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About The Alliance herald. (Alliance, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1902-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 30, 1911)
Largest Circulation of any Newspaper in Western Nebraska. The Alliance Herald. GivCf all the news of Hox Butte County and Citv of Alliance VOLUME XVIII ALLIANCE. BOX BUTTE COUNTY . ne!b ASKAi THURSDAY MARCH 30, 1911 NUMBER 16 A FEW "SPECIFIC" FACTS WHY THE HERALD IS LATE The Herald is unavoidably Into this WMk. We arc getting ready 'omovi' into our new quarters across the street, ami this is making us extra work. We have had an unusually large run of rush orders for job printing, and as we have no side grafts paying big money, such as our competitor up the street has, we are compelled to give prompt at tention to these orders for printing in order to pay the expenses of rent, hired help, etc. We referred last week to Just a comparatively few instances of law breaking that has been going on in this city within the past year without any attempt to bring the law breakers to time; and the champions of the law break ers call upon us for affidavits and other proofs of the law breaking that is a matter of common knowl edge. Now the editor of this paper is neither spy nor detective, besides it is the duty of the mayor and his appointees to enforce the law, which thev have flagrantly neglected to do in many instances. Notwithstand ing all this we have taken some time this week in securing some af fidavits and other specific" informa tion, as will be seen by reading this paper, all of which is hut a "drop in the bucket" compared with: the what might be produced. Ot course unprincipled politicians who have no sense of fairness pre tend to see in this delay a dark and measley scheme to put them out of business, and seized upon this cir cumstance, as a drowning man grasp Ing at a straw, to make political capital in their favor. The fact Is that instead of this delay being a political advantage to the cause which we represent, that of law SELLING LIQUORS TO MINORS i The demand that The Herald furn ish, on short notice, "specific" infor mation, affidavits, etc.. concerning law breaking in Alliance has put us to a considerable inconvenience these busy days, as we are not run rving a detective bureau, and really do not think it our place to ferrit out crime. We have seen what we be lieved to be violations of the lav.' her and have made no mention of It in The Herald or in any other way. We want the saloonkeepers and others to know that the editor of this pa per Is not playing the spy on them or on anybody else, but is trying to secure the election of a mayor who will see to it that the law is enforc ed reasonably well. In regard to the selling of liquor to minors, one instance will serve as a starter, and Is "specific" enougli to meet the demands of the mouth piece of the present mayor: On the 24th day of last November, a boy who was that day seventeen years, two months and eighteen days of age was found back of Keeler's pool hall dead drunk, about seven o'clock In the evening, and was carried into the barber shop of Nation & Cope land (the room in the rear of the barber shop), and a physician call ed, who worked over the boy until about ten o'clock p.m. At firstthe doctor said there were no hopes of saving the hoy's life, hut by the use of hypodermic injections he succeed ed in doing so. It was reported that the whiskey was secured by boy at two of the leading saloons of Alliance. The Incident was common talk at that time around town, hut we never heurd of any thing being done in regard t the matter by the mayor or any other city officer. fere with the personal liberty of cit izens, in regard to amusements or otherwise, so long as they conduct themselves decently, but be can be depended upon to make it so hot for the pimps and professional gamblers, that have infested the city the past fear, that they will find it more com fortable to "move on." In regard to the licensing of sa loons, he will abide by a decision of a majority, expressed by a direct ITOte on the question. Of course, the will of the majority on this question cannot be known Immediately on ac count of the present mayor and his henchmen standing squarely in the way of submitting the question to such a vote; but Mr. Smith will fa vor the submission of tbe license question to a direct vote of the peo ple of the city, as soon as It can be done practicably and without expense to the city. enforce ment, it is a tremendous disadvantage. WHAT ABOUT IT, MR. HARRIS? RAILROAD MAN CANDIDATE FOR COUNCILMAN "specific. ' AFFIDAVIT CONCERNING ASSIGNATION The editor of The Herald desires some facts from Mayor F. W. Har ris for the information of its read ers who are heavy property owners and tax payers in Alliance. It