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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 1896)
18 THIS OMA1TA DATLT H13T3 : Rl TsTl > AV , 0 , 1800. SPORT FOR BLEAK DECEHB R. . Chatty Budget with Ita Devotees Hero and Everywhere , THE OVAL PIGSKIN AND THE MITT Tlio"r'u'rclkn UriK'ltn CcillcKlndAlli - N UUIMMIN mill I'IMVIIN SiinrlM lrlil lliiNp Hull Tin- anil Ccncral Ciiiiniiciit. OMAHA lias long gloried In tlio reputation tliat she Is n great sporting center , titit how she gained Uils enviable notoriety Is ono of those tilings no fellow cnn find out. Nobody over heard inc say that she tic- nerved such a naino. because - cause I have always known hotter nnd have never at- tomiitcd to deceive any one. 1 have worked hard and Industriously to crmuoto all sorts of legitimate- sport , and , vMllo' I can BCO the oed rcoults of all this work , I cnnnot BCO wherein the town 13 en titled to any especial commendation for Itfl cpdrty cncrpy. Take the recent foot ball fiamca , for Instance , between the teams of the tinlvrrsltlcs of the two great rival states of Ncbra'ska and Iowa , and let me know what you think. At the Thanksgiving day game there were probably 500 spectators. About ono-tcnth of what there should have been , considering the Importance of the contest nnd the character of the opposing eloveno , and not lontng sight of the fact that the weather was supremely disagreeable at that. And Saturday , when the same teams met again to play off the Thanksgiving tic , and when ono of the grandest and most exciting battles that has ever been waged on any field was fought , there waa a mere handful of the devotees of the great sport on hand to cheer Iholr respective favorites. It was a magnificent conflict ono that may never tic noon here again. All the critics and all the fool balllsts present were unanimous on the point that It was as hard fought a contest nnd as clever and pretty an exhibition of scientific play , from a spectator's standpoint , as was over seen In this or any other city. And the efficient and popular manager , Mr. Frank Crawford , was fairly overwhelmed at thn gate. The princely sum of $53.50 footed up tlio gross receipts. And you say Omaha Is n sporty burg ? Just look what they did In Gotham on the occasion of the I'rlnceton- Yale game. Of course' there Is but one New York In the world , still the comparison Is effective. The report of the treasurer of the committee shows the total receipts wcro $3"- 163.50 and the expenses $8.589.23 , leaving ft profit of J28.BGI.2fi. Of the latter amount each college tecclvcd J11.2S2.13. The sum realized from the sale of tickets was $31- 053.50 , while the revenue from the program privileges amounted ta $2,500. The payments. Included the following Items : nont of grounds $3.00000 Clmlra " " " " " " " " " " " ' ' " ' ' ' ' ' ' Caterer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ' " "r'nn AecountnntH Carpenter work . . "woo 11 * r > ' " ' " O. X | Wullnco f"SiS ° f cotn"'lttCO . . innn 3 Straw for grounds .V..V.V. " 13.M Totnl J3.53D.2J J , 1ult191cvl ( ' ° nt that the hoMcmen of the country will make n concerted endeavor this winter all over the country to nectire more equitable legislation to govern races and race tracks. Illinois la certain to pass a now bill and a movement Is on foot to urge an amendment to the Nebraska law and It Is more than llltely that many other states now laboring under the ban of unfavorable legislation will move In the aame direction. Racing reached a standstill In many places In 1S95-18D6 , and at all thews place ? there In a demand for more liberal treatment at the Iianda of the lawmakers. This applies to light harness as well as thoroughbred 'affairs. Instead of abolishing pcolsolllng and bookmaklng the horsemen and turf followers ask that these privileges be confined to the tracks where the races are In progrcsa. There Is little Justice or decency In conniving nnd winking at poolsellera and bookmakers when the statute books say you "shan't. " "What horsemen desire Is that these prorcga- liven bo granted an above Indicated and uroly their petitions are reasonable enough. Ned Reading , the military bicycle racer , and his trainer. Jack Klnnoman. left for Now York Tuesday to prepare for the big six-day Madison Square Garden chaso. Ned Is lu elegant fettle and ho confidently ex pects to lug home a piece of the money. If ho does ho will have to show his heels to a whole lot of good men. Thcro will bo a formidable representation of foreign riders on hand to dispute the soldier's progress towards shekels and fame. Some of them Jiavo been over hero before , but they did not succeed In Igniting any rivers by the