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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 1887)
,1 , .iiTi-i 1 T THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SUNDAY , NOVEMBER G , ' 1887.-SIXTEEN PAGES. Free ! F1 me Oil intings by California At New York Piano Go's Spacious Warerooms , 1508,1510,1512 , , and 1514 Capitol Ave , , Cor , ! 5th Street , IVIONIXa.Y , NO YEMHER T , at 1O a. ixi These Paintings Arc direct from THE KEELAR ABT GAI ERY , 423 Knanioy St. , Sun Francisco , California , and have never been , until now , exhibited outside of his gallery. Works by tlie Following Well Known California Artists , 29 pcs. by R. G. Holdredge. 23 pcs. by "W.W.Armstrong1. 11 pcs. by Tojetti. 16 pcs. by Jos. Scott. A Special Invitation-is Extended to All Lovers of Art. These Paintings Are all framed in genuine California Leaf Frames , manu factured expressly for the THE KEELAR ART GALLERY. Catalogue re-uly Monday JMorniiiff , at 10 O'clock. ' Free Catalague and Descriptive Exhibition from Monday morning at 10 O'clock. This very valuable collection will be sold at AUCTION , Commencing Monday , No vember 7th , at 7:30 : p , m. ; also Tuesday , at 2 and 7:3O : p. m. This is the first and only Art Sale of Legitimate Gallery Works by Noted Artists , that has ever been held in Omaha. PROF. KEELAR , Art Lecturer and Salesman , Will Officiate at Each Sale. THEM BRIDGE FINISHED , Description of the Structure Between - twoon Omtvlm and Council Blufl's. IT WILL BE OPENED TO-MORROW. Aliont the Jlcii Wlic > Hiivc1 tin- Work A Ust of the CastuiltlcH Tliu Old Tt is nnnouncod thai , the new btcol l > ri < lne which spans the Mit-bouri l > o- twpon Onuiliii and Council UlnlTs will bo opi'iH'd to the public to-morrow , Monilny , November 7 , 1887. It is there fore littiiif , ' Unit n < le--iTintion of the iniiKiiilli'cnt Miiiortitrnutnrii , turotlior witli u brief review of the work , now all but complete , should bo fjivon to the public. That it rank * amoii the lincht Blriu'turo.H of the kind in the world is a fact ; and to tin ; men who by their pcrt-c- vcrenco and intelligence have brought their Inborn to a hitocehtful termination the freatoM of honor is duo. In com pany with Knyliu'OT E. Dnryeu a BIK reporter yesterday made the tour of the bridge. Tlio Hrbt wjiiMition the visitor cxpc'rioniU'h when he lirbt sets foot upon the bridge proper , and looks down hixt.v- five feet through u net work of massive steel beams , is one of wonderment that bui'h u inlfjhty cdlllco ctnilil bo erected . in two short years. Then a little furthur on there rises forty foot above the lloor four { freut spans 250 feet in length , and ho guiitf liU lh" > l idea of the pruat btroiifjth of the structure. The new bridge is 1.7. > 0foct in length , nnd has ten spans. Four of these are 150 ! feet in length each , and the remain ing six , three at each end , are what is called "dock" MMIIS , and each ono is 12.r feet in length. The width over all , is T > 4 feet. The heigth of the lloor above low water. i CM feet. In the centre are the two tracks , on either side a wagon road 7 tent in width , and on the extreme outer edges , buparated from the road bed by iron railings , are the walks for ' foot p'aSM'iigers. The four main or cen tral wpiuib ruht upon huge granite piers. Thcsu great towers > of masonry are 1 lit loot in height , and the lir.st luy6V of btono rchti 74 feet beneath the surface of "low water. " The length of each pi or is Gri feet at the water's edge and II ! ieet nnder the coping or bolting. Its thickne-sh ranges from 112 feet at the bottom tom to 8 foot at the toil. Knch pier is faced with granite and filled in with largo Btoao. The six ender "deck" spans rest upon thu old iron piers , but the.-o will bo replaced with btono towers dur ing the coining year. The bridge will withstand a pres-auro of o\er four tons to the square foot. It will bo remembered that although thiu bridge is entirely now with the ex ception of the iron jnorh that tboro hub been no stoppage of running trains on regular timu. This is the more remark- nblo from the fact that the iron piers \voro torn down and new ones of stone built. Mr. Duryea stated that this was no uncommon feat of engineering skill with Mimll bridges , but was never before attempted with ono of such great dimensions us the ono at Omaha. The masonry work was done by T. Saulpaugh of Minneapolis. The work was commenced about the first of October , \Wt \ , and an average of I'Jo men per day have