r. TT . . " "
4 ' IHB OMAHA DAILY BEEFRIDAY. : DECEMBER 23. 1887.
THE DAILY -BEE.
rimiwlSHlID EVKUV MOIININO.
TKItM.H OF HUHPCmiTinN.
Unify ( Mnrnlns Kdltlon ) Including Pnndny
nrr , on'Y ir fin on
Vor Six Month * C. ( )
1'nrThrco Month * 2W
The Onmlm Kimcliiy llct : , ( united to any ad.
( In- ? ! " , Ono Ycnr 200
( UMIU OrriRPNO.Vll AUDPtnl'AnNAMSTIIKKT.
NKTT VOIIK orricK , KooMtn , TninnnK llmt.n-
iso. WAMIINOTON UmcR , No. 613 Fouit
TEf.STII BlIIKLT. ,
COUUKSIWNUKN'CE.
All comnnmlrntlonn relating news and
fitltorlnl matter nhould bu adilrc cd to the
KummoK THI ; HKI : .
JIHBINK38 I.irrrKKSj
All lumlncKi IftttTH and irnilttnnce * should 1m
BflilrrpMil to Tin ; Ilr.K I'miumiiNO Co.Mi'ANV ,
OMAHA. Drafts , i hocks and | > o8tolllc ( ! orders to
liu mailu jmyublo to the order of the cuinpan ) ' .
Ihe Bee Publishing Company , Proprietors ,
E. UOSEWATER , EDITOR.
Till : DAILY 11KE.
Sworn Statement of Circulation.
Btnteof I. -
County of Douglas , f " "
< io. II , Trpchuik , Hfcretnry of The UPC Pnb-
IIMiInu cointiuny , noes solemnly hwriirtlmt the
< tun ) circulation of the Dully lleo for tllo Vcck
milltitr Dec. 1C. U7. was asf follows *
Putarilar Dun. 10 . 1'vCil
Hnniliir. Dcr.1l . I4.MIO
Monilny. Doo.12 . IM7S
Tiipwlay , Dec. W . H.l i
WenliwwlBy. Dec. 14 . ir.-00
Thnrxilnv. Dor.ir. . IV
1'rlifay , Dec. 10 . 1S.KK
Average . 15.WM
OEO. B. T/SCIIUCK.
Fworn to nml milmcrlbe cl In my presence this
17th ilay of December , A. 1) . 1W7.
1W7.N. . P. FEIIi ,
rSKAfi. ) Notary I'tiblto
Btxtpnf Nfbranka , I
County of DotiKlnn. (
Oeo. 11. TzHchwlctftta \ flrst ilulr iiworn. ile-
txiM'H nml MI ) & that he U wcretary of The lice
Publishing company , tlmt the nrtual average
dolly circulation of the Dally lleo for
HIP month of DwcmN-r. IW-f. , 18.217 copies ;
for Jiimmrr , 1W > 7 , in,2fi8 copied ; for Keb-
runry. 1WT , 14lra copies ; for Mauh. 1W , 11,400
rmlifr : for April , IFfrt. Uiir : , copies ; for Mar ,
1W-7 , 14527 ronle : for June. 1HW , 14,147 copies ;
for July. 1H-T. H.nneoplcK ! for August , 18H7. 14.-
ir.I eopfen ; for Prtilvmbpr , ICK7 , 14BttcopleK : ; for
October , 1HS7. 14KJ ! ; for November , 1W , ! V-
tolilw.
OEO. H.TZHOHIJrtC.
8 * orn to nntl subscribed In my presence this
3d < lay of December , A. D. 1W.
1W.N.P. . KBir , ,
Notary Public.
Thn Hen's WafthinRton linrotiii.
The "JJce's" 7tcti' Iniratn nt tiic natlnnnl
cu } > it < tl ix now complete. Arrunycmci\tn \
linvclictii perfected by which oar renders
' will nccuiclhc earliest , the fullest ami most
rcUuMe infurmatlnn of public matters at
Wtmhimjtmi hot from the wire * and uath-
cretl crclUHlvdu for jtatron * of tftto jxipcr.
There will be no-double leading nf press re
port * marked " i > crlul" to deceive the pub-
. llo bu a fliow of ahum tiitcr/irtec , or jwal-
dlny of wctl-worn tcnmttlon * forwanlcd by
inatl. The "Bcc" luix made it * reputation
ana ncii'xvathcrcr by payhm laterally for
new wherever procuralilc , and It pro
pose * to maintain -Us record. Patrons of
the "Use" ( Hid A'rf > rnJta is Qcncntllu , to-
aether wltli all it * friend * iecxt or east , are
cortllally Invited to visit its H'aahlnyton
headnnartcm , 513 Fourtccntli ulrcct North ,
U'hcrejllex ' of Ute paper arc to l > c found and
a warm -welcome u-lll be extended.
TKXA8 wants moro pooplo. A con
vention for dovibing moans to encourage
immigration IB now in scnsion tit Dallas.
Mil. VANDKIUIILT and the sultan hob
nobbed together the other day. They
presumably spout a pleasant hour over a
glass of sublime port.
TliK Rochester explosions are sugges
tive. Too much precaution cnnnot be
token in the storage und distribu
tion of illuminating oils nnd gases.
THKUE is ono problem with which the
city council Is not obliged to wrestle.
They are not troubled with the quot < tion
how to dispose ot the surplus in the city
treasury. _ _ _ _ _ _ _
„ „ „
IT only takes five days now to make
the trip from Now York to San Francis
co , but it took three days this week to
transfer the Chicago und Now York
mails from Pacific Junction to Nebraska
City.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
SUNSET Cox occasionally rises to such
altitude above his party that ho goes
almost out of sight. He suid recently
thnt the question of revenue reduction
should be considered without thought ol
its political bearings.
