Manchester Democrat. [volume], November 15, 1899, Image 6

About Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Iowa

                
Cl)c (Democrat,
BROKBOH ft CABR, PnMUhw
MANCHESTER, IOWA.
The price 0/ diamonds Is rising rap
idly. We must all practleo self-denial.
Mrs, Langtry's reminiscences have
been suppressed, and gladness reigns
again In certain high circles.
Wireless telegraphy is an established
fact, but windless yacht racing has not
as yet been made practicable.
All the same, many are in Tioubt
whether Britain's action In the troubles
leading up to this war has been caused
by real gold or guilt.
The language of gloves is now being
promulgated. Young nieu have long
understood with fear and trembling the
language of the mitten.
A cigar trust with a capital of $15,
000,000 has been formed. This is prob
ably the only recent trust whose prod
uct is expected to go up in
Bmoke.
A man In the East has deserted his
wife because she made unpalatable
custard pie. Yet there are worse
abuses of the pie habit—she might, for
example, have made them of dried ap
ples.
After the wars in the Philippines and
South Africa and all'other disturbing
Issues are settled it will probably be
found that Don Carlos has kept pre
tending right along without missing a
day.
Tbe causes for whatever decliite in
interest In base-ball may have come
about in recent years are to be found
in tbe attitude of the men at the head
of base-ball—their petty jealousies and
their failure to run tbe game In the
Interests of Its patrons In syndlcate
lsm, a system diametrically opposed to
true sportsmanship In tlie transfer
ring of games and buffeting about the
players of certain clubs, setting tbe
regularly provided schedule at defi
ance In the rowdyism which goes un
reboked and' In the miserable method
of appointing and aslgnlng umpires.
The resemblance between Admiral
Dewey and General Grant Is strikingly
close. The merit record of the one in
the naval academy Is almost identical
with that of the other in tbe military
academy. They were at about the same
place above the bottom of the class,
they were deficient in the same studies,
and their conduct marks were much
alike. The one reached the highest po
sition In the army and the other In the
navy. In'modesty and dignity of per
sonal bearing they are singularly alike.
They resemble each other also! In their
disposition to award full credit to their
subordinates In every, -achievement.
Their manner of speech Is identical. It
Is direct, terser right to the point, and
In plain, vigorous English, such ns the
plain people can understand. In an
other respect they are also alike—name
ly, in securing the cordial admiration
of all foreign powers with whose repre
sentatives they came In contact. Both
of them, In the words of Dewey,
"scratched gravel," and had their re
ward.
There has been some controversy of
late relative to the authorship of
"America," or, more properly speaking,
of "God Save the King." It is settled
beyond all question, by the highest
musical authorities such as Ohappell,
Chrysander von Fallersleben, and
Grove, that both words and melody
were written by Henry Carey, and that
•he sang It hlmselif for the first: time at
la dinner given In London in 1740 to
celebrate the capture of Portobello by
Admiral Vernon. J. Christopher
Smith Handel's amanuensiii, who was
present at the dinner, testifies to Car
ey's authorship. The Hev. Samuel F.
Smith who composed the words of
"America," and borrowed the melody
from a boojc of German songs, Is re
sponsible for the general Impression
that tlie melody came from German
sources. It is purely English, and was
not only borrowed from the English by
Beethoven, but was utilized by Schu
macher for the German national an
them, "Hell DIr lm Siegerkranz," and
by Helnrlch Harries for use In the
Danish hymn, "Hell. DIr, dem Lleben
den." It Is an American national hymn
only In text
If human existence is rolleved.of Its
struggle, the New- York Sun Is afraid
that the human race will multiply too
rapidly for the food producing abilities
of the earth and'that in consequence
famines and scourges will come. That
Malthuslan to the core. There Is no
present prospect, however, of human
existence becoming a picnic. A paucity
of children is becoming the rule In
many families of the middle class, as
well as of the families in the so-called
upper classes. If It were not for the
Influx of the foreigners to this country
the population would not Increase very
[rapidly. The "native" populations are
not multiplying as rapidly as they used
to do. Ihe child-bearing Is largely per
formed by women who are foreigners
by birth or of Immediate foreign do
scent. The States where foreigners
have not settled in large numbers dur
ing the past generation show a com
paratively low rate of Increase In'popu
lation. The chances are against popu
lation multiplying In excess of the
food producing capabilities of the soil
It should also be borne In mind that
the limit qt the food producing capabil
ities of tbe soil has by no means been
reached. It will be reached only when
no man undertakes to cultivate more
than ten acres of ground and makes
that produce as much as Is now har
vested- from an eighty-acre farm.
Whether that can be done or not Is a
question, but the productiveness of the
soil can be greatly increased and the
population sustaining power of the
soil can be multiplied many times over.
