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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 1914)
Ui- . nW )il. ,- MW RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA. CHIEF COHPTON DECIDES 10 STOP UP LEAKS Career of Engineer Who Has Shown New Yorkers How Graft Can Be Minimized. ICE BILL GAVE HIM IDEA Making Good on His First Contract, Ha Now Has 8corea of Offica Buildings In Hla Charge. By RICHARD SPILLANE. (Copyright, 1914. by tho McClurc. Newspa per Syndicate.) Mr. Compton won noar tho end of hla resources. For bIx months and that was tho period in which ho had been in Now York ho bad not made a dollar. Ills ofllco was so small that ono of his friends UBcd to say ho did not daro to brcatho hard whllo in It for fear of straining tho walls. At first Compton had been proud of that ofllco, but it had como to bo a nightmare. The rent bill worried him. So did tho water bill, tho towel bill and tho ico bill. Ha was an electrical engineer, and a good one. Ho had expected to get enough business to pay expenses, at least for tho first year, but was finding it hard to break into the crowded New York field. As he brooded over his falluro ho scrutinized tho month's bills. Twenty (lvo dollars seemed a lot to pay for that tiny ofllco, but there was no es cape. Ico at $2 a month appeared high. Having nothing better to do ho figured what ico was costing him per ton. Some days the lump ho got weighed four pounds, and sometimes Ave. Sometimes ho got none. Ac cording to his figures he was paying MO a ton for ice. Spofford, who was a bit of a pessi mist, called to see Compton and Compton, full of his woes, told him of the ico outrage. "Well, what are you kicking about?" Spofford asked. "Don't you know thero la as much graft In an office building as thero Is in a Tammany lob? Tho ico man has to pay tribute to the superintendent or the Janitor. So do the towel man and the spring water man. So does the man who does the lettering on the ofllco doors. But that is petty. The big graft is in the basement. The engineer gets a rake-off on every ton of coal and every barrel of lubricating oil and every job of re pairs, whether to an elevator, or the boiler or anything else. If I had tho graft that is collected in tho office bulldlngB of Now York, I'd be a multi millionaire in a few years." Then He Got Busy. For a week or ten days after Spof ford's visit, Compton was so busy that ho wondered how the time passed so quickly. Ho visited coal men, oil men, elevator men, electric light and power people and a host of others. He found a means of getting into tho engine room of various skyscrapers, and everywhere ho went he asked a lot of questions. Every letter, marked personal or other, that was directed to Peter Tomllnson at his office was opened by Rogers, his private secretary. Out of an average of forty or fifty a day, Mr. Tomlinson was bothered with tho reading of only a few. "Who's this fellow Compton?" asked Mr. Tomllnson, testily, as ho glanced over tho communications laid before him by his secretary one morning. "I do not know, except what he says In the letter," Rogers said. "Ho is one of our tenants, and seems to bo a graduate of some good engineering ichools from the list he furnishes." Mr. Tomllnson read the letter again. It asked for an interview of ten min utes, and the writer promised he would show how Mr. Tomllnson could save $5,000 a year in the management t one of his office buildings. That was all, except the references Rogers nentloried. I Timely Elevator Accident. "Bah!" exclaimed Tomllnson. "The town is full of men who cannot earn their salt, but who want to Instruct successful men how to conduct their affairs. Don't bother me with these pesky fellows any more." And he threw Compton's letter In the waste basket That afternoon an elevator In ono of Tomlinson'B buildings dropped a story. There were only a few per sodb In It, but one of those persons was Mr. Tomllnson; so the affair was serious, although no bones wero bro ken and no one suffered, except from Shock. At Mr. Tomllnson's request, Rogers fished Compton'a lettor out of the waste 'basket and wrote to him. Compton called the next morning. Mr. Tomlinson was dCBlrous of knowing why that elevator slipped. Compton promised to make an exami nation and report, but ventured tho assertion that primarily there was laxity of Inspection. No such acci dent was possible with proper inspec tion. Then he took up tho matter he had proposed. Ho began at tho beginning. Ho told tho story of tho Ico bill. Then ho explained what ho had been doing for a week or ton days, j Points Out Some Leaks. "In tho building in which I have my ofllco," ho said, "thero Is about $8,000 