Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 23, Number 31, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 21 January 1893 — Page 1
Vol. 23.-N0.31
MATTERS OF INTEREST.
WHY THE WORK HOUSE FAILfeD TO FULFILL ITS MISSION THIS WEEK.
The New City Charter Seems to Hare Been Forgotten by tlie Legislature—A Few Observations Concerning Fees and Salaries and Sunday Clotting, Etc.
The effort to establish a workhouse In Terre Haute has been long and tedious, but it is to be hoped that at last it has been
successful.
The necessity for such
an institution has long been apparent, and at occasional intervals its establishment has been advocated for years in a mild way. It is a matter which rests entirely with
the
county commissioners,
and action has been delayed from time to time on the ground of the expense which would be incurred in purchasing ground and in theereetion of suitable buildings. Last June, however, the county commissioners and a committee of the city council got their heads together and formulated a plan. It was that the city should erect a building suitable for a stone yard adjoining the- jail and bear the expense of maintaining a superintendent, in consideration of which the commissioners agreed that through the sheriff they would furnish the superintendent any person that may be delivered at the jail by the police and under police court jurisdiction, whenever the superintendent would apply for them. 'On the strength of this agreement the city prepared a stone yard and appointed a superintendent. Everything being in readiness work was commenced on Tuesday morning last, and two prisoners were given a formal introduction to the stone pile. But on Wednesday work was suspended because it had been discovered that the county had no work house, that no prisoners had been sentenced to the work house, and that prisoners could not bo compelled legally to work on the stone pile unless sentenced to the work house in due form by the magistrate who tried them. All these irregularities have been remedied, however, and the work goes on. Being state cases it is a matter in whioh the mayor has no voice. If he elected to hold court and try such oases there isn't any law whioh would j.Ampai police—to tfllo the affidavits with him. His jurisdiction extends to oases only in whichclty ordinances have been violated. Now that the work house is in active operation it will be seen that the jail patrons will rapidly decrease In number.
The two things in which the people of this locality seem to take deepest interest are the subjects which the legislature is in no hurry about taking up. The first of these is fees and salaries and the other tlio proposed city charter, which would place city wffairs virtually in the hands of two boards appointed by the mayor, and would abolish the office of city treasurer, turning that official's work over to the county treasurer. There doesn't seem to be any serious opposition to the proposed change, at least none is expressed, and it is doubtful that it will be made. With such a charter as the one proposed ench party would of. necessity be compelled to put forward its best man for mayor, asou him would rest the responsibility of appointing the members of the boards of public works and public safety, who in their turn would be keenly watched and held to a strict account for their actions. Under the present system
110
one is responsible
for the acts of the council, while under tho proposed change the members of each board would be directly responsible. Tho change doesn't promise any political advantage to any party, because the work required of the members of each board would compel the appointment of men of undoubted business capacity, and such men could not afford to sacrifice the reputation they hare made in the community in order that irresponsible leaders might reap some personal or party profit from it. If the Democrats have reason to believe that they can retain control of the council after next spring it is quite probable the proposed new charter will "die a bornin'," and even independent of that question it may fail to materialise. Of course the city treasurer, who now haa the fattest office in the county, hasevery reason to obje:t to the change, and no one blames him. And then on tho other hand the county treasurer would have no oause to feel elated over a change which would add tp the emoluments of his office lees than a thousand dollars a year. At any rate no one seems to be losing any sleep over the matter.
