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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1905)
i THE OMAHA ILLUSTRATED BEE. PfCe-rnNv 24. 10OS. ii. i Spirit of Christmas 0 f J f. SCHOOL. BOTS WITH BtTPtJES f CHRISTMAS ii the only time you I f I give away things without being L J frrouchv aiinut It. maid m. hnv n. few days ago, musing over his plans for the year-end holidays. Ills little sister put It a different way, but she meant the same thing when she Mid: "Everybody's so happy when Crlsmus Is comln'. Their eyes Jest shines and shines and they's always tryln' to make every body glad." Both felt the Influence of the spirit of Christmas without realising It. Their mother, good woman, was conscious of the all-pervading Christmas joy, and she knew It came to her threugh the happiness of her children. Their father, laboring under the stress f business which comes In a beap at the end of the year, tired as he was teo tired t read his evening paper let his mind wander back to his boyhood days as he watched his sen wrapping up Christmas presents, and listened to the prattle of his little girL He was happy, too. The Spirit of Christmas Is abroad in the land. Weeks ngo he began to make him self known and the lives of the children wore brightened by ftVetlng gllmpves of him. He had no effect then on the old people, for whom time gees so fast that they do net 'notice the approach of the season s until the eventful day Is almoet upon them. Finally he crept Into their lives, too, reaching their hearts through the little ones. v His presence is felt most of all by old peo ple whose sons and daughters are far away, by young people who have left their father's roof. It is when the snow begins to fly that the birds seek their native Southland; it Is when the snow begins to whiten the ground that the gray-haired mother thinks most of the wanderer, and the wanderer thinks of his far-off home. If only things were different, there would be a happy re union at the old home this Tuletlme. The distance of dear ones Is tlie' only thing that lacks to make the season happy, but, ah, well, if mother and father live, they may all be together next Christmas. Tomorrow will be commemorated the birth of the Christ child, over 1,900 years ago, In Bethlehem of Judea. On this, the Christmas eve, the Spirit claims the whole world for his own. The name of the manger-born baby is heard on every tongue where civilisation holds sway. Tonight tho earth will be wrapped in a universal peace which is not known at any other time. 4 Christmas Im Sbooplna; District. When you walked down street yester day you saw that you were only one of a great army of people, hurrying, hurrying, going from store to store to make final purchases for the holidays. Doubtless you thought that never before had you seen such a throng, except perhaps on that night when the triumphal electric pageant of the youngest scion of the line of Ak-Sar-Ben passed by. The men who keep the stores would have told you that they never were so busy In their lives, and that they never before sold so much goods at the Christmas season. For two weeks that gigantic crowd has passed up and down the streets and for - J " t r. V . I Whs, IT." r 1 n IT Df& ? Mr , - wiiPf --.v f w tt rrrrvrrm pens at rnn YARDS. -;'5 J 4 .4 FOR THE POOR. two weeks tt has filled the shops. The merchants had to take on a large force of extra help, and even then there was in re work than could be done. People stood by dozens in the aisles watching to get acceis to the counters, where they could be waited on. They all said they never had seen so many people buying things; it was just like bargain day all the time. It was, without a single exception, the largest Christmas business the retailers of Omaha have ever enjoyed. The wholesale trade was none tho lees fortunate. Employes in the dry goods houses were worked overtime filling Christ mas orders, and the wholesale hardware dealers also, while a big demand for holi day eatables gave the grocery people all they could do. Shoes have not sold well, because there has been little cold and wet weather, but even with that consideration the Jobbing business has shown an Increase over last year. Truly the business inter ests of the city have more to be thankful for than they had at Thankglvlng. The one man in the whole city who has the slightest reason not to be happy Is the coal man. The fall has been a bad one for his pocketbonk, while It has been kind to tbe householder. But you do not see the coal man sorrowing. Even for him Christ mas lias a bright spot. He knows that old Winter cannot stuy away much longer, and with the coming of cold he will reap his harvest. 