Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 22, Number 49, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 28 May 1892 — Page 1

Vol. 22.-N^49.ja#-4

TOWN TALK.

NEW CITY OFFICIALS AND WHAT THE PUBLIC EXPECTS OF THEM. $Z,

The City Engineer Talcti PoM«MtoB-The Difficult Task before the Street Com ml*sloner—A few Chapters on Various IJore* ami Nuisance* la Town. Jjj^

Since the circus performance given by the council at iu last meeting the storm has, figuratively speaking, blown over. The new member for the Fifth ward was given bis choice of committee positions, and being satisfied dropped his friend Hess of the'fire department, and the latter seeing his forlorn hope gone silently surrendered to the inevitable and resumed his old place as a subordinate. This was wise, and Hess has lost no friends by it, but the same cannot be said of the man who encouraged him to fight and then deserted him at the critical moment. Why

there

should be such

a rush for position on committees is one of those mysteries which at this time cannot be fathomed, but the object may soon become apparent. All the work of the council is done in committee, if done properly Is laborious, and the lesson of experience is that it is a thankless task. All the blunders of the old council were made through the careless manner in •which the preliminary work was done in committee. Time was when two of the committees had

the

distribution of

considerable patronage at their disposal. Those were the police board and committee on fire department, but the abolition of tho former and the metropolitan plan now in vogue with tho latter, almost relieves the council of any responsibility in the management of either of these important branches of tho municipal government. Through the street commissioner tho chairman of the committee on streets and bridges might seoure favors for friends in the shape of labor on the streets, but it is beyond comprehension why there should be a persistent demand for recognition on such committees as printing aud accounts or the letting of contracts and the fire department. As said above time may develop the object, and until It arrives curiosity may exert itself or await developments in silence.

When the appointment 6f city englwtts made some doubt wasexpress«d as to whether Oapt. Pitch would accept, but these doubts soon vanished when he qualified and took possession of the office last Tuosday morning. It is understood that the salary will remain the same, §1,500 per year, and that most of tho work will be performed by the assistant engineers under the direction of the engineer, who will be responsible for their work. It has been agreed that these assistants shall be two in number. The committee wanted to select them, but ns Capt. Fitch is to be held responsible for their acts he very properly Insisted upon making the appointments, aud seeing that the point was well taken the committee acquiesced. Tho assistants are Maxwell Fitch, a son of tho engineer, and Harry Hosier, who succeeded Frank Cooper. Each of the assistants will be allowed two mon, who are to be,appointed by the commltteo. In this connection it might be said that arrangements are completed for the Inspection of the pav Jog latere any of ars \W\ by Coulraelor Iviusd?. As Engineer Fitch acted with the cltixena' committee in its work he is thoroughly posted in all the requirements of tho alteged contract, and tho people will soon be Informed as to whether or not the contractor is complying with them. The engineer will have hits hands full for some time to oomo. The sewer work which has b?on In progress for some months will have to be looked after, and at least that portion of it at tho foot of Ohio street, which was constructed In cold weather contrary to orders, will doubtless be condemned, uml the work will have to bo done over again. It in also proper to ssay that something must soon be done with the Crawford street sewer. The distillery company is filling up the space between the sewer 'atouth and tho river, and unless an outlet is provided in the near future the opening will soon be closed and damage suits may bo expected to follow without unnecessary delay.

"Undoubtedly the city official who has the most difficult task before him is tho new street commission or. There Are many people in town who thought that as soon as he qualified all the streets would be put in first class condition within twonty-four hours. He has been in greater demand than any officer the city baa ever had, and before he had entered upon ttae discharge of bis duties he was eagerly sought after hy many who bad work for him or who wanted to give him advice, the only thing they had to give aw*\ Then there were many others around who wanted to know why the street* were not being improved with greater rapidity* The truth of tho matter is that much hard work will have to be done anda l»rg« sum of money expended before there will bo much improvement visible on the streets. The thoroughfares of the city were never known to bo in such

