Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 34, Number 134, 22 March 1909 — Page 1

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AND SUN-TETJQTIAM, RICHMOND, IND MONDAY EVENING, 31 ARCH 22, 1909. OU XXXIV. NO. 134. SINGLE COPY, 3 CENTS.

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II.

LAWN

LOSS IS SOS

Ulaze Originated in the Furnace Room of the Factory, Which Was the Largest of Its Kind in the World, and the Entire South Building Was Completely Destroyed. The Brick Structure Was Considerably Damaged by Smoke and Water The Fire Started About 10:45 Last Evening and Up to This Afternoon Had Not Been Fully , Extinguished. Neighboring Buildings Were Constantly Threatened.

BUILDING WHERE THE FIRE STARTED WAS ENTIRELY ENWRAPPED BY FLAKES WHEN THE ATTENTION OF THE NIGHT WATCHMAN WAS ATTRACTED, CONSEQUENTLY THE FIREMEN HAD A HARD CONTEST.

MOST VALUABLE MACHINERY WAS HOT DESTROYED Structure Burned Was Used As Main Stock Room and Hundreds of Nearly Completed Mowers Ruined. TWO HUNDRED MEN ARE s WITHOUT EtfPLOYEENT Oreat Concern Was Right in ". The Midst of Busiest Seas- ' on, Working Day and Night To Be Rebuilt. iOtH ling In i thtt fiirnarn room, put from an unknown source, fire last flight damaged the F. & N. lawnmower factory, Washington avenue and Eighth stret, to the extent of about $50,000. The entire south building,, a frame structure .covered with sheet Iron siding was completely destroyed. The newer, building; a brick structure located on the : Washington 1 avenue Bide was - damaged somewhat ? by smoke and water. All furniture was removed from the offices and none of the records was damaged. A box car on a s'de track adjacent to the ruined building was destroyed. The loss Is' covered with insurance. John M. Lontz, president and chief owner of the concern, was not prepared today to state whether or not the factory will be rebuilt on the present site. Bpth day and night shifts were employed, as the rush season is on, and 200 men were given employment. The shipping room was, not damaged and about '8,000 crated machines escaped the flames. V' ; rUy ( , A Modern. Factory. The F. & N. lawnmower factory was one of the largest of its kind in the world." During the past year it had been' thoroughly, improved and the owners had striven to make it a model plapt, . It was equipped with the latest machinery for making lawnmowers and electric power was, used in all departments. The furnace was operated solely for heating , purposes. It was located on the ground floor and in one end of the building destroyed. It was entirely enwrapped in flames when the night watchman's attention first was attracted. Many Machines Ruin ft The most valuable machinery was In the building which escaped. The Structure burned was ; used , in the tnain as a stock room and for the completion of machines. Hundreds Of almost completed machines were piled in a mass when the floors burned through. One of the paint departments, also, was located in this building and its contents were quickly consumed. Several score of punching machines, lathes and drills fell into the seething pit and will be absolutely worthless except for junk. Pitman Turns in Alarm. It was just 10:40 o'clock, when the general alarm was sounded from box 46, at No. 1 hose house. An A. D. T. alarm came in at the same time as tne members of the company were notified. The night watchman Sent in the telegraph call. Harry Pitman, a draftsman for the company, was at (he Pennsylvania depot and seeing the flames ran to the hose house and notified the ,; company. Companies 1, 2 and 3 and the hook and ladder responded. In a few minutes Chief Miltar saw a hard task was before him Snd his men and No. 4 company was called. As many lines of hose as could be attached to the water plugs In the vicinity were laid. It was necessary to cross the railroad tracks wO tks boss snd several trains were delay tor about two hours before they eonld leave or enter the station. Uoth freight and passenger trains were Beaked. an- the latter betas: Cj G &' i Q and Indians 4

