Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, December 10, 1894, Page 6

DEATH LURKS IN A SPARK Lhub Leaves Human Fra:ments to Tell the Tale, THE LIFE OF A POWDER MAKER Likely to Bo Long If No How Powder In Made—Tho Cause and Frequency of Disastrous plosio Limited.) able electric 1804, by 8. 8, McClure by all the admi elocks in the Dupont powder mills, four | miles out of Wilmington, Dela. The| boss's whistle sounds shrilly as he passes up the Hagley yards on his way to dinner. Bells ring in the Eleutherian yards, a mil and a half up the creck, and In the lowe yards, halt a mile down on the other side It Is noon in the greatest gunpowder works in the world, and for thre: miles along the valloy the hills look down on black 1 men coming out of powder gazines, saltpeter refineries, -packing houses, charcoal hou keg and barrel factories, rolling mills, press rooms, mixing houses, grinding mills, glazing mills and all the miscellancous buildings that come under the general title of powd:r mills The Dupont works compose about 100 build- ings widely scattered for safety, and divided into three main yards, each about haif a mile long and each surrounded by formidable walls and fences with heavy barred gates where guick-cyed watchmen stand guard day and night. They nod to the powder men as they pass out, and to some thcy hand from their little shanties boots and shoes, which the men slip on in place of the ones they are wearing. Once inside these gates the law is absolute for workmen and guests alike, that no covering for the feet shall contain any nalls of particle of spark-producing metal, Powdermen’s shoes are especially made out of soft leather with wooden pegs in the heels, and many a novice at the works has gone about for days with his feet tied in canvas bags for the want of these. HOW POWDERMEN SMOKE. Scarcely are they outside the yards when the men produce pipes, matches and cigar: from most unexpeeted places and begin smoking with a relish born of deprivation Great smokers they are, these powdermen by some perversity of fate, and each onc has his private hiding place, a_cranny in one of the willow stumps or a loose plank in the Barley Mill bridge, where, in the early morning, after some farewell puffs, he leaves his tobacco treasures fo find them again at noon, the prowling small boy permitting. Quick would be the punishment of any powder man caught bringing matches or smoking materials inside the yards, this rule having become imperative after several men had sét themselves on fire from concealed pipes. Spending ten or twelve hours every day in the mills, as they do, these workmen be come so saturated with the dust of gun- powder, which soaks into their clothes and into their skins, that they would literally explode or burst Into flames should a spark fall on them. So true is this that when- ever a fire breaks out in the yards the first order given is to send all powdermen away, thelr inflammability being a real danger, not only to themselves, but to the works, HOW GUNPOWDER IS MADE. Ever since the opening of the century, when the Dupont mills were started, their capacity of production has been steadily increasing, each generation of Duponts introducing im- proved methods of mixing more efficient ma- chinery, and more perfect organization. The tendency has been steadily to make steam and iron do what formeriy required men's hands, especlally in the last six years since the death of that old conservative General Henry Dupont, who wrote his own letters with a quill pen and despised everything modern. The remarkable strides taken in this_direction have been mainly the work of Francis Dupont, the mechanical genius of the works, who has accomplished such prodigious feats of engineering as jointing together a quarter of a mile of steel shafting running the whole length of the yards and belted to the motive wheels of a dozen dif- erent mills, the whole line of shafting being turned by power from a single stationary engine at the extreme end. Those who know how easily even a few hundred feet of shaft- ing will twist in two if there Is the slightest variation in the straight line will appreciate this achievement, which has probably never been duplicated. The same inventive skill has laid steam pipes through the yards quarter of a mile long, transferring the mo- tive power through that distance for the mills where the water power is not available and also for use in the dry season when the Brandywine 1s low. As already stated, the Dupont works turn out fifty tons of gunpowder a day, but thi estimate is made on & basis of only ten hours worked, whereas many of the mills work day and night, with double gangs of men sleeping in days in the night shante:, 80 that under high pressure they could turn out a hundred tons of powder a day, es- peclally of the cheaper grades. The entire process of manufacturing the gunpowder, from the stirring together in the mixing room of the primary Ingredients—saltpeter, charcoal, sulphur, etc.—to the stowing away of the sealed up cans and boxes in powder cars, does not, with the improved methods and machinery, cccupy more than twenty-four hours, The entire daily output of the works is not started through the various mills in one lot, but is divided into several portions, not more than five tons of freshly mixed powder being sent from the mixing rooms at once, as the twelve rolling mills cannot handle a greater amount than that. When the first five tons have been sufficiently rolled and sent to the press rooms, another lot is started from the mixing rooms and so on throughout the day, perhaps ten lots following each other suc- cessively through the rolling mills, the press rooms, the grinding mills, the glazing and drying mills, the packing houses, and, finally twenty-four hours after the start ending their journeyings, done up in kegs or boxes, in the magazines, ready to be hauled away on the powder trains. DANGEROUS PART OF THE WORK. Of all the various processes which the powder goes through, the slowest, the most dangerous, and perhaps the most important 18 the roiling. In the rolling mills many brave fellows have lost their lives or been frightfully wounded. Those are the mills with massive walls and light roofs already described. They stand in pairs