C17
I
PAUPERS HAVE
! A FONDNESS FOR
EXPENSIVE M
JiO SCRITLES SO LONG AS THE
COUNTY PAYS BILL
Commissioners Decide to Draw
Line a Little More Tight 1
and Give Reasons
Vj
' County Commissioners Hasbman
And Uhrig have spent a day or two
or a pretty busy week In consider
ing the pauper question, and have
arrived at the conclusion that the
poor farm is about the best way' to
handle this class of citizens. After
making personal investigation . of
several cases where the family was
Allowed to live at home and board at
the same place at county expense
they find that it is an unsatisfactory,
as well as unbusinesslike way of do
Ing relief work, and the prospects
are that in the future, unless pretty
good reasons are advanced for some
other course, those asking assistance
from the county will have to take it
in the way it is offered.
In the past, the rule has been that
each commissioner cared for the pau
pers in his district in the way that
best pleased him. There have been
several regular inmates at the poor
farm, but In many Instances the per
son applying for aid has been al
lowed to live In his own home and
draw supplies on the board's order.
.The straw that broke the camel's
back came this week, when the board
met for its first session of the year.
Among the bills that were presented
was one covering groceries for a
single week from a family which the
board had favored by allowing it to
live at home while the bread-winner
wail ''incapacitated. Just look over
the items on this bill, and see how
many Alliance families had such a
variety and then see if you can crit
icise the board for fixing things so
it can't happen again.
In one week, this family ordered:
Two pounds of butter (best grade,
creamery), one dozen eggs, onions,
turnips, parsnips, carrots, potatoes,
sweet potatoes, 3 cans string beans,
3 cans peas, 3 cans corn, 6 tall cans
condensed milk, one pound of lard,
2 packages puffed rice, one package
bran, apples, 10" lbs.' graham flour,
lima beans, raisins, prunes, dried
peaches, bacon, boiling beef, tuna
Ash, salmon, coal oil, " toilet soap,
laundry soap, yeast, soda, hominy,
cheese, crackers, flour.
Altogether, the total for the week
came well over the $30 mark. There
were three in the family, one of them
an able-bodied youngster who se
cured a Job when Commissioner
Hashman announced that he would
not be permitted to eat another meal
at the county's expense. On the day
that the commissioners called at the
house, two huge cakes were being
baked and from preparations it was
evident that at least one of them was
to be packed and sent away.
After that visit, the lid went down
with a bang. The family was noti
fied that it would not be permitted
to place another order, and that the
first of each week one of the commis
sioners would Bee to it that enough
plain food were sent out to keep
them from starving.
This particular family has been
receiving financial assistance from
the county for at least two months.
At first, they were quite moderate in
their demands, but each Week the
total grew larger, until finally they
ordered as lavishly as though they
owned the grocery store. The head
of the house has been ill, and ac
cording to his story, is still unable
to work. The commissioners sent
the county physician out to examine
him last Saturday, and the doctor's
report is to the effect that his pulse
Is normal, he suffers no pain, sleeps
well and has a perfectly good appe
tite, as the grocery bill will attest,
lie refuses to go to the poor bouse,
but insists be is pot able to work.
"The county board has received a
little criticism, especially from the
city of Alliance, because of Its re
luctance to step in and care for all
the paupers who apply for aid," said
Commissioner Hashman to a Herald
reporter. "But nearly every time
that we do any relief work, we find
that the paupers are ready to take
advantage of us. We don't like to
force them to go to the poor houso
or starve, but the situation has come
to the place where we have about
decided that Is the only way to care
for them. The poor farm Is main
tained at county expense for Just
such apurpose. We can feed and care
for them there at much less expense
than In any other way. Whenever
we make an exception from
this
xi,KMTH,;it nnmn iiiicci
For Alliance and vicinity: Gen
erally fair tonight and Wednesday;
colder tonight; cold wave extreme
east portion with zero temperature.
rule, we find that It is not appre
ciated."
The famll in question said that
It would go to the poor farm If
ground floor room were provided and
other conditions met. The board
has not decided Just what action it
will- take, but there is no doubt that
halcyon days are over. And
. e
ui, 18n 1 a -Taxpayer in uox uutte
iflr who will not approve the
Vey have taken. There is no
1
vmpathy for the deserving
Pov- & 'fortunate, but non of us
have V a. me for those who, un
able to X ,elr own food and liv
ing off tm county of others, insist
on lima beans at three times the
price of the humble navy variety
simply because they "never did like
navy beans."
