The Saint Paul globe., December 08, 1897, Page 4, Image 4

About The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
4
THE P3ILY GLOBE
JS PUBLISHED EVERY DAY
AT NEWSPAPER ROW,
COR. FOURTH AND MINNESOTA STS.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES,
Payable in Ailvance.
t>nlly and Sunday, Per Month .50
Daily and Sunday, Six Months $2.75
Daily and Sunday, One Year- $5.00
Dolly Only, Per Month > 4 °
Daily Only, Six Months $2.25
Daily Only, One Year $4.00
Sunday Only, One Year f 1.50
Weekly, One Year $1.00
Address all communications and make all
remittances payable to
THe GLOBE CO., St. Paul. Minn.
Complete flics of the Globe always kept
on hand for reference. _____
TODAY'S WEATHER.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7.— Forecast for
"Wednesday: Minnesota— Fair Wednesday;
■warmer in southeast portion; southeasterly
■winds.
Wiscons!n— Fair in southern portion; local
enows followed by fair in northern portio-n;
■fc-armer; light to- fresh southerly winds.
The Dakota*- Probably fair Wednesday;
warmer in eastern portions; south to west
winds.
Montana— Local showers; partly cloudy
"Weather; southwesterly winda.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
United States Department of Agriculture.
Weather Bureau, Washington, Dec. 7, 6:48
p. m. Local Time, 8 p. m. 75th Meridian
Time.— Observations taken at the same mo
ment of time at all stations.
TEMPERATURES.
Place. Tern., Place. Tern.
St Paul 28 Winnipeg 23
Pulut.h 24
Huron ..M Buffalo 34-38
Bismarck 42 Boston 32-34
Willlston 40 Cheyenne 44-48
Havre 48 Chicago 32-33
Helena 44 Cincinnati 42-44
Edmonton 20 -Montreal 2fi-30
Battleford 24 Nrw Orlwms ....G2-72
Swift Current 34 New York 40-46 |
Qu'Appelle 26 Pittsburg 40-42
Minnedosa 22 ■
DAILY MEANS.
Barometer. 29.92; mean temperature, 18;
relative humidity, 82; wind at 8 p. m., south
east; weather, partly cloudy; maximum tem
perature, 28; minimum temperature, 8; daily
range, 20; amount of precipitation in last
twenty-four hours, 0.
Note— Barometer corrected for temperature
and elevation. —P. F. Lyons, Observer.
MR, «VGE RECOMMENDS.
"The recommendations I make must
be construed not as being in them
selves final measures, but rather as
tentative steps in a direction which,
consistently pursued, will lead to con
ditions ultimately desirable." In these
words Secretary Gage himself passes
sentence upon his own work. He can
not expect that the critics of his meas
rure will be more enthusiastic than its
lauthor. And, in truth, the plan that
he outlines in his report to congress
seems to us to be one of those unhappy
compromises whose worst effect is not
That they fail to please, but that, by
public opinion and neglecting
v .:o crystallize issues, they lead directly
*co stagnation and inaction.
The only portion of the report which
we shall need to consider is that deal-
Ing with the note issues of the gov
ernment and the banks. As to the
greenbacks, the secretary suggests an
Issue and redemption division of the
treasury department, to which matters
relating to the note circulation shall be
referred. There are to be collected
J200. 000,000 of the legal tenders, to be
paid out only in exchange for gold. The
treasury is to be authorized to issue re
funding bonds, bearing 2V 2 per cent in
terest and payable in gold, which shall
be substituted for other bonds out-
Etanding. He advises, as the president's
message suggests, that national banks
be authorized to issue notes to the face
value of bonds deposited, that the
tax on circulation be reduced to % per
cent and that new banks be authorized
to begin business with a capital of
$25,000 in places having 2,000 population
or less. He would then allow national
banks to deposit paper money, green
backs, treasury notes and silver cer
tificates to the amount of $200,000,000
with the treasury; this money to be
exchanged later for the refunding
bonds mentioned above. Against this
amount national bank notes would be
issued. When any bank had deposited
in this way cash to the amount of 50
per cent of its capital, it would be al
lowed to issue notes not only against
that, but also unsecured notes against
25 per cent of its capital additional. The
government would guarantee all no>ts,
Rnd a tax of 2 per cent on this extra
circulation would be held, as a guar
antee fund to redeem t_e notes of sus
pended banks. This, in brief, is the
plan, for the d* tails and discussion of
which the deader is referred to the re
port..itself.
"The errors which Mr. Gage makes
K-om to us to be grave. They are so
both from the practical and the theo
retical side. The first is the suggestion
of new bonds payable specifically in
gold. Practically, congress will never
consent to this. Theoretically, it should
not. We have had enough trouble
maintaining the "parity" of our money,
without introducing a new parity of
securities. To create a distinction by
legislation, as this would do, between
gold bonds and coin bonds would in
crease distrust and throw suspicion
upon the vast mass of obligations now
outstanding. We can scarcely think of
a more unwise measure than this; and
congress will not and ought not to
listen to it.
Again, the plainly Implied principle
accepted by Mr. Gage, that silver dol
lars and silver certificates must be re
deemed by the treasury in gold on de
mand, is an evil admission; and one
which, if accepted, would make the
maintenance of the gold standard actu
ally impossible. We are no longer coin
ing silver dollars. Therefore the
amount does not increase. A fixed
amount can be kept in circulai^cn at
par. If we once propose to redeem
silver certificates or dollars in gold, the
endless chain lengthens out immeas
urably. The mere suggestion that to
the body of the greenbacks must be
added the whole volume of silver in
existence as a possible drain upon the
gold reserve Is unfortunate. Mr. Gage
6o c :s not advocate the retirement of
the greenback. He do< s advocate that
the silver certificate stand beside it
es ;: mnnai c to t' <;• p.otioral credit. Such
i ;. ii alone makes his efiort
to solve the resulting situation abor
tive.
