Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, February 14, 1892, Part Two, Page 16, Image 16

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    THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SUNDAY , FEBRUARY M , 1892-SIXTEEN PAGES.
" ROUND ABOUT GIBRALTAR
Glowing Pictnros of the Famous Fortresa
And Historic Surroundings ,
"THE NORTHERN PILLAR OF HERCULES"
An Ktnlmttlril Mountain of Knell nnil tlio
Curious I.lttln City Tlmt Ncntlcs
at ltd llano Wnkc
liinu'ft Letter.
[ Copyr/oMcd / JK93.1
GintuiTAn , Jan. 20. [ Correspondence of
Tun Br.n.j I bellevo that ono of the great
est glories of Intelligent Americanism lies in
tbo tact that , ns a people , wo are receptive of
reasonable and Just Ideas , and are suscepti
ble of conversion from hereditary prejudice
nnd the moan and llttlo spirit of hatred nnd
envy toward another nation because ot any
superiority of policy or possession It may bo
great enough to pur&uo or enjoy.
This conviction came to rae moro over-
wholcmlngly than ever before ns wo steamed
away from the land of the Moors nnd took
our way across the strait toward the city and
KocK of Gibraltar. Upon this Northern Pil
lar of Hercules the English flag has floated
for 188 years. And 1 am glad of It ) glad that
Sir George Hookc , In the war of succession ,
was cunning and bravo enough to tnko It ;
tbat Iron hearted Elliott In the four years'
solgo was soldier enough to hold It against
tbo combined efforts of Franco nnd Spain ;
nnd that all the powars of Latin and Mussel-
man arms und diplomacy , with the cowardly
machlnatlotij of English traitors at home ,
have never availed to hand ever this key of
the whole Levant to Spanish or other posses
sion or retrogression ; because :
Just so longns England holds Glbrnltartho
trade of the Mediterranean nnd the east is
peacefully open not only to England but to
every nation of the earth with spirit enough
to compote for It ; and North America , whoso
English speaking and thinking pcopio now
wiou outnumber these of the motherland , in
common with Great Britain , In trade , In
travel and in nil these things tending to
wards tlio world's enlightenment und pro
gress , will otijoy through England's dogged
possession of Gibraltar , a common guarantee
of security and respect.
If , ns I havn done , you will tramp through
the provinces of Franco ; wnndernfoot from
Fldisterro by Vulladolid to Madrid and
thence across the Spanish Sierras to Barcelona
lena and the sea ; know Portugal from
Lisbon to tbe Mediterranean gates ; ,
idle among the peasants and
shepherds of Italy from the P.vronoos .o ro-
molsst Apullan shores ; tramp from Sicilian
Cantanla over old /Etna to fair Palermo ;
nud then , in Algiers and Morocco , come close
enough to the people to Know the repulsive
nature and Ufa of the Arab and Moor ; you
will never have to learn from any other
source this true thing that , at heart anu as
a whole , the Latin races whether In southern
Europe or in South America , possess as deep
nnd lasting a hereditary hatred of all who
own and speak the English tongue as fadelessly -
lossly fires tbo Moslem hoait in its fanatical
dream of sometime everywhere planting the
crescent above the cross.
Differ as grievously as Americans may
with Englishmen regarding the justice or
Injustice of this or that , on those largo lines
of tremendous Import wo cannot but remain
ono and indissoluble. Looking out of the
history ot the centuries that were , and from
among the possibilities of the centuries to
co ire , the mighty Hock and its armament
fades from sight as a mere stubbornly hold
possession and menace. Its mythic name ,
the Pillar of Hercules , merges Into the Pil
lar of Peace. And Gibraltar in the possession
of tbo English speaking and Christian living
race will remain tbo hostage of Christian civ
ilization for all time to-come.
True Oriindcur.
All one's preconceived notions of Gibraltar
fall far short , I think , of convoying Its true
grandeur nnd irnprcssivcncss. From what
ever direction you approach It from the
westward ever the Atlantic from the Mediterranean -
itorranoan on the east , from Tangier in
Africa across the strait , or from the Spanish
sierras to tbo north it has always the seem
ing of a majestic mountain of stone rising
sheer out of the blue of the sea. As we approached
preached It , some straggling clouds which
had formed among the peaks of the Spanish
sierras , carried by northern winds , were
stretched in thin folds across Its upper
heights. They gave the huge rock alternate
bars of ebony shadow and golden light , nnd ,
shutting its top altogether from sight , em
phasized tbe Impression of a mysterious alti
tude.
Even when ono has landed , the easiest af
fair of 1U Kind In all Kuropo , as Gibraltar is
a free port , this impression Is not dispelled.
Tbo whlto city , a pile of huddled terraces nt
the water's edge at the only spot on all
Gibraltar whore habitations could bo patched
llko nests of birds upon Its ragged sides , is
but a thin line of human resort upon and
above the shore. Wherever the eye rests is
lea beneath , and rock above ; not very pre
cipitous on tbo city sldo , yet rising in es
carped height on height , until one feels cer
tain that inaccessible heights ore shut from
light beyond.
My own first impulse , as I believe must
bo that of all first visitors hero , was to
mount Its utmost crag nnd study Its
topography with my own eyes , while feast
ing upon tno matchless panorama thus
afforded. In two hours tlmo , Including the
dignified delay required Ui the Issuance of a
permit by tbo military secretary , In Gun-
nor'H lane , I stood alongside the signal tower ,
El Ilacho , from which , it is said , with a
powerful glass tbo bay of Biscay " 'can bo
icon , while the valley in which Is built the
capital of Morocco , the city of Fez , Is plainly
discerned.
Impregnable Gibraltar upon which ono
aow stands is the outjuttlne promontory of a
long , narrow strip of laud and rook , forming
ft peninsula on the eastern shore of the bay
of Gibraltar , or Algcciras , as it is sometimes
called. The latter Is shaped llko a horso-
ihoo , open to iho south , its western shore
extremity terminating in Cabrita Point.
This bay U perhaps eight miles long
from north to south , and live miles
broad from east to west. The
peninsula terminating In the rock , slopes
gradually down from tbo Spanish mountains
to the Spanish lines , just north of the ruins
df the old Spanish fortifications , and between
this and the Hocic Is what U known as neu
tral ground , a fiat sandy roach , a mlle nnd a
half in length. Upon this , close to tbo Hoclt.
nro the English race course , the drill ground
and tbo Jewish and tbo garrison cemeteries.
The narrow strip connecting Gibraltar with
tbo mainland has every appearance of buvlni ;
boon beneath the waves at no remote date ,
nd the English have rendered Gibraltar
unassailable by a land force through engi
neering contrivances by which tbo entire
itrlp could In an instant bo blown to powder
ind covered by the sea.
Cuiiuon Unou Kvcry Crap.
