THE OMAHA DAILY HE 13 : MONDAY , P131UUTAUY 13 , 1809.
TO INVESTIGATION REPORT' '
Made Public at Lost After Several Months' '
Work.
CONTAINS SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND WORDS
TVn \ ' \ litiMipm ( if ( 'orriiptldii UHC | M-
* crnl and Many Kcrlnnn
JImlo round , on liixc
< lon , ( it lie l.rotinilU'ii.
WASHINGTON , 1'eli. 12. The report sub
mitted to the president last Wednesday by
the commission appointed by him to Invcstl-
KOto the coniluuct of the War department In
the war with Spnln was made public itonlght
The report IH nn unanimous one , nil Uio
members of the commission having signed
It except Colonel Sexton , whoso death oc
curred 1'ohruary 4. The report Is a volumi
nous document , containing nbout C5.000
words , and ou official abstract prepared by
the secretary of the commission was furn
ished to the press for Its convenience. This
abstract says , In part1
Itcnort In Ilelnll.
The commission organized on September
4 , electing General Oranvlllo M. Podge
president , Hon. Charles Denhy vice presi
dent nnd lllchnnl Wolghtman secretory
Oenernl James A. Hea\er was designated
to conduct the examination of witnesses ,
lieutenant Colonil r. I ) . Jones , chief quar
termaster of volunteers , was detailed by the
"War department ns dlsburs'ng oillccr and
Major Stephen C. Mills , U. S A.as np-
Ipolnted by the president ns recorder.
On Monday , September 25 , the comm's- '
cbn convened In regular session. Arrange
ments vve.ro made < o admit to the rooms
nix journalists , tbreo of them leprrsentlng
Itho three established press associations.
Having only two rooms at their disposal the
commission could not throw these open to
the public Indiscriminately. All the news
papers In the country , however , hod access ,
through the press associations , to the ex
amination of witnesses and the American
people wcro served , In rospeot to the pro
ceedings of the commission , exactly ns they
nro served In all other matters of public
Untcrest from day to day.
Among the first acts of the commission
Mas to ask the secretary of war , the adju
tant general , the quartermaster general , the
commissary general and the surgeon general -
oral ito transmit all the complaints received
by them touching the administration of
Itholr respective departments. This request
was promptly compiled with and from that
tlmo forth all complaints were forwarded to
the commission immediately on their re
ceipt at the War department.
In further pursuance of this preparatory
measure the commission , on September 21 ,
made public Imitation through the press to
Mil persons having knowledge or belief of
any official wrong or dereliction to submit
their statements In writing , accompanied by
euch collateral proof or Information ns
might bo at their disposal. This invitation
met with a liberal response Hundreds of
anidavltB , letters , newspaper clippings , edi
torial articles and sermons were received ,
all of which were thoroughly ntid labJrl-
ously Investigated , ns will appear In the
testimony tiikon by the commission , nnd the
to be published
\nrlous exhibits and appendices
lished hereafter.
SourcfM < > ( Iiiforinntloii.
Next , the secretary of war was requested
Ho direct the various chiefs of department
ximlcr him to furnish the commission with
n. statement of the condition of their re
spective departments at the outbreak cf the
war and the operation of the same during
the period of hostilities.
This communlcdtlcn recited In detail the
subjects on which Information was desired ,
comprising facts touching the mobilization
of troops and their organization ; the amount
nnd Mnel of camp and garrison equipage
km hand at the beginning of the war , the
amount subsequently purchased ; similar In
formation with regard to furnishing the
troops with arms nnd accoutrements ; In
formation ns towhich of the volunteer regi
ments were nrmel and equipped In the
% arlcus etato camps ; how the location of
( the camps of general lendezvous was de-
itcrmlned ; full particulars as to the trans
portation of troops ; an nceount of the quan
tity , qunllty and kind of food furnished ,
nnd Information ns to tciitnge , beds , linen ,
medicines and all other necessaries for the
Iinppltnl ; ns to whether the medical stnfl
was efficient , and ns t > the conditions and
operations of the engineer and ordnance
departments Those statements , piomptly
nnd ( Intelligently made , were of great serv
ice in the Investigation In the chaiacter ol
text and reference books.
Having thus arranged the preliminary
matters which cecmeel advisable to bo de
termined , the commission resolved that all
barges specifically brought before It should
l > o the basis of the examination of wlkicmrf
who hod , or professed to have , knowledge ol
the fuels Involved < in such charges.
lit lilonce Tiikon Iiiforiiiiill ) .
Tt was fuKho- determined that In the ex
amination of witnesses the strict rules ol
evidence as applied in legal proceeding !
should not bo adhered , to , but considerable
latitude Should bo allowed. While , therefore
in general the > rules of evidence have beer
followed , wo have not hesltnted to relax theh
application when thought advisable. During
our sessions wo examined 4)5 ! ) witnesses. Al
of these were sworn or affirmed except ono
who declined to take the oath The examl <
nation was conducted by the member desig
nated for that purpose , but every vvltneai
was InUerroguted by every member of thi
commission who desired.
