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VOLUME XXVII.
ALLIANCE, BOX BUTTE COUNTY, NEBRASKA, TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1920
No. 71
r
MAY RECOGNIZE
CENSUS RECOUNT
Ietter Tom watmingion anys t.
Depeiids Upon the Comparison v
of Lists
Secretary J. W. Guthrie of the Al
liance chamber of commerce this
morning received a letter from W. M.
Stewart, assistant director of the
census, which gave information ad
ditional to that contained in his tel
egram received last Friday.
It appears that a comparison vl
the names taken lu the recount will
be made wit a those taken by the reg
ular enumerators. If the six hun
dred new names are in addition to
those appearing on the list now ou
file In the census department, J. J.
Tooley of Broken Bow, supervisor of
the census for the Sixth district will
be directed to make a canvass f the
six hundred people not included In
the first census for the purpose of
enumeration. If, however, the list
comparison Bhows that the recount,
added hundreds not included In tie
first census, and omitted hundreds
that were Included there, no actioi)
will be taken.
Following is Mr. Stewart's letter:
WASHINGTON, July 30, 1920.
Chamber of Commerce, Alliance,
Neb. Gentlemen: Upon receipts of
your telegram of July 29, the follow
ing telegram was Bent you In reply:
"Telegram received. Mail immedi
ately your list Bhowing names and
addresses if addresses are given of
persons residing Alliance, January
first. List will be compared with
enumerators' returns nad appropri
ate action taken. Letter follows."
If the comparison of your list with
the official returns of Alliance Bhows
that your canvassers have returned
tie names of practically all the 4,
591 persons who were listed by the
official enumerators In January, and
in addition approximately 600 names
of other persons, the Bureau wul
direct the supervisor of census for
the eixth district of Nebraska (Mr,
J. J. Tooley, of Broken Bow) to
make a canvass of the 600 persons
who were not enumerated, for the
purpose of officially enumerating
such of them as he finds to have been
bona fide residents of Alliance -.. on
-January 1.
If, however, a comparison of your
list with the official returns saows
that your canvassers missed nun
dreds of persons who were returned
by the original enumerators and
listed hundreds of other persons who
were not returned by the original
enumerators, It will be evident that
your canvass did not relate to Jan
uary 1. In this case, the Bureau may
not consider itself under any obli
gations to take further action In th
matter.
As soon as the comparison of your
.list with the official returns is com
pleted you will be Informed as to tie
results.
Very truly yours,
W. M. STEWART,
Assistant Director.
Mr. Guthrie will forward the
sheets containing the recount to the
department today. The work of
typing was concluded Monday after
noon. It will probably be some
weeks before any definite word is
received.
LOCAL GRAPStlOOTERS
DEFENDING THE CUP
There has been something akin to
terror In the local crapshooting camp
this week. A stranger, whom taey
took to their bosoms In a spirit of
pure friendliness, has darned near
ruined the lot of them. He has a
way with the little African golf-balls.
In fact, he can talk to them like a
father. To be exact, he has enjoyed
Just $800 worth of conversation dur
ing the past our days.
A week or bo ago there blew into
Alliance a seedy looking individual
who 'aas not over forty cents to his
back. He got a job. When he had
drawn his first pay check, someone
suggested rolling the bones. He
wasn't unwilling, and they held a
little session last Friday night. The
stranger picked up a few dollars
enough bo that the members of the
local fraternity wanted revenge
Last Saturday night, Sunday after
noon and Sunday night they got it.
Waen the storm was over, only the
stranger was smiling. He felt just
as good as though he had busted, the
bank at Monte Carlo. In his pocket
were eight hundred odd Bimoleons
that had once had other homes
Monday morning he breakfasted on
porterhouse steak and trimmings,
And when he left the restaurant a
T11E WEATHER
For Alliance and vicinity: Gener
ally fair tonight and Wednesday;
warmer east portion tonight and ex
heme southeast portion Wednesday;
cooler northwest portion Wednesday.
r cigar was carelessly aanglng
. fV s lips.
. -anger is still in town and
is sti. according to the gos
sip thaty e heard In the barber
shops, to "t his luck. He hasn't
lost his rabbit's foot, and the local
fraternity hasn't been able to get
back so much as a thin dime.