along the edge of the Brandywine, the motive power | belug furnished in most instances by tha mill race that runs behind them. Thus they stand on narrow tongues of land between the mil race at the back and the creek in front. Powerful turbine water wheels underneath the mills turn the fourteen-ton iron rollers above, there being two of these in every mill, each eight feet in diameter and eighteen inches across the face. The two are quite separate from each other, the powder being ground, not between, but underneath them, the two massive wheels rolling in the p tion of two carriage wheels in an iron tub ten feet in dlameter, around the cireumfer- ence of which they pursue each other, pressing down upon the bed of powder spread beneath and kept smooth by rakes attached to a central spindle. Francls Dupont has in- vented a system of electric registers which enable him to know in his own room at any hour of the day or night just how many mills are working and whether the charges have been changed at the proper hours; in short, whether all Is going on properly in tho various mills and whether the men are doing their duty. 80 dangerous Is this operation of rolling the freshly mixed powder that compara- tively small quantities are piaced in the fron tubs at one time, rarely more than 300 pounds. When placed under the rollers the powder is fresh from the mixing room and 8 as fine as meal. Its excellence and strength will depend to a great extent upon the amount of rolling it receives, inferior grades being rolled for only an hour, while the better grades are rolled for two, thres or four hours. The longer the powder fu rol'ed the dryer it gets and the more powere ful and so the more apt to explode. There- fore, the two workmen in charge of a pair of rolling mills are obliged to stop the Tollers at fixed intervals, varying according to the charge, to dampen the powder with (Copyright, It s noon ma | hour ‘Wwater, If they walt too long before dampen~ fog the powder a pecullar condition known a8 “dusting” 1y produced, when accidents are especially likely to octur, STOPPING OR STARTING. _ The most critical perlod of all in the roll- ing mill is_when the rollers are stopped or started. Time and again as the tons of fron have made their first lunge into the Yed of powder a spark has resuited from 4 sladen impact followed by & quick ex- plosion, blowing thg roof yards away, per- haps quite acfss the stréam, and killfng whoever chanced to be In the line of the shock. The danger is even greater In stopping the rollers once they have bien set in motion, and as a protection to the workmen it was found neceseary some years ago to arrange these mills 8o that the men In charge could start or stop them from a distance by work- Ing levers that let in or shut off the water trom the mill race. This has saved lives, as the men always tarry long enough after working the levers to be sure that all is well hen In comparative safely they pass inside the rolling mill to sprinkle down powder “when she's dusting” or to ake a change” when one lot has been sufficiently rolled, and is to bo replaced by fresh powder. Day and night these twely d at intervals along the grind along with their monster wheels after hour the men in attendance, now gang, now another, turn on and turn oft water, wheel in fresh barrow loads of pow . two bucketsful to a load, shovel out der from the Iron pans into empty buckets, always using shovels made of wood. then empty the fresh lot of powder that has been rolled upon the barrow and whe:l it away to the press room, where it enters at once upon the next stage of its manufac- ture, roiling mills, Brandywine, on the e finished po: ROOM, the powder 1s wheelbarrows, PRESS mills IN from the transported, THE rolling sometimes in sometimes in little cars, to the press room which is a separate building, in most cases, about seventy-five yards distant and built a little back from the creck on the other side of the mill race. There are two large press rooms in the works and several smaller ones, the powder being brought to the one or the other according to convenience and to quality. One of the large press rooms is devoted to the best grade of powder and the other to the ordinary grade. Before turning on the pressure the men, having filled the long box with powder and smoothed it down at the top, divide the powder Into a great many small sections by gutta percha plates, which exactly fit into the box. These plates, placed at right angles along the whole length of the box, divide the mass of powder into layers a few inches thick, the distance between the gutta percha plates being determined by the quality cf the powder to be pressed When all is ready, the hydraulic pre is brought into action, its tremendous power packing the powder as one would squeeze a sponge. The quantity of powder which just now filled the entire box no 1'nger fills more than two-thirds of it, and the ram of the press having been withdrawn, an ad ditional quantity of powder is shoveled in and the box filled once more. Then the press drives f rward again, and finally by repeated operations of this sort, what was a quantity of soft powder is changed into black cakes about a foot square and an inch thick, each as hard as coal. CUTTING THE POWDER. The powder having been thus submitted to this en rmous pressure and sol'dified, as it were, is now put through a second pro- cess before leaving the press house. Th cutting machines receive it in their hoppers, and passing through these it is broken into chunks about three-quarters of an inch square, which are then hauled away in cars to_the grinding mills adjoining. The large glazing mill in the middle yard contains _complicated machinery, which’ can be run either by steam cr water power, and which serves to keep ten encrmous barrels rotating very much after the fashion of churns. These ten barrels are placed hori- zontally side by side, one end being con- nected with the p-wer that turns them, while the other end contaius a square door, which when closed leaves the barrels t'ghtly sealed. The barrels are’about seven fect long and four feet in diameter, and through the door enough powder is introduced to half fill them. Along with the powder is introduc:d a_ shovelful of composition bullets, made