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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 1898)
THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : TUESDAY , AUGUST 23 , 1808 , 7\ MAlIMltS OF RAILROADS Summary of Efiport of the Interstate Commerce Gommisgion. IS ONE YEAR BEHIND GETTING OUT blunm n I.nruo Ilpcrcimp In Mllrnue OjM-riitr.l liy Her < ! tern Unmlng * Ant No llfitvr nil lor Vonr .Itinc JJO , IM > 0. WASHINGTON , Aug. 22.-Frora summar- its which will appear In the tenth statistical report of the Interstate Commerce com mission , prepared by Its statistician , the following advance figures are obtained : On June 30. 1S97 , there were 128 roads In the hands of receivers. These roads operated a mileage of 17,801 miles , the mileage owned by them being 14,894 miles. These figures , as compared with those of 1SDG , show that there was a , nct decrease of 12,514 miles In mileage operated and 8.C22 miles in mileage owned by roads In the charge of receivers. During the year endIng - Ing June 30 , 18S7 , flfty-ono roads were re moved from the control of receivers , and twenty-eight roads were placed under their management. The capital stock represented by railways In the hands of receivers on Juno 30. 1S97 , was $1S6.0G1,610 ; funded debt. $511,407,790 ' , and current liabilities , $113.- iOG.348. A comparison of these figures with those corresponding for the preceding year shows a decrease in capital stock repre senting over :56,000,000 , and In funded debt of o\er $468,000,000. The total railway mileage in tbo United States was 18U28 miles , there being an Increase of 1,031 miles , or < iOO per cent during the year. Ninety-five per cent of the railway mileage of the country la laid with steel rails. The total number of locomotives In service was 35.986 , an in crease of thirty-six for the year. The cumber of passenger cars was 33,026 , and of freight cars 1,221,730. Of the total num ber of cars 525,286 were fitted with train brakes , the Increase being 76,422 , and 673- 723were fitted with automatic couplers , an Increase of 133,142. The number of men employed by the rail roads of the United States on June 30 , 1897 , os reported , was 932,476. These figures as signed on the mileage basis , show that 449 men arc employed per 100 miles of line. The corresponding figures for the year 1836 were slightly larger. Regarding the year ending Juno 30 , 1897 , It appears that the amount of wages and salaries paid was $463,001.581. This amount represents 01.87 per cent of the total operat ing expenses of railways , or $2,340 , per mile of line. The total compensation for 1896 was $3,222,050 $ greater , Capitalization ot IlonUn. On .Tune 30 , 1897 , the amount of railway capital outstanding was $10,635.008,074 , which , assigned on a mileage basis , shows a capital of $59,020 per mile nf line. The amount of capital stock was $3,364,642,235. of which $4,367,056,037 was common stock and $997,685,593 preferred stock. The amount of funded debt was (5,270,365,819. ( The classification of funded debt shows that It consists of mortgage bonds , $1,539- 911,595 ; miscellaneous obligations , $430,718- 303 ; income bonds. $239,847,151 , and equip ment trust obligations , $39,858,767. The amount of capital stock paying no dividend was $3,761,092,277 , or 70 10 per cent of the total amount outstanding. The amount of funded debt , excluding equipment trust obligations , which paid no Interest , was $867,930,840. The total amount of dividends was $87,110,599 , which would be produced by an average rate of 5.43 per cent on the amount of stock on which some dividend was declared. Tbo amount ot mortgage bonds paying no Interest was $615,239,959 , or 13.65 per cent ; of mis cellaneous obligations , $37,343,789 , or 8.67 per cent , and Income bonds , $215,344,972 , , or 82.S7 per cent. The amount of current liabilities outstanding on Juno 30 , 1897 , was $578,501,635 , or $3,156 per mile of line. The number of passengers carried during the year was 489,445,188 , a decrease of 2,327,539. The number of tons of freight carried was 741,705,946. which Is 24,185.439 less than for 1896. The gross earnings of the railways of the United States for the year ending June 30 , 1897 , as reported for nil operated mileage of 183,284 , were $1,122- 089,773. In comparison with the preceding year this amount shows a decrease In gross earnings of $28,079.003. The sources of Income comprised in gross carnlncs , from operation of the jcar , were : Passenger revenue , $351,135,927. decrease as compared with the orevlous year , $15,420,006 ; mail , 133,754,400 , Increase $1,374,647 ; express , $24- 901,060 , increase $20,083 ; other earnings , passenger service. $6,029,980 ; freight reve nue , $772,849,314. decrease $13,766,523 ; other earnings , freight service , $4,209,657 , Increase 1323,707 ; other earnings from operation , etc. . $23,009,303. The expenses of operation of railwa > s for the fiscal year covered by the report were $752,524,704. This amount Is $20,404,280 smaller than the corresponding amount for the year 1896 , the operated mileage for tbo year being 181,982 mllei. The operating expenses of 189 ? were dis tributed as follows ; Maintenance of way and structures , $759,434,403 , decrease as com pared with the preceding year , $910,547 ; maintenance of equipments , $122,762,358 ; decrease , $10,619,640 ; conducting transporta tion , $432.525,862 , ; decrease. $9,691,720 ; gen eral expenses , $36.481,369 ; increase , $397,918. Gross earnings per mlle of line operated averaged (6,122 ; operating expenses , $4,100. These amounts are , respectively , $193 and $142 less than the averages for 1896. ! \et I'urnlnu" . The income from operation , that Is the amount of gross earnings remaining after the deduction of operating expenses , com monly termed net earnings , was $309,565,000. This amount Is $7,615,523 leas than the cor responding item for the prevlous jcar. The total amount of dividends declared , includ ing $267.390 other payments , from net in come , was $87,377,989 ; the result being a deficit from tbo operations of the year of 16,120,483. The total number ot catualltlcs to persons on account of railway accidents for the year ending June 30 , 1897 , was 43,168. Of these casualties. 