Nebraska Newspapers

    I
8 THE OMAHA DAILY 1VEE : SAJTIJKDAY , JULY 31 , 1897.
TflCTIMS OF THE MOJAVE
'Teniblo Sufferings of Amateur QoldEcokeis
in the Desert.
THREATS AGAINST RANDSBURG BOOMERS
ir IJentli ItiiJcnil of X
of Unlit \Volln Mnrltril on
llooincr Maim Turn Out to
llC MtKlllOll'Ht , ,1
f
" "An awful sequel to the wild rush of gold
Bcekcre to ttio Handaburg district , located In
iho Mojftvo desert In southern California ,
Is related by a California correspondent of
/the / New York Times.
' San Hcrnardlno Is the nearest town to the
great mining district , which , In Its entirety ,
ovcr thousands of square miles. It Is
the entrepot for hundreds of mining centers
that have been fitfully alive nearly half a
century. The Ilandeburg district Is the
pioat conspicuous of all , because , though
an old and abandoned district , It was lately
galvanized Into ll\ely semblance by a co-
> terle of bankrupt real estate sharks from
I Ix > s Angeles. Hence It Is that at this point
*
7011 arc pretty sure of getting the truth
about affairs on tbo desert. There Is no
rainbow strabismus In the vision of the
poor fellows , who are now escaping hither
irom the Mojrvo hades In midsummer.
Tim Times' correspondent talked with
several of these men. They are not In
clined to bu communicative , but a little
tact , coupled with some outgiving of jour
knowledge about the Mojave , Is pretty sure
4o loosen their tongues. There Is ncces-
* arlly great similarity In their experiences ,
and ono Illustration will enflice.
In the course of an evening stroll In the
outskirts of to\\n on the line of travel from
Cajon Pass the correspondent met two
crliny and ragged men , leading a pack
Jjurro. They we're types of the disheart
ened and broken prospector. Their story
. was obtained with little dllllculty.
BOLD STRIKE AND WHAT CAMR OF IT.
Two brothers named Carson and a brother.
Irv-law naiiitxl Halucfi had been for several
years employed In the Pullman carshopa ,
Chicago. They lost employment by the great
itrlkc , and finally came to California. The
elder Carson -nan married and left a wife anil
two young children In Chicago. Ttoo other
two men were single. After Retting some
odd jobs of work In San Francisco and other
places northward they drifted down to Los
( Angeles. The crowded labor market al
lowed them to make only a precarious llv-
dng , and when the Randsburg boom reached
Jin full Inflation lost January , they were
drawn Into the mesh. Fleeced of the little
money they had before discovering the true
Inwardness of the "Hand" management , they
determined to make a bold and desperate
trlko In mining. Hearing of rich prospects
et a point about twenty miles nearly casl
of Randsburg , they went there and entered
a claim. A dozen other miners wcro al
ready there. The prospects wcro "stringers , "
hitherto described In the Times those al-
lurins streaks of gold-bearing quartz thai
promise amazingly and yield next to nothing
The Cartons and Halnes worked early ani
late , hopeful ono day and despondent the
next , until spring changed to summer. The
un's rajs soon became unbearable , and they
could ply pick and shovel only In the morn
ing and evening. Then the mudhole , marked
"well" on the miners' map purchased In Los
'Angeles , began to dry up. The other miners
facing the lr.evltable , gradually abandoned
* holr "stringer" holes and started for civili
zation. The amateur miners from Chicago
etaycd and tried to Improve , the water supplj
toy digging the alleged -well deeper. The
deeper they went the tjryor the holo. The
( well was a. sink of surface water that had
collected during the rainy season.
( . PLJjRBUIT OF A MAD MINER.
' Then came the climax. The older of the
'Carson brothers , brooding over their trou
bles and ihlnklng of his loved ones at home
developed Insanity. The mania became
acute , and early ono morning ho euddenlj
Jumped up from his blanket , and with a
.wild cry that ho was "going homo" he
started on a run eastward , across the des
ert. They followed him by sight at first
and afterward by trail , until the awful heat
compelled them to halt and abandon the
pursuit. The younger Carson and Halnes
reached San Bernardino after the most In
tense Buffering , and In duo time a heart
broken widow and two little orphans In
Chicago will hear of this terrible outcome
of mine prospecting In the Mojave desert.
Aeldo from the tragic end of the elder
Carson the story told by these survivors
Is hardly up to the average of like experi
ences. In fact It Is almost impossible to
exaggerate the suffering that the poor dupes
of heartless speculators have endured am
are still enduring , many of them.
Nobody knows nor can guess how many
men have already perished on the desert
while following the golden Ignis fatuus
Hero , for example , Is an extract clipped
from a local newspaper :
"It Is feared that Thomas McFarlane has
met the fate of , BO many lost miners on the
desert and perished for want of water. He
was seen last by William Curlus headed for
hlo group of mines , 'which ' are far from any
roads , In the most dangerous portion of the
desert. Ho was accompanied by his part-
_ _ aier , a man from Pasadena. " tHere
Hero Is another clipping , confirmatory of
what has been Intimated about the worth-
Icssness of so-called mining maps , gotten
up usually In the Interest of speculators :
"Prospectors are warned not to depem
upon finding water at Cooley's well on the
desert , which Is marked on the map as
'good water , ' as there Is none nearer than
twenty-five miles from there. "
DEADLY DECEPTION.
Just think what that means In the caee
of a throat-parched prospector , who has
exerted his utmost energy to survlvo the
awful desert tramp until ho could reach
"Cooloy'a well ! " And getting there a
last , he reaches for the life-giving fluid
more precious now than all the gold of the
desert , and there Is not a drop of water
not a drop "nearer than twenty-flvo miles
from there ! "
Siu.li fate , let It be understood , does no
Jiapppnor 1s not likely to happen , to an ex
perlenccd prospector or miner. The "oli
timer" knows that the maps arc general ! }
worse than worthless , because they are mis
leading. It U worse to promise a "Coolej
iu'll" than to make no promUo at all. OU
prospectors simply ttay away from the cles
crt In summer , and they steer tolcrabl
clear of It In spring and autumn. In th
winter , or rainy season , the experience
prospector does his work , and does It safely
At this eeason jou can safely travel froir
Heath \alley to Yuma 'If your supplies ar
ample ,
Hut of the vast number of eo-callcd pros
pcqlarB or miners who have been lured Int
the Mojave In quest of gold probably no
ono In twenty appreciated the difficulty am
dangers that beset them. They weremostl
iWorUlngmen , of all grades , who had beer
attracted to Los Angeles during the han
times In the east by fairy stories nbou
that Interesting but unJnly Inflated lltll
city , They were utterly etrandnd In th
Awanlet !
