Rensselaer Republican, Volume 28, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1895 — TOWN AND COUNTRY. [ARTICLE]

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Wheat 45 to 48. Corn 27 to 28T Oats 14 to 16. Rye 30 to 33. M. L, Spitler Jr. has-gone back to Wabash College, at Crawfordsville. Stone laying on John Eger’* new brick business block began Monday. Capt. M. F. Chilcote is suffering greviously from a felon on his finger. . Capt. Marshall arrived home last Wednesday night from an extended health and pleasure trip around the big lakes. Misses Mae aad Pearl Sigler, of Englewood, returned home last Monday, after a month’s visit with their relatives here.

Mr. sad Mrs. J. F. Warren left yesterday forenoon, to make the Chattanooga trip. Quite a party will go next Monday. The Ladies Literary Society will meet with Mrs. Charles Coen, on Friday the l&tfcf *t—SHMb o ? elock. Quotations from Sir Walter Scott. G. E. Murray’s little four year Old girl fell off a porch, last Saturday, and broke a collar bone. It is quite a painful injury, t

Sol and Sam Normjm, who went south with the Louisville excursion, Tuesday, intend to visit Tennessee, looking for a permanent location. The lawn fete, at the Catholic church grounds, on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, of last week, yielded net financial returns of about 175. The brick livery barn has again changed hands, lhs latest .owners, Hildebrand & Alter having sold it to Morgan Shields, who is now In possession. Ira Washburn went back to Purdue University Monday, and two new recruits have also gone to the same in • siitution. They are Melvin Wishard and Willie Parkison.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Drake, of Hanging Grove tp., have had the misfortune to lose their infant daughter. Its death occured last Sunday. It was buried Monday, at the Bedford cemetery, near Monon. The biggest toad-stool or “puffball” ever seen in the town, probably, is now on exhibition in the window of Laßue’s furniture store. It is as large as a half-bushel measure. The present heated term is about as severe to endure as any of the season. The thermometer reached to the 90 mark Tuesday afternoon—which Is pretty hot for Sept. 10th.

The first stone for Forsythe’s big corner block was laid Tuesday forenoon, and the stone laying is now going right along. Only the basement story will be built this fail. W. B. Fowler, of Earl Park, has a cornfield of 5,000 acres, from which he will gather over 300,000 bushels of corn. Mr. Fowler is naturally Jubilant over his magnificent corn prospects. The Monon is putting in a stone crusher at Salem, lad., with a capacity to crush over thirty car-loads of stone per day, and the material is to be used for ballasting the main line.

J. W. Cowden has begun work on his new residenqe, just east of town; and on the same road Shedd Brothers are building a residence. Both will be good buildings. “Polightness is the key to the door to popularity” says the Wolcott Enterprise. And what is the matter with that way of spelling politeness, anyhow? If 1-i-g-h-t spells lite, why shouldn’t p-o-l-i-g-h-t spell polite?

Fifty people from Rensselaer went to the Lafayette fair, last Friday, on the special train. The day before 25 went. These last largely went to see Rensselaer Wilkes trot, bis day having been changed from Friday to Thursday. The Gem restaurant, Mr. Robertson proprietor, has been sold to Wm. Magee, of near Winamac, who received possession last Friday evening. Mr. Robertson received in payment a 40 acre farm 4 miles west of Winamac.

In French it is “velo,” in German its “rad,” in Italian its “velocifero,” in Spanish its “bicicleta,” in Chinese its “foi chai,” in American its “bike” in Belgium its “geweelsnelryroettrappednensbrekergestel,” and then the tires collapse. Prof. E. W. Bohannon, the former superintendent of the Rensselaer schools, is making a short visit here, previous to his departure for Worcester, Mass., where he has a fellowship in Clark University, a very desirable and honorable appointment. Marriage licenses since list reported. _ ( Edward J. Randle, \ Lura M. Yeoman. j John Stitz, j Clara B. Crow. ~ ( James Elliott, ( Viola May Ott.

Jasper county is losing some money these days, through the hog cholera. The disease is prevalent among the swine at the county poor farm, and Superintendent Hardy says 25 or 30 have already died, and he is apprehensive that the balance of the herd will go the same way. Rev. Dr. R. D. Utter went to Valparaiso, Tuesday, to attend the annual session of the Northwest Indiana M. E. Conference. His congregation has unanimously asked for his return here another year, and as that is a’so agreeable to his own wishes, it may be taken as settled that he will come back.