chiefly of lead, and a quantity of black lead in grains. After they are thus loaded the barrels are kept turning for about an hour, the result being the gemeration of a great quantity of heat through the friction against the- sides, and the glazing of each separate grain of powder with particles of the bullets and the black lead. Although the powder sometimes gets o hct in the barrels that it actually begins to melt, this part of the manufacture is regarded as among the least dangerous of all. Several veteran powder men assured me that they had never known of a glazing mill exploding unless it was set off by another explcsion The glazing process, which now includes drying by rapid fans and blowers, having been finished, th» doors of the barrels are opened and the glossy powder is discharged directly into the cars on the tracks under the bLuilding, and is at once drawn to the packing house, where it is sorted according to size and quality, put in boxes and kegs and sent away to the magazine: HEALTHY EMPLOYMENT, Apart from the danger of explosions, which however, are less frequent than is generally supposed, gunpowder mills are exceedingly althful places. Such a thing as a workman dying of consumption is absolutely unheard of, the explanation being that the constant breathing into the lungs of dust containing charcoal, sulphur and saltpeter is beneficial Even horses employed in gunpowder mills are found to be fatter and sleeker than their fellows from the same stable worked else- where. As (o the death rate in powder mills, the popular ideas are much exaggerated, the average freight yard being vastly more fatal than they. Statistics show that from the beginning of this century, when the Dupont powder m were established, up to the present year, there has been an average of not quite one death a year from accidents or explosions. There are several points about explosions on which all powder men agree, but in regard to which the general public may be excused for being somewhat skeptical. Powder men assert, for instance, that a spark is necessary to explode gunpowder, and that a flame or a hot iron with no spark may be applied to a quantity of gunpowder with impunity. Noth- ing would happen, were such an experiment tried, but that the powder would burn slowly or melt. So general is the confidence that gunpowder will not explode under a mere shock that many tons of it are carried all over the country every year in ordinary freight cars attached to ordinary freight trains. One freight car will usually carry 2,000 kegs of twenty- five pounds each. That means twenty-five tons to a car, and as several cars are often drawn in one frelght train, it is easy to im- agine what would happen should one of these powder cars suddenly defy the accepted law about concussion and explode while passing through a crowded city. CLE Handled by Robbers. J. Tomlinson, who lives at 1711 St. Mary's avenue, reports to the police that on Satur. day night at 6:30 o'clock two men attempted to hold him up at the corner of Twenty- fourth and Dodge streef He ran away before the men were able to obtain anything from him. Another case of holdup was reported as having occurred under the Tenth street viaduet, but on Investigation it was found that thé man who claimed to bs robbed had become intoxicated at a Plerce street saloon nd had walked out with two new friends that he had found there and who went through his pockets. He lost §13. BB L k] Jesse Rogers Dead, Jesse Rogers, the Omaha Commerclal col- lege student who blew out the gas in his room, 207 Farnam street, Thursday night and was found asphyxiated the next morn- ing, died yesterday morning at 6 o'clock. His fath who lives elght miles northwest of Kearney, arrived at 10:45 yesterday and flarted home with the remains In the even- Rogers had been in the city only one day. He was 20 years old, a member of the Meth- odist church and Young Men's Christian assoclation. ND MOFFETE. St. Franels Xavier's Feast Openod. NEW YORK, Dec. 9.—Mgr. Satoll, the apostolic delegate, opened the feast of St Francis Xavier in the Church of Saints in West Sixteenth street today. He celebrated ontifical high mass and the relics of St ‘rancis Xavier were exposed for veneration. e Oregon Kiduey Tea cures all kidney trou- bles. Trial size, 26 cents, All drugglsty. many | and | | o1d fillies, | ma RICH STAKES FOR OAKLEY Oincinnati Jockey Olub'Guarantees $40.- 000 for Fourteen Sweepstakes, FOR THE SPRING MEET ON THE NEW TRACK Offers that Will Entico Horse Owners to Stay After Latonia is Closed ~General Gossip of the Western Stables and Tracks. CINCINNATI, Dec. 9.—Secretary. W. R. Letcher of the Cincinnati Jockey club an- nounces the following fourteen stake e for the Oakley spring meeting, 1895, which will close on January 1, 1895. Two thou- sand dollars Is guaranteed by the club in cach of the following Running stakes, selling, sweepstakes, 2-year-old, five furlongs; Crystal stakes, 2-year-olds, six furlongs; Hoted stakes, sell- ing, sweepstakes, 3-year-olds, (foals of 1892) seven furlongs; Losantiville stakes, sweep- stakes, 3-year-olds, (foals of 1892) non-win- ners in 1895, one mile. Fashion stakes, sweepstakes, (foals of 1892) one teenth miles; Brewer stakes, sweepstakes for 8-year-olds and over, six furlongs; Ohio stakes, sclling, sweepstakes, for 3-year-olds and over, mile and one-eighth. In each of the following $2,600 is guaran- teed: Sapphire stakes, 2-year-old fillies, four and one-half furlongs; Bmerald stakes, 2-year-old colts and geldings, five furlongs; Country Club stakes, sweepstakes, 3-year- olds and over, mile and one-eighth. The club guarantees $3,000 for the graph stakes, a sweepstake for 3-year-olds, (foals of 1892) mile and one-eighth; $3,600 is guaranteed for the Diamond stakes, for 2-year-olds, five and one-half furlongs; $5,000 h in the Liberty stakes, swecpstakes, for ear-olds, (foals of 1892) one mile and one- quarter, and Fourth of July handicap, sweepstake, for 3-year-olds and over, one mile and one-quarter, for 3-year- and one-six- CHATS WITH THE ORSEMEN, Some Local Notes of Interest—Gossip of Stable and Track. OMAHA, Neb, To Editor of The 1 on Alix from the recently that Mr. ing 2 in Tow she was born on m the Sporting in article neisco Chronicle Salisbury