Coming to the question of note issues,
again he sees the danger and the need,
without daring to go the length of cut
ting out one or satisfying the other. He
presents forcibly the inadequacy of a
federal currency to meet commercial
demands. He is not ready to advocate
free banking. Between the two he
stumbles to a compromise which, once
more, is practically useless because
congress will not listen to it, and
theoretically valueless because congress
ought not to listen to it. He would re
tain and increase the national bank
currency, founded on bond issues. That
admits an unsound principle at the
outset. To accommodate remoter sec
tions and secure a certain measure of
elasticity, he would permit banks, un
der the conditions mentioned above, to
issue notes to the amount of 25 per
cent of their capital against their as
sets, but otherwise unsecured. How
would this give elasticity? As far as
he explains his plan, the 2 per cent tax
for a guarantee fund is not an annual
levy, but is collected only on notes once
issued. What motive, then, would ever
exist for the retirement of notes; for
the contraction of issues, which is just
as necessary at one season of the year
as expansion is at another?
Notes issued on a bond deposit do
slowly disappear when times are dull
and interest rates low. A bank can
not afford to tie up its capital in 4 per
ct.nt bonds, bought at a high premium,
when the notes issued upon them lie
idle in its vaults or are loaned at a
small profit. It retires the notes and
sells the bonds. But every bank in the
country would rush to come in on the
new plan. Any banker would be will
ing to put up his share of the $200,000,
--000 in government paper money, be
cause he would receive in exchange
national bank notes, dollar for dollar.
One would be as valuable to him as the
other. Then, if he had depos
ited an amount equal to 50 per
cent of his capital, he could get
notes to the extent of 25 per cent
mere for the asking. Would not every
dollar of this be taken out and stay out?
For, if none of it were loaned, it would
cost nothing to let it lie idle. The gain
on any part of this circulation would
be pure profit. Mr. Gage has simply
made over some of the ideas contain
ed in the Baltimore plan and in the
system recommended by Secretary Car
lisle; but he has superimposed them
upon an existing system, and produced
a garment so patched and pieced that
it does not promise either shelter or
warmth to the nation's treasury. It
is unfortunate that, in an emergency
like this, a man whom we desire to be
lieve sincere should show himself at
once so limited and so impracticable in
ideas.
-^»- ■ ■
FOLLOWING THE BLAZED WAY.
A sense of duty having constrained
us to criticise with mild acidity those
acts and policies of the present admin
istration which shocked our convicN
tions of a properly conducted govern
ment, the same sense of duty compeki
to an enumeration of those acts, pol
icies and purposes which, being in ac
cord with the similar acts and so forth
of the preceding administration, com
mend themselves to us as being emi
nently legitimate and proper. We do
this with the greater pleasure that it
puts us now in harmony with our Re
publican "molders of opinion," who
were so fierce in their criticisms oi,
these acts and policies when Mr. Cleve
land did or pursued them and are now
so profuse In their laudations that
Mr. McKinley adopts them.
In the first place we find the present
president criticising the endless chain
quite as vigorously as did his prede
cessor, and quite as stoutly as he de
claring that he will issue bonds to re
plenish the gold reserve whenever the
danger line is reached. When we re
call the raving at Mr. Cleveland fo:t
issuing bonds, we cannot prevent the
pleasure that Mr. McKinley's vindi
cation of his action affords us. We
trust he will never have occasion to
buy gold with bonds, but his willing
ness to do so In an emergency is com
mendable. Next in rank as to impor
tance comes his ratification of the pol
icy his predecessor pursued in the mat
ter of the Cuban insurrection. We can
hear yet the reviling of Mr. Cleveland,
indulged in by the whole chorus of Re
publican papers and spouters, and their
moanings over the disgrace in which it
involved this land of the free and home
of the brave still rumble in memory.
The world was begged to hold itself
until their party got Into power, whei|
a vigorous foreign policy would speed
ily be begun that would enroll Cuba
among the other dynamite republics of
this hemisphere. We have waited in
vain for that policy, and now we have
the same assurance from this president
that his predecessor communicated to
congress a year ago. The time maj)
come when something will be done, but
that time is not yet.
Descending to minor matters, we
have a semi-official announcement that
the present commissioner of pensions
has made the discovery that there are
actually such things as frauds on the
pension rolls and that drastic measures
will be taken to weed them out. Hero
again we see the administration
worthily treading in the path blazed
out by the one it superseded, and again
we seem to hear the uproar, the in
dignation, the vituperation hurled at
Mr. Cleveland and his commissioner oJ
pensions when they announced that
they, too, found the coffee-coolers and
malingerers on the roll and were going
to hunt them out. The inspectors sent
out were branded as "spies;" the
frauds were paraded as honorable old
soldiers whom this "soldier-hating" ad
ministration was hounding to their
death; depriving them of the pittance
that kept them from the poorhouse.
Like tow the heart of the vo
ciferous professional old soldier
fired up at the enormity. How
frantic posts adopted denuciatory
resolutions, and editorial columns
blazed with fiery invective. We
have noted recently that some of these
papers have changed their tune, and
we expect now to hear a chorus of ap-
THE SAINT PAUL, GI,OB3: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1897
proval of this purging of the rolls go
ringing down the whole newspaper line
that denied so scornfully a year or two
ago that any purging was needed.
