Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-05-31
RecollectiOns Of Ranger"
: Al sorenson's Enaminsr.

FEW days ago Uncle sam. through OF his
"A faithful gray uniformed messenger delivered to
message that Colonel }. H. Pierce IL alive
and kicking IN Oakland. Cal That harhs me back 20
the early days OF The Omaha Bee. Along about 1873
or u7t John ". Pierce. who then struggling to
earn his bread and butter as stencil cutter, came TO
The Bee and secured more remunerative employment
| as subscription and country CORE
spondent. alias town writer-up, and a mighty good
oanvasser and wrterup he proved 20 be- Pierce was
somewhat Of geniusan ali-round energetic. versatile
cuss He tight-rope walker. One Fourth Of
July he the star attraction lie attempted 60 walk
a tight from the third story OF MitG Rogers
hardware store to the NTH story the Paxton but
the rope being at too steep angle at the Paxton
hotel side OF the street he failed TO climb the angle.
but walked backward TO the place Of beginning with
out losing the control Of his balance pole his
presence OF mind notwithsta nding the yes and
OF the assembled multitude may OF expected to
him fail to the ground with the proverbia dun
sickening thud"
Another adventurous exploit OF Pierce was per-
formed in the summer OF 1876 or 1911 He TO be
the stellar feature in Fourth Of July celebration
NOTED by The Bee. In 1873 baloonst named Steiner
came to Omaha and made ascension from Eleventh
Farnam streets and landed over east Of Council
Bluffs. Ills balloon brought back TO Omaha and
put in cold storage until Steiner could pay his biHs
incurred IN the flight which had proved financial
fixzle The balloon was taken of soak by The Bee
with a view OF having Pierce make ntht from
Omaha to the Black Hills starting on the Fourth oi
July The attraction advertised far and wide and
drew a big crowd to Omaha the aforesaid date
balloon failed TO and great was the d's-
appointment Andrew ROsewater fell down in mis- at
tempt to fiil the bag with carbonic acid gas out
al the track now known KountSe place. His
temporary plant couldn't fill the bill. or the bag
few days later the balloon brought down town
and anchored IN jefferson square. and It was an
notnoed that the ascension would he pulled off some
day in the future when the bag would be filled
with from the city works. One morning, about
O'Clock. Pierce examined the balloon and found
filled with He determined TO make the ascension
and getting into the basket had It cut loose But the
nNfa
the basket and climbing onto the iron hoop which
held the rope he gave the word 10 let and the
balloon several hundred feet gently sailing TO the
north Pierce loaf his and called for help 10 the
sstonished spectators on terra firma. Tho balloon
finally descended OF its WILL but being struck
by lively wind carried across the surface OF Flor
enee lake Pierce uninjured. but Jared his
nerve center. Upon feeling In his right-hand vest
pocket he discovered fish about four inches long.
which had been scooped up BY the balloon in it's gh;
across the surface OF the lake. This adventure led
people to believe that Pierce was somewhat
Tightly.
The next exploit OF Pierce. whose de plume was
Ranger" the publication OF the weste<n Maya
zine. which proved literary success and financial
failure. He was far ahead of the times in the
Pierce took a prominent part scout and
correspondent IN the campaign against the Sioux IN
1915 under General Crook He had served in the civil
and was therefore. novice in warfare. Colonel
Pierce dred west continuing his versatile and varied
career. An Illustrated circular which he recently sent
me- pictures him as follows: At the front in eii
soldier the Sioux campaign; editor and poet pub
Usher inventor and manufacturer minister; Santa
CLAUS. etc Colonel Pierce who has attained the al
lotted span Of lifethree score and ten-wears long
snow-white patrarchal beard and ut oppotune times
increases his income by representing Santa Claus at
popular entertainments and he Is In frequent demand
as a children's entertainer In this way he has won
the title Of Santa C1aus, King Of the Fairies" On
the streets Of Oakland and San Francisco he Is con-
spicuous Characteristic observed OF all observers
When he IL not otherwise engaged he puts in his time
in Oakland office and sanctuary. his letterhead
reading as follows: John H. Pierce-Nfinister-Iu-
ventor-Entertaner-spd Notary Public
Any oid-tne Omaha man who 10 goins TO the San
Francisco exposition should by all means cross over
the bay TO Oakland and call coonel Pierce. Being
an entertainer Colonel Pierce win himself to
caller from Omaha that no whole show In himself.