Our purpose In the discharge of our dutlei
wan to arrive at the facts touching the eon
duct of the war and no effort was spared b ]
us to reach that result We have examlnei
< ho Btcretnry of war , 'the ' commanding gctv
( eral , bends of departments , oilUern of corps
divisions , brigades , legtmcnts and com
panics , Mon-commlssionpil ollliera and prl
vales , mures and perscsm from many em
idoyments In private No man or womui
who linn stated to us ho or she had any ma
terlal matter touching the subject of ou
inquiry 'to ' communicate lina been refubed i
hearing.
The commission visited In person most o
the old camps. As a rulti the Inspcctloi
was not only of camps , but of hospitals , am
much valuable Information was obtained b
contact with officers and enlisted men.
At nil of these places we have Invited
bometlmes with special Insistence , every per
ixin who tame before us and testified wh
could throw any light on the conduct of th
AVur department In any of Its branches.
No Nl ii f ( 'orriiiitloii.
It may bo said now , at the beginning c
this report , that there has been cio ovldenc
before us that any one in or connected wit
the War department has dishonestly re
iclvod a dollar. Wo have made perslston
effortn to secuio the attendance of person
Auers
Hair Vigor
will restore gray or
faded hair to its origi
nal color.
This is the whole
story , and an ounce
of fact is worth a ton
of argument.
to whoso names rumor had attached on al
legation that they know of corruption of
offlclAla In the Wnr department , but these
mon have cither tknlod the statements at-
Irlbutod to them or have maintained slleu-o :
whi-i Invited to tell what thej know
The routine work In the department1 ! , in
our opinion Is far beyond what Is neces
sary , and each year seems to Increase it
The methods employed make it almost Im-
pceslblc to transact business promptly The
heads of nil departments , officers of Inrgo
depots , chiefs of staff , departments , < orpi
nnd divisions hnvo necessarily been > .bilged
to give the time and attention to details
which should have been ilven > to matters
of larger moment No well regula-lcd con
cern or corporation could transact business
fntlsfnctorllj under such regulations ns gov
ern staff departments nnd the fact thnt
every officer of e.ich cf the staff dppnrtmctits
holding responsible positions has been
obliged to ignore routine demonstrates < ho
necessity of a thorough reform
G'oiiiii > Hltli > n of Anu > .
On the 1st day of April , 1S98 , the strength
of the army wns 2,143 ofllcers nnd 20,040 tn-
llsted men , a. total of 28,183.
War with the kingdom of Spnln was de-
clnred April 21 , 1&9S , and on May 31 , 125.000
volunteers hud been mustered Into the serv
ice. In August , 1838 , the regular nuny
numbered G6.3G' . the volunteer army J07.214
a total of 2G3.G09
These figures of thcmselcs Indicate that au
Immense work was thrown upon the Win
department After thlrty-ihrcc > cars of
peace , during u great pait of which the * army
did not exceed 20,000 men , It suddenly be
came necessiry to arm , clothe , fied and
equip more than a quarter of a million
The records of Uio War department which
have been laid before us show that the sec
retary of war extended to nil chiefs of bu
reaus cordial and full support and promptly
responded to every proper demand made
upon him by commanding ofllcers.
No testimony has been presented show
ing Intentional neglert of duty nor any at
tempt to servo peigon.il Interests. The
charges made that the secretary of war was
Pecuniarily Interested In contiacts , pur
chases and other transactions of the Wnr de-
partmort 'have been thoroughly examined
and found baseless. In the Judgment of the
commission thcro vuia lacking In the general
administration of the War department during
the continuance of the war with Spain thai
complete grasp of the situation which wns
essential to the highest efficiency nnd disci
pline of the army.
The comtnl < * > Ion has refrained from criti
cising certain of the heads of bureaus for not
having acted with foresight in preparing
their various departments for active war bc-
fofe war wan actually declared because It has
appeared that the national defense funds
provided by the net of Match 9 , 1808 , was not
available for use except for the navy nnd for
coast defensen and the expenditures Incident
thereto until after the declaration of war.
On at least one occasion , May 17 , the ( sec
retary of war Instructed the major general
commanding the nrmy to Inspect certain
camps , viz Those at Chlckamauga , Atlanta ,
Now Orleans , Mobile , Tampa , Miami and
Key West. The majotr general did not act
upon such Instructions , stating It to bo his
place to order Inspection.
Further the commission finds that although
several of the officers of this department
were assigned to duty In command of troops
In the field , still competent officers were left
In charge of the department In Washington
to perform such duties as were assigned to
them. The o gunlzatlon In the field wns am
ple and the inspectors made reports to the
commanding ofilcers to whom ihey had been
assigned. These reports v.ere often not
acted upon and wcro not forw warded to the
War department.
ConilllIon of Cat.iji Tliomni.
Camp Thomas , Chlckamauga , Is not
adapted to the accommodation of more than
0,000 at n time. On June 30 there were
58,1518 men In the camp. The water supply
was unsatisfactory , the water itself was re
pugnant. Some cf the wells became con
taminated. The sanitation of the camp was
very imperfect and at times decidedly bad.
The troops were not well located , ninny be
ing permitted to camp In the woods. Sinks
were not deep enough or sufficiently re
moved from the men's quarters. SK hun
dred licenses to peddlers and hucksters
were Issued by the commanding general in
the early days and the grounds swarmed
with vendors of unwholesome trash. Passes
to Chattanooga were Issued at * ho rate ol
from two to six men per day per company.
