Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, March 27, 1892, Part One, Page 5, Image 5
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