10
THE BEE: OMAHA, HUDAX. JUL 2Y, m.
TEACHER AT FORT
OMAHA GREATEST
AMERICAN FLIER
Leo Stevens Went Up in Bal
loon When Mere Boy; Since
. Has Made Many Flights
and Parachute Drops.
By BEATRICE FURMAN.
As you enter the balloon house at
Fort Omaha you may meet an unob
trusive man in iis shirt sleeves sit
ting on the floor mending a balloon.;
Probably a workman or a janitor,'
you guess, as you go on looking for
Leo Stevens, chief instructor of the
only balloon school in the United
States, the man who gave :ip a $20,000
i year business to tca'-li Uncle Sam's
soldiers how to fly, ihe man to whom
the Tathe company offered $25,000 a
year to do balloon stunts for them.
You inquire at the office for him.
Hi. Leo," yells some one, probably
the jfhce boy. "Someone to see you."
The shirt-sleeved individual rises
and picks his way across the floor
through the ' balloon paraphernalia
scattered there.
"What can I do for you?" he asks
politely, rolling down his shirt sleeves.
And it isn't a silk shirt either. His
wife might have picked it off the
bargain counter for a dollar and a
half.
As you talk to Mr, Stevens and
note his sincere consideration for ev
eryone vou are reminded by force
of contrast of the kaiser-like manners!
of a young national guard captain.
Leading Balloonist.
Here are some facts about Mr.
Stevens: '
One of the greatest bajjoonists in
'the world. ' .
Greatest parachute-leaper in the
world. ' 2,
Greatest balloon manufacturer in
the United States. ' ,
Man who made ballooning the fad
of the smart. set of the east.
The man who hobnobs with the
tfCO STEVENS AND LIpUTEN
. ANT DAVIDSON. , '
; ,
V'anderbilts and other millionaires in
the east, all of whom are anxious to
take a ilighf iwith hidi.H -
The txsf, ; man in the. jCOuntry to
build a fhiigible balloon of the aero
plane type.
The ,man with the greatest number
f record flights to his Credit. Among
these are a 783-mike flight from Roch
ester N. to Ludlow, Srf C made
in about eleven hours, and - flight
with Harry,-Atwood to New York
from Su Louis, In this flight Stevens
furnished the niachine and did the
work, while Atwood met the press and
got the attention.;
The man who tacked Harriett
Quimby in her fatal flight across the
English channel.
Complimented by Allies. "
Taking these and a hundred similar
facts into consideration, Uncle Sam
thinks himself hicky to get Mr. Stev
ens to teach the young balloon ob
servers. That Stevens is making good
in his iicw job as teacher is shown
by the compliments of members of
the , British Flying corps who have
visited Fort Omaha. -
His career as a balloonist bcg'an af
he age of 12.. His father and Tom
Johnson; the Cleveland magnate, had
opened up an amusement park in
, Cleveland. A . balloon flight was
scheduled to open up the wonderful
new park and all Cleveland prepared
to watch it. But the flight wa.s taken
a few hours before advertised, with no
witnesses and with only a somewhat
scared but game small boy as passen
ger.. Little Leo was even then wild over
balloons and begged in vain to be al
lowed to go up with the aeronaut.
Being refused, he climbed into the
basket early in the morning and cut
the rope.
Gets Circus Offers.
"I had not the least idea how to
manage the balloon," said, Mr. Stev
ens. "But, scared as 1 was, I was
happy. 1 landed sonic sixty miles
away. After my father .had recov-i
ered from his-fright I got a. wallop
ing. But I also got offers from
museum and circus manager all over j
the country. ,
When my parents went to Europe
soon after 1 ran away and became
a balloonist. As far as 1 know, 1
still hold this first record, being the
youngest balloonist ever to go up
alone.
Mr. Stevens is, of course, as much
at home in the air as a fish in water. !
He has made twice as many parachute
jumps as any other two men in this
country. His greatest jump was from
a neiRnv oi v.uw leei. - j
"But I get dizzy when loo&ng down
from a tall building," he smiled. "So
don't let the fact that you do prevent
you from joining the aviation corps.
When you ' gej up in the ay-, that
passes, and you feel likea fixture in
the sVy,f: -'.'. v. - ;
- rl Omaha Notrs.
