--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Thomas Hull collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 7 number: 2 published: 1903-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Thomas Hull, "Events of the Month", *Improvement Era* 7, no. 2 (December 1903): 152–160.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0702unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0702unse start_page: 152 end_page: 160 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1903-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0702unse publication_year: 1903 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1903, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Events of the Month — EVENTS OF THE MONTH. Local.— October, 1903. Called Hence. —Dorcas M. Severe, born near Kirtland, Ohio, 1821, wife of the late Harrison Severe, died in Oakley, Idaho, October 14. Her father was killed at Haun's Mill. She leaves one hundred and forty de- scendants. —Green Flake, a Utah pioneer of July 21, 1847, seventy-six years old, a native of North Carolina, who lived with the Prophet Joseph in Nauvoo, one of the few colored persons who have joined the Church, died in Idaho Falls, Idaho, October 20. —Wm. Howard died at Carey, Idaho, on the 14th. He was born England, August, in 1835, came to 21, Utah 1888, and leaves a wife and ten in —William Robinson, children. born England, 1831, died in Beaver October in He was a devoted 21. member of the Church. — Mary A. Anderson, wife of County Commissioner James H. Anderson, born South Wales, February 1861, died October 5, 23 Lake. — On Sunday, 25th, Benjamin M. Harmon, born South in Salt Wales, October 1835, died 14, Creek. He came in Mill Utah 1859. to in —James Pope Paskett, born England, March 1817, a member of the 12, Church 1847, who came since Utah 1871, died to Henefer, Summit in at Co Utah, October , —Rasmus Mickelsen, born September, eighty- 24. in four years one of the ago, of Cedar first settlers died Parowan,City, in Thursday October —United States Distrct Judge M.M. 22. well known Estee, in Utah and the West, died Honolulu, 27th. He was appointed in 1900, by in President McKinley. — On November 1903, Mary Johnson, born Ohio, 1, seventy-three years ago, died in Springville, where she settled in 1877. Word is received of the death in Pacheco, Mexico, October 21, of Jens Jensen, formerly bishop of Salina. He was born April 18, 1830. John- — athan Bowen, a pioneer of Cache Valley, born Vermont, March 31, 1834, who came to Utah in 1849, died November 5, in Logan. Niels Jensen — born October 3, 1832, in Denmark, a devoted Church member, died in Provo, November 6. — George Finlayson, chief engineer Logan sugar factory, age fifty, died Sunday, 8th, from injuries received in an accident at the factory two weeks ago. —Jane Woodcock, a pioneer of Kanosh, EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 153 and a member of the hand cart company of 1856, born in England, Sep- tember 6, 1820, died Saturday, 7th.— On the 8th M atilda C. E. Ek, born in Sweden, December 24, 1850, wife of Bishop Carl Ek, was buried from the 25th ward meeting house, Salt Lake. —Mary Wightman, with the Saints in Kirtland in 1837, an old resident of Payson, aged eighty, died on the 10th. — A Reign of Thugs. Ogden has suffered for several weeks by a reign of hold-ups, caused doubtless by the influx of evil transients and hobos from the gangs of the Lucin Cut-off. Eay Mills, a young man from the East was found dead on the banks of the Ogden, October 19, shot by unknown parties with a view to robbery. Citizens have been held up and stores robbed; the council have appointed twenty extra police, and on the 22nd, a mass meeting of residents was held with a view to organ- izing and driving the criminals out of the city. The mayor was named as captain and empowered to call any assistance that he might need from among the one hundred men who signed the resolutions which declared in strong terms against the lawless element. On the night of the same day, J. R. Shakell, a railway brakeman, riding into Ogden, met J. D. Snipes and Alonzo Clark, special policemen and, in fear of hold-ups, opened fire and shot the first named fatally, and the second through the thumb. On the 24th Judge Rolapp sentenced Gus Smith and Henry Campbell, who had been convicted of assault with intent to commit rob- bery, to five and seven years in the State penitentiary, which in the face of prevailing conditions should have a good effect. To further help matters, the council has ordered twenty new electric lights for the streets, and added ten permanent police to the regular force. — Pounder's Day at Brigham Young University. This