This was a fruitful source of Injury to
the men. On the whole the camp wns un-
BaUsfactory.
The result of the Santiago campaign was
the complete realization of the several ob
jects contemplated the capture of the city
with Its fortifications nnd munitions of war ,
together with Immense supplies cf food
stuffs and ammunition , the former esti
mated by General Wood at 1,200,000 rabhns ;
the surrender of the entire province of San
tiago de Cuba , with all the troops garrison
ing the Bime. amounting , as already btated ,
to between J3.000 nnd 24,000 ; the lestruc-
tlon by the navy of Admiral Cervera's fleet
after Its departure fiom the harbor , and
the general demoralization of the Spanish
forces and the discomfiture of fie Spansh
government and people , leading almost Im
mediately to overtures for peace by Spiln All
this was accomplished without the loss of a
prisoner , a gun or n color and with a list
of casual'lcs aggregating In killed less than
250 nnd In wounded lt ra than 1,100-lose °
which In comparlscn with results are less
than have ever heretofore occured In modem
warfare.
It should be added nlso that the total
deaths In battle from wounds and disease ,
from the beginning to the end of the epi
sode , aggregated less than 3,000 only a frac
tion over 1 per cent.
In concluding its labors it Is with jnudi
pleasure that the commission reports thai
notwithstanding the haste with which the
nation entered upon the war with Spain ,
the resulting and almost Inevitable confusion
In bureau and camp , the many difficulties
of arming , assembling and transporting large
j bodies of hitherto untrained men , the carry-
J Ing on of active operations In two hemi
spheres , the people of the United States
should over bo prouj of Us soldiers , who ,
co-operating with Its wallois. In less thar
three months put nn end to Spanish colonln'
power , enfranchised oppressed people and
taught the world at largo the strength am
nubility of a great republic.
Dr. Hull's Cough Syrup Is lellable. "Whi
try some new medicine when this old rellabli
remedy can be hod for only 25 cts.
MNN | Stafford at tliillj.
Miss Stafford will repeat at Unity churel
thin evening the Illustrated lecture glvei
there last night , entitled "Jesus , In Picture
Poem and Song. " The stireootlccci lllus
tratlons are things of beauty , being copies o
great works of the icnalssnnce nnd of modem
om airt. Tomorrow evening Miss Janet M
Wallace will show at the same place abou
100 night and day views of the recent expo
bltlon ,
Tin- Principal .StocUholilcr
of the Grand Pacific hotel , Chicago , Is Ml
AdolpluiB nilBch. Nothing Is too good fo
him nor for his guests of bis palatial hotel
LOCAL BREVITIES ,
The Loralno Dancing club will gtvo nn
other of Its enjoyable dnnclng parties a
Thurston hall Wednesday evening.
IbU-ac Newman , 320 North Slxteerth t.tree.1
reported to the police that one kit of mack
ercl and n sack of flour wore stolen fror
In front of his store Saturday night.
Julius Treltschke was found In bis saloo
about 3 o'clock Sunday afteiuoon with IIv
or elx friends The officers entered th
back door and closed the place , arrestln
the proprietor.
William A. Sow ell was arrested Saturda
night at the request of the Lincoln author
it lea Ho la wanted In University Place o
the charge of disposing of furniture mort
gaged to A , Heeler.
City Comptroller Westberg has checkc
up the statement of itho Omaha Gas com
pany upon which the latter paid a royalt
of $11,097.74 Into the cdty treasury upon th
gas sold last year and finds it correct I
every particular.
Miss Ida Peterson , 2010 St. Map'a uvc
nuo , who was Injured by the explosion c
a water back Saturday morning , , was le
ported to be much batter Sunday. She vva
able to be removed to her homo nt Twenty
llfth and Burdette streets. No serious re
suits ore now anticipated from her Injuries
Hd Iipraney , who was arrested seven
days ago on the charge of passing coun
torfelt coin , has been released on bom
Devaney stopped at the Vendome hotel an
left it the night the quarantine thereo
was et\tllsl\ed. ( \ No symptoms of email
pox appeared while ho was In jail , to h
wets relented.
SOUTH OMAHA NEWS.
On Tuesday evening there will be u meet
ing of citizens at the e > mco of Ur C M.
Schlndol for the purpose of talking over
plans tor the erection of n permanent
hospital building In this city Everyone
will admit thnt such n structure Is needed ,
but where the support Is to come from will
bo the question. The present hospital on
Twenty-sixth street has n hard tlmo getting
along , even with the city paying the lent.
Now thnt there Is a fund In the hospital
treasury the Idea ot building a hospital com
mensurate with the needs of the city has
suggested Itself. Iho meeting to be held ou
Tuesday night will be for the purpose of
learning the wishes of the citizens In this
respect nnd the public generally Is invited.
W. S. King , chief engineer of the Union
Stock Ynid3 company , Is ono of the pilmo
movers In the new enterprise Ho hna fig
ured that n hospital can bo erected for
$5,000 , providing thnt the laud Is donated
Mr. King asserts thnt the South Omnhn
Land company Is willing to give nn Incor
porated association suitable ground for such
n structure The first thing will be to or
ganize n Block company. Tbo plan sug
gested Is to sell stock on the exposition
plan that Is , each share to Imvo n face
value of $10 nnd then make assessments on
the stock ns the money Is needed The
stockholders , however , will not be assessed
moio thin the amount of stock for which
they subscribe. It IB a foregone conclusion
that stock of this kind would never pay
dividends , but It Is thought that by Incor
porating a tut selling stock nn amount suf
ficient to elect n hospital building cnn bo
obtained. After this point has been dis
posed of the question of support will be
tnlsud nnd It Is understood that a commit
tee Is to bo appointed to visit the corpora
tions with n view to ascertaining hoxv much
money will bo donated per month toward
the support of the Institution.