6,437 resulted in drath and 36,731 In Injuries of varying character. Of railway employes , 1,693 were killed and 27.667 were Injured during the year. > From summaries show leg the rate ot casualties it appears that one out of every 488 emplocs was killed , and one out of every thirty employes was Injured durldg the year. One passenger was killed for every 2,210,708 carried and ono Injured for every 175,115 carried. KACTS IX Till : COVSULAH IinTOUTS. Info : nut ( Inn Supiilleil from the Ofll- < -rm In the Went liiillcn. WASHINGTON. Aug. 22. The bureau of foreign commerce of the State department boa made public In advance sheets of reports of consular otllcera In the West Indies. These reports are In many respects of a special character supplementary to those regularly made and are In response to a circular sent out by the department dated August 10 , 1897. requesting Information of the trade and commerce of the various ports and Islands to which the consuls were ac credited. Moat of the statistics furnished , therefore , are old. being for the ) ear previ ous to the time of the compiling ot the reports. They show , however , that In some of the Islands the business Interests have Buffered greatly from "hard times. " as one consul dtdcrlted ( I to the depressing condi tions existing Lero , but most generally to ln P cuUr ha,1 , mr" of ewe commercial ntraCtcd blMlncM operations , , of In several cages. There PX ( % ° ftlc > n to this gloomy 'I,011110015 ' r as trade with , SUIC.8 'S ' conc nc'l. ° "t they le tJafiaml" and The consuls In Cuba generally were un- omelnls to B ! ° 'i10 "fcwneo of Spanish furnish the statistics desired Merchants were buying but few goods nnJ ' were confining them to the necessities of 1116 * I The consul nt San Juan , I'orto Hlco , says I the volume of business between that Island and the United States for 1693 was as fol- : Imports. Jl.&TO.OOO ; exports. $1,573- With the exception of wire and tin manu facturers the United States was far be hind England and Germany In the classes relating Jo stone , coal , glass , potrolcum find metal and its manufacturers. In the oil , drugs and chemical class the United States was the largest after Spain. In wool manufactures the Importations , noth ing' compared with those from England and Spain , and In paper boohs , etc. , the United States made a respectable showing after Spain. In the wood schedule the United States wore first. In the Items of scales and boilers the United States was first , as It also was In provisions. The consul added : "I wish to call especial attention to the position occupied by the United States In reference W the volume of trade with this Island In comparison with that of other countries. Naturally , Spain Is first , with the United States second , and this position has been the prevailing one for some years , showing that the natural tendency of the trade of the Island Is toward the United States. With a more liberal tariff policy and less discrimination toward the United States this trade could bo largely augmented and would become equal to or superior to the volume of busi ness transacted with Spain. The reciprocity relations with Spain , although only In ex istence for a short time , greatly Increased the volume of trade between the Island and the United States and show what can bo accomplished In this direction. The fact Is , without the tariff the United States would monopolize all of It. ART AT THE EXPOSITION On the Bluff tract , Just south ot the Ne braska state building , overlooking the ever varied and alluring hills of Iowa Is the state building which Immediately attracts the attention of all the visitors at the expo sition the hospitable Minnesota building. It offers a hospitality which the people feel , not only from Us wide , Inviting porch and balcony , which extends all around the bultdlcg , but from Its Informal style of architecture and the simplicity of Us mate rials. People can coma In and rest here with a sigh of relief who would feel very uncomfortable In the crypt like interior of the Wisconsin state building. It Is not EO many generations ago stnco our western people lived In log cabins that they should look upon this log house as a novelty ; they regard It rather with a feel ing of closeness as a fond reminiscence ot the days when they were young and wrested from nature their home and livelihood. A war in which they were victorious and was there over on old soldier who did not love his reminiscences of battles ? The Minnesota building Is different from all the other state buildings In that It typifies life In the pine forests of the north and at the same time typifies one of the chief resources of wealth ot the state. It is constructed entirely ot pine logs from tha woods of Minnesota. This was not done by state appropriations , but by private sub scriptions ot liberal citizens who wished to have their state represented at their neighbor's exposition. And the people In the land ot the Daco- tnhs have not forgotten him who once wan dered "through interminable forests , over meadow , over mountain , over river , hill and hollow ; " they have placed opposite the landing half way up the stairs a stained glass window as a memorial. This window , In rich , harmonious colors , Is painted by Miss MarloQ Graven of Minneapolis. The | composition Is very simple , one might almost call It a portrait , as It was painted from an Indian called the "Yellow " Boy" of the As- slnabolno agency at Fort Peck , Mont. His brother , Captain Wets It , Is now at the en campment on the exposition grounds and Is one of the officers of the United States mil itary service. The figure of this Indian standing alone , with his right hand shading his eyes as he anxiously looks out Into the future , sym bolizes In a way the whole of his race. With a look of trepidation "as of ono who In a vision sees what Is to be , but Is not , " ho stands without fear , without hope , but with anxiety , scanning the distant horlzen to ascertain If possible how soon the white man will crowd him out. "I beheld , too , In that vision All the secrets ot the future , Of the dlHtant days th.it Hhall be. I beheld the westward marches Of the unknown , crowded nations. All the land was full of people , Jtestlpss , ntrtiKK-lliiir , tolling , ntrlvlng , Speaking many tongues , yet feeling But one heart-bent In their bosoms. In the woodlands rang their axes. Smoked their towns In all the valleys , Over all thu lakcn and rivers Hushed their great canoes or thunder. " So he dumbly and anxiously awaits the fulfillment of Hiawatha's vision. There Is a certain awkward majesty In the simple pose which the painter has preserved with fidel ity and directness. The color throughout Is rich and ut the same time subdued. As a background there Is only the flat stretch of country reaching out to the horizon and above that the deep blue sky. "I'ar above him swam the heavens , swam the dizzy , dreamy , heavens. " The other day two Indians squaws with pr.ppoosea on their backs were making a tour of the art gallery. They looked at the pictures In passing through , but only cursor ily nothing seemed to attract them suffi ciently to hold their attention until they came to that Imltalon of bank notes , cards , etc. , called "A Bachelor's Drawer" No 263 which Is In the middle of the east ro tunda. Here was something which the sav age mind and untutored eye could appre ciate. This Is a representative of that pre cise and detailed painting which understands by "art" a deceptive Imitation of objects , and Bees Us end attained when the public gathers round the picture as the birds gath ered round the grapes of Zenxls. It Is no more art than that which the counterfeiter's skill produces. It shows labor and patience but art should give one the Irnpreslon ot ease and facility. It would have been an Interesting psychological study to have been cble to understand the com ments these two Indian women made upon the art ot the nlueetenth century as It ap pealed to them. Classicism , romanticism , Impressionism , realism , and all the other "Isms" for which artists have bled and died , were passed over In stony Indifference. It was the Initiation which attracted them in pictures as In beads and jewelry , ETHEL EVANS. rru lon -il Furelicit Ile ldent . WASHINGTON. Aug. 22. Assistant Sec- retary Davis of the Interior department has laid down an Important ruling relating to claimants for pensions residing In foreign countries. In view of the fact that con- cress has. by special legislation , provided means for executing declarations by claim- ants residing abroad and for their medical examination , It has been decided that there shall be no distinction between claims filed by those who reside In this country and those ho reside In foreign countries. EXPOSITION AND * EDUCATION The Missouri educational exhibit , Ne braska's , alone cxccptcd , Is the most com plete and extensive slate exhibit at the ex position. Like many other states repre sented , , It Is due to the united cflort of a . etato commission reinforced by the co operation I of public spirited citizens. The commission ' , numbering sixty-one , with F. ; M. Stcrrett of St. Louis prc l- dent , Is representative of all sections of the state and thoroughly refutes the statement so often made that responsibility when given to many Is taken seriously by none. For the state haa reason to be proud , not only of Its educational exhibit , but the re mainder of the series dairy , mineral , agri cultural ' , forestry and horticultural. While Missouri has no state building , yet there Is hospitality In abundance. A pleas ant room In the Agricultural building has been fitted up as Missouri headquarters and In addition , Mlssourlans have been Invited to share Montana's state home. The school exhibit fills the eastern half of the south gallery of the Liberal Arts buildIng - Ing and was Installed under the direction of Dr. 1'lckard of the State university. It Includes work from the kindergarten and primary grades to the university , Inclusive. Admirably arranged In six sections ; the university occupying the two farthest cast ( the corner adjoining contains the exhibit made by the women of Missouri ) , the public schools the next three and the exhibit by the Afro-American schools the ono farthest west. The young lady In charge of this booth tells ono In a most pleasing