THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SUNDAY , MARCH 27 , 1892-SIXTEBN PAOtiR
WILL DOWN THIS SCHEME
Flah to Abandon the Sixteenth Street Via
duct Moots General Opposition.
LOOKED UPON AS A PUBLIC OUTRAGE
City Onlrlnts nnd Property Owner * ip :
Thelmielrcii Very I'orcllily In Com *
mcntlng Upon theSltiintlon
\Mint They Think.
An effort Is being mndo to got an ordinance
through Iho council abandoning the Sixteenth
street vlnduct and transfsrrlng the business
of this most Important noross-town thorough-
laro to Fifteenth street.
Interested parties have been at work since
tbo council took action ordering viaducts
across tlio railway tracks on both Fifteenth
and Sixteenth streets , and as a result an or-
dlnanco has boon prepared rescinding the
action of the council and ordering' the con
struction of n now viaduct on Sixteenth
' street. Conferences have boon hold on the
subject and the proposed change of program
wilt probably bo attempted at tbo council
mooting on Tuesday evening next ,
.News of the proposed scheme gained cur-
/rcnoy yoitorday and started n vigorous pro
test on the part of owners of property on Six
teenth street nnd other citizens not directly
interested , but xvho are opposed to whnt they
term a contemplated Injustice and act of bad
faith toward the mon who have spent their
money in making Sixteenth street the busiest
north and south street In Omaha.
City Engineer Iloiowator stated that ho
had hoard It Intimated that a schema was on
foot to kill the Sixteenth strout vlnduct plan
and to build a viaduct on Fifteenth street
with tbo Intention or diverting travel from
Sixteenth to Fifteenth street. Ho under
stood that an ordinance was to bo introduced
In the council to repeal the Sixteenth street
.ordinance , but ho Know nothing positively
t about tbo matter. He did know , however ,
that it was an outrageous Imposition nndIn
justice to attempt anything of the kind , and
was satisfied that It would occasion ono of
the blgfcst bowls that has boon hoard In
Omaha in a long time. <
1'ald lor Tholr Itenrllt * .
"South Slxtoonth street has boon im
proved,1' bo said , "and plans for years to
come bavo bocn made and are being carried
out , based solely on the viaduct on that street
nnd the Incident traffic that it must naturally
brine. When the viaduct was built , the
property owners down thcro paid moro than
the so of any other part of the city because of
the benefits that they hoped to dorlvu from It.
They paid one-fifth of the cost ot the struc
ture , about $7,500 ; the citv at largo paid an
other fifth , and the U. & M. and Union
Pacific the balance of three-fifths. The
property owners also paid all damages them
selves , raising the money by private sub
scription. Tnoso peopl made tholr Invest
ment ! ! in good faith , und I suy that It is simply
outrageous now to attempt to deprive thorn of
the returns that rightly belong to them , just
because the railroads do not want to build two
viaducts. In no other city in tbo country
bavo tbo railroads boon given so much in
proportion and nowhere have they boon
treated so leniently as hero. Tboro Is nnt
another city of our size anywhere that bos
so little to show In the way of viaducts or
crossincs us Omaha. The roads have been
given at least ? 7 ! > 0,000 , but they are as un
willing to reciprocate as though they had not
received a cent. They must be compelled to
treat the city fairly , and iho fight is bound
to come , fat. Paul and Minneapolis tried it ,
and tboy won their case against the rail
roads In the suoroino court of the state.
'As long as the rouds cun win they will
keep up their fight , and if iho city proposes
to yield every point It might as well go ahead
and build them h union depot. It looks as
though it would bo built In no other way under
the order of things that has obtained in the
city thus far. Why should tbo railroads kick
about building a viaduct or two at this time
In a city the slzo of Oinahal Lot's see vt bat
they hove paid for viaducts thus far : They
paid f J.t.OOO for their share of tbo Sixteenth
street viaduct and > 4,000 for the Eleventh
street viaduct , a total 01 $77,000 , and that is
the amount of tholr outlay on this scoro.
It Is true thai they built tbo Tenth street
structure , but they wnro to receive $150,000
from the city , and that would have paid tha
cost. If tboy had kept iaith with tbo city
they would have received the bonds , instead
of now having them tied up with an injunc
tion. Tbo roads bavo been treated moro
3 than fairly , and If an attempt is now made to
abandon the Slxtoonth street viaduct , either
to suit the railroads or to carry out schemes
for building up Fifteenth street at the ex
panse of those who gave iho original Six
teenth street viaduct venture its backing , it
will moot with a vast deal of opposition and
there will bo some lively developments. "
Would Amount to Confiscation ,
"As a member of the Board of Public
Works , as the north sldo member without
any direct personal Interest whatever
Sn the matter , " said Major John B.
Furay , "I am unalterably opposed to
any proposition from any source looic-
ing to the abandonment of tbo Slxtoonth
street viaduct. Lot mo give you my opinion
nnd state my position clearly and emphat
ically. Viaducts are a nabllo necessity. The
legislature in its wisdom has declared
that tbo cost of building viaducts must
bo boruo by the railroad companies , as it
Is cheaper for thom to do that than to
pay for damages at atrcot. crossings. That
bolug the case , 1 am In favor of viaducts
wherever needed. If public snfoty and con
venience demand it , I would favor a viaduct
on every street from Eighth to Forty-eighth ,
nnd I oxpoot to see them so built , or many of
thom within tbo next ton years. Now , as to
the present case. Tbo mon who are working
* for a viaduct on Fifteenth street ought to go
1 a little slow. Tboy ought to remember that
J the men who built the Sixteenth street via-
\ duet and paid for the improvements on Six-
toenlh street are the pioneers In the viaduct
liao. They put their good money In the In
vestments and started the march of progress ,
boneIIting the Fifteenth street property
owners who bad allowed their opportunity to
escape them. Now these Filtoenth street
follows bavo learned tbo stop and want to
alan tholr viaduct fathers in the face. It
won't do. To abandon tbo Sixteenth street
viaduct would bo to confiscate an Immense
amount of property that has been made valu
able by the onterprlso of mon who
are entitled to realize the benefits
of their pluck and enterprise. I
have uo doubt of tbo need of a Fifteenth
strcut viaduct. I am positive that tbo neces
sity of a viaduct on Sixteenth street is in no
wise removed. Then let the council go ahead
and order the Fifteenth street viaduct. In
the meantime the Sixteenth street viaduct
can bo repaired to last for a year or two , and
we can have the aso of It whllo tbo other
ono is being built. But If it comes to a
question doing without ono vtadnct or the
other , by all means do without tbo ono on
ltUeonth street. U would simply be an
H utrauo to abandon the Sixteenth street via-
uct. "
Mult Not Sllelit Sixteenth.
"It would be a rank Injustice , " sild Mr.
Bol Prince , a member ot tbo council com
mittee on viaducts and railways , "to tha
people who own property on Slxteo-th
street , und who bavo been compelled to pay
for paving and guttering and bavo erected
businus houses along that street on both
Ides of the viaduct. I consider Sixteenth
street the main thoroughfare through the
city , as most all of our principal retail bus
iness bouses are located there. "
"What do you think of a viaduct connect
ing Fifteenth street1 ! asked the reporter ,
"A * far as Fifteenth street is concerned , "
answered the councilman , "I am In favor of
a viaduct on that street and I think the
street should bo opened over the railway
tracks. My male opposition to U U for the
reason already expressed regarding the Six
teenth street property owners and beoauso
the contract between the city and tbo rail
road companies give the railroads an oppor
tunity to engage in long litigation in the
'courts aud thus delay the building of either
viaduct. "
Continuing Mr. Prlnoe satd : "I do not
want to put myself on record as opposing tba
Fifteenth street viaduct or any otnor im
provement which will benefit the city. If
botu viaduct * oan bo built the plan shall
have injr haartv co-operation , la my judg
ment the pushing of th viaduct * la question
at this time U just what the railway com
panies dcslro M It gives them a obanro to
gain time by golnit Into litigation. "
Mint Not Disturb KiUtlnR Condition * .
Mr. Ucorgo F , Munro , also a member ot
the council committee on viaducts and rail
ways , was equally emphatic in bis opposition
to the scheme.
"I am opposed , " satd Mr. Munro , "to tbo
closing of tbo Sixteenth street viaduct , first ,
last and all the time. Sixteenth street is the
connecting link between Omaha and South
Omaha , 1 don't think such n change would
bo doing Justice to tbo Sixteenth street pco
plo after they hat o loiprovcd the street and
put up good substantial buildings. I am In
faor of tbo ronstructlon of a viaduct across
Fifteenth street after the Sixteenth street
ono is erected , or in the course of construc
tion. In my opinion there Is enough travel
now to warrant the building of two viaducts ,
as the capacity of the ono we notv have Is
taxed to Its utmost With Iho additions that
ore to bo made In the packing houses ono
bridge can scarcely handle the rapidly in
creasing traffic between the two cities.
"When the Fifteenth street property own
ers asked mo to vote for tholr ordinance , "
continued Mr. Munro , " 1 told them that I
would vote for It If they did not try to Injure -
jure the prospects of the Slxtoontn street
viaduct , as I considered Sixteenth street the
proper place for a big bridge connecting the
two cities. Again 1 told them that If thov
could got a viaduct I would help the plan
along all I could , but "not with the undcr-
stondlng that thora was to bo only ono
bridge.
"I afterwards saw tbo contract between
the city and tbo railroads , and tben I told
the Fifteenth street property owners that I
did not bellovo tbov would bo able to build
the viaduct on account of that contract.
Then thcso properly owners said that it tboy
got the ordinance they would bo willing to
fight the contract In the courts themselves ,
as proportv owners , and would not usk the
citv to take up Iho fight In tholr behalf. The
only reason the Fifteenth street pcoplo want
a viaduct Is to Increase the value ot their
property. "
AM. Ot'l'OSKD TO IT.
Property Owners Kxprcus I'lnln Opinion *
on the Proposition.
"I am , of course , decidedly opposed to the
abandonment of the Sixteenth strcot
viaduct , " said W. F. Sweesoy. "I have In
vested a fortune In iho Brunswick hotel
property with the expectation that Slx
toonth street would be the principal
thoroughfare of the city nnd it could not bo
this without the viaduct. At tbo same time
I uon't oppose the construction of the
Fifteenth street viaduct. 1 think iho property
orty owners on that street should have the
viaduct , but I don't think tha city council
should give It to thom at the cost of tba Six
teenth street Interests. I suppose that tno
railroads are In collusion to build the
Fifteenth street viaduct by being released
from any obligation In rebuilding the Six
teenth strcot structure , it would bo much
cboapor for the railroads. You cau say that
I will fight the scheme of abandoning
the Slxtoonth strcot viaduct to the last. "
"I bought property south of the viaduct , "
said D. V. Shales , "and erected thereon a
brick building , solely on tbo strength of the
viaduct being rebuilt , making Slxtoonth
troot a great thorougbfaro connecting iho
wo cities. By the icmoval of the viaduct It
, vould simply mean the ruination of my prop
erty. It would not onlv seriously Injury my
property , but hundreds and thousands o'f
others who made Investments for the same
reason that induced mo to put up buildings ,
"t Is now an established and grand thorough-
are , and tbo council should not think of such
a foolish move. "
"Why , It's ono of the most absurd propo
sitions I over board of , " said Norman A.
Kuhn. "Tho removal of tbo viaduct would
mean financial death to the greatest thor-
ousbfare in the city. It would bo detrimental
to all Interests except tbo railroads. Build
ings and mammoth blocks have been con
structed on Sixteenth street on tbo strength
of the direct communication with all that
portion of the city south of the viaduct , 1
think it Is useless to put up the Fifteenth
street viaduct when the Sixteenth street ,
structure will accommodate the people. It
will be a shame to abandon the structure
now on such u well established street as Six
teenth. "
Pica * for the Itiillroiuls.
The Sixteenth street viaduct should not
bo abandoned , " said Jim Stuohenson. "Tbo
scbomo Is wrong. Tbo viaduct , however ,
should bo rebuilt , and Fourteenth street
should have a viaduct instead of Fifteenth.
When the Sixteenth street viaduct is rebuilt
it should bo similar to that which now spans
Tenth strcot that is. wide the entire
width of iho street. I don't find fault with
thu railroads , because it is natural for thotn
to avoid putting up such a long viaduct as
that along Sixteenth street. The vladuot
should bo rebuilt , but the people should not
try to make the railroads do It. Let the
railroads pay their proportion. This idea
of trying to bleed them just be
cause they are bora is all wrong.
Thov made Omaha , and take two of the prin
cipal ones out of ibo city ive would starve to
death. Wo roust not demand too much of
the roads. The city cau well afford to re
build tbo Sixteenth street viaduct by the
roads paying tholr proportion of the cost. "
"Don't be alarmed about the abandonment
of the viaduct , " said Colonel W. A. Paxton.
"Tbero is no danger of its removal. I tblnu
the viaduct , since it has boon condemned on
account of Its unsafely , should bo repaired.
It could bo put in good sbapo for
$3,000 or $5,000 , and then It would stand
until the Filtoenth street viaduct could bo
constructed. .When this Is finished then the
Sixteenth street structure should bo torn
down and rebuilt substantially. It would be
an outrage to abandon it entirelybut this will
never bo aono. I believe that all streets
should bavo a viaduct across them. At the
same time I do not beliavo In extorting
money or putting too heavier burden on tbo
railroads. They should bo treated fairly. I
see why tboy want to build the Fifteenth
street viaduct on account of being cheaper
than reconstructing the Sixteenth struc
ture. "
Solia Cltlxmis Oppose It.
"I wouldn't listen to such a proposition , "
said Mr. Max Meyer. > "Tho removal of the
viaduct would bo suicide to Sixteenth street ,
which Is the most important tboroughfaro In
the city. It would simply Iw an outrage.
The Idea is preposterous. There Is too much
money invested In business houses to ruin u
thorougbfaro that Is so wellestablished. ,
When the viaduct is rebuilt u should no made
much wider so that there could bo more driv
ing over it. "
"Well , I should say that wo do want
the viaduct , " said Mr. Alfred Mlllard.
"It is absurd to talk about its re
moval. To take tt away from across
a street that 1s so well established and has so
many magnificent bulldlngj rn It , would bean
an outrage. Why. It would ruin the entire
street , I am docidealy opposed to such a
proposition. "
S. A. McWhorter , a director of the Board
ot Trade , said : "It would bo a shame to
abandon the viaduct It U the connecting
link between North Sixteenth street and
South Omaha. If such a scbeme Is contemplated
plated It Is a vorv unwise piece of work on
the part ot the city council. "
Joseph A. Conner , another Board of Trade
director , satd : "The removal of the viaduct
would be fatal to the entire city as well as
Sixteenth street , it would be an outrage ,
and I , for ono member of the Board of Trade ,
will protest against any such action. "
A Itemmrkable Woman.
OiiiUA , March 20. To tbo Editor or TUB
Bun : Yesterday , March 23 , I ofliciatec
at the funeral of a remarkable woman. Mrs
Mary Sblpleyaged 79 years , whoso home was
a few miles north of Florence. She was tbo
wife of William Shipley , whom I buried five
years ago. HU age was 82. Mr. and Mrs.
Shipley came to Nebraska thirty-eight years
nco andsetlled on their homestead in Cathoun
precinct , where they bavo since lived. Ttur
teen children wore born to this couple anc
they have fifty living grand-children and ut
least ten groal-grand-chlldron. Six children
are living In thU part ot the state , namely ,
Lafayette , James , David aud John , and the
daughters , Mrs. Peek and Mrs. Wilson.
Mr. and Mrs. Sblploy endured many hard
shirts tn the early history of Nebraska. The
fatfior ana ono son bore an honorable part Iu
the late war. Mrs. Shipley was a good
neighbor , a true mother and a sincere Corn-
Uan. A largo conoourse of people listened
to the sermon and followed h r remains to
the grave. Her children rlso mi and call her
blessed. KKV. CUAHLCS Vf , HAVIDOE.
Tioop * to Itepreit Itlotf.
LONDON" , March 0. Troops have been
drafted la Durham to repress the mining
riots.
MARTYRS TO PUBLIC OPINION
Messenger BOJB Given a Reputation Unwar
ranted by Beal Facts.
HONEST , MANLY LITTLE WAGE EARNERS
Omnlm' * Contingent of I lie Orrnt Army of
ilutrnllo Teller * Condition * ttnitrr
M lilrh They I.iilior , Their Life
mill Surroundings.
It has bocn quite popular of Into years to
refer to American District Telegraph and
Western Union messenger boys as the per-
sonlllcatlon of slow motion , just asltt ho *
been to RVO ! policemen credit or rather dis
credit , for Indulging In long drawn out
nocturnal naps during the hours that they
\voro paid for walking thotr boats , nndon the
entire class of these uniformed individuals ,
both ( treat and small , has fallen tbo odium
Incident to such palpable neglect of duty and
carolossccss of consequences. It Is not with
the much maligned "coppers , " however , that
this article has to do , but with the Omnba
youths who are generally supposed to bavo'
been born tired.
Tnoro are in this bustling western metrop
olis nearly 100 of these blue uniformed and
brass buttoned youngsters , and they ere
necessarily residents of this city. They are ,
or the most part , the children of
toor parents nnd corao from the por-
lens of the city whcro the humbler clas * of
our pcoplo reside. They are partial products
of the public schools , who bnvo been unable
to complete tbo full course , but have been
compelled by stress of circumstances to be-
stn earning their own llvlngat a ratner tun-
dor ago.
Nearly one-half of thcso boys are in the
employ of the Western Union Telegraph
company , and almost as many moro ara
utilized In the service of the American Dis
trict Telegraph companv , whllo the Postal
telegraph and kindred organizations furnish
employment for the rost.
.Sturdy unit Mnnly Hey * .
The Western Union messengers range In
ago from 14 to IT years , and the present
force comprises as sturdy and manly a class of
youngsters as ono could readily llnd. They
rccelvo (15 per month , and furnish tholr own
uniform suits , which are of regulation pat
tern and cost thom $13 oacn. Tbo companv
furnishes thorn with the regulation "W. U.
Tol. Co. " buttons and with cups nnd badges ,
which must bo returned \vbou tbo boy leaves
the company's employ.
When a boy applies for n position ho Is
uskcd a number of questions designed to
Lest his intelligence , nnd bo la glvon achnnco
to tell whnt ho would do iu delivering a mos-
sagu under such and such circumstances. Ho
must have a thorouch knowledge of the
streets mid of the principal business houses
mid the public buildings of the city. With
out this icnowladgo his usefulness as a mes
senger would bo sadly curtailed.
It may bo Imagined how few really compe
tent boys there are when It is known that
less than ono Iu ton of tboso examined are
found competent , and that botwceu 400 and
500 boys are "turned over" or examined and
passed upon by Manager Umsted of tbo
Western Union in the course of a twelve
mouth. Boys under 14 ycais ate not , as a
rule , accepted , because they do not seem to
bavo before that time a full realization of the
responsibility devolving upon them nnd of
the necessity of carefully , promptly and
thoroughly performing tbo duties assigned
them. When it Is realbod that the brief
telegrams that they carry often toll of tbo
rapidly approaching death of somebody's
dear ono or involve transactions amounting
to hundreds and thousands of dollars , it will
bo seen that an incompetent
or untrustworthy messenger - must
bavo no place In this. , service.
Furthermore , these bovn are called upon to
deliver fully 100,000 telegrams and messages
in tbo course of a year , yet so well Is tbo
service organized that , by constant card and
strict discipline , the company's "damage ac
count , " resulting from the carelessness or
disbonoslv of the boys amounts to a compara
tively trifling sum.
One might think tnat tbo business of run
ning errands and carrying messages is very
simple , but In a larqo city , where the mes
senger meets all sorts and conditions of men ,
ho Is very often required to use considerable
judgment and discretion In dealing with people
ple vrbo may try to take advantage of him
because of bis youth.
Wnces and Hours of Labor.
1 bo hours of work of a telegraph or mes
senger boy are called "tricks , " and tboy are
divided not only into straight day and
straight night tricks , but Into split tricks
that are so arranged as to keep an extra
number of messengers on duty during the
hours of the day or evening when the rush
of business is heaviest.
In the Western Union service all of the
messengers receive tbo sarao pay , t5 ! per
month , the wages having been advanced to
that figure on the 1st of January. Before
that time loss than one-third of tbo boys
were receiving that amount , the majority be
ing paid only $12. Under the old schedule
tboro was always grumbling and trouble
because of tbo similarity of work ana In
equality of pay , out since the equalization all
Is moving smoothly. The rule is , "first In ,
first out , " and the chances of all are equal.
It Is customary to keep new boys for a
whllo delivering messages but a short dls-
tanco from tbo oftlco In order to keep them
under closer supervision , and the elder boys
are the ones sent out Into the residence or
moro sparsely settled districts , where moro
experience and skill may bo required In
order to llnd the party addressed.