Several attempts of this kind have nl-
ready been made , and vvhllo the packers and
the stock janls have responded to emerg
ency calls no proposition for n steady
monthly sum to be paid would bo entci-
talued. It is understood that if the people
will erect n hospital that the corporations
will subscribe a sufficient sum to maintain
It , but this , ot course , is nil heat say , and
It will devolve upon n committee to ascer
tain the fncts. With n stated income per
month , It Is thought that theie will bo no
trouble In maintaining a hospital which
will bo a credit to the city. It is hoped that
evrry citizen interested In securing a hos
pital for South Omaha will make It u point
to attend the meeting Tuesday night.
There will bo a meeting of the hospital
association on Tuesday afternoon , and It Is
expected that officers for the ensuing year
will bo elected. Tbero Is some talk of elect
ing a physician to the presidency as the
doctors hero have assisted materially In
raising funds for the institution. Some
seem to think thnt with a physician at the
head of the Institution more could be nc-
compllshed. The women of the association
would still occupy nil of the onices with
the exception of president , providing n
doctor is chosen.
for Clt > Council.
A meeting of the city council is on the
call for tonight and If theto Is a quorum It
is expected that some steps toward repairing
the viaducts will bo taken. Kelly has an
Idea thnt the aldi of the courts might bo In
voked to hurry the railroads in the worK
and the city attorney may bo directed to
take steps of this kind provided It Is piac-
tlc.iblc. It Is understool that the Union
Pacific railroad and the Union Stock Yards
companies are willing to go ahead and ie-
pair the L street bridge as soon as the
weather will permit , but nothing has been
said or done about the Q street \laduct
Tralnor has been after City Attorney Mont
gomery in regard to the drafting of nu ordi
nance for the Q street repairs , bul
Mr. Montgomery holds that there I ;
no use of drafting such an ordi
nance until the railroads commence wort
on the L stieet viaduct. Such an ordinance
would mean cemsldciable expense for printIng -
Ing nnd would , It is stated , be of no use
whatever until the railroads go to work or
the bridge , for which nn ordinance has
been prepared.
While on the subject of viaducts It might
be stated that at a meeting of the director !
of the Union Stock Yards company to be
held this week the question of a foot bridge
across the tracks at N street will come up
Plans for such n bridge have been drawn
nnd will bo submitted to the directory
Manager Kcnyon of the stock yards com
pany admits thnt a bridge is a necessity
nnd ho proposes to nJvocate either the erec
tion of a bridge or the digging of n tunnel
The Union P.iclfic will most likely pay
part of the expense of such nn undertnklnE
nnd H Is thought thnt the officers ot the
stock yntds company andi the managers ol
the Union Pacific will hold a meeting
shortly to determine upon some safe methot
of crossing the tracks.
H -v Inloii of HiilliIliiMT Or < Ilnuiir < - .
Ilulldlng Inspector Dunscombe says thai
thcro is need of a revision of certain pnra-
j graphs In the building ordinances in ordci
'
thnt the conditions existing nt preseni
night bo Included. The present bulldlni
ordinance was passed by the city council It
July , ISS'J ' nnd since that time the city hm
Town EO thnt all of the rules nnd regula
tions laid down nl thnt time cannot hi
observed now. Some changes In the elidl'
nance aio needed nnd It will bo only i
lUCBtlon of a short time before they nn
made. What the building Inspector partlcu
laily objects to Is the regulations governing
fire escapes. Ho holds tint nil bulldlngi
over a certain height with only ono stallwu ;
for entrance ami egress should bo pinvldci
with fire escapes , The Hunt building n
Twenty-sixth and N stieets , thu Dellon
hotel , and thu notv city hull building , should
It Is stated by the Inspcctoi , bo provldei
with fire escapes. Other buildings In th
city are also deficient in this leaped am
It Is expected that the building orJInanc
will be revised as soon a.s the council cai
get around to It.
( "It ) ( illNNlll.
Woodmen of thu World lodge No. BS vvll
glvu a cake walk and lull on Wednesdu
night , rebrun-j 22 , at City Hall building.
Jack Leonard Is still at the city jail Muf
forlng from frozen curs and hands. An ef
fort will be made to get him Into the count
hospital.
William Lewis , a lad of 1C , is In jail fo
selling fake jewelry In down town rcsa-U
Lewis afcsa ts that ho was given the stul
to eell by the Hay boys.
All members of the Ancient Order c
United Workmen lodge No. 227 nro requests
to meet at the hall Monday evening as bujl
ncea of importance will come up for dlspo
eltlon ,
lion , John T. Keating , national presideD
of the Auclent Order of Hibernians , dellv
end an address at A , O H. hall , Twenty
third and N streets , yesterday dfternooi
There was n good attendance and ( he re
marks of the speaker wcro well received.