In a monograph entitled "Commer
cial Africa In 1809," recently Issued
by the treasury bureau of statistics,
an interesting and exhaustive account
of railroads In the dark continent is
given. One of the statements that will
probably be a surprise to many Is that
about two-fifths of the great "Cape to
Cairo" railroad Is already constructed
and the prediction Is uiade that early
In the next, century the north and
south lines will meet near the equator.
To be exact, this date Is placed In the
year 1010, or about twenty years hence.
From this north and south line, also,
lateral lines are belncpushedeast and
weBt—one of these from Natal, another
from Lourenzo Marquez, another from
Belra to Salisbury In Rhodesia and
still another from Zanzibar to Lake
Victoria Nyanza, probably to connect
at Tabera with the great "Cape to
Calh" road. The Interior will ais\be
penetrated by. roads now befog
planaad, Urus-^lvlng- 4cee»« to all pol
IK** of the coutiuent. Tntnscontm
entnl lines from oast to west will J0U1
Portuguese territory 011 both sides of
the continent ami the Germans will
probably nlso have similar means ot
communication between their settle
ments At tlie north other lines will
skirt the Mediterranean const and thus
Africa will be banded to civilization by
iron rails and tlie telegraph, and the
couquest will be complete.
Thomas Skeltou Harrisou, the Amer
ican diplomatic agent auil consul gen
eral in Egypt, has an article in the
Forum about "Egypt Under Lord
Cromer." Mr. Harrison says that the
native working classes iu the larger
cities are fairly well off, but tlmt there
is a class for which there is little or.no
employment. "Crowds of Egyptian
youths/half educated, and more or less
well bred, are striving for small gov
ernment clerkships, posts iu the.banks,
positions on the railways, ami so on.
They will do no manual labor, and they
must have what the French call •con
sideration.* They must have genteel
employment. Egyptian and American
youths are much alike iu disposition if
what Collins 1*. Huntington says of the
latter is correct. He asserts that they
are overeducated to such a degree that
they acquire a distaste for all labor
which Is not "suited -for a geutleinau,"
and that as a consequence young in^n
spurn manual labor and work where
they may have to wear overalls and
soil their hands, and compete for poor
ly paid but "respectable positions. So
Mr. Huntington wants the number of
years spent in the school room cut
down, and no attempt to carry the
education of the mass of young boys
beyond the point required to enable
them to cope with the practical details
of business. But. if overeducated
American boys and half-educated Egyp
tian youths shun mauual lQbor, because
it is uot genteel, and if girls who have
liext to 110 education will not work in
other women's kitchens because a so
cial stigma attaches to domestic ser*
vice, then the possession or lack of ed
ucation does not seem to have much
to do with the matter. There appears
to be all the world over a preference
for "genteel" employment. Perhaps
that preference is stronger in Europe,
where a young man would rather
starve on the meager salary of a gov
ernment employe and have a "social
status" than do what he considers an
inferior grade of work and earn uiuch
better pay but there are a great many
American youths who seriously believe
that they would dcuieau themselves by
manual labor. Overeducation is not
so much to be blamed for this as in
herited ideas about the greater respect
ability of eertalu kinds of work. What
Is needed is a crusade against the curi
ous classification of work as genteel
and not genteel, rather than against
this alleged overeducation of which Mr.
Huntington speaks. There was a time
when It meant teaching a boy more
than his parents knew—even if they
could neither read nor write—aud thus
"educating him beyond his station in
life."
E BRITISH EMPIRE CLOCK.
When It l« 12 o'clock nt Greenwich
la 7 OB o't locknt"Montrcal.
When it Is 12* o'clock at Greenwich,
the relative time both day and night in
AOTiajoc
the different colonies of Britain
throughout the world is sliowu by the
several bands on the dials.
CHAMPION WOMAN GOLFER.
A New York Girl Mayer Wins the
Much-Coveted Trophy.
A New York girl, Miss Kutb Under
bill, of the Nassau (L. I.) Golf Club, Is
queen of the women golfers of the
United States. On the links of the Phil
adelphia Country Club she defeated
Mrs. Caleb P. Fox, of the Huntington
MISS ltTTTH UNDERBILL.
Valley Club, by a score of 2 up, with 1
to play, thus becoming the national
champion. That she should win against
Mrs. Fox was a surprise to those who
had watched the playing of both of
them during the tournament. Miss
Underhlll Is a member of the Nassau
Golf Club of Blencover, L. I.
Children's I'ltm or Magazines.
Le the children learn to take care ot
tbe numbers of their own magaziues
and to file them themselves for preser
vation. Cut two thin strips of "wood
the length of the magazine and about
an Inch wide bore three holes, one at
each end and one In the middle. With
a sharp awl pierce holes to correspond
In the magazines, lay the sticks on
them, pas a cord through the holes and
tie It.—Ladles' Home Journal.
The man who sells his vote probably
gets what be wants, but not what he
ought to get.
Remember this: Wheu a man tells
you his busses doeap't pay, it Uf»'t tot
C.--3 HE war between Great Britain
and the two Boer republics in
va South Africa may yet be the de
termining cause for the long-expected, oft
predicted conflict which is to involve all
the greater and lesser powers of Europe.