LOAFERS ROUNDUP
STARTED TODAY
Sheriff Miller and Chief of Police
Keed Joins Hands Against
Sons of Rest
Bright and early this morning,
Chief of Police Oscar Reed and
Sheriff Miller began the roundup of
the Sons of Rest. The chief has been
tackling the problem alone for sev
eral weeks past, and has made good
headway, too, but decided that wita
the co-operation of the sheriff a
whole lot more could be accomplish
ed. Hence, he delayed not in sug
gesting it to Mr. Miller. And the
sheriff was fully as prompt in taking
him up.
For the past few weeks there have
been a gang of loafers, white and
colored, hanging about the depot,
yards and other and more quiet spots
about tie city. Incidentally, there
have been a larger number of petty
thefts. It Isn't a good thing for the
city, and it means more work for the
police department. Of late the rule
has been to quietly order them to
show that they possess jobs or to
move out of town. Most of them have
taken the latter course.
But the new era, Inaugurated this
morning, will do more than this. It
will be tae most thorough of round
ups, of course, and will clear the
town of Weary Willies, but it wil
do more. It will mean that the glad
news will be spread all over the
Btate. Alliance is unfortunate In one
way because It Is a railroad center
Hoboes naturally congregate where
trains are apt to leave every once in
a" while. But when they go from Al
liance from now on, they are pretty
apt to warn other hoboes that It isn'
a healthy place for those who dls
like to work.
Just to show taat the city and
county police authorities mean bus!
ness, It may be remarked that four
extra plalnclothesmen have been
placed on duty, two of them In the
employ of the city and two of them
employed by the county. There are
now eight men seeking out the bums
ind they will pretty near find
them, too. In addition to those
eight, the police are receiving tae co
operation of the railroad special
police. It won't be merely a round
up It'll be a clean-up.
When the officers come upon any
one who appears to be of the floater
type .they'll ask him just one ques
tlon: "Are you employed In the city.
If the right answer isn't forthcomln
he'll receive an invitation to move
on. And the chances are that he 11
move. If not, taere'll be a personal
ly conducted excursion to the city
jail, and the unfortunate brother
will work for the city, and all he'll
get out of It will be his board and
room. He'll earn at least that much.
Someone will be on the lookout
all the time until the situation .Is
materially Improved. The police of
ficers have to sleep, but there'll be
enough of them on duty at all times
to spot the loafers. By the end of
tae week, the street and shade popu
lation ought to materially decrease.
AMERICAN LEGION
ELECTION TONIGHT
Alliance post No. 7, American
Legion, will hold its annual election
of officers this evening at tae city
hall. In addition to the post of
ficers, delegates to the department
convention at Hastings will also be
elected.
The election was announced for
last evening, but in the meantime
officers of the post and several mem
bers had spread the word that the
meeting was to be held Tuesday
night. The attendance was so slight
because of this misunderstanding,
that postponement was decided upon.
All members of tae post have been
urged to attend. Tentative plans for
the coming year's work will be de
cided upon, and this is the most Im
portant session of the year.
Mrs. William Vernon of Scotta
bluff visited in Alliance last week.
I rim: nncviiMP
uhil uruimu
CASE IS CLOSED
Kcttloit Line 1 Not ft lllitliway (.'"'
less Regularly ltnhllticd
As Much
Ray Tompkina, who It will be re
membered was fined by Judge Tash
last week for leaving a gate open
on the property of Leo Kastner east
of the city, and who furnished an
appeal bond for the purpose of carry
ing the case to district court, after
thinking the matter over and upon
advice of his counsel, Harry K. Gants
appeared In court Saturday and
paid the fine and costs amounting to"
the sum of $12.20 and the case was
closed.
Mr. Tompkins stated to the court
taat as he knew the gate was on a
section line, he was under the Im
pression that all section lines were
public roads, and that gates on such
lines were there in violation of law.
This Impression seems to be quite
prevalent among the traveling pub
lic, and to correct the same, and
for the information of travelers, we
will state that a section line is not a
public highway, any more than a half
section or any other line unless the
same has been regularly establisaed
and declared a road after regular
proceedings governed by the laws of
the state, are had before the county
commissioners.
Many years ago there was a la-.v.
passed which declared all Bection
lines public highways, but was later
declared unconstitutional, because,
it appropriated private property for
public use without just compensa
tion to the owner of the land. It is
safe for the traveller to assume that
when he finds a gate across a road
that It is private property, because
tae party who placed It there woull
subject himself to a heavy fine for
obstructing public highways, should
it be across a regularly established
public road.