Then there is the matter of the con
solidation of the little postoffices that
cluster about the larger cities which Mr.
Wilson began when he was postmaster
general and against which there was
such protest. So grave an infraction of
the rights of man was this regarded
that that good, loyal deputy Republi
can, Mr. Gorman, introduced and con
gress enacted a bill preventing further
consolidations. Now, however, we have
Assistant Heath, in whose division
these offices belong, urging the repeal
of that law, so he can take up the
work where Mr. Wilson dropped it and
go on with it, and we hope he may
succeed. It is with sincere pleasure
that we make note of these continua
tions of the good policies of the Cleve
land administration, but we feel sorry
for our fellow workers in the opposi
tion who will now have to pronounce
good that which they declared was out
rageous, foolish, inhuman, destructive
only a year or two ago.
THEY ARE MARKED MEN.
Public opinion and personal shame
proved less efficacious last night, at
the meeting of the board of aldermen,
and other motives proved more potent
than our citizens had been willing to
believe. The street railway company,
which smilingly asserts its ownership
of St. Paul, and appears to have the
title deeds ready for examination when
required, won without an effort on the
first round. On motion of Aid. Shep
ar( j_ one of the gentlemen whom the
public will probably not forget— the
resolution declaring the company's
franchise for the Fourth street cable
line forfeited was referred to commit
tee. This was the first show of hands,
but the end is not yet.
There was, of course, no more reason
for referring this matter to a commit
tee than there would be to refuse to
adjourn until the committee on garbage
should approve such action; a great
deal less, in fact, since there would be
a certain fitness about the latter. The
controversy with the street railway
company and the merits of it are fa
miliar to the most ignorant person in
St. Paul. The trouble with the board
of aldermen, however, is not ignorance.
This resolution had passed the assem
bly by a unanimous vote. It is de
manded by every consideration of duty
to the people of St. Paul; by every I
feeling of faithfulness to a public trust.
There is no mystery, no secret about it.
Its purport is carried on its face; and
there is not an alderman who is not
as ready to vote on it now, and as well
informed, as he will ever be; unless he
contemplates interviews and informa
tion which the public is not to share.
It is important that this action
should be taken without delay or hesi
tation. The action of the board is
equivalent to an announced intention
to indefinitely postpone. But it will
have to go on record individually. If
this shameful thing is true, if the
street railway company can count in
fallibly on enough servants in the
councli to. defeat the people's will and
surrender the people's interests, we
shall know who they are, and the black
list will be kept well before the pub
lic eye. Last night gave some infor
mation. There will be more. The men
who were elected to serve the interests
of St. Paul, and find their occupation
in doing the pleasure of the street rail
way company and assisting it in its
war upon our rights, our comfort and
our welfare, will be marked and re
membered. Let them count the cost
before it is still too late. They have
lain in ambush a long time. Now they
will have to come into the open. With
out prying too closely into their rea
sons, we do ask them, when every
thing is summed up on both sides,
Will it pay? For, if we mistake not,
this is one form of treason that the
voters of this city will not forget or
forgive.
ITS ANNUAL ELECTION
Now Absorbs the Interest of Com
mercial Club Members.
The interest of the members of the Com
mercial club Is centered on the coming
election, which occurs next Tuesday. The
voting wiil be by ballot and the polls will
be open from 9 a. m. to 7 p. m.
The clmb will elect a president, two vice
presidents and thirteen directors, and for the
first named' office there will probably be no
opposition to Conde Hamlin. For the vice
presidents the nominating committee has
placed three names in nomination, Ben
Somers, J. C. Michael and Frank Schliek Jr.
This ticket will doubtless win by a practically
unanimous vote. With the board of directors,
however, it Is different. The "committee
selected twenty-six names, of which but half
that number Is to be selected, and it is on
this contest that the interest is manifested,
Following the election, the new board of di
reotors will map out a line of work for the
coming year, and will also select a secretary.
D. R. McGinnis, who filled that office for
three years in the past, has been spoken of as
a possible candidate for the position, but
<Mr. McGinnis authorizes the Globe to
deny the report authoritatively. So far as
known this leaves no opposition to the present
incumbent, C. P. Stine.
Tuesday evening, after the election, a smoke
social and entertainment will be held, and
the entertainment committee is arranging a
unique programme. This includes the "High
Court of Memus Mumm," of which J. J.
McOafferty will be the chief justice, assisted
by eight associate justices, Cap!. Ed Bean will
be «ourt crier, J. Adam Bede court jester and
Chief Goss court bailiff. Music, speaking
and refreshments will complete the evening's
entertainment.
The last meeting of the present board of di
rectors of the club was held yesterday, as
which the market house projects were dis
cussed at some length and the committee on
city development was Instructed to confer
with tho chamber of commerce, committee in
regard to the matter, A committee of five,
Theodore L. gchurmeier, C. B. Bowlby, H. A.
Boardman, D. R. McGinnis and C. P. Stlne,
was appointed to represent the club on the
council of arrangements of the American
Stock Feeders' and Breeders' convention to
be held here Jan. 11 and 12. The long dis
tance telephone franchise matter went over
for action at the first meeting of the new
board of directors.
Three new members were admitted, John
O'Brien, of Still'water, H. C. Johnson and
J. V. I. Dodd.
USED THE HOWARD CHARTER.
Assemblyman Reunion's Blaff About
Compelling Witnesses to* Talk.
When the assembly committee on flre de
partment, now engaged in holding an investi
gation as to the cause of the burning of the
Schutte block, in December last, adjourned
Monday night, it was decided that a reso
lution directing the joint committees on fire
department to proceed would be asked for.
