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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (June 8, 1916)
FLEETS DF GERMANY AND GREAT BRITAIN CLASH IN NORTH SEA BRITISH SUFFER LOSS OF SIX LARGE SHIPS AND EIGHT TOR PEDO BOAT DESTROYERS. GERMflNSLOSETHREEI/ESSELS Thousands of Men Are Believed to Have Been Lost.—Cruiser Inde fatigable Had 000 on Board; Others Equallx as Many.— Greatest Sea Battle in World’s History. London.—Picking its way from its base in the Kiel canal the German high sea fleet on Wednesday after noon, May 31st, emerged in the North Sea and off the coast of Jutland en gaged a British fleet throughout the afternoon and night in what probably was the greatest naval battle in the world’s history so far as tonnage en gaged and tonnage destroyed was concerned. When the battle ended Great Brit ain had lost the battle cruisers Queen Mary, Indefatigable and In vincible, the cruisers Defense, Black Prince and Warrior and eight torpedo boat destroyers, while the German \ battleship Pontmern had been sent to the bottom by a torpedo and the cruiser Weisbaden sunk by the Brit LOSSES IN HISTORY’S GREATEST SEA BATTLE. ADMITTED SUNK. British— German— Battleships Pommern Battle Cruisers Queen Mary Indefatigable invincible Cruisers Defense Wiesbaden Black Prince Fraueniobe Warrior Destroyers Eight, including: Tipperary Number not Fortune estimated Sparrowhawk Ardent LOSSES CLAIMED. England claims Germany lost two dreadnauglits of Kaiser class and one battle cruiser and submarine. Germany claims England lost war ship. Warsprite, of largest calss of i English navy, that two cruisers of Achilles type and a submarine were sunk, and a battleship, Marlborough, was hit by torpedo. battle was not fought out to a point to determine mastery of the seas, for the losses, serious as they are report ed to have been will not impair the strength of either fleet to a vital ex- ' tent. These scene of the battle was in ' the eastern waters of the North sea. ! two destroyers. The German loss was 2,500 men. On January 24, 1915, a German squadron attempting a raid on the British coast encountered Admiral Beatty off the Dogger Banks. The German cruiser Bluecher was sunk and two of its sister ships set on fire. The most serious losses to the Brit ish fleet hitherto have been through operation of submarines aul mines. On September 22, 1914, the British cruisers Hogue, Cressy and Aboukir were torpedoed within an hour by the German submarine U-9. News Shocks British Public. London.—Results of the great naval battle were a severe shock to the British public. The news was flashed out in special editions of the newspa pers and caused greater consterna tion in London than has been wit nessed on any previous occasion since the declaration of war. The frankness of the admiralty an nouncement concerning the serious nature of the British losses and the apparently small losses of the Ger mans in comparison led to the as sumption in most ntin.ds that the British vessels must have been led into a mine field. Description of Ships Sunk. The Queen Mary was 720 feet long, 87 feet beam and drew 90 feet of wa ter, and was of 27,000 tons. The Queen Mary was completed in 1913. She carried eight 13.5-inch guns, six teen 4-inoh guns and was equipped with three 21-incii torpedo tubes. The Indefatigable was 578 feet long, 18,500 tons. The Invincible was laid down in 1907. She displaced 17,250 tons, was 562 feet long over all, 78 feet beam and 26 feet deep. Her normal com plement was 731. She was armed GERMAN FLEET WAITING FOR A CHANCE TO SLIP- OUT First photograph to arrive in this country showing a portion of the German fleet. It is believed the photograph was taken at Wilhelmshaven, but the exact location was withheld by the censor. ish gunfire. In addition, several German torpedo craft were missing and the small cruiser Frauenlob had last been seen badly listing and was •Relieved to have gone to the bottom. ’/i.Vse losses have ail been admitted by Great Britain and Germany. Asserts Warsprite Sunk. Aside from Great Britain’s conced ed losses, Germany claims that the British ship Warsprite, sister ship of Queen Elizabeth and one of the larg est and most powerful ships afloat, had been sunk, that the battleship Marlborough, a vessel of 25.000 tons, had been hit by a torpedo and a num ber of submarines had been destroyed. Great Britain also added to Ger many’s acknowledge losses with the claim that one dreadnauglit of the German Kaiser class—vessels .of 24, 700 tons and carrying a complement of 1.0S8 men—had been attacked and destroyed by British torpedo craft, that another battleship of the same class was believed to have been sunk by gunfire, that one battle cruiser had been blown up and two others damaged and that a submarine also had been sent to the bottom. Admitted Loss of British. Great