The Topeka state journal. [volume], December 02, 1895, Image 1

About The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980

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TWO CENTS.
MONDAY EVENING.
TOPEKA, KANSAS, DECEMBER 2, 1S95.
MONDAY EVENING.
TWO CENTS.
OUR KANSAS MEN
The State Journal's Special
Washington Correspondent
Tells All About the Kansas
Congressmen,
Where They Are Located and
Their Families.
WORK MAPPED OUT.
What the Congressmen Propose
to Do This Session.
Peffer at the Head with Number
of Bills.
HIS FUNERAL BILL
A Unique Collection of Facts
and Figures,
Showing How Much State Fun
erals Cost Including Plumb's.
From the State Journal's Special Correspondent
Washington, Deo. 2. The session of
the Fifty-fourth congress which opened
today found Kansas with more nearly a
olid Republican delegation than at any
time since the Fifty-first congress. Of
the Populists who were carried in on the
wave in 1890 only Senator Peffer and
Congressman Baker remain. Senator
Peffer has only a short lease on senator
ial life as his business plans for the fu
ture indicate that he himself considers.
Representative William Baker only got
in this time by a narrow margiu and is
doubtless serving his last term. Con
gressman Sam Stevenson of Michigan in
Bpeakiug of him said: "Pie wa'a't much
of a Pop anyhow," but this is an asser
tion which Mr. Baker himself would
doubtless resent and which the Republi
cans in his district would be ready to dis
pute the truth of. All of the other Pop
ulists who came in aa a result of one of
Kansas' whimsoys, Jerry Simp
eon, T, J. Hudson, John Davis, W.
A. Harris have been supplanted by
new men, pronounced orthodox
by Republicans, who are now'" to make
their records and leave their marks on
the congressional blackboard.
Of the Republican representatives
Curtis and Broderick alone have had
congressional experience. It is con
sidered one of the best signs of this that
tliey were in the McDowell combination,
bo called, for house officers, which car
ried the day, with the exception of Fisher
for chaplcin, while the new members
Hocked at once to Henderson, of Illinois,
for clerk, who didn't win. "Simply
guessed wrong, that's all," was the com
ment made upon the action of tha new
Kansas members.
Chas. S. Martin of Saline, who wanted
to be reading clerk, is another who
guessed wrong," and who is knocked
out by the victory of the McDowell com
bination. He was in the Henderson
camp and when the chances of the Illi
nois man for clerk were spoiled the pins
were struck from under the hopes he
was building.
Senator Baker is located for the winter
at 1742 Q street. His family and that of
secretary, B. B. Cushman of Wichita,
are keeping house together. Mr. Cush
man was formerly secretary to Senator
Perkins who succeeded Senator Plumb.
Miss Mary Baker is with her father and
mother and will probably remain until
after the Christmas holidays. She came
here from Vassar, where she is in the
class of '97, about two weeks ago be
cause she was in poor health.
One of the first bills which Senator
Baker will introduce in the senate will
be regarding the abandoned Ft. Hays
military reservation in Ellis county. This
reservation was abandoned by the gov
ernment some years ago, and as the law
provides in such cases that the lands be
opened by the secretary of the interior
for sale to individuals, this was about to
be done when the secretary was asked to
hold up the sale while a bill could pass
congress giving the lands to the state of
Kansas. The Kansas delegation to the
last congress secured the passage of such
a bill through both the house and senate,
but it failed to become a law because
passed in the last days of the Eession,
and the president did not get to it to sign
it. Senaior Baker will now bring the
matter up again in a bill which he has
already drafted, providing for the ced
ing of the land to Kansas.
When asked if it was intended to push
the Waller case at once, Senaior Baker
Baid. "Why not? If the man is impris
oned wrongfully let's know it."
Senator Peffer, Mrs. Peffer and Miss
Peffer are at the Oxford.
Senator Peffer spends most of his time
at the capitol, or at his office in the
Maltby building near tha capitol, which
is used by the senate.
The attitude of the Populists in the re
organization of the senate is causing a
great deal of discussion, and is a matter
of considerable moment.
Senator Peffer was somewhat annoved
at the report given out by Senator Wm.
E. Chandler of New Hampshire that he
(Peffer) would vote with the Republicans,
and he took pains at once to deny that
there was any authority for such a state
ment. Senator Peffer said today. "If the re
organization of the senate is to be made
a l-arty issue, it becomes a matter of
principle to remain by ourselves. We
don't propose to be snuffed out. We have
a place on the map, and we are going to
stay there. The peoplo are looking at
us and we can not afford to do anything
which will look like trading off.