Highest Honors-World's Fair.
CREAM
BAKING
POWDIR
MOST PERFECT MADE.
< 4 pure Grape Cream of Tartar Powder. EVit
lira Ammonia , Alum ot any other adiv't ? t.
40 Years the Standard
ngeltc town , and the opportunity to go
mining was a sort of Chicago , JIB a New
' < 5rk man Mid of the Windy City not goo.1
or much as n summer resort , but might do
oji a last resort
And now , under the glorious sun of July ,
heso lia plena gold seekers , or rather ouch
if them aa can even crawl away , are omerg-
ng from the desert In the manner hereto-
ere described. You cannot frighten these
nen with lurid descriptions of slicol. You
cannot make them believe ( hat anything
\orso Is possible than the burning sands
mdcr the glaring sun rajs of Mojave. They
ia\o withstood temperature equivalent to
25 degrees In the shade , where there ' is
lardly shade enough to test a thermometer.
They have lived whcro nothing of animal
clnd could live except the llzzard. No cojoto
lor jackrabblt ventures out upon the Mojnvo
n inldUBmmcr , and even the rattlesnake
tugs portions contiguous to the mountain.
A NEW SCHEME OF THE VAMPIRES.
And yet , In ( ho face of all this suffering
of their dupes , the vampires , arc Just now
starting a new scheme with the object ot
getting fresh blood from new victims. The
stories about "big strikes" of rich quartz
arc threadbare , and there li no further In
formation about that amazing style of pros
pecting called "plowing for stringers. " The
3ld methods of catching gudgeons arc obso
lete , and the old lies ere moss-covered.
Hero Ik an extract from the chief news
paper of southern California , publlehed In
Los Angeles , This newspaper. It should bo
premised , was chief literary boomer of the
"Rand" from the outset , and has probably
made Its linotypes blush at the stories they
were mndo to tell about the fabulous rich
ness of the Mojave disert In the neighbor
hood of Randsburg :
"Should the strike of placer gold In the
Randsbnrg district prove to bo as good as
reported the desert diggings may turn oul
to bo a 'poor man's camp' after all. The
existence of placer gold in the gravel Indi
cates that the quartz leads arc now mere
surface veins , or blow-outs. "
The first sentence In the extract alludes
to the alleged finding within the last few
dajs of "rich placer digging In the Rand. "
Hero Is what the newspaper referred te
says In the course of a long and glowing
account of the wonderful discovery :
"Btmli , Ward and Mitchell Imve strucli
rich diggings on the Johannesburg road
leading to Oarlock , about thrco miles fron
the former town , and about the same dta
tance from Randsburg. Every slovclful ol
dirt shows the yellow stuff , and smal
pieces have been found worth from 50 cents
up to several dollars. The Indications al
go to show that the find will bo extensive
and talco In much territory. Already th <
locations cover several miles In length bj
half a mlle In breadth. Several hundrei
claims have already been staked off. Tin
find has created more Interest and excite
meat than anything In thU camp foi
months , as placer dlggfngs are of coursi
poor men's mince , and It requires little cap !
lal but muscle to take out the yellow stuff
Today ( Sunday ) several hundred peopli
were scattered through the territory sup
posed to contain the mineral , and every
body was making locations. "
GOLDEN HARVEST ON OLD GROUND
In a district that has for several month ,
been prospected by thousands of men , In
eluding many experts , that has been plowci
over for suifaco Indications , and poked am
gouged In every square rod , they now sud
denly find that the gold 4s right on thi
surface.
But note the second sentence of the firs
extract : "The existence of placer gold It
the gravel Indicates that the quartz leadi
are now mere surface wins or blow-outs. '
That Is precisely the estimate put upon tin
bogus Rand by the Times' corresponden
when writing from Randsburg last January
It Is the truth at last so far aj > the non-ex
Istcnco of true quartz veins U concerned
but the Idea that placer gold exists then
In quantities sufficient to pay for mlnlni
Is rank nonsense.
The truth Is that the Rauenburg bubbli
has hurst , ffrm that there Is nothing mori
substantial left than If It had been made o
soap. Evcrjbody with money enough to pa ;
for a rldo through the desert has elthei
abandoned the district or Is trying to. Mei
who were Inveigled Into the purchase o
"town" lots In Randsburg and the twit
bunko place called Johannesburg arc glai
to escape with their lives , leaving evei
"eligible business corners" to the onlj
dwelleis who will be thereabout a jeai
hence , the brown desert llzzard.
In summing up the case of this lates
"gold discovery , " there Is not much to adt
to the opinions outlined. It Is hardly at
exaggeration to say that there Is gold al
over the Mojave desert , and that means ar
area as large as a , whole bunch of the little
pastern states. It is not generally known
perhaps , that some of the men who crcssec
the continent with Fremont In 1840 foum
gold within , less than twenty miles of th (
present town of Randsburg. The localltj
wherein this discovery was made Is now
known and designated on the maps as Fre
mont's District. But while greatly magnified
stories grew out of the accounts given bj
Fremont'c men , subsequent InvcBtlgatlor
proved that there was not gold enough t (
pay for mining under existing circumstances
The primary difficulty In desert mlnlnf
Is the want of water , and gold washing re >
quires a great deal of water. With plentj
of water at hand you may mill average
quartz profitably that runs as low as $10
ton , even lower In exceptional cases. Will
plenty of water , also , you may profltablj
wash placer sand and gravel that runs a ;
low as 50 cents to the ton.
But there Is no water for mining purpose *
In the Rand district , and barely enough o :
wretched liquid for domestic Ubc. Vast pipe
linen for conducting water from points thlrtj
to fifty miles nwn'y have been constructs
In the minds of the bankrupt boomers , bu
the llz ards blink serenely In the sun when
pipes arc marked on the map. /
V. V. CAllTWUIGHT fc CO.
ClcnrliiK Out the Sum in or Shocn n
Da rural n I'rlcoH Today.
