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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (June 19, 1910)
JUNE 19, 1910. D Old Shorthand Man Visits Omaha After Twenty-Eight Years Absence TIIE OMAHA SUNDAY IKK a RIP Vn Winkle awak enment brought down to data, wag th recent visit of John Hall to Omaha after an ab sent of twenty-eight years the Hint John Mall who away back In tha epochal daya of tha early '?(' helped mak Nebraska history by serving the conatltutlonal convention aa official ahorthand reporter, and who alao wrota tha record In tha Impeachment proceedings against Oovernor David Butler. Mr. Hall haa for many years been a real dent of Rochester, Is'. Y., where ha la prominently Identified with the Insurance business, Riving odd momenta to fruit cul ture aa a alda Issue. Ha stopped In Omaha last Wednesday on his way home from Denver, where he attended a conventloruof nurserymen. But It Is not the John Hall of today around whom public concern clusters, so much as the John Hall of early-day Omaha, who, with John Bell, divides honors of pioneer stenography. In those days there were no typewriters, and the word "sten ography" had not been 'accorded spurs In common vocabulary. "Shorthand writers," they were then, and after having made their "pot hooks," much after the fuzhion of today, the transcribing of notes waa done by hand with pen or pencil. Mr. Hall married an Omaha woman, Miss Lillle Staley, whose brothers were well known pioneer railroad men. The wedding which was solemnized In what was then known as the North Omaha Methodist church, waa one of tha Important society events of that era, for Miss Staley waa a alnger of riot and held away aa a aoclal leader. Her acquaintance among early-day Omahana waa much more extensive than that of the young shorthand writer who led her to the altar, for her musical ability placed her prominently In the social lime light. "I was here In 18S2," said Mr. Hall, "and that was my laat visit until now. I thought than that the growth of Omaha had been phenomenal, for the Omaha of 1&2 waa vaatly different from the Omaha 'of the lata sixties and tha early aeventies during which tlma I waa a resident of thia city.. But today, I am simply bewildered by the metropolitan attainment of the town. Of course, through newspaper reading and In other ways, I have through all of the years kept fairly well Informed as to Omaha. I came expecting to sea a city, but now that I am here In tha midst of it, I find that my expectations have been greatly ex ceeded. "I learned ahorthand In England before X came to Omaha that was In 1868 but on arriving here, X found at first but little de mand fort shorthand, and as I was also a printer, I sought employment In tnat line, taking- 'cases' on the old Republican. Those Some Interesting- Instances Wedding Tosr Afoot. .EORUE E. KUFKK, tha Balti more printer who met, wooed and wed a Woodvllle, O., girl In exactly sixty minutes, drifted Into Washington, accompanied by his bride, the other day. '.ud wuup.e are making a 18,000-mile walking tour through the country and are now on tha laat lap of the "jaunt." About 13, MS miles of the journey already hava been completed. Tha last mile will be covered long before October 23, when tha time limit expires. Kufer will than win tha wager of M.OM made by Baltimore friends, and besides will receive a bonus of IjOO because of his marriage. . ., The couple came from Pittsburg, and the next atop will ba in Atlanta, relatea tha Washington Post. Despite the riny weather and the long tramp from Laurel, they did not appear fatigued or footsore. Tha romance connected with the wager la rather an unusual one. Mora than a year ago Kufer made a wager with friends In Baltimore that he couid tramp 1.V0 miles by October 23, ljlO. lie was told that if ho could find a girl on his line of march whom he could love, and'who would marry hltu, an additional dirt would be given htm. It waa In Woodvllle, O., a year ago that Kufer met and wed the now Mrs. Kufer, who Is accompanying him on his tramp. 6ha was Miss Helen Gertrude McCloskey. "I had seen George's pictures In the papera and bad 'read long accounts of hit tramp before he reached Woodvllle," Mr a. Kufer said. "One afternoon, a year ago, my brother came strolling up to our home, bringing with him a stranger, lie intro duced the stranger as the globe trotter, . Mr. Kufer. At that moment my mother called us to dinner. Wo always hava din ner at 7:30 o'clock. 