Thirty nw snny trucks hve been brought
to Fort Oqishs for uss by tot JwMoon
SChOOl. . , ; ;
A first aid rlsM tor the Red Cross work
ss hold Wednesday raurnlng st the hums
of Mrs. lshm.sHfo ( Major Lnhm. W ives
n4 daughters of ths officers stationed there
attended..,' . ' t -
Major and Mrs. Lshm entertained inform
slljr Tuesday evening . In honor of ilajor
Hannay of ths British Rural Klyilg corps,
who will be their guest while instructor at
tho balloon school for, days., f
Lieutenant pavldfio Tfobsbly will bt
atting chief Instructor o tht balloon school
durtnajthe absenra of Io Stevens In New
Xulkjj Lltuttasttt lvttliiun (s looking Very
I w J
r f. f 'ill m
Pay Day, the Best of All, as It Looks
At the Camp of the "Fighting. Fourth"
I ji v 'Aw XL jf
I ' v ,M. - 1 '
. : J a ;
r. 7. --Kb-
hindmrni thea days, since he nhavfd of
his niUKtni'h, Hb tins bn promisrd "if he
Is good hny.' the privth-ge of making the
first pHrchute Jump ver mle In the
United RtHtes Army Halloon nrhonl. This
Is an honor few civilians would covet, but
tho a v In I Ion students hav been standing in
Hue foTMt slnee th school opened.
ALIMONY GIVEN
ATTORNEY ARTHUR
Court Decrees Doctor-Wife
Must Pay Aged Lawyer
Fifteen Hundred Reac
tionary Alimony.
Johi G. Arthur, aged lawyer, now
an inmate of the Florence House of
Hope, won his fight or divorce
against Dr. Mattfe L. Arthur, promi
nent woman physician. ,
Judge Leslie, sitting in divorce
court, settled, the bitter matrimonial
row between a couple married nearly
forty years ago when he granted Mr.
Arthur a decree and- awarded him
$1,500 reactionary alimony.
It as one of the rare cases in court
annals where a husband was7 granted
alimony.
The hard fought divorce suit lasted
fcveek. Both sides were represented
by battc.ies of attorneys and charges
of a sensational character were made.
Mr. Arthur filed the original suit
on grounds of alleged cruelty, charg
ing that his doctor-wife was domi
neering and "bossy" and had finally
thrust him out into "a cold world."
Wife Makes Counter Claims.
Dr. Arthur brought counter-action
and alleged her husband was a shift
less, no account lawyer" and had never
contributed a cent toward the support
of the household tor more than tweii
ty years. She-testified she had al
ways earned the money for the family
exchequer, while her husband stayed
at home and washed the dishes, made
garden and "tinkered t about the
house." v
The Arthurs were married in 1880,
but. testimony disclosed .he: did not
tellhis wife of a former marriage
and the existence of a grown daugh
ter until recent years.
The big row was over property.
Another suit involving considerable
real estate and other holdings is
pending. '
Judge Leslie in granting a decree
deplored the fact a couple should
be divorced after living together near
ly forty years.
He censured Mr. Arthur for not
telling his wife of the former mar
riage, but declared on the face of
things she condoned his act by con
tinuing to live with him after learn
ine the truth.
Judge Leslie said he recognized the
fact Dr. Arthur's earnings had been
greater than those of her husband,
but said evidence showed Mr. Arthur
had made fortunate investments.'
Vagabond Found With
Money to Pay His, Fine
lohn Petrova is a rare species of
the "vag." Police Judge Fitzgerald
fined Joh.t $5 and costs on the charge
of vagrancy. Sergeant Wilson is so
used to bawling out, "All right, stp
back in here," after each sentence for
vagra:..y that he had the words out
of his mouth before . . .u iiad tiiiic o
reach down in his, sock and secure
$7.50. John, of course, was then ex
empt from "stepping back in" and
went h's way.
Contemplated Using Stone f
To Construct New Road
The attention of the city council
was called to a large pile of stone in
the vicinity of Thirty-third and Parker
streets which residents in the dis
trictsaid had been condemned by the
government, for building purposes.
Residents complained that the street
contractor contemplated using, the
stone in constructing the road from
Thirty-tliird to . Thirty-fourth , and
Parker streets. ..