MIke King Is In jail for assaulting Jame
FYaley with Intent to do greut bodily In
Jury. King and rtaloy became mixed up I
a Q street t > aloou nt an early hour Sunda
PERFECT
AH ELEGANT TOILET LUXURY ,
Used by peopio of refinement
for oIT a quarter of a ceutuiy.
morning with the mult that King etutk
the blade of n pocketknlfe Into Fnaley's anat
omy The latter was not Injured to any
great extent ,
Comml'slon men at the slock yards pay-
that more dead hoga nro arriving now thnn
during the heated spell last summer Ihb
renson Is thnt In order to keep warm the
hogs pile on top of one another nnd thus
smoihtr nnd crush those underneath
Hdwnrd IJurson , n member ot the police
force , la bcrlously 111 at bin home , 1023 North
Twenty-third street. Ofilccr Btirson Is troub
led with quinsy nnd his throat Is in n bad
condition Meihbcra of the Odd I'ellows lodgb
of which Ilurson ie a member are doing all
they can for him
The continued cold keeps the plumba s
busy nnd yesterday wna no exception.
Plumbers nt nil the shops worked ncnrly all
day thawing out frozen plrs It Is thought ,
thnt nbout half of the water pipes In the
city nro now frozen The condition of the
fire liydrants IB not known , but It Is feared
that eomo are frozen also. Saturday night
nil of the pipes nt the Heed hotel froze nnd
the booirders were compelled to go to res
taurants for brenkfnst.
Councilman Uarrctt hna uot given up the
Idea of orgnnlzing a Commercial club here.
He secured > the passage of ; i resolution
through the city council last week calling a
mass meeting for Trlday night , but Mr. Har-
ictt wns the only ono who braved 'the sto-m
and wns on hand at the appointed time. Mr
Unrrott Is not discouraged and will rnako
another attempt on Thursday evening of thh
week Ho vvnnts to havu a good hustling
club fanned hero for the purpouo of placing
the advantages of South Omaha before the
people In the proper light.
CONTROL THE BERRY TRADE
Suutliucnt 1'iilon .IK-old mid
oil lliinillliiK tlic Triule of
.Sciimin.
E. B Branch ot tills city returned Friday
from nn Intcicstlug meeting of the Southwest
' union held Its
west Shippers' Co-Operntlvo ,
Pierce City , Mo. In speaking of the meetIng -
Ing bo said :
"This union Is really n confederation of
about twenty different associations of berry
growers and shippers. The territory cov
ered by the various associations includes
southeastern Kansas , northwestern Arkan
sas , and southwestern Missouri. The Snr-
coxle association , which IB the largest onu
in the union , has 1,400 acres ot straw berries
and two years ago during the height of the
season , shipped from twenty to thirty cars
a day. The other nineteen associations nro
haialy ns large , but the total output of
trnw-berrles foi n season Is something enor
mous and the problem of distribution a dif
ficult ono to solve. Where each association
does Its shipping independently there Is
always the danger of flooding one market
uid neglecting another.
"The Southwest Shippers' Co-Operative
union wns formed for the purpose of getting
.he different nssoclatlons to work together
'or ' the good ot nil. The plan Is to have a
central office which shall bo thoroughly
posted on the condition ot tha market In
every city In the country. Then whenever
an association has n shipment of berries to
naltc It shall report it to the central ofilcc ,
ivhlch decides vvhoro it can bo shipped to
ho best advantage. By such menus it Is
hoped to mnke the mnrkets more oven and
avoid many of the losses cnused by flooded
markets. The plan Is nt least n clever one ,
but like all communistic schemes is dif
ficult to carry out.
"It Is thought by many that the output
of strawberries will be nearly double what
it was a year ago. Conditions so far hnve
nil been favorable for the plants , and then ,
too , the ncieage is much larger this year.
The thermometer was 10 degiees below zero
in Pierce City last week during the con
vention , which is said to be the coldest
weather over known In that section. Resi
dents , however , said it , would not Injure
strawberries but might damage peaches
considerably. " _
RAINFALL OF PORTO RIC
AVciidier Hurt-mi Uciiort ShonH ( Jrrnt
I'rcuiiiHittlon anil Good Ciop
C'onilKloiiN.
The United States Department of Agil-
culture has established branch offices of the
weather bureau in Porto Hico , and n bulle
tin for the week ending Janunry 1C has been
received. During that week the rainfall was
slightly above the average for this time of
the year. At Sara Juan it was .Si Inches ,
at Humacno , .92 ; nt Vieques , 133 , and it
Farajardo , 1 93 Inches. During ( Lie month ot
December the average temperature for the
Island was 76 degrees , 3 degrees below nor
mal. On January 1 two slight earthquake-
shocks were felt at Vieques. They were of
short duration and did no damage.
The condition ot the crops is reported ns
remarkably favorable. The weather Is ex
cellent tor the growth of tobacco and cof
fee , and the eano harvest just beginning
gives promise of being largo except where
the rainfall das been too heavy. This heavy
rainfall has the effect of retarding the mill
ing and makes the sap too thin. In the Vie.
ques district there are four milling cen
ters , three of which are In operation. One
Is n steam power establishment , but the
other two are run by oxen. The yield can
not vet bo determined. The cane In the
Guayama district Is reported good , but some
what less than usual owing to the flies
started by the Sranlsh troops. If this dis
trict could become possessed oC nn Irriga
tion canal , two or threa central sugar
works and a bank that would loan money on
equitable tetms the section , it Is said , would
be fieed from the stringent money relations
now existing nnd become an emporium of
wealth.
