Centralia Fireside Guard from Centralia, Missouri • 1

in.torW oyd c. soettV kcr, 'IE THREE. 8 I VOLUME FIFTY-TWO CENTRALIA, BOONE COUNTY, MISSOURI, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1920. NUMBER 5. FOR SCHOOL TAXES DEATHS OF THE WEEK HOSPITAL ELECTION FLU IS ABATING DEATHS OF THE WEEK SOME FARM NEWS The move to raise the assessed valuation of property in Missouri had its origin, we believe, in the minds of the politicians, who have been working on a plan to get hold of more money to fill the state funds for the past five years, but they had the shrewdness to spring it in Columbia on Farmers Week under the guise of a move to bring more money into the school districts.

They have also put the plan into the hands of the Womens League of Voters and this will give it an additional impetus. We have no doubt but the valuation of farm and town property will be raised and when it is once raised, it will never be lowered. In order to justify the raising of the assessed valuation which will squander 60 cents of every dollar of increased taxes in order to give the schools 40 cents, the promoters of the plan tell us that this is the only hope of the schools of the state for the coming year. Those who are promoting this plan also tell us that the schools of Missouri have been deteriorating. This is base slander and is not the truth.

Every friend of the schools in the State of Missouri has known for a number of years that the districts of the state should be given more latitude in making levys for school funds, and until the law is changed giving a school district the right to increase its levy for school purposes abovt the present limit set by law, the schools will suffer, no matter if the assessment is raised. The reason the law was not changed was that the Missouri Assembly was not concerned very much about our schools or how they got along. Now the matter is to be passed along to dig the people for 60 cents out of every dollar because the schools need money- Let them put this thing over and then let every man who raises a protest about his taxes reflect that he voted for the bunch that failed to give the taxpayers relief or assistance when the had the opportunity. Also remember that this is election year and you can put the same old bunch back into office again. L.

JENNINGS ADVANCED. L. C. Jennings, formerly of Centralia, has accepted the position of Manager of the Felgar Oil and Land a two million dollar concern organized in Jatluarry, 1920 and incorporated in the State of Wyoming. The new company now owns some valuable leases in Iowa Park Field, Wichita County, Texas, and Caddo Field.

Stephens County, Texas, and will begin the development of these properities in a short time. The personnel of the company is, Geo. N. Felgar, the well known land man of Mt Pleasant, Iowa, who is president of the company; A. F.

Woodward, of Sturgeon, farmer and stockman, who formerly owned the Clay farm; F. P. Montgomery of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; Henry Trout, a wealthy farmer and stockman of Iowa; E. S.

Lingo, of Shenandoah, Iowa, L. D. Welch, a wealthy oil man of Denver, Colorado; C. L. Woods, a wealthy merchant and oil man of Thermopolis, Wyoming; Adam Weir, a capitalist who is presedent of a ten million dollar bank in Des Moines, Iowa; D.

M. Jennings, of Centralia. and L. C. Jennings, of Thermopolis.

With this combination of business experience in handling large business propositions, the new company should attain great success in their big venture. L. C. Jennings and Messrs Woods and Welch will spend most of their time in the oil districts of Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma, acquiring holdings for the companv. The main office of the company will be in Denver, Colorado.

In this connection the Thermopolis (Wyoming) Indepent has the following to say: L. C. Jennings has accepted the management of the Felgar Oil company, recently organized and with Mi'uablc properties in the Louisiana and Texas fields and he and Mrs. Jennings will move to Denver within a sheet t'nie to make their future home During their residence in Thprmor jlis for the past two yeats during which Mr. Jennings has actively engaged in the development of the oil fields and industry of this part of the state they have made many friends who will regret their departure from our little city, but the best wishes of all will follow them to their new home in the Colo-oradn capitol.

The election to be held Saturday in the Third Missouri district has attracted national attention. Speakers of National reputation have been sent thru the district by both Republicans and Democrats, and not a day has passed in the last ten that the people were not harangued from one to three times. Even the little hamlets were visited. Captain J. L.

Milligan. Democrat, is expected to win with a good majority, but it will likely be smaller than the usual large Democratic vote. The county hospital proposition is still enjoying period of hybernation ouite unlike that of our prognosticating friend who saw his shadow on the second of this month, as the hospital proposition dont appear to have broken its sleep since tho winter set in. Tho people up in this end of Boone don't care as much about the hospital proposition as they seem to be wonied about the league of nations, and yet this home question will affect them more. After the first tax levy was passed, the Boone County Court did the very silly thing of absolutely ignoring Centralia Township in making their appointments, and this put us all crosswise with the hospital as well as with our big sister, Columbia and the county court.

