OMAHA I LLUSTKATED BEE.
Published weekly by The Bee Publishing
Company , Bee Building , Omaha , Neb
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dressed , "Editor Omaha Illustrated UPC ,
Omaha. "
Pen and Picture Pointers
Rev. Arthur L. Williams , who was re
cently elected bishop coadjutor of Nebraska
to take tlio plnco of Bishop Worthlngton , en
tered the ministry late in life. Mr. Williams
Is the son of a Presbyterian clergyman and
Is a Canadian by birth , but his parents re
moved to the United States and located In
Kansas when ho was still very young
Although not a college graduate Mr. Wil
liams received the benefits of a thorough
high school and academic education , \\lillo
still a very young man he left his home and
wont to Colorado , where he took up railroad
work. Naturally of an ambitious disposi
tion , he soon worked himself to the front
and was appointed superintendent of one of
the roads running out of Denver early In
the ' 80s. This position lie held for several
years and demonstrated considerable ability
At that time ttio road with which ho was
connected was having much difficulty with
strikes and the most careful management of
employes was necessary to accomplish any
thing In railroad work. Mr. Williams suc
ceeded In a remarkable degree and would no
doubt have remained In the railroad busi
ness , but about this time ho was converted
to the Episcopalian faith and gave up his
railroad position to accept ttio secretary
ship of the BoaTd of Trade of Lament , Colo. ,
and became a candidate for orders. In 18S7
ho went to Chicago and entered the Epis
copal seminary thero. After his ordination
ho was located for a time at Meeker , Colo. ,
and was most successful. In 1892 he TC-
turned to Chicago and accepted the pastorate
of Christ's church , where tie hns remained
over since.
Mr. Williams Is a man of firm convictions
and rare courage. He Is particularly strong
and convincing among the men of his con
gregation and Is a thoroughly sound church
man , very tenacious of church pilnclples
and courageous In assorting them.
The time for his consecration as bishop
coadjutor has not yet been definitely fixed ,
but It Is thought that the ceremony will take
place some time In September.
On the northeast corner of Twenty-fourth
and J a rough pile of stone , surrounding an
excavation. Indicates the future site of St.
Martin's Episcopal church , South Omaha.
Through the klndnes of the architect , Mr. L
A. Davis , we are enabled to give a cut of this
church as It will look.
St. Martin's church was founded In 1S87
and services wore first held In the Third
ward school house. In 1888 a wooden church
was built , at a cost of $1,700 , on the corner
of Thirty and a Half street and R , as at
that time It was confidently expected that
the Third ward would bo the residence center
of the city. This church was opened by
Bishop Worthlngton , February 24 , 1889.
In the fall of this same year the mis
sionary In charge concluded that a mistake
had been made and opened another mission
( known as the Mission of Our Savior ) , first
In Masonic half and then In a vacant store
on Twenty-fifth street , between N and 0.
In the fall of 1890 preparations \\ero made
for moving the church building from Its elto
In the Third ward to a First ward site on
property donated by the South Omaha Land
REV IRVING P JOHNSON.
company , Twenty-third street , between F
and G.
The removal of the building took all winter
and ono man was killed In the transfer.
The building had scarcely settled on Its
new foundation when an order to grade that
ecctlon of the city , not only left It twenty
feet In the nlr , but rendered it almost In-
acccslbio for fully a year. It was not until
the spring of 1892 that approaches t\ore
made and a ( light of thirty steps once more
connected the church and the world ,
The church stood on this last elto when
Rev. Irving Johnson , the present In
cumbent , took charge in June , 1S9I.
In KB previous history of seven years no
less than six missionaries had tried their
hand at this work with varying success.
OMAHA ILLUSTRATED BEE. July 23 , isoo.
They were : Hev. C. S. Wltherspoon ( now
deceased ) , Hev. H. L. Knox , now of Council
Bluffs ; Hev. Isaac Houlgate , now of Min
neapolis ; Rev. Belno Brown , now of Mil
waukee ; Hov. Canon Whltmarsh , now of
Omaha , and Hev. H. Q. Sharpley , now of
Orange , N. J.
It Is needless to say that Mr. Johnson
found much work to bo done.
