Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 40, Number 79, 11 February 1915 — Page 1

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EICHMOM) PALUDIUM SINGLE COPY, 2 CENTS VOL. XL., NO. 79 Palladium and Sun-Telegram Consolidated.' ISO? RICHMOND, IND., THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 1 1, 1915. fo) Historic Old Wayne Court House Gutted by Flames

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'FIVE GENT LOAF" FOR TEN GENTS WOULD COST U. S. $1,375,000,000

FOUR BUILDINGS DESTROYED IN EARLY BLAZE STARTING IN DRUG STORE OF JOSEPH CHEEKS AND SPREADING QUICKLY TO OTHER BUILDINGS

Fire Loss $28,000; Insurance $12,300 LOSS. INSURANCE Joseph Meek, druggist $ 1,000 $ 600 Benj. Peele, pharmacy building 2,000 1,000 Frank Hatfield, picture show 1,000 none Mrs. Flora Hartzell, a tenant 300 none Miss Laura Hartzell, owner of building occupied by Hatfield and Mrs. Hartzell'. . 3,000 1,100 Centerville Bank 1,500 1,500 Red Men Lodge 1,500 . 1,100 Dunbar Buildings (3) 15,000 3,000 Dunbar stock 2,000 3,000 Dunbar household goods 400 1,000 Young Men's Club 300 1,000 Totals $28,000 $12,300 Injured Charles Richardson, badly cut about head and hands. Bert Conner, ankle broken.

Fire Engine Refuses to Work and the Richmond Chemical Truck Checks Spread of Flames to Other Buildings of Town

RELLER BEGINS FIRE PROBE

Walls of Old Court House Endanger Traffic arid Will bellazed Bank Saves Records and Re-opens in Dry Goods Store

BURNING OF OLD COURT HOUSE RECALLS COUNTY SEAT DISPUTE

Mrs. Julian Heath, Joseph Leiter and (below) George S. Ward. Mrs. Julian Heath, president of the Housewives' League of America, representing 1,000,000 American women, demands an embargo on all save our surplus of wheat. Joseph Leiter is said to have made a new fortune in wheat speculation this year. George S. Ward, Federal League magnate and a leading baker, declares the rise in the price of bread is inevitable and figures the United States consumes a barrel of flour a year for each of the 100,000,000 inhabitants.

The destruction of the historic old court house by fire today recalls the story of the fight between Richmond and Centerville for the location of the county seat waged for fifty years and only settled forty-one years ago. When the old court house was abandonefi.ven the prisoners In the county Jan being removed to Richmond under guard, the men, women

and children of Centerville lined tne streets and broke into a chorus of sobs

as the last wagon moved east along the old National road and was lost to

view in the dusk of a summer evening. Story of Fight. The interesting story of how Centerville secured the court house from Sniishiirv. a town which is only a

memory now, only to lose her coveted prize to Richmond, follows: Wayne county was organized Febru-

The rise in the price of wheat is laying a tax on the people of the Uniu-d States, which makes the "war tax" of $100,000,000 look small. The standard 5-cent loaf has pone to 6 and even 7 cents in many cities, and predictions of a 10-cent loaf are numerous in responsible headquarters. What does this mean to the American housewife? Georgo S. Ward, member of a groat bread baking concern and one of the owners of the Brooklyn Federal league

baseball club, figures that Americans consume on the average a barrel of wheat flour a year. From each barrel 275 standard 5-cent loaves of bread can be baked. For each rise of ono cent in the price of the loaf, every American must pay $2.75 a year. The census department figures that the population of the United States passed the 100,000,000 mark some time in January. So each one cent rise in the price of the loaf means a tax on the country of $275,000,000! A rise from

5 to 10 cents will cost us $1,375,000,000. For the farmers it will be "clover." We raised 891,000,000 bushels of wheat this year, and a large area will be seeded next year. When wheat rises from $1 to $1.50 the farmers of the country get $445,500,000 more without any extra effort, and if prices rise $1, the vast sum of $891,000,000 will drift into the farmers' stockings. In addition the farmer is getting (Continued on Page Eight.)