DOPE FIEND BREAKS
INTO DOCTOR'S OFFICE
Thieves in search of cocaine broke
In the office of Doctor H. A. Copsey
Monday evening. ..Doctor Copsey had
used the last of his supply-on to-
patient during the afternoon, so the
would be robbers were unsuccessful
in finding either cocaine or mor
phine. ' ""T '
Entrance was gained by breaking
the glass on the door taat leads to
the private office. The cupboards
and cases had all been searched, and
the contents were scattered on the
floor.
This is the third attempt of this
kind during the past few months but
each attempt has met with failure.
AUTOS MAKE TROUBLE
FOR TIIETAVINi UAXO
The superintendent In charge of
the brick laying gang is beginning to
look wild-eyed. It seems to him that
every man in this neck of the woods
is trying to make trouble for him
The cement men have taeir troubles,
too, when people walk across the new
stuff and leave tracks of their bro
gans. This can be repaired with
comparative ease, however.
It's the brick-laying tribe which
suffers most. They get a nice bunch
of cushion sand laid, leveled and
rolled and along comes an autonio
bile. The driver looks neither to
the right or left, but drives up on tae
sand and then somebody swears
Last night no less than ten automo
biles drove up on a bunch of cush'n
sand and brick laying was delayed
some time in consequence.
The funeral of Mrs. Mary Acker
man was 'aeld from the late home,
east of town Monday afternoon at
thjee o'clock. The deceased was sixty-eight
years, three months and fif
teen days old. She leaves a husband,
three sons and two daughters.
rMSiECLOLPASSING.S
TELEPHONE FRANCHISE
After several months' inactivity,
the council is about to take up the
matter of a telephone franchise again
according to Mayor Rodgers. The
mayor says that a letter has been re
ceived from an official of the Ne
braska Telephone company which
grants most of the things the coun
cil has been standing out for. The
council will meet Saturday evening.
and in all probability tie matter will
be brought up at that time. The
company has been operating without
a franchise for the better part of a
year,
BRIDGEPORT MAY
BE THE T
Railway Const ruction There Taken
As Preliminary to Building of -New
Main LI no
The latest rumor In railroad cir
ri's and there has been at least one
month during the past year is
found in an article in last Sunday's
State Journal, which Bays that the
construction now going on Is taken
by (Borne) Burlington officials as a
promise that the i'lalte river line
from Kearney to Bridgeport will be
built as soon as conditions permit.
The article follows:
"Burlington men see u promise In
Ihe construction of the new Platte
liver bridge at Bridgeport and the
building of four long yard and pass
ing tracks between Bridgeport and
the liver that the Tlatte river line
from Bridgeport to Kearney, will be
built as soon as conditions permit.
In fact taey see in this construction
a part of the necessary river double
track crossing and the terminal f unt
itles for such a line. The railroad Is
building the terminals in advance of
the main line construction, because
when built the main line will need
all the terminal facilities available.
The new bridge will be ready for
service. In about a month. In many
ways It Is a duplicate of the Platte
river bridge built by the company
between Grand Island and Phillips.
It Is built on Bignell hydraulic plac
ed piling, 548 of them supporting
the concrete pier head work, tae piers
being built wide enough for double
track, although the superstructure
now being placed is single track.
When this Is complete and the four
long yard tracks are In place com
pletion of a double track between
Bridgeport and Northport will be a
minor matter requiring a minimum
of expense and time. The bridge I
built after what 1b becoming known
in Burlington circles as the 'Platte
river standard.'
"Further out on thlB low grade
railway, dream of the lato James J
Hill, a low grade line from the civ,
of the Rockies to tae Ohio liver, tin.
company Is doing more permanent
work. No newly built railroad. No
newly built railroad work is made
permanent. Preliminary engineering
Ltnay- contemplate permanent .work
but the early construction is always
subject to change, and the Wyoming
line Is no exception. Between Casp
er and the north Wyoming line were'
many bridges and culverts not built
in the permanent way. These are
being replacfd, flood troubles cared
for and traffic difficulties removed.
These changes are being made thin
yeur and a considerable force is now
being employed in this work.
"Business came with a rush on tin
part of the low grade line east of
Casper after this road was built and
to aandlo the heavy traffic a great
amount of money was spent on the
roadway and on permanent construc
tion. The time for betterments has
come for. the north end of this line,
which, too, has developed a mighty
lot of long haul traffic, and a far
flung construction force is making
the best of the present season In do
ing needed work."
