OLD NEWS IS GOOD NEWS

WAR IS ABOUT AS SHERMAN SAID, BUT HE NEVER SAW IT REACH THIS CLIMAX

That the Germans are systematically collecting the corpses of their dead and shipping them to rendering plan where they are subjected to a process for recovering oils and fats for use as fertilizer seems incontestably borne out by the latest information.

When such stories were first published, they were generally unbelieved. American consoles formerly in Germany who arrived here after their recall, said the Germans we’re distilling nitroglycerin from the corpses and so obtaining the essentials of explosives.

It now develops that the German censors are allowing the German papers to print accounts of, and even to boast of the efficiency which allows nothing to be wasted. The Belgian newspaper, the independence Bote, of April, 10, prints an account of the industry, in which it says:

Dead Sent To Offal Factory

Begin quote we have long known the Germans stripped their dead, along the firing line, fastened them into hundreds of bodies with iron wire and then dispatch these bundles to the rear. Till recently trains laden with dead were sent to a town near Liege in a point near Brussels. What surprise was caused by the fact that of late this traffic has proceeded in the direction of Gerstein, on each wagon was written D. A. V. G.

German science is responsible for the idea of making the formation of the Dutch ————–or German Offal Utility Utilization Company, Limited, a dividend earning company with a capital of $240,000. The chief factory has been constructed 1000 yards from the railway connecting the Belgian frontier, with Gerstein, in the lonely and little frequented Elfed district southwest of Coblentz.

Company Out After Business

The factory deals especially with the dead from the Western Front. If the results are as good as the company hopes another will be established on the eastern front. The factory is invisible from the railway and is deep in the forest country. Electrically charged wires surround it. The works are about 700 feet long, 110 feet broad, and their well railway runs completely around them.

The trains arrive full of bodies which are unloaded by workers who live at the works. These men wear oil skin overalls and masks with mica eyepieces. They push the bundle of bodies to an endless chain that picks them up by means of hooks at intervals on an endless chain into a long narrow compartment where they pass through a bath which disinfects them. They go through a drying chamber and are automatically carried to a giant cauldron into which they are dropped by an apparatus, which detaches them from the chain.

Some Used For Soap

“They remains 6 or 8 hours in the cauldron where they are treated by steam, which breaks them up while they are slowly stirred by machinery. The fats are broken into a form and oils, which require to be redistilled before they can be used. Distillation is carried out by boiling the oil with carbonate of soda and some part of the byproducts resulting is used by the soap makers. The refined oil is sent out in small casks like those for petroleum and is a yellowish brown.

The fumes are exhausted from the buildings by electric fans and are sucked through a great pipe to the northwest corner where … the refuge resulting is discharged into a sewer. There is no high chimney as the building furnaces are supplied with air by electric fans.

There is a laboratory, and in charge of the works is a chief chemist with two assistants and 78 men. All employees are soldiers attached to the 8th Army Corps. There is a sanatorium near the woods and under no pretext is any man permitted to leave. They’re guarded as prisoners work at the appalling work.

BURGLARS RESUME OPERATIONS HERE AFTER LONG ABSENCE.

When M. Wilbur came down to his hardware store on Division St. Tuesday morning he found that sometime during the night burglars had paid him a visit and taken a number of articles, including two revolvers, some knives and other cutlery, watches, flashlights etc. The exact number and value of the things stolen will not be ascertained until Mr. Wilbur has a chance to check up his invoice.

Entrance was gained through a transom over the back door. One of the panes of glass in the transom was broken and the robber then unbolted and unlocked the rear door, perhaps to let in a companion or two.

When E. M. Sherod went to his garage Monday morning he found that it had been visited during the night by some one or more probably on mischief bent. Although the door was fastened only by a wooden plug the intruders pried off the hinges and split the boards in their endeavor to get in probably hoping to make a make off in the darkness with the machine, an Overland, which had just been returned after going through and overhauling and being put in first class condition for the season. The would be thieves were frightened away before accomplishing their purpose, possibly by roomers, who returning near midnight, turned on the lights in the house.