At the southern end of this sand-covered
bed of mines tbo Hock rises almost perpendi
cularly for ever 1,400 foot. Many fancy Its
contour resembles a lion couchant , with Us
bead roared aloft to the north
and towards Spain. It Is grand
tnougli without the simile ; breaking
away In lessoning crags to tbo south and
again confronting Africa with a lesser but
ncno tbo loss Insurmountable wall of stone ,
about whoso base tbo sea ceaselessly roars
and lashci , Hinging the spume and spray to
tremendouc heights among the crags of
Europa point. It IB three miles from it ,
landward faoo 01 rook to Ita seaward front of
( tone. The average width of tbe huge mono
lith Is tbroo-fourtbs of n mllo. The Hocks
practically sea-encircled , Is completely
girded at Its base with cannon , Caniiun
protrude from innumerable bastions and
outworks from base to peak. Cannon , hun
dreds of them , are behind port holes cut
from the solid rock , in bown chambers bo-
ncath tbo mountain , tier on ttor and , miles
in length. Cannon are upon every crag and
precipice , upon its very peaks. It is a stu
pendous mountain ot itono out ot whoso
sides at every angle can bo poured more
awful destruction than ever issued from tbo
very craters ofEtna and Vesuvius.
Ioue Vliheriuuu.
Barring the comparably few cannon upon
the heights it Is all peaceful enough In ap
pearance whore you stand beside the signal
station. Pretty foot nud donkey paths wind
to shaded roadways bolow. Over to tbo
east tbo Hoe > falls sheer 1400 feet to the
Mediterranean , Away down there llko a
.lino of sea foam and driftwood cast upon n
thread of shingly nhoro beneath gray
precipice ; ) , lies llttlo Catalan , the loncsomest
nnd most picturesque fishlug-vllldgo in nil
Europe , it Is said some Genoese fishermen
were shipwrecked bore , nnd fastened to the
rocks like things of tbo sna , n thousand or so
years URO. Sometime * great columns of stone ,
falling from n quarter of n mile above them ,
crush through tholr white shells of houses
nnd grind a score of souls Into the flinty
shore. The thunders of solgo have no terrors
for them. They cannot bo dislodged. And
they remain there the only things of life on
Gibraltar's Mediterranean shore.
Just opposite the "Northern Pinnacle.11
on'the wos'tcru shore , the Old Mole or break
water extends 1,100 feet Into the bay. Just
ono-half the distance from this to Europa
Point the New Mole bos been pushed Into
the sea nearly 1,000 foot. | Icrols safe anchorage
ago for the entire merchant nnd cattle ships
of Great Britain. At any tlmo several hun
dred craft of nil nations may bo scon In the
BH.V of Gibraltar ; while converging or di
vorcing toward and from the narrow strait
dividing two continents , are over In view
stately processions of the trade argosies of
the world ; some under sails whlto as sea
gull's wings , nud some trailing behind their
hugo funnels what from your dizzy height
ncom line delicately penciled fronds ot
shadow upon the radiant water's blue.
A llugi ; Moot Uh Timer.
Down thoto between the two moles you can
see the flat roofs of- the city crouching bo-
neat tbo crags. At Its northern end , just
abreast of thu Old Molo.and well up the moun
tainside , which on the west Is less precipi
tous than elsewhere , stands a huge Moorish
tower , just 1,250 years old , built by the first
Moorish Invaders , and tbo most ancient per
fectly preserved relic of Moslem rule in
Snnln. It is almost entire In its massive
strength , though honeycombed by Innumer
able cannon balls ; while Its great Tower of
Homage Is now a powder magazine , while
modern barracks and officers' quarters with
pleasant gardens fill the area within 1ta an
cient walls.
To the BouthAfrica seems nut a stop across
a gloaming pool. To the east thcro is only
the vast Mediterranean , dotted with many
strange and curious craft. To the west , the
sight ranges ever a beautiful and picturesque
harbor scone , with every manner of ship
that floats , from the leviathan man-of-war to
tbo lateen sailed felucca , Including
a half dozen American schooners and
barks with tholr shapely hulls nnd
slender spars , and rests beyond
the waters of the nay upon the circling
Spanish shore. There Is Cabrita Point ,
darkening grimly against a background of
fiamo whoi-o the setting sun floods the
entrance from the Atlantic. Around to the
northwoit Algoclras ghostlike lifts through
tbo purpling pjll. To the north n score of
villas nnd villages pink or whlto ns the light
and shadows changefully play upon them ,
show , like the Ivory beds of a rosary , ngninst
ranges of aloes and masses of ylueyards ; the
whole with a Background of billowy foothill ,
dark , then blue , then purple , nnd finally nn
opaline misty dream where tbo peaks of the
Spanish sierras blond with the far horizon of
tbo north ,
\Vhcro the DHlno Hull Rested.
All this Is what ono can sco nt | El Hacho
upon the heights of Gibraltar ; but what
wraiths of history mythlu and real , ciowd
from tbo past upon the wondrous scene I
"
This spot where "you st nd , and towering
Apes' Hill across the strait in Africa , whore
the olden Pillars of llerculos. Down be
neath you nt Europa Point is the very spot
'
where' the divine bull rested from his
flight with Europa , to whom the continent
owes Its namo. Just ao < * oss the strait , at
Couta , the traitorous Count Julian , outlaw
from Brodoriok'b licentious Toledo courtlirst
betrayed Spain to the Moslems. The result
ant invasion under command of Tarek Ibn
Zoyad , then chief of the garrison of Tangier ,
gave to the rock the name , Glbol-ul-Tareic ,
mountain of Tarek , corrupted to the Gib
raltar of today.
Then for 700 years it was a mount of death
and glory for Spaniard and Moor in tboir
desperate contentions ; while the treasure
and lives It has cost since first the cross of
St. George waved above it , in 1701 , would enrich -
rich and pcopio u kingdom. Ono knows auow
with startling clearness the history of
European and Moslem struggles In thu mus
ings and memories of such a spot. But the
sunset gun has belched its ( lame and
thunder toward the red Atlantic's
bread t ; tbo lights twinkle from
tbe Spanish villages around tbo bay
and , circling to the mountain's base bring a
rosy glow to city nnd harbor craft bonoatb.
Yon wend your way downward to the ter
raced town past briskly moving sentinels
crisp with duty and challenges , leaving tbo
grim mountain top behind , melodious with
bugle notes echoing nnd reechoing their
songful mimicry of war from harborsido to
darkened clefts of bleak and scried heights.
A Spot of Ita re Interest.
If Gibraltar were uot a unique and the
most gigantic fortress in the world , it would
still bo a spot of rarest interest nnd charm to
the traveler. The scenic beauties from any
portion of the embattled mountain are not
surpassed in the whole 2,000 miles' reach of
"
tho" Medltterrnnenn. Two continents und
three kingdoms nro bore within cannon shot
of wherever you may stand. Tno rides and
drives into tbo most luxuriant and
fruitful portion of southern Spain ,
nil within a day's journey ,
bring within observation nnd" enjoyment ov-
cry feature of high or low Spanish life which
could bo studied in u journey from France to
Portugal.
And then the Uock and city of Gibraltar
themselves , contrary to prevalent notions ,
are each in their way wonderful and winsome
studies of still and human life. The botanist
can find upon tbo sides ot this ono rock over
500 distinct species of vegetable life in flow
er , shrub , lichen , moss and vino. The tiny
gardens are ablaze oven in winter with gor
geous color and bloom. Far upthe heights
the waliod und winding roadways are bor
dered with masses of green and blossom.