school opened in October, 1875. On the 23rd, founder's day was celebrated. A pro- cession of eight hundred pupils formed, and marched from the buildings to various locations in the city of Provo, where the school had been held. When they arrived at the bank corner, where the school was temporarily located in 1884, after the fire, a stop was made, and President Joseph F. Smith formally announced the change of name of the institution from the Brigham Young Academy to the Brigham Young University. The announcement was received with approval by the students who then pro- ceeded to launch some B. Y. U. yells. The city was decorated with the white and blue, the school colors, and the citizens generally, and the pub- lic school children, viewed the procession. In the college hall further appropriate exercises were held, speeches being made by President Joseph F. Smith, Senator Reed Smoot, Hon. John Henry Smith, Lester Mangum. for the students, Jesse Knight and others. Athletic sports followed. IS 154 IMPROVEMENT ERA. — A Monument to Dr. Karl G. Maeser. Dr. J. M. Tanner and former students of the well known educator, Dr. Maeser, by consent of the Church Board of Education and the First Presidency, have com- menced a movement to erect a monument to his memory in the Salt Lake cemetery, where his body rests. Dr. Maeser was a pioneer teacher in the Church whose labors are beyond price in their effect for good upon the thousands of people who came under his influence. Small contributions will be accepted from former students, and it is expected that all will anxiously and promptly do themselves the honor of giving to the fund. Railroad Building —The Lucin Cut-off. —On the 26th, the last pile on the great Lucin Cut-off was driven, the trestle will soon be finished and the final opening is set for the latter part of November. This is the chief construction of the Southern Pacific system, for the past two years, and is said to have cost many millions. It is expected that trains will be running over the cut-off by the first of the new year. In the past three years, the Harriman lines have spent $104,348,369 for betterments and equipments. The system includes the Union Pacific, the Southern Oregon Short Line, Oregon R. & N. Co., Chicago, & Alton, and the Pacific, Kansas City Southern. The straightening of the Southern Pacific from Ogden to Reno has resulted in a saving of 47.37 miles in actual distance, an equivalent of seventy-five miles in overcoming difficult grades, and a practical saving of two hours in running time, for the stretch of six hundred and forty-two miles between the two stations. It is expected trains will use the entire new system, January 1, 1904. New General Traffic Manager. — On the 30th, Thomas Milton Schumacher was promoted to the position of General Traffic Manager of the Oregon Short Line Railroad. He has been acting manager since August, 1901. He was born at Williamfort, Pa., February 16, 1861, and has been in the railway service most of his time since 1879, in a variety of capacities. His experience ranges from telegraph operator, freight clerk, station agent, brakeman and superintendent's chief clerk, to Gen- eral Agent of the U. P., in San Francisco, and now to his present posi- tion. His experience has been obtained with many western roads, and he is conceded to be among the best traffic men in the country. He says he learned more as a terminal station agent than in any other position. The Aquarius Forest Reserve, Southern Utah. —By proclama- tion of President Roosevelt, October 24, the Aquarius Forest Reserve is established in Southern Utah. It embraces lands surrounding the Aqua rius Plateau, beginning west of Thurber, Wayne county, and situated EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 155 mostly in the unsurveyed district where a large number of small creeks rise and flow northerly into Rabbit valley, on the Fremont river; thence south, and westerly around the plateau, covering the sources of small streams flowing southerly into Potato Valley, on the Escalante river, Gar- field county; thence north about the sources of Crystal and Coyote creeks, and Awapa Plateau in the southeastern part of Piute county; thence easterly towards Thurber to place of beginning. All persons are warned not to make settlement upon the above named lands, more par- ticularly described in the proclamation. The Aquarius is the sixth re- serve in Utah, the others being Uintah, the largest, proclaimed February 22, 1897; Fish Lake, Sevier county, proclaimed February 10, 1899; Pay- son, proclaimed August 3, 1901; Manti and Logan, both proclaimed May 29; 1903. By second proclamation of November 5, 1903, nearly two townships, west of Thistle Creek, in townships eleven and twelve south, are added to the Payson Forest Reserve. Miscellaneous Events. — On the 15th of October Nordica sang in the Tabernacle to five thousand listeners, in a concert which was one of the great musical successes of Salt Lake. Prof. Evan Stephens and the choir shared in the honors. —The underground fire in the Eureka mines was put under control on the 29th of October, after burning for more — than three weeks, and the work will soon be resumed. 