8a.t Clams tho Oaly Kins. It is tho season of Joy for little people especially. The Fourth of July is not quite so dear to them as Santa Claus, and Thanksgiving turkey does not please them quite so much as the Christmas stocking. Christmas eve Is a time to which they long have looked forward. When they snuggle down in their "warm beds it is with the thought that old Santa will come glid ing over the snoty with his sled and rein deers some time before daylight and leave the beautiful things they have been want ing. What a Joy for them when their bare feet patter down the stairs in the morning, Hotel for HE transition of the meat product on the hoof from the breeding farms and ranches, from the vast ranges and feed ing lots to the South Omaha glut, yards is a very simple, but at the samo time an interesting, process. The Union Stock yards Is simply a live stock hotel provided for the entertainment aud rest of cattle, hogs aud aheeD on their way from the feuding grounds to the abbatolrs. , They are an entirely distinct and separate concern from tho packing houses. The essential features In the live stock business are embraced in the vocation of the live stock grower, tho railroad, tho stock yards, the market, the commission merchant and the packer. These are so closely related that ooo could not exist - V ' - - ttte south omaha union stock Season and Us Broad and c& - riv 7;m;s$M -'-'v, ;if-- V&J 1: .. D. Urn it w I 5 CHRISTMAS AT THE CITY an hour before the usual time, to And the old man's presents. What a pleasure to look at the things which have been given by father, mother, brother and sister. Maybe, in some families where Santa Clans Is not a reality, the presents are hung on a tree the evening before ChristmaA and the little ones gather round while father takes the books and toys from the tree and calls the names of the owners, which are written on tags pinned to the articles. It Is well that the Christmas tree be dis mantled early in the evening, else the little Gossip and Stories About Ciurl Schars's Early Leasoa. HEN the weather was bad we now and then resorted to a game of cards," writes Carl Schurx In De cember McClure's. "And here, in order to be entirely faithful w to truth, I must mention an occurrence which will prove that my youth was by no means free from serious blemish. "At first we played cards merely for the soke of passing time. Then as the taste for It grew, we staked small sums of money to increane the interest and ex citement, which it did most effectually. The stakes were very sinull. Indeed, but the changing fortune In winning and los ing stimulated the gambling passion un til finally a catastrophe occurred. One particular afternoon I happened to have the money in my pocket with which to pay my tuition fees, duo In a few days. I lost steadily In the game, and waa so carried away that at last I took out of my pocket the money entrusted' to me by my parents. Of - course, with it I ex pected to win back all I had lost. We played on feverishly, but luck would not turn, and at last tho ontlre sum of the tuition fee was swept away. It amounted only to a very few thalers, and my cousin helped me out of my Immediate embarrass ment, but my horror at What bad hap pened was so great, my consciousness of the Accommodation of Live Stock without the other. The primal factor is the stock grower and shipper and the means of transportation. The day has long since passed when live stock Is driven to any market. It is the chief aim of the grower to get the flniHhed product of his ranch, farm and feed lot to market by the quickest route and at Its maximum perfection and weight. It Is the live stock Industry that has latticed the west with railroads more than any other cause. Hence shipment of live stock has about reached the limit of the science of trans portation. Every few miles along tho Una of every railway in the west are live stock pens and driving chutes. Some of these are private pens and chutes, but the greater number belong to (he railroads. Under the United States laws live stock while in transit must bo fed and watered at least once In twenty-four hours. It often happens that the railroads go over the limit, and, as has happened very re cently, they are sometimes mulcted a fine of $100 for the neglect. Many of the stock cars are equipped with automatic water ing and feeding devices, so that tho stock In transit Is fed and watered at more fre quent Intervals than twenty-four hours Otherwise tho stork must be unloaded at the live stock hotels the stock yards for water and feed. Wkr Stockmen Complain. One of the principal grievances of the average stockman is the delay in trans portation, the slow time that Is made. One of the causes of deiay Is the Inviolable rule that "all west bound trains are en titled to the right-of-way as agninsl east bound trains of the same clasn." This rule is responsible for the addition of at least one day to the time consumed by every freight train carrying a limited num ber of ears of live stock from Idalu to Or.iahn. Sidetracking of live stock to marker entails a loss of at leat per Hose Iteeelve Especial Attention. The shipment of hogs Is conducted on a somewhat different Initial basis than the shipment of cattle and sheep. This Is owing to the extreme care and slowness with which fattened hogs must be drlvr.i from the feed lots to the shipping pens and the additional favt that the trainloads nf hogs must be gathered up from a ureal' r number of breeders. The old plan of bill ra ping hogs In double-decker is gradually falling Into disuse .and will In time be abandoned altogether. The same rule ap plies to feeding and particularly to water ing hogs in transit at regular and frequent Intervals. The average weight of the hog received at the South Omaha stock yard during the month of November, 1903, was Hi pounds, from twenty-two to twenty eight pounds heavier than those marketed in Chicago and Kansas City. Kansas City pays a premium on heavy hogs, while South Omaha pays a premium on light