Already, says the Chicago Tribune, the
attitude of Rurope is sufflelcutly menac
ing to impel Great Britain to take early
steps not only to secure the fruits of the
victory that nation expects to win in
South Africa, but to defend its empire in
all parts of the globe in the event that
it finally rejects European interference In
its plan to make the southern half of the
African continent all British.
In,every naval port in England squad
rons are being hurriedly fitted out for
sea. A strong naval force is already as
sembling at Gibraltar, and other battle
ships aud cruisers are adding their
strength to it every day. Every prepara
tion for calling out the naval reserves
lias been made, and at the signal England
would be ready for all eventualities.
The movements in European diplomatic
circles leave no room for doubt that at
least France and Russia are endeavoring
to secure the assistance of other powers
iu joint representations to Great Britaiu
before the close of the present war. It
is regarded as certain that neither France
nor Russia is acting from motives of
sympathy with the Boers, for if so they
would have entered their protests before
the negotiations between Kruger and
Chamberlain reached the ultimatum
stage. Therefore it is reasonable to In
fer that if France and Russia act at or
before the close of tbe present war they
will do so from purely selfish motives^
and with the expectation of compelling
Great Britain-to remain passive while
they seize some other parts of the globe
for their own. Russia's ambition in the
direction of the Indian ocean is well
known, an} France has designs in China
and Africa which it neve* has taken the
pains to conceal.
Interests Are Opposed.
Unfortunately for a pacific outlook, the
ambitions of both France and Russia are
dangerous to the British Empire. Eng
land can neither permit France to secure
preponderance in the control of northern
Africa nor allow Russia to advance to
the borders of India without practically
destroying the British Empire. Conse
quently, Great Britain is almost certain
to accept the alternative of war, even
In its present "splendid isolation," for to
no power can It turn, unless, perhaps, it
may be to Germany, for assistance. If
Great Britain Is finally brought face to
face with the alternative of submisson
to the dictates of Europe or a war which
shall girt the globe with a belt of flame,
it unquestionably will choose the dread
alternative of war.
The attitude of the several European
powers and of the United States, the
probable direction of such a war, and the
changes It would ultimately make in tbe
map of the old world are subjects which
are just now engrossing the attention of
the diplomats of Europe.
The crux of the situation will come
when, after whipping the Boers of the
Transvaal and the Orange Free State in
to submission. Great Britain will make
known its plans for the future govern
ment of those two republics.
Russia IIui Most to Gain.
In any future demands on Great Brit
ain Russia will necessarily take the lead,
for the Czar's empire has the most to
gain. Although having the most subtle
and secretive diplomats in Europe, the
ambition and inflexible purpose of Russia
are well known. In a general statement
Russia's ambition lies in the direction
of an open sea. unfettereJ by the ice
shackles of winter. Until recently Rus
sian forts faccd the ice-clad Baltic, the
Arctic ocean, and the northern Pacific.
For six months of every y*»ni* Russia's
merchant Rtcamers and Russia's war
ships were locked In ice and it was not
until the recent acquisition from China
of Port Arthur that the Czar's naval
base In the Pacific was rendered effective
by open water the year around.
For years Kti9sia hoped to extend its
empire southward to the Mediterranean,
with Constantinople as the objective
point, but its ambition, while perhaps not
completely shattered, was indefinitely de
layed by the Congress of Berlin in 1878,
when Europe erected the quasi indepen
dent Balkan States as a buffer between
tlie Czar's dominion and the sea. 41
Since then Russia has been pushing
steadily southward toward Persia and
Afghanistan. All tbe intrigue of which
Russian diplomacy is capable has been
crneo*'
fjjpUNTSO
inpamthV
TT*~
ft
IHE UIEST
poKHMdnr
or liEn
NIUES1V
THE
exerted in securing a preponderating i*»
fluence in the semi-barbaric courts of.the
Ameer and the Shah. So successfully
has this diplomatic Intrigue been carried
on that to-day it is generally believed
that Russia has engaged by secret treaty
to occupy Afghanistan with Russian
troops in order to preserve order after
the death of the present Ajneer and se
cure the throne to his successor.
And it is an open secret in European
capitals that the Shah has agreed to give
Russia the port of Bunder-Abbis, on the
Persian gulf, whenever Russia chooses, to
occupy it, and has also granted conces
sions to Russian syndicates for railways
running from Russian soil to the Persian
gulf. Russia's control of the Persian
gulf would be dangerous to the British
Indian empire.
Russia's' designs in China are equally
understood. Already the Czar holds the
Manchurian peninsula and is disputing?
with Great Britain at Peking the right"
to dictate terms and concessions to the
Chinese Government.
France the izar's Ally.
As far as territorial acquisition is con
cerned, France has almost as much to
gain as Russia. Then, too, France is
still smarting under the chagrin of the
Fashoda incident, when a year ago Maj.
