THE OMAHA DAILY BEE. ESTABLISHED JUNE 19 , 1871. OMAHA , THURSDAY MORNINGDAPRIL 21 , 1898 TWELVE PAGES. SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS. SEW VESSELS FOR THE NAVY Pacts About the Auxiliary Fleet Purchased by the Government. SCOUTS , PATROL AND SUPPLY VESSELS Trciiionilon * SJreturtli , Hae nnil Capacity f Three Mou nter llnitlenhliiit .Vow on , the Stock * . ' In the hurry and rush of war preparations , ayu Harper's Weekly , the Navy department bas found It necessary to buy an extensive auxiliary fleet of yachts , tugs and colliers to ofolst In naval operations. These vessels are for use o scouts , dispatch boats , patrol and upply vessels. The most noted of thcno auxiliary boats Is the Mayflower. From time to tlmo other yachts have been bought , and the total ccet of the minor craft to the navy Is estimated at about $3,000,000. Tula money cornea from the emergency appropriation ot $50,000,000 , made by congress to bo expended for war preparations at the discretion of the president. Among the newer addition * to thto fleet are : (1) ( ) The yacht Columbia , renamed the Wasp , formerly owned by J. II. Ladcw. It was built In Philadelphia. It Is ot steel , Is 180 feet S Inches long , 22 feet beam and draws 15 feet of water. Its tonnage Is 380. It l 4 years old. (2) ( ) The Hornet , formerly the Alicia , was built In Wilmington , Del. , In 1890 , for Henry M. Flagler. It Is ot cteel , meaaurcfl 302 tons , Is 160 feet long , 13 feet 5 Inchon deep and of 24 feet beam. (3) ( ) The Eagle , formerly the Almy , was Frederic Gallatln's > acht. It , too , was built In Wll- nlngton , Del. , In 1890. It Is of steel , Is 170 feet 5 Inches long , 21 feet 2 Inches wide and 12 feet 1 Inches deep. Its tonnage Is 303. ( I ) The Hawk , formerly the Hermlone , la nl o of steel and belonged to Henry L. Pierce or Beaton. It was built In 1R91 at Paisley , Scotland. It Is 145 feet long and measure * ! 360 tons. (5) ( ) The Vixen , formerly the Josephine , was built In 1S98 for P. A. E. Wldener of Philadelphia , At Nixon's thlp- d yard In Elizabeth , N. J. It measures 545 tons. Is 191 feet 8 Inches long , 28 feet 3 Inches wldo and 15 feet 3 Inches deep. (6) ( ) The Scorpion , formerly .the Sovereign , belong- Ing to M. C. D. Bordcn. It la the largest of the elx yachts and approaches the Mayflower In fllze and speed. It mesrurcs 627 tons , IB 228 feet 5 Inches long. 27 feet 8 Inches wide end 1C feet 7 Inches deep. All these yachts will bo armed with rapid- fire guns , the largest size being six-pounder ? Seme of the vessels will bo available In tlmo an torpedo boats. At present their arma ment will be such as to cope with an attack by torpedo boats. All are to have a thin strip of titecl plating placed on their sides as an extra precaution against light weight missiles. Their speed varies from fourteen to eighteen knots an hour. They will bo commanded by officers of the lieutenant flni nontenant commander rank , and probably will bo ready for fcrvlco within ten days. PURCHASES ABROAD. The purchases ot war ships abroad for th navy have been four , the New Orleans , for tnnrly the Amazonas , and her sister ship , th Albany , formerly the Abrouall , both ot whtcl were being finished In England for the Brn zlllan navy ; the Topcka , formerly th Dlczenea. built originally for Portugal , an the Somers , a small torpedo boat secured It Germany. The New Orleans was finished when bought , and sailed promptly for thi country with the San Francisco , our flagship on the European station. The TopeUa , formerly the Diogenes , la th latest addition to the foreign-bought wa shlpo. Portugal never took the ship after sh was finished. She is a vessel ot the Octroi date , measures l.SOO tons , Is of about six teen knots speed , carries six 4.7-lnch gun Jn her main battery and ten rapid-fire gun of various sizes In her secondary batter } She has a protective deck. Little la knowi In this country of the torpedo boat Somern except that she was purchased In Plllau Germany , and Is about seventy-five feet long She probably Is slow , as torpedo boats go and will be able to show only twenty knot epeed. The Topcka Is to act as her consort in the difficult trip across the Atlantic. Ono of the most Important purchases of ships by the navy was that of the four Mor gan liners El Norte , > E1 Slid , El Sol and El I nio. They are fast ships , capable , It Is said , of making twenty knota an hour. They have been plying between New York and New Orleans. They are of about 4,500 tons each , 380 feet long , forty-six feet wide and draw about twenty feet of water. They are fine specimens of marine architecture. They will bo armed with 5-lnch guns In their main batterlee and G-poundera and smaller rapid-fire guns In their secondary batteries. Each 'will have three magazines. They have a i largo steaming radius , and It Is probable that In case our army Invades Cuba they will be used as troop ships. These appropriate names have been selected for them Yankee , Disk' , Prairie and Yoscmlte. THREE GREAT BATTLESHIPS. Three more of our battleship * , the Illlnoli , 'Alabama ' and Wisconsin , are rapidly advanc ing toward the time of launching , and by the fall 'they will be ready to bo put In the water. These vcsssls .were provided for by act t > f congress approved Juno 10 , 1896 , the Illlnolo going to the Newport News Ship Building company for $2,593,000 , the ( Alabama , for $2,650,000 , going to Cramps' , and the Wlscccsln , for $2.674,950 , going to the Union Iron Works of San Franclscco. The ships combine structurally the best features of the Iowa and the Kearsarge , having the high freeboard of the former and the moderate draught ot the latter. As the vessels are sister ehlpa , a descrip tion of one applies equally to the others , and the principal dimensions and general features are : Length on load water 'lln.9 ' , 36S feet ; team , extreme , seventy-two feet 2.5 Inches ; frc taJsrd. forward , nineteen feet six Inohes ; freeboard , aft , thirteen feet elx Inches ; normal dl'Splacemcnt , 11,523 tecs ; draught ot normal displacement , twenty-three feet clx Inches ; load' displacement , 12.150 tons ; draught at load displacement , twenty-four . feet 7.5 Inches ; maximum Indicated horse power ( estimated ) , 10.000 ; speed ( estimated ) ' , nlxtc-cu knots ; normal coal supply , 800 tons ; total bunker capacity , 1,200 tona ; comple nrnt. 490. These ehlps are the most formidable batUe- etilpa wo have yet designed , and In the powers of offense and defense are the equal I , if not the superior , ot many European vessels of greater displacement. MONSTER GUNS. The main bsttery will consist of four 1 tl > lrleeInch breech loading rifles- , supple mented by fourteen six-Inch rapid' flro guno. The thlrteen-lnch guns are mounted In two