MOWER

, BUT IS FULLY COVERED

polls trains, due to leave the city between 11 and 1 o'clock. Fire Fighting Arduous. Fighting the flames was especially arduous. The south building was covered with iron and the only access was through the doors and windows. The doors were locked and barred and had to be chopped down. The building was filled with smoke and the firemen were at a loss to find the flames. The exact location of the fire could not be found and it was several minutes before the water was in the least bit effective. The efforts of the firemen as directed against the frame structure were futile, as the water could not quench the flames. Seeing this condition to exist, Chief Miller directed his men to save the new brick building.. . . Prive Flames Back. The latter structure . soon filled with smoke and it was impossible for the firemen to find their way about in it. Two lines of . hose were directed against the roof and second story and by this means the flames were fought. Several times the Fire Demon was too strong, however, and encroached, but each time he was driven back be fore severe damage was done. The most valuable machinery la located in this building on the lower, floor. , It was with heroic efforts - the firemen and volunteers exerted themselves to protect this, machinery. On several occasions, to the spectators; It appeal ed the struggle would be lost. . uuara mree vuiiamgs. The attentions of the department had to be divided between three build ings. The warehouse which contains the crated machines is a frame structure and the roof and sides were kept drenched with water. Had the flames gained a start in this building the loss would have been almost half again as great. The new automatic conveyor,' on which the crates were transported from the factory, or from the warehouse, to the cars for loading, was damaged, but as it is largely of iron, can be repaired without any great expense. It was installed only a short time ago at a cost of $1,500. Iron Got White Hot. So much iron packed the frame building that almost as fast as water was thrown onto it, it was converted into steam. It 'seemed impossible to extinguish the flames and it was not until this afternoon that the last lurking blazes were put out. The structure was of only two stories and this fact helped the firemen. They could fight the flames direct from the ground, although several times dan gerous positions were assumed as they presented more advantageous places from which to direct the water. The sheet iron sidings of the building became white hot and when sections fell into pools of water that had collected, clouds of steam arose. The iron confined the flames within and made an immense cauldron against which the firemen directed tons of water in vain. , Floors Fell Through. The only spectacular features furnished by the conflagration were when the floors fell ; through and great tongues of flames mounted high Into the air. As massive beams followed one upon another into the blazing furnace, tapering fingers of fire wavered aloft throwing out blazing embers into the railroad yards. When the paint room in this department was reached and oil was added to the flames, the smoke became as black as night. It poured out as if belched from a volcano and roared with an ominous sound that could be heard squares away. Feared an Explosion. "Look out for the paint room," came the warning cry from an em ploye as a great glare was seen on the wI??ws ! the cuPla of tne main building. The crowd of spectators surged In a rush to the east as explosions were feared. A hose was brought and the water shot through the windows with great force. Fortunately the seat of the flames waa located at the first trial and their headway was checked. It is believed that had the flames got into this part of the building, it could not have been saved. In the brick building, were fire hose attached to plugs, buckets and sacks of sand for use in fighting fire, but none of these was available. Such dense smoke filled the building that It was impossible for any one to penetrate It. There was danger all the time from falling embers, also,- and the best the firemen could do was to our in the water as a protective agency. - Wind Was a Factor. The only-factor that insured-thej