USED rOOIt JUDGMENT IN
PICKING MAN TO LICK
One cannot always tell by the
looks of a fat man Just bow often or
how hard he can hit. The floater
who decided to "taken on" Ryan in
front of the recruiting office Satur
day learned a few interesting things
Henry is pretty handy with his
"dukes" and Just naturally kept the
fellow away to keep from hurting
him. An application of Bteak was
prescribed to take the color from the
intruder's complexion.
STOCKMEN SHOWING
MUCH ENTHUSIASM
bhow a Desire to Associate Them
selves With Alliance Pack
ing ' Company
Half a dozen representatives of the
Alliance Packing company took to
the roads bright and early Monday
morning in the big drive to put Al
nance a most promising concern
over the top." At the close of the
first day's efforts they report a
surprisingly enthusiastic response.
Every stockgrower that has been ap
proached has shown marked enthusi
asm, and therce have been few in
deed who have not shown a destre
to associate themselves with the new
enterprise.
The Alliance Packing company is
an assured project. There remains
only the completion of arrangements
for financing, and present indica
tions are that this will be accom
plished with a minimum of effort.
Stockralsers of this district do not
need anyone to tell them that Alli
ance is the best place in the world
to buy and sell stockers and feeders
in a district that contains within it
self a small empire. They need no
argument to convince them that long
hauls cost them money, that feeding
enroute is expensive, and that the
waste through these two Items
amounts to a considerable sum.
These facts account for the Interest
that representative stockmen are
showing in the new company.
The opportunity is here for Alli
ance and this whole district to ben
eflt from a huge Industry that needs
but little encouragement at the right
time which is now. The success of
the Alliance Packing company means
better days for Alliance, for Its cit
izens, for the stock growers of this
county and this part of the state, in
higher prices and a chance to share
in the profits of a profitable business.
In the words of the town's commer
cial organization, "Let's Go!"
ALLIANCE TEAMWORK H
BEATS JCOTTSBLUFF
Using lateral passes and very good
teamwork the Alliance basket tossers
won their first game of the season by
a score of 34 to 18. The opponents
were husky boys and very good play
ers but they were not able to cope
with such teamwork and speed as
Coach Prince has put Into his five.
The forwards, Ray Edwards and
O. Joder, played an exceptionally
good game although Joder was taken
out in the second half because of a
sprained ankle. Edwards has a long
string of baskets to his credit and
was the star of the Alliance team.
Next Friday night the team will
play Kimball. This was a very ex
citing game last year, having to play
the tie off five times. Kimball has
the same team this year, but Alliance
is Improved. Come and see them
clean up Kimball.
Joe Reardon of Omaha ia snend-
ing a few days In the city this week.
ALLIANCE, BOX BUTTE CO U MT V, N E B
i :
DUAM IYIMILl3
APPOINTMENTS
R.
11. Knight Made Highway Com
tiilsioner . Dr. Single Again
County Physklan
The board of commissioners, at its
session Tuesday morning, appointed
County Surveyor R. E. Knight high
way commissioner for pox Butte
county. Mr. Knight has accepted the
appointment and will have general
charge of the maintenance of state
highways and other roads within the
county. He will select his own as
sistants.
J. W. Blcknell's petition, signed
by 199 taxpayers, who asked that
he be given the place, was rejected
Remonstrances signed by 337 cit
izens had been filed, asking that the
board turn down Blcknell's petition
The total number of signatures to
the remonstrances was given last
week as 255, but early Monday morn
Ing ' another was found which
brought the total up considerably,
Dr. Charles E. Slagle was reap
pointed county physician.
The board of commissioners for
Box Butte county Is still In session,
and the prospects are that the first
meeting for 1920 will not come to a
close before the end of the week
There Is a considerable amount of
extra work, such as preparing the
budget of expenses, that comes up
at this meeting. Commissioners
Hashman and Uhrig are wading
through It alone, Commissioner I)mv
can being away from the city.
C. L. Hashman was elected chair
man of the board on the second day
of the session. Mr. Hashman is serv
ing his fourth consecutive term as
a county commissioner, having been
on the board at the time the present
court house was built.