Marchand was unceremoniously bundled
out of the Upper Nile country by Lord
Kitchener.
France has territorial ambitions in* Af
rica and China, and unfortunately in the'
present crisis these ambitions .run counter
to British interests. France would like
to add Morocco to the western frontier
of Algeria, and in a general European
war undoubtedly would endeavor to seise
it: If united Europe should defeat Great
Britain in war, the latter would be driven
out of Egypt, and the British conttol
pass to another power, and France
would again step in to demand the land
of the Pharaohs as its share of the booty.
With Egypt would go naturally the con
trol of the Sue^ canal, this depriving
Great Britain of Its short road to India.
In China France, too, would expect to
gain in a war with Great Britain. France
already has a strong foothold in the Ori
ent.
Added to all this is the feverish condi
tion of France' at home. The army is
disaffected, conspiracies are rife and roy
alist plotting is incessant. The republic
is torn by internal strife. Nothing would
clear the French atmosphere more thor
oughly than a war in which factional
quarrels at home would be forgotten and
employment given to a great army that
long has chafed under idleness.
Will Kaiser Aid Queen?
The crux of the whole situation seems
to rest with the German Emperor. If
Germany casts its lot with Europe, Great
Britain may as well call out its last avail
able mau, for the sea girt empire will
indeed be in danger. But there is ap
parent reason to believe that Germauy
will cast its lot with Great Britain.
Several months ago, before the Trans
vaal negotiations assumed a dangerous
phase, Lord Salisbury and the German
ambassador to the court of St. James
reached an agreement which to-day is
the most mysterious diplomatic secret in
nil Europe. The mysterious agreement
between Great Britain and Germany,
which is exciting so much concern in
Europe, is variously interpreted, the most
probable explanation of its tenor being
hazarded by an English statesman, who
believes it gives Germany free hand in
the Kaiser's pet project of establishing
a great German colonial empire in Asia
Minor.
If Germany unites its fleet with Great
Britain add holds its army ready to
march against France and Russia the
proposed European coalition will end In
bluster. If, on the other band, Germany
shall finally decide to make terms with
France and Russia, trusting t9 an agree
ment with those powers to give it what
it wants in Asia Minor or any other
quarter of the globe, tlie coalition is as
good as formed.
The Smaller Powers.
The attitude of the smaller powers is
worthy of consideration, for they could
hardly escape being drawn into any con
troversy which involves Great Britain,
Russia, France and Germany.
Take Italy first. Italy is almost the
only exclusively Mediterranean power,
and must, for its own protection, exercise
a considerable voice in the control of
that great inland ocean. It Is a mem
ber of the dreibund, that offensive and
defensive alliance which calls Italy's
army into the field whenever Germany
oppiccr
ritco SATTSAV
R«VA1. ARTIUBRV
ii?.es*
i®- Cf?OYAfc) 0RA4OON*'
or Austria, or both,' are attacked. If
Germany Involves itself in war either for
or against Great Britain, Italy, by the
terms of the dreibund, Is bound to assist
But a&ide from the dreibund, Italy has
interests, mostly in the Mediterranean,
and a mythical one in China, which al
most compel it to attach itself to the for
tunes of Great Britain In tbe-present
crisis. Italy long has asserted its claim
to Tripoli, and by allying itself with
Great Britain Italy would be able to
claim Tripoli when peace was once more
restored.
It may be set down as practically cer
tain that Austria, If it takes ,any hand
at all in the International quarrel, will
do so most unwillingly, and on the side
with which Germany allies itself.
To many it might seem almost ridicu
lous even for a moment to consider Spain
in connection with the,word "war." But
at the same time it must be remember
ed that Spain easily can put from 100,
000 to 150,000 men In the field, providing
the funds were forthcoming. A loan from
France in tbe emergency, together with
the hope of securing the retrocession of
Gibraltar from England, might induce
Spain to forget the trouncing it received
from the United States a year ago, and
once more try its fortune at the game of
war.
Tlie position of Turkey might bother
the diplomats on both sides of the con
troversy. It Is-difficult to see bow the
Sultan could be drawn into the war, and
equally difficult to understand how he
could keep out of it. Abdul Hamid is in
the unfortunate position of being com
pelled to choose sides in a possible con
flict with the certain knowledge that he
will lose with either.
He is bound by the treaty of Berlin
to guard the Dardanelles against the pas
sage of the Russian Black Sea squadron.
He has been enabled by judicious loans
from England to fortify the Dardanelles
so strongly with modern Krupp guns
that hp can, If he chooses, batter the Rus
sian warships to pieces when they try to
force their way through into the Medit
erranean.
If he uses his Krupp guns against
Russia he will have the Czar's armies
knocking at his door to the north, and
Bulgaria, Servla and Roumania ready
to unite to liberate Macedonia, with Aus
tria waiting for a convenient opportunity
to seize Salonica Bay.