there fore requests him to answer the fol lowing questions, to-wit: Why were the light and water bonds sold at a discount of approxi mately ten thousand ($10,000.00) dol lars? Why did sixty ($60,000.00) to ninety ($90,000.00) thousand dollars of the proceeds of these bonds re main in the Alliance National Bank with the city receiving only two hun dred and eighty dollars ($280.00) from interest and other sources as shown by a financial report publish ed by the Times? The interest on sixty thousand dol lars of this money, at the rate of two per cent per annum, for eight months and would amount to eight hundred ($800.00) dollars. Why did you not pay in full for the electric light plant that you purchased for fifty five ($55,000.00) thousand dol lars when you had sixty-three ($63, 000.00) thousand dollars of the city's money on hand? The Herald is informed that you only paid forty thousand ($40,000.00) dollars of the purchase price of the electric plant and that the remain ing fifteen thousand ($15,000.00) dol lars is drawing interest at six per cent, which amounts to nine hundred ($900.00) dollars per year. We also understand that the bonds that you sold were issued on a four and a half or five per cent basis. If on a five per cent basis, the fifteen thousand ($15,000.00) d ollars will cost the city seven hundred and fif ty ($750.00) dollars, making a total cost to the city of sixteen hundred and fifty ($1650.00) dollars each year that this fifteen thousand dollar pay ment is delayed. If the bonds draw four and a half per cent this fifteen thousand dollars will cost the city fifteen hundred and seventy-five ($1575.00) dollars per year, as long as paymentof the same is delayed The voters and tax payers of this city have right to know these facts The public has a right to know how the city finances are handled. S'ate of Nebraska, ) ) ss. Box Butte County. ) C, C. Smith, a citizen of Alliance, county of Box Hutte, state of Nebras ka, being first duly sworn, upon onth deposes and says that he and another gentleman were standing in front of his livery barn about four O'clock, Friday afternoon, March 24, 1911. While lalking together two young men and two young women, the youn women not appearing to be over six teen or seventeen years of age, went past together and passed a house of prostitution conducted and known as "The 400" across the street. The young men appeared to be urging the girls to enter the building and after some urging the said women and men entered the said house of prostitu tion. They were inside about forty minutes when one couple came out; the second couple came out In a few minutes after that. All of them ap peared to be partly intoxicated (Signed I C. C. SMIT Subscribed and sworn to before me this 29th day of March. 1911. (Signed) LLOYD C. THOMA (seal) Notary Public One of the many Industrious rail road men of this city Is Henry Ren nau. candidate for councilman from the second ward. It is not flattery or undeserved praise to say he Is liked best by those who know him best. One mark of the confidence that his fellow railrond men have In his integrity and ability is the fact that he is now serving his second term as Insurance secretary and secretary and treasurer of the H. of L. E. He has been in the employ of the C. B . and Q. for twenty three years on the line between Lin coln and Deadwood. He began as u hostler at Seneca, where he and his estimable wife started out on the journey of married life. Working three years as a hostler, he was tli r a promoted to fireman, serving in that capacity two years, running out of Lincoln, when was again pro moted and has now pulled the throttle for eighteen years. He came to Alliance in the nine ties, we believe ii was, but being put on the Black Hills division moved to Kdgemont where he resided three years, returning to this city about six years ago. He owns tiie house in which he and his family reside at 319 East Fourth street. He has no fads in city government, is not an extremist in matters of opinion, but stands squarely for law enforcement. He believes in the rule of the peo ple and in letting them decide what they want on leading issues by di rect vote. He has a family of seen children, two boys and five girls, ami of course is intensely Interested in whether Alliance is to be a "wide open" town or regulated by law en forcement. The tin horn gentry, the fellows who have no visible means of sup port, but make a living as runners for houses of ill fame and by other means not known to the public, all of them who vote in the second ward, will vote solidly against Mr. Rennau, which is all the more reason why the respectable laboring men should rally to his support and give him a rousing majority. The editor of The Herald, who is a resident of the second ward, can be depended upon to do hiB part. the the hand the