If, however, the silver men
in tha senate, both Democrats
and Republicans would agree to combine
ul reorganize the senate on silver lines,
I for one should be most glad to co
operate with them. This indeed is the
plan I should like to see adopted and
like to follow."
Speaking of the most important gen
eral legislation likely to come up, Senator
Peffer said it would be the money ques
tion and supplementary revenue legisla
tion. Any tariff legislation not involving
too repugnant features ha said he would
not oppose.
"I am in favor of a tax of a dollar a
barrel on beer," he said, "to raise addi
tional revenue." Senator Peffer also be
lieves wool should be made dutiable,
which would raise five or six millions
and that the duty should be put back on
silks and other articles of luxury.
Congressman Broderick of the First
district with his two daughters, Jennie
and Fannie is at the Elsmere. His
daughters act as his secretaries and Mr.
Broderick says he finds it not only
a great convenience bnt almost in
dispensable to the economy of time
to have his secretary stop at the same
place, as is of course the case with him.
He disposes of much of his mail after
breakfast, and before going to committee
meetings, which usually take place at
10 o'clock. The house meets at 12 noon
and then there is do more time until
after dinner in which to attend to cor
respondence. If his mail is neglected
even for one day he 'says he finds it an
immense task to catch up. Mr. Broder
ick takes especial pride in the fact that
he always gives every letter attention,
no matter from whom or where. The
only other member of Mr. Broderick's
family is his son Frank, who is studying
pharmacy in Kansas City, and will
graduate next year.
The matter of pensions la one of the
first things to which Mr. Broderick will
give his attention. "It has been the
policy of this administration," said he,
"to regard pensions aa a bonus paid to
the soldiers and not as a vested right.
So whenever they saw tit pensions
have been reduced. This ought not
to be. Frequently the complaint ia
made anonymously by malicious persons,
and when a congressman asks for the pa
pers in the case the complaint is slipped
out before they are handed over. The
method of procedure ought to be that
no pension stiould be reduced except in
case of fr .ui, and this should be proved in
the United States courts. A pension
claim ought to be made as valid as a
judgment."
Mr. Broderick will introduce such a
bill in the house. Senator Peffer has a
similar one which he will introduce in
the senate. Senator Peffer'a bill provides
that if the United States does not prove
its case in the courts, it pay the costs.
This feature was suggested by Senator
Baker with whom Senator Peffar con
sulted regarding it
Congressman Curtis and family are
keeping house at 1314 Fifteenth street
His sister, Mis3 Dolly Curtis, is his secre
tary. Mrs. Curtis and the children did
not arrive until Saturday. Mr. Curtis
and his sister have been in town several
weeks. ' Mr. Curtis met them in Chicago
and came on with them.
Congressmen Blue and Miller are the
only members of the Kansas delegation
who are located at the same place. They
are at the Norinandie just a block up
Fifteenth street from the Shoreham
where speaker Reed lives and just across
the street from Chamberlain's famous
place. Mr. Blue says he finds it a little
harder getting started than iu "jest an
ordinary legislature" but he looks will
ing to endure the extra trouble. A. R.
Green of Lecompton. ex-state senator
and railroad commissioner is Mr. Blue's
secretary. Congressman Miller ha3 no
secretary as yet but will probably ap
point the son of Judge Henry Aiden of
Kansas City, Kan.
Congressman Kirkpatrick with his
family have a house at 1373 Howard
street.
Congressman Calderhead is also keep
ing house and is located with his family
at 213 North Capitol street. Congress
man Long and his wife have a house at
S815 Fourteenth street N. W. Congress
man William Baker is at 210 Fifth street
N. AY.
Congress often brings together ac
quaintances after many years separation,
senator Peffer met Representative
Crowther from ;the St. Joe district in
Missouri for the first time in twenty
years, the other day. Back in 1871-2-3,
Mr. Peffer was running the Fredonia
Journal and Crowther was publishing
the Times at New Chicago, nowChanute.
New Chicago was the nearest
railroad point to Fredonia at
that time, being on the Leaven
worth, Lawrence & Galveston, now the
Southern Kansas. Peffer had to go to
Chanute for his paper 'and frequently
had to call on Crowther for Ja supply to
tide over an emergency. In 1874 Peffer
was elected to the state senate from Wil
son county and later established the
Journal at Coff ayville, the people there
guaranteeing him 1,000 a year. Crowth
er left Cuauutu and the two had not met
until a few days ago.