been steadily om- plo.vod up to the present time. The ln t JhiiVhlng touches will bo put on during the present week. The stcol u-ed in construction was furnished by the Union Mridge C'o. , of New York , nnd the work was done under the super vision of Chief engineer George S. Merion , who made the designs. What the o\act cost will bo is not known at prot-ont , and it will bo some months be fore it can liu accurately stated. It will , how over , bo something less than S)00HK ! ) ( > , probably about 4S50.000. The telegraph wires run along the north hide of the bridge , between the wagon road and the tracks , while the tele- phoao wires occupy a similar position on the south nido. I Fustonod to the west end of the main t-pan is a largo bron/o fhiold on which is been a plow , nn anchor and a trip ham mer which. , being interpreted , reads : "Agrioulturo , Commerce and Manu facture.1 At the east end in the center of the span id a mammoth lutlfrxlo's head , also of bronze. This constitutes the decorations of the btruc- turo , but it needs no moro. It is magnificent enough in it&olf. UIK M'AUON UOAI ) . The approaches at both ends of the bridge are of easy grade and are paved with bandstonc b'locks. From this side of the river the bridge is reached from Loavonworth street , from which a Hue dirt road 'ms ' hccn made up to the approach preach , which is on the north &ido of the tracks. About twenty feet beyond the toll-house is a small bridge for the railroud tracks under which yon pa iiiul take the south or right-ham ! road way. This is sovoa foot in width and tlie tloor is made of heavy oak timbers three inches in thickness. The cracks are filled with tar to prevent water from rotting the wood. This roadway is sop- nrutcd from the tracks by a bteel lattice live fcot high , and from the foot-path by a railing four feet high. The outer rail of the bridge is over five feet in height , There bus been some fear o.x- in-ohbod by timid drivers , that borious uccidonts would bo of frequent occur rence owing to the close proximity of the road to the railway tracks. This car , while natural , Is believed to bo unnecessary , inasmuch as the builders took great pains to discover If such dan ger existed. There are soeral bridges of this pattern in Uio' country , ono at Washington , ono at LoubvlUu and ono at Fort Madison. No accidents have occurred at either of these places , and from the construction of the roadway it is almost an impossibility that one bhould occur. IJigli-sniritod horses are usually led across the first time or two , and after that no tioublo need bo anticipated. At the Iowa end you again pass be neath the tracks to the north tide. From this point a line dirt road has been built aeiosp the bottoms into Council Klutla. This new route across the river will un doubtedly prove very popular for sev eral leasons. first , a magnificent view of the two cities and surrounding coun try is obtainable from the bridge. Sec ondly , the expense will be much less , and thirdly , the annoyance of being cooped up In lilthycars will bo needless. To theatre parties-coming from Councjl JtlulTb to this city , the drive will bo par ticularly enjoyable as it will be free from all the annoyance and delays of the present system. THI : iinu ! > iit < ; . Mr. George. S. Morison , the designer and chief engineer Inm acquiicd a na tional reputation as a builder of bridges. Some of the finest structures in the United States have been built under his supervision , and ho is a rocogni/ed authority on the subject. Quito re cently Mr. Moribon hn.s associated him self with Mr. .1. Corthill , and the firm name is Morison & Corthill. Their main office is in Chicago. They also ha\o a branch olllco in New York. The firm has just completed bridges across the Missouri at Nebraska City and Kvilo. They are also engaged at work at Sioux City' , la. . Cairo , 111. , nnd Portland , Ore. Mr. II. W. ParlJhurst , a most able and ullleient engineer , was given charge of the work at the beginning. Tic sur rounded himself with a corps of com petent engineers , but before the work was far advanced had the misfortune to break his leg. Ho was laid up for a long1 time. IIo is now in charge of Morrison ft Corthill's work at Sioux City.Mr. Mr. George A. Lcderlo succeeded Mr. Parkhui'bt immediately after the hit ter's accident and remained hero until about Juno 1 of the present year , when ho wont to Portland , Ore. , to oversee the work at that city. Mr. Lederlo is considered to bo