NEAR ACCIDENT IN NEW FORD

Mr. and Mrs. F. V. Pelton and daughter Frances may and Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Pelton had a rather narrow escape Sunday afternoon while enjoying a ride in Miss Frances’s new Ford. They had gone down the hill we’re nearly to the top of the opposite one, known as Henrietta Hill when the engine stalled, all got out and without putting on the brakes, Miss Frances started to crank the machine. Off it started backing down the hill. She jumped onto the running board hoping to be able to get in and stop the engine but failed and it went to the foot and against a post which retarded the progress. Shortly after another Ford party happened along and lent their assistance to help get the party up the hill. Very little damage resulted.

THE LOCAL RED CROSS IS NO SMALL CHAPTER.

To say that Vermilion is justly proud of the recently organized Red Cross society is putting it very mildly. The many loyal women of this town are full of patriotism are willing to give up all other pleasures for Uncle Sam.

Vermilion’s Red Cross society is now 140 strong and with the appointment of Mrs. Carrie Englebry as chairman and her wise selections on the naming of the several committees the society feels that the work in the community will be carried out in a most excellent manner and will prove in a very short time what Vermilion women are really made of. If all the other small communities were as earnest in this noble cause to do their share for our country and “stand by the President,” Uncle Sam would not have cause to complain.

The Boat Club here so kindly donated their beautiful club rooms to the use of the Red Cross in which they can carry on their work, and meetings have been arranged for every Friday afternoon.

Much praise is given Vermilion Red Cross society by the chairman of the Sandusky chapter of which Vermilion is a very large branch and surely the ladies of this community have caused to hold their heads high and feel honored to know they have such a wonderful privilege and more elated than ever are the ladies in Vermillion when they know that many of the towns of the this size are not as enthusiastic as they.

In this war, women as well as men will do big things, and rest best wishes to those so loyal to our beloved country and our beautiful flag.

BIRMINGHAM

T.J. Early is on the sick list.

Mrs. Henry Latteman, is been quite ill and is reported slowly improving.

I’m glad to see John Brockmeier out again.

HURON

It is reported that Huron will have a new bakery and restaurant.

-35¢ an hour seems an inducement to our cigarette smokers.

The old vets seem see a great difference in the patriotism of 1861 and 1917. We hope Huron has not lost her good name. From ‘61 to ‘65 she furnished 186 soldiers.

Charles Whiteman is driving a new auto.

The fishing from this port has dropped off since during the past week but is still fair and the price is good.

Mrs. Kenny, a farm resident of Huron, is under the doctor’s care, at the home of Mrs. Jake Miller, Huron St

AXTEL

Arthur Greenoe is reported on the sick list.

Horace Allen has purchased a new automobile.

Charles Gegenheimer has purchased a horse.

Henry Wallace who is seriously who lies seriously ill at St. Joseph’s hospital, Lorain, underwent an operation Tuesday morning. It is reported that he is suffering from tuberculosis of the stomach. He and his family have the sympathy of the community.

BERLIN HEIGHTS

The Red Cross branch organized here started out with 22 members. The new next meeting, Monday the 23rd, was held at the house of Mrs. George hill.

Mrs. Minkler has been on the sick list during the past week.

The stereopticon lecture given by Reverend Cady Sunday night, showed a worse condition existing in India than in any views of other lands. There is certainly great work for missionaries among people with such disgusting habits.

Some of our citizens noticed the fire in the direction of Shinrock, last Saturday evening. Later it was found that it was the store at Bogarts owned by ex-sheriff Lundy. The building is so near the streetcar track as to caused traffic to be delayed for the time being.

MONEY MAKING ON FOODS UNPATRIOTIC TO SAY THE LEAST.

A retail grocer was telling a few days ago about the opportunities to make money on the present high food prices. He insisted that the small group with only a little capital is getting nothing out of it. He has to get by from hand to mouth and can’t get any higher price than what he paid, plus the bare expenses of doing business. But according to him, the wholesale grocer is reaping a harvest. He quoted one  jobber in a moderate size city who said he had cleaned up $400,000 profit in one year. This man had not been doing any tremendous business, only he did have a large stock of canned goods that doubled in price.

That gave him a reserve on which he could undertake a large operation. In many of his deals there was practically no money passed until he gathered in his handsome profit. All he had to do was to give his I. O. U. and the goods bought on credit kept going up.

This action of food distribution to charging whatever they can collect seems pretty grasping. It is probably true that the most people would not hesitate to do it. But the bulge in the price that is here making the man rich, is grinding in the faces of the poor. Wholesalers with the $400,000 should have some sensitivities to the welfare of the people at large. He should feel a little squeamish as he thinks of the price in human affairs and privation that he has been paid in order that he may enjoy his new fortune.

The people of this country will not tolerate indefinitely the making of these fortunes out of the extremity of the poor poor. Some way will be found in which to stop these unlimited profits. Food dealers will be wise not to aggravate public sentiment too far. If they don’t want a government inspector poking into all their private accounts and a federal Commission limiting the prices they can ask, they will do well to moderate their demands.

AMHERST

Henry Gordon who was recently underwent and operation is improving.

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary D—– were held from the Evangelical church Sunday afternoon.

Three cases of diphtheria were reported here last week, one at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Hammond, one at John Graber’s and one at William ————‘s Amherst.

Born-to Mr. and Mrs. John Cope a daughter, Thursday April 19th.

The Amherst Chamber of Commerce held a farewell for Reverend R. G. Armstrong Monday evening.

LOCALS

Mrs. George Rathbun and son and Mrs. Cliff Parsons and son spent the weekend with their husbands at Port Clinton, returning Tuesday morning.

NEWSY NOTES

The new steel bridge over Beaver Creek near oak point is rapidly nearing completion and the temporary affair that has been in use for several months will soon be a thing of the past.

A recent order of the government is that all unnatural naturalized citizens of this country who are subjects of nations now at war with the United states are required to give up any guns and ammunition that they may possess; Turning them over to the nearest officer of the law and receiving a receipt for same which will be returned to their owners at the close of the war.

Better watch out! Burglars are in town again. Like the fire alarms they have a habit of coming to or three times in succession.

Vermilion isn’t clamoring for military men to guard her bridges like is being done at Huron and other towns. We have plenty of citizens who fit in nice on this work and are on the job and are as vigilant as any trained especially for the purpose.

Autos are getting cheaper than most of us had expected during war times. A Canton man has put his down on the new tax list at $1.00. I wonder if anybody would have the nerve to offer him that much for it….?

Dust was flying Sunday from the numerous autos passing through and about town and it again reminded many that it is near time to take up the oiling question and see that the streets are treated again this year. Council meets in regular session again on Monday, May the 7th and the matter should be brought up then.

Chasing nightcrawlers with a lantern’s bullseye is again in vogue. The fellow that makes much headway at this f for the fishes must step lively. So don’t get excited at rapidly moving lights over lawns on evenings just after a shower. That’s when the crawlers are most numerous, the ground not being as hard. But if you try catching them don’t get it into your head that the worms are going to be too idle while you pick them up once they see the light. They can give you a good example of beating it …

Wreckage from the ill-fated steamer chikora, which sank in lake MI 22 years ago, was brought to the into Benton Harbor, Michigan, by the tug Herbert a few days ago. A wash basin and electric light fixture both stamped chicora, were identified by the captain J. A period Simons and captain Russell of the Graham & Morton fleet as belonging to the chikara. Later an inch cable was pulled to the surface. The boy has been placed to mark the spot and lake veterans feel certain the wreckage which lies in about 35 fathoms of water, has at last been located.