Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, November 22, 1903, EDITORIAL SHEET, Page 17, Image 17

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    TI7E OMAITA DAILY BEE: . SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22. 100,1
B4
Rockers
r way would sen at
$4.95
WO of these elegant, large, piano polished rockers,
exactly like cut, Just received, go In thia Special
November Sale, commencing Monday. Note the
rich and pretty rarvlngs, the new shaoe arm,
raddle wood shape seat, fluted and turned aptn
(les and posts. This rocker come with a high
ptno polliih end In the regular way would sell at
8.. in, nut during- this
November Special Bale
w offer them at
each ......
8176 large arm rocker, golden finish, Special
November I UK
Sat I.OO
$4 no large oak rocker, quarter aawed and polished,
richly rmbowwil back, ahaped O Oft
seat, November Sale price s,zft
$4. SO extremely large oak rocket, quarter aawed
and polished, November 1 Ofi
Bale price W.sSV
$0.50 mahogany finish rocker, piano polished, rich
mahogany panel back, o t(
November Bale price J.zK
BIG NOVEMBER SALE BRASS
AND IRON BEDS
$2.7B Iron Bed special November sale 1,95
$3 60 Iron Bed special November aale 2,65
$4.26 Iron Bed special November aale JJ
6.09 Iron Bed braaa top rails, splndlea and A ft
knobs ' MV
$6.60 Brass and Iron Bed bow foot, brass top QR
rails, lings end spindles
$12.50 Iron Beds fancy colors November Q 7R
apeclal aala price &mJ
$16.00 Brass and Iron Beds In 1 i 7f
color ,,,"
$23 00 Iron Bed, four-poster new design special f Q Oft
finish isr.w
$26.00 Brass and Iron Beds November sale 2(1 ftO
price ,u'v"'
$43.00 Brass and Iron teds November aale 3.675
.'"'BRASS' BEDS
$75.00 All Brass Bed heavy two-Inch posts special etT (fi
mountings u W
$64.00 three-quarter Brass Bed heavy two-inch A 2 JK
posts . J
,4Bed t,'r'quar,er BraM Q8. 00
$42.00 full size Solid Brass 31.50
ALL FOLD IN G BE DS
Go In this great November stock reducing sale.
Great November Sale Carpets and Rugs
All carpets reduced during; our November Sale. An opportunity to 'cover your floors at
much less than usual co,t from the very cheapest to the most expensive Carpets and Rugs.
The best quality of Two-Ply Ingrain Carpets, new pat
terns to select from n gular price 80c November sale price
65c per yard.
85c and tic line Union and Half Wool Ingrain Carpets
for iisc.
STOCK RUGS ROOM SIZES
The greatest valuta we can offer are these Rugs, made
up from remnants of carpets and borders at remnant
prices. Hera are a few of the prices for the November
aale of Rugs. Bring your measurements, as these Rugs
cannot be sent on approval:
-x8 Wilton Velvet $160
Sxl2 Axmlnster g.oo
8-9x7- Axmlnstir , 5 no
I-9XH-9 Wilton Velvet 8 .00
8-3x10-2 Brussels 12.00
6x10-8 Axmlnster 17.00
8-3x10-8 Body Brussels 18.00
6x0-4 Bigelow Axmlnster 13.50
8-3x8 Body Brussels '22 50
8-3x9-10 Brussels 13.76
8-3x7-3 Wilton Velvet 13 50
8-3x11-2 Wilton Velvet 2500
8-3x11-10 Wilton Velv.'t 23 50
8-8x11-2 Wilton Velvet 21 'w
8-3xl3-t Axmlnster 22.OO
S.Svll-lft. A vm In star ni r.A
. .- ...... ... ...... . ..........
I s-axuvio HiMiy t-. russeis 3 B0
' 8-8x12-6 Body Brussels 23.50
9x10-4 Body Brusels 10.80
8x10-6 Body BriiFsels 19.50
8x10 Body Bruss' Is .' ir 00
I 10-6x12 Wilton Velvet 26 75
I 10-6x11-$ Axmlnster 24.00
Bljrelow Axmlnster
The carpet for parlors, libraries and reception rooms.
Regular price $2 .. All reduced from 8." to 7fe per yard
for November selling. Thia Is an enormous saving on very
flue carpets.
Linoleum and Oil Cloth
We will sell Monday 600 yards of perfect new Linoleum
best make.