way the points of Interest regarding the exhibit. Of course the chief Interest centers In the work from Lincoln Institute at Jefferson City , one of the pioneer schools established for the edu cation of colored youth , having been opened In 1866. It ones Its origin to a fund con tributed by the Sixty-second aud Sixty-fifth regiments of United States colored Infantry when mustered out In 1865. In 1879 It became - came a state school. A college and prepara tory school are maintained and an Indus trial department was opened In 1S92. The course for boys embraces carpentry , blacksmithing - smithing and machine work , that for girls plain sewing , fancy needle work and dress making. With the addition of agriculture and cookery the school would be well ta line with Booker T. Washington's eminently sensible views and doubtless these will soon be added. There Is work from all depart ments , comprising electrical engines , forg ing tools , useful and ornamental Iron and wood work and two cases of needlework ranging from plain sewing to most elab orate pieces , besides academic work. At tractive views of the buildings and grounds are sent. , The St. Louis and Palmyra schools ex celling In kindergarten work , Hannibal marked by careful drawing and penmanship , Chllllcothe with systematically arranged work , Doonvllle , Cape Glrardeau and Cham ois with attractive exhibits complete the list of colored cchools. Washington , Douglas and Garrison among school names , and the stars and stripes used In decorating arc characteristic features noted. Passing to the next section , one finds specimens of the work for which the St. Louis schools bavo acquired a national rep utation drawing and Kindergarten work. While all the work shown Is well worth study , the two extremes , kindergarten and high school and normal work , are appar ently studied most. If one were asked which of the various subjects In drawing , still lite , design , casts , life , illustration or architecture is most artistically treated It would certainly be difficult to answer , though perhaps a majority ot the opinions expressed favor the work In still life and design. The first Is distinguished by effec tive grouping and both by exquisite color- Ing. The kindergarten exhibit might well be called a school of Instruction In methods. A printed card gives this Information : "All work Is selected from regular class exer cises , neither teacher nor pupil knowing [ hat any of the work would be exhibited. " 'First lessons" In , many subjects , stating the time required , arc sent ; also selected pieces , showing the skill acquired In cut- ling , weaving , pasting , drawing , stlck-lay- ng and outline sowing. The work Is beau- ; ifully mounted and arranged. The lettcr- ng of the booth , done by the pupils , Is lorraed from tiny folded white and yellow stars on a green background. Photographs of the little people , together with pictures used In the school rooms for their uncon scious teaching value , complete this Inter esting exhibit. Missouri Is rich In state nomal schools ( doubtless one reason for her llgh educational standing ) , having one In : he north at Ktrksvllle , another In the cen tral part at Warrensburg and a third at Capo Glrardeau In the southeast. Klrks- vllle sends a collection of photographs at tractively mounted on black and hand- eomcly framed , giving a conception of the school facilities , buildings and apparatus , while groups of puplli by counties show the enrollment , Capo Glrar deau sends several cards of careful work In all branches from the "practice" schools. The Girls' and Boys' Industrial Reform schools at Chllllcothe and Boonevtlle , re spectively , send comprehensive exhibits , showing that manual training In all llnea Is made prominent In the course ot study. Hannibal , proud of being distinguished as the birthplace of "Mark Twain , " has a card showing the house In which he was born , the cave made famous In "Tom Sawyer , " to gether with a biography of the author. An exquisite copy of the Declaration of Inde pendence by a 12-year-old girl In vertical writing would satisfy the moit pessimistic admirer of the round writing ot former days that In spite of the Introduction of typewriters , penmanship Is not yet a lost art. In the history work Is noticed n group ot dolls dressed to represent Wash ington , Cromwell , Napoleon and other his- trolcal characters. Chllllcothe , with other patriotic cards , fends a picture of Its re cently christened "Dewey" school. Fortu nate It Is for our naval hero that current opinion considers the honor falling on the recipient In this case , else he would soon be obliged to take advantage of the new bankrupt law , were he obliged to Bend presents to his numerous and miscellaneous array of namesakes. Oreman compositions , a Missouri product map by counties , for estry and grain collections , are among the other contributions. Moberly hat evolved a unique method of exhibiting work conveniently and In small compass by constructing a revolving cabinet from heavy cardboard. It Is carefully In dcxed. enabling one to turn quickly to the subject desired. Specimens of penmanship taken at the opening of school and again In May show remarkable Improvement. The nature and science work , pb > stologlcal , drawings and compositions are all mer itorious. In the remaining work are no ticed well executed mechanical and map drawing and a series of pretty Illustrated historical booklets. Mexico , another Interior town , contributes a One display from all departments. Includ ing , both bound and mounted work. The geography work Is especially noticeable be- cauie of the number and variety of relief maps lent. Boonevllle , across the Missouri besides the work from the Industrial school sends views , exterior and Interior , ot Ita public school buildings. The work from Jeffereon City merits thor ough Inspection , The drawing , map am manuscript work la full of original and val uable suggestions. Carrolton , in the cen tral west , sends a taking display. The draw ing tbo * beautiful effects In light and 1 shade and the written work Is equally well done and attractive. The exhibit from Springfield Is not large , ( comprising chiefly manuscripts below the High school , but enough IB n nt to nhow the high standards and efficiency of the schools. Carthage excels In drawing. There are many dainty pieces In water color , among them ( ketches of apple blossoms and fleur-de-lis. Other attractive cards show Illustrated number work , designs for book covers and papers In nature study. Joplln , whose ceonle were doubtless busy preparing the mineral display , has sent simply ix model ot Its handsorao High \ school structure , cleverly done In sand , , No part of the exhibit seems to attract ' more attention than the "model rural school house , " designed by Hon. John S. Kirk , state superintendent of schools , and who had charge ot the rural school sec- : lon In the recent Transmlsslsslppl Educa- .tonal convention. The methods of sanltaI tlon , heating and equipment are admirably planned and the entire cost Is estimated at JCOO. And now the summit or crown ot the nubile school system Is reached , the university , about which a book might be written and still much remain untold. This attractively placed exhibit , giving a comprehensive knowledge of the Institution as a whole , sets forth specifically work along several original lines , for which It Is acquiring an enviable reputation , and Us remarkable crowth for the last elx years , since the disastrous fire la 1892. The latter la found on series of charts showing the Increased enrollment - rollment In the school of mines , the acaI dcmlc , normal , engineering , mechanic arts , agricultural , law , medical and graduate dei partmcnts. The last named shows a gain ot 105 per cent In the time , while the other departments show oven larger gains. The attendance , as a whole , has Increased 132 per cent , though during the period the re- ' qulrcmcnts for admission have been raised BO per cent. As there are 140 High schools throughout the Btato on the "accredited" list , these statistics show the Indirect bcne- fits resulting to secondary schools. In nn exhibit of this character , It Is not possible to show satisfactorily the work of all de partments , but all capable of presentation In chart and show case form , or by means of photographs , ore represented. The pho tographs show the extent of the buildings and campus , something of the library and labratory facilities a considerable amount of apparatus , too , notably from the chemical and entomological laboratories has been sent ( methods and work of the agricultural de partment and the government experiment station connected therewith. This depart ment also sends specimens of soil and col lections of animal and vegetable fats with analyses by students. The department of romance languages sends an original and valuable contribution j to this study In a series ot "phonetic tracings. " Quite as Interesting to classical J 1 students Is a large collection ot stcreoptlcon I views of classical archaeology covering every part of this historic Held and adding an i Infinite charm to what Is so often consld-I ' ered a "dry study. " The photographs and I charts Illustrative of the work In biology , geology , bacteriology , physical training and I mechanical arts , together with exhibits of i actual works performed by students , show the originality , thoroughness and practical value of the work accomplished in these de partments. This Indicates , briefly , a few _ ot the many valuable features of the unl- j ! verslty exhibit , which once seen , will bo visited often by all interested la the ! progress ot education. I Missouri , ranking fifth In population , four-1 | tccnth In size and among the first In amount [ , and variety of resources In the galaxy of states , fully proclaims , In this exhibit , the supremacy of Us educational Institutions. ELLA U. PERRINE. ON BEHALF FTHE NATION _ I'ronl.lont MeKlnley CnnRrataln < Admiral Ilvwcr nnil General Mer- rltt on the Pall of Manila. WASHINGTON , Aug. 22. President Mc- Klnley last night cabled congratulations to Admiral Dewey upon their capture of Ma nila. The text of the dispatch Is as fol lows : "HXECtftlVn MANSION. WASHING TON , Aug. 21. Admiral Dewey , Manila : Re ceive for yourself and the officers , sailors and marines of your command my thanks and congratulations and these of the nation for the gallant conduct all have again so conspicuously displayed. ( Signed ) "WILLIAM M'KINLEY. " Tollonlng ts the text ot the dispatch to General Merrltt : "EXECUTIVE MANSION , WASHING TON , Aug. 21. Major General Merrltt , U. S. A. , Manila : In my own behalf and for the cation I tender to you and the officers and men of your command sincere thanks and congratulations for the conspicuously gallant conduct displayed In your campaign. ( Signed ) "WILLIAM M'KINLEY. " CirntN nt Camp Mende. CAMP MEADE , MIDDLETOWN , Pa. , Aug. 22. The movement ot the Second division of the Second array corps , to which the Birth Pennsylvania ! Is attached , will begin tomor row from Thoroughfare Gap. Thin will be followed by the movement of the First dlvl- Elon , composed In part of the Eighth , Twelfth and Thirteenth Pennsylvania regi ments , from Camp Alger. The Eighteenth Pennsylvania regiment has been ordered to the new camp and a battalion of the Six teenth has been here since Tuesday. By the close of the week General Graham expects to have over 6,000 Pennsylvania soldiers In | I his command. He has obtained permission i to acquire all the land needed to encamp the entire Second corpi and he has done so. The only arrivals In camp today were the Tlrat and Second battalions of the Fourth Missouri. A small sized riot occurred between some t of the troops last night at High Spire , and a detail was sent from camp to quell the dis turbance. Thirty-eight rioters and forty men without passes were arrested. General Graham eald this evening ho would not make public the report of the board of inquiry in the Third Virginia case until ho had gone over ltcarefully with his judge advocate. Clillil Until } Hurt. HURON , S. D. , Aug. 22. ( Special. ) The little child of Joseph Anthony and wlfo was severely Injured a day or two since. It had crawled Into the grass and fallen asleep , unknown to Us parents. Mr. An thony drove up with a team hauling a load of hay , the wheels of the wagon pasted over the child , crushing both legs and one foot , but It Is thought It will recover. DA UK Slim ( IP KI.O.NDIKH , Airraid * SI I nor Horn .Not 3lnki * llnoupih to l'n > - Him fur lift I'rh allonn. A private letter from Olllo Osborn of Hannibal , Mo , publlnhed by the St. Louis Republic , throws some light on itho dark side ot life In the Klondike. It Is dated , "Stranded on the Yukon river , twenty-five miles north of Circle City , Juno 12 , 1898 , " and reads as follows : "However ridiculous It may Appear to one living In God's own country , where distance lends no Impediment to Immediate com munication , your letter of September 9 , 1897 , did ! not reach me until Mny 21 , 1S9S. I reached Dawson via Chilkoot Pats on March 1 , and was brought down the river by a Jew , who carries the mall from Dawson to Rampart ' City , making the distance of over 000 miles with sled and dogs. "As you know , 1 was a part of the ex pedition under cx-Ma > or Wood of Seattle , and wo did not reach Dawpon last fall , but , being t snow-bound , went Into winter quar ters t on an Island at the mouth ot the Toil Klckat 1 river , having for company two other expeditions , and teen our little Island was the I scene of a bustling vIlUjo of 350 pee ple. I IIy this time an Indian brings us the news that the people at Daw son were starv ing 1 and that 2,000 miners were on their way down the river In search of food. This put an end to my Dawson ardor , so I started for Mlnook 1 Creek , ninety mltee up the river. "After six days we reached Rampart City , which wo found to be an excited village of 600 ( people. We caught the fever and for three I days and nights we raced from one gulch i to the other. When we reached the city i again I was completely done up , but was i the proud possessor -.1 eight mining claims. < Proud does not express It ; I 11 Imagined myself a Carney Darnato. I would Join ; the Never Sweats , take In the Paris ex position ] and the world In general , move back 1 to Missouri , surround myself with a happy 1 family and live to my liking. The stampeding i business Is not what It li cracked ( up to be , crossing mountain streams on i logs , wading In muck water and snow up to 1 your kncei , etc. , often resulting seriously to some. "Clarence Tucker , a millionaire's son from Cleveland , 0. , with two other companions , after wandering around In the mountains for forty-eight hours without food , become ex hausted , and as he could go no further , they built a flro for him and went In search ot help. Before they faunit one of the boys lost his mind and when the rescuers found Tucker he was frozen stiff. In the same Btampcde a Frenchman fell off the log serv ing as a bridge over Mlnook creek and found a grave In Us Icy waters. "I have hunted , mined , explored , gone hungry , frozen and had scurvy and played dog. Should I attempt to go into detail It would sound to you as bordering on the Ilaron Munchausen. How I managed to come out smiling this spring Is more than I can account for. More than once I have given up all hope of ever reaching home , and when I looktlck upon what a man In this country ban to undergo , I resolve to frustrate any designs my friends may have upon themselves by venturing here. This country Is not adapted to one not accus tomed t exposure and the hardest of manual labor. "In this country to prosper as a prospector one has to rely entirely upon self. He may have millions at his command and not be able to buy a pound of grub. Labor In abundance , but no one can bo hired to represent a mining claim so long as the owner is an able-bodied man. To succeed one has to get right down and slave , and the cllmatlo conditions arc such that for nine long months In the year bouquets are rather scarce. The other three months mosqultos and gnats are BO thick that ono does not have time to gather posies. The fact is , at the present writing I have on a pair of mosquito gloves , with four or five yards of cheese cloth swathed around my 'face and body , but they bit Juit the same. "To return again , do not think of coming to Alaska , situated as you are. Should you exile yourself from home , friends and the pleasures and comforts of life and battle