'I'm pleased to meet you,' is all that George said to me when we were Introduced. I liked the expres sion on his face, and tha lovellght In his eyea made my head turn dizzy. During the dinner hour he said but little to me, and my responses were brief, Indeed. " 'How would you like to complete the Journey with me?' he asked, as he pre pared to make a hurried departure from the dinner table. 'Fine,' was the reply. He soon disappeared, and I wondered where he had gone. At 8:15 o'clock I saw him come Into the hall with a minister and a small paper In his hand.' 'I'm ready,' ha aald to me. 'Ready for what?' I excitedly asked. 'To make you my partner, not only on the jaunt, but for tha rest ol my life,' was his reply. Before I knewexaclly what Cost of Making Gas An English engineer who is visiting fet. Louis statea that the City of Alx la Chap pelle and the Krupp iron works in Ger many produce the coal gas they use with out coat, the other products from the coal consumed more than covering ilio expense of the operation. Ha also says that Shef field. England, furnishes gas for 2i cents per l.Ou) cublu feet, though coal coats more In England than li the Lnltwti States. Ac cording to this authority bus la Si. Louis can be placed in the holdm1 tor li cents a thousand cublo teet, anj distributed at 'cost of II cent. A leading gas com pany In London Is restricted by parlia ment to a profit of pr cent, and re quired to give consumers tha benefit of economies. This visitor maintains that artificial gas could be furnished In St. Louis for les than the cost of natural gas. American engineers do not seem to agree with him on this point, and ojr cities reach out lung distances with pipe lines to get a cheap natural supply. But if it falls in time, manufactured gas should be ready to tuke Its place. Every American who visits England knows that the nice of coal gas is much lower in British cities than.iu the L'nltrd btates, though the supply of Lilitoh cual Is small In comparlaun. Connie, which controls the public affairs in the District of Columbia, has ider consideration a measure that will limit the cost of gas In Washington to W cents a thousand cublo feet Thia reduced price would be more than three tunes that established in Hhet field. Washington la within eaav r..-h the coal mUwa of West Virginia and Mary. land, yet la paying more than four times tha Sheffield prlc of gas. A situation t this nature helps to explain why a (rowing discontent prevails among eon-wers.-tC i,oula Globe-Democrat ' G .a a a n do ooo qap a o a of fr II pop o paanu a do nq odd noon were stirring days In Omaha, and I well remember that a gambling den was running full tilt right airuxa tha hall." But the reminiscence was cut short just than by an Interesting little circumstance. Mr. Hall sat in one of The Bee editorial offices, aa he talked, and a veteran In the service of the paper entered the room. He was busy and cast only a casual glance, but the visitor, turning Intent focus for a moment exclaimed; "How are you. Harry?" He was addressing Harry Haskell, me chanical superintendent of The Bee, whose connection with the paper dates back thirty five years, and who was a part of the Re publican management at the time Mr. Hall served his tenure there as typesetter. Recognition in return waa almost Instan taneous on the part of Mr. Haskell, and tha two old-timers entered Into extended conversation of retrospective character. "Aa I was saying when you came In, Harry," Mr. Hall continued, "there was a gambling house alongside us when we worked on the old Republican, and you will recall, no doubt, that the miners and freighters coming In from the west, laden had taken place, I heard the minister say 'I' pronounce you man and wife," -and George took me in his arms. I knew then that it waa too late to draw back, and X was glad of It." Gypsy Weridlnaa in Poland. Once the famous Russian painter, Verest chagin, used to travel about Russia look ing for subjects and models for his pic tures. One day he came upon a gypsy encampment, re.ates the Wide World Magaxlne. Among the women was a young girl of great beauty, with whom he tell in love. She was barely IS, and her parents were very poor. They asked very little for her and the painter married her. The voting