A part of the session has been oc
cupied by an insurance adjuster, who
came to Alliance to make a settle
ment of the damage caused by a fire
in the coal bins in the basement of
the court house some time ago. The
adjuster, after a day's argument, de
parted without a settlement being
reached, and another adjuster will
come here later. It seems that the
nabllity to reach an agreement came
because of the fact that the insur
ance, which was adequate to cover
the building at the time it was writ-
en, ts Insufficient at the present
time, due. to the rise In values of
buildings and building material. The
company wlpb.es to make a propor
tional settlement, based on the pres
ent value of the building, to which
the board naturally objects. The in
surance runs out within a short
time, and the board is seriously con
sidering dispensing with insurance
entirely unless this loss is satisfac
torily adjusted. ' The building, they
say. Is practically fireproof, and it
has been so reconstructed that an
other fire from the same cause is
Impossible. They insist that if
term insurance is not worth its face
value, it is useless to insure.
On January 16, John Lawrence ap
peared before the board and made
an application for a refund of taxes
paid under protest on the southwest
quarter of 33-26-47. The board al
lowed him $8.70.
ALLIANCE BANKS SHOW
A BIG GAIN IN ASSETS
For purposes of general informa
tion Rufus Jones, secretary of the
Community club, has compiled a
composite bank statement covering
the- principal items included in the
last statements made by the three
local banking institutions which are
members of the Community club
the First National, Alliance National
and First State.
The totals as shown by Mr. Jones'
report show some interesting figures
for the items he covers, as follows:
Loans and overdrafts..! 2,132,297.58
Cash on hand and in
banks . 883.394.89
U. S. bonds and stamps 259,143.82
Federal reserve Btock.. 6.000.00
Capital stock .. 135,000.00
Surplus ... 130,000.00
Undivided Profits 14,770.63
Circulation 99.997.50
Deposits 3,038,218.72
The aggregate totals of the First
National, Alliance National and First
State banks, according to their last
statements sum up $3,421,031.29,
which, according to the Community
club secretary, is enough to make
that organization proud of Its three
banking house members.
Miss Falleon of the Alliance Pack-
ng company, has returned from Hot
Springs, where she bas been enjoy
ing a month's vacation.
It AS K A , TUESDAY, JANUARY
DEPUTY SHERIFF
TRAILSA YARN
A Triie-to-Llfe Story of the Reason
Why Seeing Is Not Al
ways Relieving
Here's a little story which lllus
times a numoer or mines, among
them being the fact that a He travels
considerably faster than the truth
that a lie is pretty easily nailed, if
you go after it while there is any
thing left to nail it to; that seeing
is not believing; and that folks with
the best of intentions may some
times "step off," as they say in the
original Choctaw.
All of which you may consider a
wild, sort of an introduction, but It
takes a wild intraductlon for the wild
tale which ts to follow as soon as
our, typewriter can punch it out and
the genial op. put It Into type.
We'll begin right at the beginning.
Two of three months ago. when
Oscar Reed was not deputy sheriff,
but chief of police of the city of Al
liance, Oscar and Nova Taylor picked
up a "bo" down in the railroad yards
and took him to the station and
locked him up. Oscar searched him
that's customary with prisoner
ana among his effects was a neat
little leather case, which contained
little book, bound in red leather,
rrom now on the plot begins to
thicken.
This little red book turned out to
be a union card, a certificate of mem
bership In the International Work
ers of the World. Most people would
say vi, w. W.," and a few folks
would say "Wobbly." There are
other titles even more uncompll
nientary.
Time passed on, and the "Wobbly"
was disposed of. But the card went
marching on. Oscar kept it in his
possession. Once or twice he al
lowed, a friend to look It over, lust
to see what one of those I. W. W.
cards looked like. The Herald edi
tor .was one of those who'hadn't run
across one of them before, and we
spent an hour trying to figure out
what Borne of the figures on It stood
for. If there is an I. W. W. In the
audience, we trust that he will
please step forward and explain.
It was this willingness of Oscar's
to let other folks look at the card
of the captured Wobbly that bas
caused a lot of people some anxious
moments the past week, among them
being the deputy sheriff himself. For
this Is what evidently happened:
Someone happened to be around
when the card was exhibited whose
head was thick or whose ears were
dirty, and Instead of getting It
straight, got the idea in his bean that
the I. W. W. card belonged to Oscar.
