Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, April 23, 1888, Page 4

4 THE OMAHA THE DAILY BEE. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TRRMS OF SURSCRIPTION. fly Morning Edition) including Sunday, Brr, One Y onr ool 10 00 For Six Months 500 MATA OFFICE, olluw YORK OFFICE, ROOMS 14 AND 15 TRIBUNE BuiLpina, WASHINGTON OFFicR, No. 513 FOURTERNTH STREET. CORRESPONDENCE. Al commnunications relating to news and edi- torial matter should be addressed to the EpITOR OF THE BEE. DUSINESS LETTERS. ANl business Jetters and remittances shonld be nddressed to THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY, OMAIA. Drafts, checks and postoffice orders to ‘e made payable to the order of the company. Tie Bec Publishing Company, Proprictors E. ROSEWATER, Editor. THE DAILY BEE, Sworn Statement of Circulation. Btateof Nebraska, 1y o, County 0 uglass, Geo. W, Tzschuck, secrotary of The Bee Pub- 1ishing company, does solemnl, ar that the actual cireulation of the Dail; for the week ending April 20, 1688, was as follow! Baturday, A:Xrilll . Sunday, Apri 16 Monday, April 16, Tuesday, April I Wednesday, A Thursday, April 10. Friday, April 20, Average... ....... 18360 P GEO. B. TZSCHUCK. Sworn to and subscribed in my_presence this 21st day of Aprii, A. D., 1888, N N. P. FEIL, otary Public. State of Nebraska, ¥, Goumfiv of Douglas, o Geo. 1. Tzschuck, belng first duly sworn, de- oses and says that he Is secretary” of The Bee Ilblluhlmfirumw\ny that the actual average @aily circulation of the Daily Bee for the month of April, 1857, was 14:316 coples: for May, 187, ; for June, 1887, 14,147 coples; for 3 coples; for August, 1887, 14,151 tember, 1887, 14,349 coplies; for October, 187, PA.ZFH coples; for T, 1887, 16,528 coples; for Dacember, 1857, 15,041 coples; T T Tophen tor March T, Thot Cople: 902 coples; for Mareh, copies. i 4 GEO, B, TZSCHUCK. Bworn to before me and subscribed in my presence this 16th dl{,nf Arrll A. D. 1888, N. P. FEIL, Notary Public. 40 17.00 PoriT10s hits straight from the shoul- der. In France it is the enthusiastic partisan that gets a sore head. In the United States the defeated candidate is the sore head. MARK TWAIN lost $10,000 by the fail- ure of Gillig’s Exchange in London. Americans who invest their money in shaky foreign enterprises are certainly Innocents Abroad. — TWENTY-THREE statesand three ter- ritories have established an Arbor day. It is only a question of a few years when the observance will become national by having all the states and territories united in it. —_— THE south is getting anxious about the exodus of negro laborers to Cali- fornia, and accuses the Pacific slope of hankering after the coolie system of the Hawaiian Islands. The southern press is of the opinion that the negroes will not do well in competition with the cheap labor of the Chinese, and that they had better stay where they are. THE patrons of the leading daily at the state capital have been treated to a surprise. That paper, usually very par- tial to the railway corporations, has planted itself squarely in opposition to the dogma promulgated by Judge Dundy in his famous decision, by which the Union Pacific is declared to be inde- pendent of all state regulation. Al- though rather tardy, the Lincoln Journal is entitled to due credit for taking a positive stand on this vital issue. ———— JAY GOULD lays all the trouble which has fallen upon the Missouri, Kansas & Texas system to the building of three parallel rival roads. But the true rea- son why the Kansas & Texas is bank- rupt is that it is swamped by its out- standing obligations. Three bonds were issued, when two would pay for the work of construction, and the directors pock- eted the third bond. Then more stocks were floated for what they would bring. Loaded down with these burdens, the road can not compete with 1ts rivals and turn in sufficient earnings to pay inter- @t on its huge debt. 4 CONGRESSMAN O’NEILL'S bill, which Bhe house passed last weelk, provides for the establishment of a department of labor under the supervision of a commissioner, who is to be oppointed by the president and hold office for four years. One of the commissioner’s duties will be to fnvestigate strikes and other differences between employer and employe and to weport on the merits of the controversy. ‘What advantage there would be in ereating another department devoted to Jabor interests we are unable to see. ‘There is now a labor bureau in charge ©f a commissioner, which is supposed to ecover pretty fully the matters which this bill provides shall be investigated. A department would not necessarily be more efficient, and would create another cabinet officer. A department of in- dustry that would embrace a labor bureau and several others having rela- tion to industrial affairs would be rea- sonable, but there is no demand or necessity for an exclusive department of labor. — It is a matter of curious interest, ap- propriate to to-day, that more than one hundrod years ago a Hessian officer on service in America, one Wangenheim, who seems to have been learned in for- estry, published a book on American trees, the object being to instruct his countrymen as to such as were suitable for Germany. The tulip tree, or Amer- ican poplar, the buttonwood, the red ce- dar, the sassafras, the black walnut, the white pine, the black birch, the red maple and the sugar maple are among the examples of Amer- ican trees Wangenheim specially com- mends. He describes seventy Ameri- can trees likely to be of use in Germany, giving their German, Euglish and bo- tanical names, with his reasons for rec- ommending planting them in