walk will be a very desirable improvement.

Two more good residences to go up this season, is one for George Strickfaden, on the site of his present house on Cullen street; and one for Ex-treasurer Wm Ho »ver, at his farm, a little south west of town. They will each cost about $1400; and the plans and specificitions were drawn by E. L. Cox, <fc Bro. our resident architects. John Eger Is clearing the ground i for his proposed new residence. He has torn down a part of his .old house, and the other part he is moving to an adjoining lot in the rear, and will make it a part of a tenant house. J. W. Duvall’s new house, in ; Weston’s Addition, is nearly complet< d. He will move into it as soon as finished. A new building for a blacksmith shop is being built near W. R. els’ geain office, near the depot, to be occupied by T. P. Kahler. r • Jerry 4foh - roofing the Hyland building, moved on to his Yau Rensselaer street lot last week. He is making a good and i attractive looking building out of it.

The, work of soliciting subscriptions for the construction of the proposed new Presbyterian church is now under way, and is rejiorted as making good progress. The suggestion has been made and is said to be meeting with much favor among the congregation, to build the church of boulders, or more familiarly “niggerheads.” This material is still abundant in this region, and that, if well used, they will make a handsomer and moreQdurable structure than brick, there is no question. The suggestion to use the boulders, strikes us very favorably indeed. Many of the handsomest buildings in the cities of southern Michigan and northern Indiana, are built of them.