It there i* anything on this fair earth of which the average legislator knows less than another it is fees and salarim as Applied to county officials. The politician early in life becomes thorougly imbued with the belief that he was born to fulfill some spwial. mission, and should fate select him aa a victim for thf state legislature he forthwith dovJles hitu*elf to the pleasing task of framing fee and salary bill. It is a falling with member* of the legislature to look upon every county official as a dishonest man, whom mission it ia to xun for office and rob hit constituents. The county officer in a nightmare which always haunts the
,r%^tyTA
legislative halls, probably because self preservation is the first law of nature. It is nothing for the legislature to pile up a state debt mountain high and indulge in all kinds of reckless extravagance if It can only cut down the fees and salaries of county officers, which it proceeds to do with biennial regularity. The last effort in this direction might justly be styled "An Act for the Encouragement of Dishonesty in County Officials," for it is nothing else. The law of 1891 was an adt of ill considered injustice which does not save a dollar to those who pay fees, and at the same time compels the officers to resort to all sorts of Jsharp practice to make both ends meet, if they can make them meet at all. Nowadays it costs a small fortune to run for a county office, and when a man is elected be must pay another small fortune in running after the legislature to beg for a reasonable compensation for his services or pray that his means of livelihood be not cut ofi entirely. There is such a thing as too much legislation and that seems to be the trouble with this state. If the legislature met only once in ten years, and then only long enough to make the usual appropriations and adjourn the state would lose nothing by it. The itch for office is a very small circumstance compared with the itch for making laws possessed by a horde of pot house politicians who misrepresent a patient and long suffering constituency in the legislative balls of every state in the Union.
The question of opening the World's Fair on Sunday is assuming gigantic proportions in this locality. The arguments have been waxing warm of late, and the amount of information imparted on the subject is almost as remarkable as the difference of opinion which exists concerning the proper form of religion. Just now the preachers seem to be in a wrangle oonoerning matters, and when doctors disagree what are common folks to do? There is considerable of ajar in the ministerial mind as to which day of the week really is Sunday, and judging from general appearances on the day commonly called Sunday, some people are Beriously inclined to doubt that there Is any Sunday at all. Congress has recently been receiving advice as to -whether it should repeal its decision to close the Fair on Sunday, and has listened in patience to a great diversity of opinion on the subject. The church is divided on it, the more advanced thinkers being inclined to open the gates under certain conditions, while the ortho dox can see nothing but disaster as the result of opening them. Some of the more radical of the Sunday closers are so into lerable in the expression of their views that their cause loses ground whenever they talk about it. These people give none but themselves credit for honesty of opiniou, and it was only the other day that it was sneeringly remarked that a handsome woman could have more effect on members of congress to secure the opening of tho gates than all the argument which could be offered against the proposition. Ceitainly members of congress are to be congratulated on their good taste. Probably Dr. Potter wasn't far wrong when he •aid the other day: "Just what recognition is to be given to the work of agitators and reformers I atn not prepared to say. They, as a rule, see no progress. The minister in politics in this town has so far been a fizzing pinwheel. He has made a noise, spun around, and sputter ed into darkness Some day he will lean to cease caressing the buzz-saw."
The indications are favorable to a continuation of the gas war. Thus far the fuel company has given no sign of an inclination to follow in the footsteps of tho old company and raise the price. Neither has it shown any disposition to retire from business, notwithstanding the fact that it failed to consummate its sale to the old company. On the contrary it gives evidence of having entered upon a healthy and vigorous career. Just now it is doubling its capacity, and in a short time expects to be in a position to furnish to consumers 509,000 feet per day, instead of 230,000 feet, its present capacity. This can mean only one thing, and that ie that the fuel gas company is here to stay, and that in the spring it will put itself in a position to furnish its prodact to consumers in all portions of the city. There are indicacations that in conjunction with the electric light company it will attempt to drive Illuminating gas from the city by furnishing cheap gas for fuel, while the electric light company will furnish incandescent lights for illuminating purposes at a reasonable figure. And there are those who profess to believe that the day is not far distant when electricity will not only be used for lighting purposes, but will occupy the field for fuel purposes. Be this as it may the old company still insists that gas cannot be made and dehved at fifty cents per one thousand feet except at a loss to the manufacturer.
Miss Maggie Welch entertained a number of her friends with progressive euchre on Monday evening, at her home on south Twelfth street. Refreshments were served and all present united in pronouncing it a very pleasant afiair.