Congressman Sweet, of Idaho, is suc
ceeded by Edgar Wilson, of Boise City, a
tall, handsome man, not exceeding forty,
who is a successful lawyer, and has the
distinction of being the only member of
coacrass who represents a whole state
by himself. Many years ago Representa
tive Broderick of Kansas, while territorial
judge of what was then the Territory
of Idaho, admitted Wilsou to the bar,
and they had not met for mtny years un
til they were introduced to each other
at the McDowell headquarters.
'If Broderick had stayed in Idaho,"
said Wilson, "he would have been sent
to the United States Senate."
It may be becaute he is an old mem
ber and knows how to proceed. It may
be that he works hard, or it may be that
fathering many bills is one way in which
Senator Peffer's kindly, fatherly nature
manifests itself, but certain it is that he is
provided with as many bills as there are
dogs in a poor family. When the Jour
nal correspondent asked him if he had
any legislation which be proposed to in
troduce, he turned to his desk and with
the utmost nonchalance produced a
bunch of twenty-one bills! Juat twenty
one bills ready for the first day of the
session. But Senator Peffer has been
here since October 10, and he works all
the time.
His bill to do away with the' extrava
gance of congressional funerals has al
ready caused widespread attention and
comment. The bill is short and simple.
It provides that when a congressman
dies inDistrictof Columbia while congress
is in session that the house of which he
was a member appoint a committee to
take charge of the remains. That the
members of the committee see to it that
the body is properly encased and Bhipped
in charge of the sergeant at arms to the
member's home or to his friends or
family. That is all there is to it but
such an arrangement would save the
government thousands of dollars and do
away with some of the junketing trips
which have at times been a disgrace and
debauch.
In connnction with this bill Senator
Peffer has prepared statistics to show the
need of such a reform. These figures
are in some cases so large as to almost
startle even Senator Peffer who thinks
rows of figures as wide as Kansas ave
nue, Topeka, as a regular thing. The
evil has grown and grown rapidly of late
years as the figures will show, which are
now given out by Senator Peffer for the
first time. The data which are yet pre
pared relate only to senators.
"During the first thirty-seven years of
the senate's existence," said Senator Pef
fer, ''twenty-two senators died and nine
were buried at public expense but in the
next twenty -two years, from 1826 to 1847,
twenty-seven died and eleven were
buried at public expense. Ihe average
cost of these was $613.80. From 1843 to
1867 twenty-eight senators died and
eighteen were buried at public expense
at an average cost of $1,398.46. You see
how it grows. The first death to exceed
$1,000 in expenses was that of John
Fairfield of Maine in 1847, which the
government paid $1,072.25 for.
"Now here's an interesting thing," said
the senator. "From 1869 to 1894, twenty
five of the thirty deaths in the senate
were the occasion of public funerals and
cost in the aggregate $68,835.57 or $2,
754.22 apiece. The last ten of these cost
$45,420.27 or $4,542.02 each."
Senator Peffer is very conscientious in
the matter of figures and even the extra
two cents goes when it comes to striking
an average.
"To make a more striking comparison,"
said the senator, "the cost of public
funerals for senators from 1885 to 1894
was more than one half the entire ex
pense for such occasions during the
whoie existence of the senate, and
$4,139.20 more than all the rest from
1790 to 1834. Or to put it in other
words, the last 13 funerals cost $4,139.2J
more than the other sixty senate burials,
the total number of senate burials at
public expense being 73."
Some of the senators, it appears, did
not need much assistance from the
government in getting over the river.
The funerals of Thomas Rush, of Texas,
who died in 1856, James Bell, who ex
pired in 1857, and Andrew P. But
ler, of South Carolina, who passed
away in the same year only made Uncle
Sam go down in his pocket for $4.50 for
each. But perhaps ferry tolls were
cheaper in those days or the congression
al attendants were not educated up to
champagne and two for a quarter cigars.
In strong contrast with these three
cheap funerals was that of Senator
George Hurst of California, who died in
February 1391. To give him a "decent"
burial the United States footed bills to
the amount of $21,332.55. Distance
doesn't appear to have made the differ
ence in expense in this case because
Senator J. F. Miller, of the same state,
who died in 18S6 had;to be contented
with only a $3,532 funeral.
"It is curious," Senator Peffer pointed
out, "that distance has not made any
difference in the cost. Take the cases
here of Alex. Barrow of Louisiana, dying
in 1846 and Isaac Pennypacker of Vir
ginia dying iu 1847. The former's burial
cost $791.65, the latter's $772.80, al
most as much, though not a tenth as far
away.
The truth of the matter is that much of
these expenditures ia covered by that in
clusive word 'miscellaneous.' Commis
sary supplies' covers a multitude of
sins."
Interesting figures concerning the fu
nerals of noted men are brought out by
Senator Peffer's research.
J. C. Calhoun's funeral in 1850 cost the
government $3,106.47.
Henry Clay's funeral in 1850 cost $5,
447.02. Preston B. Plumb's in 1891 cost $3.
082.75. The most recent senatorial funeral,
that of Senator J. E. Kenna of West Vir
ginia, in 1893, was a public expense of
$3,170.50. The '-commissary supplies"
were $43a48. M. F. M.
WALKER IS CHAIRMAN.
Al.lnce F. Walker le Made Chairman of
the Snnta Fe Board of Director Today.
New York, Dec. 2. Aldace F. Walk
er was today elected chairman of the
board of directors of the Atchison, Tope
ka & Santa Fe by the joint executive
committee of the Atchison reorganiza
tion committee.
MORE GOLD IN COLORADO.
Five Billion Dollar! Worth Said to Be
Waiting Claimfcrs in Snmmit County.
Denver, Dec. 2. Miners who are fa
miliar with all that is being done in the
development of the vast gold fields of
Colorado predict that the mining sensa
tion of 1896 will center in Summit coun
ty. It is estimated that the county has
yielded in the past $50,000,000 in gold
and not one per cent of the placer
ground has been worked over. Syndi
cates have secured thousands of acres of
rich placer ground in the neighborhood
of Becker and next spring will begin on
a gigantic scale.
OSB0NCASE CONTINUED.
It AcTjonrn to Let Burton Attend
Million Club Meetiuc,
Lawrence, Dec. 2. Judge Benson
has continued the Osbon murder case
till Wednesday. This was done in order
to allow J. R. Burton to speak in Chi
cago. Gomez is Routed.
New York, Dec. 2. A special to the
Herald from Havana says: Maximo Go
maz and his army have utterly failed in
their attempt to reach the villas. His
forces sustained great loss, his ranks
were broken, and his men were dispers
ed. They abandoned their supplies, and
fled to the mountains.
FISHERJEATEN.
Congressman Miller of Kansas
City, Kas., Did It.
Only Needed His Vote to Make
the Old Time Kansan
CHAPLAIN OF HOUSE.
Congressman Millar Tell3 the
Journal Correspondent
Why He Voted Against the Rev.
Mr. Fisher.
"NOT THE RIGHT MAN."
Says the Fisher Combine was
Held Together
By Promises of Plunder, Other
Fellows for Principle.
From the State Journal's Special Correspondent
Wasuington, Dec 2 The slate as
agreed on by the Republican leaders of
the house went through Saturday even
ing's caucus with one exception, and that
was Rev. II. D. Fisher of Kansas, who
was defeated by the refnsal of Congress
man O. L. Miller of Kansas City, Kan.,
to vote for Fisher. The caucus ticket
stands:
For Speaker Thomas B. Reed of
Maine.
For clerk Alexander McDowell of
Pennsylvania.
For sergeant-at-arms Benjamin F.
Russell of Missouri
For doorkeeper W. J. Glenn of New
York.
For postmaster Captain J. C. M'Elroy
of Ohio.
For chaplain The Rev. Mr. Couden
of Michigan,
The Rev. Mr. Couden is blind, so that
both houses will now be prayed for by
blind chaplains.
That KansaB lost the chaplainship is
doe to but one man Miller, of Kansas
City, Kas. On the second ballot a
single additional vote would have given
Mr. Fisher the prize, but Miller refused
to cast it, and alone of all the Kansans
voted against the candidate from that
state.
Only a single ballot was necessary to
settle all the other contests, but here
there was a formidable list of entries,
embracing the Revs. Fisher, Couden,
Brown, Smith, Powers, Brooks, Cutnali,
and Ransdell. On the first ballot the
Kansas chaplain came within four votes
of winning, Miller of Kansas being
among those who opposed him. On the
second ballot Fisher had 108 as against
108 fur all others. Miller refusing te give
him the one vote which would have
given the house a Kansas chaplain.