balanced barbette turrets ot fifteen-Inch llirvc-ylzed steel the defensive equivalent of twenty-two Inches of ordinary steel while the face 'plates acout the gun ports are two Inchra thicker. Theeo turrets turn through arcs ot 270 degrees , and all four guns can bo concentrated upon a point about sixty feet off the shlp'ft beam on cither side. Each pno-of these guns fires a hardened steel shot Of 1,100 , pounds , with an Impulse ot 33,627 foot tons. U takes it vivid Imagination In deed to , foresee the cocsequenctB of four such hot planted on a single folnt. Nothing could < wltratanj that etroke4tbln e\cn the long range of. modern warfare. The barbettes , within which are located . the vital mechanism for these guns , and alto their ammunition hoists , are of hard ened steel fifteen Inches thick , and rise eolldly from the foundation ot the heavy protective deck up to about four feet above the decks on which the turrets lie. The bsttery of rapid-fire six-Inch guns ta placed on the main and the upper decks. Four Ot them , In two heavily armored citadel * Amidships , hold commanding positions on tfcii-upper decka , whllo the remaining twelve , also behind tlx Incbe * of armor , are divided' Into two bat- erica four amidships and one well forward on each side. Splinter bulkheads ot steel an nch and a half thick scpirate the gun sta- lena one from another and heavy shields orcvent the admlfslon of that through the ports. Thene guns will have an Individual ate of fire ot five aimed shots a minute , each chot weighing 100 pounds , and capable f piercing , undefovmed. through a trifle over eight Inches of steel 1,500 yards distant. THE SECONDARY 'BATTERY. A cecondary battery , constating principally of sixteen slx-poundem , In dlspoced ad vantageously on the main deck , well forward , on the berth deck , well alt , and upon the superstructure and bridges where promising ho most effective service against torpedo craft a'nd the exposed positions ot an enemy's leeks. Thcso guns can be fired quite ten Imcn a minute. Protection to the hull Is provided by a eeven and one-half foot water line belt hilt inder water at normal draught reaching 'rom ' abreast the after turret forward o the stem. From a point nbrcast ho after turret to another abreast the forward ono this armor has a naxlmiim thickness of sixteen and one-hilt nches thence It tapers gradually to four nches at the stem. At eaili end of the heavy > elt athwartshlps bulkheads of hardened steel twelve Inches thick reach from side to side and oppose raking fire. On top of these walls rests the main body of the protective deck , two nnd three-fourths Inches thick. A : ontlnuatton of thlii protective dock , three Inches thick , runs slantingly to the bow and to the stern , to points below water. Above the water line belt , throughout the range of Its heaviest part , the sides are re inforced by five and one-half Inches ot steel , reaching up to the upper deck , also running athwartshlrs like the ( dicker belt , and It Ic through this armor that the amldslilp six- Inch guns and the two torpedo tubes on each nlde are worked. A complete band of corn- pith cellulose binds the ship from bow to stern Just above the line of the'water llnft armor belt. There are two armored fighting positions , the forward one being Just below the pilot ! iouse and abaft the bow turret , the after cne Jut abalt the mainmast and up In the super structure. The forward one will be ten Inches thick and there the captain will con trol his chip In action , and the after one will be six Inches thick , and a position for cither the t admiral or the signal officer during ccn- fllct. fllct.Tho The ttilps will have twin screws , driven by two sets of powerful triple-expansion engines. One great central electric power plant will provide for .the . control of the turrets and all ammunition hoists , whllo a supplementary plant will furslsh the , energy for the electric nlgnale nnd the great cearcbllglits. Wood has been 1 used sparingly , and all of It will be flroproofed. The ship that can live against that minute's broadside 1 of 8,440 pounds ot hardened steel , hurled by any ono ot these vessels and well aimed , must bo stronger than any of those yet faftiloned. COXFIJICT IN TII13 MIMTAIIY I.AWS. Hniiipcru the Government In Cnlllns ( Hit the ' 311111111. WASHINGTON' , April 20. The object of most concern at the War department thto morning was the calling out of volunteers. This turns out to bo a much more compli cated question than was at first supposed and the officials In desperation are looking to congress for Immediate relief in their ex tremity. There are all sorts of conflicts In the existing army laws , which , It Is said , consist of nothing more than a lot of patch work dating from the beginning of the re public. It is recalled that even President Lincoln 'was obliged to call upon congresa to validate the calls ho had been tweed to l auo for troops and no successful effort has been made since that day to provide adequate ma chinery whereby the government might avail Itself In an emergency of tlio vast resources of 'the United Statea In the way ol troops. Ono of the difficulties that confronted officials this morning , when It was sup posed that the way "had been cleared In a certain measure for the use ot the Natlwal guards as volunteer troops , was a conflict between sections HOG and 1163 , re vised statutes. It was the purpose of the department , hi c'efccence to the wishes of the national guardsmen , to allow them to pre serve their own organizations In the event that ther are called , Into the service of the United Btates , but the national guard I rerglments are all organized on the tljree-'bat- ' tailon basis , and each Infaflt'ry regiment con- Ists of twelve companies with three majors , jattallon adjutants , etc. The regular army irganlzatlon provides for one major and a t cry much reduced staff of officers and ten , ompatiles. K Is manifestly Impossible , hereforo , to muster the national guardsmen nto the army with helr present organiza- lon , and it Is bellowed to be Inexpedient o attempt to reorganize the guard on so hort notice. St. LoiilM Celehraltew the Occasion. ST. LOUIS , Arprll1 20. 