However this will not get us anywhere and those self-satisfied fellows in Columbia dont care a rap if our nose is out of joint. The ouestion of voting an additional $75,000.00 to add to the $100,000.00 already voted, is going to come up at the March election and. if we are any judge of such matters, the sum will be voted. Now the question with the north end is either to get in and save our political face or totally ignore the matter and let the proposition be carried by the rest of the county. If Centralia and the north end of the county wanted to fight the additional levy and to try to defeat it.

that would be another matter, but this attitude of sullenness will cut anv ice. however thin. We dont know why it is that with Boone and Audrain County spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for county hospitals, that private owned and operated hospitals are taking the hulk of the cases out of Centralia. but that matter is not under consideration. The question now is, are we going to cheer up and make our support of the proposition in Boone County a real support, are we going to fight, sulk or take to the hazel? WILL INCREASE RATES.

Local telephone rates will be increased on March 1, when business phones will be charged for at the rate of $3.00 a month and residence phones at the rate of $2.00 a month. All calls, by non-subscribers will be charged for except house guests from a distance or visitors in the home of the subscriber. SMALL BLAZE THURSDAY. An ahum of fire at about 1:40 today took the fire department to the residence of a colored man by the name of Lewis, north of the railroads. The house was practically destroyed when the fire department arrived, altho thev made a good run.

An estimate of the damage has not been made. In making the run to the fire the big grey horse fell as the fire department was turning into Singleton Street from Rollins and the wagon ran up on him, but he got up and despite his injuries and broken harness the run to the fire. A friend tells us that he has a good remedy or preventative for the Flu and he wants us to pass it along. His plan is to get a can of pine tar, a fire shovel with several live coals from a wood fire (not hard or bituminous coal as that has sulphur in it). Take a splinter and dip it into the tar and let the tar drip on the coals of fire and breathe the smoke and fumes arising from the tar.

In using this method one must be careful that the tar does not burst into flame and set the clothes on fire. To guard against this one could heat a fire shovel and drop a small nuantity of the tar on the shovel, breathing the fumes. The fumes should be breathed into the lungs with the mouth open and also thru the nose. It will benefit a cold also, and if it does not cure or ward off the Flu, it will not injure a person if they are careful. E.

A. Jones of north of town will move to Centralia after his sale and is figuring on buying the Annex Restaurant. Lexington, had a thirty thou dollai fire Wednesday when the Red Men hall was burned down and the Savings Bank was damaged. Robert McGee, charged with falsifying an affidavit he made in a petition for a divorce, and who was arrested last week, appeared in the circuit court Tuesday and entered a plea of no! guilty and gave bond for $500 tor his appearance at the April term of the circuit court. Since the starting of the world war the thirty principal nations of the world have issued forty billions of dollars in paper money, and they have only seven billions of dollars in gold on hand to back up the issues of paper.

There is too much paper money, and it may be necessary to make a parity between gold and silver to insure a safe paper money. A state organization of farmers co-operative grain elevator associations may be the outcome of farmers getting together at the University of Missouri College of Agriculture Farmers Week. A committee appointed at that time has called a meeting in Moberly on February 25-26, to perfect a state organization. Missouri is the last of the principal grain producing states to form a state organization of farmer grain dealers associations. The Moberly convention will be attended by delegates and representative farmers.

Horses and cows sold very draggy at the two sales last Friday held by J. G. Lekenan southeast and F. H. and C.

A. Frosch, southwest of town. Cows ran from $40 to $75; horses $60 to $80 a head. Some of the horse stock was worth twice the money it brought. Corn brought $1.40 per bushel and hay $20 per ton.

The new implements brought half price, while the old junk mostly went at big prices. At the Frosch sale the heifers were withdrawn, as was also the farm that had been advertised for sale. The United States Department of Agriculture has made some figures on the ice crop and it has figured out that with ice eight inches thick an acre of natural ice off of lake, pond or creek would yield $2,478 at $3 00 a ton. If the farmer has to buy ice at $3.00 per ton, more or less according to his location, he had better build an ice house and harvest his own ice crop, as the acreage will pay more that anything else on the farm. At the November election the voters of Missouri will be asked to vote upon a proposition to bond the state for $60,000,000 to construct a svs-'tem of roadways in the state.