PLANT GUTTED BY

safety of surrounding buildings was the wind. Across the street is a row of residences on Washington avenue. To the west are two buildings of the Gaar-Scott plant. One of these is brick and four stories high. Fortunately the wind was from the northeast. This furnished protection for all adjacent properties. The broad, open expanse provided by the railroad tracks and vacant lots to the south gave a place upon which the firebrands fell harmlessly. The wind, also served to protect the main factory building. Had it been from the south the flames would have beaten their way through the windows and found ready fuel. Car Catches Afire. A box car loaded with lumber was standing on a sidetrack, just a few feet from the burning building. It caught fire and burned but slowly. Spectators were amazed at tbe resistance offered by the car and it was not until an end burned a way that the reason could be seen. It was loaded solidly with lumber. At 8 o'clock this morning the flames had managed to secure a good draught and it was necessary to play a line of hose on the contents of the car for an hour before they could be extinguished. The fire had burned steadily through the night without being put out. Firemen Worked Hard. The firemen did noble service. There was the usual bunch of knockers in the crowd that tried to tell how it ought to be done, but these were not numbered . among -the volunteers who were .risking limb to help out when needed.' . The wind was cold and as the firemen held the hose, it became ley in their grasp. None was overcome although each accepted de cided xlsks.; . ...... ... ... "V. . . - Binnex, : asBiaiani cmei. aireciea .. uw work of the men to good effect. Every member of the, department exerted himself to' meet the exigencies of the occasion.' They climbed upon roofs and directed streams of water, while the boards on which they stood were burning from beneath their feet. The warning cries of spectators were needed to call their attention to their own precarious . positions. They crawled through windows into rooms heated furnace-hot and filled with smoke so dense there was not enough air to provide combustion for a lantern wick. They sat on window sills, their feet upon heaps of smoking ruins, while the walls above their heads crumbled and fell about them. Many Volunteers, Volunteers from the crowd of spectators did yoeman service. They forgot their Sunday raiment and dragged muddy hose along' the streets. They splashed through puddles of water, broke windqws with gloved hands, carried out office furnishings and in every other way lent valuable aid to the cause of rescue. When it looked as if the main building containing the office, would be badly damaged, the volunteers stripped it of its furnishings. File cases, desks and all other varieties, of office furniture were carried out and stored in nearby residences. The company used the phonograph system for stenograph work and these machines and records were gathered up and carried away. Police Were Efficient. The crowd was large and orderly. Several policemen were on the scene and handled ; the crowd , efficiently. While large quantities of valuable material were being taken from the office, there were many opportunities offered for stealth. Attaches of the office said this morning they had not learned of anything being stolen. The future of the factory is problematical. The loss to the company's business will double that on the buildings and stock. The busy season is just approaching and thousands of machines had been ordered. Representatives of the company had only recently returned from trips to various parts of the country to secure orders and they had been unusually successful. The company has been unable to keep np with the demand for its output and both a day and night force had been given employment. May Seek New Site. Because of cramped conditions, it may be, that if it is decided to rebuild another location will be sought Last summer, it was understood the company was considering relocating its plant, but did not do so. Instead, about $60,000 was spent in improvements and remodeling. As the result the factory was recognized as one of the most modernly equipped and arranged in the city. It had furnished employment for almost a full force throughout the entire year and. It was but seldom the concern had laid off many of Its force. It was recognized as one of the most prosperous plants in the city. It has been growing rapIdly and its future appeared unusually brilliant. A large number of tbe enoloves will find work in removing: tnwaebrla, bo tH-e eriasd-ssr

