Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, November 13, 1887, Page 4

PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. (Morning Edition) including Sunday , One ¥ ear. 410 00 M (1] 200 One Year, 9 . ARA OFFICE, NO. 014 A 2 AW YORK OFFICE, ROOM 65, TRIBUNE BUILD- ING. WASHINGION OFFiCE, No. 013 Foum TRENTH STRRET. CORRESPONDENC] 11_eommunications relatin, news and ttorial matter should be addressed to the ITOR OF TUE BEE. BUBINESS LETTERS: 1l bustness letters and remittances should be iressed (o THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY, ARA. Drafts, checks and postoffice orders to made payable to the order of the compuany. The Bee Publishing Company, Proprictors. E. ROSEWATER, EpiToR. THE DAILY BEE. Sworn Statement of Circulation, Btate of Nebraska, baun. ecretary of The Beo Pub- Jes solemnly swear that the the Daly fice for the week was 8 follow: uy, Bunduy, | Monday, Nov.7 Tuesday, Noy. & Wednesduy, Nov ursday, Noy. 10 day, Nov. 11, Average, | Sworn to and subseribed in my presence this 12th day of November, A, D, 147, . P. FEIL, (SEAL) Notary Public Btate of Nebraska, te.s, County of Douglus, (%% Geo, . Tzgehuck, b-lnr firsf duly sworn, de- posen nrd unys thikt he s secretary of Tho fle Dlishing company, that the actual avera daifly circulation -~ of the Dally Iee the ~ month of November, ‘186, coples; for December, 1886, 15,257 ¢ for J 26 coples; for O L | (4108 copies: for March, 1557, 1l, 187, 14316 coples: f o1 Augtist, 1887, 14, 87, 14,49 coples’ GEO. B, TZSCHUCK. 1 cop! T September, tober, 1887, 14,55, Sworn to and subscribed i my presence thls uhm;! of October, A. D. 1987 . P.FE (BEAL.) Notary Pubiic, DAKOTA has declared forlocal option. Though she isonly aterritory she is still capable of giving old states points on state legislation. EDISON says only one-fourth of a ton of coal is used. The rest goes up the chimney. Edison is wrong. The rest 18 left at the conl yard. PecULIAR Mr. Riddleberger is to be retired, but Mr. Leland Stanford and Mr. Henry B. Payne will continue to occupy pews in the American house of lords. Tue Chicago reporters have manu- factured more bombs than all the anarchists could throw in an average Htfe-time. Instead of being made out of gas pipe, however, they were made by gas bags. ONE of the vessels of Uncle Sam’s navy came in collision with a coal barge last week and was badly used up. Pri- vate crafts should not be allowed to recklessly injure the toys of the secre- tary of the navy in this way. — NEW YORK democrats claim to have already elected Grover Cleveland to a socond term. There was once a woman who saw a rabbit. She said: “If T had that and one more Ishould only lack three of having five rabbits for my kettle.” —— LEAVENWORTH has three coal mines in operation and will probably have three more by next summer. It is claimed that these mines will soon be able to supply railroads and manufacto- ries in unlimited quantities. This is the way to humble the eastern coal rob- bers. —_— ‘WHILE the Republican is talking about mixed tickets in the last Waterloo of the yellow dog idea, it might tell us what disposition should be made of those “‘4radesmen’s tickets” upon which Es- télle had his name inserted in place of Doane on the one and Hopewe!l on the er? A SALE of “Beecher Relics” ison in New York. The most valuable relics left by the lamented Brooklyn divine, were his teachings in the cause of dis- @ressed humanity. Without money and without price, every man in the world @ay appropriate them to his own use— and with profit. Tre latest bit of gratifying infor- sation from Washington concerning #he fisheries question is to the effect that the United States is handicapped. And @ this time rank suckers and wall- oycd pike are devastating the forests of America, while the world goes mad on the anarchy question. A BEATRICE contemporary says: Omaha is spreading out in the matter of slaughter houses, and expects to be ready to handle three thousand head of hogs, daily. in a very short time. Omaha is going rapidly 10 the frout, as a commerciul metropolis. Yes, more than thi Omaha’s slaughter houses will require from 10,- 000 to 12,000 hogs per day, commencing the first of Junuary. And when the beef packing houses now in course of construction are completed aud in opera- tion, Omaha will partially rob from Chicago the laurels now proudly worn, a8 being the great hog center of the new world, GENERAL SHERIDAN gives very good reasons why the order of the sec- vetary of war, limiting the period of stafl service to four years, should be re- wvoked. The order has been objected to grom the first,and finally General Sheri- dan hus filed a protest aguinst its fur- ther enforcement. Among his reasons he states that the velations of staff omi- cers to their chiefs are nocessarily of a confidential nature, and there should be no rule to govern their selection or riod of duty. He objects tothe en- ment of the order as it would com- pel him to be deprived of the services of a tried and eficient assistant and take an officer of whom he had no Lknowledge and in wham he could not place confidence. The force of this is apparent, and it will unquestionubly be endorsed by every general in the army. S0 far as we are aware tho secretary of war gave no reasons for his order. It was simply the arbitrary act of a man who kuew almost nothing about army uirements. The president should rect the revocation of the order, and " yory likely will, Mr. Thurston's Position. Three days before the election Mayor Broatch issued an order to the chief of police to serve notice upon all retail liquor dealers in Omaha that he pro- posed to