The Norfolk weekly news., 1900-10-18
THE SCHOOL At GENEVA
The Inmates Escape and the Novel
Spectacle
or A GIRL" HUNT FOLLOWS
Facts and Figures Bearing on General
Prosperity-secretsry Gage on Coun-
trys Finances Answer to the vae-
aries of Carl schurz

In the management of the State In
dustrial School for Girls at Geneva.
Particularly is this true in regard to
ahording relief to taxpayers.
SO far as the accounts are concerned
Steward Brennan has a mark to his
| credit for the accounts of this insti-
| tuition have been kept in better shape
perhaps than those Of any other.
The management, however deserves
| to be reckoned with. 1t Is both weak
| and extravagant.
Superintendent Weber rraws a sal
ary Of $500, but that does not seem
to thoroughly appease his appetite. He
has added his wife's name to the pay
roll as "housekeeper" at $50 per month.
In addition to this he has two family
managers" on the pay roll, Annie Pat
terson and Fredeika willard, who
draw salary Of $500 pc ryear each.
| T. j. Wilson Is on the pay roll as
farmer" at $50 per month.
w. e. Baher and w. H. Kumser are
on the pay roll as engineers at $50 per
month each.
Michael Martin is on the pay roll
as extra man" at $40 per month.
There is a matron at the institution
and why a "housekeeper" Is needed Ia
a question that can only be explained
by Superintendent Weber. The only
explanation thus far offered 1t that IL
was occasioned by the desire of STU
perintendent Weber to reap a more
bountiful harvest.
The records in the auditors office
would indicate that the "housekeep-
er's" duties are to some extent those
Of tourist. Voucher B415S3 is a
voucher drawn in favor OF the wife
of the superintendent "for going to
Omaha and bringing back Blanche
Green" In this voucher Il claim for
hack hire was made and allowed,
though, with the city of Omaha GOV.
cred with a network Of street car lines
II Is difficult to determine why hack
was necessary, unless to use the COM
mon everyday street car would not
comport with the dignity of the occa-
sion. Street cars are largely used by
the common people, 1T is true, yet now
and then you will see on them bankers,
capitalists and business men. 1t is
perhaps asking too mucn to require
state employees, whose bills of this sort
are paid by the taxpayers. to put up
with such primitive accommodations.
EXPENSIVE "RUNAWAYS."
There is painful lacking, In con-
nection with the management, in the
way Of discipline. The inmates are
given too much freedom, and this re-
suits In escapes from the institution
with consequent assaults on the treas
ury to pay the expense of capturing
and returning them.
Last April the people hereabouts
were treated to real exhibition OF
"rt t,1v brov
hunts and wolf" hunts until these
was a novel experience and attraction
for them to see a girl" hunt. Three
Of the inmates had escaped and super.
intendent Weber threw out line OF
scouts and secured the whole country
for miles around. Nine stalwart men
were engaged to run down three puny
Ispecimens of the opposite sex. The
I"runaways' were finally captured and
returned and the state was presented
with a bill of expense amounting to
$2S for helping return three runaway
girls" This is the language Of the
voucher. Neither in the bills rendered
nor in the voucher are TIE names OF
the captives given (see voucher
B4659D.
Superintendent Weber has not
been brilliant success in man.
aging this institution. He has
failed to maintain the standard
of discipline and has inaugurated
few, IL any, beneficial changes
A considerable reduction might be
made in the expense of the manage.
ment, but as that would iIvolve re-
duction in the volume Of "loaves and
fishes" that, under the Poynter ad
ministration, is not to be counted on OF
expected.
At Geneva, as at other places where
state institutions are located, there Is
complaint of the manner in which
drugs. groceries and supplies are pur
chased. 1t is the same story told over
and over again in these columns.
FACTS ABOUT PROSPERITY.
OMAHA, Neb., Sept. "a. 1900
Prosperous conditions are in evidence
in every county of Nebraska. No ont
but rank partisan woul1 attempt tC
assert that such conditions are tran
STORY or unreal. 1t is matter o.
slow growth-there Is nothing arti
fetal or uncertain about it. Withir
four years the farmers of Nebraska
have been delivered from the bondage
of debt and thousands of them boas
of a surplus.
1t is true that the requirements o
the impending campaign have sug
eested the fullest exposition Of fact
relating to changed conditions In ev
cry county in order that the people o
one county may be apprised of th'
degree of prosperity in every othe
county, but the republican manager
do not need to magnify or over-stat,
the facts, which In most cases speal
for themselves.
Emphasis may be given to one all
important fact, to.wit: That while tn
, farmers are producing abundant crop
and receiving higher prices thereto
J than ever before paid. at the same tim
the mechanics and laboring men II
cities and towns are all busy, receiv
ing higher pay for shorter working
hours than ever before and that tn
demand for their services exceeds tn
J supply.
A careful inquiry into the status O
things reveals these conditions:
, l. That farmers are getting 32 an
"a cents for their corn (of whic
there is a large surplus), wherea
J \ hnu hpt q