The Adams County Democrat pub
lished at Hastings, is considerably
excited over the prospects of that
city for being on three transconti
nental lines. Taat newspaper says:
"Some years ago the writer wag
the first Nebraska newspaper pub
lisher to give publicity to the plans
of James J. Hill as somewhat detail
ed to us at the time by Will Owen
Jones In the State Journal editorial
rooms soon after the death of the
great railroad magnate. Briefly Mr
Jones related how Hill had planned
a low-grade railroad In the west
from Lincoln via Hastings, Kearney
west of latter city along south side
of Platte river to North Platte, on
up the valley west to Bridgeport and
to extend , on Into the great north
west territory. 1
"Tae Aurora-Kearney branch line
through this city was to be made a
part of this plan which would give
the Burlington the longest low-
grade line of any railroad system In
the west. Once completed then all
the heavy traffic that now goes over
the Billings line from the south
soutawest from St. Louis and Kan
sas City In north Nebraska, will go
via Aurora, Hastings, North Platte
and Bridgeport and along with the
eastern end to the Ohio valley com
prise the greatest low-grade trans
continental railroad In the United
States.
"It will mean the second (main)
transcontinental line of the Burling
ton through Hastings and with the
carrying out of the Union Pacific
plans as represented In outlay bo far
In terminals here and In the building
of the cut-off from tils city to Gib
ERiNAL
bon, will give Hastings three trans
continental lines of railroad and In
this respect make It a second Wichita
as an exceptional railroad center.
Editor Jones of the Journal raid to
the wrller at the time that had Hill
lived this would have been carried
o completion. Ultimately It Is In-
nded to carry forward this con-
Ptructlon as originally planned by
Mr. Hill. It Is expected that a forth
coming session of congress will leg
islatively provide financial ways and
means to meet railroad improve
ment demands and that the Burling
ton will then get busy in this direc
tion." CENSUS RECOUNT
AN "EMPTY HONOR"
ScottKbluff Jtcpubllcnn Comedos,
However, Hint "It Hurt No
One Hut Ourselves."
The Scottsbluff Republican, which
did a little crowing when the official
census figures gave Alliance a popu
lation of less than five thousand,
takes no stock In our recount figures.
Its editor evidently has the erronemm
Idea that this city has added enough
Imactnarv citizens to make un he
total we desire, overlooking entire
ly the fact that If tae chamber of
commerce and the bunlnoi men who
took the recount were Inclined to be
crooked, we might have made a much
larger gain than six hundred. How
ever, the Scottsbluff newspaper's
Ideas are entertaining. This Is th
tale:
"The recount of the census which
has been taken by volunteers at Al
liance aave found about three hun
dred more people than the official
census gave them in January. While
this may be of some satisfaction to
the home people there will be little
if any attention paid by tin outst-l
world to the new count.
"All the cities of the mrthwost
felt that they had not been rightful
ly counted by the official count of tie
census department but that count
once having been made public thevo
is little chance of changing It, wheth
er there are as many people as the
official count gives or not.
"Twenty-years ago Hastings was
not satisfied with her count, and re
ceived the right to make a new enum
eration, and when - it was finished
they bragged about being larger taan
Grand Island. Ten years ago she
nctually had a lead, but the census"
just taken by the census department
shows that Grand Island Is In the
lead, where It has been for twenty
years. ,: - -. ..
"Chadron and Alliance h.iv. both
assumed positions as cities of the
first class by leasott of estimates
made and certified to by their re
spective mayors, and as such are al
lowed to hold position walch are not
rightfully theirs. It hurts no one..
however but themeelves and when
the next census is taken thoir per
cent of Increase will be smaller by
just what they add to the present
correct enumeration.
"A recount of Scottsbluff might
have shown that we were a aundred
or more short, but hud we taken
voluntary census, and It proved
above the figures given by the de
partment, no one would have taken
any stock in the revised figures, and
we would only bo fooling ourselves,
with the new figures. As it is our
count 6,912 goes and if the peor.lt-
doubt that we have that many people
the tax returns for tae - city will
surely convince them."
PARKING CKXTKIW ARK
ROUItCK OF WORRY
Those pretty little parking centers
on upper Box Butte, which were
abolished by the passage of four or
dinances by the council last week,
are still a source of worry. Now the
paving men are fretting about them.
Suppose, they say, taat Sprague &
Nicely shouldn't get the contract for
them, or that they have to wait for
days before it is let and they can
legally begin work. Under the law,
separate contracts must ba let in each
of these four blocks and all this
takes time.
