The Hancock Democrat from Greenfield, Indiana • Page 1

HANCOCK DEMOCRAT "THE UNION THE CONSTITUTION THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE' GREENFIELD, THURSDAY MORNING, JULY 12, 1945 MRS. OLA CONNER MRS. MILLIE HECK DIES THURSDAY SCHOOL BUILDING BONDS ARE PAID Unity DIES AT FARMLAND FEDERAL AGENTS HERE WEDNESDAY Action Taken Against Owners of Automobiles Without the Auto Use Tax Stamp Funeral Services are Held at Morris-town Saturday Afternoon Rites Held Monday for Former Hancock County Woman; Burial at Eden School Corporation Will Be Free of Bonded Indebtedness by July 1, 1947 A steailv lino of motorists paid their respect at the Greenfield post office Wednesday. Thev also paid $5.00 for the federal auto use tax stamp, which they had failed to purchase, and were glad to pet off without paying any additional penalties. The federal agents swooped down earlv Tuesday morning and made a systematic survey of automohiles parked on the streets of Greenfield.

A notice was left in every car where no stamp was pasted to the windshield warning the motorist to appear at the Greenfield post office within twenty-four hours. The delinquent motorists on buying the stamp and signing a statement that he would post the stamp on the windshield were released. The T.ureau of Internal Revenue at Indianapolis has warned that agents would visit every county in the state. Motorists who persist in violating the law by not buying the stamp will be subject to severe penalties. APPEAL IS MADE FOR ELECTRIC FANS Legion Seeks Fans to Add to the Comfort of Wounded Soldiers Appeal for electric fans for the war wounded in military hospitals in Indiana has been made by Marion Amick, of Columbus, Indiana, chairman of the American Military Hospital COUNTY BOARD The Board of Trustees of the Greenfield School City recently paid the last $6,000.00 worth of bonds due on the Greenfield High School building.

July l. lo, the Greenfield City Schools floated a bond issue of to build the Greenfield High School building. These bonds were with one exception $1,000 bonds with interest at 5 per cent. Recently the last six of these bonds were paid by the School City, completing the payment for the building. According to present plans of the City Schools will be free of debt on July 1, 1947.

October 1, 1940, a second bond issue of $22,000 was made by the School City for the purpose of plant addition and repair. These bonds drew interest of 1V4 per cent and were sold at a premium. Part of the money from this bond sale was used to refund the debt against the gymnasium which was drawing 5 per cent interest, thus reducing the interest rate on that debt to 1V4 per cent. In addition, the Riley building was remodeled, new boilers and stokers were installed. The Riley Building playground was paved, the High School Building and Gymnasium were re-roofed, the land for the High School Athletic field was purchased and the Athletic field was built.

Before this repair program was completed war was declared and there is now on hand $660.00 from this fund to be used to complete the repair program when the materials are available. Each year since 1927 the School City had been paying $6,000 per year on the High School bond issue of 1925. Beginning in 1941 the schools in aririitinn to paying the $6,000 per year on the High School Building issue began paying off the second bond issue. $1,500 was paid off in 1941 and $2,000 each years since. To date $7,500 worth of these bonds have been retired, leaving a balance of $12,500 to be paid.

Now that the High School building bonds are all paid the board of School Trustees are planning to pay off $7,000 worth of this second issue on July 1, 1946, and $5,550 worth on July 1, 1947. If this is done the School City will then be free of debt. It is estimated that net value of the City School assets as of Julv 10, 1945, is around $300,000. RITES FOR MRS. ELIZABETH PETTIGREW HELD MONDAY Services for Mrs.

Elizabeth W. Petti-grew, age N5, were conducted at the George McCarty funeral home Monday at 2 p. m. by the Rev. Estal Taylor, pastor of the Fortville Christian church, where she was a member.

The widow of Robert Pettigrew. she died at the family home in Fortville Sunday. Burial was made in the Beech'grove cemetery, Muncie. Surviving are four daughters. Miss Stella, of Indianapolis; Mrs.