The convention journal for 1895 reports
only thirty-six communicants of the Episco
pal church In the city of South Omaha , and
there was no Sunday school , the first call
meeting with a response of but three chil
dren.
In the spring of 1S9S Mr. Johnson became
dissatisfied with the site of St. Martin's
and laid the matter before Bishop Worthlng-
ton , is ho responded by purchasing the two
lota now held by the church on Twenty-
fourth and J and which are unsurpassed In
the city as the site for a stone church.
It was not the Intention of the congrega
tion to build for several years , but several
events happened which decided them to
make the venture.
Among others , the burning of the bo\utlful
residence of Dr. George Miller ( a disaster
lamented deeply by all ) , left a stone quarry
at our doors which a very generous offer by
the ever generous doctor made available for
our purpose.
A committee was selected , consisting , be-
ST. MARTIN'S EPISCOPAL , CHURCH ,
SOUTH OMAHA.
sldo the bishop and rector , of Messrs. James
G. Martin , president ; Lulun C. Gibson , sec
retary ; W. Scott King , treasurer ; Leonard
A. Davis , architect , and Harry E. Tagg , who
set themselves to work soliciting funds.
The bishop started the enterprlso by offer
ing $1,500 from the same fund out of which
ho had paid for the lots , stipulating that ,
when built , the church should bo named
for the donor of the fund , the John S. Minor
Memorial church.
Thus far the committee has raised $7,000.
By Us energy and push It Is hoped that not
less than $10,000 will bo subscribed for
properly completing and equipping the
structure.
Besides this church , Mr. Johnron last sum
mer built a neat little chapel costing $1,000
In the Third ward In order to minister to
these who live west of the Q street viaduct.
There is no debt on any of the property
now hold by the Episcopal church In this
town , and It Is hoped to keep the new church
free from all Indebtedness.
About Noted People
David Rankin of Tarkio , Mo. , who Is said
to be the richest farmer In the world , made
his beginning with no other capital than a
horse. This lie sold for $52 , Invested the
money In calves and bought an eighty-acre
farm. Ho Is now , at the ago of 74 , tall ,
athletic and raw-boned , with gray hair and
board and keen blue eyes. Ho owns 23,000
acres of land , worth from $50 to $100 an
acre.
A friend of ex-Secretary William R. Day
says of htm : "His brain Is a cabinet of
facts. H contains , as it wore , a thousand
drawers , each properly labeled , so that he
can get at what ho 'wants ' at once. He can
talk well and with authority of anything
on crops , drainage , engineering , general
science , law , art and literature. "
H. N. DIngley of Kalamazoo , Mich. , a
son of the late Congressman DIngley , Is en
gaged on a life of his father. "President
McKlnloy , " ho says , "has practically agreed
to write the preface , while the members of
the ways and means committee associated
with Mr. Dlngloy in the preparation of the
DIngley tariff bill will each probably con
tribute a chapter.
General Benjamin P. Tracy has a wonder
ful memory which will probably come Into
play in the Venezuela dispute in Paris.
In a trial In 1874 ho made an address to
the jury covering forty hours , delivering
over 200,000 words , a feat unparalleled In
the New York bar. In preparing the pres
ent case ho has consulted 12,000 books , maps ,
papers and pamphlets , and it has taken his
undivided time for nearly a year ,
George B , Matson , Mormon saint , pioneer ,
Indian fighter , 72 years old now , Is taking a
trip through the east. Mr , Matson was born
at Wilmington , Del. At an early age he
jclned the Mormon church , previously hav
ing journeyed with his family into Illinois ,
then the far nest. In the famous exodus
of the Mormons from Nauvoo , III , , Mr. Mat-
ton was a member of the band , Prom
Omaha afterward , in the second exodus of
the tribe of Mormons , he was also a mem
ber. Then but 18 years of age , he was one
of the 144 men who , with their wives and
children , started from Omaha In 1847 to seek
o home ,
Ed\vln Mnrkham , the author of the poem
"The Man With the Hoe , " says of himself.