Today's trade will make a big holeli
our stock of bummer shoes. Wo can't liavi
It otherwise. We have cut the prices dowi
so low that those who know us OH dealing
In only the highest grade shoes will not g <
by the store today without buying.
Wo'vo bunched n lot of men's tan and wlm
shoes together shoes that we've been selllni
right along as high aa ? 5 , and worth It , nov
on sale at $1.95.
Ladles' tan oxfords , nice , clean goods bu
In broken alzes , worth up to ? 4 a pair , nov
are $1,95.
Another lot of daik tan oxfords at $2.35.
Big lot of cloth top chocolate oxfords a
t-.lii ,
Some $4.00 and $4.50 cloth top tan oxford
and extension soles at $2.95 ,
A.llti ° IailleB > sreen vesting top oxford
I10f 1. J5
Lrullca' $5.00 dark green vesting top shoes
$ u tit )
Ladles' $5.00 royal purple vesting toj
suocs $3.45.
Ladles' $2.50 tan and wlno sIVies $1.95.
Lad es $4.00 tan and wine shoes , $2.95 ,
Ladles' $5.00 tan and wine shoes $3,50.
Ladles oxfords In all shape * at $1,00.
Men s $4.00 tan and wlno shoes $2.95.
Men's $ C.OO Russia calf shoes at $3.60 ,
Men's $5.00 tans In all shades $3.95.
Mens $8.50 genuine seal lace at $1.95 ,
Men's $6,00 best tan shoes at $4,50.
Boy's and girls' tan oxfords and lace shoes
all shades , styles and sizes , cut away dowi
to keep up the Interest In tbte , the onl'
genuine cut price sale of nice , new , cleai
summer footwear.
Plenty of extra help Saturday.
T. P. CARTWRIGHT & CO.
Cor. ICIh and Douglas Sta.
MacMauon Bros. ' circus will appear a
Fifteenth and Capitol avenue Wednesda1
and Thursday , August 4 and 5. Admission
10 and 20 cents.
nurlliiKluii lt < uili-ifl.l'r. to Chicago
$3.60 lees than tariff. Enough to covei
all the Incidental expenses of .travel bertl
In eleeplng car , meals , etc. Reduction lioldi
good for only a few days longer , See tfckc
agent , 1302 Farnam.
THU U.MOX PACIFIC.
The Only DlnliiHr Cnr Itontc.
OMAHA TO PACIFIC COAST ,
THE UNION PACIFIC.
It U the only direct line to San Franclico
and makes 12 HOURS QUICKER TIME t (
San Francisco than any other line. Cal
at city ticket cilice. 1302 Farnara et.
BANKim-WllIlam J. . July 29th. 15D7. aee <
11 years. Son of Mrs. Mar > Hanker. 243
South ISth Street. Funeral Sutur u ;
mornlnu' . July 31. nt 9 o'clock , from 81
Patrick's church. lUh nnrt Cabtcllar ftm-t
Interment St. ilary'o c metcrj.
GOOD MONEY IN COAL MINES
An Investigation Into the Earning Tower of
Minors in the Coil Regions.
MISLEADING CONCLUSIONS ON AVERAGES
How Mrn Work mill Ilie , mill the
CotuUtluiiK StirroiitKlliiir Them
_ _ V ltiii < nry llciluulloti ot
I'ouur. J
nev. .n. . L. MeElroy , Ph. D. , of New Lcb-
anbn , O. , contributes to the New York In
dependent a timely paper on the wages of
coal miners In some of , the districts where
the mlncis are engaged In a strike for an
Increase of wages at the present time. The
facts presented are the result of personal
Investigation and Inquiry , which was under
taken by Rev. MeElroy to determine the cor
rectness of statements made by Rev. C. H
Zimmerman In the Western Christian Advo
cate , llev. Zimmerman quoted Prof. Uomls
of Chicago as saying that In ISflO the average
wages of miners In Illinois was $0.87 per
week , $ B,7G In Ohio and $7.53 In Pennsylva
nia , and that wages had since been reduced
one-third In Ohio and western Pennsjlvanla
on each ton of coal and the number of days
of work per week decreased one-half. From
this Rev. Klmmerman Infened that the nvcr-
ago pay of mlneis In the two states at the
orcsent time Is $2.25 per week.
These assertions and Inferences formed
the basis of Rev. McElroy's Investigations In
the- coal regions of Ohio , West Virginia. Ken-
lucky , Indiana , Illinois and Pennsylvania.
The manner In which the Investigation was
conducted and the results ore given by Rev.
McElioy as follows :
A letter was sent containing the following
Inquiries : 1. Number of men cmplojed. 2.
Average d.illy wages In recent jears. 3.
Wages of drivers and other laborers. 4. Na
tionality of the men. 5. Proportion owning
their homes. 6. Number of strikes within the
last decade. In each ca'e Information was
sought by direct corrcspoudenco with the Inspectors
specters of mlpcs for the several states , sec
retaries and superintendents of mines , and by
conversation with mining people themselves.
Responses came from almost every part of
our great coal fields , bringing abundant data ,
a portion of which will be found tabulated
below :
PAY OF MINERS.
I . A\crnge Drivels'
No. Wane WnR < - '
Mines-Ohio : Miners. Per Day. Per r > u >
Kyrncuso 85 5230 $1 35
1'oineruy 100 2 21 125
Wolltton 140 S f.J 1 M
Cambridge 100 l K 1 < M
Corning 275 1.T3 1 23
AV'ent Virginia ;
Tlmckcr 150 200 153
Indiana *
Ilrazll Coal Co 300 209 1
I'arlc Count : , Coal Co. . 195 l.f.2 1 ,
Coal muff Coal Co. . . . H2 1 S4 1.
A > r hlre mine l'J7 191 1.