Congressman Curtis personally went
to Miller and beseeched him to change
his vote to Fisher, but he held out.
On the third ballot Mr. Couden, the
blind chaplain of Port Huron, Mich.,
had 104 votes as against 98 for Fisher,
and then Broderics, who had nominated
the Kansan, moved, and Curtis seconded,
that the Michigan man's nomination be
made unanimons. The result was aided
by a pathetic speech from General Hen
derson of Iowa, in which he ably de
picted the claims of the poor old blind
soldier, but said nothing of his 72
monthly pension.
Kansas, therefore, lost the chaplaincy
through the voluntary action of one of
its own delegation. The other conse
quences of the split are even more cost
ly. Seven good house places had been
prom'uedjto the Kansans by the McDuw-,
ell combination to a united delegation
Now the chances are that not one of the
congressmen will have at his disposal a
single place worth coming from Kansas
to hold.
The State Journal correspondent
asked Congressman Miller why he had
opposed Kev. 11. D. Fisher for chaplain.
Mr. Miller said.
"I was opposed to the McDowell com
bine from the start, because I did not
think it right. Second, I was afraid
Fisher wasn't the right man, and
wouldn't retlect credit on the state.
Third, I had met Couden, and believed he
was all right. The Henderson men were
for principle, and the McDowell men
were held together by promises of plun
der I believed the west should get
something which was worth something."
Rev. Mr. Fisher expects to leave lor
the west, in a day or two. While he
wanted but one vote to get the place of
chaplain, and the vote of Representative
Milier defeated him, he says that he is
grateful to his friends for their support
and aid in the contest. He realizes
that it ia a hard job to run
for an office against a blind man,
even though the blind man is getting
$72 per month pension. All the mem
bers of the combine who remained with
Fisher point with comfort to the fact that
had Miiler of the Kansas delegaiion voted
for Fisher on the second ballot he would
have been elected. They insist that this
leaves the responsibility for Fisher's de
feat with the Kansas delegation.
Members of the Kansas delegation are
greatly displeased with Miller for aban
doning them.
Mr. jiiller has a bill for a public build
ing at Kansas City, Kan. He says: "We
need a government building badly and I
shall try my best to get it this season."
It is believed that Mr. Miller will now
have a hard time to get other Kansas
members to support his bill, since he
failed to come to their assistance on the
chaplaincy, particularly since his bill
eall3 for an appropriation of $2,00,000.
OCR CONGRESS ME X IN THE BOXES.
All Freeent nt the Waller Reseat at
Washington Lut Night.
Washington, Dec. 2. A benefit enter
tainment was given for the Waller fam
ily at the Academy of Music last night,
and the Kansas delegation occupied two
boxes. The entertainment was fairly
well attended, and the financial returns
satisfactory.
Mr. Curtis stated that Secretary Olney
had refused to answer any more commu
nications from the delegation on the
Waller case. It appears that Mr. Curtis
has sent a number of letters to the secre
tary about the case, some of them asking
for information and calling for an answer
but of late no reply has been received.
Colonel Bine has met with similar
treatment, as well as other members of
the delegation. Senator Baker tried to
get the secretary to discuss the case very
recently, but Mr. Olney was "very busy."
Mr. Curtis has received the huge Topeka
petition of over 6,000 names in behalf of
Waller. He will present the same to
the house as soon as possible.
OPEN OSiCK MORE.
Coarrui Begins Anothar Section While
the American People Walt and Hope.
Washington, Dec. 2. The American
congress is again in session. Promptly
at neon today the senate and house were
called to order in their respective cham
bers amid the scones of animation and
excitement marking the opening of a
congress. All Washington lays
siepe on the big capitol
building on opening days and to
day there was added interest on account
of the present changes involved and the
large influx of new blood. The crowd
came through drizzling rain, mist and
mud, in conveyances, street cars and in
long iines on foot, pouring through the
many entrances. But it was an orderly
crowd, and the largely augmented force
of officers had little trouble in preserv
ing order and preventing confusion.
By 10:30, an hour and a half before
the time of meeting, the public galleries
ia both houses were filled and an eager
crowd overflowed into the outer corridors.
Many ladies were m the throng, but
there was a noticeable lack of the color
arid fair weather costumes which usually
give3 a touch of brightness to the som
bre chambers.
THE NATIONAL. HOUSE.
The Opening of the House Amid Flowers
and Buatle at Noon Today.