"For the last ten years I have been head
master of the Tompktns Observation school
of Oakland. This slicoola \ connected with
'the ' California State university , and is de
voted to child study. I have lived In Cali
fornia for forty years , and was born April
23 , 1852 , in Oregon City , Ore. When I was
5 years old my mother removed to Sallna
county , California , and engaged In the sheep
and cattle business , she being a widow at
this time. I was put to work herding sheep ,
and when only 7 years old was practically
head of the family. When 12 years old I felt
myself a full-fledged vaquero , and when 17
AN as working ns a blacksmith's apprentice. "
"In the papers of the late Charles Lan-
man , " says the Washington correspondent of
the Chicago Record , "there Is an auto
biography of Mr. Lincoln , written In his
own hand. Mr. Lanman was editor of the
Congressional Directory at the time Mr.
Lincoln was elected to congress , and , accordIng -
Ing to the ordinary custom , forwarded to him
as well as to all other members-elect a blank
to bo filled out with facts and dates which
might bo made the basis for a biographical
sketch In the Directory. Mr. Lincoln's blank
was returned promptly , filled up In his own
handwriting with the following Information :
" 'Born February 12 , 1809 , In Karelin
county , Kentucky.
" 'Education , defective.
" 'Profession , lawyer.
" 'Military service , captain of volunteers
In the Black Hawk war.
" 'Offices held : Postmaster at a very small
office ; four times a member of the Illinois
legislature , and elected to the lower house
of the next congress. ' "
Acting Chancellor
Charles E. Bessey
The duties of the chancellor of the Uni
versity of Nebraska , while they have in
creased during the last few years , will not
bo entirely new to Dean Charles E. Bessoy ,
who was elected by the board of regents
to take the place of Chancellor George E.
MncLean until a permanent successor is
secured. After Chancellor Canfield left the
Nebraska university Dean Bessey was elected
acting chancellor , a position he held until
George E. IMacLcan was placed at the head
of the Institution.
Dean Bessey has spent most of his time
since he first entered college in botanical
research. He graduated from the Michigan
Agricultural college In 18C9 , receiving the
degree of bachelor of science. A few years
later ho received a doctor's degree from the
same Institution and In 1879 the degree of
LL.D. was conferred upon him by the Iowa
university He has studied with several of
the foremost botanists , Including Dr. Asa
Gray , at Harvard , from 1872 to 187G. He Is
a fellow in the American Association of
Advanced Science and also a member of
many scientific societies. He was the
botanical editor of the American Naturalist
from 1880 until 1897 and has been editor of
Jnhnsnn'H Cw.lnt ! > ( lln ulnnn 18fl3.
Besides being the author of numerous
papers and reviews on scientific subjects
Dean Bcesey has written several text books
that have been published In a number of
editions. The most popular of these are
CHARLES E. BESSEY.
"Botany for High Schools and Colleges , "
"The Essentials of Botany" and "Geography
of Iowa. "
Pointed Paragraphs
The. reckless balloonist Is apt to take one
drop too much.
The owner sometimes discovers that the
mare makes the money go.
It is a sign of spring when the gun clubs
put forth their shoots.
"I will" Is the motto of Chicago. "I can"
Is the motto of the fruit preserver.
Every man has a right to bis own jaw , but
he has no right to give it to other people.
Some people were evidently born tired and
some for the purpose of making others tired ,
A man may bo a good judge of cloth , yet
when he buys a suit of clothes he generally
gets worsted ,
A great deal of our modern poetry seems
to have been written by persons addicted
to the cigarette habit.
Brigadier General Henry
C. Merriam , U. S. A.
Brigadier General Henry C. Merriam , re
cently appointed by the president to succeed
General Sumncr as the commander of the
Military Department of the Missouri , Is but
little known In Omaha , It never having
been his fortune to serve at this station
during itho thirty-seven years of his mili
tary career. Phvslcally the general Is n
magnificent specimen of manhod , with a fine
physique and a commanding presence , with
Fort Lnramlc , Wyoming , some > ears ago.
After his appointment as a brigadier general
ho was assigned to the Department of the
Columbia , and as the commanding olllcer of
that department had under his immediate
direction the outfltttlng of the two expedi
tions which were sent by the government to
Alaska In the early winter of 1S9S for the
relief of the destitute and suffering miners
on the Yukon.
