Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-19

to the Omaha waterworks company for
system combining gravitation and direct
pressure, and the present magnificent works
are the result.
The Camp Dump Camp paign.
One of the thrilling incidents of municipal
life was inaugurated in Omaha in the latter
days of February, 1882. 1t is known in his
tory as the Camp Dump Campaign. On the
site of the present Burlington freight depot,
east of Eighth street, the company had large
force of graders employed levcling the bluff.
jim Stevenson was the contractor. He
flooded the surrounding country with posters
Offering employment to 800 men. The result
was large influx of laborers. Stevenson,
who was merely carrying out the behest OF
| the Burlington managers, expected to profit
I by this rush, in reduced wages, but in this he
was disappointed. About the 1st
Increase from sl25 to $3.50 per day.
| The demand was refused and the men dis
charged. The Burlington people then came
| TO the rescue and gathered up number OF
! section gangs to do the work Meanwhile
| the strikers formed an organization and Sc.
| cured the active support and other trade aud
| labor organizations. Wednesday,, the Sth OF
| March, was fixed upon for public demon
| str9tion in favor of the strikers. They
| gathered between 1000 and 5000 strong on
| Jefferson square, formed in line, and marched
to the dump. The section hands were at
| work at the time, guarded by dozen raw
I
| Eighth street. followed by large gang OF
| ruifians anxious for row. Just as the head
| of the procession reached the dump, some OF
| this gang raised n cry. The constables were
!, assaulted and Il few Of them beaten, and the
| laborers fled to their boarding cars. The
tumult subsidized in u few minutes, and no
| great damage WAS done. The row, however,
| was juicy meat for the opponents of labor.
+! Their organs purposey magnied IL, declared
| that rivulets of blood were coursing through
| the streets, and that anarchy reigned SUI
/ prcme in Omaha Flaming editorials were
! printed with the evident intention of en-
bittering the working people and rovoking
au outbreak The BEE defended the
| right Of tho laborers to peace
fully resist wage reduction and vigorously
| denounced the false cries and absurd asser-
tions that the peace of the city was in dan
ger. The night following the rad on the
| dump, Mayor Boyd called meeting of citi-
zens at his office. Mayor Boyd, Sheriff Mil
| ler, General Manager Holdrege of the Bur-
lington and Mr. Rosewater were present.
The apparent purpose of the meeting was to
petition the governor to call out the militia
Mr. Rosewater insisted that such move
| nent was unnecessary, that il would only
provoke further disturbance, and disgrace
Oinaha in the eyes of the country. Finding
! his protests of no avail, he withdrew. Tho
! mayor and sheriff united in q telegram to
Governor Nance. declaring that they had ex-
hausted all their power, and requested that.
the state militia be ordered out to protect the
city. To justify the disgraceful act of turn
!
and Repu bican printed the most scandulous
| falsehoods-that the workingmcn were
looting the city and unless assist
ance came ruin and raplnc would result.
the avenues of news to the east and sent
their falsehoods broadcast over the country,
doing vast damage to the name and credit OF
the city.
From "Wednesday night till Saturday noon
there was not the slightest indication OF a
| disturbances. The raw troops from
the country arrived at noon Sat
urday. Fortunately the governor
induced the president to order the military
to the scene, presenting the spectacle of the
militia guarding the dump and the army
guarding the militia Sunday morning
everything was IN readiness for war. How
itzers commanded the approaches, rifles and
oayonets glistcncd in the sunlight and thou
sands OF men, women and children gazed
anXiously on the thrilling scene. The enemy
did not come to cnlivcn the farcica proceed
ing. Along toward evening, George Il. Arm
strong, an old man somewhat under the
weather, staggered over the dead line and
was promptly bayonctted by II bloodthirsty
mitlamau. His wound proved fatal and
the murderer escaped. Even this crime did
not provoke row, and the reign OF terrorism
subsidized in the Herald and Republican. In
| a few days the troops were withdrawn lcav
ing several large bills and empty Jugs as
mementoes of the Camp Dump campaign.
Fhe Campaign of 1884.
The presidential campaign of 1884 did not
create much enthusiasm ID Nebraska Great
er interest centerod in tho contest for state.
Offices and In the congressional districts.
| Governor Dawes monopoly record and polit.
ical dishonesty did not commend him to tho
masses and vigorous protest against his
denomination was unheedod by the republi-
can convention. The democrats and in
dependents united on j. Sterling Morton.
In the First congressional district Wcaver's
unredecmed pledges alienated u vast num-
ber of republicans, and these with the demo:
Gratis centered OF Hon. q. ii. brown, of
| Omaha A similar condition OF affairs ex.
listed in the Second district where the in
famous Sinking Water land grab and mis-
trucking to corporations dscrcdted Laird
among the people The opposition united on
Captain Sickle. The BER actively sup.
ported tho opposition candidates, believing
that tho best interests OF the republican
party as well as tho interests oil the people
demanded that unfu.hful and dishonest
officials should be eifectualy rebuked. The
result Of the election proved its wide infiu-
ence for good. Dawes ran behind his ticket
nearly sevcn thousand votes, receiving "a 30
, and and Logan received 57.sa per cent.
! Weaver was elected by scratch, his plural
ity over Brown being 975 In district
, | which gave Blaine over 5000 majority.
, | Laird's plurality was the lowest ever re.
ceived in that district.
The Defeat OF Howe.
The memorial campaign of 1885. In the
, | First district, which gave Nebraska It's first
, | democratic congressman, IL fresh in tho
: | minds of all. The republican machine forced
) | Church Howe upon the people Notwith-
:. | standing the earnest protests Of TnE ben
: ! and thousands of republicans, Howe was
> nominated amid the blare OF brass bands and
the wild hurrahs OF his strlkors at Beatrice.
| He went up like rocket ana came down q
singed stick. Hon. John A. McShane, oi
5 Omaha, was nominated by the democrats.
The campaign was short but uncommonly
lively, and resulted la the overwhelming de-
5 feat Of Howe. McShane carried the district
! by majority OF 1923. Howe carried hi
home county by bare majority
' while Douglas gave McShane ma.
8 iority of 6.076, and also a majority
!, for the republican candidate for governor.
0 Tho result was a crushing Waterloo for Jay
v Gould's man Friday, and an emphatic rebuks
|. administered by republicans TO the political
, yagabonds responsible for the nomination
a The revolt was not confined 10 cit,
G or county. 1t extended from thl
y Platte river TO the Kansas line, ani
n emphatically declared that republican noIR