Andd the secret proved too much for
him. He was Just busting to pass it
on and he did. He said, not that he
had seen Reed with an I. W. W. card,
but that the ex-chief carried one.
From no won, the action is fast
and furious. Different people began
to pass it on, always as a dead secret,
that the man who was supposed to
be standing for law and order was
member of gang that didn't know
the meaning of the words. And fi
nally, after a roundabout way, the
story of Oscar's supposed crime
reached the ears of the ex-chlef him
self. Funny thing about It was that
when they told Oscar that he car
ried an I. W. W. card, he didn't take
them seriously not at first. He'd
been chief of police a good while,
and deputy sheriff some more, and
had found that citizens and voters
like to kid the cops. But after two
or three folks mentioned it, he be
gan to guess that it wasn't another
manifestation of the sense of humor
of his friends.
It took him Just half a day to trace
that He through half a dozen hands
or mouths. And he didn't let the
grass grow under his feet one
minute. He found out that a num
ber of people, some of them sincere,
and some of them a trifle malicious",
had mentioned the matter. It was
a thorough investigation but it was
the end of the yarn and one more
lie has been withdrawn from circu
lation. Of course, no one who really knew
Oscar Reed believed for a minute
that he carried an I. W. W. card and
was In league with the Reds or any
one else who wasn't a trifle over 100
per cent American. But it occasioned
quite a little fretting while It lasted,
that story did. There are half a
dozen theories as to how the yarn
got its start. The one we have told
is our solution. Other folks say that
Oscar made some enemies while chief
of police who wanted to get back at
him. Some of them say that the,
whole Idea was to hit Sheriff Miller,
who appointed Reed as his deputy,
and there are a couple of other the
20, 1920.
ories. At any rate, the yarn has
born traced back to within one man
or the fellow who started It, and for
the sake of the peace and dignity of
the state, we hope Oscar don't run
across him. For the deputy sheriff
has blood In his eye when he con
aiders this particular topic. Take
our advlcennd If you feel that you
must Jest with Mr. Reed choose
some other subject. Talk to htm
about the stolen hides that turned
out not to be stolen at all, discuss
the mythical "house of hystery," or
anything else that suits your fancy
but steer clear of I. W. W.'s. It's
unhealthy that's all we've got to
say.
WILL ORGANIZE A
ROY SCOUT TROOP
Plans are under way to organize
another Bay Scout troop in Alliance,
the membership to be limited to
uoys over iweive years or age en
rolled in the Methodist church of
this city. W. J. Mahaffy has agreed
to act as scoutmaster and the organ
Izatlon will be completed as soon as
the necessary credentials are re
ceived from headquarters. A meet
Ing of the boys interested will then
be called.
The Odd Fellows and Rebeccas of
Alliance went to Antloch Monday
evening for the purpose of assisting
the installation of new officers in the
two lodges at that place.' Sixteen
of the Alliance people were present
and Mrs. S. A. Grimes of Hemlngford
was also there. Following the cere
mony a banquet was served.
STAGE
BATTLE AT ANSLEY
Former Alliance Resident Severe It
Injured In Argument Over
a Time Card
Paul Riddle, former renldent of
Alliance, brakeman between Seneca
and Ravenna for the Burlington, was
seriously Injured In a battle at Ans
ley, Neb., last week. Riddle and the
Ansley operator picked an argument
over a time card which resulted in
Riddle knocking the operator down
with his lantern.
The operator found his knife and
proceeded to cut Riddle in such a
manner as to cause twenty-nine
stitches to be taken by a local physi
cian, - After cutting Riddle he went
for a shot gun to "finish" him. At
this the operator's wife Intervened
and hostilities ceased. It was not
learned 'what legal steps have been
taken in the case, but it Is probable
that the operator will be held by the
authorities after discharge from the
Burlington.
COUNTY COMPILES AN
ESTIMATED EXPENSE
Theboard has complied its esti
mate of the money required to con
duct the county's business during the
ensuing year. The total is placed
at $54,000, an increase over last
year of '$12,000. Of the Increase,
8,000 will be expended upon the
roads of the county. The district
court ' expense budget Is increased
from $3,500 to $5,000, due to the
prospect for a long' and expensive
trial of the Lackey case. The rest
of the Increase is scattered over the
remaining Items.