huin The preference for the heavier hog In the Kansas City market Is to accommo date southern trade, where fat meat Is in the greater demand among the gourmands of tbe hog and homiuy variety. - After Renchln tho MmrkX. Live stock shipments are invariably oou- 1 MISSION MEANS A LOT TO THE. UNFORTUNATE. ones will not be through talking about their pretty things until midnight, and 'will be very sleepy the next day. v $ Christmas and the Cbildrea. Tho real Christmas splsit is stronger each year In the children. They are being taught nowadays that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and instead of putting their whole mind on the things that are to be theirs, they are concerned for the little ones who would have no Christmas were tt not for the assistance of people guilt so painful and the sense of my morti fication so acute for I considered myself, and with rcaon, to be a criminal that the inward suffering of those days, espe cially when I made a confession to my parents, has ever remained in my mem ory as a terrible lesson. I had gone through a very serious experience with myself. In playing for stakes the desire to win money had really not been my im pelling motive, but the evil fubclnalion whieh the demon of fortune alWHys pos sesses hud led me to commit an act which, committed under less favorable circum stances and upon u larger scale, micht have ruined my character Irretrievably. Card playing for money is frequently classed among the bo-called "noble pas sions," but I believe there Is no form of amusement which, when It becomes a real pusalon. Is so dangerous even to nobly cast natures. It was, perhaps, very for tunate in my own case that this Jesson came so early in life and appeared in bo drastic a shape." $ Cores'! Encavcment Hat. , Congressman Longworth, who is engaged to marry Miss Roosevelt, has been read ing up on Corea. and the other day in con versation with a friend congratulated him self that ho is not a native of that coun try. "You know," he said, "that la Corea slgned by the stock raisers to the commis sion men at the stock yards. The stock is unloaded from the cars, penned, watered and fed, and then are ready for Inspection and sale. The packers must buy on the day the stock reaches the stock yads or they will kill that market. It Is true that the market price of live stock Is governed by the law of supply and demand, and In South Omaha particularly is the demand always In excess of the supply. More or less of a tendency to bunch receipts of live stock on certain days exists, In order to have a big run on that day. This applies to other markets rather than to the South Omaha market. The purpose of this is manifest In that buyers found that they could buy stock at such a lower average price than when runs were reasonably distributed. No feeder or shipper need be told that It is seriously to his disadvantage to have his live stock reach market very late on account of over taxed railroad facilities, be badly delayed In getting yarded, have scant time for feed ing, watering and showing before the whistle blows, and then stand In line for hours waiting for a turn at the scales that have more than could be done by midnight and will probably have little or nothing to do on the morrow. When Cattle Hesch tho Yards. When the cars of live stock reach South Omaha they pass almost Immediately out of the hands of tho shippers to th coin mission men to whom they have been sev erally consigned. Once Inside the stock yards in cars, the shipper has nothing more to do with them. The commission man and buyer relievo him from further responsibility of their care. Euch car of cutilo is loaded with twenty head of stock, the approximate weight of each cor load being 22.:, at least the freight Is touted on that luisls, rrgurdieos of tho actual weight. Ordinarily free transmutation Is given tile shipper at the rate of one man for HHch two cars of stork, though generally hut three men accompany one consignment. The minimum number of cars to he train Is thirty loads, though instances sometimes occur where a special train of twenty loads is shipped. The men accompanying tho stock trains lend a hand at unloading. The cars ate snitched Into the stock yr.rds by the stock yard r.gines after oelng de tached from the arriving train, to the alleys along the receiving pens. It is In ihese r eeiving pens that the commission man gets his first glimpse of the consignment and here the saloe are usually made. rVedlnaj and Hrlllaa. After being unloaded the cattle aro fed at once, watering rwlng deferred for an hour or two. The feeding and watering is at tended to by the slock yards force and the cowboy forces accompanying the train hi slst In driving the cattle to the scales alleys and to the buyers' special pen. This process requires the services of several men, three or four on horse ImiiW who ure expert riders, to keep the tattle moving and from break ing back in fright. Along the narrow walks at tha tops of the pens are assistants who keen up a healthy yell, accompanied with goads to keep the cattle going. Everything has to be done in a hurry, as searcely Is one pea ompUed when It la refilled with caltia ; V 3 1.. ;. I, more richly endowed with the world's goods than they. Many children of comfortable homes prefer rather to see the poor child get his turkey and his toys than to