speaks of her As 4 matter of fact, farm in Rock Island county, Hilinois, was never off it until I took’ her to ‘Chicago, when she was 18 s old, and gold her at my closing-ou My residence and place of busines in Muscatine, lowa, and for that rea- Alix is always spoken of as an_lowa Yours truly, DANIEL HAYES. son mare. It 50 turns out that the recent reports that Bob Kneebs, the Nebraska horseman arrested in Germuny for “ringing’ horses on the tracks in that country, had bees released were untrue. He is still in jail at Berlin and will have to stand trial. A interested in Grizz Jb's prosecition was in Sioux City one last week, and he said he was on hi to Wakéfield, this state, Kneebs' home, to make a search for the mare Bethel, the animal Bob is accused of ringing. He further declared: “There is no doubt that Kneebs will to stand trial in Germany, and from pre: ent indications I am of the opinion that it will go hard with him. 1 do not know whether Bethel is in_this country or not but will know by Wednesday. T do not know_ that there is a sympathetic side to the Kneebs trouble, and 1 have a great ¢ 'al of pity for him. The trip to Germany nas been a disastrous one to Kneebs, whether he gets out of the criminal charges or not His long confinement there has got him into debt so that he will be unable to get out and will_lose all the personal property he in_ Germany by forced sales brought bout by his creditors. In the meantime his _affairs in this country =~ have been neglected and he will lose all his property here. Already proceedings have been com- menced here to foreclose against the real he has in this city, and I am re y_informed that his property at Wake- has become incumbered to such an extent that he cannot save it, and that it will have to be sold to satisfy his creditor: Bob was in good shape before he left on this last trip abroad, and had money in horses that bid fair to'net him good returns, but now he is ruined, and it he does get out of his troubles abroad I do not think that he will ever be able to recover from the losses It has occasioned him."” Monroe Salisbury, the celebrated Pleas- anton turfman, in talking about fast tracks a few days ago, sald “I think Terre Haute fs about the fastest course I ever saw. 1 don't know why it should be so, either, for the shape is bad and there is a big hill in the second quar- but the soil is the best in the world. It an adhesive quality which keeps it from breaking away under a horse's feet and there isn't a bad spot in the whole mile. I am told that they put fifty car 10ads of fresh soil on the course every year, which keeps it from lcsing its adhesive qual and at the same time renders it elastic Galesburg has a_great track, nd Indianapolis, Columbus, Cleveland, In: dependence, Council Bluffs,’ Chillicothe’ and Nashville also all have very fast tracks. 1 spring. The Omaha business men who have the new mile track and racing assgelation pro- ject In hand should weigh heavily the tent of the trotting horse industry in Ne braska before they surrender to the dis- couragements of the situation. Nothing that can be mentioned would do Omaha so much good ns a first-class mile track and semi- nnual racing seasons under competent and iberal management. It is the most popu- ar of all outdoor sports with the masses takes bigger crowds into the cities havin them, and is the cause of a greater circula- tion in money than any half dozen other causes that can be brought into the argu- ment. Whether Omaha gets the state fair or not, she ought to have her mile track and big race meetings. There is remarkable activity in horse eir- cles in Nebraska, as the fact that she stands at the head of all the western states in_the modern industry fully and unequivo- cally attests. Nebraska 18 but a voung ate, yet she is already conspicuous in the mattér of trotting horse breeding. Her stockmen have turned their attention exclu- 1y to quality and not quantity, and as a séquence have achieved wonders in this The reduction in p has been alarming during the l:ue\l year, but as yet I have heard of no Nebraska breeders aban- doning the industry. They seem to think that it has passed through the worst of the ordeal and must goon assume the same Vi- tality of yore. The announcement of re- cent negotiations with Mr. Salisbury for the purchase of Alix, 2!03%, at the fattering sum of $30,000, certainly has an irrefutable tendency in the cstablishment of a public conviction that instead of the bottom hav ing dropped out of the market, still greater and more fertile bottoms are being rly sought after in which to sow the seeds of a market so rapidly increasing. Performances of 2:10 or better were not as numerous in the trotting ranks as in the classes r horses of the lateral gait. Ne the turf saw sixty-seven hi trotte in 2:10 or better—a remarkable fe ture for the year's great racing season—and the reductions In records were made in all ave the stallion record, the crown maining with the game Directum, course, Alix of the year, is the most prominent and her feats are be- A the best ever made by any trotting horse. She has lowered the world's record to A:09%, and has trotted twenty heats under 210 this year. But the most meritorious of her year's performances is the race record of three heats which she established at K e Haute, when she won in 2:08, 2:06) Al 2:05, but she lowered the race record for mares from 2:07%, a mark she estab- lished herself. In 1892 Martha Wilkes held the race rec- ord of 2:08%, and in 1891 Nancy Hanks' three heats in 2:12, 2:12%, and 2:12 were all faster than the previous record, and they startled the turf world, To show the improvement in speed since 18%0 it may be added that the race record for mares was 2:131, made by Maud 8, while the time rec. ord was the 2:08% of Sunol. The only r ord which will go over until next year in the aged division Is the record for stallions, no_horse having been able to beat thé 2:05% of last year. The quality of the rac- ing Stallions out this year was far superior to this division of any previous year in the history of the turf. When this year's rac- ing season began the number of stallions in the 2:10 Jist was seven, and only one low- ered his record in a race, while this year six stallions joined the 2:10 list, and