THE COURIER.
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trckp; while the railway bondholder is
pictured as a money k ne. dwelling in
New England or some other foieign
land, reaping large and buio returns
from bis investments in western rail
ways, which could be built for a mere
fraction of the cost that their securities
represent. Brooding over these mistaken
notions, it is perhaps not strange tbbt
the farmers come to believe that
the railway business is too profitable,
and that they will be ent'rely jurtified
in reducing the rates by which these
nonresident capitalists have become so
prosperous. Not enough effort has been
made to show the fdllacioupneEB of this
idea about railway inveetmf nts, but the
necefui'y for presenting the facts in this
matter was never more urgent than now.
One of the clearest statements on the
subject is that just submitted to thj
Kansas legislature by Mr. E. D. Knnna,
general solicitor of the Atchison, Tooeka
&. Santa Fe, entitled -'The railroad qnes
tion in Kansas from the investor's stand
point Replying to the common asser
tion thbt the railway companies of the
west are paying dividends and interest
on borrowed capital, it is answered that
no class of property has j ielded so little
return for the actual cash invested in it
as the rai'wajs of the southwest,
and no class of investors has suffered as
greatly as the men who furnished the
money to construct the railways of the
western and southwestern states. As to
the returnB on capital stock, the fact is
cited that with a tingle exception nn
Kansas railroad corporation has paid a
dividend of any kind for many j ears.
The one exception is the Rock Island,
which has paid 2 per cent, no por ion of
which was earned from its lines in
Kansas.
Answering the false assumption that
the Kansas roads at least Day interest
equal to a fair return on the cash actu
ally invested in them, or on what it
would now cost to replace them, the
following statement is made in regard
to the chief system in the state:
During the past year the Atchison
company paid no dividends whatever,
and paid, iu interest on its bondedjiebt,
asumlhatis only equivalent to $701.70
per mile of its railroad, which is C per
cent on 1 11,745 per mile; sa that the to
tal raymentp, made by the largest rail
road system in the state, to its security
holders of every clasp, equalled less than
C per cent on 12,000 per mile of rail
road; a-id, it should be borne in mind,
the company owning this system has
bridged nearly every large stream on the
contirent, and has spent millions in
tunni ling mountains, reducing grades,
acquiring terminals in large cities, and
bo improving its railroad as to make its
op ration economical and safe.
As to the assertion that at least the
original investois in Kansas railways
have made monoy. It is 6hown that on
the contrary these investors have been
heavy losers. Taking the four chief
railway bj stems in KacsiB, startling
comparisons are given, showing the
total value at the current prices, of the
stocks of these companies in 1SS7 and
1897 respectively:
Jan. 3. IS"?. Jan.2.1687.
Union Pacific $ 37.210.W0 $ 5.79S.10)
Rock Island 5S.1K.3US 3U.iei.S2j
Missouri Pacittc 59.46S.750 11,058.750
Atchison. SS.175.wX) t I.2U7.5O0
$253,010,053 $51,531,078
Common only. tAfter deducting the $10.
000,000 paid by stockholders as an assessment
under the reorganization plan of iy 5.
Considering a loss of 8:201.000.000 in
the market value of these securities in
ten years, and the further fact that on
the great bulk of them there has been
absolutely no income for many years,
the notion that transportation rates in
Kansas are made to pay big profits on
watered stocks is sufficiently grotesque.
r
The one bunc red and fifty-ninth edi
tion of Pieerre Loti's"An Iceland Fish
erman ' trans'atfd by Helen B. Dole has
finally reathtd my hands. The Iceland
fisherman is a Breton youth who go:s
with the Brit n ilett every summer to
Iceland to fish. The Breton fisher folk
and their homely anxious lives are tcld
withsyinpa'hyand ins'ght into humble
lives that is the glory of the "Angelus."
Pierre Lo i s pic'ure shows him a young
man with an upward turned mustache,
looking quite incapable or drawing an old
woman like Grandmother Moan.the poor
woman whose grandson is shot in the
war and in mournirg for whom she losrs
her mind. After the official had bluntly
announced Ihe death of her grandson
she had to walk many miles to her hut
"In Paimpol she went along, looking
Btra-ght before her, without seeing any
one, a little bent forwaidas if she were
going to fall, and with a buzzng in her
ears and hurrying, urgirg herse'f rn,
like me poor old machine that has
been set loinsr for the last time regdrd
lefs of break'ng the srims.
"At the third ki ometer she walked all
let t ot er, xhausted. N w and th n
br sxbot would hit seainst smo stone,
wl ich w u'd jar her head painfully; and
she hastened to get home for ft ar of
foiling and bavirg to be carriel. . . .
"'Old Yvonne is tipsy!'. She f 11 down
and l he boys in the street ran aft r her.
She had strength enou h to git up and
hobble a way with her si ick.
"Old Yvonne is tipsy! And the saricv
lit'Ie rascals came acd laughed in her
face. Her heid-dress is all awry.
"As these little boys prered under her
cap and saw the look of despair In her
aged face they turned away.
"As soon as she reached home and had
closed the do-r, she cave vent to the
feelings which were stifling her, in a cry
of distress, and dropped into a corner
with her head against the wall. Her
head dress had fallen over her eyes; she
threw it on ihe floor her poor, best
hed dress, which she had always been
fo careful of. Her last Sunday dress
was all soiled; and a lock of yellowish
white hair, escaping from her head band
gave the last touch t) the poor woman's
disorderly appearance. Sbe was hardly
able to cry. Very aeed grandmothers
have no tears in their exhausted eyes.'
Ih'is picture of the proud little Breton
peasant, her back bowed by a grief
which -sge had left straight and supple
is affecting. Whistler drrv bis mother
in the same way. I know noth'rg about
Lot', but, I think he is from Brittany, of
peasant birth and this royal old lady is
h's own grandmother. In spite of the
love 6tory, the sea and the grandmother
are the chief characters in "An Ice'and
Fisherman."
STORIES IN PASSING.
"I want to buy a white silk bow tie,"
said the tall customer, peering out of his
overcoat at tha university student who
clerks in an O street clothing store on
Saturdays.
"Bow tie? Yes, sir," was the reply.
"We haven't a white silk, but here is a
good white lawn which will please you
just as well."
"But I am not getting it for myself,"
interrupted the man in the overcoat.
"For a friend? Well, I'm certain he'll
like this tie. It's more stylish and looks
better than silk. I'll tell you whit you
do. You take out one of these lawns to
your friend and let him try it on. If he
isn't pleased with it he can bring it back
and we'll refund the money."
"But I couldn't do tba," said the cus
tomer after the clerk bad run on in this
strain for some little time. "You see
I'm getting this tie for a dead man we're
laying out He always wore a whitesilk
bow and bis wife says he ought to have
one to be buried in. So I am 'fraid I
can't take one of those out for him to
try or."'
And the young man was so overcome
by this piece of intelligence that he let
the customer escape without making a
sale, which, in that establishment, was
an unpardonable thing.
Evcy evening just before the 8 o'clock
whistle blows, rain or shine, sleet or
snow, the armies emerge from their bar
racks and for half an hour wage battle
on uneven O street. The "olds," as tLey
are called, or Salvation army people,
come up Tenth and swing into O at a
rapid pace, marching to "At the Cross,"'
set as a two step. The band comprises
the .voman-leader, the cornetist, a dozen
followers in their queer and ugly cos
tumes, singing and beating tambourines
savagely, and the bass-drum brirging up
the stragglers. Through snow and mud
they proceed as if attacking the devil
himself, as far as Thirteenth where they
turn and countermarch up the opposite
gutter.
In the meantime, as if aroused by
notes of challenge re-echoing between
the walls of the building, the Volunteers
of America, or "news" as they are
known, issue from their armory on P
street, turn up Eleventh to O and en
camp before the Funke, as if that were
the seat of iniquity. They are fewer in
number, but muke up for tbfc by a big
ger and newer drum, a shriller fife, and
a mote brazen cornet. Their dress is
brithter and less worn by exposure, and
they carry an American flag a their
emblem. Their street service is brief
and to the point. A woman prays. A
hjmn is sung. And then the leader, a
man this time, commences to address
the few who have gathered about the
circle. The man talks quietly enough at
first but soon has cause to exercise his
vocal powers. The original army which
has been booming away up the street,
has arrived dirc ly opposite the Volun
teers. Then fighting the devil and sav
ing his victims is torgutten in the more
exciting experience oi resisting the rival
organization across the way. The "olds"
attempt to drown out the "news." The
drummer of the marching band beats
louder, the cornet blares fiercer, the
women Brream shriller. But above all
the din, the powerful voice of the
speaker paws forth like a torrent and is
cast back again from wall to wall. His
is the voice of a giant with the power of
a lion behind it, and he glories in his
strength. For ho has been an auction
eer before his conversion.
The "olds ' pass by and their voices
grow fainter as they turn into Teeth.
The "news" come back to their attack
on the devil again. And the battle of
the streets is over for one night.
Such is the scene humorous, pa
thetic, but enacted in deadly earnest
as it is nowadays. Some time I shall
tell of a scene years ago when the "olds"
were new and ran a rival entertainment
to the Eden Musee band.
timbers were standing in their native
forest"
Then he stuck. The upturned faces,
the rapidly flowing water below, the
novelty of the situation something
knocked every word out of his head,
and his address vanished from him like
the mist of morning before the sun.
But the mayor was gritty and made
another '-Twenty years ago and these
massive timbers were standing in their
native forests." The same majestic
wave of the band, the same elevation of
the voice and the tame abrutt pauee.
Every other word had escaped him. At
first the audience thought he was re
peating for emphasis. But at the sec
ond halt they began to understand.
The mayor took a drink of water from
the stand at his side and once more
tackled his address.
"Twenty years ago," he started in,
"and these massive timbers were stand
ing in their native forest , and I'll be
damned if I don't wish they were stand
ing there yet 1"
And with that last culminating expres
sion, the dedicatory address of the mayor
was ended. H. G. Shedd.
First pub. Feb. 6
NOTICE.
She is the eight year old daughter of
a Twelfth street resident, and in her
way is quite original. The other even
ing she begged to dry the supper dishes
and her mother humored the wish. It
was a new experience to the child and
she was rather awkward at first, drying
the plates slowly and puttirjg them
gingerly on the table. The mother who
was washing the "supper things," "beat
her out,"' as we children used to say.
When the pans were rinsed, the dish
water emptied, and the sink scoured, the
child still had the cups and saucers to
finish. These were rearer her size and
she handled them with more assurance.
As she dried each cup and saucer she
placed them next the others in a long
row across the table, eich time pushing
up the whole to make room at the lower
end for more.
"McKinley parade,' she Baid half
aloud, her childish imagination calling
up the recent political processions.
She had but two cups and saucers
left undried. Thinking to make room
for these, she pushed the row of china
up farther than usual. She bad been
watching the nearer cups, when with a
crash the otner end of the "parade"
dropped over the table and three cups
and saucars landed in a shattered heap
below.
"Oh, mamma," she said, ruun'tng to
her mother, "I've made three McKin
Ieys march off the table, and they've
fallen all to smashes on the flooi."
And sobbing she buried her wavy
blick bead in her mother's lap.
Years ago when the C, B. & Q. bridge
across the Mississippi at Burlington, la.,
was formally opened, the mayor of the
town was invited to deliver the dedica
tory address. The m yor had never
made a speech in his life, but in an evil
hour he accepted the honor. He spent
considerable time over his speech, and
being a man of considerable ability, pro
duced a good addres?. He was especial
ly pleased with the opening sentenca.
And he had cause to be, for that was
about all the speech he delivered after
all, as you shall see.
His time came and he started in with
a sweeping gesture over the bridge, at
one end of which he stood.
"Twenty years ago and these massive
20 61. First National Bank, Barnes-
ville vs. Cook.
To Lulu Clark Cook, non resident de
fendant: You are hereby notified that on Janu
ary 22nd, 1897, the First National Bank
of Barnesville, Obio, began an action
against you in the district court of
Lancaster county, Nebraska, to recover
the sum of $7,000 upon two promissory
notes, executed by you and others, one
for 82,000, dated March 5th, 1696. due
four months from date, the other for the
sum of $5,000, dated May 13th, 1896, due
ninety days from date, with interest on
said sums from the dates of said respec
tive notes, at 8 per cent per annum.
In said action orders of attachment
have been duly issued and levied upon
all your right, title and interest in lots
number 1,2 and 3, block number 1, in
Capital Addition to Lincoln, in Lan
caster county. Nebraska, and have
further been levied upon all your right,
title and interest as stockholder or other
wise, in the following named corpora
tions, to-wit: The Union Savings bank
of Lincoln, Nebraska, The First Nation
al bank of Lincoln, Nebraska, The La
Platte Land company. The Union Land
company. The State Journal company,
The Lancaster Land company. The Lin
coln Land company. Ihe South Platte
Land company. The First Nationa
bank of Crete. Nebraska, The First Na'
tional bank of Pawnee City, Nebraska,
and The State bank of Duboip, Nebras
ka. In said action Chat lee A. Hanna and
Amelia B. Claik have been summoned
as garnishees to answer concerning all
property belonging to you ic their pos
session or under their control, and con
cerning all indebtedness to you and in
said action it is sought to subject to
the payment of the plaintiff's claim, all
jour right, title and interest in the
above described land end corporations,
and in the property in the hands of or
under the control of 6aid Charles A,
Hanna and Amelia B. Clark.
You are required to answer the plain
tiff's petition on or before the 15th day
of March, 1897.
S. L. Geisthakdt,
3-6 Plaintiff's Attorney.
First pub. Jan. 23.
SHERIFF'S SALE.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, THAT
by virtue of an order of sale issued by
the clerk of the district court of the
third judicial district of Nebraska,
within and for Lancaster county, in an
action wherein Francis A. Lewi-- and
John G. Johnson as executors of the
last will and testament of George Blight
deceased is plaintiff, and Elsie L.
Epperson et al defendants. I will, at 2
o'clock p.m. on the 23rd day of Febru
ary A. D. 1897, at the east door of the
court house, in the city of
Lincoln, Lancaster county, Nebraska,
offer for sale at public auction, the fol
lowing described real estate, to-wit:
The east twenty-five (25) feet of lot
ten (10) in block one (1) in Lavender's
aJdition to the city of Lincoln, Lancas
ter county, Nebraska.
Given under my hand this 21st day
of January, A. D., 1897.
John J. Trompen,
220 Sheriff.