GERM CARRIERS MENAGE HEALTH OF ENTIRE CITY Dean Emerson Tells Club

BREAD IN NEW YORK ADVANCED ONE GENT; INCREASES COST OF LIVING $16,000,000

NEW YORK,. Feb. 11. Indignant protests are being voiced by housewives ,today as the result of raising the price of bread from five to six cents. The increase has added to the cost of living in New York City the annual sum of $16,000,000 Increasing

Members Danger Lurks in I rcad bm from 45'600'000 to

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Persons Who Are Unconscious of Afflictions.

"The problem of public health today is the problem of the acute infectuous diseases of children and the living bacillus disease carriers who are filled like test tubes with live germs but feel well." This was the statement of Dr. Chas. F. Emerson of Indianapolis, dean of the Indiana University Medical school, in his address to Commercial club members last night on "The Relation of Health to Business." Dr. Emerson condemned the sanity Inquest and commitment laws which compel a person adjudged insane to remain in the county pail for a minimum of ten days to a maximum of sixty days. "Dr. Smith at Easthaven is fighting the insanity problem almost singlehanded." declared Dr. Emerson.

"Where he should be receiving the thanks of the entire state, he is finding it difficult to put even decent conditions in insane hospitals. Begs for Hospitals. "There are many men working today, many business men who feel good and have only slight headaches at times, but have good self-control and are slightly nervous. Some of these men have the same disease in a mild form that men are raving with in the insane hospitals in an advanced form. It is impossible for these mild cases to go where they can be cured without first going to Jail. "Why are you such barbarians as to keep the insane man behind Jail walls i (Continued on Page 8)

Investigation by state and municipal

authorities has already started. Alderman Dowling advocates a plan of certain bakers organizing -and selling bread at the old prices to aid the poor. "The city of New York bakes bread for the poor in Blackwell's Island and other city institutions. "Let the city buy bread at wholesale.

OHIO ELECTRIC CARS CUT DOWN SCHEDULE New Time Card Calls for

Faster Time Between Richmond and Dayton. Theatre-goers from the towns east of Richmond will be benefited by the change of schedule on the Ohio Electric railway which took effect yesterday. The last car now leaves Richmond at 11:20 at night and goes as far as West Alexandria. Cars will now arrive in Richmond at 20 minutes after the hour, and will leave on the half hour instead of the hour. The running schedule between Dayton and Richmond has been shortened almost twenty minutes for the round trip. The first car will leave Richmond at 6:30 in the morning and hourly service to Dayton will be given until 4:30 o'clock. The 5:30 o'clock car will only go to West Alexandria. Cars will go to West Alexandria at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:20. There will be no car east at 10:30.

"Let the city retail, all this bread at cost at its fifty-six 'public milk stations. "If the increased cost of wheat Is a legitimate excuse for raising the retail price of bread, why doesn't the United States government place an embarge on exporting wheat?" The bakers deny the charge that they have raised the price improperly.

They assert the cost of flour has com

pelled the raise. Statisticians, however, present figures showing the actual increase in cost per loaf to the baker, due to the rise in the price of flour, is less than one-quarter of a cent and that the one cent increase in the price of a loaf is not Justified.

ary l, 1811, with Salisbury as Its coun

ty seat. By the legislative act of De

cember 21, 1816, it was changed to Centerville. The act was to be effective on and after June 1. 1817, and the last meeting tif the county commissioners was held at Salisbury in August, 1817. After Centerville obtained the location of the county seat from Salisbury,

the residents endeavored to have the commissioners spend so much of the county's money there that removal

would never be a consideration. A place in which to keep prisoners was urged. When this was completed it

developed into a jail and palatial residence for the jailer at a cost of $80,000. This was followed by the erection of an iron fence about the

FOUR NEW MEN RECEIVE PLACES ON CLUB BOARD Jordan, Bowman, Hiatt and Slifer Become Directors of Commercial Chamber at Annual Election.

(Continued on Page Eight.)

PATRICK J. LYNCH of New Castle, will deliver 'te annual memorial addrcx .o members and friends of Wayne Aer.e of Eagles In their hall Sunday afternoon, March 14. A committee Is now completing arrangements for the memorial service, and announced today that the full program will be published in a few days.

