Tins OMAHA DAILY BEE : MUD AY , SEPTEMBER 10 , tsos.
YANKEE MAGIC IN THE EAST
| V Eiperietcei of A Western Wizard Among the
fakirs of the Orient ,
SHOW THE INDIANS A FEW TRICKS
I'uU ( o flight n CrncU Hindoo Mn l-
clmi ami Cnunun ( he Chinese 12m-
proim to 'llilnk Him n Dc\ll
Mlkndo .Not Uattlcd.
"I confct.3 , " said Prof. Baldwin , the show
man , to a New York Sun reporter , "that 1
have not acrj - high opinion of the much-
talkcd-of eastern magic Some of the
tricks done by the Indian fakirs may ap
pear miraculous enough to us , although
they are In reality quite simple , but , on
the other hand , many of out old familiar
stindbyn astonish the Orientals far moro.
For example , there Is a well known trick
requiring only a little knowledge of ele
mentary chemistry for Its performance
which I ha\o played before various strange
audiences , always with great success and
sometimes with rather surprising results.
If you put a few drops of a very simple
chemical mixture on a garment the whole
thing will burst Into flame In exactly three
minutes without giving any warning ex
cept to the cyo of the Initiated , and to
him only when ho keeps a very careful
watch.
_ "Wcll , some ten years ago , when Sir
James Kcrgusson waa governor of Bombay ,
I was performing In Simla. After ono of
my showt I waa Introduced to Sir James ,
nnd we fell to talking of Indian magic.
\ Sir James was a believer ; I was a skeptic.
Ho declared that ho could produce men who
would convert mo. I accepted the challenge.
The trial wan to take place In ten days ,
when 1 was to dine nt Government house.
By this tlmo Sir James said ho could pro
cure the most eelcbrated magicians In the
province , with whom ho would confront me.
Well , the tlmo came I repaired to Gov
ernment house , when there was assembled
V.V/
a. hlu crowd of officers nnd civilians nnd
i their wives , In fact , nil the wealth nnd
lit. fashion of Simla , watting to see the dis
comfiture of the American braggart. There
I
were also present some half dozen fakirs , or
Yoghls , or whatever you choose to call
4 > hcm , solemn-looking Individuals , with long
beards and nails , and not ovorclcan , nnd
for clothes , white bandanns wound round
thorn. The Indians went through the old
familiar tricks , the mango tree , stabbing
, ' the boy In the basket , etc. , the mysteries
of which I was able to explain away well
enough to the audience.
"After my rivals 'had got through with
their work I took the governor aside nnd
told him that I would make all the Indians
strip to the skin nnd run out of the house
l\ho company could stand It. Sir James
told mo to go ahead 'Wo don't think nny-
tblng of naked niggers here , ' ho said. Now ,
/I was familiar enough with the Indian char-
nctor to know that unless you carry mat-
teis with ft high hand they will think
nothing of you. I acted accordingly.
Through the medium of an officer , who
acted as Interpreter , I reviled the Inadlng
magician through nil the moods and tenses.
TUo I-lrc TrleU.
"I asked him what ho mpant by showing
r such childish rubbish to his excellency , the
>
Itv reprcsentatlvo of the empress , and ended by
felling him that I would blast him with fire
I from heaven unless he went down on his
Jcnces and Incontinently apologized. The In
dian smiled contemptuously nnd made Boinc
fe remark , nt which my Interpreter laughed ,
but refused to translate. It. As well as 1
* could gather , It was an obscene expression ,
signifying that I was 'talking through my
hat. ' Straightway I pretended to fall Into a
towering rngo and , reeling out a long rig
marole , wived my hands above his head and
Invoked the wrath of heaven to burn him
up. The magician looked a llttlo startled ,
but maintained nn attitude of Incredulltj
and contempt. Of course my rigmarole was
meaningless , but whllo I was \oclforatlnf
a llttlo natlvo 'servant of mlno had sneaked
up behind and poured n few drops of th (
chemical I have spoken of above upon tbi
garmentof each of the magicians. Then 1
waited with my watch In my hand.
"Just as the three minutes expired 1
fitrotched up my hands above my head nnd
made another Invocation. At the same mo
ment the bandanas burst Into sheets ol
llumo. With ft howl the Indians tore ofl
their garments the bandana comes off eas-
Ilyand lied stark naked nnd screaming oul
of the house , down the street , and flnallj
out through the- gates of the town Into thf
open country. My triumph was complete
The company waa dumfounded nnd even th (
governor was puzzled. I kept htm guessing
"
"for a week'before I explained to him. Ir
the meantime I sent out after the discom
fited magicians and ordered them to rcturr
and npologlze. They did so , prostrntlnj
themselves before me most abjectly , tine
naming me the king of all magicians. :
Goothed their injured feelings a little , tellint
I them that their magic was very good In Iti
way , but warnlnc them not to attempt tc
Impose upon their superiors , Then 1 gave
them each n small gratuity and sent then
nnay , humbled , but fairly satisfied.
I
Trleil It on llojulty.