60c grade LlnoPMim for 4i"e
75c grade Linoleum for r2e
85c grade Linoleum for tc
11.00 grade Linoleum for 70c
Oil Cloth
40c best finality Oilcloth 1 ?Se
S5c best qunllty Oilcloth 20c
c bent quality Oilcloth loC
Sample Stove Hi gs at each 60 to 16c
Sample 35o 4x4 Stove Rugs for Cc
Sample fine. 5x4 Ftove Rugs for IBe
Sample 85c 6x4 Ftove Rums for fiV
Bample $1.45 8x4 Btove Rugs for SSo
I ur Kobe
A new and complete line of Fur Rugs. Carriage Mats
nnd Baby Robes. Now Is the time to make your selection.
Combination R:i y Robes for J5.75
Combination Bary Robes for $.I5
Afghan Baby Unties for II 75
Turkish Angorn Robes for $17.00
A f Khan Baby Robes for
Iceland Baby Robes for
flrecland Oo-cnrt R be
Turkish Angora Baby Robe $12.00
Pur KuffS
Angora Robes $3 60, $5.00, $8.00 and $0.00
Carriage Foot Mats JJ-28
.uu
.,,., ...fftf.ii
1450
Fancy Goat Robes
.$2.60 to
Buffets
65 Patterns of Bui" , all woods
and finishes In this Special Novembar
Sale.
$17.50 BufTet November sale 4
price
$2800 Buffet November sale 3 25
$26.00 Buffet November sale QO
$15.00 Buffet November sale 2Q QO
1 r '--r-' ' -r"
't . II II.
i&sM
I J
u
SIDEBOARDS
28 Patterns ot S deboards In this Special November Sale.
$17.00 Oak Sideboard-November special s-ile price
$19.00 Oak Hldelvnard November special Sale price
JH0 00 Flemish Onk Bldebnnrd Novemlicr n eclnl sale price
$150 handsome Sideboard November special sale price
$32.00 Solid Oak Sldelvoard Novomlvpr spivlal sale price ,
$Ui.00 Solid Oak Sideboard November special sale price ;
$1 10 Solid Mahogany Buffet November Special sale price
$150 Handsome Hand Carved Sideboard November special sale price
DINING ROOM SUITS
Dining Room Suits. Pining Tables, Chairs and Dining Room Furniture In end
less variety In this great November sole.
$23) Mahogany Dining Room Suit consisting of buffet, china closet,
dining table and seven leather-seated chairs the china closet Is
tilted with glass shelves, full mirror back handsome design
Nnembe.- special sale price
$271.50 Dining Suit consisting of dining table, sideboard, china
closet, serving table, plate rack and six leather
seat chairs November special sale
price
. $: !fl
. $!.
. SMO.PO
.$129.75
,. $'.P0
.. $11.00
.81 -! 2S
.1.'9.70
189.00
216.50
retard WMhelmii
GREAT NOVEMBER
e
arpet
0.
After November 30th tegular prices witl be restored. We cannot sell at such
sacrificing prices co?iti?iuatty. Our reductions are all bona fide. Now is your time to make
selection of furniture, carpets and draperies. ICs a stock reducing sale on a broad plan.
Couches
17 patterns Couches all different styles frames and coverings, tufted tops and nlaln
tops some handsome quarter-sawed oan irames, plain oiners
with carved frames this entire line of Couches only one of a
pattern regular price up to $23.60 In thia special November
sale each
$16.00 Tapestry Couch November special sal
'u uu iriani
13.75
price
10.00
$32.00 Davenport Bed Couch November aala rfCt
prtCB MmMCM
$46.00 handsome oak frame Pillow Couch Verona uphol- OQ Jtz
etered ...."
$.16.00 Pantaaota Leather Couch November sale 22 00
$'18.00 genuine Leather Couch tufted top November aale
price
32. 00
$06.00 genuine Leather Couch tufted top November sale 47,75
39.75
price
$46.00 genuine Leather Couch tufted top November sale
price
PLATE RACKS AND CHINA
CLOSETS
$1.00 solid oak Plate Rack special while they last during thia November BDr
sale each UWW
Plate Racka and Plate Cabinets a, large new lot at $5.00, $4.60, $3.75, $3.60 f fi(
and
16.50
.. 23.00
China Cabinet quarter-sawed oak bent glass ends special
at !
Very large else China Cloaet full bent ends highly hand polished
special at .."
Handsome China CablneU at $23.00, $21.00 $19.50, $17.50, $15.25 1275
Drapery Department
Interest is not lacking; with the baying pub ic in this department,
curtains in hundreds of diiierent patterns being sold in this November
almost halt their regu'ar price. Read some of our special offers.