Islanil Coal Co 2JO 194 1.75
Illinois :
Mlnonk COT ! Co 200 200 174
llrnldwooa mine 00 1.75 l.RO
KcntucKy :
A hlanJ Coal Co SOS 1 SO 1,75
Peach Orchard Co 150 210 125
Pennsjlumla 710 l.tc
( lleport of Inspectors for seentone mines. )
While far fiom exhaustive , the table Is
yet suinclently comprehensive , giving as
It does a showing for over 1,000 miners , rep
resenting eighty-six largo mines located in
different paits of our country.
Perhaps theio Is no occupation less gen-
erallj understood than mining. This Is not
surprising when we consider that the min
ing Interests arc confined largely to certain
districts ; and then It Is not a subject
calculated to Invite Inquiry , eave for special
purposes.
Jn the state of Indiana the wages of driv
ers appear out of proportion to those of
miners , the explanation nelng that drlvcis
receive a fixed wage , while the wages
quoted for miners represent an average for
an entire mine , and this will always be
affected by conditions named further on.
For the state of Pennsylvania , free use
has been made of the report of the secretary
of Intel nal affairs for 1SSS. It might be
objected that these figures apply to a time
prior to 1SOO , the date mentioned in the
note above , but State Inspector of Mines
Rodeiick says , "there has been no material
change In the scale of wages , according to
hla best observation , within the last ten
or twelve years , " so that the report would
be valid. With the above data before us It
Is certainly difficult to see how such con
clusions could have been reached.
According to our table , the average dally
wage throughout these fields would be about
? 2 per day , and when one year Is compared
with another It will be found that t , ' .a aie
no violent fluctuations.
MISLEADING DNQUIRIES.
An expert in mining affairs points out
several faulty methods that arc very
frequently emplo > ed In ascertaining the
average wages of miners , and which are
certain to lead to mlocouceptlons.e quota
his words r
"In trying to ascertain the annual and dally
wagps of worklngmen the method Is often
pursued of ascertaining the whole * number
employed regularly and li regularly , and also
the aggregate amount paid to them , and then
dividing the one product by the other. The
result Is regarded as the average annual
earnings per man. Then the average dally
wage Is supposably ascertained by dividing
the aggregate amount earned by the aggregate
number of dajs worked , iBy classing indis
criminately the regular and Irregular work
men , the most skillful And the least , the
average dally and annual earnings will bo
much too low to. represent fairly the earn
ings of tfio most skillful and Industrious , and
too high to represent fairly the least skillful
and most Irregular workmen. "
Ho then proceeds to give his own method ,
which Is as follows :
"A blank Is prepared asking the operator
of each colliery for the monthly earnings ol
the ten most skillful and Industrious miners
for the year employed In his colliery , also
the number of days they worked , the same
facts being sought with respect to the least
skillful. In this way the question what an
Industrious miner can earn who la able to
work whenever employment Is offered , Is
answered by showing what the most and least
skillful have earned during a given year.
The earnings of these who are sick , or who
for other reasons work Irregularly , have no
bearing on the question. If sick or unwill
ing towork when opportunity Is afforded
him , his earnings can form no standard for
measuring the earnings ot such as are well
and desirous of working when they have em
ployment. "
The foregoing seems to bo a very reasonable
position , and shows how averages are not
always to be icited upon.
VARIATIONS IN1 WAGES.
Variations In wages often occur that are
chargeable to no ono save tbo minors them
selves. A largo amount of tlmo U lost an
nually by refusal to work when the oppor
tunity to work Is freely afforded them , and
this not only when striking themselves , but
when the strike Is of a sympathetic nature.
One large mine reports tlxteen striked during
the last decade , four of which lasted over
two months , the miners losing In every In
stance but cxio. U the same tlmo In In
diana tbo strikes have averaged two months
each year , all of which was a dead loss to the
miners ,
If from sickness or habits ot Irregularity
a man refuses to work , his earnings will
greatly suffer ; but It Is not to bo overlooked
that ho could have earned the amount lost ,
and no conclusion that disregards such a
fact can be regarded as trustworthy.
Again It la doubtful whether there Is any
other class of laborers ED Independent as
miners as to hours and tlmo of labor. An
experienced operator says ;
"They begin and quit wtlen they please ,
take their own tlmo , work under 110 foreman ,
and have no further obligation than to keep
their rooms In good order. "
Another superintendent eajs :
"Resides keeping all legal holidays the
miners are always clamoring for more and
staying out on the slightest provocation
Every election stops the mines for an entire
davs , while every funeral In the village , al-
tfiough It may be of the Binallcct child , etops
operations for at least a half day , and fre
quently the whole day la lost. Five dayi and
a half make up the week at this mine , aa The
miners positively refuse to work on Saturday
afternoon , "
VARYING SKILL OF MINERS.
Occislcnall ) miners may be employed br
tbtd y. In vvhjob c ee a Used number ot
bourn would bo rcvinlrrkl. Passing through
our mining villages toward the * middle ot the
afternoon , squads oti miners may bo en
countered returning thin early from their
work. In ono of thwovillages people used
to p. Int out a younfrrrran and eay : "There
goes HI. , and he hasmnrnc-d hl ff > already. '
Till * may seivo to Introduce another factor
often unattended to , I. t. , the varying eklll
ot different miners. Whllo regarded by
some us purely manual liuor , there arc but
few places whcro { food judgment and a
rea on ble degree ol skill count for moro
than In the rooms rtf coal miners Oh en
picks , drills , shovels wnd the necessary pow
der , some would be Willing to reckon upon
a given dally ontpntn5t coal , but cxpcricnee
serves to correct thlsierror. While working
under preclrely the 'mine conditions , one
man will earn from $3 to | 6 per day , while
Ills fellow In an adjoining room Is earning
the average $2. These differences In skill ,
coupled with the Irregularities referred to ,
liave much to do In bringing down averaged-
The most Industrious workmen seldom put
In full tlmo In any given month , and when
they do the amount they earn Is largely un
der their own control. Some of our labor
organIzatlora , too , have an agreement that
no man shall cut over four tons of coal per
day , and If they receive CO cents per ton ,
their earnings nro limited by their own con
tent to $2. The object of this agree-
muu Is the distribution of work among a
larger number of mtn and discloses a
praiseworthy spirit of sacrifice. Hut when
the total eainlngs arc thus materially lea-
Bcned , the voluntary clement munt bo kept
In mind. Calculations are sometimes made
In years when labor Is unusually disturbed
by strikes , which Is a doubtful proceeding.