"Thin same trick will serve to exempltf :
omo of the differences In character and In
tolled In the Chinese nnd Japanese. Sotni
tlmo after the Incident related above I vis
Ited Pcklu , where I played before the ira
press and court. The cmprws' mother , yoi
must know , la the real ruler of China
Well , at the end of the performance I sc
; f. man's clothf-s on fire In the manner I hav
explained. The Chinese courtiers were on
[ r'nnd all astounded and terrified. Even th
/icniprcM / ! , cle\er woman as she Is , was upset
't'No ' man did this , ' ho said. 'It Is the worl
4ot a devil. Take the man away. Do no
If hurt him. Load him with presents ; but le
Vcuo never see him more. ' I took my orra
, 'cnia and departed with all tbo epeod
l fcoulJ. I got out of the city , too , for I kno\
{ ( that If the people once knew that I wa. .
.under the bnti of theempreps' dlsplcasur
iniy life would not be worth an hour's pur
"When I performed before the mikado li
R 'jToklo ray experience was very different
'When ' my victim's clothes took lire th
applauded.
" 'Very good. ' ho said , stroking his chli
lund smiling ; 'excellent , but you must sho\
inio how to do It. Of course I was not go
llng to give the thing away at once. I pu
up n respectful bluff , declaring that It wa
only to certain favored ones thnt heavei
yanted euch power , and that I might no
'c\'oal ' It to others. The mikado contlnuci
i smile. 'Of course , ' ho said , 'of course
< . .must not rev eal these secrets to th
run of mankind ; but between usa -
a king of magic ; I , too , am a sov
' "I was much pleased with the dlplomac
the answer ; furthermore I thought I
bo wUo on my part to accede to th
of so powerful an Individual. I ex
the trick in full. The mikado wa
ellghtcd and rewarded mo handsomely.
fcnotherluntry , where I tried th
, earae , U . 'results wcro like to hav
ton more eerlouU was the capital of
aafM < province of Further India , and in
VlndL'Ml spectator was an exalted princes ;
iie lady she was about 15 years eli !
ut/of course , fully matured was de
with my lire. After the perform
ce * ha summoned my wife and mo to he
veouce and held forth.
A AVnrm 1'roiioxnl.
Trlnco of magic , ' she &ald , 'your pow
You could destroy my encmle
and tnakc mo the mightiest lu the lanj. '
"I bowed and nald nothing. 'Your per-
on,1 eho went on , Ma agreeable to me. You
hall bo my husband and wo will rule over
hi * country. '
"I was dumfounded. I explained to her
hat I had a wife already. She waived
he objection aside.
" 'The law of this land , ' she Bald , 'allows
a man six wives. ' Then she came up to
Mrs. Baldwin and put her arm around her
neck. 'I think , ' she said , 'that wo two
could rule the harem. '
"I was a my wits' end. I knew that If I
cbuffcd the lady she would order a guard
o stick a dagger In my back. I thought a
title and finally devised a plan. After ex-
ircsslng my gratitude and new-born love
told her that we must make a great festival
of the marriage , and that In a far-off Down
: had a vast store of riches , which wo could
use for the purpose. To obtain It , however ,
t would be necessary that I should go to
where It was , In order to sign some papers.
"The princess was not quite pleased. She
bade me go and leave my wife as a host
age. This did not suit mo , so I explained
rhnt It was my wife's signature that was
required.
"To this she replied that my wife should
go and I remain behind. This was nearly
as bad , so I took her aside and told her that
my wife was a very jealous woman and
that If I was not with her she would rc-
vengo herself by running off with the
money. Finally the princess gave us reave
to go nnd fetch the money with strict ! In
junctions that we make haste back. That
was all I needed. I got out as quickly as
[ could. On arriving at a coast town where
there was a British resident I told him my
stwry. He swore deeply and fervently.
" 'A nice mess , ' said ho , 'you have got
mo Into. Now at every ship that touches at
this port I shall have a horde of the
[ irlncess's people looking for you , and
threatening the town with all kinds of blood
and murder. ' Then ho evolved a plan. 'Get
out of this ns quick as you can , ' ho said ,
'and when you arrlvo In British territory
get the authorities to make out a deed
certifying your death. Put this In n largo
official envelope nil covered with stamps ,
and have It mailed lo your princess. I acted
en his advice , nnd have never heard of my
royal would-be brldo since. "
I > OLGKVILIi : MILLS IIKOPKXCD.
Thcorlm of Tlu-lr Fonmler DlKcnrilcd
lijtlio Men MnnuKumciit.
The big felt mills at Dolgevillc , N. Y. ,
formerly owned nnd operated by Alfred
Dolgo & Son , reopened last week , after five
months' Idleness , under new management.
Under the new ownership the profit-sharing
theories advanced by Alfred Dolgo and put
In operation In his works , together with his
nine nnd one-holt hours' workday , have all
been discarded , and the workmen have re
ceived notice that hereafter the worlw will
bo conducted on cvery-day business prin
ciples.
The rise and fall of the commercial house
of Alfred Dolgo forms un Interesting story
related by the New York Sun. Alfred Dolge
expended all of his energies , all of his capi
tal and all the money that a gilt-edge credit
could borrow with the ono Idea In view of
building a city on the foothills of the Adl-
rondacks populated solely by wage earners.