The following is the estimate:
County officers '. $ 8,000
Court bouse, care light and
Paupers . 2,500
County agent ... 2,000
Board of health . 300
Insanity 2,500
Supplies 2,500
Telephones ... ... 300
Printing . 300
Miscellaneous ...... 600
Elections 1,500
District court ....... 6,000
Roads and bridges . 20,000
Court house bonds .. . ' 6,000
Total
.$54,000
FOREST LUMBER CO.
TO BUILD OFFICE
The Forest Lumber company this
week completed the purchase of the
lot between their yards and the Car
rol blacksmith shop, upon which
they expect, within a short time, to
begin the erection of a two-story
brick office building, with full base
meat. They are planning a general
improvement of their yards, which
will Include new sheds.
Building operations will be begun
as soon as possession can be ob
tained, which will probably be some
time In March.
NUMBER 1S
KIDS ATTEMPT
TO CRACK SAFE
AT DARLING'S
YOUTHFUL RAND ITS FADL
MAKE A HAUL
TO
Cold Chisel and Hammer Used in as
'Endeavor to Force the
Combination
Bandits, evidently of rather tender
years, made an unsuccessful attempt
to crack the safe In the George D.
Darling furniture store last Satur
day evening. Using an ordinary ham
mer and a cold chisel, they pounded
away at the combination for some
time, and succeeded in battering it
considerably, but were no nearer suc
cess than when they started. The
attempt was discovered early Sunday
morning.
Entrance to the building was
gained by a window in the rear of
the building. The robbers simply
broke out a pane of glass, crawled
In and started to work. They left
by the same route. The size of the
hole Indicated that the intruder or
Intruders were pretty small potatoes.
When the loss was checked up. It
was found to consist of one Inger-
soil watch, two boxes of candy, re
maining from the annual feast given
by Mr. Darling to his employes a few
days ago, and a bunch of keys, In
cluding those to the cash . register
and compartments of the safe. Noth
ing was taken from the stodfc, so far
as can be learned.
A hurry call was Bent to Omaha
for expert assistance In opening the
safe, the combination being so badly
smashed that it refused to work.
Shortly after the call for assistance
was sent out, the safe was opened
by one of the store employes.
Police authorities were called and
investigated the premises, but the
youthful bandits were careful tc
leave no clues.
TWELVE BOYS WILL
TAKE SHORT COURSE
Committee Selects Those to Ren eflt
Front GeneroMty of C. A.
' Newberry
A committee consisting of County
Superintendent Opal Russell, W, E.
Spencer, manager of the Alliance
creamery, and George Neuswanger,
formerly county agent, met at the
county superintendent's office last
Friday evening to consider the ap
plications filed by boys between
eighteen and twenty-one years of
age in Box Butte county who wanted
the opportunity to attend the agri
cultural short course at the expense
of C. A. Newberry of this city. The
following were selected:
Ralph Harris
Charles Slsley
Arthur Grove ,
Cecil Beal
Loren Bliss
Elton Harris
Fred Seidler .
William Walker
Emmet McDonald
Allison Johnson
Harold Clark
Andrew Dltsch
A few weeks ago Mr. Newberry an
nounced that, in order to encourage
scientific farming in Box Butte coun
ty, be would pay the expenses of one
boy from each precinct to attend the
short course for four weeks, begin
ning January 26. Successful farm
ing experience and scholarship were
to be the qualifications upon which
the applicants were to be selected.
Practically every boy who made
application was allowed to go. There
were no applications from two or.
three precincts, and Mr. Newberry
announced that he was willing that
there should be more than one from
the other precincts. Every boy who
showed signs of being the kind of
material desired was approved by the
committee.
The boys selected have been asked
to meet at the office of County Su
perintendent Russell at 7:30 p. m.
Friday of this week, at which time
arrangements will be made. The
short course sessions begin on Mon
day of next week.
Round up your second-hand
clothes, suits and overcoats and bring
them to the 164 Cleaners and Tail
ors. We pay cash for them. Ton
can Just as well have the cash as
something that yon can't use. We
can use any color, any else. Bring
them In and get the money. 164
Cleaners, 111 Box Butte, Ted's
Place." II