Britains admitted loss in ton nage was 114,810 for six battle cruis ers and cruisers. That of Germany, excluding the tonnage of the Weis baden, of which vessel there is no record, was 15,172. The tonnage of the capital ships sunk by the Jap anese in their fight with the Russians in the battle of Tsushima in May, 1905, aggregated 93.000. Twenty-one Russian craft were destroyed in this fight, including six battleships and four cruisers. The remainder of the sunken craft comprised coast defense and special service vessels and tor pedo boats. Where Battle Occurred. From the advices thus far received it would appear that the greatest naval battle of history has taken place. Never before have two naval forces of such magnitude as the Brit ish and German high sea fleets en gaged in combat. But apparently the It is probably the German fleet was on one of the excursions into the North sea which it has taken from time to time during the war and met, whether or not be design, with the British fleet. Skakeralc is an arm of the North sea between Norway and Denmark. The point referred to in the official German statement as Horn Riff prob ably is the reef off the Horn, on the southwestern extremity of Denmark. The losses in the engagement must have bsen extremely heavy. The bat tle cruiser Indefatigable, for instance, from which the German admiralty re ports only two men were savel, prob ably had more than 900 men on board and others of the vessels sunk i carried complements of men equally or nearly as large. Previous to this battle Great Brit ain had lost during the course of the war ten battle ships, eleven cruisers and various smaller craft. Germany had lost eighteen cruisers, nineteen auxiliary cruisers chiefly converted passenger liners, and numerous small er vessels. Since the beginning of the war Brii ish cruisers and destroyers have pa trolled during the day and night the j approaches to the German fleet’s j base, in the bay formed by the mouths of the Elbe and the Weser, protected by the mighty fortifications of Wil helmshaven on the south, on the north by the supposedly imprebnable defenses of the Kiel canal and guard ed by the outlying island of Helgo land. Until the engagement that has just occurred, however, no German fleet has put forth in force to necessitate the giving of the alarm to the British main fleet. The long months of watchful wail ing by the British, however, were broken into bv two naval engage ments in both of which the British were victorious. On August 26, 1914, Admiral Sir David Beatty in an en gagement almost under the guns of the great Helgoland fortress sank three German armored cruisers and with eight 12-inch guns, sixteen 4 inch guns and three torpedo tubes. The Invincible took part in the naval engagement off the Falkland islands in December, 1914, in which the Ger man Pacific squadron, after defeat ing a British squadron oft' the Chil ean coast, was destroyed. The Defence was built in 1907, dis placement 14,600 tons, and ordinarily carried 755 men. Her length was 523 feet, her beam 74 feet and her maxi mum draught 28 feet. She was armed with four 9.2-inch and ten 7.5-inch guns, sixteen 12-pounders and five torpedo tubes. The Black Prince was built in 1901, displaced 13,550 tons and carried 704 men. She was 480 feet long and 73 feet beam. Her armament was six 9.2-inch and ten 6-inch guii3, twenty 3-pounders and three torpedo tubes. ■ The Warrior, which was disabled and abandoned, displaced 13,660 tons, and is 480 feet long. Her comple ment is 704 men and she carries six 9.2-inch and four 7.5-inch guns, twenty-four 3-pounders and three tor pedo tubes. The British dreadnaught Marlbor ough, said to have been struck by a torped#, was of the Iron Duke class. She was built at Devenport in 1914. displaced 25,000 tons, was 620 feet long, 95V£ feet beam and 27 feet deep. She carried ten 13.5-inch guns, twelve 0-inch guns and a number of smaller arms. She also was equipped with four submerged torpedo tubes. The German battleship Pommern, which was sunk by a British torpedo, displaced 12,997 tons. She was 398 feet long. 72 feet beam and 25 feet deep. The Pommern was built in 1907 and cost about $6,000,000. She carried 729 officers and men. Her armament consisted of four 11-inch guns, fourteen 6.7-inch guns, a num ber of pieces of smalitr caliber, and six 17.7-inch torpedo tubes. The Frar.enlob, which did not re turn to the German base after the naval engagement, was a small Ger man cruiser, displacing 2,715 tons. The Weisbaden was a cruiser. One Battleship Sank Six. Berlin (Via London)—Admiral Heb binghaus, director of the admiralty, told the Reichstag that the British torpedo losses were greater than had at first been reported. At least three ot' the destroyer flotilla flag ships, said Admiral Hebbinghaus. and nine or ten other destroyers had been sunk. Of these, the battleship West falen alone sank six. The German battlesthip Pommern was sunk by a torpedo, the admiral continued, and the Weisbaden by ar tillery. The Fraunenlcb was last seen by a German destroyer in a night enco aster, with a heavy list, and the admiralty said it was as sumed it had been sunk. ■*rain Blown From Track. Potias, 111.