Germany, He is quite enthusiastic about some of them for their beauty and about others for their good timber, discriminating carefully between those which ought to be grown for ornament and for use, while very emphatic in advising against the use of the sweet guwa, the horse chestnut, the white elm, the American linden, the acacia or honey locust, the the persimmon, the witeh hazel, in all fourteen kinds of trees and ten of ‘vines aud bushes: The South Reliably Sold. It there are republicans who flatter themselves there is a probabilty that a breach may be made in the ‘‘solid south” next November, they may as well dismiss the notion. The late elec- tion in Louisiana is instructively sug- gestive on this point. There was fair reason to believe at the opening of the campnign in that state that the repub- licans had better than a “‘fighting chance” to win in the election. The democracy was split into bitterly hos- tile factions, each proclaiming its un- alterable determination to destroy the other. Deadly feuds were engendered between local leaders of the factions and their followers which resulted in the killing of several and the severe injury of a con- siderable number. In a single week during the early part of the cam- paign no less than six men were shot to death in political quarrels. Never did factions of the same party exhibit a more relentless hatred than was shown by the warring democrats of Louisiana. It seemed inevitable that this hostility must result in republican success. But amore important source of confidence to the republicans was the public assur- ance of Governor McEnery that the authority of the state would be exerted to enable every citizen to vote as he pleased, and to have the votes fairly counted. If this were done the repub- licans believed they could win even against a united and harmonious de- mocracy. The favorable outlook for the re- publicans continued until within a few weeks of the election, when evidences began to appear that some sort of truce had been arranged between the democratic factions. There was an abatementof the bitter hostility that had prevailed, and the democratic lines began to close up. Governor Me- Enery took no steps to carry out his pledge that there should be a free vote and a fair count. It became evident that the machinery which had been successfully operated in suppressing re- publican votes was to be again fully em- ployed. How this change was brought about is not known, and is perhaps past finding out. A natural supposition is that the national administration had a hand in it. The gentlemen at Wash- ton who are looking after the demo- cratic cause could not afford to allow Louisiana to elect republican state officers in a presidential year. Such a result would at least put the state in the doubtful column for November, with the chances largely against the democrats. At all events, the fact is clear that some in- fluence patched up a peace between the factions to hold throuch the April elec- tion, and the result is seen in a demo- cratic majority of anywhere from twenty to forty thousand. Such a result is conclusive evidence that the methods for suppressing republican votes worked suceessfully, 4 If with the advantage of a bitter quarrel among their opponents, at the outset of the campaign apparently im- placable, the republicans were thus beaten in Louisiana, what reasonable hope can they have of carrying any state included in the solid south where no such division exists among demo- crats? TIs it not morally certain that these states, with their democratic governments, and with a democratic administration behind them will em- ploy every means and method.,necessary to keep in the democratic line, and so thoroughly and effectively as to be suc- cessful? It is idle and foolish for repub- licans to indulge the hope of carrying any southern state this year, and in dis- cussing candidates that seetion of the country should have no bearing upon the question of availability. There is no doubtful state 1 the south at this time, and there will be none when the day of election in November arrives, whoever the republican candidate may be. DBut there are several doubtful states in the north,and it is these which the republican representatives in na- tional convention will be called upon to most seriously consider in determining the availability of candidates. Indiana, New Jersey and Connecticut arve the states which will call for the largest share of republican attention when national candidates are-to be selected, for, with the right men, all of these can be carried and thus the election of the republican ticket be assured With that accomplished, the next presidential election may bring a wide fracture in the solid south, if it did not come sooner than that. —— The Dymg peror. The European dispatches give no hope that the life of Emperor Freder- ick can be prolonged beyond n few days, and any hour now may witness the end of his long and brave battle with the fatal malady. The fact that blood poisoning has supervened, about which thereseemstobe noquestion,and that the malady has assumed a complicated con- dition, thwarting the skill of the doc- tors, removes all promise that the life of the emperor might be saved. With the tremendous drain and suffering his system has undergone, it can he expected to resist but a brief time the newly de- veloped complications. Frederick has borne his afliction with pathetic patience and a splendid heroism, but these seem to be failing him, and know- ing the inevitable he grows impatient for the end. ‘“*How much longer?” was aquestion that showed the eager de- sire of the sufferer