Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 25, Number 41, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 6 April 1895 — Page 1

Vol. 25.—No. 41

ON THE QUI VIVE.

At last the electric light agony is over. By a vote of 17 to 2 the city council accepted the new light and for five years Terre Haute is bound to have a cheap, strong, all-night, anti-sand bag illuminator.

Q. V. is not taking sides in this squab ble. It does seem as though there was too much dime novel bluster and ''heavy villain" play in the eleotrlo light con test. And then there is no scarcity of "baby play." The new oompanj bid fairly against the old compaay and the world. Is there any charge of fraud or triokery Q. V. never heard of it. You never heard of It. Well, whattheoT Is it possible that all this opposition to the new light is a mere personal hostility to its promoter? The only ground to* a quarrel that Q. V. can see is that Harrison underbid Craw ford. Now the good people of Terre Haute, who step up to the old city rookery and pay dollars and cents for Charley Balch's receipts on,the tax duplicate don't feel very sore over the saving of $24,000. No, they haven't begun to hang their heads yet. Some of them actually are pleased. Possibly they do not fully understand the wioked desigu which impelled the bidders to offer a cheap light. Q. V. admits that it is too deep for him.

Now the mayor says that the new lights do not furoieh 2,000 candle power as specified. Q. V. is an ordlpary news paper fellow, but his unole gave him a good schooling and In electrical science he learned that a commercial aro light never reached 2,000 candle power and never could do so at the 86 degree point. From 1,200 to 1,300 is regarded as exceptional good light. The term 2,000 c. p., let Q. V. inform the mayor, is a conventional term, a fictitious nomen, if you please, for the best quality of commercial aro light that burns. It is the acme that Edison never has reached, but which eleotriclans use for convenience. Lights are made which produce that power, but never a commercial arc light.

Q. V. Is informed that the electrical professors who tested the new lights last Monday found the candle power to be 1,470 at the 30 degree line, which is about 200 above the highest average commercial arc light, and as Q. V. believes, about considerably above the old light. There are 2,000 candle power lights recognised by able eleotriclans In every large oity of America which fall several hundred candles short of our new lights.

Away with all this carping! Isn't the light strong? Isn't It cheaper than ever? Well, then, why shouldn't It be paid for?

Court house rats had their nerves severely shocked Wednesday by the phillipic of Judge Taylor, uttered to the grand jury against the Democratic board of county commissioners. The court denounced the bungling management of the half million dollar court house

accused the board of running it "like a widow's farm." What the judge said was true, and that's why it hurts so badly. The elegant Vigo county oourt house with its marble halls and its oak finish, Its stuocoed ceilings and Its brass ornaments, is allowed to waste away like the old Warren park house on the river bank. The elevator has been the laughing stock (when it was not the cursing stock) of lawyers and litigants. It Is a freight elevator with plate glasu bevelled mirrors all over it, and is run by some system which ooght to bo condemned. As a lawyer once told Q. V., "if Judge Taylor would sentence prisoners to ride Jn the 'lift' or to wait for it, oomlng, therft Fould b® light orlmlnal docket next term*" And yet that 2000 pound moving house pouts Vigo county more than alight cage built by ft modern ele« vator company. Our 66unty commissioners in the interest of economy ar$ spending more money in repairing the useless freight car than anew ene weuld oost.

Another point. The public wash and I? water closets of the court house are not conducted as they should be. Of what use is a marble wash stand with a niokel plated faucet and perfect sewer connections, without a towel or a cake of soap?

Is the habitue of suoh a public building (lawyers, litigants, newspaper men, visitors, and you and I) expected to carry a olean towel in his coat pocket and a case of Ivory or Axtell in his waist coat? What do they take taxpayers for anyway?

of all this court house sensation

there is history. Judge Taylor is well known to have it in for Commissioners Ladd and Cox, and ex Commissioner Beal. And the dislike is now thoroughly mutual. Judges Taylor and McNutt disagreed with the county "dads" several years ago, and whenever a judge would meet a commissioner on the street It was like a Jap and a Chinaman meeting. Then there was a cessation of hostilities, and the famous "judges' act" allowing county commissioners to increase salaries was passed by the legislature of 1898. Judges Tayor and McNutt asked for more, and to heir consternation the outsiders so stirred the breasts of the commissioners that "nary a cent" was their verdict. The judges were furious, and appealed

the case to Judge MoNutt'a oourt, where Special Judge George A. Knight, of Brazil, promptly decided for the judges, and was In turn reversed by Indiana's supreme court. Then the commissioners were jubilant, and continued so until November, 1894, when the judges and their friends made Ladd and Beal both run behind their tioketa. Revenge is sweet. And now thaooinmunlty will get a good ohanoejto see a modern oourt house, the commissioners wllly-nllly May Judge Taylor win !