'Mayor Zlegenhelm tad made preparations for a patriotic dls- ilay when the action of congress and the ultimatum should be signed. The Tact that he president had put his signature to these documents was promptly telephoned to his ionor by the .Associated Press and he Im mediately ordered the fire bells rung aad .00 'bombs fired. It had been previously ar ranged to iblow every steam whlstlo In the city anl when the bells were heard the din that broke out resembled that of a New Year's monilng. To this was added the shouts of thousands of enthusiastic people jefoco the newspaper bullctlo boards. Amer- can and Cutan flags were run up all over : ho city and great enthusiasm was shown everywhere. South lAmerlenim Join SpnnlNh Xavy. NEW YORK , April 20. The Herald corre spondent In Montevideo telegraphs that a eon ot the famous dictator , Santra , who Is a Uruguayan naval officer , Is now serving on board Iho Spanish cruiser Vizcaya. Other Uruguayan officers are about to enter the service of Spain In Itii army and navy. The police are now guarding Uio United States consulate In Asuncion , Paraguay. Tbo Spaniards have made no demonstrations against the United States. They have been prohibited from burning effigies of President McKlnlcy and o'.her American statesmen , I'nniienKer StenmerH Arc Snfe. HAVANA , April 20. Although the Plant steamers have suspended their trips between Tampa acd Havana , they possibly fearing seizure In the event of hostilities. Captain General Blanco has notified Alexander Gal- Icn , the British consul here , who Is acting for the United SUtcs , that even In the case of war being declared the regular paesenger steamers will be considered as sailing under a neutral flag. Tenneniee SenilN Greeting : . NASHVILLE , Tcnn. , April 19. Governor Taylor today sent the following telegram to President McKlnley : Tennessee nwalts your call for volunteers. The blue nnd too jiray will march together Into battle under old plory , keeping step to the music of "Yiuikeo Doodle" nnd "Dixie. " nnd the fur will lly and the earth will trem ble. .Stnrtii the \VhlntlcM nt ChleiiKO. CHICAGO , April 20. As soon as the news was received here ot the president signing the Cuban resolutions and the ultimatum to Spain manufacturing establishments in different parts of the city were notified and the action ot the president was made known to the people of Chicago and suburbs by the blowing of whistle and the ringing of bells. Simncucl llo tllltlea. NEW YORK , April 20. A dispatch to the Herald from Havana sojra : It Is reported from Matatuaa that the Insurgent govern ment o ! the province , at the head of which Is Pedro Uctanccu t , chief of 'all the In surgents there , has Issued .a circular sus pending hootlltlrs | throughout the territory under bU command. I'eorln SliirU ItrcrullliiK. PEORBA , April 20. The recruiting of four companies was begun in Peorl * tblamorning. . CURTISS TURNER'S ' FUNERAL Final Services Over the Bcdy Held at Family Horns. SKETCH OF THE YOUNG MAN'S CAREER HIM Work nit nil UiiKlnccr nnil III * 'Intercut ' In the I'ublle AfTiiIrs of Uiiialin Why IK- Went tolnxkn. . The funeral services over the remains of the late CurtlM C. Turner were held nt the family residence , 3318 Farnam street , yester day afternoon shortly after 2 o'clock. They were attended by a large assemblage of prominent citizens that quite filled the spa- clous parlors and the broad hallway ot the residence. The services were conducted by Rev. Thomas J. Mackay , rector of All Saints' Protestant Episcopal church , aielstcd by Rev. Robert Dohcrty. The ritual of the Episcopal church was used throughout , the service being read by Dr. fttackay and the prayer being said by Dr. Doherty. There were no .remarks . outside of the regular church service. A quartet choir from Trin ity cathedral very sweetly sang two elec tions , the solo parts being taken by Mra. Cotton. Flowers In rich profusion were about the casket and In the parlor where the remains lay during the services. On the coffin were two particularly beautiful bunches , the ono of lilies , the other of white rotes. The other donors were mostly lllley , lilies of the val ley , rosey ot white and of red , and numerous designs. Prior to the services the remains were viewed by the family and the nearest friends. The pallbarcrs were : Edward Porter Peck , Alfred Mlllard , Charles L. Saunders , Frank Hamilton , Clifford Smith , Victor Caldwell - well , William Doane , Luther Drake , Chailes W. Hull , John G. Berry and George Mercer. Interment wao made at Forest Lawn ceme tery , the services at the guvo being con ducted by Dr. Mackay. SKETCH OF MR. TURNER. The following sketch of Mr. Turner was prepared by ono ot his Intimate friends and associates in the different organizations In which ho waa Interested : CurtUs 'C. ' Turner was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Turner , who are numbaed among the pioneers of Omaha , having come to this city lu 1853. Ho was of thoroughly American stock. His family on both the paternal and mata.nal eldo settled In America during the colonial period , and ho was directly descended from men who oc cupied a place in the fighting ranks in the revolutionary war and the war of 1812. illofifl born In Omaha , August 31 , 1863 , was educated from the Omaha High schools and graduated from the Omaha High school In 1S81. After a year of further iveparatlon he entered the scientific department of Yale university , from which ho graduated In 18S5. In 1SS6 ho retir. ned to the university and took a pest-graduate course of one year. Coming back to Omaha , ho entered upon the profession ot a civil engineer , for which ho was exceptionally equipped , not only by his thorough education , but by natural bent anil capacity. As a civil engineer he was oc cupied In work for the 'Missouri ' Pacific Rail road company ; for the Omaha Cable.Tramway company during the construction of cable roads In this city ; In the office of the city engineer ; In the investigation In connection with the state and United States authori ties of questions relating to Irrigation , water supply and good roads and In a variety ol ether work. In 1890 ho was nominated by Mayo.-- . C. dishing for the office ot chair man of the .Board . of Public Worko of the city of Omaha , but owing to purely political reasons was not confirmed. ADVOCATE OF GOOD ROADS. Mr. Turner woe an enthusiastic advocate of good roads. Ho had given the question much ctudy , both from a scientific and from a popular standpoint , and was perhaps the best Informed man on the subject In Ne braska. In 1892 ho Inaugurated a "good roads" agitation , having for Its object the Improvement of roads in Nebraska and par- tlcularly in Douglas county , by lessening the grades , narrowing the width , Improving the methods of construction and dVataage one avoiding heavy and expensive fills and cuts by following natural levels Instead of ad- fcerlns In all cases to section line ? . In purcu- anco of this purpose he explored nearly ever > foot of Douglas county nd made a topographical graphical survey of every quarter section o. Its surface. He addressed numerous public meetings , prepared and p.is bed before sue ccaclvo legislatures a carefully studied am comprehensive revision of the laws relating to reads , secured the support of many or canlzatlons and succeeded In arousing : strong and