friction of their exploits. The champion long-distance rider of Scotland , Dllly Lums- don , Is ono of the most notable of these Importations , while Tom Llnton , who has been a hummer over In gay Paree , and who holds the hour record , Is some pumpkins. Ho covered thirty-one miles and CSG yards In cno hour , and will assuredly prove an antagonist worthy of any man's best pedal ing. J. I'latt Belts la a very fast Johnny Bull. He has gone a mile with flying start In 1:41 : 3-5 , and standing start In 1:48 : , but whether ho Is a real slx-daycr yet remains to bo proven , Thcro are others , hut thcro Is nothing patlcular In their records calling for special comment. While wo are to have the foreign rldcra hero this winter , they will get the pick of our amateur1 athletes on the other side next lummcr. England Is to bo again Invaded. The Now York Athletic club will send a band over which. It Is thought , can success fully withstand the vagaries of the ICngllah climate as well as wax about anything our red-coated brethren can Bend against them. II , J. Wefers , the Georgetown university sprinter , will ho among the selected lot. and In point of reputation will head the crowd. It Is probable that no country ever produced a butter man for 100 tip to 300 yards. Ho will also have a look In for the world's quar ter mile , the hardest of < all races to run. Following Wefers comes C. II. Kllpatrlck , America's premier half-mller ; W. S , Hippie , the "schoolboy runner , " Is but a shade lower than Kllpntrlck ; B. II. Illoss Is the broad jumper and hurdler , and has world's cham pionship material In him ; II. S. Lyons Is a epecdy 300-yard man ; L > . I1. Sheldon , Yale's old captain , won the broad jump ovci < thcro before and thinks ho Is as good as their best yet ; George Gray might bo tied at shot put ting , but beaten never ; nnd G , W. Orton knows no equal In this country at ona/uille. Ho and Gray have- won a barrel of mtxlals. Ily way of comparison , the amateur cham pionship records of the two countries are herewith given , Our games wcro hold In September last on Manhattan Field and the Now York Athletic club winners wcro aa follows : Wefers , 100 yards , :10 : 1-B ; 220 yards , :23 : ; ho was also second to Ilurlto at 440 yards In :4S : 4-5. Kllpatrlck. SSO yards. 1:67 : 3-5. W. S. Hippie was flvo yards be hind his club mate. G , AV. Orton , ono mile , 4:27. : 13. H. Illosa. broad Jump , 22 feet. G. II. Gray , putting shot , 41 feet 3' , ( , Inches. The track unn lu shameful condition. The English amateur championship games wcro held on July 4 , The grounds wore In the brat -shape and the weather was all that could bo desired. The winners there were : N. I ) . Morgan , 100 yards , :10 : 2-5. J. C. Meredith , -140 yards , :52. : King , SSO yards , 2:01'/j. : n. Uwford one mllo. 4:31 : 2-5. C. K. H. LcgKutt. running broad Jump , 23 fret 8U Inches. It. K. Lorslmw. polo vault , 10 feet , I ) . Horean , putting shot , 43 feet , CH Inches , For ycarB Yale lus boasted of having the finest and most complete unlvomlty gymna- him In the country , but this boast will , not hold good much longer. I HCO by the Now York papvre that Columbia Is preparing to erect a similar Institution on Mornlngsldo Hi-lghU that will knock old 151 I'B establish ment Into a cocked hat. It will have no equal In this or uny other country lu magni tude or thoroughnrea of equipment , The Blmpo of the utructurv will be that of an oval building with the cud cut off. About half of the building wll be for power houao nd rooms for literary and other societies. i The rest will be occupied by the gymna sium , the baths , the crew , boxing , fcnclnn nnd wrestling rooms. In the iMftcment will | be the swimming pool , the largest In the , country , hp.vlng A'diameter of 100 feet : and a depth of 10 feet. Grouped around It | will bo the shower tub nnd needle baths. The plnco will bo finished In marble with Mlvcr trimmings. The drat floor will bo the gymnasium proper. 100 feet broad. 