31: the copper furnace at the Majestic company's smelter, Milford, went into commission, an event which caused the whole of Beaver county to rejoice. The Rio — Grande Railway Co., has received one hundred thousand mountain trout fry from the Government fish hatchery at Leadville, and placed the young trout in the Provo river with a view to making it a fishers' paradise. November, 1903. The Municipal Elections. —The elections held on Tuesday, Novem- ber 3, resulted in placing Democratic Mayors in Salt Lake City and Provo; Richard P. Morris being elected in the former, by a plurality of 2,270 over Knox, Republican; and Win. M. Roylance, in the latter, by a majority of 96, over J. W. Farrer, the Republican candidate. The Councilmen are mixed in both cities, the Republicans having 9 out of 15, and in Provo, 5 Republicans and 5 Democrats. Logan in Salt Lake City, elected E. W. Robinson Mayor, with 111 plurality; Ogden, Wm. (Rep.) Glasmann, with a majority of 822, over Peter Anderson, Democrat. Park City, Coalville, Beaver, Lehi, Springville, Pleasant Grove, Manti, Ephraim, Mt. Pleasant and many other smaller cities, elected Republican mayors. 156 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Several cities elected non-partisan officers, and, others again, mixed tickets. The Socialists cast 806 votes for their candidate in Salt Lake City, as against 484, in 1901. In Park City, this party cast 439 votes for Mayor, while in other places the showing indicated slight growth. Utah Pioneer Dead. —Aaron F. Farr, died at the home of Hon. Moses Thatcher, in Logan, November 8, 1903. His home was in Ogden, where he has, resided since 1857. He was born in Waterford, Caladonia county, Vermont, October 31, 1818, and moved with his parents, to Kirtland, in 1836, and from thence to Missouri, with his brother Lorin Farr, in 1837. From that time on, for a decade, he took a leading part in the migrations and troubles of the Saints, being the pioneer who led to the settlement of Adam-Ondi-Ahman. In Nauvoo, he was married by the Prophet Joseph, to Persis Atherton. He was among the first to flee from Nauvoo, and in March, 1847, was called to join the first pioneers at Winter Quarters, to make the journey to the mountains, under Pres- ident Brigham Young. He arrived in the Valley, September 20, 1847, two months behind the advance guard, having been returned to bring forward the coming emigrants through the Black Hills. A conspicuous character in the building of Utah, he was ever a leader among the people. He was the first civil magistrate in the west; he was U. S. deputy marshal under Joseph L. Hey wood; from 1859 to 1869, was probate judge of Weber county, holding his first commission from Governor Gumming; was city alderman of Ogden, several terms, and in 1872, served in the lower house of the Legislature. He filled missions to the eastern states; and in 1852, to the West Indies, presiding, also, over the St. Louis conference. He was a man of jovial nature, full of integrity, abounding with practical sense, and ever viewing the bright side of life. His funeral was held from the Ogden Tabernacle, on the 12th, Apostles John Henry, George A., and Hyrum M. Smith, speaking. The Alta Tramway. —This road, so far as ore hauling is concerned, has been idle for fifteen years. With the recent, unprecedented revival of mining in the Cottonwoods, from whence, at present, fifty tons of ore are daily transported to the smelters, the road has again become of value. It belongs to the Rio Grande Western Railway, and some days ago, was leased to Charles D. Rooklidge, for ten years. A company will be formed, and one hundred thousand dollars spent in equiping, re-build- ing, and furnishing the road with electric power. If the mines continue, as in the year past, to produce mineral, it will only be a short time till several hundred tons per day will be ready to pass over the road, to the smelters. ». — EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 157 Utah's School Population. —State Superintendent A. C. Nelson, has received the annual census reports of all counties in the State. They show a total of 89,725 children, within the school age, as against 88,902, for 