"Swat the" Fly" is Motto ; V
. Of Commissioner Connell
City1 Health Commissioner Connell
would nave the council pass an oroi-
nance jailing all persons wo do not
kill flies. '. .' -.'
"H s an easy matter to catch thetn
111 y nos nu mm nni
tnem. i-.acii housewite siiouia nave
a catcher placed on her garbage can."
he said. .'-t "v;
Special Garbage Fund:" 1
Started for This Money
Aresolution introduced by Com
missioner Kugel to turn in all gar
bage contract money to the health de
partment was referred to the legal de
partment, . Commissioner Butler insisted it
would not be proper ro turn the
money into the health fund. He
urged that it be turned into a sepa-
Bomb Exploded In Chiracs Hotel. .
Chicsro, July H. A bomb explosion in
lha Berlin room drove srores of guests from
tbo Bismarck hotel early tsdsy. Ths dim
ago la estimated at SI. AOS. Ths explosion
I biased on labor troubles. v ; ,
iAtiV. rj r; :
Of jft i, hk JIV . . , y company to
l-n- i,i , :, .... i
CP'
'
ft
WEBSTER SAYS CITY
RIGHTSARE GONE
Three ' Judges Hearing Argu
ments in Case to Determine
Status of Street Railway
Franchise Rights.
; "r . '
Hearing on a motion to strike out
certain portions of the petition in
the suit of the city of Omaha against
the Omaha & Council , Bluffs Street
Railway company, which refer to the
earnings and proceeds of the old
horse car company, granted a
franchise by the state in 1867, was
begun before three district judges
Judge Day, Judge Redick and Judge
Troup yesterday. '' -
Though the city is not claiming the
right to take possession of the street
railway property, under the reversion
clause of the franchise granted the
original car company fifty years ago,
it is , claiming the right to have
an accounting to ascctain to what
extent the old horse car company
earnings and bonds entered into con
solidation and merging with later sys
tems, including the present Omaha
& Council Bluffs Street Railway com
pany. The reversion clause in the original
charter provided that at the end of
fifty years the property of the old
horse car company should revert to
the city.
Charter from State.
John Lee Webster, counsel for the
street railway company, pointed out
that the state legislature granted the
charter m 1867, not the city.
In 1887 and 1888 the city voted
franchises to build the first cable
and electric lines.
Mr: Webster said the original horse
car property, which was to revert to
the city, was wiped out years ago
He contended under the right of re
version the physical property of the
old horse car company depots, cars
and other equipment was td revert
to the city, not the earnings or bonds.
He declared the only way the city
could have enforced the reversion
clause would have been to refuse to
grant franchises for electric lines and
insist in keeping the old horse car
lines m operation till the end of the
fifty years.
He said public opinion would have
forestalled any such plau.
Corporation Counsel Lambert is
representing the city.
Objects to Stepmother
As the Administratrix
Acting County Judge Sundblad
heard objections by . Mrs. Juanita
Stewart to the appointment of Mf.
Gertrude L. Slater as administratrix
of the estate of the late Samuel Sla
ter Thursday. Mrs. Stewart is a
daughter by Mr, Stewart's first. mar
riage, t Mrs.' Slater is his widow by
second marriage, "
Sub-Bids to Be Let for
New Implement Company
; Sub-bids will sooli be taken by Ar
chitect C D. Cooley of Kansas City
for the various jobs connected with
the construction of the new four-
story warchous for the Emerson-
Brantingham Implement company at
Eleventh and Jackson streets. , The
building will be 108x132. No general
contract wrll be let.
Resolution to Rewire the .
' City Hall for Ak-Saf-Ben
A resolution was introduced in the
city council requesting that, the sum
of $500 be set aside for the installa
tion and wiring of the citv Hall for
Akar-Ben week. The $500 to in
clude the cost of the bulbs. The res
olution stated that. the. old wires on
the outside of the city hall were in
a. dilapidated condition and 'unfit for
further use.",,' "
Man Recovering from
Operation Dies of Heat
Heat prostration is given as the
cause of the df,ath of Hans W. ,Ruge,
hotel proprietor of Manning, la., on
Tuesday. Mr. Ruge was in St., Calh
erine's hospital recovering from an
operation. The body will be sent
today from the Stack & Falconer un-'i
dertaking parlor to Manning. , ;.
