rilfi OMAHA" ILLUSTRATED .'BEE.
February 12, 1908.
Story of the Omaha Press Club and Its Present Prosperity
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CLARENCE THE COP AND ITAPPT HOOLIGAN.
I SEVEN LITTLE TEDDY GIItLS ALL IN A ROW.
TOODLES AND THE TOM CAT.
M
l ANY will argue that newspaper
ynen are constitutionally pessimis
tic' and Inherently Inclined to the
sour View. But these du not quite
understand. It Is really the ex
treme optimism of ttie nowsixiier woi'kers
that ' sometimes twists his mouth toward
his heels end Inspires his Irony. The rude
fracturing: of his hope by men, women and
things he thought'better of and could not
help thinking better of, particularly when
their opportunities were exceptionally fine
turd wide. Is what does it Therefore did he
not expect so much, he would not be dis
appointed so often. After a long period of
these shocks he adjusts himself, usually.
In the guise of an , Individual of Imipense
lmpasalveness with eyes that see when they
look, and with the ability to make quick
and true deductions. Borne, it is true, as
they become aged grow to prefer the so
ciety of their own meditations and books to
tnat of their fellows, but' they have some
othsr reason than the long hours, the hard
.work and ' the constant buffeting of the
uewepaper toilers.
o muoh for his attitude toward the pub
lic 'With his own kind he does not cherish
half the rivalry and the anxiety to "beat
the other fellow to it," that misconcep
tion publishes. Triumphs In tils work ore
so much a matter of propinquity and luck
that ferocity toward men on the other
papers does not pay. Oftentimes by work
ing together only cm the news or tho ad
vertising, or whatever It may be, be gotten.
Bo the fellowship exists that is bound to
come with knowing something about tho
other's parallel vlssltudos. As proof of
this observe the press clubs that flourish
in nearly every city of tho Vnlted Btatcs
where the cruft is numerous enough to
make a decent membership roll.
Omijii'i Latest Press LI at.
Omaha has Its press club has had it
regularly for more than three years, and it
Is In a prosperous condition, too. Finances
liave been the least of its troubles. How to
woo the worker away from his fireside and
needed recreation, during some of tho brief
hours that are ,not spent lu earning his
alary hat been the cardinal problem. But
by simply existing and doing a few things
now and then, the club is finally arranging
things so that it will fit in neatly with
every member's workday life and he won't
have to make a special effort to make him
volt believe that he Is doing his full duty.
Improvements are planlied that will put the
organisation and its trappings an facili
ties on a par with any except the very
biggest press clubs in the country. In short
the leading spirits declare it is to become a
veritable institution that every Omahan will
swear by and the brains, beauty, wit,1
genius and skill that vlBlt the city will re
member with a smile.
So long ago that Its memory is veiled in
1 a hate almost mystical there there was an
Omaha Press club. The gay times It had,
the Jokes It cracked and the good feeling it
manufactured are eminently things of the
past and should not be dug up. It Is not
on record that any attempt has been made
. to dig them up and spread them for the
edification of those generations. Like good
man "who have passed away their bones,
per force. Will rest In peace.
Burst of a New Dloom.
- But. in the present era a new club Was
formed ono with large chunks of ginger
In It and a remarkable capacity for leuvlng
' certain legacies to Us successor the pres
ent organisation. Of whlcb it is Kpoken
was born Ootober 2, 19)0. and drew breath
- valiantly until and Including the 2d day of
November In the same yeuiv On this ineiu-
'uruule date a theatrical performance was
given at tho Boyd by tho members of
"The Burgomaster" company. Orpheum
how and vhutever was in blossom at
MIhco's old Trocadrro. If was a glittering,
howllug success. Much money w coined
for the Prew .club. After tut, mint closed
there were two banquet one for the Thes
pluns who so kindly milled tho 'dollars,
the theatrical people, tho ushers, orches
tras and all hands. vTh other was a
strictly club affair. In the aftermath thero
were the payment of expenses and exit
club until the reorganisation In 1!K. J
Of the lamented body Smith II. Hull,
then managing editor of the News and
now dejurKnl from our midst, was presl-1
(lent; Will M. Maupin, now a factor on
Bryan's Commoner, was vice president; K.
