The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-23
! BEFORE BREAKFAST. s

The United States government is at
present engaged in making an inves-
tigation of more than usual public in
terest The intent of the inquiry is
to get all the essential, economic facts
relating to the construction and use of
electric light and power or gas light
ing plants and water works, whether
owned by individuals, corporations or
municipalities. The work of gathering
this information is being done by
agents of the department of labor at
Washington, and a letter from Com
missioner Carroll d. Wright to each
Of the companies from which informa-
tion is sought states that the facts,
when published, will not disclose the
identity of any establishment nor fur
rish any clue by which such
identity could be determined. Every
to be visited. Special agents
A NJ. Dewey, of Washington, is watt
ing upon the officers of such corpora
tions in this county. Mr.. Dewey will
be remembered by many as the editor
of the Journal of United Labor. He is
an uncle of N. II. Brooks, manager of
the Linden, and is Mr.. Brooks guest
during his stay in this region.
The excellent record of the Thir-
teenth regiment in rifle and pistol prac-
tice for the past season, in which they
again led the regiments of Pennsyl-
vania National Guard in. both of these
arts. has been due to a number of
causes. One of the chief of these has
been the interest and announcement
received from the generous citizens,
who presented to the victorious teams
in the Citizens matches some of the
finest trophies and medals that have
ever beer won by our regiment.
Company A as winner of the first
prize, in the contest last season, re-
Gently received from Tiffany & Co., of
New York, the finest bust of Washing
ton that has ever been seen in our
city. The bust is life-size, of bronze
after a model by Houdon, of Paris. 1t
is handsomely mounted on a revolving
pedestal of serpentine marble, which
bears an appropriately engraved plate.
With this trophy the members of the
winning team each year receive medals
of solid gold of a design which is both
unique and artistic and unlike any
decoration ever before won by our ex-
pert shots.
The second prize, which was last year
won by Company G., of Montrose, is a
beautiful engraving, representing a
celebrated cavalry charge in the War
of the Rebellion. The picture is richly
framed in dark oak and also bears an
inscription with the names and scores
of the teams who win this distinction
Such valuable and appropriate trophies
which are open for competition each
season, to all the companies of the
regiment until finally won three times,
must continue to prove of great SER
vice in the department of rifle practice
The gentlemen who have so generously
assisted the regiment in this matter
are: Colonel l.. A. Watres, George L..
Dickson, William Connell. E. B. Sturges,
Colonel H. NJ. Boies, F. S. Godfrey,
Henry Belin, agent. Dupont Powder
company; E. l.. Fuller, George b.
Smith, w. H. Taylor. Major Everett
Warren and William 4. Smith.
Telephone girls with all their care
sometimes make blunders, or at least
somebody errs at the other end of the
line. OF course the party of the first
part never makes a mistake in calling
numbers. The other day a woman
rang the telephone hurriedly, repeated
the desired number. received the call
and promptly gave her order:
Il want some cold meat. Send it up
at once"
Great Scott" yelled a voice, "who
do you think you've got?"
''Why, Carr's meat market!" an
swered the woman impatiently.
well, you haven't" was the reply.
This is the undertakers"
Dear me-" shouted the woman in
horror, don't send up that cold meat.
l don't want your kind.
Then she hurriedly called the ex-
change, secured the right people and
repeated her order. But somehow that
noon when the said cold meat came on
the table she didn't eat a morsel of it.
The Otis Whist club held a meeting
Monday at the Nash, preliminary to
opening series of games. On Monday
next a general business meeting will
be held, when officers will be elected
and after which a game of compass
whist will be played. Rooms have been
secured for Monday afternoon OF each
week at the Nash, when 1t is expected
that an interesting series will be en-
joyed.
One OF the new books OF the season
which will appeal to a large number Of
readers is The Bible References of John
Ruskin published by the American
branch of the oxford University Press
and compiled by Mary and Ellen Gibbs.
The attractive book contains in the ex-
quisite diction Of Ruskin selections
from his many works where he has re-
peatedly made illusions to sacred writ.
From the Stones of Venice, for in
stance, is quoted the exhortations to
those whose sentiments are excited "by
painted glass and colored tiles'-"not
to regulate their creeds by their taste
in colors, but to hold calmly to the
right, at whatever present cost to their
enjoyment; sure they will
one day find in heavenly truth a
brighter charm than in earthly i'm
agery, and striving chiefly to gather
stones for the eternal building, whose
walls shall be salvation, and whose
ha ppafSa E,ron, 40