The state herald., 1892-03-18
DENVER GOSSIP.
Preparing for the Conclave-Ths New Rail-
road Harvard BanQuet-The
Divorce Business.

I
road Harvard Banquet-The
Divorce Business.
-''. DENVER, Colo, March 12.
The people Of Denver look forward with
unfelgned joy to tho coming Of tho Knight
Templars In August next. This pleasurablt
feeling is partly due on the part Of some oi
the business men to the hope they have Of
wrestling from the gallant Knights their ready
shekcls. believe though, that for the mos,
part We are anxious to have them como be
cause We arc proud Of our city and like to en-
tcrtain strangers. The commercial bodies art
urging on improvements so that Denver will
be In her best bib and tucker when August
comes round. 1t now seems probable thai
the main business streets will be paved before
that time as the council has passed the ncccs-
sary ordinances notwithstanding the mayors
veto His objection was no doubt good one,
being based on the illegality Of the clause
giving the city engineer power to superintend
the work, which should dcyolyc upon the
board OF public works. We don't care much
who watches the work so 1t is done.
A committee OF public spirited citizens
waited on the governor the other day to urge
that the state house grounds be put In order,
and soddcd before the conclave meets. The
governor intlmatcd that much more impor-
tant thing to his mind was to get the capitol
itself under cover MS speedily as possible so
that the state officers might take possession
and stop the expenditure Of money for rant.
In this as In the Crcedc land snle Governor
Routt shows good degree Of common scidse,
which cannot be shaken by popular clamo'.
A large number Of business men met Mt thc
Ckps5er OF Commerce Thursday evening to
hear speeches about the proposed railroad l'nc
from Trinidad via Las Vegas and Whitc Oaks
to FL Paso. The veteran railroad builder, TX
Governor Evans opened witha carefully pre-
pared statement Of the advantages to be Dc
rived by Denver from the new line, and was
followed by jefferson Reynolds and o. u.
IIoughton Of Las Vegas. Mr.. lloughton
pointed out the advantages that the new line
would enjoy. The grade from Trinidad to
White Oaks would be only three per cent, and
| the road could be constructed for $1,000 per
mile. The Maxwell Land Grant Company
would show substantial favors to the road In
| order to develop Its mines. II Is to be hoped
thh, thc tbau VIII bV phiiNt 10 ~ wa ~ - -
cldcd benefit to Colorado.
The pangs Of regret at the limitations OF
his SCHOOLING" Is the only shadow that falls
| upon the average western man as he reads the
reports OF the reunions OF graduates OF the
| eastern universities. One OF these delightful
gatherings took place at the Hotel Metropolc
Thursday night, the occasion being the sew
cnth annual dinner OF the Rocky Mountain
Harvard Club. To the feast Of good things
there was added n flow Of wilt and cloquencc
pleasantly intcrspcrscd with songs dear to
the heart Of the college man. The retiring
president, Rev. Samuel A. Eliot, who presided
at the banquet, had the pleasure OF introduc-
| Ing his father, the distinguished Charles w.
Eliot, president Of Harvard College, who dis
courscd delightfully."- Of the prosperity and the
hopes OF this great Institution which cxpcnds
81 900 600 yearly In educational work. On
Friday evening President Eliot delivered a
| lecture mt Unity church. He dwelt with
special force upon one bad feature Of public
scbools-the tendency TO compel uniformity
regardless OF diversity Of talent lie urged
that the grammar schools In which most Of
our children get all their schooling, should 50
| far rs possible allow Individual minds TO de-
yelop as rapidly and as yariously as they
| were able.
Another lecturer OF far different style enicr-
tained an audience at Unity church this week.
NJ. Paul Blouct or "Max o'Rell," as he
| signs himself, is a writer whose style htly
represents the French character; light, Witty
and gayly satirlcal. His lecture, like his
writings, is full OF raillcry, and drole thrusts
at the weaknesses Of Americans with Just
.--..-.s. .s a.,,.~y make them paiHtabic.
We have the consolation that an American
can find as many foolish traits In Frcnchmcn
as they can find In us, and many of them arc
not OF 30 harmless character.
One thing that Is making Denver malodor.
Gus In common with Sioux Falls and Chicago,
Is what is generally known as Its divorce mill.
The county court, presided over by Judge
Miller has gained the reputation throughout
the country Of being an establishment where
divorces are granted "while you wait'-and
Il Isn't necessary to walt very long either. A
variety actress went Into court one day this
week and came out In seven minutes with her
decree OF enforcement, having convinced the
Judge that she was entitled to be free from
her husband. One witness testified in her be-
half. During the last seven months OF 1891
the court granted e:5 divorces. Two cases
before the courts this week Indicate that some
of these divorces were obtained by very foul
means, MS the plaintiffs sworc 10 the most
abomnable lies to obtain them. One Of these
,camps, Vim. d. Merrill, was sentenced on
Monday by Judge Ruekcr to the penitcntiary
for fourteen wears for perjury lie did II In
this way Ilc suggested to his wife that she
take trip east to sec friends, md after seq
Ing her or In very aifectionate manner, he
hastened To secure the services of one Of those
dcpraycd sharks, n divorce lawyer. code
summons was published In an obscure sheet
published for this express purpose and then
he went into court and sworc that his wife
| lid not know where shc was. In the mean
lime he had been writing TO her To be sure
shat she did not return before the divorce
vas granted. As soon ns II was secured he
made haste to marry another woman, but bis
true wife, when she heard Of the divorce,
.wcopcd down upon him like nn avengins
nemesis, and he will live In the pcn,cniinry
Tor some time. People come here from all
parts Of the country 10 get divorced, and oc-
snslonaliy the plaintiff Il married the same
day to some ono who has helped them to OBJ
tain the decree. II l. doubtless true that our
laws are no, strict enough on this subject, but
Il l. equally true that II the judge were tribe
more cautious there would be fewer divorces.
PAUL RrAp.