If, on the other hand, the Sultan, even
tacitly allies himself with Russia by
permitting the Black Sea squadron to
pass unscathed, he will have Germany
and Great Britain on his back, with'the
certainty of losing-Asia Minor, in addi
tion to the Bulgarian uprising-and the
loss of Salonica Bay.
As to the little kingdoms of Europe,
they undoubtedly will be permitted to
remain passive spectators of the great
international tragedy—to preserve- a
stolid neutrality in the midst of the ver
tex of war about them.
War Around the Globe.
It is almost Impossible to appreciate tbe
magnitude and the horror which must
characterize a war involving Great Brit
ain, .Russia, Germany, Austria, Italy,
France and Spain In one general, wide
spread conflict It would mean a 'war
around the globe. All Europe, all Africa,
most of Asia, the islands of the South
Pacific, the West Indies, and the north
ern part of North America would be the
scenes of conflict
The greatest ^norrors of such a war
would only be realized if Germany and
its allies in the dreibund should decide
to enter the field. Then France and
Russia would be assailed from each side
by the armies of Germany, Austria and
Italy. With the greater powers engross
ed in war, it is almost certain the conflict
would involve tbe Balkan States with
Turkey, and the Sultan would be compell
ed to make his last stand to retain his
place on the map of Europe.
The enormous'sacrifice of life and pa
ralysis of all commerce would be be
yond computation. Hardly a nation en
gaged in the contest but would emerge
from it as hopelessly bankrupt and pov
erty stricken as Is Spain to-day, and it
is this aspect of the situation that fur
nishes the surest guarantee for peace.
Great Britatu's J-'efentte.
It is upon its navy that Great Britain
would depend largely for the defense of
,its seagirt empire. In India and Egypt,
.it is true. Great Britain's soldiers would
engage in land campaigns which would
tax their courage and endurance to the
Utmost. But in all other respects the
great battles of an international war
would be fought upon the sea. But pow
erful as Great Britain's navy is, it must
be conceded at the outset that France
and Russia united can put a navy to sea
that would be terribly effective.
The British navy has been built up to
its present mammoth proportions on the
theory that some day it will have to de
fend the empire against 'a possible coall
non of the European powers. The fleets
in active service are distributed in quar
tets of the globe best situated to tight
such a war. Naval bases have been lo
cated in view of'such a contingency.
In all the discussions leading up to a
possible coalition against Great Britain
the probable position to be assumed by
Japan must not be lost sight of. If ne'e
essary Japan's new and powerful navy
would unquestionably be thrown into the
scales on the British side, and if so the
issue would be quickly decided in favor
of the alliance between Great Britain
and the Oriental power.
Where Will America Stand?
There can be no doubt that in such a
combination of circumstances the sympa
thy of the great masses of tbe people of
the United States would go out to Great
Britain. But when one goes beyond sym
pathy he will reach a domain of discus
sion in which it would be not only diffi
cult but dangerous to enter.
Unforeseen contingencies might arise
which would make it difficult for the
TYPES OF ENGLISH ARMY OFFICERS IN FIELD UNIFORMS
United States to hold aloof. It may be
set down a6 certain that any attempt to
break through the Monroe doctrine, say,
by an invasion of Canada, or the seizure
of the West India Islands, would arouse
a dangerous sentiment In this country,
and this sentiment, it may be remarked,
Is one of the strongest defenses Great
Britain could have for the defense of
her possessions on the North American
continent
It must always be remembered that be
fore any nation or combination of na
tions would dare seek to attack the Unit
ed States, either at tyme or In the far
East, the British fleets must first be* de
stroyed, and after the destruction of. a
British fleet the. enemy's squadron would
be In poor condition for another battle.
Changes in the Maps.
And, finally, when- the struggle waa
ended and the international congress met
to arrange Its terms of peace, the geog
raphers would have to prepare new maps
of Europe, Asia and Africa.
LARGEST OF ALL OCEAN PIERS.
Btfilt by a Railroad and Extends a
Mile Into the »s en.
The cut shows the largest ocean pier
In the country. It was built by the
Southern Pacific Railroad at Port Los
Angeles, Cal., In 1893. It is a regular
port for passenger and freight coast
steamers, and Is also a United States
port of entry. It Is tjventy miles dis
tant from Los Angeles and two miles
from Santa Monica, Cal. The chief
commercial use of the wharf Is in the
transshipment of cargoes of coal and
A PACIFIC OCEAN PIKH.
construction material from the steam
ships of the Southern Pacific Company
to the same company's cars for use on
Its southern California, Arizona and
New Mexico lines.
The length of the wharf proper Is
4,282 feet. It Is fifteen feet high above
extreme high water. In the alignment
of the pier there nre two curves on the
shore approach there Is a ten-degree
curve extending 200 feet onto the pier,
and 2,000 feet from the shore end there
is a.seven-degree curve to the right,
both curves being tapered or splraled.
The trains run to the extreme end of
the wharf.
Who Hn the Button.
There Is a good story told of a magi
cian who has passed the great divide.