of the lot only Ralph Wilkes earned his record against time. He i the champlon stallion of the year, and his mark of 2:06% is the fastest ever made by a b-year-old. The geldings have cut a prominent figure in the racing of 184, three having trotted to records faster than the best record for a gelding previous to the opening of the sea- son. Ryland T succeeded in reducing the gelding race record from 2:10 to 2:07%, but in number of fast heats for the year the ling Azote is second to Alix onfy. Lord Clinton has trotted four heats faster than the record of 183, The reduction in the nts | Tele- | g:ldlnl‘ record has been lowered eve early weason, and Jt |s probable that it Wi nearly reach th 9f margs within & few years. Un 1 the ‘bq‘ record for a fr gl nr as 271" In 1892 Little Albert and Lord Clinton,gerg tied at 2:10%, and b 18 Waltey B "Rittle “Atbert neia 1t Jointly at 2:10, The 4-year-old fhcpdl for mares has been materially Joweredy this season, Fantasy having reduced it from 2:10 to 2:08, and on Aotted better than the six occasions sh previcus best red 3. Sheely, 8t . Mo, has sold to C 8. Mitts,” Dal x., the bay stalliop ‘l:c»:wlf»lm'xl)'. 2:2%, by Look, dam by Harry ¥. N.'R. McAlaster of Hastings has pur- chased Hal Plex, by Duplex, dam Sadle B, by Tom Hal. John R, Gentry, Joe Patchen, 2:04 stallions on record. son of ( 2:03%, Online, 2:04, and are the fastest pacing Joe Patchen Is a grand- J and Online and John grandsons of that il- K Brea . A ., of the Keystone 8 rm has made some changes in his & ently, having purchased of H. M. Whit- mer of Dixon, 1il, the chestnut ma Bright Light, dam of Image, 2:19, and Mite, 2:271. She has a foal at foot by Delmarch 2:1146, and is a natural pacer. He has also become the owner of the bay mare Kitty | Clyde, 2:28%, by Phallamont, giving in ex- change for the latter the gray pacing stal- lion Two Strike, 2:18%, by Ferguson. Mr. Paxton will breed Kitty Clyde to The Con- queror, 2 Mr. Joslyn of Oshkosh is the present owner of Two Strike, and while he has not often registered at 'the top cf the summaries this season, hag heen a ver t performer, and usually in the v division. Oshkosh is the best town for fast side wheelers in the northwest Albert 1 and Two Strikes are both owned the The Red Oak, ast summer completed, bullt, with a the Ta. track, promised by N 3 Jones, " 18 nearly and” will be one of the best It is of the regulation pattern, rige of about a foot and a half to the half, Irainage is perfect and the 8tables will be complete and modern in all their appointments, This gives the west uother mile track at a good point, and the t meeting will probably be heid in the carly summer of 180 Tlinois SORIA, De ~The Tllinois leglate Foot Ball assoclation was formed here last night, deleg: being present from Jacksonville, rmal, Bureka and Knox colleges, A itution and b were adopted and_officers elec lows: President, . F. Mortimer colleg ce president, Rpbert Rice college; secretary, J, B. Clifford, J ville i “red McCormick, ‘?;n;n‘x‘: A for next year was dopted and the new association & e for two weeks g gl Intercol- Pugs Must Leave Denver. DENVER, Dec. 9.—Chief of Police Arm- strong has decided to allow no more prize fights In Denver. The pugilists who have been giving many so-called boxing exhibi- tions here " this winter will be jailed a vagrants if they do not leave town. Joo Patchen Defeated Ryland T. DALLAS, Tex.,, Dec. 9—On a track as- serted to be six seconds slow chen rday won from Ryland straight making 2:16, and lowerir one. and three-fourths in econds. the Matcl Dec. 9.~TFournil 1,000-point pool night. Score: Fournil's Gallaghe! NEW YORK Gallagher in the which closed last 1,000; Gallagher, 818, ries, 5 5 defeated match Fournil, verage for average, Jimmy German Wants It, NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 8.—Jimmy German of Jersey City has offered to take Ryan place, which the hrtter fluked, in the fight with ‘Barry, scheduled for Décember 13. i o Coaliing wES Veterans of the Laie War Remembered by the neral Government. WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.—(Special.)~Pen- sions granted, issuye of November 24, were Nebraska: Origifal“Henry Adams, Omaha, Douglas; John O.; Miller, Tecumsch, John- son; John 1. Carter, deceased, York, York; Robert 1. 'G. Weleh, Newport, ' Rock: Thomas Sheedy, Axtell, Keari Original widows, ete.—Martha "E. Donaldson, York, York. Towa: Original—Willis land Center, Wapellb; Cuitis F. Tattu, Pringhar, O'Brien; Kyle Ramsey, Wood- ard, Dallas; Marion Parker, Bedford, Tay- lor, Additional-“Jerémiah Kilmer, Brooklyn, Powesheik. / Inc *harles W. Converse, Bumner, Relssue— Charles A. Harter, Floris, Davis, Colorado: _ Original—James W, Kendall, Silverton, ‘San Juan; 'Alfred Heers, Du- rango, La Plata: Julius Kregeur, La Vista Huerfano; Alfred T. Mitchell, Cripple Creek, I Pago, : South 'Dakota: Tyndall, Ben Homme, Colorado: Original—Charles C. . La Junta, Otero, North Dakota—Original—Lewls 8. singer, Lisbon, Ransom. Issue of November 3 Original—Seth 1", Rockwell, Hay caster; Jacob H. Short, Indianola, R low; John Stack, Lincoln, Lancast ditlonal--Robert 1 Harney, Julian, maha; William ¥ Bullcck, York, York. Renewal—John W. Andrews, neva, I7ill- more. Relssue—Seth W. Shoémaker, Hamil- ton, Gage. Original widows, etc.-Harriet Walker, ~ Fairbury, 5 Nancy 4. Stern, Omaha, Douglas. Towa: Original—Wililam Percival, Fremon Dexter Strahan, Mills. pplemental Thompsol b Mills. jamin' I yre, 'Keokuk, Lee. O:ginil widows, *ete.—Henrletta Bertelson, Daven- port, Scott; Eva Vanhorn, Belleview, Jack- son. South Dakota Gury, Deuel; Gregol North ' Dakota—Original—James ins, Tower City = OQUNCEMENTS, lhe name “Prodigal Father” may stand for the words, “a real jolly, merry time.” The plot is a veritable whirlwind of jollity. One is made hoarse with laughter over the predicaments of Stanley Dodge, a merry but fashionable old sinner, who Is dated to leave New York with an exploring party for the dark forests and jungles of Africa. The ves- sel and exploring party sail without Dodge. Why? Because Dodga has been to the thea- ter and has become fascinated with a serio- comic singer named Dollie Bond. Dollis's charms are too great to withstand, and Dodge is thrown into a pretty pickle because it is simply impossible for him to explaln why he missed going with the exploration party. The plan is formulated by his valet that h shall secrete himself until the expedition shall have returned. This is done. On the return of the adventurers Prodigal Stanley Dodge ventures home and relates his terrible experience in the jungles of Africa. His lectur:s to his neighbors and friends on the terrors of the cannibal and other mat- ters pertaining to African exploration are simply side-splitting. One in the family circle who disbelleves him is Tom Breeze, who is afanced to his daughter Kate. This will never do, so Dodge, in getting rid of him, telis him that he has promised his daughter's hand to King Cookaboo, one of the native Afpican kings he has met Breeze, not to bé outwitted, returns dis- guised as an_African: chief. 'Now the fun rises high. The perplexities grow thicker when Stanley Dodge's son, Percy, also re- turns home. He has’been going ‘“‘apac has married Dollie.Bond under the assumed name of DeLancy Popp. Dolly appears on the scene looking for) the truant husband. It can thus be Imagingd how the perplexities roll, one on top of thé other, in fast succes- sion, and why it i§ thit the disentanglement of the plot is one of the funniest episodes in the comedy. The cpmpany appearing in The Prodigal Father” consists of many well nown and familiar faces in the theatrical prefession, and showld meet with a cordial reception on the appegrance of the company at the Empire the week of December 16, com- mencing with Sunday mat - Demoeratie Cldb for All Day. Some local demperats have it in their heads that it is now high time for demo- crats to be at work all the time, and, ther- fore, & circular {s being sent to all the mem- bers' of the party In the city, which reads At the suggestion of many prominent democrats to form a club having for its object the advancement and Interests of trge democracy, also to engage & suite of rooms which are to be used as a club house, having reading rooms, card rooms, billiard rocm, elc., the rooms Lo be kept open from 9 o'clock . m. until 12 o'clock p. m., also the harmonizing of any misunderstanding which may exist, it has been considered expedient that a preliminary meeting of democrats be held at an early date to dis- cuss generally this subject. You are the fore earnestly requested to attend a meet- ing having for Its purpose that object, to be held in the cafe at the Paxton hotei on Thursday_evening. December 13, 164, at § o'clock. Bring with you any democratic friend who also has his principles at heart.” am P. Emory, High- Relssue—August Eckert, Weath- Wis- Lan: 1 Wil Ad- Ne- o a, Jarman, Goodrich, David H. Reissue—Ben- Original John H. Squires, George B3, Scott, Bonesteel, B. Perk- 4 WALL STREET INDIFFERENT Stock Brokers Ooldly Contemplate the Dif- ficulties of the Tre2sury Department, TENTATIVELY ENDORSE CZR.ISLE'S PLAN Ultimate Reformation Must Be Along Those Lines, but this Congress Will Do Noth- Ing and Gold Exportat Wil Continue Uninterruptedly, NEW YORK, Dec. 9.—Henry Clews, head of the banking house of Henry Clews & Co., writes of the situation in Wall strest “Wall street has passed through week of the excitements incident to the ab- normal monetary condition of the treasury without any visible effect upon the spirit of either investment or speculation. Upon th whole, the market for stocks has been som what firmer, in spite of London having un- loaded upon us during the week some 50,000 shares of rallroad stocks, and the prospect of immediate exports of gold. “The truth is that the men of Wall strest regard the currency question as a chronic af fali rather than an acute factor in the market. They acknowledge its Importance and view its bearing upen investment inter- ests as unfavorable, but, at the same time consider that ‘its effects have already been discounted in the general r of value Littlo importance is attached {o any imme- diate aspects of this money problem, for noth- ing is in sight that assures any early set tlement or that indicates what may be the final form of the currency readjustments It is taken for granted, in view of the pre- dominant currents of financial opinion, that the main feature of the ultimate settlément will ‘be some measure of bank legislation that will materially increase the prom- inence of bank notes in our circulation, and possibly more or less in the way of a substitute for the existing inelastic legal tender notes. But these prospects promise no early relief from the present uncertain status of the treasury gcld reserve. At the pent the latter is the really acute et, unsatisfactory as the present posi- of the treasury may be, Wall street Is m being pessimistic’ over 1 is after all but a temporary de- of a part of our financial ma- perplexing and difficult of ready may be, but still involving nothing fundamental”or vital, so lcng as the vast resources and the unquestioned credit of our government, with its 70,000,000 of people, stand behind the situation. ‘The only thing that seriously concerns Wall street is the possibility that foreign holders of our se- curities, “not understanding our situation and failing to appreciate the centainty of its ultimate repair, may send home an in convenient amount of stocks and bonds That possibility s not overlooked, but it j& not regarded as anything to be seriously alarmed at, for, in the first place, we have abundance 'of idle funds ready to take se curities ‘at a price;’ and, in the next place. the price would e to be one at which we could well afford to take them, with a view to re-export when the timid foreign investor had recovered from his incontinent fright. another far regarde rangen NO TRUST IN CONGRESS, “The report of the secretary of the treas- ury has attracted much attention. In its main features it is regarded as providing a clear and sensible scheme for reconstructing our currency system, but some of the de- tails of the ‘plan, especially the 30 per cent deposit of legal tenders against notes, the general abandonment of comy reserves against deposits, are rega opento ous objection. Notwithstand- ing, it seems to be the majority that reconstruction will ultimately be to run on the lines sketch At the same time there is little tion that any legislation on_ his