Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-08-21

umbrella, Cooper had been arrested
on the charge Of stealing from build
ing, but later the charge was amended
to read petty larceny, and Cooper
pleaded guilty. Expecting that by
pleading guilty and avoiding trial he
would get of easily, the prisoner
looked longingly into the face Of the
Justice. 1t was cold, set and without
the slightest trace of sympathy, The
Judge Strengthened himself, and with
firmly set lips exclaimed, Thirty
days" AS the prisoner was taken from
the court room to the county jail he
murmured, "Bet he was caught In the
rain some time, and the other Teller
got his umbrella"
The committee in charge Of arrange
ments for the semi-centennial jubilee
in October are discussing prodigious
reproduction Of the Dunbar, including
the elephans and the regal parapher-
MALTA which makes this imperial Indian
display the most gorgeous exhibition
of worldly splendor ever attempted on
the face Of the earth. The parade
would be the feature of the Indian
Dunbar which would be reproduced
here. Plans are now making for Sc
curing the elephants. AS nearly as
possible the great parade in which the
American girl was the queen in fact
and in truth, recently held in India,
will be reproduced. The idea Is to
have the parade at night with the
streets deliberately decorated and illu-
minated so that the gorgeous and orr
entail trappings and costumes may be
fully appreciated.
The board of control and the city of
Cherokee are having difficulty over
the price charged for water for the
state hospital by the city. When the
hospital was located at Cherokee, one
OF the inducements held out was that
the elephants and the regal parapher-
ing purposes at six cents per thousand
gallons. A contract was entered into
to this effect, covering period Of
seven years from April 1, 1896. The
time expired April 1 of this year, and
since that time the city has been
charging the state twenty-five cents .
thousand gallons, or the same rate
other customers have to pay. When
the bill for the last quarter was sent
in to the board, that body objected.
Judge Robinson wrote q letter to May
or Burlingame, calling his attention to
the fact the agreement to furnish
water at six cents was one Of the real
inducements for locating the hospital
at Cherokee. The fact was cited that
at Independence the state paid seven
cents and at Marshalltown six cents.
The board cut the bill to the old rate,
pug 's,qa peld9oop lou sBq Illo eQl lnq
has given credit on account. The
question now is how the controversy
will be settled, and it is claimed the
city will insist on exacting the in
creased rate.
C. w. Stewart, of Webster township,
was in the city and exhibited some
ears of white corn which he planted in
April and which is now ripe: The
cobs are completely filled with ker-
nels, even to the point. Mr.. Stewart
maintains that it is better to plant
early than wait till later and take
chances on such conditions as present
ed themselves this year.
Twenty-eight per cent of the mar
riages in Polk county result in d.
vorce suits. This Is the astounding
result ascertained by an investigation
Of the records in the Polk county
court house. 1t means that at least
one in every four of the marriages
consummated in Des Moines This year
will appear within fewvyears In thu
Polk county divorce courts, and lns
romance will have been completely
shattered. It is appalling The records
show that last year (1902) there were
issued 1,240 marriage licenses, while
there were granted 345 divorces. The
divorces are % per cent Of the mar
rage licenses issued. These figures
were given to Judge Howe. Judge
Howe has charge of the divorce court
this year. ut is appalling" remarked
the judge The divorces are far too
many. I have shut down on get quick
divorces, but there is little else l
can do. I adhere strictly to the re-
uuirements of the statutes, but still
the divorce evil is on the increase. 1t
is q serious problem. What the solu-
ton will be lew, if any, can say
The people along the line of the
Rock Island branch between Sibley
and Gowrie still continue to petition
the railroad commission for the resto-
ration of the passenger train which
was taken off some months ago. The
commissioners have not disposed Of
the matter. A formal answer to the
petitions will possibly soon be secured
by the commission. In an informal
way. the commission has been ap-
prised by Rock Island officials that the
gross receipts Of the train pulled of
are less than thirty cents mile. 1t
Is figured this does not meet expenses.
Visitors to the State Fair should not
miss visit to Ingersoll Park. Splen-
did vaudeville performances are on
the programme both afternoon and
night and admission is free. There are
also many other interesting attrac-
lions, including the ZOO, the roller
coaster, the laughing gallery, the
house OF trouble the cave of the Winds,
the smallest train in the world, merry.
go-round. shooting gallery, etc. The
park has the finest summer theater in
the world.
One evening, during Caroline Miskel
Hoyt's first engagement in Minneapo-
lis as star in "a Contented Woman"
her husband, Charles Hoyt, invited
the door-keeper to have a drink with
him Across the principal street from
the theater there was a row Of five sa-
looms, and, as they neared the first,
the playwright remarked: BILLY, one
Of these thirst parlors Is the worst in