In a measure he succeeded. From a hamlet
of less than 200 souls ho built a prosperous
town of over 3,000 Inhabitants. For years
he has been Insolvent , but this did not deter
him in his efforts and up to tbo hour of his
failure the -work of Improving the- town was
continued. The Tillage has a splendid system
of water works and sewers , wide strets , ave
nues and boulevards lighted by electricity ,
with magnificent school buildings.
For years Alfred Dolgo was the supreme
ruler of Dolgovlllo. Ho was the president of
the village and the Board of Trustees was
controlled by him. He bought farm after
farm around the village and gave notes In
payment. Then he laid out new streets over
the property nnd the streets were accepted
by the village. Ho proposed water works and
the village was bonded. When the water
works were built his now streets were
piped. Ho was the president of the Board of
Education and controlled the other members
of the board. To build new school buildings
the district was bonded. He controlled all
the manufacturing Industries In the village
and built a railroad to Llttlo Falls at a cost
of nearly $500,000. Bonds constructed this
road. Ho formed the Dolgevllle Electric
Light and Power company and made a con
tract with the village board that he con
trolled to furnish lights for the village
streets.
All of the Improvements In the village
were made on borrowed capital. The present
liabilities of tbo Dolgo corporation will ap
proximate $3,000,000. The village bonds , cor
poration bonds and school bonds will aggre
gate another $500,000. Every dollar of this
Indebtedness Is held by capitalists outside of
the village , and the most of it Is held by
banks scattered In all parts of the union.
All the assets of the firm and of Alfred
Dolgo personally ; > re represented In Dolge-
vlllo real estate.
In addition to the money borrowed by
Dolge for the purpose of building UP the
village and Increasing bis property Interests
here , hundreds of thousands of dollars of
foreign capital Is Invested in small mort
gages on worklngmen's homes. Dolge , who
owned all the available building lots In the
village , always encouraged his workmen In
building and owning thuir homes. Dolge
would sell a lot to his workman on tha
basis of a small weekly payment , and the
amount was sometimes deducted from the
operative's weekly pay. Then , through his
Influence with New York capitalists , the
money wodld be obtained to build the house ,
and a mortgage given. Dolge had an exten
sive lumber yard connected with his plant
and he would furnish the lumber. Nearly
all the workmen's homes In the village have
been erected In this manner , and tbo ma
jority have them only paid for In part.
Different building nnd loan associations also
I have thousands of dollars Invested in village
'
real estate. The very foundation of the vil
lage Is built on mortgages , bonds , notes and
promises
The profit-sharing theories of Alfred Dolgo
were also largely represented In promises.
Tbo actual practical benefits to the workmen
of the profit-sharing theories are nil. His
profit-sharing embraced three theories :
First , Insurance ; second , pension ; third ,
endowment. The first , Insurance , was good
while It lasted. This plan provided that
after five j ears' continuous service the opera
tive should receive an Insurance policy for
$1,000 ; at the end of another five years an
other $1,000 policy , and so on Mr. Dolge
paid the premiums on the policy. About
sevonty-flve policies were In operation at the
Umo of the failure. The second plan , pen
sion , provided that when an operative had
become old and feeble and no longer able to
work , he should be retired on a pension of
halt pay. Only four men were on tbo pen
sion roll at the time of the failure. The
third plan embraced the endowment theory.
This provided that It any of the operatives
made an Improvement to the machinery so
that the cost of production should be de
creased , the operative should have credit
for a certain per cent of the Increased profit.
Tbo endowment account was payable when
the workman reached the age of 60 years ,
' or to bis belra on his death. Many of the
' old operatives had several hundred dollars'
1 j credit on the endowment books , but now the
'
I account is not worth the price of the paper
It Is written on. The Insurance and pension
1 plan had a tendency to encourage continued
service , while the third plan had a tendency
| to encourage harder work. Profit-sharing
' I has no standing with the new owners of the
I works. Three years ago Mr. Dolg limited
the hours of labor In his factory to nine and
r a halt , giving ten hours' pay. This is
i uow oft.
PROMOTIONS IN THE ARMY
Effect of War on the Bank of Officers of
tbo Regulars.
ADVANCEMENT BELIEVED TO BE TEMPORARY
I'rolmlillKr f I3nlnrKltii ; tlin Army
Afford * KiiconrnKeiiicnt Ilb-
crnl KrimrilH llrcvcttcil
Titled Mick.
negular army officers are usually sup
posed to welcome a war. Hostilities , they
say , stop stacnailoa and promotions are In
order. The war Just ended no doubt brought
to the minds of many of the rcculur army
officers visions of advancement and promo
tion , many of which have boon fully real
ized.
According to the Washington correspond
ent of the Philadelphia Press , these ad
vancements will for the most part bo but
temporary. They have been In the line of
commands In the volunteer troops. Perma
nent promotions come only through the re
tirement or death of officers further up on
the list. There will be a few of these latter
on account of the ravages In the ranks of
officers caused by Mauicr bullets and yellow
fever encountered In the Santiago campaign.