It is said that when the time oomes for the renewal of liquor lioenses in June, after the Nicholson bill has beoomea law, some of the temperanoe people are going to make an effort to drive saloons out of business in certain wards. They will endeavor to get the signatures of a majority of the voters 'tn the wards to a protest against the renewal of lioenses Q. V. does not believe that there Is a ward In this city where a majority of voters would ask to have saloons generally driven out of the ward, although they might do so to rid themselves of any certain saloon that had rendered itself obnoxious. Otherwise, he believes it would be impossible to secure the signatures necessary to pre vent the renewal of. licenses.

City Engineer Harry Bosler is putting in his extra time learning the words of Bill Hoey's song, "They're after me." Dr. LarfeliA started the ball rolling Tuesday night, when he introduced a resolution to have an expert engineer engaged to prepare the plans for the southeast belt sewer. The present engineer was originally appointed temporarily, and although he has continued to act as suoh with the approval of the council, it is understood that a movement is on foot to oust him in favor of a man with more experience. _____

S. Edgar Nicholson, who spoke at the Central Presbyterian church Tuesday night, is a robust, rosy-cheeked giant, who has something of the appearance of an overgrown country boy who is making his first appearance in a long-tailed coat, and can't feel exactly at ease. He Isn't a forceful speaker, but he has secured considerable reputation by presenting a bill that others had perhaps more to do with in preparing than himself. It is like the McKinley bill, which isn't a McKinley bill at all, but a conference bill that is as little like the origir. nal bill as was the last senate bill like the Wilson bill. But it made one man famous, as has the Nioholson bill. But while Mr. Nicholson isn't a forceful speaker, he impresses one as being a great big, good-natured, good-hearted fellow, thoroughly in earnest, whose determination will more than make up for any lack of brilliancy. He is really suoh a "good fellow" that the most bitter opponents of his measure had nothing but kind words to speak of the author personally. Very few men could have oarried a radical measure like the Nioholson bill through the legislature and have its enemies commend the author. Some of his friends are talking of him as a candidate for novernor, but they are premature. He isn't likely to be a gubernatorial possibility, and his Uly-advlsed friend* oy such talk are likely to do him -e harm than good. A number of saloon keepers listened to hi* remarks Tuesday night Sk

Qui Vive.

ONB of our oonsuls in Germany has found a way American producers can make up the losses resulting from the embargo laid by the German authorities on the importation of American cattle. It is by turning their attention to the preparation and sale of horse moat. He says that while exact statistics as to the consumption of horse meat are difficult to obtain, seems that it is almost at, great as that of beef or ranlton In the larger oltlea of Germany* tn smaller olties, where there is sortie prejudice against horse meat, the consumption is about one-third that of beef, but in these places the use of horse meat is growing daily. Its oonsumers are exclusively of the poorer classes, but they comprise nine-tenths of the oonsumers of the oountry. Beef and other first-class meats cost from fifteen to twenty-five cents per pound in Germany, and are out of the r^ach of the average workman, who re* eelves seventy-five cents or fl per day. The demand for horse meat has grown to suoh an extent that the German butoher is unable to meet It. The meat la oonsumed in Germany in both a salted and smoked state. With the astonishingly rapid disuse of horses in America, their raising, especially west, is far from being the profitable industry it was. If the ranchman, however, oan make the raising of horses for fo^d profitable, It seems the opportunity is waiting for him. It is safe to say that horse flesh will never prove to be a favorite dish among our own people, and the street oar horses that have been thrown on the market by the introduction of electricity as a motive power, can be utilized as an article of food for some of the countries with which we do business.

LICENSED TO WED.

