davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
WILLIAMSBURG SINGERS PROUD.
Successful Musicians Return From
Iowa EiSteddfod,

Williamsburg, Dec. 27.-The Will
liamsburg singers that went to Ottum-
wa feel rather jubilant over what they
Won at the state Eisteddfod held in
Ottumwa. The result of the days pro-
gram in the number of prizes won was
Williamsburg s. Ottumwa 7, Colfax / ),
Beacon |, Oskaloosa l. Our people
are loud in their praises of the officers
of the association and the kindness of
the Milwaukee officials who handled
the excursion down and back. The
only complaint they have been heard
to make was at the adjudicators of
the music, and then not because they
dod not give more prizes to Williams
burg, but that they We're utterly I'M
able to properly point out the defects
or praise the good points made in rem
Idering the music. 1t is not for any
money that people go to an Eisteddfod
but for the experience that it should
afford, and the improvement it leads
to when properly adjudicated. The
judges were urged to do this, and did
try, but every time they started in to
do so they showed that they did not
know the music as well as they M ght
and properly enough they thought dis
erection the better point in an unwise
judge and they overlooked that part
| of their duty afterward.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31

Leslie Mortimer Shaw, governor of
on November 81, 1S4S. He is the son
of Boardman Ozias Shaw, whose faith
er, Ebenezer Shaw, was one of the ear
Hest settlers and first selectmen Of
Morristown. His mother was a daugh-
ter Of Jason Spaulding, teacher Of
some reputation in the eastern part of
New York state.
Boardman Shaw moved to farm in
Stowe, VT, where Leslie M. spent his
minority. He received his early edu-
cation in the common schools of his
country and the Peoples Academy of
Morristown, vt. He removed to Iowa
in 1869 and was graduated at Cornell
college, Mt. Vernon, in 1874.
Leslie NJ. Shaw was dependent upon
his own efforts in obtaining an educa-
ton, but with characteristic persist
ence went to work. He taught school
in the winter and worked in the har-
vest fields in the summer. Several
winters he tramped all over northwest
ern Iowa selling fruit trees and nur-
sery stock. His energy was wonder
full and he was determined to succeed
III Spite VI Ills poverty. anQ ne Qlu.
After years of hard work he earned
sufficient to complete his college and
professional courses, and was gradu-
ated from the Iowa college of law in
1876. In the same year he located in
the practice of his profession at Deni-
son.
Ever Hard Worker.
Governor Shaw is believer in hard
work. He has often been heard to say
that those who worked deserved to
succeed. For years he was usually at
his office at o'clock in the morning
and remained until 10 at night His
law library is one of the largest and
& best selected in the state. He was a
moving spirit and the largest contrib
\ utor toward the establishment of all
/ academy and normal school at Deni
\ son, and has held the position of pres
dent of the board of trustees from its
Organization. He is also a trustee OF
Cornell college, and for several years
was president of the state board oil
D,nison. He is president of the Bank
I of Denison at Denison and the Bank
lof Manila at Manila
Governor Shaw has always been a
successful lawyer. He was student
of law and deeper student of human
nature. In his practice he made use
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31

Of the experience he had acquired in
his hard struggle to get an education.
He is esteemed by all his acquaint-
lawyers in the northwestern part of
the state, although prior to 1896 he
was not widely known.
Denison His Home Town.
Up to the time he was elected COVER
nor Mr.. Shaw remained a resident Of
the little town of Denison Attorneys
pitted against him in cases speedily
found out that he was made of good
metal. He never betrayed his knowl-
edge of law points or points in evil
dence until the right time, and often
his opponent calculated too far on the
seeming Indifference of the attorney
who sat on the other side of the table.
When the time came to make point
Shaw made it. He struck with light,
ming rapidity, and frequently his OPP
opponent was not prepared for the
blow.
Crawford county, the home of Gov
ernor Shaw, is a democratic county,
and naturally he had little chance to
rise to eminence locally. Although
he made speeches in various cam
paigns, he did not come into promi-
nence politically until 1896. This
was his opportunity and he made the
most of it. He had long been a stu.
dent of the money question, and felt
able to cope with the greatest deba-
tiers of the day. He offered his ser
vices to the state committee and they
were accepted. After he had made
one speech he was in constant de
mand.
In February, 1896, at the beginning
of the memorable free silver contro
versy of that year, Mr.. Shaw was re
quested by the adherents of the golt
standard to reply to an address made
in his town by William Jennings Bry
an. From that date to the end Of Tho
campaign, which resulted in the cleo
ton Of William Mckinley as Presi
dent, he was kept busy. His speeches
made him national character. This
brought his name prominently before
the state, and when, in the following
year Governor Drake declined to bt
candidate for denomination, attention
was directed to Shaw, and three weeks
later he received the nomination o
the republican party for governor. H,
was elected (on the day he was forty
nine years old) by a plurality of 30,
S76 and majority of 1l,176. Two
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
GROWTH OF INTER.URRAN.


Recent collections of staticians con-
corning the electric street railway
and interurban business show that
the trolly wires are branching out
in every direction in the populous and
prosperous farming districts of the
middle west, and several thousand
miles of road are now proposed and
will probably be constructed within
the next two or three years. The
marvellous growth of the inter-urban
systems in southern Michigan and
northern and southern Ohio is the
wonder of the railway men of the
day. That electricity is fast break
ing into the business of the steam
lines is not to be doubted, and yet
the interurban lines pick up great
deal of business for the steam roads
which otherwise might not be secur-
ed.
Some idea of the enormity of this
branch of railroading may be OBJ
tanned by the review of the lines con
Istructed and proposed to be con
structed in southern Michigan, By the
close of next season there will be two
electric roads across the state from
S@btt W u"Sol anu oilC II Jill lloll III W
SOUTH connecting all of the important
towns in that state. Detroit is the
natural center of these lines, which
extend to Bay City. South Haven.
Battle Creek. Lansing, Jackson, Ann
Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, To
lodo, Ohio, and many smaller places.
The Detroit United railway now owns
and operates 365 miles of short lines
running out Of Detroit, and with the
construction planned next summer
these short lines Will have close con,
nections with lines aggregating 1000
miles in length. The Detroit and To
ledo Shore line will be complied next
! summer thus establishing trolley
( line in direct competition with the
Lake Shore and the Wabash between
these two cities. In addition this line
will give connection between the lines
of the United Railway company OF
Detroit and the Eyerett-Moore syndi
cate lines centering at Cleveland ano
Akron, O., and interurban lines will
be able to compete for through traf
fic between Detroit and Cleveland
and intermediate points.
Ouu of Detroit runs also the lines
of the Rapid railway system, compris
ing 1vf miles of main line and connec
with the city Of Port Huron, IA mile:
distant The run to Port Huron i:
made 16 times a day, trains leaving
the terminal every hour. The dis
lance of IA miles is covered in twt
hours and forty minutes. The roat
has a train dispatcher and is operat
ed much the same as a steam road
Freight trains run at regular inter
walls making almost as quick time a
the passenger trains. The passenge
train consists Of baggage. smokin!
and day coaches and carries mail.
The advantage of the city of Detroi
lies in the fact that persons who de
J. sire to trade have hourly trains int
town and out. One line alone give
!. hourly trains to 125 people, VIII
i would otherwise have one train 4
day and have to go many miles to ge
THAT. Another road which is nov
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
HOW Will SHAWS APPOINTMENT AFFECT IOWA
From
From the Des Moines Capital.

President is reelected possibly for four
years more, making seven years. He
is to sit at the Presidents council
board. His whisper as to Iowa men
will be all determining. He is a
shrewd politician; he knows that OPP
portunities come and opportunities go,
and, that the proper time to make hay
is when the sun shines. They will say
he will be more potent ad powerful in
Iowa affairs than any other man whose
name appears on the calendar of pub
lie place.
"He has the Presidents confidence
and will retain it. He will look after
Iowa men and see that they are in
strong places. His influence will be,
whether he wants it to be or not,
against the new organization. He can
have a powerful influence in the con-
tests of next year when the secretary
of state, auditor of state, treasurer of
state and attorney general, reporter of
the supreme court, clerk of the SUI
court are to be named. Where will
his influence go? Will he be with the
old ortthe new? The President was
supposed to be with the new and was
supposed to know something of Iowa
political conditions, and he has select
ed man regardless. Or, is there to
be no old and no new? Is the repub-
lican party to be one party with differ
ent sets of men triumphing at different
times?"
The politicians are wondering indeed
as to what the harvest will be. Gage
did not control Illinois, nor attempt to
do so while secretary of the treasury,
though the treasury department has
twice as many employees in Illinois as
in Iowa. But Gage was not a politl-
clan and Governor Shaw is. one of the
shrewdest of his time, adding to native
Yankee strength judgment sharpened
by western education and experience.
The governor may never aspire tc
be senator, but if he should have Turk
ing ambitions of that kind four or five
years as secretary of the treasury
would not seriously injure his pros
poets. He would not think of running
against Allison; nobody thinks of that
but Allison may not live many year:
and Shaw is much younger man
Shaw is So; Allison twenty year!
OlQer, the recurring governor is Dut
year older than the incoming COVER
nor.
Who will control the state and dis
trict conventions next year? Will i
be the state or national administra
ton? Will the new state administra
ton have sufficient power to hold it
grip and to control the great state con
vention of the coming summer, tn
state convention to be held in the yea
in which the entire congressional dele
CATION is to be chosen with a great lis
of state officers; state convention
, to be held after congress has taken az
| ton on ship subsidies and reciproc
ties; the first state convention to b
held since the death of the Presiden
and the Inauguration OF
President; the first state COZ
: vention to be after the prat
| teal unification of all the trans
| poration companies in the great ives
[ with two exceptions; the first CONVEX
ton to be held after the adjournmen
of a legislature chosen with the ne'
, executive with new promises and hig
: expectations.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31

These are some of the problems
that are confronting the politician and
veXing the minds of some. But in
politics the 'old timer" has discov-
cred that some things happen as well
as others, and that no rule can be
laid down which shall limit power to
either old or new factions The re-
publican party of Iowa is strong. The
democratic party appears to be pow
erless and unable to agree upon eth
er principles or men, and thousands
of democrats, in order to have any
voice in the states affairs, have been
and are uniting with the republicans
in order to be in a position to have
something to say in the conduct of the
state.
The republican party has many ia
vorite sons, and as rule has not re-
served her rewards for the favorite
few. Time, the great leyeler, the
great adjuster, brings all things
around. Governor Shaw, as secretary
of the treasury, may not be revo-
lutionst in Iowa political affairs He
may not be malcontent. He may be
for peace. 1t is believed that he will
be. His appointment may not mean
anything as regards Iowa politics, and
Certainly uOSS uOI ~ lsil ttS lHe L lcSi-
dent is concerned. The President
faction in Iowa. The politicians of the
country have recognized all republi-
can leaders in this state as reformers,
as in the vanguard of progress. The
country at large has always known
that Allison never headed faction,
but always represented his party, and
the same belief has been applied to all
other Iowa public men. In the cOun-
try at large governor Shaw is hailed
as the man who kept Iowa in the
sound money column; as the man who
prevented the republicans of Iowa
from weakening on the money Ques-
ton and adopting a populist platform.
The governor has never posed as hav-
ing done these things; but the laurels
have been placed on his brow without
his consent. His reputation in the
nation is that of the soundest of
, sound money men; the man who put
the gold standard into words of one
syllable.
The old timer knows that the poll
tics of last year do not seriously af-
feet the politics of next year. He al
so knows that the hurrahs, the tumult
and the shouting, is never for a
great Wnlle anu LOT many years IN
succession, for the same man. He
knows that the political revolution
that is said to take place, or is said to
, have taken place, is generally a fig
ment of the mind. Inside of party
], a revolution means the change of the
; officeholders and not a change of
principles. 1t often happens that a
: struggle between factions is a strug-
I gle for the chevrons and shoulder
l straps.
: But a1ter all is said and done the
: politicians are seeing things" in their
dreams Some of them see power that
t had reached their grasp, about pass
ing away; others see powers that
/ We're just passing away once moro
: within their grasp.
= In view of all that has traIlspired
t and all that is about to transpire, who
: will sit at the head of the table in
t Iowa next summer when offices are to
v be filled, nominations to be made. res
b olutions passed and the work of the
political kindergartens performed?
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
VIOLATED POSTAL LAW.
Had Printing on Envelope Indicating
He Had Collected Bad Debts.

Des Moines, Dec. 2o.-Ira l.. Kess-
Ter, of Boone, but formerly of Des
Moines, was brought before W. G. Nc
Arthur, United States commissioner,
on the charge of violating the postal
laws He was bound over to the
grand jury. The specific charge
against Kessler was that he sent a
letter to Thomas Nolin, of valley
Junction, Ia, the envelope of which
bore the following legend on the up
per left hand corner: IRA L. kessler
collector of bad debts; Boone, Ia .
The envelope was a large one and the
card was printed in large letters, COW
ering most of it. Kessler waived ex-
animation, but the envelope and the
letter alleged to have been mailed by
him were shown to the commissioner.
The postal laws prohibit anyone from
mailing a letter bearing on the en-
velope anything that is calculated to
injure the standing of the person re-
ceiving it.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
REVISION OF CREED.
Work So Far Done Is Merely Tenta-
tive and Not for Publication.

Pittsburg, Dec. 2S-The Presbyteri-
an creed revision commission has is.
sued the first statement through its
secretary, the Rev. Dr. William Henry
Roberts:
For the information of the church
| am authorized to say that the com
mittee on creed revision met at Wash
ington. D. c., on December 4 and re-
manned in session until December IA
The work accomplished at the meet
ing consists of a brief statement of
the reformed faith in untechnical
terms, and also a declaratory state
ment. The statement OF the reformed
faith is contained in sixteen articles
and the declatory statement covers
Chapter Ill. Chapter X, Section 8;
Chapter XIV, Section of the confess
sion of faith, as specified in the as
sembly's instruction to the committee,
and also additional statements as to
the gospel and the Holy Spirit The
work thus far done is altogether ten
tative, is not for publication and is to
be. considered at another meeting of
| the committee to be held in Philedel-
! phia February 5, 1902 The commit
| tee also appointed subcommittee of
4 i've Consisting VI u. w. Y. NUN pllSy
/ Drs. McKibbin, Fisher, Niccolls and
Moffat, to prepare tentative revision
of The Confession of Faith of the sew,
eral points contained in the instruc
tons of the committee above named
the same to be considered at the Feb
ruary meeting, along with the declar
atory statement"
1t is generally understood by the
Presbyterian ministers in this city
that the plan of the committee is tc
report the declaratory statement tc
the next general assembly and side
track the revision movement until the
assembly of 1903. The new creed mer
on the committee are aggressive ant
believe that the plan of campaign viii
best promote their desires and give
relief at once to the church.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
THlELE GETS LIFE SENTENCE.
Villisca Wife Slayer Must Pay Penalty
of Crime.

Red Oak, Dec. 27.-Guilty of murder
in the first degree and punishment fix
ed at imprisonment for life was the
verdict of the jury in the case OF S.
G. Thiele in district court here. Thiele
stabbed his wife TO death on the street
in Villisca last June because she re-
fused to live with him after he had
deserted her and their six children at
Clarinda some two years before. She
had begun suit for divorce and was to
have married a Villisca man. Thieles
lawyers set up the plea of insanity.
The jury was out five hours. Thiele's
crime was the first murder committed
in this county in twenty years.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
More Cheap Excursions.
Tues

On the first AMI third Tues
days of December low rate
round trip excursion tickets will
be on sale to all points on the Burning.
ton. Cedar Rapids & Northern railway
north of and including Abbott, la.
These tickets bear a q day limit,
thereby giving ample time to look the
situation over thoroughly.
On same days there wiz be on sale
at all B. C. R. & N. stations round trip
excursion tickets. with same limit and
privileges, to points in various other
states and territories.
Jno. G. Farmer. A. G. P.&T.lA.
y. g. R. & N. Ry., Cedar Rapids, la.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31

Osteopathic association held its annual
meeting in this city Thursday and Fri
day, with good attendance. The fol-
lowing officers were elected:
President-C. NJ. Proctor of Ames.
Five Vice President-O. e. McFadon
of Davenport.
Second Vice President. S. Baugh-
man of Burlington.
Secretary-Dr. Eli Ray Gilmon of
Sheldon
Treasurer. r. Billiard Of Mar
shalltown.
Board of Trustees-Dr. G. II. Gil
mour, Mt Ayr, chairman; DR.. E. H..
Stephens, Cedar Rapids, and DR.. A.
S. Krieg, Iowa City
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
MAKES GOOD MANAGEMENT.
Mail Order Journal Commends the Lee
Syndicate Papers.

The Mail Order Journal has the fol-
lowing:
THE Davenport Times, The Musca-
tine Journal and the Ottumwa Courier,
the three evening Iowa papers, COM
posing the Lee Syndicate property,
have increased their sworn circula-
ton in year as follows: The Daven-
port Times from 2.751 to 5,503 copies.
The Ottumwa Courier from 3,45S to
4,O4S and the Muscatine Journal from
1881 to 2,SSS, for their daily issues,
while the semi-weekly issue of the OF
tumwa Courier has grown from 1888
to 6,6S7 and the Journals has increas,
ed to 2,510 from 1884. This is good
showing, for which the aggressive
management is responsible.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
Meeting Held on Friday to Talk
Over Inter-Urban Idea.
THOSE PRESENT GREATLY ENTHUSED
Business Men Have the Proposition
N Explained to Them in an Informal
Manner and They Are Quick to See
Its Immense Possibilities.

tFrom Fridays Daly.1
The first step toward the securing
of an inter-urban electric railway be-
tween Ottumwa and Oskaloosa was
taken yesterday afternoon when a
number of business men of this city
met Harry E. O'Neill, the representa-
tive of the company which proposes
to build the line and discussed the
proposition in an informal manner. 1t
was the sense of all those present
that Ottumwa needed this line, and
they all voiced the opinion that they
would aid all in their power in secur,
ing it. AS a result of the meeting a
committee was appointed for the pur-
pose of feeling the pulse of the people
of Ottumwa, and to call a public meet
ing when formal proposition will be
presented to the city This commit
tee is composed of ]. T. Hackworth,
chairman; W. B. Bonnifield William
y McNett, J. Dain and Mayor Thomas
III. Picker.
The Meeting.
The meeting was held in the parlors
of the Wapello club and was compos-
ed of prominent business men of the
city. j. T. Hackworth was chairman
and DR.. E. T. Edgerly secretary. Mr..
O'Neill outlined briefly what the cap
italists, whom he represented, propos-
ed to do, and what the proposed inter
urban line would be. He indicated
that his company would ask bonus of
$4,000 from the city, and in return
it would furnish the capital necessary
to build and equip the line, and that
1t would be built at once, and that the
money would not be asked until the
road had been completed. He also
gave short history of inter-urbans
and what they would do for com,
munity. He showed what those al
ready in operation were doing, and &C.
cording to statistics there can be nc
doubt but that they are an excellent
thing. AS the meeting was purely in
formal, Mr.. O'Neill did not delve into
details, but from what he said those
present were given an excellent idea
of what they might expect, and every
auditor expressed himself as being ia
vorable to the idea.
w. p. Bonnifield said he had nc
doubt but that the line would be q
great benefit to Ottumwa and he SAID
+ that he would vote for tax to helI
1t along, and give his aid to secure it
Captain S. H. Harper talked along
/ the same lines. as did DR.. e. t. Edger
ly, William McNett, F. W. Simmons
Major Samuel Mahon. ]. B. Sax. J
vain, 0. D. Tisdale, Mayor T. H. Pick
w. B. Wycoff, f. Won Schradel
"a q others
Get Information.
The gentlemen all asked numerous
questions regarding the plans and OPP
eraIions of inter-urbans and when tn,
meeting adjourned they all had &
much more definite idea of what OF
1umwa might expect, and the magni
tude of the proposition than they hat
before.
Now Is the Time.
Everyone seemed of the opinion
that now was Ottumwas opportunit,
d to secure northern outlet, and on,
that would place this city in diree
connection with two more great sys
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31
IOWA SPlRITuALISTS TO MEET.
Next Session Will Be Held in oska-
loosa January 1919.

Oskaloosa, Dec. 2S.-Frhe program
for the first annual convention of the
State Spiritualists' association, which
will be held here January 16, II. Is
and 10, has been issued. The chief
feature Of the convent on will doubt
less be the presence of Harrison d.
Barrett of Boston, president of the Ma
tional association of Spiritualists. The
executive committee of the association
will hold meeting on the evening OF
January 16. The call to order will be
the following morning by the presi-
dent, Dr. G. A. Hinton of Oskaloosa.
Among those who will be present and
take part in the convention are: Mrs.
Hattie G. Westlake of Marshalltown
DR.. G. r. Fisk of keokuk, Mrs. Eva
Mccoy of Marshalltown and Mrs
Stella A. Fisk of Keokuk. Dr. Bar.
lret's chief address will be made on the
ev4ning of January is.