Tbo avoraro term of service or a Western
Jlnion boy is a little less than a year , though
some strv lor several years , but they gen
erally find moro remunerative employment
by the time tboy are 17 years of ago. Their
experience as messenger boys Is an excel
lent business schooling , and fits thorn for
minor positions In business houses , wboro
tboy bavo good chances fdr promotion. Some
Of thorn become telegraph operators , eon or
ally , however , through first becoming clerks
iu tbo ofllco or check boys in the operating
room , where they distribute matter to tbo
various wires and operators and attend to tbo
loss Important routine work. *
Many of tbo bright boys , coming la con
tact as they constantly dp with businessmen
mon , obtain situations in mercantile houses
or in to ! offices of bankers , brokers or
lawyers , and thence rlso to positions of trust
and profit. Some get tired of the business
because the worn Is too hard and others are
discharged under such circumstances tha' '
they could not again enter tbo service.
The boys are seldom discharged for their
first offense , but are reprimanded add
warned , and on the next wiltully wrong step
are discharged. A mistake on the part of a
boy who seems to try to do well is overlooked
but dUhonesty Is not tolerated. Ovorcbarg
Ing or attempting to collect on a prepaid
message Is sura to make trouble lor iho
guilty one. Just as a gooa boy has a fair
chance for advancement , so a boy who ls
continuously and hopelessly bad will bo pretty
sure to receive severe punishment.
Among the A. I ) . T. Uoy .
A different plan Is pursued with reference
to the American District Telegraph boys
They do not receive a regular salary , but are
given ono-tbtrd of what they make. This
varies according to the disposition , energy
and activity of the boy , but usually ranges
from (15 to ( . ' 0 a month.
For the month of February , which was a
short month , tbo lowest received was j 13.73
and tlio highest K&3. A regular salary wai
paid for a time , but it put a premium on
shirking and left the moro onergetlo boys a
the irercy of the Idlers. In this service the
boys are received as young as 13 years , and
sometimes an unusually bright or prepos
sesslng lad of even fewer years Is allowed to
go to wor * and undergo a trial.
The boys do not furnish their own unl
forini , which are rented to them by the com
pany for $3.50 a month. If tboy take BOOI
care of them and have them Inspected over ]
day they are given a rebate of $1 a month
The boys carry messages , run errands , deliver
liver packages for the stores and do any o
the hundroa and one things that could prop
erly devolve upon any healthy youpgiter to
perform.
Tboro was a demand for the boys tome time
ago to act as waiters in disorderly houses ,
but a stop was but to It by the issuance of an
order prohibiting them from going inside tba
door of bouses wbero tuny were called. Ai
a public carrier tbo company Is not allowet
joluJ
.
v. alii
tilt ( . '
, . hitev
\ * *
oa 0 | K
xi
Continental .othing tiouse.
* - * ; The storm .upset our plans for a - ; ; ,
* '
> * i *
' - -TA % H > r mammoth sale of Men's Suits on Satm / V" "
$5.00 , $6.50 , $7.50 and $7.75.
* / : S But the sale will be in
* " - * . * ts . TH11 Blast on
4 UJ ' B1
This will be the Biggest Event on
Record.
Record.We
We close at 6:30 : , except Saturdays.
Continental Clothin nouse.
.
, it- . ,
--ita ( < >
a CfSf OJ
. ,
> ; c-fs on
d"/
.
'i
* pees
os i' '
IV lu i
to discriminate , and its messengers are re
quired to servo all allkp. ,
These boys are oftin'very ' shrewd and
bright , and their schemes for swelling their
incomes are oftontiraos ingenious , oven if not
commendable. Overcharging is the plan
most commonly adopted by" those who ore.
disposed tobodlshonest.'bdt it seldom es
capes detection , as compWnt u ° U" ° strfJ" :
variably made to the ofucb , and tbo offending
messenger is called upon tue carpet ,
The culprit frequently pleads that he made
a mistake and charged 15 cents for a 10 cent
call but unless this is leally true It is appar
ent at a glanco. as the books of tbo company
will show whether or not Urn particular
messenger is in the habit of making over
charges , or In other wonlB is addicted to
lust such mistakes. In Ihe cases Iho father
or mother of the boy Is sent for , and tbo matter -
tor laid before them. They are generally
glad to bu glvon tbo information In order to
inko a hand in guarding against Its recurrence -
renco , but it sometimes happens that the
parent shields the boy aud indulges In a gen
eral roast of the company , holding that H u
"a mighty moan company that will kick
about a boy taking a niekel , when-it pets as
much out of him as the American District
Telegraph company gets out of its boys.
It Is not strange ihut with sucb. homo
coacbinc there Is little for a boy to do but to
become a thief , and bis services are not fur-
tbor retained by the company. True , the
amount taken at a time is not much , but a
steal of 5 cents out of 15 Is a very heavy per
centage.
Olio Exception Among the IJoyn.
To show the shrewdness of some of those
precocious youngsters may bo cited the case
of a 14-voar-old Hebrew lad who was in the
employ'of the American UHtrlct Tclograph
company until a short time ago. Ho was de
tected In overcharging nnd ns it was his llrst
offense that had como to the notlco of his
superiors and as ho wasa remarkably bright
little follow he was Interrogated and severely
reprimanded. Ho professed to bo deeply penitent -
itont and said that he was lad to do It by his
desire to bavo moro monov deposited In the
savings bank. Ho was allowed to continue
at work , but the very ioxt ) day was caught
In n similar transacllon. Of course bo was
discharged and his father was sent for.
That led to the revelation of a decree of
shrewdness that was , to say tbo least , verv
unusual lu a boy of hli years.
It scorned that the Ud had been in this coun
try eevorel years , but the father , who Is a
Kusslan Jew , curao hero about a year ago ,
and could talk very little English. Ho was
ignorant of tbo customs of tbo country , and
the boy had told him that fathers were uot
allowed to take tbolr sons' money in Amer
ica , and Ihnt if they whipped their children
they would bo sent to Jail for a long term of
years.
The old man believed every word of it , and
the result was that the boy kept oil his
money and was allowed to do just about us
bo pleased.
The chock for tbo lad'a pay was turned
over to his father , but right thoiothe boy
again showed bis knowledge ot business
afialrs. Ueullrlntr that bo would see none of
tto money If bo allowed bis father to got It ,
bo bume'd to tbo Commercial National bank
and stepped payment on tbo check. He told
Cashier Mlllard a beautifully wovou fairy
tale of how ho was 'abused and beaten at
homo , and of his efforts't6"caru ' his own liv
ing In splto of iulonsotopposltlon , and suc
ceeded in quite convincing , that gentleman
of the truth of his story W his straightfor
ward manner , and hattrioV tha ooabler tele
phoned the American District Telegraph
ofllco and hoard the other slda of the stor.v It
Is highly probable thai the boy would nave
outwitted tbo inanagctvbls father and all th'e
rest of the oppositionlo-j 01
Terror * to tlio ntrodf < j r Conductor * .
Under ibo present System messengers on
long calls receive inonoy.UJlpay car faro , but
many of thorn are thq bfine of tbo conduc
tor's life , as tboy try to beat tholr way. on
tbo theory that a mokeT saved is a nickel
earned , and on moro tururpne occasion Man
ager Kboom has had U ) wAi t tbo oflloo of
the street railway company to obtain pos
session of a messenger's'cap that has been
lovied.upon by some irascible and previously
duped conductor.
The boy Insists , of courto , that ho had In
tended to pay bis faro , but that the conduu-
tor did not give him a chance. To obvlalo
this difficulty negotiations are now pending
whereby all messengers will bo earned at all
times for H total contract price of so much
per year.
Manager Hhoera , who was tbo local West ,
ern Union manager before accoutlnp hU
present position , slates that It is bis experi
ence that boys are moro easily managed aud
are leu trouble than mon. Whenever it
seems us though evorjiulngwag going wrong
and there is general luatteutiuu and careless
ness , he Knows that thora Is a disorganlzer
in iho ranks. A little cnroful watching reveals -
veals the discordant element , a change is
made and In a day or two Ml Is moving har
moniously again. It Is only on those occa
sions when a natural leader who IK a born
anarchist gets onto the force that there is
general disaffection.
The Ufa of a messenger Is a hard one , but
it gives a boy an excellent preliminary busi
ness training and ho acquires a surprising
amount of practical knowlcogo. To even hi ;
enemies , of whom there are a few , he is a
necessary evil , and to his friends , who are
ninny and always increasing , ho is , with his
wllllnu legs , active brain and ready tongue ,
an embodiment , of nwo , wonder and delight.
Long live iho messenger boy 1
Pimldcnt I'allro'fi Construction of the Con-
Htltutlon UiiKiit Inflict orj.
IS'KW YOKK , March 20. Under date of
March IS , a correspondent of the Herald at
Caracas , Venezuela , after cabling the intel
ligence of a fight taking place , writes a let
ter In which ho says that while ho writes
there is lighting rumored to bo going on
within throe days march of Caracas and that
moro war Is sure to follow. TbU bolng the
outlook , the American newspapers may as
well understand at the outset clearly what it
is all about , and hero Is the explanation :
The national legislature consists of two
bouses , ono of senators and another of dep
uties. Those bodlos meet every year In the
capital , Caracas , on the 20th of February ,
nd their sessions last seventy days and may
be prolonged twenty months. Each house
may bo organized with two-thirds of its
total members , and once they have com
menced to hold sessions tnoy can continue
them with two-thirds of those who opened
them , providing the number of members
present equal one-half of their full number.
Both houses discharge their functions sep
arately , having , however , power to moot in
joint session In certain cases , or when ono of
tbo two deems it necessary. Tbo federal
council is composed ot seventeen members
and is chosen by congress every ton years.
This election .of the federal council takes
place la the first and third year of ouch term
of oftlco of the legislative Dody , and within
tbo lltst lllteou days of Its mooting. From
Its own uiomDors Iho fedora ] council elects
ibo person who for tbo next two years Is to
bo president of the republic.
Members of ibo federal council remain In
ofllco fdr two years as does the president of
tbo United States of Venezuela , and the same
person who holds the last named post cannot
bo re-elected for tbo term immediately fol
lowing. ,
The bouso at present runs under the con
stitution of Venezuela ana according to It ,
the federal council should have boon organ
ized and a president elected olroedvr out up
to this time tbls has not occured. It Is true
that on February 20 the chambers of sena
tors and deputies mot and that Drs. Munos ,
To bar and Caranas were respectively elected
directors thereof , but the senator * were not
long in closing tholr doors , while the depu
ties continued to meet until March 7 , when
the opposition members took the chamber In
a body : since then u meeting has not been ,
nor M there any likelihood of anything occur-
In ? .