In order to come to an Intelligent estimate ,
a > ear should be chosen In which there have
been few , It any , strikes ; nnd In cane one
or two months have been lost in this way ,
the earnings of the corresponding months In
some previous jear should be taken. More
over , In many It not all mines , there Is more
or less of what Is called "dead work , " which
la of n preliminary character and , while
coming under n man's contract , Is not re
munerative , and sometimes will affect his
month's earnings to a considerable extent.
An Instance Is given by the atithoilty whom
wo quote In which for n month ot twenty-
two dajs one inan'a earning weto only
$9.65. This , however , would not often occur ;
but should such a month be taken as the
bas's of calculation , It Is easy to see to wlnt
absurdities It would lead. From the above
facts und figures we find It Impossible to
accept the conclusions quoted at the begin
ning , regarding the low wages of miners , nnd
surely to one on the ground they would ap
pear little shott of alsurdltles. The ccal-
mlneis are not a clcss'clthcr advertising for ,
or needing sjmpathy. For the moat part
they arc vigorous , well paid , well fed and
happy. If any parson Imagines that the min
ors are lv * starving condition , let him
consult the mcrchasts In mining towns , and
ho will find that usually they live at the top
of the market.
WORST FOES OF MINERS.
When they "go out" on long Etrlkes , money ,
of course , gets scarce and the-y sen hard
times , as any man will who cuts oil his In
come ; but In the main , they earn 'good
money , ' to use their own exr" .slon and
fpeml It freely.s i n.atter of far-t. the
two worst foes of miners are Intemperance
and prodigality. From 4 to 75 per cent of
the married men own their homes In ths
mining regions named. Some of the exten
sive mining companies having large tracts of
'and ' allow- their miners to cultivate as much
as they choose , free ot charge ; and In this
way their wages are- somewhat augmented.
At a certain mine 111 , Illinois 75 per cent ot
the men have their homes , and some keep
cows , horses and carriages. Another min
ing locality has several retired mlncro , who
are quite well-to-do , one lives by lending
money and shaving notes , another owns good
--enting property and lives upon h\3 \ rentals ,
while a third Is very comfortable , enjoying a
steady Income and living in one of the best
Uomes In the to An. No other trade can make
so good a showing in that community. From
this same vicinity a number of young men
have cnte-ed college , paying all of their c.\-
ncnses by mining coal during the summer
vacation , By consulting the responses given
we find that the'mining of this country is
Welsh ° bJ .Amerlcana- English , Germaji ,
, Scotch , Irish.v Scandinavian , negro.
Polish , French , Italian and Hungarian labor
ers. In thin mixed population there are
some most undesirable elements , and if all
miners are to be judged by their least
worthy representatives then only an un
favorable opinion Is possible. In many
quarters the Idea seems to prevail that
miners pro In general a degraded set of
people , and some are- thus positively preju
diced agalrst them. This false Impression
Is vigorously as&ailcd by one of the most
extensive opeiators , who declares that "tho
bulk of hlo men are intelligent and useful
citizens , and in many cases leaders In the
church. " They do not abandon mining for
tha reason that they prefer It to other
form" of labor. A gentleman who has for a
lifetime been actively engaged In the coal
business declares that If the choice of an
occupation were before him ho w.iuld un
hesitatingly select mining , for ono can al-
wajs work where he Is put to no exposure
from weather , comfortable In summer and
winter , and , by observing proper ( .are , the
ha aid may be reduced to the level of most
other branches of labor , and In hit opinion
nothing offers a better field for rit > enable
remuneration.
The concert at Fuller's fountain , 1402
Douglas street , will bo unusually fine Sat
urday evening. lOc glass frozen phosphate ,
5 cents.
Go to a circus that you can see the entire
performance , no matter where you sit. A
big llttlo circus , prices , 10 and 20 cents ,
Fifteenth and Capitol avenue , Wednesday and
Thursday , August 4 and B. MacMahon's
Railroad show.
LOW OXU-1VAY UATE3
To AH rolutd EiiHt.
Via the Burlington route , July 16 , 17 , 18 ,
19 , 20 , 21 and each Friday and Monday there
after until August 13.
Go east on any of the above low-rate days
and jou save enough to cover all the In
cidental expenses of travel berth in sleepIng -
Ing car , meals , transfers , etc.
See ticket agent , 1D02 Farnam St. . or write
to J. Francis , G. P. A. , Omaha , Neb.
To ( lie Golil.I'MelilH ' of Alnxlcn.
Wo don't advlso you to go to Alaska to
dig for gold , Wo don't advise you not to
go. If you do go , go via the Burlington
Route to Billings , the-nco Northern Pacific
to Seattle. Seven hours faster than any
other line. Full Information at ticket office ,
1502 Farnam. J. B. Reynolds , City Pass r
Agent. _ n _
? ; > . u : ; , ? ! > . : : . > , 90.25 , 90.23 ,
Nine dollars and a quarter to Chicago , via
"Ths Northwestern Line , " Corresponding
reductions to other points on various dates
in July and August. City office , 1401 Farnam
street.
Tlic Union 1'nelflc
Is running Pullman I Palace Sleeping Car
dally , Omah. . to Colorado Springs , Col. , leav
ing Omaha on fast mall , 3:30 : p. m. , arriving
Colorado Springs nc\ti morning 11:10.
For reservations add full Information call
at City Ticket Office , ' 1302 Farnam St.
To Colornuo , Utnli , Cultlomtit anil All
IVi-Nti-m I'olutM.
These who have made the trip via the
Union Pacific are unanimous in saying that
it off eis better service than any other
Hue.
Hue.For rates , time tables and other informa
tion call at the cltyUcket office , 1302 Far
nam street.
Hot S > i > rliiHn Cool Weather
For an outing , tbero is no place like Hot
Springs S. D. A umart village , with all the
niceties of civilization , with hotels ranging
from $3 per day down to a Deutcbo Gas-
tbaus. Ever flowing medicinal waters. Mag.
nlficent plunge baths. Cool , plne-ladeu ,
crystal air , and above oil the. everlasting
" "
"on1 August 3 the NORTHWESTERN LINE
reduces the rate from $25 to 16.40 round
trip Get a pamphlet and a talk at the
Northwestern Line City Office , 1401 Far-
natn street.
m
. 6UMSII5H EXCimSIONS.
