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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1892)
l THE II ESP KIM AN. I r ALUMNI AND FORMER STUDENTS. Washington, D. C, May 9, 1892. Dkar IIusi'KKlAK. Your column devoted to "Alumni niul Former Students" must do a great deal of good deal to keep the names ol former students on your subscription list. Certainly it has interested me,- and I am glad to do my part in keeping it up. Tlicie has come to be quite 1 Utile colony of U. of N. people in Washington. II. W. Olmstcad, '84, is a special examiner in the pension office, and as his place was secured through civil service examinations it is supposed to be safe from political interference. He is married and may lie con sidered as established in this city, in so far as anyone is established here. He is a prominent member of the Young Men's Christian Association and is helping in a strenuous effort to secure a new building for that organization. E. C. Wiggcnhorn, '86, is also in the pension office, but I have not yet heard of his being married, or of his Making an active part in thcY. M. C. A. J. II. Holmes, '84, is teaching in the Friends' select school and am willing to whisper to you in strict confidence mat next mown will probably sec 111111 safely married to a Philadelphia Friendcss. Among U. ol N. i Indents now resident in Washington about whom I am not very well informed are Miss Cora II. Thomas, who is at work in the fourth auditor's office, and J. P. Sprccher, who fs in the war department. Theie is one la.ly of theclnss of '86, formerly a Miss Fisher, I believe, about whom I know a goo 1 deal, but will only say that when she and 1 wish to recall Univcis ity days we have only to start the old frat and anti-frat debate, and then the scene comes back like lire." My own work the past winter lias been largely to bother congressmen with matters in which they were not interested and to keep certain bills out of pigeon holes. Among those not students who were formerly connected with the university it may be mentioned that ex Regents Hull and Hiatt arc now at work here. Many Nebraskans stop in the city for a few days to see something or somebody, or to attend one of the innumerable conventions that meet here. One or the most recent visitors was Chancellor Canlield. Just at present C. S. Polk, '87, is here for a few days. He was inveigled into taking on one day a walk through the grounds or the soldiers' home, and another out to Arlington. The next morning he lelt as ir he had been on an old-fashioned botanizing trip at the U. of N. During the present month 'it is expected that Miss Jones, '85, and Miss Mauley, '88, will came here for a short time, the lormcr with the librarians excursion from Albany, the latter in the prosecution or her newspaper work. The most forcible impression made itpdu me by a years' residence in the national capital is a profound pity for cong ressmen, that is, members of the house representatives. A conscientious member is one of the worst overworked men in the country, and besides he is compelled to work under con ditions that almost preclude the possibility or his accomplish ing anything commensurate with his efforts. It is thirteen months after he is elected before his congress convenes, and the result is that after the house has been organized but a few weeks he must steal away to fix up his fences for re-election. Then he is crushed by a mass of business detals. He receives from twenty to one hundred letters a day from his constitu ents and friends about pensions, claims and appointments. As he is not allowed a private secretary he is compelled to draft his wife into the service to save him from part of the burden. This happens in very many cases. Dttt much of the woik compels him to visit the departments, and especially the pension office. The members call it "legging it." No sooner is a pension secured for a constituent than he files an application for an increase and the work must all be done over again. One member said that there weie about 1000 old soldiers in his district and that he received on an average four letters a year from each of them. Add to all this that the house itself is an awkward and unwieldy body in which a capacity for committee work and log rolling accomplishes more than capacity for dibate, and il is apparent that the way ol the congressman is hjrd. How ever, I suppose that they have for the most part brought it on themselves, and so the pity bestowed upon them might be put to better use. Youys as ever, A. G. Waknkk, '85. Miss Forehand came in from Fremont to see her father who had charge or Kearney's cotton mill lloat in the parade. '91 A. M. Troycr returned on the 151I1 ult. from Colo rado where he has a timber claim. F. A. Kockhold and John II. Fogarty will be here during conimmcucement. '90 L. II. Stoughton may do graduate work at Harvard next year. ATHLETICS. ItUKO 1 till I. On the cvcirug of the 13th the university base ball club left for Kansas City to play Hakcr university of llaldwin, Kan., and the University or Kansas at Lawrence. Most or the boys denied themselves the luxury or a berth in the Pull man, but cntcitained (?) the few passengers in their society during the lonely hours. They were a sleepy looking set as hey entered the Centropolis hotel in Kansas City Saturday forenoon and were met in the corridor of the hotel by hair suppressed smiles or contempt on the faces or their burly op ponents, the llakers, who had spent the night at the hotel and were in good condition. The game had been well ad vet tised, but the rain prevented a large attendance. The llakers put up a splendid practice game and showed them selves to be strong players, llaker went to bat first but was retired without a score. Nebraska followed suit in Her half. Our opponents again came to bat and a fumble of a grounder by Stioman gave Tooiner life at first; Holme's wild throw to catch him at second, allowed him that base, and Heald's muff or Dowlingls throw A-om center allowed the runner' to make the first score or the game. Nebraska failed to score in their half of the second inning as did Hakcr in the third. But after Homes and Hadley had made outs for Nebraska, names ici tnc hall Hit linn. Howling convinced the pitcher it was advisable to allow him a base on balls, and Marlay filled the bases by being hit. Smith met the ball with his ict bat for two bases, scoring llarnes and Howling. Pace was hit by a pitched ball and Heald running in his stead was put out in attempting to steal second. There was now about two inches of mud and water to play in and the ball was slippery and hard for the pitchers to handle. linker univcr sity now batted out three earned runs. With the score stand ing four to two against us and the game in danger of being called on acccount or the rain, Pace came to bal and made a clean single, stole second and was advanced to third by Stroman's hit to center. Holmes knocked an easy one to third making first but ictiring Pace at third. llarnes' h'.t brought in Holmes and Stroman, tieing the score. Rain was now railing in torrents and the game with a score or four to I t