100 foot long nnd 35 feet In height. The run ning track around Mt will he one-ninth of n mile long. The entire building and equip ment will cost JSOO.OOO. While on the topic of the colleges It might be Intcnstlng to state that Harvard and Yak' are engaged In an effort to renew their athletic relations , which glv i every promise of success. A mass meeting of the Yale students has been called to approve the pro- pcsed agreement between the two great tinl- versltlea , looking to the final adjustment of the difficulties and to restore a friendly fee > - Ing In all hrnnrhofi of ntliletltfl. The captains of all the Harvard athletic teams are anxlnus to have their men meet Yale again and the lovers of amateur gnnuo nil over the coun try would hall with delight any arrangement by which this desired end might be brought about. Thcro have been no contests during the Inactive hiatus between these untvcrsltlro that have filled the place of those famous old battles which used to be fought between iho crimson and the blue. The athletic .committee realizes this , be lieves that nil the gooil whlrh the stopping of athletics could do lies been done by this time and that It la time to lay aside any bitter feeling there may have been In an agreement covering all the branches of Inter collegiate sport. This has evidently been done nnd the road Is comparatively clear for the formation of n" Ifarv.ird-Yalp athletic league. The formal aiproral of the Harvard students as a whole Is not necessary , as they have representatives on the athletic com mittee. At Yale , however , the stuclenta them selves run the athletics without the aid of on athletic committee , and It Is for this reason that the mass meeting has been called to take action. Chicago's nervy disciple of Eiciilapln.3 , W. S. McDowell , Is not satisfied with his defeat for the diamond sculls over at Henley last July , and gives It out eld that he will go over again next year and bring back the scintillating blades or know the reason why. There are some people who are Inclined to think that the doctor Is slightly pre sumptuous , hut nevertheless ho has thoroughly demonstrated that he Is a single scullor of the first rank and stands a more than fair chance of making his boast good. Ho Intends to crcos over early in March , and do all his training on the Thames , In order that ho may become , not only thoroughly familiar with the stream and Its vagaries , but sufficiently acclimated to withstand the same testa to which the natives are sub jected. Ho Is determined , too , to be up to snuff In all details nnd has ordered a new shell amV sculls of an Englbh builder. Last July ho was wofully handicapped with an Inferior American outfit. Well , Doc , hero's a brome seltzer to you. On February 12 and 13 the return match between the picked chess players of America and Great Ilrltaln will take place. It Is for the Sir George Nownes International trophy and will bo by far the most Interest ing chess event of the winter. The Ameri can , end of the match will be played In the Academy of Music In Brooklyn. The ten players wll sit well down toward the footlights on the stage , facing the audi ence , with their chess tables In front of them. Just behind the American team and at a higher level than the players' heads , as seated , will bo suspended ten giant chewi boards , with movable figures , and upon these boards every move will be Immedi ately shown , so that the spectators see the actual state of each game at every moment of Its progress. It will certainly be a match less contest of brains and skill between Encland and the United States. The Ameri cans won the trophy last March , and arc now called upon to defend It. The team will be selected from the following masters of the game : Plllshury , Show-alter , Duryie , Harry. .Hyim's , Hodges , Teed , Helms , Del- mar , Hampton , Labbatt , Johnston and lialnl. iattj. perhaps two otncrs , while the UrltLsh team will bo picked from the fol lowing cracks : Atkins , IJlackburnc , Illake , Hurn , Carr. Donlsthrope , Jackson Jones. Lawrenco.jJ cc , Locock , Lord , Mills , Smith and Troncliard. And still another cable chess match Is en the tan'ls , this tlmo between the representa tive tqaics of this countrj' and France. The Gallic gentlemen are particularly anxious to meet their American cousins , judging from the esprit manifest In their overtures for a match , and It will likely bo speedily arranged. Of course the return match with England , spoken of In the preceding paragraph , will monopolize the attention of chcia playera for several months , but It Is qulto likely an understanding will bo reached yet this winter nnd the contest fixed for some time during the coming summer. H Is now a settled fact that there will bo no fight In Now York or on Coney Island between Fltzslmmons and Corbctt. But this lias been known all along and all the rot that has been published ancnt such a contingency has been superfluous and un necessary. Of course Corbett has been cog nizant of this fact all along nnd It was bc- cause of this knowledge that ho jumped at the bait offered by that old sporting hack , Warren Lewis. Hero Is a fellow po.slng be- tore the American public as the boss of all fighters who Is only willing to fight when ho soco somebody holding the other fellow. In other words , ho Is alwajM dead stuck on fighting : anywhere