B. mlth, then city editor of The Bee and
now to this vicinity minus, wus chairman
of the executive committee. Will B. Wei
lsjis. one oft the brightest ot Omaha's
'natife 'newspaper men and who-, died In
California was secretary. J, W. M Carn-
mon, later city editor of The Bee and
managing editor of . (the Kansas City
World, was leading light. But despite
the talent the club drooped for reasons
which no one has diagnosed. . '
To one,' Frank Wickizer, belongs much
of tho credit for blowing life into the dead
thing. Mr. Wickizer Is now happily cn.
gaged writing politics and raising fancy
chickens in St. Joseph, where, also,' an
other press club has ben' reared as a monu-
Bluffs and committees were appointed to
ceo about the business. Within a few weeks
comfortable but small rooms were fur
nished in the Patterson block at Seven
teenth and Farnam streets and they imme
diately became well frequented. Local mer
chants discounted heavily on furniture sod
.the club; some of. them made handsome
contributions; local artists gave a number
of pictures In oil; Manager Lane of .tho Ne
braska Telephone company installed a tele-
ln a short time few things were lacking to
t
ment to his talents for organization. Hap- phonei Schmoeller & Mueller a piaho. and
IMij-, hi, fjuum y urvcuuig ocuupieu ' Dim Ulio
moments while he was a member1 of: Th
Bee's staff. Therefore ona March day In
1908 every person-connected on, lu, with
or to an Omaha publication received in his
mall a Joyful poctlo burst, the versos being
sandwiched with announcements that: tha
Press club was to be. again and that clean
would be presented to alt who assisted.
Thus broke the clarion call: ', . ,,. ...
Hear, ye! puBhers of the Faber, ;; .
Get a move on Tuesday next; .
But when finished is your labor
Please remember the old text; ' ''
"Too much work, too small - leisure,
Filleth Jack with stupldnewi,"
Let us then be In for pleasure '
When the paper's gone to press. '
Still Impressed with the educational value
that might come from such a condition,
Wickizer whipped up his muse and moved
onward: . t
That our thlnktanks may be brightened,
make the quarters very attractive. .
Here was hatched a scheme to bring the
convention of the National Editorial asso
ciation to Omaha for 1903. No time was
lost and when a large party of northwest
ern newspaper men passed through the city
on April 14 on Its way to Clio convention,
which wan held in Hot Springs, Ark., that
year, a delegation from the Press club,
composed of I. A. Medlar, E. S. Bradley,
O. 11. Gillespie, O. E. McCune and Frank
Wickizer, met the excursionists at Colum
bus. Large bunches of cut .flowers were
taken for the women and unlimited cigars,
and when the train reached Omaha the
cars had a festal appearance. Literature,'
bsdges and persuasion wore urged upon the '
delegates. E. O. Mayfleld and J. M. Tanner
went on to Hot Springs and did such effec
tive work that it wus practically decided
to have the next convention In Omaha.
on the second floor of the Ramge block and evenings until the production of "Toodlea
on October 12 the goods and chattels of the In Posterland" at the Boyd last Monday
organization were moved in. The glory of . night. Tha musical comedy was put on
the new home and the cooler weather in-, by a cast of 156 Omahans with great suc
clted social functions which continued , cess. The house was packedi and every
throughout the winter with uniform ' sue-. number pleased. Tho music was written
cess. Various kinds of smokers, curd par-, by Pauline Sturges, an Omaha girl, and the
ties, muslcales and socials were given, al-s, book and lyrics by Thomas P. Gets, who
Coming Into Its Own.
The club was growing all the time and'
Entertaining Little Stories for Little People
And our slutrfflnh hlortri hA v.Mmnr1
That our burdens may be lightened.
There has been a press club formed.
Then relax your nerves a minute,
Let there be surcease of stress
And you'll tind there's comfort In it,
When tho paper's gone to press.
It will be noted thut the poet is careful
not to suggest the sepndlng of any of the
Xtlmo that rightly belongs to the Employer
In the Joys of the club, but waits until
the labor of the day Is done. The morality
In his soul reaches its zenith, however, in
the concluding appeal:
Who knows? perhaps some day hereafter,
When our forms have all "gone down,"
And we're "called upon the carpet" ,
By the "chief" who wears a crown,
If there's been some little glowing v,
Of . unHelflHhnens, kindliness.
We may nmke a better showing
When OUU paper's gone to preps.
Formation of the Real Thing.
It matters not whether it was the cigars
or the verse that did the work. Sufficient
Is It to record that somewhat like two score
reporters, advertising men and editors as
sembled In the Commercial club rooms at
4:30 on the afternoon of March 4. All that
was said Is not on record, but each present
flipped a coin on the table and enrolled his
.name. Later I. A. Medlar, publisher of the
Hotel Reporter, was elected president;
- George II. Carter, city editor of the Council
.. Bluffs Nonpareil, vice president; Frank
Wickizer of The Bee, secretary, and W. H.