solpef thug monopoly" above referred to is the Lincoln Land Company, owner of the most of the vacant lots in this city Before the I'nited Stales census was taken last year. The Herald ! gan agitating the proposition of tak ing steps to include within the city limits the outlying districts that ar practically a part of the city hut which are not within the corporate limits We did this in the interest of Alliance, without any intention of stirring up opposition. In response, seemingly, to this agitation which represented the wishes of the city as a whole ,lt was nnnonnced that the boundry lines would be changed so aa to enlarge the city limits. So far as we could learn the matter was left pretty much to the mayor, who claimed to be quite Interested and to favor the proposition .When the change of boundry lines had been made completed. It was discovered that only a small portion of . West Lawn had been brought within city limits. Here is where the traces of Honorable Mr. Broome's fine may be seen. A large part of Land Company's lots In the edge of -ile of the city limits. Even on those vacant lots within the city limits the tax is ouly a small fraction of what a laboring man Is required to pay on a lot with a cottage on it; and outside the boundry line the tax on vacant lots is much less than In side. By extending the city limits to include lots only as they are built upon, the Lincoln Land Company get the benefit of the Increased valuation caused by the city's growth, but a volds paying a just share of the city taxes, throwing the burden f the same upon the home builders and others, who, not being so fortunate a to own their own homes, must pay the burden of taxes In Increased rents. In order to avoid the addition al city Max they would have to pay if Hie city limits had been extended as they should have been, the local agent of the company played a neat trtdB By means of his "influence" he succeeded in having a smooth talk put up that evidently deceived some parties, as when the extension of the city s boundrles was completed the people awoke to the fact that only a small fraction of the territory that ought to have been included had been taken in, and thus the Lincoln i end Company's lots in the edge of t;sti, which are benefitted by the City 'I growth, were left outside of the rot porate limits, and thus exempt from their share of the city's burden ol taxes. There are a number of other re BSOnH why the Honorable Mr. Broome ;s anxious to see his partner made perpetual mayor, but the above will do lor this article We think it is pill in enough to met the demands oi those who want something "specific". The soulless them like an honest man As soon as the attention of the count officials was called to the fact that the colonel and The Times were not on the list they took steps to block bis game and in January the county clerk took a schedule to the colonel to fill out. The colonel of course claimed, in trying to put his bluff through, thatthe schedule had been turned In, but this bluff did not work with the county clerk and the treasurer Finally after the dark had taken three different trips to the Times office in January, for the sch edule, it was filled out and given to him. In February the colonel gave a check for the amount of the taxes A few other things might be re lated which would open the eyes of some people but we believe the a hove Is sufficient as It shows con clusively where the colonel stand And WO think that he will turn In his schedule next time WITHDRAWS FROM RACE FOR CITY CLERK Lloyd C. Thomas Withdraws From the Race in Favor of Chat A. Wetheral. Purest Allen, a cltlxen of Alliance, county of Box Butte, atate of Ne braska, being first duly sworn, upon oath deposes anil says that while he WM employed as night marshal for the ettf of Alliance, In January, 1911. he arrested three negro prostitutes who accosted h tin on the street one night after he had gone to work, be tWeen the hours of m-wn and eight; that he took them to the police sta tion and that they were fined ten dollars each the same night nnd turn ed loose (Signed) FOKKST ALLE. Subscribed to and sworn to before me this 29th day of March. 