ho knows ho cannot fight , and that Is all the light there Is In him. He Is a good thing. I don't think , nut It Is a horse of another color with Colonel Fltz slmmons. Ho makes a business of fighting and Is always ready and willing when he known a fight can bo pulled off. All along lie has discouraged this New York limited round business and religiously adhered to ItU original agreement that It must bo a finish fight or no fight at all , and that It must be fixed for any old place where such an affair la possible. It begins to look now as If such n nook had been discovered , for Dan Stuart , the corpulent Texas gambler , has offered a purse of J15.000 for a mill to Robert's liking and Kobert has accepted with a promptltudo that Is commendable. He lies quibbled at nothing , the size of the purse , which Is all too big. the time or the place. His has signified his willingness to abide by Mr. Stuart's arrangcmcnta , let them bo whatever they may , and I tell you the much derided Antipodean Is a hero as good as over camp down the pike. Hut how about your big p'seudo champion ? Ho hasn't opened lib toad-llko kisser since the obese Daniel made his offer. Ho never had a fight In his llfo except the tlmo hemet met Joe Choynskl , and will never have nn- n'Jicr ' as long aa ho lives thatIs , unlcaa ho meets mo. Dcsplto the fact that his few sycophantic friends profess to believe that he will accept Stuart's offer , they know butter. They know when to count him out. and that la whenever there Is a chance to flght. IJy the way , Potcr Maher and Steve O'Don- ncll have been matched again. They are to go twenty rounds ) or moro or less Christ mas day. before Warren Lewis' Greater Now York Athletic club. It Is a bum match. Ono year ago Polio and Stcvle mot and Stevlo was so badly scared when ho was shoved out face to face with I'etlo that ho came within an ace of fainting. Ho hardly getup up hla guard before the Alkali lad laid him out. Hlff ! nnd Stevlo curled up In hU corner like an obedient child and went to sleep. Hut they say Stovlo has Improved slnco ho met IVtle , and that may be. Lot's see. Oh ! yes , ho Just licked , poor , old spav ined Paddy Slavln the other day and chal lenged Jim Corbctt to boot. Of course , ho has Improved ; I never thought of that , but now as I have , I am willing to bet almost anything from a toothpick to a lumber yard that ho dumps a load of coal In 1'etlo'a HOC ! ; Christmas. Dut It wa4 ever thus , In the mellifluous words of Longfellow. Those all-night New Yorkers are trying as hard as they can to kill the eamo In New York , and with , dub matches and dub decisions they will not bo long succeeding. ' Judging from the half-page reports of the Fltulinmons-Sliarkoy light In all the big metropolitan papcru of tlio country ono would think that thcro U a good deal of Interest existing In the deprecated , game of llutlcuffa , devpltu the perennial onslaughts of the goody-goodii. And there la. It la a 100 to 1 uiiot that ot all tlio many rcadero of the dally papers of this city about every nlno out of ten who picked up their papers latit Thurnday morning firm glanced over the graphic description of the scenes In the California ring before turning to the calcwJurs of commerce , politico or trimu. The etnld , tlio conrorvntlvo , nyo. the man ' who goes to church ns a blind In thn furtherance nf biiflnei8 or poclal Interest ! ) , may have pretended In bo looking for the happcnlngo In unhappy Cuba , who called upon McKlnlcy yesterday , or what the ' Trani'mlsslfj-lppl Kxposltlon directory are up to , but they wcro not , they were looking for the fight. Now. while there arc i-omo of ua w-ho nro not wlllInK to nchnowleJgn tMs , most all of us know It li true. We nro prone to Judise others by ourrelves. Why , j while coming down In n car the other mornIng - ) Ing n minister of the gospel ntkcd mo what I thought of the dorl'jlon giving Frank Hrno n \lctory o\vr George Dlxon , In t'.clr light a few days ago. The Interrogatory fairly swlpod my breath , but I readied myt < elf nnd Informed my clerical friend that I thought It wao In nn exceedingly high state of ptitrlfactlon. Ho coincided with n bland j smile. Hut to get at what I originally In tended to. nnd that li thnt while the readers of the dally prcvr nro Interested In ll-or mnttcro. no etitcrpil Ingr.uwjpaper can afford to Ignore them , nnd It Is no matter of choke with n porting editor. If ho doslron to do nooil work for hlu employers , nnd Is nny- wli'o Interested In his own reputation nnd welfare , he must an coiiFislentloiisly dally review , criticise nnd comment upon the doIngs - Ings of the I'hort-halrod gladlatoro of the ring ns ho doey