couple left the camp at once and in course of tune went to St. Petersburg. Prince Cherkoff used to go to the painter's studio to play, and he, too, fell In love with the beautiful Olga, who was now mother of a small eaughter. The officer, who knew tha story of hla friend's mar- rlage, asked him if he were not tired of her. At first the painter laughed at the QUMt,on: then n, ,d. ..No," ana ,,na,ly when It was repeated many times, he re ceived it in silence. One winter's evening Cherkoff came in, .nd as usual suggested game of cards. I would play with pleasure," money." PM TN.WWt JLrT III i I II II Mil J 9m.ml r n . IIO Vy -& KOOv Ml III 1111 V-Sta the artist said, "but I've no became fashionable in circles where many The old stunts of pasting alleged face are refuted an entrance. A few years later tlous labels on the trunks pf the newly he Atf lit ... ,. W Ik U Ti a r. J 1 I 4 1 a i ' 'i t I T- 3 I 9 L lire to sidHT -itlace - 2.5?BLACZ. PAUL -RBADLEY, Q.M.SERG'T COT 3- PLACE HMTL T-TLKCPT. 1 SER&'T -CO.F OMPET Is the culminating point of the activity of tha High School Cadet regiment Camp la a great event, but the real teet of the year's work Is the competitive drill, which is held 221 ut the end of camp. Here shows up the work tht has been done by each member of the oi gunli.uio.i during the year, and the proficiency attained In dri.l tactics and maneuvers Is set down In cold figures and points, and the result settles the standing of tha men beyond argument. Battalion, company and Individual contests are .had. n4 l ln "d the best battalion, the best company and tha beat individual is known to a certainty., This year tha competluve drill was held on the parade ground at Fort Omaha, a fact that in a measure detracted from tha ren t T1 fo j TKOYTI fTT. . with gold dust and currency whooped things up in a rather wild manner." Turning to further discussion of how tha evolution of Omaha haa brought a metropol itan city out of a straggling frontier town. Mr. Hall said: "I remember very well that when I worked on the Republican, I lived at what is now Twenty-third and Cuming Streets. In walking to and fro between the Office and home, I traversed an untenanted cow pasture, and Twenty-third street in the vicinity of Cuming was then considered away out In the suburbs. t Where Cupid Has Played Tricks in Chertkott laughed. "Well, then," he i- torted, "let us play for love the stakes to be' Olga." They both laughed and sat down to play. The game got interesting, then absorbing At dawn they ate a hesty meal and sat down again. The artist always lost. They agreed to stop at noon, because Chertkoff had business, and Olga watched them, perhaps not ill pleased to think that she might exchange the atudio for a more exciting life, for the officer was energetic and, people said, likely to make a career. By noon the artifct was still loser. Chertkoff rose and looked at Olga. ' "It is for you to choose,' he said. She got up and went for her cloak. Then she spoka to the artist. "You are tired of me," she said. "I go with him only on condition that he mar ries me today. And I take the child Into rrjy new life as well." Chertkoff went to a priest and told his story. "We do not recognise gypsy marriages," was the decision. "She can be your wife at once if you wish." And so Olga became Princess Chertkoff. She was a clever woman as well as a hand some one, and in a few months this gypsy Qmaha Un Jfotioot. Compacts 'Ai y-Sty vv.,.,,.. J mamm tottcii.coiieco.i work of tha eompantea. for tha toy are accustomed to maneuvering on smooth e-nd solid footing, and' walking In the gra bothered them some. But the advantage of outdoor work In daylight more than made up for this, and the general work of the organisation was excellent. Bo good was K that only two polnta separated first from third In the battalion drill. The com pany drills were all well executed, and tha winning of the Individual drill by Private Potter, a "midget," was moat popular. The competition drew a large "gallery," in which the regulara stationed at the fort mingled, and watehed with much Internet the showing made by the boye, who play at being soldier a part of thnr high school training. TM officers of the regiment were very highly complimented by the regulars for tha excellent work they accomplished. i ,. ?t ' i ' ? 11 -Kl I II. - ' i : .