PersistenfAdvertising is the Koad
to Success. . ;
A' - v-
Soldiers Are Happy
When They
Draw Their First
Money From
Uncle Sam
Top Major Irvin V. Todd,
commander, standing; Captain H.
H. Wallace, paymaster central
division, seated with gun; Lieu
tenantTupper Wyman, Company
B, with back turned.
Bottom Same officers with
Private , Sepsas receiving pay;
Packard car donated by Orr Motor;
transport paymaster.
CANNED GOODS GIVE
BODY BLOW TO H. C. L.
Expert , Says There Is Every
' Indication That Prices for
Canned Edibles Will
l . Not Rise.' ' v
By A. R. GROH.
- Keep calm, Mrs. Housewife. When
you look at the fixed family income
and read of continually rising prices
of food, just keep calm. Remember
that,' in these days when the rumor
factories are working night amTday,
it is a good thing to take stories of
prohibitive food prices with a grain of
salt. , -'
I kn6w this' is not a very popular
thing to say. Alarm is the order of
the day and perhaps you would be
thrilled more if I'd write some hair
raising article about "impending food
famine." But I cast temptation aside
and raise my banner of ' Truth on
high. -
Into the office yesterday filtered a
wild-eyet rumor that "canned goods
sellingiow at 15 cents a can will be
40 cents this winter."
Taking a large club, I chased this
rumor into a corner and killed it and
threw it out in the alley.
In less figurative language, I called
on F. S. Keogh, Paxton & Gallaghers
canned goods expert. Mr. Keogh was
so disgusted with the rumor that he
could hardly talk.
All Nonsense.
"It's the worst kind of bosh and
nonsense," he said. "The real facts
are that canned goods will probably
be cheaper this fall than they are now
and will continue cheaper. It is all
a question of supply and demand.
This year the outlook for big crops
of alt kinds of goods used for canning
is excellent. The peas are practically
all canned already. They are packed
chiefly in Indiana and Michigan.
About 9,00O;000 cases ' were packed
this summer."
"Isn't it possible that a combine
might corner the supply of canned
goods?" I asked. "
"Certainly not," lie said. "There
are 4.000 canneries in this, country.
They have no organization. Any per
son with $500 can start canning.
There are 150 tomato packers in Mis
souri; 100 corn packers in Iowa, twenty-five
corn packers in Nebraska, and
so on. Tha reason why tomatoes
went up last year was that frost killed
most of the crop. Only about 9,000,000
cases were packed, whereas the nor
mal pack is 15,000,000 cases."
Fear Causes Rush.
Fear, caused many people to lay in
big supplies of sugar at $11 a bag
during the rise of two months ago,
according to Mr. Keogh.. Then they
saw the price fall to about $8. "
Of course, flour continues to be
high. That is because of speculation,
all the dealers say. It is now nearly
$13 a barrel. In submarine-guarded
England .flour is only $8.50 a barrel
at the present moment. "
The constitution forbids "cruel and
unusual punishment." If it were not
for that I would advocate slow star
vation for all foodspeculators." Ano
the people would shout amen.
The government embargo on cans
has' been removed, says Mr. Keogh,
and canners can get cans as usual.
With the present prospects of large
crops of all things cannable, with
the packers preparing to can more
than their normal quantity, there is
no likelihood of an increase in price
worth speaking about. So says Mr.
Keogh who ia in touch with the sit
uation this year as he has been for
many years.
Do your best with your garden
etuff. Can . and preserve and drv
things. And 'don t waste any nervous
energy getting alarmed, because there
is, no cause tor it whatever.
Increase in Salaries
( Of Jardine's Employes
An increase-of salary has been
granted the following employes of
Commissioner Jardine's department:
M.J. Behrens, rodrpan, $65 to $70;
E. W. Woodbridgef field engineer.
$115 to $125; S. J. Anderson, field en
gineer, $115 to 5125; W. 5. Look,
rodman, $65 to $70: H. J. Lindeman,
draftsman, $45 to $50; II. C. Cotton,
chief draftsman, $150 to $165; S. L.