with the obstacles here , and after ono or two seasons not be able to return home with $50 at the highest calculation , your chances of doing oven this being one In 500 , you would ever after despise yourself. The newspaper reports as to this region are misleading In too many respects. Many a poor fellow has risked his all , realizing too late that gold is not found In every creek In Alaska , and returns broken in pocketbook and constitution. When you look over a paper and see the list of tha fortunate Klundlkers. think how many col umns the names of these would fill who have prospected all the way from the Keo- kuk to Stewart river , and today are yet In this country without the price ot a winter's outfit or a passage home. "Thero Is no doubt as to this being a rich , gold-producing country , but , In my opinion , the chance ot gain does not Justify the suffering one has to undergo In pursuit of It. Travel at all times Is difficult. The ground Is covered with a heavy moss that prevents soil below from thawing out during the few summer months , and at this time of year Is eo wet and soggy that should you leave the river you sink Into it up to your knees. In the fall It Is all rain and mow , and from November until April all cold , some days so cold that travel or out side wnrk Is entirely out of the question. "For two months last winter the sun was not visible at all , the days being from one to four hours long , Imagine yourself with ; out candles a kerosene lamp is unknown here as was the case in some camps here this winter. Nothing to do but sleep and work. One winter here IE enough to knock all the romantic Ideas clean out of a fellow. After the sun passes the equinox , all night Is turned Into all day. A newspaper can be read as plainly at midnight as at midday. The sun Just skirts the horizon , but does not disappear. If one did not carry a watch he would lose track of the time altogether. "Another drawback Is the remoteness of trading posts and 'be hardship of transportIng - Ing > our supplies. It Is no picnic dragging a loaded sled over unbroken trails. Fact of the matter Is , when a man comes to this country for a year's outing he makes the grand mistake of his life. With the excep tlon of one or two historical turnip patches the country Is an unfood-producer. Bear , caribou , moose and small game are plentiful In certain localities , but In our section this winter there were times when you could travel for a week without seeing as much as a small bird. The large game follows in the wake of the small. They reached here about February , and from that time we had all the wild meat that we cared for. "The Mlnook Mining creek district , where You Can Save Money- By attending our S1.-18 shoo sale those are southern ties with vesting tops and l < ld oxfords for the women not a pair that hold for less than ? 'J.W ) , and they were grout value ut that price- All sizes and widths Thcwi are new styles no old shoes iiinonc them An other offering Is our $1.00 sreeu vesting panel top oxfords a very handsome shoe now only $2.00 no reason for re ducing the prlre except that we never carry any t > hoes over from ent > on to season We only advertise what we have and what wo do , Drexel Shoe Co. , Ouiaha'B Up-to-dat * Ibo * Iloni * . 1419 FARNAM STREET , ADVERTISE NEBRASKA sending a copy of The Bee of August 23 , containing the most authentic and carefully pre pared report of The Mammoth Crops of 1898 to your friends and out-of-town parties -who are or may become in terested in Nebraska. Single copies may be obtained at The Bee business office for five cents. A special rate for orders for ten or more copies. THE BEE PUBLISHING CO. OMAHA , NEB. I put In most of the winter , comprises about fourteen different gulches , and ot these , up to date , only ono creek has been profitably worked , viz. , Little Ml nook. On this creek rich pay was struck on four claims and the owners will clean up all the way from $50,000 to $100,000 for their win ter's work. None of the other creeks have been thoroughly prospected. The difficulty has been that there was work and not enough people for the number of claims taken up. A majority ot the claims had to be represented between January and May , BO a man owning from eight to ten claims , being required to put In twenty days in representing each , did not leave much time tor prospecting any one creek thoroughly. "I have a claim on Little Mlnook ; also one on Hunter and ono on Hoonler creek , which might turn out to be worth some thing. The others I do not think so much of. Still , they may bo rich for all that , as all of them are In the same belt. After fin ishing up my representing at Mlnook I and a young fellow went below to Woodworth , Just before the breaking up ot the river , which occurred there May 18. This was one of the grandest eights ot nature's ac tivity that I have ever witnessed. "The Ice does not thaw and become sloppy , as one would naturally suppose , but decays and breaks In the center ot the river. It moves , or rather creeps , along at first , and as the tributaries supply the water rushes until mountains of tco gorge and move downstream with the speed ot a mill race , and when gaining a roar can be heard a mile av-ay. By the 26th the ice had all cleared out , our boat * ai loaded and we started for Daw son. We moved along then .without any serious mishaps until we ran aground on this island , which is about twenty-five miles up from Circle City , this June 4. How long we will re main here God only knows. The river has fallen