see their own stockings tilled with everything they want. They even are anxious to deny themselves some pretty thing that the poor boy or girl may be warmed and filled. This Idea of giving Is being fostered by the teachers in the public schools and the Sunday schools. It is no uncommon sight to see the school boys on Christmas evo and Christmas day trudging over the Noted People when a young man enters Into an engage ment to marry a demoiselle he screws up his hair Into a psyche knot and crowns It with one of those ridiculous three-storied hats with far-extending eaves. The wear ing of the knot and the hut constitutes notice to the world that he is now a man and has been spoken for either by the Uomoisclle or by some of her relatives. And wouldn't 1 be in a nice pickle if I were living in Corea now?" iked Long worth, as he rubbed his huud over the p)nce wliero the hair usml to l)e. Getting a Start. Thomas Dolan, millionaire head of the Philadelphia United Uus Improvement com pany, was. asked many times to give his vlows on the question of how to get rich. Ho could never be induced to give the story until, he was approached upon the subject one day by a reporter who had been fortunate enough to do the million aire a good turn. The newspaper man asked him how he had made his first $1,000. "You want the truth, I suppose," said Dolan. "Certainly." "Well, I - never had any first (1,000. I had 3j0 and a reputation for 'making good.'. My reputa tion made my $350 look like 3,B00 to another fellow and ho trusted me. My first deal showed a profit of $2,000, so that my first $1,000 was really $2,250." from the constantly arriving trains. Tho transaction of the sale of the cattle is closed In the Ptock Yards exchange build ing. The shipper ii paid by the commission man and his assistants are paid off, return transportation furnished the shippers and their help, and the transaction is ended. The cowboys take udvuntage of the day or two In town and they all manage to drift up to Omaha to take a whiff of city life and Its attractions, and then off again to the ranges to repeat the exjierienco next year. Tto Romance In the Work. There Is very little romance on a cattle train, especially If it be a long haul. The cowboys accompanying the train have ta keep a constant watch to keep the cattle from getting down In tho cars. This often occurs in the Jolting of the train, and some times tho train has to be sidetracked and tho car unloaded to facilitate getting the down cattle back onto their feet again. The men have to be on the watch day and night for all sorts of mishaps, and an occasional wreck Involves an enormous amount of work getting things into shape again. The outshlpplng of cattle is practically the same as the inshlpinents, only in the reverse order. The scale tenders comprise a very Im portant factor in tho stock yards. Imme diately after unloading and feeding the cattle are driven into the scale alleys and are weighed according to their uniform condition. The topnotchers come first In the bunch, then the mediums or culls. Tho uiiuu. ..." iviiuiv.uri. whit in hi in bunch, then the mediums or culls. Tho .. .....'''- - , ' ' ' - - r ; iK;t,Avi'A-rv n COMINO DOWN FROM : Varied Application 1 -,. , 'V- WHAT THE POSTMAN LOOKS frosty pavements with huge baskets under their arms, carrying Christmas cheer and plenty to pobr homes. As early as the first of the month the chlldien, encouraged by their teachers In the public schools, begin to talk about the little girl without any good stockings and the little boy who won't have ally bread to eat when Christmas comes. Whenever such boys or girls or poor families are heard of, their names are placed on a list, and a few days before Christmas tho names are di vided among the school children. They have great fun planning with their moth ers what will be put In the baskets which they are to carry. They take clothing, food, toys and sometimes coal, which Is often needed more than the other arti cles. In tho Sunday school the Christmas en tertainments were once held with the Idea of giving lots of things to the Sunday school children. Each one, when he went to such an entertainment, expected to get a bag of candy and any number of books and toys, one at least from his teacher and the others from his parents and friends. Now the Sunday schools are doing away with the Christmas trees. The en tertainments arc held just the same, and the children declaim and drill and sing just ns they did formerly. But Instead of coming to get from the tree all they can carry away to their homes, they bring wtlh them gifts for the poor. Pota toes, bread, hams, sugar, coffee, flour, eggs, cheese, canned goods, uhoos, stock ings, coats hats all are brought as Christ mas gifts to the poor and unfortunate. On Christmas day the older children of the school who have been divided Into quads, distribute the offerings. Mission Children Get'. Theirs. The poor children who attend tho city mission are having a merry Christmas this year. Tuesday there will be a Christmas tree In the morning for the boys and one in the afternoon for the girls. A generous supply of presents has been sent in by kindly people and there was something for everybody several days before the tree average weight of 4-year-old grass-feds Is from l.liiO to l,3u0. The topnotchers go from 1,3(0 to 1.S00 or more pounds. Hog receipts and sheep receipts go through very much the same process, only It takes a greater number of men to handle hogs and sheep than similar loads of cattle. The Invariable rule Is to sell the stock the day It reaches the yards, and in Omaha there are tew or no holdovers. Koine Figures on Receipts. During the eleven months ended No vember 30. 