Thousands of
Special Sale at
$6.00 Brussels Curtnlns, Irish Point
Curtains, Cable Nets and Domestic
Arabian Curtains, all full 60 inches
wide, 34 yards long f er
November sale price O.OU
$16.00 Irish Point. Corded Brussels and
Battenherg, Hand Made Cluny,
Hand Made Arabian Curtains every
one in perfect condition, stylish and
worth fifteen dollars 44 s)e
Bpeclal O, O
$10.00 Portieres for doors all the lat
est styles and colors, both In mer
cerized, plain with corded edge and
the new border effect, Persian de
signs suitable to be used with ruifs
of that kind all worth up to $10.00
and $11.00 per pair f 7a
bpeclal xJ A tJ
26c Cretonne Old English Hand
Painted Cretonne for shirt waist
boxes, over drapes, over laces in bed
rooms, bed room curtains and hun
dreds of other things for which Cre
tonne is being used we will sell
them all special per tAtr
yard JW
Sah Nets. . Brussels, Irish Point,
Cluny and fancy made nets worth
from 60c to $2.00 per yard selling at
HALF PRICE.
$8.00 Irish Point Curtains, Brussels
Curtains, Domestic Arabians, new,
up-to-date patterns In this lot you
will find values worth at an ordinary
sate $8.U0-rrSpecial per - 03
$2.50 Ruffled Net Curtains, Ruffled
Bwlss, with hemstitched border and
ruffle which Is very full and sewed
on so curtain will wash extraordi
nary value at per j J
$17.60 Door Curtains, all new designs.
We sell more of these high class
Door Curtains than any house In the
west. For that reason we can keep
abreast with the styles better. Over
60 styles will be on sale Monday,
worth up to $17.50 speciul f t(
per pair V.1J
10c real hand made Battenberg Edg
ingboth In cream and white worth
10c everywhere we sell it . Op
per yard J
16c Insertion to match
special per yard
,...4ic
Couch Covers Killm designs, Ijavajo
patterns worth up to $10.00 euch
special for Monday only one only
will be sold to a customer A QS
special eath
$12.00 Brussels Curtains. Point de Vene
tian, Double Net Brussels, Irish
Point Curtains, Point de Aral) all
new. select patterns worth regular
$12.00 special selling 675
$3.60 Hand Made Battenberg Curtains,
with 44-Inch ruffle, good quality of
net, 46 Inches wide, 3 yards long we
have only 150 pairs of this numlier,
so come and get some they are
worth 3.5ft regular 1 Q
special per puir IJ
50a Scotch Swiss, both dots and fig
ures, all 50 Inches wide, very fine
quality, for bed sets, bed room cur
tains, dresser scarfs worth 60c at a
bargain any day special ... .1711
per yard
26c and 30c Embroidered Bwlss for bed
room windows, bath rooms, dining
room sash curtains ten styles to se
lect from for Monday onlv not
over 28 yards to a customer $ 7 1
special per yard H 3
During November we will make and
hang in any private residence in
Omaha in lots of 16 shades or more
our best hand made Shades any
size mounted on Harts- . ftEp
horn rollers for each VIOW
STOOL, Like Cut
V'pholstered Stool like
cut frame of aolld oak,
golden or weathered fin
ish, birch. Imitation ma
hogany finish, nicely up
holstered In figured ve
lours, regular $1.75
special November sale
price on
sale Monday
morning each
$3.75 Roman Seat highly
polished In quarter
sawed golden oak or
birch, mahogany finish
November O
sale price, each. KJ,J
$14.00 Mahogany Parlor
Chair silk upholstered
November
Trice -LOO
iofr warn
95c
$15.00 handsome Mahogany Polished Choir silk upholstered soa t-Novem- f o Of)
ber sale price mmit
$16 50 Mahogany Parlor Chair finely upholstered tapestry seat jo
N'nVitmhnr ante liripn ,...S"lff
$47.00 Mahogany Sofa silk upholstered November special sale Q QQ
.24.75
49.00
59.00
tirlce
$35.00 Mahogany Arm Chair silk upholstered Beat and back November
special sale prlco
$.(k Mahogany Sofa Davenport Btyle silk upholstered-November
special sale price
$75 richly hand carved sofa, davenport style, solid mahogany '
frame
BED ROOJU FURNITURE
Copies from genuine antiques exact reproductions.
