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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 12, 1899)
THE COURIER 3 tiotiute ujul fusolnutlng retain noth ing of their charm except tlic alTec- I: lion gone maudlin, and even If they are genuine the metamorphosis is go complete that estrangement is less painful than seeing them thus. This being so the business of the medium is most precarious. Her clientele arc only those morbid ones who prefer tombs and decay t living, however bereft the life of the race. As the morbid and lugubrious are poverty stricken from their very inability to make ttie best of life, a medium's prospects even if she be a real one arc very slender. . .. Electric Wires. The deaths of the four lirenipn killed in Omaha on Wednesday after noon should call the attention of every mayor and inspector in the country to the manner in which elec- trie wires are strung over the cities. One who has never been on top of any of the down town buildings can form no conception of the maze of wires crossing and crls-crossing the tops of the buildings. Fastened to the sides ol the buildings by a pro jecting non-conductor, the wires en ter here and there as the caprice of the lineman has suggested. On the roofs the wires are supported by a series of v-shaped supports which any strong wind or storm may knock over and bring the wire into what appears to be a dangerous relation ship with a tarred roof. It is miracu lous that so few firemen are killed. Few men with plenty of leisure and at a time when there is no tire could accomplish the raising of a ladder without hitting a wire in any of the alleys of the down town district here. Their number and eccentric direc tion would puzzle anything but an expert expert. No ponder then that u poor fireman is burned to a crisp occasionally. Firemen are paid for their time and their services, but should not be asked to offer up their lives to the carelessness of elec tric light employes. Nevertheless Lincoln is only a fair sample of elec tric light wiring. The men killed in Omaha were: Otto Gieseke, 1123 Harney street; truckman, hose and ladder company No. 1. .lames Adams, 1025 South Eigh teenth street; lieutenant of hose com pany No. 3. Charles A. Hopper, 2410 Bancroft street; plpeman, hose company No. 3. George Benson, Twenty-fifth and Tones street; plpeman, hose company No. 3. Humble, foreign names, some of them. None of them known us pro minent, citizens, yet of such are the cities of this country composed. How Omaha would have been shocked and how tho mayor and council ..-would have bestirred themselves to make the conditions less dangerous for prominent citizens if instead of Otto Giesccke, truckman, James Adams, lieutenant of hose company, Charles A. Hopper, plpeman, and George Benson, plpeman, Mr.Kountze banker, Mr. Millard, banker, Mr. Rosowater, editor, and Mr. Webster, attorney had been tho victims of viciously placed wires. Yet ttie families of this latter group of highly respected, brilliant and worth gen tlemen, would, in all probability not bo left destitute by their death. The widows of tho firemen must leave their little children at homo and go out washing or take up some of tho comparatively few employments open to. unprepared, ignorant, frightened women, whom death, loosed by bad 'lty customs, has deprived of the breadwinner. Theso humble work men will bo Just as much mourned, for no man, however rich or highly stationed Is bitterly and inconsolably mourned by but Tew. And In the short procession following the pi no coffin there arc just as many broken hearts as in the long procession that follows the metallic casket covered with orchids and white lilacs Ap ponded here, in order to recall the impression which fades so quickly in the succession of eatastrophlcs re corded by the newspapers is the re cord of tho wrack tho wires wrought: "A crowd quickly gathered and It was with much difficulty that llremcn and police could keep curious and excited throng at Physicians soon appeared upon scene, and began a heroic light death, but all to no purpose. victims were removed to an open space back of the store, where volun teers soon began to try to revive them. Artiticial respiration was at tempted and everything known to medical science was tried to bring the men back to consciousness. But it was all to no avail. Tho arms and legs were worked frantically, ice was put upon them, and hypodermic In jections were given, but all the ef forts were fruitless, and in less than an hour tho four firemen were pro nounced dead. The men working with Otto Golse ke thought twice that he was reviv ing and had strong hopes of bringing him out all right, but the third time he had a sinking spell his life 'went out. Hopper walked from the truck in the alley the whole length of the building to Eleventh street and then fell to the earth and never revived after that. His face became purple and all the work of the men did not so much as create an Impression upon him. The two Injured men were removed to their homes as soon as possible and after it was found that the other four were dead the coroner was notified and their bodies were removed to the morgue," t A French Cook's Privilege. A French mistress must give her cook or second girl a written charac ter when the latter leaves her service. If she refuse or write a recommenda tion that does not recommend, the cook can have the law on her and Mdlle. Louise Glrot complained of her for mer mistress, the Comtesso de Fonte nay for writing her a compromising character. And tho comtesse had to pay a fine for her revenge. Tho Rec ord prints the character, which the cook, not being able to read posted off with, to her prospective new mis tress, a baroness. The comtesse wrote: "I, Comtesso de Fontenay, hereby certify that for three years I have been at the service of Mdlle. Louisa Girotand done my very best to please her in all things and show her my devoted submission. I was often dis tressed at seeing that her temper was somewhat difficult to put up with, though I tried hard to live on good terms with her on account of the excellence of her sauces, of which M. lc Comptc was so fotid that I should have liked to remain at Mdlle Louise's service much longer. My purse, as well as my patience, having been con stantly dealt with by Mdlle. Louiso with unlimited liberty, I cannot say much about her honesty." The First's Opinion of General Otis. The Nebraska men now In the Presidio at San Francisco have on several occasions indicated their un favorable opinion of General Otis, Their patriotism cannot bo ques tioned and after .soldiers have gone through a campaign with a leader their opinion of his ability is reliable and trustworthy. Tho few Ptragglers who returned from Manila after spending most of their time in the guard-house and spread complaints of Colonel Stotsenburg were entirely different witnesses, These men have fought the fight and been faithful to their oath and their duty from enlist ment to muster out, and their lack of confidence in tho commanding officer in tho Filiplnes is based on sound experience. General Miles, tho ex perienced Indian tighter should bo sent to take General Otis' place. moot the the bay. the with Tho 0Ot0MMtOMMt 01 0 93 LHB8- LOUIHA I, KIOKKTTS. mm TreaBuror, Mrs. Phillip N. Mooro, St. Louid, Mo. Auditor Mrs. O. P. BurnoB, Louis villo, Ky. Stato Chairman Mrs. Louisa L. Rick ettfl, Lincoln, Nobr, Officora of tho State Fodoration of Women's clubs; President Mrs. S. 0. Lungworthy, Soward. Vico PreBidont Mrs. Anna L. Appnr son, Tecumsoh. Rocording Secretary Mrs.F. II. Sack ott, Weoping Water. Corresponding Socrotary MrB D. G. McKillip, Soward. Treasurer Mrs. H. F. Doano, Crete, Librarian Mrs. G. M. Laoibortson, Lincoln. Mrs. A. B. Fuller, Auditor, Ashland. That, tho club womon of Nebraska aro giving earnest, conscientious, thought to tho welfare of tho club movement is shown by the number and variety (both sides being woll sustained) of communi cations from ciub women from all ovrr tho state on tho quostiors of reorganiza tions, precodonco as between stato presi dent, state chairman and per capita tax. These interesting opinions which bogan in tho Courier of August 5th will bo published as fast us spaco will permit as long as tboy continue to come One suggestion in regard to raising revonuo by r similar arrangement to that of tho National Educational Association is tensely practical and seems foasablo. rlvod from tho G. F. W. (J. if tho Wor cuBtor amendment should carry. I cer tainly ht'liovo that should Bitch a changu ho mado much of tho powor und useful ness of tho fodoration would bo destroy ed . I doubt if tho organization would ovor hold together for another bbnniul. Ab to tho tnlstakcH and tho unwloldl nesB of tho Donvcr blonninl, there is certainly a dilTeronco of opinion. It was impossible that thnro should not be soino mistakes, eonio orrors of manage ment, but, they woro cortainly fow in number and unimportant in thomsolvcH. Carping critics can always find fault but cannot always suggest tilt right romedy, nnd wo do not boliovo that tho Worcoster amendment will bo tho Bovorjign romedy for tho mistakes of tho Inst blonninl. By all moans do not put nny limit upon tho numhor of bright, tetolllgont, happy club womon who gathor togothor to compare notes ex chango idea9 and gathor inspiration. Mako tho programs shorter. Do not have bo many modiocro epeakora, put no ono on tho program who cannot bo hpirrd. iluvo tnoro practical discussions and many of tho Donvor mistakes of tho Donvor meoting will bo forgotten and forgiven. If tho G. F. W. O. Btnnds for anything it stands for individual contact, individual benefit, individual inspiration and It is only through tho individual club women that oach club can rocoivo tho highest and best from tho organiza tion. Emma Parks Wilson. in- Club interests are apt to eflfervoEco in the heat of August, but this year the question of reorganization of the gen eral federation will engage tho attention of club women and keep alivo club in terests until the foreshadowings of the October meetings awaken club energies. The proposed Woi coster amendment to the constitution of the G. F. W. C. is not meeting with favor among woetorn clubs. We have yet to boo a eingb ar gument advanced in favor of it by any club, the general feeling Boeming to be in violent opposition to the amendment that would so radically change the Or ganization. Should euch an amendment carry the G. F. W. C. would be a federa tion of federations instead of a federa tion of clubs since the units in the or ganization would be federations and not Mrs. N. S. Clark, of Stromsburg, sonda tho 'following communication: "Ab to what will bo tho effect on tho general federation if the membership exists only through tho state federation," It seems to mo after attonding tho moeting at Denver wo can only draw ono conclusion, that it will bo nocoBBary to be limited to membership through thb stato federa tion. If loft as it now is the member, ship will continuo to increase until it will become so largo no city can con veniently handlo it. At Denvoa it was necessary to hold overflow meetings during tho ontiro boebIoo, and as ono could not attond both, how much ono lost could only bo realized by those at tending. I bolievo the boat way would bo to divide tho Btato into districts, and elect a dolcgato from each district, but believe each club should have but one representative, at the district conven tion. In this way the smaller clubs would have equal representation with the larger ones. I believe tho only state officers who should repreeent the states through their positionj should be the state president and state chairman of correspondence, with the state president as chairman of tho state delegation. clubs. The motto of the G F. W. O. is This would do away with any confusion, "Unity in Diversity." With the pro- for incidonce, the same as the Nebraska posed change there must be a change in this motto for there would be lacking that divarsity which constitutes much of the powor and strength of the organ ization. The smallest club in far western Idaho or Nebraska may now constitute a unite in the G. F. W. O. and their delegates may have a share aud weight in the or ganization. These are tho clubs that especially need to come in contact with delegation experienced last year. In this way 1 do not think the effect will be in any way injurious to the general fed eration, while there may be some dis satisfaction at first, I believe it will work out right in the end. Tho circular just issue I by the educa tional committee of tho G. F. W. C. is in a vory high degree instructive and suggestive. It contains parts of an ad- the great world of club women and club dro3s given by tho president, Mrs. Lowe thought. It is not possible that they that are replete with definite informa would have the samo interest or receive tion concerning the educational work of the same benefit if they were represent- tho clubs of the different states connect ed only through tho etato federations, od with tho federation. Some of the Personal contact is the koynote to sue- suggestions upon whhh special emphasis cess in thie organization as woll as in all may be laid are: others. First-Careful investigation into the It is not an uncommon complaint causes of unsanitary conditions, of dull among small individual clubs that even ness of pupils, of lack of self activity, or the state federations are too remote and of overpressure. have too little connection with the indi- Second Manual training and the vidua! club to be of tho groatest benefit study of domestic science, (a) For their to the individual club or to make it direct educational value in the develop, much of an object to join the state or- mont of the brain through tho training ganization. How much moro romoto of the special senses and in the effect of and how much less tho benefit to be de- tho muscular and motor training upon