enforce the law which requires the saloons to be closed on election day. The mayor's action has been very se- verely criticised by certain republican politicians as a stab at poarty success, Mr. John M. Thurston, a prominent partisan, is quoted in the Republican ag follows: “There is already upon the statute books a law for the closing of saloons on election days. Now it is presumed thateveryone will obey the law, and there is no more reason for the mayor of Omaha to issue an order closing all bars on that day than there would be for Governor Thayer to notify Sheriff Coburn that murder in Douglas county on Sunday is strictly prohibited. The issuance of such an order presupposes a lawless state of society, and a very turbulent community.” Coming from Mr. Thurston, this ex- pression is taken as law and gospel by many active republicans, who are be- rating the mayor for his uncalled-for interference. Now Mr. Thurston is an able lawyer, and he certainly belied his honest con- victions when he declared that it was none of the mayor’s business to enforce the law, or to notify liquor dealers that ho proposed to enforce it. " 'HE OMAHA DAILY BEE: As the ehief executive of the city the mayor is bound to enforce the law, so far as it lies within his power. The charter which the mayor has sworn to execute expressly requires the mayor [section 136] to take care that the pro- visions of this act and the ordinances of the city are complied with. The fact that ex-Mayor Boyd ignored his sworn duty with regard to the law prohibiting the sale of liquor on elec- tion day does not justify Mayor Broateh in following the example. While the closing of saloons on clection day was tion in Omaha, it has for years the country. It was enforced on the same day in the city of New York by the democratic mayor, Abram S. Hewitt. Mr. Thurston’s plea that the law which makes murderand stealingacrime every day in the year, enforces itself without any official notice to murderers and thieves, is mere pettifogging. The comparison is a stupid slur on the liquor dealers, who appreciated the notico by the police and refused to take advan- tage of the city council’s law-defying and law-nullifying resolutions. The fuct that only ten saloon keepers and one druggist out of 246 licensed dealers ignored the mayor’s order, speuks louder than Mr. Thurston's plea. Grant, if you pleuse, that the mayor is not obliged to no- tify crooks and murderers that the law would be enforced, would it not be manifestly the mayor's duty in case of threatened disturbance or riot to issue a proclamation notifying law-breakers to desist from their purpose? Suppose Mayor Broateh had served no notice on liquor dealers, previous to election day, and on the day after clection two hun- dreg or more of them had been arvested and arraigned before the police court for selling liquor on election day, | and their liecuses had been revoked after conviction as the laiw provides. That might have been satis to Mr. Thurston and the politi his stripe, but it would have justly laid the mayor liable to the severest denun- ciation by the saloon keepers, and all those who desire fair play. Mvr. Thurston has of late been in the habit of opening his mouth and putting his foot in it altogether too often. Lamar and Sparks. There have been reports for some time past that the offi relations be- tween the secretary of the interior and the commissioner of the general land office were somewhat strained. These reports have acquired credibility from the fact that most of the decisions of the commissioner have boen overruled by the secretary, the effect of which would necessarily be to provoke the displeas- ure, and perhaps the resentment, of the subordinate official. Ever since the e of Miller and the Northern Pacif railroad was passed upon by the presi- dent, sustaining the view of Commis- sioner Sparks, there hasapparently been a growing disposition with Secretary Lamar to disparage the opinions and efforts of the commissioner. TIn this he has been encouraged and assisted as far as possible by the clique of new paper corvespondents in Wash- ington who for reasons not far to seek have been unfriendly to Sparks ever since he declared his deter- mination to ferret out the frauds against the government and the people by the land grabbers and the corpora- tions. It is easy to understand, also, that it was very nearly impossible for Mr. Lamar to sympathize with a policy which was at war with his whole course while in the senate. 1t is a mattor of rec- ord that the railroad corporations had no safer or mor wlous friend in con- gress than the present secretary of the intorior, and it is hardly to be supposed that he has forgotten his obligations in that direction. Since Mr. Cleveland proclaimed the policy of the adminis- tration with regard to the public domain Mr, Lamar has shown a better disposi- tion than befors to protect the interests of the people, but his support of Commis- sioner Sparks has been by no means cor- dial at any time. It has been evident that the earnest desire of the commis- sioner to guard the public domain against further ravishment and to re- store that which had been obtained by fraud, has not had the hearty sympathy of Secretary Lamar. The cause of the rupture which may require the interposition of the president is said to be an issue between the secretary and the commissioner regarding the ad- Justment of the land grants of the Chi- cago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railroad. The commissioner decided that a portion of these lunds had been forfeited and the secretary reversed the decision, The commissioner