$70.00 High Boy November special sale
price
59.00
$3S).0O Chiffonier November special sale 33. 50
$4ii.00 Mahogany Dresser November special sale 33.50
$57.00 Mahogany Bed four poster November tspeclal sale 29. OU
price ,
$37.uo Mahogsny Cheval Glass November special sale 33,25
price
LIBRARY TABLES
No better time than now to make selection of a Library Table at
gain prices. '
123.00 Antwerp Oak Library Table November salo prlci
$28.00 Antwerp Oak Library Table November sale price s
36.W Antwerp Oak Library Table November sale price
$37.00 Antwerp Oak library Table Novum ber sale price
$00.00 Antwerp Oak Library Table November sale price
175.00 Antwerp Oak Library Table November sale price
$32.00 Solid Mahogany Library Table November aale price
M4.00 Solid Mahogany Library Table November sale price
137.00 Solid Mahogany Library Table November sale price
iaO.OO Solid Mahogany Library Table November sale price
$54.00 Solid Mahogany Library Table November sale
$5.00 Solid Mahogany Library Table Nov, mber sale price
$i0.00 Solid Mahogany Library Table November salo price
genuine bar-
$1.60
$18.76
$24.00
tuwi HniM Mnhi.ff.nv T.lbrarv Table November sale price
Every Library Table In the house In this great Novembor special
colonials, all in this great November aule.
$27.50
$44.75
$52.75
$J3"5
$26.60
$27X0
$17.10
, $38.60
$46.50
$19.75
, $550
sale, alt at
antiques and
EXPERIENCE AS A GUIDE
Satisfactory Eetralti of Muoioipal Ownership
ofLlghU in Detroit.
BETTER SERVICE AND AT LESS COST
Felly Farming; Oat Ptablie Itllltles
to Private Corporntloas Instruc
tive. Facta foe Progres
sive People.
Frederick F. Ingram, commissioner of
public lighting of Detroit, Mich., contrib
utes to the Arena a paper on Detroit's
light system, showing the decided eco
nomical advantages of a lighting plant
owned and operated by the city." Mr. In
gram aays, in part: '
Detroit's public plant has now lighted the
city eight years. Trie first year the coat
waa less than the lowest price ever secured
from a private company or ever offered
by a private company.
The lowest contract price waa $128.17; the
loweat contract price offered waa 1101.10
per t,C00-c.p. arc light per year on a ten
years' contract.
The coat from the public plant the first
year waa $100.60. It has steadily declined
since to $63.$t last year, adding deprecia
tion, lost taxes, and Interest at 4 per cent
on the Investment to cash coat.
Depreciation is figured at 8 per cent on
the entire Investment. Our experience dem
onstrates that thia Is ample. In the first
place, real estate and conduits, on which
there la no depreciation, amount to $20H,-
804.60, or one-third of the entire Inveatment
of $W3,4S.3. In the second place, T per
cent on incandescent plant, arcs and
aw Itches, amounts to $90,078.80, or 11.$ per
cent of the total Investment. Steam plant,
amounting to $129,616.84, or 19.1 per eent of
the Investment, is figured at t per cent
These are over three-fifths the total In
vestment, and other Itema are figured at
thil? p.vpCr pruut Ut,u. Besides tills, iliu
chargea for maintenance Include many
Items, .such aa replacing poles and wires
and similar equipment on which the de
preciation would be higher than T per cent
U they were to be charged to that account
These, however, are charged to operating
account. Lost taxes are figured at actual
combined rate ($21.23 last year) for city,
county and state taxes on an assessed val
uation aa placed by the city assessors and
is an overestimate when compared with
the assessed values of other plants ot like
character similarly located In the city
For Instance, tax rate aame year per k.w,
capacity Detroit Edison Illuminating com
pany, 117; public lighting commission
charge to cost ot lights per k.w. capacity
Is i tt.
Fancies of the Oenosltlea.
This ia my sixth year ou the lighting
commission and I can say, speaking from
that experience, that the dangers and ob
stacle alleged to beaet such a municipal
undertaking and that are portrayed with
such energy by those Interested In con
cealing the real cost of electric lights are
mere fancies. We have not telt them nor
seen them. a
. The city will have gained In ten years
operation more than the entire value of
the plant (at least $.000) aa a clear profit
over what ita lights would have cost on
the lowest ten years' bid from a private
vompany.
Vnder the ten years' contract the cost
te the city would have besn U.414.7M 14,
while from the city plant ths total outlay
f-r plant and operation, adding lost taxes,
will not sxcee4 I3.li0.fcjf, (actual figures ate
given to 1903, 1903 and MA are based on
average Increase ot lamps and cost ot
preceding years). As regards Interest, In
terest can be considered as applying only
on the excess sum expended, which is
greater In municipal operation for the first
five years, but mush less for the second
five yeara, the aggregate being less for
the ten-year period. The difference In
Interest charge Is . not material, and Is
more than offset by the greater efficiency
of service and Its more equitable distribu
tion, subject as It Is under municipal op
eration to actual local needs, Instead of
"pull."
The benefits are not alone to the tax
payer, for we give the union soale of wages
and run on the eight-hour day. Also, once
year every employe of the commission
gets a ten days' vacation at full pay.
) Falsehoods Refuted.
We were told that a publlo plant could
not give decent service, because It would
be run by city politicians.
The number of lamp hours reported out
the last full year of contract lighting was
100,880, while last year under municipal
lighting with 60 per cent more burning it
was but ,826.
The average city politician, like the av
erage man In any employment, holds his
position by serving his master. It public
utilities are In private hands, private In
terests are served. These private interests
then run the politicians. The politicians
can never run them.
The lessened cost and improved service
alone, vindicate Detroit's experiment In
municipal ownership, they are not, how
ever, the most Important results. Remov
ing this public utility from private ex
ploitation has shown our cltlsensthat nat
ural monopolies are harmless In the hands
of their natural owners, the community,
but demoralising and corrupting In , civic
affairs if surrendered to private corpora
tions. It has demonstrated that the service can
be Improved and the cost lessened by re
moving this publlo utility from private
exploitation, eliminating machine politics,
and applying to It the business principles
iimt nu.vtii vtdiimi ;uuijsui.i vt enter
prises. That machine politics plays no
part la shown by the fact that the num
ber of employes has been reduced from
113 In January, 1S, to 10S In January,
1903, notwithstanding the output for the
same period has more than doubled. The
permanency of employment, too, ia shown
by the fact that 88 per cent of the present
staff have been In the service since 1896,
69 per cent since 1898 and 78 per cent since
1900.
Machine politics and superfluous em
ployes can find no permanent lodgement
in a munlclpally-owned public utility of
this character, because the cost and quality
of the output are matters of publlo record,
and economy or lack ot It easily demon
strated by comparisons with other estab
lishments. Therein there is a difference
from the department of publlo works, the
park board and such departments, where
charges of prodigal expenditure are met
by flat denial, and the real facts cannot
be ascertained because there is no result
of the labor which Is susceptible of such
definite measurements and comparison.
Methods Contracted.
In contrast with this, compare Detroit's
experience with public lighting prior to the
establUhmunt of the muulclpal plant. The
constant trickery and blackmailing be
tween rival corporations, and the fruitless
efforts to enforce the conditions of the
contract that absorbed the time ot the
common council, finally ended when an
alderman, Protlva by name. In open coun
ell banded to the city clerk a roll of bills
ot $JU), ellugtng they were given him
by the manager of the electds light plant
for Ills vote. This episode finally decided
the Issue In favor of the municipal plant.
That similar tactics still continue when
private corporations perform public serv
ice Is evidenced by the following verbatim
report from the Detroit Free Press. It
says:
The Detroit City Gas company has sent
to each member of the common council a
request to nominate a few men for em
ployment. With each letter was sent ten
blank tickets, the filling out ot which by
an alderman insured a Job to the holder,
giving In one bunch 370 Jobs to the offlclala
who nave the power to compel the cor
porations to live up to or to exempt them
from the conditions of their franchise con
tract, to amend the contract and to grant
them new privileges.
I might give many other proofs from the
experience ot Detroit of the advantage ot
municipal ownership over private owner
ship ot natural monopolies, but I will con
clude by quoting from one who Is perhaps
the greatest living expert on such matters,
Mr, Charles T. Terkes. He says: "No
monarch of the civilised world has such
power as the ownership of such publlo
utilities as railroads and telegraphs con
fers upon the owners, and If we add to
this, ownership of street railways, gas
electric light and telephone companies, we
have a country ot monarcha indeed!"
(News-Tribune, May $, 1900.). Mr. Yerkes
does not advocate what I hav shown to
be the relief from subjection to these mon
archs, namely, municipal and government
ownership of publlo utilities.
Old Arsrameata Exploded. (
At the "National Convention upon Mu
nicipal Ownership and Public Franchises"
last February In New York City, I heard
much about private operation and public
control, from the representatives of the
franchise-holding corporations and others.
The old argument that cities can't oper
ate a lighting plant or can't make It pay.
is no longer listened to when hundreds of
cities are doing it and are making It pay.
Commissioner of Labor Carroll D.