The- pavers will be ready to go to
work on the Third district next
week. When they come to these
blocks, will taey lay cement across
the whole street, or will they leave
a hole for the ornamental parking
to be filled up later when they have
been awarded the contract. It's go
ing to cost some extra money for the
paving of these parking centers as
It is. Asphalt, brick, sand and cement
cost more than they did. But if the
pavement cannot be laid all at once,
the people In that district will be
sorry they ever aeard of ornamental
centers. At least, so says one of
Grant & Fulton's engineers. And
he ought to know about It.
GUTHRIE GIVEN A
SIX-MONTHS JOB
To He Secretary of Chamber of Com
metre Until Next Annual
Meeting; In March
At a meeting of the board of
directors of the Alliance chamber of
commerce, held at their rooms Mon
day evening, the directors accepted
the proposition of Acting Secretary
W. Guthrie and made aim perma
nent secretary to serve until tn
next annual meeting of the club, la
March, 1921, at a salary of $2,500
per year.
The chamber of commerce will
give up Its rooms in the Alliance
national bank building, and will hire,
no stenographer or extra help. This
step Is made necessary because of
the failure of the race meet, which
left the chamber facing a deficit of
several hundred dollars. Collections
for the present quarter, wfilch are
now coming in, wilt enable the club
to pay Its outstanding bills. T" la
policy of retrenchment, tae director
believe, will enable the organization
quickly to regain Its feet, and still
furnish the city the services of a
competent secretary. It is believed
that Mr. Guthrie will be able to at
tend to the duties of the position in
his own office, and save the chamber
of commerce an enormous overhead
charge.
Figures were submitted showing
the club has fixed expenses amount
ing to $4,550 a year under the old
plan. Taese expenses Included sal
aries of $350 per month, rent $240
per year, phone, $42 per year; light,
$21.50 pr year; janitor service, $1
per month. When supplies are paid
for, the total will reach $4,750 or
$4,800. The quarterly collection
amounts to not over $1,200, and it
figures out that the chamber of
commerce has about been paying Its
way.
By accepting Mr. Guthrie's prop
sltlon, the; chamber of commerce will
have no fixed expense but the ser
vices of the secretary, and it is be
lieved taat by the time of the an
nual meeting, the board can pr-.sent
a report showing the organization to
be out of debt. Under the new plan.
It was brought out, there will bo a
surplus which can be devoted to the
work of the organization. Duo to
the lack of money, the club has beu -
hnmnprpH In ihtk mini
jr-V r----t m. i-g scurfy"'
Plahs will be worked out, it was
said at the meeting, to permit the
membership to take a greater pari
in tae work. Among the things in
prospect is a monthly dinner, wita
talks by men of note, which will bi
open to the business men of ta c.ty.
Another plan is to secure, as scan
as the club's finances will p' rmU,
rooms available to the member lor
recreation - "t
While the new plan did not re
ceive the endorsement of the entire
directorate, thero were no votes
cast against it. Some of tae directors
suggested various other cch in.s, b it
none of them sioke aga'.ust the i-'.aa
adopted.
COITSBLlifF FACING A
SHORTAGE OF COAL
Superintendent M. D. Parks, of
the Intermountaln Railway Light &
Power company, is having his full
share of trouble. He has been bend
nig every effort to secure additional -coal
storage capacity, and with the
bins ready, finds his e:orts unavail
ing in even keeping sufficient supply
on hand to meet th6-daily needs. The
Great Western Sugar company has
even been requistioned In order that
the light company may keep up ser
vice. Today the situation is so ser
ious taat Mr. Parks has been visit
ing their patrons, especially the pow
er users, and telling them of the ser
ious condition. Unless the situation
is relieved at once Mr. Parks states
that they will be compelled to shut
down tomorrow at noon. Of course
this is day service only, as they will
keep going for lights and water if
there is any possibility of doing so.
He thinks that they will have some
coal in by Monday. The light com
pany aas been buying a good portion
of their coal of the Klrby mines, but
lately have been trying to get coal
of the Sheridan mines too. It is a
serious situation and patrons should
govern themselves accordingly, says
the Star-Herald.
That the coal situation is serious
can easily be confirmed by consulting;
any of the local dealers here. That
the situation Is serious all over the
country, with strikes on in many of
the coal producing districts is easily
confirmed by consulting your dally
paper.
Harry Shreve has accepted a posi
tion with tae Duncan grocery.
7T