Strong in Itself , But Surronndinga Make It Easily Turned , LATE RAINS MAKE WATER PLENTY Dutch Lines Only Foor Miles from the - Main Position of Gou. Itoberfs Army Gon. U'hlto's Garrison Begins to OSFONTEIN , Saturday , March 3. i no Boer position has now been fairly located as about four miles to the Brit ish front and extending about eight miles. The Boer right .consists of a high , long mountain on the north side ol the river , which General Trench shelled this morning. Apparantly the space between t5se mountain and the river has been en trenched. South of the river the Boer lines cover more ground. A few days ago their left rested on the high kopjes standing in the middle of the plain. They have now been extended two miles farther south , while six small kopjes stand In the plain between the center and the left and between the center and the river and form a ridge behind which the Boers move unseen. The weakness of the whole position , however , is that it can easily be turned . /'in either direction. The country is flat and water abounds the recent rains having nearly filled all the dams. " LONDON , March 7. The Boers in northern Cape Colony are in full re treat to the Orange Free State. The possession of Stormberg puts General Gctacro in railroad communication with General Clements at Solesberg , for though the Boers partially wrecked the railroad it is understood that it can be quickly repaired , and thus the en trance of additional British troops into the Free State will be greatly facili tated. From Osfontein , where Field Mar shal Roberts is opposed by a good- sized body of Boers , there is still no news except reports of minor skir mishes. The position gained by General Bra bant at Dordrecht Is reported to be ex ceedingly strong. According to the Times correspondent the Boer numbers alone enabled them to retreat from Dordrecht , practically unhindered. Ha also reports a violation of the white flag by the Boers an- ! that they delib erately fired at close range on a ' si i etcher parity. General White's garrison has begun to leave Ladysmith and is arriving at the Mooi river camp , where the troops will remain several days , after which they will go further south. They are emaciated and exhausted and say the road to Colenso presented scenes that oceed in horror those depicted in Dante's "Inferno. " Dead men and ani mals are lying , mutilated and putrified la the trenches formerly occupied by the Boers , and fill the air with a sick ening stench. In cases where hurried burial had been attempted tTie rams have washed the earcli away , anc out of the earth stick ghastly legs and arms of dead burghers. A dispatch from Osfontein says that according to the Boer prisoners an other important British success will cause President Steyn to flee to Pre toria. The president fleeing to Pretoria will leave a provisional government at Bloemfontein , which is likely to make peace overtures. Those Free Staters who do not wish for peace will trek into the Transvaal and there help to make a stand which most of the Brit ish military critics now point out will constitute the most difficult and decid ing feature of the war. 'i e recent rains have afforded Lord Roberts good giass , and copious supplies have reach ed him. News of his advance is eager ly awaited. RHODES SOURCE Of TROUBLE fclkely to Bo a Stumhllnjr Block In the Way of imperialists. LONDON , March 7. The Morning Leader says : "Of one thing we may be certain : Cecil Rhodes , who knows South Africa , has made up his mind that the annexation of the republics will -not bring the lasting peace which our imperialists prophesy. Mr. Rhodes is so sure this will not happen that he is prepared to set to work at once on the fortifications of Kimber- lev"We incline to think that Mr. Rhodes is preparing for a possible armed conflict with the imperial fac tion which fought at the polls and in parliament until 1895. He is prepar ing to resist any attempt on our part to interfere actively in South African affairs , either in the interests of the Dutch elector , whose vote is alreadv threatened , or the Kaffir laborer who seems doomed to virtual slavery. "This is not , indeed , an extravagutt [ hypothesis. Rhodes has consistent/ maintained a policy of 'Africa for the Afrikander' and on his lips the latter word is synonymous with financier. He will be loyal to the English flag just so long as it continues to be a valuable commercial asset. " Must Not Crofs the I < lne. SAN FRANCISCO , March 7. A spe cial from Bnson , Ariz. , says : Rumors have reached here that a large body of Yaqui Indians are head ed for the international