Wright's report of four yeara ago, has data
from 962 planta, 310 of which are mu
nicipally owned. It shows that the average
cost is less from the municipal than from
the private plnt
The quality und quantity of light is fre
quently a subject of dispute between a
city and a contracting company. If the
current Is cut or a light is out the saving
goes to the city from a public plant. In
contract lighting it goes to the contractor
unless there Is an accurate account made
of the reduced output.
Many stations make a practice ot lowering
the amperage at or about midnight. This
results in a saving In fuel and carbons and
la generally considered good economy. Does
the city under contract lighting always
benefit by thia economy?
It Is difficult for the city to secure definite
and indisputable, evidence as to the facts In
dispute betweea a city and contracting
company, regarding the wattage of the
light furnished.
For example, recently two Michigan cities,
Saginaw and Rochester, lighted under con
tract, made the claim that the lights were
under the quality railed for. The claim
was disputed by two contracting companlea.
The contract called for a 2,000 c. p. arc. 450
watte at the lamp terminals. Careful tests
by experts hired for the purpose by the city,
who connected watt meters to the circuits
without the companies' knowledge, found
the average of twelve readings In one case
to be 340 watts, a little over 7$ per cent of
what was contracted for, the average of
thirteen readings In the other showed 400
watta. 88 per cent of what waa contracted
for. The contract price was rebated for the
S per cent shortage, but not for the 11 per
cent.
Farsslngj Oat Pahlto Fnnrtloaa.
A olty must have an accurate record of
the light furnished at all times aa a basis
for enforcement ot contract. This necessi
tates the employment of a competent city
electrician not affiliated with the public
utility company's. He should be provided
with an office and one wire ot each circuit
connected with a recording watt meter
therein. This will show the tlmo of start
ing, shutting down and current supplied.
One fact 1 wish to emphasise and that is
that the farming out of public functions
may have, an excuse In Turkey and the
more despotic Oriental countries, but it is
contrary to the spirit of democratic institu
tions. If our government is not to be demo
cratic a government by the people placing
public utilities In its hands does not estab
lish public ownership. It might be machine
ownership, class ownership. A coterie of
machine politicians would be as undesirable
if direct owners as are the private com
panies. Small choice for the people In
owners if It must be between machine
bosses and the private corporations that
control the machine bosses. As Prof, par
sons has said: "Public ownership of the
government Is essential to any real public
ownership of anything else."
The public In order to control the gov
ernment must themselves by direct methods
nominate their officials, the people must
also secure to themselves their natural
right to veto measures and to propose
measures the Initiative and referendum.
Not until then will officers reflect the as
pirations and desires of the people.
OIT OF THIS ORDINARY.
The exar of Russia is the largest in
dividual Innd owner In the world. The
area of his oersonl possession" Is greater
than that of the Republic of France,
Some Chicago saloon keepers have lieen
selling a champagne manufactured from
cider and una at a cdnt of 20 rnnta a ml.
j Ion, for $4 a quart. That seems to he a
lair prom, even in me liquor Dusiness.
The oldest wine In the world Is twenty
seven cases known as Napoleon sherry,
vintage of 1730. which has arrived In New
York City from Buenos Ayres. It was or
dered lor Napoleon Just before the Waterloo
an was not delivered, and will now be
offered to Americans at $J50 per caae cf
twenty quart bottlee.
A man In Lewiston. Me., defied the city
authorities to collect his poll lav and the'v
Jailed him, and he has been behind the
bars since August 6, running up a hill ot
81.7S a week In addition to his $2 poll' tax.
He must pay both before he can be re
leased, and it looks as if he would pay
dear for his stubbornness.
The greatest numlier of natents taken
out by one man have been granted to
Fruik Schonkee of Vlncennes, lnd. He
has patented 6.024 devices of various kinds
and claims to be the most prolific Inventor
In the country. None of his Inventions,
however, have brought him a fortune, al
though he draws a moderate income from
some of them.
As an excellent remedy against the
freesing of shop windows, the Pharma
cuetische Zeltung recommends the applica
tion of a mixture consisting of flfiy-ttve
grains of glycerine dissolved In one liter
of to per cent alcohol, containing, to im
prove the odor, some oil ot amber. As
soon aa the mixture clarifies. It is rubbed
over the Inner surface of the glass. This
treatment, it Is claimed, not only prevents
the formation of frost, but also stops sweat
ing. Oliver Jenkins, a resident of Cleveland,
thinks he has solved the crowded car prob
lem and asked the local street railway
to make a thorough test of his improved
vehicle. Jenkins has worked on the theory
that one person sitting occupies as much
floor space aa three persons standing. The
main feature, of his invention is the side
walls rising perpendicularly from tl'e flour
instead of cut under the seats. Jenkins
claims this will make room or 300 persons
In his car. lie would add four rows of
straps for passangers.
