davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-29
Costs More to Live.

According to information gathered
by George w. Brandon, president OF
the State Society. of Labor and In
dustry, the cost of living among
Kansas wage earners has increased
44.6per cent in the last two years
and the income of wage earners has
increased only 1875 per cent. In 1900
the average yearly income of wage
gamers was S636.32 and in 1902 this
had increased to S74I62. In 1900
the cost of living was S455.23 and in
1902 this had increased to 1858 81.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-29

THE amount of life insurance paid
benehciaries in Kansas in 1912 was
$1,406,274, of which S6,019 was paid
in Great Bend.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-29

ScoTT County, way out in the
short grass country, does not owe a
penny of interest bearing debt.
Garry the news east
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-29

= To BE or not to be "it' is the
question which always agitates the
politician.
The courier., 1903-04-04
COST OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING
Mr.. Hutton Quotes II Few Figures
FRvoring Municipal Plants.

Chairman Hutton of the city council
lighting committee Is working hard
for the success OF the lighting bond
issue which will be settled at the cleo
ton to be held next month. Recently
he secured the latest bulletin issued by
the league Of American municipalities.
In this he finds many figures showing
the cost to cities of lights furnished
municipalities from private and muni-
cipally owned and operated plants.
some OF the deductions made from
these figures are interesting enough to
be quoted. Mr.. Hutton is certain that
Lincoln can secure better lights at a
lower cost per lamp than IL now being
paid. He refers tn some objections
made on the ground that the estimat te
by Professor Morse of the university
shows no saving. In answer to this
Mr.. Hutton explains that the estimate
In for a three hundred arc light plant
operation based on running all the
lamps nine hours each night and every
night of the year. This would make
the lamp hours greatly exceed the pres
ent SCHEDULE maintainel by the gas
company, which has n contract with
the city to run its lights on moon
light schedule. with but eighteen or
twenty all night lights and about l72
midnight lamps. Professor Morse's flg-
ures are regarded by councilman Pow
ell, himself an expert on steam produce
The courier., 1903-04-04
Would Not Have the Place II II
Were rendered Him.

David II. Mercer who returned from
Washington to Omaha with the
avowed determination of making tire
coming city campaign exceedingly in
tereSting for the Rosewater- Moores
machine, was in Lincoln Thursday. lie
announced his business her, as pri-
marily private but incidentally he will
visit the Legislature today and renew
old acquaintances.
Il will say positively that / am not
candidate for mayor of Omaha" he
said In response TO question. II
would not have IL on a silver platter"
Il expect to see change I'm the may
or's office after the campaign, how
ever. The people Of Omaha are tired
of the Moores regime and are anxious
fol change. i do not know who our
candidate will be but he will be good
man. We are receiving every encour-
agement from the people and | expect
to see the city hall filed with a new
set of officials. Mr.. Hennings, the city
treasurer will be reelected but ! be-
lieve that the remainder will be de-
feated. The republicans are tired of
having their primaries run by demo-
cratic votes. They have the idea that
they can run the primaries all right
themselves"
Mr.. Mercer expressed the opinion
that the new primary law would help
purify the primary system In Omaha.
1T Is not as stringent as the Mime
sofa law after which is was modelled,
hut / think IL will tend to keep demo-
Gratis from voting at republican pri-
maries. OF course that remains to be
seen at the coming election"
Concerning his future plans Mr..
Mercer said that 1t is his intention to
return to Nebraska TO- resume his life
here broken by ten years in congress.
"As soon as | can remove my family
from Washington ! will resume my
law practice in Omaha | have been n
resident of Nebraska since 1867. ! have
gone through the public schools Of the
state, graduated from the state univer-
Sity and | want to see II ] have to ask
permission Of anyone to come back"
Asked II he expected to be a candi-
daCe for congress again he merely said
that he Is not now a candidate for any
Office and that he desired to try pri-
vate life awhile.
Mr.. Mercer will be in the city two
or three days.
The courier., 1903-04-04