He was a world-traveled plnyer, and
his wanderlngB set him upon one oc
casion in faraway New Zealand. It
was arranged that he should give an
exhibition of mind-reading before the
King of the Maoris.
After some parleying it was decided
that the King himself should conceal
the article which the magician was to
discover. The mind-reader left the
room and afte^a time was brought
back blindfolded, as Is the custom In
such performances. After some time
the magician declared that the hidden
article was In the King's mouth. His
majesty shook his head savagely in
the negative. Tbe magician insisted
upon his point, and demanded that tbe
King's mouth be opened wide. The
King refused. The magician Insisted,
and the excitement bocame very great,
until at last the duslty IClng reluctant
ly opened his Jaws. Tbe article was
not there!
The next Instant, however, the King
was taken with a violent fit of cough
ing. He had tried to swallow the lost
article, a button, but could not, and
was compelled to cough It up. The
Maoris were uproarious with mirth.
They did not know which to admire.the
more—the wisdom of the magician or
the heroism of the King.—London Tlt
BMa.
Money Found In Hall Bag..
It seems almost Incredible that in
the neighborhood of $-10,000 in actual
cash should have been confided to let
ters during the last year, and harder
still to credlt.that the most exhaustive
efforts failed to find the owners of one
fourth of that amount. The envelopes
which are addressed are kept on file
for four years, blank ones not so long,
but In either case a liberal margin of
time is allowed for claimants to appear
before the money Is finally turned Into
the treasury to the credit of the Post
office Department. In addition to the
money contained In letters during tbe
same period, something like $10,000
was found loose in the malls. It Is
officially styled "loose money."—Ladles'
Home Journal.
Teacher—"Johnpy, what Is a thief?"
Johnny Hardup—"Dunno." Teacher—
"Oh I yes, you do. Now, what would I
be If I-took money out of your pocket?"
Johnny Hardup—'"Why, youse 'ud be a
peach."—Ohio State Journal.
6* DKAO0OH4
CfNMlSHIkUMSf)
OF INTEREST IN IOWA
A DIARY OF NOTEWORTHY HAP*
PENINGS. .,
Big Fire at De jroto—Inspection Trip
Over the Omaha and Fort Dodge
Railway—Attempts a Peculiar ul*
clde—Much Grain and Hay .Burned*
One of the worst fires in the history of
the town occurred at De Soto. The origin
is not kuown, but the loss Is up in the
thousands. The fire broke out in the rear
end of J. \V. Blackman's store of gen
eral merchandise and buggies. There
was a strong wind, and in spite of the
heroic efforts of the fire department sev
eral buildings in the business portion of
the town are a total loss. Isaac Hoch
& Son, general merchants and Implement
dealers, suffered a total loss. Their stock
was valued at $5,000 and building at $1,
600, with $3,000 insurance on both. J..
JV. Blackman's stock was totally de
stroyed. It was valued at $0,000, with
only $3,000 insurance. The Jordan hotel
was totally destroyed, loss -$1,000, cov
ered with $500 insurance. The building
(ta which was the stock of merchandise
owned by W. Roberts, across the
street from the burning buildings, caught
fire, and the stock was moved out and
saved. The snipe thing was dou? with
W. M. Burchard's stock of general mer
chandise aud the drug store of Dr.
Wright. All three of theseN buildings
were badly burned.
First Train irer New Road. .'"'V-''
The first train over the uew Omahtt
and Fort Dodge Railway went into
Council Bluffs thfc other night. It was
the special of Assistant Second Vice
President J. F. Wallace of the Illinois
Central, who Is on an inspection tour of
the new road. The trip from Deuison,
a distance of eighty-five miles, was made
over the new road. About eighty-seven
milos of track yet remain to be laid uear
Wall lake. The running of the regular
freight trains will be begun soon and
passenger service will be inaugurated
about Jan. 1*
Woman Tries to Die in a Trnnk..
Miss Mary Gait, the keeper of a .fash
ionable boarding house at Cedar Rapids,
who has been-ill for the past few weeks,
attempted to commit suicide in a peculiar
manner while laboring under a tempo
rary fit of insanity. Stepping quietly
away she went to her room, crawled into
a large truuk aud closed down the lid.
She had been there more than an hour
when_found and was almost dead.
-fcurns Many tucks of Grain.
A very destructive tire supposed to
have been set by an east-bound Central
freight train about one mile east ot Bar
uum, burned over a territory half a mile
wide and over one mile long,* burning
grain stacks aud a large amount of hay
and straw. A hundred men from Bar
num and Tora after a long, hard fight
succeeded In subjugating the fire and
saying the buildings on the two farms.
City efnses the Plant,
The town of Oto is having a very se
rious time with its new system of water
works, and the matter may end in a huge
law suit. John Ward, of Audobon, the
contractor, was persuaded by the manu
facturers to use a steel riveted main in
stead of the ordiuary cast iron. Tliese
are leakiug badly, and the city will not
accept the job' from the contractor.
