Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-05
LOOKS FAVORABLE
Prospects Are Bright for Passage
ofOriginal Package Act
ALLISON AND DOLLlvER FAVOR IT
Results of Railroad Accidents Given
in Report of Interstate Commerce
commission-President Roosevelt Is
to Give Up Hunting While in Office.
[BY H. ]. MAHIN.l

BY H. J. MAIIN.1
Washington, D. c., Feb. 3.-Liquor
dealers, who have been enjoying bust
ness privileges in the state of Iowa
and other prohibition states because
of the weakness in the Wilson law I'M
covered by the recent original package
act, may well begin to draw their lines.
Where few days ago it looked as
though the Hepburn bill, which makes
all dealings in liquor amenable to state
law, was not going to pass the senate,
it seems now practically sure that it
will go through and become a law in
short order. Senator Allison said to-
day that the bill would surely be re-
ported from committee and he felt
reasonably sure that it would not meet
with any effective opposition. Sena-
tors Allison and Dolliver, Iowa's rep
resentatives in the upper house, are
both thoroughly in favor of the bill
and will do all in their power to get
it through the senate. When the bill
was presented to the senate, it was,
through some error, referred to the
interstate commerce committee rather
than the judiciary committee, where
it belonged. Mr.. Dolliver, however,
is a member of the former committee
and will see that the bill is promptly
reported. There are rumors of some
opposition being instigated by the big
breweries of the country, but such op-
erations are usually carried on in COM
mittee to be effective, and as the bill
Is sure of being reported it is not
thought that any formidable opposi-
ton can be marshaled on the floor of
the senate.
The two recent horrible railroad ac-
cidents have brought such calamities
to mind forcibly in the last several
days, but the recent accident bulle-
tin just issued by the interstate COM
merce commission is cold blooded
reminder that these events are simply
small part of the great total that
almost every year yields. The bulle-
tin gives a detailed record of the
grewsome events of just three months,
July, August and September of last
year Even these figures do not in
clude those on roads which operate
wholly within one state and hence do
ncs come under the interstate COM
merce rules. In all, 2,44S accidents
are reported for the three months. In
1,4S4 of these, trains bumped or
smashed together; in LOLA trains left
the rails. Fifty-one passenger trains
suffered in collisions and ninety-two
in derailments. Seventy-nine passen-
gers were killed in the three months,
and 1860 were hurt.
The total number Of trainmen killed
was 46S; hurt, 5427. The total num-
Der of railroad servants (all sorts)
killed was 766; hurt, 9,193. Twenty
nine passengers We're killed and 359
injured in falls-a rather impressive
warning against taking unnecessary
risks in getting on or off the cars.
While fifty-two railroad servants were
killed and 54S hurt in coupling or I'M
coupling cars, 161 were killed and
1,765 hurt in falls The old story, ia
miliarity with danger overconfidence,
carelessness, a misstep or slip, and
then the surgeon or the undertaken.
The railroad companies report that
the accidents of the three months dam.
aged their rolling stock, roadbeds, ETC.,
to the extent of $2,1S9,512.
There has been good deal of talk
since the Presidents Mississippi bear
hunt to the effect that he ought to
give up such sport while he is occu-
plying the presidential chair. Espe-
cially here in Washington, where the
President has great many critics,
he is accused of lack of dignity, seek.
ing spectacular effects, cruelty to ami
mails and many other things equally
? absurd. The President goes hunt
1g simply because he enjoys that
sport, and no one depreciates the pub.
l1clty 1t usually arouses more than he.
In fact, it is now authoritatively stat
ed that he is going to give up further
hunting trips hereafter for this reason.
At least Mr. Roosevelt will do no more
bear hunting. He made this statement
the other day to a Wyoming delega-
ton who came to ask him to partici-
pate in grizzly bear hunt planned
for the coming spring. Your picture
is very alluring," said the President
as the Wyoming people described to
him the prospect of getting big game
''but | have found from past expert
ence that hunting with brass band
is barren of results" I'VE will close
all the trails in the vicinity" protested
the Wyoming people. Yes" answer,
ed the President, that might be done
| appreciate the courtesy of your invi
tation, but some people would get in,
side, even if they had to take a ba.
loon to do it,"
William M. Belden of Kalispell
Mont, mas forwarded his photograph
to certain Washington officials and
with it letter unfolding a grand
scheme he has evolved for the cree
ton of national hotel in this city
for the public in general and for the
politicians to assemble to discuss and
weigh political issues outside of con
gressional hours. Mr.. Belden pro
poses that the hotel building shall
cover an entire square, and it's sides
shall represent the American flag, the
bricks used being red, white and blue
in color. He does not desire that the
walls shall be straight as in Other
buildings. He wants them curved sc
as to represent the ripples in way
Ing flag. In the blue field he desires
that the stars shall be nickel plated
Il am of a party" he writes in REQ