to reach however soon the termination of the long and terrible torture. The death of the emperor, whenever it shall come, will cause very iittle im- mediate disturbance to German affairs. It is alveady to a large extent, so fur as the financial and commercial interests of the empire are concerned, *‘dis- counted.” All operations doubtless are made with reference to the possible changes of a political character that would eventually result. That these op- erations are on an unusfially cautious und conservative basis is sufficient evi- dence of a lack of confidence in Crown Prince William. When loans ave held in . abeyance and financial business is at a standstill, no hetter evidence could be desired that capital regards with apprehension the youug man who will ‘suceeed Lo the i perial rule. ~As w the politieal that would sooner or later follow the ac- cession of William, all opinions agree that they would very likely be of so radical a character as to unsettle all Europe. France would expect no con- sideration from the son of the present emperor, and her first move would prob- ably be to seek an alliance with Russia, which that power would very likely wel- come if she could be given any assur- ance of stability for the French govern- ment. This might be offered in forcing Carnot out of the presidency and plac- ing Boulanger at the head of the French government., Past experience with attempted alliances between Russia and France has not been such as to en- courage the belief that one may be effected now, but the peculiar circum- stances at present seem to compel these nations to a military union. Russia would the more readily accede to this if there was a military man at the head of the French government, and Boulan- ger is the only soldier who can have the popular support for the presidency. Bismarck has shown that he is strongly disposed not to offend or provoke Russia, and so long as he could keep William in control there would perhaps be no reason for Russia to fear anything that would force her to begin a conflict. But how long would William as emperor submit to be controlled by Bismarck or anybody else? There are very grave possibilities contingent upon the death of Emperor Frederick, and the veriest optimist cannot but regard the outlook as sorious. —_— A 600D deal of what appears to be sound objection ts made to the bill of the house committee on public lands for the better preservation of forests, and those who make the objection, among others the Pennsylvania For- estry association, recommend in its stead the bill prepared by the Ameri- can Forestry congress, which has been introduced in the house. The bill of the committee is declared to involved, complicated and impractical. The other measure is believed to be much more sound and sensible, providing as 1t does for the permanent forest reserves, to be administered for the benefit of the peo- ple, under the charge of a commis- sioner with a proper corps of subordin- ates. The method proposed is to select from the public domain such lands as are better suited to forest growth than to any other purpose, especially lands lying about the head-waters of moun- tain streams, and to keep them as per- manent forests, carefully guarded from spoilation aud destruction; to sell the merchantable timber on these lands whenever it is to the advantage of the government so to do, all cutting to be done under the direction of a govern- ment officer, and with a due regard to the preservation of a unew growth of trees; to make all unauthorized cutting and all other injury to these forests criminally punishable, to have a suffi- cient body of forest guards to manage these public estates upon the most im- proved system, and to enforce the law against all offenders, whether indi- viduals or corporations. Tne day is not far distant when Wy- oming petroleum beds will be fully de- veloped and furnish an inexhaustible supply of oil. To Nebraska this is of the greatest importance for Wyoming will become the immense reservoir from which oil will literally flow to sup- ply our state with cheap fuel. There is nothing to prevent a pipe line from the petroleum wells to the Missouri river. The distance from the oil belt to Omaha is less than six hundred miles, and the slope of the land from the Rocky Moun- tains to the Missouri is everything that can be desired in an engineering point of view to secure a direct head and flow of oil from the Wyoming fields. in Chicago follow the letter it was the brewers, and now it It remaius to be secen are going to do. STRIKES B. Firs is the bakers what the butche NEBRASKA JOTTINGS, Rising City has a cornet band., Chase county expeets the Rock Tsland. Brown county is in debt only Gretna yearns, for a canning factory. South Sioux City cries aloud for o grist mill, Lamar, Chase county, has a paper—the News. Owkland now ha $1,000 a year license. The Beacon is the name of a new pro- hibition paper at Alma. Glandered horses are reported plenti- ful around West The premium list of the Brown county fair is already published. © Hay Springs’ new fifty barrel roller mill is now in running order. The Rulo Times starts on its second year in a prosperous condition. The West Beatrice News will be sold under chattel mortgage the 25th, A mad dog bit two laborers at West Point Saturday. The dog was killed. The foundation of the new insane asylum at Hastings is about completed. The school throughout the state ob- served Arbor day—planting trees Satur- day. The Union Pacific railroad has de- cided to make Beatrice a transfer sta- tion. The Wahoo \Vuse indignantly denies that it is booming Patrick LEgan for con- gress. Colonel Stewart received the contract for building the Plattsmouth poutoon bridge. Wymore will observe her seventh an- niversary on the 17th of May by a grand celebration. Buffalo Bill is announced by his home papers to arrvive in North Platte in a short time, Chadron’s boom is made substantial in the thirty houses umow in course of construction. York has tested her water works, and finds them in good order, and the squirt strong and large. Blue Springs and Wymore are carry- ing on an extensive flirtation, with ap- pearances of congolidating. The water company of Nebraska City is accused by the Times of discriminat- ing in the price of the fluid. The Johnson Register will go to Brownville, Nemaha county, and ate tempt to practice on the resurrection act, The three children of D. W, Caswell, of Wheeler county, who were so badly burned last week in a prairie fire, wifi die, A niéwly married man in Cedar dounty shot into a crowd of serenaders and en- news- oné' saloon paying DAILY BEE joyed the evening in calm, domestic quiet, Wymore has an alderman who wants to place his princely salary in the gen- eral fund, to be used in public improve- ments. Hastings complains that the B. & M. violates a city ordinance in running its flyers fifteon miles an hour through the city limits, A tramp at Blair who stole a sack of flour escaped from jail. The sherift pursued and shot four times before the tramp surrendered. Bithorn and Olagett, the evangelists, who have beeh trying to reform the wicked of Plattsmouth, have gone to more inviting flelds of labor. Dr. Gandy who has occupied the courts of southeastern Nebraska for years past, is yet on trial. This timo an appeal from a sentence to ten years in the pen. — The Dundy Decision. From the Lincoln Journal, Whether Congressman Dorsey gots in his amendment to the Union Pacific bill or not, the validity of Judge Dundy’s decision ought to be tested in the su- preme court of the United States on nc- count of its importance in the matter of clashking jurisdictions over corporations. If the general government can inject a corporation into a territory, give it val- uable franchises and loan it money to go into business with, besides the usual land grant, and then turn over the emi- nent domain by virtue of which thiscor- poration can exist, without any reserva~ tion, but still retain the right to with- draw that corporation from state control, the sooner we know it for sure, the better. The Union Pacific injunction case ought to go up, and the supreme court ought to advance iton the docket so that it can be tried without unnecessary delay. It is a most important question. If the general government can reserve any of the rights usually inheventin a state without expressly doing it in either the enabling actor the formal act of admission, the principle ought to be established before any more states are admitted to the union. The Journal cannot believe that Judge Dundy’s de- qision will be sustained by the supreme court, If it should be, it sees no reason why all federal land grant railroads cannot run themselves without regard to the state laws in force in the terri- tory they pass through, clothed with the attributes of a federal corporation. LIFE ON THE OCEAN WAVE. Semi-Centennial of the Arrival of the Sirius. The 33d of April will be the semi-cen- tennial of the beginning of steam navi- gation between this country and Europe as a regular husiness, says the New York Evening Post. On that day fifty years ago the Sirius steamed into New York harbor, followed a few hours later by the Great Western. Owing to the great impression which this double event made upon the people of New York, the arrivil of the Sirius is often mentioned as the first time that an ocean stevmer sncceeded in crossing the Atlantic. As a matter of fact, the Sirius was preceded across the Atlantic by two vessels propelled by steam—the Savannah, which went to Europe in 1819, and made several trips, and, ten years later, the Cura- coa, owned by Hollanders, which steamed between Stockholm and the ‘West Indies for several years. This was in 1828, The Savannah, according to Rear Admiral Preble, and many doc- uments of seventy years ago, was the first steamship to cross the Atlantic; she was pronounced a myth by Wood- croft in his work on steam navigation. She was built at Corlear’s Hook, in this city, by Crocker & Fickett, of 380 tons burden, and was launched on the 22nd of August, 1818. She was designed asa packet to sail between New York and Liverpool. Her captain, Moses Rogers, then of Savannal, Ga., suggested to the merchants of that city the idea of build- ing a steamship to run between an- nah*and Liverpool. The Savannah s bought and named. Her rig- lowed to remain, but she was fitted up with an engine and paddle- wheels, the latter to be constructed to fold up like a fan when not wanted. The shaft had a joint on either side of the vessel which allowed the whole wheel to be raised out of the watc Her trial trip was made in April, 1819, when she steamed from New York to Savanah in seven days. dent Monvoe, who was then Savanah, went on board with hissuite. On the 29th of May, 1819, she sailed for Liverpool, where she arrived in twenty-one days, creat- ing a sensation, T _ondon Times of June 21, 1819, contains this account of her arrival, copied from Marwade’s Commercial Report (Liverpool) of that rivals yestorday at this port we were particularly gratified and astonished by the novel sight of a fine steamship which came round at 7:30 p. m., without the assist- ance of o s heet, in'a style which dis- rand advantage of the appli cation of steam to vessels of the largest size, being 350 tons burden. She is called the S van led f van engine cighteen days. ful, and the accommodations for passen elegant and complete. She is the first don Times says: The Savanmah, steam vessel, rived at Liverpool from Awer vessel of the kind that ever lantic—was chased a whole da; of Ireland by the Kite, reve the Cork station, which mistook her for a ship on fire. From Liverpopl the Savannah went to Copenhagen and to St. Petersburg before returning. Finally she was sold at auction in Washingion and converted into u sailing packet. The cost of steam- ing was too great to make her 5.mfim- able as a steamship burning wood. The Curacoa was built on the Clyde in 1828, for the Dutch trade between Amster- dam and the West Indi She made several voyages, ‘but was finally with- drawn as unprofitable. Both these attempts at early steam navigation across the Atlantic proved to be fruitlessJowing to the tremendous cost of the steam a8 compared with sail- ing vessels and the small gain in speed over fast sailing packets. The Savan- nah burned wot under her boilers, The Curacoa is supposed to have burned coul. The real beginning of steam navi- gation between this country and E rope was due to the suggestion of the famous Brunel, who, when diseussing the plans of the Great West- ern railroad, of England, proposed a line of steamers from Bristol to New York. That thetime wasripe for arev- ulution of the kind is shown by the readiness with which a rival company took up the idea and managed to pro- pare a steamship even before Brunel's suggestion could be carried out. Steam navigation was no new tlnn§. and was recognized as of vast future importance. There were steamships running from England .to Ireland, from Eugland to Frauce, and on the importaut rivers of both countries. New York had scores off the coast : MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1888 of steamboats making trips along the Sound and up the Hudson river Yet it is commonly thought that scientific men of the day were foremost in discouraging ship bwners from undertaking a trip across the Atlantie. The name of Dr. Lardner is chiefly remombered by his supposed remarks upon the impossi- bility of making the trip, owing to the amount of fuel necessary. In a report of a lecture given by Dr. Lardner in the Liverpool Aibion, delivered in Liv- erpool in December, 1885, are these words: “As to the project, however, which was announced in the newspa- }wrs, of making the voyage directly rom New York to Liverpool, it was, he had no_hesitation in saying, perfectly chimerical, and that they might as_well talk of making a voyage from New York or Liverpool to the moon.” Commodore Preble, in his work on the history of stoam navigation, denies however, “that Dr. Lardner ever said anything of the kind, and insists that Larduer’s objection to steam _traffic acr the Atlantic’was not based upon physical impracticability, but upon the score of cost. Lardner, he says, insisted that while steamships could steam across the Atlantic, the cost would be so great as to neutralize the possible advantages of quicker time. The scheme of establishing a regular line of steamships between Laverpool and New York was proposed by two rival British companies in 1838, one ad- vocating a line to ply between the west coast of Ireland and Boston, touching at Halifax, and the other a_direct lino between Bristol and New York. The latter company, the Great Western railway company, laid the keel of the Great Western, 1,320 tons burden, 212 feet in length, and 84 feet 4 inches beam between the two paddle wheels. She had 150 berths for passengers and sixty-six for the ofticers and crew, Her two engines were of 200 horse power each, and she carried 600 tons of coal. Her whole cost was $250,000. The rival t‘ompn.n{i the British and American Steam Navigation company, chartered the Sirius, a steamer which had been built to run between London and Cork, and sent her off from Cork on April 4, 1838. She was of 700 tons register, with engines of 320 horse power. On the Sth of April the Great Western followed. Both vessels arrived in New York harbor on the 23d of April, the Sirius a few hours in advance of her rival. The Iivening Post of April 23 noted the ar- rival of the two vessels, and the next day commented as follows: * The arrival yesterday of the steam packets Sirius and Great Western caused in this city that stir of eager curiosity and speculation which every new enterprise of*any magni- tude awakens in this excitable community. The battery was thronged yesterday morn- ing with thousands of persons of both sexes, assembled to ook on the Sirius, the vessel which had crossed the Atlantic by the power of steam, as she lay anchored near at hand, gracefully shaped, painted’ black all overs the water around her was covered with boats filled with people passing and repass- ing, some conveying and some bringing back those who desired to go on board. 2!\ Amer- ican seventy-four in one of the ports of the Mediterranean, or of South America, would hardly besurrounded with a greater throng of the natives. ‘When the Great Western, at a later hour, was seen ploughing her way through the waters toward the city, a prodigious mass, blacker, if possible, than her predecessor, the crowd became more numerous, and the whole bay, to a great distance, was dotted with boats, as if everything that could be moved by oars had left its place at the wharves. 1t seemed, in fact, a kind of tri- umphentry, It will be noticed that when the Siritius made her trip. fifteen days was considered wonderfully fast time in wh ross the Atlantic, and her captain was congratulated upon his achievement. The lowering of the time record has gone on since then almost steadily year by year. Since 1840 the time has been shortened by half, and again about 40 per cent since 1860. The noted ships of the last few years have the following records to their credit: Min- Days. Hours. utes, . Umbpia (sister ship) . Oregon. . America 5. City of - . Alaska . 37 * Servia 55 » Auran 1 The Etruria and the Umbria are pro- pelled hf 14,000 horse power. Two ships now building for the Inman line are expected to outrun the Umbria and the Etruria by at least several hours, and to carry more passengers. In order ard against such an acci- dent as al to the Oregon, the ships subdivided into a large num- ber of bulkheads, each one water when the doovsare closed. Thoy feet long, or 560 feet over all, cet beam, and 42 fect deep. Their gross tonnage will be 10,000 tons each. In order to provide so far as possible against serious cases of seasickness a rolling chamber, a compartment flo g upon alarge tank inside each vessel, is to be fitted up, and will counteract the motion to some extent. The number passengers when the vessel full, will be The first-c passengers of the ship: the second-class will be ¥ veen the stern and the centre, and the ants will oceupy both ends. The saloon will be on the upper deck, forward, and will be similar to that of the America, with a dome about ten feet high, Electrie lights and hot and cold water will be supplied to all the state rooms. Should these vessels fulfil the expectations of their builders, they will mike the passage in six days, that is 1o say, passengers leaving New York on Suturday afternoon would be in wiv- erpool the following Friday e A BLACK HERO. How a Brave ‘Negro Lost His Life in the Rescue of a Young Lady. The year 1876 will always be o mem- orable one in the recollections of the writer. It was during that year that [ witnessed one of the most exciting scenes which have &ver occurred in ac- tual life, At the earnest solicitation of a friend, who was the traveling salesman of a prominent house, I stopped off at a lively town of about five thousand in- habitants., Theplace was outdoing it- self, the oceasion being the opening of anew opera house. My friend was well acquainted with the manager of the new venture, ard when I was introduced nothing would do but we must share his box with hipmn. The opera house was a three-story brick, built evidently with a view to the utmost economy to spuce, and with nothing in particular to recommend it architecturally, The interior was mod- estly decorated, and the drop, | the es- pecial pride of the munager’s heart, was a very presentable piece of work. The house was well filled when when we arrived. R At the end of the first act I noticed that the box opposite us had become occupied while the curtain was up. glanced carelessly across, and my atign- tion was instantly rivited by the most prominent figure there—that of a girl, of perhaps eighteen. She was dressed in black; her dress ouy just low euough to give & glimpse, through. the flufly down which tyimmed it, of her fair bosom. Her beauty was of 5o pure and striking a type that -my gaze was held 1o her face by a sort of rapturous fasci- nation, until, glancing up. twice or thrice and meeting my stare, a slight blush overspread her ©heck and repri- manded my impertinence, 1 looked away only to steal covert glances back, until it became evident that my inqui- sition was growing seriously annoyin to her. To keep my attention distractes from this fair object, I picked up miy lorgnetto and began ranging the gal- lery. M{v oye had not traversed a moiety of its horizon when it was arrested by a figure the more striking, [l\ruhnhly. because it was in suc! direct and violent contrast to the one ust abandoned, It was the figure of a burly negro, occupying the front seat diractl{ in the center of the row. His huge, loose-jointed body was lnungin(x forward, his elbows on his knees and his palms supporting his chin, his black, repellant features setin an immobile stare. Following the direction of his eyes I found that they rested upon the beautiful object which had so attracted my own.” The insolent brute, I thought, hotly indignant; but the next moment the preliminary darkening of the room drew my attention to the stage again, The play ran on merrily. A thousand hearts yielded themselves to the infec- tious gaiety of the scene. Laughter shone in every eye, except that as now and then a head bent down to whisper to its fair companion, a deeper happi- ness may for a momept have overcome the merry lightness.” A broken, mur- murous sound of voices comes from be- hind the wings; then he takes up his part again. The pause was only for a moment, but,as he speaks, the drop comes rushing down. A hush of uneasy uxguctunuy pervades the housé, some- body laughs; then u roar of merriment goes up—a mere stage blunder! But wait—an ominous sound comes from be- hind the curtain; the last echo of jocu- larity dies quickly; the lips bent for laughter freeze agape; the prescience of an awful presence stills every heart. The huge drop sucks in; then puffs violently out, as (though laboring for some monstrous delivery. A hoarse shout back on the stage—and, with a fearful roar,it bursts out through the drop, that vanishes at its touch as a faint mist on a frosty pane is dissipated by a breath—Fire! The fear-bound spectators leap up, fear crazed. From the packed audience a yell goes up. the most hideous sound that ever rent the air. It tells of hun- dreds of men, godlike but a moment before, delighting in the art before