on Iho doings of the long haired warrlnro of the gridiron , the duck- pantled ter.nla player , the Scottish capped wlcldcr of the golf stick or effeminate croquet mallet. And this brings up another lntcrtatln > ; question , and that Is , which la the more brutal , foot ball or boxing , or , 1C you'd rather , prize fighting ? I am free to con fess that I think there Is not oven a chance to guess ; font ball li a hundredfold rougher , more vigorous nnd dangeious. Hut there U n difference In the sports on account ot the following each bus. The rcatcr of our famous old colleges Is made up principally of the scions of our wealthiest , noblest nnd most aristocratic old families , liberally In terspersed with the progeny of the parvenu , and this gives the gridiron a big "ago" on respectable opinion , as we are nil ambitious to be in the swim. Dut , further , because I think foot ball more menacing to physical soundness nnd health than boxing Is no reason to think- that I do not llko It. for I do. I think It the best and the most thrilling of all our outdoor athletic sports and I would juat aa leave sec n magnificent game like that of Saturday a week ago as I would a fight be tween any two pugilists In the world. I am too much of n sportsman and have been too long In the ' business to "pass up" any thing cs good 'as foot ball. It all rough sport was abolished there would bo little need of gymnasiums or athletic training. The dltllculty with pugilism Is Its follow ing. There was a time In the old daya In England when royalty lent the game the In fluence of Its endorsement , hut there has been a grand and continual degeneracy since those halcyon days. Instead of the best ot the land taking active Interest In the affairs of the ring It Is just the oj pcsltc It Is the worst. Skin gamblers , plug-uglies , thieves , bunco men , guns , knucks anil horse thieves make up the main guard of the ropes and stakes , forming a wall which respectability and honesty cannot scale. Of course there are lots of good men In the game for both pleasure and profit , but where there Is one such there Is n adore of the other class. Of course every manly man Is Interested In the superiority of his race , nnd , where con tests of skill , endurance and strength arc concerned. Is nn energetic devotee , but It Is the pugilist's environments that generally deprive him of the pleasure of witnessing trials for supremacy In the manly art of self-defense , and for this reason the game Is in profound disfavor with the bettor classes. Even the big clubs In New York and San Franchco are powerless to rid themselves of the octopus of vice and dla- honesty , anil with all their privileges they cannot conduct the sport as It should be con ducted to give It a foothold on decencv. In several Instances the individuals running these cluba are little short of second-story men and hall-workers. There are some square men Interested , but they ore In a sad minority. Out In 'Frisco Wednesday night , with complete police protection and a crowd of 15.000 or 20.000 people , among whom were several hundred women , present , the manage ment must glvo the thing n black eye by put ting In as referee , a notorlomi "Arizona stage driver who had figured In many n gun-play on the border. " A nlco man to put up ae Judge of an honest athletic contest , Intended for the edification and pleasure of thou sands of pati ens. Is It possible that no well known club , business or sporting man could have been Induced tc flll the position ? Was It ab solutely necessary to call on a border ruffian , n skin-gambler or a thief ? If so , the quicker the California legislature shuts up the nhop the better. If wo can have only that kind of pugilism we had better have none. No.v this Is exactly what I think of the two much Oiscussod games , foot ball and boxing : I think they are both good when properly conducted. Foot ball , with all ita roughness. Is all right , but as much cannot bo said for pugilism. Give the game the gridiron's following and It would bo every whit , if not more popular. Men cannot leave tholr stores and olllces to go out and play foot ball without running chances of serious Injury ; neither can they get In the ring ana nraul nnd punch each other without the same risks. So Icng as wo have vigorous outdoor sport wo irust have a little blood-spilling , hurts and an occasional death , The ratio of chance Is In the whole category. Men have been borne homo from the base ball and cricket field , Jockeys have been killed rowers ruptured and swimmers drowned. The simplest athletic Indulgence often leads to grave results. Dut the humanitarians give these things no consideration. They