active public opinion , which while uaable to overturn the long-standing system of section line roads , has had i marked Influence in bringing about the grea Improvement In the care and manoRemen of our county roads which has been so no tlceable during the lost five years. When In 1893 the proposition to vote bond for the construction of the Platte canal wa _ brought before the people of Omaha ant Douglas county , Mr. Turner bccam. . convinced after a careful study of the e-n glneerirv ; . financial anJ > water supply con dltlons that the enterprise 'was not a deslra ble ono for the community to undertake anc he accordingly ranged himself with the op position to that enterprise. iDi * "itne firs struggle over the question In lljC he had ; very active part and 1-a the final campalgi In 1894 ho took the lead and ! n the fac of what seemed to be an overwhelming sen tlment In favor of the canal and with ver. , little support from the press or organize 'bodies ' succeeded Ii defeating the Issue o the bcr Js. The margin was very small an there Is no question whatever that but fo Mr. Turner's pccsistency the bonds woul have Ibsen voted. While the. civic patrlotlsn and good Intentions of those who advocate the Platte canal enterprise have always bee recognized 'by ' the community , there are to\ \ persons now who will not admit that th plan was Ill-considered , that If Its Imrncns financial burdens had been fastened upoi our citizens the exposition would have bee an Impossibility and that the communit owes much to Mr. Turner for his Intelllge-il courageous and almost single-handed flgli against the project. iMr. Turner took an active Interest In man other public matters , such as the layin out of the Omaha park system , the flgh against the fifty-year gas franchise , the lo cation ot the ex-pcsltlon grounds and man others. In his Interest ! i-i public affairs h represented a high type of youns citizenship following his hcwcst convictions rather tha self-interest , and fortlfy'ng all his opinion by a careful and Intelligent study ot th question. ATTRACTED BY TIIiE KLONDIKE. In the summer ot 1897 the Klondike region 1 began to attract general attention. Mr Turner , being of a vereoergetic and enter prising character acid being greatly dlssatls fled with the enforced Inactivity In the en glneerlns profession c.iued 'by ' the prevail Ing financial depression , became at ouce In tercsted In the possibilities of the new coun try. The mining features of the district h cared nothing about , but he belleveJ tba the transportation question afforded an Inter estlng field foe engineering work -and a rlc promise ot profit. He realized the Irapor tanco of a snorter and quicker means ot com munlcatlon than the St. Michaels route , an as a result of his investigations Incline strongly to the route by way ot Chllkoo pass , the upper lakes and Lewis river. H ! first Idea was to build an aerial tramwa over the roughest part of Chllkoot pass , bu In this design he wee anticipated. In No vctnber. 1897 , he went to Alaska In pcrso to look Into the situation. After returnln home for consultation with those Intereste In his Investigations , he again departed fo Skagway In December , 1897. After a thor ough examination of the respective merits of White pass and ot Chllkcot pass , he be- came convinced that the latter offered the moat promise , and , at the time ot ! death , had packed to the top of Chllkoot pans the material for two boats , each of ten ton * burden , which he Intended to use for the transportation ot freight on Crater lake and Long lake. His action In this regard waa only ( he first step In a larger plan for a tianeportatlon line along the entire route from Chllkoot pass to pwm > n , which ho hoped to work out upon farther-Investigation and acquaintance with thi country. Ills freight would have been taken at the top of Chllkoot pass , and an .Idea ot the bus iness to bo done may be pained from the following extract from his * letter ; of March 24 , describing the scene at the top of the pess : * There la notfilni ? else In the world like It. Below Is the great stVlnrf of thousands push-Ing up for the llnallllt over the hill- horses , dogs , goats , oxen , men with sledges , men with packs , men with windlasses , men with block nml tackle and ! everything or anything that can drag n Pack or a. load can be seen here. TVierc.'ls ' n straight anil apparently vcrtleal blnrK linn ot packers so close to each other tnjitwhen a foot la lifted another takes It place , and woe betldo the tired packer who stcpf aside to rest , for his plnce It lost. The last letters received from Mr. Turner announced him as lu the hist ot health and well satisfied with tho' progress he was making. Men who knew him In Alaska state that ho was unaffected by the climate , full ot activity and very much liked by all who met him. In the course' of his business he bad fre quent occasion to travel up and down the pass. On April 3 , while a heavy otorm wao prevailing , a number of snow slides occurred cci the trail above Sheep Camp. The first took place about 2 o'clock In the morning and overwhelmed a number of people. Other avalanches followed , but owing to the fury of the storm and the destroying of commu nications , parties at Sheep Camp were not aware of what had happened. Mr. Turner was stopping at the Wooi'lawn hotel at Sheep Camp and In Ignorance of danger started tip tno trail at about 9 o'clock and waa raught , presumably , at about 10 o'clock In one of the last slides which took place. His body was recovered on the third day iftcr the disaster and was brought homo through the kind ofTlccs of William Preston ot this city. HIS SOCIAL LIFE. Mr. Turner was a man of pleasant and social1 disposition who made acquaintances very easily and was coe ot the most widely known and popular young men In the city. Ho was a member and at one tlmo president of the High School Alumni association. ; a member and vice president of the Sons ot Omaha sod a member of Iho Omaha club. In January , 1S9G , he was elected secretary of the latter organization and served In that capacity up to the time of hla departure for the Klondike. HI.J administration ot the office w > : a particularly efficient anil success ful and resulted in a very decided Improve ment in the management and financial con dition of the Institution. Mr. Turner was a man of flno physical ap- Dearioce and marked , force and ability. HH mind was active and Interested In u , wl.le lunge ot subjects , and his views wera broad ened by education , by cairtant reading , by acquaintance and conversation with many classes of people , and by extensive travel In this country and ( abroad. His judgment was keen , critical and conservative , aad ho poa- resscd the ability to Rlvo his decisions and opinions effective cxprcss'on whether In con versation , speaking or writing. His charac ter was markc'd by Inflexible honesty , good faith , directness of purpose In all things and the possession of the courage of his ccra- vlctlons In ft rare degree. Ills friendship was highly valued by those who possc'ssed It. In ordinary social Inter course * ho was 01 most agreeable companion and In times of trouble ho was strong , sym pathetic and helpful. His sad and premature death Is a loss not only to his family , of whoso affliction nothing adequate can bo Jtild , and to the host of friends who will hold-htm In affec tionate remembrance , but .Iso to the whole community of whoso best young citizenship ho was representative and ot which ho Bcemeil destined In the duo course of time to become ono of the most Influential and valuable members. MAICR A.VOTHEJI RAID. Ilc.Klile.ncv . > of John. < ' . MeXenl Itnn- mickecl nml Jlobheil. Burglars made a rali- Tuesday night on the residence of Jctm. q. 'McNeal at 2524 Pierce street , while the family was out visitIng - Ing friends , and made a gtpd haul. They se cured jewelry and money to the value of several hundred dollars and got away with their booty so successfully that I tie pollco have no clew as yet upon which to work fcr ( tic apprehension of Ifyo robbers or the recovery of tlie property. The family closed up'Uhe house about 7:30 : o'clock and went away. They returned homo about 9 o'clock and In the Mean time the burglars got In their work. En trance to the house waa .effected . "Uirough a sldo window. The catch wvuf broken off with a chisel and the sash raised without diffi culty. When the burglars left they lowered the window , but forgot to .return to the place from which they had taken the chlael the tool that aided them In getting Into the house. It was found lyiflg under the win dow. dow.When the family rdurnecl , home they were surprised to find everything topsy-turvy. The burglars had ransacked ev ry clcset and every drawer for valuables , and money , strewing their contents over the floorcv In most com plete disorder. Chairs and ohter articles of furniture were turned over and all of the beds stripped of their mattresaeo and linen. An examination showed that nothing but the jewelry and money that was In the house had been carried away. I.ITTI/n HOY WlR OP DIPHTIIEIUA Un l of tli ei Cnie- Which HlJcltcd Some O tile 1 ill ym | > nithy. The young son of Lulu Peoples , who was received at the city jail In the last stages of diphtheria , died yet'ter&ay ' evening at 222 North Twelfth street , where- the mother of the child had received permission from the Board of Health to nurao him. Coroner Swanson took charge of the body and It was prepared for a nice burial In a lot at Forcsl Lann 'cemetery , which frlenda of the mother purchased for that purpose. Friends also bore all other expenses of the funeral , whlct occurred from the place where the child died at 10 o'clock this morning. Assistant City Physician Ralph has rr de a careful Investigation In the neighborhood where th/3 ! case developed , the result o : which ! s that no other signs of the disease could be found. Ho tblnjiu that nothing seri ous will result fem this case. Dr. Ralph waa called to the Castcllar school district where It was reported , that several pupils attending that school had fiore throats with a llkllhood ot an epidemic of diphtheria Ho visited the pupils and found that fear was groundlcui. The children simply had taken cold and the throat trouble was the result Ho provided medicine for all the cases , ant that was the end of hs | olllclal inquiry. Itixc. ill the JUimiHirl Klver. The bottom of the Missouri Is again under water and quite h change can be noticed In the current today. In t'ne twenty four hours ending nt 7 o'clock yesterday morning a rise of 2.7 ffeet was recorded in the twenty-four hourus previous to this no chang-a In the rlver'p height was ob served. At Sioux Citr the river rose 2.4 feet In the twenty-four hours , endlnf nt 7 o'clock yesterday morning nm 4.3 feet In the previous twenty-four 'nours. According to this , rise In the river above here , the river 4t Omaha cannot bo subject to a greater rise1 than four feet In the next twenty-fourrhours. Four fee more of water will give about twelve fee above zero point , or low water , and the danger is eighteen feet above low water Tile weather bureau ha * not been Informet of excessive rainfall along the upper rive and no hlg-h water Is anticipated. Petition U OlMiulxned. In the case of LouisFlcscher and other against th * NebraskaCycle company ant others , trie petition of the plaintiffs ha been dismissed nnd tha plaintiffs have ex cepted. They are given forty days from the rising of t'no court In which to p re par their bill of exceptions nnd perfect thel ] app * l t the Buprem * court. ( I WAR AFFECTS NEW PAVING Money Needed to Fay Contractors ia Hot Immediately Apparent. CITY UNABLE TO SELL THE BOND ISSUE Street Improvement * M y lie De ferred Indefinitely. Onlnic to the In Wlileli the Finan cial Situation. SI nnd . The fallacy of the Idea that a war would have no effect as tar frctn the coast as Omatia Is Indicated by the experience that the city Is now suffering la regard to street Improvements. Even the . -suggestion of a war has materially delayed all the paving op erations that were In proacect for this spring , and unless the bond market should soon re cover from Ite p.resont stagnation It appears very doubtful whether the paving so dcslr- oblo before the exposition will be accom- plUded until later in the season. The con tracts for this paving were executed by th Board of Public Worka and submitted to the council for approval two months ago. But the council has neglected to Issue the nec essary Intersection bonds and consequently ho contracts were held up whtlo the bond esuo w s prepared. Then came the war care and tuc bonds arc still Unsold and there s no prospect that they can be advanta- eously disposed of until tlie present con- rovcrsy la settled. Even If the contracts ad been approved the contractors will not ay the pavement until the Improvement ends arc sold , and these are In the simc ondltlon as the Intersection bonds. Consequently quently , Inctrad of having a lot nf paving under way , as was intended , none of the ontractors arc at work and there Is no as- uranco that they will begin for eomo time o come. City Engineer Ros&water Is disposed to hargo the trouble to the dilatory action of ho council. When the previous block of In- erjectlon tends was voted he assured the ouncll that the remaining $25,000 would bo equlred and that they might as well be ncludcd. About that tlmo there was some rlctlon between the council and the en gineering department , because some of the ouncllmen thougtit the new charter gave ho engineer altogether too much authority , and the suggestion of the engineer was not : on3ldered. If It had .been . followed , the bonds would have been add with the others at a fair premium , the contracts could have icon approved at the tlmo they were awarded aufl paving would probably now be going on n several districts lu the vicinity of the exposition grounds. CCialrman Burkley of the finance comtnlt- eo thinks the bonds should be sold to the ccntracton. ) If they are willing to take them , lugh Murphy has offered to take the $28,000 ssued to cover the ccat of paving In the dls- rlcta covered by his contracts , but nothing lao been heard from the other contractors on that point. Hvcu It tdey arc all willing to accept the bonds , the city will obtain no > rcniium and the Intersection bonds will still be unsold. Mr. Burkley tblnko there Is no tangible prcwpect of disposing ot the bonJs for a fair irlco whllo the present conditions obtain. The prospect of a government bond esue has practically quashed the market for municipal securities , as Investors are hoarding their money with a view to Investing It In the- government bonds. " " 'City ' Attorney Conncll contends that the present conditions will not continue for any zth of time and that It will not bo long Before the bonds can bo satisfactorily dls ? osed of. He admits , however , that the iclay of the paving will bo a serious mis 'ortuno at this tlmo , and Is disposed to favor : urnlng the bonds over 'to ' the contractors II : hey are willing to take them. . Most ol the other city officials take tbo same view Ther contend that the bonds are worth premium , but are Inclined to bellevo that whatever premium the city would gain by wait Ins until the bond market Improves would bo more than offset by the damages incident to a further delay In paving. The finance committee jj-111 ascertain what propo sition the contractors are willing to make acforo the next council meeting and It It Is at all favorable the council will probably accept It. Au > visonv uoiviu ) r.ivus PERMITS GrairtH Authority fur Street Hiillwny KvteiiNlonH. Official authority to inako the remaining extensions and Improvements contemplated by the Omaha Street Railway company In view of the exposition was granted toy the Advisory Board yesterday afternoon. These nclude a s'njlo track on 'Eminett ' street from Sherman avenue to Twenty-fourth street , a track extension , of the Twenty-fourth street line to the "base ball grounds at Ames avenue and curves at Fourteenth and Harncj inj Sixteenth and Harncy to complete a Ion ? for exposition special service. The BoarJ of Vlra and Pollco CommlssIoU' era submitted an estimate of the cost o repairing No. 6 engine house whicl amounted to $151. It was approved and a the suggestion of Chief Redell the secretary waa directed to advertise for bids for a car load cf three-Inch yellow pine lumber to be used In repairing the floors of several ens In houses where this improvement Is needed The new crrglno houses were built withou basements , with the result that the floor ; have rotted until they are liable to become dangerous. City Attorney Connell advised the boar that where condemned buildings are ordere torn down care should tic takp.i that all lega requirements are compiled with In order ti avoid possible damage suits. He requestei that hereafter the .facts In each case ibe re ferred to the legal department 'before ' flna action Is taken. The communication wa placed on file and the city attorney will b requested to advise the board what the exac legal procedure couslsts of. WIX TUKIH I'OI.M Mayor ' .Moore * Vetoex 'Another ' lulliiK Orillnaiifc. The ordinance regulating express stand which was recently prepared by the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners and by tuo founcll has been vetoed by Mayo Mtorcs on the ground that It Imposes to great a hardship on the expressmen. Accord Ing to Its provisions the express wagons ar prohibited from standing on the streets ex cept at three prescribed locations. Tbl Is denounced as an Imposition by tbo ex pressmen , and Mayor Moores takes the sam view. Llcenfo Inspector McVlttlo eays ai ordinance can be prepared that will race tht objections ot the property owners am bo moro satisfactory to the expresmcn. H favors an ordinance similar to the one re cently passed for tlie regulation of trul and candy stands. This will evict tbo ex preosmen from the business district , excep as they are given Individual permits toy th inspector to eland at certain places. Tbl will give tbo Inspector the power to regu late them In the prescribed district and glv the least possible annoyance to business houses. Ills Idea Is to make a list of loca tlona where the presence ot a wagon wl not be objectionable and then Indicate eac spot by a chalk mark on the curb. In th ! manner a wagon can be allowed to stand a a certain point without objection , where It was moved twenty feet either way 1 might be a standing annoyance to eom property owner. -Tnr Hook * 'Are Hearty. Chief Clerk Jonathan Edwards of tb municipal tax department has completed th tax llat for 1S9S and It will be turned eve to the city treasurer between now and Ma 1. The llat fll'e four tax books this year o one more than previously. Four moro book are required for the duplicate Hit. On ac count of the largo increase in the nun bc f personal oa-fesmcnta , It has been found eccafary to devote ono book to thcao ex- Vufllvoly. In previous years the same book IB held the personal amctiemonta acid the assessments ou city lots. Notwithstanding 10 Increased volume ot ae > Ko meiit the oet of preparing the list ha * been mate- lally lesj than In previous year * . 'AXI'AYEIIS ' BAG nit TO SKTTI.K. ttiMli to 1'ngr llcforc I'rnnlly Attnclim linn AlriMul- Set In. Whllo the 1897 taxes , collected by the ounty , do not become delinquent until May there Is a great hustle at the office of County Treasurer Helmrod to get In and pay p before the penalty of 10 per cent attaches , 'he rush at this tlmo Is nothing as compared o what It will be during the- latter part ot ho present month , but enough people are omlng In to keep the county treasurer and Is clerks busy most ot the time. Mortality StititUtlm. The following births and deaths were re- orted at the health office during the twenty- oil r hours ending at noon yesterday : Births Slgmund Snnlokc , 2620 Oak street , Irl ; John Mllscn , 2523 South Twenty-fifth , Irl ; Henry Wlmlholm , 1325 South Twenty- ixth , boy ; Frank Davis , 1427 South Four- eenth , girl. Deaths Edward Taylor , 67. Fiftieth and ass , diabetes. Interment at Boston , Mass. ; 'ranees ' Daniels , 16 , 1111 Domlmlcn , typhoid ever , iBchomtan National cemetery. aiKXIAI.S OF wi3Ai/rn. Vnnili-rlillC * Army of ItetnJnern