Dora Rinker, of Muncie; Mrs. Marv Owens. of Rockville. and Mrs. Marie Ford, of Fortville; three sons, Grover and Robert, both of Muncie.

and Earl, of Boulder, twenty-five grandchil dren and 2S great grandchildren. MRS. IDA STROUP DIES IN HOSPITAL Spring Lake Park Woman Dies Two Months Aftor Husband's Death Mrs. Ida Pearl Stroup died at the Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis Wednesday night following a brief illness. She was sixty-six years old.

Mrs. Stroup was the widow of John W. Stroup, who died two months ago. Mrs. Stroup was born in Hamilton county and resided there until moving to Spring Lake Park about thirty years ago.

Survivors include two children. James E. Williams, of Washington, D. and Mrs. Baxter Deck, of Winchester; two grandchildren, two bro thers, Fred Mills, of Los Angeles, Frank Hiatt.

Demming, and two sisters, Mrs. Rebecca Ker-cheval, of Sheridan, and Mrs. Edna Cammack, of Demming. Funeral services will be held at the Philadelphia Methodist Church, where she held membership, Saturday after noon at 2 o'clock. Interment will be made in the Philadelphia cemetery.

Rev. Russell Ford, of Indianapolis, will officiate. Friends may call at the Pasco Funeral Home any time. FIRE DAMAGES KINDER APARTMENT EARLY TODAY Approximately $300 damages re sulted to the. William Kinder apartment; on East Main street, early this morning, when fire broke out in a storage room, The alarm was turned in at 12:30 a.

m. The cause of the fire is unknown. Apartments in the buildings were damaged by smoke and water. Rev. and Mrs.

Grant O. Jennings have returned home from Lake Winona. They were also called to Fort Dodge, Iowa, due to the illness of his mother. She is improving very nicely. Lieut, and Mrs.

H. C. Gemmill, of Corpus Christi, Texas, are spending several days with the former's mother, Mrs. Helen Gemmill. Lieut.

Gemmill is a member of the U. S. Naval Air Corps. Mrs. Robert Repass and son, Robert, daughter, Sally Baldwin, of Toledo, Ohio, are here for a visit with Mrs.

Repass, aunts, Margaret, Nelle and Vernie Baldwin. Mrs. Millie Handy Heck, widow of Ray Heck, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Nancy Fox, of New Palestine, Thursday afternoon from a complication of diseases. She was sixty-one years old.

Funeral services were held at the L. V. Hauk funeral home in Morristown Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock with Rev. Floyd Cook officiating. Interment was made in Asbury cemetery.

Mrs. Heck was a member of the Morristown Methodist church. She was born in Hanover township on March 5. 1SS4. the daughter of John and Ida Wolf Handy.

Her marriage to Mr. Heck took place on October 11, 1902. Nine children were, born to the union and seven survive. With Mrs. Fox, at whose home she died, they are Richard and Herbert Heck, of Morristown; Staff Sergeant Earl Heck, serving in Italy; ART 3c Robert Heck, of Greenfield, stationed at Charleston.

W. with the navy; Mrs. Helen Bennett, of this city, and Mrs. Gloria Anna Totten, of Fairland. Also surviving are 14 grandchildren, four sisters, Mrs.

Edna Heck and Mrs. Ruth Ruhl, of Rushville; Mrs. Jesse Vanscyoc, of Morristown and Mrs. Ret-ta Schlender, of Indianapolis, and one brother, Fred Handy, of North Vernon. ALVA A.

VARNER SUCCUMBS MONDAY Greenfield Man Was Trainer of Race Horses for Many Years Alva A. Varner, Greenfield man who was identified with horse racing all of his life, died at the home of his brother, Harry Varner, early Monday morning after an illness of several months. He was sixty-six years old. Mr. Varner was a native of Jackson township, Hancock county.

He was a son of Jacob and Mary Dudding Varner and was born March 6, 1879. Early in life he became associated with horse racing and from then on until his death he was active in training and caring for race horses. He trained and raced horses in almost every state of the union. During the 1944 racing season he was on Long Island Sound, N. and during the past winter season he was at Aiken, South Carolina, where he was connected with the stables of Seth Palin.

Because of illness he returned to Greenfield several months ago. His health continued to decline, resulting in his death this week. Funeral services were held at the Pasco Funeral Home Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock with Rev. Herschel M. Reed officiating.

Interment was made in Park cemetery. Mr. Varner is survived by two brothers. Harry and John E. Varner and three sisters, Mrs.

Fannie Scott, Mrs. Hubert Smock and Mrs. Walter Boyden. LADIES ENJOY DINNER-BRIDGE Golf Tournament Played on Wednesday Afternoon One of the enjoyable events at the Greenfield Country Club was the dinner-bridge party given on Wednesday-evening. There were forty reservations.

The small tables were attractive as miniature golf greens, and at each place golf tees were used as favors. Those present were: Mrs. Ewing Shields, Mrs. William Kiger, Mrs. Jesse D.

Hughes, Mrs. Loren Martin, Mrs. James Rider, Mrs. M. M.

Pickett, Mrs. John W. McAdams, Mrs. Arthur Johnson, Mrs. Harold Metcalf, Mrs.

Frank Guthier, Mrs. Opal Amos, Mrs. Charles E. Perkins, Mrs. Barton Moses, Mrs.

Sam Hughes, Mrs. Virgil Jeffries. Mrs. B. S.

Binford, Mrs. Warren Coon, Mrs. Lawrence Garriott, Mrs. Hiram Sexson, Mrs. G.

Beamer Davis, Mrs. Charles Fair, Mrs. Nelson Blackburn, Mrs. Robert Mcintosh, Mrs. Gerald Parrish, Mrs.

Robert Ogg, Mrs. Sterling Mount. Mrs. Delbert Crider, Mrs. Eldon Staller, Mrs.

D. C. Newman. Mrs. Paul Bussell, Mrs.

John F. Mitchell, Misses Katherine Curry, Vivian Thomas. Nelle and Margaret Baldwin, Mildred Hawkins, Mrs. Gerald Norris and Mrs. Ferrell, of Fortville, and Mrs.

Robert Repass, of Toledo, Ohio. Both contract and auction bridge were played during the evening. The high scores in contract were held by Mrs. Nelson Blackburn, Mrs. D.

C. Newman and Mrs. John W. McAdams, and high auction scores were held by Mrs. John F.

Mitchell, und Mrs. Virgil Jeffries. Preceding the dinner at 3 o'clock a rotation tournament -was enjoyed i by several ladies. There were two foursomes tied for first place. The first foursome was composed of Mrs.

Jesse D. Hughes, Mrs. William Kiger, Mrs. Loren Martin and Mrs. Waldo Ging, and the second, Mrs.

Nelson Blackburn, Mrs. Hiram Sexson, Miss Katherine Curry and Mrs. Opal Amos. The committee in charge of the dinner-bridge was Mrs. Eldon Staller, chairman, Mrs.

Sam Silberstein, Mrs. Paul Bussell, Mrs. Delbert Crider. Mrs. Robert Ogg, Mrs.

John F. Mitch ell, and Misses Mildred Hawkins Nelle and Margaret Baldwin Mr. and Mrs Eldon Staller and daughter, Ann, spent the week-end with his mother, Mrs. B. G.

Staller, at Denver, Ind. Lt. and Mrs. Henry Clay Gemmill, of Corpus Christi, Texas, have been visiting his mother, Mrs. Helen Gemmill, the past week.

Mrs. Ola Moore Conner, a native of Hancock county and a resident of this county until her marriage, died at her home in Farmland Thursday evening after an illness of several months. Mrs. Conner, widow of William Conner, was eighty-two years old. She was the daughter of Roland and Sarah Moore and was born near Eden.

Survivors include one son, Jesse Conner, of Pasedena, one. daughter, Mrs. Ruth Ruby, of Albany, N. one brother, Samuel Moore, of Green township, and one sister, Mrs. Etta Cooper, of Clarksburg.

Funeral services were held at the Farmland Christian Church, where she was a member, Monday afternoon. Interment was made in the cemetery at Eden. PENNSYLVANIA TRAIN DEMOLISHES AUTO FRIDAY A west bound Pennsylvania passenger train demolished the Oldsmobile automobile, owned by Hank Miller, S61 West Main street, Friday morning at 2 o'clock. The mishap occurred at the crossing one mile west of the Eli Lilly plant. Miller's car became stalled on the track.

He jumped out of the car and attempted to signal the engineer on the approaching train but was unable to attract his attention with a flash light. The car wreckage was strewn along the right-of-way for some distance. FUNERAL FOR HOMER D. LAND HELD THURSDAY AFTERNOON Funeral services for Homer D. Land, age 55, well known Shelby county farmer, were held at the Sugar Creek Methodist church in Shelby county Thursday afternoon.

Burial was made in the New Palestine cemetery. Mr. Land was born in Moral township on January 25, 1890, and had spent his entire life in that community. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs.

Joseph Land. In July, 1912, he was married to Miss Edna Mohr, who survives with one son, Maurice W. Land, of Indianapolis; also surviving are one grandson, Kermit Land; three brothers, Harry Land, of Elizabeth-town. Jess Land, of California, and Elijah Land, of Indianapolis; one half brother and two half sisters, Oscar Pyle, of Moral township; Mrs. Susie Means, of New Palestine, and Mrs.

Nellie Rouse, of Missouri. FLOYD HINES IS NAMED MARTINSVILLE SCHOOL HEAD Floyd Hines. formerly principal at Eden, has been named superintendent of the Martinsville schools. He succeeds R. W.

Dorsett. Mr. Hines is a graduate of Butler University. He resigned at Eden several years ago to go to the Cambridge City schools. He has also taught at Greensfork and Wilkinson.

HIGHER RATING FOR POST OFFICE Greenfield Post Office is Advanced to First Class Rating The Greenfield Post Office was recently advanced from second class to first class. The higher rating has resulted in several changes at the post office. There are four classifications of post offices in the United States. A post office which annually does $40,000 or more business in postal receipts automatically is advanced to first class. Receipts of the Greenfield post office in 1944 totaled $45,080.

Last year was the first time in the history of the post office that the receipts passed the $40,000 mark. The new classification permits the hiring of an additional clerk and the employment of an assistant It is optional in a second class post office whether an assistant clerk is employed. Recently Wayne Crider, a clerk in the post office, was named assistant postmaster and Howard Johns was advanced from substitute clerk to regular clerk. There are four full time clerks employed in the post office now. Marion Rose recently was appointed substitute clerk.

Another requirement of a first class post office is that a clerk be on duty from 6:30 a. m. until 9:30 p. m. each evening.

The lobby is closed at 9 p. m. and any letters posted by that time will be placed on the train the same night. Postmaster Marshall Winslow will make all of his reports directly to the post office department in Washington, D. instead of to Indianapolis as under the second class post office plan.

A postmaster in a first class office draws annually: $200 more in salary. The salary of the postmaster is determined by the receipts of the office for the preceding year. There are certain other forms and regulations which the post office adhere to now that a higher rating has been made here. All employees at the post office will receive approximately $400 per year increase as a result of the new law enacted by Congress and signed several days ago by President Truman. UNDERGOES OPERATION Mrs.

Lee Elsbury, of Blue River township, underwent an operation at the Major Hospital, Shelbyville, Tuesday. Mrs. Elsbury withstood the operation as well as could be expected and is improving. Sergeant and Mrs. Denzle Shackle are visiting relatives and friends here.

Sgt. Shackle, who is stationed at Fort Lewis, is on a furlough. WNU StrMtt) BOARD SENDS 26 FOR EXAMINATION Men Who Had Previously Been Rejected are Given Second Examination Twenty-six registrants of the Hancock County Selective Service Board who had previously been rejected for some minor physical defects were sent to Indianapolis Saturday for re-examination under the government plan to induct some registrants between the ages of 18 and 25 who have previously been disqualified. The registrants passing the examination will be inducted into the service at a later date. The following men underwent the examination Saturday: Benjamin Barrett Fort, 3029 Keystone Indianapolis.

Richard Grant Keesling, Shirley, Route 1. George Thomas Ferguson, 746 Park Indianapolis. Forest Paul Murphy, Greenfield, Route 2. Max Eugene Zumwalt, Greenfield, Route 4. Charles William Murnan, 511 East Osage street, Greenfield.

Vernon Nickson, Greenfield, R. 3. Marion Eugene Fansler, Fairland, Box 21. Bill Dean Caudell, Fortville. Charles Meredith Hull, 422 N.

East street. Greenfield. Wilbur Ray Brooks, 604 N. Spring street, Greenfield. Robert Lee Cross.

Greenfield, R. 2. Richard Ellsworth Hudson, 519 S. Mount Greenfield. Russell Bright, 105 W.

Osage Greenfield. David Thomas. 326 E. Staat Street. Fortville.

Robert Harding Brashear, Shirley, Route 2. James Earnest Dobbins, 604 X. Spring street. Greenfield. Charles Ellig Sharp.

629 E. Elm Shelbvville. Roy Leo Ash, 1020 W. North Greenfield. Richard Bruner Spencer, 22 N.

Penn sylvania Street, Greenfield. Arnold Leon Sutton, USH S. State street, Greenfield. Everett Leon Kellam, Fortville, Route 1. Willis Lee White.

Greenfield. Route 5. Clayton Edgar Haynie. 433 W. Fourth street.

Greenfield. Henry Joseph Alfke, Greenfield, Route 4. WALTER LARRABEE UNINJURED BY BLAZE Center Township Farmer Has Narrow Escape When Gasoline Ignites Walter Larrabee, Center township farmer, narrowly escaped from being seriously burned the latter part of last week at his farm five miles northwest of this city. Mr. Larrabee was filling a five gallon gasoline can from a drum when he struck a match to re-light his pipe.

Flames from the match ignited the gasoline. Mr. Larrabee tossed the gasoline can aside. He was not burned. A portion of a milk house was burned before the flames were extinguished.

ANSWER IS FILED TO GAS COMPANY In answer to a modification request of the Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Company of Texas, the Public Service Commission of Indiana today asked that the company be denied the right to deliver natural gas directly to the Dnpont Company of Fortville. The federal power commission on June 5 had issued orders restricting sales of the Panhandle Company to the Eastern Indiana Gas Company of New Castle and the Greenfield Gas Company of Greenfield. The pipeline company later asked that the order be modified to include direct sales of gas to the Dupont Company. VISITING HERE Mr. and Mrs.

Charles W. Allen and son. Joseph Lee, are the guests of Dr. and Mrs. J.

L. Allen and other relatives and friends. Mr. Allen is employed at DuPont factory in Charleston, West Virginia. Mr.

and Mrs. John F. Mitchell, were the dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. John W.

Atherton, in Indianapolis on Saturday evening last. PLAN SCHOOL YEAR Hancock County School Will Re-open Friday, September 7th Re-organization of the Hancock County Board of Education to conform with an act passed by the 1945 General Assembly was completed by township trustees' at the July meeting held in the Palm Room of the Early Drug Store Tuesday evening. A chicken dinner was enjoyed preceding the meeting. By virtue of his office, S. R.

Boring will serve as president of the board. Guy Moore, trustee of Sugar Creek township, was elected treasurer, and Darold T. Fleming, trustee of Center township, was elected secretary. The board, under the 1945 law, will be equivalent or have more authority than city school boards. The law-provides that the board may employ a health nurse, reading supervisor, band instructor or certain other school employees.

Hancock county may qualify for two units, which means that the state will pay a proportion of the salaries of such instructors. An appropriation will be asked for the school year of 1946-47 so that money-will be available should the board deem it advisable to employ such an instructor for the county schools. The 1945 law also provides that the state pay the same proportion of the county superintendent's salary as the state pay the various teachers. Cognizance was taken of the ruling by the State Department of Education that all continuous commissioned schools must operate eight and one-half months or longer beginning with the school year of 1946-47. Hancock county schools will reopen Friday, Sept.

7. which will be reorganization day. Regular class room study will star the following Monday. A teacher meeting will be held Thursday, September 6, at the Memorial building. A county safety meeting for school bus drivers, township trustees and others will be held at the Memorial building, Friday evening.

Sept. 7. All members of the board were present Tuesday evening. This was the first time that Joseph Beattie, trustee of Brown township, was able to attend the meeting since a serious illness which necessitated several operations early this year. PRIVATE LOWE WOUNDED A brief report received from the U.

S. Marine Corps headquarters stated that Private Warren E. Lowe was wounded in the abdomen, left elbow and right arm, on June 9th. at Okinawa. He is confined in naval hospital No.