The new state income tax will take, it is estimated, about five millions of dollars from the tax payers. On top of this is is proposed to raise the assessed valuation of the state, which will bring in probably three million dollars more from the tax payers. Locks, as tho the tax payers of Missouri were going to have a real nice time after January 1, 1921. Flour made a second drop of half p. dollar this week, making a clean dollar drop at Minneapolis.

Chicago prices were $12.50 to $13.00 a barrel. THE SCHOLARSHIPS. The Missouri Y. M. C.

A. is figuring on giving free scholarships to ex-soldiers. Each applicant must have an honorable discharge from the army, navy or marine corps. Tuition and text books will be furnished ex-service men. The Centralia committee to handle this work in this place is composed of Arthur Sames, Chas.

B. Meffert and Dr. J. T. llick-erson, who will furnish information as to scholarships to any who want to take advantage of them.

The money collected last year was more than they needed, we understand, and this is the manner in which the organization proposes to expend it. The exceedingly coy but very apparent flirting of the partisans and office seekers of the several political parties with the ex-service men. at this time must be boresome to the former soldier. Here is one office-seeker who sets 'up the howl that the soldiers of the late war must be recognized. Of course, we all admit it, but this particular fellow wants the soldiers to understand their ouly hope lies in him.

Then another fellow with equal cunning, starts up a yell that the nation must dig up some sort of doll rags for the late warriors, and be is the guy to look to for gifts galore. The secret of all this commotion is that the American Legion is growing to be a large and powerful organization, and while it was not primarily organized for political purposes and probably has not interested itself in politics or politicians, it is very apparent, that should the Legoin favor any man or anv policy, the next thing would be the answer, which is simple. Tho partisan politicians and tho office seekers can not bdie 'e that haring great power, the Leg will fail to use it politically, hence all this flirting and smirking. Boone Countv Renublicans will meet at Columbia Saturday the 21st to select delegates to the state convention and to the 8th district convention. County candidates are already getting busv for the coming campaign.

Among those who arc mentioned nrominentlv as candidates are J. R. Hall, of Ilallsville. wlm will make the race for assessor; G. E.

Chambers and R. L. (Bob) Hill of Columbia, who will likely male the race for sheriff. There is considerable agitation back in the hazel and we may expect to see another head or two pop out in the clearing ins'dc of a week. People are getting panicky on account of the Flu epidemic and in the past week we have heard of the death of two persons from Flu and three others who it was said could not live until night." None of the paities are dead, we are glad to state, and of the three very bad cases reported, two are up and the third one was not even sick, so he says.

We have had several hundred cases in and around the town and the situation is not getting much better this week, but there will be nothing gained by getting panicky. Keep away from crowds and dont stay in superheated rooms. You can not ward off the Flu by sprinkling the house with oil of eucalyptus, formaldehyde or asofoedita, as if you get anv disinfectant such as formaldehyde, strong enough to attack Flu germs, it will attack the membrane of the throat. Dont worry about the Flu and you may not have to entertain it. LAP A DOUBLE RUNAWAY.

Granville Sexton had a double runaway Tuesday afternoon at the Alton tracks that came near resulting seriously. Mr. Sexton was driving one of his teams and his wife was in a big wagon driving the other team. An engine on the Alton frightened Mr. Sextons team and they began to run despite his efforts to hold them.

The other team saw tho runaway and they started to run also. It looked like Ben Hurs chariot race for a time especially when Mr. Sexton, his team and tho heavy wagon all went into the deep ditch in one big mixup. The team driven by Mrs. Sexton continued to run and passed tho wreck on a dead run.

Mrs. Sexton held them in the road and as they ran she reached out and gathered in the lines and braced herself until the team was practically pulling the wagon by their mouths Mrs. Sexton let them run but kept them in the road until they arrived at the home place, when the team gave up as beaten and she got out and unhitched them, at the same time sending her son bark to see what had happened to his dad, as she saw the wreck as her team dashed by. Mr. Sexton got out with a bruised shoulder, but he says either he or the team tore up a set of good leather bntnesr getting out of the deep diie.i.

When he got home he found his wife laughing over her runaway and the fact that she handled her team so that she did not even lose the scoop off the side of the wagon. The February number of Engineering and Contracting, published at Chicago, in a lengthy article the subject of hard surface road building in the United States, says: Tbe end of 1919 found Missouri enjoying the greatest road building movement in her history. Counties and road districts had voted $18,112,000 in bonds for the construction of state roads in each county with state and federal aid. In addition it is expected that elections held early this year to vote on bond issues totaling over $15,000.00 will add to the sum spent on roads. As a result of the bond activity the state highway board had approved applications for 734.60 miles of hard surfaced road, which, when completed, will cost $10,226,646.