Hcnln Anything In AiiU'rJcii , The display of liveried menials most of hem Imported , by the way at the big mu- Ical pulled off by William K. Vamlcrbllt a cw nights ago has drawn attention to the orgoousness and resources of the mant'lond hat are squeezed lip In a corner of a city lock hero , says the New York correspondent f the Plttsburg Dispatch. At Willie K.'s lalace on the night In question an army of otalncrs clothed In liveries of the most cx- > enHve texture lined up and' bowed to the guests as they walked through the great hall ind were taken up to the big rooms above , lied with plants and flowers , where another uniformed force met them. Everywhere was he Vanderbllt colors , the Vandcrbllt coat-of- irme. the Vanderbllt crest and all the In- Ignla of the mighty power of the house of Vandcrbllt. The metropolitan establishments which mploy the largest number of's rvants , and n which the machinery of management Is notably Intricate , are these of tho..Vandcrbllt brother. ; . Cornelius and WHllairtX K. The men and women employed inY n'u\about the residence of Cornelius Vanderbllt number about forty , and among them arc two watch men , who patrol the front of the house morn- ng , noon and night throughout the year. Another man looks after the doors of the ; rcat house and sees that they are securely ocked when not In use. And there arc oth- rs. Indeed , the homes of certain wealthy New Yorkers resemble hotels In the manner n which thy are conducted , with a manager , chief clerk , servants and private watchmen. The management of many of the "eot- iiges" at the fashionable summer resorts Is upon the same elaborate but systematic scale. When the owner of one of the largest iaccs ! at Lenox left tor his summer homo aet year a train of ten cars was used In the transportation of his household. Three jarlor cars were used for the family. The servants had a first-class day coach to them selves and the remainder ot the train was nado up of baggage cars and cars for the lorses and carriages. The millionaire of the metropolis certainly lives like a peer of the realm and entertains royally. Little wonder the small fry struggle to get on their lists and help them spend their royal dollars. OA'IU'E.VTEOSVIM , XOT JIEI 1 > . IIivi > 'o Dralrc In Hamper tlif Work nit 'I \iio > tltliiii flronuili. It has been decided by Carpenters' and Joiners' union , No. 427 , not to support the agitation for a strike among the painters and decorators working at the exposition grounds. This decision was reached at a meeting of the union Tuesday night , and the attitude of the carpenters "nd joiners Is clearly defined by William Turner , their walking delegate , who lias made a statement to The Bee regarding the controversy. "Our union docs not feal that labor Is bo- 2 Imposed upon by the contractors at the grounds In tie matter of wages. We are willing to accept an Increased scale , If It should bo tendered to us , but as an organ ization wo cannot see our way clear to agitate a strike looking to an en forcement of demands which some of the labor leaders are champlonftig In the cause of the painters..Wo think tlio contractors era doing well byjlabSr , and for that reason they ought not to bd compelled to fight a strike. My Impression Is that there are only a few painters at the fcottorri of thin agitation. They have the backing .of a num ber of labor leaders , but cven'ln their own organization there Is apparently such strong opposition to their strike movement that 1 do not think It will ever materialize. " President W. H. Bell of the Centra. . ! Labor union went out to the exposition grounds oirly yesterday morning and passed the day ia n personal Investigation of the painters alleged grievances. Ho has positively de clared that ho would talk no moro about the trouble until some definite conclusion was arrived at and a policy formulated. Failure In llrucll. NEW YORK , April 20. Tfao Herald's cor respondent In Rio Janeiro telegraphs thai the largo firm of Lern : * , engaged In the 1m portatlon of petroleum , machinery and other American products , has suspended paymen with heavy liabilities. Several banks are Involved. I " \Ve 1cTi1uliI l/nilcr / Ilentrnlnt. Several weeks ago Ben C. Westcrdahl was brought to Omaha from Norfolk In a de. mented condition , and It was thought tha ho would recover In n few days. He has no Improved any , however , and. has been placed In Saint Bernard hospital , where do wll be kept for a month or BO and then If ni Improvement takes placet ) 'he will bo sen to the hospital nt Lincoln. Westerda'nl is n mall clerk and was on his run when It was noticed for the first time that ho was net IIIR strangely. He Is not violently Insani and seems to he laboring under the Idea that iio Is somebody else. Mct-kH in Cimtoily. Thomas Wd-.lks , ( wanted In Yankton , S. D. on a chargi } of burglary , I * on his wa : thither In charge of Sheriff Hlckey of tha city. After the crime of which Mccks Is ac cuscxi naa committed on the night of Marc ; 4 , ho < nus arrested. Ttva man broke jail an. . was traced to Omaha In company with tw other mien. Ho was subsequently nrreste In Lincoln , and there turned over to Sheriff Hlckey on requisition papers. Me ka Is ml. . " to be the oldest burglar In. the wi-at nmon. the class that has pursued thces crimes anc has never been sentenced to the penitentiary of Nebraska lodge No. 1 IB making prepara tlons to entertain a large number of vlslton this fvenlnt" , two out-of-town lodge ; having Indicated their Intention of beln , present with t'nelr entire membership t witness the work of No. 1's third. rank team Following the conferring1 of this rank , or raneenientg are being made to entertain th visitors by a banquet and smoker. Kacl member of the lodge has ben notified o Uils meeting and members of sister lodge : of the city are Invited to bo proaent. Helmet * for the 'I'allce. ' Chief of Pollys Gallagher has selected th helmets which the. . podcerrvm and ranklm o dicer. . ) ot thn department will wear durin tl summer Thowi of the patrolmen will b pearl jrrey with a Inather band of a lighter color. The captains nml sersifnnts will wear navy blulei helmet * with. a. black leather band. .More CulMin , llellef , The Nebraska Belief aBsoclatlon received one car of corn from the people of Strains- berg and another from the people of Knr- nam. The cars 'nave been forwarded to the Central llellef committee to be shipped to Cuba. CUTS PACKING HOUSE RATES Verj Low Figura Named on Eastbound Shipments. MISSOURI PACIFIC MAKES. A SLASH Ilrilnrtloit front Oinnlin nml Cwnuuov 1'olutn t Ht. IrfuilN Nfnrtli * the Unnleniututly. The Missouri Pacific office created consider able excitement In freight circles hero yes terday jnorn'ng by the announcement of a deep cut In rates on packing house product * and frctli meat. Effective April 23 , the rots on packing house products and frcti moat from Omaha , Nebraska City and lower Mis souri river points to St. Louis will be 5 cents per 100 pounds. From Omaha , Ne braska City and lower Missouri river polnti to East St. Louis the rate will bo 7 cents. The rate from Lincoln will bo 3 cents higher than the rate from Omaha , or 8 cents per 100 pounds. Ttio slash was not anticipated by tin freight traffic men and there wa * quite a flutter when It waa announced. The Rock Island announced that It found It impossible to reotoro tariff rates on Monday , and gave It out that rates that had been In effect would continue In fore * on that Una. Thlrf annoiinecmrat set the pace for the other lines , and It was at once conceded that there could be no successful attempt to restore rates on packing house products by western lines. In the oplnlrn of some traffic officials the foreshadowed tleclslotr of the United States supreme court against the further existence of the Joint Traffic association Is responsible for the de- cllno ! r rates. Notwithstanding the an- aouncoment of the Hock Island that It found It Impossible to restore rates , It was not thought that any deep cuts would at once bo made. It Is now thought that the other reads will follow the lead of the Missouri Pacific a < ii ) announce similar reductions. The cut on packing hoiife products and fresh meats will bo of especial value to the gov- e.runcnt In case the quartermaster's depart ment decides to ship a great nmoiMt ot meat from South Omaha nnd other packing cen ters to the southern potats where the army , Is mobilized. IIISK IX IIATHS TO MIHTHU'EST. Ten Ilollnrn .tililrd tn the Funla J'lU'lllf Count 1'oliitN. The passenger rates to northwest points went up a peg yesterday. The advance * was made by all lines In rates to Portland , Tacoma and Seattle , the raise amounting to $10 in first and second-class tickets. Askeit whether ho thought there would soon be a complete restoration of nortliwcH rates. General Passenger agent Lomax of the Union Pacific said : "I can see no Imme diate prospect for It. I am so tickled to get this rartlal restoration that I am not saying a word about any further raise. " Among other passenger men the general opinion that a half a loaf was better than no bread also held gooJ. and there was no little satisfaction that the ratcu had again reached the point they were nt before they dropped to the $10 scale. The recent Now York meeting between passenger officials ot the belligerent lines ot America and Canada availed nothing In the line of a settlement of the rate war. The Canadian line firmly Insists tdat any negotiation * ) for a restora tion of tariff rates shall Include a concession to It to maintain a differential on through business via Port Arthur , Ont. The Ameri can lines are steadfast In their determina tion to consider no agreement jontalcilng any fnich conceislca. And there the matter stands. IIAIIGAI.VS 'IX TUAXSI'OHTATIOX. Utn-Ie Snm Million Some llnrc Deal * ) for llniillnir Wentem , Trnon . The opinion prevalent among railroad men ot this city Is that the government Is getting a bargain on Its prcornt movement of troops. Said one railroad official to The Bee : "So keen has been the desire to haul the troops among some of the western lint's that the business has .been handled on ridiculously low rates. In passenger circles a rate of 2 cents per inllo per .passenger . Is cctiiald- ered a fair charge for western roads to make. But some of the troops are now be ing handled on a rate of 6 ce&ta per mll per car. A car carrlea about fifty soldiers , so one can readily sec how cheap the ratea are In comparison with thosa ordinarily maintained. It Jay Gould could hear of ths rates given tlie government for the troop * ho would just turn right over In his grave. The freight rates are ticlng kept up some what better , but even these are widely sep- iratco from the freight rateo usually quoted. If the cut on packing houao products and fresh meats that has Just been started re sults in a general war In freight rates , it U likely that the supplies of the army will bo moved out ot the west at rates relatively aj , low as tuose on which the troops wer handled. " Drouth In California. John A. aiunroe , freight traffic manager of the Union Pacific , has Jiist returned from a trip ot several weeks through the west , having visited San FruncUco , Los lAngelet , Salt Lake City and Denver during his ab sence. Ho was In attendance at the meet ing of the Transcontinental Freight as sociation at San Francisco. This meeting adjourned , without the transaction of any business ot great Importance , to meet In Milwaukee on May U ) . In reply to a question about the reported drouth In California Mr. Munroc said : "They are In bad fihape In California on account ot the great drouth they have had. The ( lelJs are all dried up , the Ilvo stock Is BurfevlnK , and It Is doubtful If any of thn crops will amount to much this season. It Is altogether probable that there will 'be a demand for our cereals to be sent out of this territory to California during the next few months. There has always been something of u demand for Nebraska corn in California , but there la now very likely to bo a much greater demand than there has over been before. " llnlliiny .Vote * aiul 1'emnnaU. Thomas F. Godfrey , city passenger and ticket agent of tbo Missouri Pacific , is In St. Louis. Charles < M. Talcott , assistant superintend ent of the Pullman company , returned yes terday morning from Kansas City. Itaymond A. Eaton , railroad editor of tha St. Louis Republic , han been made ono ot the telegraph editors of the eaino paper , P. J. Nichols , general superintendent of tb * Nebraska division ot the Union Pacific re turned to Omaha yesterday after lookIng - Ing over the line In the western part of fh * state. Phil Doddrldge , general agent of the Den ver & Rio Grande at St. Louis , Is In the city , renewing the many friendships enjoyed bf him hero when ho held the position of trav eling freight agent of the Missouri Pacific. So great lu tbo rush of troops through St. Louis over the Missouri Pacific that Travel- In Passenger Agent * Barnes ot Omaha and ) Hoffman of Denver will bo kept at that point for several days , assisting the general pai- sercer department In the handling ot th * troops. ; VnnilcvllleN Met Their TrniiUn. When the case In police court again * ! Jacob , Edward and Nellie W4ss , William Howard and a colored man , charged with larceny as bailee by appropriating th vvirdrobes of the Revere Blsteru , viudevlll * urtlsts , U called for preliminary hearing It will be dismissed for want of prosecution. Thi , defendants have delivered to Ula Ktui * team the latter' * trunk * .