Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 86, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1909 — Page 1

THE RENSSELAER REPUBLICAN

VOL. XLL

Reports Say People of Indiana Are Automobile Mad.

The . people of Indiana are automobile mad, as is shown by the figures at the office of the secretary of state as to the number of new machines sold during the three months from April Ito July 1. These figures show that the secretary of state Issued 2,591 automobile licenses during those three months. In the first eight days of this month he issued 249 licenses, an average of thirty-one a day. This makes a total of 3,200 automobile licenses issued from the first of April to the ninth of July. Of course, not all of these were new machines, but it is said that the proportion of second-hand machines sold in the state and included in these figures was small. When a person buys a machine, no matter whether it bd a new one or an old one, he is required by the law to take out automobile license before he is allowed to run the thing in the state. It is estimated that the average price paid for an automobile in this state is at least $1,500. But when you consider the number of second-hand machines sold in the state for an average price of much less than it is safe to figure, that the average price for all of the 3,200 will be at least sl,000 each. This makes a total of $3,200,000 which people in Indiana spent for automobiles during the 100 days embraced In the time mentioned. This is $32,000 a day. In the same length of time last year the records show that 1,550 automobile licenses were issued. Therefore, the automobile sales this year are practically double what they were last year. It is said that most of the machines that are being sold now in Indiana are being sold to farmers. It appears to have become a fad for the well-to-do farmer to have his automobile, and this is especially true of the farmer who retires from active farm work and moved to town to enjoy the fruits of his labors. He almost invariably has his automobile to run back and forth to “the place.” Whether all of this indicates that farmers are becoming extravagant or whether it means that they are more than ordinarily prosperous Is a question, but it is a fact that millions of dollars will be spent by Indiana farmers this year for automobiles. At the office of the secretary of state it is said that nearly all of the sales of automobiles this year are made for. cash. In some cases notes are taken for the purchase price, but these are said to be rare cases. The dealers do not have to sell the machines on credit. They can sell all they can get forcash, for the automobile factories are being worked to their limit of capacity, and still are not able to turn out the machines fast enough to supply the demand. Therefore, it is cash that talks in the automobile business, and not credit. There are now about 12,300 automobiles in use in Indiana, as shown by the records in the office of the secretary of state.

Prof. E. S. Tillman Granted Year’s Leave of Absence.

Prof. E. S. Tillman, Instructor of botany and zoology for the past three years in the Rensselaer high school, has been granted a year’s leave of absence by the trustees. The leave was granted him at his request that he might take another year’s course at the Btate university at Bloomington. Prof. Tillman graduated from the state normal three years ago and succeeded Prof. Whalen here. His work has been more than satisfactory. He has built up the laboratory, especially in taxidermy, so that it is excelled by few schools in the state. He has been assisted the last year by Elton Clarke, who will continue as assistant to the new instructor next year. The board regretted to have Prof. Tillman leave, but. did not wish to stand in the way of bis intellectual advancement. The position will be open for Mm upon his return. His successor for the coming year has not yet been secured. The grocery department of the Chicago Bargain Store will be under the management of Rowles 4k Parker after this week, and will not he closed on moving day, Monday. July 19th.

ROWLES & Parker.

Chas. W. Shaw Appointed City Teamster—Council Notes.

At the city council meeting Monday night the council accepted the resignation of City Teamster Zea, and Chas. W. Shaw was appointed to fill the vacancy. His salary will be SSO per month. The insurance on the boilers at the city light plant was ordered renewed with the Hartford Steam Boiler Insurance Co. in the amount Of $20,000 at a premium of $135 for 3 years. Resolutions for a sidewalk along Block 16, in Leopold’s addition and for the improvement of Washington street from >. Cullen to Division were adopted. A resolution fixing the salary of the school trustees was adopted. The treasurer will receive S6O per year and the other members SSO. A. Q. Catt was appointed a member of the city board of health. The following claims were allowed: —Corporation Fund— W. S. Parks, salary Si^.OO E. M. Thomas, nlghtwatch 25.00 John Eiglsbach, fireman 6.25 Frank Kresler, hauling hose.... 1.60 Electric Light Fund, Wiring and water ...... :........,... 13.64 Electric Light Fund, coal 27.14 —Road Fund — Coen & Brady, feed city team... 28.88 Jean Smith, screening rock.... 24.50 Chester Zea, labor 30.00 Earl Chestnut, work on street.. 21.00 - —Electric Light Fund — C. S. Chamberlain, salary 50.00 Mell Abbott, salary 32.30 Dave Haste, salary 30.00 General Electric Co., supplies. .122.24 Globe Oil Co., waste 10.40 Shirley Hill Coal Co., coal 58.94 Western Electric Co., supplies.. .95 Illinois Electric Co., supplies... 59.46 Fairbanks-Morse Co., valves.... 4.25 Terance Thompson, work on line 10.00 Road Fund, hauling c0a1.......379.00 Moses Leopold, freight 72.29 —Water Fund— Ed Hopkins, salary...,.T 30.00 John Hordeman, work on main. 9.00 Knapp Supply Co., supplies.... 28.10

“Hope Boxes” Secure Husbands For Girls at Bloomington.