The constantly torn up and blocked up condition of our streets and sidewalks, during the last few months, consequent upon the buildings going up, and the concrete walks and crossings being constructed, has been a great inconvenience; but the final results will amply repay all present annoyance.

A cement crossing is being constructed from the front gate of the public square, across Washington street, to about the line between the Odd Fellows’ building and J. E. Spitier’s place.. The county commissioners pay half the cost of the crossing and the Odd Fellows and other property owners on the block, the other half. The galvanized iron-work on the front and tower of the Odd Fellows’ building is being painted in two colors, buff and light cream, to harmonize with the pressed brick and cut stone colors. The front will soon be finished, by putting in the doors and large windows, and it will then be one of the handsomest fronts in this part of the state.

The attendance at the town schools was so much larger than was anticipated that it has been found necessary to employ still another teacher. The seventh and eighth year rooms were especially crowded, and the new teacher, Miss Maggie Lang, has been given 10 pupils 'rom the eighth year and SO from the 7th. The total enrollment at the close, of last week was 509. This week it has increased to about 520.

Work has been begun on about a 225 feet stretch of cement walk, on north side of Block 4, from Front street to Mossler’s store. The property owners being A. Leopold, N. Warner, R. Fendig, Henry Harris, D. Nowela, Ellis <fe Murray and G. K. Hollingsworth. Ira Rinehart has the- contract. The nearly or quite three inches of rainfall Tuesday night of last week, was a good deal of a ram, but not as compared with what fell in Indiana polisthe same night, where it was a destructive flood, with seven inches of water. In Crawfordsville it was reported still worse, with a rainfall of 14 inches. Though this no doubt, was a gross exaggeration.

Uncle Simon Phillips arrived home last Thursday night, from his visit to his boyhood home, in Ohio, and with his cousins, the celehrated McGriff twins, in Adams Co., this state. He found the latter, although 91 years old, to be hale ’and hearty, and evidently good to reach the hundred mark. One of them walks four miles every day, and carries a mail sack, doing it mainly for the exercise. James Jenkins, living two or three miles southeast, of town, died last -Thursday morning, after about 2 weeks sickness. Be was about 58 years old, and a new comer in the vicinity. He left a widow but no other family. The funeral was held Friday afternoon, Rev. B. F. Ferguson conducting the religious services. Burial in Crockett cemetery.

Samuel E. Sparling left for Wisconsin University, at Madison, Wis., last Thursday. He there has a good position in the list of college instructors, and is in the line of promotion for a still better one. He has chosen the field of college or university instruction work, as a vocation, and has it in him to achieve a great success.

The schools of Marion Township opened Monday, with the following teachers: James school, Ben j. Coen; Wsss'n, Robt. Hopkins; Watson, Frances B. Marshall; Pleasant Ridge, Ida Chilcote; O’Meara, Maud Daugherty; Slaughter, Ura McGowan; Bell Center, Lulu Daugherty; Union, Katie Shields; Bowling Green, Emma Eger; Parker, Chas. Grow; Grant, Maud Irwin. “Did you observe,” said a merchant to his customer, “the handsome advertisement I have had painted on the railing of the bridge?” “No,” replied the customer, “but you send the bridge around to my house, I will try and read the announcement. I read the papers and haven’t time to go around from place to place to read the bill boards.” And the merchant scratched his head and walked off.

George Strickfaden’s saloon is still running nght along, although his application for a license was refused by the commissioners. But the explanation of this fact is not a “quart shop” nor yet a running in violation of law. The fact is that “Strick” is a far seeing citizen and for several years put has been getting his license granted three months in advance of the expiration of his old one, and as in the present case, it gives him that length of time to keep running while he appeals to the higher courts.

An old gentleman in Lake Co., named Peter Surprise, is just now getting extensively advertised all over the state as the oldest person in Indiana. The old gentleman admits that the recoris of his birth are lost, but he thinks be was born in August 1793, which would bring him two yeais above par. When a man thinks he is over 100 but don’t know anything about it for sure, and has no records to prove his age by, it is pretty safe to conclude that he is from 10 to 20 years younger than Le thinks. And he is sure to be in cases like this man Surprise, who is so strong and active tbit be works at grubbing stumps, every day.

