8 THE OMAHA -DAILY 35EE : SJUDTJKDAY , FEBRUARY 1IJ , 1897.
GOOD ROADS IMPORTANT
County Oomrrmaioner Hooter's Ideas on at
Important Question of the Day.
GOOD FARMING NEEDS GOOD HIGHWAYS
JleiMiiiiiiiciiilnlloii for Uic NnniliiK' '
All Country HonilH , NtiitiliurlnHr C
I'llrni llntiNPN nnil n Directory
iif the llural DUtrlcl. ,
The following address by County Com
missioner Iloctor was delivered nt the moot
ing of the Douglas County Head Improve
ment league , held at the court house In
this city last Wednesday :
" .As a member of this league and as
chairman of the road and bridge commit-
tco of Douglas county , I deem It my duty
to submit for your consideration such views
entertained by me as warrant a submission
of a few practical suggestions. In this
connection not assuming to be an expert
In road building , and anxious to adopt the
most practical and economical plan , I shall
listen with great Interest to any recommen
dations mndo by other gentlemen of a
greater degree of proficiency. Acting In a
trust capacity , I have no Interest aside from
my constituency and the people of the state
of Nebraska. . With this explanation 1 offer
In the crude state the Ideas I entertain upon
the subject matter before this honorable
body.
"I have read with interest the able paper
submitted by our worthy president at a
meeting of the County Commissioners of this
state In Lincoln , a short time ago. I fully
agrco with the president , both ns to the
necessity of a change In the law , as
well as to the manner In'which work upon
public roads should bo conducted. The rec
ords of Douglas county show that In 1892
the sum of $10,220.05 was paid the road over
seers for work performed by them during
that year. This amount was reduced In
1895 to $5,421.13. The money saved In this
line has been'expended largely In the oper
ating of road graders with' satisfactory re
sults , the amount of money expended In that
line having Increased from $1,203.05 In 1892
to $6.091.11 In 1894 , the amount so expended
In 1895 being somewhat less than that of
"During the years 1892 , 1893 and 1894
470,000 culilo yards of earth were moved by
this county at a cost of $43,367.05 , an average
of 9 4-5 cents per cubic yard. In addition
to this there had been graded with the county
graders up to January , 1S9G , 2C7V4 miles of
real : at an average cost of $37.06 per mile.
During the year 1896 about forty-live miles
of road Imvo been graded with the county
machines at a cost of $39.90 per mile , and
about seventy-two and one-halt miles of that
graded in 1892 and 1893 have been trimmed
up , so that wo now haye In this county
about 323 miles of road graded up In a flrst-
class condition at an average cost of about
$38 per mile , not Including the contract
work. This we consider a vast Improve
ment over the old system of depending upon
the overseer In each precinct , as In thlii
way wo get moro work at less expense and
a uniform system of roads throughout the
county. Where public funds are disbursed
through so many local agencies , and with
no uniformity of plan adopted throughout
the state , it cannot be so expended that the
most satisfactory results to the taxpayers
can bo realized.
SAME CONDITION IN ENGLAND.
"As I'resldont Williams says , quoting
from MacauliyVo are not the first people
ple that liavo boon driven by necessity to
clamor for better roads. ' Macaulay tells of
a tlmo In England when public sentiment on
this line rnso to such a pitch that even the
troops wcro called out to quell the frantic
demands of'the people' . . He tells us that in
the closing yc'ars of" the sevenlebrith cen
tury the highways In his country had fallen ,
through neglect , Into almost absolute de
cay. Ho tells us of Instances where trav
elers were as many as fourteen hours In
going flvo miles , and that when Prince
George of Denmark visltpd the country he
was six hours in going nlno miles ; that In
numerous cases progress was only made by
taking the conveyances to pieces and packIng -
Ing them over the almost Impassable roads ,
while the unfortunate occupants were car
ried on litters.
"It Is true that we have not yet reached
eo serious a condition as this , but I cite this
Instance , first to show what the final result
of the agitation for an Improvement was ,
and second to bring to your attention what In
the judgment of this eminent historian was
the chief cause of the lamentable condition
of the roads and on this he says : 'One chief
cause of the badness of the roads seems
to have been the defective stateof the law.
Every parish was bound to repair the high
ways which passed through It. The peas
antry wcro forced to glvo thulr gratuitous
labor six days In the year , and If this was not
sutllclcnt , hired labor was employed and the
expenses was met by a special rate or tax. '
"I IIml upon examination that other coun
tries than England owing to the defect In
the laws are comported to construct tholr
highways In a similar manner to that cited
by Macaulay as being In vogue In England.
110AD LAWS IN SOME STATES.
"In the United States I flud seven states
and ono territory now construct their roads
In this manner. Alabama requires all able-
bodied males from IS to 46 years of ago to
work on the public roads of their district
for ten .days In each year. North Carolina
requires all able-bodied males from 18 to 45
years of ago to work on the public roads of
their district for fifteen days In each year ;
and Georgia , all able-bodied males from 1C
to CO years of ttge from six to ten days In
each year ; 'Bouth Carolina , all able-bodied
males from io to CO years for from three to
twelve days In each year ; Mississippi , all
able-bodied mules from 18 to 50 years , not
more than ten days ; Louisiana , all males , not
more 'than ' twelve days ; Kentucky , all males
from IK to r 0 years , with no limitation In
tlmo ; Now Mexico , all males from 21 to 50
years for two days. In Illinois the labor
system may also bo adopted In any district
upon the vote of a majority of the voters ,
nil able-bodied mates from 21 to CO years of
ngo being required to work on the public
mills nut Ires than ono nor more than three
days In each year. Arkansas requires all
able-bodied males from IS to 45 years of
age to work on the public roads of their dis
trict for ten days In each year , nnd only
levies a. money tax when Urn roads cannot
be kept In good condition by the labor of
those liable for road duty.