BRIGADIER GENERAL HENRY C. MERRIAM.
that noticeable carriage that marks the
born soldier.
General Merriam first entcr-'l the military
service of the United States as a volunteer
officer during the war of the rebellion , hav
ing been appointed a captain of the Twen
tieth Maine Infantry on August 29 , 18C2.
Ho served with this regiment until Janu
ary , 18G3 , when ho resigned to accept a
commission as captain of the United States
colored Infantry. General Merriam was In
New Orleans at itho time , serving under
General Benjamin F. Butler , and was one
of the officers of the first actual regiment of
colored troops ever raised In the United
States. Ho participated In the campaigns
around Vlcksburu and steadily rose to the
rank of lieutenant colonel of volunteers , to
which rank ho was commissioned In the
fall of 1861. This rank he held until he
was honorably mustered out of the volun
teer service late In 18C5.
His entry Into the regular service of the
United States was made on July 28 , 18CS ,
when he was appointed major of the Thirty-
eighth United States infantry. In 1885 ho
was appointed colonel cf the Seventh in
fantry , a rank ho hold until June 30 , 1897 ,
when he was commissioned a brigadier gen
eral of the United States army. At the
cutbreak of the war with Spain General
Merriam was appointed a major general of
volunteers and placed In command of the
Department of California. As the com
manding general of this department ho had
Immediate charge of the preparing and out
fitting of the two expeditions sent to re
inforce Admiral Dewey at Manila.
Since his muster out of the volunteer
service ho has been In command of the De
partment of Colorado , Although ho was
recently assigned to the cdmmand of the
department having Omaha for its head
quarters , ho has not yet been relieved from
his command of the Colorado department
and Is now in charge of both , with bis
headquarters at Denver.
"Although comparatively a stranger to
Omaha , " remarked a prominent officer at
army headquarters , "General Merrlam's rec
ord Iswell known to every officer In the de
partment. Since his entry Into the regular
army in 1SCC ho has spent his time continu
ously In the west , and the territory covered
during his thirty-seven years of service Is n
vast one , extending from Minnesota to Cali
fornia and from Texas to Oregon , I think
ho has been stationed within the depart
ment he now commands but once during all
these years , when he was in command of
"His most recent service of Importance
and one that has attracted considerable at
tention has been performed in connection
with the labor riots of northern Idaho , to
which ho was ordered by the president late
In April of this year and over which terri
tory ho still exercises control.
"General Merriam Is chiefly known In
army circles as one of the strictest discipli
narians in the service and the Inventor of
the Merriam pack. When ho was a regi
mental commander before ho wore the stars
of a general ho spent much ( if his time In
the Instruction of his command In field
maneuvers and minor tactics , and ns a con
sequence his regiment was considered the
best drilled In the service. Every one has
heard of the Merriam pack , but not BO many
are aware that General Merrlam Is the In
ventor. The pack Is used to some extent in
the regular service and has been adopted
quite extensively by some foreign armies ,
but It seems to have taken Its strongest hold
upon the National Guardsmen of the coun
try. H Is used by many of the states and
by all the state troops of Now York. The
pack has a device by which a portion of the
load Is shifted fronj the shoulders to the
hips and Is a great help on the march.
"As to General Merrlam's military record
it is one of which ho con well bo proud.
Ho was brovottcd lieutenant colonel for gal
lantry at the battle of Antletam , and as the
organl/cr of the negro troops that did such
noble service during the war of the rebel
lion ho received the thanks of the govern
ment. Ills commission in the regular army
was won by conspicuous gallantry at the
capture of Fort Blakcly , General Merriam
will bo retired from the army In November ,
1901. "
Wifely Consideration
Detroit Frco Press : "I've decided not to
get that now dress wo talked of , " announced
the llttlo wife , whoso husband has a big
bank account and makes largo deposits every
veek. .
"But I want it , dearie , just as much as
you do. Go ahead and order it. "
"No. I appreciate your kindness , but I'm
not the ono to bo extravagant when economy
Is demanded. I saw your bank book thin
morning , and wo are drawing out money a
dozen times where you deposit once I'll
wait till next year , "