A ball to be given in Savannah, (ia., on
the evening of Iierember lu In aid of
the fund being raised to erect In that city
a monument to the memory of (leneral
James KUward Oglethoipe, who, with his
followers. 176 years ago laid the founda
tion of the colony that has grown into the
stale of Georgia the empire stts of the
south. The ball Is designed to be one ot
the greatest social functions ever under
taken in the state and the Smarm ah News
says (hat the people of Savannah will do
their part toward making the occasion cue
to be remembered for all time.
HISTORY OF OLD THORWALD
6torj of tba Horn a of John If. Thurston,
About to 03 Under Mortcaire.
SCENE OF MUCH SOCIAL ACTIVITY
Comfortable Quarters of Former Sen
ator and Ills Family Is 800a to
Pass Into Hands of
Creditors.
Persons whose terms of residence In
Omaha equal a quarter of a century or
more, and who are therefore familiar with
local history because of association, won
der why Former Senator John M. Thurs
ton does not make efforts to prevent the
sale of "Thorwald," his old Omaha home,
under a mortgage foreclosure decree.
Judge Baxter last w.eek ordered the sale
of the property to satisfy two mortgages
with interest, the sums being $13,1M.20 and
11,101.33, respectively, the deeds being held
by Mrs. Eliza B. Patrick and KUery 11.
Westorfield. The property will go under the
hammer the first week in Decomber unless
efforts are put forth to regain It, and It
is said this -will not be done.
"Thorwald" was built by Senator Thurs
ton and his first wife, who was Miss Mattle
Polan, the daughter of Major Polan, a
retired army officer. The house was the
result of much study and devising on
their part and waa erected In the early
80s. Three lots, then as now, constituted
the grounds of the dwelling at Twenty
fourth and Farnam streets, admittedly one
of the choicest residence sites in the city.
Birthplace of Children.
Several of the Thurston children were
born at "Thorwald" and it was while living
there that tho senator achieved some of
his greatest legal and political triumphs.
It waa from this house also, that the
former Mrs. Thurston was burled not so
very many yeara after' her sliver wedding
anniversary was celebrated there with
great eclat.
While persona familiar with real estate
values do not think "Thorwald" would
bring more than the aggregate claims, yet
they say in years to come the site will be
come almost priceless; further that with
little effort the piece could be made to
yield returns on a $20,000 investment.
It has long been clear, of course, that
Mr. Thurston dors not Intend to ever
again make Omaha his permanent abode,
having established himself at Washington,
with offices In New York as welL He Is
supposed to have been making money aa
a lawyer since leaving the senate and It
la known that his fees In several well
known cases were very large.
The first mortgage against "Thorwald"
waa recorded August 16, 1900, which was
after Mr. Thurston had married his sec
ond wife. The other deed was filed July
I B, lav:, anu ia in tavur ui mr. n caieruem.
After paying the semiannual interest three
tlmea the coupons on the major mortguge
were allowed to go unpaid. The note tor
the $12,0U0 loaned did not fall due until
1906.
One of the Pioneer Dwelling.
The Thurston home was raised after the
famous Nebraskan bad made a name for
himself at the bar and It was one of the
first dwellings west of Twenty-fourth street
in the central part of the city. Not long
before the plans were drawn the Tliurstous
lost several children by diphtheria. This
sad visitation caused Mrs. Thurstoii to
fear the presence of sewer gas In the house
and "Thorwald" was constructed without
Interior sewer connections of any kind.
The house Is frame and has two stoilas
and a basement, with brick walls. Owing
to the care expended upon the plans the
interior .presents a number of eccentrici
ties, among them being the fact that the
dining room is in the basement, while the
parlors, library, etc., are on the Mist floor.
One room was fitted up as an "arsenal,"
to use the words of the man who de
scribed it. The walls were hung with shot
guns and rifles of modern make, and the
collection was said to be one of the finest
exhibits of up-to-date firearms In the coun
try. Shooting was a favorite recreation of
Thurston and he was a crack rifle shot
and an expert with the shotgun. Stories
are told of the days when he defeated
competitors shooting glass balls In the
alley behind what Is now the Omaha Na
tional bank.
Ills Love of Rusticity.