"This system Is unfair because It recom
penses Inforlor hands the same as those who
ore good workers. It brings the best work
ers down to the level of the poorest. This
system compels each man. to work on the
public roads for so many days , and the ac
tual cost of maintenance Is far greater than
under any other Bysteiii , because though the
utato pays no money to maintain Its public
roads , tholr maintenance coats Its citizens
on. enormous amount of labor , which repre
sents BO much money to them. Many sec
tions of the states employing this system
complain of having the worst maintained
roads to be found anywhere. This system
Awarded
Highest Honors World's Fair.
DR ;
CREAM
MOST PERFECT MADE.
A pure Crape Cream of Tartar Powder. Fife
fem Ammonia , Alum or any other atfcUttU'.t
40 Years the Standard *
ha * no points In Its favor and should b
abolished wherever In use.
"The laws Just quoted by me arc In par
applicable to the state of Nebraska , whlcl
permits those liable to a poll tax to clthc
pay the same In labor or In cash. In m :
opinion the laws governing the payment o
n poll tax should cither bo changed to com
pel the payment of such tax In cash , or b
entirely abolished , as our experience Is tha
the cost of collection Is from $1 to $3 when
11 dollar ot revenue obtained In labor
Were this tax paid hi cash Instead of labo
and expended under the direct supervlsloi
of the county commissioners , an Immensi
saving would be made to the taxpayers
Whcro the tax is paid In labor , only mlnoi
repairs can bo made , at a much greater ex
penfe ; whereas , If the tax were paid In cash
the amount of money to be expended wouli
bo so much greater tha * . under the presen
system that the roads which are now enl ;
being repaired could by contract bo graded ti
the established grade thereof and thus savi
constant repairing.
"Perhaps the most Important question be
fore this body Is how to proparly construe
our roads so that they may be most servIceable
Iceablo In all kinds of weather. In solvln ;
this question I refer only to the construe
tlon of dirt roads which can bo subjcctec
to the most practical test. Experience hai
taught Us that In order to have good roadi
a thorough system of drainage Is ncccs
sary. I think the Hoard of County Conv
mlssloners of Douglas county has ndoptei
the most practicable and feasible plan. :
refer to the use1 of road graders or side htl
machines , and the building of turnplki
roads , which , when properly built will
a high crown In the center and good Jralt
ditches on each side , owing to the pccullai
adaptation of our soil for road building , wil
take care of themselves for several years , one
the cost of construction Is reduced to c
minimum and affords a much better drainage -
ago system than that furnished by formci
methods adopted In this county. In this
connection I desire to say that In my opltv
Ion no grade should be steeper than 4' , pel
cent nor less than 1 per cent , and no road
should bo graded less than forty feet Ir
width , as by so doing I believe the expense
of maintenance Is much less than that ol
narrower roads.
DISPOSING OF SUHFACE WATER.
"Ono great mistake I think too often made
Is 'In not properly disposing of the surface
water. Hy this I mean that as soon as a roaO
Is graded drain ditches should bo dug a !
the end of each cut of a sulilcicnt slzo tc
carry off nil surface water and prevent the
eamc from running down on the tills. A ncg-
lect In this particular Invariably entail ;
great damages and I think unnecessary ex-
pensc.
"Another suggestion is that when cuts are
made to a depth of six feet or more drain
ditches should be made along the top of the
bank , not less than foui feet from the edge
thereof , to catch all surface water and de-
poylt It at the end of each cut , thereby pre
venting It from flowing over the banks am !
causing the same to cave Into the road
which in this way would afford a much nlcei
and better road as well as a saving of c
great expense which would be otherwise
necessary ; In other words , adopting the
words quoted by President Williams , 'Ai
ounce of prcventatlve Is better than a pound
of euro. '
"Where the land Is lov ( and wet I think
roads should bo graded to the full width
of'tho road allowance , with drain ditches ot
each side four feet deep or of a sufflclenl
depth to properly carry off all surface water ,
"In repairing roads where It Is necessarj
to haul dirt Into the road , I would suggest
In all eases where the road Is rough and
uneven through what Is commonly called
or known as wheel ruts , or chuck holes ,
that the road bo plowed so that the fresh
earth may settle with that plowed from
the surface ot the road , by this means caus
ing a uniform settling of the road , whereas
It the road Is not plowed and fresh loose
earth Is filled Into wheel ruts , it must settle
by Itself , the surface of the old road formIng -
Ing a basin In which , to settle. The result
is that the first rain will soak through the
fresh earth to the hard road bed , and clthei
wash out the frcsjh earth or It will be picked
up and rolled out by wagon wheels , thus
leaving the road In a worse condition than
before being repaired. Money spent In se
curing a good , firm roadbed will save a
vast amount of trouble and expense in at
tempting to maintain a road Improperly re
paired , This applies moro particularly tc
repairs close to cities , where the travel IE
greatest.
"Sucesstul farming depends moro upon
good roads than Is generally supposed. The
balance between the cost of production and
the market values of his farm products is
the margin of profit to the farmer. To In
crease this profit , then , It Is 'necessary ' olthei
to lower the cost of production or raise the
market value. It does not Ho In the powei
of the farmer to raise the ) market value : he
must , therefore , depend upon the decreased
cost of production for his Increased profits
In this lies the farmer's success or failure ,
"Why does , not farming pay as it should' ;
U a question often asked , and may bo ans
wered as resulting mainly from two causes ;
first , a want of Just Jeglslatlon ; second , a
want of skill on the part of the farmer him
self. All legislation that admits of unjusl
taxation or excessive freight rates on anj
of our transportation Hues has Its evil ef
fect upon the net profits to the farmer. The
truth of this statement Is generally admitted
An extensive discussion of this subject Is
however , outside of the present line ol
thought. It Is also beyond our limits to give
In detail the losses that must accrue to the
fanner by unskillful management. Dut the
losses that must result from poor roads Is a
legitimate field for our present discussion
and cannot bo investigated too minutely.
UOAD QUESTION IS POLITICAL , .
"Tho roads question Is finding Its wa >
Into politics. It has n legitimate place
there , because it is a political question.