All for road work. The journal then goes on to state the number of miles each county in Missouri will construct of hard surfaced roads, and we note that Callkway County will construct 13.5 miles, Cole County 26 miles and our heart went pit-a-pat when we read where Boone County, the home of Centralia, the State University, the Tinnacles and a few other notable places, was going to construct THREE miles of hard surfaced roadway. but the journal did not state whether or not this three miles was going to be one continuous highway or would be divided up into townships. The "school situation" in Missouri has arrived at an acute stage, and those on the teaching side of the question are doing more worrying than the patrons of the schools. The advancing cost of everything has made tho avocation of teaching one of the most profitless of ary profusion oi calling in the state.

Something will have to be done to keep teachers from going into other avocations or professions that offer a better salary, and this is what is called the school situation. It is exceedingly unfortunate that our legislators have given so little thought to the schools of the state that they have balked with obsolete laws any effort on the part of the rural districts to levy more money for school purposes than the customary 40 rents on the $100 valuation as provided by a law passed probably in the 80s or early 90s. There is no excuse for this oversight on the legislature, as they knew that this situation would maintain at the last session and thev should have provided for it had they not been so busy-raising their own pay and that of their multitude of job holders. ROLLA RAY RICHARDS. Rolla R.

Richards died Tuesday February 10, 1920 at 3:30 oclock at his home on the Sam Williams place, west of Centralia. Death was from pneumonia following an attack of influenza. Aged 34 years, six months, and 20 days. Rolla Ray Richards was born in Boone County July 14, 1887. He was married to Miss Bertha Jennings on February 11, 1912.

To this union was born three sons, Robert, aged Truman, aged 4 and Void, aged 9 months, all of whom with the wife and mother survive. He is also survived by his father and mother, and by four brothers, J. W. C. M.

and M. Richards Mr Richards joined the Baptist church at the age of 21 years and has lived a consistent Christian life until his death The body was taken to Union church, south of Centralia, for interment Wednesday at 2:00 oclock. A short service was said at the grave by Rev. E. A.

Hunter of Centralia. Mr. Richards was a fine young man and a good neighbor and his untimely death is mourned by a host of friends and relatives. Added to the sadness of his death, his wife and three children are down sick and were unable to follow the loved body to the grave. They have the sympathy of the good people of this community.

MRS.HOMER FOX AND CHILDREN Mrs. Eva Fox, wife of Homer Fox, died Sunday morning at her home southeast of Centralia and near Gant of pneumonia. Aged 30 years. Mrs. Fox was survived by her husband and four children, two of whom have since followed her to the grave and two are yet in a critical condition with pneumonia.

Besides her immediate family, Mrs. Fox is survived by her father, J. B. Plybon; three sisters, Mrs. Doss Mella, Mrs.

Albert Burgess and Mrs. Susie McGhee, of Wichita, Kansas, and six brothers, W. R. Plybon, of this city, P. Plybon of Paris; L.

O. Plybon, Paris; Jesse Plybon of Texas and Harold and Dewey Plybon of Audrain ounty. Mrs. Fox was a good mother and a most excellent neighbor and her untimely death together with the other deaths in the family comes as a shock to her many friends. Ella Mae, the two-year old daughter, died Monday night, and Homer Louis, six years old, passed away Wednesday morning.

The funerals of the three were held Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, after which the bodies were in-tered in the Mexico cemetery. Leona Ruth, aged four years, is in critical condition and is not expected to survive, while an eight-year old son still has a fighting chance. All were down with pneumonia. The Guard joins the community ip offering condolences to the husband and father in their great bereavement. i JAMES EDWARDS SEWELL.

James Edwards, the six-months old son of John Sewell and wife of Mexico, died early Saturday morning at the home of its parents, after a short illness of pneumonia. The body was shipped to Centralia for burial after funeral services at the home. The parents have the sympathy of their many friends here in their bereavement. HUBERT T. DENNIS.

Hubert T. Dennis, aged nine months, died February 5. Funeral service by Rev. Ernest Jones at Mt. Zion Friday, after which the little body was laid to rest in the cemetery at this place.

They have the sympathy of all. MRS. ANN E. TRUITT. Mrs.

Ann E. Truitt, aged 81 years, 11 months and 13 days, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Claude Wheeler, at Columbia Friday, February 6, 1920. Mrs. Truitt was the mother of Mrs.

Winfield Potts of Centralia and is spoken of as a fine woman of splendid Christian character. She was before her marriage Miss Ann E. Pemberton, the daughter of Harvey Pemberton and wife of eastern Boone Coutny. She was born on the old home place in this county February 19th, 1839. Mrs.

Truitt's husband preceded her to the grave some years ago. Five children survive her. The Pemberton family was one of the pioneer families of the Callaway and Boone borders. Funeral services were conducted at the Columbia Baptist church Sdnday by Revs. T.

W. Young and G. W. Hatcher, after which the remains were laid to rest in the Columbia cemetery. John O'Brien, living north of Thompson, died Monday at.

the age of 42 years. Funeral services were conducted by Father T. OSullivan, after which the interment was made in the Catholic cemetery at Mexico. MRS. T.

J. DANIEL. Mrs. T. J.

Daniel died at her home in Centralia Wednesday afternoon after a lingering illness. Aged 48 years, four months and fourteen days. The direct cause of her death was pneumonia, which developed the last week of her illness. Elizabeth McDonald was born September 25, 1871 and was married to T. J.

Daniel in 1889. To this union six children were born, who with the husband and father survive her. They are Mrs. John R. Wade, of Hardin, Montana; Mrs.

Ed Daesch. of Mexico; Miss Hazel of Centraba, Elza, of Thermopolis, Wyoming, Mason and T. Junior, of Centralia. Her mother, Mrs. J.

B. Pool, and two sisters, of Hardin, Montana and a brother, W. E. McDonald, of this city, also survive her. Mrs.

Daniel came to Centralia with her husband and family about 19 years ago and in these years she has made many warm friends. She was always quiet and homeloving and centered her attention on her husband and children. Since their children were mostly grown, Mrs. Daniel and her husband were living their, sweetheart days over again and she found much joy in the companionship of the home. Her friends loved her for her quiet, gentle manner and sweet disposition.

The funeral services have not yet been completed, awaiting the coming of the children from distant states, the mother and two sisters. It is thought likely the services will be held at the Christian church Saturday or Sunday, after which interment will be made in the city cemetery. The bereaved family have the sympathy of the community in their great bereavement. BLAZE AT ALEX. RILEYS.

On Tuesday night at about 11 :00 oclock the residence of Alex. Riley was discovered to be on fire. The neighbors and friends helped to get nearly all the household goods out before the fire department arrived. The fire was finally extinguished. The origin of the fire is not known but it started in a closet where a quantity of fruit was stored together with other articles.

During the day some girls were doing the ironing and when they finished they put the ironing board in this closet but it can hardlv be figured that this was the cause of the fire unless the heat from the board and its covering caused some sort of combustion. Mr. Riley was returning home from lodge meeting when the alarm was given. Mrs. Riley had been very ill and the excitement incident to the fire caused her to have a set back and a nervous spell.

The damage to the residence was great, but it can be occupied after being repaired, and it is believed the insurance will cover the loss. STOP FEDERAL FARM LOANS. Instructions have been sent out to the farm loan board that they were to make no more farm loans until the constitutionality of the federal farm loan act has been passed upon by the United States Supreme Court. This will not affect the loans already made, for the present at least, nor will it affect the loans for which application has already been made, but it will stop further loans until the court decides upon the law. Architect Ed Chamberlain is now working on elaborate show window front for the Settle building just north of the Farmers Merchants bank, occupied by Hulen and Thomas.

An up-to-date plate glass front will be put in. When spring opens up the concrete walk will probobly be raised up to the paving grade level from this building to the Guard office. This walk will have to be repaired and it is expected that a new walk will be cheaper than trying to patch the old one. John Robinson is figuring on putting in a new front in his garage and a balcony in the back of the building for holding stock. The intention is to fit the front as an office and show room.

Brick work on the farm clubs elevator will be started Monday if the weather remains favorable. The carpenters have been busy the present week, cribfiing the elevator. A permanent or practical driveway is to be put in when the work on the building is completed. Esteppe Ilulcn are building a one-story brick storage room on the Early lots fronting the Guard alley and the alley north of the Gem picture show. They will make a much larger storage room than they had last year and it can be reached by the farmers more easily as they can get to the place from two sides.

The Saturday trade of the ice firm is a large one and they are going to arrange to handle it better this year..