>,'o such resolution was presented to the
beard of aldermen last evening, and it Is like
ly that the investigation will be dropped. Mr,
Reardon had the clerk read, at the meeting
Monday night, a section from the general
laws of 1895, which empowered common coun
cils and committees from them to send for
witnesses and compel them to appear. It
developed yesterday that the section read was
from the Howard charter and therefore of no
effect, as far as present councils are con
cerned. Mr. Reardon, seen yesterday, said
he was not prepared to say whether the inves
i legation would be continued or not.
HARDWOOD GRADES
THEIR DEFINITION PUZZLED THE
NORTHWESTERN DEALERS IN
THAT CLASS OF LIMBER,
REFERRED TO A COMMITTEE
TO MAKE A ' STANDARD OF UNI
FORMITY AND ESTABLISH IT
IN TRADE.
OFFICERS WERE SELECTED,
o r
And a Banquet and Theater Party
Clotted an Interesting: Annual
Association' Meeting
The annual meeting of the North
western Hardwood Lumbermen's as
sociation was held in the parlors of the
Commercial club yesterday afternoon,
with a large attendance, Including rep
resentative hardwood manufacturers
and users of Minnesota and Northern
Wisconsin. The president, Marshall H.
Ccolidge, of Minneapolis, presided.
The principal item of business to
come before the convention was the
question of changes in the manner of
grading lumber. D. F. Clark, tho
chairman of the board of arbitration,
reported that the inspectors appointed
by the board were called upon to in
spect four carg of hardwood lumber
during the year and had done so satis
factorily to all parties concerned, but
the difference in their respective de
terminations of grades showed that
some radical changes were needed in
the grading rules — whereupon three
members of the board submitted rec
ommendations for such changes. The
difficulty remained, however, that their
recommendations were dissimilar, and
there then ensued a lively, though en
tirely goodnatured discussion of several
hours' duration. Nearly all present
agreed that some changes were neces
sary, but that the fewer grades made
the better. It .was, finally decided to
submit the majtter to a committee of
five, representing the manufacturers of
lumber, sash arid rl*>or manufacturers,
furniture manufacturers, wholesale and
retail lumber dealers, and the chair
accordingly appointed C. H. Stein, Geb
hardt Bohn, J. ,H. Hiscock, D. F. Clark
and W. C. Bailey, as representatives
of those lines, Vespej'ctively. They are
to complete tfceir .report by Feb. 1,
and any rules -which may be adopted
by this committee .by a vote of four
of the five arei to govern the associa
tion.
There have teen t 'very bitter differ
ences between >the retail lumber deal
ers of the Northwest and the whole
salers, represented by the Northwestern
Lumbermen's association and the Mis
sissippi Valley Lumbermen's associa
tion, and an effort is now being made
to patch up a truce and settle all
grievances. To this end a board of ap
peals, consiting of three representatives
from each association, is proposed, and
at the request of the wholesalers, the
president, secretary and treasurer of
the hardwood association were d^legit
ed to act as mediators to this dtsired
end.
In the election of officers, all tho
former ofilcers were re-elect£d with the
exception of vice president, as follows:
President— 'Marshall Coc-I'dge, cf Minne
apolis.
Vice President— Henry E. Ctegocd, of St.
Paul.
Secretary — J. Newton Nind, of Minneapolis.
Treasurer — Charles F. Osborne, of Minne
apolis.
Heard of Directors— B. F. Clark, S. C.
Robinson, P. H. Lewis. W, C. Stanton, H.
G. Sutter, J. H. Hiscock and B. Villaume.
The board then held a meeting and
appointed the following as inspectors:
Gusi Bodin, Peter Bell, Frank Osborne
and Olaf Opprund, of Minneapolis, and
August Palmquist and Richard G&ssert,
of St. Paul. It is intended having the
inspectors hold meetings at intervals
during the year for instruction in grad
ing rules.
The next convention will be held in
Minneapolis.
Following the business session, the
members partook of supper served in
the dining halUof the club, and in the
evening witnessed "The Prisoner of
Zcr.da." The following were the mem
bers present:
Minneapolis— Marshall 11. Coolidge, S. C.
Robinson, F. H. Lewis, .0. W. Firkms. D. F.
Clark, J. N. Nind. J. F. Hayden. M. O. Nel
son, J. H. Hiscock, C* F. Osborne, C. N.
Robinson, B. X. ..Thompson, H. B. Squires,
O. Lunn. C. E. Thomipson. John F. McDon
ald, William C. .Bailey. Charles Oliver, A.
Y. Fenton, A. HHr. r Barnard, H. M. Lyon and
N. C. Bennett.
St. Paul— A. Moorman, Albert G. Mossbrug
ger, H. K. Broqks, J. P. Keyes, Gebhard
Bohn, H. E. Osgood, H. C. Stanton, John
Luger, A. E. Peterson* E. C. Munch and F.
A. Nolan.
Ironwood, Mich.— W. H. Sill.
Glenwood, Wls.— P. A. Cleveland and C. H.
Stein. .'
Plum City, Wls.— W. M. Lantz and T.
Sttter.
In an interview with a Globe re
porter, President Coolidge reported that
the hardwood lumber cut this wintor
would be the heaviest for years, as
there is a great scarcity of this lum
ber in the market. According to him,
the hardwood is becoming very scarce
I in the Northwest, and especially is thl.s
true of white oak, of which, he says,
there will be but little left in five years
more.
MAY RESTRICT CHILDREN.
Juvenile Book Destroyers Cost the
Library Board Heavily.