-' . i (III i . MM -. I 1 I I t . - . - ' a d I i "I was much Impressed with Omaha then, and lacked but little of settling here for my permanent home would have dene sj, perhaps, but for an Incident which occurred at the dinner table In a Lincoln hotel, when I was reporting the constitutional conven tion. A man of more than ordinarily Im portant appearance at at, table across from me. "Are you a stranger In Lincoln?' he queried. I replied that I lived in Omaha, and that I was In Lincoln doing short- hand work. '1 ve heard a great deal about this shorthand business.' he said, 'and I her husband, rising from one post to an- other, became governor of the province of Vina, then of the Caucasus, and, finally, viceroy of Poland. People say she was cruel and revengeful, and that she urged her husband to many cruel acts, until at last he died, a very old man. hated, but feared. The princese returned to Russia, a handsome old woman with a. queenly air and cruel eyes. Stouts of the Bonesetter. Down at Kirksvllla, Mo., one of the students of the Osteopathy school got married a while back , It. was, a most audacious thing to do and it fairly took the "bonesetters" by surprise. They ral lied, however, and that student and his bride were tha center of proceedings for one whole day. From somewhere a sun bonnet and a Mother Hubbard were pro 1 duced for the bridegroom and an equally grotesque costume for his bride. All the students took a day off and pulled the carriage up and down the street and across the college campus. Lectures, dem onstrations, likewise clinics, ' could go hang. They were not given a chance like thia every day in the college year and they were determined to make the most of it sy . ,4- IVaIIIV - . ' J t 1 - k III ' v- f i 0 , ' i ' -Vt iv " -1 . ! 'p''- y:: te am Interested In It. Why. I understand that a business man can dictate his letters to the (shorthand reporter and that he need then pay no further attention to the letters except to attach his signature to them.' "I Informed the stranger that he had the right Idea. 'A wonderful thing, indeed.' he continued, 'and I need just such a man.' That accidental interview led me Into the service of the Burlington rallmad at Tur lington, la., for the man who dlacused shorthand with me was George Hirrls, then land commissioner for the Burlington weds are too mild to meet with modern approval. It Ij much better to kiJnap the bride or bridegroom and hold tnnn cap tive for a day or two. Or to cut the bridegroom's hair with a pair of horse clippers as a sort of a farewell touch to the festivities. It is still the gla.lxome custom in the rural region of the middle west to charivari the husband and wifta on the evening after their marriage. "Shlvaree" Is the free and easy way they pronounce this ear-splitting custom that was borrowed from the French. All the cow bells, hunting horns, shotguns, cir cular saws, anvils and other nolsemakers that can be found are brought into ac tion. The ErtDlag Call. People In the country still have the old fashioned habits of going to bed earlv and all la still over the farms when th night la split and shaken by a terrific discharge of musketry. Then the cowbells and the horns chime in to tha Infernal melody and everybody in the neighborhood wakes up and gets out of bed . to listen to the fun. The fiendish clang of a big circular saw car ried on a crowbar and beaten with a sledgehammer rises triumphant over the booming of muzzle-loading shotguns, the roar of army muskets, the clamor of cow- Winning Company - no op 5Q22Ctf route, and the father of a son, George B. Harris, who subsequently took h:Kh rank In rdllioiid management. Not Just then, but a little later, I went to Burlington, where I uerved Mr. Harris as secretary. I was greatly pleased with my position, yet we never looked upon Burlington as a perma nent home. In fact, wo had Inclination all the while to eventually return to Omaha, but along came a business proposition from Rochester after a while, and as my wife had formerly lived there prior to taking up her residence In Omaha, she was in favor of the movr We made It, and still live In Rochester, where we have reared a family. "I am deeply Impressed with the magnitude of The Bee newspaper establishment. I knew the late Sir. Hosewater at the time he founded the paper, and I was more or less intimately acquainted with the early strug gles incident to putting