Wilbur of the World-Herald, treasurer. TDe
first directors, who served with the officers
as the executive committee, were O. E. Mc
Cune, now business manager of theNews;
Edgar 8. .Bradley, then an editor on the
World-Herald and now printing his - own
commercial, weekly, and J. D. Weaver of
The Bee's advertising staff. '
. After organization came the question of
quarters and fitting them. A limited
amount of cash had been Inherited from the
Omaluv Ptcbs club the name of the new
organisation wan the Trl-Clty Press Club,
and It Included South Omaha and Council
His Mistress Voice.
POT sat down, looking as puzzled
as ever a doggie could look..
. "I don't understand it," he
said; ; "I can't make It out , In
the least."
."What is wrong now?" asked his friend
Scotty, a pretty little terrier with long fur
like hair. He was curled up in front of
the fire.
"Why, I've been In the study with mas
ter," answered Spot, "and I heard Mis
tress talking quite plainly, and I couldn't
find her anyhere." ',
"How funny!" and Scotty Jumped up
from the soft rug. "Take me In to see, will
you? Perhaps I can And her out."
Spot shook his head dolefully; he was
too bewildered to say, as he woVild have
done at another time, "If I can't find her
I'm sure you can't," but he led the way
into the hall and scratched at tho study
door.
Mr. Leslie, opened It with a laugh. "Here
they are again," he said to a friend who
was wtlh him; "it's qulo comical to
watch them."
He went to the, table, on which stood
a queer thing like a big trumpet. Then
suddenly some one was heard singing such
a pretty song!
"There!" cried Spot, barking excitedly,
"that is her voice. Where can she be?"
Quite as excited as his friend, Scotty
exclaimed, "Let's look!" .and they both
began to hunt about under the tables and
chairs, behind the curtains, and Scotty
even poked his nose Into the waste paper
basket; but she was not to be found
there.
Mr. Leslie and his friend kept laughing
all tha time,, and the two dogs grew
more and more puzzled.
"I believe she's on the table some
where," cried Spot; and, getting on a
chair, he Jumped on the table, followed
by Scotty. , v s
"Yes, she's In this thing. Oh, dear!"
And, sitting down in front of the trumpet
thing, with his little friend beside him,
they both listened with all their might,
looking so surprised.
Mr. Leslie left the room, and soon came
back with his wife. , '
, "Oh, tha little darlings; they don't un
derstand!" she cried, as she picked them
both up In her arms. "Poor, puzzled dog
gies, that is a phonograph. Didn't you
knowT'V . (
Th grown-ups all laughed; but as. Spot
' ran away to his dinner he shook his lUlle
head wisely.
. "iltnow what it Is," he said, after much
thinking. "Mistress has two voices, her
' talking and her singing one, and the ono
-she Isn't using she puts into that thing."
"That's It! Now we know!" cried Scotty,
with a quick 'bark of Joy.
"Now come and have a race. I'm so
glad we've found It out at lust." And
they really thought they had. Cassel's
Little Folks. . .
Elks and Elk Horns.
How many persons, among the many
thousands that annually visit our zoolog
ical parka, realize, as they pause to ad
niide the noble bucks of the deer family
particularly the wapiti, or American elk
.that their branching antlers are cast oft
annually and renewed and well hardened
within the short period of seven months?
Before describing the manner In which
elk shed their sintlers, I should like to ex
plain the difference between "antlers" and
"horns." All the members of the deer
family the moose, caribou, elk (In Europe
tho animal which we call moose Is Vnown
as elk), and smaller deer possess antlers, .
while the appendages on the heads of goats,
sheep, cattle and the like are known as
horns, and, with ono exception the Amer
ican antelope, or prong-horn nre retained
by their owners throughout life.
Elk shed their antlers about February 1,
though much depends upon the locality
and upon the age and health of the animal.
It often happens that one antler is carried
several days after the other has been
dropped. The new antlers push off the
old ones, and when they appear they re
semble scars on the animal's forehead, but
soon take the form of two black velvet
buttons about the size of silver dollars.
