W rW F ffH ] 53PP W j | y ' ! RWW ( W ' * fc n THE OHAIIA DAILY JJEBr SUNDAY , JUNE 9 , 1SJ)5 * 13 THE COST OF FIRE INSURANCE Burdens Impoied Upon Property and Easiness , rtMERICAN AND FOREIGN RATES COMPARED Profit * of th Ila lne i In Nchrnikn nd the Cauntrr t Lnnce I'nMlbllltlei of tiovrrninent Control Tlio Lloyd's 1'lnn The question ot fire Inmrance It one that directly Interests and affects every properly owner anj business man In the United States , t'nder the present system In this country , the expense oC Insurance constitutes no small Item In tliu coil of the maintenance ot prop erty , anil the conduct ot mercantile anil manu facturing business. In fact , It enters ver > largely into the ox pen so ot all commercial transactions at the present time. Hire In- turance ban become a recognized nccsslty In alt communities , and among all classes ot buslnes * , and that system ot distributing the liurdrn of the loss of the few among the many Is a wise and meritorious provision , the wisdom and beneficence ot which Is unques. tlcned. Fire Insurance forms an Important clement in the credit standing of every person en gaged In minufacturlng or mercantile pur- nulls , and has become a .necessary and Im portant collateral in the negotiation of loans on both real estate and chattels. Its use In this class of credit relieves , In no small de gree , the financial hazard , anil affords to both creditor and debtor n greater sense of safetj and security. Its use In this way has be come so general , that n very large proportion of the manufacturing , wholesaling and Job' blng firms of the country will not extent ! crsitlLi unless their customers keep their busl ness Interests well Insured ; and loan com' panics universally demand that propert ] owner * cirry at least Insurance sufficient tt cover the mortgage , properly assigned a : rollateral ID the loan. It Is not of the system ot distributing- < lois that the people complain of , but ot the cost ot tip distribution. Under the prevalllnf methods the cost of distribution amounts tc almost as gieat a sum as the relief afforded and thus the burden of the many Is doublet to afford relief and relmhursemen1 to the few. As a proposition o economics. It certainly cannot bo com mended , for the community suffers nearl ] ad much from the cost of Insurance as fron the waste by fire. As a matter of economj the community had far belter stand the fin waste than maintain Insurance thereon at tin present rate of cost. With the Indlvldua euffercr from lire loss , however , the questloi presents an entirely different phase , and Insurance suranco bcconiM a great benefaction. Uu the trouble Is that the sufferers from fire an not bcnefittetl by the enormous cost of dls trlbuting the loss , while the community a largo Is the loxcr to that extent , over am above the actual loss by fire. As a buslnes proposition , when It costs the community a much to maintain a system of dlstrlbutini Its flro loss as the sum of the benefits dc rvcil therefrom. It Is a fact patent that thcr is something radically wrong In the method adopted. adopted.COST OP INSUHANCR ADROAD. In the April number of the North Air.orlca Review Mr. Crocker ably discusses the cos of flro Insurance and shows conclusively tlia the expense ot Insurance In the Unite States Is cxceeJIngly high anil out of all pro jwrtlon as compared with the cost In otho countries. In support of his position ho quote the following estimate of average rates fror nn addrcPH by II. O. Essex of the Lancashlr Insurance company of England : Tor SIOo | Per II" Frnnre I .M Austria ! ISiHuitla A aermnny EniclunJ WlUnlted States 1.0 The object of this paper to to emphasize th position taken by Mr. Crocker , and perhar suggest a remedy for the existing condltioni as the agitation of this subject will bo prc ductlve of much food for thought among bus1 ness men throughout all sections of th country , and may In time lead to the ndot tlon of remedial methods that will afford Ir dcmnlty for loss by fire at a much less cort. In the paper referred to , Massachusetts I quoted to show that In twenty years the pet ] ) lo of that Btato have paid out In premium for Insurance the enormous tmin of $148,000 000 , and have received In return only $77 000,000 as Indemnity for flro waste. In N < braska , where the writer reside * ! the shov ing made Is far more glaring than that. TUB COST IN NCURASKA. The sworn annual statements of the It uranco companies doing business in th state , ns nied In the state auditor's ofllc show that during a period of ten year from 1885 to 1891. the people have paid I premiums the sum of $17,732,431. while the have received In return. In fire losses pali only $7,365,010. Thus the state , as a con manwcalth , has been a net loser , by reason i Insurance , to the extent of $10,307,465 iltirln " ' that