line. Orders have been Issued by General Merriam to the commanding officer at Fort Huachauaca to hold troops in readi ness for immediate field service to be " used to repel any attempt to cross the line into the United States. Bill Against Dirties on Paper. WASHINGTON , March 7. Repre sentative De Vries of California has introduced a joint resolution for the repeal of duties on white or printing paper and the material from which it is made and directing the attorney general to proceed under the anti trust law against those maintaining a monopoly in such paper and materials. ' The resolutions recite that the exist ' ing duty of $6 per ton greatly aids in the maintenance of the monopoly ; lhat the price of paper has been in creased 60 per cent. IMPRISONED MEN DOOMED Between Eighty and Ninety Still in the Rod A h Mine. CHARLESTON , W. Va. , March 8. dope for the rescue alive of th eighty or ninety miners helleved to he still entombed in the Red Ash mine , the scene of yesterday's explosion , has been practically abandoned. A' number of dead bodies were taken from the shaft after 11 o'clock last night , and , although the working par ty is unremitting in its efforts to reach the part of the workings still cut off it is feared they will be too late to save the entombed workmen. HINTON , W. Va. , ftlarch 8. It is almost a'certainty that forty-two lives werq lost in yesterday's explosion at the Red Ash mines. The cause of the exploson is unknown , but is sup posed to have been caused by a miner entering the unused room in the mines with an open lamp. Tnero were for ty-two men in the mine at the time of the explosion , and if It had oc curred twenty minutes later the loss of life would have reached 150 or more. The names of those supposed to have been In the mines at the 'time of the explosion who are as yet unac counted for are : .Sam Sheff , Pohn Glair , Andy Pritt , Quit Stewart , Ed Bobbie , Robert Jones , Granvllle Holmes , Sam Shew , Junius Sanders , Dili Sledge , Vale Edgars , John Stone , Ed Harper , William Holmes , Ed Hav- erch , William Haverich , Alfred Col lins , Tobe Collins , Charles Fouts , N. C. Ramsey , James Washington , New- velle Douse , John Douse , Berry Tuck er , , Rolston Holmes , Charles Downey , Edward Downey , Ernest Long , Thomas Long , Carl Downey , Late Long. So far twenty-nine dead bodies have been recovered ; only the following l ave been identified : B. B. Long , John Day , Joe Elliott , Mat Quarles , Sam Jackson , James Hackney , boss driver , and William Day. The others who have been taken out could not be identified. The work of rescuing is being pushed as rapidly as possible , hut the afterdamp being very stiong , men can woitc but a few min utes at a time. MINE VICTIMS ARE SEVENTY. This the Conservative Estimate of Those Killed at Fire Crook. FIRE CREEK , W. Va. , March 8. Rescuing parties continued working hard at Red Ash mine today in remov ing debris and securing the bodies of the victims of the explosion of yester day. day.Scenes Scenes of distress among those hunt ing their missing friends are undimin- ished. The work of the mine contin ues night and day and it is still im possible to give the exact number of the victims or to identify the bodies that have been recovered. The most conservative estimates of those connected with the mine place the killed at seventy and there are others who insist that the number of victims will be found to be greater. A report from the rescuers at the mine after 8 o'clock tonight was that thirty-four bodies had been removed , twenty-nine being dead and five seri ously injured. Those rescued alive are : Carl Downey , John L. Day , Joseph J211iott , John Kane and Harry Daw- scn. The surviving miners a'Scl others estimate that there are at least thirty- nine miners still entombed. General Manager Howell says there are only ; hirty-six still in the mine. The esti mate of the latter would indicate that : here were seventy killed and five in ured , as it is conceded that all of those still in the mines are dead. None of the mines in this district a yet working and thousands of people ple visited the scenes of the Red Ash disaster today. Some of the dead bodes es have been shipped to the former homes of the victims. Many funerals were held here today and many will be held tomorrow. BILLER ADDRESSES THE ARMY. Praises the Courage and Tenacity of the Troops. DURBAN , March 8. General Buller , in a general order regarding the relief af Ladysmith , says : "Two forces dur ing the last few months have striven with conspicuous gallantry and splen did determination to maintain the hon or of the queen and the