davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
aNebraska Pension Office and Its Work for the Old Soldiers

person named in the certificate and the
voucher IL properly made out and sworn
to- This the old soldier forwards to the
pension Office OF his district and on the
pension pay day gets his check for his
pension for the quarter.
In the pension office at Des Moines.
besides the pension agent, twenty-six clerks
are busy for three months preparing for
that pension day. When the vouchers come
in it is their business to look over them
and see that they are properly made out.
IL there is the slightest defect the voucher
must be returned to be corrected before
the pension check will be sent. From the
Des Moines office frequently as many AZ
a couple of thousand must be returned in
one quarter TO be corrected. One clerk
in each office is designated to sign the
checks. Fool
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
An Apt Answer

P. L. Hutchins, the cotton expert, was
praising an apt and witty speech.
at reminded me-" he said, "of a scene in
a magistrates court that saw in my boy
hood.
"An old man was hauled before a magis-
trate for stealing chickens, and the latter
said sternly to him:
"'You are charged with robbing hem
roosts, my friend. Have you any wit
nesses?
1.-The veteran smiled calmly as he re-
piled:
No, sir. In my country we don't rob
henroosts before witnesses New York
Tribune.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
An Unknown Empire.


Canada has states the names OF which
we hardly know. We pat ourselves on our
backs when we think of Alaska and its
fast developing resources. 1t contains
about one-fifth of all the land that we own.
The province OF Mackenzie, which borders
the Arctic ocean farther eastward, is al
most as big as Alaska, and Yukon, which
lies just west OF 1t, containing the Klon-
dixie, would make four states as big as
Ohio.
Have you ever heard of Ungava? 1t lies
between Labrador and Hudson bay, Just
north OF the province OF Quebec, and It is
bigger than Texas. Kansas and New Jer-
sey combined. Keewaitin, on the western
side OF that bay, just north OF Ontario and
bounded on the west by Manitoba, Sass
katchewan and Mackenzie, has 10000
square miles, or enough to make ten states
the size OF New York; while the icy terri
tory of Franklin above. with its great
whale-flshing grounds, is larger still.
Everything in Canada is big. The old
provinces are enormous. Quebec is ten
times as big as Indiana. Ontario just over
the way above the great lakes, is bigger
than France or Germany 1t is bigger
than all New England with the addition OF
Jew York, Pennsylvania and Virginia
Manitoba is about as large as Missouri
and. the Canadians claim almost as rich
The new provinces of Saskatchewan and
Alberta, which have just been created art
empires in themselves. Each of them ha.
an area something like that OF France Of
Germany, and parts of them will raise
more than either of those countries. They
are crossed by the Canadian Pacific rail
way, and other railways will soon open VI
hi, nh
are being rapidly colonized by American
farmers and I am told that an American
Canada is growing up right across the Dor
der. British Columbia. the mighty prov
ince of the far west, is another empire
through which the new railroads will go
Its western portion has climate somethinI
like that of Washington or Oregan, ant
the mountains are said to be rich in gold
copper and other minerals.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
Cash Not Always Called For.

Each check has a printed notice on its
face that it should be presented for pay
ment within ninety days, though many
pensioners do not observe this require
ment, much to the embarrassment OF the
pension agents and the Treasury depart
ment. Checks that were issued during the
time when Mr. Sperry was the pension
agent are still outstanding and have never
been presented for payment. If pensioners
knew the trouble 1t takes to get a new
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

Canada's new mines and the great rnan-
ufacturing developments now going on will
form the subjects OF other letters. Canada
has the greatest nickel mines of the world.
Enormous copper mines have already been
discovered; 1t is now turning out 5000 600
worth of gold every year, and its mineral
products sell for $SS, 100000 per annim.' The
manufactures are also growing. Capital is
combining. and It is a question whether
the trust octopus will not eventually hold
the country in its myriad arms.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

MISS Lizzie ROOD OF the lOWa~Ne-
braska pension office in this city
must sign her name 900 times a
So day for twenty-five days even
three months before the old soldiers. Wild
ows and army nurses OF Iowa and NebrAskl
can get their pensions. Her name signed TO
a pension check is L. Rood Miss Rood
was selected and Is designated as the clerk
for that duty as much because her name
! IS short and It takes but a short time to
sign It as because she Is a good penman
and rapid. Time is an important element
In the matter when the checks number tp
into thethousands. There are 5i.7iO on the
pension rolls OF this Office and $500 times
a day signing ones name is considered a
good days work. Her signature is kept on
file IN Washington and New York for com
parison with that signed to the checks.
The pension Office in this city is located
on the second floor of the government
building and occupies but three rooms.
though Il pays out nearly 100000 a year
to the old soldiers and widows OF two
states. There is an Office for the pension
agent and a large workroom where most
Of the twenty-five clerks do their work.
Between the two is another room where
those having business with the office call
and are waited on by the chief clerk. The
ground is purchased and an appropriation
expected OF the next congress to erect a
new building in which the pension office as
well as the postofflce and other government
Offices will be better provided with accom-
modations. .'.... 90
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
montreal :. Vol ManaEed.


1T must be a costly city to run, is 1t
rot?" said l.
YES We collect taxes to the amount
of three or four million dollars year. out
the money is well spent, and doubt If
Montreal costs as much as any city of its
size in the United States. We have an eX-
celIent police force. numbering four or I'VE
hundred and this has not increased more
than one-third within the last twenty years.
We have a good water service, and are
gradually improving our streets. few
years ago our sidewalks were almost all
made Of boards. We are now putting down
fifteen miles of new pavement every year.
There was an attempt some time ago 20
widen the old thoroughfares, but IL cost so
much that we had 70 call halt. We arc
now going more slowly, but we are I'M
proving"
How about graft, your worship? Is
there much boodling in Montreal?''
II don't think had better answer that"
replied the mayor. although might safely
say that Montreal is perhaps better than
its sister cities Of a similar size throughout
the world as regards such matters. How
ever, / don't want to discuss the graft
question II / say there Is none here, 1
shall be charged with blowing my own
horn, and those who think differently will
not believe me. II l say graft does exist
It will be even worse, You will have TO ask
others that question
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

into the out-of-the-way places of the Do
minion. Mr.. Armstrong strongly holds the
theory that the Asiatic peoples originally
migrated; that they We're, in fact, descend
ants OF the tribes now known as Ameri-
can Indians. He has illustrated this claim
by dressing japanese in Indian costumes
and Indians in Japanese costumes, and
then challenging people to distinguish be-
tween the two. He points TO the announce
ment that NJ. X. Jesup, president OF the
American Museum of National History, is
about to publish the results of elaborate
Investigations into the question as TO
whether America peopled the world. The
investiga lions conducted for seven years by
prominent ethnologists Of America and
Russia are said to show conclusively that
the Asiatie peoples came originally from
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
Granary of the Northwest.

Among my letters will be some from the
granary of the northwest. I shall go
through the new Ontario. which is rapidly
developing, and thence on to Winnipeg and
on to the great wheat fields. which are now
opening up to settlement. In a talk that 1
had with the Canadian worlds fair commits
sioner at st. Louis he told me that there
were 17300O,00o acres in that region which
had been surveyed, but not yet taken up.
and that large part of 1t would prob
ably be settled by Americans. Three-fourths
of that land is wheat land. The wheat belt
is a tract 400 miles wide and 1000 miles
long; so large that Canada claims she will
eventually be able to supply the mother
country with food. She is doing this more
now than ever before and is competing
seriously with US in our best markets. Ag-
ricultural Canada extends between the At
lantic and the Pacific for a distance of
about $500 miles. We already know that
the farming belt is several hundred miles
wide, but the recent experiments show that
crops can be raised farther and farther
north. and no one yet knows where the
possible farming regions of Canada may
end.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
NfunieIpaI Ownerahip:

How about the city owning the fran
chises for great public utilities? Is there
any movement here in that direction
yes" replied the mayor of Montreal, Il
think we are slowly drifting toward munich
pal ownership, and the day may some time
come when the city will own the street
railroads the lighting plants, and other
things OF that nature We are now having
trouble with gas companies, and we de-
mand that they cut down their rate 70 con-
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

49, in the northern part of our CONT
nent The United States is largely devel-
d. Our public lands are almost all taken
up. We have chopped down the trees and
dug up the soil. We have gridironed our
country with railroads and established great
cities. We have gone down down into the
mines and erected mighty factories and
foundries, and as nation, are growing so
rapidly that the other powers upon earth
ere bowling down before US as the Israelites
did before the golden calf Canada is at it's
beginning. 1t was born at about the same
time as the United States but 1t has been
sleeping until now. 1t is, in fact, an I'M
developed country. its resources almost I'M
known and to a large part unexplored.
Have you ever thought how much land
Canada has? The possessions OF John Bull
on this continent are greater than those of
Uncle Sam His Britannia majesty is the
land grabber OF the universe, and his prop
critics here are bigger than anywhere else
In the world. Canada is twice the size of
India; It is bigger than Australia and it is
thirty times as big as Great Britain and
Ireland 1t contains hur ird Of the land
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

of the whole British empire. Indeed 1t is
a continent in itself for 1t is almost as
large as Europe and bigger than the United
States, including Alaska, Porto Rico, Ha-
wall Samoa and the Philippines all put to-
gether
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

ury before they viii be paid. It occasion.
ally happens that a bill must be passed by
congress for the relief Of a person who has
held a check for years before the owner Ia
able to secure the amount represented by
the face Of the check. .....fr.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

EW men know the American In
dian better than L. o. Armstrong
OF Ottawa, chief Of the Canadian
Pacific railway colonization de-
partment, whose work takes him
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
A Cosmopolitan City.

"Give me some idea of the character OF
your people, your worship" said ].
IT believe we are the most cosmopolitan
municipality on the continent. About 70
per cent of us are French. and large
part of the balance English Canadians We
have also many Americans, Germans, Bel
gians Italians, Chinese and a great num-
Der of English, Irish and Scotch. Our peo-
pie are of all classes. We do an immense
deal of manufacturing. and we have the
workingmen with their turbulent ele-
ments. We are the Atlantic gate to Can
ada, and a large population OF our immi-
grants from Europe pass through here.
We are also a residential city, and a city Of
the rich. Many Canadians who have made
fortunes have their homes here, and mag
nificent homes. too. We have residences
which have cost in the neighborhood OF
81 100000 or more. This is a city of many
churches and many creeds, Indeed. it is
a world i'm itself, and it is wonder that
it is as quiet and as orderly as 1t is"
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

in his court was suspended until his want
was satisfied.
Two men. Paul Dusing and Patrick Nc
Clean. were being tried BY the justice for
violating the Evanston liquor ordinance.
The evidence was voluminous, the argu-
nents Of the attorneys lengthy. The courts
plug became exhausted. He became uneasy.
shifted In his seat and eyed the two de-
PENDANTS with what seemed to them an un-
friendly eye.
The attorney for the defense, believing
that the peculiar actions Of the court BODIED
IN for his clients, redOubled his efforts. But
ali to no effect. The frown ON the august
oountenanee OF the court became darker,
his uneasiness mere manifest.
Suddenly he pounded on his desk with his
gavel
Please" he cried, stop the case"
The attorney brought his argument TO a
sudden stop. The spectators woke UP. The
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

with the apartment house craze. although
am told some large flats are in contempla-
ton.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
Ninth in Size.

The 1owa-Nebraska pension agency
ranks ninth In size in the number of pen
sioners carried on the rolls of the agency.
There are eighteen agencies In the United
States. Last year through the Nebraska
Iowa agency there was paid $7,S70449.46 to
the old soldiers of the two states and their
widows and army nurses. This amount Of
money is distributed among 54,71O persons
The agency is the result of the consolida-
tion OF four agencies in 1882. These agen-
Giles were located in Omaha, Des Molnes
Fairfield and Dubuque, Ia. Under the
consolidation Jacob Rich of Dubuque was
the first pension agent. He was followed
by Captain C, s. Lake of Marengo, Ia, S.
A. Marine OF Vlnton, Ia, c. II. Robinson
Of Knoxville, Ia, e. F. Sperry of Knox
, Vile, Ia, and the late r. P. Clarkson of
Des Molnes. Nebraska has never been
honored with the position Of pension
agent for this district.
The work Of a disburslng pension office
is quite routine In its nature, though In
teresting occurrences and interesting de-
veiopments, echoes Of the days of go to '6S,
are disclosed In the correspondence occa-
slonally The granting of pensions is all
done from the Washington office, and the
pension offices over the country, such as
9the Iowa-Nebraska office, have only the
matter of the payments to make, all of
which is done with the means of pension
checks, which are in effect and in reality
drafts on the New York depository of the
government. While they do not get into
the general circulation of the country,
they can be turned In at the grocery store
Just the same as greenbacks.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
Court suspends Session for Want of Chew

defendants squirmed.
THE court is out OF plug. said the JUS
tice solemnly. Anybody got a chew?"
Both defendants reached into their pockets
and rushed 10 the bar of justice. They
slammed their offerings on the railing.
Take mine, your honor" they said in
unison.
Critically the court examined the respec-
tive plugs. Then gingerly he took a small
bite of each.
mo partiality in this court" he declared
jovially. Treat you all alike"
Then, returning to the first plug, the
judge took another and larger bite. The
other was treated the same.
Rolling the quid judiciously around and
settling il iR its proper place in the left
cheek, the judge settled himself comfort
ably in his chair, raised his feet upon the
railing and then with unerring accuracy
took a shot" at cuspidor twelve feet
away. ---. 1900. --.-7 ~
Proceed with the case" said the court,
-. {,
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

cate receipt for the money. This is re-
tanned in the pension Office and the original
sent to washington as evidence there again
that the money; has been, paid and that
the Des Moines office is entitled to the
credit of that amount.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

ECAUSE Justice James Comstock
OF Evanston. H.. formerly a sea
captain, did not have a fresh
chew OF tobacco securely tucked
away in his left cheek, business
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

Proceed with the case" said the court,
closing his eyes in eestacy. II guess this
VIII hold me for q whils."-Chicsgo Inter
Ocean.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
Process of Payment.

The pension Office here, which is typical
of all those in the country. is furnished
with certificates of all those residing in
the territory of the district who are on
the pension rolls. From these rolls every
three months is made out the payments.
When a pension check is sent to an old
soldier for one quarter there is sent also
q voucher blank for the following quarter.
The date for the payment Of pensions is
the fourth day OF January, April, July and
October. On and otter those dates the old
soldier takes his pension voucher. which
he has received with his check for the
preceding quarter. to some notary or per-
son qualified to administer an oath. With
the voucher he exhibits his pension certih-
cate which he received from the govern
ment when his pension was first allowed.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

light, 1906, by FRANC G. Carpenter0
ONTREAL., Nov. 9.-(Special Corre-
spondence of The Bee.)-I have
come to Canada to investigate
the industrial revolution going on
Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12

rs MONIES. Nov. s.--(special.)-
Miss Lizzie Rood OF the Iowa-Ne-
braska pension ONCE in this city.
must sign her name 800 times a
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-02-16
PRIMARY ELECTION.

Some of the state leaders are
being quoted in the papers as
being in favor of a primary
law, but one not so radical as
the Sharpe bill which has passed
the senate. In other words they
want to cut out congressman and
state officers and give us law
governing only county officers.
This would leave the bosses all
the judicial, congressional and
state officers to manipulate as
of yore aud would be no relief
from existing conditions. If the
legislature cannot give the peo-
pie law governing every cleo.
tive Office in the state it had bet
ter let present conditions alone,
We don't want a law that is only
q farce. The COURIER believes
the Sharpe bill as passed by the
senate is all right aud it ought to
pass the house with very little
amendment if any.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-02-16
MACHINE oRA1oRY.

Representative Phelan and a
few other politicians are trying
to talk the primary election bill
which recently passed theisenate,
to death, and failing in that to
cripple the bill so that when it
does pass the house it will be
absolutely worthless. The peo.
pie of this state demand a
primary law that means some.
thing and the sooner the people
are given what they want the bet.
ter it will be for all concerned.
The political jugglers must be
afraid to trust their own chances
with the people.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-02-16
4 NEW OFFICE.

While our legislators are in.
PRODUCING bills creating nice fat
offices for a few of the faithful,
why would it not be a good
scheme to introduce a bill Great
ing the office of chief ianitor of
the capital whose duty shall be
to draw a big salary and see
that the janitors and clerks ap.
pointed by the legislature be
kept at work. This would be a
nice opening for Major Butz who
had to sweep out his committee
room while his tired janitor slept
peacefully in some cosy corner.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-02-16
HITS AND MRS.

Ed. Pierce who has been editor
of the Walsh Comfy Record for
the past two or three years has
purchased that valuable paper
and is now sole owner. The
COURIER is glad to welcome Bro.
Pierce back to the fold as a
newspaper owner in North Da.
kota. We presume Poison Car
rots will be thrown in with the
deal. We extend congratula-
tions to Mr.. Pierce and the
fraternitys at large.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-02-16
CURRY BurrEp. IN.

Editor Curry spoke a little
piece about the McHenry papers
and the new editor of the Free.
Press up there told Curry where
to get off at, which will no doubt
teach Theo. how to take a joke
and be good. Just wait till you
hear the jar caused by his fall
ing on top of that new Nc
Henry editor.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-02-16
HOUSE BILL NO. 27.

The manufacturers of drugs
and patent medicines seem to
have stirred up a hornets nest by
writing to all our state papers
asking them to work against the
passage of House Bill No. ~.
The state papers almost without
any exception, are in favor of
the passage of the bill and are
working to that end. The fact
that they might lose four dollars
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-02-16
THE COURIER,
Dy Percy ~. Crubrhsev.
APPROPRIATIONS.

If our economical legislature
should pass all the appropria-
ton bills introduced for new
buildings and the institutions
that we now have North Dakota
would soon be in the hands of a
receiver. The governor needs
to use his pruning knife pretty
literally when he gets a chance.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-02-16
10 BUCKET SHOPS.

The bill prohibiting the opera
ton of bucket shops in North
Dakota has passed both houses
of the legislature, has been
signed by the governor, and IS
now a law. This is the only i'm
portant measure that has sc far
passed and received the COVER
nor's signature. 1t is a good
bill and should be rigid]y en-
forced.
The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-02-16
SENATE BILL No. lsI.

Senate Bill No. 181 which has
recently been introduced by
Senator Maynard Crane, is a
bill of Importance and merit that
the COURIER hopes to see be.
come a law. It will do away
with this pass system and COM
pell us all to pay our way, at
the same time it will reduce the
price of travel materially to the
public which will be a big bene-
fit to those who wish to travel on
the railroads. This bill has been
approved by one of the best at
torneys in North Dakota, and if
it becomes a law will undoubted-
ly be constitutional. The rail.
road companies can afford to
carry passengers cheaper if
they cut out all the passes. Be.
low is the bill as introduced in
the state senate by Mr.. Crane:
An act to regulate the transport.
alton of persons by common
carriers operating railroads
within or through the State of
North Dakota, and the furnish.
ing and use of free transport
alton.
Sec. 1. 1t shall be, and is
hereby declared to be, unlawful
for any common carrier opera
ting a railroad within or through
this state, to charge for the
transportation, upon it's passen-
ger trains, of any person, be-
tween points and over distances
lying wholly within this state, a
greater rate than two and one
half cents (24c)per mile, for each
mile or fraction thereof, of such
transportation,
Sec. 2. It shall be, and is
hereby declared to be, unlawful
for any such common carrier to
issue passes, or in any other
manner furnish free transporta.
tod to be used within this state,
upon it's passenger trains, under
any guise or pretext whatever,
to any person, excepting railway
employees, regularly in the en-
ploy of such common carrier,
and it shall be, and is hereby de.
clared to be, unlawful for any
person, except as hereinbefore
qualified, to accept, use, or at.
tempt to use, any such pass or
free transportation as aforesaid.
Sec. 3. Any corporation, com.
pany or person violating any of
the aforegoing provisions, shall
be deemed guilty of a misde.
meanor, and upon conviction
shall be punished by fine of not
less than fifty dollars ($50, ,0O)n nor
more than five hundred dollars
(&5OO.O .OO) for each offense.