a year graft. Tho graft itself would not bo so bad but for tho fact that It leads to inefficiency. Graft iiinUiM.TwAtoja4.Alwwwyfr1auk unnuiiuii. makes extravagance and begets negli gence that means danger. In that ono building you are using an average of twelve tons of coal a day. Ton tons would bo nmplo. You aro pay ing 20 cents n ton moro than you should If your purchases wero at tended to properly. You aro not get ting bo good n quality of coal as you think. You hnvo no system whereby your coal Is tested. Various of your omployees get their houso supply of coal from your coal man. , In addition, your coal dealer pays a commission to your engineer on every ton of coal ordered. Don't bo startled. You aro not any different from ovory other office building owner In New York. It is to tho interest of your engineer to burn as much coal as he possibly can. Ho does so. Ho is burning up a lot of your money. "I believe you are using about fifty barrels of lubricating oil a year In that one building. You are paying $40 a barrel for that oil. About one-third of that Is wasted. I should like to guarantee to run that building with thirty-six barrels a year. How much your repair bill each year Is I havo no means of ascertaining, but three times out of four tho repairs could bo mado by your own employees. It Is not to their advantago to mnko repairs. "You pay a water bill that must be very largo. Thero Is no effort made, so far ns. I can see, to curtail the uso of water within reasonable limits. You generate your own power and electricity. Nothing Is dono to keep a check on It You should havo your building examined exhaustively at regular intervals. There should bo a test of the operating equipment, cm bracing every detail of steam, elec trical and hydraulic machinery, clo vators, pipings, wiring and acces sories. Everything purchased that goes into the care or operation of tho building should bo bought without any possibility of graft, for where graft enters the material or service will not be good. "You should have dally supervision of tho consumption of water, gas, electricity, fuel and supplies. Your employees should be trained to make repairs and to do their very best for the general upkeep of the building." Not on Commission. It hurt Tomllnson to think that ho was paying for tho coal that various of his employees were burning in 4-41 The Engineer' Feelings Were Outraged. their homes In FlatbuBh or the Bronx. It hurt him, too, to think that some of the lubricating oil for which he was paying $40 a barrel was run into the sewer because getting rid of a barrel of oil meant $4 more commis sion In the engineer's pocket. 'What hurt him most, however, was to real ize that with all the money be was spending he was getting such poor service, that his own life had been Im periled by the falling of that elevator. He was a man of impulse. He liked Compton's looks, liked the way he talked and like the way be had pre sented his case. "I'll tell you what I'll do," he said. "I'll put you In charge of that build ing and allow you 25 per cent of what you save in the cost of operation. I suppose I've got more cleaners, por ters, elevator operators, engineers, flromen, oilers, watchmen and such athan aro necessary. Now if you want 'to take hold of this thing you ought to mako a fair amount out of it." Compton shook his head. "You havo tho wrong idea, Mr. Tomllnson. You never will got proper scrvlco or proper economy in that building working on that basis. There Is only ono way in which you and I can do business. If you wish mo to keep that building In condition I will engngo to glvo It my attontlon and Borvlco. I will suporvlso your pur chases and I'll Introduce a system of tests and reports that will safeguard you In every respect. I'll look over your pay roll and study your em- ployeos and I'll make such suggestion or recommendations for better as my Judgment dictates. But I will not do this on a commission basts. You can pay a stipulated sum for my services, or not at all. If I am going to bo any good to you, I must stand botwoon you and your men. If I worked on a commission basis I would bo on your Bide of the fence. The greater tho Bavlpv, tho greater tho profit for mo, but not for you. You would not get tho highest efficiency through such an arrangement. What you nocd Is the greatest econor consistent with tin greatest efficiency." Had Plenty of Trouble. "You aro right, Mr. Compton," said Tomllnson. "I am glad you made that clear to mo. My proposition was wrong. 