1905, 948.0U0 head of cattle were received at the Union stock yards. South Omaha, as against 876,000 received during the eleven months ended November 80, 1904, or 73,000 head In excess of the latter year. Of this enormous number received during 1905 628,000 head were bought by tho pack ers, 50,000 head were shipped out again by the owners and 272,000 were sold to specu lators, shippers and feeders, the latter being an Increase of 40,000 over the previous year. During the same period of eleven months . for 19"J6 2,076,000 head of hogs were received and 1,872,000 head of sheep, or a decrease of about 10,400 hogs and an Increase of 306.000 sheep as compared with 1004. Nearly all of this live stock waa bred, raised and fattened In the country within approximately 700 miles of Omaha, largely on tho ranches and farms of Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska, tho natural tributary market .V. a iu v iiiniia. iun w mm m. fail Muiiiuukui - to these receipts. . . , . --,- ' "s-,';1-- ..r ;... " j .' ' . - - ...?''. '.,vi,- - - -- f .1 ...... "-;. . - - - - ' '"''V',.-., ' 'J ' t - .... '..;A . .' '..j. . .... J to Omaha. Iowa was a partial contributor THB CARS IN THE GRAY LIGHT OF ,-. - . LIKE WHEN STARTING OUT. arrived. But wonder of wonders, Wed nesday afternoon an express wagon, filled with toys, drew up before the mission, and the driver proceeded to unload. Miss Magee opened the door and the floor and tables wero soon strewn with boxes and bundles, while a number of urchins gath ered about the door and gaxed on In wild-eyed astonishment. There were dolls, dolls' clothes, tops, trains of cars, sleds, combs, tooth brushes, caps and numerous other articles. The donoi did not send his name, but his kindly aet.on waa evidently a response to the appeal of Miss Mageo for Christmas presents for the 300 mis sion children. At the Christmas tree there will be a scene of happiness such as oomes but once a year among these little folks. They are very happy to get tho things they wanted. Some of them had wished all their lives for a doll or & top, and when they And themselves in possession of the trinket, they felt tholr Joy was al most too good to continue. Activity of Other Organisations. What is this tinkling of tambourines on every corner? What are these large kettles hung on tripods? Why, they are the kettles of the Salvation Army and the tambourines are calling your attention to them. Look on the sign' above the kettles and you will read the words, "Salvation Army," and below them, "Keep the pot boiling." Thou sands of people put into the kettle a nickel, a dime or a quarter to keep the pot boiling. With the money collected in this unique way the army Is feeding poor families and clothing the feet of children. Ail the poor families which come under the notice of the army will get a basket tomorrow, con taining a fowl, bread, potatoes, fruit and canned goods, enough for five porsons. Every child who can be found with Ill-clad feet will be given shoes and stockings. The Associated Charities is another or ganization which Is filled with the Christ mas spirit. Superintendent Morris, while employed continually in ameliorating tho condition' of unfortunates, has been work ing harded than ever during the Christmas season, and if any one Is in want of tho necessities of Ufa today, It is because Su perintendent Morris has not found him. Worry That Comes with Christmas. They say it Is more blessed to give than to receive, and that Is more pleasure. This is doubtless true, yet there is some worry connected with the pleasure of giving. Tho young man is puzzled to know what is the proper thing to give to iris sweetheart, and havinK decided what is proper, ho cannot for his life tell what she would like. Fool ish boy, not to know that if sho loves him truly she will be pleused with anything he gets. Tho girl in return makes something for him with her own hands, and having finished it, knows positively tt Is something he will not need or even use. Foolish girl, will he not treasure it deurly because she has mode it? The little folks It takes them a long time to decide on mother's " present and they declare they are worried to death about It, but things always turn out right; mother Is pleased and the little ones are glad. So this Christmas gift worry is a small thing, after all. Work for the Postman. Dut the postman he Is the man of many sorrows. For a whole week before Christ mas and especially on the two days Im mediately preceding, he Is louded with pack ages and letters until It seems his back will break. Coming out of the pogtofflce In the morning the mall carriers remind one of a bunch of pack mules. They aro in a measure repaid for tholr labor by the happy look in the faces of the peopte at the houses where they deliver the packages. Christmas day tholr heavy work Is over, and they, who have carried so much happi ness into other families, enjoy themselves in the company of their wives and children. x 1 I- THE EARLY MORNING.