The washerwomen dry tbelr clothes on
bodges of geranium. The prickly pear and
cactus grow to enormous size. The aloe
rears its central shoots , with lateral branch
es , lilco spears of gigantic asparaeus. > Hugo
oleanders glow above every terraced garden
wall. The night blooming corus
grows In splendid luxuriance , resembling
mammoth water lilies with delicate authors
of gold. Everywhere with leaves of glossy
green , flowers of bridal whlto and fruit of
gold , the orange tree hinting of tropical cllmo ,
bestows its welcome shade and delicate
scents , wanton in the prodigality with which
all nature bore seems to rival historic inter
est and grand , surpassing scone.
A Jiunblo oniiibltatloiiH.
And of the city I It has 20,000 souls exclu
sive of tbo 5,000 to 0,000 officers and mon of
the garrison. Terrace on terrace it threads
along the water's odgo. It is a mass of arch
ways , stairs , subterranean thoroughfares ,
spiral passages , viaducts , vaulting footways ,
narrow vistas broken by quaintest corners ,
angles , balconies , and roots , and altogether
tbo strangest most curious and winsome
jumble of hutnun habitations and thoroughfares -
faros men over built to shelter men and
trade. Then of tbo folk of Gibraltar : wore
you to got together from all Spanish cities
tbelr most characteristic lowly ; bring
from Genoa ai.d Naples their most pictur
esque fishermen ; bunt Tangier and Fez for
weirdest Berber , Kulibaylo , Moor and Jew ;
and dragnet thu entire Mediterranean shoals
for waterside folk that , looked tbo fisher ,
smuggler and pirate in ono ; and thread
among all these the scarlet and blue of thou
sands of the soldiery and artillerymen of the
great fortress , you would still have n no moro
varied , changeful , weird and colorful scene
than at any hour of any day your eyes may
bobold , from the Almoua garden below the
Moorish lower , down through the Watorport
ktreot , lu this Moorish built , Spanish fin
ished and English hold olden fortress town.
Eixuit L. WAKEMAN ,
sr.isvun.\K Jii.to IVK.IK ,
Low crown and wide brim dorbys are a
go.
Spring styles will bo put on tbo market
this woo It.
In colors , Drowns bold tbo lead , with a
good prospect tbat mixtures , both in stiff
and soft hate , will bo popular ,
The fate of casslracres may be easily de
termined in advance , when one ro members
tbat thl is a campaign year , and coos tbo
preparations that are being made to produce
campaign plugsjby tbo million.
The taper round crown derby Is to bo a
popular shape. Tbo Hossmoro of somoyoara
ago , that bad an acorn shaped crown with
wide brim and heavy roll , bad a phenomenal
run , and the present tendency and style Is In
that direction.
Tbo soft crown , stiff brim hat is meeting
with a largo sale , particularly In the west ,
The curled brim has tbo preference , but a
great many flat brims are selling , and no
doubt will bo popular In light colors , for ,
with all Us faults , this is a very attractive
style of bat to many young mon , and bas a
rakish air thut la Irresistible ,
PUPS OF PROUD PEDIGREE ,
Some Omaha Cnnincs That Have an Excuse
for Their Existence.
RECORDS OF SOME OF THE BEAUTIES.
St. llrrnnrils Tlmt Unto Cnpturril frizes
Urc-nt Dntirn mill Mi tlir ( looil
Iluntcru Scarce DORS Tlmt
You Mi-ot livery Oiiy.
Cursof the " .valler" variety are as numerous -
ous In Umnhu ns elsewhere , and nt nil times
and nearly nil places they are sufficiently ob
trusive to Insure for themselves all the rec
ognition and consideration that , they may desire -
sire , unfavorable though It may bo. On the
other hand tholr well brad brother * , the very
cream , as It wore , of canine soclotynro com
paratively lost sight of , simply because they
stay nt homo , giving tholr careful nnd undl-
vldod attention to the responsibilities de
volving upon thorn , and the full enjoy mon t of
the care uud attention lavished upon them by
their masters.
Notwithstanding the fact that glimpses of
these moro valuable animals are not to bo ob
tained every day , all who have attended the
local bench shows know that there nro n
number of highly bred dogs owned in this
city , and , thanks to the Interest and enthus
iasm of t"ho gentlemen who constitute the
Omaha Kennel club , tbo number Is con
stantly increasing and dog fancying Is be
coming as popular as it deserves.
St , Hcrimrils ,
A halo of romance and religion hovers
over the mnjcstlo St. Bernard , dating back
to the tlmo when Bernard de Monthon es
tablished a hospice on the summit of the
Alps for tbo purpose of sheltering the poor
dwellers of the valleys who crossed ovar , the
mountains on the approach of winter. 'Iho
monks living on the snowclad summits of
the Alps still carry out the benevolent inten
tions of the founder , and to this day the
brothers of that order accompanied by some
of their famous dogs will meat the traveler
and accompany him over the mountains.
In the hospice will bo found a picture of
St , Bernard nud his dog. The animal which
the good old monk had croatly resembles the
bloodhound and has llttlo to connect him
with the recognized typical specimens of
today. After the great avalanche of fifty
years ago 1. ' . which the monks lost nearly
every valuable dog nt the hospice , the
English people who had previously pur
chased some of the finest commenced the
breeding of this class , and to these early
breeders the world Is Indebted for the pres
ent magnificent sp'eclmon of the St. Bernard
dog.lu
lu Omaha there are qulto a number of well
bred dogs of this class whoso pedigrees go
clear back to the English breeders.
Charles Ogden owns a St. Bernard sired
by Champion Victor Joseph of Belle
ville , O. , and darned by Fern-
wood Jewel. This puppy Is 5
months old , weighs nearly 100 pounds and
measures five feet from tip of head to end of
tall. Ho has iho white blaze , dark shadings
and the perfect tawny color. Mr. Ogden
prizes this pup very highly and expects that
ho will bo a great dog some day.
Mrs. J. E. Glick has n puppy out of Lady
Koxano of tbo Boston Kennel club , sired by
the famous English Falko II. , with the
Champion Victor Joseph as grandfather.
Lady Vlnotto is only 4 months old , but tips
the scale at sixty pounds and stands twenty-
one inches at the shoulder. She has all the
marks of a pure bred dog and will no doubt
bo entered In the puppy class at the coming
bench show.
Mr. C. W. Caulflold of South Thirty-
second streets owns Lady Uoxano , and ujlno
dog she Is. Lady Koxano Was bred in Boston
and has an unbroken pedigree back for five
generations. Sbo stands thirty inches nt the
shoulder and weighs 105 pounds , is big
bonodand sound muscle and has a largo head
and intelligent eye.
Miss Jennie McClelland is often S03n upon
the streets followed by a great tawny and
white St. Barnard which is greatly admired
by all levers of dogs. This animal was bred
In Now York and is a very valuable ono. Its
markings are nearly perfect and considering
its ago , nine months , is of rather remarkable
size.
size.Count
Count Lee is another grand specimen of
the monarch of the Alns and Is owned by
Hon. John A. McShano. This dog Is of the
Melrose strain and was born in Boston. It is
stated that Mr. McShano paid $200 for him
before his eyes were open. "
Mr. George A. Joslyn owns a brother to
Count Lee which is a very largo nnd hand
some specimen of the breed.