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TERRE HAUTE, UnD., SATURDAY S.
THE PRAIRIE. CITY,
SOME REASONS WHY IT IS A DESIRABLE PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE I
Facts Which He Who Buns May Bead, and Which Should Materially Add to the Success of a City Already one of the Most
Prosperous in the West.
It has large paper mills. The cost of living is low. It has one novelty works. It has producing oil wells. The rate of taxation is low. It has a college for women. It has a fine public library. It has two beautiful parks. It has money, and lots of it. Its car works employ 700 men. It has motor and dynamo works It has three boiler manufactories It has magnificent business blocks. It has a handsome Federal building. It has two fine artesian bath houses. It has several brass and iron foundries. It has the largest brewery in Indiana. It tas few cranks and lots of hustlers. Its blast furnace employs over 100 men. Its two heading factories employ 400 men.
It has eight newspapers and magazines. It has men of brains and plenty of them.
It is the jobbing center of a large territory. Its fire department is unexcelled anywhere.
It has the largest distillery in the world. Its business men are solid and prosperous.
Its manufactures are shipped to Europe. It has fine drives in every direction from town.
The city debt is one of the smallest in the country. Thirty-five railroad trains arrive arid depart daily. ltaasthe three largest hominy mills in the world.
It haB the largest cat works in the United States. Its six stave and barrel faotorles employ 860 men.
There are no in this locality. In 1900 Terre Haute will have a population of 60,000.
It has fine residences which are noted for their beauty. It has a large woolen mill which employs many hands.,
It has two large rolling mills, employing over 500 hands. It has six prosperous banks, three of which are national.
It has five overall factories which give work to 1,000 hands. Its population is more than 35,000 and is steadily increasing.
It has one of the best eleotric light plants in the country. Ten lines of railroad oenter here from all points of the compass.
For real estate investments there is no place like it in the world. It has twenty-eight miscellaneous societies, unions and clubs.
It is the commercial center of western Iudiana and eastern Illinois. Every month witnesses new developments in wealth and population.
It has jobbing houses in every line, aod they all do a good business. It has ten carriage and wagon factories which giye employment to 600 men.
Good steam coal Is delivered to the factories at from 40 to 60 cents per ton. There are no prettier girls anywhere than can be seen any day in Terre Haute.
Its working men are well paid and the majority of them own their own homes. It has Mie handsomest union railway station in the country west of Indianapolis.
It is Rituated in the center of the finest bituminous and block coal fields in the world.
The surrounding country pours an Immense volume of trade into the retail stores.
Its people are refined, hospitable and warm-hearted. Strangers are made welcome.
It has thirty-nine churches, representing every denomination of the Christian religion.
St. Mary's of the Woods, the largest school for girls in the state, is only four miles frotfi town.
It has the handsomest oourt house in Indiana, and no county indebtedness worth mentioning.
It has a State Normal school with an enrollment of more that 1,800 students. And still they come.
It has sixty-five incorporated companies, all actively engaged'in successful business enterprises.
It has a better system of water works and better water than any city of its size in the western states.
It haa twenty-five building, loan fund and savings associations, all of which are ia successful operation.
It is the headquarters for one of the largest aod moet important revenue districts In the United States.
It has three flouring mills whose annual business exceeds $2,000,000 capacity of over 2,500 barrels per day.
Elegant building lots can be had ia
y-f
ft val It hi including brg'noheji *41 mtatofi ditloi vate
In-
city OSid an Old,, Home$j$ g^le), Rose,
m* o^r
\i
t£er itajaroffft#* prices .and It&£a streeirMli into Jthe^
More than a were erqpted hi numbej^ill goj
Terre' Jtaute, Homer babies
It hi
recei quarlerf^vhk ous.
Itisthebai with good- st and more of where.
It is fctult is nearly ills markr atid drainage.