one of the best civil en gineers in the west and during his resi dence in Omaha made many warm per sonal friends. On .Time 1 of the present year Mr. E. Duryea assumed charge' and to him was given the honor of completing the work. Mr. Duryea is a young man about thirty years of ago. Tie is eminently fitted for the responsible- position ho oc cupies , being thoroughly versed in civil engineering and possessing the power to command to a remarkable degree. Mr. Duryea has many warm friends in Omaha and Council Blutis. Among the conspicuous assistant en gineers actively engaged was Mr. K. Modjeskabon of the famous tragedienne of that name. Mr. Modjcska is a most competent young man. IIo is now lo cated at Cairo , 111. In the clerical dopartmcntof the work Mr. O. Gunkel , the storekeeper , is per haps the best known. His duties are of n jory exacting character , but has been amy attended to. Mr. Gunkel is very popular with hi associates , being a highly educated gentleman and a thorough business man. Mr. .lamcb Sagnin , of Council BlulTs , was the foreman of erection. To him was tmtriibted the duty of placing all the lion beams and uprights in their places. His was considered the most difficult portion of the work. Mr. Den n is Leonard of Chicago , bu- porvlbcd the pneumatic work and was given the sobriquet of ' 'the boss sand hog. " Mr. J. A. Dahlin was the time keeper and ijrov'cd himself the right man for the right place. TIM : rASKALTins. Ono of the most to be regretted phases of bridge building is the loss of human lifo which over accompanies the work. There is always great danger surrounding these great enterprises and it bcems to bo impossible to guard against fatal accidents. When work on the bridge began Mr.Morbon instructed his foremen to use every effort to only employ experienced men and if any of them proved to bo bunglers to discharge them forthwith. This order was dic tated by humane scntimontsand the re sult shows his. wisdom. In the whole two years during many days of which as many as KIM ) men wore employed , the total number of fatal accidents was only llvo , and three died from the etlccts of "casing fovor" that is , a disease con tracted by working under pressure. A. Morithow was the first victim. During the first two months of the work ho foil from the east end mid was in stantly killed. George Neobo was struck shortly after by a falling plank nnd only 11 \ ed twen four hours. Ho never regained con sciousness. During the wintnr John Montgomery , of Council Ululfs , slipped and fell into the river and was drowned. His body was never recovered. This was a par ticularly sad event , as the deceased left an aged father and mother who de pended upon him fur gupiiort. Hans Hanson , of Council HlulTo , wns the next victim. It ib thought that ( lir/.incbs was tlie cause of his fall into the river. His body was picked up at Plattsmouth. II. Peter McGroff also fell into the river ami was drowned. Ills body was found below Nebraska City. The name of but one man ol the three who died from "casing fever" is known , and that was Henry Miller. One of the most wonderful escapes from death was that of Nelson Swanson - son , who , accompanied by three heavy planks , fell from the bridge in < p the river. Ho was Unhurt and reached shore unaided. As soon as ho could change his clothes ho was again at work. The efficient and untiring zeal mani fested by Doctors Iloflman and Gal- broth , the Union Pacific surgeons , in the interests of the sick or injured dur ing the past two years is spoken of in the highest terms by all ol the work men. TIIV. OLD nitinoK. It would not bo in keeping with the intent of thi.s article to close without giving the old bridge that has passed from sight some little attention. At the time of its construction it was consid ered. as it really was , ono of the great est results of Migineering skill in the country. While it was built of iron and IcbS elaborate than the great steel struc ture which now spans the river , its cost was moro than double that of the new ono. It had but one track , no roadways or walks for foot passengers , and the piers were cheap aflairs as compared with the present ones. The initiatory steps for its construction were taken in 18ii ( ( , when an act allowing it to bo built was passed by congress. A fight aroic as to location , but ono was finally agreed upon. Omaha voted $ .r > 0 , ( > ( ) ( ) in bonds to aid the enterprise , providing that it should have the main transfer depots , general ollices , machine shops , etc. The bridge companv was authori/ed to issue bonds to the amount of $ U , " > 00)0 ( ) ( ) , nnd these bonds wore sold in England. The contract for its construction was awarded to the Boomer Bridge com pany of Chicago on September 4 , ISbli , tne consideration being $1U8,5)0 ! ) ( ) , and it was stipulated that the work slionld be completed by Novem her 10 , ] bil. ( ! The contractors were greatly delayed , and in the following July the Union Pacific : company annulled the contract and took hold of the work thonibolvcs. The bridge was not completed until Match 2. ) . 187H. It was 2 , ) 2 foot long , and had eleven .spans. It was composed entirely of iron. Nearly five hundred men were constantly employed with the exception of about eight months. The elevation of the bridge was fifty feet above high water mark , and was approached preached from the Iowa side by n grade of about ono and one-half miles long , thirty-five feet rise to the mile , and from the Nebraska side by a trestle work nojv filled in with earth. Thus , what was considered a master piece of engineering and mechanical skill fourteen years ago. had to bo con demned by the progressive spirit of the day. The KloiMeo' Chicago. A Chicago reporter gives the follow ing estimates ) of the wealth of some of Chicago's millionaires : I should put Potter Palmer , Marshal Field , P. D. Armour ancl B. P. Ilutchinson at the top of the list , though not necessarily in that order. How much each is worth , is of course , mere guess work. They don't tell , hut it is a safe guess that each one has moro than five and some of them ton millions. Palmer's wealth is in real estate. He owns thousands of feet along State street , improved and unimproved. Field is a big real estate owner , too. His buildings are scattered through the business districts. His interest in his dry goods business represents an im mense sum. Ho holds a good deal of stock of various kinds , and bonds. P. I ) . Armour , too , has a great may securi ties and a vast fortune in his packing house plautH. IIo often has $1,000 , < HN ) invested in wheat for the carrying charges. IJ. P. Ilutchinson owns some real estate , but nothing like the amount held by the two first. Ho is a splendid financier and keeps his wealth largely In securities. Probably no man in Chicago cage could produce as much cash as he. la fifteen minutes by realising on his securities , a thing real estate owners could not do , ho could probably lay down an > where from ' ,000,000 to $1,000,0000. , J _ An Ostrich UUCP. A correspondent from Africa writes : Wo were treated to an exhibition which was a novelty wort traveling miles to see an ostrich race. Two little carts , the frames of which wore made of bam boo and the wheels similar to those of a volooipedn , weighing , all the gear in cluded , thirty-seven pounds , wore In ought forth , and four very largo ostriches , trained to the business and Inuncsscd abreast , were attached to each ono. The race course was a flat piece of country about four miles in length. The distance to bo traveled was four miles straight away and return. Two of the smallest specimens of Afri can humanity over seen , lots than four feet in height and weighing about sev enty-two pounds apiece. Bosjesmon , pure and simple , were selected us char ioteers , ancl all was ready. I had been provided with n magnificent sixtoen- liands high English hunter , having a record nlacing him among the very best saddle horses of Capo Town , and was quarter way toward the turn of the course , pushing my fresh steed to do his best , when the feathered bipeds started , and before I reached the turn the ostrich chariots had passed mo , go ing and returning like a Hash of light ning. I did POO thein.andyot so quickly did they vunltih into distance that a pen picture , valuable for its acnuracy , can not bo given. The time taken at the starting point by several of the specta tors was , for the four miles and return , nearly nineteen minutes , nol very ftist for ostriches , they said , but too rapid for English hunters , J know. The Electric System of Alarm Now In Use in Omnha. THE STREET-CORNER STATIONS' A Description of tlio Manner In Which J'olioc anil Fire Alarms arc Tiii-ncil In to the Ceil- tial Station , The motto "Ever Ready" has its * ad monition heeded in an exaggerated sense by the economical foresight of Toodlcs at the auction , buying a door plate marked Thompson , in anticipa tion of having a daughter , who some day would marry a man of that name. Its strict observance leads to the con struction of the lire escape and the stand pipe on the ten story building and the placing of the lifo boat on the ship at sea in a dead calm. Not the least useful of the adjuncts of the motto , is the iron turret ab6ut the lamp post , visible on variQiis corners throughout Omaha. In various cities these iron boxes are painted of a flashy red , a gaudy yellow or bright green , but in Omaha their color is a nondescript hue. They are alwny.s locked , always dull- looking and if observed by the casual passer-by , it is with a thought of what they look like inside. Secretive over these iron boxes. . , they give no outward sign of their hidden mysteries. And yet the "open sobamo" to their interior , gives power to quell riot and anarchyto summon the engines to gathering llamesto run down burglars and thieves with their booty unconcealed and to re move the fallen drunkard from his level of the gutter to the- , moro friendly cell at the station. And all this without outcry or confusion. There is no bra vado about electricity ; it never threat ens but always acts , and electricity like the lightning in the clouds is concealed within these boxes. If you are a well known citi'/.en of good repute , and live in the vicinity of any one of the twenty-eight police sig nal boxes in Omaha , you may enjoy ono of a policeman's perquisites , and bo pro vided with a key to the turret nearest your home. It is a simple brass key of a peculiar pattern , and it fits a yielding lock of still moro peculiar properties. The interior of the box discloses an other square iron box , surmounted by u sloping roof after the style of Vesta's temple , or like a child's toy house. A brass crank is on the outside of the second end iron boK. If it bo Bill Slug's day oil , nnd ho is in your neighborhood in dulging in his old familiar pasttimo of cleaning out saloons , turn that crank at random , and the police patrol wagon , I like an unexpected clap of thunder , will , come clattering from around the corner , I and ere Bill's frolics have been fully begun , ho will bo on his ride to the city jail , wondering how it all came about. And how wns it effected ? Simply enough. The revolution of the crank opened currents of electricity , ' which flew along wires to a little room in the city hall , whore an attendant sits day and night before electric registeie. | If ho were disposed to do/.o , the sharp ring of a bell in response to the turn of the crank will fully arouse him. Lot us > say that your number is twenty-three. ' Then in reponso to the turn of the crank there will bo registered in the tape in the little room at the city hall , two dashes , with a , space followed by three dashes. This will indicate to the oper ator in signal language , the location of the box by its number , and warn him that an ordinary brawl or a case of drunkenness exists in the neighborhood. Through a speaking tube ho communi cates with the police in the jail , and at once * there springs into the patrol wagon , before which harnessed horses stand waiting , sufficient force to meet the emergency. It took the electric currpnt'uii instant to do its work of reg istration , another wns required to giyo the police notice. How long a time will bo consumed to reach the box depends upon its distance and the llcotness of "the horses. Open the inner box and the sight gieeling you will repay for the trouble. There is a disc covered with glass and encased with brass ; thoro.aro Rumfortl coils tipped with nicklo , a'nd the \yholo presents the appearance of the polished instruments in the case of the surgeon. On the face of the disc are several di visions indicated with the names Kiot , Fire , Burglary and Thieves. An ad justable index pointer , like the hand of a clock explains their use. Should IIoiT Most come into your neighborhood any fine clay and attempt to incite the idle crowd to deeds of anarchy , fix the willing hand on the dlso at "Hiot" and touch a spring. Then in the little room at the city hall your call will be two dots , a space and three dots , telling of trouble at twenty- three , followed by three clashes telling in signal language , of a riot there. Ere Mr. Most would conclude his cxodium the patrol wagon filled with police and followed by reserves gathered on the way would appear and the reading of the riot act would accompany the dispersal of the mob. In case of fire , the indicator would bo adjusted