1 havo no doubt of your hon esty, but what I suggested was wrong I in principle. I will mako an agree ment with you for three months on whatever basis you think Is fair. If you show In thnt threo months that you are capable, as I nm Inclined to think you nro, 1 will bo disposed to consider tho matter moro exten sively." Mr. Compton did not havo an easy tlmo. No man haB who takCB cako and pie away from gentlemen who havo been accustomed to feeding on those delicacies. Thero wbb threat of a strike when tho announcement waa made that ho had supervision of tho building. Tho engineer's feelings wero outraged. Ho scorned dictation and almost was violent In 11b lan guage about Mr. Compton. Hut ho was not violent when Mr. Coirnton summoned him to his ofllco. CompOn Is mild voiced, but quite Im pressive. It did not tako that engi neer two minutes to reallzo that there could bo no Juggling so long ns Comp ton was on tho Job. Tho first threo months Bhowod a saving of $900 In tho operation of that ofllco building. It did not seem much, ns Compton explained to Mr. Tomlln son, but it really did not represent the real savings, for many of the items of supply had been contracted for in advanco on tho graft rates. Thero had been a reduction of nearly 200 tons of coal consumed and a large proportionate reduction In tho ubo of oil. There had been a slight Increase in wages in one or two in stances and thero was a most prom ising outlook in the training of the employees for making repairs about the structure. Tomllnson studied the report for a day or two. Then be entered into m contract with Compton for a year. Threo months after that contract waa made, when he looked over Compton'a second quarterly report which showed a saving of more than $2,000, ha turned over all six of his office build ings to him to supervise cm the same basis as the first one. His Business Is Immense. No one who enters Mr. Compton's office today need hesitate about breathing bard while in it for fear of straining the walls. He occupies a whole floor in a big downtown struc ture. Ho haB scores of buildings un der his charge. He has a lot of ex perts asBiBtlng him who watch over these buildings as physicians watch over patients. There is not u detail about those great structures thnt does not como within the exhaustive exam ination of these men. Compton has come to bo one of tho largest buyers In New York. His pur chases of coal total moro than half a million tons a year. His purchases of oil aggregate nearly 4,000 barrels. His buying power Jb bo great that ho Is ahlo to contract for supplies at a comparatively low rato. Ho never Imfl deviated from tho position ho resumed In tho beginning of stand ing mldwny between- tho owner and tho omployeo. Thero aro moro con tent and belter Borvlcd with the elim ination of graft and extravagance. -vwiwnsn V . 'WI -W' ft.)... RUNAWAY REUNITES LONG PARTED LOVERS Crash of Teams, Results in Mar riage Arranged Thirty-Five Years Ago. Kublar, Colo. A horse ran away ou n a country road four miles fron acre, demolished n now spring wagol and a buggy, but reunited Bweothcarti of 35 years ago, and paved tho wa for a marriage. Joseph Sheen Is a rancher llvlni seven miles from Kublar. Ho had driven to town and was on his way homo, riding In his new wagon. Com ing Into Kuhlnr In n carrlago, Miss Amy Dodd of Eudora, Kan., was chat ting with her hoBtoss, Mrs. T. H. Qrccnman, with whom alio hnd boon 8heen'a Horses Shied at, Some Paper and Bolted. visiting. Sheen's horses shied at somo paper In the road and bolted. Around a curvo they raced madly. At tho curve was the Grecnraan car rlago, and the rear of tho wagon whirled when tho horses turned the curvo, crashed Into tho carriage, over turning it and throwing Mrs. Green man and Miss Dodd to the ground. A short distance further Sheen man aged to stop his team. Ho hastened back to Inqulro tho damage he had done. Ho assisted tho women to their feet, holped them repair the carriage, and then Introduced himself. "Do you mean to say you are Joe Sheen, who used to live In Blue Mound, Kan., a long tlmo ago?" Miss Dodd asked. Sheen stared. Then: "Yes, and I know you now, Amy. I soarchod SO years for you, and believed you were dead." They had gone to school together 35 years ago In tho llttlo Kan sas town. Then MIbb Dodd's parents moved away and took her with them, fleforo they went, however, the couple had become engaged. Miss Dodd's parents died and she went to Now York. From there sho went to Eu rope as tho companion of an aunt. She wrote several letters to Sheen, but ho had left for the West. MIbs Dodd came back to Kansas aftor she returned from Europe, taking a school at Eudora. Sheen never returned, but he wrote many letters searching for his fiancee. He believed her dead until the collision icar Kublar. They were married a few days later. IN A TREE WITH RACCOONS