The question of restricting the use
of the public library to children over
the age of twelve years was brought
up at the regular monthly meeting of
the library board yesterday afterrfjon.
Dr. Bean said he had been consider
ing the matter for several months,
and he was urged to bring it up at
this time, owing to the fact that about
$2,000 had been expended this year for
rebinding books. The greater part of
this sum, he was informed, had been
paid out for rebinding books in the
juvenile department of the library.
Something, he thought, should be dolie
to save money. No new books had
been ordered in two months for the
library, for the reason that there were
no funds. The juvenile department
was a great expense, and particularly
in the book-destroying line. He sug
gested that the age at which chil
dren be allowed to, take books from
the library be put at ten or twelve
years, and that the issuance of books
be restricted to every other day, or
twice a weelq The plan or practice
of children under twelve years of age
to visit the library- one day secure a
book and return thie next day to get
another was, in his opinion, detri
mental to th« children and a great
expense to tl^e library board. If .the
board had plenty qf funds at. its dis
posal, It would be a much different
thing, but there was a necessity to
reduce expenses, and this was the
place where the reduction might com
mence. D. A. Monfort did not agree
with Dr. Bean, and was of the opinion
that, if the board was short of money,
which was undoubtedly, true, it would
be unwise to commence at the expense
of the juvenile branch of the library.
The department, he said, since its
opening had been of great benefit to
the young, and he was in favor of
maintaining it without any restric
tions as to age. He was opposed to
any hasty action in the. matter, and!
asked that it be laid over. Dr. Bean
said he did not ask for any hasty
action and brought the question up
in order that it might be discussed.
B. P. Wright did not favor restricting
the use of the library to children. In
the East the plan seemed to be in op
eration, but in the West. the tendency
was the other way. He was of the
opinion it would be a step backward.
The question, as well as that advanced
by Mr. Monfort of having the juve
niles drawing books wear buttons,
which would be furnished free by the
librarian, was postponed until the next
meeting of the board.
The report of the librarian for No
vember gave the following figures:
Books issued for home use, 23,031, di
vided as follows: History and biog
raphy, 2,205; voyages and travels, 715;
poetry and drama, 442; arts and sci
ences, 1,308; language and literature,
645; law and medicine, 103; religion,
206; miscellaneous, 76; prose fiction,
7,012; juvenile literature, 5,220; books in
foreign literature, 135; reference room
on week days, 4,740; reference room
on Sundays, 220.
The visitors to the reading room on
Sundays numbered 610, and the refer
ence room on Sunday, 138.
The registration previously report
ed was 11,927; cancelled during the
month, 625; new registrations, males,
278, females, 251; whole number en
titled to draw books, 11,831. The
amount received for fines during No
vember was $87.98, and for thirty-one
books lost during the year, $38.82.
FUNCTIONS OF TUESDAY.
Events of the Day in St. Paul So
ciety.
Mrs. J. W. Bishop and Mrs. H. C.
Johnstone gave a reception yesterday
afternoon, from 3 to 5 o'clock, the
guests assembling at the home of Mrs.
Bishop, on Mackubin street. The fra
grance and beauty of the flowers, gen
erously supplied and artistically ar
ranged, the toning of the large palms
and graceful ferns, and the rich char
acter of the gowns of guests and hos
tesses, made a truly pleasing picture.
Special interest was also added to the
occasion by a variation in the usual
afternoon reception constituency, since
a number of gentlemen were among
the invited guests, presenting them
selves during the last half-hour of the
function. Mrs. Bishop and Mrs. John
stone greeted their guests in the re-
MISS BRADLEY WILL CHRISTEN THE BATTLE SHIP,
/ ' &
WASHINGTON, Pec. 7.— The difficulty that
had arisen in relation to the christening of
the battleship Kentucky has been settled, as
indicated by the following letter:
Hon. John I). Long. Secretary of the Navy
— My Dear Sir: Kentucky, the "first born of
the union," is justly proud of the distinc
tion preferred in Riving her name to the
magnificent battleship soon to bo launnh"d
at Newport News. It may not be inappro
priate or vain to say that the valiant record
ecption room, where well-developed
palms and American beauty roses gave
the color tone. Ferns, pink chrysan
themums and palms were clustered
with taste in the drawing room. Cali
fornia laurel, white chrysanthemums
and handsome ferns prevailed in the
dining room, a centerpiece of white
ehrysantheumums and ferns adorning
the table. In this room Mrs. Dudley
W. Rhodes and Mrs. Denis Follett
seived the refreshments. The library
was arranged in yellow and green — the
prettily decorated punch table having
as a back ground a bank of palms. Miss
Kate Humbird served the eruests here
with frozen eggnog. The hostesses were
assisted also by Mrs. Ansel Oppen
heim, Mrs. Denis Follett, Mrs. Dudley
W. Rhodes, Mrs. E. H. Bailey, Mrs.
R. P. Lewis, Mrs. Maurice Edwards,
Mrs. Harvey Officer, Mrs. John A.
Humbird, Mrs. F. A. Fogg, Mrs. M. L.
Saunders, Miss Fannie M. Lyon, and
the Misses Humbird. Those who were
introduced as guests of honor were:
Mrs. Richard Marvin, Mrs. D. C. Lyon
and Mrs. Charlotte O. Van Cleve, of
Minneapolis.
Miss Hopkins, of Leavenworth, was the
honored guest at a reception given yester
day afternoon by Mrs. B. 11. Evans, of Ash
land avenue. The hostess was assisted in
welcoming the guests by Mrs. C. Schune
man and Mrs. H. T. Black. In the reception
room, where they stocd. generous knots of
chrysanthemums and stately palms were in
evidence. Mrs. W. A. Topliff, Mrs. A. 11.
Stem, Mrs. George Thompson and Mrs. Nor
val Marchand assisted In the function, stand
ing in the drawing room, where pink roses,
palms and fr-rns were nature's contribution.
White and groen prevailed In the dining roo'j,
the center-piece being constructed of carna
tions and maiden hair ferns. Streainera of
white satin ribbon ran from th* center to
the corners of the table, wb^re they were
caught with dainty knots of asparagus fern
and white roses. The other decorative fea
tures of the room were the mantel banked
with green and white and the cluster of
Easter lilies on the sideboard. The- table was
presided over by Mrs. Albert Schuneman,
Mrs. James Weirick, Mrs. Francis Ford and
Mrs. M. Fayetto Patterson. The decorations
in the library, where Mrs. C. E. Dlckennan
and Mrs. P. W. Owens poured coffee, were
red and green, effected with American Beauty
roses, ferns, palms and smilax. The punch
was served in the drawing room by Mrs.
Charles Clark and Mrs. George Ranney. The
young ladies who assisted the hostess were:
Miss Cecil White, Miss Kate Chittenden, Miss
MessneT, Miss Florence Messner, Miss Grace
FloweT, Miss Harriet Johnson and Miss Leila
Marchand.
Miss Farrington, of the Aberdeen, will give
a tea this afternoon for Miss Carey.
Mrs. Darling will entertain at whist Friday.
Miss Batterman, of Chicago, is the guest
of Miss Johnson, of Western avenue.
Mrs. Dyer and Miss Dyer, of Grand avenue,
will give a reception Thursday.
Mrs. Senkler, of the Aberdeen, entertained
at luncheon yesterday for the Misses Bab
cock, of Neenah.
The Ladles' Aid Society of the First TJni
versallst Church met yesterday with Mrs.
H. E. Lamb, on Laurel avenue.
The missions class met yesterday after
noon In the gui!d house of Christ church. The
subject under discussion was "The Later His
tory of English Missions In Melanaala," and
the programme was in charge of the ladies
of the Good Shepherd parish.
The Sewing Circle of the People's Church
held a meeting yesterday at the home of Mrs.
G. F. Warner, of Western avenue.
A meeting of the Audubon society will oc
cur this afternoon at 2:30 in the parlors of
the Dayton Avenue Presbyterian church.
The Sodfr^ of Colonial Wars will hold a
special court tft-iae R yan Saturday evening.
Dec. 18, to commemorate the great Swamp
Fight. A business meeting will be held at 7
o'clock and dinner will be served at 7:45.
Mrs. King, of 669 East Third street, will
open her home this afternoon at 3 o'clock to a
meeting of the Woman's Suffrage association.
Mrs. Robertson, of Hague avenue, enter
tained the Alert Euchre club yesterday.
The Algonquin club will give a dancing
party in Litt'a hall Friday evening.
The Colonnade Dancing club gave a danc
ing party last evening in Oxford hall.
The Young Men's Cinch club will meet this
evening with George Johnson, of Western ave
nue.
MAX BENDIX THE STAR.
Musical Kvent* of Last Evening in
St. Paul.
The third concert of the St. Paul Musical
club occurred last night in Park Congrega
tional church. Mr. Max BentfTx was the star
of the evening, but was well supported by
Mrs. Alma Johnson Porteous, of Minneap
olis; Mrs. J. A. Detzer, pianlste; Miss Mar
shall and W. W. Cross, accompanists. On
the programme seven numbers were listed,
but nearly twice that number were given.
The initial performance was Saint Saens'
"Allegro Appassionato," op. 70, which was
played by Mrs. Detzer with strength and
deri/iiteness of interpretation as well as
with a fine finish. Mr. Bendix chose for his
first appearance Hubay's "Carmen Fantalsle,"
and gave it a satisfying expression that ful
filled the expectations of the audience. In
parts his execution was brilliant. The regu
lar number was followed by a pleasing en
core. Mrs. Porteous has a contralto voice,
which is very pleasing save for a lack of
uniformity In its quality. Her rendition of
the aria, "My Heart Is Weary," from Goring
Thomas, was well done, and won for her a
round of applause. Her response was a
selection of a good standard. Mr. Bendix
presented next a bracket of two numbers,
one a nocturne by Chopin, and the other the
"Elfentanz," by Papper. The nocturne was
given with a sympathy and faithfulness to
the spirit of the selection that rendered the
performance very impressive. The life and
spirited execution of the dance of the elves
was a pleasing contrast to the somber noc
turne. The bracket was followed by an en
core. The last three numbers were: A polon
aise, op. 53, from Chopin, by Mrs. Detzer: a
bracket of vocal solos— Massenet's "Pensee
d'Automne," and Spickler's "Love's Bllas,"
by Mrs. Porteous, and "Rondo Capriccloso,"
from Saint Saens. by Mr. Bendix. The con
cert was well attended, nearly every seat in
the house being occupied. The next enter
tainment will occur Tuesday evening, Jan.
25, and the artist will be William H. Sher
wood, pianist.
Miss Louisa Christ, of 278 Winifred street,
made by her sons on land and sea entitles
her to the compliment. Kindly accept my
sincere thanks for the honor with which y<lii
have clothed an unpretentious but ardent
Kentucky girl who loves her state second
only to her country. It will give me much
pleasure to assist in the ceremonies of the
occasion, which should serve if possible to
bind the sympathies of every citizen of Ken
tucky more closely to the nation. I have the
honor to be —Christine Bradley.
gave a parlor muslcalp at the home of Judge
O. D. Lewis, on Winslow avenue, last even
ing, for tho benefit of the Chun-h of the As
cension.
The decorations were very tasteful, the ef
fect having been produced with smllax in
tho front, parlor, and white chrysanthemums
Ing tho back parlor. Tho programme as car
ried out was:
Piano Duet— "La Chatelaine" Leduco
Misses Alice and Nellie Carpenter.
Violin Solo Selected
Ira Donnelly.
I!ar;tone Solo — "Alone on the Raft."
• 'has. Gray.
Recitation Selected
Mlsa Ilerma Gregory.
Gramaphone Selections —
Contralto Svlo —
(a) "Why. My Soul, Art The-u so Heavy
With Grief."
(b) "Little Boy Blue." D'Hardelot
Mrs. Clayton.
Piano Solo— "La Plleuse" Raff
Mlsa E. McKnight.
Bass Solo— "Mighty Dfep" Jude
Jno. Woeh.
Piano Duet — Overture to "Semlramlde" —
RosslQl
Misses McKnight and L. H. Chryet. . --•
Prof. J. Fenwlck, of this olty, h^j been
for some time organizing clubs Known as
the Fenwick Musical Societies. Tnere are at
present four very prosperous clubs, one In
Winnipeg, Man., of about o^e hundred mem
bers; one In Eden Vallwf, of about ninety
five members. The lJ*i£eapolis club has a
membership of one/hundred. The St. Paul
club is the younp'st. being only a week old
and having thlKy-flve members. At a meet
ing which w held at the Portland on Broad
way last >*ght, twenty applications for mem
bership. Vere received. The Idea of the or
ganU'.cion is to furnish high class music free
0^ charge so that those may receive its bene
fits who would otherwise be deprived of them.
A meeting to lay plans for the season's work
will be held the latter part of this month.
9t. Paul's Episcopal church was crowded
to the doors last night by the people who
gathered" to hear the second rendition of Dr.
Garrott's church cantata, "The Two Ad
vents," by the vested choir. The beautiful
cantata was g'lven under the musical direc
tion of Choirmaster Thomas Yapp, the solo
parts being taken by Masters Arndt Liljen
gren, soprano; Fred Grahamo, alto, and
Messrs. G. C. Zenzius, tenor, and Frank Wil
son, bass.
Directly preceding the cantata George H.
Normington, choirmaster of St. John's
church, played a recital on the great organ,
which Included well given numbers.
The choir entered the church and took
places in the stalls to the strains of the pro
cessional "Lo, He Comes With Clouds De
cending." The singing of the cantata showed
the result of intelligent rehearsing. The solo
part 3 were well taken, and the auditors -were
treated to an evening of excellent music.
Frank Wilson, the bass, took the offertory
solo "The Golden Threshold" at short notice,
and acquitted himself creditably. The choir
numbered nearly seventy voices. Dr. John
"Wright officiated.
NEW BARRACKS DEDICATED.
There were no especially impressire cere
monies attending the opening of the new Sal
vation Army barracks, at 305 Wabasha street,
last evening, but with music of drum and
jingling cf tambourine, with singing and
prayer, with exhortation and hallelujahs, the
new place at worship was dedicated in char
acteristic manner.
The old barracks were too small and not
central enough, but In Its new home the
post has commodious and cosy quarters. The
hall was well filled and the services were
unusually Interesting. Among those on the
platform was a delegation of officers from
Minneapolis, Capts. Connell. Mitchell, Jamca
and Simpson and Ensign Miller.
Personal Injury Suit ou Trial.
The personal injury suit of Patrick Bren
nan against Allan Black is on trial before
Judge Otis and a jury. The plaintiff was
employed by the defendant as a laborer and
while engaged in removing a boiler from
freight cars his leg was broken by reason,
so he alleges, of a defective lever he was
obliged to use. He suea for |7,u00 damages.
J
PP ]IO ESTIPTE
FIRE COMMISSIOXKIIS THIS YEAR
HAVE PREPARED M> STATE
MENT OF NEEDS.
DISCUSSED IT THOROUGHLY.
REftI'IREMEXTS OF THIS BRANCH
CAREFILLY CONSIDERED BY
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.
HAVE ALLOWED $200,000 A YEAR.
Expected the Same Amount Will Be
Set Aalde for the l'»e of the
Department in '08.
The fire department has a balance on
hand of approximately $12,000 for the
fiscal year ending Nov. 30, 1897. The
present Indications are that the de
partment will have an opportunity to
expend some $10,000 of this surplus in
installing the proposed Improved fire
alarm system. The board of aldermen
approved last night the contract for
putting in the new system, and its ac
tion will become effective.
Chief Jackson, when seen last night,
said that the financial condition of the
fire department was never in better
shape. If the new alarm system was
adopted, it had money on hand to in
stall It, without in any way impairing
the efficiency of the department, pro
vided, of course, that the usual am lunt
is appropriated for maintenance.
"In past years," said Chief Jackson,
"the fire board has invariably prepared
an estimate of the amount needed for
the ensuing year, down to the minutest
detail. This year the board did not
submit an estimate, although the needs
of the department have been thorough
ly discussed by the members of tho
board. The fact is that the require
ments of the fire department are. like
those of other branches of the city
government, carefully considered by
the conference committee when the city
comptroller submits his tax estimate.
The charter limits the appropriation to
$215,000. Last year we were allowed
$200,000, and the year previous the same
sum. and it is quite likely that this ap
propriation will not be cut down ip
the tax estimate for 1898."
FAMILY LITIGATION.
The Vincents of New Canada Airing
Their Troubles.
Brothers and sisters aro Involved In
the district court. Tho trouble la among the
members of tho Vincent family of Now Can!
f; n H Th » >" w s" 11 »■ brought by Napoleon
S. and Norbort J. Vincent against their
brothers and sisters to quiet title to Si
homestead property In Xew Canada to which
SK2BJ an<l Norbert clalm «>•' exclusive
The defendants In tho suit aro Modest J
Joseph. Theophlle and Alphonao Vincent
Mnry ( apistrant, Julio I'lanus, Amelia U> - n
ners, Alphinsine Gervals and Philomena
Renard and their respective wives und hus
bands.
N'orbert and Napolron Vtacent havo a deed
to the property in dispute, signed by their
father and mother. Ml, had and Sophia Vin
cent, Who have both rtepartol thin llf» H lnr<i
November. 1893, when they executed thi
Tho consideration of the deed was that tha
two young men should provide food nheltrr
and raiment for their parents, and pay them
♦MX) cash a year for the balance of their nat
ural lives. To secure the fulfillment of this
promise, Norbert and Napoleon executed v
mortgage on the premises to the old folks
in the sum of (2.000, the mortgage, to bo
null and void In rase they carried nut their
agreement, but otherwine to b« in full
and effect. In 1894 Michael Vincent died und
during the following year his wife followed
him.
The defendants now claim title to the prop
erty. They assert, first, that the deed to
N'orbert and Napoleon Is void, in that fcha
old folks were subjected by the pluintlffa tn
undue Influence in Mining it. They further
declare that the mortgage to td-ir father
and mother is in full force and effect !><■
cauce Norbert and Napoleon did not live up
to their agreement to properly care for their
parents. They charge the plaintiffs with neg
lecting their parents, with allowing them
to suffer from cold and hunger, refusing to
provide them with sufficient clothing and fail
ing to pay them the $i*> a year promised.
Norbert and Napoleon deny thesf charges,
except as to tb.- annual payments of £100.
They admit that they did not mako any
specific payments of that amount, but allego
that they nave their father und mother all
the '-ash they needed from time to time, of
which no account was kept, and took good
care of them, according to the agreement
The trial will tie resumed today.
BOMB SNELLING SHIPPINGS.
Tho troops at the fort were paid on Mon
day by Maj. Wbipple, paymaster, t . s. •■nay,
and tho boys In blue will havi
money for a few days.
The monthly stipend Of a private ■*
In Mir army seems rath I h any
miser. KSf-opie; but It Increases with i>»ch en
listment, and his savings ir f bis
discharge ilf he ; iitlon,
or endowed with go - ! ]udgn iuit:<rr
of "copperlni [uently way
up in the bund . nt, recently
discharged upon expiration of his term of
service, cashed hl.s "flnaJ statements" to tho
tuno of $^, -• i our soldiers an- ex
cellently lodged, well fed, amply provide
with clothing i the chothing allowanoo b' Ing
bo Pirge that a man rarely lues it. and tha
Jf.ont'y value accrues to him) and have abso
lutely no- living expenses OttUMe <<f laundry
and repairs. They have th* very best oi
medical and surgical attendance free, and
their pay goes on whether they be whII or
111. It has been estimated that a soldlor
of our army receives the equivalent of about
$60 a month. He Is the best paid a".d best
cared for lighting man in tho world, and th«
result is seen In the superior class ol mon
now tn our service.
Tho details for Monday were: Capt Philta
Reade for ofllcorof-the-day and Sec >nd 1.1 ut.
H. A. Smith for ofllcer-of-the-guard. For
Tuesday: Offlwr-of-thc-day, (.'apt. L. \V.
Cooks, and ofneer-of-the-ffuard, first LlouL
W. E. P. French.
Twenty-five men are on guard dally at
the post, sony» as main guard; •OHM as
provost guard; the latter having charge of th»
working parties of the twelve military con
victs and eight garrison prisoners. n<iw in
the guard house. It is arduous duty these
cold nights and days.
The Officers' Iy-ceum held Its first meeting
this season on Friday at 11:00 a. m., and
Lieut. Harold E. t'lok«\ Thtrd Infantry, de
livered an excellent essay on "The Military
State," touching upon the nation's some
what defenseless cXdltion in Uh> -vent <>t
war with a foreign power, and pointing out
what the great powers of Europe have done
and are doing in tho lino of defense. Tho
lyceum will meet on Mondays and Fridays
for four months, and, ns every Officer will
prepare a paper, some interesting and valu
able information upon military matters may
be gleaned.
GIVEN ANOTHER TILT.
Judge Lewis) Put* One More $1,000
on Bell's Ball.
Robert Bell's bail received a third and
last tilt yesterday afternoon from $2,
--500 SS.sOO. After the adjournment
of the Bickel trlai. Judge Lewie an
nounced his decision of the assistant
county attorney's motion to increase
the ball from $2,500 to $5,000. The court
fixed the ball at $3,500 and declared it
would not be made any greater. W.
H. McDonald, as attorney for Bell, took
exception to the action of the court. Ha
then announced that Harry Burn 3, who
was indicted Jointly with Bell on the
charge of perjury, and who, when ar
raigned on Monday pleaded not guilty,
would withdraw his plea and interpose
a demurrer to tha Indictment.
SIXTY DAYS FOR TWO.
Joseph Shue was sentenced to the
workhouse for sixty days yesterday, on
the charge of maintaining a disorderly
house on FrankMn street. Daniel
Sweeney, arrested in the piaoe, also
received a sixty-day sentence. John
McCorm'ck and Mr?. Nellie Murphy
were also caught in the police raid,
but had their cases continued until to
day.