period , or a net annual loss of $1,036 i"'r 746 ; a loss 140 per cent In excess of tr I benefits received. The average premlui rate dm Ing this period has been $1.00 % pi , $100. Yet underwriters arc loud In the protestations that their companies are mal Ing no money on Nebraska business , ai threaten to withdraw from the state unlei the valued policy law Is repealed. It Is voi evident from the facts presented that tl atato has made no money from the con panics. With such a showing as this , If li suranco companies cannot make an adi quato profit , there Is something radical wrong In their methods and managemn that calls for a speedy reformation. Eve a man of limited ability In the ordinary bu Iness avocations of life would soon ama : a fortune If ho received HO per cent moi from his patrons than ho returned to thcr The Insurance Year Hook , published 1 the Spectator company , shows that for tl year 1S93 the Insurance companies In tl United States received In premiums $164 463.048 , and paid out for losses the sum J10S.S7U.30S , for dividends the sum of $15 38.1,914. with an aggregate capital of $7S 620GGo. The year preceding , according the same authority , the premium rccelp were $164,2iOS97 , while the losses paid on aggregated $98,831,906 , and the dlvldeni paid amounted to the sum of $12.90.1,4C The cost of Insurance In the United Stat in 1S92 upon AH estimated population of C ( 680,740 , was $2.46 per capita. INSURANCK A PROFITABLE HUSINES Underwriters are continually claiming th their companies are making no money ai that the business of fire Insurance Is unprofl able. In the case of a few Individual coi panles that la perhaps a fact , but In the ma this talk of unprofitable business Is kept i to prevent legislative regulation and malnta high premium rates. The statistics she that In 1893 the flro Insurance companies the United States paid dividends aggregatli $12,383,914 upon an aggregate capital of $7 : t > 20,565 , a trltle over 17 per cent. A net r turn of 17 per cent upon the capital invent would seem to bo a > ery fair profit for tl stockholders , Thope name companies for tl year 1893 report a net surplus of $9S,373,5S If flro Insurance has been so unprofUal whence came this surplus , equalling 133 p cent ot their capital stock ? Certainly n from the pockets of the btockholilers , b from the pockets nt the policy holders In t ihapo of excessive premium rates. Some Idea of the cost of Are Insurance c : bo obtained when you consider the fact th the premiums paid annually equal $2.40 p capita , and then consider that , according the census of 1890 , the cost of maintain ! ) the public schools of this country was on $2.24 per capita. The amount returned losics paid averages only about $1.46 p Capita , so that the country Is the net lew every year by reason of the cost ot dl trlbuting the flro Iocs to the extent of per capita of Its ivopulatlon. In Ma able paper upon this subject y Crocker appears to lay the greater part ; the bunion of coat at the door of the agon and brokers. Whllu the commissions paid f .that service form a large per cent of the e pense complained of , yet upon that theo 'alone the total cost cannot be satlsfactorl Accounted for , from the fact that the ageni commissions are uniformly only 15 per ce of the premium receipts , the broker's rot 'mission being a division of that amount urn , a basis of from CO to 6Gj per cent of the tel commission. To Illustrate ; Kor the ye 1892 the cott of Insurance over and a bo losses and dividends was J52.S05.471 , while per cent of the premium receipts for th year amounted to $21,030,131 , to that wo t hive over CO per cent of tbo cost to bo ac- countol for. OVERPRODUCTION OF AGENTS , So long as Indemnity against fire loss Is obtainable only through the medium of In corporated stock companies , who perform the service for profit , 10 long will the agency plan t placing risks be Indlspenisble , both to the ubllc and the companies. The service might o greatly Improved to the advantage of both ho Insured and the Insurer , If companies ould exercise more care In th ? selection of holr agents and brokers. I am Inclined to link that perhaps this branch of the service ia * overgrown Itself , and that communities nd companies are alike suffering from an ivorproductlon of Insurance agents. The cckless writing ot Insurance by Incompetent ml dishonest agents , who over-Insure Irre- ponslblo risks for the sake ot the commls- Ions obtained Is detrimental to communities nd companies , In that It Increases the coat f Insurance to both by offering a premium n anon. Irresponsible and unprincipled business men , maintaining a falling and unprofitable busl- less , whoso financial standing is below par In II commercial centers , have no difficulty In htalnlng executive Insurance from agents hose only object Is