Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-08
FAVOR SANlTARICM PLANS
Committee Makes Its Report to the Pythian
Grand Lodge of Iowa
REPUBLICAN, COMMITTEE IN NO HURRY
Dynamite ExpIOdes in Blacksmith
shop. wrecking the Building,
hut No Persons Seriously
Injured.
CFrom a staff correspondent

From a STAFF correspondent
DIES MONIES. Marsh 7.-(Special.)-The
committee on the grand lodge, Knights of
Pythias, for Iowa, appointed two years ago
to consider the proposition for a Pythian
sanitarium at Colfax, and continued by the
grand lodge last year, has prepared a
report on the proposition which is being
submitted generally to the subordinate
lodges OF the state for ratification before
the meeting Of the grand lodge. The COM
mittee was instructed to prepare estimates
Of the cost of the sanitarium, the sites Of
fered at Colfax for the same, the cost Of
maintaining, general expenses and all SIM
liar matters. The report was to be pre-
pared and submitted to the grand chan
cellor some time before the meeting OF the
grand lodge and this will be done. A
meeting held here by the committee with
representatives from the Pythian lodges Of
Colfax resulted in the formulation Of the
plans. 1t is expected that the grand chan
cellor will approve the plan and recon-
mend 1t favorably to the grand lodge and
that work will be commenced this year.
The grand lodge meets this year in Cres-
ton, early in August, and this sanitarium
matter will be the most important business
before the lodge. There are two known
candidates for grand chancellor. They are
Senator F. NJ. Molesbery of Columbus June
tion and DR.. T.. S. Waud of Germania, Kos
suth county. No candidates have been con-
sidered for other positions.
Republican State Committed.
1t is expected that a meeting of the re-
publican state committee will be held very
soon. Chairman Spence, who lives in Mount
Ayr, has been spending some time In the
south, touring New Mexico and Arizona,
and has not taken any action yet toward
getting the committee together to call the
state convention. The democrats called
their convention for June II so that they
would be certain to have it ahead OF the
republicans and gain some ad yantage, as
they suppose, from the alleged factional
differences in the republican party in this
state, But the members Of the republican
state committee who have been here since
the date for the democratic convention
was fixed say that they do not favor having
the convention much earlier than usual
and that it will probably be held in July
or early in August. r. w. Clayton Of Os-
k~aloosa, who has just been appointed a
special agent of the Treasury department
by Secretary Shaw. will not be reelected
member of the republican state committee.
General Weaver WIN Attend.
4ulOTuldllOu mas Deen reserved Dy those
in charge of thu Jefferson day banquet that
General Weaver will attend and speak. 1t
was thought that he might decline to come
because of the press of 5usi0ess in the
south, where he is boring for oil near
Roanoke, La. General Weaver has written
G. E.. Rinehart, in charge of the banquet,
as follows:
80 course ] stand for the Kansas City
platform. The Jeffersonian banquet should
be under the control of those who cherish
democratic principles and are willing to
abide by the supreme law of the party for
at least four years. l expect to be present,
but am not a candidate"
The acceptance of w. R. Hearst has not
yet been received. The promoters of the
banquet say that it will be a success.
Explosion in n shop.
A terrific explosion took place this morn
ing in the east part of the city where some
workmen had a portable blacksmith shop
near a gang Of workmen cutting their way
through a hill for q railroad track. The
shop was located on a hill removed some
what from any residences, and the black
smith in charge, realizing that an explosion
was inevitable, ran nurriedly from the
place, wildly waving his hands and shout
ing for others to keep away. He had barely
reached a place of safety when the dyna-
mite exploded, and the entire shop was
wiped from the face of the earth. Nc per-
son was close enough to be injured by the
shock. Windows in houses in the vicinity
were broken. A Gulick was engaged in
hitching up a team of horses not far away,
and both were blown to the ground by the
force OF the explosion. His daughter was
standing near a window in his house nearby
washing dishes. and the window was shat
tered so that fragments struck her face
and lacerated it badly. The house was
badly wrecked by the explosion. 1t is not
known just how the dynamite cought fire,
as the persons responsible refuse to make
any statement. The dynamite was used in
blasting rock.
Call for Labor Federation.
The call has been issued for the State
Federation of Labor convention at Daven-
port May ~. The representatives in the
convention will be from all organized union
bodies in the state. During the past year
many new locals have been organized in
the cities of the state, and the demand for
organizers has far exceeded the supply.
The records show a membership now Of As
900 in 100 different unions. Reduced rates
have been secured for the convention, and
It will be the largest in the history OF the
state. The president. Arthur H. Holder of
this city. and his secretary, J. H. Strict,
Sioux City, append to the call a reminder
of the fact that at the last federation meet
ing it was determined there should be a
labor memorial day the first Sunday in June
and asking the labOring men to observe the
! same.
Many Soldiers Die.
The reports made to the assistant adju-
tant general of the Grand Army Of the Re
public, department OF Iowa, for the year
1902, show that because OF the large num-
Der of deaths, more than 600 being recorded,
there was a net loss OF more than 100 in
membership OF the department last year.
In pursuance OF the request OF the depart
ment commander and following out a pro-
gram outlined by him a large number OF
members were added who had never before
been members OF the Grand Army of the
Republic. A recent circular Of the depart
ment relating TO efforts TO increase the
membership has been misconstTued as R
proposal TO admit to membership those
other than persons who served in the war
OF the rebellion; but the department ON
Gals all deny any intention of supporting
a movement Of that kind. The encampment
Is to be held in June in Cedar Rapids.