a paper on Its feet In a town like Omaha was In those days. The wo:k he accomplished and the lasting monument ho left to attest his work, is truly wonderful." Mr. Hall la G5 years old, but there Is Unique Way bells) and the nollow moaning of horns. A. the noise of the first attempt dies away the victim usually capitulates. A few jugs of cider, a quart or two of so.neth.ng stronger or even a bucket of candy or oranges will usually purchase a quiet tor him. It is the small town where the f 3o friend always risej to his best efforts. There he has full play for his peculiar powers. He would be hampered in a bigger city, but In the small town he knows the policeman, culls him by his first name and goes on about his diabolical devices unhindered. If the victims outwit him and slip away for a honeymoon they are merely deferring the evil day. They may not come back for weeks, but the fool friend and his brethren can wait patiently If need be. When they do come back it will be to a ripened ven geance. Brass bands wlU(bray, red tire will blaze and a regular torchlight procession will probably usher In the ceremonies when the unlucky couple descend upon the sta tion platform at their home town. Once in a while retributive justice singles out one of the mad rioters a-s a warning to his mates. A loaded gun accidentally puts an end to some one of them, and for a while In that neighborhood, at least. It is possible to get married without straightway becom ing a candidate for the hospital or the sani tarium. St. Louis Republic. Stem, J d9.il scarcely a wrinkle on his ruddy face and nis countenance fairly beams witn tna bouyancy that might be expected In man of thirty. Ha spent a, busy day look ing up former acquaintance and In search ing for landmarks, many of which hava been rased to make spaca for tha clty'g modern expansion. Over at tha Nebraska, Telephone building he met President Tost. Ha addressed hint as "Casper." and slap ped him on tha shoulder as a token of Kindly remembrance of former days. Then the two veterans Indulged In exchange of reminiscent gossip. One of the things thst greatly Impressed Mr. Hall In looking about Omaha was tha number of colleges where shorthand la, taught. "A great thing these schools are," he said, "and the young folks of today are , fortunate In having such training mad I easy for them. When I learned shorthand, I had to dig It out by main strength." Mr. Hall expressed regret at leaving; Omaha so soon. "I am getting along tn. years," he ssld, "and this may be my last visit here. Home ties take me oa l to Rochester nt onie. but I shall always re member most kindly the early years nf my life which I spent In Omaha. So:i-e of the best fellows it has ever been my pleasure to know lived here. I wish t cot.ld meet them all again but many of my old-time comrades have passed away forever." And a modern trolley ear whlski-d John Hall aoy over asphalt streets to a mod ern railway depot where on a luxuriously appointed tiain of ears he sped away how different from the mud-bespattoicd hacks and the steamboats that earrid li'm Omahawarda away back In the sixties. Thirty-Nine Busy Years (Continued from Page One.) of The Twentieth Century Farmer, for ba it remarked impressive here and now, that The Twentieth Century Farmer, while a separate publication, is at the same a part of The Bee-a farm journal of high class, conceived by the late Edward Kosewater and published by The Bee company an other Instance pf the fulfillment of Mr. Rosewater'a mission. The Bee local room Is one of the most commodious In the United States with plenty of wholesome air and natural light. The office of the Sunday editor la adjoluliuj the engraving department, and tha art de partment Is Immediately associated with, the Sunday room. Tha Bee's engraving plant, where half-tones and slno etching are made, la by odds tha finest newspaper adjunct west of the Mississippi, with tha possible exception of San TmacIsco. Hera, within a remarkably short apaoa of time, photographs and drawings are converted, into cuts ready for publication. The visitor now having covered tha sec ond and third floors of the annex, re traces his steps to the floor below, which is given over entirely to the circulation 1 department of The Bee and The Twentieth Century Farmer. Here, clerks and stenog raphers are busily engaged on the subscrip tion records