Rumored Milwaukee t.xteusion,
It is believed that the Milwaukee Is
headed for Marslialltowu. A gang of sur
veyors are at work uear Greeu Moun
tain, locating a line which will strike the
old survey itf the projected Marshall
town, Winona' and Southern. The sur
veyors say they are iu the employ of the
Milwaukee.
New chool I ubuqne.^
Rev. Mr. Daltou, of St. Louts, is ar
ranging for the removal of the Catholic
summer school from Madison to Du
buque. The schboi is natlonnl in scope
and includes six archdioceses—Milwau
kee, Santa Fe,"Dubuque„ St. Paul, Cin
cinnati and St. Louis. Instructions are
given by the most eminent Catholic edu
cators of the country.
San J'own aud Killsd,
Matt Champion, of Denison, was kill^d
by a gravel train on the Milwaukee'road
near Kenwood. He was walking down
the track from Kenwood to where he
was working for a farmer when the train
struck him. He was not noticed until
the next morning, when the crew went
back to work.
Brief State Mappemns**
Hog cholera is working havoc in herds
near Waterloo.
The annual session of the Iowa chapter
of the Eastern Star was held at Daven
port.
A. B. Johnson, a fanner of Fort
Dodge, was killed by falling off his
wagon.
Rev. Iugram, of Fort Madison, has
accepted call from the Christian
Church at Albia.
Work is progressing favorably on the
water works system at Danbury and all
the plpos have been laid.
Fire on tbe farm of W. H. McNul
ty^near Garwin, consumed the barn and
granaries and their contents.
The State pharmacy commission dur
ing the past year has collected $21,300
from itinerant venders of medicine.
John Ruecker of Des Moines, late of
the Fifty-first Iowa, had his left iand
taken off at the wrist in a planing ma
chine.
Several valuable horses have died re
cently in the vicinity of Grlnnell from a
disease which so far has baffled veteri
nary surgeons.
A man giving the name of John Leon
ard, presumably from Columbus, Ohio,
was run into by a Northwestern freight
at Tama and killed.
The infant Child of Orval Brooker of
De Soto was attacked by a vicious dog
and one side of Its face torn to shreds.
G. W. Garey, a fanner, living uear
Marshall to wu, was thrown from his
wagon in a runaway and severely in
jured.
James Eade, an old and respected elti
cen of Muscatine, committed suicide by
cutting his throat while despondent over
an Incurable disease.
With the aid of an X-ray apparatus
a bullet has been removed from the leg
of Fred Knutson, of Charter Oak,
which has been there for over four years.
The next annual convention of the
Royal Arch Masons of Iowa will be held
at Des Moines.
The rural mail delivery around Steam
boat Rock is not satisfactory, as only
one part of the township has the deliv
er}'.
David Reese worked a clever confi
dence gaifte on George Jonee, a farmer
livlug near Des Moines, aud secured
$1,000 in cash. He has not been seen
since.
The boiler in Smart's grain elevator
at Spencer exploded, tearing through
the roof of tbe building and dropping
some distauce away. No one was in the
immediate vicinity at the time.
D. M. Bailey, a prominent Waterloo
farmer, committed suicide. He jumped
into a well. Hi health was tbe cause.
Burglars entered the stores of J. G.
ftridley and Whitworth Bros, at Victor
and stole a quantity of goods from each.
In a quarrel arising from a poker game
in the Northwestern grading camp near
Mason City, a man was shot and his as
sailant is lodged in jail. Th* wound is
uot serious.
An old mail, crippled and apparently
n«nue, madeitwo attempts to jump off
m* of tbe biMfeg at Waterloo into the
.vor, evident with tbe intention of
uddc. He ]wm pfevetited iutf taiftn rt
UL- jail I taatfgf*
-.-v- A ..
Blberon has two cases ot diphthei^a*
Persia has let the contract for a water
system.
A new elevator is to be erected at
Thornton.
Ames will vote on granting a telephone
franchise.
There is a scarcity of dwelling house*
at Tama.
A Presbyterian church is being erected
at Titonka.
The water works plant at Clapton will
be improved.
The surplus of the State fair is given
out as $10,549.
Additional sewerage is to be construct
ed at Burlington.
A $2,500 Methodist Ofturcfe is to be
erected near Crcston.
The .contract has been let for a new
school house at Baxter.
Hamilton's foundry, recently burned at
Algona, is to be rebuilt.
Edward L. Hawk has been commission
ed postmaster at Nugent.
A $40,000 depot will be built by the Illi
nois Central at Fort Dodge.
The first snow of the season in this
State is reported from Dysart.
The Burlington road will erect a two
stall engine house at Dubuque.
The postoffice at Atwood has been die
continued. Mail-will go to Delta.
The creamery at CryBtal fcas^jjeenltfoe
ed on account of scarcity ofrmilk.
The Congregationalists at^rBurlington
may rebuild their place of wajhrhip.
