Omaha daily bee., 1918-01-02
old FRIENDS ARE.
MISSING ON new
YEARS DAY, 1918
For First Time in History Of
Omaha the Popular Tom
and Jerry Pass the
City BY.
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CI.-S3

Although the new year 10 less than
"a hours old, il has started In with
every indication that II is going to be
satisfactory to the average Omahan.
During the first day the youngster
was heralded in in much the same
manner as the heralding Of the advant
Of former New Year days. However.
there were two old friends who were
nowhere visible.
In the past, 50 afr back as the
memory Of man runneth, two char
acters, Tom and Jerry, on New Years
days have mede their convivial pres
ence felt In scores and even hundreds
Of places here In the city. This year
neither Tom, nor Jerry, we're to be
found. OF course one would not have
been found unless the other was close
BY, for In the days Of the past when
they were In evidence, these two
characters were as unseperable as the
Siamese twins that formerly appeared
as circus attractions.
However, notwithstanding the fact
that Tom and Jerry passed Omaha
up, people enjoyed themselves. The
day was ideal for enjoyment and for
once, work, worry and the Injunction
Of Dictator Hoover, relative to the
conservation Of food, was forgotten.
Many Family Reunions.
And right here ii may be truthfully
stated that probably there was nevef
a day in the history Of Omaha when
there were more family reunions, FAM
lily and neighborhood gatherings than
yesterday. Tables craked and groaned
under the loads Of good things pre-
pared to tickle the palates Of man,
and while the drinks that inebriate
we're few, there were no end TO the
eats.
Skating was the thing that attract
ed the thousands, and all day long
the lakes and ponds in and around
the city were covered with skaters,
both men and women, not forgetting
the children. During the early part OF
the day the ice was in prime condi-
ton, but as the sun climbed higher
and higher, ice that caught its direct
rays became slightly wet, but not
mushy. Taking It all in all, it was a
great day for the skaters.
There was something else on the
Ice that proved to be an attraction.
Out at Miller park, a large number
OF men who trace their ancestry back
to Scotland gathered for that good
and popular Scotch game OF curling.
They were playing for the Kennedy
medal, . beautiful gold trophy Of
fered by John L. Kennedy, a bonny
Scot and curling enthusiast.
Hail the Motorist.
The weather warmed up enough so
that the autoist who had been tied
up for several days by zero tempera-
ture, cranked up his car and went out
for a spin. Here he Is spoken OF in
the singular, but as a matter of fact,
New Years day he was in the plural,
and then some. There were thousands
OF machines out on the paved streets
and on the boulevards during the
afternoon.
Even the golfers got out and played
few holes, something that is not
usual on New Years day. For golf
the weather was just right and after
the ice had been dug out of the holes
and the tees swept off, the players
all agreed that the links were in
prime condition.
Down town the streets had con-
siderable the appearance of Sunday.
Work was practically suspended and
the business houses closed, though
about the hotels and cafes there were
crowds. At all these eating places
appetizing meals were served.
The time honored custom of calling.
something that was quite the thing
when the grandfathers and grand
mothers were boys and girls, was OBJ
served to some extent. Many of the
homes kept open house and uring the
afternoon, a large number Of parties
made calls in the same manner as was
done when Omaha was a village. At
all the places the callers were de.
lightfully received and before them
were placed dainty lunches.
Ice "Barons" Busy.
About all the work that went mer-
rily on, regardless of the holiday, was
the harvesting of the ice crop. Men
who supply ice to Omaha took 4
long look at the early morninc stv
and then sent out hurry calls for men
The representations were for warm
er weather and the ice barons con-
cluded that the proper thing was to
make ice while it was cold. As a re-
suit, fully l,0W men were at work on
the ice at Carter lake and in Seymour
park during greater portion Of the
day. At the boarding houses where
these ice6eld workers were fed,