As they continue to grow they gain in
length only, and by July 1 they have
attained their full size. If you could ex
amine them now, you would find them soft,
rather flexible, nourished by blood and in
cased In a thick, tough skin covered with
velvety fur. The antlers are now "In the
velvet," as the hunters term it, a most
critical period for the owner, who seems
to realize It, for he Is careful to avoid
contact with anything liable to Injure
them. Should an accident happen and the
skin get broken or the antler disfigured, it
might result In the elk's bleeding to death
or lu his carrying a deformed antler until
the following February. Through a
ways with" a program to which, the best directed tho rehearsals and performance,
musicians, singers ana amateur actors or . it was the most pretentious theatrical af
tho city 'contributed. Women attended da, Mir the club vr harkt.
in the rail it was agreed mat larger quar- . certain evenings ana enjoyed the Bohemian; ..
ters must be obtained. Rooms were secured '.character of the entertainments a much, , clali as ft Kow Stands
..'.'.,,,' , . ,f not more- thBA tho men. Uvery now and ; rn its fourth year theo fflcers of' ths club
- ; - ' then a well known man, a writer, a bon . -rB . fniinw: irwirtent .r n w,v.P.
-v' vlvant or an unusual' personality would v,ce Dresident. J. D. Green: treasurer.
Nlrop In unexpectedly and enliven the al-1 Oeorse Gillespe; secretary. E. L. PJatz;
ready lively doings, for It seemed that the d,rect0rs, R. F. Hodgln. Robert Glider and
gala nights of the club were well known. H E Newbranch. The. active membership
During the year the original promoter Is about fifty. The new plans Include larger
of the club, Wickizer, went to St. Joseph quarters and the establishment of a kitchen,
to take a staff position on a new paper with complete cuisine equipment, so that a
there. His departure was signalized by a monthly dinner can be served and dinners
quiet dinner at tho MUlard at which most ' given by the club or members whenever
of the club members sat down. L, O. they wish. Additional furniture, which now
Simons, publisher of the Westllche Presse, includes a billiard table, typewriter,
and one of the most earnest workers and couches, tables, chairs, rugs, piano, etc. Is
best membership hustlers of the club, was to be bought and more interesting pictures
elected secretary fill the vacancy. obtained. Tho picture now most valued by
In the winter the club backed a buccpbb- the club is an oil painting of O. H. Roth-
ful -exhibition and sale of newspaper art
ists' work In tho-ctub rooms, It bolng tho
first of its krod ever given here.
process of nature the blood vessels that
have fed tho antlers are shut . off about
the middle of July, and then they begin
to harden. A few weeks later the elk
may be seen rubbing them against trees
or thrashing them about in the brush
while endeavoring to rid them of the vel
vet, and in a few days It hangs In Bhreds
and soon disappears entirely. The elk is
now lord of tho forest, nnd Is ready to
combat with his rivals or enemies. St.
Nicholas.
Story ot a llonkey.
' TJonkeys nro almost always meek, quiet
llttlo fellows, who look as if they would
stand any abuse or bad treatment, but
sometimes they vhow that they have spirit
enough. Of .course, there are bad don
kejy, who will kick and behave wickedly
at any time, like some boys and girls, so
that It is a surprlso to see them behave
well.
But the donkey I am going to tell you
about was nearly always qutit. Ho was
very brave also as you will see. He llvc
in a menagerie in one of our western cities.
There were a great many savage beasts
In this menagerie, and one day a fierce
lioness broke out of her cage. She ran
around to see whom she could bite, and
she met this donkey, who was allowed to
go loose because ho would not hurt any
thing. She made a Jump at him and took
hold of him with her teeth; but the donkey
was no quick and spirited that he got away
from her. Then the lioness made another
greut spring upon, but this time Mr.
ionkey was ready for her.
He turned his back to her, and when she
came near him, he gave her a great kick
with both his hind feet at once and rolled
her over like a ball. She came at him
again, and again, but every time his strong
heels were ready" for her, and every time
the brave donkey kicked her over on her
back. At last she had enough- of Mr. Don
key's kicks, and she ran away from him.
She did not know before how well a brave
donkey could fight.
You have often heard about Hons, which
are so strong and courageous that they are
called the kings of beasts, and perhaps
you have seen more of them shut up in a
cage when you have been taken to a wild
beast show. But it Is . likely that you
thought that one of these great creatures
could ever be conquered by a small donkey,
who had nothing to fight with but his heels.
Minneapolis Tribune. '
Ono of Its "Benefits."
With the co-operation of the Commer
cial club tho National Editorial association's
convention was eventually definitely se
cured for July i, 9 and 10, 1903. The mat
ter was clinched by a trip to St. Louis
where the executive committee meeting
was being held, by President Medlar,
' M. O. Perkins and John Utt, then
secretary - Commissioner of the Com
mercial club. To amass funds
to care for the convention and to replenish
the club treasury as well, an entertain
ment was given at tho Boyd theater on the
afternoon of February 9, 1K3. Both the
Orpheum and Boyd management and ev
eryone connected with the houses from
box office men, orchestra to stage hands
contributed everything they could to the
show's' success. "The Bhoro Acres" -company,
playing at the Boyd, gave a full act,
a number of Orpheum artists assisted ma
terially and Manager Carl Relter and other
talent bearing an Omaha address did com
aker, one of the most brilliant Omaha
newspaper men of the old days. It la by
John Mulvaney. Several other paintings by
J. Lawrle Wallace, Robert Gilder and
others are much treasured, however.
Bome Who Have Moved.
Newspaper men as a class nre too im
patient, for advancement and fame to stay
long in one place if better things are of
fered In another and the membership of
the Pres club, which more than a year
ago resumed its old name tho Omaha
Press club Is constantly changing, the per
centage of stable members being about
two-thirds. Considering the charter mem
bership list at the reorganization it Is In
teresting to note ' the number .hat have
left Omaha in the last three years. Be
ginning alphabetically, John A. Ball, for
merly of The Boo staff, has become as
sistant advertising manager' for the Bur
lington, George If. Carter, city editor of
the Council Bluffs Nonpareil, has gone to
a better Job in Des Moines; L. P. Coving
ton, formerly with the News and noted for
a peculiarly dry wit, is In the harness In,
St. Paul; George M. -Davis, who worked
for the News and World-Herald, Is ths
mendable stunts. Practically every dollar chief police reporter on the Toledo Blade;
taken In was turned into the club treasury J. II. Furay, from a subordinate desk on
as everyone contributed his services and the News has become night editor of ths
Manager Burgess simply handed over his
playhouse for the afternoon.
The convention held In the Orpheum
theater In the summer was a big success,
more than 1,600 editors from all parts of
the United States, with their wives, at
tending. They were royally entertained
and every pc.slble courtesy shown them,
including a night at the Ak-Sar-Ben den
for men. Omaha got more free advertis
ing out of it than from any single source
since the Transmlsslssippi exposition, as
every delegate told about the city in his
home paper and he was given every oppor
tunity to see and appreciate its good points.
Since the convention the club has at
tempted nothing out of the ordinary social
7
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FICKLE WILLIS AND) THE BUNCH HE CH08B S'rlOM.
Indianapolis Morning Star; "Jlmmle"
Houston, Jr., treasurer of the News, has
gone to Des Moines; E. O. Mayfleld, ths
"Rex M" man on tho World-Herald, has
become manager of the Western Newspaper
Union at Kansas City. H. H. Phil pott has
not left The Bee, but has become its cor
respondent at Lincoln; J. M. Prager, who
shouldered arms in Cuba and learned
about the Chinese in his native lair, has
gone no one knows where; John Becan
Ryan, one of the best known and popular
commercial reporters who ever worked In
Omaha, tins gone to . Cincinnati on the
staff of the Commercial-Tribune; Dana
Sleeth, a gentleman of exceedingly delib
erate movement, Is now running a paper
at' some little town on the northwest
coast; Albert Walking r., the Heau Brum
mul of the profession while here, Is get
ting out a farm puper at Lincoln. Tht
present attention that Frank Wickizer Is
giving to poultry hus been mentioned. He
has, however, been forgetting the chicken
coop long enough to contribute an oc
casional story to the magazines. "Artie"
'Wclshans, the thinnest member of ths
club, from taut reiKirts wns enjoying the
time of hln Hfn as dramatic crltlo for a
Los Angeli-H 'paper, and Iou A. Crowell,
another early member of tho club, Is liv
ing down Ills youth us rapidly as possible
by hard newspaper work there..
Doesn't Nlup tlio Inli.
But the cluh I wps on. With wheel
horsfs like the prejent officers. Madlar and
ntheis. It coi!'il not pTss away under any
circumstances, and with the new blood
roiistantly rntrlng In und a comfortable
bunk balance, the outlook' futurewurd 1s
bright. ,
The following hnvm been elected honorary
members of thn Omnhn IVess club; Dr.
George I,. Miller. Kdwsrd Rosewater, Mai
Vhl. T. W. Mcf'nllough. W. R. Watson,
Benjamin V. Herbert, M. O. Perkins, O.
M. Hitchcock, R. L. Metcalfe, Herbert L
Fowler, Victor Rosewater, Frank WlcxJssr,
J. Laurie Wallace.
J