F

LAMES

BY INSURANCE build at once, nothing can be accom plished before next fall. . Was Heavily Insured. The plant was very heavily insured. A statement prepared by the Dougan agency this morning shows the total amount of insurance carried to be almost $115,000. This Is divided among almost thirty companies. The largest policy was carried with tne Home of New York. It was for $25,000. The insurance will be sufficient to rebuild the plant. Adjusters are expected in the city within a few days to determine upon the amount of loss. Mr. Lonts says -he is unable even to approximate the Joss as he does not know how much; really was saved. After Mr. Louts-was called to the fire last night, he dHected the work of removing records from lthe office. He was almost overcome by the stupendlty of his loss. , Will Resume Work. There 1 reason to believe the company will continue to operate its factory and the question will be mainly one of location. This industry is very valuable to the city and the loss in its business and the wages to its employes will be severe. The loss of the season's business will prove a serious check. .- The Insurance held by the Dougan agency is divided among the following companies in the stipulated amounts: Home of New York $25,000 New York Underwriters 10,000 Citizens, of St. Louis .... 2.500 Franklin, of Philadelphia 2.500 Hanover, of New York ....... 6,500 Scottish, Union ft National . . . 4,000 German American of New York 4,000 Liverpool & London & Globe.. 7.500 Ins. Co.. of North America.... 6,000 Fire Association, of Phil 3,500 Providence, Washington Westchester New Hampshire American, of Newark ... 1.500 2,500 2,000 2,500 German of Indiana 3.000 Indiana State Fire -. .-. , Central ; Manufacturers Mill Owners Mutual . , Pennsylvania Millers . , Milwaukee .... . . . . . . . Germanta ....... Connecticut .......... Wlliamsburg City . . . . 3,500 3,500 4,000 4,000 1.500 2.500 1,000 2,500 2.500 ConcoKa Tiik r4 j.fii" -- jr lueiuy . .......... ...... Prussian National 2,500 REV. HUBER SPOKE; CHURCH IS STONED While Making Temperance Speech at Waymansville, Trouble Starts. ROWDIES STARTED A RIOT DRY WORKERS HAD TO LEAVE THE CHURCH AND GIVE BATTLE TO DISTURBERS BEFORE PEACE WAS RESTORED. The Rev. C. Huber, pastor of the St. Paul's Lutheran church of this city, made a county local option speech Saturday at Waymansville, Bartholomew county, and he was treated very discourteously. Just at the point when his remarks were most fervent, young men seated in the rear of the church began to scrape their feet and disturb the meeting. It was finally necessary for the speaker to ask the young men to leave the room. Afterwards, according to a Columbus, Ind., dispatch, these young men began stoning the church, which is of frame construction.' It was necessary for the men in attendance to leave the meeting and drive the disturbers away. After peace had been restored the meeting was again resumed. Rev. Huber could not be seen today, but his wife stated that he made no reference to his treatment at the hands of the Waymansville audience. SERIOUSLYDAMAGED Roof Burned Off the Michael Smith Home YesterdayMorning. TWO ALARMS WERE GIVEN An alarm of fire ;, called the depart ments to the home of Michael Smith on Harris street yesterday morning. The roof was burned' off the house and It was seriously damaged. The loss will approximate $105. Two alarms were sounded. Impatient by the fallare of the department to arrive a quickly as he believed it should, the person who sent in the alarm, turned

"SUICIDE" WOLF EXPLAINS REASQU FOR HIS ACTIOIIS States That He Is Victim of Epilepsy and Attempts to End His Life to Escape His Sufferings. STATES HIS ARREST WAS GREAT OUTRAGE

However, He Takes the Matter Quite Calmly, Stating The Police Everywhere "Have It In" for Him. Charles Wolf, the Poison King of Indiana and Ohio, who claims Indianapolis as his voting place, but who usually spends most of his time between Richmond and Dayton, when seen at the jail Saturday stated that he had no desire to commit suicide except when spells of melancholia, brought about by an approaching attack of ep ilepsy, overcame him. He says that he has been unjustly treated by the officers of this cty and alleges fur ther that his present incarceration is due to a trumped up charge on the part of tbe officials. He was sent to jail six days ago, upon being found guilty of public intoxication. Wolf seems to be an outcast from his family as well as from society. He has a brother in this city, but he stat ed he and his brother could not agree. He has two brothers at Rushville who are in Jail pending trial on serious charges. He seems to feel more sym pathy for these two brothers than for any other of his relatives, except his children. Loves His Children. His wife and three children live at Indianapolis. He does not live with them and contributes but little toward their support,' according to the gist of his conversation. In speaking of his wife, he says, 'She , has a good Job