Mr. E. Howloy , president of the Homo In
vestment company , has n splendid St. Ber
nard which Is well bred and finely marned
and a very intelligent animal.
A year ago Mr. Serrs of New York pur
chased the noted Sir Bedlvoro. from T. II.
Green of Wallasoy , Cheshire , England , for
$15,500 cash. This great dog was at once
placed in the stud and bos produced some of
the finest St. Bernard dogs now In this coun
try.F.
F. E. Hewitt of the Van Cott Jnwolrv com
pany is the fortunate possessor of Bcdlvor-
ina , a six months old pup , sired by Sir Bedl
voro and out of Guess Noble.
This promising animal weighs 115
pounds , has the perfect Bedlvoro
markings and would bring a good round sum
on the market any day. Mr. Hewitt also
owns Hector , a 7 months old pup by Leo
Barry. Hector tips tbo scales at 118 pounds.
Besides these two splendid St. Bernards ,
Mr. Hewitt owns a couple of fine Italian
greyhounds which ho considers very valu
able animals.
Harry T. MtCormlck of the Athletic club
owns Queen , a full grown St. Bernard , and
naturally Is very proud uf her majesty.
Queen weighs about 125 pounds and stands
twenty-seven inches at tlio shoulder.
Outside of these mentioned.there are a
number of pedigreed St. Bernards whoso
owneis have neglected to have them prop
erly registered.
Kiif'llnll MuBtlll's.
ft Is only within comparatively recent
years that the merits and rare qualities of
that , noblest of dogs the English mastiff.
have become at all widely iinown in this
country. At any rate the mastiff of today Is
classed the prince of watch dogs , and as ho
becomes better known his usefulness Is moro
appreciated. The mastiff is generally con
ceded to bo a gentleman among dogs. Ho is
quiet , selfpossossod and dignified In manner ,
and Is a true , faithful and affectionate friend.
The reputation of the mastiff for docility
and gentleness has In his native land boon
very great. Judging from observation It will
bo equally as great In this country , for the
dog as bred hero seems to have all tbo
ancient characteristics. There may bo some
thing of sternness , or solemn dignity In the
mustlff , but nothing of Ill-tornpor.
Omaha has produced some really wonder
ful dogs of this strain and the local breeders
of this class certainly tiavo reason to bo
proud of tholr work. Among the foremost
levers nnd breeders of the English mastiff
was the late Dr. ( J , B , Ayers , The doctor
crave a great deal cf attention to hls'dogs and
raised some of the host ones In the
country today.
In the mastiff line , Edno , owned by Clinton
N. Powell and Mr * . Dr. Ayers is probably
tbo best known and best bred dox in Omaha.
Mr. I'owoll claims that Edrlo Is ono of the
four greatest mastiffs In the United States.
When in condition this dog weighs from 100
to 200 pounds , Is 89 inches high at tno
shoulder and perfect in color. There
are not over a halfMozen or so ruailyjwoll bred
registered English mastiffs In tbo city.
Thu most promising dog of that class ] ust
now is Mrs. Dr , Ayors1 Wellington , which
took second prlzo at the recent Chicago bench
show , Wellington is onlr 1U mouths old , but
Is of great size , good color , and bos all the
points which go to make up a champion
mastiff.
Mr. Powell relates two or three very
amusing anecdotes regarding one of his
4-montbs old mastiff puppies. According to
the story , this particular young watch dog
was loose In the yard one day not long ago ,
when the grocery boy jumped over tbo back
fence. This was something out of the ordi
nary and tbo pup didn't llko It. Ho started
for iho boy. who turned to run , but reached
the fence about a quarter of an Inch too lato.
The pup had a sample of tbo boy's blue Jeans
la his mouth , which bo complacently con
veyed to tbo bouse and laid down on the
steps for tbo family to Inspect. After that
the young man vrcnl around by the front
gate.
Bonnie Comedy Is * another splendid ipocl-
men of this race rad Is owned by E. L.
Mnrston of the Pacific Express company
This animal was slrcw by the famous Edwy
nnd darned by Dr. .Aycn' llforil Comody.
She Is a flnoclog audjwrileris about IM ) pounds
when In condition , sqd stands twenty-eight
Inches high at the smoulder.
Hill's Belle , n vorjf promising pup , Is also
owned by Mr. Mariton ,
There am quite n number of
so-callod English mastiffs In the city
whoso owners Have paid n good
prlco for them but their pcdlgrco Is not per
fect , hcnco they cn.Mn.ot bo registered In the
American Kennel club.
The Or tat Dnno ,
The Great Dane Is not very well repre
sented here , although the Dane Is n line and
very vnlcnblo dog. There has always boon
n rivalry between the English mastiff and
the Dane nnd the lovers of the former have
succcodcdtoagrc.it extent In bringing the
Dnno Into had odor. The English breeders
claim that Danes always grow treacherous
with ngd and consequently nro not reliable as
house dog-s. However , thcro nro several
Grcnt Danes owned In tbo city which cost
considerable hionoy nnd nro greatly ndtnlrotl
by their owners. W. H. McCord purchased
the Great Dnno , 'Phonos , In Chicago sotno
tnno ape anil Is well pleased with the nnlmal.
Thonos was bred in Chicago from Imported
Danes nnd Is n line specimen of that , breed.
Ho weighs about 150 pounds and stands 80.K
Inches nt the loft shoulder. Mr. McCord
also owns a fox terrier of the Brockhurst-
Hally strain which ho prizes very highly.
Nation , owned by Charles Sabin , is probably
the finest Great Dane In the western noun-
try. She is oy Major , out ot Juno , nnd
measured by the stick stands K\ \ } { Inches at
the shoulder , which Is remarkably tall for a
female.
John Morrison has n full grown Dane strod
by Pluto nnd darned by Nnnotto ; 10(1 ( pounds
Is the usual weight of this dog.
Oood Hunting Dogs Scarce.
Really good padlgrcod , registered hunting
dogs are scarce In Omana. There nro qulto n
number of hunters who do line field work ,
but tholr pedigrees have boon neglected and
lu brooding the stock has been allowed to
run down.
M. C. Peters has a registered Gladstone
setter.
Blanche Kennedy owns a couple of prlzo
dozs. One Is a red Irish setter nnd the
other a liver colored pointer.
There Is a movement on foot among the
'ocnl ' sportsmen to commence tholircedlnp of
good hunting doss nnd before another year
there will probably bo a number of good bird
dogs hero.
I.oto Mo T..OVO My I'og.
T. K. Sudborough Is often seen on the
streets followed by two massive , well behaved -
haved Newfoundland dogs.
C. W. Waterman of the Union Pacific de
lights in bull terriers , and has a 11 no kennel
devoted exclusively to the breeding of this
class of dogs.
John Short breeds beagles and thinks they
nro the only dogs lu tha world.
President Amos of the Athletic club has a
Hue fox terrier which ho brought from Eng
land and thinks there Is nothing lUn It this
side of Now York.
Secretary Cadugan of the Omaha Kennel
club has a ntco lot of bull terriers and claims
that his prlzo dog Is the best bred ono of Its
kind In the United Stntos. Ho also has a
line mastiff cup sired. by Edric.
William Moldrum , has a couple of Im
ported Blenheim spaniels which are greatly
admired and are very valuable.
Conductor Charles Norton of the 1'Tomont ,
Elkhorn & Missouri Valley railway , admires
the English mastiff and at present has a
splendid specimen of that breed.
Goort'o W. Loomls of the B. & M. runs to
Irish setters and has u couple of dogs which
would bo a credit to njiy bench show.
Frank Muir delights in well bred fox ter-
rlors and owns ono 'now which has a good
English pedigree.
J. O. Soldon is the proud possessor of a
dark red , split noao pointer pup , which is
considered ono of the nest of its kind lu the
stato. _
. I'OIXTS ,
A glasp combine Jsrannounced.
A company In Ssohoffhauson , Switzerland ,
produccs'noarljttwo oundsvOf- pure alumi
num for (1.23. A year ago it was 14.
A recent English invention Is a screw pro
peller in which the blades can bo adjusted
for manoeuvring or can bo leathered for run
ning under sail.
It is said that three-quarters of the entire
manufacturing capital of the United States ,
or $ i,000,000,000 , is directly or Indirectly
based upon patents.
In calming the ocean by means of oil , It
has been found thut petroleum and mineral
oils in general are inadequate for the pur
pose , and that train oil is the most effective.
There is no machinery in the Sierra Leone
islands except the sowing machine. The
colony Is 103 years old and contains 50,000
people without a sawmill or any other kind
of a mill to do any kind of woodwork.
I ? fc pntent with planning an underground
rallwa > * ono of Berlin's civil engineers plans
underground streets. They nro to bo covered
with a close grating of steel , well supported ,
which admits air , light and rain , and over
which' the usual street traffic Is carried on.
The cotton mills of tOldbam , England , bad
ono of the hardest years in their experience
last yoar. The profits of ninety-three com
panies , reporting for IS'Jl , amounted to only
$14,000 , against profits of $1,830,000 for the
year beforo. The main cause of this great
depreciation in profits was the constantly
falling price of cotton , which resulted in the
corresponding drop in the price of the manu
factured products.
At tbo newly completed plant of the West
Superior Iron and Steel company at Milwau
kee last week , the converters turned out the
first heat of steel , which was immediately
rolled into plates and dedicated to use in the
construction of the World's fair passenger
whaloback , in thoprosoncoof an enthusiastic
crowd of spectators. This is the first stcol
cast in Wisconsin , and probably in the north
west outside of Chicago , The working force
will immediately bo increased to ! ) ,000 mon ,
and the market is assured for the full pro
duct of the plant. The manufacture of stcol
mils will bo begun at onco. The mills are
the largest In tbo west outside of Chicago.
The pig Iron production in the United
States for 1891 was 8S79,8TO tons of 2,240
pounds , says the American Iron and Steel
association In its last report. This is a de
crease of 022,833 gross tons from the produc
tion of 1890 , or ever 10 per cent. This decrease -
crease was In the first half of 1891 , as tna
production of the second half was greater
than cither half of 1890. The stocks of pig
iron in tbo hands of manufacturers and
unsold on December SI , 1891 , amounted to
dOhJ31 gross tons. The amount for December
ill , 1890 , was 0001,821 gross tons. The pro
duction of Bessemer stool rails In 1891 was
1,218,874 gross tons , a decrunso of 577,018
gross tons from the production of 1890.
A Moscow cnomEtbns | discovered that the
white poplar tree is .natural lightning rod.
The Belgian government -will , after Jan
uary 1 , 1893 , rosumot the working of all tbo
telephone lines In that country.
The use of electricity as a means of illumi
nation In ohurcbqs t In England has boon
found to Increase tha attendance In tbo evenings -
ings to a marked degree.
Among the recent applications of electricity
Is one in which an' electric device gives
warning of a hot bearing on shafting. When
the bearing reaches ] a certain temperature , a
morcurv contact automatically closes tbo cir
cuit , and rings a belli
An Illinois luvonlnijlias discovered that In
candescent lamp lllhtnonts possessing long
Ufa with high Incandescence can bo produced
from the roots of ascertain plant commonly
known us the "rico jftlant , " a native of trop
ical countries. Thojroot of the plant Is ro-
tnaritably dense andfree from pores ,
The lighting of thu tallest peaic of Mount
Washington by electricity will mono an in
teresting spectacle , since U will bo tbo high
est point on the surface of the globe thus sot
aglow. If there U over to bo communication
with other worlds It mav bo the langiago of
electricity speaking from the mountain peak.
The management of tbo London Times has
utilized the telephone In n unique war. Tola-
pbonu wires have oeen boon laid In the un
derground railway tunnel between the com
posing room In Prlntlng-Houso square and
the Parliamentary reporters' gallery In the
llouso of Commons. A copy-reader placed at
the telephone reads the stenographic "turns"
from tbo note book as fast as It 1s posslolo
for the compositors to take thorn on their
typo-sotting machines in tbo Times building ,
a mile and a half away. Its great advantage
becomes apparent when tbo fautis considered
that the Times Is ableby adopting it , to print
In tlmo for tbe 5 a.in , newspaper trains going
to all points ot the United Kingdom tbo
whole of tbo debates , which are often cou-
Uuuea until U a.m.
"DARE S01IEDINGS MIT ME"
Story of a Frontier Trial With a Barrel
Attachment ,
A CONSPIRACY FOR THE DRINKS
Iloiv n Thlrflty Crowd llo.itcd u .luatlco of
the 1'riico nuil rrcqiionHy lilt tlio
tlrimlrr Sketch of n Kiuix
County Clmractcr.
Ono of the familiar figures to bo scon about
the streets of Crolghtoii , up in Kuox county ,
nnsworos to the cupboneous cognomen of
Sebastian Xopf. For nearly twenty years ho
has boon nn honored resident and n fro- ,
qtientor of the village. The peculiar expres
sion of his face nud the odd shape of his llg-
uro has always attracted the attention of
oven the least observant , and , as u conso-
quonco.all who nro ntjall familiar with Crclgh-
ton personages know Hepf.
Nature , In ono of her playful moods , per
haps , endowed Zcpf with a singular counte
nance. Directly across his face , just below
the eyes , tuns a deep depression , tw though
when an Infant n cylinder bar had been
pressed heavily ncros It until the pliable
bones had formed themselves lu its nccommo-
tlon. Above the brow protrudes , with heavy
eyebrows , over two small but sharp gray
eyes , while below the end of his nose
sticks straight out llko a llttlo round
lump of rod frost-bitten llosh , nnd
whom the bridge of his nose should bo the
dopiosslou leaves It on a level with his
sututon cheeks. His head Is erownod with a
busby crop of light , yellowish hair and a
thick growth of closely curling reddish yel
low whiskers adorn the lower part of his
faco. The rheumatism , or some similar ail
ment has drawn his head down to his shoul
der on ono sldo and loft his nock stiff , so
that ho turns It with an odd motion. When
walking these infirmities glvo him a peculiar
rolling motion suggesting the Idea that all
the joints of his limbs wore of the ball and
socket nature.