—Twenty persons were injured when a Wabash fast mail train, Chicago to St. Louis, was blown from the tracks one mile south of Saunemin in one of the most severe windstorms that has visited central Illinois in years. The wreck occurred in a deep cut, which kept the cars from overturn ing and prevented more serious inju ries to passengers. The engine, com bination smoking and baggage car and four coaches were blown from the track. The baggage car was lit erally torn to pieces. One woman was thrown through the window of a coach for a distance of twenty feet. Noted Bandit Killed. Presidio, Tex.—Francisco Domin guez, notorious Mexican bandit, was killed in an encounter with twa Texas rangers near Pulvo, Texas, twenty five miles from here. Ships Are Scarce. London—The problem of trans porting the Australian wheat crop is just now occupying the attention of the government and the ship-owners. The exportable wheat surplus of Australia is about 3,500,000 tons of which onlv about 500,000 tons have «o far been brought to Europe. To hring the remainder this year would require about 700 voyages, and it is difficult for the owners o find suffi from'Australia is about 12,000 miles. as compared with the 3,000 miles which separate Canada from this country. Gives Birth to Triplets. Lincoln, Neb.—The birth of triplets, averaging over eight pounds in weight, to Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Heimer of Hartington, Neb., has been reported to the vital statistics bureau of Ne braska. The Heimers live on a farm and are the parents of thirteen chil dren, including a pair of twins. Of the triplets, one is a boy and two are grls. The mother is 36 years old. King Abandons War Front. Berlin (Via Sayville)—The Cologne Volks Zeitung says it is reported that King Victor Emanuel and his special staff have departed secretly from the Italian general headquarters at Udine on account of the Austrian offensive and retired to Venice. Alarmed at Increasing Crime. Vienna.—Alarmed at the increase in juvenile crime and deplorable con dition of so many children, the Aus trian Red Cross is organizing a spe cial fund for the care of young men. DATES FOR COMING EVENTS. June 12 to 15—Trans-Mississippi Bak ers' Ass’n convention at Omaha. June 13-14-15-—Annual convention of Nebraska Elks at Omaha. June 13 to 16—State P. E. O. Conven tion at Alliance. June 13-14-15—Great Western Handi cap Tournament at Omaha. June 13 to 15—Nebraska Pharmaceu tical Convention at Hastings. June 19-20-21-22—American Union of Swedish Singers, West. Div., con certs and convention at Omaha. June 20 to 24—State Stockmen’s con vention at Alliance. June 21 to 23—Fraternal Order of Eagles, state meeting at Lincoln. June 28-29—International Auctioneers’ Association Convention at Omaha. July 3-4-5—Mid-Summer Race Meet at Kearnejt. July 5 to 8—State Golf Tournament at Omaha. July 10-11-12—Northwestern Hotel Men’s Association Convention at Omaha. July 10-11-12—Missouri Valley Veteri nary association convention at Omaha. July 25—Nebraska Democratic con vention at Hastings. Anna Yankaus, a domestic living in Omaha, has commenced a $50,000 dam age suit against Thomas Towey, a wealthy retired farmer of Schuyler. She alleges that while she was em ployed as housekeeper by Towey’s sister, who was dying from tubercu losis, Towey came up behind her and stole a kiss, which caused great men tal anguish. The suit was filed in the district court at Omaha. That the present high cattle prices are but shadows of higher approach ing costs, is the firm conviction of many cattlemen about the South Omaha yards. From about June 1 and on through the summer it is an ticipated that cattle will be scarce. This is the off season and it may be just a little bit more off than usual. The result of this situation could only be higher prices. Mrs. A, G. Peterson of Aurora has been appointed a member of the board of directors of the General Fed eration of Women’s clubs. The board has been enlarged through action at the federation biennial convention in New York City from fifteen to fifty seven members to include a represen tative from every state in the union in which the women’s clubs are fed erated. Thirty thousand school children, singing patriotic songs in voluminous chorus, is to be a feature of the patriotic parade in Omaha, June 14. Three sisters, Sophia Gunn and Amelia and Mary Gehling, have or ganized a brewery at Falls City and will manufacture and sell beer. The company