Davenport butchers cotaplalh of a
scarcity of cattle for slaughtering.
There a ret now about sixty ratal mail
delivery routes throughout the State.
The city library at Grinaedl baa been
offered quarters rent free for five years.
The corner stone of the new Methodist
Church at Floris was laid tbe other. day.
Constable Moss of Loveland Watf slot
in the back while trying to arrCst a htfrse
thief.
J. E. Jackson has been appointed- pott*
muster at Ortonville and W. L. Lenty at
Percy.
There is an epidemic of jaundice at
Waterloo and over sixty eases are re*
ported.
There are twenty-six divorce cases on
the docket for this term of court at Da*
buquo.
1
Potatoes in the country near Perry go
begging for purchasers at 10 cents a
bushel.
Marohalltown now has a stone pile for
bums and vagrants to work out their sen
tences on.
Dubuque is to have a hospital, for con
tagious diseases, to be erected at a coat
of $15,000.
The store of B. J. Cooper at Albia waa
entered by burglars and $30 worth of
goods tnXen.
-.W. L. Buell has been appointed, post
maeter at Nevinsville, and Addle Fleming
at Woodland.
There is a case of smallpox at Wash
ington, but strict quarantine measure*
have been taken.
The Council at Dysart has proposed to
bond the town for $5,000 for the erection
of the gas pUnt
^The Farmers' co-operative creainery at
D'lnsdaie has been sold, as it did not
prove a success.
The new St. Clement Church at Bauk
ston was dedicated in the presence of a
large assemblage. ...
The authorities at Muscatine are onr
deavoring to clear ttyb town of all dis
reputable persons.
Tbe 3-year-old daughter of '"Will Peril*
house, near Tama, was kicked by a horse,
and her thigh broken.
A. L. Wood, postmaster, at Winterset,
has been sentenced to two and one-half
years in tte penitentiary.
H. R. WWtehouse, one of tbe best
known merchants of Clinton, is dead
-from a stroke of apoplexy.
Hardin County proposes to fittingly
eelobrate the semi-centennial annlrersaxj
of its settlement next year.
MarshaHtown has purchased a new
pump for its water extension with a- dally
capacity of 1,225,000 gallons.
So far nothing has been heard of Bag
ley, the student who disappeared recently
from Iowa College at Grinnell.
The town council of Oxford Junction
will hereafter prosecute anyone Keeping
a place of business open on Sunday.
On account of tbe heavy increase in
the levy Des Moines will gain over $50,
000 in taxes during the.coming year.
The street fair at Muscatine was a sno
ees® and after everything is-^p^Kl for
there remains $210.50-in the treasury.
Attorney General Remley has given out
that all slot machines are gambling de
vices, and are amenable to tbe gambling
laws.
A new steamboat company has been
formed at Clinton. It Is believed it will
prove a formidable rival to tbe Diamond
Jo lino.
A strong protest is being made against
the board of control placing button mak
ing machines In the Fort Madison peni
tentiary.
Rev. Abrams has filed four petitions
against four saloons hi Marf?haUtqwn«
asking injunctions for alleged Wegal'salea
of liquors.
Some miscreant_&t_w«i<srloo has seri
ously damaged several viable plate
glass windows by drawing a diamond
across them.
M. McDonald, an aged man from tttJn*
ton, attempted suicide twice at Waters
loo by jumping off a bridge, but was/
caught each time.
'.V
An unknown man drove a teani of
horses into Coon Rapids and. deserted
tfyem, and so far nothing has been'heard
as to ttieir owners.
George Johnson, a 16-year-old boy of
Fort. Dodge, was swept off a horse's bac'
by the branch of a tree and sustain
Injuries from which he died.
Powcsheik farmers this year put in
harvested about oue thousand acre*!?,
sunflowers ^nd find the seed a profitai
A hard fight la being made at
Moines for and against the liquor mai
facturing consent petitiou, now being
eulated.
Tbe total weight of mail sent out fro
the Tama postofllce during two week
aggregated 2,449 pounds, comprising
about 40,000 pieces of mail matter. a
George Oarioon, 14 years old, llvir
near Hampton, wgsJkiekatLon the
by a horse and was unconacio
than a "week.
The Illinois Central 1b r-'
number of men on its sectk.
Cherokee and Fort Dodge to*
men.
Frank Lee of Grlnnell rr
his finger the other day.
ing has set in and it is
will lose his hand.
Two C. & N. W. grar
City got to quarreling
poker, and one of them
the hip, but the wound r«
Mary A. Qulnn of
brought suit against
road for $50,000 dam
of Thomas F.
a wreck at Oxfo
Wm. H. Da
jaw, caused I
his leg. c.:-
Mrs. Cog*
sued tihei st
city for $"
of her hi£
killed by a
State Dairy Com
to Washington fr*.
rested a farmer
that be sold to
farmer knew ii'
•tlou, but foun
tended to his"
file pleaded
wfcfcb ha p#