The result has boon that congress bas not
assembled , no federal council bas boon
ct'osen and hence iho non election of a presi
dent of the republic. In tteso circumstances
Dr. Pallco retains the reins of office. Tbo
legislative oodles have not exorcised their
legal functions because tbo necessary
quorum could not bo got together In the
senate.
Tbo opposition cbargo the government
party with absenting themselves from tbo
meetings of tbo senate , thereby preventing
the formation of a leva ! quorum. Tbo op
position newspaper * dibclaim , too , loudly
against the government for this nonunion
of thing * and boldly charge Dr. 1'ullco with
being a usurper.
Forty-six senators and deputies bavo is
sued a manifesto declaring the government
responsible for tbo present deadlock and tbo
president also Usuod an address to the coun
try defending himself. And hero ft U nuces-
sary to explain Just what ibo dlftlculty is bo-
twr.on tbo government and the legislature.
It appears that the last national congress
and the legislatures of the nine slate * of the
union sauctlonod tno reform of the constitu
tion in several important particulars , Includ
ing the extension of the term of ofllco of tbo
president from > i\o to four years. President
I'alico now Irslsts that the llrst act of tbo
present congress shall bo to declare
the reformed constitution In force , then
next to elect a president aud
vloo president for n tenu to bo
named by him. The opposition declu.o to
ngroo tn this und say the llrst act of con jross
shall bo the election of president and vice
president , then t > ball follow the declaration
of the rrformod constitution being iu force.
Noi'.liur pany will give In , bonoo the dead
lock. The pi evident declare * it to bo hit
duty and in this ho is supported by a largo
party , to see that the reformed constitution
is in force before anything else is dano. Ho
says ho Is responsible lo the country for this.
The opposition do not , however , view the
mailer in this light , hence the trouble. An
appeal to arms is certain to follow. The
government Is determined to force the situa
tion. The Dank of Caracas hni advanced
3OOU,000 of bollvlrs , about STo.OOO , nnd the
national forces at its disposition are said to
bo in a condition of tho'rougn preparation to
meet the revolutionists.
V.lVOllT 3//K QUICKH.IM ) .
Thrilling i\porlriici' : of the Wlfn mill Three
Children of Miler ( illpln.
ATMMJC Cm , N. J. , March 20. The re
cent heavy storms along this coast have
caused the formation of Innumerable beds of
quicksand. The wife and three children of
Mayor Ullpin of this city * vero rescued with
dlfllrulty from one of these traps yesterday.
They wore out drlvlnir. close to the water's
edge. They had scarcely proceeded a quarter
of a mile when Mrs. Ullpin noticed that tba
carriage wheels were sinking to an alarming
extent In the sand. The horse began to
( launder , sinking to bis knees with every
stop. At last bo was unable to pull the
buggy any further and slopped , panting with
his exertions , while the tide rose.
Mrs. Uilpm and her children leaped out.
Tboy sank in the sand above tholr knees and
with ovury struggle sank deeper aud deeper.
Tboy shouted for help , but.no ono nt tro'mo-
ment was near. The water had almost
reached iho waist of Mrs. Gllpln when ono
of their frantic calls reached Mr. Willis.
With ibo help of a bathroom door bo managed
to reach Mrs. Gllpln. It wai hnrd work to
act Mrs. Gilpin out , but ho ilnally succeeded
and got her bovond the roach of the quick
sand to tlnn ground. Koliovod of their com
bined wolght the bathroom door had floated
in shore. Willis secured it again and after
half an hour's struggle rescued the three
children.
THE COMENIUS CELEBRATION.
Prof-rum for ( ho Uolioiiilan Cflvliratioii
Suiulay .Vlclil.
The program for the celebration of the
300th anniversary of tha birth of John Amos
Comonlus , the great Bohemian school re
former , to bo hold at Washington hall tomor
row night Is as follows :
MuslQ Overture . . . , . Till
SOUR Tlio rHthorltiml. . . . , .
. Uoliuinliin hinging Society
Address , . ( iovurnor.liuucs K. Iloyd
Addrosj Tlio Itohemlnns .
. . . . . . . . , . ; . HUM. E. Hosewitter
Sons Evening 8lar. . . Itoliemliui C'liolr
AUdrcMi John A. Comenlus .
. . . . . . 1 1 on. JIIIIPS II. ( 'iinDoHI
onz lloliln Addlr. . . . . , . Omaha Omirtutto
Addri-ss Infliiuiu-n of ( 'onioning on tlio Amer
ican hctiool . Hon. I'r.ink A. I'll/putrlnk
Mnslo Hovnnle Niitloiml Alls , . . . Orcliustnt
Address Tlio I.ant HUlion of tlio MnrnIUIIH
. Nov. VV..I , Iliirshii
f-oiig Tlio Itohomlun Oountry
llolieinlnii HlnKliiK Society
Aclrtrosu-Ulli ml.ui ) . , . , , Itov. John I'ipal
.Miislo Murcli . . . . . . . . . . . , , Hiip | > u
Orchestra.
Orchestra undnr tliu direction of H , l.ruto\sly !
Tbo bull will bo appropriately decorated.
UK in , rii'K run
Murderer Deeming Coiir * * n !
Whltrrlmi > \Vomrn ,
Miu.nouiiXE , March 20. The Argus an
nounces that Dwmlnjr has confessed the
murder of his wife and four children at Din-
bam villa , Haln Hill , near Liverpool , and
that ho has also confessed to the murder and
mutilation of tbo last two women whoso
bodies wcro found in Iho purlieus of White-
chapel. Dootnlng's appoarnnup closely tallies
with the description glvon of the White-
chapel fiend , and although ho does not udmlt
tbo killing of thu other Wbliocnapol victims
it is boliuvod ho committed the < ; r lines. It
also tr.m spires that Dooming , under tbo
nnmo of Williams , put out of the way a wife
and two children at Sydney prior to his mar
riage with the Italn Hill victim ,
junta 11 1.1 KI : .t HI OK :
llou an luiliuii Umleruuiit a I'uliiful bur *
Kirn I Ojieriilloii.
CnifAoo , III. . March JO.Tho Indian chief ,
lied Stone , whoso expenses bore from Fort
I'ock , ( lax. , to bavo a cataract removed
from hU eve wore paid by the United States
government in return for valuable services
by him aeatuut ibo Sioux , was operated upon
today at tbo Habaemann hospital by lr .
Watroy and A. L. Smith. The chief said liu
could stand pain , and the doctors decided
uot to chloroform him. Contrary to expecta
tion , forceps were necessary , and the pa
tient's acony must havu boon Intense , but ho
bora H 111(0 a stolu. The operation it believed
to have beou entirely
How a Couple Were Married and Divorced
Iu a Day.
IT WAS A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION
SjIve.t < T Smith i.ity | | round u TopekA
Vomitl.ndy Wlin U'un Anxlom tc.Sh.ro
11U I'ortiuirH and Tcmpniailly
1IUName. .
Toi > CKKan. . , March 20. [ Special to TUB
BKK.J Married and divorced ihomine day
is what the records in the clerk's oflico in
this city show was accomplished by a young
financier of Napoleonic talents , liis c'xpnri-
once was had In ISby , but It was only brought
to light today through the efforts of Miss
Etta Heed , the leading ludy in the Corsa
Peyton Comedy company.
She went to the clerk of the district court
nnd said a friend or her's , an actress.'uad
recently married an opera singer In New
York whoso real name was Sjlvestor Smith.
The singer , Smith , had told his wife after
ihelr marriugo that ho had been married and
divorced In Topeka on the same day.
Suspicion was aroused , and MUs Iloed had
been requested by bor friends lo Invotllgato.
The records showed that Smith hud been
divorced in the district court horn In Janu
ary , ISs' ) , but no record of his marriage could
bo lound. The suit for divorce had botn
( lied nnd the divorce granted on the snmo
dav. Little by little the storv of this odd
nlTalr cumo out. H seems along in Iho last of
the seventies und early eighties , theio was
u fraternal order known as tbo Murrlugo Ala
association. It was formed for the purpose
of helping unmarried people to snvo money ,
which was paid bacit to them on tholr wed
ding day.
Sbaios woio 10 each , nnd any inombor
might buy not moro than three shares. Hach
member v as entitled on his or her wooding
day to draw for ouch share held , SO cents n
day from tbo time when theshaiewas pur
chased until tbo murrlago. The money was
raised by assessments levied on the mem
bers. The hchdmn was , to nay ibo least , a
peculiar onn , nnd ns might bo nxpoutod it
didn't la t long. A largo number of Topeka
young men wont into it , however.
Smith had throe of these shares , which ho
purchased In ISbO. Ho knpt his duos paid
up , as bo hoped to draw a largo turn whan
ho took the last stop. Ho wus engaged to a
\oung lady nt Garden City , but ho went
buck on him nt the critical time , and ho caina
to Topplm , Shoitly after ho arrived ho
learned that tin association of which ho was
a member WHS nbout to go under , und ho wus
In danger of losing tils monoy. The only
way to save It was to marry , so ho hunted
up a woman who agreed to share tbo bounty
and tboy wcro married. Ho gave her (100 to
got the divorce and paid the costs.
The whole proceeding of filing tbo petition
and getting the divorce was attended to In a
few hours. Tha tecords do not show tba
data ol the marriage , but It Is not Improb
able that tbor were married on tbo HODIIBO
Usuod In another county , and Smith's story ,
If not absolutely true , is very near it. Ho
drew over tl-00 from the association , and
after all bis mariiago expenses bad $1,000
left.
( Icncrul C'oiilerrnru l'n
It Is a time honored custom for tba general
conference delegates aud remosontatlvo men
of the body to occupy the pulpits of all ICvan *
cellcal denominations during the session ,
The committee on public worship ucsirrs to
arrange and publish a complete program of
pulpit supplies in advance of the opanlug of
the conference for Iho tlvo Sundays of May ,
It would bu mainfritly discourteous to as-
Htgn a delegate to anv pulpit without an In
vitation on the part of iho pastor or officiary
of the church. The committee will bo glad
to supply iho various pulpits of the oily and
also to accedu as far as possible to any
special requests.
Those , therefore , desiring to bo thus ac
commodated will confer a favor by communi
cating their wishes at on early date to Hev.
W. 1C. Deans , Ul 12 Looust street , chairman
of committee on public worship.
W. 1C. IlEAXB ,
'i' . C. ClKM'I'SI.SO ,
T. McIC. SnuiiT ,
J. B. MiXFiri.p ,
J. T. Komxaox.
_ Committee" .
Disease unver successfully atlarki a > yj
tern with pure hlood DeWllt's BarsaparliU
inaUei pure , now blood aud ouricbes thq oM