Zcpf located hero in the early settlement ,
when the Bruce colony planted the first out
posts of what Is now n most populous nud
prosperous community , and filed upon
ono of iho most fertile tracts of
land In the Bazilo valley , almost a
mlle from whore Croighton now stands ,
nnd in the years which have followed by
economy and thrift ho has built about him a
line homestead and is considered as substan
tial and as reliable n farmer as can bo found
in tbo country about.
Xepf , as bis name Indicates , is a Gorman ,
and at the tlmo had boon hero scarcely long
enough to become sufficiently acquainted
with the language to do business , when ho
was selected as justice o f thu peace and be
came the first magistrate of the now colony.
At the tlmo Zepf kept a small stock of gro
ceries nud such provisions as the moagro
wants of his neighbors demanded , and in ad
dition to his other stores , in ono corner of
the room stood a barrel of whisky , from the
sale of which be realized not a little profit.
Money was not very plentiful In the now
settlement and almost anything that
had a semblance of validity as a
claim passed current nt his store ,
and in the course of traffic Zopf found It con
venient as well as lucrative to tatto assign
ments of claims for witness fees , etc. , In ex
change for what ho had to sell , reimbursing
himself when the amounts were paid Into
court. About a mile east of Zopf lived a
great wag , attorwards county clerk of Knox
county , and now receiver of the United
States land ofllco at O'Neill , Hon. A. L.
Towle , und In the newly laid out but scarcely
occupied town of Croighton living with his
parents , " and then quite a young man , was
anothnr Irrepressible personage , afterward
fairly well -known to Nooraska politicians
and others. Hon. Miner W. Bruce , once pri
vate secretary to General Van Wyck , while
ho was United States senator , and later reg
ister of the land ofllco while it was located at
Niobrara. Ono night , not long
after Zopf's becoming justice , these
two worthies with a number of ethers were
sitting In the postofllco , then kept by a
brother of Miner's , when the subject of the
now justice of , tbo ioaco and his barrel or
wlnslcy became the theme of the conversation
and how to got possession of some of the lat
ter at the expense of the former be
came a question upon the solution of which
all minds were bent. After some discussion
Towlo unfolded to his companions a great
scheme. One of the party , n stranger to
Zopf , should bo arrested ; a great trial waste
to bo held before his honor , and the witness
fees , juror fees , etc. , exchanged for the con
tents of'tho coveted barrel in the corner.
So it was arranged that ono of their num
ber , a young follow who had just located
upon a. * ' claim in a north
westerly direction should bo the
prisoner. Bruce was to prosecute and
Towlo defend him , the others numbering
a dozen or" moro were taken as witnesses.
Before reaching Zopf's house the remainder
of tbo community who could be trusted were
lot Into tbo schema and when Zopf opened
bis doors to his llrst criminal case ho found
himself confronted by fully a score of excited
citizens surrounding the dejected looking
prisoner , gesticulating forcibly and talking
at the tops of their voices.
Zopf had never even soon n criminal case
tried and had not * the sllphtost idea of the
necessary preliminaries. No complaint was
made except the verbal statements of a dozen
persons all talking at once nnd the
idea never occurred to the magistrate
to Issue a warrant and of course
none was asked for. The stories
pro and con about the alleged crime , which
were launched at the magistrate from all
sources , greatly f rubtratod the gentleman and
In awo-stricuen tones ho asked ;
"Do tbo shontlemons want a chowry ? "
The required six took seats nnd no ques
tions wore asked , the justice forgetting to
administer the regulation oath in the excite
ment. Then the row commenced. Every
body tallied at once and at bis highest koy.
It was little short of miraculous to Zopf how
so many people had boon oyo-witnossos to
the crime , which as yet had not been made
sufficiently clear to him to entirely under
stand it , but ho was assured that ho was
about to preside ever tbo most important
criminal trial over bold In the state.
Amidst tbo bubub and wrangle Minor Bruce
suggested to the court , In bis most wily and
confidential manner , that quiet could only bo
restored by treating the crowd and then the
case could bo opened ,
The court was beginning to get anxious
and not a llttlo nervous , and ho caught
readily at the suggestion , The almost angry
discussions about him had not tended to
allay his anxiety , and jumping nt what
seemed to be u solution , bo grasped un Iron
steve poker , nnd rapping on a long pine table
near him exclaimed : "Sbontlomensl Shen-
tlomons I Wo now haf orders 1 Take some-
tings rnlt mo ! "
The "Whole crowd liquidated nnd the
fun opened , For four or five
hours the pandemonium was broken
only when some witness or juryman offered
to cash up hU fees for whisky.
About 2 o'clock in the morning tbo trial
reached its height. Two jurorsjworo quar
reling ever the merits ol the case on ono
bide ot the room and two witnesses having u
sbum battle en tuo other sldo ever contra
dictions In their testimony. In the middle of
the room stood Towlo , his sonorous voice
pitched to Its highest key , depicting in his
most eloquent'and persuasive manner , tbo
misfortunes of his poor client , the tears run
ning down his cheeks , while the judge was
pounding the table with tbo poker with
might and main , the perspiration streaming
from his face and yelling at the top of bU
voice for "Order 1"
unco moro the wllo.v Bruca worked the
"suggestion" upon the desperate magistrate
and again it offered the straw at which to
clutch to his mind , nnu increasing the fre
quency and severity of his strokes ho yelled :
" ( laf lomotlngs inlt mo , ahontlornousl Haf
somotlngs mil mo I"
The effect , as upon all such occasions , was
magical , but when the crowd had been
served , lol it was discovered that
the prisoner was musing and
lawyers , witnesses , Jurymen nnd spectators
made a wild brook for the door to capture
Zepf was really glad of the breathing spell ,
but before morning came and ho still sat
alone waiting , for their return he "smelt u
inlco.'Ho never fouua out though for several
days that tbo whole trial was a hoax.
Zopf was angry about U and cbugrluod at
the loss of his stero of whiskey for i long
tlmo , but ho laughs about It now as hearty ni
any of the boys. Sum SMOUK.
.YO.S FHU31 I'.h'li ,
It must bo n pretty serious occasion when
Chauncoy M. Denow cannot crnck n Joke.
Something Is sure to break down when these
Inveterate wits and story-teller * , Dopow and
General Horace Porter , happen to got
together. When tbo general was president
of the West Shore road , and while that road
was but llttlo bettor than n corduroy arrange
ment , but chock full of menace for the Van-
dcrbllt property , tt.o two gentlemen hap
pened to bo on the same steamer going to
Europe. It was very rouph ono day , nnd
Mr. Dopow had n sharp attack of the mnl do
inor. Ho was loaning over tlio ship's railing ,
contemplating the great blue depths below
nnd Incidentally tlolng tils level best to feed
all the fishes In the sea. when the uoneral
came up to him with real commiseration nud
saldi
"My dear Mr. Dopow , this Is too bad , nnd
I nm very sorry. Is there anything I can defer
for you I"
"V-y-yes , " stammered the choking mag
nate.
"What Is 1U I'll do It nt once , " replied
the general.
" 'lucre's just ono thing I want , nnj that's
n pass over that \\ost Shore road of yours. "
It was In ono of those quick lunch places
where thu walls are covered with Illuminated
scripture texts , soys the Now York Trioune.