The Bloomington correspondent of the Indianapolis Star is authority for the statement that the “hope box” is the latest fad among the pretty girls of marriageable age in that city. According to the correspondent this is the way the scheme is worked: The girls secure a dainty little box and place therein from' day to day some article of wearing apparel, such as lingerie, gloves, handkerchiefs, hosiery, veils, or slippers. As each article Is deposited, the girl, sighing softly, “hopes” that within a year “he” pops the question, and her fondest dreams be realized. Two girls started “hope boxes” a few months ago, and early this week they received proposals of marriage. One of them, it is said, accepted immediately, and the other promised an answer by next Sunday. Another society girl started a “hope box” and before she got it half filled received a letter from a young man matrimonially inclined. As a consequence her girl friends are all in a flutter of excitement over the pretty romance.

Factory Proposition Will Be Discussed Saturday Evening.

A meeting of the directors of the Commercial Club was held last evening, and the matter of the piano factory was talked over with Messrs. Deam and Pizarro. No definite conclusion was arrived at, but it seemed to be the consensus of opinion that it a contract is closed with the piano people it will have to be a lower flgurd than asked by them. A meeting of the Commercial Club and all those Interested in the welfare of Rensselaer is called for Saturday evening in the east court room, when the directors of the Commercial Club will make a report of its condition, factory propositions presented and other matters of public interest All should turn out, as matters of especial interest will be discussed. Two good, sound, gentle family carriage horses for sale, note or cash, weight about 1.30 ft ponsti, Us As.

* ISSUED TWICE A WEEK —TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. Entared January 1, 1897, as second-class mall matter, at the post-office at Bentselaer, Indiana, under the act of March 3, 1879.

B. FORSYTHE.

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1908.

Notice .of Public Meeting. There will be a public meeting of the Commercial Club and all those interested in the welfare of Rensselaer, on , : Saturday Evening, July 17th at 8:00 o’clock p.m. In the east courtroom of the Courthouse, at which time the Board of Directors of the Commercial Club will make a report of its financial condition, factory propositions presented, and other matters of public interest. Everyone interested in the welfare of our city is requested to attend this meeting, as the Directors are desirous of having the hearty co-operation of all our citizens in the effort to advance the business interests of the city. The financial condition of the Club will have special consideration at this meeting. Remember the time—Saturday, July 17, at 8:00 p.m., in the east courtroom.

SNAKES AND VIPERS ARE DELIGHT OF NATURALIST.

“Charlie’* Spriggs Shows An Oklahoma Reporter His Collection of Snakes, Birds and Insects. Nearly all dur readers will remember R. W. Spriggs, former Janitor of the Rensselaer public schools, practical joker and lover of snakes, birds and insects. If an unusual specimen of snake, insect or bird was found, it was always taken to Charlie. And if a snake was discovered in a teacher’s desk when she opened it in the morning, suspicion always fell on him as the perpetrator. He moved to Oklahoma City a few years ago and is now doing a large contracting business in the ornamental tile line, but evidently he has not forgotten his love for snakes and rare specimens of birds and insects. An Oklahoma City reporter hunted him up a few days ago and after an interview the following article appeared in hi^paper: Did you ever deliberately pull off your shoes and “sock it” all defenseless and unarmed along a country road because you met a tarantula therein? Well, and did you ever even remove one of your socks when you met one of those playful little animals (or insects, is it?) in the road, and stoop down and cajole the hairy, poisonous chap to wander into that sock and then “tote” him home with nothing between his venomous bite and your hand but a sock—a thin and open worked sock? Well, that is what one of Oklahoma City’s enthusiastic scientists did. R. W. Spriggs, of 1437 West Seventeenth street, right near Epworth university, has a most interesting collection of reptiles, insects, birds and butterflies. ' >