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miserable condition as they are at the present time, ana it is confined to no particular locality. Go whereyou will they are almost as bad as country roads. They are full of ruts and jolt the life out of those who attempt to driye on them. Where the sewers have been laid very little effort has been made to put them in condition for traffic at all. The trenches have been filled, and alongside of them deep mod boles are found. At the crossings where the stone has been lifted it has in very few instances been returned to its proper place. The result is mud everywhere and bad feeling all along the line. To put the streets in proper condition is going to cost a very large sum of money. The "stitch in time" which could have been taken for a trifling sum is now going to cost many thousands of dollars. There are many miles of streets which will have to be made over again before they will be of any agsount. There is work on hand to givfleveral street commissioners and hundreds of men and teams, work for along time to come. •$*

1 1

After the citizens' committee had made its report Judge Taylor of the Circuit court appointed Hon. Isaac N. Pierce to assist the prosecuting attorney and grand jury in the promised investigation of .the sewer and street paving contracts. There vfas nothing in the report submitted which fastened anything criminal OE any person, though it showed gross carelessness In certain quarters, which might constitute something worse were the whole truth known. But there is little or no prospect that the missing link will be discovered, or that the truth will be laid bare. It is said that more was known to the committee than appeared in the report, but that it was not made public because the evldeuce was not of a nature which would fasten the charge on any particular person, while it would cast suspicion on several. But, regardless of any investigation already made it Is said the grand jury has been doing its level best to get at the bottom of the alleged crookedness, if any crookedness exists. There are rumors of witnesses who are on the inside of the whole business being up for the purpose of telling at least a portion of what they know, but whether the knowledge will warrant criminal proceedings is another question, and a very doubtful one. There are doubtless a fowpersonsinterested1 in the case whose zeal to testify is too transparent to cloak their malice, and these are tho ones who should receive speoial attention. If there has been anything criminal in the letting of the contracts It is to be/hoped the grand jury may be able to discover it and furnish the evidence which will bring the guilty to justice. There has been too much suspicion in the whole business thus far and a great absence of positive in formation. If nothing comes of the present investigation it has been intimated that the matter will be still farther agitated by one or two libel suits.

This Is the season of the year wbfcn tho street loafer dons his ice cream suit, takes up his positiou on Main street in the afternoon and, the police permitting, makes of himself a fixture during the remainder of the season, That portion of the thorough faro most frequented by ladies is his principal haunt, and he is, consequently, most numerous from Seventh to Fourth streets. How he lives would make

A

prize puzzle for some en

torprlslng business man or newspaper publisher. He is always rigged out iu the latest and loudest the market affords, Including glass diamonds and brass watch and chain. His favorite haunt is in front of some saloon, and when you seo. him there it Is pretty safe to bet there Is a poker room not far away. The southwest corner of Sixth and Main has always beeu one of his favorite roosts, especially on Sifuday, and he eongre gates there singly and by the doseti. Some years ago ho became such a nuis&ucg there that some disgusted Individ ual hung over tho crowd a card saying ••Your choice from this crowd of loafers for 25 cents." The passKn by enjoyed it very much, and it was some time before the loafers caught on but when they did tho crowd became suddenly very scarce, and tho place which knew them once knew them no in ore for some time. These loafers have no use for themselves, and, In the absence of a work house or rock pile, the city has no use for them either. They are an eyesore wherever they make their appearance and a troublesome superfluity whose room is at all times preferable to their company. Uu fortunately the vagarant law cannot reach them, although they are vagrants In the full meaning of the term. They seem to have been born to idleness and are fulfilling their mission on earth to the best of their ability, which Is boundless*In that direction. If the police cannot run them in they should at least make them move on. The streets were made for business and not to be used as a lonngiogptaMfMlMt.™•-. W

.There another, class of loafers to be found In ev*rv community who have plenty ot work to do but somehow can never find time to do It. They are continually shoving their responsibili­

A

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ties off on others, and at the same time do their level best to keep others from work. They ate not vicious loafers, and aside from their inclination to general worthlessngss might be considered harmless. Frequently they have rich fathers or mothers who believe they can afford to keep their bons in idleness, and in so doing are storing up against themselves torments on earth. The sole object of these young men is to pass away time and have themselves considered socioty dudes. Beyond that there is no harm in them, but in accomplishing it is where they work injury toothers and are frequently exasperating beyond degree. When in search of something to enable him to while away the time one of these young loafers doesn't seem to have brains enongh to enable him to observe that he is absorbing time which is money to the man who is bound to suffer from tbe interruption. He will drop Into* a public office in the morning and occupy the time of an official for an hour or two when there is no object to be gained by it, and when the official should be at. work. But he doesu't confine his operations to public officers by any means. He will drop into a business office and do the same thing, and not infrequently shov.es himself into some notch where he can, keep a half dozenJTrom work, and that too at the busiest portion of the day or week, when time can least be spared. And through all this species of boredom it is enveloped with an etiquette, which doesn't like to say anything, and the annoyance, like Tennyson's brook, goes on forever, or practically for that length of time and eternity. This kind of loafer never falls down on himself, and probably nothing short of a volcanic eruption or a South American earthquake would move him,

About three hundred citizens of Terre Haute and vioinity paid five dollars each to witness a prize fight last Monday night. The crowd was composed of exofficials, business men and rounders. Not having a complete list at hand, and not wishing to slight any of the gentlemen present the publication of the names is postponed for a week. A special train left the city at ten o'clock at night, going south.*. Clay City was reached about midnight, and the opera house there having been engaged for the oooasion, the crowd repaired to it,without any delay. The town was probably selected as the scene of the mill because it had jiist emerged from a great religious revival and was thoroughly prepared for any kind of hades. There doesn't seem to have been any effort on the part of the authorities to stop it, and the participants pounded each other for three rounds until one of them was knocked out. The attraction cost ,the projectors (or is said to have cost them) about $350, and their receipts were nearly $1,500, and in congratulating them over their success a daily paper says: '•They deserve it all, for the fight was the best arranged of any ever given in this vicinity." Probably it was, but then it was none the less discreditable to. those in tbe vicinity who got it up. As It fUdn't occur in this county the authorities here will take no notice of it, but the people of Clay oouRty are Indignant over the insult which lias b$6n beaiped upon them and threaten all kinds of things. The grand jury meets in Brazil next week and the prosecuting attorney says he is going to make it warm for all who participated. Unfortunately for the prosecutor 'he cannot take witnesses from this county, and unless he was there himself he will be unable to find any person who knows anything about it. The memory of man Is very treacherous when called upon to enlighten the grand jury upon some point which would tend to give him unpopularproininence before tho'public.

Tho Sunday schools of the county held a very successful convention in the Congregational church on Tuesday afternoon and evening, over which W. W. Byers presided. All tho schools in the city and nearly every township In the county were represented. In the afternoon Rev. R. V. Hunter delivered an address on "How to make a Sunday school successful," 'which was both interesting and instructive. The various townships submitted their reports, and the following officers were elected for tho ensuing year: President, M. A. Hunt Secretary, R. M. Hollingsworthu At the evening sesaioa ten minute addresses were delivered as follows: M. A. Hunt, "Waifs, or the duty of the Sunday school to neglected children Prof. John Donaldson, *lTh*» neglected' Corners C.*8ird King, "Bnihusiastp in Sunday schools R. L. Alder, "The prepared* teacher," and Mrs. R. W. Elder, "Primary work." Rev, W. SI. Bell, president of the State Sunday School association, was present and delivered an address on state work. The exercises were interspersed with vocal music, closing with asocial and refresh* ments. The convention was the most successful ever held in this county, md was pronounced by Rev. Bell the best he had yet witnessed iu tbe sute*

Tbe scbool enumeration of thlscouqfy Is £l,$$it and the apportionment for tbe Jbunty Is $3$,47tM,

Inexperienced

TERRE HAUTE, IND., SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 28, 1892 Twenty-second Year '4sS|

A MAN'S OBSERVATIONS.

LONGINGS THAT FREQUENTLY ENTER THE HEART OF THE FARMER'S BOY.

Not Content with the Comfortable but Monotonous Life of the Country many Young People are Consumed with a Desire to Become Part of the City's Hurrying Throng.

There often comes a time in their life when the country boy and girl is seized with a longing and desire to become members of the great hurrying throng of some large city. Every one in tbe country, at one time or another, will be smitten with this inclination for a change from* the monotonous tedium of the farm. They flee no beauty in the grandeur, or the hills, and they are filled with dissatisfaction at the undisturbed calm of ttieir quiet home life. Everything seettis'petty, the business and possibilities of the place are very limited. In the nearby town a few rich men hold everything in their hands, and the young people with only youth Rnd hope for capital feel that they have no chance. If they could only enter iu a city life they are sure that in a short time they would become rich, instead of plodding along dajtafter day making but little, and requiting a life time of earnings and savings to reach that point where money will give them power. Another class of country people, whose aspirations are m&gh less definite and sensible, are those w,h^ like to live In a crowd. It is .not so much a desire for wealth or social culture as an outcome of their gregarious disposition. They enjoy the bustle and exoitement of living in a multitude, and will put up with any hardships to attain this end. A stuffy little room, three flights up, in a city teeming with the noise and strife of thousands of human beings, is preferable to the sweet smelling, rambling old farm house, nestling among the hills, and a mile or more from the nearest habitation. ivv

For such as these syYnpatby is only wasted, but to the high strung, sensitive people, smitten by asense of the dryness and. pettiness of the sooial life about thein, there is iainple excuse for the justifiable longing, for the delights and opportunities of culture, open to all in a larjfe city. What a vision these yottng soifl^oan conjure up, of a life among (Keturergallerfeir and ln th^vioinity of .vastfvee libraries. What opportunities jfo£ development in being able to listen Co the great minds as they reveal themsolves on platform and in pulpit. There is somethldg intoxicating in the thought of dwelling in an atmosphere oharged with so much Intellectual activity, to have the best masters at their command, ready to'teach every science and every art, to know that the finest theatres are at their/very door, in fact to realize that they form one Of the great throng, whose knowledge of the world is a source of continual satisfaction and a matter of daily education. In comparison with all this how meagre is the home life, how galling the petty gossip and criticism of'the neighborhood. They long for the oity. There Is liberty of thought and action that can be found in no other place.. If these three classes consult their city friend*-in to the a4yis*Wlity of waking a change they are usually dls appointed at receiving very little encouragement, and nine times out of ten they will feel very muoh hurt at what they choose to regard as a selfish desire to keep them from becoming prosperous and fortunate. Indeed-, no one can realize the trials Of city life until they leave their quiet homes in the country and try it for themselves. The greatest trouble is to find employment. 9

young

country people

with no knowledge of oity ways and with no packer in the shape of some in flueotial friend, stand very little chance of obtaining a position. After many weary days of tramping in answer to advertisements which to their surprise have induced hundreds* of others to apply, they see their little stock of money dwindling away and the rosy dreams vanishing amidst the burden of everyday realities. If at last they are sue ceasfnl, how very different is the clerk* ship at or $10 a weeis or the position behmd tb© counter from the grand op-ening which they felt their ability would readily secure? How often on their leturn at night to the ball bed room In the second rate boarding house, which is the best their means will allow, will they shed

burning

tears of regret

tor the long, low-eeilinged room, the soft and comfortable bed, and above all, the feeling that some one loves and cares for them and is sorry for tbe aching head and tired back, instead of being regarded as a machine which is of no earthly use WLeu out of order. How gladly would they exchange the grand concerts and gay theaters for the morning song of the birds or the lowing of the cattle as they come slowly up the shaded lane in the dewy evening. The salaries In tbe city may be larger, but the expenses of living and risks of disaster are also much greater.Athousand •dollars a year in tbe country would give a snug little home and be ample for living expenses. In the city boarding bouse is about all that can be expected if cloth

ing and incidentals are to be inoluded in that ambunt. A mau in the city on five thousand a year is only moderately well off, while In the country he would be considered rich. «,f..

City life is naturally merciless. Itbas all it can do to look after itself and meet its own wants. If the man from the country makes a failure of his venture, he must go to the wall. A city looks coolly upon a catastrophe of this kind, for it is an every-day occurrence, and the poor victim need not look for sympathy or financial help from the hurrying crowds, who are ever ready to profit by another's downfall. It is not that city people are raore hard-hearted, but their interests are broader. The compe tition is greater, and to make a mark means to be continually on the lookout for the first place. Unless a man kuows exactly what he is going to do he had far beuer never leave his country home. The struggles to get hold of salaried work are fearful, and for every opening there are at least ten applicants on file. Hardly a person can obtain a position for a triend unless he is so situated that he can create one. The man of society who Is attracted from the country to ie city never realizjs his own hasignificanco until lie encounters vast numbers of far more brilliant people who are unable to obtain the social consideration that he 'feels is his due. The neighborhood prestige that he has enjoyed counts for nothing here, and he finds so many heads above him that he is of no sooial vajue whatever. A man, unless he be fabulously rioh or'of ancieut and honorable name, must brilliantly distinguish himself in certain directions before he can hope to be regarded as asocial lion. The question, "What has he done?" has to be answered satisfactorily before he will be taken up by society, and then he will need to exert a positive force of some kind in order to maintain his position. The social privileges of the city may be much greater, but the opportunities and probabilities of distinction and consideration ere much less than a country town or village. Alter all, there is jreally nothing in the city that can adequately compensate for the innocent enjoyments of country life and neighoorhood association. How many men engrossed in the struggle and pares of money getting and saying dream of the time.when they can turn their baok on.«jllr the,turmoils and- settle 4owA«on some 'nice farm !n the country, where their hard-eaYned competence will gain for them a standing in the community and sooial "recognition that they could never by any possibility possess in a elty, where their little fortune Is but a drop in the bucket.

A representative of the Westinghouse Electric company is in the oity superintending the work of putting an electric light plant in the new union station. The power room is located in the basement, and the light will be furnished by a fifty horse power dynamo. All told there will be 550 incandescent lamps in the forty-one rooms of the building, requiring 60,000 feet of wire. Of the lamps 140 will be in the rotunda, and 24 will be placed in the tower to illuminate the faces of the clock. The others will be scattered through the building. In tbe shed? &rQ lights will be used, but no contract haft yet been made for them.

On Thursday kfternoon Mrs. Alexander F. Crawford, of 1023 south Fourth street, entertainei a number of her friends in honor of her sister, Mrs. A. E. Sodorstrom, of Wj&hiugton, Iowa, who has been vlaitifig her An elegant luncheon was served and those present spent tbe time In a most enjoyable manner. The guests were Mesdamea A. E. Soderstrom, 8. C. Stimson, C. B. King, Otto Riehle, B. E. Rhoads, W. H. Duncan, Wrn. Farmer, M. N. Cortner, Thos. H. Hite, W. W. Way, II. V. Hunter, P. O. Thompson, C. T. Ball, W. A. Ryan, Perry O. ftarris, L. D. Gordon and Emma M. Spencer.

Last Saturday Mrs. C, L. Hu^Ced died very suddenly at Martinsville, this state, where she had gone to take mineral feaths for rheumatism, from which she had been a sufferer for many years. The remains were taken to Indianapolis, from where they will be taken to Muncie, her old

home,

last

SATURDAY TO SATURDAY.

SOME OF THE LOCAL HAPPENINGS IN j,.AND, AROUND THE CITX

Items of Interest to Readers of The Mail who Thirsts for Information Concerning Passing: Events at Home, Local In their

Nature and Interesting In Character. The roof is now going on the new union station, which is the handsomest structure of the kind, in, the state out side of Indianapolis.

The commission business of the late Joseph H. Brlggs has been purchased by Fred Apmann, Daniel Fasig and William. «,#, Starr, who will continue the business under tbe firm name of Apmann, Fasig A Starr.

The new oity board of health has something to ?ay to the citizeps in another column in regard to cleaning up. You had better read it, and if it applies to & you, you bad better heed the warning, because its violation will lead to punish- a ment.^ .1

On Thursday afternoon Charles Raich, Ernil Froeb, W. C. Isbell, Frank E. Dupell, Frank C. Cooper, Ferd Glebel, F. J. Biel and Robert Andrews, all members of Euclid Lodge, of this city, went down to Clay City, where they preformed work in the third degree for Clay City 5 Lodge No. 562. Those wht» took the degree were Peter Andrews and Peter E. te Andrews. The visitors returned home yesterday morning.

Tho Boquet euchre club was enter- 1 talned by Mrs. R. P. Scott on Wednes- -m day afternoon at her home on south Fifth street. Being the last afternoon meeting of the series for this season it was of more than usual Interest. Those present were: Mesdames Mary B. mb Alvey, S. C. Barker, O. D. Bell, J. M. Bigwood, Wright Kidder, J. M. Ryan^.sps E. D, Harvey. E. L. Norcross, Hulman, R. G. Watson,, aud Miss, Maggie Eberle.

zation

to-morrow for inter­

ment. Mrs. Hosted Was tbe mother of Mrs. Ids A. Harper and Miss Stella Husted and resided here -for a number of years. ||g

Tho funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Glover, wife of Joshua E. Glover, who died last Saturday evening, occured from the residence of her son lr. E. E. Glover, comer of Seventh and Poplar streets,

Monday afternoon. Services were conducted at the house and the interment was in Highland Lawn. The deceased was 65 years old, and bad been confined to her room for some time previous to her death.

Cfcfds have been received in this ciiy for the marriage of Harry W. Hewitt and Miss Roberta Eastlske, at the home of the bride's parents, A. E. Eaatiake and wife, 311 West Main street, Crawfordsville, Ind., on Thursday, June 9th, at o'clock p. m. The bride is *rell known to a large circle of friends in .this city.

Junior

Fort

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The Royal Arcanum held a special meeting on Monday eveuing, at whioh ,/ E. M. Boaz and Ellis H. Wilvert were •if' initiated. On the conclusion of the ex- C' ercises tbe members adjourned to a down town restaurant, whore Prof. Slier served a sumptuous banquet of dry peanuts,

bare tabled and Ice water minus the ioe. As(gpneof the gests had eaten any* sup-per-fn feelings clear down to the bottom 01 their stomachs oan be appreciated when the bald headed joke was spread before them in all its nakedness.

The brick with which Main and STxttiT streets are to be paved were tested solentifically at the Rose Polytechnic Thursday afternoon by an expert, and stood ,4 it admirably. The contract says that

The township assessor lk gathering in the last of his assessment lists to-day and expects to have everything on the books and ready for the county auditor next week. The totals have not been added yet, but it is not thought there will be much difference from last year. Assessor O'Connell expects a decrease in the amount of personal property but tbe sum spent in improvements last year does not meet bis expectations. The scarcity of dogs on the first of April Is about the same as in other years, and not over a do7/©n persons were found who awn bicycles, although several hundred ride them Axtell and twenty-ono other horses have been returned at$2,fJOO, and last year tho State Board of Equal!-

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the modulus of rupturo for transverse strength must not be less than 1,600 pounds to the square inch, and when thii test was applied all of the three qualities stood it without a flaw. The s. pressure was then applied to the •'cherry red," the poorest quality, about which ,1 so much has been said, and' broke it un- '"r der 2,500 pounds, or 906 pounds more than the specifications call for. Tbe test for abrasion is now in progress, followed by another as to tbe quantity o£ water they will absorb, ,}

placed Axtell at |16,000. Tbe as­

sessment was commenced April4th, and •, the law require* it to be completed by the first Monday io June, l'he work has been done this year by the assessor and ten deputies, eight of the latter being on tbe outside and two in the oillco.

The Masonic Grand Lodge held its seventy-fifth Annual meeting in Indianapolis on Tuesday, at which 450 of the 473 lodge# of the state were represented. Those prssent from this city were Judge Thomas B. Long, Dr. Robert Van Va?sab Alex Thomas, August Buseb, Col. Geo. E. Pagb, W. C. Durham, James M. Sankey, Kmil TeitgO, J. W. I. $ Wolfe, David Van Houten and Dr. '•, WHiiam Bennett. The following are ,t the newly elected officers for the ensning year: Grand Master, Sydney W. Douglass, Evausville Deputy Grand Master, Daniel Noyes, LaPorte Senior Grand Warden, Frank E. Gaven, Greensburg

Grand Warden, Edward O'Rourke

Wayne Grand Treasurer, Martin H. Iiice, Indianapolis Gram} Secretary, William H. Smythe, Indianapolis Trustees, Robert Van Valzah, Terre Haute,. Calvin W. Prather, Anderson. Dr. Kobert an Valzah is chairman of the com- i' mil tee on ways and means, Alex Thomasof charters and dispensations, and Jndg&^ jV Thomas B. Long of correspondence. i,

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