about ten feet since we landed and we are now up high and dry. We have been working night and day , and appearances are that we will soon be off. " DID OT MAKE : GOLD. Promoter of n New Scheme Failed to Realise HI * Hope * . E. C. Brlce , who claimed to be able to makt gold , has gone , says tbo Chicago Record , and the $20,000 building and plant he erected at Thirty-ninth street and Lowe avenue stand Idle. Ho is reported to bo suffering from nervous prostration. The plant Is said to have been a commercial failure , although P. G. Lnmoreaux , who was appointed temporary manager , says the theory Is all right. He asserts that the books show where every dollar received by Brlce was expended , even to $1,800 he re ceived for stock two weeks ago. For six months Brlce worked night and day. It was the dream of his life to make the plant a success. Pressed on all Bides by stock holder when the plant was not turning out gold according to expectations , he held them off by bis Iron will , at all times claimIng - Ing to be on the verge of success , until his money waa exhausted. A little over a week ago he acknowledged bis system was a failure and asked Mr. Lamoreaux to take hold. Mr. Brlce flung htmaelf on the couch In his office and wept like a. child. The shareholders number about 300. Many of them were poor people who suffer | < 3l pri vations to buy stock. Shares which iipU for $10 , their face value , In October , raplAly In * creased in value. By November they1 were quoted at $50 and $75. During December some were sold for $200 and $250. Share holders built air castles nn.l looked ovar their back yard fences at tha stone man sions they would buy. Now they are having * hard time to pay rent. SHOT DOWN IN THE PULPIT I Memlirrn of n Illtal Church OrfcaaliB- t tlou Accuurd ot Commit ting the Crime. NEW YORK. Aug. 22. The American Mli- tlonary association has received a dispatch stating that Rev. J. B. Fletcher , a Congre , Eatlooal minister , and one ot Us mlstlon- artei , had been shot while attempting to organize a Congregational church at Smiley , Ga. , which is about twenty miles from his home at Hagan , Ga. He went to Smiley as the result of correspondence concerning the organizing of the church , which hat been carried on for several months. While in the pulpit he waa shot , the charge being fired through the window. His body was riddled with 107 buckshot and several small shota. They entered ' his hips and thigh , one lodging In bls'lcft hand and five In his right band. He fainted as ho fell. His wife , with the assistance of others , _ put him Into a buggy and took him twenty miles to his home. His condition Is serious , although the ex pectation Is that ho will recover. But t-vo shots have been removed from Ills body. One of his assailants has been arrested ; thn others have been located , and It Is believed that they will be arrested In a short time. Mr. Fletcher's wife was made temporarily Insane by the occurrence , but has regained her reason. Mr. Fletcher announces his pur pose to prosecute his assailants at whatever cost to himself. The would-be assassins aru Bald to be colored officials of a Methodist church , but the officials of the association are careful to acquit Methodism of any re sponsibility for the crime. Competition In Catdr Shipping. BELLE FOURCHS. S. D. , Aug. 22. ( Special. ) There \A \ a prospect that the shipping of cattle from this place will meet competition from other points , Dickinson being ono of the closest places. Belle Fourche draws cattle shipping business from 150 miles north and west. In this dis tance there are a great many water" holes which are a necessity to the Or'Enst. of cattle to the shipping yards. Durln ( * - last few months many small cattlemen.hu ' - , been fencing up the water holes for tbei. own use , which has greatly injured som * of the trade. This week some of the heavi est cattle shippers informed the buslnesi men of this city that unless the trails were opened and tbo fences cleared away , they would be compelled to ship their stock from another point. The business men will en deavor to hold the shipping trade. Transport ! at Manil * . MANILA , Aug. 22. The American trans ports Peru and Puebla , having on board Gen eral Otis and General Hughes , arrived here at 8 o'clock this morning. Thure was no serious Illness on board either of the ves sels. The Hospe Piano A now pluno Becking public approval the demand hns beun nud Is now fern n plain case this "Hospe" plnno gives you the plain case In oak , walnut , ma hogany or ClrciHlan walnut , In all the latent veneers the plnno Ix built ex clusively of hard woods from foundation plates up , of the finest material , with the latent Improved action built ex pressly for Mr. HoHpe from his own design the price It the popular one , as we can afford to ell It for $100 less than the more elaborately curved otiefl Our piano prices nro always at least ? r > 0 less than any one else can make. A. HOSPE , MUSIC end un 1513 Douglas Many Wear Glasses - Because they neglected the Hrst warn ings of the tired eyes many an eye can be cured completely by prompt ac tion no reason why you should wear glansuii always we have In this depart ment a competent graduate optician that will make a scientific examlntalon with the Hid of the latest and most Improved apparatus In the webt these examina tions arc free we grind our own lens and know to a certainty that they will be what your eyes need. Consult us while In the city. TheAloe&PenfoldCo l.eadtnr IHcmtU * Qptletmmm. OMAHA ] . , & . . Xtafe