fotworking-in-- restaurant. Yes, 4 f . see

my wife and children once in a while, perhaps once every three or four weeks when I am on the road, and oftener when I am staying at Indianapolis." He spoke in very endearing tones about his children, Before Wolf finished his story his body quivered, his teeth chattered and his' demeanor became such that the reporter was warned to desist for fear that he might have an attack. He answered the questions at first very freely, but toward the last had to be repeatedly quizzed for answers, Hurt by a Fall. According to his story, ten years sgo while working at his trade as a paint er in Columbus, Indiana, a scaffolding fell on his head and he never fully recovered from this Injury. He declares that physicians say the attacks of epl leptic fits which he suffers are due to this injury. These attacks overcome him at no stated intervals, but, he says he can tell when they are coming;. He usually does nothing to prevent them, but sometimes drinks:- The attacks make him feel so despondent that he wants to end his life. He denies purchasing poison every time he feels one of these spells approaching. His statements regarding the number of times he has attempted suicide do not coincide with the statements of the police. So far as known Wolf has tried to take his life In this city on four different occasions. Wolf states that on three of these occasions, he was suffering from epilepsy Instead of from poison. He can not understand1 why the authorities did not discover the cause of his suffering. Wolf does not deny that he has tried to take his life on two occasions? One of these was in this city last summer when found at Ninth and North A street, suffering from strychnine, and the other at Dayton- later, when he took carbolic acid. He claims to have been in the Dayton hospital for thirteen weeks recovering from that, attempt. He claims that everyone has a pick at him and that he is harrassed and hounded by the police, who seem to take every opportunity which presents itself to arrest him and cart him to the hospital, alleging that he has taken poison. He states that he' was not drunk on Monday or Tuesday when arrested, and that the charge and conviction was trumped up. "Oh nothing can be done about it, the officers are down on me I guess.' - LARGE CROWD TO HEAR DR. iillOTY WITT Give Address at Commercial ClubTonight. It is expected that a large crowd will greet Dr. J. N. Hurty. secretary of the state board of health, when he speaks st the ' Commercial club ; rooms this evening. Dr. Hurty will speak a the subject of Indiana's Future Water Supply, -v A large number of invitations has been sent to cttlsens snd ft Is to be understood the public wi h jBtl-

ooroiaur v

FINE STAYED FOB

LUTHER GRIGSBY Young Chicken Thief Gets Out Of Jail. The fine of Luther Grigsby, the col ored boy convicted recently of larceny in connection with the stealing of chickens on the Hodgin farm north of the city, has been stayed. Grigsby was fined $1 in addition to his jail sentence. The costs, against blm would have kept him in jail for fourteen days additional had not the fine and costs been stayed. ALEY AIII10UIICES FOIIDJEPLETIOII Sends Out Statements in Regard to the State Deficiency Fund. TO GIVE TEACHERS NOTES THESE ARE TO BE HELD A3 EVIDENCE OF INDEBTEDNESS UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE. Special Correspondent. Indianapolis, March 22. Robert J. Aley, state superintendent of public instruction, bas sent formal notice to all of the counties in the state that the deficiency fund maintained by the state for the benefit of those counties that are not able to run their rural schools the fall term, as provided by Isw, Is depleted snd that they cannot get any more money from it to help out- Accompanying tbe notice Is s form of a statement of Indebtedness which the county superintendent may use to give a sort of promissory note for whatever he lacks of paying the full salary. The Instructions ssy that the teacher may hold jthese evidences of indebtedness of the state until the next legislature makes an additional appropriation to take care of them. These notes will bear Interest at the rate of 6 per cent for the two years. ' Prepares a List. Mr. Aley has prepared a list of the counties whose teachers are affected by the exhaustion of the fund. The total deficit in each one are is follows: Dearborn county, $160.05; Dubois county, $3.560.S1; Harrison county, $9,418.17; Huntington county $310.87; Jefferson county $750.10; Lawrence county $1S1.03; Martin county $1,342.82; Monroe county $1,453.77; Morgan county $644.63; Owen county $260.22; Perry county $11,711.08; Spencer county, $8,162.87; Warrick . county, $3,778.13. In all of these counties the county superintendents will be authorized to give the notes of the state for tho unpaid balances dud the teach ers. HOLDUP CHARGES ARE AGAINST THEM Two North End Negroes Are Being Held by the Local Police. WERE FOILED BY VICTIM RATHER THAN SURRENDER HIS PURSE HE .THREW IT AWAY AND WAS THEN ALLOWED TO DEPART BY HIGHWAYMEN. For an alleged attempted holdup Jude Milton and Mike Ooleman, two north end negroes are undec arrest and remanded to jail pending an investiga tion by tbe police. Saturday night Jacob Sego, white, reported he had been held up by three negroes, -whom he had been with a short time before at the Schell saloon. He said the af fair took place at Fourteenth and North H streets. . Were Felled. Sego claims he had been at Schell's drinking snd was "a . little drunk,1 when he started for home He claims he wss followed by three colored men and at the corner named they stopped him and asked for -his money. . He drew forth his pocketbook snd threw It away to prevent hie captors obtaining H. Baffled in their attempt the trio permitted him , to continue. If the evidence warrants, the two men will be' bound over. The other mem ber of the group Is not. THE WEATHER PROPHET.

INDIANA reir

KIDHAPED BOY TO BE RETURIJED TO HIS PARENTS emaensBssssns Developments in . Whitfa Kidnaping Case Today Point To His Return Within Fortyeight Hours. ; . '

FOUR LETTERS GIVING ORDERS ARE RECEIVED But for the Interference of Hotel Clerk Last Evening Probable That Case Wou!d Have Ended. v Sharon, ra., March 22.-AI noon today it was reported that the WhiUa family had assurances that little Willie would be restored- within forty eight hours. A fourth letter, outlining the method in which the, money, should be paid, was received this morning, postmarked Cleveland, v Negotiations are now pending; secretly. for the kidnapers' protect ion. Additional constabulary police are scouring the country surrounding Aahiasula. every farm house, barn and. woods being searched1. The. detective sgeacy is urging the calling off of searchers as they fear the boy may1 be killed It, the abductors become convinced that their position Is becoming dangerous. ! Places the Money. 1 Jsmes P. Wbltla last night compiled with definite Instructions received. from the kidnapers, left, the $0.0O9 ransom at an appointed spot in Aehtabu la, Ohio, and proceeded to another prearranged place at as. hour fixed by the abductors for-the retarp of the led. It. seems certain, the, boy : would be. back with his family now had sot the; kidnapers discovered a-cacefially laid trap to capture, them la Use carrylaa omVr the agreementrnado- wftlt the-, father and despite vWhkhVs promise, that they should be safe from arrest. ,Whitla, who had publicly proclaimed himself eager to agree to Immunity for the abductors snd to pay them the f 10,000 demanded for the return of his 1 son. was persuaded by his detectives to let them endeavor to capture the kidnapers, and a hotel clerk who opened a letter from the abductors Intended for the father, put the Ashtabula police on guard over the f 10,000 ransom money. This was too much for the kidnapers snd they msde no attempt to carry out their side of the contract. Police and. private detectives are following up every hint of a dew. and Ashtabula and its vicinity are getting special attention. ' ' : BEV. KOlin WILL WAKE THE SPEECH Is Selected by the. Abh Schools. The Rev. T. H. Kuhn has been ss IfO.ed to deliver tbe cotnmedcemeat address to the graduating class of the Abington township public schools, April 13. - IIODGIII CASE VMS RESUMEO T02.W Grandchild Tells of tire Deceased's Peculiar Actisns. The hearing of the Hodgin will was resumed In the Wayne eircnit court this morning. Testimony of an uninteresting character was Introduced by the plaintiff. Lona Hodgin-. a i daughter of the plaintiff, was on the stand this morning. - She told of the" eccentricities of her grandfather, the ' late Prof. Cyrus W. Hodgin before his death. HOWARD LGIIG IS TAKEII TO CEUOA Charged Taking LScnsy linger False Pretenses. . Marshal Jaecb TTeber of Cellna, O, : came to the &ty this morning and returned with Howard Long, who was arrested here on a warrant from Cell-, na. Weber said Long had obtained money under false pretenses. Loss has local relatives snd came to this city about three weeks ago. ; He se-

work at the