is incorporated for $2,000 j and all paid in. Omaha's annual agricultural ma chinery jobbing business amounts to more than $12,000,000, a figure that lias been sustained for many years. ] The yearly compilation of industrial statistics by the Omaha Commercial club publicity bureau show that the combined implement, vehicle, tractor, hardware and automobile jobbing bus iness exceeds $35,0o0,000. The American Union of Swedish i singers, to appear in concert in Omaha at the Auditorium, June in and 20, have voted to wear cream colored serge trousers, blue serge coats, soft white shirts, navy blue ties and white silk caps bordered with blue velvet. Singers from five states will be on hand. Damage to the extent of $50,000 to farm property was caused by a tor- i nado which struck Valley county in the vicinity of Ord, a few days ago. James Heitz, farmer, tells of a fence | post being pulled out of the ground j and driven through the body of a_, horse in a pasture. Postmaster General Burleson has removed , J. G. Porter of Bridgeport j from the office of postmaster on the ! charge that Porter is “temperament- | ally unfit” to hold the position anti is j "grossly disloyal” to the postoffice de | partment. For several months Porter tried to get an increase in the number of clerks In his office. bishop linen attended me laying or the cornerstone for the new parish school building at Papillion. Grand Island was selected as the 1917 meeting place by the State Har- | ness Makers’ association at its meet- : ing at Columbus. Officers elected were: President, Pulius Reese. Grand Island; vice president. William j Reuter, Sutton; secretary-treasurer, [ J. C. York. Minden. Stella voted $8,000 electric light i bonds by a majority of thirteen. The • village board now has the power to establish an electric light plant or | purchase current at some convenient ! point. Frank Rudat of Columbus won the Nebraska state chompionship at the state sportsmen’s tournament at Grand Island and will represent Ne braska at the American handicap at St. Louis August 21 to 25. The nomination of George H. Loo mis of Fremont to be internal rev enue collector for the district of Ne braska has been confirmed by con gress. Mr. Loomis’ appointment has hung fire for several months. Arrangements are being made for the erection of a new Christian Science church at Kearney. It is reported that J. H. Morrison is to remodel his building that has been used for a saloon for years, at Superior, and make an up-to-date mov ing picture and vaudeville theater of it, giving Superior two moving play houses. The Fairmont Commercial club has offered the Seventh Day Adventist church board a deed to twenty acres of land near Fairmont, valued at $4,000, providing the proposed prepar atory school is located there. The Brunswick Chautauqua will be held July 23-27. One of the most promising winter wheat crops in the history of Adams county is starting to head. There is said to be abundant moisture to bring it to proper maturity. Several hun dred acres of corn in the vicinity of Hastings are being replanted, while missing hills in many other fields are being replaced by use of hand plant ers. Cold weather, over-abundant moisture and cut worms are held re sponsible. After an absence of nearly a month John Afflerbach, former sheriff of York county, is still missing. Affler bach followed Harry Randolph into the interior of Montana in the belief that Randolph had taken another’s auto, and since then nothing has been heard from either man. A reward of fered by the members of the Elks’ club so far has failed to produce re sults. East fall's sowing of winter wheat in Kansas is estimated to be approxi mately 8,454,000 acres, the third most extensive sowing in the history of the state, according to a report issued by J. C. Mohler, secretary of the state hoard of agriculture. The average condition is given as 87.86 per cent, which is 5.44 per cent under the show ing of a year ago. 1. J. Rooney of Greeley had an ex ample of the advance in cattle prices to offer at the South Omaha yards the other day. He was there with a shipment that sold for $10.20 per hundredweight. Twenty years ago he sold a bunch of steers of about the same quality at tiie same market for $3.75 per hundredweight. The hail storms which swept over Fremont and vicinity last wepk did heavy damage to two Fremont green houses, which was estimated at $1,500. Wheat was damaged to the extent of 25 per cent in a strip of country ten miles wide, and the fruit crop suffered even more heavily. Omaha is buying nearly $50,000 worth of cream daily from the farm ers of Nebraska, western Iowa and other slates nparbv. During the four months. May, June. July and August. Omaha's cream bill, it is estimated by creamery men and butter manufactur ers, will amount to $6,000,000. Two hundred and fifty million horse power hours of energy are re quired annually in the tillage, cultiva tion and harvesting of Nebraska’s var ious crops. More than $50,000,000 worth of machinery is utilized in the performance of this titanic task by the farmers of the state. After two weeks of toil, the remains of little 6-year-old Glen Wiggins of Fairbury were found in Rose Creek. Saturday afternoon. May 12, the boy fell into Rose creek and was drowned. Ray Wiggins, his father, perished while trying to rescue him. The village board of Laurel lias let the contract for a new single action triple pump for the waterworks de partment. It will be capable of pumping 400 gallons a minute and will be operated from the etectrie light engine. The Hanover church, twelve miles northeast of Beatrice, which was re cently erected at a cost of $25,000, was dedicated recently. The church was built hv the German residents of Hanover township. A Rock Island passenger struck an automchiie on a crossing near Fair bury, containing Mr. and Mrs. M. Haney. Mrs. Haney was killed in stantly and her husband died a few hours later. The first crop of alfalfa is being harvested now in Hamilton county, and will yield heavily. There lias been just about enough moisture this spring to produce an abundant crop. Tiie Trans-Mississippi Master Bak ers’ convention and exhibit, which ! will be held In Omaha June 12 to 15. inclusive, is rounding into shape in a manner verv satisfactory. A special election has been called in the village of Johnson, for June 12, to vote upon a waterworks pronosi tion. It is proposed to issue bonds in ilie sum of $0,000 for the new plant. Omaha lias started a eamnaign for a big athletic cluh. witli 1.000 mem bers in two weeks. A clubhouse to cost $400,000 and fixtures worth $100,000 is the program ouiiined. North Platte’s new depot will cost $124.0(10. Preliminary arrangements for its construction have been made and the work on the building has al ready begun. The business men of Syracuse and the local fire department have decided to hold a big Fourth of July celebra tion. Tiie Rev. “Billy" Sunday is coming to Nebraska to start off the fall cam paign the latter part of August. He practically gave his definite promise to do this when a delegation of twen ty-five men from Omaha visited him in Kansas City recently. While her seven small chiidren watched her, Mrs. Frank Peck, aged 94, took poison at her farm home, near Brady and then refused to let any of them telephone for aid or call their father. No cause is known for her act. While playing with a number of his companions. Willie Edgerton. 10. son of A. J. Edgerton, of Plattsmouth, fell into the Missouri river and was drowned, his companions not being able to rescue him. The strike of 000 laborers on build ing Jobs in Lincoln has been settled, employers agreeing to the 30-cent scale, for which the workers were con tending. The Nebraska State Medical asso ciation selected Lincoln for the 1917 convention at the recent gathering of the organization in Omaha. Omaha was cnosen for the 1917 meeting place of the International Association of Railway Special Agents and Police at the closing ses sion of their convention at New Or leans, La. W. R. Adams of Fremont has filed complaint with the interstate com merce commission alleging $141 over charge by carriers on wool shipped from Chugwater, Wyo., to Cleveland, Ohio. Severe damage was done to farm property near Hartington just recent ly by a violent wind storm. IS MADE DEFENDANT FARMERS’ UNION URGES CHANGE IN SCHOOL LAWS. • _ Items of General Interest Gathered from Reliabte Sources Around the State House. Western Newspaper Union News Service. State Treasurer Hall was made de fendant in a mandamus suit com menced in the supreme court by Lhe oil companies doing business in this state, who applied for a peremp tory writ commanding him to permit the use of about $125,000 in fees ac ■umulated during 1913-14 and part of 1915 for the payment of current ex penses of the oil, drug and dairy com ir.issigti. This money has been lying in the treasury untouched, as it was not appropriated by the 1915 legisla ure for any purpose. State Treasurer Hall had in mind to turn it into the general fund inasmuch as it came un der a blanket provision In the 1915 general appropriation bill which authorized him to so use “funds not otherwise appropriated.” Recommendations of Farmers’ Unions. Wide and sweeping changes in the conduct of grade schools and col leges of Nebraska were recommended in the report of the legislative com mittee of the Farmers’ Union of Ne braska, meeting jointly with the edu cational committee at Lincoln, last week. Those recommendations provide that the state normal schools and the state university be placed under one governing board to supplant the pres ent board of trustees and the state normal board. Other drastic changes are: The election of county superin tendents on a non-partisan ticket, to serve a term of four years, subject to recall. The county superintendent, it is suggested, be allowed actual traveling expenses only. That the slate publish its own text hooks and sell them to the districts at cost. That the state ..oes not establish any more state schools or branches of the university, but develop those which it already has. That the state law relating to ap- i portionment of temporary school funds be so amended as to result in j a more equitable division of state funds. At the same time a conference on rural education was held in the office | of State Superintendent ■ Thomas. | Some of the reeommandations made were: 1. A more equitable distribution of • the temporary school fund. 2. A more equitab'e means of dis- j tributing the burden of taxation for the schools of th*- state. 3. A reconstruction of the state I course of study with sufficient empha sis on the essentials of a common j education and a due regard for indus trial subjects. The state superintendent was di- j retted !o issue a call to send dele- j gates from each of the 7.000 districts to attend a mass meeting on rural schools to be held during state fair week. Sent Liquor Through Mails. Although the offense cannot be pun- j Ished under the laws of Nebraska. Attorney General Reed has written to A. G. Roberts of Lewellen that the sale of liquor in Nebraska by mail from another state is forbidden by the federal laws and that the United j States authorities will take up the | matter if it is brought to their no- i tice. Roberts sent a letter to the j state legal department, saying that a St. Louis liquor company had sold liquor by mail to a minor at Lewel- ! len. Attorney General Reed inter-! preted this to mean that the liquor it- ; self was shipped by mail. A. L. 3urnham of Stanton will be | the cadet colonel of the university battalion for next year, according to an announcement made at the annual competitive drill held on the athletic field last week. A. J. Covert of Lin coln was made lieutenant colonel, J. L. McMaster of Lincoln, major, execu tive and delinquency officer; B. Nye of Kearney, major of the First bat talion; K. Y. Craig of Omaha, major of the Second battalion, and C. S. Hol combe of Maxwell, major of the Third battalion. D. T. Lane of Seneca was announced as major of the band. If the social and economic burden : of care for insane is not reduced it j ! will ultimately become unbearable, ac- i cording to Dr. L. B. Pilsbury of the j state hospital for the insane, in ac address 01* “Classification of the In- j sane,” before the second annual con- , ference of officers of Nebraska state institutions. He recommended lessen ing the procreation of the unfit through segregation and otherwise as one aid to reducing the burden. Dr. J. P. Lord of Omaha presented a paper on "Re- j cent Tendencies in Orthopedic Prac tice.” Beard Buys Furniture. The board of control has bought a carload of iron beds with springs, at an average price of $4.80 each. One hundred of these beds go to the Lin- j coin hospital for the insane; 100 to the : Norfolk hospital, and forty to the Be atrice institute for the feeble-minded. The board also bought 100 quarter sawed oak chairs for the new Lincoln hospital building at a price of $5.35 each, and seventeen rugs of various sizes for the Hastings asylum at prices ranging from $4 to $52 each. Refused to Register Bonds. The state aduitor’s office has de clined to register the $7,000 electric lighting bonds of Sargent. The lew in Nebraska requires that before voting on such bonds there shall be tw'enty days’ notice and publication of the notices of election. In this case the notices were out only eighteen or nineteen days and it will be neces sary to hold another election to vote upon the bonds before they will be accepted in the state auditor’s office. : / ASKS FOR SUBMISSION. Wrnts Vote on Proposed Constitu tional Amendment. Foot! Commissioner Harman is sending out petitions for signatures to ba used for the submission of a pro posed constitutional amendment, which is intended to make the foot., drug, dairy and oil commissioner a constitutional officer appointed by the governor for a term of six years and free from the governor's control, in stead of a statutory officer appointed for two years by the governor and under control of the governor. If th* proposed amendment is submitted and is adopted at the general election is November, it will become effective within ten days after the canvass of the vote by the state canvassing board. The law makes it mandator? for the governor to issue a proclama tion within ten days after the canvass declaring the amendment adopted and in force. Conducting Sheep Experiments. An interesting sheep experiment is now being conducted by the Nebraska state board of agriculture. On April 25, the board purchased 239 Merinc : sheep. These sheep wore placed on the state fair grounds, mainly for the I purpose of conducting an experiment ! in keeping grass and weeds short. On j May 8 and 9, the sheep were sheared ' and a clip of about 2.000 pounds ol ; wool secured therefrom. The tiock now numbers over 390. This experi I ment is also intended to bring to the attention of farmers the splendid op ■ portunity for sheep production in Ne braska. The board is considering the j showing of some of the sheep and i lambs at the state fair September 4 to 8. and it is possible that a part or all of the flock will be sold at auc j tion at that time. War Department Asks for Data. The United States war department ; has called on Adjutant General Hall I to furnish it copies of the oaths taken ■ by Nebraska National Guard officers ! and privates. Nebraska has two forms, : one for officers and one for privates. The officers’ oath merely agrees to ■ serve the state, obey the commander I in chief and the laws governing the | military forces of Nebraska, while the private oath says "* * * bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America and to the state of Nebraska; that I will serve them hon < stly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever.” It is said the war department is in vestigating whether Nebraska guards men can be compelled to serve, if called, and as to whether a stand simi lar to that taken by some Texas mi litiamen might occur in Nebraska. State Gets Decree. A final decree for the state, on points of law in controversy, was rendered in the O'Connor estate saso at Hastings by Judge George Corcoran. Some time ago the state won a victory in this famous proceeding, so far as the facts at issue were concerned, and now. after reading briefs filed by both sides. Judge Corcoran holds that the court had jurisdiction to try and de cide the case. The decree runs against al! defendants in the state’s suit, ex cept as to whatever rights John T. Culivan may have under the purported will in his favor. J Injunction is Denied. The railway commission has declined j'O issue an injunction restraining the i Lincoln Telephone & Telegraph com ; pany from removing farm line phones near Fairbury when subscribers refuse ■ to pay the rate of $1.50 a month. There is a complaint before the com mission. some of the subscribers be ! lieving that their old rate of $1.25 a 1 month before the local company was taken over by the larger concern ; should remain in force. Wants Data on Harvest Work. Labor Commissioner Coffey is send ing to farmers, county clerks and Coni ; irercial clubs in Nebraska a request for information as to how many liar vest hands will be needed in their re spective localities this summer. He and the labor commissioners of other states are co-operatiilg in the effort to secure work for the harvest hands who migrate annually from south to north during the wheat gathering season. Frank Pilger of Pierce, now in thn banking business there, but formerly engaged in school work, is a candidate for appointment to the state normal board as the successor of A. H. Vide of Norfolk when the term of that mem her expires in June. In company with the Douglas county commissioners. State Health Inspector Case made a trip by automobile along the abandoned channel of Rawhide creek and a cutoff from the Elkhorn river, in Dodge and Washington coun ties, where farmers have complained against the danger to health due to sewage from Fremont which is dis charged into those depressions. Dr. Case thinks that the solution of the difficulty may he to shorten the sewer channel so as to make it empty into the Elkhorn river and enclose it all the way from Fremont. Crops in Nebraska have grown well and improved in condition during ‘he last week, according to the summary of weather and crop conditions in Ne braska, given out by G. A. Loveland of the weather bureau. The Improve ment is especially noticeable In winter wheat, oats, alfalfa and all kinds of grass. Work has been retarded but corn planting is well advanced, the summary shows, although there is still some corn to plant in all parts of the state. The early planted corn is com ing up. seemingly to a good stand, but is growing slowly. Rural Life Conference at Lincoln. Rural organizations are now con tributing such a large part to the life ot various communities of the state that the leaders ef two or thr«e organi zations have been invited to speak and lead in some of the discussions at the rural life conference to be held at the state farm June 13 to 23. C. H. Gustaf son, state president of the farmers’ union, and J. D. Ream, state master of the grange, will speak on the relation cf these organizations to the rural com munity.
