The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-03-03
CRUSADE AGAINST RUM.
Led by Miss Jessie Alderman, Woman
of Pluck and Purpose.

- Led by MISS jessie AckoEmaHs - VOAAoAA
of Pluck and Purpose.
Saloonkeepers on Chicago's west side
are squaring their shoulders fer bat
tie royal A modern Joan of Arc in
the form of Miss Jessie A. Alderman,
who has scaled the highest mountains,
explored the depths of the ocean in
diving costumes, hailed passing steam
ers from the masthead and ridden over
land in Iceland 500 miles on horseback,
has begun crusade against King Alco-
hol. She comes to the Fourth Baptist
church of Chicago as special rescue
worker and is probably the first to
carry the work of the Baptist church
into a field hitherto claimed alone by
the Salvation Army slum corps. The
first onslaught will be against saloon
keepers. The latter are nerving them
selves to face the bold invader, but if
Miss Ackerman's past achievements are
taken into account it is probable she
i will gain the citadel with the aid of a
/ telescope organ and her gentle person
atty
/ Miss Alderman is known to temper
l
over. 1t is unlikely that among them
may be found another woman with
such a history of varied and daring
experiences. When Seen at the home
of friend her agreeable manners and
expressive face belied the trying situa-
! tons through which she has passed as
missionary.
The Fourth Baptist church, of which
Rev. Kittredge Wheeler is pastor, will
experience change of work and policy
as result of the work mapped out for
! the versatile woman. Miss Alderman
is one of the two licensed women Bap-
| fist preachers in the United States and
is pretty well known as a lecturer.
| Miss Alderman is an American, but
has devoted most of her life to active
work abroad as a missionary. She is
at present working upon history of
her 800 mile ride Oh horseback through
Iceland. Thirty-one days were con-
sumed in the trip, and each had it's
quota of picturesque incidents. She
describes the Icelanders as "a people
with touch of melancholy in all their
doings and delightfully."- provincial in
customs" cit is difficult to sleep on
the island" she continued. 'sWe had
to lower curtains and darken the rooms
i'll order to get even sleepy. 1t is so
light one may read day and night with
out artificial light. 1 can say that 1
never spent a more delightful time than
during my sojourn in Iceland
In China and India Miss Alderman
traversed the countries in native cos
tune. Her descriptions of the preva-
lence of the opium habit in those coun-
tries are narrowing, to put it mildly.
but 1 find that there are whole dis
tricts devoted to these dens in New
York, San Francisco and Denver" she
said, land 1 have an idea that plenty
| Of them may be found in Chicago. In
foreign countries-India and China
the number of people enslaved by
opium is almost as great as that of the
victims of strong drink. The effect is
just as inevitable and ruinous."
Among the many daring incidents in
which Miss Alderman has figured is
her descent to the bottom of the sea
near the coast of India. Arrayed in the
51appings of woman diver, probably
the only suit of the kind in existence
and obtained for the occasion from an
expert, Miss Alderman viewed the
beauties of the deep and helped 20 bring
up a number OF pearls. On her way to
india on the high seas, while on board
! 4 steamer, she climbed a mast and,
elinging to the swaying top, waved a
| greeting to passing ship. On the same
Journey abroad Miss Alderman was
passenger on a Chinese junk, and dur
ing high storm at sea was swept over
board. Her presence of mind and some
sailors from Turkish man-of-war
saved her. Australia was also the
scene of some of Miss Ackerman's most
active labors. She has twice encir-
cled the globe. When in Africa she
was Frustrated with sickness. Lady
Henry Somerset heard of her condition,
sent for her and brought her back to
health in her castle, near London.
Miss Alderman is a good platform
speaker and her manner is sincere.
She is determined to carry on an active
campaign on Chicago's west side, with
the Fourth Baptist church as her sup
| mort.
The experiments which the French
government is now making with carrier
pigeons are not novel, though from the
scientific way in which they are being
conducted it is believed that new data
as to the efficiency of these swift birds
as messengers in time of war may be
gathered. Similar experiments have
been made in this country recently. not
ably those under the management of
/ Howard Carter, of the naval homing
| ,,igeon service of New York, says the
| Sun.
1t is calculated that the pigeons fly
at rate varying from 30 to 80 miles an
hour This means that message from
ship 100 miles at sea might be sent to
the hone loft in from four to five hours.
For instance, if the pigeons were re-
leased from a. scouting vessel to give
warning of the approach of an enemy's
vessel Or Feet they could beat the aver
age patrol boat to shore by ten OF IL
hours over 200-mile course. such adj
vance warning would be of great value
in an emergency. 1t is proposed, in
case of var, 10 place crates of these
pigeons on board the fastest patrol
boats which may be assigned to out
size. duty.
Mr.. Carriers method of training pi-
geons differs materially. from that of a
few wears ago. He flies his birds sinp,y
or in pairs at distances ranging from