can only see the evil surrounding prlzo fighting and the danger In foot ball. | In exemplification of nil I have said derogatory to pugilism and HH cohorts I have only to refer you to the Fltzflminons- Shurkcy flght out In 'Frisco last Wednesday night. What do I think of It ? Why. just what you or any other fair , square un prejudiced lover of i-port thinks that It waa a monumental piece of rascality. If ever a man won n flght fairly nnd honestly. Fltz- nlmmons won that flght. and If a man was ever deservedly and thoroughly beaten that man waD Sharkey. There Is only ono tenable theory and that Is that the old three-card crowd who run things out In the city of the Golden Gate In the days of Young Mitchell , George LuBlanche , Dave- Campbell , Jim Corbett nnd other notorious fakirs Is ngaln manipulating affairs In the Interests of the poolroom sharks nnd sure-thing gamblers , nnd < honcst men have about na much show for their money as they would If they went up ngalnut a brace faro game. Oh. yes , these San Francisco sporto are Just na fair aiid lioncHt as any man who ever lifted a pockctbook or put powder In n safe. The Chrlrtmas number of Western Field and Stream , promises to bo an exceptionally attraUlvo one. In addition to the usual excellent matter of Interest to sportsmen In general , the number will contain ohort stories by William IHcasdcll Cameron and G. M. Falrchlld. Jr. , both well known writers of northland life and romance , and a de- Ecrlptlvo article detailing the experiences of a party of ladles and gentlemen In ascend ing Mount Tncomn , the highest mountain peak In the United States. There will ho other storlca and hunting sketches , most of them Illustrated , and a charming poem by Lolllo nolle Wyllo , the young Georgia poetess , A loiter " ' ' on "A 'Compoalto' Uroed of Setters , " by F. H. F. Mercer will en gage the attention ot all dog lovers. The frontlupleco is a reproduction of a beauti ful hunting wcono by C. A. Zimmerman , the nrtlut , entitled "On the Alert. " Thcro will bo tlio usual quota of bright and B-mixma- blo things from the veteran sportsman and editor. Charles Hallock , and the junior editor and New York representative of the magazine , Mark Illff. The cover will bo of special and artistic derlgn on a par with the general , excellence and beauty of the work within. Western Field and Stream le llvo and progressive ; It Is a credit to the publisher , John P. Uurkbard , St. Paul , Minn. , and deserves all the success which ls coming to it from all parts of the country , especially DO as It 1s mainly devoted to these most timely Interests Game and Forcul Conservation. Nelio Innes , snorting editor of the Doston Herald , has Just Issued No. 3 of "King Ilecordu , " which U the standard publication on matters relating to the ring. The book Is of voH pocket elzu , 13G pages , and con tain the carefully compiled records ot fifty prominent pugllU < U' , with portrait : ! . It la of nterest to the 11'tie fratornl'y ' throughout the world , No other book contains the same data. It In thoroughly up to date. The now f We have 1,000 Boys' Suits-whlch S3S iff we have been selling at from $2 to $6 A dealer has offered to take them at $1.50 for all suits that sell for $3 or less and $2.50 for all that sell for $6 or less Now we'd just as soon sell them to you at If this price so we told the dealer and get a little advertising out of it- and we will place them on sale Monday & 8fe K.rS Choice of Choice of 8fem any Boys' Suits any Boys' . S" " < < ; m marked $3 or less , marked $6 or M m Every kind style and size from 4 to 14 years , ill ALSO GIVING $ % $ 10 PER CENT DISCOUNT ON ALL THE " * :9 : Ladies' Cloaks , Suits and Wraps. tH * m records contalne'd In this valuable book nro the following : Zleglor , Handler , Leeds , White , Vernon , Cans , Martin Flaherty , Leon , KrncPt , Wnrd , Lavack , McPnrtland. "Spike" Sullivan nnd Dunfco. A dime &ant to Mr. Inncs , care Dosttm 'Herald , will aecUro a copy of , the book. " ' ? - . - , - ; The sportsmen' mSt * whh but the most In different Buccess"afibld during the last week owing chiefly , however , to the cold and un suitable weather. 