country. The Ladysmith garrison for four months " held" that position against eve-y at tack with complete success and en- j- dured many privations with admirable , fortitude. The relieving force had to j force its way through an unknown . country , across unfordable streams and on almost inaccessible heights , face a fully prepared , well armed and tenacious enemy. By the exhibitioner or the truest courage , courage that burns steadily beside flashing bril liantly , it accomplished its object and added a glorious page to the history of the country. "Ladysmith was successfully held pnd relieved and the sailors and sol diers , colonial and home born , who had done this were united by one de sire and inspired by one patriotism. " The order congratulates both forces on the martial qualities displayed and thanks them for their determined ef forts.- General Buller also sympa thizes with the relatives and friends t. of the gallant comrades who have fal t.E t.b len. b F House Mourns Another L.OSS. WASHINGTON , D. C. , March 8. The house was in session but twenty- Mti five minutes today , adjourning out of tiv respect to the memory or the late Rep $ resentative Harmer of Pennsylvania , "the father of the house. " who died yesterday. The usual committee was appointed to attend the.funeral. More Soldiers Burled at Arlington. WASHINGTON , M-.rch 8. The re mains of sixty-six soldiers who died in Cuba were buried at Arlington ceme tery today with military honors. The bodies of about 500 soldiers who died in Cuba now rest in this historic spot. The officers at Fort Myer had charge of the services , which were ver3' sim ple. A Protestant and a Catholic 'clergyman read the burial service , t , 'taps" were sounded and a volley fired over the graves. J C ( All problems are so simple to those ai who are not asked to solve them. aid A. Continuance for Dinsmoro is Abso lutely Befused , THE CASE TO COME UP MARCH 12 Judge Sullivan Declines Even to Hear Argument for Postponement Prisoner Tuken Buck to Kearney Disastrous Wreck on a Union Puclllc Branch Mis cellaneous Nebraska Mutters. LEXINGTON , Neb. , March 12. Frank L. Dinsmore was taken before Judge Sullivan , and his attorney , Norris - ris Brown , asked for permission to present arguments for a continuance of his case beyond next Monday. Judge Sullivan would not even allow the motion to be argued , but said at once : "I told you that this case would be trice' ' on March 12 , and March 12 it shall be tried. " It v/as not ten minutes from the time Dinsmore was taken from me cell to apply for a continuance until he v/us returned with a refusal. S. I. Funk , sheriff of Buffalo county , and Special Deputy Arnold then took the prisoner to the train , and he was con veyed back to Kearney , where he will be held until today. The case is at tracting wide attention and many vis- ifors will be in the city this week for the sole purpose of hearing the trial DSnsmore took his refusal for a con tinuance very dalmly. Wreck of a Stock Trsln. BEATRICE , Neb. , March 12. The special stock train on the Union Pa cific which left Kansas City for Val- psraiso , Neb. , met with a serious ac cident at Rock Cut , seven miles south east of Beatrice. Thirteen cars left the track , two loaded stock cars were overturned and one lumber car was completely wreck ed. The tops of the cars had to be torn off to let the cattle out. Many cattle were badly injured and several had to be killed. Four cars are com plete wrecks on either side of the track. Rails were broken and bent and ties for 200 yards were ground into spjinters. The accident was caused by a broken flange on the head stock car , the wreck occuring In the center of the tiain. None of the train crew were hurt. Wrecking crews were sent from here and Marysville. Program for the Unveiling. COLUMBUS'Neb. , March 12. With favorable weather this city will en tertain a very large croivd next Thurs day , that being the date chosen for the uneviling exercises. The monument ment recently erected in Frankfort park to the memory of the soldiers of the civil war will be formally accepted by the committee and then officially turned over by Baker post to the city. ' "An extensive program has been arranged - ranged and all railroads have made a reduced rate for the occasion. Department - ment Commander J. E. Evans , Gov- rnor Poynter , Adjutant General Barry and other distinguished visitors will be here and take part in the exer cises. Grand Army posts from a num- her of towns in this part of the state will be here. Smallpox Near Decatur. DECATUR , Neb. , March 12. Dr. Ross of this city reports a case of smallpox