There have been some very pronounced
advancements of officers , especially of those
assigned to staff duty since the volunteer
army was called Into exlntencc. Many of
the officers of the line , too , have been
pushed forward two or three steps In point
of rank and compensation by being placed
In command of Independent nnd volunteer
organizations.
Ofnccru' Hro-i ct.
Many an army officer who was drawing
the pay of a first llnutcnant Is now enjoying
the Increased compensation of n captain or
n major of volunteers. Many of them also
have received an additional honor by being
brevettcd to some higher rank than that
which they actually hold , even In the vol
unteers.
This matter of brevet does not seem to bo
fully understood outsldo of the army. In
the public mind It conveys an Idea of ad
ditional rank and command. But the truth
Is that It Is a purely honorary rank , and Is
conferred as ft mark of distinction by the
president of the United States In honor of
the officers' gallant and meritorious conduct.
It convc > s no moro authority than would
the bestowal of a medal of honor. Not
withstanding Its purely honorary character
a brevet is highly appreciated by every
officer of the army.
For fear some who have attained this
honor should presume upon It , congress
many years ago passed section 1212 of the
revised statutes , which specifically provides
thut "no officer shall bo entitled on account
of having been brevettcd to wear while on
duty a uniform other than that of his
actual rank , or bo addressed In orders or
official communications by any other than
that of his actual rank. "
In 1890 congress provided In a special act
that "brevet rank shall bo considered
strictly honorary and shall confer no
privilege of precedence or command not
already provided for In the statutes. "
Title * .Stick to lire * cited Men.
Desplto these legal restrictions the public
will continue to accord the heroes of the
war all the honor which Is conveyed In the
tltlo to which they may have been
brevctted. A captain who for bravery or
specially meritorious service , has been
brovcttod ft colonel will bo a "colonel" to
the end of his days , or until he attains
a higher rank , as far aa the1 public is
concerned.
lu official communications be will still
bo captain , but his family , friends and
neighbors will address nm by his brevet
title. Many officers who went Into this
war as colonels will bo "generals" from
this time out , although the army register
will still show them to bo colonels , and
their monthly check from Undo Sam will
bo of a size commensurate with a colonel's
position.
The title Is a good deal , however , and It
Is a very modest officer who will not feel
a little prouder In the future to bo ad-
dresied by his friends by a tltlo two or
three grades above his regular army rank.
There ore many men In public life today
who are known from one end of the country
to the other as "colonel" this or "general"
that who never rose In real rank to within
several steps of these positions. They are
not Kentucky colonels , either. But In times
past they have done such service for the
country that the president , as commander-
tn-chlof of the army , has given them the
honorary title of brevet.
MclClnlej'a llrctet.
Very tow people know "Lieutenant Me-
KInloy , " but if "Major McKlnloy" were
mentioned the president of the United States
would be Immediately recognized. Yet the
truth Is that the chief executive of the na
tion never rose In actual rank above the
grade of first lieutenant. Ills tltlo of major
was bestowed by brevet for gallantry in
battle.
There is little doubt that this title has
been as serviceable to him as though he
had been a full-fledged major In the United
States army.
Ono would have to think twice before lie
would recognize In "Colonel" Algcr the
present secretary of war.
But If "General" Alger were named his
mind would be Instantly fixed upon this
member of the cabinet. Secretary Alger
wears two brevets , one of brigadier general
and ono of major general , but his highest
actual rank was that of colonel. Senator
Hawley of Connecticut is always spoken of
as "Major General" Hawley. But his
actual rank was that of brigadier.
No one questions for a moment that this
bluff old veteran of the war has not received
as much honor out of the brevet title as ho
would have received had he been commis
sioned a major general. Everybody knows
"General" Seworl of New Jersey. But his
title was attained by brevet.
The same la true of hundreds of others
who served In the civil war and received
this honorary title , which Is In the nature
of a war decoration.
Tctniiornry I'rontntlmiN.
The regular army officers who have been
given rank In the voruntecr service higher
than that which they held in the regular
army have received something rooro sub
stantial than brevet. The volunteer array
act passed April 22 last , and amended May
28 , provides for the detail of regular army
officers as field officers of volunteer com
mands , during which service they shall re
tain their rank In the regular army , but
eball receive the compensation that pertains
to the higher grade which they may hold
In the volunteer army.
A first lieutenant who has been promoted
meted to a captain or a major In the vorun-
tceer service is entitled to wear the uniform
of the latter and draw the pay of a captain
or major. The same Is true of the officers
who hrive been elevated to still higher rank
in service.
The several brigadier generals of the reg
ular army who were promoted to major
generals and colonels who have b-en made
brigadier generals excrcUo all the authority
and privileges of their higher ranks , al
though It is In the volunteer service.
' The sorrowful riart of the whole affair
Is that when the volunteer army Is dis
banded and the regular officers go back
Into the regular servlcee they will have
to resume the rank from which they were
promoted. The major generals will resume
the one star of a brigadier , while the
I brigadiers will have to relinquish the atar
and go back to the silver eagle of a colonel
or the silver leaf of the lieutenant colonel.