to the word "Firo" on the disc , and tlie signal language would bo the number of the box ancl two dashes , followed by a space and three clashes. The electric spark would bo transferred , caught on the fly as it wore , from the city hull to the Ilarnoy street station , and the requisite alarm would bo turned. Your wonder is which most to ndmlro , the simplicity of the mechanicul device of the box or its efficiency. But hold ! The interior box closed it remains to lock the outer ono. You can't remove the key ! And there the peculiar properties of the lock are visible. It requires a release key to effect the removal of your own from the lock , Your key is numbered , and obi citi/.cn of good repute , if , at any time , you should prove of a sportive dis position , and turn in an alarm simply lor fun , you would bo surely identified by the number of your key held fast in the lock , and your punishment would follow. In the days of ' 71 when Tweed and Genet and the old crowd wore kings' ' , contractors wore diamonds , sped fast horseflesh , and gave entertainments lit for Ampliytrion. At a little supper given to a visiting delegation of Phila delphia firemen , the que&Uon of the promptness of the lire departments of the respoetivo cities .arose. Bets wore made , of big money too , and one of the Now Yorkers turned in a general alarm from the nearest corner. It was fol lowed by a response of all the engines in New York city. The Now Yorkers won the bet , but great indignation was felt tit the outragu and expense to the city , nnd nn investigation followed. It wa3 impossible to fasten the crime on any one , as many had keys. Thu prevention of a like scene led to the numbering ol the various keys given out , nnd then came the invention of. the release key for greater precaution. Follow the wire lead ing from the iron boxes and they will lead you Joviir house tops , across open spaces , and still over other wires , but they will all converge in the little room at the city hall. It ia the clcctricalroom of the police nndflro departments of Omaha. It Is a plain room filled with all kindsof queer elec trical apparatus , nnd it costs the . city $300 a month to maintain it. - Dentil ot'ii Noted Jesuit. Uu.TiMonu , Nov. 5. [ Special Telegram to tlio 13in : , ] Father John Uapst , a noted Jcs ult , died in the Mount Hope Insiinu asylum a few ilnjs IIRO anil was buried to-day ncnr tlio Jesuit college at Woodstock. Mil. Ho was seventy years old. With other Jusulta ho was u riifuircu fioin Kuionoin 1818. 3Io wns assigned to Portland , Maine. At the tiiyo of tlio know nothing tioubU's his hoimo wim rmiKackocl and he was .stripped of his clothing , tarred and feuthcml , and nearly beaten lo death. The cltl/cns of Portland , to partly atones for the outniKc perpetiated by the toughs , picscnted him with a gold w tch , to accept which ho icceivcd Hpccinl permission from the superior of the order In liomu. Ho wan the only Jesuit piieat in America who woio a polil watch. For many years he * was at the Jesuit house at Fred- crick , Md. , and belonged to the college fac ulty. When his mind gave wny six months HKO ho was sent to the asylum. ' Gould Outlines u Hurricane. LONDON , Oov. fi. The Cuinird steamer Umbna , on which Jay Gould Is u passenger , arrived at Queciistown to-day. A hurrlcuno was o\i > ciicncccl Wednesday , during which llvo 81001 ago passengers were injured. O'ltrliMi'H . Trent incut. DUIII.IN , Nov. 5. The Tullnmoro jirisoa authorities Imvo ordered that \Yllllum O'ISfioii shall wear the uniform prescribed by the regulations for convicts. Another Hatch Niw YOIIK , Nov. 5. The steamer' Chat- tcnu y Quern ai rived hero to-day from Bor deaux with seventy-eight Kalian steerage passengers , all of whom nro well. The bag gage has been thoroughly fumigated , IS TO THE FRONT. 1 The Child We Always Backed with Our Voice and Money , Is Getting There. Remember that We are the Pioneers in South Omaha That We have been with Her ever since She Was a Cornfield ! We know every foot of her soil and the value thereot. We have the Largest List of Choice BUSINESS AND RESIDENCE LOTS Don't Fail to Get an Interest in i'l ' Along with the men that REPRESENT THE HUNDRED MILLIONS * Call at our office and let us give you some pointers. GET PRICES AND THEN COME TO US. And we will sell you lots in the vicinity at From 10 to 25 Per Gent Lower than You Can Get Them Elsewhere. M , A. UPTON < fi CO. , 309 S. i6th St. , Opp , Chamber of Commerce , Telephone 854. vuWi ( fig