Prosecutor Reller about 9 o'clock this morning started at investigation -at Centerville as to the cause of a fire which destroyed the historic building which was formerly the court house of Wayne county, and three other buildings in the central section of the town. The total loss to buildings, stock and furnishings will be approximately $28,000 with insurance estimated at $12,300. That the fire was not more disastrous is due to the excellent work of members of the Richmond motor chemical company who prevented the blaze spreading to adjacent buildings.

Prosecutor Reller this afternoon said : 'There are some very suspicious features connected with the big Centerville fire and I am making a thorough investigation. I have also asked the state fire marshal to send two of his most expert investigators to inquire into the causes of the fire. I have no other statement to make at this time: - 'V:, -

The fire, which originated in a store room used as a pharmacy by Joseph Meeks, could have been extinguished with small loss had it not been for the failure of the Centerville fire, engine to operate until the blaze had been under headway for over two hours.

The fire was first noticed about 1:15 this morning. Thomas G. Dunbar, who with his son, Ora Dunbar, was the heaviest loser, says he was notified by Meeks. The two Dunbars own and occupy a double house on Main Cross street in the rear of the building occupied by the Centerville State bank, northeast corner of Main and Main Cross street, the last building to be gutted by the flames.

The flames from the burning buildings soared so high that they could be seen plainly as far away as Richmond and Cambridge City. After the fire had gotten a good headway in the drug store, which building is owned by Benjamin Peelle, the fiames spread first to the building which adjoins it to the east, used as a residence by Mrs. Flora Hartzell. and

as a moving picture theatre of Frank

HONOR PROF. PICKELL

Principal F. G. Pickell has been asked to appear before the School Research Bureau of Indiana University and present data which he has collected on the economic side of school administration. Professor H. G. Chllds, who visited the school not long ago was very much impressed with the work that was being done in the local school along these lines, and was instrumental in inviting Mr. Pickell to appear at Bloomington.

TO PLACE NAMES ON ROAD BONDS

County commissioners will be called in early Saturday morning to attach their signatures to road bonds which Treasurer Chamness has offered for sale. The county treasurer will receive sealed bids up to noon Saturday for $19,000 four and one-half per cent eleven year average road bonds. Indianapolis and Richmond banking firms iwill be among the bidders.

The Commercial club election last night cut to pieces the two tickets which were presented and elected four new directors and re-elected four old directors. The new directors are C. W. Jordan, retiring secretary who will become head of the German-American Trust and Savings bank March 1; L. S. Bowman, county auditor whom committees depended on for much of the valuable information secured for the club along

research lines; Edgar F. Hiatt, president of the Dickinson Trust company; C. D. Slifer, Pennsylvania freight agent and well-know Commercial club worker. The re-elected directors are James A. Carr of the American Seeding Ma

chine company; Henry Gennett of the Starr Piano company; John L. Rupe, attorney; George E. Seidel, club president, manager of the Seidel Buggy

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Weather Forecast

FOR INDIANA Partly cloudy tonight and Friday; somewhat colder in extreme north portion Friday. Temperature. Noon 50 Yesterday. Maximum 40 Minimum 20 Local Partly cloudy and unsettled tonight and Friday;, moderate temperature. General Conditions High barome

tric pressure over the states east of the Rocky mountains and low barometric pressure over the states of the north and northwest is the cause of the present mild weather. A storm crossing the Great Lakes is the reason for the high winds. The western storm continues to move slowly causing rain over the Rocky mountain plateau. W. E. MOORE, Forecaster.

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Meeks slept in a hallway leading from the pharmacy room to an office room in the rear. The office room and the pharmacy were separated by a brick wall and there is no basement under the pharmacy. Mr. Dunbar says that when Meeks came to arouse him and his son he was fully dressed. The two Dunbars say they dressed hurriedly and saw a fire in the room in the rear of the pharmacy. Ora

Dunbar shoveled snow on the blaze i Hatfield. This building is owned by

GUILD PICKS WORKERS

Cambridge Women Plan Sale

Dinners.

and had practically extinguished it when other people, who responded to the fire alarm sent in by the Dunbars, discovered a lively blaze in the front part of the pharmacy. They are positive that the blaze in the re:r room

did not spread to the ph- "niacy be

cause of the brick partition wall.

Cooney Sees Blaze

Miss Laura Hill.

Soon the blaze spread to the old court house, adjoining the pharmacy on the west. The first floor of this building is owned by Dunbar & Son. where they conducted a hardware and implement business. The second floor was owned by the Centerville lodge of Red Men. Before this buildine had

Thomas Dunbar says that Clinton ' been gutted like the pharmacy and Hill Cooney was among the first to dis-. buildings, flames spread to tne corner cover the blaze in the front part of building, owned by Thomas Dunbar, the pharmacy and that he told him i The first floor of this building was ocMeeks attempted to prevent him enter-j cupied by the Centerville bank, and ing the room. Dunbar also says that i the second floor by a club of young Cooney told him he saw a suit case j men. The damage done to this "buildand an umbrella which he thought be-; ing was r.ot 60 bad as to the other longed to Meeks on the sidewalk in l buildings, but it has been almost ruinfront of the pharmacy. Prosecutor I ed. The double house in the rear of

Reller called Cooney before him this morning and secured a detailed statement from him. "I do not know how the fire started. I think maybe some matches fell from the cigar case and rats ignited them by gnawing them," Meeks told reporters. "I was awakened from a sound sleep, almost suffocated by smoke. I heard at once the noise of breaking bottles. I don't know how the fire in the rear room could have started

unless it was by spontaneous combust-

the bank, also owned by the Dunbars, was the last one the flames spread to.

When the fire subsided In that building only the bare walls remained. Walls Collapse. Part of the walls of the old court house collapsed, and the front wall is in danger of toppling over at any time, and probably will be razed before the end of the day. Thomas Dunbar said today that if he can make satisfactory arrange

ments with the Red Men's lodge he

ion of some things stored in the base-;will start at once retUilding on

ment which is under the rear room

No Steam in Engine,

bank site and the site of the old court

house. Mr. Peelle says he does not

Frantic efforts were made to start know what he will do at thu tlme u the fire engine but it was not until regard to replacing his structure .Miss

CAMBRIDGE CITY, Ind., Feb. 11.At a meeting of the Presbyterian Guild held Tuesday, at the home of Mrs. George Babcack, the following committees on arrangements for meals to be served at the horse sales were appointed: Soliciting committee, Mrs. B. A. Carpentar, chairman, Mrs. J. E. Wright, Mrs. Wesley Cornell, Mrs. Carl Boyd, Mrs. Roy Schepman and Mrs. Omar Manlove; lunch counter, Mrs. George Babcock, chairman, Mrs. F. J. Harvey and Mrs. W. B. Wilson; dining room, Mrs. Howard Whlteley, chairman, Mrs. Walter Krone and Mrs. Harry Scbeidler; kitchen, Mrs. George Robey, in charge of work. The meeting in two weeks will be held with Mrs. Carl Boyd as hostess.

blaze was beyond all control that suf

ficient steam pressure was developed to pump water out of the fire cistern. Then it worked splendidly. Men and boys and even a few women fought the blaze gallantly with buckets, but the fire was too big to be successfully combated in this manner. The Richmond chemical truck made a quick run to Centerville and arrived there a little after 2 o'clock. It was realized at once that there was no chance of checking the fire with chemicals so the Richmond firemen confined their efforts to protecting other buildings which were threatened. Centerville people say that if it had not been for the Richmond fire fighters the Christian church, the frame residence of John King, the residence of Oscar Hurst and a barn owned by Thomas Dunbar would have been destroyed. If the flames had not been fought away from these buildings it is also possible that a greater part of the town north of Main street would now be in ruins.

Hill says she will not rebuild, and will

try to sell her lot Thomas and Ora Dunbar also plan to rebuild the residence property in the rear of the bank. For some time the bank will be located in the dry good store of Zehrung & Scott. Cashier Thomas Ahl announced. "All the deposits, books and valuable papers at the bank were saved as they were in two fire-proof safes. Mr. Ahl said, "Our loss is confined to the bank furnishings and equipment. Risk Lives. Several men. to prevent the bank floor from collapsing and letting down the heavy safes, daringly entered tho bnk 'basement at the risk of their lives and succeeded in extinguishing the fire in that section of the building. The two men. who were injured were suffering much pain at noon but the condition of neither one was serious. Charles Richardson was badly cat about the head and hands when he ran

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