Byers, daughter of Conductor Wm. Byers, is still at the home of her grandmother in Monon and is improving nicely from the recent injury, which resulted in the amputation of one of her limbs. The surgeon says that the little girl owes her life to the fact that she wore a pair of new elastic garters worn above the left knee so tight that it acted as a compressor, checking the flow of blood. Bat; for this checking of the blood she would of died before help arrivedr ."

Dr. W. W. Ilartsell has on his farm a mile or two west of town, a bed of blue clay of many acres extent and of great depth. It is of fine texture and free from stones or pebbles. The Doctor thinks it would make a fine quality of buff or cream colored brick, and a single sample brick he had made from it, at Kohler’s brick yard, bears out his belief . If the clay would make a fine quality of buff or cream colored pressed brick the deposit would be very valuable if developed.

A somewhat new style of swindling was worked in Monticello the other day, which is thus described by the Montecello Press: A man entered the Commercial Block restaurant Saturday, envelope in hand and asked for a $lO to put in the envelope to send away. The bill was presented and apparently placed in the envelope. When the, silver was counted it was found to be short. The stranger said the mistake had been made next door, and leaving the envelope stepped out, saying he would have it corrected. After he left, the envelope, supposed to contain the $lO bill, was examined and its inclosure was only a campmeeting bill- Unlike the famous cat, the stranger did not come back. The swindle has been successfully worked elsewhere.

An old fellow who is going under the name of “Man Friday” struck town Saturday evening, on his way from Chicago to the Atlanta exposition, with a wheelbarrow. He was ragged, old and rusty, and says that in 1850, when only 18 years old, he made the California trip, from Council Bluffs, lowa, also with a wheelbarrow . He says that his real name is McCullum, and that “Man Friday” is a nickname that has stuck to him since his California trip. A partner who goes with him, but does most of his traveling by rail is Billy Barnum, an old soldier and ex-prisoner of Andersonville. They make their expenses selling a little folder purporting to be the history of Friday’s journey across the plains. They expect when they reach Atlanta to have a part in a California Mining Town side show.

The trustees of the Presbyterian church awarded the contract for the new building to the lowest bidders, Cox <fe Brother, of Rensselaer. The contract price is $7,789. The building is to be finished by Jan. Ist, but a reasonable allowance of additional time will be made for bad weather. The church will be built of pressed brick, with cut stone trimmings. Architecturally it will be very ornamental and one of the handsomest church buildings in this part of the state. Besides the principal auditorium, the ground floor will also have a Sunday School room, a pastor’s study, an infant’s room, a library and two class rooms. The auditorium and the Sunday School room will be separated with lifting partitions, so that both roOms can be easily thrown into one, when occasion requires it. An eight foot basement extends under the entire building, and in this is situated the heating furnaces, storage rooms <fec., and also a kitchen and parlor. The architect, J. L. Morrison, of Chicago, saj s that for the cost, this will be the finest church in the state, and we are disposed to agree with him in that opinion, after a careful examination of the plans.

Five or six big long special trains loaded with G. A. R. men passed Oyer the Monon, Tuesday, bound for Louisville. The Monon secured the •ontract for carrying about all of the Grand Army men from Chicago and the west and northwest.

Spitler and Kight received the machinery for their new steam laundry, the latter part of last week, and they expect to have everything in shape ready to operate, some time during the present week. They have a very complete outfit of machinery, including a 5 horse-power steam engine, and an eight horse-power boiler, to furnish the motive power and the steam. They have alto secured the services of an expert laundryman to operate the outfit. We confidently believe that this laundry will do excellent work, and being a “homeTnstitution,” and being owned and operated by men who live as other civilized people do, and who will spend their money where it will benefit the instead of sending it to China, it will well deserve the liberal patronage of our people.

J. F. Irwin went down to Indianapolis the latter part of last week and presented to Gov. Matthews the petition for the pardon Of James Rogers, together with the facts showing the general unreliability of the two principal witnesses against Rogers. The petition was signed by every ODe of the 12 jurors, who tried Rogers and also by Judge Wiley. Nearly all of Rogers’ nearest neighbors also signed the petition. No special effort was made to obtain a large number of signers among our citizens generally, although scarcely anyone who was offered the opportunity, declined to sign. The Governor did not express any opinion aS i to what he would do further than to promise to write at once to Warden Harley and find what has been Rogers’ conduct since his imprisonment. In view of the strong petition for pardon, and the facts against the state’s witnesses, it would seem that the chances for a pardon are very promising, if it be found that Rogers has been an exemplary prisoner, in the penitentiary, as there is no reason to suppose he has not.

Quite a serious accident occured Monday forenoon, on the road east of town, not far from the Stock Farm. Two young ladies from near Wolcott, daughters of Enoch Clark, of Milroy tp., were driving to town, and when a little this side of Bedford’s bridge their horse took fright at some bicycle riders, and the ladies were both thrown out, and one had her arm broken below the wrist, and the other was severely bruised on the the hip. They claimed that the bicycle riders, two young fellows from Chicago named Bennett, paid no attention when they saw the horse was getting frightened at their approach, but rpde right on past instead of stopping as they should have done. The young men were on their way towards Remington, but had got on the wrong road* by mistake, when they frightened the Misses Clark’s horse. They found out their mistake, when they got out a few miles and then returned to Rensselaer, and in the afternoon went on to Remington. On their arrival there they were arrested by Dept. Sheriff Tharp on information telephoned over from Rensselaer. They were brought back here, and Monday evening had a preliminary examination before. Squire Morgan, but • the affidavit proved insufficient to hold them, and they were released, and loat no time in getting out of town again. They denied knowing that the horse was frightened at their wheels, and it is not unlikely that they were rushing along at such a rate, that they were past the horse before it showed much signs of being frightened. Dr. Y. E. Loughridge is treating the injured ladies and reports them as getting along very well* The Bennett’s are on a trip from Chicago to Cincinnatti. i

Mr. Edward J. Randle, son of James T. Randle, of Rensselaer, and Miss Lura M. Yeoman, daughter of Andrew K, Yeoman, of Pleasant Ridge, were married last Wednesday evening, Sept. 4tb, at the residem e of the bride’s parent). Rev. B. F. Ferguson performed the ceremony. The newly married coup’e will male their permanent home, after Dec. Ist, in Hanging Grove Tp., on the old Sam Parker farm, which is now the property of the groom, through the gift of his father.

A notab’e improvement for Rensselaer has been installed here daring the past week. It is a down town office for the Western Union Telegraph. Mr. Wallath, general superintendent for Indian**, was here and looked the ground over carefully and ’hea decided to establish the office. A line of poles, with six wires, has been run down, and the office is installed in J. E. Spitler’s building, formerly the post office. Tlc operator is Robeit Johnson, who has been acting in that capacity for Yeoman’s “board of trade.” This office will handle all Western Union busi- - ness for Rensselaer; the depot hereafter doing only the railroad’s telegraphing. A messenger will be kept and prompt deli very of be thus made. It will be a great convenience to the business and professional men to have the telegraph office down town.

The old soldiers moved on LouisI ville, in force Tuesday, for the National Encampment of the G. A. R. A special car for Rensselaer Post was set off here, and another for their friends and the public generally. These cars were picked up by the 10:52 A. M,, train of Tuesday. The following old soldiers were on board these cars: Capt. J.M. Wasson, Capt. W. P. Allen, Lieut. W. H. Gwin, Comrades: John Ramey, Ch'S. Platt, Al Catt, Isaac Hemphill, John Greenfield, S. E. Yeoman, Wm. Holle, of Walker, A. Warren, of Wbeatfield, Robt. Vandosen, and J. M. Troxell, of DeMolte, L. Potts, ’Theodore Warne, Dr. Stockwell, Harrison Warren, Whitsel Lewis, of DeMolte, Robt. Stephenson, Wm. Chilcote, Geo. P. Daugherty, H. W. Wood, Charles Borntreager, W. D.

Sayler, W. W. Murray, Henry Grow, James Snyder, of Walker, John Ulrey, of Brook, John Zimmerman, C, L. Crisler, Prior Rowen, John Casey, of Union, J. C. Watson, Kane Galbraith, J. P. Warner, W. H. Babb, James Burns, J. H. Burns. A number of these were accompanied by their wives, as S. E. Yeoman, John Greenfield, and John Zimmerman. Among others not soldiers, who accompanied the excursion, were, J. T. Sayler, David Alter, August Rosenbaum and wife, Martin Burns, P. S. Hemphill, Luther Hemphill, Mr. Tyxer, Sam Norman and Sol Norman, W. N. Pullins. Some old soldiers started Monday evenirg, their names, so far as learned, being Abe Simpson, J. A. Ramey, H. T. Thornton, Nim Hopkins and L. A. Hopkins. In addition to the above some BOr 10 have since gone. The entire number of Louisville tickets sold at this station np to Wednesday mornipg, was just 80.