In the company of their unofficial as
sociates , however , they will still bo re
garded as cenarals , nnd this may become
como compensation for the unpleasant re
trograde motion which the dismissal of .1
volunteer army will create.
OflluiTM Look for I.nrRcr Army.
There Is considerable hope held out to
the regular army officers now In actlvo
service , however , In the probability that
hereafter the standing array of the United
States will bo three or four times the slzo
It was at the time of the opening of the
war. If congress should authorize the
maintenance of a standing army of 100,000
men there will be a lively movement along
the line of promotion.
It Is also probable that In officering the
now regular army those men who were most
distinguished In the present war will get
desirable commands. The strict rules of
promotion do not recognize the brevet com
missions noted above , but where such an
honor has been conferred for conspicuous
bravery or service It Is likely to aid in giv
ing the owner a desirable assignment , al
though It may not push him ahead of an
other officer who outranked him In tha old
army.
President McKlnley has been very liberal
In recognizing the services of officers , and ho
has made promotions where merit suggested
them. When congress meets there will
doubtless bo n very long list of brevet pro
motions which the senate will act upon.
The confirmation of this honorary grade
by the senate of the Uriltcd States makes It
of moro value , and moro highly prized by
the officers receiving It
Much as they prize this promotion , how
ever , they will be moro highly gratified If
congress meets their expectations and au
thorizes the enlargement of the standing
army , thus giving them a chance to receive
practical compensation In higher grade and
higher pay for what they have done In this
war.
SCIILUY'S UNFOIT.HT UATTI.H.
He Took HIi CrnlMT After n U\K An -
trliui ItuttlfNlili ) .
Near Santiago a battleship was sighted ,
heavily armored and turrctcd , rotates the
Chicago Record , uut at such ft distance that
her colors could not be distinguished under
the glass. Toward her the Brooklyn started.
Commodore Schlcy and Captain Cook stood
on the forward bridge as the big cruiser
fairly leaped forward to give battlo.
"Sho Is white an unusual thing In war
time , " said the commodore , watching the
stranger through his glass. "I don't bo-
llevo she Is Spanish , " ho remarked a mo
ment later , and then , consulting the picture
of a sister ship to the Pelayo , suddenly ex
claimed : "By Jove ! It Is the Pelayo after
all ! "
"On the signal bridge ! " shouted Captain
Cook. "Can jou make out her colors ? "
"Not > et , sir , " came the answer , followed
a moment after by , "Wo have raised her
colors , sir , nnd she Is Spanish. "
"Send jour men to quarters , Cook , " said
the commodore , "and start an 8-lnch shell
for her when I give the word. "
On went the Brooklyn , fast closing the
distance between herself and the stranger
a big battleship < 5f modern typo , and with
her flag aft , two stripes of red on each sldo
of yellow , ns It appeared , and the crown In
proper place. The bugle sung "To quar
ters ! " and the men , although they had
been fighting all morning , rushed to their
guns with n cheer. For a moment the com
modore hesitated. "On the signal bridge ! "
ho called. "Aro you certain the stranger Is
a Spaniard ? "
"Certain , sir , " came the reply. "I can see
her colors distinctly. "
The commodore had his glasses on the
battleship. Turning to the captain of his
ship ho said"Cook. . thaUfellow Is not at
quarters. Ills guns ara'tuined ' away from
us. He Is not up to snuff. Watch him
closely , and the moment ho sends his men
to quarters or moves a turret , let drive.
Glvo him everything > ou have. Wo will
sink him in twenty minutes , unless ho gets
a shot under our bolt. "
Just then the officer on the bridge re
ported that the battleship was signaling
with the International code , and soon trans
lated the message : "This la an Austrian
battleship. "
Half an hour later the commander of the
Maria Teresa ( Austrian ) was seated In Commodore -
modore Schley's cabin.
"If you had sent jour men to quarters or
moved a turret I should have raked you ;
" said the commodore
It was a narrow escape ,
dore during the conversation. "Your flag
Is so llko Spain's , saving that you have a
white stripe where she has yellow , that It
Is hard to tell them apart at any consid
erable distance , and I came very near letting
drive at you. "
"Wo know that , " returned the Austrian ,
"and wo were much worried. We signaled
long before jou answered. We had no wish
to bo troubled. Wo have seen the wrecks
along the coast. But , " ho Inquired , as ho
rose to leave , "do you send cruisers to meet
battleships ? "
The commodore smiled as ho answered :
"We always make a fight w 1th the first ship
wo have nt hand. We never wait because
wo arc outrated. We try to win with what
wo have. "
"You Americans aio very remarkable ,
said the Austrian , as ho went over the sldo
to his boat. '
I1I3LI1 ri A THAI.V.
AmuHlntr Incident of the Xnviil AVorli
at Santiago.