1902. Salt Lake, Ogden, Provo and Logan, have a population of 26,060, against 25,408 in 1902, Salt Lake having shown the greatest in- crease, 522, Ogden, 4, Provo, 5, and Logan, 21. Coal Miners' Strike. — On the 12th, one third (three hundred and sixty-five) of the employees of the Utah Fuel Company's Sunnyside coal mines, went out on strike, in sympathy with the Colorado coal mine strikers. The strikers are mostly single men and transients. The mines will continue in operation, if possible. As a result of the strike, and ad- vanced costs in rates and mining, coal advanced fifty cents per ton, in Salt Lake and Ogden, and was later advanced 25 cents more in Salt Lake. — Miscellaneous Events. When, on November 4, Apostle Heber J. Grant addressed the University of Utah student body, he placed one thousand dollars with President J. T. Kingsbury, for the establishment of a two thousand five hundred dollars scholarship fund. The presenta- tion is in memory of his deceased wife, Lucy Stringham Grant, a grad- uate of the normal department. —A telegram, dated 5th, from Keokuk, Iowa, announces that the "Mormon" Church has purchased for four thousand dollars, the old Carthage, Illinois, jail, where the Prophet and Patriarch were killed by a mob. — President Joseph F. Smith dedicated the Sugar Ward Meeting House, on the 6th. The building cost fourteen thousand dollars. The Ward held a grand re-union. —The Snow Academy, Ephraim, was sixteen years old, on the 6th. The occasion was celebrated by a parade, program, games and dancing, many people attending. From Secretary Willis T. Beardsley's report, just issued, it appears that the receipts and disbursments of the Eleventh Irrigation Con- gress, in Ogden, was twenty-one thousand, two hundred and ninety dollars, and twenty-six cents. — The first snow storm of the season, deposited about two inches of snow in the Salt Lake valley, on Sunday, 8th, followed on Monday, by a fall of six inches. Heavy rains occurred on the 12th and 13th, accompanied in the evening of the 12th by a severe wind storm, which did considerable damage in Salt Lake. Domestic— October, 1903. Death of Mrs. Booth-Tucker.— This great Salvation Army worker was killed in a railway wreck, on the Santa Fe, at Deans Lake, Missouri, October 29. She was, without doubt, the ablest of General Booth's — ; 158 IMPROVEMENT ERA. children, having from her childhood engaged in the work of the Army. She was forty-three years old, the mother of six children, and had, be- sides, one adopted child. She married Commander Booth-Tucker at the age of twenty-seven. He was then a high officer in the Salvation Army, in India, and, on his marriage, he added her name to his own, giving him his present one. On their marriage, they were put in charge of the Army, in India, but when the Ballington Booths seceded, to establish the Volunteers of America, they came to this country, where they have been in command for seven years. She was regarded as the soul and spirit of the Salvationists in this country. Her father calls her, "after her mother, the first among the many noble, consecrated women, I have been permitted to know, in my fifty years of public life." It is to be regretted that her funeral on November 1, was not made the occasion for a personal reconciliation, between the members of the Booth family. Miscellaneous. —On the 15th, James H. Tillman was acquitted, at Lexington, S. C, on the charge of murdering Editor N. G. Gonzales. John Alexander Dowie, "Elijah the Restorer," with his three thousand five hundred followers, entered New York on the 16th, where large con- gregations were addressed, daily, until November 3, when the "host" re- turned to Chicago, in eight special trains. The return was made the occasion of a holiday in Zion City. On the closing day in New York, November 1, four thousand persons received the sacrament, and two hundred the "right hand of fellowship." —The world's racing record is broken, by Dan Patch, at Memphis, October 22, going the mile in 1.56% and on the 24th, Lou Dillon lowered the world's trotting record, cover- ing a mile in 1.58%; the world's wagon trotting record, on the 28th, going the mile in two minutes. November, 1903. Congress and Senator Smoot's Case. —The Fifty-eighth Congress convened in extraordinary session, at noon, November 9, by the Pres- ident's proclamation, (October 20,) for the purpose of enacting legisla- tion necessary to make effective the Cuban reciprocity treaty. In his message, President Roosevelt said that legislation on this subject is "demanded, not only by our interest, but by our honor," and that "failure to enact such legislation would come perilously near a re- pudiation of the pledged faith of the nation." The Senators were all presented with flowers. The House has the largest membership in its history, owing to the new allotment law, and there were one hundred and eighteen "maidens," of whom Utah's, Hon. Joseph Howell, is one. EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 159 Even on the first day petitions were presented against Senator Smoot on the grounds that he is an Apostle of the "Mormon" Church, or that he isa polygamist, or a believer in polygamy. Later Senator Hoar re- minded the petitioners that their proceeding is improper and out of order, since "the determination of Smoot's rights will be a purely judi- cial proceeding, to be determined by the laws of the Constitution." Sena- tor Dubois, Idaho, and others, took issue with him in favor of petition- ers. Ex-Secretary John G. Carlisle has been retained to argue before the committee in behalf of those who demand Senator Smoot's expulsion. The honor of introducing the bill to redeem our pledge to Cuba was granted to Representative Payne, who introduced the measure to the House on the 12th. Miscellaneous. —A total of 912,315 emigrants came to the United States in the fiscal year 1903. During the first two weeks of November, many thousands returned, for various reasons, to their native lands, the steerage of every liner being filled. Foreign.— October, 1903. Miscellaneous Events. — On the 14th, Lord Landsdowne for Great Britain and M. Cambon for France signed an arbitration treaty between those two countries, to continue for five years; and on the same day the king and queen of Italy were warmly welcomed in Paris. — On the 17th, the Alaskan boundary tribunal in London rendered a decision sustaining all the contentions of the United States, except that for the Portland Canal which goes to Canada. — On the 18th, Merry del Val succeeded Cardinal Rampolla as Papal Secretary of State; and the Marconi wire- less was put in operation between Peking and the coast. —The remark- able speed of one hundred and thirty miles an hour is reached on the electric experimental line, near Berlin, on the 24th. New British Ambassador.— On the 24th, Sir Henry Mortimer, Durand, formerly Ambassador to Madrid, was appointed Ambassador to the United States to succeed the late Sir Michael Herbert. He is fifty- three years old, and served through the African war as political secre- tary to Sir (now Earl) Roberts. He was afterwards foreign secretary in India, and from 1894 to 1900, was British Minister to Persia, being then appointed to Madrid. November, 1903. . Fire in the Vatican. — On the evening of the 1st of November a fire broke out in the Vatican, which caused great excitement in Rome. It 160 IMPROVEMENT ERA. threatened to destroy some of the chief treasures of the world. The Pope, who was found praying when the news was brought to him, asssisted personally in extinguishing the flames. Later the firemen arrived and quenched the fire which had one curious result. The Italian authorities, on being notified of the fire, hurried to St. Peters and were invited to enter. Among them were the mayor, the prefect, the police officials, and the minister of justice, who took charge of the men who were fighting the flames. This is the first time that any Roman officer has entered the Vatican in official capacity, since the fall of the tem- poral power and the so-called imprisonment of the Pope. The entire Mu- seum of Inscriptions and parts of the Library were flooded with water, but none of the more famous treasures were injured. Death of Theodore Mommsen. —The death, November 1, 1903, of this great critic and historian removes one of the great Germans of our times. This type of men is becoming rarer each year. Like Von Moltke he was by birth a Dane, but was a German scholar of high re- pute. His History of Rome, his leading work, was written with the "idea that only that was to be accepted as true for which there was documentary or monumental evidence." He represented "the icono- which inclined to disbelieve everything which clastic epoch of criticism can not be demonstrated by legal evidence." The New Republic. —At 6 p. m. on November 3, Panama pro- claimed its independence of Colombia, at an enthusiastic meeting in the City of Panama. The United States recognized the de facto government on the 6th. A protest against the attitude of our government towards the revolutionists has been received at Washington from Bogota, capital of Colombia, where the people are said to be furious over the revolution and declare (November 4) that "the isthmus will realize the error of its course, and will return to the mother country before Colombian blood shall flow in torrents."