When a man Is elected to public oflice he 'U
presumed to transact the business of his
state , county or town , vlth the same care
and prudence that a .sensible man would
exercise In the conduct of his personal af
fairs. Every town is n corporation , and
every town officer Is a director In that cor
poration , and directly responsible for the
proper management of the corporate busi
ness In which all the stockholders , to wit
the citizens , are concerned. It Is now be
coming a subject of inquiry whether a town
or county ofllcor who permits his con
stituents to drag thoniE lvcs through miles
of mlro for six months In the year without
directing his olficlal energy to cure the miser
able waste and business paralysis which such
dllllcultles of travel entail Is worthy of the
confidence and support of an Intelligent
voter. In many towns In the eastern states
the ono partlncnt question which candidate :
for olllco are now called upon to answer is ,
'What Is your position on the roads ques
tion ? ' In Brooklyn the Issue on this point
Is specially prominent. The people of that
city are becoming heartily sick of a munici
pal government which has resisted Improve
ment , squandered thu public money and
brought benefit to nobody outside the par
ticular ring which has eo long controlled
public affairs In that city , The people/ have
paid liberally and have unly asked for some
results In return for their money. It Is now
a neck and aieck light between the people
and the ring , and the air Is full of promises
that may bo discounted DO per cent. Every
man should bo Judged by his record alone ,
The Homer Times says ! 'Dad roads lead to
profanity ; they make men swear. Had Toads
load to Intemperance ; men think It Is neces
sary to fortify the Inner man with a few
drinks to enable them to stand a long Jour
ney through the mud. Dad roads lead to
cruelty ; the kindest hearted driver often haste
to stimulate a willing team with the lash.
Had roads lead to poverty ! the wear and tear
on wagons , harness and animals knock off a
largo per cent of profit.1
W1D13 TIIIE3 IMPHOVK THE ROAD.
"Tho wagon rolled over the road should bo
a road-maker and not a road-destroyer. The
broad tire does this. lu Franco ara found
the best roads in Europe and over them roll
only the wheels of broadest tires. It Is the
law there that tha load tuall be distributed
over the largest possible surface contUteut
with the weight carried , the power exerted
jud the needH oj tjje ne-oyjn to wb.eel loads
bo market. The tltti ot ihe tfrench market
wagons are all the way from three to teu
Inches In width. The { .Teatest number are
from four to six Inches. In Ontario the DC-
partnfcnt of Agriculture advises thut for
wagons without springs the tire should never
bo lesa than two and one-half Inches In
width for a load of from COO to 1,000 pounds
on each wheel , For loads ot from 2,0\)6 ) to
3.000 pounds to the wheel each tire should
nave a dlametor on the face of not lesa
than six inches , This recommendation will
bo adopted In Ontario thli winter. It ought
to bo adopted hero < Uut no laws of this
kind ihould bo Imposed upon the people at
once. They must apply gradually , to that the
owners of vehicles can accommodate them
selves to the new nile without suffering
heavy cost. The adoption ot the system wll
at once make manifest Its economy when 4
comes Into use , for It Is a money saving de
vice for all who contribute to the construe
tlon and maintenance ot good roads.
"Owing to the peculiarity of our soil caus
Ing washouts and ditches , 1 recommend sow
Ing grass seed on the dldra ot all gradct
roads , which In a short tlmo will form
cod sufficient to prevent , In a great measure
at least , washouts , which now so frequently
occur. Hy this means our thoroughfares are
rendered secure from water , Its damaging
effects and at the same time bcnutlfieJ.
"With respect to paving of country roads
there Is a wide divergence of opinion as
to the material to be used. Hccognlzcd au
thorities are of different opinions In this
regard , some favoring cypress block , other !
vitrified brick , asphaltum , macadam and
stone block. In this climate and from the
results obtained from block paving In
Omaha , I think cypress bjock Is not to be ,
considered. Were It not for the expend ol
keeping macadam In repair , I think It the
most desirable paving for country roads
for all purposes , but owing to the fact thai
after the second year It Is necessary to
make annual repairs , I would , If possible ,
avoid such outlay. '
"Whcro necessity requires country roads
to bo paved , I am Inclined to favor stone
block on a sand base. While It Is true that
as many miles of stone paving cannot be
had for a fixed sum as could that ot maca
dam , In the gain of repair account the people
ple are largely benefited. 'Admitting ' that
the first cost Is greater , the benefits de
rived therefrom are materially augmented
with an ultimate diminution ot cost to the
taxpayers. In other words , I hold that no
practical economy can result where less
durable materials are used with a'certalnty
ot yearly exactions from the people.
"Next to stone block , I would favor vltrl-
fled brick on a sand base ; In Davenport ,
la. , Hock Island , 111. , Ilockford , 111. , , Lin
coln , Neb. , and other cities where this ma
terial has been subjected to practical tests
general satisfaction has been given.
"In respect to sewerage and culverts , 1
can suggest no Improvement over thai
adopted and now In use by the commis
sioners of this county. I regard the present
style of bridges adopted some four or live
yeans ago by the county board ns possessing
superior merit over those selected by former
administrations. The style ot bridges now
botng built by this county are what ore
commonly known as pile bridges. The con
struction of such meets all the requirements
of public safety as well as the demands ol
economy.
economy.NAMING
NAMING COUNTHY ROADS.
"Tho people of the city have advantages
ever those of the country In being able to
find , and direct others how to find , exact
localities. In itho city streets are named
and houses numbered and system and order
prevail. The system of numbering houses
along country roads and the systematic
plan of naming all of the road ? of the
country , which form a necessary adjunct to
It , Is on attempt io place the country fully
upon an equality with the city In these re-
spcpts. The erecting of guide boards nnd
the publishing of a country directory
will show the location of a. country resident
with as much exactness and make It as easy
to find any country resldcmce as It Is at
present to find a residence when knowing
the strctot and number la the city.
"Tho naming of country places , the ad
vertising of the business specialty of 'the '
countryman follow In the same line ot rural
advancement , as well as the more material
Improvement of the roads themselves , anil
the free delivery of mail matter and a
country express or package delivery In con
nection with the postal service , which Is
now In use In other counties In 'this state.
The aim should bo to develop a plan , sys
tematic throughout , to not only find a way
to do a thing , but 'to find the best way to
accomplish It.