The first shot fired by the Brooklyn in the
war occuncd three days after wo arrived
oft Santiago In the night , relates ft corre
spondent of the Boston Herald. It was n
llttlo after dusk , when the Vixen , a torpedo
host destroyer , which was lying well Inshore ,
fired the red , green , red rocket signal , Indi
cating a torpedo attack. A't ' the same tlmo
a small white light could bo seen moving
down the coast to the eastward. This looked
lll.o business Just what every man had been
wishing for a few minutes before on the
forecastle. Ship was cleared for action with
a rush and wo stood by our guns , peeping
out through open ports Into the Inky black
ness , growing denser every minute , pa
tiently waiting for orders to fire as the foe
dashed onto us.
The Iowa , lying astern of us , opened up on
the shore with her six-pounders. This was
too much for one of our ordinarily coolheaded -
headed apprentice boys and bo let drlvo a
port slx-poundor without orders. It was our
first gun. Furthermore , It came near being
nn unfortunate shot , as It flew dangerously
close over 'the Marblchead's stern , which ,
unbeknown to us , had run Inshore and broad
off of us , to < thc consternation of Captain Mc-
Calla and his men. A vigorous wigwagging
of lights made us aw are of the fact.
Still , there was nothing 'to be seen save
the light moving along swiftly , a strange
proceeding for a torpedo boat.
In order to bo In U the Massachusetts fired
c , nix-Inch at the light and It went out. All
hands concluded that this shot had put the
enemy out of commission , and whllo secur
ing the guns were hurrahing for our con
sort. Shortly the Vixen came alongside.
"I want < o report to the commodore , " sang
out somebody on the destroyer.
"Well , " answered the commodore , who
had come to quarters In pajamas and feelIng -
Ing chilly In the night air , "let's hear It in
a hurry. "
"I wish to report , sir , that wo have been
chasing a loco mot ho on the beach , mistak
ing it for a torpedo boat , and that the Mas
sachusetts fired her shot as the train went
around a curve out of sight. "
Everybody laughed at the incident and
uoud moro heartily than the commodore , who
gald that It was his first experience In holdIng -
Ing up a train. Wo saw the euglno make
her trips ou 1he > beach for several succeed-
l Ing nlthts , but were never fooled again.
REDUCING THE NAVAL HUMP
Obstacles to Promotion Partly Removed by
the War ,
CHANCE FOR GRADUATES OF ANNAPOLIS
of Itccent 12 cii < n mill In-
crrnncd StrrnittU of ( he !
Ulnildrn thn Urartu at Many
Youni : Ofllecri.
The hearts of ( i great ranny boys will
likely bo gladdened by ono sequel to the
war. Congress has already authorized the
construction of thirty-six now ships , o
greater number than was over authorized
In a single year before. These ships nro
going to require crews and officers. One
of the first results of this demand will be
an Increase In the number of appointments
at Annapolis and In the annual crop of en
signs from the naval academy. The oppor
tunities for appointment will be greater and
the chance of getting ono of the coveted
places Increased. Intelligence rind applica
tion point the road to the Na\al academy
nowadays , since the appointments are
awarded competitively and not by fa\or
and Intelligence nr application will be
much more certain of reward of hereafter.
The na\y outgrew Us list of officers In
1S97 , but congress woud not appropriate the
money to Increase their number , so Secre
tary Long waa compelled to send some of
our shins Into retirement. When the war
broke out most of the active officers sta
tioned ashore had to bo assigned to shlpi ,
nnd their places were taken by officers on
the retired Hat. Congress has shown n more
liberal spirit since In Its appropriation for
ships , and no doubt It will bo equally lib
eral with the men who are to man and of
ficer them.
Ilcmot ln r the Hump.
Another fact which ghes promise of n
great number \acanclcs Is the npptoarh
of the tlmo when the famous "hump" In
the naval list will disappear. This "hump"
Is composed of the mass of officers admitted
to the na\y at the beginning of the civil
war and during Us progress. The depart
ment was not so particular about the quali
fications of Its officers at that critical jierto.l.
Many officers were admitted from private
life , many from the merchant marine and
many were rushed through the nuval acad
emy at a rate that took their uuutlcal breath
away. So thcra accumulated In the naval
establishment a great number of officcrn of
the same age. When the war was ocr.lost
of these men remained In the sanlce. About
200 nro there t day. Ono yeat'H grind at
the naval academy produces a crlsi of about
twenty-flvo ensigns , to tbero are seven times
moro officers of a certain ago in the sen Ice
than there would bo under normal condi
tions.
Congress has considered Eovctal times a
proposition to remove the "hutup ; " or at
least to cnro for the graduates 01 the Na\nl
academy , for whom there wane space In
the navy , by maklbg them supernumerary
officers and keeping them on that footing
until lacnuclcs occurred. Then , when the
year of retirement for the "hump" officeis
came and 200 of them went out at oao tlmo
under the ago limit there would be plenty
of material to fill their places. This h.is
not been done and the day the "hump"
goes out there Is going to be a large vacuum
In the naval service.
Still another co'irso which will hcli > ( o
make vacancies In the list of ccHvo olllrurs
Is the list of retirements for disability ,
which Is sure to follow the war. Already
several officers have broken down uu l one
has died under the fctraln of the campaign.