1911 (Signed) LLOYD C. THOMAS i seal Notary Public TO OF PLATFORM OF THE PEOPLE'S CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR THE HONORABLE MR BROOME C. C. Smith, who is running for mayor as the candidate of the re spectable business and laboring men who want to see Alliance made what she ought to be, the pride of north western Nebraska, stands squarely on the platform, "Let the people rule." He Is both a laboring and business man. As a laboring man he was many years in the employ of the Burlington railroad, and under stands the rights and the needs of the people who earn a living by hon est work. If elected mayor, as seems probable now that he will be, his office will be run In the Interest of the common people, rather than at the behest of the kid-gloved schem ers who sit around in offices and spend their time planning skin games I serves the monopoly that gives Comes now Mr .Broome pardon us. the Honorable Mr. Broome--and rushes to the defence of his part ner, permanent candidate for mayor, who doesn't wish to relinquish his hold upon the office and let someone else In who will open the books to public Inspection. But why Mr. Broome's anxiety to have his part ner continued in the office of mayor permanantly? Is it because he Is in terested in the welfare of the labor ing men of the city who are paying rent, or struggling to pay for a little home for themselves? Not on your life. It happens that Mr. Broome is the local agent for a soulless corpor ation that likes to shirk taxes, and throw the burden of them upon the above mentioned individuals and others who already pay more than their share. The better Mr. Broome him and political tricks that will them an advantage permitting them to live in luxury which they do not deserve. Since leaving tbe employ of tbe Burlington, be has been engaged in business, of which he has made a success without resorting to ques tionable practices. His ability and integrity, in private life and public office, have never been sincerely questioned. Mr Smith will do nothing to inter i give employment, the bigger his pay and th- greater the luxury in which he can live at the expense, directly or Indirectly, of the hard working men whom he looks down upon as "cheap skates." By having his partner in the office of mayor permanently, It gives him influence where '"in fluence counts and can be turned into iiioney. But, come to think about it, the opposition to a change of administra tion in 'he interest of ilmi-iii y want WHAT ABOUT IT, MR. ELLIS? If you are so honest and such a champion of the people why did not YOU turn in YOUR tax list until The Herald called attention to the fact that no taxes were assessed against YOU or The Times? The editor and proprietor of the Times calles The Herald "tribe" a few unpleasant names and says In ef fect that we are all bluffers. It may be well to open the eyes of a few people to the "colonel" sometimes tries to run a bluff -that his bluffs don't always work. Personal taxes are due November 1st. After the Herald plant assess ment was received that month the business manager, who is the writer of this article, thought it might be a wise plan to see what the taxes were on The Times plant and the personal property of the aforesaid colonel John R. Beach, who is assistant business manager of The Herald, was forthwith instructed to go to the office of the county treasurer and see what the taxes assessed against the said colonel and The Times plant were. He looked and looked and lo, he could find no schedule for either the Times or H J .Ellis. A thorough search was then begun for fear it had been missed or perhaps the prop erty was In the name of some other person. Then the county treasurer was called in to help in the search for the missing schedule but licit tier could he find it. Verily, verily, the colonel and the Times had managed to slip through and if tbe writer had not thought it necessary to look up tbe matter be might have gotten away witb tbe goods and not bad to pay any tuxes for the year 1910, instead of paying Following is a copy of notice of withdrawal given to the city clerk on the 24th by Lloyd C. Thomas, who, because of the fact that all of his time Is now taken up with the business of The Herald Publishing Company, decided to withdraw In fa vor of Mr. Wetheral: March 24, 1911. THE CITY OLBRK ALLIANCE, NEBRASKA; In view of the fact t lint a petition has been filed with you nominating Mr Charles A. Wetheral as candi date for the office of City Clerk of the- City of Alliance, Nebraska, ami that lie is a person well Qualified to perform the duties of said office, I hereby withdraw as a candidate for said office and request that my name he not printed 0H the ballots to be useil at the City Election to beheld April 4. 1911, as a candidate for tin' office of City Clerk of the said City of Alliance, Nebraska. Very truly yours, LLOYD C THOMAS. THERE ARE "STREET WALKERS" IN ALLIANCE The Times editor has doubts as to whether or not there are street walkers in Alliance. If he or the mayor or any other interested party will call at The Herald office we will take them lo four different busi ness men of the city who have told us of being PJfproached at different places und time.; in the last few months by white; and colored street walkers who solicited business on the streets One- business man was approached about four months ago early In the evening near the corner occupied by the grocery store of Bicknells & Heed, the other three street cor ners being occupied by the Murks Harness Store, tbe Jerry Rowan feed store and the McCorkle build ing, two colored prostitutes solicited him that evening. Another business man has been approached several times by white street walkers, who have even en tered his place of business. Another business man with a large business in Alliance was approached a week ago last Tuesday in front of the Grand Restaurant two doors north of The Herald office by a white street walker who told him that her husband was a railroad man and that she bad found it necessary to take to this line of business to help support the family. This same man was approached a week ago on Friday by a white street walker The story in regard to her husband being a railroad man was no doubt a lie. A young business man of Alliance was approached one evening last week by a white street walker who tackled him on one of the main streets of our city. This was early In the evening. Every one of these business men will verify the above facta as stated. Their names are not published be cause they do not wish the notoriety which would attend this, but they are ready and willing to certify to the above facts. The affidavit given below, the orig inal copy of which is in a safe depo sit box with several others, shows that there are and have been street walkers in Alliance: THROWING DU8T It Ih needless to say to the read ers of both the Alliance papers thai the supporters of Mayor Harris have been throwing dust In a desperate effort lo blind voters to the real Is sues and sidetrack them. There are some things published in the Times that we have not time and space to answer this week, but those that are of enougli Importance to demand at tention will be attended to all right, all right. Including F. M. Broome's uncalled for and scurrilous attack on W. J. Bryan and the prim-: pies he has stood for, the attack on the ed itor of The Herald and the attempt to deny him the right to participate in politics where the editor of the Times was interested, the graft that the said editor worked through the mayor giving him for city printing five times the amount asked by the editor of The Herald, and a number of other things that limy nrnil our attention. LOOK OUT FOR TRICKS The sentiment in Alliance against the reelection of Mayor Harris is so strong, among both wets ami drys, that the only danger there in of him defeating Mr. Smith Is In politi cal trickery. Knowing the character of the man who has assumed to di rect the mayor's campaign and his past record as a successful political trickster, we can be sure that, some underhanded scheme will be resorted to in order to deceive voters. Of course we cannot tell what the trick or tricks will be, but judging the fu ture by the past we may expect them and that they will be kept secret as lung as possible from those who might expose them. Two years ago when F W. Harris was first elected mayor a contempt ibly dishonest trick was worked on election day that took a lot of votes front his opponent and gave them to him before it was discovered by the friends of It M. Hampton, who was Mr. Harris' opponent. A hand bill, printed either at the Alliance Times, office or in some other town, was worded so as to make people believe it bad been published by the "dry" people, when In fact they had noth ing to do in printing It, and they were kept from seeing it. The hand bill stated that when the saloons were closed the next thing would be to close the pool halls. Mr. Hampton was no more in fafor of closing the pool hulls than was bis Opponent, and there was no attempt being made by any one to do so, and no danger whatever that any such attempt would be made. But the trick turned quite a number of votes from Mr. Hampton to Mr. Har ris before tt was discovered by the former's friends. Quite a number of men who enjoy spending an hour or two In a pool room occasionally and had intended to vote for Mr. Hamp ton, said that if he intended to go so far as to close the pool room they would not vote for him, and accord ingly cast their votes for Mr. Harris. When this issue of The Herald is off the press we will print nothing more in regard to the campaign, either in circular form or otherwise, unless it is necessary to do so in order to expose trickery and decep tion, and as there will probably be schemes worked that wo may not catch on to until too late to expose before election, we say to all vot ers who favor decency In city gov eminent LOOK OUT FOR POLITI CAL TRICKS ON ELECTION DAY. S'ate of Nebraska, Box Butte County ) ) ss While holding a position, obtained by political trickery, and which pays him a salary several times as large as what be is competent to earn if thrown into competition with tbe common herd, the editor of tbe Al liance Times calls men who earn tbolr living by honest toll skates."