DAMAGE TO THE PAVEMENT
lti-i--iil Colil AVoiiHirr OJII-IIN I'M .11 a M >
ItlK CllK'lvH 111 ( III ! AHllllllIt
I'lioii ( InHtrrotM ,
The cord spell now prevalent IB doing
quite a bit of damage to the asphalt pave
ments in various parts of the city by crackIng -
Ing them. This injury Is not so prevalent
upon the old pavement as upon those more
recently laid and particularly those which
were put down last year. These cracks are
caused by the contracting of the asphalt
caused by the action ot the cold ,
"A good many of these cracks will close
again with warmer weather , especially those
which have occurred on good pavements , "
nays City Engineer Itosevsater "The as
phalt upon some of our cracked pavements ,
however , Is a bad mixture nnd It will be
necessary to have these repaired. The con
tractors who told the pavement will have
to do this work , ns the contracts art
awarded under n guaianteo that the pave
ments will be maintained for a term of flv <
years. "
vB2 ! M :
HEARD ABOUT TOWN , i
John Klnmmnn , the lender of the regi
mental band of the Second United Stales
Infantry , "Tho nchttiiK Second. " ns this
regiment Is called , came In Sunday evening
from Annlston. Ala , where the regiment Is
temporarily stationed , nnd cnlled on n num
ber of his friends. "I nm ou my way to
Pore Kcogh , Mont , " ho said "When we
took our depniture from Tort Keogh to go
to Cuba wo left the most of our band bag
gage behind nnd I nm going there to have
It shipped to Annlston , so thnt we can hnvo
It with us when wo go to Cuba. Our regi
ment leaves for Snntn Clara on March 10 "
The Second regiment was ono of the first
to bo sent to rub-i It was In the thick of
the fight nt the battle ot San Juan hill in
thu capture of Snntlngo. For ten years it
was stationed nt old Tort Omaha H was '
transferred to Montana In June , 1S9G. Its
eobrlquet of the "righting Second" it earned
at Wounded Knco nnd In other bouts with
the Indians nnd It kept up Its reputation
nt San Juan.
" \Vo had all the 'hot time' we wanted , "
ho snld , alluding to the Snn Juan hill bat
tle , "and It is a wonder that any ot us ever
came out of It alive. The fact that we did
cscapo without more Injury was due to tha
bad marksmanship ot the Spanish , for wo
wcro entirely In the open. It they had
stopped to take deliberate nlm nt us they
would have mnsncrcd us , but their aim wns
high Our tncltcs were purely of the skir
mishing order nnd we were down on our
faces most of the tlmo to let the fire of thu
Spanish pnss over us. Wo would throw
ourselves down ami send n volley or two nt
them nnd then jump up nud advance n short
dlstnuce. These tnctlc were repented until
wo saw wo could gain the crest of the hill.
Thu Spanish mistook our actions for these
of an Invading force , getting the full effect
ot their fire. When wo dropped down they
took It for granted that we fell ne the effect
ot their bullets. Xnturnlly they exposed
themselves through entertaining this delu
sion nnd then they made pretty good targets
for our boys. Still , It was no picnic and
wo realized the full Impoit of the tune wo
had played when the orders wcro first given
to advance , which was , ns every one knows
by this time , the familiar ono of 'A Hot
Tlmo In the Old Town. ' I am not too
an\loiiH to get into such close quarters
again "
Klnnaman went through the engagement
without a scratch and he wears n dress
parndu look In his face , indicating that he
nnd his comrades nro enjoying the best of
health nud good Jare.
Leon Meyer of Chemnitz , Saxony , the
great German hosiery center , Is making his
annual northwestern tour as the representa
tive ot Lenneberg & Meyer of that city ,
and he talked entertainingly at the Mlllard
last evening on business topics. "Although
last year our city exported to America n few
million dollars less in the hosiery line thnn
the yenr before , " sold he , "we expect to
break the record this year. In 1S97 wo Bent
to America $22,000,000 worth , and last year
It fell to $19,000,000. This year , though , wo
have In sight orders for $23,000,000. The
Increase is due , in great measure , to the
stiffened demand tor fancy goods. Chem
nitz Is the homo of the celebrated dyer ,
Louis Hermsdorf , and his name Is n by
word In the American mnrket. Tully three-
fourths of its population is engaged In tin )
mnnufncture of hosiery.