E\ery officer transferred to the retired list
will leave a vacancy at the foot of the list
of ensigns to be filled l > y appointment of the
president ,
Llxt of Ofllocra.
Before the war the number of officers on
the active list was : Admirals , 6 ; captains ,
45 ; commanders- ; lieutenant commanders ,
74 ; lieutenants , 250 ; lieutenants ( junior
grade ) , 75 ; ensigns , 167 ( number allowed by
law 181) ; cadet graduated on cruise , 62.
This was In addition to the medical corns ,
pay corps , engineers corps , construction
corps , civil engineer corps and professors
at the naval academy.
Three battleships are about to be built by
the government Aboard a first-class bat
tleship are twenty-three naval officers of
different grades. Those three battleships
alone will require slxty-nlno officers , mak
ing sixty-nine additional ensigns needed in
the service. The other thirty-three vessels
will require each a smaller number of offi
cers , but the aggregate will probably repre
sent almost as many officers as are now In
the service more than 800. The additions
to the lUt of vessels will bo male gradually
but quite a large Increase In the personnel
may bo expected the coming winter , and a
further Increase each year till the new
ships are completed.
No doubt there will bo a greater demand
for places In the na\y as the result of the
glory achieved at Manila bay and Santiago.
Boys "who are ambitious to Join the service
will not reflect , If they toavo any means or
knowing , that the navy In time of peace
does not offer a spectacular career. In fact
the navy officer gets very little glory to
compensate for many years of unremitting
toll. When "ho Is not off on a three-yean , '
crube. out of touch with all his friends , he
Is probably sitting at n. deak In the navy de
partment building at Washington or workIng -
Ing out abstruse problems at the naval ob
servatory. The career of the naval officer ,
e\en In tlmo of peace , though , has many at
tractions. It offers the opportunity to
travel. It pays a salary ranging from the
$500 of the naval cadet to $6,000 , which Is
the rear admiral's pay when at sea ; and It
promises employment for life , -with three-
quarters pay when disabled and retired from
active service.
When you call for DeWitt's Witch Hazl
Saho , the great pile cure , don't accept any
thing else. Don't bo talked Into accepting a
Eubstltutc , for piles , for sores , for bruises.
WOODPECICUH'S MAIIVI3LOUS
Ilrcnki n Teleurraiili I'olo by Conutunt
Work Him ItM Illll.
If you have read and doubted the story of
the prisoner centuries ago who , according
to a comic opera libretto , cut his way
through a stone wall with a penknife , read
this story , one of fact , and believe. This
Is an achievement of the Industrious red
headed woodpecker.
On Hartford avenue Just south of the Belt
Line tunnel , relates the Baltimore Herald ,
there was a tall , well-rounded and appar
ently sound telegraph pole. To passcraby It
was Just a telegraph pole , doing Its duty
llko any of the army of timbers stretched
along the thoroughfare. Probably this polo
1 would never have been heard of had it not
1 been for an unusual occurrence Suudiy
! morning. And this Is what happened At
10 c'c'cck , without any warning , llko a
great , strong man struck down by same
slow but sure disease , the pole suJJenly
groaned , and then , with a snapping , tcai-
| Ing , grinding bound , the upper portion foil
to the street , leaving about twenty-five feet
stncdlng The seople looked on and won-
dcied. Tbero was no hurricane , not even a
brisk- breeze , and surely not enough to sever
I such a pole as that which had weathered
. EO n.any storms , And still they wondered.
| Explanations followed thick and fas' , and
tbo argument over the cause bccumo all the
more 1'cated. The oldest Inhabitant was
sought , and after much going over the past
he remembered that some tlmo ago he had
. been disturbed while quietly reading bis
[ paper and tmoVi-ne his pipe by a sound as
WORLD RENOWNED BEER
Budweiser , ( Th
Michelob ,
Mucnchener ,
Faust ,
Anheuser-Standard ,
Pale Lager.
Thc"Kii\g \ of Bottled Beers"
holding the world's record
for output as well as for quaiity-the universal beverage-
served in every part of the habitable globe-now in the
second half billion bottling.
"NOT HOW CHEAP ; BUT HOW GOOD , "
is the motto of the
Its brew commands the highest priccbecausc of its choice
flavor and absolute purity ; the use of the best materials
and full maturity before placing on the market ,
r * & rf /f - "tt
wL & /t &fo&fl& the recuperative food-drink , the great
up-builder , is prepared by this association.
"Biographical Sketch of the ANMEUSER-BUSCM BREWING ASS'N , St. Louis ,
U. S. A. " free to all who desire it.
OK OMAHA.
BOILER AND SHEET IRON WORKS
, Wilson
Importers and Jobbara el
SuccexMors Wllmm fc Drake. Dry Goods Goods
, Furnishing
Manufacturers boilers , smoke stncks nnd
fcreecblngs , pressure , tendering , sheep dip ,
lard nnd wuter tanks , boiler tubes con AND NOTIONS *
stantly on hand , necond hnnd boilers
bought nnd Fold Spoclnl nnd prompt to
repairs In city or country 19th nnd riorco. ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES.