Zimmerman, draftsman, $120 to
$1.25; R. E. Roche, clerk,' $100 to
$110.
C. R. McKay was hired as inspec
tor .and field engineer at a salary of
$125 a month and E. L. Cassidy as
ihspector at $4 per day, :
OMAHA BOY TELLS
HOW U.S. TROOPS
i REACHED FRANCE
7 , -
Russell Papineau Aboard Amer
I ican Transport Two Weeks
' -Without Knowing His
Destination.
9
The first thing Russell Papineau,
911 South Twenty-fifth street, Omaha,
petty officer on, the U. S. ship Han
cock, did on landing in America after
taking our troops to France was to
make a dash for home and mother.
''Gee, but Omaha looks' good to
me! Got any cherry pie, mother?" he
said on reaching Omaha.
"i. -wanted to get off at Council
BIyffs and walk in,-.t4t. train -seemed
so slow," lie added. , ' '
While his mother made-cherry pics
lots of them this morning for her
sailor boy, he told of his trip to
France. '
"Not a soul on our siip,,vev.en. the
captain, knew where we yerc"gding.
He was told to sail in a certain di
rection, according to certain degrees
of latitude and longitude, but that was
all.. There were about 1,000 United
States troops aboard, but even that
didn't tell us, for we had been docked
for a long time with "soldiers living on
board. ".' .
"After almost two weeks we went
slowly we met a French transport.
They lold us we were near England
and on our way to France..
7 Landed at French Port.
"Wc landed at a- French port
but I am not allowed to tell its name.
It has a big supply depot and in its
docks were scores of ships from all
the neutral and allied nations that
had brought supplies to France.
"So it wouldn't do to tell the name
of the place, for the. enemy might
find out about it and try to capture
our ships on their way., ,1, can't tell
the American port we sailed-from,
cither, for troops may go from there
again.
"The whole population of the
French town flocked to meet us when
we came. They were almost in rags,
for everyone there is poor now. They
were so happy to see the United
States ships.
"I stayed in France six days, but
didn't have time to go tot Paris.
French people are not downcast. They
still believe they will win. . The num
ber of troops wounded and ; taken
prisoner is exaggerated here.
; Uver there the papers say ouu men
-er there thepapers say 800 men
were wounded. By the time it getsjin writing to the chief of police all
in American naners the number is1 . . l - .i.;-t. u
The whole nonulatinn there is un
der military rule. In Germany, if a
man goes more than a few rods away
from his house after 6 p. nr. lA is
shot. A woman cannot go out and
dig potatoes out of her. own garden
without asking a soldier how many
she may keep. This is so in all Eu
ropean countries."
Ready for Fight.
Papineau said the American troops
were in fine condition when he saw
the"i last.
"Scared? Well, I guess not. They
were crazy to get to fighting.
"And don't you worry vabout our
The Modern Romeo and Juliet
, V I - - j
do their courting on a vine-clad veranda by
the light not of the moon but of an Electric Porch Lamp
with its rose-colored silken shade.
An Electric Table
Lamp
will add greatly to the pleasure : of beipg outdoors summer
evenings. With the Portable Electric" Lamp you can . read or sew in
comfort out where the cool evening breezes offer welcome relief from
the heat of the day. . , . . ' .
Arrange now to have your porch equipped for Electricity.
See the Portable Lamps, Electric Fans, Irons and other out-of-doors
Electrical conveniences in any Electrical dealer's show-rooms.
NEBRASKA POWER (COMPANY
"Your Electric Service Company"
Successor to Omaha Electric Light and Power Company
soldiers not catching on quickly.
Why, I think an American private is
much more intelligent than most Eu
ropean officers. The boys will show
them, something in a hurry.
Papineau is absent on a ten-day
$ If
1 4A ? 4- a
ZtUSSZLL PAPMZAV
furlough. He has been in the navy
two years, having enlisted from Oma
ha. This is the first time he has been
home. He-is. the. son of George
Papineau and is of French descent.
His ship, the Hancock, was in the
Danish West Indies last spring and
he assisted at the ceremonies when
the United States, took the islands
over. The captain of the Hancock
was temporary governor of the
islands for. 'ten days.