them, soothed, refined by it; now, in a single instant, crushed back lower than the brutes. A few hearts own the human still; A few brave voices ring out in caution and command. A few remember dearer things than life andstrive with all their mights to protect the weaker ones about them. But it is all useless against the maddened beasts that trample them down. First there is a rush of men ard wo- men toward the miserable, inadequate exit. Madly springing over seats, over other men and women, over every ob- stacle. But they only geta little ways before their individuality is lost in tfie frantic tidal wave of howling, heavin humanity that packs the upper part o the auditorium, tossing, seathing and sur;{ing up and up and up against the wall that shuts them in from the free air without. I sprang up among the first. I was deprived Cof thought and action. I was horribly conscious of others about me darting away, but was unable to move myself. That fearful din of tramp- ling and shrieking began to mingle with the crackling flames. A baleful tongue of fire swirled out after the retreating throng and curled and snapped above their heads. Something drew my terror stricken glance to the opposite box. The girl stood there as she had arisen, her body bent back from the roaring flames, but too fascinated by horror to stir. As her companions deserted her she glanced wildly around, started, and was about to fly after them when she was arrested by a shout, ringing out above the awful din. I, too, heard the stri- dent cry, and looking up saw the negro leaning over the edge of the gallery gesticulating to her. His crymade her pause. The wave of humanity had pressed back and crowded into the exit until all the lower part of the auditorium was clear, and as the girl disappeared from his view the negro laid his hand on the gallery railing and vaulted over into the aisle below. He fell heavily, but was up again in an instant. The stage was a swaying mass of flame now, 1 down the uisle, sprang ove it iron railing about the or- chestra’s place, and from a chair there up in the very face of the fire upon the stage, Running along the outer edge of the stage he gained the box and leaped within _it. His eyes caught sight of the crouching figure in the farthest corner. Half de from fright as she was, she ar he swept her up in his great arms and sprang out on the stage again. The heat was almost unbearable even for the moment they were there. lding her tight in his arms he leaped clear from the stage to the aisle below. All about him were torn and smashed and twisted strewn with shawls and hats and flowers, showing elearly the track ot the tempest which had passed over them, Before him was the mass of frenzied men, behind the flames, waxing hotter every moment. As he stood there a tongue of fire licked out and ught the drapery of the box they had just left. A line of light darted up and across it and im_an instant the whole box was ablaze. The entrance to the boxes was through aroar in the end of the r the side of the auditorium; side this door, on one side, was small one leading intoa narrow s running along one side of the ‘puildin;,n The negro's quick eye, dart- ing about the room, caught sight of this door, overlooked of all the frantic fools about the one other exit, He leaped toward the promise of escape. His hand caught the knob--locked! Drawing back the width of the narrow aisle he hurled himself forward and struck his foot against the lock. It cracked and half parted from the door, but held still. He heard a cry from the mob ahout the entrance. Some one saw him, and as he looked back twenty men camé rushing toward him, Frantically he threw himself against the door again. It shivered into pieces, und let him stumbling through into the wretched, death-trap passage. As he righted himself the foremost of the mob gained the door. All the while arms had clasped their well-nigh unconseious B e ian. Ao spring- ing out, hurled back like chafl those about to rush through the door. But they were like a numberless pack of wolves, Others and others came pl\mf— ing up, tearing and pulling and push- ing. They beat and kicked him.grasped about his Jlimbs, twisting and tugging at him, the increasing weight of their numbers bearing against him, He stands for a while pushing them back and holding his own against the tervible pressure. But they climb over each other as they fall and ‘nilu up against him. He can bear the weight no longer—he sways, staggers, falls, aud they swarm over his prostraté form, corunching the life out of it to gain the little passage-way and. trample each other's lives outin a frantic endeavor his to reach the narrow stair-way—at the foot of which a girl fell fainting & mo« ment before, to be borne -away by hus mane hands. It was only & moment after the fnoi« dent of the pnssage that the firemen came up through the stage entrance, and the fire was soon checked. As I looked at the long, fearful row of marred and lifeless forms next day, [ noted particularly one huFo black ono, more mangled than any of the rest, but recognized it at a glance. It was the remains of the negro who attracted my attention the previous night. While viewing the mangled form I could not help thinking that true heroism might spring from the most unexpected source. As for the hero off this occasion no monument has been reared to his glory—no pyramida set of his memory—but the eternal subs :llpncc of his greatness, to which I leave im. ———— What Eli Don't Know. Recently the BER inserted a reprint article by Eli Perkins, who thought he was telling the railroads how to avoid strikes. Our correspondent who answers Eli certainly don’t know that the late ter’s effusions never carry enough weight to make them worthy of consid« eration: OMAWA, April 16.