Maryland Farmer Fights for Hla Lift In a Battle of Hla Own Choice. Federalsburg, Md. Horace Robin son, a' young farmer of Smltbvlllo, sli miles north of Federalsburg, had i thrilling experience In the top of at oak tree 'the other night with flvt raccoons, which he encountered whll on his way to visit a-neighboring farm' er. Before the battle ended, Robinson fell from the tree, completely exhaust ed. Three of his ribs were broken and bis thigh was badly injured. The young man set out from home shortly after dark, and was passing through a strip of woods when ho en countered the coons. He followed them to a big oak, which the 'coom climbed. Thinking probably ho could capture one of them alive, Robinson also climbed the tree, but when h reached the 'coons they showed fight, and for 15 minutes the young farmei had to fight at a great dlaadvantagi to save his life. Tho 'coonB got all around him, and though ho kept his arms going llk piston rodB, the 'coons Inflicted uglj gashes with their claws. Robinson kept up tho fight from bis perilous position until completely exhausted, when ho fell to tho ground. Ho dragged himself, bleeding, to tho country road, whero his groanB wero hoard by hla rather, W. H. Robinson, who picked his son up and carried him homo. Dying Cow Broke Milker's Leg. St. Mary's, I'a. During a severe eloc trlcal storm lightning struck a barn on tho farm of Joseph Sollo. Tho furin cr and his son wero milking and ono of the cows was Htruck by thu bolt and killed. Tho cow fell on young Sello, brnaklns ono of hla legs. taMaWta,?aBft '.Ji TOOK SPEECH IN THE DARK Stenographer 8aya It Was Not Dif ficult to Follow Remarka of "Uncle Joe." "Sometimes a man gets a reputation that Ih undeserved," said Sam Gray, a member of tho stenographic corps of tho houso of representatives, at tho Wlllnrd, according to tho Washington Post. "It happened to mo a fow years ago when I was traveling with former Speaker Cannon in a political cam paign. 'Undo Joe' made a lot of speochos In that particular campaign, and I wnB thero to mako a stenographic report and transcript of them. In ono western city tho speaker was talk ing to a tremendous crowd of people, when suddenly, without warning, tho electric lights went out, leaving tho houso in total darkness. "For fifteen minutes, perhnps, tho speaker talked on in tho darkness. It wuh up to mo, of courso, to make a report of his speech, and I did. Nut urally, I had to feel my way, and I mndo my notes unusually largo, bo I would havo no troublo In reading them. When tho lights wero restored I was right thero with tho speaker, and mado nn nccurato trnnscrplt of his speech. Somo of tho newspaper boys hoard of tho story and published It ns a marvelous feat. "Tho fact Is, It was not nt all dim cult to follow tho former speaker. Ho Is not a rapid tnlkor, and I had no troublo In taking his remnrkB." Dangers to the Eye. Mr. Louis Hell, tho oloctrlcal Illu minating expert, and Dr. F. It. Ver hooff, an eye specialist, have published In Science their opinion that tho al leged dangers to tho oyo from ultra violet radiation of sunlight and vari ous artificial lights amount to nothing at all. They admit that there bavo been many "sensational attacks" upon modem lllumlnants ns dangerous by reason of injurious effects of ultra violet or actinic rays, but these have "entirely neglected any quantitative relation 'between the radiation and Its supposed pathological effects." Very little of these rayB can penetrate the cornea, and the crystalline lens cuts oft completely those that straggle through toward tho retina. Protective glasses are useful only, they conclude In cutting off dazzling lights and un due heat. In Love.. "I'm certain ho loves mo," said tho suburban girl. "How's that?" "It Is a four-mile walk to town. He aliases tho last car about twlco a week, but ho still keeps coming." Constipation causes and aggravates mnny serious diseases. It in thoroughly cured by Dr. Picrcc'H l'leaunt Pellet. The favorite family laxative.