“How did you get along with His Majesty, The Snake?” was asked Mr. Spriggs, who knows about that old •chap thoroughly. “0, all right,” was the unconcerned reply. “You get interested, you know, and then you don’t think of his bite. Besides you can tell from his color and the Bhape of his head whether that particular fellow who is looming up before you is poisonous or not. The name signifies nothing. A certain breed of vipers—a name which would terrify a child and many grown ups —is only a tremendous bluffer. “There’s a water moccasin which is as harmless as a kindergarten picnic under the trees. “I was leaning out from a bank over a pool of water one time and busy watching the bottom of the pool when, pop! the green head of a snake was thrust out of the water almost into my face, which was very close to it. I saw instantly by color and shape that the snake was harmless. I reached into the water and scooped him out at a stroke. He didn't like it—but he bad no means of defense so he took it philosophically. “One time I was working in the started myoollectlon of insects and reptiles years be-

fore and was greatly interested in the study. I went to pick up my coat and felt something cold on my hand. Looking down I saw a huge centipede which had crawled into that coat. I hurriedly wrapped up the coat with the interesting specimen inside and so got him into the house and finally into this bottle—” And Mr. Spriggs showed an interesting specimen which would give a heavyweight thfe “creeps” if it were on his back with all legs going. “Beautiful hat pins can be made out of the baby horned toads, which when mounted prettily are quite attractive and unusual,” went on this enthusiast. “I made some for my daughter, whose friends did not understand, • and kept telling her that there was something—something on her h-hat. She laughed at them. “And a bull snake skin or a rattler’s makes a handsome lady’s belt or a necktie for men. Back east I got these both on the market—hat pins and belts.” . The Spriggs residence is a veritable museum, with no end of brilliant? bits of plumage from handsome and unusual birds which Mr. Spriggs has mounted from time to time. From the immense two-year-old bald eagle of America to the tiny humming bird, from the rarest of butterflies to the montrosity called white blackbird, it is all intensely interesting, this collection which has cost years of work and labor of mounting. “The state of Oklahoma has 75 different birds,” said Mr. Spriggs, “while Indiana, my former state, has but 60 different kinds.” Two popular fancies he demolished, speaking from the certainty of actual investigation. " "The porcupine does not throw his quills. He is able to slash and cut with.his tail which has even heavier quills on it than the back, but is otherwise a defensive fighter entirely. “And the joint snake sa-called, does not, after being cut in two or three pieces, gather itself together again piece by piece. But if a portion of its tail is cut off, it will grow a new body there in a remarkably short period of time.”

Another City Teamster Found To Take the Place of Zea.

Arrangements have been made with Bert Campbell to take the position of city teamster made vacant by the resignation of Chester Zea, and the later resignation of his successor, Charles Shaw. Mr. Campbell has been employed by C. Kellner for some time as driver of his ice wagon and is a hard worker and a good man for the place. He is making arrangements to move into the rooms over the engine house. Mr. Zea is moving into the Meyers property on South Vanßensselaer street. Charlie Rhoades will take Mr. Campbell’s place on the ice wagon. ———. ~ Mfl goods, snld oa moving dap, Hsa day, July 19th. CHICAGO BARGAIN STORE.

Gov. Marshall Finds Boys’ School Has Been Doing Outside Work.

Governor Marshall is investigating alleged irregularities at the Indiana Boys’ School at Plainfield involving W. C. Ball of Terre Haute, a member of the board. The charges against Mr. Ball are that he has been bavlfig printing done at the school for his manufacturing plant in Terra Haute. Governor Marshall said last nigbt that he has not yet determined what he shall do in the matter. He is firm in the belief that Mr. Ball disregarded the law. “I can not say as yet,” he said, “what I will do about it.” It is not impossible, however, tbat Mr. Ball’s resignation will be requested, although the governor would not indicate what steps he may take. Ball is a democrat. His term does not expire until next year. In the course of his investigations Governor Marshall ascertained that the boys in the print shop at the school did considerable work for the Methodist church during Governor Hanley’s administration. He learned that 500,000 tracts were printed for one of the church missionary societies. Complaint of this work was made, to the governor by members of the Typographical Union, who protested that the school was competing with the free printing field. Mr. Ball has been a member of the board of trustees of the Indiana Boys’ School for a number of years. He is at the head of the Ball Iron Works in Terre Haute. Complaint was made to the governor that the boys in the printing plant at the school were doing all of the printing for the Ball plant. The governor investigated, and then summoned Mr. Ball to the executive office. Mr. Ball did not deny that he was having his printing done at the Reform School. He declared that the boys were short of work, and, while he risked inferior workmanship, he had the boys do the printing in order to give them employment. He denied that he had the work done because it meant a saving to him. He said he paid for the paper used In the printing, plus 10 per cent, and thought that a fair return for the boys! time and that of the superintendent of the print shop. Ball assured the Governor that he would have no more printing done at the school.

One Day Was Enough As City Teamster.

Charles W. Shaw, who was appointed city teamster by the council Monday evening, resigned the position Tuesday evening after one day’s trial. He made his first drive with the fire team in the evening and at its conclusion he said he had enough and announced his intention of resigning. A successor will be appointed by the council as soon as they can find a man to take the place. The contract with Mr. Zea provides for 30 days’ notice, and he will continue to fill the position until a new appointment is made.

Young Man Is Drowned In Iroquois Near Foresman.

John Antcliff, of near Foresman, a young unmarried man of 22 years, was drowned Monday night while in swimming with some other young men. The creek where they were at was very high and swift and he became frightened at something and lost control of himself and was drowned before aid counld reach him. Searchers dragged the creek all night but did not find the body until about nine o’clock Tuesday morning, about a quarter of a mile from where he was last seen. The funeral service was conducted Wednesday afternoon at Cray Chapel by Rev. Alice Noble, of Brook.—Mt. Ayr Pilot.

Christian Church Services.

Sunday school at 9:30. Church service following. Subject of sermon “What Is Your LifeT" Miss Dolly Shook will sing. All are welcome. The balance of stock, except groceries and hardware, will be moved into the Rowles 4k Parker rooms. July

19th.

See the safe for sale ad of Gragg Bros, in classified columns.

B. FORSYTHE.

War Veterans to Meet at Lafayette August 12th.

Preparations are being made to entertain 30,000 visitors at the Soldiers’ Home at Lafayette on August 12th, the occasion being a monster state picnic. The picnic is to be in the nature of a rally of the veterans of two wars—• the civil war and the Spanlsh-Ameri-can war. A very few Mexican war veterans may be in attendance also. W. S. Haggard, commandant of the home, will make the welcome address, and the response will probably be delivered by Department Commander Somers, of Kokomo. A beautiful silk flag is to be presented to the Grand Army post outside of Tippecanoe county bringing to the picnic the largest delegation. In addition to the Grand Army men and the various auxiliaries, Including the Ladles of the G- A. R., thousands of lay visitors are expected from all parts of the state. The veterans will inspect the home, visit the historic battle ground where on November 7, 1811, Gen. William Henry Harrison defeated the Indians, and will visit Purdue University at Lafayette.

L. J. Lane Arrested On Complaint of Daughter.

L. J. Lane returned from Illinois Saturday and went to his home in the country. His family became alarmed and one of his daughters telephoned for the sheriff and later swore out a warrant for her father’s arrest on surety of the peace proceedings. Mr. Lane remained at his home that night and the next morning the sheriff arrested him there. He raised no disturbance and but for the hysterical condition of his daughter there would have been no trouble. He informed the officers that he expected to see his children occassionally and provide for them and that he would not be driven away unless compelled to leave by the court. Mrs. Lane’s health is very bad and her nervous condition adds to the trouble. Mr. Lane and attorneys for each side went to his home today in hopes of effecting a settlement. It is understood that Mr. Lane is to have the two youngest children. It will be remembered that a few weeks ago Lane promised to leave here and not return If a proposed lunacy inquiry was dismissed. He has since changed his mind, however, and deeided to return and abide the consequences.

No Big Circuses Headed This Way As Far As Known.

Rensselaer has been disdainfully passed up so far this year by all the big circuses and as far as is known none contemplate a visit here unless it is late in the fall when returning to their winter quarters. Why this slight to the most prosperous section of the country is unknown. And other cities much larger than Rensselaer are being treated in the same way. Anderson, Muncie, and others of the big towns are mourning the lack of circus exhibitions. All of the big shows are in another part of the country and little has been heard of them thiß season. But it Is proving a bonanza for the one-horse shows. Taking advantage of the larger exhibitions they are present in Indiana in large numbers and some of them bear names that have never been heard of before in this section. But even these have turned Rensselaer down, but they are billed for Wheatfield, Knlman, DeMotte, Tefft and in fact every small place in the county.

Dr. R. D. Utter Coming.

Rev. R. D. Utter, D. D., a former pastor* of Trinity M. E. church, will preach on next Sabbath morning in the absence of the pastor. Dr. Utter is now a superannuated minister and residing at Lafayette. It will be a pleasure to his former parlsheners and the many friends of Dr. Utter in this city to bear him. On Monday, July 19th, wo are going to move into our new location, the old home of the Chicago Bargain Store, and no goods will be sold on mu fiij WEI* IB «IF IMP Hwll^ department.

ROWLES & PARKER.

No. Mt