'It appears to bo cafe to consider that Its
merits are strong enough to Justify putting
the plan Into actual operation. Before the
houses along the country roads can bz num
bered with any degree of satisfaction or use
fulness , the situation must be given a shape
very different from the one existing at pres
ent. The roads must be named and previous
to that being done , thought and study must
be given to each stretch of road to be known
by the same name. The first step , therefore ,
would to arrange the roads Into lengths ,
make a descriptive list of them and for
convenience of reference , number them In the
Hat. This work Is , or should be , a county
affair , and should Include the entire county.
The roads should bo arranged in as long
lengths as practicable. So long as the road
runs in a general direction , or even if it
deflects somewhat to either side , provided the
angles are not too abrupt , the isamo name
should be continued through towns , across
streams and over bridges its entire length.
I would suggest that roads bo listed , com
mencing at the east line of the county and
all north and south roads be numbered from
No. 1 , and that all east and west roads be
lettered alphabetically , or named , begin
ning at the north line of the county , and let
tered from north to south , making provi
sion for a road on each quarter section , half
section and section line.
"Depression in Industrial conditions , ac
celerated through Immigration , 'will ' cause
surplus population to seek homes on small
tracts of land. Good roads are indispensable
to their contentment and happiness.
"I favor the employment of home labor at
remunerative wages. IJy this means you en
courage manhood , i > ld revenue , and create
the best ot citizenship. Ill-paid labor Is the
parent of discontent. It begets socialism ,
the enemy of social order. I favor cash pay
ment , uniformity ot action , and centralization
of official responsibility. I would adopt such
plan for all public work as embodies the
qualities of durability and economy. "
Mnrvt-lH In IilnicNtonc.
The nagged Top gold mining district is
located about ten miles southwesterly from
Dcadwood. Fair sized bldles of gold bearing
rock running In value from { 35 to ? 75 per
ton are being worked In that section now , In
an area of 2V4 to 3 miles square. In the
Ragged Top district good float has been
found In a great many places. The discovery
ot mineral bearing rock In the nagged Top
district occurred so late in the year that
prospecting has not been pursued up to the
present tlmo as vigorously as It will bo when
the weather moderates and the snow goes off.
The fact that good ere Is found1 right at the
grass roots lu that section makes tbo dis
trict especially advantageous for prospector
and others of limited means , money with
which to continue development of tholr
ground being obtainable from the sale of
their ere almost as soon as they begin work.
This has been the experience of the men who
mads the discoveries In that section. Be
yond Jtagged Top. ln tha Spearfish and Iron
Creek districts , for a distance of C or 6
miles , the same kind of float rock la being
found , and. If present Indications amount to
anything , the districts bid fair to add greatly
to the gold producing era of the Dlack
Hills.
Three towns have been established In the
Itagged Top district , namely , nagged Top ,
Preston and Halmoral , To reach this dis
trict prospectors go to De-art wood and take
lucks , several enterprising livery men having
arranged for regular service between Deadwood -
wood and nagged Top.
Take the "Northwestern Line" to Deadwood -
wood , *
I3xcurNloii Itnd'H to AVi
For the benefit of those desiring to wit
ness the Inauguration of the next president
ot the United States , tbo Baltimore & Ohio
railroad will sell excurlslon tickets at ono
faro for the round trip from all points on Its
lines lu Ohio , Indiana and Illinois. Tickets
will be sold March 1 , 2 and 3 , valid for re
turn until March 8. Similar tickets , via
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad , will bo sold
by all the railroads throughout the west.
In addition to being the shortest and most
direct line to Washington , the Baltimore
& Ohio passes through a region of greater
scenic magnificence and historic In
terest than any In all America. Passengers
also have the option of traveling1 via Akron
and .Plttsburg or Y ! Hcllajro JU'J Oraftoij ,
either going or returning. The through
trains of the Baltimore & Ohio are vcstl-
buled throughout , equipped with Pullman
sleepers , and the dining car service Is un *
surpassed. Information In detail will be
cheerfully furnished upon application by
L. S. Allen , assistant general passenger
agent , B. & O. II. II. , Grand Central station ,
Chicago. i _
"The Overlnnii Limited. "
To Utah In 29f hours. California In C0 %
noura via the UNION PACIFIC. Tbls to
the fast eel and flneat train In tbe west.
Tickets can bo obtained at city ticket offlce ,
1302 Farnam street.
HAYIHffit DUOS.
Siicclnl ItMflhccil I'rlccn. :
MEN'S TaiXJTHINa.
' made and good
Men's all wool sultoU'trolI
wearers , -worth IS.fiftmnd $7.60 , at $3.76.
All wool black cloy prorated suits In sacker
or frock styles , vorrrdmsy , for $6.60.
Men's all wool pants * reduced from $1.GO
to 95c.
BIO IIATD SALE.
Men's black stiff -hats at 11.00 , will cost
you $3.00 In any otlw store.
Men's fur silk-lined , soft fedora hats In
brown or black , forfcfiSev
Othcrs advertised e aileader at $1.25.
VALI8NTINES. I
Tha greatest varlctyof Valentine * . I
The lowest prices In the city.
20 Valentines for 6c. '
Nice Valentines nt Ic , 2c , Be and lOc.
All prices cut on fine Valentines. The
C5c Valentines at 35c. Others "In proper
tion.
FUItNISHING GOODS.
SPECIAL SALE FOR SATURDAY
EVENING
From 7:30 : to 9:30. : He on hand.
1,000 dozen ladles' fast black cotton hose
regular 20c quality , Saturday evening at
So per pair. *
1,000 dozen men's fast black cotton BOX
full , seamless , regular 20c quality , Saturdaj
evening at Sc a pair ,
100 dozen ladles' fine black cashmere
gloves , our 25c quality , Saturday evening
at 9c per pair.
100 dozen ladles' fast black polka dot pcr-
callno aprons , worth 35e each , Saturday
12 4c each.
CLOAK AND SUIT PI11CES.
200 suits In fancy mixtures and plain
colors , worth $9.00 , at $1.98.
Figured mohair skirts , hair cloth facing
latest shape , worth $1.50 , at $2.48.
