Semi-weekly herald., 1908-12-24


have been built OF the most thief
proof material at hand, but the Ma
tional City bank is the first to adopI
steam as a method OF defense. The
armament OF the vault Is about a foo,
and half thick; Arst half-inch plate
OF steel. then half an Inch of wire
mesh made up of sensitive wires that
stretch off In score of different
directions to alarm stations. After
the wire mesh there is a half-inch
plate OF steel. then eight inches OF
railroad iron and concrete. and last.
ly. fve inches OF armor plate. Should
n burglar or any number OF them pen.
citrate the first layer of steel and then
the wire mesh without giving an alarm
all the valves can be opened by a sin.
gle turn of a wheel in any OF dozen
places throughout the building. send
ing out a foot of steam that will
completely envelop the safe in less
than half a minute.
To every boy In Iowa who will
take a pledge to use neither tobacco
nor liquor. Samuel saucerman. a
wealthy Des Moines resident will give
81. cent a day for three years and
another dollar at the end OF three
years. At the same time he urges the
boys who accept his proposition to
also save the nickels and dimes they
would otherwise have spent for tobac-
co and alcoholic drink and put them
with their account. He has figured out
that II the boys Will do this. none will
arrive at the age OF 81 without hav.
ing enough TO take them through col
lege or give them good start In life.
Mr.. Saucerman is reputed to be worth
S1.60O,000. The new organization he
Is perfecting to help boys is to be
known as "The Trimmer Band" To
demonstrate his earnestness he has
deposited In the name of "The Trim
mer Band" $4,000, which is drawing
interest.
If a surgical operation performed In
Paterson. N. j., proves successful. Cor.
nelius Snyder. before long Will be
going around with one of his fingers
sewed to the place where his nose
used TO be. Snyder suffered from
cancer OF the nose several years and,
about year ago, the greater part OF
his nose was amputated in order TO
remove the cancerous growth. This
operation was Il success and physi-
clans told him they could replace the
lost nose with finger. He decided
TO have the operation performed and
the finger was doubled at the middle
joint. laid in the opening OF the nose
and fastened with sutures. The head
and upper part OF the patients body
was then encased In plaster casts and
bnndages to maintain the utmost rig
idity and to guard against the sutured
parts being disturbed. 1t Is expected
that within three weeks the flesh of
the finger and the remains of the nose
VIII have united. The finger Will then
be amputated at the middle Joint, and
when the wounds are healed Mr.. Sny-
der VIII have as good nose as
could be expected under the circum.
stances.
Calling President Roosevelt ill-man-
nered and cruel in his structures on
public men with whom he differs, w.
J. Bryan, In his Commoner OF Satur-
day. discussed what he terms the I'm
suit" to congress by the president in
that part of his message dealing with
the secret service. Declaring that
that part OF the message has caused
furore in Washington, Mr.. Bryan
adds: ut must be admitted that the
language employed by Mr.. Roosevelt
was uncalled for and unbecoming to
a presidents message. But Mr.. Roos-
evelt is not-and we say It In the best
of spirit-famous for his good man
ners. His chief boast is that he is the
apostle OF the square DEAL and yet on
many notable occasions he has been
guilty OF cruel injustice In dealing with
his fellows. He has needlessly and
wantonly insulted many individuals.
and. although the public has borne this
shortcoming patiently. It is plain that
they are now growing weary. While
the indignation Of congressman is ex.
cuseable. they Will. the Commoner be-
lieves, do well to ignore the insult put
upon them. Mr.. Roosevelt will retire
Within a few months. and thereafter
White house messages will at least be
tree from billingsgate. Congress- has
more important work to do than the
resenting Of insults. The Panama ca
nal. for instance. needs q searching In
vestigation. Indeed. the administers.
tion's strongest friends should he fore
Investigation Is Of such character as
to avoid all possible suspicion OF
whitewash."