'In ' keeping with the be havior of the duckS , the geese have almosl completely given us1 the go-by this fall , am ! during the past' ' ten' da > 8 but a few strag gling flocks were seen where commonly they are to be found by the thousands. The continued cold 'weather has In nil prob ability sent the ! birds nil hurrying south and so far as wild fowl shooting Is con cerned the sportsman might as well encase his hammerlesff 'fdr ' the winter. The sunshtno which always succeeds bail weather came yesterday morning nnd while It remains good quail shooting should be had. H was tlif\ knowledge of this fact that caused numerous parties to sally forth last evening1 for a whack at them today. There Is nothing new In the local outlook for ba o ball. A general disappointment was felt because Omaha was not taken Into the Western league , but corresponding felicity over the fact that she was excluded from the Western association. All hope for the ler.gue. however , has not yet been relinquished. There are several schemes In Incubation , but I hardly look for anything other than a preparation to Include this city In the circuit In 1S9S. Thcro are pros pects of a city league that ought to furnish isomo capital eport. Several gentlemen who have successfully handled base ball In the past are Interesting thcmsclvrfl and If they take hold of th ? project In earnest It will bo n go. ( liioxtloiiN mill COUNCIL BLUFFS , Dec. 3. To the SportIng - Ing Editor of The Dee : Talking about foot ball games , why didn't Nebraska win the Thanksgiving game , with Shedd , Thorpe and nine other "wonderful" men on Its team ? You speak of Holbrook's not being able to mnko a touchdown without the help of tbo rest of the team. la one man supposed to play the game ? Why didn't Coach Iloblnson get his men tenet net together ? Where were Slicdd , Thorpe nnd Jones , these "wonderful" players , when I loll ) rook made his run ? Of course It was only "Iowa beef" that won the game for the Iowa City team. Have Nebraska's victories of the last three years been caused solely by scientific playing ? Wo know that Iowa won , but It was nil a mistake , Nebraska Is per fection Itself from Its foot ball team to Its climate. It is ono thing to be defeated and another to take defeat gracefully. "It ueems so nlco to have a winning team. " S. J. Mlers. All the sporting.editor has to say In re sponse to Mr , Mlers Is that ho Is barking at the wrong man , as ho did not report the game In question. So far as his opinion goes , Iowa has a fine team nnd won the game on the merits of their superior training and all-round team play , FOHT CROOK. Nov. 30. To the Sporting Kdltor of The Bee : Would you kindly decide the following and oblige n number of Uncle Sam's lads and n subscriber. A bets that If a man had a largo bellows that would accumulate wind enough to flll the falls of a vessel that ho could , by standing on the banks of a lake , near which there la n vessel , and by blowing or filling the calls ho could move It out Into the lake. II agrees with him m far , but ho further elates that by fastening the bcllowu on the stern of the boat ho could , by filling the eallv , move It along ju t the came. 11 bets that ho can't. Which gets the mon ? If you will kindly decide tlih It will cimblo a few of us to go to Omaha this payday and alto a llko number to stay at homo. An . The man on the stern. OMAHA , Dec , 12. To the Sporting Editor of The Heo : Please answer In Sunday's Dee : Did Charles Mitchell over flght under weight of 176 pounds ; ' If so , at what weight ? Student. Aiifi. Most all weights down to 133. FREMONT Dec,1 3. To the Sporting Ed itor of The lice : ' IMease answer tbo enclosed question In next Sunday's lice : A beta li that Bryan will tarry over half of the states , or twonty-thrco etates. Who wins J. G. IllcralnR. r Ana. H. according to the official declara tion giving McKInley Kentucky. PLYMOUTH. 'Neb. ' , Dec. 2. To the SportIng - Ing Editor of The .Heo : Will you please nay to decldo a bet (1) ( what rules constituted a round of the Sulllvan-Kllraln fight at Hlch- burg , Mlra. and (3) ( ) did a knockdown end tlio round ? H , Mj Van Pelt. Aug. (1) ( ) London prlro ring. (2) ( ) Yes. COUNCIL BLUFFS , Dec. 1. To the Sport- Ing Editor of The Bee : To decide n lot of small bets hero will you please glvo the popular majority of votes which McKInley received over Wryan ? A Reader. Ans. As near as completed , McKInley , 7.052.9G1 ; Bryan , 0,146,359. UNION PACIFIC HEADQUARTERS. Dec. 3. To the Sporting Editor of The Bee : A says to B : "I'll bet Jl that a certain thing Is true. " n says : "I'll accept your bet. " No money Is put up. I ) subsequently proves to A's satisfaction that ho ( D ) Is correct , but A says a bet Is not a bet unless the money Is up. Should A pay B the Jl ? An Old Subscriber. Ans. If the bettors are gentlemen B most certainly wins. COUNCIL BLUFFS , la. , Dec. 2. To the Sporting Editor of The Bee : A bets B that Shnrkcy will bo fighting Fltzslmmons In the tenth round. Who wins ? M. T. S. Ans. If ho meant that ho would win or he lighting In the last round ho wlps , bc- cause the rcfcrco gavq him the flght In the eighth round. SOUTH OMAHA. Dec. 3. To the