New checked skirt In browns , greens nm !
navies , the newest spring goods , at $3.25.
Wool shirt waists In all the now zigzag
effects , newest shades , at $1.48.
SILK IOC.
Saturday evening , 8 to 9 , we will sell
plain and figured silk at lOc a yard.
WASH GOODS SPECIAL.
28-.lnch fast black sateen , lOc quality , 5c.
Yard wldo now percales , lOc.
Dark dress prints , 2 c a yard.
SPECIAL GIIOOEUY PIIICES. i
Fresh roasted coffee , 29c.
12 bars laundry soap , 29c.
10 packages pcarllne , etc. , 29c.
HAYDBN BROS.
.ATTENTION , PJAXO IIUYI2US.
Do Not l > rnoriiN < lnnc Tlie IMnnos Arc
RoliiK nt < lic lloNpc Sale.
We would like for one short moment to
have your attention. We would like , In
strict confidence , to give you our "tale ol
woo" In the wholesale piano business , and
why we ) have decided at this tlmo to go out
of It , nnd explain to you fully why wo can ,
whllo this stock lasts , sell you a piano or an
organ at factory cost and save you the usual
retail profit , which Is anywhere from $100.00
to $150.00 on a piano , and $30.00 to $50.00 on
an organ.
When we decided to quit the wholesale
piano and organ buslncs wo had over 15C
Instruments on hand. To sell them at retail
In the regular way , in this town , It would
take two years. We decided on a "sale , "
and to offer the entire stock at Just what
It cost us. This offer , at these prices , is for
ten days only , or while this stock lasts ,
but by the way they are going the first
four days of the sale , there will not bo a
piano left by the middle or last of next
week.
week.Wo
Wo are offering and selling quickly , nlco
brand new pianos In all the fancy woods , for
$137.00 , $142.00. $150.00 and $168.00 ; others
for $177.00 , $187.00 to $192.00 , and all the
rest at corresponding low prices.
Now organs , $38.00$42.00 , $50.00 to $63.00.
$25.00 cash , $10,00 per month , buys any
piano In the house.
$6.00 cash , $3.00 to $5.00 per month , buys
any organ In the house.
Store open till 10 o'clock every night dur
ing this sale. Come early to secure good
choice. A. HOSPE , JR. ,
1513 Douglas St.
Closing out prices at-IIubermnnn's jewelry
store , 13th and Douglas * v
MAHDI GIIAS AT NEW OIU.EAXS ,
Via ( lie WaliiiNli Itallroiul ,
On Feb. 16th and March 2nd , the Wabash
will sell round trip tickets to all points south
at greatly reduced rates. All parties desiring
to taks a trip south for business or pleasure
should noi fail to take advantage of the low
rates offered by the Wabash. For further
Information 01- tickets call at Wabash offlce ,
1415 Farnam St. , or write
G. N. CLAYTON , Agent.
Stop-Over Privilege' . atVanliinK < oii.
A ten-day stopover at Washington , D.
C. , is now granted on all through tickets
between the east and west , via the Balti
more & Ohio railroad. Stopover will also
bo granted on the return Journey made on
raund trip tickets , within the flnal limit
ot such tickets , but not exceeding ten days.
Passengers will deposit their tickets with
the ticket agent at the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad station In Washington , who will
retain them until the journey Is to be re
sumed , when they will bo made good for
continuous passage to destination by exten
sion or exchange. This arrangement will
doubtless bo greatly appreciated by tbe
traveling public , because It will permit the
holders of through tickets to make a brief
visit to the national capital without addi
tional outlay for railroad faro.
Iteltor K < > < < tin * IiiaiiKiirntlnii.
It won't ccst much if you make the trip
over Pennsylvania Short Lines. All this
leading political lights will bo there and you
may see the greatest gathering of promi
nent men e\er at Washington. Ask Trav
eling PaiEonger Agent W. W. Richardson ,
Omaha , Neb. , about low rates March 1st , 2d
and 3d , or address your Inquiry to II. It.
Dorlng , A. G. P. Agt. , 248 South Clark St. ,
Chicago. _ _
SIx-Tlilrtv 1' . M. Trnln.
of ths
CHICAGO
MILWAUKEE
& ST. PAUL IIY.
Best service ,
ELECTRIC LIGHTS ,
Dining car.
City oflice : 1B04 Farnsm.
"The JVortliirrNici'ii I < lnc. "
1401 Farnam street.
The "Overland Limited" leaves at 4:45 : p. ra.
The "Omaha-Chicago Special" leaves U:30p.m. :
Fifteen hours to Chicago.
nates low , Standard of equipment high.
I'rumntiii-c TliniiltN.
Durlnc the rebellion the Nineteenth Maine
acquired n reputation for foraging the coun.
try so thoroughly that tncy wcro said to
liavo starved the- confederacy out. One day
they were fweeplng along , dining on the fat
of the land as usual. Another trooa was
uhcuid , and between ithem and the Nineteenth -
teenth rode General Hancock. As the gen
eral was pnHsliiB ono plantation , tlio pro
prietor came out ancUliiillcd his party.
"General , " sold he , "I want some sort of
snft'Kunrd. Tliei troops thut have Jus.t gone
: > y stole my I > IKH , lifted1 my henroosts nnd
emptied my cellar. "
" 1 nm very Horry,1 said Hancock.
"Yes. " continued the old man , "they stole
everything but my hope of Immortality.
Thank God , none of them can steal that. "
"Don't bo too Hiiro 'of that , " retorted the
general ; "the Nineteenth Maine Is coming
next. " .
"Speaking of nervous diseases. " remarked
i well known specialist to the Philadelphia
Jtecord man , "did you ever hear of a per
son mulcted with the 'drops ? ' No. Well.
t's a most remarkable complaint. Of course
t has Its technical tname , but It Is com
monly known as th < v > 'drons.- The patient's
nerves may be all rltrht in every other re
spect , but should he bo carrying a bundle
or parcel of any ; kind and you should sud
denly cry out , 'Drop that ! ' ho would drop
t ns though It were a hot hrlck. Ho could
10 moro help It than he could fly. Cases of
his kind are very rare In the east , but
hrouehout tho-we.st there la something In
.ho climatic conditions which makes the
llsease ? comparatively common. "
CurloiiH Nc'ivHiiaper OiviivrHlilfi.
Dresden , one of the German capitals ,
uwns a singular plcca of property , though
sne most admirably managed ; It Is ft morn-
UK newspaper , thu Dresdener Anzel er ,
Phls'dally , upon the death of Its last pro-
irletor , was willed to tlio city upon thn
Condition that all pro/Its / arising therefrom
should bo spent Upon the public parks. This
year u. large playground or nearly eight
icres was purchased from I'rlnco George ,
the kliiK's brother and licir apparent , and
t will Ce ready for uao m-xt * . ring- , The
inner continues to hold the respect of all
Itr/ens. tor the trust has been carried out
n Its broadest spirit , nnd the power ha *
lever been employed to foster any school
of opinions social , political or religious ,
CHASED BY A HUNGRY PAW
An Exciting Experience with Wolves ii
North Dakota.
TEMPORARY SAFETY IN A TRE !
HcKctieil by n Cnlto of I'lontlnjr let
null Cnrrinl llryoml tlio Ilcnelt
of the llitnurr.v I'lirmi- ,
Itrutcn , ,
Reports from the northwest and the tlmbci
districts lying along the Red river , In Nortl
Dakota , Indicate that the gray wolf Is glvlnf
settlers more trouble than usual by menac.
Ing their Hocks nnd herds. There Is a bount ]
on the scalp of every gray wolf killed , am
a good many make a fair living by hunting
the animal , but It holds ! Its own In numbon
and loses none of Its natural ferocity
Ordinarily the gray wolf Is not a dangcroui
creature fqr a man to meet , writes a corrc'
spondont of the Globe-Democrat , but It fro'
qucntly happens In the winter that It Is
driven desperate by hunger , and then , heaver
help the living creature that happens U
cross Its path. It roams over the pralrlc
In small packs , and when prey Is scented
there. Is a wild scramble among them to gel
the first nab at It.
Fifteen years ago , when there were fewer
settlers In Rlchland county , North Dakota ,
than there are today , and there were not
so many cattia to be preyed upon , the trav
eler across the prairie frequently had tc
race for his llfo with the gaunt gray prowlers
that were to bo found In the shelter ol
every clump of trees that grew. Commer
cial travelers whoso business took them
among the small towns that had no rail
road connections often had halr-ralslnp
stories to tell of their experience with gray
wolves. Ono of the most Interesting stories
of adventure with the animals Is related
by Augustus Stockdale , who was on the
road for a wholesale grocery house. He
had a lively rival In William Clark. The
route of these two men took them over the
same territory at the same time , and they
wcro always trying to beat each other Into
the towns , and to do this they would resort
to all sorts of tricks by which ono might
outwit the other.
It happened that one day these two men
struck the town of Lldgcwood. It was In
the spring of 1882 and winter was breaking
up. Late In the afternoon they finished
their business In Lldgewood and wcro to go
from there to Fargo. The nearest railway
station was Wahpeton , to which place they
were obliged to drive. There was no possi
bility of one beating the other to Fargo ,
because there was but one northbound train
that night , and It left Wahpeton at 9:30 :
o'clock. This train they both Intended to
take.
PURSUED BY WOLVES.
The drive to Wahpeton would toke a little
moro than an hour , and at 8 o'clock Stockdalo
started In a sleigh drawn by a pair of
strong-legged horses , and driven by a
Norwegian employed at the livery stable at
which ho had hired the team. It was moon
light , the sleighing was excellent , and the
prospect of reaching Wahpeton In an hour
was encouraging. A thin , hard coating of
snow was spread over the prairie , and the
diiver decided to cut "cross lots , " and thus
shorten the distance.
A little moro than half the distance had
been covered , nnd the horses had been pulled
up to a walk while Stockdalo lit a cigar ,
when thcra was a sound from the rear thai
caused the driver to turn quickly In his
real and look back. The same Instant the
horses showed signs of restlessness. Stock
dale heard the sound , and asked the driver
what It was. The Norwegian promptly replied
: hat It sounded like wolves. Ho had hardly
InUhed speaking when the short , sharp
jark of a wolf 'came swinging through the
air from away In the rear , and then there
was another nnd another. Stockdale looked
around , and away oft to the left he saw ten
or a dozen dark spots scattered over the
white surface of the pralrlc.
"It's wolves , sure , Ole , " said ho to the
Irlvor. "You'd better start the horses up. "
Ole was already alive to the situation , and
ho horses began measuring the soli at a
tremendous gait. A trottimj horse Is no
natch In speed for the wiry gray wolf , and
ho yelping of the pack behind the sleigh
jecjino more .frequent and more distinct
each moment. Stockdaio nad a revolver , and
> e carried it in readiness to use if occasion
required. The wolves were gaining on the
lorses , and their forms could be distinctly
seen as they galloped swiftly after the
lelgh. They were probably after the horses ,
nit Stockdalo knew enough of the animals
o convince him that they would not hesitate
o roll his flesh under their tongues as a
3\veet morsel If they got the chance.
HEADING FOR THE RIVER.
The horses were doing their best under the
pressure of the driver's voice and the sting
Df his whip , but they were losing ground ,
and when they set into a run they could not
vlden the gap between the sleigh and the
volvos. To make matters raoro .serious Ole
announced that ho had driven out of the line
at Wahpeton. and all he could say was that
tie was headed for the Red river , which was
about two mllca ahead as near as ho could
calculate the distance. |
The trees on the bank of the river were
clearly seen. Stockdalo kept his eyes on the
volves , who became more excited as they
leared the prey that they were after , and
hey had reached a point where ho could
GOO their whlto breath as It came In little
uiffs from their mouths. There were thlr-
cen of thsm , and there were but seven
hots in Stockdalo's revolver. lie didn't
vant to take the chance of wasting any of
hem , and waited until the wolvca got close
o the sleigh before firing.
The horj.es . were at a gallop , and the
sleigh was fairly flying over the snow.
The trees along the river were less than a
quarter of a mile away when Stocltada took
its first shot at the wolves. Ills aim WUB
rue , and ono stricken animal rolled over
an the snow dead. Part of the pack
stopped to btrlp his bones of he Una.1 ! , while
ho others bounded along after the sleigh
vlth renewed speed. The hen-sea , frantic
with fear , leaped toward tlio river and dove
among the trees , apparently Indifferent use
o where they wcro going. Th'jy were
beyond the control of the drive- , and when
one of the runners collided wllu a stump
he two men went flying through the air ,
vllh the robes and sample case's nr'.cr thorn ,
jiicklly neither was hurt , and , quickly gel-
Ing to their feet , they scramtlo.l up a
cottonwood tree that rcao out at an angle
rom the bank ever the rlvor. The horses
) lunged Into the water , and sank among the
ce flees with which the river was filled ,
For the tlmo being the men were safe ,
> ut their position was a dubious one , for
he 'Wolves , disappointed In not getting at
he horses , walked up and down the river
tank near the tree that hold , the men and
nade the night hideous with their howllngs.
'ho rlvor was swollen with the spring
reshets , and had risen nearly to the top
f Its banks. Large cakes of Ice from the
ipper waters drove under the tree at fre-
'uent Intervals at almost railroad epeed ,
torched among the lltnbs over the whirl-
ng flood , Stockdalo's thoughts turned to
justness , and ho gritted his teeth when he
aw Clark outstripping him In the race to
" "argo. Ho knew pretty well that when day-
Ight came the wolves would leave , but by
hat tlmn Clark < would be In the city down
bo river ready to do business with the
iierchants , In his misery ho took a shot
t ono of thu yelping animals , but It didn't
each the mark , and the entire pack howled
ouder than before , leaping up against the
rce , evidently maddened because they
ouldn't get their fangs Into the flesh of
bo men among the branches.
TAKING CHANCES ,
For an hour Stockdalu eat In a crotch try-
ng to take a philosophical view of the sltua-
Ion , but he couldn't do It. He couldn't keep
he Idea out of his head that Clark would
eat him Into Fargo. Suddenly , when ho
law a cake of ice slip down on the flood
Irectly' under him , not more than eight
oct away , the thought occurred to him that
icrhaps he could take passage on ono of the
arger floes and land In Fargo on tlma after
11. The town was about fifty miles away
nd the river ran along Its edge.
He nuggeste : ! the Idea to the Norwegian ,
vho was bemoaning the fate of the horses ,
nd he fell In with It. The two men cllmbeJ
9 a point of the two that hung nearest the
rater and Impatiently waltol for the passage
of a cake of Ice large enough to bf-ar them
lloc-2-12-07
A Saturday
' % n \
Shoe Sale. "
Your choice from a thousand pairs of two
dollar shoes Saturday for $ L25.
Saturday morning bright and early we will place on sale in
our Shoe Department a special shipment of one thousand
pairs of Shoes which we recently bought and which will prove
a revelation to Omaha shoe buyers , These shoes have never
been marked three dollars or two seventy-five or even two
fifty in fact they have never before been marked at any price
by ' 'The Nebraska , " because they are all brand new and
aren't even unpacked at present writing. If we were to sell
them at their regular value we would get two dollars a pair
for them , but Saturday you can have your choice from the lot
at one dollar and a quarter per pair or seventy-five cents lesa
* "
than actual value. "The sizes are complete.The styles are
this season's. The stock is satin calf with solid leather inner
soles and counters , and you can have as many different shapes
of toe as if the price was six dollars instead of $ i , 25. This ig
a shoe sale that is worth attending a money saving shoo
sale. Don't fail to be in it Saturday.
The Low Prices.
100 different Rockers at
C0 Combination Book Cases at these IOT |
Special prices , prices : ? 10 , $12 , $14 , $15 , $18 , $20 , $25 , $30 ,
CHAS. SHIYERICK & CO. ,
12th and Douglas.
' to wait. Stock
up. They didn't have long
dale eaw one coming , and , telling the Nor
wegian to got ready to drop , prepared to dc
the same. The flat raft of Ice slipped
directly under them anil the two men' fell
on It simultaneously and began , a swift
passage down the stream.
The Ice was more than a foot thick nnd
they had no fear of It giving away. MaklnR
themselves as comfortable as they could
under the circumstances they watched wltn
some concern the zigzag course of thrir
craft , which they had no way of controlling.
The wolves danced along the river bank for a
distance of several miles , 'then ' disappeared.
The men were on the Ice Woo nearly three
hours , when It war whirled into an ice pack
that iwas crowding against a point- that
jutted the river. They quickly got to the
land and found themselves about two miles
from Farpo. It was 3 o'clock In the mornIng -
Ing when they got Into the town. Stockdale
put some hot drinks Into his stomach , slept
three hours and went to work. Ho had lost
his sample cases , but that didn't prevent
him from doing business and he enjoyed the
satisfaction of knowing that Clark didn't
get much the best of him after all.
IIIJHH THAT HURT I * YES.
l'"niiey I.nniii SlinilrM nnd Uriuiorlo.s
Doomed to IIiiiilHlinu'iil.
Colored lamp shades and the dainty lined
draperies that have been so popular In
drawing rooms and parlors of recent years
are under the ban. Falling oyeulght In so
ciety women has lately been n subject
under close observation , until now the
oculists have arrived at the conclusion that
the trouble Is due to the multl-colar.s of
Interior decorations. That thote striking
colors are doomed to go is shown by the
alarming suddenness with which the colored
lamp shade Is being banished. One of the
largest makers of lamp shades In New York
has within a few days announced that
sales have fallen off 40 per cent In n
mouth.
It is the theory that a combination ot
colors before the vision Injures the sight ,
and that the love of color , which U re
sponsible for all the charming harmonica
of hues and chromatic effects that prevail
In the Jinnies or the rich , Is a positive evil
when .considered from the point of view of
the oculist , as it is In DO small measure
answerable for many obscure t-yo troubles.
The Investigation Into the objectionable
properties of colors , which will ivork nucli
a change in Interior decorations , and which
oculists believe will save so many people's
Eight started In an accidental way. Two
members of a family high In the social life
of New York went to a spcclallut to con
sult him about tholr eyes , which were giv
ing them much trouble why , ne.thcr they
nor ho seemed able to determine. Calling
on them at tfielr homes one evening , ho ex
claimed almost Immediately en entering the
sitting room : "I know no\r what lu the mat
ter with your eyes too much yellow. "
Hrlght terra cotla and yolluV ruled In
the decorations , and of the three lamps
used , two were of highly polished and high
ly reflecting brass , and the center table
lamp sent a very ycllonr name tluough ono
of the golden "flshscale" globes. White
porcelain shades were ordered Immediately
for the lamps.
The reason for the Injurious effect Is ex
plained In the fact that nunllght , which Is
the natural light , U white. With such light
no special effort of the optic inorvo 1s re
quired and all parts of the eyu do tholr
work normally. Hut when a colored light
Is placed before the oyea the ( organs of
tight have 'more work to do than before ,
They have to adjust themselves to catch
the changed vibrations which glvo forth
other radiations tlmn the normal whlto
light. The more Intense these colors and
the greater their variety , the more Is the
strain upon the eyes. Just as It takes some
tlmo for the eye to USD Us normal vision
after gazing at a firework display , In the
came way the light through a colored shadd
la now believed to a limited degree to affect
the eye.
The lavish use of colors In the homo , par
ticularly In the rooms where people read ,
write or sew , Is , therefore , strongly depre
cated. All those charming shades of gri'en ,
yellow , red , pink or blue , wlilcli make a
room look so Inviting and appeal so keenly
to the artistic semes , though they may give
pleasure to the eyes that look upon1 them ,
are a strain upon the eight. They may bo
used at tiroes to decorate conservatory or
ball room , but white shades are at all times
beet for study , parlor or music room. In
boudoir or nursery the colored lamp shades
will also bo rigorously tabooed by those
who are careful of their eyesight.
A metropolitan optician whose clientele
Is chiefly among the fashionable ict Is one
of tbo fort-moot worker * against the wo of
colored light * . SpcR'tlng to the writer upon
this subject a few days ago , he said ;
"Of .courto , If I were to openly oppose red
i Floor I'axtoit Ulocli.
Open Tuesday autl Thursday uvenlntru.
Set Teeth 55.00 Bridge Teeth ,
Hest Icctli. . . . 7.50 cntli loath
Gold Crowns. . . 3.00 nnd crown..53.09
Poicciiln ? | Painless
Crowns 3.00 lx trading. . . . 50c ,
Lillings $1.00 u.i
Lady Attendant Tel. 1085.
' < VX-\
lamp shades and rainbow decorations , I
would Immediately become unpopular with
some of my best customers. This revolu
tion must , in my opinion , lie brought about
gradually and by Individual effort. All op
ticians and oculists feel the same way.
Otherwise we would be accused of trying :
to. help our business along , whereas , In the
end , wo will decrease It.
"There Is not the slightest question , however -
over , that the multl-culorcd decorations
and the use of opalescent globes and shades
for Incandescent lamps have caused many
men and women to believe their sight wan
falling , when all that was needed to re
move the trouble was the substitution of
white , pcml-opaquo shados. Yellow and the
hue known as golden ore two tints pecu
liarly hard on the eyes and the numerous
gradations of rose and pink are equally try-
Ing. Green when used OH the color for
a lamp shade Is not to he commended anymore
moro than blue. The marer white the light
Is lu rooms whore eyts are employed In
reading , writing , or a similar occupation ,
the less Is the natural use of them tam
pered with ,
DENSITY OP I'OI'L'KATION. .
Tins MOH ! ThlcUly Peopled Spot In tlio
World IN NCMV Voi-U Oily.
Ill the February Century is a paper by
Mrs. Schuylor Van Hen selacr on "Places
In New York , " In the course of which the
author nays : Cross the flowery now and you
will enter the famous Tenth ward a trim
tenement house district , forming part of the
most crowded city quarter lu all the world.
A a whole , the city of Now York below the
Harlem river ( the Island of Manhattan ) IH
muro densely peopled than any other city lu
the world , counting 143.2 persons to , the acre ,
while 1'arln counts 125.2. Then one-sixth of
the entire population of all Now York ( reck
oning now with the parts above the Iliirlem ,
too ) Is concentrated upon 711 acres of
ground. Here , on the louer Kiist tilde of our
town , In the summer of 1891. there dwelt
seine 321,000 souls , averaging 470,6to thu
acre ; and a certain nectlnn of this great
artu the Tenth ward showed a local acro-
avoiago of CL'ti.20. The most thickly peopled
pled spot In Europe la the Jew quarter In
I'rnguu ; hut it Is only one-fifth as large an
our Tenth ward , whllo It shows a density
scarcely greater than that of the whole of
the 711 acres | n which the Tenth ward la
contained 485.1 per cent. Nor Is this the
worst that our 711 acies can reveal , Sani
tary district A of the Eleventh ward
( bounded by Avenue and Second street ,
Columbia , Itlvlngtoa and Clinton streets )
contains thirty-two acres , and In the sum
mer of ] ) each of them bore 98C.4 human
bolngu , This In the very thickest , blackest
coagulation of humanity In all the known
world. No European place of anything Ilka
the same size even approaches It , and lt
nearest ilval Is a part of Ilombay , wheni
the average population over an urea of 4G.08
acres U Tr/J.CO.
Yet It should bo remembered that , whlla
our acres arc thus moro heavily burdened
than any other , places CUM bo found In Ku-
rope rnoro uncomfortably crowded within
doors , There the houses are low. Hut New
York tenements are very lofty , and thus our
floor space to the aero Is much moro exten
sive. Moreover , although we are now moro
crowded than ever before , our sanitary atato
steadily Improves. During thu dcvadu which
closed with 1874 our death rate wan 30.27
per 1,000 ; during the one which- closed with
1894 It was 24.07 ,
CASTOR IA
'
For Infants and Children.
si /