Washington, Dec. 2. The Fifty
fourth house of reprssentatives was
called to order at noon. -
By 10 o'clock the marble corridors
were thronged by sightseers and place
hunters, and before 11 o'clock the gal
leries, public and private, were packed to
the doors. From the galleries the visit
ors looked down upon an animated but
confused scene on the floor. New mem
bers, old members, ex-members and place
seekers chatted in groups and filled the
hall with a roar of voices.
On the speaker's desk were great
bunches of American Beauty roses, tied
with streamers of red, white and blue
and other floral pieces. Flowerj were
conspicuous on the desks of the various
members.
At fifteen minutes of 12 o'clock the
floor was cleared and those who had not
the privilege of the floor reluctantly re
tired and sought at the thronged doors
of the galleries an opportunity to get a
glimpse of the proceedings below.
In the press gallery every seat was
taken by correspondents of the great
dailies of the country. As the hands of
the clock opposite -the speaker's desk
pointed 12, Col. "Ike" Hill, the deputy
sergeant-at-arms, lifted into its place on
the great pedestal along side of the ros
trum, the ebony eagle surmounted mace,
the emblem of the house's authority; the
na? above the house ws run up and
Clerk Kerr called the Fifty-fourth hsuse
of representatives to order. A hush im
mediately fell upon the assembly and
Rev. Bagby of this city, the chaplain of
the house, offered the invocation.
Under the direction of Mr. Kerr, the
roll of members elected to the Fifty
fourth house was called.
Mr. Reed for whom every one was in
quiring had not made his appearance.
Mr. Kerr announced that 311 of the 356
members were present and also that no
credentials had been received from the
Tenth New Y'ork and the First Nevada
districts. Mr. Kerr then called for nom
inations for speaker. No nominating
speeches were mada.
Messrs. Hopkins (Rep. Ills.): Loud
(Rep. Cali.); Erdman (Dem. Penn.) and
Catchings (Dem. Miss.) were appointed
tellers and the roll was called up, the
constitution requiring the election of
speaker by viva voce vote.
Mr. Grosvenor, (Rep. Ohio) chairman
of the Republican caucus, placed in
nomination for speaker of the house
Thomas B. Reed of Maine, Mr. Sayres
(Dem. Texas) the name of Charles F.
Crisp of Georgia and Mr. Kem (Pop.
Neb.) John C. Bell of Colorado. The
names of both Mr. Reed and Mr. - Crisp
were vigorously applauded by their
respective party associates.
All the Republicans voted for Mr.
Reed. With one exception, all the Dem
ocrats for Mr. Crisp, and all the Popu
lists for Mr. Bell. The exception was
Mr. Crain, from Texas, who voted for his
colleague, Mr. Culberson of Texas.
The result of the vote was: Reed 234;
Crisp 95; Bell 6; Culberson 1.
Mr. Kerr's announcement of Mr.
Reed's election was greeted with a
thunder of applause.
Messrs. Crisp, Grosvenor and Bell were
appointed a committee to conduct the
speaker to the chair, and soon appeared
at the main entrance, Mr. Reed lean
ing on tne arm of ex-Speaker Crisp and
Messrs. Grosvenor and Bell arm in arm.
As they moved down the center aisle, the
house rose en masse. A roar of applause
followed, the galleries joining with great
enthusiasm in the demonstration.
As Mr. Reed ascended the rostrum the
roar swelled until it was deafeaning.
Above the volume of sound came like
pistol 6hots cries of "Reed, Reed. Reed,"
The Republicans cheered, many of
them wildly, and the ladies in the gal
leries waved handkerchiefs. For over a
minute the demonstration continued,
Mr. Reed, arrayed in a long frock coat
and wearing a dark four-in-hand tie,
stood calmly and serenely with his hands
clasped in characteristic fashion behind
his back, until the house was quiet.
Mr. Harmer (Rep, Penna.) the oldest
member in continuous service, came for
ward and administered the oath of office
to the speaker.
The latter then turned to the house.
Looking into the sea of upturned faces.
Continued on Eighth Page.
THISJSJAIR.
The Melan Bridge Company Now
Makes a Proposition
To Build the Kaw River
Bridsre
FOK $135,000 COMPLETE
Furnishing: All Plans, Architects
Experts and Everything;.
Saving ShawneeCountySl 5,000
of the Money Voted.
THIS IS GREAT LUCK.
Xo Such Favorable Proposition
Ever Offered Topeka.
