Nebraska Newspapers

    5PKE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SUNDAY DECEMBER 30. ISSQ.-SIXTEEN PAGES.
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N. ] ' . KRIIi NotnnI'llbllc. .
on Tuesday , January 1 , a
Bpcclul train , chartered exclusively by
Tin : BHK , for the conveyance of its
morning edition to its patrons between
this city and Denver , will leave Omaha
by the Burlington & Missouri railroad
ntli.'iO daily for Platlsnioiith , where it
will make close connection with the
' 'Burlington Flyer" for Denver.
Undertaken nt an outlay of one thous
and dollars per month , exclusive of ex
press charges for the delivery of our
papers at points west of Plattsmouth ,
the magnitude of this enterprise cannot
fail to bo appreciated.
It is not expected that the expense
incurred can bo mot by ttio profits from
increased circulation. But Tun BKB
has the satisfaction of being' the first
paper west of Chicago that has ventured
to charter a daily newspaper train in
order to insure a more speedy distri
bution of its circulation than could bo
had through the ordinary mail service.
TIIK pugilists of America should fol
low the example of the actors in de
manding protection against foreign
competition. Tlio clean knock out of
Jack McAulilTo at the hands of Jackson ,
the Australian giant , at San Francisco ,
is evidence that the home industry can
not stand up against the iinportoU ar
ticle.
IT makes one's blood tingle with pa
triotic emotion to road of the gallant
way in which our bravo Jack tarri
cleared the decks of the Galena for ac
tion right under the nose of Haytt'a
battlements. Yon , even though Haytl
wore half her size , not a cheek would
liavo blanched in taking away the de
tained American steamer.
UNDKU the charter the now city coun
cil will have to organize on Nojv Year's
day. The provision relative to the or
ganization of the council is embodied
in section 111 , which reads as follows :
All council men's terms of ofllco shall , after
1837 , commence tlio llrst Tuesday in Jauti-
nry next sucrccdliiK tlio day of election ,
upon which day they shall assemble together
uud orpuni/.o the city council.
OWINO to the neglect of congress to
pass in time the necessary appropria
tion , the navy department will not Bond
out an expedition to observe the total
eclipse of the sun which will occur on
Now Year's day. The appropriation
was not made until just before the re
cess , although it had been * urged for
homo time , and as the expedition was to
K to Novadn , ton days was too short a
period in which to got together the
necessary instruments and equipments
'nnd make the trip. As a consequence
of this congressional neglect , in a mat
ter involving an expenditure of only
live thousand dollars , the government
will have to depend upon private enter
prise for a ropoi-t of this very Important
bciontitle observation.
IT.CVINO summoned the bureau of
ethnology to his aid , Congressman
Bprlngor will propose to christen the
territories that may become states with
names expressive nnd euphonious. In
this matter the chairman of the house
committee on territories is likely to en
counter opposition from the people of
some of the territories , It is question
able whether n majority of those of
South Dakota will bo will bo willing to
accept "Winonn , " however poetically
expressive it may bo. There is a com
mercial value in the name Dakota
which the people may hesitate
to take the oliunco of impairing ,
if they can help themselves. It
Is even moro probable that the people
ple \Vnshington territory will vigor
ously resent the proposition to call the
intended now state by any other than
the proud and inspiring name of the
territory , of which they are wnr-
rnntably jealous , and which mnyalso bo
Bald to possess tv commercial value. As
to renaming Now Mexico , the people of
that territory would doubtless accept
anything to secure statehood , but will
the people nt largo think well of naming
a state after a foreign barbarian ruler ,
Monta/.uinn , who was by no moans a
beautiful character ? Mr. Springer is
getting a good deal of notoriety out of
this territorial business , but it remains
to bo seen whether ho will achieve
much lasting fame ,
OMAHA JA" tSSS.
Omn.ha baa reason to congratulate
herself at the close of 1833 upon an ex
hibit of most suMantlnl prosperity.
No city in America of eqtml pop
ulation can point to such solid
growth during the present year.
The history of this year's growth , as re
lated through carefully compiled mu
nicipal and commercial statistics in
this issue of TIIK BII : : , affords the most
gratifying proofs thatOinahn now ranks
with the leading commercial centers of
the country , and is destined to become
the largest city between the great lakes
nnd the Pacific coast.
During the year just closing , Omaha
has expended a grand total of $9,703,810
for public improvements , mills , fac
tories , packing houses , school build
ings , business blocks and dwelling
houses. This amount , subdivided ,
represents $1,087,190 , expended for
building improvements undertaken
and paid for by private cntcr-
pribo , $1,978,060 for public improve
ments carried on by the city nnd
county , 82,418,050 for public improve
ments undertaken by railway com
panies , waterworks and gas companies ,
cable , electric motor and hot-so rail
way , $ iiOu,800forcluu-chos , school houses
and hospitals.
There wore constructed in Omaha
during the year ' _ ' ,8SO buildings of every
description , of which 71o tire located in
South Oimiha.
The most exact rellex of the
volume of business transacted in
Omalia may bo found in
the clearing house record , and the
capital and deposits of our bunking in
stitutions. The bank clearings for the
year aggregate 317o,10G-170 , which is a
very satisfactory exhibit as compared
with the clearings of 18S7 , which aggre
gated $ M7,4M , 1-18.71 , and those of 1880 ,
which aggregated $ n:5,7Ji,8S5. : ) :
For more than a year Omaha has
ranked third among the pork packing
centers of the United States. The
South Omaha stock yards and packing
houses , established only five years agro ,
have given employment to several
thousand workingmcn , and since trans
formed the suburb .of South Omaha
into a manufacturing and trading
center of more than ten thousand popu
lation.
The jobbing trade of Omaha during
the year has kept pace with the growth
of the city , and the productive region
tributary to Omaha. - The sales of our
wholesale dealers and commission
houses during the year aggregate
'
$10,6(55,000. (
In view of the fact that in
dustrial stagnation always prevails in
: i presidential campaign year , Omaha
can well afTord to bo satisfied with the
progress she has-iaado during 1838.
FOHEIOX'
The preparations making for the in
augural ceremonies at Washington on
the fourth of next March , promise that it
*
will be 0110 ol the most imposing dis
plays over scon in this country. There
will be a great parade , in which nearly
every state in the union will bo repre
sented ; there will bo a grand inaugu
ral ball with a somewhat exclusive at
tendance , and there will bo other inci
dents and demonstrations to distinguish
the occasion , both extraordinary and
extravagant. Tlio cost of all this pomp
atul pageantry in the inauguration of a
president of the greatest republic
in the world's history , whoso ex
ample to the nations should bo that of
moderation and simplicity , will bo not
loss than ono hundred thousand dollars.
Thus the republic will enter upon the
second century of its constitutional ex
istence with an extravagant display
wholly out of character with its under
lying principles , justilied by no con
sideration of necessity or expediency ,
and repugnant to the spirit of republi
canism in being an imitation of the
pageantry'and extravagance of Euro
pean courts.
We have noted ono protest against
this proposed display , and there ought
to be many. Very likely they would do
little present good , but they would
show a po'pulnr reprobation of such unro-
publican demonstrations und inexcus
able extravagance as might command
respect in the future. Wo are steadily
drifting farther away from the simplic
ity , prudence and moderation which
marked the earlier days of the republic
und the tendency is pregnant with dan
ger. Wo cannot with safety follow the
lines of European governments in af
fairs where European policy demands a
display of sovereign pomp and grandeur.
The etTeot of such a course cannot bo
favorable to the growth of republican
ideas , or to the cultivation of a true
patriotism. The millions of our people
to whom the struggle for subsist
ence is hard and bitter will
not think bettor of repub
lican government because it can
vie with monarchies in public display
nnd extravagance. If wo do not soon
put a chock upon the course wo tire pur
suing in this respect it may in time be
come a cause of popular protest in a
form more forcible than words.
Thomas Joll'erson sot an example
which it would have boon well if all
later presidents had followed. The
ceremonies attending his inauguration
wore only those necessary to conform to
constitutional requirements. Most of
the earlier presidents wore inducted
into ofllce with modest nnd inexpensive
publie demonstrations. But with the
growth of wealth in the country there
has grown a desire foru pomp nnd
pageantry , .while the enlarged power
of the presidential ofllco in
the bestowal of patronage has appeared
to give the citizen who is to occupy it a
greater claim to grand and imposing
demonstrations of the popular regard.
Did not tlio politicians , however , expect
to derive some personal advantage from
such demonstrations they would bo no-
tnhlo for no such extravagance ns has
characterized them for many years.
The president-elect cannot otnulito
the example of Thomas Jefferson , how
ever willing to do so ho might bo. Ho
must , to a certain extent at least , sub
mit to the conditions as ho shall find
them. But it Is not improbable that ho
foejs as strongly ns anybody that there
is need of reform in this matter , and
would bo among the foremost in promoting
meting It.
PROPESS10XA I , PKOTESTS.
The appeal of certain actors for an
amendment to the immigration laws
providing for the protection of Ameri
can actors against the competition of
foreign professionals is meeting with an
opposition from soiu-con that must ma
terially reduce whatever little force it
at first posscssnd. Mr. Joseph JolTorson ,
nt whoso reported endorsement wo expressed -
pressed surprise , has published a cant
in which ho says he regards the move ns
unwise nnd positively differs with its
projectors. Mr. Florence in tin intor-
torviow also disapproves of the appeal ,
which ho characterizes as degrading
to American actors. A Now York
paper a few days ago devoted a page to
interviews of authors , actors , "llrst-
iiight"'pluygocr3 , and others interested
in the drama , the consensus of whoso
opinion was that the authors of this ex
traordinary move had made a mistake
which would bring American actors
into ridicule and contempt.
It is not at all probable that the ap
peal will be pressed , and If it should bo
the chance of Its receiving any atten
tion from congress is extremely small.
But it has not boon without value in
giving opportunity for a discussion of
the relative merits of native and
foreign actors , and of the meth
ods and condition of 'the American
and European stage * . It is hardly pos
sible that the discussion can fail to beef
of good effect , since it shows that the
American stage is very much in need
of improvement , and that the art of act
ing in the United Status is steadily de
generating. It has compelled the ad
mission that foreign actors are better
trained , are more diligent and puins-
takin > r , and consequently do generally
bettor work. And the explanation of
HUH superiority is found in the dilTeront
method that prevails abroad , which re
quires that those who adopt the profes
sion of acting shall begin at the founda
tion. The only protection that Amer
ican actors will got or ought to have
is that which is derived from
an equally high order of intelligence
and ability and an equally conscientious
devotion to their art with that of foreign
actors. Having this , with the advan
tage of nativity , American actors need
fear no competition.
RAITKOAI > construction in Iowa this
year has been less than in any year of
the past eleven , with the exception of
1885 , but it has been larger than the
railroads organs have represented it to
be. These have claimed that thcro
wore but live miles of road constructed
in Iowa during the first half of the year ,
whereas the official figures show that
there were fifty-five miles. It is esti
mated that at least an equal mllciago
was constructed during the last half of
the year , so that the total increase in
the state for 18S8 will bo about ono hun
dred and ten miles. The Davenport &
Dakota road is being pushed rapidly
forward , thcro is a "belt line"
projected at Dos Moines , and in
dications point to the early construction
of the Sioux line through the state
from north to south. The extension of
Iowa's railroad system is not likely to
bo in the future as rapid as it has been ,
not because of any adverse legislation ,
but for the reason that the state is al
ready gridironed by five trunk line
systems. At the beginning of the year
there was one mile to every six and
seven-tenths square miles of total area ,
or ono mile to every two hundred and
eleven inhabitants computed by the
state census of 18S5. Any marked in
crease of railroad construction in Iowa'
in the near future is consequently not
to bo oxpoctcd , but tlio organs of the
corporations will continue to harp upon
the decline of railroad building in
Iowa.
TIIK newspapers of Chicago , Boston
und New York have , during the past
few days , interviewed a largo number
of their local shippers and business men
on the subject of the interstate Miw. It
is significant that the majority appear
to favor its repeal. The reason for this
is not hard to find. The opinions are
far from representing the views of the
business community at largo. They
come principally from a class of ship
pers for whoso special benefit unjust
discrimination were so long practiced
by the railroads before the interstate
law forbade it. The Armours , of Chicago
cage , the Standard Oil company , of Now
York nnd the sugar roilners of Boston
were just the kind of shippers who were
receiving rebates nnd special rates
from railroads tit the expense of less
powerful business competitors. Against
this class the interstate law was especi
ally enacted. It is not to bo wondered
tit that these favored patrons find fault
with the interstate law und call for Us
repeal. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
total eclipse of the sun which
takes place January 1 , and which will
bo seen to the best advantage only iu
California , has oxeitod considerable in
terest in astronomical circles. The ob
servatories of Harvard and other insti
tutions will have representatives in Cali
fornia to co-oporato with the LIclcjistro-
nomers in taking observations. The sci
entific interest in the ocllpso will bo to
make n study of the corona , and to find
out what forces counteract the sun's
gravity sufilciently to hinder the
tongues of flame observed in every
eclipse from falling back into the sun.
VOICI3 OP THE 8TAT13 PIIHSS.
The Scmiyler Hoarld wonders "whether
our state legislature will reduce the present
exorbitant freight rates , "
The Wymoro Reporter behoves that "Gago
county ahould bo sot apart as a Judicial dis
trict of itself. It will roqulro the full time
of ouo Judge to keep the docket reasonably
clear of cases. "
The Fairmont Signal booms Hou. John A.
Dempster tor speaker , and says : "Tho open
and manly stand tuiton by tiim , and his excel
lent record , without a stain , in the last legis
lature hai boVhb * abundant fruit among tlio
representative ; } of the people. Ills Integrity
is unimatlnble , Ids ability unquestioned , and
ho is trno to tlffe fteoplo. "
The Norfolk 'ftijws probably thinks it tclh
the truth when It ays that "Omnlm will see
nothing but vlrtuo In UIB coming legislature
if It will only glvp the poor metropolis that
lonROil-for chtirtfer. "
In mentioning tlio appointment ot Judge
Crawford as di < ttiursiii niont for the Omaha
Indians , tbo Frdmont Tribtmo accuses Pres
ident Cleveland and Secretary Vilns with
breaking faith with tlio Nebraska delegation
jn congress and the Indians. Tlio Tribtmo
ventures to predict that Mr. Crawford will
not , hold the Job Very long after the -ItU of
' March.
The Nebraska City News makes the SUR-
Kcstion : "I'rof. Hillings will confer an liioi-
timablo benefit on Nebraska by iiiuoculatmg
With his cholera virus cuch of the appropria
tion committees In the next legislature. His
scientific results on the hog herds In Sewurd
and Richardson counties duplicated on legis
lators und himself would much atonement
ninko for former sms. "
The Grand Islam ! Independent behoves
that "All the talk about Miindorson beltii ;
the 'unanimous choice of the people' U
moro nonsense. There are hundreds of inon
hi Nebraska , either ono of whom , -if chosen
to Mamlerson's ' position , would bo equally as
satisfactory to the pcoplo of Nebraska , The
state will move alnng nil right whether Mun-
dnrson succeeds himself or not. "
According to the St. Paul Press the "indi
cations now are that the caiulng session of
the legislature will be the most extravagant
in appropriating the people's ' money of any
cvor before known. There are , alrcailv many
'lino fat Jobs' uonltMiipliitud , mid , If carried
out , the per cent of Nebraska improvements
will be absorbed in the payment of hign
taxes and an increase of farm mortgages. "
Tito Howclls Journal doesn't bulievo the
Union I'acilio deserves an extension of time
upon its indebtedness to the government ,
and gives as a reason the fact that this road
has "for yenrs overcharged the people of
this state , and has paid no regard to law or
the Just rights of the people. lAr the good
of the country traversed by the road , it is
probably boiler that the tlmo uskoil by the
company should bu granted. "
The greedy soramblo among the preachers
to see who can pray for thu legislature this
winter impresses the Uoatrico Democrat as
one of the dis-justing evidences of the do-
gnnerncy of the times , nail It "recommends
the Nebraska law matters to the Salvation
army. The scramble among the ministers Is
onlv equaled by the pressure of the pretty
girls who want , to got clerkships , or tlio
political strikers that want to prey , also ,
upon the state. "
The Spriiigllold Monitor notes the fact that
Mayor Uroutuh has refused to permit glove
contests in Omaha and commends him for
the stand ho lias taken , "as thc c affairs tire
but another name for prize-light 8 and .should
not bo countenanced by the authorities of
any city. As long as they are looked upon
with tlio least degree of favor they will con
tinuoto bo patronized and men will continue
to itmko brutes o themselves for the sake o f
the plaudits of the depraved class of persons
that patronize such places. "
The Nebraska City Press is sure there "is
a Hnechanco for. some ambitious Nebraska
legislator to distinguish himself by intro
ducing a bill ' 'fling away with the pass sys
tem on railroads and making it a felony for
any state ofllcial to accept a pass or frou passage -
sago within the state limits. The general
law has only to do with intcr-stato trans
portation , rand there are very few , if any ,
members of the .state legislature who are not
traveling free to-day , anywhere and on any
road they please in Nebraska. Even if such
a bill did not puss , it "would bo interesting to
the peoulo to sco what the vote on it would
be. "
Plenty of Thorn Would Take It.
Afu > Yttris Journal nf Cumincrcc.
An active , experienced newspaper man
would make the ideal postmaster general.
One Thiim That Is Settled.
fldlcsliuro Iteulstcr.
You may safely bet your buttons that when
General Harrison sits witb his cabinet his
place will bo at the head of the table.
Ho Known What Hurt Him.
The man who expects President Cleveland
to issue a civil service reform proclamation
is the tineturo of freshness. The subject of
zuules to the person who was kicked to death
by ono loses its charm.
Ily the Slow
I'htlailclphta Press.
The reports from Stanley are encouraging ,
but they are also nieagro nnd tardy. They
are ns much behind time us if they had been
sent by Don Dickinson's demoralised postal
service.
They Need I'rnyur So Slueh , Too.
Ilialim Hernltl.
It Is something of u consolation to the
chaplain of the house that ho is blind. Oth
erwise ho would fool discouraged at the
small number of congressmen who are on
hand ut prayors.
The Aniiniil Mugwump.
Ktw Yuri ! Sim.
Ought the tariff duty on horses to bo the
same as the tariff duty on mulcsi Is it.dcslr-
able that mulcH shall bo imported ns frcoly
as horses ! A tnulo Is a mugwump. Ilia rates
should bo prohibitive.
The Trust in
San Frcincfsfi Alia ,
\Vliy not unite all the big churches in a big
trust ? It is the fashion. Why not follow it f
If the trust U so good a thing in all other
aitairri , why will it not work in the most seri
ous of all human concerns (
Admit Only Aiiioriean Territories.
Cleveland Leader.
As a people wo can take warning from Ne
vada and bo careful' about admitting anymore
moro states Into tie ) union In great haste.
Now Mexico must wait until she can become
tin American territory In nil that the word
Implies.
Tlio Dy'liiK Year.
till lM\Xl \ llnMihies.
Over the strings of my harp to-day
Floats a song that it * half a sigh ,
Like a sound of leaves whoa the wind
swoops by.
Like the sound of breakers far away ,
As they beat nnd sob ,
As they beat and throb ,
Till I hear a voice iiftho distant roar
On that lovely stretch of sandy bhoro ,
Over the string's of my harp to-day
Floats u song for tUp dying year
A song that thrllltt with an unshed tear
Thro' the winter twilight , cold and gray ,
As the breakers sob ,
AH the breakers throb.
And I hoar that voice with Us old refrain ,
For the days that never como back again.
Over the strings of my burp to-day
Floats a song for my sweet , lost youth
For , O , I would give in very truth
Riches and fume and power uway
To a ream once moro
These bright dreams o'er ,
"It la vain regret , " sighs that old refrain ,
For the days that never como back agatu.
Over the strings of my harp to-day
Floats a song for the dying year ;
A song that thrills with an unshod tear ,
Like the sound of brcakors far away
How they boat and sob I
How they boat and throb I
And I hear that voice with its old refrain ,
For the days that never como back again.
CUURI2NT TOPICS.
The advocates for rational dress for women
do not spctu to inako much headway. They
liava novcr been able to enlist the services ol
any man , and have not done much by tholr
pwa unaided energies. The divided skirt
may bo nil very well , though to the mnscu-
lluo mind it Is suggestive of tbo peculiar
garment of the Spartan women , which for
its Indiscreet suggestions of loveliness left
the costume of the Incroynblos absolutely in
thi shaJe. Hut < t Is noteworthy tlmtthoso
who advocated the divided skirt upon the
ground that it gives much greater freedom
of motion , do not in their own persons provo
its necessity or its utility. They are. not
workers. Some of them nro Kntrlish count
esses , some of tlioin are American lecturers ,
some of them .ire cosmopolitan adventurers ,
but none of them are workers. The papers
are full of accounts of women who chop un
numbered cords of wood , und whn ride won
derful ponies , nnd raise largo crops of some
thing or other. Probably half of these state
ments are manufactured' by writers ns a
stimulus to womanly energy , but at least
llfty percent are genuine. Tlieso miracles
of museul.irity and Industry do not Hnd their
efforts impeded by an undivided skirt , nnd it
Is morally certain that if it had been 1111 Im
pediment , tt would have beeu. divided long
ago. Tlu.s being so , In the logical mind of
the tyrant man , the question drops. Hut
those who maintain it do not care for logic ,
which H u thing they altogether dispense
with. They are rich , they are Kite , they have
exhausted the pleasures of soeiety.und it gives
them the semblance of an occupation , ami
the appearance of mental .superiority , uud so
they continue to pose as dress reformers. All
a right , as the Frenchman said. Amuse
yourselves.
*
*
Thnro U a Harbors' union In Omulin , but
what it Is for cannot oven be conjectured by
an outsider. It is certain that there is no
unity of action with regard to the price of a
shave , for some charge 10 cents , and some
15. This seems a trilling matter , but it
serves to show the chaotic condition of labor
mutters. There should bo but one price , ami
it Is for the Harbors' union to say whether
that price shall be 10 or 15 cents. At present
the publie mind Is In a conflict , and jio ono
Knows whether the shavers or the shaved are
mulcted. If the price is llxed tit 10 cents ,
then those who have hitherto paid 15 will
feel that their great wrong has been righted ,
and if the price is llxed nt 15 cents , these
patrons who have hitherto paid only 10 will
no doubt feel happy that the barbers who
have shaved them so satisfactorily In the
past will for the future get what is duo In
them. Action on tlio part of the Harbors'
union also would have a stimulating effect on
other trades unions that are in the same
boat , and have allowed serious iiuostions to
remain unsettled for want of moral courage
to taoklo them. At the same time wo hear
of the most causeless strikes , for whicli the
unions always seem ready , whilst they nro
ready for nothing else.
* *
It seems that our common table utensil , the
spoon , antedated the knife in the household
of prehistoric man. As the ancient Romans
used round spoons , the counterpart of these
which are fashionable for the salt collar , it
would have been natural enough if the
spoons ot prehistoric man had been of the
Same shape. Hut some which have been
found recently in the Lacustrine dwellings in
northern Italy , were precisely the shape
used by ourselves , and of baked clay. Two
si/.os were found , ono that of an ordinary ta
ble spoon , the other of u pot ladle. The
question arises for what purposes were these
spoons made , and It is highly probable that
it was for the consumption of hasty pudding
or furmety , which was a species of cracked
wheat. The Lncustrlun folk were agricul
turists , and possessed domestic animala , but
their food was principally cereals , and their
'condition must have greatly resembled that
of a Slavonic communistic village of the
present time. They had milk and they had
meal , nnd they had the wild honoyof the
woods , so that they did not fare very badly.
Ono of their tables has been found. It was
the round section of : i tree , a foot thick , and
there were hollows in it burned out with lire ,
which wcrp plainly the receptacles for the
food , whatever it was. The. spoons of the
Anelo-Saxoas were made of wood , for the
word means not only a culinary utensil , but
it also meant a silver of wood made for
writing purposes. In the poem of Tristan
and Ysoult , it is expressly stated that the
lover wrote verses on light Imden spoon ,
in runes , ami that ho cast them in the
river and they floated. down to the lovcress
who gathered them in.
*
#
There seems to bo considerable difference
of opinion with regard to the acts of the
Alaska Commercial company , nnd some dis
interested individuals are making n stout
light for thorn. Hut the question is not
whether they have made u practice of soil
ing whisky to the Indians , or whether the
men in their employ have not torn young In
dian girls from their homes for the basest
purposes. These charges have been made by
irresponsible parties , and they are the kind
of falsa accusationthat would bo resorted to
by blackmailers who wuro desirous of creat
ing public opinion adverse to the company.
If there was nothing else against the Alaska
Commercial company than this it would bo
beneath the dignity of congress to take any
notice of the matter. For common BOIBO
shows that this company under the peculiar
circumstances in whicli it is placed , having
to rely almost entirely upon the natives for
its furs , and for its general labor , would bo
compelled to exercise the most rigorous
supervision over the morals of its white
agents und its Indian servants. Hut the
charges against tlio Alaska Commercial
company , formulated oniciully in his report ,
nnd made by the governor of Alaska , were
that they were endeavoring to create an ab
solute monopoly in the territory , and that
they prevented the uoveloinnent of private
enterprise , and that no man could mine or
traftlc with the Indians , or buy land , or do
anything in short without their royal per
mission. That's what's the matter with thu
Alaska company , and the enemies of monopoly
ely must not allow bogus charges to bo made
that may bo triumphantly refuted , ana so
enable the company to secure a renewal of
their contract with the United .Stales.
*
*
Chemists go on saying that aluminium is
the coining metal , and that it will in tlmo
displace Iron , but it does not como for all
that , and ladles who Interest themselves in
their , kitchens have begun to despair of cover
getting It. Aluminium presents Itself to the
ordinary cyo us alum , and as aluminous clay ,
commonly called blue-ball , from Its color. It
is also present in amethysts and emeralds ,
anil in fact , Is about as widely distributed as
could bo desired. Hut it Is not easy to ob
tain it in n metallic form , and at present it
costs ut wholesale $500 a ton , The time has
not yet come , therefore , whoa It can bo util
ized for pots and pans and kettles , which is
the point desired. For It Is absolutely the
lightest of the metals , being not much
heavier than water , and only a third the
weight of iron , When hammered it becomes
very hard , and it truces n high polish.looks
llko silver and does not tarnish. It would
therefore replace iron most advantageously
In the kitchen , and a young wife's heart
would swell with pride as she looked around
upon her aluminium utensils ranged tn order ,
all looking us If they had Just boon brought
homo from the silversmith's , A steak
broiled upon nil aluminium gridiron , nnd
served piping hot upon an aluminium pinto
woulu reclaim the most Hohomlan husband.
Fish boiled In an aluminium pot , would preserve -
servo its natural lluvor , and would bring
tears to the eyes of an epicure. In fact
without partlcularizutlan , it is bollevod that
cooking will be oil a now piano when alum-
fuiuta is cheap. JJut when will it bo cheap I
THEATERS OF THE OLDEN TIM !
The Actora Hnd to Lnbor Uudo
Mnny DlsndvnntngoB.
SHAKESPEARE , THE KING
Gallantry Won llliu tlto Knvor o
Queen Ileus Anachronisms la
8ti KC Settings niul Cost iiinua
Oorrlok UN Mnubcth.
Picked Up Ills Sovereign's Olovo.
In the oltl-tlmo tho.itors in Ku gland
snys Thomas .1. uowdltoh in the Troy
Tl lues , the Intrusion of spectators on
the stage. where they used to stand , lie
or sit , ereatly annoyed the actors and
injured the appearance and effect ol
tln > pcrformnuec. This was the ease
oven in Shakespeare's tiino and later.
There is a personal anecdote , generally
received as authentic , nrislntr onto
this very custom. It seems that Queen
Klixaheth went to the theater she and
her suite inert to sit on the stage , ttiero
being no place iu front where they
could bo so well accoininodnted. On
one occasion , the tradition runs , Kli/.u-
heth oceiiied | a sent on the slugo n lit
tle at the hide. That day Shakespeare
had to piny the part of u king , and the
genuine sovereign , who was personally
acquainted with him , resolving to see
whether she could put him out , threw
her glove down at his foot just as he
was spi-aking. Courtesy demanded
that in ease of a lady , aad that lady n
queen , the actor should pick up the
glove ; hut propriety required that if
this wore done it must bo with duo re
gard for the assumed character ho was
representing. Pausing in the middle
of a speech which ho was uttering
Shakespeare said , introducing a now
sentence of his own :
And though now bout on this high enter
prise ,
Vet stoop we to tnke up our sister's glove ,
At the bamo lime , suiting the action
to the words , the stage monarch picked
the glove up , and presenting it on
bended knee to the queen , received a
gracious bow from her in acknowledg
ment at once of homage and the actor-
uuthor'ri quick presence of mind.
In the theaters at that tiino the rule
was that the plays should conclude at
such an hour that the audience might
be able to return homo before sunset ,
and at least before dark. There were
no "reserved beats' " in Shakespeare's
time ; that is a very modern innovation ,
more honored in the breach than the
observance , introduced within the last
thirty years , to draw extra money out of
play-goers' pockets. It is practiced
very generally in our American thea
ters , opera houses , concert halls and
circuses. In the old theaters , when
Shakespeare acted a little and wrote a
great deal , there was only a single
'
trusty person to receive the' money at
the door for admission. In HIM , when
Ben Johnson's ' 'Bartholomew Fair" was
acted at a little theater called Hope , not
far from the place in which Shake
speare held several shares , the price
varied from 1to 60 cents.
KIJIST NIOIIT.
On the lirst performance of a play the
charges wore higher than usual. The
public had to pay for the novelty. In
the Fortune and in the Ked Bull ,
whicli were largo public theaters , there
were largo galleries , in which seats
were obtainable at fourpunco each ,
about S cents of our money. Even in
Shakespeare's tiino there wore many
galleries in some of the London thea
ters. and standing places in the yard
before benches were placed there for
the convenience of "the groundlings,1'
( ol whom llmnlot ppcaks most dispar
agingly in his well-known address to
the player * ) ! wore obtainable at one
penny each. Hi Shakespeare's time
( the close of the sixteenth and the
early years of the seventeenth century )
there were fourteen theaters in Lon
don ( including that one of the princi
pal ) within the Liberties of the LHack-
friars , on the northern bank of the
Thames , in which the Swan of Avon
had a largo proprietary interest , and
for which house , it is believed , ho
wrote exclusively. That Shakespeare
had a leading interest in the Black-
friars Ihcatar is a well-established fact.
There remains no detailed description
of that house , which was finally closed
when the Puritans obtained power , in
the venr 1017.
KXdljISII AXI ) KIMCN'CII KISATWUKS.
The price of admission to the best
rooms or boxes at Shnkspoaro's IJlnck-
friars theater was a shilling. Picked
seats for well-dressed ladies and gentle
men wore eighteen ponce. The charge
for a seat on the stage was an advance
above these prices. Voltniro , writing
about the abuses of the Krouch theater
in the eighteenth centurys says that
thisKtajre-oecupying system prevailed
in Franco , and mixedup the public and
the players in amostincoiivoniont man
ner. There was little comfort in the
practice for beaux aad holies generally
liad to shift as best they could upon lit
tle three-legged stools , because chairs
would occupy too much space. The
Globe theater , the great rival of Black-
friars , had two doors , one for the audi
ence and one ( in the rear ) for the play
ers. A row of strong wooden rails sep
arated the stage from the "yard" or
pit , the occupants of which hndnton-
ilency to gel on the stage and got mixed
up with the pot-formers. The outer
frame of the house , constriielud of lalh ,
plaster and timber , was square eighty
Tool eacli way. There remained not
quite thirteen feet each side of the
quadrangle for the boxes , galleries and
stairs in front of the stage and lor the
'tiring room and other apnrlmonts be
hind it. The stage was 15 ! feet wide ,
which left it feet on each side of It , and
the depth was -10 feet. The roof was of
tiles , but the yard ( pit ) , right in front
of the stage , was not covered in , but ex
posed to the weather. This was ono of
Lho best of the Kli/nbothan theaters ,
mil very shabby and inconvenient it
must have been ,
In Shakespeare's time the high nobil
ity who frequented the theaters of
which Queen Klimboth and King James
wore personal patrons used to give
their cast-oil" clothes to the putyers , and
thus the stage costume was old-fash
ioned and conventional. Shakespeare
did not trouDlo himself about dates or
costume. There is no fixing dates to
plays like "Hamlet , " "Othello" nnd
"Mitcbolh. " The traditional Hamlet
wore a Vnmlyho dress of the tiino of
Charles I. , "though the tragical his
toric" of his life and death , from which
Shakespeare drew the plot of his play ,
was written in the twelfth century by
Save Grammntlcus , the historian of the
Danish kings and heroes. Boltorton ,
the tragedian of the London btago two
centuries back , played Hamlet for fifty
years , acting in the broad lace collar of
the time.
HOW THKV DHKS8KD.
In departed dnys actresses dressed
rather absurdly. The noble Homnn In
dies and distressed wives and romantic
heroines of Mrs. Pritchard , Mrs. YntcH
und Mrs. Slddons wept and swooned in
loops , long fatlir stays , piles of powdered
hair and feathers. Lee Lewis "Gun-
tlpntnn Lewis" ho was called in 1600
took the part of Hippotitus , the son of
Theseus , not in Greek costume , but in n
silk jacket , knee breeches , tight boots
nnd a court sword. "Woodward , ono of
the old-time actors , plnyod Morcutio in
a gold-lncod , throo-cornored , cocked
hat , n velvet coat , gold-buckled shoos
nnd a muslin cravat , with point of Flanders -
dors ends. His laced waistcoat cnmo
down over his thighs , and
into ono of his great pouch-
pockets Ins hands , ns , with n linger
of the other hand knowingly to his
nose , ho begun the famous line , "Oh ,
then 1 see Queen Mab hath boon with
you ! " As Macbeth , who was a real his
torical person , slain about the year 10(10. (
Mr ; Gnrriok wore the dress of n general
otllcer rod coat , while breeches , heavy
boots up to his knees , powdered Hntnll-
lies wig , cooked hat and regulation
sword , belt nnd sash. Such were some
of the tinaehronlsms in stage costumes
In old times.
In the London theaters in Slinks-
ponro's time the nudiotiee used to amuse
themselves with reading , enrd-pla.vlng ,
drinking and smoking before and 'tim
ing the performance. It is stated in
"llentyer's Travels In Kngland" iu 18" > 0
"In these theaters fruits such asapplos ,
pears and nuts , according to the season
are carried about to bo sold , as well
as nle and wine. " Tobacco was largely
used , oven by persons sitting on the
stage , and even ladles sometimes smoked
while they listened and looked. As for
the nuts , the prologue "for the court , "
before Ben Jousou's "staple of News , "
speaks of
The vulgar sort
Of mtt-cr.iclcers , who only come for sight
One Trust Itiul
7 > cmVr lleinilillean ,
There is already one electric trust in the
United States , tin- power of which the pco
pie would like to see broken. It Is the West
ern Union Telegraph company , which has
fastened itself upon this country like a gi
gantic octopus. It seems next to Impossible
to break its power. 11 absorbs rival com
panies and prevents legislation against it.
, It would bo unfortunate If another iiiHtitu
lion of this character were to grow out of
Vlllnnl's scheme.
IMtOMlMONT PKI5SON9.
Alphonso n.unlet Is nearly sixty years of
age , but does not look It by at least ten
years.
Miss-Harriot Hosiner advises art students
gotng'Xbroad to study sculpture ut Rome and
painting nt Paris.
Harriet Heccher Stowc still continues in
good physical health. She Is somewhat
stronger mentally than she was a few weeks
ago.
General Harrison. Senator Sherman an.I
Governor Foniker have been elected lion
orarv members of the Amcrlcus club , of
Pittsburg.
Mine. Marie Geistlngcr , the famous Ger
man actress , well known in this country , is
reported iiying in Khigenfurt , Switzerland ,
from the result of tin operation for cancer of
the eye-lid.
The German empress wears an apron at
home , as u token that who attends to the chil
dren and the cook , and doesn't meddle with
social ami political questions , nor nook to win
& place in the intellectual world ,
Attorney General Garland , whoso health
is seriously impaired , will settle in Washing
ton permanently after hla retirement from
ofllce. The genial climate of the capital was
the controlling reason far this decision.
Senator Sherman's friends are growing
more sanguine in their belief that he is to bo
In tlio cabinet. Senator Stewart says : "I
thinlc that Mr. Sherman will bo the next
secretary of state. In fact , I have no doubt
of it. " $ ' |
Ex-Speaker ICclfor , of Ohio , says that no 5 'J '
ollice in the country could tempt him to
again enter public life. Still , It is to bo
sincerely hoped that no temptation in tlio
shape of n nice little olllco with a fut salary
attached bo loft lying around loose iu his _
neighborhood. /
"Within the room , " says u ret-out visitor
to Mr. WhiHior , "on a comfortable lounge ,
under the window , a huge cut with unusu
ally long and soft yellow fur was sleeping.
Mr. Whittle- stood the creature on Its hind
legs to show his great height and informed ino
that this drowsy pet answers to the naino of
Rip Van Winkle. Van Winkle has liven
nine years , most of which tlmo ho has do.
voted to sleeping , and to sleeping there on
the lounge In the study at Oak Knoll. "
Itoar CollisioiiH.
The railway Gazette's record of train
accidents in November , given in the
current issue , includes 71 collisions , 70
derailments and 4 other accidents ; a
total of M5 accidents , in which 38 per
sons wore killed nnd 17 ! ) injured.
The comparison with November , 1887 ,
shows :
13S8. IBS' .
Roar collisions -10 5i !
Hutting collisions 3t lit
Crossing and other 10 2
Derailments 70 48
Other accidents 4 4
Total accidents M5 123
Employes killed y.l 'W
Others killed 13 5
Employes injured 100 S7
Others injured ( W 18
Passenger trains involved f > l 3J (
Average per day :
Accidents 4.b ! 4,17
Killed 1.27 l.lil
Injured _ . fi.77 3.60
Average per accident :
Killed 1.2(12 ( O.UIt
Injured 1 . ! * O.-ISO
Ucnr collisions constitute the mint
noteworthy class of accidents thin
month. A large share of accidents un
der this head every month result , un
doubtedly , from tlie btoppage or Black
ening of ti train on the open read ,
where either the following train is too
close to it or the llagnun in lir/.y about
gutting back ; but in most cases wo can
not state this explicitly fur lack of full
information. This month there are
nine cases about one every third day
where a train was stopped by a disabled
engine ot- other Kuddon and unexpected
cause , and a following train enmo up
behind and caused much damage. It
hardly scums likely that all those- nine
trains were followed too uo ! ely , and at
llrst thought one would nay that the
lltigiimn probably had enough tiino to
give an oll'cctual signal , but failed to
improve it ; but again whim wo rollcct
tliut there arc hundreds of those ciner-
guncy stoppages which occur to traiim
witlftwenty-llvo or llfty miles of clear
track behind them and to entail no
damage and are never hoard of , it In ap
parent that oven KO large a number
as nine may still hi : but a
Hinall proportion of the total num
ber of emergency stops , The brnko-
nion , as u whole , therefore , may ho no
worse than the engineers. A noticeable
feature of roar collision records in the
numlKJiof cases happening on roads
whose trnlllc In so small that one won
ders how two trains hanpcnod to be
upon tlio road at tin : samelimb. . Hut
the explanation lies , of course , in the
fact that tlio very thinness of tlio tralllo
engenders habits amongst the inou
which all the moro quickly involve
them in trouble when u little rush doc *
come.
It is as certain as tiny inferential rea
soning can be that such habits must bo
very common , and that if a road dis
graced by this Bortof accidents had a
rule to go back regardless ( if whether
any train IK duo or not , that rule must
be constantly violated. If luft to them
selves , trainmen will modify their ac
tion according to the nature of the train
behind thont and its nourncBs. If it in
desired to have them faithfully obo-
dlont to the rule they must bo watched
and trained by a person outside their
ranks , whoso fooling of sclf-inton'st
docs not come in to warp his judgment
or at least will warp it in tlio oppodlU
direction ,