to subscioers. One of the In teresting sights of this department is to sea ' the CaiT.ei' oo take out their papers. Mora ' vnan lvo bois and men are required to u.stribute Tne Bee in umaha and Iw en Mi on, la no other corner of the immense; Bee building is there a scene more ani mated, nowhere a scene of more strenuous activity and bouyancy. in the basement boiow the first floor of the annex 1 tn aterotyplng department where all ot the eteiotyptug equipment ex cept the con.pie.iied air moulding appar atus Is located. For sake of speed In ration ing tne forma as they are finlaned by tna make-up men, the moulders are on the com poaing room floor. Tnla part ot tne work, done, tho scene shifts to the basement w n ore instead of liMiig tne molten metal into the casting box by naud in a bip ladle with a long handle, as was formerly done, the motai is pumped in, one stroke of tna pump handle or lever being sufficient to do tne work. Much time is tnu ved and time is a great factor In newspaper making, especially at that stage of the game when the forms are in tne hands of tna stereo type. The Bee Is the only newspaper in Nebraska equipped with this modern stereo typing equipment in fact but tew other' newspapers outdlde of Nee York, Philadel phia, ciiicgo, Hi. Louis and Boston hava made the Innovation which relegates tha old-time hand labor to the rear, and sub stitutes compressed air and the. metal pump instead, lou have often heard in song and story the figurative pumping of lead by ueitern gun-figrilera, bdt here In the ster eotyping department of The Bee, you find lead pumping an actuality. As the utereotypers in the basement of the annex finish a circular plate you will observe them toss it upon what is techni cally known as a conveyor, perhaps you, It you are not versed In mechanically nomen clature, would cull the conveyor an "end less chain." This conveyor carries the plat away somewhere just where, you do not comprehend at first glance. It seems to be merely going into a hole in the wall, but If so, it stays there, for tha chain creep back presently and the plate is not tn sight Here, tor further understanding, it becomes necessary to escuit the visitor through a subway and over into the Be building proper. There the mystery of th disappear- , i.ig plate is explained, for in this big base ment is the press room where the mighty Hoe.- grind out editions at a rat ot speed m marvelous that the visitor stands aw stricken. Bi'.t to get back to that dlbappuaring plate and the endless chain the Lndlens chain operetta through a little auoway of its own as fast as It trr ej a plate through the wall from the stereotyping department a press room attache lakes it and fits It to the press. Then come another plate, and another, and so on, until at last ttw full complement Is In. The pressmen touches a lever, there is a mystic whirr like the buzzing of a thouzand motors off tn distance somewhere, a forward spurt f tha great machine, and then away it mi the army of newsboys to the street Such part ot the basement, as Is not used by th big presses and th machinery ot The Bee s private heating and lighting system. Is devoted to the stog of th huge rolls of white paper from) which Th Bee Is printed. This paper comes in the shape ot Immense spools, and If all of th paper used by The Bee In a year were un wound, its length would be auftlclnnt to stretch a streak of whit carpet all th way from Is'dw York to Japan. Leaving the press room, you have had glimpse ot every department ot The Be except on. That exception la the photo graph gallery, which is on the top floor nf th Bee building proper, where Its staff photographer lias bis studio, equipped with all th latest cameras and appliances. In all this journey you have been presented with views of only the latest and mpst efficient of machinery. All the apparatus used for producing The Bee Is of the most modern type and of the highest order. Its telegraph wires and telephone wires keep It conneoUd at all times with the world outside, while perfect Intercommunication between the several department la main tained by telephone. The plant la lighted by electricity, the machinery is all driven by electricity, everything that haa a wheel to turii being equipped with Its own indi vidual motor, and the whole making on ' of the most complete Inaiallatlona ag tug, modern newspaper. i