Levi P. Boyll and Fay A. Davis. Joseph F. Wilson and Lillie Bradford. Henry L. Hayne and Lucetta Jones. Henry S. Kautz and Myrtle Lyon.

ODDS AND ENDS.

. —————

The movement set on foot to pnrolMvte by popular subscription Walter Sels' excellent painting of Fort Harrison, to be hung In the tiOuuoU chamber, ought to meet with suooeea, It is a spleudld reproduction of the old steel engraving of the fort, oopies of whioh may be found In many homes of the pioneer families of this vicinity. The late Mrs. Jijlia Merry whose death occurred recently, was the possessor of one of these oopies, and It had a peculiar interest for her. Her mother, then a young girl, was one of a number of plucky women who carried water from an exposed well to quenoh the flames that threatened to destroy the old fort, when Zaotiary Taylor and his handful of men defended it against an overwhelming foroe ,of Indians, in September, 1812. The mother of Hanson and Dick Brotherton, of this oity, then a lass in her teens, molded the bullets that were used by the soldiers in the defense. The old fort wa? dismantled in 1822by order of the government. Traces of it existed as late ae the 50's, and the blockhouses were preserved nearly intaot until 1849. Now an old weHt long since in disuse, some hundred feet back from the east bank of the river is all that marks the spot where stood the old fort,

The last oommander of Fort Harrison was Major John Ohunn, who was transferred there from Fort Knox in 1816, and remained in command until 1819, when he was transferred to Detroit. He returned to Fort Harrison in 1821, and remained there until it was abandoned. Dr. B. F. Swafford has the original order issued by Gen. Alex. Macomb, commanding the Fifth Military Department, to Major Chunn, transferring him' from Fort Knox. In it he advises Major Chunn jfo "always be on your guard against Indians, never permitting them to take aiiy undue liberties and7 punish promptly any insult they may offer—it is the beat way to keep on good terms with them. You will at the same time prevent any person from maltreating or abusing the Indians, considering yourself as their protector in all regards their just rights and privileges." This was dated May 10, 1816. Major Chunn lived in thiB vioinity after retiring from the service, and died four miles southwest of Clinton in Vermillion county, in 1847. A num ber of descendants bearing his name still live in that vioinity.' Major Chunn was a Mason of high degree, assisted in the organisation of Terre Haute Lodge No. 19, A. F. and A. M., and his .name may be found in its records. "f^'

That is a pretty exercise that was introduced in the publio schools this week, the custom of saluting the national colors during the opening exercises. A pupil supporting the colors stands in front Of the pupils, each of whom who raises his right hand to his forehead in salute, accompanying the motion with the words "We give our heads," then dropping the hands to the heart, with the words "and our hearts," completing the sentence as he drops his hand to his side with "to our oountry." It freshens the lesson of patriotism every day, and :Ln* spires in every little breaat adeeperilove for an emblem that contains the 'most glorious combination of oolors ever.oqrOr ceived for an optical feast. tt-

The death of poor "Jim"Burke, of the fire department, brings out, early in its history, the advantages of the firemen's pension fund, for his widow and children will receive the benefit of the pensions provided by it. Acoording to the provisions of the law, a widow of a fireman shall receive not lees than tw:enty dollars a month, as long as she remains unmarried, and each of the children six dollars a month until they have attained the age of sixteen years. According to this rating, Mrs. Burke for herself and three children will receive thirty-eight dollars a month from this fund. The first assessment on the salaries of the firemen was made this week. The one per cent, assessment realized 127.35,, whioh was converted into the Firemen^ Pension Fund, in charge of Treasurer Balob. In addition to this at the settlement some |2,000 will be turned into the fund, being one-tenth of one mill of each dollar of the value of all taxable property annually assessed. The appraisement this year is close to (20,000,000, and the converting of this mouey into tfce fund does not depend upon the taxes collected—it Is upon the property assessed.

Firemen retired for disability will be entitled to these pensions, as will their dependents ifidasd of death, and dependent* may be either widow, orphans, father, mother, brothers or sisters. A member who Is dlsoharged for any other than -a criminal cause will also be entitled to a pension, as will his dependents, provid ing be has served 20 years en tb* department.

The time of the year has arrfved when a great many citizens find their memory as treacherous as does the average man who is summoned before the grand jury to tell what he knows about some infraction of the law. The tax assessor is abroad in the land, and although his active duties begin on the first day of April, his visits are not at all to be

TERRE HAUTE, IND., SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 6, 1895.

,lookitFnpon as an April fool joke. Falling? Memory is a* sure an evidence of the coming ol April 1st as is "that tired feeling" Mat heralds the ooming of spring. It is ig uncommon thing for a well to-do man living in a big eight or nine-room house to return his household effects for taction at fifty or seventy dollars, the assessor knows a kitchen in suoh a house oould not be fitted up for eitbw of the amounts named. Yet they do it, year after year. Men with mphejr In hank, or loaned out on p4reoftal seourity, will make a mental isjitirvfttion when they are sworn to their toy upturns. Thousands, yes, even hun^feds of thousands of dollars escape every'year in this manner in ty, and it is true of every cornin the land. As a result of this, rates go up and an undue proportion of taxes fail upon the owners of litt$foomes, whose all-in-all is within ptyinview of the tax man as he makes his annual rounds.

Tbeiiissessment of real estate is to be made this year and an effort will be made to have a more eveu assessment than was made in 1891, when the new tax law reoelved its initiation and its provisions were not thoroughly understood John Bell, formerly of the auditor's pfflce, who knows more about Vigo oounty real estate than any other living man, has devised a plan by whioh prop ertjfyespecially in the business quarter, ^wlU|, receive a just assessment, Last time^ome of the west end property WHS ajjeimfol too high, while other property, luttbtifcap town and of more value, wan ass^ftmi at too low a figure. Mr. Bell pro{^^s to make a map Of .the business sectlb&say from Mulberry street south to TOplut, and from the river east, and estabmh a relative value for all the property within those confines aqd thus seoure an uniformity that oould not be reached in the other absessment.

Laltyear the assessment of personal property in this oity was $5,125,575. That is supposed to represent the cash, stook, bonds (taxable), loans, personal property, eto*, owned oy residents of this city. Thegman that oould purchase all this pro%prty for the amount named would hav^little need to worry about taxpaying^tlme—or any other time that demands money. to be hoped our California ball are as swift as one of the dailies thla-weeK-'AcbbMingrtd'tlie paper, t^ey were to. leave Los Angeles, California, Tuesday triorning and arrive here Wednesday evening. If all the new players are as swift as this, they are stars indeed.

The lawns about? town alnoe the rains look as fresh and green as any that painter ever portrayed on canvass. One oan fairly seethe grass grow, it pushes up so rapidly. Seedsmen say that this is the time to refresh lawns by seed-sow-ing where they were worn last year, or the grass had thinned from any oause.

The rains early in the week were a godsend to those who do not depend on the water works for the water for household purposes. In every portion of tAertity complaints were general about dryvtGBil^ and cisterns. The rains, how ever, putfto ehtl-'to the complaints, and the gentle housewife has no cause to worry as to^biWfthe water for next week's washing is to come from.

Very few female commercial travelers visit this oity, although there are said to be a number on the road. The last one here was selling laundry soaps. She was petite and beautiful, with roguish eyes, and had "golden hair hanging down her baok." She was as modest as could be, and persistent, too, but she had very little luck in selling soap.

One evening recently, "as the sun was sinking in the west," as the novelists •ay, three men oould have been seen making their way down Sixth street Two of them were walking, while between them they supported a man who was wobbling from one side of the street Ao the'other. |n, a manner that made tb&workioi his assistants no easy matter. Hie face was all "sicklied o'er with the vpale oast of thought," and he had every appearance of a lamb being led to the "slaughter. His companions looked grim and determined, but at the same time there was a far-away expression in their eyes that the man between them oould not see. As the trio passed down the street, pedestrians stopped to gaze at the strange spectacle. Women rushed to the parlor windows to gase upon the sight, and the small boys gathered at the street corners to see the odd crew Mihey meandered dotfn the street. Pre* ently they turned into a elde street and were lost to. view. It was Postmaster Donbam mounted on a bicycle tor the first*time, and the others were two letter eauartezfe holding him on the seat while he made* perttistent but not very successful effort to pedal the wheels and at tb»8Mo»ilfae looked contented. In the latter especially his effort was a dire failure.

Thomas M. MoKennan died at Indl&nspoils last Monday, and the remains were brought here for burial on Thursday- He was formerly engaged in the cigar business here, and was a member of the old Toute A MoKennan orchestra.

NEWS OF THE CITY.

Patrolman Weddle was exonerated by the police board this week of the charges preferred against bim by ex-patrolman Lewis,

The Masonic Advocate, of Indianapolis for April contains a portrait of Alexander Thomas, of this city, and a sketch of bis Masonic oareer. The portrait is a splendid likeness of Mr. Thomas, and in the sketch be is referred to as the "Grand Old Man" of Indiana Masonry.

The organization of the Terre EUute Industrial and Educational Union was perfected last Sunday by the election of the following officers: President, William Raugh vioe president, John P. Bennett secretary, Frank D. Blue treasurer, Samuel M. Young, Sr.

The remarkably low prices that even the best of horses command now has an effeot on the business of the veterinary surgeons. Many horse owners prefer to let their animals take the chance of pull ing through a sickness rather than to spen«I money on medical atteDtlou.

The Sycamore Fellowship club was orgadized by east end residents recently, and will have club rooms at the Second Congregational church. The followiug are the officers: President, Rev. W. F. Harding vice president, Jonathan Son nefield secretary, John Elder treasurer, Will Rigney.

The Germania society on Wednesday night elected the following officers for the ensuing year: President, Arnold Meyer vice president, A. Staudau secretary, Carl" Bar ten baok treasurer, Frank Fisbeck financial secretary, Wm. Schucbardt trustees, H. Herman, sr., Jobn'F. Brinkman and L. Welte.

The peripatetic "aotors" who started out from St.'.Louls a week or so ago to walk to New York, on a wager, and act every night, arrived here Monday and their.company disbanded. Some of the men have secured jobs, and refuse to give them up for the doubtful honor of being members of a "pedestrian dramatic company."

The wife of Montrose, the diamond thief, was sent to her relatives in St. Joseph, Mo., this week, on money raised by popular subscription. Her husband left her destitute, and she has been practically an object of charity. She is in a condition that entitles any woman, gord or bad, to all the sympathy and" consideration—and more—that usually falls to the lot of the unfortunate in this world. •c

James Burke, one of the most popular members of the fire department, died of consumption Sunday night, after along illness. He was thirty-four years of age and had been a member of the department for ten years. He was a son of Jerry Burke, and a brother of Superintendent Burke, of the street car company. A wife and three children survive him. He was a member of the Red Men, whioh order conducted his funeral on Wednesday.

Township assessor M. J. O'Connell has appointed the following assistants to make this year's assessment of real and personal property: John D. Bell, Frank Haney, John t?. Reiss, Samuel Shields, Henry Dinkle, Charles Davis, Hemsley Simmons, Joseph Lang, John Dougherty, John J. Roach, Peter Mank, Charles Apman, George Klug, John Garrettson, Patrick Orsborn, N. B. Kennett, Charles Naylor, Dennis Caughlln, Dan Murphy, M. C. Ripley, Horace Hlnton, John W. Shields, R. H. Thompson and E S, Erney^

Mrs. Margaret Thomas, wlfeof Alfred Thomas, an old and well-known citizen, died in St. Louis Wednesday evening, at the residence of Mrs. M. A. Murphy,-her daughter, with whom she had been making her home since October last. Dec3a«M was about seventy years of age, H-d had been a resident of this count for more than fifty years. She was a'woman of many excellent traits of oharaoter, and was well known among our older citizens. His funeral occurs this afternoon from the residence of her son, W. B. Jenokee, of north Eighth street.

Mrs. Madeline M. Meininger, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Madison, and a sister of Herbert Madison, died in Chicago Sunday, at the residence of her niece, Mrs. Will Truesdale. She was married in 1863 to Prof. J. C. Meininger, a music teacher, slnoe whioh time she has resided In Chicago. The body was interred at Woodlawn cemetery on Wednesday. The following members of the family were present from a distance Mrs. T. A. Madison, the venerable mother of the deceased, whose home is now in Chicago, and her daughter, Mrs. Chas. Damond, a sister, and Mrs. W. H. Truesdale, of Chicago, and Mrs. Wm. Steele, of Minneapolis, nieces. The pall bearers were

George E. Farring-

ton, J. W. Cruft, T. B. Long, John C. Warren, Charles B.. Brokaw and W. C. Ballt

The leading clergymen of Chicago, including Bishop Fallows, preached stump speeches last Sunday. They wanted the people to vote for the civil service law whioh the legislature made a local option matter, with the cities of the

Twenty-fifth Year

state. The amusing phase of the Chicago campaign was the fact that all the candidates were declaring that they believed in enforcing the law, all the civic federation's efforts were directed to the one end, and all the newspapers were urging their readers to adopt the law. Indeed, civil service reform has become so popular that the demagogues are rushing to its support. It is not meant to include Chauncey Depew under that head, but what he said in Chicago the other day is a good indication of the trend of sentiment on this question. The revelations of the Lexow committee, acoording to Dr. D9pew, showed that civil service reform is absolutely the only salvation for, the great oities. "Corruption," said he, "holds—not to as great a degree, perhaps—other cities in slavery, and civil service reform, rigidly enforced, oan alone right this gigantic wrong." It is only a few years ago that the only persons who advocated civil service .reform were a lot of snivelers who wanted all the offices themselves. Now not only the Depews but the "Hinky Dinks" and Chicago gangsters generally are declaring for civil service reform. . ══════════

THE possibility of diplomatic complications growing out of the firing upon an Auierioan vessel by a Spanish war vessel, calls attention to the fact that Spain is no lnoonsiderable naval power, but ranks well among the nations of Europe in that respect. She has twelve armorbd and twenty three unarmored warships, twenty-four gun boats, eightyfour torpedo boats, and her office re and seamen, including marines, are over 24,000 in number, with a naval reserve of '24,000. In the military branoh Spain's army on a peace footing is 143,000 strong, her total war strength is over 500,000, while she has 4,200,000 men capable of bearing arms. The United States navy had in commission on the 1st of December last forty-eight vessels, inoiudlng cruisers, monitors, gun boats, torpedo boats, training Bhipn, receiving vessels, etc. The regular army of the United States consists of 27,957 men, the militia of the different states oontain 110,000 men, while there are over 9,000,000 persons in the entire country available for service. It will be seen that should Spain, stand on her dignity in the Allianoa affair, we have vessels and men sufficient to administer a figurative spanking that she will not forget soon—that is unless the administration, alarmed by its display of backbone, should apologize to the Spanish government for the sharp dispatch that went to Madrid. . ══════════

¶ EDISON has bought in at receiver's sale the assets of the North American Phonograph company, and will conduct the business himself. Some years ago he sold a claim on all his future inventions

A Writer of an investigating turn of mind has discovered that according to the law of averages or historical precedents it is about time for the United States to have another war. The average period between wars heretofore has been about twenty-five years, and thirty years have now passed since the civil war. Since the institution of our government there never before has been such a lopg period of peaoe, and as the past deoade has proved a reoord breaker in so many other respects It is to be hoped that tbe next one will break the record in permitting us to continue at peace with the whole world.

THE pendulum does not seem to have begun its swing baokward politically, if we may judge from the result of this week's elections. In all the state elections north the Republicans have been victorious, while in mnnicipal contests the same has been true as a rule. In Chicago the Republican oandidate for mayor duplicated the victory of his party last fall and received the largest plurality ever given a candidate for the office in that city. The civil service law was carried by a large majority, and a ohange for the better may be looked for in Chicago's municipal government—a change sadly needed.

WE are now passing through thd annual shower of stories {about tbe escape and capture of Jeff Davis. It is the old controversy as to whether he wore petticoats. The storyjthat Wilkes Booth was not captured^nor killed at the time he

was reported to|have been is'due in a few days.

in the phonograph line to this company. He says he doesn't want anyone to have a lien on his brains, and he will now try to keep all the promises of improvements he made when he invented the phonograph. He is going into the manufacture of instruments for the household instead of the nickel-in-the-slot machine. He will make them so that a person may have an opera produced or hear a novel read in an evening in a parlor. There is one use to which a phonograph could be put that certainly would be a source of life-long pleasure. Thousands of parents have tried to recall and reproduce the familiar prattle of the baby. If it were placed on a cylinder, not only would it give pleasure to the parent but would be highly amusing to the baby when the "cherub" had become a six-footer. . ══════════