BOOTS-SHOES-RUBBERS , Electrical
American Company
r\ Sewed Shoe Go Elctrical Supplies.
M'frs Jobbers of Foot Wear Electric Wivinsr Bolls and Gas Lighting
g a W JOHNSTON. Mgr. 1510 Howard St.
WXSTERR AOINT9 Ton
The Joseph Bouigan Rubber Co ,
John T. Burke ,
F H. Sprague & Co. , COJVTKAOTOie J'OR
ELECTRIC LIGHT
and PO WER PLANTS
Rubbers and Mackintoshes.
424 South 15th St.
. . , .
Cor. Kleventh fc Fiiriiniii Htn. Oninhn.
FRUIT-PRODUCE.
P.P. Kirkendall & Co United States
u Suppiy Co.
J3oots , Shoes and Rubbers
1108-1110 Harney St.
Blltiroomi 1102-1104-11M Hartley BtmL Bteam Pumps , Engines and Boilers , _ .
Wind Mills , Stcnin and Plumblnc
Material. Beltlnsr. Host , Etc.
CHICORY
HARDWARE.
I Chicory Go. Pector&WilhelmyCo
\
Growers and manufacturers of all formi of
Chicory Omaha-Fremont-O'Nell. Wholesale Hardware ,
CREAMERY SUPPLIES Omaha.
The Sharpies Company T ee-Olark Andreesen
Hardware Of
Creamery Machinery
and Supplies. Wholesale Hardware.
Bollora , Engines , Kccd Cookern , Wood Pol. . .
lejs , Shaftlnff. Beltlnc , Butter Pack- Bicycles and HporUnt Gocd . UUB.ai-35 BM
njei of all kind * . oor U9
WJ.909 Jonea Bt.
HARNESS-SADDLERY.
DRUGS.
J
Ichardsen Onig Co.
HARNESS , SADDLKA J.XI ) COUC4IM
Jobber * o/X < afher , * eidill 'y Hardware , KU.
902-906 Jackson St.
Wo solicit .
your orders 1315 Howard Bt.
O. lUCHAIlDSON , Prcat.
B' . WELLUR. V. Prwt. STEAM-WATER SUPPLIES.
T rano-Ghurchill Co.
1014-1016 Doitjlai Street.
U'fr * ft + ndard fharmaonttleal Utnufacturera and jobber * of SUara. Oai ax
tiont. ( Ip&tal Fvrniula Prtpureii fo
Ortlcr I btratorjr Sena , ! for U ? Cittaloyue. Howard BL , Omaha. Water Supplies of All Kinds.
E. Bruce & Co. For an up-to-date
Druggists and Stationers , Western Newspaper
"Qu n Bee" Specialties Read The Omaha Bee
Ctrure , Wlncu und Urnndlei.
Ooraw 10th and Harovr fltrMUk
If boys \\ero tapping on the < leer After
awhile ho noticed n nlrcl , a real , ll\o wood
pecker , working energetically with ita
sharp-pointed bill against the telegraph
pole. This , ho Bald , was fully fho years
ago.
ago.Then
Then somebody else remembered having
seen a bird pecking away at the pok . Hut
oven this , they thought , could not have
l caused such a great timber to fair. Then a
small boy \olunteercd the testimony that
ho had seen a bird light on the pole and
i was about to shoot at It with his elungshov ,
I the policeman on the beat being at dinner ,
1 when tbo bird disappeared In a hole in tbo
[ pole.
) Then the oldest Inhabitant took the stand
again , In rebuttal , as It were , and ho cor
roborated the boy's statement In fact , ho
had seen two birds go into tha hole. Then
a resident ) who had at ono tlmo worked in
. a raw mill until a certain buz * saw , whllo
on the huz < , had changed his occupation to
something suitable for a nne-armod mm ,
openly declared that no woodpecker In the
world could luue < ner cut through wood like
that If It had started before horse cars ran
ouC Gay street.
The oldest Inhabitant scratched his bead ,
and another resident who had lived In the
country flatly contradicted the man who had
worked In the sawmill , and whllo they
"fought it out , " BO to speak , the small boy
investigated
Sure enough , there , right where the polo
had broken , was the hollow where the wood-
pecknrs had cut out their nest , and , what
was raoro and realty unanswerable and con-
ylnclng testimony beyond peradvwiDure , wan
a poor llttlo woodpecker , half frightened to
denth The small boy took possession of It ,
and the oldest Inhabitant walked back and
rcmarkwl trlumphHntly , "I told you so , "
while the one-armed man went ! to bis homo
and the man who had upent hit boyhood
days down on the farm gave him the gleeful
curglc.
All of which goes to show that the pris
oner who chipped his way through a stone
wall with a penknife and the spider tlmt
built a silken suspension bridge have been
outdone by the industrious llttlo wood
pecker.
Japan OriltTM Airicrlcmi .HIrod ram.
ST LOUIS. Kept 1C. An order has been
received by the St Louis Par company for
250 street cars for the Japanese government
The order , which will bo filled , calls for the
completion of the cara within the next ninety
days. The amount to be paid for the can
In 1300 000 ,