Oi the terrace at "Thorwald" Is a pyra
mid of boulders overgrown with moss and
vines. The pile Is a memorial of Thtjr
ston's love of rusticity. He cared a great
deal for anything with a touch of nature
In It and the boulders were all shipped to
Omaha from some far-off lake where
Thurston had seen them. He merely ex
pressed a wish that he could have a num
ber of the rocks on his lawn and admirers
Immediately saw to it that his delre was
gratified.
"Thorwald" was not built without con
siderable contriving and scheming to ob
tain the money to pay for It. The house
Is a fairly large one and has a conservatory
attached. It was necessary for Thurston
to proceed with the construction to borrow
money from A. J. Hanscom, giving the
premises as security. It was many years ,
before this obligation was wiped out. In '
this connection the statement Is made that
a part of the money that Thurston put
Into "Thorwald" was the fee that George
Lauer paid him for clearing lilm of the
charge of wife murder.
One of Famous Trials.
This trial was one of the most famous
that Omaha has known. Lauer was the 1
the manager of the Omaha Barbed Wire
work, s roi.crr, nt Fourteenth and ?:ia.o
last streets. He married his boarding house
mistress' daughter, a beautiful woman,
and was said to be very jealous of her.
They lived together for several years.
One night Mrt. Lauer was fatally wounded '
by revolver bullets. Her husband did not
deny that he did the shooting, putting
forth the plea that he thought she was
a burglar. Evidence adduced at the trial
seemed to show that Mrs. Lauer had left
her bed chamber In her nlghtrobe to at
tend -to the fire in the hard coal burner.
She was near the stove when the bullets
pierced here, and General John C. Cowkn,
who was employed to asKlst In the prose
cution, dramatically exhibited the clear
Isinglass in court to prove his contention
that there must have been light enough
In the room to show Lauer hla wife was
no burglar. Nevertheless Thurston suc
ceeded In getting his client free.
The affair broke Lauer and he went to
beat tie. Wash. Afterwards lie went In
sane. The fee he paid the lawyer became
associated with the Thurston home and Is
thought to have helped in the erection ot
the domicile.
Seene of Social Gaiety.
"Thorwald" was the scene of much social
life during the many years the Thurston's
occupied it. While the senator waa serv
ing his term at Washington Mrs. Polan,
Mrs. Thurston's mother, maintained the
house, the three children, a boy and two
girls, going to school. One of the events
at the Thurston home that I well remem
bered is the celebration of their silver wed
ding. Many invitations were issued and
guests were . present from various other
cities. Great quantities of gl
of congratulatory telegrams were received.
Shortly after the death of the first Mrs.
Thurston, en route from Ouba In 1898, the
senator ceased to ,take any active Interest
In his old home. The funeral of Mrs.
Thurston was held from "Thorwald" and
for some time afterwards Mrs. Polan kept
the house. When she died the library,
firearms, curios and household furniture
were removed to Washington and for a
while the house stood empty. Dr. E. W,
Lee occupied it for a time and for a year
it has been tenanted by Dr. W. O. Henry.
The Deacon's ThanksfKlvlng.
I'm thankful I have no crutch nor cane.
No eur trumpet at my ear;
I'm exceedingly glad mat 1 am not dumb,
And thnt old Age Is not near.
I rejoice that I have no mortal 111,
No bodily ache nor pain;
No burden of unrequited love.
Nor hope that must hope in vain.
Yes, I am Indeed a thankful man;
But you will observe that I'm not
Returning thanks for th- things 1 have,
But for the things I have not.
Madeline Bridge In Judge.
When the Crops Are In.
There's a kind of happy feelln' creeps down
in a feller when
He's got his pumpkins gathered and tin
hay mow's full again;
There's hope in all the breesea that corns
blowiu' from the hill,
And you git 10 kuni or ihlnkln' God Is up
there somewhere Hill.
What a purty .git the wheat is as Its
piled up in the biu?
Oh, it's good to be a farmer when the
crops are in!
It's lively In the city, and it's very qu et
here;
There the hurry and the racket keep a '
goin' all the year;
There most every day'a excitln', and the
keep It up at night,
Every way a person gazes there is some
uncommon sight.
And 1 s'pose It's never lonesome llvln"
'round th I aunts of sin;
But the city people never have their crops
all in.
There's many a day of tollln', and there a
many an ache an' pain,
And there a lota and lots ot frettln' at the
dryness or th rain;
There's the weeds and worms and Insects
the farnur has to fight.
But the good Lord doesn't often full t
puii em througn all riant;
And the sweetest satisfaction that a mortal
man can wlir
bort of hovers 'round the farmer when the
crops are in.
-FRANK II. SWEET.
iTn'.jnrfiilRliV
W v,
o
n vanoua omerv
glts and soorea
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