Omaha and Lincoln Men
In Army Aviation Corps
William B, Petersen is back from
Fort Snelling; visiting his parents,
Mr. and Mrs.,- P. F.- Petersen, 101
South Thirty-eighth avenue, for a
few days preparatory to going to the
government aviation school at
Princeton, N. J.
Petersen ha's been a student of the
reserve officers' training camp for
the. last two months aficl was one of
the few successful applicants for. the
army aviation corps. " ,
He was . selected after a rigorous
physical examination which included
an exhaustive test of. the heart and
nervous system, and on account of his
excellent .work in the training camp.
Eight or nine of the men are being
assigned to. aviation duty each week.
Jqhn J. Lyons o.f Lincoln, : was the
only other Nebraska man reported
out in. the same order.. with Petersen.
Each Officer. Must Turn
-In NanW of Places on Beat
It was recommended by Commis-
. . Kl,tl.p that natrolmen turn in
nlareonh ttleir heats which thev SUS-
..uwwd . ' - - - . j
pect of being'disorderly houses.
"Each . officer , should - be held re
sponsible for his territory and should
report at once places vvhich he sus
pects." Tilesetters Refuse to
Work Under'Protection
About thirty tilesetters and helpers
struck yesterday on the various jobs
in the city. Their strike they hold to
be not on any grievance of their own,
but under the international agreement
whereby union, men refuse to work
on jobs under police surveillance by.
reason 01 an injunction.
for the Porch
REGISTRATION DAY
FOR WOMEN NEAR
j -'
'Governor Neville Says He is
j Ready to Proclaim Day
for the Counties to
,. ' Register.
That the state-wide registratic of
women for service to Uncle Sam is
now a thing of the near future seems
probable from the fact that Gover
nor Neville has expressed his readi
ness to proclaim a day for the reg
istration of women at the regular
polling places whenever the prelimi
nary organization is completed by
the counties.
Volunteers to serve on the regi
tratlon board' of their county, both
women and men,. should report at
once to the county chairman of the
State Cttimcil of Defpjise. in the
county in which they liv.
The registration will be under the.
direction, of the women members of
the county branches of the state coun
cil: A woman chairman will be ap
pointed from each county. So far
only fourteen of the ninety-three
counties have reported to headquar
ters., the appointment of a woman
county chairman." Definite plans for
the conduct of the registration will
be announced shortly. t
Four Omaha women are in charge
of state departments of the women s
committee of the Nebraska State
Council of Defense. They are Mrs.
Z. T. Lindsey, home and foreign re
lief; Mrs. Draper Smith, child wel
fare; Dr. Olga Stastny, naturabza
tion; Dr. Jennie Callfas, safeguard
ing of moral and spiritual forces.
Admits Fingerprints, 1
But is Freed Anyway:
Fingernrint identification proved to
be insufficient evidence to convict
Clarence Kellogg, colored, arrested
Monday by Detectives Brinkman and
Barta in connection with the' theft of
whisky and gin from the home of K,
Tiemey, 2123 Burdette street.
, Julius Mansfield, fingerprint expert
positively identified the marks on the
window tnrougn which mc
gained entrance, as the fingerprints of
Kellogg. : " " .
Senator' Tohn Moreanty, counsel
for Kellogg, admitted the fact, but
proved, that Kellogg was not m town
at the time and that the prints must
have been. made at some time prior
to the robbery. Kellogg was dis(
charged by pblice Judge Fitzgerald.
r-Bc'AVawffAds produce results.
..,r .1 ,m tr c rr A MP PIT A
'8itated on Little Traverse Bay on Mailt
Boat and Railroad lines.
The Ideal Summer
Resort Region
Perfect Climate. Pure Artesian Curativ
Waters, Invigorating Air, Scores ef Small
Inland Lakes. Excellent Fishing and Motor
Boatinir, Golfing. Miles of Stone Roads;
Many Picturesque Motor Trips.
NO HAY FEVER. No infantile paralysis.
BRING YOUR FAMILY
For particulars and booklet, write Js. Jty
Niles, City Clerk, Petoskey, Mich
THE CUSHMAN HOTEL, PETOSKEY
Central to all this region: leading, most
modern Hotel: Am. Plan. Write for Booklet,
t W. L. McMANUS, Jr.. Propr.
ft
1
PE.T0SKEY
. 1: