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INDUSTRIAL NUMBER SECTION I r II A TT TV0 J Jj J REI A SECTION TV0 H 4 VOLUME FIFTY-SEVEN PLYM DU FH . IN Dl fM NOVEIM B CR, 1911 NUMBER FORTY-SEVEN CAN Electricity for Everything Celebrated Worker in Charities and Correction Plymouth has every reason to feel proud of its electric light equip ment and power plant. When C D. Snoeberger came to Plymouth from Chicago, eight years ago. and pur chased from the Tri-State Loan Company of Fort "Wayne, the anti quated electric system which was then in vogue, people wondered at his temerity. They had not, up till that time, been educated to the va rious uses of the electrical fluid. They had, in fact, little use for the new fangled illuminant, as they termed it. With the coming of Mr Snoeberg er. however, a new era in the light ins: business was inaugurated. He started in on an educational and publicity campaign, and in a com paratively short time, he let the public know the many various uses electricity could be put to, and he demonstrated the savings that could V effected in the lighting and power uills by the adoption of electricity. He had found the plant in very bad shape; in fact there was nothing to it, and the first thing to be done was to renovate it completely, and add to it as business warranted. With these changes made, and the campaign bearing results, Mr Snoe berger 's perspicacity was rewarded The Julia K. Work Training Sc': i.l. vbi?h is situated among syl van beauties, one mile north of Ply mouth, is an institution of which Mars! all county is indeed proud. In fact, the reputation which it has made t'rr itself, makes it favorably known far beyond the confines of this county. Its name, "Bright side is no misnomer; it is as hap py a home, in the literal sense of the term, as such a home eould be. There is nothing about it to sug gest the tragic, nor yet is there any signs amid its environment other than brightness without and-.within. Mrs. Work has continuously de voted the past twenty-nine years of. her life to the study, care and train ing of delinquent .and semi-incorrigible children a . period embracing much self sacrifice, and no little anxiety and worry. During that time she has received and cared for no less than 3000 children, the ma jority of whom, under hergnidanca and benign influence, have been reared to a decent ana self-respecting manhood and womanhood, while many of them married, and have be come fathers and mothers, fit to look after their household duties in a way that would not have been pos sible without Mrs. Work's admir able training. On June 20, 1882, Mrs. Work took up this work in Mishawaka, from which city she moved to LaPorte, where the character of the work was maintained. In 1899 she removed to Plymouth where she has remained ever since. Here she cstabished a training school for delinquent and semi-incorrigible children, which has grown from small proportions, until it now embrac2S a group of five modern buildings, all of the latest cottage type of architectural beauty Plymouth Electric and from that day to this, the busi ness has gone on increasing steadily. At present there are no less than 5,000 lights supplied by Mr Snoe berger. as well as Go arc lamps which are used throughout the city, and at the railway stations. Mr Snoeberger s customers foi .power, etc., number 330, and this 'lift is being added to from time to time. It may seem strange but it is nevertheless true, that those resi dents of Plymouth, who have come in from the country to reside here, will have nothing to do with any other illuminant. Thev have had it demonstrated to them that they can save monev bv using electricitv in preference to gas or even kerosene, and that it also gives better satisfac tion. The electric plant also feeds in the neighborhood of 173 horse powei in motors, ranging from one-half to thirty H P; 200 electric flat-iron?, for ironing purposes, fan motor?, and in fact, everything in the elec trical line to be found in any metro politan center. The city now pumps . its water by electricity, and this is a feature which has saved the rate payers a big sum of money. Before the motors were introduced the city pumped its water by steam at an average cost of $375.00 per month. BRIGHTSIDE" TRAINING SCHOOL and comfort, and situated on a piece of laud which covers 270 acres. When Mrs. Work started this school, it was not with the object of placing out children in homes. This was merely a secondary consid eration. While this is so, however many have been found comfortable and happy homes by Mrs. Work, a large percentage of them having been adopted legally while in their tender years, by respectable mar ried couples who were without chil dren of their own. Cares for Crippled Children. Mrs. Werk is now making a spec ialty of caring for crippled children, who are not absolutely helpless. This is a branch of the work with which she is thoroughly familar, in fact she has long specialized in . it, and much success has attended her efforts. 'There could not possibly be n more favorable spot for such help less ones, than at Brightside with its healthy environment and pictur esque situation. Number one building is devoted to the administration department, where are situated the superinten dent's office, dining room and office, and a division set apart for girls ranging from 5 to 12 years. Num ber two is devoted to boys, whose ages range from 10 to 19 years. Number three is for bovs under ten vears, while number four is a mixed division for small boys and girls. Number five contains tyo large kitchens, dining room, with a seat ing capacity for 273; laundry, store room, bakery and dairy. The larg er of the girls, whose ages range from 13 to 18 years, are. kept in t 'lis, 'building where they receive an adirirablo training, thorough in mat ters pertaining to good housekeeping which fit them well fcr tl.la more im portant responsibilities of married life. There are at present 43 in this de partment, from which many have graduated to good positions with good wages, having been thoroughly developed and fitted for the work best suite 1 ta their varied tempera- l i i i 1 .-., ' . i ' - ! . " . - v I f . f : -.. , ' :' ' . r ' i : " l). .. '. - - v - - 1 ! I) i I i i I 0 ! k iti .. .. . . .. 1 C. D. Snoeberger, Proprietor MRS. JULIA 'A: K v r-::-::-- t;;:- w ..... v. -.-tit ; - --k-v i i'j-v View of "Bri(Ktiide," the Note! rnents. These girls are frequently paroled and sent into service but it sometimes happens that they break their parole and are sent back to Brightside to finish their term. I : I i i :.. : ; i i i ! i I ; i ! I ! . - - Light Plymouth Electric Light Plant E. WORX V :. u.. ;W-K-t ----- :'. - i. Training School for Children. Unier State Board. During the present year 70 have - lc:a placed in positions, . Most of the children -are sent to Mrs. Work from the juvenile courts, and have Plant Since the installation of electricitv, however, the cost to the city has been reduced to about $65.00 per month. The local concern fills a large num ber of general construction contracts in which electrical devices of all kinds are used. This is a branch of the business which is also making steady progress, and the expert workmanship, which is a feature of The Plymouth Electric Concern, has tended much towards the success of this department. The new Tungsten lamps, which are sold by Mr Snoeberger, have proved to be most popular in Plym outh. During the last two years they have, to a large extent, taken the place of the carbon lamp. The principal reason for this is that they effect a great saving in the light bill, and give a candle power three times greater than the carbon lamp, for the same money. Within the last three months these lamps have teen improved by the substitution of the wire drawing, which makes them as near perfect as the ingenuity of man can accomplish. Plymouth ought to be proud of the fact that it has the cheapest mo tor power in the state of Indiana, and this is another reason why the electric people here are succeeding to be kept in the institution until they are twenev-one vears of ace. The training school is not an in corporated institution; Mrs. Work owns the property, but she is under the strict supervision of the Board of State Charities, which, each year, sends an agent who makes a thor ough inspection of the institution, and the mode of training in vogue. This inspection is not onlj' thor ough, but is complete and exhaus tive. At all times the work is car ried on strictly under the law. Has Large Tarm. One of the big features of Mrs. Work's home is the farm in con nection with Brightside, which as stated above, covers 270 acres. This is equipped with the latest and most improved farm machinery to be found in the markets. Here the boys are taught farming in the most sjs tematic manner imaginable, by a well qualified instructor, in all its, different branches. Such crops as alfalfa, timothy and clover hay, corn, wheat rye and oats are raised Not less than 22 acres are set aside for potatoes required by the family, while a splendid truck garden covers 15 acres. In this many kinds . of vegetables - are grown. There is al so sufficient pasturage for a herd of twenty-five cattle, and twenty head of milch cows; Mrs. Work takes much interest in the raising of hogs, and has attain ed much success in this particular line. Her herd includes many of a prize strain, and registered stock, th Berkshire and Durocs predomi nating, while the registered cattle on the farm include reveral Guernsey and Helsteins. Many Children Placed In Homes. Here is an important fact about this institution which has not here tofore been understood by tie public and which answers' emphatically those critics who deign to comment on what they term the small number of the children placed out from Bright side. Since November 1, 1910, until November' 1, 1911, sixty children have been received at the home, 'nd Everything Electrical in inducing the manufacturers to use it in preference to any other motive power. Mr. Snoeberger has a staff of seven all experts in the various lines of the electrical business. lie keeps adding new improvements to his plant as soon as they are introduced on the market. Mr. Snoeberger 's palatial resi dence on south Michigan street is fitted throughout with a splendid system of electricity. Nothing is wanting in the way of household conveniences, all being operated by electricitv. For instance, all meals of the household are cooked by this means, while the washing, ironing, toasting and other necessities pecu liar to a well regulated home, are all done, and well done, by the means of electricity. . Mrs. Snoeberger is enthusiastic over the result obtained bv this means which saves an enor mous amount of time, labor and worry and which gives admirable satisfaction in every respect. There is undoubtedly a prosperous future in store for Mr. Snoeberger 's enterprize, and he has sufficient faith in Plymouth to warrant him in extending and adding to his al ready well equipped plant as the necessity arises. during the same period seventy have been placed in good homes. This is indeed a worhy record, and one which does credit to the training these children received at Bright side. As we have stated above, this institution does not belong to the placing out class. The average number of children in the school is 190, and quite a percentage of these are physically and mentally defective. Capable Helpers. This article would not be complete without a reference to Miss Annie A. Barr, who, besides acting in the capacity of secretary of the institu tion, is Mrs. Work's "right hand man' to use an Irish term. Miss Barr has been associated with Mrs. Werk in the earing of children for 20 years, and during that time, has been close to Mrs. Work in the man agement of her institution. 3Jiss Barr is peculiarly adapted to train ing work, is sympathetic, and a thorough mistress of detail. She is a believer in kindness as a factor with which to win the hearts of the children under her care, and that she succeeds is evident to every visitor to the institution. Miss Ruth Chadwick, who acts as clerk in th3 office is - a bright and vivacious young lady, and a sunny smile at all times illumines her countenance, while it does one good to listen to her hearty laugh. She is thoroughly "an fait" with all the workings of the home. Marshall cunty is proud to have Brightside within its domain. It is an institution which is doing a great Christian and practical work, and Mrs. Work and her able body of assistants, deserve a debt: of grat tude for their unselfish interest "in suffering humanity. 'Brigfctsrde" Training School Her Creation