OMAHA has in the past had excep
tional good luck in the matter ot des
tructive tires , but there is no telling
what may happen in the future. Out
lire department should keep pace with
the enlarged area of the city and be
equipped for any emergency.
ElOHTY-SKVKN out of ninety-two ro'
publican employes in the Chicago cus
torn house have disappeared by dismissal
or resignation since the present demo
cratic collector hns been at the hond ol
the service. This is civil service rcforn'
as domocraeyunderstnndH that term.
COJJMISSIONKU of agriculture , Nor
man J. Column , assorts thnt the people
of the United States use moro silk tlnu
any other nation , and IIvo years hence
will use moro than all the rest of the
world combined. If Mr. Column is cor
root the Joft'orsonian simplicity of out
people is lined with silk as it were.
EUGKNK Hiocuxs attracts n good ( lea
of this nation's attention. Senator Gor
man , of Maryland , Is reported to bo in
censed at the treatment Higgins received
coivod at Cleveland's hands during the
past fortnight and threatens to&howttln
country the true relations whiehoxistct
between those two great moo. Iliggin
soemx to be fitting himself for a dinn
muhcuni career.
TUB statement that the reports of tin
Pacific railroad commissioners havi
bo en in the hands ot a Now York sloe !
broker for n. week , and that ho ha
made use of them in the speculation ! : c
hluisulf and friends , should move con
press to make a thorough Invoatigatlon
If there Is anything in the rumor 1
ought not to bo very dilllcult to discovc
how the roixu'ts , supposed to have bee
in the solo keeping of the pretidunl
get to the broker.
SEKATOII CHANDLEU'S ' proposition t
appoint federal inspectors of election I
bcvonil of the southern states whore th
republican votu has been notorious !
suppressed , is In itself very contmond
able. With the appointing jxwer I
the hands of the democrats Mr. Chand
lor'b bill creating federal inspectors an
proscribing their duties , would bo
dond lotior. It woujd bo very much Ilk
appointing Jay Gould to protect th
AVall btroet lambs. '
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. . ' . : s\ > - > '
The Holiday Ilcccss.
The country will bo nearly-unanimous
In approval of the position taken by
Senator Plumb on Wednesday relative
lo Iho congressional holiday recess.
The custom of taking two weeks out of
the first month of the HCSHOII ! on the
pretense of enabling congressmen to
BK > nd Iho holiday hcnsonntthoir homes ,
has nothing to justify It except ago. AH
Senator Plumb Bald , us a matter of
fact the majority of congressmen re
main in Washington throughout the re
cess , nnd w > mc of those who go away do
not go lo their homes. But if this were
not so , and every ono of them passed the
recess at homo , it is n privilege they
give Ihciiifrolvcs thai is not just
to the poople. It is duo lo Iho
country that ita legislators when
in session should lose as little lime as
possible , and as a matter of example to
all the other servants of the jxjople
Bbould devote themselves to tbo work
they have lo do with Iho utmost care ,
industry and xoal. They nro paid for
this service , and they arc faithless lo
duly when , having onlored upon it ,
they vote themselves a long period of
Idleness , thereby frequently pulling oil
urgent legislation and unnecessarily
prolonging the first session of every new
congress.
All that can be srtld in disapproval of
this custom on general principles be
comes intensified by the exist
ing circumstances. There Is ur
gent necessity for legislation rela
tive to the surplus , BO that the
sccrclary of Iho treasury may be en
abled to give prompt and effective as
sistance to the money market whenever
a demand shall como for such asslslance.
It should bo well understood by con
gressmen that the president and secre
tary do not regard the treasury us justi
fied , while congress is in session , in laic-
ing any action under existing laws for
disposing of any part of the surplus.
The president staled very plainly in his
message that he did not think anything
further could bo done by the secretary
of the treasury to lessen the hoard in
the treasury vaults , which is steadily
growing at the rate of ten millions
a month , and this should
have prompted congress to
take some aclion on the subject
before it allowed itself the privilege of
a long season of Idleness. It is no
answer to its failure to do this to Bay
that there is no present reason for alarm.
The fact Is that the enterprise and pros
perity of the country are suffering by
reason of the accumulating hoard in the
roasury. Every business man who
must borrow money is compelled to pay
moro for it than ho would if a sufHciont
imountof this government surplus were
released to ease the money market , and
close and high money is of necessity a
drawback to every form of enterprise.
f it can not be said there is anything
alarming in this situation , it certainly
H true that it operates to cheek business
md is an injury to the
, vholo people. The failure of the
; 'epresontativesof the people to promptly
remedy such a state of affairs is con
sequently a very grave dereliction , for
which there can be no satisfactory
excuse.
The constitution provides that con
gress shall moot on the first Monday in
December , but authorizes that body lo
appoint a different day. An effort was
made to do this in the last congress and
it Is understood will bo renewed at the
present session. _ It is very probable
thai so long as congress conliuues la
medt In December the holiday recess
custom will bo observed , for the average
congressman is never likely to have
such an awakening of conscience as will
enable him to boo that throwing away
two weeks of the time for which Iho people
ple pay him is a wrong , qullo as
unwarrantable in Ids case as it would be
in Ibat of any other servant of the people
ple , and under such circumstances as
now exist a good deal moro harmful.
On tbo senate recessrosolutioi ) nineteen
senators voted against it , and ills grail
tying to note that the two Nubraskt
senators were among them.
"Western Farm Mortuage * .