Sporting Editor of The Bee : Your decision solicited to settle 01 other ono of those fool bets of mine. I bet at odds of G to 2 that "Sharkey Is out In ten rounds. " This In reference to the Fltzslmmons-Sharkey match of the 2d Inst. Do I lose ? Lew Crane. Ans. According to n crooked rcfcrco you do. do.CARSON. CARSON. la. . Dec. 1. To the Sporting Editor of The Bee : A bets II that McKInley will have fiu.OOO moro votes In Ohio than Bryan ; which wins ? What Is the effect of the vote cast for Barr , people's party elec tor ? B claims that -this vote must be counted for Bryan , which would reduce the plurality below the number stated. A claims that Dnrr's vote was drawn from among the whole twenty-three electors and U Included In the Bryan vote. Who Is right ? F. G. Weeks. Ans. A wins. McKlnlcy's majority , ac cording to official count. Is as follows : 51,913. ORLEANS , Neb. . Dec. 3. To the Sporting Editor of The Bee : Will you kindly toll mo by return mall what plurality , If any , W. J. Bryan had in the state of Nebraska ? J. C. Gay.Ans. Ans. 13,072. COUNCIL BLUFFS. Dec. 4. To the SportIng - Ing Editor of The Bco : il'lcaso Inform mo through the columns of Sunday's Dee to whcm I am to pay a J10 bet. A bets H that Sharkey would stay ten rounds In the Sharkey and Fltzslmmons mill. Who wins ? J. J. Hughes. Ans. A. STROMSBURG , Neb. , Dec. 4. To the Sporting Editor of The Heo : To decide some bets please answer through Sunday's Dee the following : How many states did Bryan cany ? Also , how many electoral votes did ho got ? Subscriber. Ans. (1) ( ) 22. (2) ( ) 172. I RED OAK , la. , Dec. 1. To the Sporting Editor of The Bco : Plcaso glvo In Sunday's Bee McKlnley'a majority In Ohio and oblige. E. G. IDcnnls. Ans. It Is 00,409. I ATI3XT OKFICi : JVOVKI/I'IKS. A now voting machine prints names on the ballots. A now lawn rake has alternate wood and wlro teeth. A Florida man has patented a rowing ma chine and bath tub combined. A cigar cutter picks up a match , lights It and extends It for tbo use of the smoker. A machine for twisting the frlngo for shawls , curtains , etc. , has just been patented. A now observation wheel runs on an In clined plane Instead of being stationary and revolved by power. A new barrel-holding device for grocery stores , etc. . swlncs the barrel under the counter when not In uuo. A Nebraska man has Invented a now iitovo pipe joint , which turns on Instead of eliding. Ono complete turn fastens the pipe. A now device suspends the steve handle always within reach by means of a cord wound on a drum operated by a celled spring. I A now machine. Invented , by a resident of an eastern city , cuts tags from a atrip of paper , prints them and utrlnga them ready for use. A new liquid faucet has two valves , ono Inside the barrel , both working simultane ously by tbo turning ot the kuub on the outeldo. A new dovlco for helping a man riding a wheel against the wind consists of a V- iihapcd ucreen fastened to tbo head of the bicycle. A Now Zealand man has a patent on a bounding board for the violin , consisting of three dUks on the Interior , fastened to a I- . it -Ij. 'i "Tecember 13 and 20 * will tell whether leads the east and west in Holiday Numbers of great beauty and rich Illustration. Send ten cents in stamps for both numbers. Mailed postpaid , The greatest paper ever issued in Buffalo . falo , the electric city of the world. trip of metal running lengthwise through In center. An automatic watering trough , never runs vcr because the valve Is closed as noon as ho trough Is full , opening as the water Is cmovcd , A new flour1 sifter consUtil of a wlro mesh jail , In which the Hour la placed , revolved by means of n crank , the whole dovlco being Inclosed In a tin caso. A now blcyclo hrako consists of a friction disk attached to the roar hub , against which another disk 1s pruned by the action of the rider In back-pedaling. A patent haa juat been granted on a oolf- leveling ahln berth , the top being hung on swlveled roda , and the bottom Btuadled by means of a ayatcm of nprlngs , A new flro escape consists ) of a not attached to three Iron roda and having two rods to support ono aide on the ground , the other being fattened to the sldo of the house , A now telephone addition conalats of a ball CURE YOURSELF ! HUU ' - - uniuturil InlUrmimlloui. -iilluiig -i. - FREE 209 PAGE BOOK - on Krroni < if Youlli. I.tnt Vigor anil illwi-oi or txitfi MIXCJ. llnw to tx'romo wull uiiclbtruiiK. Noniiioiiiu. i > r. ii. iv. i.ouH.aao N.iain Mi.i'iiiiu.ru. olectroilo Inildo the transmitter , which coni- ilutixi the circuit , by giving the tranumlller a partial turn to the rlelit or left , thuu roll- ug the ball Into