ton. as excessive. MIR. Powell believes
the plant can be run for about the same
hgure now paid for less than two hum
drcd lamps. at the same time produce
Ing the capdcity--,hree hundred 1000
candle power arcs.
The bulletin makes the following de-
ductions from the figures printed;
Kansas CITY last year began o
movement for city ownership of its
lighting pant This agitation was i'm.
medluely followed by a reduction price
by the private company from sli0 per
lamp to $3.50. This reduction not stop
ping the movement for municipal own
ership. Il further reduction was made
to S65 per lamp for S1S 1000 candle
power are lamps, burning all and every
night. Contract was entered into on
this basis for one year, with the right
reserved to the city to extend the privi-
lege to tiye years
The average costs OF lamps To the
municipalities, as shown by the private
company table, Ia rs follows:
Two thousand candle power lamp,
about $50; per hour, 2.4b cents; ZOO
candle power lamp, about sSl.2i; per
hour, 2i0 cents.
"MassaChusctt with its carefully
guarded state regulations. which have
been referred to by electric light com
panica as the model system OF regu-
latiOu. PAYS II higher rate than any
other state except possibly California.
From all the cities In that state
found In these tables, IL appears that
the average price paid per are lamp Is
Sg0g3 per year, or 3.0i cents per lamr
hour. These citieS practically all use
loo candle power lamps.
"Of the municipality owned plants re-
ported the highest showing W cash
cost is bloomington, ILL.,. whore 4,
amounts to s65.5S for 1000 candle power
or IS cents per lamp hour.
"The lowest cash cost, whore a mu-
niCipality does not furnish commercial
lighting is $3.50 for 200 candle power
lamps, or ll6 cents per lamp hour vi
Galesburg, Ill.
Fifteen municipalities show "A profit
on operation without adding interest
and depreCia tion and four show "A profit
after adding per cent for these fac
tors.
Adding interest and depreciation but
two municipalities (ilamilton o., anC
Wheeling, w. Na.,) show a cost OF 500 oi
over for 1000 candle power lamps. Th,
cash cost in these municipalities In bu
| 5000 and S52li respectively. The in
| terest and depreciation on the unac
countably large total cost of thes,
plants add materially TO the total cos
| OF lights
"The average cost OF lamps In tn,
| municipal tables IL az follows:
cash cost 1000 candle power. SS5,07
| per lamp hour LOSE cents: cash cos
| 1,200 candle power. $3.50; per LAM
| hour, 1892 cents; total cost 1000 candle
| power, $F.07, per lamp hour. l.SS
! cents; total cost 100 candle power
| $i6.0S; per lamp hour, 1SI."
The courier., 1903-04-04
PLENTY OF GREEN STUFF
Early Market Vegetables Are
Tempting and Easy to Get.

The early hot house gardener is in
his glory now and the front windows of
the grocery stores are heaped with big
piles Of green vegetables. The supply Is
abundant and the quality of the early
stuff said to be good.
From Texas comes the early tomato
which has been on the Lincoln market
for several days. Grocers say that they
are unusually good I'm quality and nor
very high in price for this season Of
the year. They were selling yesterday
at retail for 80 cents a basket or 20
cents "A pound. The local hothouses are
furnishing all of the lettuce needed TO
supply the housewives. 1t Is now 40
cents dozen. Radishes parsley and
young onions aSe selling at the same
price.
Celery is selling for from 90 to
sl.20. spinach for Sl25 a bushel or So
cents a peck. Water cress can be had
for 10 cents a box.
Apples of good variety are high
Winesaps and other varieties OF equal
grade cost the purchaser 81 a bushel
There are cheaper grades on the mark
ct but they are not choice.
Wholesale egg dealers say that the
past week was the heaviest over the
state of any week during this season
of the year for a number of years
They place the excess at 25 per cent
over the biggest corresponding week
Indications point to plenty OF eggs
throughout the summer and for an un-
usual product from the farm dairies
Farmers are purchasing separators In
such numbers that predictions are
made OF 30 per cent increase In the
butter output OF the local creameries
The courier., 1903-04-04
CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.
q. w. Berge and Others Discuss Mu-
nicipal Problems

q. w. Berge discussed Good Citizen
ship" Sunday before the meeting OF
the Christian endeavor society of tie
First Congregational church The meet
ing was led by Otto w. Meie~, who
made some Introductory remarks on
the subject OF the evening. In his I'd
dress Mr. Berge declared that Chris
tians could exercise more influence by
helping to create n healthy and vigor-
Gus public sentiment In favor OF good
government than by the mere use of
their ballot, City officials he said could
not carry into execution any pro
nounced policy unless II was ba cked up
city. Agitation, he declared to be nec-
essary constantly In order to keep the
public conscience awake. Mr.. Berae
advocated the public owner hip of n
municipal lighting plant and other pub
lie utilities for Lincoln. He declared
that one OF the crying needs of the city
IL a public park 80 situated that 1t can
be reached by poor people with little
expense. and advocated that the city
purchase two or three blocks near the
business part OF town and move all of
the buildings off and convert Il into a
pleasure park for the masses.
Mr Berge also declared against par
tisan politics In municipal affairs, and
said that city officers should go into
Office without being under obligation TO
any party for their election.
c. ii. Sargent spoke for a few min
utes on play grounds for children and
referred to the examples OF other cities
I'm providing spots for the children. Mrs,
Hunter declared that there was no
need OF play grounds II the children
We're allowed to use the school grounds
outside OF school hours. She severely
criticised the city Improvement society
for causing blue grass to be grown In
80 many places that children were kept
away from spaces that they ought TO
be permitted to use for play purnoses.
The courier., 1903-04-04
FIGHT ON CITY ORDINANCE
Declared to he Unconstitutional NBd
Invalid.

The effort to stop the work OF repair
ing the old building at li22 . street
may result in the city ordinance relat-
Ing to the condemnation of buildings
being declared unconstitutional. A
fight against the ordinance has been
started by Christopher Tiernan, the
owner Of the building. and last evening
the district court granted restraining
order against the chief of the fire de-
partment and the city engineer to pre-
vent them from interfering with him
In making repairs. The order will be
argued before the court on Monday at
$40.
About week ago the building was
condemned under the ordinance pro-
yiding for such action when a building
has been deteriorated by fire or decay
to the extent of more than 80 per cent.
Since then the work of putting in a new
floor has been commenced and Thurs
day the workmen engaged in making
the repairs were ordered to stop work
This was not Immediately done and a
warrant was served on the owner.
Yesterday his attorneys, Berge &
Doyle. appeared In police court and aC-
knowledged service although their
client was unable to be present on aC-
count of sickness. They moved to
quash the complaint and stated that no
offense had been charged. that the city
ordinance under which the prosecution
is sought to be maintained IN in viola
tion OF the state constitution and the
city charter and Is invalid for the rea-
son that ii seeks to appropriate prl-
vate property for public use without
just or any compensation, to deprive
the individual of property without due
process OF law and seeks to create n
court unknown to law or the constitu-
tion Of Nebraska and In violation OF
the provisions of the same. 1t is de-
Clared to be contrary 10 section II Of
the bill OF rights In the state constitu-
tion which provides that the prop
ertv OF no person shall be taken or
damaged for public use without Just
compensation therefor" ."
The court oNerruled the motion to
auash and stated that higher court
should pass on the question. Attorney
Doyle stated that he would apply for
a restraining order against the fire
chief in district court,
No disposition OF the case was made
and II will he held In allegiance until
some acton is taken by the district
court.
The court unknown to law" referred
to by Mr.. Doyle II "A board Of arbitra-
tion provided for in the ordinance 10
which the owner OF u condemned build
ing may apply for relief. The ordIn.
ance provides that the action of this
board shall be final and MIR. Doyle
takes the view that this constitutes an
illegal court
The courier., 1903-04-04
SOME COURT CONTROVERSIES.
Tax suit Evidence In Before Judge
Holmes.

Arguments in the case of Lancaster
county against the Fitzgerald estate
and Frank Eagar and others was
heard Thursday afternoon In Judge
Holmes court. This In where the county
brings an action to compel the owners
OF the property I'm West Lincoln from
which brick building was recently
torn down to pay large sum of back
taxes. Mr.. Eager bought the brick
which he used In his o street block, and
in the beginning of the controversy Il
is alleged that Mr.. Eager and repre-
sentative OF the estate agreed that II
taxes that they would divide the ex-
pensc. Since then Mr.. Eager has de-
sired to pay the one-half the amount
he claims Is due, but the other side has
shown no disposition to pay. Before
the bricks were moved the county se-
cured bond for the payment OF the
taxes. Now County Treasurer Nc
knight appears In the case as inter
venor In behalf OF the county to ask
the court to order collection on the
bond.
Some testimony was taken Thursday
In the suit where Alex Bergers sued
and secured Judgment OF restitution
from John Harrop. The suit In over
the possession of the Capital hotel.
The result In justice court was not
satisfactory to Mr., Harrop and he ap-
pealed 10 the district court Some evil
dence In the case was taken before
Judge Frost yesterday.
The Union Pacific railroad win finally
slbi!ity or non-responsibility for the death
OF Michael Smith, "A farmer who was
Killed within sight OF his homo jtist bc-
Seed ue West Lincoln hii! seyera. years
The courier., 1903-04-04
ARE CONFIDENT OF WINNING
walters Are Determined to Unionia~
Restaurants.

The situation regarding the strike OF
the cooks and walters union remains
unchanged and the number of nom
union men serving meals to patrons
has not diminished. but I'm spite OF this
fact the walters are confident of win
ming the fight and have expressed the
determination to remain out for six
months IL necessary to force the pro-
prletors to sign their scale.
Ever since the men walked out the
restaurant proprietors have insisted
that their trade has not fallen off and
sorno have declared that they have
been benefited by the strike but this
statement Is laughed at by the union
men who say that all union trade has
gone to those RESTAURANTS where union
walters are employed. Besides this
sympathize with Ne union have been
eating at those. p As whose proprie-
tors : :, :=..sned s4le eEcs.,e---,-------
The caterers have refused to treat
with the union since the strike was
inaugurated,' said union man last
night, "and meet all advances with
the statement that they are prepared
to sign the scale II the others do so.
They say the union men can go back
and secure their old places but they
cannot deal with the union. They
have no objection to the men belonging
to the union"
The officers of the union have been
working to better the conditions In un-
ion houses which have been COM
planned OF by people who wish to give
their support to organized labor but
who We're not satisfied with the meals
served. 1t Is claimed that great i'm
provemert has been made I'm these
houses and they will be made much
better. When they are brought up 10
standard where they can compete
with high grade restaurants II is
claimed that the trade OF the other
restaurants will be damaged so much
that the proprietors will be forced to
sign the scale. The union men say
they can continue the fight to a sue
cessful finish even IL two-thrGs OF
their number leave the city. Zen TN
ion men can hold the charter.
The walters say they do not care
very much whether the proprietors
sign or not. II was stated that the
walters are receiving loyal support
from other union men and they will
be able to support the striking men for
an indefinite period
The courier., 1903-04-04

scale calls for s26c for eight hours and
macy contractors have been paying
more than that TO men who are worth
H. In fact first class men have been
commanding 81 fer eight hours work
OF late. The carpenters also concede
to the contractors the right To employ
non-union men provided they pay them
the union wage. and this privilege is
much appreciated by some who have
good men In their service who do not
belong to the union. The idea In max :
ing the scale was to place Il at the
minimum rather than the maximum
and the labor under these conditions
can be graded. The carpenters have
shown y conoiliatory disposition all the
way through and l hope TO see them
rewarded for this. All differences are
strike is barred. regari this scale
as n model that many other towns
might pattern after. While the scale
Is flat. II Is placed low enough to al
low OF variation In grading the cap
abilities OF the workmen.
"Seventy-fve per cent OF the build
ing tradesmen arc union. and under a
wise policy OF administration on the
part of the unions nearly all trades
men will be members before fall. The
scales just signed run for one year.
In this year the unions hope to grow
stronger and more in the favor of
the public,
"The scale signed with the painters
provides for arbitration and the strike
= barred. This practically removes
all chances of a building trades tieup
unless, perhaps. the teamsters cause
trouble. While we do not look foi
trouble with them yet there have beer
Indications that all was not serene In
that quarter The teamsters have not
shown q disposition to enter into ne.
gotiations freely and Il may be they
want something that has not been Of
fered them.
with the bricklayers the scale II
fiat, but that does not make so great
a difference in this trade az with
others, The workmen are more nearly
uniform 50 far as ability goes. They
are paid So cents an hour for eight
hour,. Last year they obtained A5'
for nine hours. or 10 cents more pei
day, and one hour more than this year
| This scale was approved by the build
ers without any friction.
"You will notice that the eight houl
| day Is factor In the scales signed
/ The contractors exchange membership
has been growing and the master
| painters have secured large member
ship. The aim In adjusting matters
this spring has been to avoid friction
that might tie up building operations
! 81 took drive over the city yester
day and I was much surprised to SCI
the amount OF building and repair
work started this early. There Il
much remodeling and great zeal o
rebuilding going on. The painters hav'
! begun to improve the looks of the cit,
| and if the present progress is kept vi
until fall the city will look much diff
| ferent Lincoln Is growing and th'
! growth IL such that the workingmei
The courier., 1903-04-04

ago ON Tuesday the case iu which
smiths widow, Mis- Mary Smith. sues the
company for 81 500, will be called In the
The railroad company has exhausted
all devices known 10 the law to avoid
having to pay anything In this court, or
nghting EDISON r. Rich OF the legal
department of the road, was In the city
yesterday and offered Mr.. Il. j. Doyle
who represents the widow 500 60 settle
pany tnat much TO fight II through the
courts Mr. Doyle agreed to take &l.Ovv. but
this was as close as they got together.
Mr. Doyle viii leave Monday to at
tend the trial Of the case, ANA no hopes
TO MT the company good aui hard. lie
Was compelled to Conhne his demand Tor
recovery to below Il,uJ because II he
asked more than that the company would
transScr the case to the federal courts
Mrs Smith was the second wife OF SMITH
aud the estate of 2iO acres was left large
ly to other members OF the family. sub
iect TO her life estate MIR. Doyle endcay.
ored TO induce her To- buy out the other
II "a good investment and made the pur-
chase himself. Later she changed her
All this time she was the acting ad-
ministratrix of tnc estate, but II became
necessary for her to secure n discharge
in order to give title to the land. and MIR.
Doyle, forgotful of the suit In Greeley
county, secured her discharge. Some six
months later the attorney for the Union
, Pacihc ran across the fact Of her dis
charge, which of course. prevented her
from prosecuting the damage case as ad
mlnistratrN Ia Greeley county. Mr. Doyle
applied to the probate court to nave her
appointed once more. and meanwhile dis
missed the Greeley county case. intend
ing to begin over again after he secured
her appointment once more But the
company came into probate court ani
objected on the ground that there was
nothing more for her to do as adninistra-
trix. The court denied the application.
| Meanwhile Mr.. Doyle had discovered that
| II he allowed the dismissal TO stand ne
4 couldn't begin over again, as the statute
| of lmitation--two years-had run against
| the bringing OF such an action. lie hes
| tened back to Greeley county and got the
| record expunged and afterwards judge
| Waters rcappointed Mrs. Smith. The
company appealed to the district court,
| whore II again lost Now II goes up Ia
| Greeley county to enter the same old jur-
| isdlctional question.