A great deal hub been published dur
ing the past two or three months it
eastern journals depreciatory of western
orn farm mortgages. Very much of thi ;
has been bald miBroprc&enlalion , llu
motive for which it is not easy lo under
stand. It is not questionable that mono ;
has been lost by eastern louder * on western
orn farm mortgages , but that such lossei
have been at all general , as those do
proelalory writers would have it appear
or lhat the returns on such loans him
not very greatly oxcecdod the losses , IK
rcabonable and candid man will contend
A citizen of Pawnee county , Nc
braska , where ho has lived fo
moro than a quarter of a century
writes in the American JJtdiAc
of his experience and knowledge re
garding farm mortgages in that county
which there is every reason lo beliovi
ia not exceptional in Nobraska. The
farmers of Pawnee county started poor
and this writer btatcs that ho does no
know of a dozen owners of farms wlf
nro now unable to meet all debts , am
still have ample means left to koe
thoinsolvob. lie btatca Unit ho know ;
of "a score or moro farmers who coul
easily clear up twcnly thousand dollars
a few who arc estimated at thirl ,
to fifty thousand dollars , atv
hundreds who arc worlh fret
six lo twelve thousand dollars ; an
few , indeed , not worth from two thoti
sand to five thousand dollars. Thos
who arc in the best circumstances ar
those who have made their money here
who cnmo hero with small means , an
have made their money by farming an
raiting stock. The force of these state
incuts ran be apprehended when il i
added that few , indeed , are the farmer
in Ibis county who are not thrivinf.
making money from year to year. " II
says further thai for the last Ion ycai
he doubts whether there have boon n
many as a dozen mortgage forclosure :
and during that period not three fore
cloourcs for borrowed mono } ; . Tahiti
Pawnoa county as la fair sample of Ni
linibka counties , and Nebraska as a fai
example of the agricultural nnd btoel
raising west , It la evident that there i
uo jtiut ground for the sweeping doprc
elation of western farm mortgage
'which has been made by , the -lll-ii
formed and recklcbs writers , ln the
eastern press.
It Is claimed for Kansas farmers Ihat
they have jtot Iwen loss careful tliitn
those of Nebraska in maintaining their
credit by the prompt payment of their
obligations , and Iho records ot defaull
in Interest on mortgages and foreclos
ures In Kansas for the post ten
years appear lo jusllfy Ihls claim.
In view of such fuels , easily
accessible to all deserving this Informa
tion , Iho effort to alarm eastern lenders
on western farm mortgages is to the
last degree reprehensible , ninco if suc
cessful ita effect would be lo.render
future borrowing dilllcult and create a
distrust of existing contracts that might
cause many honest farmers a good deal
of trouble. II is of a piece with Iboso
equally false statements published in
the eastern press which clmraotorl/o
all western booms as having no subslan-
lial foundation , and as certain sooner
or later lo collapse and bring ruin
lo IhouMtnds. So far as Nebraska is
concerned there are no safer invcbt-
menls lhan her farm mortgages , and
well-informed eastern capilalisls know
this.
Tlio Question of 1'nrks.
The season for public improvcnts has
practically closed. Another year has
bed and Omaha , finds herself ns far
rom possessing a system of parks and
lOitlevards as she did when it began.
As a matter of fact she is farther re
moved. Property which a year ago
: ould readily have been secured by gift ,
omlcmnation and purchase for such a
lublie purpose , had the charter given
ur people the power , is now covered
vor with dwelling ! ) and grid-
rotted with streets and alloys.
'ho ' oil room wreckers of the
ast legislature who lobbied through
, ho defeat of the best charter ever of-
'crcd by Omaha are solely responsible
or the mlbfortuno which is now gener-
vlly admitted. No general park and
Boulevard system can be formulated un
il ample powers are conferred upon
ho city government lo acquire Iho
tocdcd land. For Ibis another session
of the legislature must bo awaited.
Meantime our people need lo bo thor
oughly arroused to the urgency of re
taining intact the few breathing places
Omaha already has , as against every
ichcmo for their absorbllon for
public buildings or otherwise and such
overwhelming sonlimunt ought to be
created by a united press in favor of a
metropolitan park system that no logis-
alure , however besieged by private
nloresls , will dare to override it. It is
safe to say that a chain of parks con
nected by boulevards encircling this
cily would add $10,000,000 to Ihe value
of its real estate outside of any pre
sumed or pretended damage to properly
by their construction or extension.
THIS controller of the currency is still
'ocoiving ' suggestions of plans for con
tinuing the national bank system , but
there is very lltllo in any of thorn that
s essentially new , and all are subject to
.cine of the objections which ho pre
sented in his annual report lo those
plans submitted up to that lltne. It is
evident that it is going to bo no simple
task to dovibo a jusl and popular plan
'or perpetuating the national banks ,
and if it wore not for the fact that there
s still ample time in which to do this ,
bonds for securing circulation being
available for twenty yoara yet , there
would bo reason for apprehension re
garding the fate of the national system.
The matlor is ono of such largo and im
portant concern , however , that congress
may very properly give it atlenlion at
the present session , at least to the ex
tent of discussing the several plane that
have been suggested , and of indicating
what tbo sentiment is regarding the
continuance of the system. It will not
bo surprising if it shall bo found that
there is a very considerable fooling un
favorable to its perpetuation.
BY its now rule sending private bills
lo the clerk , who will refer them to the
appropriate commitloes , Iho house ol
roprosonlalives will free itself of whaf
has boon a source of very considerable
annoyance and waste of timo. The
formal introduction of this class of bill'
consumed many hours during a session
and the process was as well an exceed'
ingly ledious ono. Under Iho now rult
private bills can be banded to the clorl
at any time , and Iho house will know
nothing of them until they are hrouglr
before it by the commitloes having Ihon
in chargo. It is a sensible rule thai wil
undoubtedly bo appreciated by all , except
copt , perhaps , the clerk of the house.
KANSAS CITY has reaped great bone
lit from her manufacturers' bureau din
ing tbo past year and active efforts an
being made by her leading proporli
owners and business men to exlend UK
influence of Iho bureau during Iho com
ing year. The work of Ibis bureau hai
been to disseminate information abou
tbo resources of Kansas City ; to find on
what capital is looking for now locali
ties ; to direct investors to sites and lani
owners to investors ; to improve facili
lies of transportation and promote in
ditatrial enterprise. Such a bureau it
Omaha could not fail to prove of incalculable
culablo advantage.
.IT is to bo hoped Congressman Me
Shane will find time enough during tin
holiday recess lo thoroughly invostigati
the condition of postal affairs in Omaha
and go back lo Washington equippoi
with facts and figures to convince tin
department that the wretched mail ser
vice in this city demands increased ( a
cilitios for handling nnd distribution
and addition railway postal clerks on th <
t runic railroad lines.
IT is not likely that the Congrcsniontt
Jliconl will bo abandoned so long a
there is a majority of congressmei
whoso constituents would never hoar c
them except through its pages. It is
moat convenient receptacle for the wU
dom of thodo members who cjvjt nove
get a quorum of their colleagues t
libtcn to them , and to whom ' 'leavo t
prinl" is all that wives them from com
pic to obscurity.
IT may bo ralhor late in tbo season t
proffer advice about qhopsing Qhrist
mas gifts. Wo venture , however , to ri
call the story of the young lady , itt''th
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hospital during the war , who prcscntc-d
to the poor soldier , , who had lost-botli
legs , a tract on tho. sin qf dancing.
Givers of. Christmas presents put lee
lllllo thought Into tliolr gifts.
Tin : unsightly and dangerous forest
of polo lines in our principal Ihorough-
fates has become a public nuisance
which should bo spocdllynbalod. Tele
graph , lelcphono and eleelrie light
wires nro being placed under ground in
nearly all the largo'eat-tern cities.
STATE AND THIIUITOHV.
Htato JottliiKfl.
The clergy of Fremont are planning
n spiritual boom for the early days of the
now year the season of swear-offs und
high resolves.
The family of Mr. Dennom , of Mln-
don , was doubled it p.Saturday by cramps
produced by poisoned pressed beef.
The doctors straightened them out in a
few hours.
The Greoloy county scat war has
broken out again , and from now till
election day , January 17 , the praises of
competing towns will carve the prairie
air and car.
E. U. Kisgnrbor , a moderate lunatic
from Hulglor , is In jail In Denver. Ho
was supposed to have $4,000 in his pos
session , together with HOIUO diamonds.
The stones wore found but no monoy.
The pewter bowels of the Lincoln
Democrat have been stirred to the low
est depths by the fear that some daring
Omaha man will raid the capital to-day
and vote against the Rod Oak railroad
bonds. The fears are groundless.
Lincoln is welcome to an Iowa connec
tion and lied Oak is just about her
size.
size.The
The festive coal oil can spread n lurid
mantle over Mary Klipko , a Grand
Island domestic , Wednesday morning.
The girl was expediting the morning
fire with the fluid nnd succeeded in fill
ing the kitchen with flaming oil. She
\sas severely , perhaps fatally , burnt.
The house was saved from destruction
by hard work.
Judge Field had scarcely warmed his
peat on the bench of the Second district
before he settled ti case in favor Of his
old railroad clients. The Plnttstnouth
Journal thus speaks of it : ' 'The indig
nation of the people at the course of
Judge Field In taking both questions of
law and fact from a juryand compelling
a jury , against its conviction , to sign a
verdict , will not down , and there is a
growing sentiment among the solid and
substantial , the intelligent and influen
tial citizens that it wouldn't take much
inciting to work into violence. The
public is willing to grant that a judge
may take questions of law into his own
liands and decide them that is within
liis jurisdiction but when it comes to
questions of fact , including the amount
of the judgment. U is going n little too
"ar. " , ' ,
IOWA ItcniH.
ThoMilford mino'nt ' Boonsboro is on
Ire. i1
Klectric motors Wo to IMS used on the
trcot railways of IJus Moincs.
Savannah offers'iV'bonus ' ' of $25,000 for
Lho removal of t c'Milwaukee railroad
shops from Dubuqu'6.
The Huporvisors c/f / Woodburv county
nro likely to issue msrmits for the brew-
erics of Sioux Citato continue business
md dispose of their products ns slnnd.-
nrd medicines. Thd news will thrill the
arid throats of the residents who have
suffered for lo thcspmany | days.
Dakota.
Bismarck's water system is in running
order.
Iron Hill stock is down to 80 cents in
Dead wood.
Deadwood is talking of raising the
liquor license to $1,000 a year.
The coal famine at Aberdeen was
raised in time for the Into blizzard.
Mrs Kate Noel , the handsomest woman
in Fargo , has been divorced from her
husband.
White wood , the new railroad town
between Rapid City and Deadwood , will
have a bank next month.
The United States grand jury at
Fargo has indicted Superintendent
Graham , of the Northern Pacific , under
the intor-stato law , for refusing to fur
nish cars to Hawk , of Buffalo.
Colorado.
There are forty flowing artesian wells
in Denver.
Denver Is anxious to secure the ex
tension of the Rock Island road , and is
discussing ways and means.
Desperado Vorccs' pictures are going
the rounds of the state press. The
artists significantly draw the line ot
grace and beauty at the neck.
The wonderful climate of versatility
of wind and howling healthfulncss kept
the natives in their holes hugging hot
stoves the last three days. It was quite
cool out there , and Manitoba's frigid
blasts dwindle into a chinook in com
parison. The mercury rntigod from ! < ]
to 51 degrees below zero.
The big tunnel at Badger station on
the Denver & Rio Grande roud has
been completed. It is 550 foot long ,
cut through red granite to a height
and width sufficient for broad gauge
cars. The tunnel will straighten the
track and do away with the sharp curve
whore a fatal accident occurred some
time ago by a sleeper going off the rails
nnd killing an actress.
Moninoiith College Alumni.
There was a largo representation of the
Omaha Alumni of Monmouth collygo at tin
Millard lust evening to meet Hev. G. W
Hamilton , the college representative , and ti
discuss the merry college d.iys. Those pros
cut were Dr. S , 1C. Spanldlng , Kov. E , 11
Graham , Hev. J. N. Uoyd and wife , Rev. J
A. Hcndoixm and wife , Judge McCullocl
nnd wife , W. T. Graham and wife , firucoMo
Culloch.G. G. Wallace , , H. U. Wallace , E. E
Clippcnger , Charles , Westcrtiold , MISSCI
Belle and Mamo McCulloch.
An interesting address was made by Mr
Hamilton , setting forth the present prosperous
'
ous condition of tho' college and tito worl
being donu. Following this were toasts am
responses. The first was "Co-cduc.ition ; ill :
not good for man t.o bo alone , nor girl1
either. " Bruce McCullqch maduthore ponf > <
In his humorous and unhmtablc style. Judgi
MfCullooh made a brief response to "Tin
Faculty the Lion Not so Fierce as Painted.1
An effort is being made b ) ' the alumni o
the college to raise a fund of Wi.lKHJ to emlov
a clinir. This effort /called / for the foHowiii )
toast , "To the dollars. . the dads add tin
dollars of the lads.1 ; Kusuonso by G. G
Wallace. "The Omaha association th
moro the merrier , " was the toasl given Uev
J , N. Uoyd , after which came Iho social meet
ing and the pledging of some inouoy lo th >
endowment fund.
IJorrowcd or Stolen.
Phil King , an expressman , was nrrcstoi
yesterday on the chareo of stealing a wasoi
from W. S. Palmquist. King was biough
before Judge liurka , where ho asserted Urn
ho had merely borrowed the wagon , am
Palmqulst had him arrested through spile , a
King was rather slow In returning the boi
rowed property. The casu was jrivcn a con
tiuiunco until December 2T at U p. in ,
Military Iicnvo Halt Inkr.
Company E , Sixth infantry , which hasbcei
stationed at Salt Lake City for about tw
yeaVu , has boon ordered to rotuinto For
Douglas. This company was stationed n
Salt Lukq during the fuara of a Mormon U )
E'Mj KB NO COAIi FAMIMj.
Plenty or the Dusky Diamonds In
Stock nnd Eii Homo.
Sotno of the Omaha conl merchants soy
tlmt the stories afloat to the effect tluit the.
city Is on the verge of n coal famine are
erroneous , mul huvo their origin In the fnct
tlmt two weeks IIRO there wus such a sumll
stock on Imad Hint a fnmlao wns feared. At
that thno there wns n scarcity of soft nnd
hard conl , owing to the shlftlrssncss of the
railroads. The conl mcrchnata , nittlciiutlng
the niipronch of the Into cold snap and tin
over pressure of orders , presented a hold
front and compelled the romls to exercise n
llttlo moro activity In forwarding the stuff
iiloiifr , with thu result thnt when the blizzard
struck the city on Sunday co.il bins ntul cel
lars were- well supplied unil the .Vatils sat-
tk'lontly stocked to tncot n month's dcinntuH
A HKI : reporter was Informed at the conl of-
lice of Jeff Hedford yesterday afternoon thnt
there were no fcnra to ho natlcltmtcil from n
ronl fnniino , its the dusky diamonds were
beiitR received dally in lnr o iitmatittos.
Thn coUl saup hml Us effect on .solicitations
for fuel nail food from the county commis
sioners liv the poor of the city. While the
dcmnml was not as threat ns nt thls tlmo lint
year , it was , however , sunieicntly hirjjo to
impress the commissioners with the amount
of poverty prevalent. The greatest of precaution -
caution Is exercised In establishing the
worthiness of applicants , ami but few Im
positions nro practiced upon Commissioner
O'lCeofo and his co-workers.
During the hist few days the good Indies
connected with the women's Christian
association have not been idle , and have done
a great deal in relieving tlic wouts of the
poor people.
AMUSI'MUNTS.
The Itostoulaiis Icll ht Another Pine
Audience nt Iloyd's.
A more delighted nmllonco never assem
bled In an Omaha miclltorluin than the ono
which gathered nt Iloyd's last evening to
listen to Offenbach's airy opera coutUiuo ,
"Tho Poachers. " It was n siintnl success
from the very rise of the curtain. "The
Poachers" has ncvor been given in Omuha
before , nor hi America , for thnt matter , by
any company save the Boat/minus. It is ro-
dniiilant with those merry melodies which
charactori/o all of the piftcil comiraser's pro
ductions , unil the libretto fairly scintillates
with felicitous anil jocund persiflage. The
plot ts simply a concatenation of the most
amusing misunderstandings , without being so
intricate as to require any great mental
strain to keep track and trnco of their un
raveling. In short the opera is as bright and
airy as a sunny summer morning , and will
stand frequent repetition. The cast last night
embraced the piquant Marie Stone , as
Hibletto-lJlblotta , whosn dunlrolonsnn insun-
prcssiblo | K > achcr and a winsome lass wns the
nucleus ol the whole entrancing story. Her
singing WUH inimitably sweet and her acting
nl oaco captivated the audience. Mureassoa ,
n niulo driver , was the character in which
the old favorite , H. C. Unrnnbcc , won now
mlinlrcrs by the score. Ills vcxntious mis
adventures after Ills marriage to Ocnettn ,
Miss Juliette Cordon , kept tbo nudicnco in
convulsive Inuglitor. J. A. Montgomery as
Count do Complstrons , P. W. Miller , ns
Theodore , his son ; George Frothlnghutn us
Hlbcs , Hiblctoo's "guardian nngol , " and Miss
Minn Cleary as Hurades , all deserve un
stinted pralBO. Kncli ono scorned to have a
peculiar fitness for the very best representa
tion of the characters assigned them. It
would be remiss not to sny moro than a word
of Miss Cordon. She is a most engaging
little actress uud possesses a voice , a mezio-
soprano , of really extraordinary range and
feasibility , and is destined to take place with
the older invorities. The chorus wus splen
did and the work ot the orchestra under
Director Shidley's able handling was first-
class. _
ASSAUI/TEP BY TOUGHS.
Officer White Phioklljr Prevents the
HOHCUO of a PrUoncr.
The sandbag seems to be coming into favor
again among the thugs. Last evening
Thomas Hunt wns urrcsted by Officer White
for disturbing the services of the Salvation
unity. While White Was on his way to the
police station wjth his prisoner ho was
stopped by a gnifg ot toughs who demanded
thu release of Hunt. The officer refused ,
whereupon they jumped upon him , com
menced to bent him , and ono of them , named
John Smith , knocked the ofllccr down with a
sandbag. In the scrimmage Hunt escaped ,
but the plucky ofllcer jumped to his feet ,
grasuod Smith and his brother Jim , and told
thorn if they dared to show any resistance ho
would bore them full of bullets. At this the
guhg quieted and the officer took the Smiths
to the lockupStill later Hunt was rearrested -
rested by officers Cormack and Haze.
of 1'ythlas on Far num.
The Knights of Pythias have at length de
cided to erect their now and beautiful castle
hall , costing nearly $200,000 , on the south
west corner of Farnam and Nineteenth
street. Tito structure \vill positively bo one
of the most beautiful buildings in the city.
The plans have already been made and uo-
cented and comprise n building of stone , live
stories in height , and containing stores on
the first floor , oftlco rooms on the second.
with drill and lodge rooms on the third and
fourth stories respectively. The design has
been made by Architects Mendelssohn &
Lowrlo and have already been warmly com
mended by nil who have seen them. The
new building has been hailed with prldo by
the residents in the western part of thu
city as well us by the members of the order
throughout the city. When the proposed
mammoth hotel is added to it upper Furnum
street , including the H Kit office , the Now
York Lifo Insurance company's building , the
Paxton building , the Merchants hotel and
the Barker building , including the now city
hall and the court house , the fact will bo in-
contostnbly proved that that part of the city
is moro than realizing the expectations of its
most ardent admirers.
Pcto Kinncy Ijoukotl Up.
Pete Kinney went homo last night In nil
uproarious condition , stimulated by an over
Indulgence in the flowing bowl , and proceeded
to make It very exciting for his wife and faut
ily. HO In sotno manner became possessed
with the hallucination that the house wiu
only largo enough for himself to dwell in
and ho therefore vigorously invited his fumilj
to bpond the night on the highway. To tltli
they objected In tones suftleiontly loud to at
tract the attcntio'i of Officer John Brady
and ho silenced Pete by putting him behiut
thu bars at Ccnlr.il station.
Scholastic llecrcntlon.
Dr. Ilarslm , of liellevue college , was It
town yesterday , and says that the Institutiot
closed for the holidays Wednesday and wll
not reopen till the 4th of next month. The
nttcndadco was fifty students , a greater num
her of whom were In moro advanced studio1
than was over hail by the college boforo.
Urclghton college classes commenced t <
enjoy the Christmas vacation Wednesday
nf turnoon. They will resume their studies 01
the ild of January.
The public schools close to-day and wil
reopoti January 3.
Fell From a
Yesterday afternoon while T. Petersor
was working on the now llarkor building
corner of Fifteenth nnd Furirnm , ho fel
through the cellar , striking his head against
a brick. Ho was picked up senseless nnd car
ritsd to Dr. Ke burl's ofllce , whore his woundi
were dressed. His ho.id sustained an uglj
cut tin co inches long , but it was diseoveioi
that the skull was not fractured. Ho wa !
also otherwise bruised and hurt , but no
fatally.
licensed to Wed.
The following licenses to marry were Issued
yesterday by Judge McCuIlough :
Name and resilience. Ago
Herbert H. KllitiKwnod , South Omaha. . . . ' , '
Jcniiio Illakclcy , Glen wood , f.i . a
Walter Hell , Omaha . ! J
Jessie D.ivU , Omaha . 1
I John M. II rook b , Omaha . -
j Add ! . ; Miller , Om.ilu . J
j Charles A. Moycrt , Omaha . li
t Olive Little , Omaha . 1
Ilcttiru tlie Cau.
Chief Gulligan , ot the lire department
wishes that the man who finds the brass ca ;
lost by the big extension ladder in going t
the HobemUu hall lire will rutum it to hh :
luuuedUtuly ,
CASES WHEHESHflfE FAILS ,
When Mon Who Know Not Fonr
Are Frlffhtonod.
SEVERAL INSTANCES IN POINT.
The Hunter Thrown Into ho
With Crocodllpn A Man With a
Snake on Ills llrcnst Oilier
Try I i B HlttintlotiH.
Now York Sun : You often hem * It
said of 11 iniiu thai ho doesn't BOOIII to
know what four is. Ho may not , so fat-
as standing up before other men , or fac
ing ordinary dangers , but there are two
dangers wh'ioh no living man can fuco
and hold his no rye very long. 1 assert
this , because it lias been my fortune to
meet pome of the most courageous men
of this generation , and 1 have had op
portunities to see their nerve under
tiro.
tiro.There
There IB probably no place in the
world where the man-eating1 shark
grows to larger proportions ntul fiercer
disposition than in the Gulf of Bengal.
And in the buys and harbors along the
coast the erocodllo attains his full size
and his temper fully ripont' ' . While 1
was In the employ of thw English
mall service in India one of the
ideas worked out was speedier
transportation. New routes were sel
ected to save distance , and wherever it
was possible the rivers were made use
of. On one occasion I was descending
the Little Rangoon river with three
natives and the mail bags , when we
wore hailed from shore by an Knglish
hunter , who had been camping out
among the fierce wild animals and
poisonous serpents for seventy days. Ho
was entirely alone , and ho hud killed
five leopards , throe tigers , six or eight
largo serpents , and much other game.
Ho had several fresh scars to prove a
haml-to-hnnd conlllct with a wounded
tiger , and the bare fact of his being
alone in that country , exposed toalmost
every danger one could dream
of , was proof that lie was
a bravo man. Ho had a raft
at the bank and was about to cross the
stream. After a visit of a quarter of an
hour wo took him in tow and dropped
down alxnit a mile. Wo had just
headed for the other bank when I saw a
largo crocodile rise to the surface jus' ,
behind the hunter's raft. The man had
not entered the boat with us , but was
sitting on his traps on the raft. I called
to him to shoot the reptile , and ho rose
and made us pretty a shot as one ever
saw. striking the saurian in the eye and
killing him at onco. Wo wore applaud
ing the shot when a dozen of the mon
sters broke water all about the raft.
Wo had a tow rope about forty feet
long , and were its full length ahead of
the raft. None of the reptiles paid the
least attention to the boat , but all
seemed determined to make a closer
acquaintance with the raft.
The hunter had a repeating rifle , and
ho stoodon his feet and banged away
right and loft as coolly as you please. I
ordered the men to coa.se rowing and
got out ray rifle , but before I had flrcd
a shot a monster crocodile climbed upon
the side of the light bamboo raft and
upset it. Wo backed water rapidly , and
it was not over thirty seconds before
boat and raft had bumped. At
that same instant the hunter rose be
side the boat , and one of the natives
pulled him in. While ho lay on the
bottom of the boat wo rowed about and
picked up such of his traps as were
alloat. It was very Uttlo wo saved , I
his fire arms hml gone to the bottom
and his skins end pelts had been swiftly
devoured by the crocodiles. When a
came to offer the man some spirits his
looks had changed , fie that I could
scarcely believe ho was the same man.
No one standing on the gallows trap
could have been more broken up. He
had- scarcely swallowed the
whisky when no began to cry , and
lie insisted that wo cover him up in the
bottom of the boat. It was a whole fort
night before the man recovered his
composure , while his nerve was gone
forever. Ho who had stood with drawn
knife awaiting the ruth of a tiger , and
who carried marks to prove his oravery
and his victory , had boon totally broken
up by an experience of loss than two
minutes in the water with a dozen croco
diles. It was the fooling that ho was
helpless which took his courage away.
In the ease of the tiger ho felt that he
had some little show. When he was
Hung into the water ho realized that he
none. I have seen several men hung
who "died game , " and who got the
credit of being brave follows. It is all
nonsense to talk about bravery in the
face of the hangman. "Dying game * ' is
cither the courage which comes from
stimulants furnished by the jailor , or it
is false enthusiasm due to the labors of
the clergymen for many days past.
On one of my trips up this same river ,
and a hundred miles from the coast , I
camped one night with a party of Brit
ish ofllcors who were out on a hunt.
The leader of the party , and the best
shot and the bravest man in it , was
Major Curtiss , a man about forty years
old. He bail killed more wild animals
than any white man in the province.
Armed only with a revolver , ho had
entered a bungalow in which a mur
derer was concealed and taken him
away from a crowd of his friends and
delivered him over to justice. On a bet
of 25 ho had swam the river amid the
alligators , and ho would stand for the
rush of a tiger or the spring of a pan
ther with a laugh on his lips. They
said of the major that ho did not know
what fear was. Ho , perhaps , thought
so himself.
The camp was on the bank of the
river , and only a temporary one , and no
tents or covers were erected. Wo cat
around the fires until a late hour , smok
ing nnd yarning , and when wo rolled
ourselves up for sleep the major and I
wore only about four foot apart , with
nothing between us. The camp grow
silent at once , and everybody- was soon
sound asleep. I was just do/.ing olT when
I thought I detected the crawl of a snake
near me , but , after listening closely foi1
a minute , I concluded that it was a
lizard or insect. The air , the earth ,
the forobts and the waters of India 'are
full of animal life by day and by night.
A camp no sooner grows quiel titan wild
vats and mice , lizards , great beetles ,
and three or four sorts of squirrels
begin to pro : > pect around , while night
birds circle about and the wolf , fox ; ,
jackal , hyena , and other animals draw
near. Snakes are always to bo feared ,
but if cue started up at every sus
picious sound ho would never got tin
hour's sleep.
Daylight was just coming when I
opened my oye.s. I was on my left sfdo ,
turned toward thu major , and I noticed
that ho was on hi-i buck. Clo o beside
mo was a revolver , which I had slipped
out of its holster the night before that I
might ha\o it handy in case of need.
Not another toul in camp was yet
arou-cd , no far as I know , and I lay
listening to the noi cs in the surround
ing forest while daylight continued to
grow stronger. I was about to ariou ,
when I suddenly saw the head of a
Mirpcnt lift itself utiovo the .major's
breast and wave to and fro. 1 shut my
eyes for a few seconds and then opened
thorn to see the wime sight again. I
even tried it again nud u iiln. fearful
that I was doling , and not wishing to
believe what i plainly bav\ It cer
tainly vriis the head , of a venomous
serpent , a species closely rwombUitff
the American hIacksnaUoand as deadly
as any . erpant in India. It waved itrt
head and darted its tongue for a mo
ment , and then settle a back into its coll.
As soon as the head went down 1 felt for
my revolver and throw back the ham
mer. The cllekl click ! alarmed the
snake , as I know it would , but by the
time ho had elevated his head again I
had my arm outstretched and the inuz-
y.lo of my revolver within two foot of
him. it was a snap shot and had to bo
made on the Instant , and it was by pure
good luck that t sent a bullet through
his ugly head. Ho was writhing and
ing alMHtt as I sprang up , , and was
di'ad 03 I bunt over the Major.
The snake had crept out of the hushes
and upon the Major's breast early In the
night. It was not moro than midnight
when the latter awoke and found the
serpent celled up , and ho know that any
movement on his part would result in
certain death. For three hours and u
half he had rested on the broad of his
buck , never moving a muscle , with bin
eyes wldo open , and that serpent's bond
purl of the tiutonVing to and fro
within six inches of his face. When I
bout over him ho wns helpless. When
we got him oil the ground ho sank down
again and began to wcop , and it was
fully two hours before ho would talk to
u . The result of his experience wns
Unit ho became a perfect physical
coward , startled tit the slightest noise ,
nnd was ready to run from oven 11
house dog.
Rangoon Buy is infested with the
largest man-eating sharks on the coawt.
One season I was out for two weeks in n
small schooner with a party of en
gineers , hunters and fishers. We had
with us a Captain Scott , an ox-olllcor of
the army , and a man whoso reputation
for bravery extended over a largo dis
trict. On ono occasion ho followed n
native who had committed murder forty
miles into the interior , nnd took him
out of a village of excited people without
a man to buck him. Ho had thirty-four
tiger skins of his own killing , and once
when a band of live natives , each armed
with a creese , attacked him , ho drew
his cavalry sabre and killed three , and
drove the other two olT with wounds to
nurse. Ono day as wo lay on the west
Hide of the bay , swingingntourcnbloand
being within a hundred foot of shore , I
counted the snouts } of four iilligntorH be
tween us and the bank. Wo were hav
ing an nttur-dinnof smoke under the
awning , nnd I callwd tbo attention of
the crowd to the sauriaiiH. Captain
Scott got up with a laugh , throw away
his cigar , and , before any of us sus
pected what ho had in his mind , ho
sprang upon the rail and wont over
board anil swum ashore. We ran for our
rifles , hoping to frighten the monsters
oft , but he reached the bank in safety ,
rested for a couple of minutes , nnd then
swam back. There wasn't another
man of us who would have taken that
swim for all the jewels of Iho nabobs.
Three or four days later , as wo were
beating across the bay , the schooner
was capsized by a sudden squall. Two
white men and three natives were
drowned , and the rest of us managed to
get , on the schooner's bottom and hang
to the koel. The squall soon passed ,
but a breeze from the north drove us
down the bay and brought n lumpy sea.
Pretty soon the sharks gathered. If
there was one there were live hundred ,
and they hod no fear of us. They took
off u white man and another native , and
some of the largest sprang out of water
until they rested half their length on
the bottom of the craft. Strangely
enough , Captain Scott was the first to
exhibit terror and to break down.
Within half an hour after the accident
happened lo us wo were compelled to
seize hold of him to keep him with usa ul
such was his four that ho almost lost his
mind. We were rescued in about an
hour , but the captain was done for. Ho
was almost a wreck. A boy , ton years of
age , armed with a stick , could have put
him to flight , and if a honeybee or wasp
alighted near him ho would scream like
n child. The first man was bravo be
cause ho had always fought with a
woax | > n. and realized' Unit ho had the
advantage. The second man lost hii
nerve when taken at a disadvantage.
The third was n coward as soon as dis
armed.
I was present several years ago at an
execution in Havana. A Cuban patriot
they called 'cm guerrillas had been
captured in the mountains after a long
hunt. He had killed with his own hand
over thirty men. Ho had fired dozens
of plantation buildings , helped torture
my planters , and ho killed negroes so
often that ho did not cut a notch for
their death. He had the characteristic.- )
of a tiger. Ho would kill where other
men would spare.
Ho had hud many hnnd-lo-haiul lights
with thi' regular troops , and no ton of
them would have dared attempt his
capture. On one occasion ho had put a
squad of thirteen Spanish Holdiors to
flight , nnd on another ho captured a
squad of live who had been loft to guard
. \ path and cut the throat of every man.
I visited him in jail in company with
the British consul. Although ho was
loaded down with chains and kept behind -
hind burs which an tili-pliant could not
have wrenched iiwny , everybody wits
afraid of him. Ho was reckless and de-
tktnt to the last , and delighted to call
out the names of his victims and relnto
how ho had disposed of each one.
I got pot-mission to bo present when
the guerrilla was shot. Ho was tnkon
from tbo prison in the gray of
the morning by a large body of
soldiery ami conducted to the military
target shoot , over a mile away. _ Ho
was roaring defiance when hoonmo into
thu open air , and ho kept it up until the
iilaco of execution wan reached. Then
ho suddenly grow calm , and hud no
sooner boon placed in front of his collln
than he broke down and hogged and
pleaded in a way to touch the heart.
Ho offered to betray his comrades , do
anything on earth , to preserve bis life ,
ami ho was groveling in the dirt when
the bullets of the firing squad put an
end to his life.
At Kurt
Detroit Free ProsIt : was an ox-con-
federate soldier at SbeJIlold , Ala. , who
was giving HOIIIO of his oxpurlonccs at
the battle of Fort Donolson. Ho wns
an olliccr and had n young colored man
for IMS cook. When the confederates ,
or the great bulk of themdecided , aftOr
a hot light , to withdraw from thu fort ,
the captain looked around for hid serv
ant , but the hegro was nowhere to bo
scon. The olllcor mounted a log and
called out in loud tones for his norvant ,
and pretty soon wan answered , but in
such faint tones that ho could not for
awhile locate the cook. C'a'bitr finally
made it plain that ho was in the log
under the olllcer'b feet , and was ordered
to come out.
" ' " ho shouted in .
"Can't do it ! reply.
"iJut you 7miKt. The light is all over. "
"itut I can't dur's fo'white men in
dls log bohlncl inul"
And when the olllcor investigated ho
found that such wan the fact. They
crawlKhcd out , one alter another , each
having an excuse to urge , and dually
the darky appeared. The olllcer was
about to open on him , but Cicsar pro-
tuntod : .
"Donn1 say ono word. Dls nr' Ho fust
tiniH I obor got ahead of a white man ,
an1 it's gwine to bo do worry last. Do
nux1 font wo hnv , I'/e gwinc to lot de
while man hov do hull log tohlssolf , UK *
look fur a hole in du ground ! " .