19. He is the son of Mrs. Mildred E. Allen, the wife of Dr. Joseph L.

Allen. He is the husband of Mrs. Gwendolyn Lowe and father of Janice Lowe of Morristown. OTTO P. RETTIG DIES IN LAFAYETTE Rites Held Tuesday at Peru for For-- mer Greenfield Business Man Funeral services for Otto Pv Rettig, former Greenfield business man, were held at the Allen Funeral Home in Peru Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock.

Burial was made in the cemetery at Peru. Mr. Rettig died at the home of his son, George P. Rettig in Lafayette Thursdav. He was eighty-three years old.

The Rettig family left this city in 1932 and returned to Peru. The family resided here about ten years. Mr. Rettig and son operated an elevator which was later destroyed by fire. Later they erected the garage building, now occupied by the Shelby Service, on East Main street and operated a garage and filling station here for several years.

Mr. Rettig owned the building at the time of his death. Early in life Mr. Rettig was associated with the Wallace Brothers Cir cus, which at that time wintered in Peru. Surviving besides the son is a daughter, Mrs.

Wilbur Hasemeier. of Seattle, and several grandchildren. Mrs. Rettig died nine years ago. A.

L. NEW FALLS A. L. New, of this city, fell at his home on Grant street this morning, and just how serious his condition is can not be determined for a few days. Committee.

American Legion Posts throughout the state were asked to collect fans in their communities for loan to hospitals. TTimnands of wounded men are bed fast in Wakeman, Billings and other military hospitals in Indiana, Mr. Amick stated; many are in heavy casts and bandages. Fans to give them comfort during summer heat are not available from government sources. Immediate loan of hundreds of funs hv Indiana citizens will be neces sary to bring relief from heat into the hospital wards.

Fans will be distributed by the Legion hospital committee as rapidly as received, going to the men most greatly in mod of them. Kach fan will be marked with the owners' name and will be returned by the Legion as soon as the need is past. Idle or little usea fans in Indiana homes and business places can make a huge diference in the comfort of the wounded men this summer, Mr. Amick said. Persons havintr fans they are will ing to loan for the wounded men are asked to call their nearest American legion Tost or any Legionnaire, or 'to write a post card to Department Headquarters.

The American Legion, 777 North Meridian Indianapolis, Ind. Fans will he called for and every effort made by the Legion to return them in good condition. NEW SCALE FOR BENEFIT PAYMENTS NOW EFFECTIVE Effective July 1. 1945, the maximum weekly benefit payable under provisions of the Indiana Employment Security Act will be increased from $18 to $20. This change in the law, according to Noble R.

Shaw, director of the Division, was made by the 1945 Indiana General Assembly to adjust the maximum weekly benefit amount more clos'ly to the average weekly wage levelnot abount $45 per week. Mr. Shaw said duration of benefits was lengthened from a maximum of IS weeks to a maximum of 20. For claims with waiting periods ending after July 1. 1945, a maximum of $400 can be drawn, instead of the $324 provided by the old law.

Indiana's Employment Security Act requires that an unemployed individual, to be eligible to draw benefits. must be physically and mentally able to work and must hold himself available for work in case a job is offered to him. If a suitable job is offered, the benefit claimant must apply for the job and must accept it if the employer selects him for the job. If the individual fails to either apply for suitable work, or to accept suitable work when offered, he will be disqualified from receiving benefits for six weeks, and will also have his maximum benefit amount reduced by as much as $120. "By these times of industrial reconversion." Mr.

Shaw pointed ouL "it is not always possible to offer an unemployed individual a Job of the same grade as the one he formerly held, nor is it always possible to offer as high a wage rate. Each individaal's case will be considered on its own merits with due regard'for the job opportunities and wage rates in his community. In many instances, however, work will have to be considered suitable even though the wages are less than the individual has become accustomed to during recent years and even though the offered work requires less skill than his former job." The Director said that the benefits paid under the unemployment compensation law are to serve as a financial aid to eligible persons unemployed through no fault of their own at a time when they are making an effort to find work. LITTLE GIRL BURNED Merline Bennett. 14-year-old daugh ter of Mr.

and Mrs. Kenneth Bennett. route 3, Greenfield, was badly burned on the arms, chest and face when gun powder exploded. She and other children were exploding the gun powder. The child was treated by Dr.

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