The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-12


steamer as we passed through them.
The lake is not always as peaceful as
it was this day, and woe betide the un-
lucky craft that is caught out on its
bosom when the wind lashes the wa
ters into fury The hull of scow
now lies high and dry on reef of
rocks at Sheboygan, having been driv-
en up by gale several months ago
The dedication of the new organ at
Plymouth, of which / spoke in my for
mer letter, took place on the 3lst ult.
The church was crowded both morn
ing and evening, and the services Were
greatly enjoyed by all who participa-
ted.
MILWAUKEE.
The city of Milwaukee is built on
the shore of the lake, and is one of the
most beautiful cities in tho country. 1t
would be impossible to describe it in
so brief a letter as this, and l can only
allude to some of its leading features.
The Soldiers Home is a government in
stitution, embracing large and elegant
buildings and extensive grounds which
are kept in the best of order. Here
soldiers who have grown gray in the
service are cared for in their old age.
The Plankinton Hotel is said to be one
of the best in the west. The rooms are
elegantly furnished, and the dining
room, which has just been completed,
is called the most magnificent one in
this country. People out here never
do anything by halves and in the mat
ter of hotels they are not behind. Mil
waukee has an efficient paid fire de-.
partment. One day I went to one Of
the engine houses to witness the drill.
The stables are at one end of the room
where the apparatus is kept, and the
| stalls are arranged with doors at the
horses heads. AT 12 o'clock, noon, a
gong sounded, and at the same mo-
ment the stall doors were opened by
electricity, aud nine horses came out on
a jump, each one taking his proper po-
sition, and in about 10 seconds every
thing was ready to start for a fire.
This drill occurs three times every day.
The fremen have very comfortable
quarters up stairs with bath room, Ii
brary, &c In each room there is a
square hole in the floor, and brass
pole about four inches in diameter ex-
tends down to the engine room. Grasp
ing this pole with one arm the men
slide down with lightning rapidity,
and are all in their places when the
horses are hitched. The precision and
rapidity with which man and beast
perform their parts are truly astonish-
ing.
Milwaukee is celebrated for its beer.
l cannot tell how many breweries are
here, nor how many barrels are made a
year, but both figures are large. AL
most everybody drinks it, and as licen-
ses are granted by the city authorities,
| anybody can open saloon, and yet
there is no more, if as much drunken.
ness as in towns of fewer drinking pla-
ces and less beer.
| AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE.
Our Prohibition friends tell us that
drinking makes drunkards, and drunk
ards make paupers, and as general
thing, presume this is true, but sim
gular instance has come under my no
tice which is an exception to the rule.
In the town of Plymouth, with 1900
inhabitants, there are 80 or 40 saloons,
and yet the corporation has a poor
fund Of over a thousand dollars on
hand, and no way to spend it, because
there is not a pauper in the town lin
its.
| BEAVER DAN.
We spent two pleasant days at this
place, a town about the size of Blooms
burg. 1t is located 60 miles vest from
Milwaukee There is a cotton mill
here that employs 200 hands, and a
number of other manufacturing estab,
lishments. In two things the people
here are ahead of our place. They
have three story brick town hall, con
tanning rooms for fire apparatus and
companies, council room, and hall
This is one thing. The other is that
nearly all the fences have been taker
down, and the lawns are kept in fine
condition, without fear of intrusion Of
cattle. They shut them up out here
This is the other thing Eastern civ
llization can learn something from tn,
west after all, in some respects.
FEW CELEBRITIES
Opportunities have been afforded fo
seeing several men who are prominent
| ly before the people just now. On,
day last week when we reached tn,
depot at Milwaukee, we discovered {
man addressing a crowd of about lOt
persons, from the rear of car. Tn,
bald, the button-hole bouquet, and tn,
squlnt eye could not be mistaken i
was chat horny handed son of toll, Bel
Butler. He was on his way to Mime
apolis to attend fair. Some one said h
was travelling around earning his breaC
by the sweat of his cheek. The onl,
thing that / heard Butler say was tina
the party that is defeated this fall will
never be heard of again. This may b
|, true, but il will not be the Democrati
party,
On Sunday morning while we wer
al breakfast at the LELAND House il
Chicago, our waiter informed us tha
Gen. Logan was expected in fey
minutes, and we succeeded in catching
a glimpse of "Black jack failed t
notice anything peculiar about him, ex
cept that he did not look as though h
would ever be yice-president of this ma
ton. Poor man How disappointe
| he will be Carl Schurz is in thi
country speaking to the Germans wit
great effect He has q strong inhuenc