—~To the Editor of the Brx: would like to correct a statement which was made in last Sun- day’'s Ber headed, ‘‘How Eli Would Avoid Strikes.” First, Eli says he saw a lot of Enghsh engineers who have come over from England to better their condition; second, he says they are skilled mechanics and can ‘make a loco- motive; third, he says our engineers uro not engineers—simply advanced fires men. Now let me say a word about English engineers. I worked three yearsand six months for a railroad running out of London, Eng., and can come nearer telling the truth than E Let these engineers come over if it is to better their condition; but let me say right here they will never better their condition by running on the “Q.” T don’t believe if you told them they had to scab they would come. No, they would be contented with 865 or #75 per month, which is as good as $150 per month here, especially in the west. Second, no master mechanic would put a man on an engine that is not a skilled or experienced engineman; as for being a skilled mechanic, so much the better, but hedon’ know a thing about run- ning a locomotive—that takes experi- ence from a fireman up. I know two or three engineers who have builv model locomotives, and they are not skilled mochanies. Third, our engineers aro advanced firemen, and not skilled men. Now, take one hundred English engi- neers, and ninety-nine out of that nums ber were firemen, and advanced thom- selves the same as here. You will find lots of engineers who served their time at the machine, and then went to firing and then to running. WILLIAM BEST. ——— ey J 0.7 L. A. NO. 8.—PROPOSALS FOR ARMY Supplios~ Headquarters Dept. of the Platt Oftice of Chief Commissary of Subsistenc Omaha, Neb., March 21, 1881 Sealed proposu in triplicate, 'accompanied by guaran nds, will be received at the office of ‘the commissary of subsistence at Omaha, Neb,, and_the office of the acting commissary of subsistence at Fort Omaha, Nob., until 12 o'clock M,. central stand. ard tinie, and at the ofice of the' commissary of subsisterice at Cheyenne Depot, Wyo., and the offices of the acting commissarics of subsistence at Forts Sidney, Niobrara and Robinson, Neb., Forts Mokivnoy, Laramie, Bridger, D, A, Rus: sell and Washakie, and Caimp Pilot Butte, W yo. d Douglas and Du Chesue, Utal, until 11 o'clock @, m., mountain standard. time, on Wednesday, the 2ith day of April, 188, at whioh time and places they will be opened in the pres- ence of bidders, for the furnishing and deliver; of tho fresh Beef roquired at fhe posts an stations mentioaed, respactively, during the fis cal year commencing July 1, 188, The right is resérved to reject any or all bids. For informa- tlon us to the quantity of frosh loef to be fur- nished at any post of station, amount of guar- anteo bond, biank proposals and guarantes vonds, and circulars for Information of bidders, apply by mail or in person to tho oflices hrelsi dos! gna BARRIGER, Maj. and BNACQUAINTED WITH THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTRY WILL CHICAGO, RO & PACIFIC R'Y Its maln lines and branches include OHICAGO, PEO. MOLINE, ROCK IS] ), DAVENe PORT, DES MOINES, COUNCIL BLUF¥8, MUS- oA 3 CITY, BT. JOBEPH. LEAV- ENWORTH, A ON, CEDAR RAPIDS, WATERLOO, mzx‘l'?#;g\rom, and BT. PAUL, and scores of intermediate clties, Choice of routes to and from the Paciflo Coast. All trans fors in Union depots. Fast trains of Fine Day Conches, elegant Dining Cars, magnificen: Pull man Palace Bleepers, and (between Chicago, Bt. Joseph, Atchison Kansas City) Roclining Chair Cars, Scats Froe, to holders of through Chlcago, Kansas & Nebraska R'y Qreat Rock Island Route.” ‘Extends West and Southwest from m?z and 8t. Joseph to NELSON, HORTON,, BEL) TOPEEA, HERINGTON, WICHITA, HUTOHINSON, CALDWELL, and all poiuts in KANSAS AND SBOUTHERN NEBRABKA and beyond. Entire passenger equipment of the calebrated Pullman manufacture. Al safoty ap” pliances and modern improvements. The Famous Albert Lea Route Is the favorite between Chicago, Rock Island, Atchison, Kansas City and Minseapolls and 8t. Paul. Its Watertown branch traverses tho grost “*WHEAT AND DAIRY BELT" of Northern Tows, Gouthwestern Minnosota; and East Contral Dakota to Watertown, Bpirit Lako, Bloux Falls and many other towns and cities. The Bhort Line via Beffca and K ofters superior facilities to travel to and from Indian- apoils, Cincinnuti and othor Bouthern points. for ickets, Maps, Flders, or dostred (nforma- tion, apply at any Coupon Ticket ice or addrese E.S8T.JOHN, I.A.HOLBROOK, ‘Gew') Manager, Gen'l Tht. & Puss, A5t CHICAGO, ILL. —THE— CHICAG) SHORT LINE OF THE Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R'y. The Best Route from Omaha and Council Bluffs to -THE EAST THAINS DAILY BETWEEN OMAHA AND COUNCIL BLUKFS Chicago, ~AND— Milwaukee, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Cedar Rapids, Rock Island, Freeport, Rockford, Clinton, Dubugue, Daveuport, Elgin, Madison, Janesyille, Beloit, Winona, La Crosse, And all other [mportant poiuts East, Noitheast sad Boutheast. 1kl tickets call on the ticket agent at 1501 wet, i Barker Block, or at Unlon Pacifio the finest Diniug Csrs lu the in line Of tiie Ckicugo, T W TWO B workl 456 rul Ca the i waukee & Bt Paol Kal d every mtentiocls \d to passengers by courteous employes of 1be 5. Goneral Managor Slatuit Ceneral Magagor. L CARPENTRIC “Gooera Vlieliser aaa o T4 FYORD, Assistaot Geners! I o Agont LA I‘ General Buperiutends " PEERLESS DYES 4. ¥ ritkel Ag Ticke G0 a 4