Vit Chicago , MllwauUte Ot St. Paul
IlnlHvuy.
A lena list of excursion- points to which
round trip tickets will be gold nt greatly re
duced ratei. The conditions ror summer
tourists were -never more liberal than those
for this season. For full Information as to
routes , rates , limit * , selling dates , etc. , ap
ply at the city ticket office 1604 Farnam at.
" A TvAofl
i * *
General Western Agent.
ROUNDING A YAWNING ABYSS
ATnleofthdOlcl Stage Ooach Days in the
Rocky Mountains ,
LIVES OF EIGHTEEN PERSONS IN PERIL
Mnr\rloiin I'romMice of Mind a it it Solf-
Coiilrol ( if the IrUiTA llncc
nltlt Dfiitli 111 Which the
Urliu AiiKi-l U'IIH Left.
It was In the smoking room of a hotel that
four commercial travelers recently sat In a
circle and exchanged stories. One of them
was n swarthy , keen-eyed westerner of some
40 jears of age , relates the Washington Slav.
A stoiy had just been finished , when the
dark-haired man knocked the ashes of ( his
cigar and remarked : "I guess It's my turn
next , bo > s. "
"Yes ; go ahead , Jack , " cald his three com
panions.
"Well. " commenced Jack , tilting himself
Lock In liU chair , with a thoughtful expres
sion , "In 1SSO 1 was In Denver and had to
visit Leadvllle on business In those dajs
there were two ways of reaching the latter
place one .vas to take the tallroad to Hucna
Vlata and the stage up the Arkansas ilvev ;
the other was the slogo from Denver acrcas
the mountains. I had alwn > s gone to Load-
\lllo by the river route- , and on thla occa
sion , for the saUu of variety , 1 icsolved to
take the nil-stage road.
" \Vo starkd at dajlight In n coach of the
old Concord pattern , tr-at was almost as
large as Noah's ark. The vehicle was swung
on leather hinges , so arranged that It was
czpable'of every conceivable form of motion.
U would lurch , pitch , roll like a ship In the
lirogh of the sea It would mxr , kick and
buck like a mustang and had the solid Jolt
of n dromcdiry ,
"Like nil the other coaclus used tor carryIng -
Ing passengers over the mountains , It had a
mechanical attachment , within easy reach
of thp driver , by which he could In an In
stant detach thu horses from the coach It
was to bo used to save the hoises In case-
the vehicle toppled over a precipice.
"There svcie three seals inside , each of
which had thtee people , who were so closely
packed together that In case ot an overturn
there was no extrication , but all must go
over as one. There were two seats on top
of the coach besides the driver's , .all of
which wcro filled , making a total ot eighteen
persons , Including the man who held the
reins over the four-horse team. In the
front seat was an Englishman and a > oung
woman , be an agent ot some Ennllsh capltal-
' .3 sent to Inspect some mines , and she an
actress , as I afterward learned , going to
Ltudville to Join some theatrical starring
company.
STUDYING TQIE DRIVER.
"The dnvcr , who Is alwajs the mct Im
portant feature of the outfit , was a meio
boy in appealancc. He was ratuet slcnde.- ,
veiy blond as to hair and smoothly shaved
In its wblte-
save as to a mustache , milky
nesn. Ho wore an Immense bombrero and
his hair wss so long that the ends lay on
his shoulder.
"I studied him with curiosity and mingled
anxiety. He Deemed to me to be very > oung
for the responsible duty of holding the ribbons
bens over four horses on a route that Is le-
gardud as one ot the most difficult and
dangerous In the Rockies.
"I ascertained that this was his second
trip on this line , and that before coming
here ho had been driving in the San Louis
valley. This was not in his favor , as the
valley Is almost a dead level , and affords no
training for mountain driving.
"Ho was very letkent , unlike the average
driver , and hence the passengers did not
cotton to him. We tiled to cstablioh social
reKitionb with him ; but he would only re
ply In surly monosyllables. Ho spoKa only
once to the extent of one or two words.
Wo were passing a shanty on a bit of table
land , beside which stood a dog regarding
us with a friendly glance and exhibiting
his satisfaction by wagging his tall. Sud
denly from the scat behind me a voice
was heaid : i
" 'Say driver , will jour horses scare ? '
"Tho dilvcr as well as the rest looked
mound and saw a joung man holding out
a icvolvcr pointed In the direction of the
dog. I
" 'Put up that gun , you fool ! ' roared the
blonde driver. 'What do you want to lire
at the dog for ? What harm has he done
jou ? ' I
"The young man , very much abashed ,
mutteied something about only wanting to
have a little fun and scare the brute , and
ohccplshly returned the pistol to his pocket.
The llttlo Incident had the effect to raise
the driver In my estimation and the favor
able impression was further heightened
when the Englishman offered him a drink
from a flask of whisky , which ( ho refused In
a gruff manner.
"Tho second morning we reached the
summit of the pass. The road was steep ,
difficult , and in places dangerouo. The
dilver , however , seemed always cool , and
began to exact the confidence ot all the
passengers. ' ,
"It was not quite light when wo reached
the divide and began the descent on the
further side. The pass was scarcely a pass
K any proper sense of the term. It was
simply a broken , ragged hollow , which cut
through the ridge at an elevation of many
thousands of feet above the level ot the
sea. The shadows of night were just sinkIng -
Ing from the mountain tops and the scene
was ono of grandeur.
ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP.
"Above us to the left rose a single peak ,
clad In snow , nnd which catching the earlier
rays from the eastern horizon stood In the
clear atmosphere clean cut , massive nnd
glittering with a resplendent opalescence.
Just below us extended a cloud-forrncil
ocean , still dark and with the shadows of
night , whlct was as level as a floor , and
which extended to the distant horizon. The
high peak , with Its brightness seemed a
hugo dome of light , an If a giant to II-
lumlnato the cloudland below. As wo de
scended wo entered the ocean of clo ids ,
which receded a llttlo way from us , making
It fiepm as If we were dropping down Into
an enormous well. Through the walls of
this cloud shaft wo could see distorted ob
jects pines assumed fantastic shapes , and
great fragments of fallen rocks became
hideous monstem. The composition of thin
ocean was something wonderful. It was of
two colors a flet-cy white and u blue.