Said a gentleman yesterday who glaucod at
them : "Thoy are not so economical of words
boto ns they were in two churches that I
know of. Some tlmo ncoonoof these churches
was decorated nnd otherwise Improved in-
sldo. Among the many now features was n
handsome hexagonal clock , which was placed
on the front of the organ gallery , so ns to
Inco the pulpit , and over It were the words
in Illuminated text : 'Now In the accepted ,
tbo clock being loft to represent the remain'
Ing word 'time' of the passage. Among the
Interior decorations of tbo other church was
a largo thermometer , ever which were the
words from the Apocalypse : "I would tbat
tliou wort neither , ' the thermometer being
utilized to express the remaining words 'cold
nor hot. ' These are funny examples of the
unintentional fun which good men some
times perpetrate "
W. D. Eaton , once n well-known news
paper man in Chicago , but lately a Londoner
ami a promoter , has recently come back to
bis old home , Chicago.
"Munchnuson" of the Chicago Press was
talking to him a few days ago about the general -
oral obtusenous of the average Englishman
in the appreciation of a joito , but Mr. Eaton
would not admit that point. Ho argued that
in their way they had a Keen sense of humor
und ho told some stories In illustration , one
of which was concerning a ono time noted
rnce-horso which was named very peculiarly ,
"Present Arms. " The owner of the horse
was a man that no one would ever suspect of
perpetrating n joke nnd when ho was aslcud
why ho gave his horse such a name ho re
plied :
"Why , that's a good name. I call him that
because ho Is from Martinet out of Beggar. "
*
* *
Phrases and slang terms are frequently
born of Interesting episodes , savs Harper's
B.uar , \\itness the following :
Peter the Great , while olt driving in the
neighborhood of Moscow on ono occasion ,
was seized with the pangs of hunger. "What
have wo In the hamper ! " ho asked of nls aid.
"There Is hut candle loft
ono , jour majesty
" the aid "but I think I
ty , replied , can ox-
c'hango it for a fowl at the next farmhouse , if
you wish. "
"Do so. " replied the czar , "for I am fam
ished , and do not care for a light luncheon. "
The aid laughed , and , as ho surmised , man
aged the exchange ; but the biid was found
to bo unusually lough. "
"I do uot think , Vosky , " said the emperor
later , " 1 do not think the game was worm
the candle. "
J. W. Orr , the Missouri Pacific attorney ,
once in tbo trial ot a case made a statement
that reflected on the integrity of the oppos
ing counsel , says the Kansas City Star. "Do
you moan to insinuate anything ! " roared tbo
enraged attorney. "No. 1 am. reminded of
a story , " replied Mr. Orr. "A lot of men
were playing poker. One of the players was
a one-eyed man , and it wa * noticed that
every little wbilo ho stele a chip. At last ono
of the other players pulled out a pistol , laid
it on the table , and said : 'I don't insinuate-
against auv body , and I don't refer to any
body in particular or mention any names ,
but'tho next tlmo a man steals a chip off this
hero table I will shoot his other eve out. ' "
*
A western congressman who has been In
Washington for a month has been doing
socfoty with more or less success , says the
Detroit Free Press. The other night no was
talking to a lady who has agricultural ideas ,
and she turned tbo conversation on the grain
yield in various states. After mixing her
subject up with life in Washington politics ,
society nad other items of interest , sbo sud
denly inquired : "How large is your corn ! "
"Well , " ho said , hesitatingly and with much
confusion , "sinco I've been in Washington
wearing tight boots nnd walking oa hard
pavements , it's about as big us n walnut , und
getting bigger every day.fl Now bo's won
dering what made tbo lady look so peculiar
and chan go the subject.
The audacity of Senator Edmunds In loot-
urine the supreme court on a point of law
recalls an nnocdoto of Henry Clay , who once ,
while arguinc n case before tluit august tri
bunal , stopped in the middle of his speech ,
advanced to the bench and helped himself tea
a pinch of snuff out of Air. Justice Washing
ton's box. Then ns bo returned to his place
he remarked : "I see that your Honor still
sticks to the Scotch. " Clay was tbo only
man of bis time who could dare do such a
thing , as Edmunds is uf his own day.
The strictly veracious Eugene Flold of the
Chicago News stands behind the statement
that Senator Wolcott of Colorado , after ho
and Senator HIgglns of Delaware , had both
tried without success to got the chairman
ship of the Library committee , observed :
"Hlgglns wants the earth ho would not bo
satisfied oven with that ; he wants the uni
verse , fenced in nnd lobnlod his very own.
That is why I fear that by and by Hlgglns's '
interests and mine may possibly clash I"
Andrew Carneglo hits the use of ono of tbo
leading Now York dailies for n series of at
tacks upon university education as it exists
at prcbcut.
President David Starr Jordan of the Stan
ford university In California says that ho is
the heaviest man that ever ascended the
Mallorhorn ,
The Vassar nlummo have appointed a
special committee to see that nothing but the
truth is told in the newspapers regarding
that Institution ,
Purduo university of Lafayette , Ind. , has
just added to Its laboratories a very complete
engineering department for experimental
won : In steam onginoerlngappllod mechanics
and hydraulics ,
The department of suparlntondcnco of the
National Educational association holds its
annual meeting in Brooklyn , N , Y , , on the
10th , 17.h and 18th lust. The program embraces -
braces instructive papers nnd maps out
profitable discussion.
Bv the will of James Howard of bt. Johns-
burv , Vt. , Dartmouth receives n bequest of
f 10,000 to found four scholarships. The
holrs of Hlchard W , SliBplelgh , who died re-
coutly at Brookllne , Mass. , have presented
the college with $1,100 for a memorial fund ,
The death of President Edward A , Tanner
of Illinois college , which occurred last wcok
at his homo In Jacksonville , Is widely and
deeply regretted. As a preacher , teacher
and college president , the Hov. Dr , Tanner
possessed gifts of u very high order.
Prof. Mitchell , graduate of an Ohio college ,
has accepted the Gnuoo-Koman chair in the
Hartford Theological seminary. It may bo
necessary to explain that the department Is
ono devoted to wrestling with nut-lent church
history , and does not recognize athletics.
Chauncoy M. Djpow has consented to pre
side ever the second joint debate between
Harvard and Yale at Now Haven , probably
on March . The Harvard orators want to
argue "That Immigration to the United
States Should Bo Restricted" and have
presented that proposition for Yule's accept
ance.
The funds for the Brokaw memorial field
at I'rlnceton lack but a few thousand dollars
of the required amount , and this is expected
to come from tbo students. The field will
cost about tM.OOJ. Plans for a gateway and
club bouso have b&cn finished. The now un
iversity club bouso is expected to bo ready
for occupancy by May 1 ,
In soft hats , the now shapes In tourists
have taken well , and in some special designs
have had a boom , which still continues.
A WORLD'S ' FAIR SQUABBLE
An Insight Into the Trouble for Wliicfc
President Bakoris Responsible ,
HE IS TRYING TO RUN THE WHOLE SHOW
rrr < l Nj-o TflM of Ilio
Ktrrjttlicro i : | irc * < r < l nt the I'nllcy
riir.suvil by lluhrr Ch
Aru .Mum ,
Cntcino , Fob , 10. ( Special to Tun Bcit.1
From reasons which everybody will easily
understand the press uf Chicago Is exceed
ing ! ) discreet lu Its p'.iblti-nllonb regarding
the wrangling in the World's fair Inner clr
clo , ns well ns upon nil other matters concerning -
corning which publicity inly lit have a weak
ening or disastrous effect upon thu succcu
of the grcnt enterprise. Intimations hnvo ,
Indeed , been made in several of the local
papers that \V. T. Baker , the president o (
the local board , might bo more useful In ro' <
tlrcinout than lu bis official position , but the
real feeling against his course has scarcely
been hinted nt , Mr. Baker was elected foi
OIIH year In April last. Ho was the third v
cholco of the local Board of Directors , aim In
every souse the last , for they had canvassed
nnd exhausted all other possible candidate ! .
Lymnn J. Gage was oflorod the position
first or rather the continuation of the posi
tion , for ho hud been serving In that
capacity , but ho had just been elected presi
dent of the First National bank and fell tbat
that office would require his undivided at
tention. The cholco next fell upon JamoH
W. Scott , but It may bi readily understood
that the publisher of the Herald had not tba
extra time to devote to the manifold duties
of tbo presidency , Mr. Baker was elected
with n proviso. His pugnacity was well
known. Ho hud boon president of the Board
of Trade , selected when tha war against the
bucket shops was fresh und earnest , and se
lected because of his already acquired reput
ation as a lighter. Mr. Baker was told that
ho might have the presidency of the local
World's ' fair board if bo would behave hnu-
"olfand If , above all thing ! , ho would uot
antagonize Director Gcnor.il D.ivls nnd the
national commission. Ho promised and was
olocted.
President Baker's Installation was fol
lowed nt once by n policy which
forced the directors to regret
their choice. Opportunity for direct
hostilities with the national commission did
not Immediately arise , but Mr. Baker's nttl
tudo toward everything in general was such
tbat the most stupid observer could not fall
to understand that ho considered the World's
fair to have been placed on his shoulder *
and that ho proposed to run off with it. Ills
disposition exhibited itself In a multitude ol
ways , most of them trivial nt first. Air.
Gage had boon drawing $ GOOl , ) n year nomi
nally as president , but whou ho stopped out
ho took only $ l of his salary and turned the
rest bacK Into the treasury. Mr.jBakerse-
cured the fixing ot his salary at (13,000 nna
has drawn his $1,000 a month with character
istic regularity. Among the first official
tasks to which ho assigned himself was that
of signing passes for tbo admission of visitors
to Jackson park. Thousands ot those passes
have been issued nnd anybody can get one
who makes application In a conditioner so
briety. But while railway presidents
or managers all ever the country
were delegating to subordinates the duty of
affixing their signatures to passes ropresent-
itiir thousands of dollars , the painstaking Mr.
Baker Insisted upon laboriously writing big
name In person upon every ticlcet of admis
sion to Jackson Park. The number of days
ho spent in this occupation Is not on record )
but the few visitors who were unfortunate
enough to bo admitted to his uncongenial
presence nt that tlmo , saw a man siltina at a
largo table , looking worn nnd nervous but
proud and determined , with freshly signed
passes around him llko the cannons nt Bala-
klava.
Another instance of President Baker's na-
turn and policy was furnished in his treat
ment of the reporters of the Chlcngo dnll
press. Near the president's room Is one in
which the World's fair reporters meet every
afternoon. These gentlemen are not always
the quietest in the world and ono day not
long ago they congregated in the room men-
Honed , they were perhnos moro noisy thani .
usual. In the midst of their discussion of " % <
some moro or less pertinent alt'alr
President Bukor appeared in high dudgeon :
"Discharge those mon at oncel" bo Gx-r { jt
claimed to the head of tbo department wborft *
the reporters had mot. *
"But , " expostulated Iho official addressed ,
"I can'tlllschargo them ; they uro not my em
ployes , they are reporters.1'
"I don't care ad what they are , " crlod
the president , : "they're making too much"
noise und I want thorn discharged. "
The next dav the irate president wrote a
letter to the city editor of every piipor repre
sented by the offending reporters demanding
tholr dismissal. This fulling , bo appealed t6
tbo editors iu chief , and received no satisfac
tion thoro. Ho visited the Journalistic court
of last resort the proprietors. Ho did hot
got the reporters discharged , but it is under
stood that ho received from the proprietors
an estimate of his own conduct , which reduced -
ducod him to silence and inaction
In the auditing of small bills nnd in vari
ous other ways President Baker exhibited
bis narrow mlndodness , but II
was not until ho wantonly
clashed swords with Dircctoi
General Davis that tbo feeling nirninst him
crystallzod and found vehement and con *
elusive expression. The conflict arose ovoir
the question of jurisdiction in the bundling J
of foreign exhibits. A grout deal doponds- "
upon the settlement of this question ana *
President Baker has nothing to sustain tha
claim of tbo local board to jurlbilictlon. It Is
estimated that the value of these exhibit *
will bo ever f400,000,000 , and that tbo forca
of employes required to take charue of thorn
will bo lu the neighborhood of 20,000 men.
It is a big responsibility and involves an
amount of patronngo which any politician
would struggle to control. But everything
opposes President Baker's claim , The law
is against him primarily. Precedent Is
against him. The Now Orleans exposition
wus > practically Independent of govurnmonl
control , und yet French artists whoso plo- ,
lures were damaged at the exposl. &
lion present their bllils through f <
diplomatic channels nnd tbo United' , <
States paid them. The interests of tbo faie '
are against him. Few foreigners would con *
sent to exhibit articles ol value if they were
/orccd to depend for care and responsibility
upon n local organization. But more than all
else the interests of the fair are against
President Baker because it is absolutely
necessary to nationalize thu exposition , l'"lv
million dollars are asked from congress nnd
the basis ot the request Is tbo assertion that
thu fair is a national enterprise. Tno chief
danger to the appropriation lies in the charge t
that the exposition is , to a greater or loss oxM
tent , u local undertaking. That the presif ,
dcut of the local board , nt so critical a juno -
turo , when tbo enemies of the f.ilruro besleg-
lug congress to defeat the appropriation ,
should seek to usurp un arbitrary power , Is
looked upon as an exorcise of poor
Judgment , little short of calamitous.
Indeed , tha opinion is freely expressed
tbat bo has done the Columbian exposition
moro datnugu than all other Influences which
voluntarily or Inadvortoutally have worked
against It. , *
President Baiter has boon In Washington
for several weeks. Every day or two ha
telegraphs , with all tbo enthusiasm and un
reason of Colonel Sellers , that ho Is HUIO to
secure the passage of the appropriation ,
When ho started for iho capital ottrjr friends
of the fair volunteered to accomp.i iy him , ,
"No , " said this ijulot man this Chicago , I
Tnrtarln "I want no help ; I can do bottcj . |
ulonn , " and the worst man for tno work la '
band , wont ulono. i
Tbo local noard will elect a new president \ <
in Anril. If Mr , Baknr shall receive a voti ' J
it will bo hU own. \ A
Fnc i ) N .8 , ,
Murk Twain
says "some folks are so stubborn that
they need Is four logs and they would past
for a mule. " Mayoa it people use more oj
Holler's Barbed Wire Llnlinont m01o . (
wouldn't bo so stubborn. H ' *
ill