question will be consummated within the life of the present congress. Members are discouraged by their past=failures to satisfy the coun- try, and will be cautious about taking any new legislative risks for their party. The bitterness of factional feeling makes it very u-certain whether an adm nis ration measure (such as Mr. Carlisle’s is) could command a majority vote in both houses of congress In the senate and the house alike there is great division of opinion on currency mat- ters, and it is argued that a set of legis lators who could give a majority for Bland bill of last session are not likely to su; port Mr. Carlisle in his strong plea for bank money based upon gold, to say nothing of the strong predilections of western men bers for government paper money. This reasoning as to the prospects of early legi lation has much force. Perhaps, however, it does not take sufficient note of one po sibility. That large portion of the silver faction which simply wants “‘more money, without caring much whether it is of sil or of any other form, may prove to be a somewhat uncertain quantity. If it should appear to them that there 15 a slim chance for their getting more sflver and that their vote can secure for them amvle issues of bank notes direct from the banks of their own localities, there is no saying how readily the ‘more money’ representatives of the west and south might whip round from the silver side to the bank money side Indeed, already surprise is felt among ob- servers in the house of representatives at the marked inclination among southern members to turn in that direction. Tut, however that may be, the adoption within three months of a large measure like M Carlisle’s would be a very hurried ac ment, and, should obstructive tactics in the course of its discussion, the would be fmpossible. It is to the advanta of a measure Involving such large inter- sts and such intricate details that its dis- cussion should have a larger margin of time than is afforded by the remaining eleven weeks of the present congress, The recon- struction of banking methods involved in Secretary Carlisle’s plan is so radical that, to make it complete and thoroush, large acility should be afforded for submitting working detalls to the advice of intelligent practical bankers, It is therefore to be hoped that, instead of pushing this legis lation to a hurried conclusion from mere party motives, it may be permitted the ad- vantage of maturer deliberation by allowing it to stand over for consummation by the new congress WILL RESUME GOLD SHIPMENTS. “The new $50,000,000 loan has increased the treasury gold reserve to about $110,000,000. Some important carly reductions, however, are anticipated. Some of the banks have depleted their stock of gold o largely through their subscriptions for bonds that they find it necessary to exchange of thelr legal tenders for the metal, s operations may reduce the reserve below $105,.00,000 In a few days. The steady drift of the forelgn exchanges toward the' specie- Shipping point has brought us to a stage at which, in view of the usual December inter- est payments to Europe, some conslderable immediate shipments ' of specie be expected. At the moment writing the exports by today's steamers are estimated at from $1,600,000 to 2,000,000, and, among the exchange ' houses t week's exportsfare expected to be still larger, must of LONDON MONEY MARKET. Cieveland's Currency Plan Favorably Re- velved, but Cuts No Fgare in Busin LONDON, Dec. 9.—President Cleveland's currency proposals have been favorably re- celved but in the face of the cer- tainty that there would be no immediate legisiation on the subject they failed to af- fect the market. The announcement that the Russian loan would issue next Wednes- day also falled to affect the market, while the Chinese overtures for loans were rather avolded and will be until it is known what indemnity Japan will require, The cessa- tion of continental demands for gold and the announcement of shipments of bul- lion from New York caused a relapse in the rates of money. The stock market was dull with the approach of the Christmas hol days. The activity In the mining marke was somewhat checked by realization, al- though each fall in prices was met by a rush of new buyers, both home and con- tinental, so prices were well sustained Italian securities were better on the im- proved monetary conditions. The unsettled political situation caused a relapse in Ar- entine securitie The directors of the Grand Trunk railway of Canada have now decided to glve Mr. Barker the fullest fa- cilitles to inquire into the condition of the company and its leased lines. Grand Trunk securities at the close were above the open- ing on the statement that interest would be pald. American securities recovered well on the prospect of the passage of the pooling bill. The following increases made Milwaukee, 1%4; Union Pacific, %; New York Central and Wabash 6s, % eich. These de- clines were scored: Erie seconds, 2; Nor- folk & Western preferred, 1%; Atchison, 1. The only other changes were fractional. UNITED KINGDOM CROP REPORT. Farm Work During tho Past Week Has Proceeded Satisfuctorily, LONDON, Dec. 9.—Farm work has been proceeding satisfactorily during the past week. The market has been %d lower for River Platte wheat, which Is now offered at a shilling decline from top prices, while American wheat has _ been steady and Russian = wheat was nominally unchanged. The small United King- dom stocks have helped the ket out. The Argentine crop scare pubsided. California wheat afloat very much like a Turkish or a Rus: cost: Beware you an Wash your hair and head with Pearline, and see how re- freshing and comforting it is. A Pearline shampoo, even if you don't take it very often, will keep the scalp beauti- fully clean and healthy. Don’t use too much. Not that there's any harm in it, but it'll take too long to wash the suds off, and you might grumble about that. Use your Pearline in the bath. You'll feel in- vigorated after it. It's ian bath-—except that it almost nothing, and that you take it at home, without any trouble or fu ** this is FALS imitation, be honest—send it & Peddlers and some unscrupulous grocers will tell as good as" or **the same as Pearline,” 1T —Pearline is never peddled: if your grocer sends 411 JAMES PYLE, New York. ATTEND THE BIC SA FURNITURE, CARPETS and STOVES BEING SOLD AT HALF PRICE. The biggest sale of Houschold Goods eyer held in the United Stat kno 100 es i teclass wh before. Come Plenty of polite now going on at the People’s Fu Such a sacrifice of fir house fur and sce for yourself. and attentive s e & Carpet Co. ishings has never been It costs nothing to alespeople. On accountof space only a few prices are quoted here., THESE PRICES TELL THE STORY Char Fold Chefloniers. Sideboards ..... Extension Tubles China Closets. . . Kitchen C Pictuves. ... Mattresses. . Rillowhties oo st Blankets .. Lace Curtains..... Port Brussels Carpets.. . Ingrain Carpets. . Lino! mber Suits.. worth ing Beds. .. worth §35.00 $16.00 7.15 13.25 4.95 14.90 24c « - 39¢c 2.490 98¢ worth worth $50.00 worth $11.50 worth alrEiT e worth 50¢ worth $1. wor'th $6.00 worth $2. "Worth § 118 2.90 59¢ 29c¢c 39c worth & ieres. : worth $7 worth $1.35 worth h”’\!‘ il Lt e e worth $1.10 1.25 | Art Squares. .. .. worth Smyrna Rugs...... worth $1. T I e, worth §14.00 Ii'on BEdREEE e worth $15.00 $1.98 1124 56.65 6.75 5.90 Misfit Ing, Hall Racks worth $14.00 agos, worth § 6.50 Tables et (1) worth £4.50 Parlor Suits .... 24,75 worth #60,00 4.90 3.75 12,50 6.75 Baby Car Center Lounges. ..... P worth $12.00 OLI HERLOTAY BRI AT worth $8.50 Base Burners..... worth Ouk Heaters......... worth $14 worth Wire Springs............ worth $2.50 Dinner Sets. ... worth $14.50 Piano Lamps........ worth 812,50 Ranges. ... Terms--CASH_OR_EASY PAYMENTS Formerly People’s Mammoth Instalimsa. House Open Monday and Saturday Evaaings. DS TEREESREES, | quoted cember MANCI at ber delivery firm at 64 fo 1s adva; and not very a rcel, Decem- Red winter p: Flour was . was quoted at Ma tive. Mixed An parcel, was qu s firm and in fair demand, Oats TILES. ed the Pait Week Dull, with Little Demand. IESTER, Dee. 9.—The market opened the pagt week dull and the demand was limited. to owing change, continued. and_continental qualities did also medium qualities specialties wer Some looms are b Y slow and Consumer Exporters month's ¢ 374,00 va during th lue £60,8 The v sainst itinent business pecially are plann, mercial of office talks on others. the Intel Women's again in rooms, together with three 'to ing is promptly is being don being engage club annual meeting will'be tr Mrs. the stern buyers we the uncertainty regarding The China Inquiry for speclalties . The buying for South American markets was good. Good f goods continued well fold, as common and good ehirtings, but : accumulating, —1nd! able ept at a l rns were mostly 1-lic lower on the week s bought from hand to mouth only are doing very little. Lasi xports to the United States were rds of cloth against 201000 yards e corre month _last year. of these exports wus £62.715, for those of November, 183 reports v _that an ve thinish spinners cs- months ahead. uns: the Com- of the election and ed. 1In the Toome noon, nsacted, president’s_addres by Mrs. Springer and ho Is president of Women nd Young tian associations, i8 to speak at the Women's club thers, who will make yeeches, The follow- which will ~ begin to which all are cor- , Teports, the work rnat Chris the evening five-minute gram, at 7:30 and dially invited: PIano 8010........cc.. The W. C. A in Omaha a. Its I Home.. b. The Ald... The Y. Vocal olo.. Women's Presia Violin Dy M The Work in Nebraska The Sinews of War.\\.... Plano Sol Vocal Duet Omaha An Outsider’s V Vocal Sol The semi- Baengerbund, ficers wa noon at t sult ident, Theodore W o of the election Richard Miss Belle s and the Old Ladies' Mrs, P. L. Perine and T Sasipes Mrs, A 'in Omaha Miss Nan Mrs, ‘Ch tian Associations Mrs, Springer of St of the Internatioal ginni| Lodging Hou: Chr v 100is) ent B AL Tartas itagovine 3 {r. J. R. Cook and Mr, Slam| Welch of Lincoln Mrs. J. G. Haines o Miss Loulse Holtorf Mrs. and Miss Johns Mrs. oo Mrs. F.OF. Ford ew........Mrs, R. B. Peattie Fy, o b0k erbund’s Electlon. nual meeting of the Omaha at which the election of of- s had, was held yesterday after- he hall on Farnam street, The re was as follows: Pres- ngelman; vice president, secretary, Charles Hu Saen Sinhold; bertz; financial secretary, Anton Engelman; treasurer, Nie Strehlow, Charles who had election, erwieser; Otto R. C Prof. Pundt; librarian, trustees, Peter Kals Dilli; musical direct Peterson.” Ex-President Kalser served two terms, declined re The re-election of Prof. Peterson Henry | WM. LOUDON, Commission Merchant Grain anil Provisions. Private wires to Chicago and New York, Al busines: ler: cel Al pusluess orders pliced on Chiciga orrespondence solicited. ce, room 4, New Y g k. New York Lite Bulldiag, CORN For delivered prices on Corn or Feed of any description In car loads lots, Write or’telegraph W. H. BOOTH & C0., Kansas City, Mo, uaranteed. Welghts and grades g as musical director was much commended, since through his efforts the singing class has been brought up to its present high standard of proficiency. — - WEATHER FOREC Falr, East Winds Becoming Northerly for Nebraskn Todn WASHINGTON, Dec. 9. ast winds, becoj lowa east b For Nebraskass g northerly. For winds, becoming north I ir; south winds, except showers st winds, h winds, Fair; i 2 OF THE WEATHER BUREAU, Dec. 9.—Omaha record of tempers ature and ), compared with the cors responding day of past four y 1894, 1893, 1892, 189 Maximum temperature 0 %m0 19 Minimum_ temperature 24 16 13 Average temperature 2 23 Precipitation . % W .0) Condition of temperature and precipitation at Omaha for the day and since March 1, 1594 Normal temperature Excess for the day..... Normal precipitation. Deficiency for the da 1 precipitation sin ch'i Deficiency since March 1... 1 Koports from Other Statlons v "8 ineh 08 ineh 09 inches 94 Incheg 8 PoM STATIONS, BTATE OB WEATHER, w g e cameiad - mopwIdIRasg| 00/ Cloudy. 00/ Cloar. 00| Clear, 200/ Cloudy. 00 Cloudy. 00| Cloudy, 00| Cloudy. 01 Cloudy. 00/ Cloudy. T |Gloudy: 00| Part eloudy, T | Part cloudy, 00| Cloudy. 00| Cloudy 00| Cloudy. 00| Cloudy. Valentine, Chicago St Louis, St Pau 4 Davenpori...... 10 Kunsas Clly. Denv 4 t Lake City. pid Ciiy ena. Bismarck St Vincent Cheyenne. ..... Miles City Guives T ludicatos trace of procipiiation L. A. WELSH, Observer,