These two colors were not intermingled
except In large masses ; there was clearly
a defined stratum of one and the other
overlying It. They were like faclao of the
blue and white , all exhibiting a superb
titrlatlon.
"Suddenly wo passed through the cloud
masses , which left open the view below.
The hollow In which wo began to descend
had sunk rapidly to a fathomless ravine ,
and wo were seen to bo crawling along a
narrow shelf blasted out from tlie side of
the mountains , and which was but a few
Inches wider than the space required for
the wheels of the coach. Wo wcro between
what seemed to be two parallel mountains.
I glanced up. It was like looking out of a
deep silt in the earth. I looked down to
the right , and withdrew my cjta with a
dizzy feeling of horror. It was on the
very edge of the precipice that wo were
moving , and so close was Its outer edge
that it seemed that with my extended hand
I could have dropped a pebble directly Into
tbo abjss. In the momentary glance I had
caught sight of a border of pines so far
down that they seemed like hothouse plants
strewn along the walls of the chasm. Not
a sound was heard eave the querulous
creaking of the leathern binges and springs
of the orach and tbo dull grating of the
brakes on the wheels. Even though the
latter were 10 fastened that the bind wheels
no longer revolved , they were not sufficient
to control the speed of the coaih , and
the wheel liorees , almost on their haunches ,
were tugging at their polo straps till they
were apparently about to bo carried from
their feet , I glanced along the road In our
front , with the liopo that there might ffo
some vlslblo termination of the appaillng sit
uation ,
PERILS OF THE GRADE.
"At this moment we entered on a com
paratively straight line of road , -which ap
peared to run till U was cut oft a long dis
tance down by a spur of the mountain ,
which extended across to the track , and at
which the road seemed to cud. Wo were
descending at on angle of not led than 30
degrees and at each atep It looked at U
Hoc , July SO. i
6xov \
aA5x. .
SHOES
that "tvero four
dollars will. bo
2.DO SiUuidny.
Head why. . „
You will have in the new store will be havin - the
shoe department : on the street floor. There we will
be able to show you four times as many styles as
we can here and there while the shoes won't beiny
better or any cheaper , you can take more time in
select/ing them , and you will have Abroad daylight
to help you get a suitable pair- During our short
stay in our old store we are anxious to sell all the
shoes we possibly can so as to haye the s ( clc in
the new store fresh from the maker's hands. Yes
terday we put a lot of three-fifty shoes in the
$2.50 bargain shelves and for Saturday we will
have fifty to sixty pairs of four dollar shoes
picked out to put in at the same price. The sizes
will be mostly small but you don't care abe u
that if they fit your feet.
the hoises wo-ild be cairled oft their feet by
the trcmehdous pressure of the coach. The
wheels at ono moment would sink Into tha
soft wabh from the mountain side and the
next strike a detached fragment of rock ,
sciullng the vehicle now to the r.-alls on tbo
left , then over to the right , till the abjss
jauicd beneath like the ravenous jaws of
hell.
hell.'e
" \\'e had descended a short distance down
.he stiaight piece of road when In the midst
of a luich fron. which there seemed no
possible lecovery there rang out a shaip
crack , like a musket thot ; there was a bud-
den ccpsatlon of the grinding noise on the
biakes ; the hea\y coach plunged foiwar.l
like an avalanche ; there v.us n fieice con
fusion , a clatter of wlilffietrees as the coach
appeated about to roll over the horae-s and
then came the conviction like a blinding
llabli that the brakes had /'Iven / way.
"God In heaven ! Jump ! was shrieked by
some one behind ; then I iioso to my feet as
I walte-d for the driver to detach the plung
ing mass of horspj from the coach and btood
ready to spiing For the millionth part of
a second mj attention was distracted by the
crle from the pareengcis within the coich ,
who were howling and thrleKIng like mad
men , and then I was recalled to my own
danger as I clung with difficulty to the
scat and braced mjself tot a leap the
moircnt opportunity offered.
"Just then the driver rose to his feet. Ills
long whip described a swift circle and fell
across the backs of the leaders. They
sprang foi.vaid like a frhot from a cannon ,
dragging the wheel horsers with the coach.
As the lash struck the leaders the driver
tightened the reins and EA.VO a jell of cn-
couiagemcnt to Ills team , nnd then , leaning
far back , guided them with taut lines dl-
rectlj down the narrow road. The fout
horses at once leaped Into a wild run and
then I comprehended that he Intended to
keep In the road Instead of abandoning the
coach to Us fate. So far as I can recall
tbeio was no bound uttered after the shout
of the driver. Within and without the coa"h
a paraljnls possessed all. The only sound
was the fierce pounding of the lion hoofs on
the lock-faced road , the roar of the wheels
and the frantic rreaking.of the Ipatlicrn-
springed coach , as It locked like a ternpebt-
tossed vessel.
LIFE IN THE BALANCE.
"On neither side did anything take defi
nite shape. We moved , as it we're , between
two gieat walls of darixtiuss , somewhat ao
In a swift railway train when pasblng
tlnough a narrow gorge. There wub no
difference between the wall of rock on one
side and the abyss on the other. I continued
standing , clinging to the stauchloiib
with a deadly clasp , possessed by a vague-
impression that a jump must be made at
some approaching crisis. J huve an Indis
tinct Impression that tlio woman in the
di Ivor's seat had both her arms about the
waist of the Englishman , and that he otood
with his face to the wall to thu left , and
clung to the railing of the seat like a
drowning man to u storm-tossed spar.
"I recall that we seemed scarcely to touch
the ground ; that we Hew ; that our move
ment was ono of vast leaps , In > vlileh we
struck the ground with a resounding clash ,
like a vessel In a storm when Its bow la met
by a wave.
"Tho air pushed against my face as If It
were some demonlaeal energy tiling to
wrench me from the roach , All the time ,
In my huzy consclouoness , lying apparently
across the road , was Impending death. I
felt It was the fate which menaced us ; It
was a black wall against which we would
break , and then annihilation.