It ha«Mthe: the bejj§i*ot and wltji puj in the^unioti4j:|
reasonable
rms. Bin of electric ies extend far jMirection. jj|| Pnew buildings Ttear, and a large
ae^coming season, ibies are handspanking than
Ise on the planet, iation which has In handsome new and commodi-
sity in the west, finfir shade trees
•t^m any city any-
of the Wabash,
Ibove high water fccellent system of
1
^technic 'Institute,
tkind
It hasvtwdj furnishes its| thi*tyiji|ve ces cheapest gas cCarefdiinvj solid.lfB&arit
in the west,
learly. ev,ery state
ipanies, one of which to oonsumers at thousand feet, the country. felboking for safe and i'eir money are placate real estate, whioh irely increasing in
\$4
»licschool buildings,. School, in whioh all lghly taught by ai Ips of teachers, in adlere a number ot pri-
l^tltutions it leads any wing a Friendly Inn, Iftttne, the Rose Orphan -Orphan Asylum (for ly's Hospital and the
facturers desiring & n, or wishing to e»Wfactories, will find this because they can cheaply here and will iye freight rates charged goods. iii. a great oenter of proifttrlbution. It is the cencSfhatidwheat reglohrdf
the central states. Its flour output is thirty-five car loads per day, and it is the first city in the land in the manufacture of hominy and other food products from corn.
It affords a fine opening for the manufacture of agricultural implements, tin goods of all kinds, textile fabrics, boots and shoes, harness, leather, pottery, cooperage, watches and clocks, furniture, sewer and gas pipe, barb wire, mattresses, cutlery, sewing machines, show cases, organs, starch, etc.
Laborers are plenty here and the manufacturer is not so liable to the annoyanoe of strikes as in the east. Taxes are low, fuel is cheap, the banks are reliable, the water supply is unlimited, the railroad facilities are unexcelled, building material is easily obtained, and we are close to all the great markets in the country.
The Masonio fraternity has 9 lodges here the Odd Fellows, 10 Knights of Pythias, 10 Ancient Order United Workmen, 7 Knights of Honor, 7 Improved Order of Red Men, 7 American Legion of Honor, 1 I. O. B. B., 1 Nation Union, 2 Order of Chosen Friends, 1 Royal Arcanum, 1 Royal Templars of Temperance, 2 Grand Arrty of the Republic, 1 Sons of Veterans, 1 Woman's Relief Corps, 1 Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, 2 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, 1 Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmgn, 1 Order of Railway Conductors, 1 Order of Railway Telegraphers, 1 Switchmen's Muiual Aid Association, 1 Travelers' Protective Association, 1.
The Chicago, Grand City and Terre Haute railway company has filed articles of incorporation in the office of the secretary of state of Illinois at Springfield. It is proposed to construct a railroad from Chicago to Grand City and Terre Haute. The principal office is in Chicago and the capital stock is $2,000,000. The incorporators and the first board of directors are Isaac F. Boss. Charles J. Stamter, A. J. McDonald, H. G. Teed and C. D. Hyndman. Grand Junction Is a station at the lower line of Cook county, 111., and the projected railway is to cover the territory from Chicago to this city on the Illinois side of the line. Mr. Joseph us Collett is interested in the line.
The Sunday Sun case, of malodorous memory, is set for trial in the Superior court on February 15th. The alleged attorney who appeared here for the paper some time ago has filed his reply, in which he charges the police with suppressing his ward for personal reasons. With the penitentiary yearning to rereceive him for libel the proprietor will not put in an appearance.
Last Saturday the residence of Josiah Hicklin, in Sugar Creek township, was totally destroyed by fire. When discovered the flames had gained such headway that they could not be controlled. The fire was caused by a defect ve fine. The loss ia about $5,000, which ia $3,500 more than the insurance.
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JANUARY 21,18-93. *-"Twentv-third Year
^WOMAN'S ^WATS.
1.-
CONSTANCY" ^EVERY-DAY EXAMPLE WHICH SHAPES CHILDREN'S LIVES.