This Does Away with Last
Vestige for Complaint.
The Melau bridge company has made
a proposition to the county commis
sioners that ought to satisfy everybody.
The company has offered to build the
bridge complete for $13,000 less than the
county has voted! This will include the
cost cf the plans and all.
What more could the county ask?
Ordinarily, when money is voted for a
public improvement, the people expect
that whatever the amount voted, there
won't be a cent left; but in this case, we
snail have the bridge and 15,000 left in
the county treasury unless the commis
sioners choose to spend it over and above
what the bridge company asks.
In brief, W. H. Keepers, the represen
tative of the Melan company hag offered
to complete the bridge, pave the road
way with brick and construct cement
sidewalks, furnishing the plans and all
material for $135,000. He proposes to
take care of the travel while the bridge
is being built for $0,000 more: or the
commissioners may look after that mat
ter themselves.
This is better than the people had
hoped for. It was not thought that the
bridge would be built for less than the
amount voted and now they find that
they can have the kind of a bridge they
want for $15,000 less than they bargained
for.
This, proposition was made because it
has been said that if the plans are pur
chased the bridge cannot be built within
the amount voted for its construction at
the recent election.
The company did not ask that the con
tract be given to them, but proposed to
furnish the plans so that competition
would be open to 6very contractor in To
peka. Nothing could have been fairer
because the price asked for the plana
was not excessive. This is proved by the
fact that there is a proposition on file in
the office of the county commissioners
from U. V. Hinckley in which he offered
to do the engineering for six and a half
per cent, only one per cent less than is
asked by the Melan company.
This proposition of Mr. Hinckley was
made on September 10, before the prop
osition was submitted to the people, and
on the 24th of the same month he
changed his proposition to 5 per cent,
and the commissioners had virtually
agreed to give him the work at that
figure. Then they almost fell off their
chairs when their attention was called to
the fact that Mr. Hinckley could not pre
pare the plans. They were again thrown
into a state of consternation when the
Melan company asked 7 per cent for
furnishing the plans, and thieatened to
declare the proposition to build a bridge
void, although Mr. Hinckley had asked
within 1 per cent of what the Melan com
pany asked.
The proposition submitted by the Melan
company is as follows:
Topeka, Khnsas,
November 30, 1895.
To the Honorable Board of County Commis
sioners of Shawnee county, Kansas:
Gentlemen: Referring to our propo
sition to prepare plans and specifications
for the proposed Kansas avenue bridge
submitted to you on the 27th inst, we
discover in the discussion that has fol
lowed since then that a wrong impres
sion prevails in some quarters:
First As to the reasonableness and
fairness of that offer.
Second As to the cost of the bridge
being greater than you and the people
were led to believe it would be.
First, we desire to call your attention
to the fact that the per cent men
tioned therein added to the cost of neces
sary local inspections is less than is
usually charged for work of like charac
ter, and that it is much less than such
work is actually done for in this com
munity, for it will be disclosed by a
reference to the records of the city of
Topeka that the cost for city work runs
from ten to fifteen per cent of the con
tract price. Indeed, in the five esti
mates made for the construction of a
bridge at the sane point by the city
engineer of Topeka, he allowed five
per cent for engineering on much more
expensive plans, and the engineering in
that case would have been more or less
general only, and no contractor could
have bid upon the plans except one who
was possessed of considerable skill in
designing sufficient to enable him to
prepare detailed plans upon which to
make his estimates of cost, and it is safe
to say that you would have no bid from
any citizen of Shawnee county upon
that work. The services we offered
to perform for seven and a
half per cent of the contract
price, (not of $150.COO.O0) wa3 to pre
pare plans and specifications so complete
and specitio in every detail, giving all
dimensions, as well as the quality and
quantity of the different materials used,
that any contractor, even though not an
engineer, could compete in bidding for
the structure and without doubt there are
at least half a dozen Shawnee county
contractors who would be thus enabled
to tender for the work.
Second To remove ths impression that
this bridge is to cost more than your
honorable body thought it would at the
time you adopted the '-Melan bridge,"
and the people believed it would cost at
the time of voting the bonds, we desire
to submit the following proposition al
ternative to the offer made by us on tha
27th Inst:
We will prepare all plans, general
and specific, and will furnish all the ma
terial and labor and complete the bridge
with approaches of earth fills, including
paving the street with brick and laying
concrete sidewalks, ia all particulars
ready for public travel, for the sum of
$135,000.00, the county of Shawnee to
care for the public travel during tbe con
struction of the new bridge, and to re
move the old bridge at its own expense.