"I have no Idea of the time ; It might have
been a minute , It might have been twenty
for aught that I comprehended during our
descent. I only recall that we went lock
ing , thundering down the steep grade , nnd
then unconsciousness. "
Hero the dark man stopped his narration ,
as If there were no raoie to say ,
"You were not killed , evidently , " said one
of the listeners. "What else happened ? "
"Nothing much. When I ramo to myself
wo were In front of a ranch used for n
station , The coach had stopped and several
men were running tow mil us from the
fltablcs. The four white hoises stood with
dropping heads In front of the coach and
were hardly vlslblo through the dense cloud
of steam which rose from their heaving
bodies. The driver was sitting In his beat ,
his elbows on his knees , his chin testing
on hlM hands and himself as Impassive as
If cut In marble' . "
"How about the rock you wcro going to
smash up against ? That's what I'd lilto to
know , "
"That's what I'd like to know myself , "
replied the dark man , "I believe , however ,
that just where we rounded the rock there
was a deep Impression In the road on the
sldo next to the wall , and It ( was the dip of
the wheels In tills hollow which prevented
the coach swinging outward , to that < It
righted we had passed In the open place
just a few feet from the gulch. It wan the
tremendous shock as the wheels plunged
Into the depression and the thought wo had
struck tht > rock and I was killed which
made me Insensible , "
" hurt "
"Anybody ?
"Not a hair of one of our heado. The
driver landed us In as good condition as
wo are this minute In this loom. Wo made
up a purse for him of } 100 , and the company
gave him as much mom. That's all. J'm
off. Qood night. "
IliicUlfn'K Arnlcn anlve.
Tbo best Salvo to the world for cuts ,
bruises , sores , ulcers , gall rheum , fever eorte ,
tetter , chapped hands , chilblains , coma , and
all skin eruptions , and positively cures pllei ,
or no pay required. U Is guaranteed to give
perfect satisfaction or money refunded. Price
25 cents per box. For ealo by Kuhn & Co.
to HiifTalu mill Ilflurn
Via Michigan Central , "The Niagara Fa'.U
Route , " good going August 21-23. A rare
opportunity to go east at very low rates
over "A First-class Line for Flret-ckm
Travel , " Reecrve your Bleeping car accommo
dations early by writing to L. O. Heusner ,
General Western Faeaenger Agent , 119 Adams
street , Chicago.
AVc have Intely been Mippllcil l > j minuf.icturcn
w'miM products We Imnillo with Fiimi'lfs ' of In
tuit foods ami otlar i > ro < luct . 'VVinlinll be
lilmcod to supjilj thee mllrloa to those Intcr-
tKteil Wi > mention n few
Samples llmkiVs Mnltiil Milk for Infants
.Simples Grn > b Klilniy 1'llls foi Klilnc ) anil
I.hci 'I randies
Samples I'pptoRcnlc Milk pouilir for Infnntn.
Samples .Shor'ii.ui'u Hluili.nl > I.hu I'lll * , for
Illllotmiefc *
Sample * Uncle S'ain'k Tn- Soap ( best thing for
bo\a' illrtj h nuts )
bnnples glicrmnu'H Cat.uii Jellj cltarx the
no c. |
Simples Vltlnr'B Toot Comfort for tlreil foet.
Simples 1'crfumeil Talcum 1'owdcr for tviry-
boily
bami'les ' Hazel Irfaf Pile Cuic ,
Dealers In liaic DIUKH and OliuiiU.ils anil
Moilein I'lmnnnci ntlcals.
1511 Dodge St. Middle of Uloclc.
SPARKLING
KOiLAFRA
A Drink
You
Never
Tire
Of
Sfronp ; Guarantee.
Crescent makem nnd Crescent n ents ar >
reliable , 'llio Crescent guarantee la ai
good ub a bond. It 11 backed by a concern
of undoubted financial responsibility.
If anything prov o wroni ; with n Crescent
( on know juBt wliero to go to have it
tfincio' right j und jciilmvc- the nssuranco
lhat it will bo done In A prompt and
liberal murmur.
Repair men tmy that Crescents arc In
the repair shop lies than any other mako.
licit quality ut Uoniiit priccb
WESTERN V/HEEL WORKS ,
Factory , Chicago.
CATALOGUE FRE > : . AGENTS EVERYWHERE.
BOOBS & SON ,
\dublvu Oinalia A enls ,
lltli mill
Mnflirrt ! Vlollicrnl !
Mm. VVInfclcm'H Bnolhliif- Hymn ' 'Ox ' b'cn used
for over Ml yenru by million * of mot he m for
their chlMrcn while tttttilnx wllli purfict rcic-
ccbtt , It tootlies I hi' ihllil , cortcnn tbu KUnni ,
allaya nil pain , cures wlml rolU' , nml Is Iliu bent
rcmcily for Dluirli'ci. HnM by ilriiKKlMa In
every part of I hewcrll l ! < i rnre ami a l. for
"rM . VV'Inflow'fi Bcnthlnit H > rno" and tulte no
other kind ? 3 cunU u bottle.
Moiieal Treatment.
Hy the Intct-t methods may bo had nt th <
Bhcpcirtl Medical Institute ut ruiHomiblo fees ,
SPECIALTIES :
Catarrh , Dnifiu-iiM , liny I'Vtrr , Hhrii-
imillHiii , lllxi'iiNi'M n ( ( he I.miifn , Ktil.
m > ) N anil .Nrr iniN HB | -III , AUo '
lurr , ril' * mill hUlii AITi-i-Hunx'
CO.NSIJI.TATIO.V KHinj. -
MHDICAI , INSTITUTE
311-S12-313 N. Y , Life Ill.lc. . Tel. 1128.
- ' * K e PUa , Bd
ENNYROYAL PILLS
- STv Original and OnljUfaulDI
tor CUclU4Hr't JTnjIiii ,
Krd /.Uuiulllt
[ UoitJ ! (4 wllli Uu rlfctwo TaLe
' naoturr. Kt/uti rfunoireui lutit
' .f.'t-'J atlU lai . InUaualUt a > 4
"lUllef for r.a k."UI ur. tr rel.ri
Hall. II > .OOOT..llil.ol.li . fti'r * , * .