nine miles northwest of here on the reservation. The name of the patient is Gallup. The doctors here were busy vaccinating many residents of Decatur. , Will Impeach County Judge. CULBERTSON , Neb. , March 12. Articles of impeachment were drawn to be filed against C. W. Shurtleff , county judge. The complaint con a sists of about twenty specifications , b leading with nis neglect to seal the ballots after the Brown-Crews contest. b B Shade On Goes to Kentucky. F EWING , Neb. , March 12. Shade On , the 6-year-old pacing stallion , with a . record of 2:10 : , and owned by Mr. J. SiOi N. Kay of Ewing , was shipped to Lou Oi isville , Ky. , via the American Express Oisi company , March 8 , at which place he is si leased for the coming seaso.n. Mr. $ Kay accompanied him. Will Raise Susrar Beets. CULBERTSON , Neb. , March 12. Ed Ewel , representing the American ViS Beet Sugar company of Grand Island , S was in the city. The company has OiV leased land to plant thirty acres of V sugar beets for itself , while the farm wsi ers have contracted to plant over 100 sipi acres. pi tl Arrested for Stealing : Coal. tl AINSWORTH , Neb. , March 12. Detective t\ \ tective . Fred M. Hans or the Fremont , Elkhorn & Missouri Valley railroad brought in five more men from Long Pine for stealing from the railroad company's wards at Logn Pine. They hi were brought before Judge C .W. Pot faH ter and pleaded guilty. Frank Farrer bi was fined $5 and costs , John Harris , o and costs ; Samuel Oliver , $20 ; A. stE White , $5 ; Z. Musfelt , $10 and costs. ai Don't gpt into the habit-of relating th tt troubles to your your relations. His Arm Amputated. NEMAHA , Neb. , March 12. The right arm of Johnson P. Hoover has m been amputated on account of a can w cer. Hoover is a prominent farmer be and stock raiser. T To Sue for Shortage. COLUMBUS , Neb. , March 12. The county supervisors have instructed U the county attorney to proceed against seer the bondsmen of J. W. Lynch , the ex- or county treasurer , whose original shortage ca caDi age was $30,000 , but which was re- Di duced to lS.OOO by Lynch. j co f ARMER TAKES STRYCHNINE. lULLxo * the Deadly Poison With Wl.Uley and Dies Slnglnc. LINWOOD , Neb. , March 10. James Koutuik , a Bohemian farmer living a few miles south of this place , commit ted suicide by drinking the contents of a bottle of whisky with which he had previously mixed a quantity of strychnine. Koutuick came into town about 10 o'clock in the morning and spent oome time among the stores settling a num ber of small bills. His wife came into town later and urged him to accom pany her home. This he refused to do , and after some words she left him and went home alone. . Koutuick then went to the drug store and purchased a small bottle of stychnine , saying that he wanted it to kill rats with. He then bought a half pint of whisky at the saloon and went out to a shed near the railroad track , where he evidently mixed the two. Returning he met his brother- in-law in front of the saloon and of fered him a drink out of the bottle , which he refused. He then drained the bottle , corked it and threw it away. In a few moments he fell to the side walk and was carried into the saloon. He lived about twenty minutes and was singing as he was dying. Hot Springs Sanitarium. OMAHA , Neb. , March 10. Captain H. E. Palmer , who has been in Wash ington for the past two weeks as the representative of the national Grand Army of the Republic in the interests oi a national sanitarium at Hot Springs , S. D. , has returned home for a few days. 'The bill is now in elegant shape , " Captain Palmer says. "It has been unanimously recommended by the house committee , and will be taken up by that body in a week or ten days. There is now every reason to believe that it will pass the house. Ps success in the senate is assured be cause two bills of the same character have before this passed the senate , and its members are now only waiting for the house bill. Pettigrew and all of the other western senators are pre paring to take it and make an effort to push it through the senate on the same day it passes the house. " Telephone Hate Case. LINCOLN , Neb. , March 10 The Yei ser telephone rate case has been set for hearing before the State Board of Transportation at Omaha April 12. As the action of the district court of Lan caster county in refusing to restrain the board from fixing or regulating these rates has twice been affirmed by the supreme court it is not probable that there will be any further delay in i the hearing unless the telephone company carries the case into the federal court. The Yeiser case is similar - ilar i to the railroad rate cases , which have been considered by the board during ing- i the last few weeks and involves practically the same question of law , and as the Board of Transportation hasj been restrained by Judge Munger from reducing railroad freight rates . there is a possibility that the telephone company may apply for a similar in . . junction. Disposition of W < kclliis Property. s NEBRASKA CITY , Neb. , March 10. i The will of Wilson Wakelin , the farm er who murdered his wife and then committed suicide at his home near t Brock on the night of February 25 , P Pb was offered for probate in the county b court here. The will was dated April 28 , 1898 , and was witnessed by Charles Horn and E. C. Yont of Brock. By its 2t terms his son , Ira C. Wakelin , and daughter , Mrs. Clara Huston , were each given eighty acres of land and were to share equally in the balance IT ITS oi the property , after $500 , his bequest S to . his wife , was paid. tlH Capital City Notes. tcai The First State Bank of Heming- ai Jord , with a capital of $5,000 has filed ir articles of incorporation with the state banking board. SI Captain Hardigan of Fairbury has Jt been detailed by Adjutant General tlP' Barry to muster in company C of the P' First regiment , Nebraska National P'M guard , at Beatrice. Negotiations are in progress for the M sale of the Lincoln Gas company to eastern capitalists. The price offered tlII 40 cents on the dollar for shares of II stock. The company is capitalized at fc $1,000,000 : , and bonded for $300,000. fcu ci Vote Dorrn the Proposition. tc tcm GRAND ISLAND , Neb. , March 10. m he people of this city and county li voted upon the proposition to levy a special ] tax of i > mills for the purpose erecting a court house. Only 500 votes ( out of a total of 1,400 in the city , G were cast , the country vote coming out d strong , however , and being against the y proposition almost unanimously. In di digi the city the proposition carried almost gi two to one , but the vote being small th thy the majority was overcome by one = r thm two townships. m C Burglars Still Knjoy liberty. YORK , Neb. , March 10. The blood hounds brought here from Aurora T failed to trace the burglars who robbed Harry Hopkins' store. The burglars as broke a window in the rear of the kj store and stole $25 in money and an , l. English sovereign over 100 years old [ &c and a gold watch. The hounds traced the burglars to the mill pond , near fr the ice house , and there lost the trail. be Dinsmore Trial Is Set. LEXINGTON , Neb. , March 10 Dins- more , the alleged murderer of his ti tiAi wife and Laue at Odessa last Decem Ai ber , was brought to this city from pc the Kearney , the district court being in thm session here , in order that his attorneys be neys might file a motion for a contin th uance. The motion was filied by his cli senior counsel , Norris Brown , and at an once overruled by Judge Sullivan. The the ase was set for trial next Monday Diiipraore was returned to the Buffalo ; il ountv jail , to remain untiJ that time. J. : be NO GATE The Application of Yeiser of Omaha tuBe Bo Turned Down , PAYMENT OF INSURANCE SHORTAGE A Number of Companies Send In Remit tances Stuto Treasurer I sucs a Call far General Fund Warrants Mlncollu * ncouirXthrnslcii Mutters. LINCOLN , Neb. . March 8. The sec retaries of the State Board of Trans portation recommended dismissal of the application of John 0. Yeiser of Omaha asking for an order compelling the Burlington railroad to place a gate in the fence between its depot and that of the Union Pacific in Omaha. The secretaries-assert that a gate in the fence between these two depots would greatly endanger the life of passengers and other people who might take ad vantage of the short cut. Several more payments on the in surance shortage were made by in surance companies , bringing the total received up to date to $3,200. Among the remittances received yesterday was one for $58 from the Williamsburg City and Fire Insurance company of New York. This company asked the audi tor to explain why the claims of the state were not presented to the in surance companies at the time the shortage was discovered. Several re quests for similar information have been received at the auditor's office , most of them coming from companies that do not understand the complica tions which led up to the final decision of the supreme court. State Treasurer Meserve has issued a call for general fund warrants , regis tered from 54,370 to 54,770 inclusive , payable March 13. The total amounts to § 42,000. IIo Wantrd Railroad Tickets. PLATTSMOUTH , Neb. , March 