protested, und the secvetary in anarvogant reply, judging from the fragments quoted by telegraph, tells the commissioner that the point has been reached when the president must determine whether he or the secretary shall remain in office, ' announcing that he would submit this alternative to'the president, which he ced {n other leading eities of 1 has very likely done. Under ordinary circumstances it is not doubtful that the president would decide favorably to the head of the department, Assuming, however, that he intends to appoint Mr. amar to the supreme benob, he will very likely find a way to adjust this difficulty without permitting either of the parties to it to withdraw from the publie service. There is renson to be- lieve that Mr. Cleveland is fully in ac- cord with the policy of the commis- sioner, and he ought to know that it has the very general approval of the peo- ple. It is not questioned that Mr. Sparks has make some mistakes, but the fact stands to his credit that when- ever he has erred it was due to his solicitude to subserve the interests of the government and the people. The president cannot permit Sparks to be driven out of the land office, because he has protested against what he fully be- lieves to be a wrong to the people, with- out damaging himself in popular esti- mation, and Mr. Cleveland is not at this time disposed to take chances which might produce this result. As to the merits of the controversy, we are not prepared to express an opin- jon. But we conceive it to be the right and the duty of the commissioner, in & case where he believes a mistake in- volving a wrong to the public has been made, to submit a protest and his rea- sons therefor. He would be unfaithful to the requirements of his office and to his obligations to the public if he failed to do this, regardless of who i3 responsi- ble for the mistake, With this view of the matter, the letterof Mr. Lamar, im- plying that the commissioner has no right to call in question a decision of the head of the department, and that, having received a command, it is his duty to obey unquestioningly, even though he be convinced that law and justice are to be contravened, must be regarded as arrogant hssumption, wholly unwarvantable in the cir- cumstances and intolerable un- der any conditions. The commis- sioner of the general land oftice is one of the most important positions under the government, and to say that its in- cumbent shall be deprived of the right to present opinions and arguments in a matter pertaining to his office, which conflict with the views of the head of the department, is a proposition that will certainly not receive the popular endorsement. It is not the general idea, as it evidently is of Mr. Lamar, that Commissioner Sparks is simply a clerk. As the chief of a bureau in the business of which the people ave deeply concerned, he is commonly thought to be clothed with duties and obligations of a very important nature, not the least of which is to see that the laws velating to the public domain are faithfully carried out and the government and people protected against fraud. TIn fulfillment of that duty we think he may make sug- gestions or a respectful protest even to the secretary of the interior when he believes that official has committed a It will be interesting to note view Mr. Cleveland will take of the matter and his action regarding it. Dangerous Combinations. Another combination of manufactur- ers has been formed for the purpose of creating a monopoly of their product. It is a combination of the makers of paper bags. Many of the patents which have heretofore protected the manu- facturers of this product have expired and the enormous margin between the cost of production and selling price has disappeared by reason of the springing upof small factories where a smaller profit was deemed sufficient. The large paper bag manufacturers have hereto- fore united and have induced the small sconcerns to join in with them for the purpose of increasing the profit of the industry. The example for all the “trusts” that have been organized within the past two years was furnished by the Standard Oil company, which for years has monopolized the refining of petroleum in this country, and by the American Cotton Oil Trust, a combi- nation of the cotton seed oil mills of the south. Recently other industries of every variety have combined in this manner. There is a combination of type founders, of envelope manufactur- ers, of India rubber producers, of whisky distillers, of sugar refiners and a hundred other branches of industry, the free and untrammelled exercise of which is of the greatest im- portance to the people. However base or questionable have been the methods of the Standard Oil company it has to its credit the fact that through its influence the price of refined petroleum has been reduced from 60 cents a gallon to a merely trifling cost so that every fumily in the land may use it freely in the household. All these other trusts, however, propose an opposite result. Itis their purpose to raise the selling price either by fixing arbitrary figures at which the products shall be sold or by limiting the amount produced per year and thus affecting the supply. Nothing has ever yet been said by the companies entering into these combinations of the great benefits to come to the working men therefrom. No intimation was ever made that the increase in the income of the companies was to be fol- lowed by a raise in the price of labor employed. In fact one of the reasons for combining not confessed, but well understood, was that the demands of labor for increased pay could thus be more