We fnrther offer to take care of the
public travel during the construction of
the new bridge and to remove the old
bridge, piling it upon the river bank, for
the additional sum of $6,000; and we
further agree in the event of your ac
cepting the above offer to hold the
county of Shawnee harmless from any
damages that may arise because of tha
violation or infringement of any patent
issued or that may be issued, either to us
or to any other person or persons, to
cover the so-called "Melan System" of
bridge construction and we will furnish
bonds to be approved by your body for
tbe faithful performance of all the con
ditions of the above proposition,
Very respectfully,
Keepers & Teacher,
33 Telephone Buildin?,
Detroit, Mich.
One thing that mu3t be borne in mind
is the fact that this bridge will employ
more unskilled labor than any bridge
that can be built. The engineer saya
100 men will be employed. It must also
be understood that when the Melan
company submitted a proposition to pre
pare' the plans for seven and a half per
cent of the contract price it included an
expert who would have general super
vision of the work.
Street Commissioner Jatne3 Ramsey
said today in speaking of the bridge.
"Very few people know the condition of
the old bridge. I have propped tha
north abutment to keep it from falling,
and have to make repairs constantly, if
a bridge is not built soon, tbe old struc
ture will have to be refloored, and that
will cost $3,000. The old bridge is in
terrible shape, and I doubt if it could Le
made to stand for two years more." t
There is no reason for longer delay.
Let the county commissioners accept the
proposition of the Melan company and
go ahead with the biidge.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
The State Journal announces today
that it has placed Mr. M. Farmer Mur
phy, formerly telegraph editor and
Kansas paragrapher of this paper, at
Washington, 1). C, as its special and ex
clusive correspondent.
The State Journal is the only news
paper in Kansas to maintain a special
correspondent at Washington; and it
will consequently be able to keep the
people constantly informed of the pub
lic doings of their congressmen.
In addition to this, all matters pertain
ing to Kansas that come up in the vari
ous departments will be dealt with,
clearly and copiously. The State Jour
nal readers may look to this paper for
all the news from Washington interest
ing to Kansas.
This department has been added to
the State Journal at great expense,
but we find that it always pays to give
the public what it wants.
The people of Kansas and their repre
sentatives at Washington will be kept ia
close touch with each other through
these columns.
FIREMEN HE WARDED.
Marshall Field Jb Co. Send Tiiim a Check
For $300.
- Chicago Dec. 2. Fire Chief P. J.
Swenie received a check for $500 from
Marshall Field & Co , yesterday in rec
ognition of the efficient service of tbe
fire department in extinguishing the re
cent lira which destroyed Ab. 1 rude a
building on Wabash avenue. This ad
joined the building of Marshall Field &
Co.
The chief also received a contribution
of $50 to the fund for the widows and
families of the firemen who perished in
the Van iiuren street fire last week from
Selz. Schwab & Co.
MRS. PARNELL WORSE.
Ikt Mother of the Irian. Leader ThousD
to Be Dying In New lork Cltr.
New York. Dec. 2. Mrs. Delia
Stewart Farnell. mother of the late
Irish leader, is lying dangerously ill ia
Trinity hospital. She has been failing
since the brutal assault was made upott
her at Bordentown, N. J., last spring.
Her condition is precarious.
SIIOLTO WAS NERVY.
Tha Actor Lord Didn't Do a Thins to San
ran cia co r ooipau.
...Inn .- Alupitiiiu ff On nenaharMt'd
eon, knocked out a highwayman ia oaa
round last night.
While returning home from the theater
at which he and his wife will appear to-
ninhr tha InrH wit ntfrbrl hv n. vmincr
man who demanded money. Doulaa
replied wim a diow ana me juu-pau rau
away.
THE EMMETS IN DENTER.
Fritx and Hli tVlfa Meet on the Divorce
Battle Ground Unexpectedly.
Denver, Dec. 2. J. K. Emmet, tha
actor, has arrived in Denver lrom tha
east simultaneously with the arrival from
the west of his wife, Miss Emily Lytton,
a member of Hose Coghlan s company.
Mrs. Emmett had announced her inten
tion to apply for a divorce in Denver,
and it is believed her husband will try ta
dissaude her from so doing.
Attornev General Dawes and Stat
Auditor Geo. E. Cole are the only stat
officers who did not go to Chicago,