8. George S. Lee , a temporary night oper ator for the Burlington & Missouri , at LouisvilleJtlecamped , taking with him tickets to the value of $550. On the train from Omaha for Kansas City , while en route to Plattsmouth a young man tried to ride on a ticket good from Pacific Junction to Kansas City , made out at Louisville. Conductor Lantz would not take it. He was suspicious and at Pla.tsmouth wired the agent at Louisville , who said the ticket was stolen. He got an officer and searched the train , but the bird had flown. He was seen going southward. Sheriff Wheeler boarded the Missouri Pacific afternoon train and caught him getting on a train'at Union with a ticket for Auburn. On searching him he found twenty-four round trip tickets between ; important cities in this country and as far as Toronto. He also had an Adams Expr ° Ps company money order for $25 , payable to C. M. White at Kansas City , enclosed with a letter signed by C. B. Turner to White. He was easily iden tified , when captured , he broke down , cried and confessed. Hank Building : Burn * . INDIANOLA , Neb. , March 8. The State bank building was completely de stroyed : by fire. The loss of the bank is fully covered by insurance , and it will rebuild immediately. The loss vv will not interfere with the business of the ] bank. The fire started in the Re porter's office in the bank building. The bank and fixtures are nearly a total loss. Dr. McKechine's loss is $600 , insurance lcsi surance $200 ; Reporter loss $870 , insurance siSI surance $500. Comm'ssloners * Action DIsllIcrd. CULBERSON. Neb. . March 8. The impeachment and unseating of W. A. Stewart , county clerk of this county , by die Board of County Commissioners of Hitchcock county have met with a pro test by a mass meeting of citizens held \v at Culbertson. About 300 attended the vh meeting and resolutions were passed t denouncing the action of the commissioners bi . biC sioners and calling upon the district C judge to imediately call a session of H the court for the hearing of the im 5ik peachment. ' kw kw Tails Hlr to a Fortune. w NEBRASKA CITY , Neb. , March 8.- w " Maurice Baumgarten i chived the news ' that by the death of his mother in Denmark that he had fallen heir to 100,000 crowns. He will leave at once for the old country to claim his fort hiai une. : He has been a resident of this aiol ol city for years , being a poor man had olfl labor very hard to make boh ends meet. This fortune will enable him to w live very comfortably in his old home. Kv G "tB T n Vonrs. SOUTH AUBURN , Neb. , March 8. Y George Ray. whose trial for the mtir- ar der of Frank Cheesman came to an end yesterday , when the defendant with- ol drew his plea of not guilty and pleade'l 81P guilty to manslaughter , was sentenced P this morning by Judge Stull to ten years in the penitentiary. He was im mediately takr-n to Lincoln by Sheriff di Cole. qi Sleninc Indians fni- Buffalo Bill. inn inm . CHADRON , Neb. . Mach 8. William m Liddiard , known all over Ihis region oi "Rattlesnake Pete , " who is Buffalo CTi Bill's right hand man in north Nebras CTiN , is working among the Sioux In- 01 lians filling the Indian delegation to II accompany Cody's Wild West show to the Paris exposition. He has consent n ? from the government and is selecting re both civilized and blanket Indians. h hfe fe Oiraha I'lant Iefi Out CHICAGO. 111. , Mar'h 8. Incorpora tion papers for the consolidation of co Armour & Co.'s interests into one cor- re poration are expected to be filed with secretary of state at Springfield to Lhe morrow. The plans for this move have he been under \iay for the last month. All blanches of Armour will te 5n- 3luded _ in the deal , barring the Omaha de md Kansas City packing houses and wheat branch of the company. The last figures given out by thee inteiestpd in the consolidation stated he hat the capital of the company ould hi ? 20COO,000 , by WATERING THE LAND HOW IRRIGATION IS PROGRESS ING IN IDAHO. Heiotofore Arid Koglon * Keltic Knpldly Transformed Into Unrilnn Pnrntant' Societies In Many IimtuucoA Own the Irrlgatluc Work * . ( Boise , Idaho , Letter. ) Most of the people who farm In the rainfall regions suppose that the irri gation of land is a complicated process and that the art of doing It can only be acquired after years of experience , whereas , as a matter of fact , It is about the easiest and most simple work the western farmer has to do. In most cases the children attend to it under the direction of their parents , nnd any boy of 10 or 12 can do a man'a work when it comes to irrigation. The western farmer is wholly Indif ferent as to rainfall. He