effectively resisted. No one has ever yet witnessed a combination or trust for the purpose of advancing the wages of the employed or reducing the cost of products to the consumer. The rapid multiplying of trusts must inevitably result in legislative restric- tion of their powers and functions. As now orgunized the trust is a combina- tion designed to obstruct the natural channels of trade and raise the cost of products by destroying competition, Their very organization is against pub- lic pol el —— The Hastesto Get Rich. Jay Gould recently said that the chance for a young man to make a for- tune in New York City, starting out with noother capital than his brains, was about one.in a million. The ** Knight of Black Friday " is good authority on financial matterg. |1t is evident that the metropolis i#nbf§the pio it once was for Plum-Extraeting'Tack Horners. One thing should be remembered—Gould himself has lived there for a quarter of a century. The past two decades have been the groatest money-making era in the his- tory of the \\'uvhz. Never before have such collossal fortunes been made in so short a time. It isnot likely that such opportunities will oeccur again for an- other century and it may be just as well if they do not. It is not all of life to ac- cumulate a fortune. The mind of the coming generation has been perni- ciously inflamed with the desire to get rich in haste. With so many examples of easily acquired riches before them, a distaste for honest, thorough work has been implanted in themind of the youth of the land. The object of life has come to be a rapidly acquired fortune so that “‘good times” may follow. But happiness is not to be found in that manner. The good of life consists rather in hav- ing a life-work that is congenial and in which one is successful. The question whether labor is a curse or a blessing is much discussed in these days. It cannot be answered in the af- firmative or in the negative for man- kind generally. It admitsonly of in- dividual application. To some work is a curse because they have unwisely made it so. To others it is their salva- tion. Tt is a congenial work toward a definite goal in the future that gives the individual the most happiness in life. Gould gives good advice when he ad- monishes young men not to go to New York or other large cities in search of fortune. The search after sudden riches is not a laudable enterprise in itself, and, Dbesides, no well-balanced person will spend much time in that di- rection on a chance of one in a million. John Sullivan and the Queen, The event of the season occurred when John L. Sullivan stepped ashore on English soil. The papers ave full of it and the Atlantic cable is kept hot humming special Sullivan dispatches. One of these states that he had a cigar in his mouth when land was fivst sighted. At the rates charged for cablegrams thisinformation comeshigh, but if anyone had the impression that the champion smoked cigars with his nose or his ears it has been eflectually dispelled. Buffalo Bill’s career in London is over now and John L..areigns in his stead. London society is falling down before him; that is, in a mptaphorical eense as yet. His intervio§ with the queen has not been generally published, but will doubtless rgacB America in due time. '“i THE profits of the Fall River cotton mills for the past year have been en- tirely satisfactory to the manufacturers. It is assumed thu this has been the general experiente of this well pro- tected industry. It ratifying to note prosperity in any' artment of busi- ness, und in the case @f the cotton man- ufacturing industrys«thagratification is somewhat lessened when one is com- pelled to reflect that the labor which produces the satisfactory profits is largely done by women and children, at wages but little above the starvation point. A committee of the Massachu- setts legislature not long ago found a most deplorable state of affuirs among the laboring population of Fall Riv employed in the factories. Men had been almost entirely driven out of employment in order to make way for women and children, whose labor could be had for a fraction of the wages paid to men. The result is the rapid growth of illiteracy among the children of that section and an increase of immorality inevitable to such a condition of affairs. Indigent parents forced their children into the factoriesin disregard of the Lirs7 prohibiting the employment of chil- dren below a certain age, perjuring themselves in order that their children might become wage earners, the man- agers of the factories encouraging this unlawful practice by their connivance. Necessarily the whole working popula- tion of that region was found to be dete- rioratiug, and the impression conveyed by the report of the committee was that in no other civilized community of equal numbers could there be found more deg- radation or a larger percentage of il- literacy than at Fall River, It would seem that an industry protected to the extent of over forty per cent should be able to make satisfactory profits with- out employing almost wholly the ill- paid labor of women and children, with consequences that shame civilization and are a reproach to the country. — ‘Wrrit the Hon. Buffalo Bill just re- tired from a continued season of social lionizing and wild bronchos, in the heart of the greatest city of England— Hon. John L. Sullivan,of Boston, is now the social bear of London town. These two celebrities will give England a chance to contrast the difference be- tween the effete American east and the rowdy American wes er — POLITICAL POINTS, —_— Thomas P. Ochiltree is credited with se- cret designs on another seat in congress, Roosters don’t look well in a newspaper, except in years ending with even numbers, Virginia makes formal provision in her code for the expatriation of any of her citi- zens who may desire to relinquish citizenshyp, The result in Massachusetts is not a sur- prise. When Ben Butler camo out for the democratic ticket everybody kuew “its eyes was sot." High license is the product of gence, It means lary shops, aud lower taxes on legitimate in- terests. The republican victory in the Second Con- gressional district of Rhode Island gives that party control of a majority of the states in the lower branch of congress. Says the Philadelphia Press: Oneof the finest political humors of the time is the struggle that Congressman Randall has to to keep a voting place in Philadelphia, Political parties which scek to live by bribery will as surcly be destroyed in the end as will men who make bribery the laddcr by which they hope to reach official posi- tions, In the press of graver matters, it may be well mot to forget that in the Oregon election prohibition has received one more defeat. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1887.~TWELVE PAGUS. Constitutional prohibition is aout ready for the autopsy. While many are dlspesed to doubt the strongth of Robert Lincoln as a presiden- tial candidate, there are somo straws which show pretty strong evidences of a sentiment in his fav Mr. Higgins, on the whole, is doubtless pleased with the result of the election, The reformers in Maryland were defeated, and in New York, where they supported Mr. Nicoll, the mugwumps were snowed under, If there is any deficit in the amount prom- ised to General Gordon by the democrats for his speeches in Ohio it will undoubtedly be paid by the republicans of that state most cheerfully on presentation of the bill. The personal liberty movement, as man- aged by the New York and Peunsylvania saloon element, scems to have defled every effort of party leaders to prove that it is not an issue in the campaign. Its advocates will learn something after awhile. Fred Grant made a mistake when he thought that his name and the memory of his father would count for something in New York. Itshould have needed no election to teach him better. His father's neglected grave should have been enough to do it. The Present Incumbent Does Not, Chicago News. Experience teaches that it is a wise New York quarantine officer that knows a cholera microve from a collar button. The Champion Autograph Album. Chieago News. Governor Oglesby's autograph album will drive half the school girls distracted with envy before the week is out. ———— Make Him President. Chicago Inter-Ocean. A New York judge fined a man $100 for going to the pump with a milk can on his arm. Such a judge would be immensely pop- ular in places out west. —————— The Signal of Distress. Chicagn Inter-Ocean Tne Jackson-Davis jubilee indulged in on the recent Georgia outing has raised arum- pus in the democratic fami Nobody ean be in doubt as to who is waiving the bloody shirt new, —a A Toy He Will Not Get. Chicago Herald. Editor Grady of the Atlanta Constitution, has been presented by his admirers with a 1,200 silver scrvice. It pleased him much, but even a little nickel plated vice presiden- tial boom would Imve beem more acceptable to the discoverer and patentec of the “New South.” yminence. Chicago N A promiment colored man of Fort Valley, Ga., boasts of the fuct that when he w. a boy he was severely thrashed by Jefferson Davis. He is one of the few democratic negroes of his town, aud an example of the virtues of whipping. I ey ‘What Makes *‘Jake" Laugh. New Orleans Picayune. Sick as he is, Jake Sharp must have laughed when a poor man in New York was sent to Sing Sing the other day for stealing a blanket. There was no stay in the proceed- ings, because the blanket man had no money to clog the wheels of justice with. —————— High License in Ohio. High license is having the same success in Ohio as in other states. One of the Cleve- land newspapers says that it has proved a genuine check upon the sale of liquor; that it has driven out of existence many of the vilest dens of the state; that it has cleared 800 towns of all liquor traffic, and has raised an income of more than §2,000,000 from a class of citizens who would otherwise bear no share of the public burden Chicago News. While a number of Indians were taking a ride on the platform of a mail car, near Poca- tello, Utah, recently, the trainmen noticed that one of the redskins was shunned by all the others. The grimaces of disgust be- stowed upon the ostracised member of the party led Yo an investigation, which revealled that the lonely onc was a tramp disguised as an Indian in order to get free transportation. Biar il bl B valley lying low, Through which our feet some day shall go, Beyond the high hill's purple haze, That stretches far beyond our gazé, There is a place most sweet and blest, Which here we call the Land of Rest. A land with hills and valleys fair, ‘And many of our loved are there; So stlently, and one by one, They went the lonesome journey.on; AlL with white hands upon their breast, Went out into the Land of Rest. 1 long that happy bourne to see. 1 loug to know how it will be When first these eyes of mine hehold The land of which the prophets told; Of my inheritance possessed, When shall I reach the Laud'of Rest! O blessed land! O tima so slow! Not with reluctance I shall go, But on my lips a happy song That it, the day looked for so long, Has come to take me to that blest, That peaceful land, the Land of Iest. — Dropped Dead on the Street. Death came to Fred Kearney, an_employe of the Union Pacific, in rather a sudden man- ner yesterday. In company with two com- panions he was just returning from the stock yards, and stopped at Howell's lumber yard to get a drink. As lie was raising the cup to s lips, he fell insensible to the ground. His comrades lifted him up and carried him into the yard, where he expired almost immedi- ately, The coroner was notificd and a jury was impaneled which_rendered a verdict of death by apoplex Searncy seems to ha no friends or , but a letter w found in his pocket from J. H. Galop, Chi- cago, to whom the coroner telegraphed ap- prising him of Kearney's sudden end. As yet no reply has been received. He is a man of forty-five and is believed to have a wife and children in Chicago. Praying For Temperance. The Women's Christian Temperance Union of the world have appointed yesterday and to-day as a special scason of prayer for tem- perance allover tho globo, and the W.C.T. 7. of Omuha are most devoutly observing the days in such a manner. —_—— K. of L. Ball. Tocal Assembly No. 7525 of the Knights of Labor, held a ball last evening at Wolft's hall, on the corner of Cuming and Twenty- second strects. There was a large attend- ance and a general good time was enjoyed. Supper was served at 12, —— A 1\er Omahan's Misfortune. J. Taylor, of Antioch, Cal, for a number of years a resident of Omaha, when he was in the employ of McCord, Brady & Co., had @ band badly shattered a 'few days ugo by the explosion of & shell, which he was re- wmoving from a gun while out hunting. - A Bomb in Minneapolis, MixNearoLis, Nov. 12.—A dynamite bomb was picked up by a night watchman on Fourth street between Nicollet and Henne- pin avenues this moruing. It was a gas pipe, over a foot long. Atone end was o fuse. which evidently had been lighted. The bomb was sent to Dodge, professor of chemistry, who refused to analyze it without official au- thority. It was then given in charge of the police, who will ascertuin its nature by an attempt to explode it. Tho find occasioned much excitement on the streets. LEFT THE CITY IN DARKNESS. Terrific Explosion and Fire at the Gas Works. THE BUILDING BADLY DAMAGED: Gallant Efforts of Brave Firemen Pre- vent a Serious Catastrophe—Re- pairing the Damage—The Douglas Street Blaze, It Might Have Been Worse. Yesterday afternoon about 3 o'clock a ter- rific explosion occurred at the gas works and the frightened people for blocks around rushed into the street to discover the build- ing a moment later a sheot of flames. The fire alarms were sent in and in a few minutes alkthe fire companies in the city were on the scene combatting the devouring element. Thousands of people gathered and watched the flames roll near the great tank full of gas, the explosion of which would entail ter- rible destruction. The two valves opening into the tank were securely closed and the firemen turned nine streams of water upon the building and did all in their power to stay the progress of the flames. The con- tinual explosion of gas pipes and the ig- nited escaping gas made the fire a most difficult thing to fight, and it was over an hour and a half before the flames were fairly under control. During the course of the fire it was found necessary to open the tank of naphtha on the north side of the building to prevent it from exploding. The escaping fluid caught fire and the flames leaped up 1h a startling man- ner, causing a general stampede among the spectators, The ground where stood a group of firemen was covered Wwith oil, and in & moment the men were enveloped in tho flames. Pipeman Cassady. of No. 1, was badly burned, and McGuire, Patton, Crowley and Miller of the same company had their clothes set on fire and were more or less scorched. It looked for a while as though the tank would soon be reached by the flames, but Firemen McBride, Grebe, Turner and Noo- nan rushed bravely into the face of the flames, and aftey a desperate llkvm sycceeded 1 o aping oil, ne and was aug again extinguished. By a quarter of 5 the fire was out, and half an liour later the workmen were busy re- 2 the debris and making preparation to he damage done. 1t was dis d that the explosion result- ing in the firowas caused by the leakage of s, picces, but fortunatel near cnough to get hur My, Isaac Battin, the superintendent of , hopes to have the damaged machin ved sufliciently by Monday to resume the manufacture of To economize the present scant supply, last night the street lamps in_the city were not lighted, and after midnight the gas was turned oft v o workmen were About £20,000 damage was done by the fire, but it is all covered by insurance. The Douglas Street Fire. The fire at 1317 Douglas strcet early yes- terday afternoon was caused by coals drop- ping on the floor from a cook stove in the third story, The flames spread rapidly and before the firomen reached the scenc the en- tire top of the building was in a mass of flames, which was only extinguished after the entire third story and part of the second had Dbeen completely gutted. Both of these upper stories were occupied by Mrs, O. F. Wells as a boarding house. Nearly all her furniture is destroyed and her loss will foot up over £600. The ground floor was occupied by Messrs. Beard & Otis, paper hangers and house painters, and their loss consists mainly in the ng of their large stock of wall paper by the water. While in the third story fighting the flames Fireman Charles Pringle was overcome with the smoke and fell senscless to the floor. He was car- ried out by his comrates and_received proper medical attention from Drs, Lee and Rebert. His injuries were not fatal. The $700 damage to the building was fully covered by insurance. Superintendent Whit- lock says the division of the second and third stories into rooms by means of board parti- tions made a regular tinder box of the build- ing and was done without his consent last spring, the lumber having been smuggled up the back way. Candles For Lights. The usually brilliantly lighted hotels of Omaha were in comparative darkness last night, and the guests had to get along with candles in their rooms, The accident to the gas works was the cause for this going back to primitive ways, and it was amusing to see a bell boy going in advance of a retiring guest with a lighted dip stuck in the mouth of an ewpty whisky or ale Dbottle. xtra precautions were taken through the hostelries, and ad- ditional watchmen were detailed on every floor to guard against accidents and thieves, Council Bluffs Renders Assistance. Superintendent Bradley, of the Council Bluffs fire company, was in the city yester- day, attended both fires and did valiant per- sonal services. The boys speak very highly of the help he rendered. Notice to Gas Consumers. Be careful not to leave any fixtures open while the gas is turned off in the city. Then no acccident can }“‘Y]'"‘" when the gas is turned on again, which we hope will be Sunday evening or Monday at the latest. ISAAC BATTIN, Superintendent Gas Works. CHEAP FUFL FOR OMAHA. The O1d Boyd Packing Housc as a Gas Factory. The 0ld Boyd packing house, which was the pride of Omaha forso many years until other and larger houses were built, is undergoing a great transformation. The property was sold some months ago to M. Iler, and now a part of it has been resold ta A, Newell & Co. This company has a large force of men en- gaged in transforming the old hog killing house into & gas factory which will be able to produce 15,000,000 cubic feet of gas every twenty-four hours, In addition to the old building an extension is being built reaching out 1o the tracks, which will have machmery capable of hoisting @& wholo car of coal and dumping it _ into the cupolas. It is proposed ~ to man- ufacture fuel gas which shall take the Dlace of coal for manufacturing and heating purposes. The gas will be made from water y what is known as Reinhold Beeklen's im- proved process, which consists, in_the main DY hassing supor heated steam into » bod o incandescent cod When in use there will be neither taste or odor to the gas, although there will be suficient odor to readily detect a leak, The company will furnish this gus at a price which will be at least ten per cent Cheaper than the actual cost of coal. In ad- dition to the 10 per cent there will be a great saving, as it will dc y with the expense fncurred in hauling coal, feeding furnaces, removing cinders, ete. Thomas Wanless, wWho 1s superintending the building, and who 15 a most thorough business man, explained that the gas could be manufactured and de- to the consumer for less money than natural gas _well could be discovered and operated, Besides —that, natural gas is not as steady or uniform in Dressure und will sometimes play out after Phousands of dollars have becn expended in laying pipes. The manufactured gas will also have three times the heating power of hatural gas, The cost of changing a furnace from a coal burner to & gas burner will range from $10 to $15 according to size aud con- dition, The manufacturers alonr tho river bottoms will avail themselves of the cheap fuel as soon as it can be delivered and from there it will be introduced all over the city until, as Mr. Wanless remarked, it will be used to run all the machinery in the city as well as for heaticg and cooking purposes in uivuu huul;‘l, hmvork on ::l’: -gldnn:.' :: ng pushed as rapidly as possil Iy Thave | tho buildings ready for uso not About $60,000 will be expected 10 and machinery later than January 1. expended on this part of the work, which ' e "oome will be only the beginning of what ny proposes. The company are 3 g arcangements for the establishment of works at South Omaha, for tho manufacture of both fuel and illuminating gas, The same kind of gas is also about {o be Introduced into Council Bluffs, Mr. Newell and Mr, Bocklen are now in Cincinnati having the fzas holds and tanks mado and have ordored the pipes shipped from Louisville. A conver- sation with a number of the most prominent manufacturers in the city disclosed the fact that they have great confidence in the scheme, and are ready to substitute the new gas for conl just as $00n as it can be had, —— ANOTH STEP TAKEN, Thorough Organization to Secure the Republican National Convention. A mecting of the different committees ap- pointed to inaugurate measures to secure the republican national convention for Omaha next year, was held in the board of trade rooms yesterday afternoon, and a permanent organization effected. W. J. Connell was chosen chairman, Daniel H. Wheeler secre- tary and E. F\. Tost assistant sccretary. The following executive committee was appointed : W. J. Connell, Daniel H. Wheeler, John A. W Rosewater, Cadet Taylor, G, y J.J. Brown, W, F. Bechel and John J. McCague. The prospect for securing the convention were found to be most favorable. In addi- tion to the city's central location and easiness of access, it was ascertained that the means of accommodating visitors are equal to cither St. Louis or Cincinnati, % both of which places conventions have been held. It was further sy, ted cilities for feeding ior to those of any Venison and other kin raro e retain all Tho claims In herac- commodations she counts various hotels as far as twenty-five miles from the city, while Omaha