the commissions re- alned from the deal. In too many cases hero Is an utter absence of the exer- ilse ot even ordinary business judgment In lacing Insurance risks , as apparently no ( Tort whatever Is mado" to ascertain whether r not the value of the property equals the mount of Insurance upon It. The size of he premium In too many Instances cuts more Igurc with both agent nnd company than the. luestlon of whether the property actually : ontalns the value Insured. COMPANIES HAVE THEIR OWN REMEDY These defects can , to a great extent , be aslly corrcctej by the companies themselves , f they desire to do so , by simply basing lommlsslons upon profits Instead of upon ho value of premiums received. That Is. In- lead of paying a flat commission of 1G per : cnt upon all business accepted by the com pany , pay a commission of G per cent upon acceptance of the risk and 10 per cent at the expiration of the policy period , providing no loss has been sustained In the meantime. Should a loss occur under any policy writ- en , wherein the fire had Its origin upon the premises Insured , upon such a risk the agenl writing the same would lose his commlsslcr of 10 per cent upon the premium received "or that risk. This plan would accomplish two very Im portant reformations In the agency system t would make the agent more careful as to he character of the risk written , as upon the Judicious selection of his risks would In a large degree depend his compensation. In the second place such a plan would have i decided tendency to lessen the number ol agents engaging In the Insurance business and the Incompetent and unprincipled ones would be driven from the field , as only legiti mate and conservative underwriting woult : then bo profitable. It would dispense with a very large per cent of the reckless under writing and greatly reduce the moral hazard nnd any plan that will eliminate to any marked extent the moral hazard from Insur ance will certainly reduce Its cost. TOO MANY SOFT IJERTHS. As shown , the agency feature alone Is nol holly responsible for the excessive cost o : flre Insurance. There are other equally glar- ng defects In the present methods that adi materially to the burden of the policy holder Too many high salaried presidents , actuaries general and state agents are required t < conduct the business ; too large an amount o the premium receipts are diverted from tholr legitimate purpose , such as expense In In llucnclng or preventing legislation , contest ng losses , and maintaining compacts am boards of underwriters for the purpose o preventing competition and maintaining rates. These expenses aggregate on at average from 18 to 25 per cent of the tola premium receipts. Including the expense o Inspectors and adjusters. The wide difference In rates between this and foreign countries cannot be satisfactorily accounted for upon the theory of the dlf ferencc In the construction ot buildings , to the reason that controverting that argu ment Is the fact that foreign countrle present a much greater density of popula tlon , which , upon all recognized basis o risk , would materially Increase the physlca hazard of Insurance. From the facts here given , and frotr those presented by Mr. Crocker In the Aprl lUvlow , it is clearly demonstrated that th present system of distributing the flre los In the United States Is altogether too cumber some and expensive ; that the Interests o the public demand a radical reorganization of existing methods , and the adoption o plans whereby the same results can bo nb talned for those who suffer from flre los nt a less expense to the community at large REMEDIES SUGGESTED. Uow to do this Is the problem worthy o the earnest thought and careful study of th business men ot every community , an should be a subject of sufllcient Import t command the attention ot legislators , bet state and national. He who can for nuilate a plan whereby the Insurance buslnes of the country can be conducted upon a mor economical basis will be a public benc factor. The writer , having given the subjec of Insurance a considerable study from th standpoint ot the Interests of the Insured will suggest a few crude plans for accom pllshlng that object , hoping that other more capable may elaborate them Into prac tlcal operation. Inasmuch as flre Insurance Is a unlversa necessity , and the flre loss must , from th very nature of the business , be borne by th public , why not have the function o distribution performed by the genera government , the same as the posta service , thus relieving the people from th necessity ot paying tribute to Insurance com panics to suit the sweet will of compact and boards of underwriters ? The amount col lected annually as a premium upon flre In surancc risks aggregates more than the cus torn duties , or the Internal revenues , col lected by the government , and the losse paid annually exceed by several million the total expenditures of the Postofllce depart ment. The annual expense of dlstrlbutln the flre loss through the medium of lusur ance companies , Including dividends pal stockholders now amounts to $05,000,000 o $70,000,000 , while the total premium receipt aggregate to an amount equaling one-ha the total ordinary expenditures of th government. In a business of this nature , where th many are taxed for the benefit of the few and , In view of the present cost ot collectln and distributing this tax , Is there anythln preposterous or Impractical In the propos tlon that it be done through the function o the government ? The cost could thereby b reduced from GO to 75 per cent , the wor performed In a more thorough and syste matlc manner , rates equalized , the burde made lighter and more equitably appor ttond , losses would bo more equitably ad justed , payments more prompt , and Incen dlarlsm meted out the punishment It s richly deserves. Policies would then be unl form and devoid of technicalities , and a enormous amount of litigation expanses am annoyance would be saved to unfortuuat policy holders. At first thought one might think this a Improper function for the government t assume , and , no doubt , many will say tha It would be as sensible for the governmen to engage In the general merchandise busl ness and supply Its people w.th goods a actual cost as to engage In the Insuranc business. Hut when you consider the peculla nature ot the business , its object , and th plan ot Its operation , that It differ a almoa wholly from any other class of business I Its methods and results , you will tlnJ there ! the most cogent reason why It Is a prope function for the government to assume. The adoption ot such a plan would. In al probability , necessitate an amendment to th federal constitution , To do that would re quire much time , and years would have t be spent In creating public sentiment sufll clently forceful to secure the submission an adoption of such an amendment. MUTUAL , INSURANCE. Another and perhaps the most practice plan of lessening the cost of flre Insuranci a plan that would be the eablest of adoptlo and provide the readiest relief , Is that c mutual Interinstirance upon the pure Lloyd system. That Is a plan ot Insuranc whereby a certain number of persons assc elate themselves together In a compact , eac agreeing and obl'gatlng ' himself to Indemnlf each other member of the compact for specified sum , and each member In retur Indemnities him for an equal amount. Tor nearly 200 years this has been th leud'ng plan of marine Insurance , and abou thirteen years ago It was applied to fir li.M-rance In this country by a number c leading and wealthy wholesale and reta merchants ot New York. City , thus assoclal Ing themselves together and agreeing lo in sure each other up to a limit of $2OOC That U. when the Individual members num DEWEY STONE GRAND , CLEARING SALE FtJRNITURE CO. -OF . - H15-I1I7 FARNAM ST , Chamber Suits We offer this week over 300 chamber suits from the very cheepest antique finish to the finest designs in Oak , Bird's Eye Maple , Curling Birch and Mahogany , and quote them far below their actual cost. Antique finished Chamber Suit. IM.NlIO hovel glass , was ? 1 1.50 . , . " ' . ' , . , . . . . Solid oak ClmiiilH-r Suit "Ox''l bevel shuts was $18.00 now. Solid oak Chamber Suit , 40x18 bevel slass , was ? 'jr..OO , now . I J | I J White manle Chamber Suit , KOxiM French glass was ? : W.OO , now ItJ'JlJ Fine curly birch Suit , beautiful , was $18.00. now An elegant antique oak Suit , cheval dresser , -10x121 French bevel 00 glass , nicely carved , was $ "i.)0 ( ) , now . UUi Cut-ley birch ( .Ihamber Suit , low French dresser , large French A Q Kfl bevel glass a beauty w as ? 7u.OO , now . T" U I J U Nice cherry Chamber Suit , natural finish , full swell front , very KQ large French glass , was ยง 100 , now . JO1 All Suits Pieces. Complete. 3 . $12 Antique Finished Suits . $ 7.5O $45 Curley Birch Suits . $26.75 $155 Solid Mahogany Suits $ 93.00 $14.50 Antigue Finished Suits . 9.25 $50 White Maple Suits . 28.50 $175 Curley Birch Suits 105.OO $ i 8 Solid Oak Finished Suits . 10.75 $55 Solid Cherry Suits . 29.75 $210 Antique Oak Suits 121OO $22 Solid Oak Finished Suits . 13.25 6 ; Antique Oak Suits-r : . . . . . 36.50 $250 Mahogany Suits 143.00 $25 Solid Oak Finished Suits $90 Solid Mahogany Suits . . . . . 53.OO $290 Mahogany Suits 165.0O $30 Curley Birch Suits . \Q \ $ 110 Curley Birch Suits . . 66.50 $300 Mahogany Suits 189.00 $33 White Maple Suits . 19 5Q $125 English Oak Suits . 72,00 , $350 Mahogany Suits 217.OO $40 Solid Oak Suits . 24,75 $140 B'rd's Eye Maple Suits . , . . 81.50 $7.50 Mahogany Suits 385.00 Sale Will Last One Week. Don't ' Miss It. The Goods Are As Represented. bcred ten , each had Insurance ot $18,003 ; when a membershlp-of 100 was reached , each had indemnity to the amount of $198,000 , ptovlded the full limit of Insurance was taken. The limit of membership In that organization Is , I believe , 200 , so that the full amount of Insurance to be obtained Is $708,000. On eactuary , to whom all members execute their power of attorney , with such clerical help as he needs , attends to the entire business , which now Involves risks of upward of $30,000,000. The limit for ex pense of management Is 15 per cent of the premium receipts , the premium rate being the regular boar < l rate in the city where the risk Is located. When n loss occurs It Is distributed among all members In proportion to the Insurance each one carries , and at the end of their fiscal year the premium receipts In excess of losses and 15 per cent for manage ment are returned to the members In ratio as they were paid In. The record of this company for twelve years Is , that Its losses have been paid In full without contest. Its guaranty fund kept Intact , and 53 per cent of the premiums received returned to Us policy holders , thus making the total cost of flro insurance to Ha members only 47 par cent of what It would have been upon the stock company plan. This plan of mutual Inter-Insurance takes from the risk almost wholly the element of moral hazard , as each Individual underwriter Is personally Interested In seeing that no other underwriter ot his class suffers loss. Under the stock company system the chief thing considered Is the size of the premium and the physical hazard of the risk , while under the proposed plan the first considera tion Is the moral hazard , the second , the financial responsibility of the Insured , and third , the physical hazard of the risk , the premium cutting no figure whatever In the acceptance or rejection of the application. According to the Insurance Year Book. 184 mutual companies reporting for the year 1892 collected In premiums $17,908,330 ; paid losses , $7,400,85r > ; expenses , $3,797,8S4 , and returned to policy holders $5,9DO.S13 , thus showing a loss of 41 per cent , an ex pense of 21 per cent and a return to policy holders of 33V4 of the premiums received , as against a loss of C2Vi per cent , an ex pense of STA per cent nnd no return of premiums to policy holders by joint com panies for the same year. The objection will be urged that mutual Insurance does not offer the absolute tndem nlty that is afforded by the Joint stock com panies. As an answer to that objection I will merely cite the fact that In the year 1892 the joint stock flre and marine insur ance companies doing business In the United States had an aggregated capital and sur plus of less than $200,000,000 , as against policies In force aggregating $16,897,933.125. Tb3 reader can judge for himself as to which plan orlcrs the greater security as compared with the cost. To cheapen the cost of fire Insurance to any appreciable degree the motive of profit must be eliminated from the methods of transacting the business. In the foregoing paper I have attempted to point out the defects of the present system and suggest remedies therefor. But , to obtain the full results desired , towlt Indemnity against loss by flre at actual cost , there must be a radical change In methods. To accomplish this I have outlined two plans , the one through the general govern ment , the other by mutual Inter-Insurance. The former Is perhaps but a dream of the future , but the latter plan can be put Into successful operation by mutual associations among business men , encouraged by legisla tion , with the rights ot policy holders prop erly recognized and protected by law. If. O. BEATTY. Omaha , Neb. _ IMXlHHf 'ir.IV JIKlllXlt. OMAHA , June 9. To the Editor of The Bee : Will you kindly answer the following question : Js It not the case that there are more people In London than In the whole staje of New York ? JIM. Ixmdon had In 1891 , 4,231ill ; New York bad In 1890 , 5,997,853. New Co'unctu Ilullrnmil Knterprlne. DENVEil , June 8. The Plateau Valley Railroad company , capitalized at $250,000 , as Incorporated yesterday by G , W. Val la nee , general agent for the Burlington road ; F. P. Earnest , president of the American National bank of Denver ; P. T. Stevens , Orson Adams , jr. , nnd Fred S. Itockwcll. The company proposes to build about 100 miles of road In Grand , Mesa and Pltkln counties , opening a region which Is well adapted to fruit raising and dairy farms. PASSING OF THE "BAD" MAN Recollections of Western Characters and the Pluenoy of Their Guns. WHAT THEY COULD DO AT THEIR BEST Jimmy Ilollnnu'nVuy of Settling Contro- vcral < > < lloir wild 1)111 ) Once .Mot Ilia Mutch A County Sent Win Set tled by a Ciotlicalhio. ( CopyrlRlilPd , 18D3 , by 8. S. McClurc. Limited ) That far western character known as the "bad man" Is rapidly passing away. Here and there one still lives , nourishing mod estly ana harmlessly on the capital he acquired when laws were without form and void ; hero and there one makes occasional ahortlvo attempts to retrace his stein , and dance the gay fling of his youth , hut the times and tbo marshal are against him. Somehow , he can nol always understand It the things that used to ennoble a man above all other achievements are nioro lightly esteemed than they used to be. To his Intense disgust , It his heart be yet turbu lent , ho finds that filling up with wild liquor has become disreputable ; and the killing of a man positively unsafe. Trom 1855 to 1870 was about the limits of the "bad man" era , and his country was anywhere from the Missouri river to the Pacific coast. Since the latter time no man has enjoyed a long career as a "killer. " Even in the newest mining camps and tha wildest cattle towns the force of the lawful man lias been so early felt that after one or two Indulgences in murder , however strong the- provocation , the "bad man" has usually "sloped , " and left his llttlo reputa tion to grow up by Itself ; whereas In the old days ho would have steadfastly re mained in the region of Its birth , cultivating It , and adding to It whenever well , when ever a cap occasion arose. "JIMMY" HOLLAND WAS "ONE OP 'EM. " "Jimmy" Holland was one of the old gang , and one of the latest. He was a San Francisco youth , with a weakness for the mountains. Ho was known all the way from Virginia City to Mount Shasta , and particularly well known at the army forts. Slight of build , with a smiling face , bright blue eyes , white teeth , good raiment and an excellent horse"Jlwmy" , Holland was a general favorite. He ' seldom drank , and was never drunkeri. The demands of his profession precluded indulgence. Vor in spite of his , very cordial demeanor meaner "Jimmy" Holland was n gam bler. At Carson dno night a town ho de spised , as no one bUt thu legislators would play , anJ Nevada could not afford to keep a legislature In session perpetually , even for him ho was dealing' fsro when two gentle men disputed as toitvhlth had eot a $20 gold plcco on the seven siyft the seven having won. won.Doth were members of'the ' legislature and , therefore , honorable pi | ii and so "Jimmy" could not decide b iween them. Both were Ehootera. and , the/efbrt. he deemed It ac cording to all Carson/ ethics to let them set tle it between themselves , This was agree able to the man from Tleno , but Wlnnemuc- ca's representative"Jov" AUlne , thinking a row with "Jimmy"ould bo easier , abused the dealer roundly tot not protecting his patrons. , "Jimmy" said nothing , tapped the cards to a straight edge In the box and Inquired If the gentlemen had made their bets. For reply Aldlne rofe tumultuously , tipping the table and confusing the coin. He then whipped out a very largo revolver and announced that the game was ctored. There was a special election at Wlnne- mucca as soon ai legal notice by publication coiiU be given , and It Is said that "Jimmy" Holland's floral offering was the handsomest up to that time In Nevada , TOO GOOD A SHOT FOU THE AIIMY. Down about Fnrt Defiance , on the edge of Mexico the place U abandoned now for the newer military peat at Wlngato Navajo Sam used to make a good deal of trouble. He had been an cnlltted man and wat sen ) to his regiment from the recruiting1 depot on Governor' * Island. Hut nothing was known ot bli antecedents In New York or elsewhere. Sam would ( boot. an < i It was becauc-a of tils utter indifference as to the objective end of hU aim that he was finally discharged from the army. If he could have confined his attention to Utes and Apaches , with oc casional repressive demonstrations among the Navajoes , he would have been very valuable. Dut when ho had shot one post trader's clerk for refusing to sell him postage stamps on credit , and destroyed a lung for the com pany teamster , he was mustered out on the ground of permanent and Incurable disability. He called the captain's attention to the fact that the teamster still lived. "Yes , " said the captain , "but his lung Is gone. The man can't yell. A man that can't yell can't swear , and the army has no use for anyone that discourages profanity among teamsters. " After that Sam shot a half-breed Zulu In dian , a stage passenger to Yum.i. and a belligerent Mexican cowboy from Sonora and was possessed of a record. He tried to run a saloon at Durango , but his habit of promulgating hla Ideas at the point of a pistol discouraged trade , and after ho had contributed four tenants to ths Durango flats a little strip of level ground devoted to cemetery uses he gave hla saloon to the sheriff , borrowed a tenderfoot's saddle horse and pack mule , and started south. The tenderfoot , being rash , overtook him at the I'etrllled forest , and unllmbercd a Henry rifle at 400 yeards. Sam paid no at tention , and ho kept pegging away till he hit the pack mule. Then Sam made a few remarks , accompanied by his Winches ter ; and when Chief Codies came down from the north with his t > heep in the fall he brought the Henry rifle with him and a pair of larg ? spurs with a Cincinnati trade mark upon them. When Navajo Sam reached Gallup ho found his record and some rivals awalt- dcstroycd his aim , and , wildly angered , the "bad" man flung himself to the ground. The Impatient haste wag fatal , for he broke one arm and one leg In falling ; and Julius , not knowing how safe he was , re turned and destioyed him. Navajo Sam was burled just the day be fore a gentleman came down from Durango with a shotgun and a scries of questions about the tenderfoot. TOO QUICK KOH "WILD HILL. " There Is one true story about "Wild UIH" which Is belilom told , and \\lncli I have never seen printed anywhere. Few men living could draw and shoot so quick as could Hill. Dut he met one man at Cheyenne who sur prised him. They met ono night at the Grand hotel , and 1)111 ) , who wanted to wash , took off his big hat and tossed It upon the bar. It struck and upset a glass of whisky which was \\altlng for Lieutenant Kyle , then less than a year In the army. Kyle was nngry , and without knowing or caring who owned the hat , he threw It on the floor and ordered another drink.- BUI , turning from the little mirror with his handsome locks fairly combed , ordered him to pick It up , and Kyle refused. Both were armed , and Bill saw there was no use arguing. For an Instant they utood fronting each other , nerves at highest tension , eyes wide and llamlng. Then a flash of nill'a hand to his belt pub lished warning , and Kyle drew and fired. The pistol fell from Bill's hand almost he- fore Its barrel wan free from the holster , and his right hand leaped from his side with the Instructive flexion of pain. Instantly his left hand flew , to a second weapon , for BUI was ambidextrous and THE PISTOL FELL FROM BILL'S HAND. Ing him. The first night , being surprised by the quick and effective action of Gallup whisky , ho grew troublesome , and a barber , who disliked being cursed while shaving , made a slash with his razor , and carried away eome portion of Sam's left ear. They carried the barber away presently ; but It was all Sam's eloquent car could do to con vince the Gallup avengers that this was a fair fight , and not the act of a man unduly eager for glory. SAM'S CLOSING ADVENTUHE. But he came to hla end , and that In a most Inglorious fashion. The Atlantic & Pacific company had Just built the new rail road to Gallup , and the simple-minded plains , men were not accustomed to Its habits. Sam had a discussion nlth Julius Feder , a Semitic trader who dealt In Navajo wool. It all grew out of the Jew's dlslnclluatlon to trade ponies , Julius mounted and flew , with no moro damage than a hole In the crown of his hat. Sam mounted and followed , but his pony was unequal to the task of capture. The road lay along the railway track and Julius was In a fair way to escape when the train came along. Sam shouted an order for the en gineer to stop , but It was unheeded. So he broke a cab window with the aeuond ahot and then dismounted. Very much enraged and envious ot the train's speed , he flung himself upon the ladder of a freight car ai It hurried past , and by some marvel hung on. The Jew , watch ing Sam'n pony , was not aware of the tactical change till Sam , lying on a freight car , attracted his attention by laming Ills br.dle hand. But the unaccustomed jolting notoriously proficient. But Kyle's gun wai In Ills hand , and he shot again. This time ho struck the pistol guard , and the weapon was torn from Us sheath and flung on the floor. The officer was now aroused , and Bill could see that he thought ot ending life and the quarrel nlth a single shot. So ho tem porized. "You've got me , " he Bald. "Don't shooU" "Then don't knock over my whisky with your hat. " replied the ollicer. In some liiMt. "Did I knock over your whisky ? " In * quired BUI , suddenly gMtplng a nudlclcnt cause of offense , "You did. " "Then I beg your pardon , and I don't blame you for throwing the hat on the floor. My name Is Wild Bill ; and you " are "Lieutenant Kyle of the army. " "Glad to meet you. Wlmt'll you have ? " "Another drink. " said Kyle , while the barkeeper said to himself : "Thl is a damn dream , or I'm a China * man" The men were friends while they lived , writing to each other occasionally , for Kyle was assigned to the First regiment ot cav alry , and went on to the coast Among Die effects of each were discovered letters from the other. Though It a thouiand miles had not divided them It la barely possible they might have met less pleasantly. IMPORTANCE OF A BIT OF CIXJTHKS- LINE. In the border ruffian days of early Kaniai Joe Duddlei , though be managed to keep out of either army , laid up a record ot eight men killed In open brawl , and then went away about wartime because the brother of a man who had disagreed with htm In poli tics came up to Coffey county from Lynn with the first repeating rlllo that ever crossed the Missouri river. Joe was gone fifteen years , but scraps of history drifted back from Arkaiuas , whcro ho had maintained the Kansas reputitlon , though at the expense of some halt a d07cn offenders. He reached Lelloy Just on the eve of Its county scat fight against Burling ton. Loj.il to his old town , his politics nnd hla past offenses were l > oth forgiven , for he was likely to be a valuable man. Burlington people ple heard about him and his ominously visi ble gun , and It bothered them. Ono day Coffey county hold an election , and an overwhelming majority of voter : ) , living and dead , decided on moving the county scat from Lolloy to Burlington. The newly elected aheilff and clerk started down to Lelloy after the records. The old sheriff at Lelloy put the papers In a gunny sack and started away with them , leaving Joe Duddlea and some others to cover his flight. The Lolloy con tingent waited at the corner of the bquaro for Joe to appear nnd lead thorn , but he did not como ; and when the Burlington crowd galloped past after the records only a few Ineffectual shots were fired. Next morning Joe Duddlcs was found lying In the back yard nt Mrs. Ward , with whom ho had been boarding. Hla gun was In his hand , but ho could not speak. And there was a dark blue mark across bin throat. They carried htm Into the house and 1 * wrote on the wall paper : "I hit my chin on the clothesline. " The man had dashed from the houeo , armed , to join his fellows , and the patent wlro clothesline had thrown him. He might have recovered from the physical injury. He might oven have lived down the effects of that November night's exposure , but ho could not survive the humiliation of such a tumble. And at the end of a week ho died. Ills wife came up from Arkansas to the burial , and the funeral sermon was all oven her exacting tastes could require. lilt ) gravestnno Is silent UK to thosa deeds of which ho was proudest ; but then there are compensations In nil things. It say nothing of the clothesline which conquered him. LEHOY ARMSTRONG. I ItlSl.llilUUH. Moody Is conducting evangelistic meetings this week In Cleveland , O. Mrs. Kate E. Miller , formerly a resident of Garrison , Neb. , Is conducting a revival at Arcola , III. , and Immersing converts In the neighboring river. The last year has been a prosperous ono In the BaptUt churches In this country. Thfro has been a gain of 140,1.13 member * , whllo the Increase In the number ot or- dalne.l ministers la nearly 2,000. It Is estimated that there are 18,000 church edifices belonging to all branches of Meth odism In the United States , having a total valus of 1168,000,000. Their total benevo lences for the year ISM amounted to $23,414- 23S , contributions to missions alone exceed ing $1.000.000. During recent revival services at Fulton * vllle. N. Y. , a saloon keeper was converted and emptied his entire stock of liquor * In the gutter. In the evening a huge bonfire was niado of the barrels and fixtures , tha evangelist preaching to a great crowd nn em- blej from the top of an empty whisky barrel. The Church Association for the Advance ment of the Interests of Labor , a New Yorlc Institution , is carrying on an active work to pro luce better relations between capital and labor , and to arouse among members of the church greater InteroU In the nodal problems which are now pressing for solu tion. tion.The The proposed new Protestant Episcopal diocese of Washington Is to consist of the District of Columbia and four countlts ot Maryland Prince George's , St. Mary' * , Clurlui and Montgomery. If the division U ratified by the general convention that meets In October , Bishop Paret will probably de cide to t ) bishop of the new see , which will leave the dloceio ot Maryland vacant. A religious census of the world has just been jssued by the Deuttcha Klrcheiuettung- of Berlin , which Is attracting considerable discussion on account of relative proportion ) It gives to Catholic and Protestants. The census starts out with the assertion that tha i population of tha world at the present time Is 1,000,000.000 persons. Of these 1,000,000- 000 are outildo the pa If of Christianity , 812- 000,000 being heathen , 180,000,000 Moham medan ami 8,000,000 Jews. The remainder Is divided up among the Roman Catholics , the Greek church and the Protntants , thu three division * afEfecatlnc 00,000,000.