doesn't de pend upon It In the least. The water that interests him is that which Hews down into the valley from the melt ing snows In the mountain ranges. These waters he diverts into great canals which run along the rim of the valley about the irrigable lands and are tapped at stated Intervals by what are called "laterals" or sub-ditchea which flow from farm to farm and out of which the farmer takes the water for his fields. In some cases the waters of these mountain streams are acquired by the comm'unlty of farmers along their course , each one holding as many shares of stock in the co-operatlvo canal scheme ns he owns acres of land , and being entitled to so many Inches of water for every acre of his ownership. This Is the usual plan. But when the construction of the main canal , owing to engineering difficulties , is too expen sive a piece of business for the farmer to afford , irrigation companies under take the work and build the canal into portions of the country where largo areas of land are to be reclaimed. These Irrigation companions are "com mon carriers" of water and furnish It for a nominal price per acre per an num to the farmer. Sometimes these Irrigation companies own largo tracts under their ditch which they sell in small farms with the water right , to settlers , at a nominal prices per acre. In other instances they do not own land at all , leaving that to be acquired by the settler under the various acts 1c of congres . Perhaps no portion of the Union is now n'aking such active progress In irrigation development , or is receiving so large a quota of immigrants as southern Idaho. There an * millions of unoccupied acres In that state which only await settlement to become as productive as the lands upon the Nile. Efforts arc being put forth by the state authorities to bring the advantages of these lands to the notice of the eastern farmer , and the several railroads of the state are engaged in the work. Perhaps the easiest and the best way to acquire information is from thfl General Passenger Agent of the Oregon Short Line at Salt Lake City , from whence conservatively pi epared pamph lets descriptive of irrigation meth ods and containing reliable informa tion about the various localities now open for settlement , are being mailed free. free.The The time is certainly not far distant when the unoccupied public domain of Idaho will be entirely taken up , a con dition which will be most unfo.tunate to those who delay taking advantage of the rare opportunities nc 7 offered. Household Bookkeeping. A prominent Eastern manufacturer , with a $10,000 a year family on his hands , undertook to establish a sys tem of bookkeeeping in his home. He bought a gilt edged , kid covered ar- count ( book and all that went with it. He explained single entry bookkeep ing to his wife , and she agreed to keep - the accounts as directed. There were only two entries in the book when tlie husband banished it. They were : "Received $230 from M " "and spent it all. " Shoo , Fly ! Street fakers arc selling models of house flies so natural that , when they are fastened on a necktie , the impulse the friend of the man wearing the fly : is to brush it off. Then the fly wearer laughs , and that is the joke. Municipal Bath Houses. Under a state law the voters of New York cities may direct the municipal authorities to erect a public bathhouse. Buffalo provided one in 1897 at a cost $14,800. It , was used last year by 81,793 persons , and its running ex penses cost the city § 2,370. The Sympathetic Que > n. Rev. Arthur Robins , chaplain in or dinary to Queen Victoria , says of the queen : "Nothing could be more touch ing than the personal concern her majesty has in the condition of every member of her household. Every home every retainer has something in evidence of the sovereign's sympathy. Not the humblest servant can be sick sorry without her solicitude find ing some expression of commission suitable to each individual case , an-l nany is the time that I have seen thQ royal lady in her own carriage making her own inquiries at some humble suf ferer's door. " "Uncle .John" Should Have It. John Campbell , of Warren , O. . a first cousin of the president and familiarly referred to as "Uncle John , ' is a candi date for postmaster at Warren. He is proprietor of a famous eating house and is said to bear a remarkablv ulose resemblance to the president. His father was a brother of the presi dent's mother" Buns His Elevator for Fun. William B. Bradbury , the millionaire notel owner of San Francisco , amuses iimself for an hour or more every day running the elevator la his hotel.