had hesitated mentioning in hee claims the nearncss of hotel accommoda- tions in Council Bluffs, just across the viver. Minneapolis also promised to make an effort to pledge £40,000 if the convention 18 secured while Omaha will have her moncy pledied before the convention is asked for. Omuha's chances with other rivals were also reviewed and the outlook pronounced encouraginge. Last evening the executive committee held a short session, and it was decided to meet again at 9:30 a. m. Monday and commence a canvass of the city. AMU Miss Mattie Vi IMEMTS, rs appeared last night, in her new play, “Cherub,” at the Grand opera house, to a large audience. This young lady, although comparatively a str 0 our peo- ple, possesses all the qualifications necossary to make her a favorite with Omaha theater- goers. Sheis pretiy, sprightly, a good dan ce nd with a fair » She has un excel- lent knowledge of her business and a ready '8 her to n from , however, s Her piece, howev heavy weight to carry. It requires acom- plement of charactors Which her company is unable to personate. In a more worthy set- ting her genius and success would ha oon apparent and brilliant, though, as it was, it served excellently to make her o number of friends. Next week, at this theater, the “Little Nugget? will be produced on Monday, Tues- day and Wednesday evenings. To-night, at Boyd Baureis and Puls German company appear in *Epideniisch.” Frisch, Frel, Stark, Treu. Last evening one of the most successful commers, ever held by the Omaha Turners was given in honor of delegates of the Mis- souri Valley Turbezirk, who assembled hera yesterday. One hundred and fifty peoplo gathered around three long tables in Ger- mania. They were called to order by Fouis Heimrod, president of the Omaha Turnverein, who effected the organiz- tion by ' appointing Prof. Hempel president and Franz Lenz and H. hilling assistants The following pr gramme was then carricd out: Song, “Turn. sinn’ in unison ; toast to the bezirk, Philip Andres; comic recitation, Julius Peycke; foust to the delegates, Henry Hanbons] chorus, “Kneiplied;” toast to the Turners bund, B. G. Grube; comie recitation, Louis Tllmer, of 5 duet, Alfred and Emil Meier, of Atchison; solo, “Rocked in the Cradlé of the Deep,” Dr. Woodburn; chorus, “Commerslied.” Incidental to the commers past with a supply of other refreshments while above all was the pleasantest of feelin, which mado the evening thoroughly appre- ciated by everybody. The following dele- gates were in attendance: St. Joe—F. F. Kuel, H W. Moyer, Louis Hiner, Lours Herwig. Atchison—H, Huth, Alfred Meier, Emil Meier, Jno. Moor, Lawrence—Jno. Walruff, Jon Busch, Carl Wyler. Wichita—H. J Edward Knoblauc Omaba—Louis } G. Grube, Max E Henry Kummerow This morning other delegates will arrive from Kansas City, St. Joe, Plattsmouth, En- doria and West Point. The first session will be held this morning at 9 o’clock and this evening a gymnastio exs \’xiliiLlionnndbull will be given iu Germania ha suffer from a frugal re- Kastor, S. “amier, John Kimmerl ) imrod, Philip Andres, B, ipel, Ltobt. Rosenziveig, . Working on Sunday. When the town clock pecled forth the witching hour. of 12 last night an ariny of men with picks and shovels began a warfare on the pavements in front of the Livery bara of James Stephenson, Tenth street, to mako excavations for the admission of the rails and machinery of the Cable Tramway rail road, The company had gone to law with Mr. Stephenson to gain the right of way in front of his_ prewises, and yesterday Judge roff dissolved an injunction, previousl issued, in favor of the company, who doubf less feuring another move against them on the part of Mr. Stephenson took advantagoe of the sacred hours of Sunday to get in their work. Lol sy 0dd Fellows Enjoy Themselves. The Ruth Rebekah Degree lodge of the L 0.0. 1. held a most enjoyable social last ovening at their hall on the northwest corner of Fourtcenth and Dodge streets. A musical and efocutionary programme was presented, in which tho participants were the U. P, band, the Mandolin club, Master Winslide, A.d. Eaton, Mrs. Slocum, Mr. Paul, the Powell children, Mrs. Slocum and Mr. Haer. At'the closo of this programme tho Ezra Millard Canton No. 1, Patriarchs Militant, performed some evolutions. Next followed refreshments and a dance until midnight. Major J. W. Nichols was master of coro- wmonics. Aras Completed the Canvass. O'The board of education held a spocial ses- slon last evening to finish the official count of the votes on the granting of $200,000 bonds for the purpose of buying school sitcs and building new houses. All the votes except the Sixth ward had been already counted, and the returus from this ward made no ap- sreciable difference, the majority of the votes ing still in favor of granting the bond. All Wanted the ‘‘Bee." The full and reliable accounts of the execu- tion of the anarchists in the Ber made a de- mand for it among the people over all other journals, and the fast perfecting prosses were kept humping to print enough papers. In four editions, issued during thirty-six hours. 82,193 copies were printed und sold. 0 e Y. M. O. A. The mecting at the association rooms yes- terday afternoon at 4 o'clock was unusually interesting. There will be special mectings for young men only at the Y. M. C. A. rooms every aight this week. e — Elks at the Fort. By Invitation of the oficers of Fort Omaha- the Omaha lodge of Elks went out to the-fort last evening and had 8 most enjoyable time, Snow squallsarc a familiar disturbance in westorn New York, and ice is form ing. Boys on the cost have not begum 1o polish their skutes.