Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1899 — CITY NEWS. [ARTICLE]

CITY NEWS.

Minor Items Told in a Paragraph. Daily Grist <?t Local Happenings Classified Under Their Respective Headings. FRIDAY. Burt White, of Chicago, is visiting relatives in Rensselaer. Mr. and Mrs. E. Sayers, of De Motte, are visiting friends here. Miss Stella Wigmore, of Monticello, is the guest of Miss Lillie Nowels. Robert White returned today after a visit with his sister at Table Grove, 111. J. W. Williams is attending the M. E. conference at Frankfort, as a lay delegate. Mrs. William Beam and Mrs. William Babcock are spending a fewdays in Chicago. E. P. Honon returned from Hammond, Ind., today, where he has been for some time on legal business. Miss Mabel Brown of Crown Point returned borne this morning after a visit with her aunt Mrs. G. W. Goff, Joe Halligan is building himself a good residence on Harrison street, near the house of Judge Sylvester Healy, who is Mr. Halligan’s prospective father-in-law. C. W. Stoneback, of Chicago who has rented the Pavilion photograph gallery of Miss Jessie Bartoo the owner and former manager has arrived and will open the gallery next Wednesday. He will reside in J. F. Warren’s house, near his own residence, on Cullen street.

Uncle John Makeever is showing a bottle of cider made in 1870. Three barrels were boiled down to one barrel at that time, and this bottle is a remnant of that barrel. The cider is all right to look at but it would be about as agreeable and wholesome to drink as so much aqua fortis. A steam merry-go round has just been located on the vacant lots on Washington street, south of The Republican It belongs to two Wheatfield yonug men, Murray and Miller. They came from Kalamazoo, Mich., here, and have been in the merry-go-round business since last April. The length of their stay here has not yet been determined, as they have some thought of going to some of the fairs. This vicinty had a fine rain yesterday and last night, and from account received the rains were quite general in their extent, and in some parts bf the county were considerable greater than in Rensselaer. The result of the rain is the suppression of the dust nuisance, an agreeable change to cooler weather, pastures greatly henefitted, and even some help to the late corn. The rain was not sufficient to make fall plowing practicable- however.

David Wood, who came here some months ago to work in Zimmerman’s tailor shop and later started into the tailoring business for himself, has gone back to Chicago, whence he came. A very threatening looking storm that passed north of town late yesterday afternoon resulted in some damage a few miles east of town, in the way of wrecked wind-mills. Among others whose mills were blown down were Alfred McCoy and-Clyde Randle. Chas. N. Westfall of Brookston is here to attend the old settlers’ meeting and to meet old army comrades. He was a member of Company K, of the 48th Indiana regiment, and enlisted from Rensselaer. Company K was commanded by Capt. M. F. Chilcote.

- Starke county parties estimate that to drain the Kankakee valley and straighten the river will cost about 9500,000, but an immense stretch of land that is now idle would be opened to cultivation. Much of the land has been reclaimed and it is so fertile that it now sells for from 935 to 940 an acre, when before it could be had for almost nothing. A reward of the munificent sum of 915 is offered at Monticello for the recapture of one Harry Gasper, an alleged sneak-thief who broke jail there last Saturday. Gasper is said, in the description given, to be us handsome as a woman. If that is the case, it will probably take more than 915 to get him back If he is as “party” as that he is worth more than 915, in most any old place, just to look at. Fifteen dollars, forsooth! R. W. Sprigg, better known as Charlie, the reliable janitor of the public school buildings, took occasion, during the long vacation to build himself a good residence at the comer of Franklin! and Plum streets, *on the site of a small house, belonging to him and which was moved back and incorporated in the new one. Mr. Sprigg and family are already occupying the residence and are very comfortably and pleasently located.

Hon. J. L. Pierce, of Lebanon, and one of the speakers of old settlers’ meeting, arrived Wednesday afternoon and will remain until Monday. He was accompanied here by his cousin, Will Pierce, of Lafaytette. J. L. is not a native born Jasperite but says he missed being so by only a month. He is a son of Uncle Billy Pierce of south of town. His cousin, Will, though now living in Tippecanoe county was* bom and brought up in this county, and is a son of Elihu Pierce, who will be well remembered, by our older citizens. Our former M. E. pastor, Rev. R. D. Utter, of Crown Point, is now as always, given a prominent place at the annual conference. He is a member of four standing committees, and also of the special committee appointed to investigate the business methods of Dr. E. A. Schell general secretary of the Epworth League and whom some of the leading church papers have been after pretty sharply, for some time- Dr. Schell, though living in Chicago is in the jurisdiction of this, the Valparaiso district. Dr. Beck, the presiding elder, reported he had no charges to make against Dr. Schell, but the latter himself insisted on an investigation and a committee was therefore appointed. Hon. Geo. W. Faris, of Terre Haute and member of Congress for his district, arrived on the 9:55 train this morning, accompanied by Ais wife, son and daughter. He is one of the prominent speakers at the old settlers’ meeting. During their stay they will be the guests of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Brady, and other relatives, of whom he has quite a number in Rensselaer. As before stated, Mr. Faris was the first native bom Jasper county man ever elected to congress. He was bom R farm lQ thß immediate Vi<sinity of Rensselaer.

: ■ i. , ~ The Laßue Brothers Big Department store had some more bad luck this morning. A water pipe burst in one of the rooms above their dry goods 'department and the water poured in a big stream, down into their place. Owing to changes that hadjbeen made in the connections, on account of the addition being built in the rear, great delay was experiened in getting the water shut off, and for nearly an hour the whole force at the store was carrying [out and sweeping out the water that poured down. Most of the goods were removed in time to prevent their being wet but still there was considerable damage resulting from that cause'. The county council finished up their work by passing the various apporpriation ordinances required by law, this morning. They fixed the county tax levy at 33| cents for county revenue, 10 cents for court house bonds and 2 cents for gravel road affairs. The total levy is 45 cents, which is 5 cents reduction over the total of last year. The reduction is made passible by the balance of nearly 93,000 left from last year on the gravel road fund, and a good balance of county revenue, and, also to the fact that a good sum will next year be available for county revenue.

SATURDAY. Mrs. J. L. Hemphill of Monon, is the guest of Mrs. Chas. Simpson. Miss Ona Tyner of Cedar Lake is visiting relatives in Rensselaer. J. J. Hunt, and his mother, Mrs. S. A. Hunt are visiting relatives at Knox. Miss Mattie Night of Remington, is the guest of Miss Zora Addams. Lost; Last Friday in Rensselaer a black coat, for a boy about 16. Finder please leave at this office. Mrs. Arthur Cole and family went to Lafayette today, where they will make their future home. Lafayette being more convenient for a mail clerk. There was a good program carried out at the old settlers meeting yesterday afternoon, but the attendance was small. Today the attendance is very good especially this afternoon. It seems evident that the attempt to have two days meeting is not sufficiently successful to justify its continuance. One day and that on Saturday is evidently the better rule. A traveling outfit that attracted a good deal of attention passed through town this morning. It consisted of one man, with a Winchester, rifle on his back and leading a typical Mexican burro or donkey. The latter had on a pack saddle and upon this was the traveler’s tent, cooking outfit and other baggage, The

, -‘/XT- 'w,' man snatne was x nomas .re verson and is traveling from Watrous, New Mexico to Ann Arbor, Mich., in which last place he has relatives. He started the 4th of May and has walked the whole distance, leading the burro. The whole distance he has to make is 1600 miles. He is not traveling on a wager, but only to get there by the cheapest way. The burro’s load is 125 pounds. About half a regiment of gamblers, fakers and skinners of all kinds struck town yesterday* and were prepared to do a big business at the old settlers meeting. But the city marshal and prosecuting attorney gave them to understand very plainly that no skin games could go at this deal, and the whole push left in disgust. There was an even dozen left on the 11 a. m. train and sor 6 more on the 3:30 p. m. train. If officials of every place would show the same kind of a marble heart to this skin game they would soon have to quit the business and either have to earn an honest living or steal outright, the first of which would be better than their present business and and the last no worse, and easier to be punished for.

The rate of one fare for the roifnd trip, has been authorized on all roads in Indiana on account of the State Fair. Tickets are good going Monday, Sept 18th., and good to return as late as Sunday the 24th. v All roads running into Indianapolis will put on special trains, where the regular train schedule will not carry passengers to and from the City at an that hour will permit them to use the entire day. The Indanapolis Street Railway has added a large number of sixty foot double truck motors to their equipment and these will be put into service on the Fair Ground lines and the factilities for handling the crowds will be greatly increased. What has hitherto been an obstacle will be remdved by the determination of the new company, to make their system serve the needs of the visitors to Indianapolis.

MONDAY. Mrs. M. Imes is in Chicago buying millinery goods. Mrs. Chas. Hersh man and Miss Flora Hersh mau are spending a few days in Chicago. Mrs. Louis Daugherty, of Hammond, returned home after a visit with relatives here. Miss Sue Jakes has returned to home at Delphi, after a few days’ visit with relatives. Arlim Clark, of Buchanan, Michigan returned home today, after a few days visit with Miss Bertie Chipman. Ladies of the M. E. Industrial Society will meet with Mrs. Huff on Wednesday afternoon to sew Ladies please come out. Gus Andrew has resumed shoemaking at his old shop in the building between the .Commercial bank and the Odd Fellows’ block-. Last Sunday’s excursion broke the season’s record, and we think all previous records in the number of tickets sold here, which reached the enormous number of 302. Mrs. Mattie Henkle and her son in law Virgil Sayler, moved Saturday into James Maloy’s tenant property, in the northeast part of town. Her son Fred, though still able to sit up is in a very weak and discouraging condition. The lecture on "Rachel’s Tears,” to have been given by Rev. P. H. Faulk, at the Baptist church, has been postponed until future date. Mr. Faulk is sick at Morocco, but will come and give his lecture as soon as he is able, and purchasers of tickets are requested to hold them until that time. 8. L. sparling returned to Madison, Wis., yesterday, and will resume his former position in Wisconsin University, for another year. He is instructor in the branch of municipal administration, in the department of political economy.

The position he holds is a desirable one, and promises to lead to a professorship by another year. W. W. Pfrimmer, of£Kentland whose well deserved reputation as a poet is familiar to most* of our readers and who was present at our old settlers’ meeting last week is getting out a third edition of his book of poems, “Driftwood” first published several years ago. He is also preparing another book .of his writings which will be published in a few months. Mrs. Blanche] Randle, wife of J. A. Randle, has been very dangerously sick for several days, with blood poisoning. Her sickness has been so bad at times, that her temperature has even reached the very unusual height of 106 and 2 fifths degrees. Her physician, Dr. English, began using the antitoxin treatment Sunday, and so far the results are quite encouraging although Mrs. Randle’s condition is still very critical. A system of electric signal bells for the High School programme has just been completed. The batteries, bells, etc. were supplied by the city light plant. The current is regulated by a special attachment to the school clock, attachment was constructed by Vernice Crisler, of W. A. Huff’s jewelery store. Much credit is due Mr. Crisler for the ingenious device by which the circuit is opened and closed at the proper moments, being the most essential feature of the system. Only a few of the higher institutions of the state have electric bell systems and most of these are governed by push buttons.