V*
lU^oxe o3r
Home'no Bar to aq Occasional Desire to Travel—What a Woman Would Give to Obtain the Despised Quality of Beauty—Days When All Goes Wrong.
Does any mother realize, we wonder, how much her unconscious influence has tq do withNthe formation of her children's bharaetfcr? It isn't the advice she gives o£ the precepts she lays dawn for their fplldwing that make the greatest impression on the children's minds it is the constant, every-day exam Die that she sets that the little folks regard as their own peculiar pattern and they shape their lives accordingly. If mother's voice is harsh and irritable tho ohildren'.s tones will soon acquire those sharp and rasping reflections that are reverse of pleasant. If mother is untidy in her appearance the child will see no reason why It should take any pains with its person. Manners and morals are both taught unconsciously through the sheer force of example. Children may be sent to schools of deportment or where their mentality may be fostered, yet if at home they have not set before them daily a pattern to follow which accords with the instruction away from it, their education is practically worthless. It is the example set by the head of the home that counts in the training of children. Rules of grammar will have no weight if the parents are illiterate, *ules of deportment will be meaningless if harsh voices, rude.actionB and frequent disputes occur at home. The home is the great training school of the nation, and not only does the duty of support devolve upon parents, but likewise there falls to their lot the more important obligation of setting an example worthy to be followed .by the little folks aroftnd them.
No matter how much one actually loves their home, or how genuinely attached they are to the inanimate objects that familiarize and individualize their particular roof tree, there comes a time when the fever of travel burns in their veins. It does not take the firm hold on a person who has never been away as it does on one who haa had just a sufficient taste of the joy of desultory wanderings from city to oity and land to land to make them desire more when the anniversary of that pilgrimage .pomes around. It would be a very safe assertion to say that every person in this city who has ever gone South at this seaaon or wintered in the Riviera would give much for the wings of a dove to carry them away from the snow banks and the icy blasts, the tedious mode of travel from one part of the city to another, and let them remain away only to return when the June roses are in bloom and the air is redolent with the spicy perfumes of many blossoms. Even now when the thermometer is going "down, down, downy," as the children say, we know that there are lands where the giant palm stands in sentinel-like rigidity over the wealth of floral bloom spread at its feet. The air is soft and balmy. Clustere of heliotrope and creamy roses creep through the openings in walls that protect, yet do not hide the palaces at their back, and though the calendar reads" "January" on its face, the air says "June." With the chilly presence of our old-fashioned winter before our very eyes, it is hard to. realize that on the same globe lies lands whose people have no trouble with furnace fires, gas stoves or frozen water pipes, and where coal bills and plumbers' charges are practically unknown.
Every woman, despite her rather pugnacious assertion that beauty is but skin deep, would give her best gown and her silver mounted lorgnettes to boot if she could only find out some receipe for obtaining the despised quality. To this end she studies beauty books, consults beauty doctors and makes the fortune of complexion specialists who are wise enough to profit through woman's wellknown weakness. As almost every receipe has exercise as one of its principal ingredients, the Wind searcher after the beautiful concludes that if a little exercise is good a great deal vfill be better, and straightway goes and acta on that principle. After she has tramped miles every day, has become familiar with the use of dumb bells and Indian clubs, and haa become sufficiently proficient in rowing and bowling to challenge her brother, she is astonished to find that, instead of becoming more beautiful, she is growing positively ugly, with a preponderance of knees, elbows and knuckle joints. Her violent athletics have had a tendency to coarsen her bones and give undue prominence to her muscles. In a word, she has overdone it, and the result ia the reverse of lovely. Exercise in moderation is what brings about the gradual perfection of one's proportions. The system of inhalation and exhalation will be more beneficial in producing a beautiful chesir and throat than the contorting with all the dumb bells or Indian clubs that ever
Undue exercise is far more
likely to result disastrously than pleas
antly. Walk, dance, row, play tennis, swing dumb bells if you will, row or ride, but do each and every one in a sensible way, instead of carrying to extremes your methods of beautifying yourself, for unless moderation is observed the result will not^pay for the trouble taken.
Are there ever any days in your life** wbon ever.vthiug seems to go wrong and you just haie yourself and everybody elbe? We think you know exactly the, 9ort of day we mean. If you don't you are a lucky person indeed, and are in no need of the little advice we mean to give to those who get out of b?d wrong and continue in the wrong path the, entire day: Any one of us can be sweet and cheerful when there Is nothing to upset us. There is no virtue in being amiable when everything goes just as we want it to, but on a day such as we have spoken of it is a very different matter to keep our temper and do a hundred and one things that we are certain to regret the next day. But if we can only gain the victory over the hasty speech or unkind action we will feel so much better, than if we give onr feelings full bent and then lay all the blame on the weather or some other thing not the least bit responsible. Now the next time one of these days comes around fight out the battle to the bitter end, and if you come out victor it will not be one-half as bard when next you are compelled to combat those foes of ennui, the blues and headache, which frequently is only another name for heartache. If you are tempted to "talk back" don't do it. It won't do a bit of good and may lead to a serious quarrel. If you are tempted to shake the children just becauso you are out of sorts yourself, think better of it and do not vent your own ill-temper on the innocent little folks. Don't slam the door or act in any other of the mad ways that of course you deny ever indulging in, yet as you pre but human there must have been some time when you have succumbed, only to regret the hasty actions long after their occurrence. Try and conquer the enemy and you will be rewarded by a soul satisfaction that comes only from hard battles well won.
If marriage is a partneiship into wiiiclh the parties enter with equal rights in the finances of the concern, then indeed should there be mutual confidence order that the union prove a satisfactory and happy one. Men are prone to argue that a woman knows so little of business that it is absolutely unnecessary to tell their wives about how they spend their money, where they pass their time, or, in fact, go Into any detail regarding their doings when away from home. Infallible man looks very righteous and says, in hiB most grandiloquent manner: "Of course my wife knows that I would never do anything to jeopardize the safety of our home or her happiness, and when I stay away from her I am, doing it for the best. Therefore there is never any occasion to tell her where I have been or what I have been doing." Dear, magnanimous creature! That probably accounts for the hours spent at the club or in walking around a billiard table—it is business, of course. How could any wife think he was enjoying himself in any way that selfishly excluded her from his pleasures? Oh, no she must not inquire where than ten-dollar-bill went, but he is privileged to storm over a quarter she squandered on caramels. He likewise has a right to know who are her friends, where she goes and when, and, in fact, compels her confidence while he retains his own. What sort of a partnership is this where one member of the firm assumes all the responsibilities, transacts all the business and will not bear questioning from the other? A commercial enterprise on such a basis would be certain to come to disaster, and the more solemn relation of marriage where mutual confidence does not exist is in quite as great danger of bankruptcy. There should be no question of "must" about it the tactful wife wins her husband's confidence, but does not force it. Shd shows to biin that the truth, no matter how bitter, will be received by her with better grace than a sweetened prevarication. The business and social exactions of each should be known by the other, and the first plank in the barrier of deceit torn down by a full and honest confession. White lies should be abhorred and the life of each made an open book for the other to read. When this basis is established the wheels of matrimony will not be apt to clog, for mutual confidence destroys all jealousy and suspicion, the two greatest enemies of life's most serious copartnership.
It is said that the salt impregnated snow which surrounds the street railroad tracks has ruined several lino dresses for ladies crossing the streets.
The residents of north Ninth street have started a movement for the paring of that thoroughfare from Main street to the new Union station. Several petitions are also in circulation for the paving of south Fourth street, and one for the paving of south Fifth street is now before the council. Paved streets are becoming very popular, and the day ia now near as hand when the council will be asked to pave all the leading thoroughfares.
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