"There Is one thing nbout the present
American tnrlff which seems rather odd to
the Germnn people , " ho continued , "and
that is thnt you put a. greater duty proportionately
tionately upon the cheap goods than upon
the expensive ones. Wo naturally conclude
iithat this must operate as a greater burden
'upon the poor than on the rich. Tor Instance -
. stance , take goods worth only two marks
'
a doz'en or 50 cents American money. A
duty of 50 cents specific Is Imposed nnd also
13 cents ad valorem , which makes the
goods worth $1.14 In this country , and thnt
Is 10" per cent above the original cost. Now
compare with this the Increased cost of
goods priced at twelve marks , or $3. There
is a specific duty of $1 20 , and to that 15
per cent ad valorem is added , making the
jirlco here $485 , or a trlflo over 60 cent
above the original cost. On silk goods the
Increase U about 55 per cent. There maybe
bo n very wise purpose in all this for all
that I know , but it looks on Its face like au
unequal tax. "
Mr. Meyer's explanation of the reason
why Germany can compete eo successfully
with the world In the Hem of cotton hosiery
Is because there Is no duty on cotton In
Germany , most of it being brought there
for refining , nnd along with this there Is a
supernbundnnco of cheap labor. With re
spect to woolen goods he admits that the
Americans hnvo an ndvnntage , except , he
says , ns to dying. In the line of silks ho
asset ts us a fact that German goods have of
Into years been taking the place of the
French goods nnd explains that It is ac
counted for In the study made ot the shnpo
of the American woman's feet and the re
sult that the German-mado hose fit better
than the Krench-mnde. 'Trench women , "
ho observed , "hnvo smaller ankles and
larger cnlvcs thnn the American women
The French manufacturers have not taken
tul.s dllleicncu Into consideration , and Inas
much as their hose Is made on the French
model and the Germans make theirs on the
American model , wo are driving them out
of the American mnrket. "
1'ornoiinl
Fcnnk Bushnell of New York la nt the Her
Grand ,
J N. Morrow of New York Is , nt the Her
Grand.
Hu h 13. Blnckmar of Philadelphia Is at the
Her Grand.
1) . J Wlnslow , a Ilutto mining man , wns at
the Mlllard yesterday.
! r , J. Anderson of Plttsburg Is at the Her
I Grand for a few days.
Mr nnd Mrs C. C , Graham of New York
are hc < rc on a pleasure trip.
Dan Sully , wlfo nnd daughter of New
York are at the Her Grand.
II. C. Goodwahl nnd brldo of St. Louis
leave for their honeymoon trip east this
CASTOR IA
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
Boars the
Signature of
Between 5:30 : and 8:30- :
\\'v ate scivlnt ; Uio l > iM ) Mippor
bi'iveil IM Ointilm ami the price Is jutH
1mlf our former how Is thin sample
Half dozen blue points , liijc ,
Uiollcil lake tiout , 15e ,
Hi oiled Texas owl on toast , ituc ,
A uloc steak , : tOc.
Coin meal mush with cioam , l.'c.
Filed holiday , JOo. IJ H
Tliero tire twenty-four dllteient dishes
included on our btipper bill of tuic ,
BALDUFF'S ,
luncb-IUO to Ji30Supper5:39
1620 Pnrnum 8t
A tasteful appearance in dress often comes as
much from good laundering as from the quality of
the clothing. Good laundering requires good soap
and Ivory Soap is the best.
The fading of delicate shades is frequently the ruination of an expensive
garment. Any color that will stand the free application of water can be washed
with Ivory Soap.
COPYRIGHT IMI IV TNK PROCTIH ft QAMILE CO CINCINNATI
morning. They \vere married hero yester
day.
day.r.
r. II. Plunimor , secretary of Kllpntrlek
Bros , at Heatrlco , was In the city yesterday ,
accompanied by his wife.
William Andrews , traveling auditor for the
Mnrkel Union Pacific entlnp house ay stem ,
Is IH from a trip to Medicine Bow , Loramle ,
Salt Lake and Ogden.
Paul Clark of Lincoln , speaker of the
house , v\na at the Mtllard for lunch yestcir-
day. Ho cnmo In to call quleitly upon some
of the Douglas county delegation.
At the Mutinay Mrs. L. C. Place , Mrs. M.
S. Kent , Llricoln ; Charlea MeCurdy , Wonuo ;
J. C. Johnson nnd wife , Chicago ; Dick Hubbell -
bell , Sioux City ; J. W. Lendsfleld , St. Louis ;
Charles M. Hand , Kansas City.
\V. C. Ulckey , one of Pittsburgh largest
Iron manufacturers , Is nt the Mlllard on a
business trip through tbc northwest. He
says the burlncss outlook IK better than t't
has over been and prlcce ore climbing rap
idly.
James Ruspell of New York , one of the
Russell brothers who nro billed nt the Or-
phcum , is at the Mlllard. Clay Lambert.
Arda La Crolx , Miss La Crolx , Mies Nlblo ,
MEH | Dubola and Miss Hammond of the John
Dillon company , have also been stopping at
the Mlllard.
At the Mlllard E. C. Wright , Chicago ;
J. Spauldlng , Spauldlng , III. ; A. Messer and
wife , St. Paul ; F. V. Foss , Crete ; Paul F.
Clark , LKiccln ; James Russell , Fred Kauf
man , New York ; A. A. Wllllts , New Jersey ;
D Wlnslow , Butte. Mont. ; F. D. Green ,
Perry , O ; W. C. Dickey. PUtsburg , Pa.
Nebrasltans at the Hotels J. S. Morrison ,
Lincoln , N. A. Douglas , North Platte ; Will-
lam Olover , Aurora ; G. G. Armstrong , Fremont -
mont ; C P. Locke , Nebraska City ; II. B
Waldron , Bennlngton ; Frank Campbell , N.
Brannan , O'Neill , George B. Mulr , Callaway ;
Alpha Morgan , Broken Bow.
At the Klondike A. T. Wilkinson , Min
nesota ; T. E Wllklns and wife , Owatonnn ,
Minn. ; Ed Ballon and vvtte , bcaUsvlllc.
Kan. ; Mrs. E M. Dennis , St. Louis ; H. Mill-
man , DCS Molncs ; A. E Young , Hlgglns ,
Tex. ; George Jones , Silver City , I. Jamtra ,
DCS Molnes , William Fowkcs , Arlington ; A.
Burrows , Chicago ; J. W. Stnuffer , J. Kin-
cade , Oakland ; F. C. Martin and wife , Kear
ney , J. L. Cockerell , T. E. Buirnam , Fort
Meade , S , D.
INJURIES CAUSE HIS DEATH
John Onlilor , AVlioVnH Struck 1 > y a
Motor Car , I'IINNCM Ami } huiidny
Afternoon.
John Gabler , residing on Dorcas street ,
between Nineteenth and Twentieth , died
Sunday afternoon at 3 30 o'clock , at St. Jo
seph's hospital , from Injuries received by
being struck by a motor Thursday morning.
He was suffering from n contusion across
the back and internal Injuries At first It
was thought that he would recover , but a
change In his condition was apparent Sun
day morning and ho snnk rapidly.
Gablor wns employed at the smelter and
was on his way to work when the accident
occurred. He was walking along Sixteenth
street , using the west car track as n path
way. When nenr Poppleton avenue ho
stepped over on the cnst track to let n cnr
pnss. He did not see a car running north
and was struck by It before the motorman
could stop. Ho was thrown to the pave
ment and rolled 100 feet , the slippery tracks
making It Impossible to Htop the car. He
was picked up and taken to the police sta
tion , later having been removed to St. Jo
seph's hospital.
IT IS VIEWED WITH ALARM
nonril of Kiltientlou MemluTB > ot All
iilth MJITN * 11111 > otv
llcforc -KlNlaturc. .
RepresentativeMyers of this county has
introduced a bill In the house of represen
tatives at Lincoln i educing the number ot
members of the Board of Education from flf-
tecfl to nine , ono from each ward In the city ,
and fixing n yearly salary of $ GOO for each
of the members. This bill is not very fiv-
orably regarded by some ot the members of
the present Board of Education.
"In ono respect the bill will work an ad
vantage , possibly , " snld ono ot the mem
bers. "In reducing the board from fifteen to
nine members the business may bo more ox-
pedltlounly transacted , but 1 think It would
be a mistake to select the members from
each of the wards. That Is nil right for
the council , because each of the wards wants
to have a man on hand to ses that It Rots its
share of improvements , but the ward noun *
darles Imvo not at all been regarded In map
ping out our sidool districts and It Is not at
all necessary that each ward should be rep
resented. The board Is expected to work
for the general good of the entire school dis
trict of Omaha and not for any particular
section.
"I look on the salary provision with PUS-
plcloo. If the annual compensation Is lixeil
nt tCOO I am confident that It would bo it
plum thnt many a rundown politician would
like to get hold of , because with a few pick
ups on the outsldo bo could live on It. A
board membership would be more of n politi
cal ofllco than it Is now. It Is proper enough
to compensate Board of Kduoitlon' mcmbcra
with what they pay out for street ear tare
In attending meetings and for the time they
devote to meetings , but I would rattier BOOne
no salary at all than the one proposed. "
La Grippe is again epluemie. every precaution -
caution should bo taken to avoid it. Its
specific cure ia Ono Minute Cough Cure.
The best remedy for nil ages ; cures coughs ,
colds and all lung troubles. Pleasant to the
taste. No one will bo disappointed in us
ing tt.
DO
YOl
USE
ONE ?
If you do we would like to nave
you como to our stoic and sec how
much we can have you OH supplies.
Our stock Is most complete every
known reliable camera all me
different developing and touluj ;
Ijatlm trays printing frames-
mounts , otc. We develop unl
pilot nt reasonable prices.
THE ALOE & PENFOLD CO , ,
Amateur 1'Iiotographlc NuppKet.
1408 Furnam OMAHA.
Op. Paxton Hotel.
The Map Has Changed-
So has style In shoes the brat
shoo on the miu > Is a woman's
shoe of calfHkln they looked ptot-
ty heavy at Hist , but , bless you , the
women who Imvo woiii them through
the lust week's cold spell can't say
enough for them they'te In all late
lasts Including the iiiabciilliie with
genuine welt holcn a Shoe well woith
much more than wo ask for thein-
12.50 don't be backward about coming
In and nuking to see this shoe.
Drexel Shoe Co.
Up-to-date SUoe Hovse ,
1411) ) PAKNAM STllEEF.
To the Artistic-
We have a special Inducement In our
lenuanxod uiid enlaiced ait rooms
many new and beautiful pieces now ou
exhibition for the Hist time In Omaha
the framing of pictures In tills depart
ment has KIOVVU to bo a business of
Itself hnndicds of new moulding at
pikes nearly as cheap an cuminon lum
ber yard moulding vvoikmi'ii of iiblllty
to put them together Now that the
fiamhiK rush IB over \\o can frame nnd
dellvei your picture on thn Paine day
of i delving It Step In any time joti
our door.
A. HOSPE ,
Music and Art. 1513 Douglas.