- Adv. True Enough. Teacher What Is a podestrlon? Country Pupil A fellor what gets run over by an automobile It's tho upb und downs of life that wear out some men, and all um brellas. Seek yrxrm&n N. Is it possible there is a woman in this country who con tinues to suffer without giving Lydia E. Pinkham's Vege table Compound a trial after all the evidence that is con tinually being published, which proves beyond contradic tion that this grand old medicine has relieved more suffer ing among women than any other one medicine in the world? We have published in the newspapers of the United States more genuine testimonial letters than have ever been pub lished in the interest of any other medicine for women and every year we publish many new testimonials, all gen uine and true. Here are three never before published: From Mr. 5. T. Richmond, Providence, R. I. Providence, R. L m For the benefit ot women who Buffer as I hart) done I wish to state what Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound has done for me. I did some heavy, lifting and the doctor aaid H caused a displacement I have always been weak and I overworked after my baby was bom and inflammation set in, then nervous proa tration, from which I did not recover until I bad taken Lydia B. Pink ham'a Vegetable Compound. The Compound is my best friend and when I hear of a woman with troubles like mine I try to induce her to taae. your medicine." Mrs. 8. T. Richmond, 190 Waldo Streets Providence, R, L A Minister's Wife. Writes: Cxoquet, Minn. m I havo suffered very much with irregularities, pain and inflammation, but your wonc erful mediaine, Lydia E. Pinkv bain s Vegetable Compound, has mado mo well and I con recommend the same to all that are troubled with these complaints." Mrs. Jem nut Akkiiman, co Rev. K. Akerman, Cloquet, Minnesota. From Mrs. J. D. Murdoch, Qulncy, Mass.v South Quinoy, Mass. ' Tho doctor said that I had oanifitroubtf wtv,WroiLV? 8 Qny'wlief. 1 .,' . ,- """"" v juuuio vAJiuiHJuim ad vertised and I tried it aud found relief before I had finished tho first bottlo. I continued taking it all through middle life and am now a strong, healthy woman and earn my own living." Mrs. Jane D. Murdoch, 25 Gordon St., South Quinoy, Mass. teaMsaWrltc to TVWA E.PINKIiAM JtW Vro co. BSafasafasafasSaVaT lkttiii ikiiti.Ki i t a itaiai ,.. W W m unrii'r.rtiiAii, MAa.jiAHS.- &&, Your letter will bo opened, read iiuf oj a Muuius uuu uuu ua ecrxue iW What a Cold Can Do Mtnr a fRUl run of ktdnnr dlnoarn etArtii fftini a ilmpln wiltl or chill. CvmiirMlon eloiie nml wnUi-tm I tin lldno) v llrld uiUiina riitlert, dnningn llm klitm-jn nnJ rauvi tmrkarh. then lunUo pain, ticaiUctieo and urinary dlaordcrt. WtiMi dottorln a. cold, think of thu kldnar. ? Ifcmnj KMn7 l'f, t rnlmtn ronxra tlim of Itio kl,tn. c'..o up a twit r tmwt dial tnd take plntr, t ru fimnm will valet In lb etir.. IHian'a Kidnr l'llh am nerd with enctwu and ars vubllclj roouiumended orer Uwelf lUtM world. A Nebraska Case decree Kins. Stan ton. Nb eajra! "Kor tlRht or tan years I waa In bad shape from kldnajr com plaint. My biok palnad ma ao In tenaeiy I o o u I 4 hardly atoop and It i all I could do to atralihten up. t had to tt up aa oft en aa ten tlmta at night to paaa tha kidney secretions. Doon'a Kidney l'llla strengthened m y back, rid ma of tha pain and fixed my kidneys up nil right. T Wn this rmi1v fklniTitl lift?" In the hnuae and think thara la nothing equal to it for kidney ma. Cat Doan'a at Any Stora. BOc at Boa DOAN'StV FOSTER-MILDURN CO., BUFFALO. N. Y. Your Liver Is Clogged Up That'a Vfhy YouVa Tired-Out of Sort Havo No Appetite. CARTER'S LITTLE. LIVER PILLS will put you right In n lew days. They 1 Uicir duty.. CurcCon-i Btinatlon. ' Biliousness, Inc igcstlon and Slfk Headache SMALL PILL, SMALL DOSE, SMALL PRICE, Genuine must bear Signature i.d-iKra STOPS MENES from a Done Spavin, Ring Bone, Splint, Curb, Side Done, or similar trouble and geti hone going sound. Doeanot blister or remove the hair and horse can be worked. Page 17 in pamphlet with each bottle tells how. $2.00 a bottle delivered. Horae Book 9 K free. ADSORBINE, JR., antiseptic liniment for mankind. Reduces Painful Swellings, En larged Glands, Goitre, Wens, Bruises, Vari cose Veins. Varicosities, heals Old Sores. Allays Pain. Will tell you more if you write. 1 and $2 a bottle at dealers or delivered. Book "Evidence" free. Manufactured only by W.F.YOUNQ, P. D. F., 110 TiboIs SUSprlngflald.atsst. TYPHOID b no asore m pessary than Smallpox, Atmf patience baa demessuatea the almoat miraculous iff- Cey, and hannlearaess. of Antityphoid Vaccination. Ba vaccinated NOW fey your physician, you tat) your family. It Is mora vital than doom Insnranca. Ask your vbyilclan.' drugs-lit. or sand for TUtl you bad Typholdf" telling of Typhoid Vaccina, results from tue, and dancer from Typhoid Carrier. Tha Cuttif laeeratery, Berkeley. Cal.. Chlaas. lit PradiMlat Vuelaaa at Servrni anSar U. a. LlNae .IfetCfecSueSafoc GRANULATED ITCHING LID! W. N. U LINCOLN, NO. 42-1914, t v tf & v rva. .eflLasW A tafjSSSSSSaT iV " B- a sMLARTERS I sssssssjHssssr wn . t, laiasssssssssssT BIVbK IPn PILLS. i r " ' ; ''" tA is S$&&&zif WWi I IfirH i, Omw -" - ixm i iiA k mviMtrm ,i BJJF I 7 ' ti eai 5 m ml -; i r:il m ,v. ?" X w & asjsJBBJBJ aaajSJi -Ma-paajajaj jM'V M5m. SsS sa . :'ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssB