Events of the Month

EVENTS
OF THE
MONTH. Local. — February, 1904. Miscellaneous Events. 15. — Joseph Odell has been appointed postmaster at Logan, vice Robert Murdock, term expired. 18. — Old Folks' day was celebrated in Mt. Pleasant. A program and dinner were given to 300 people. There were 53 persons between 60 and 70 years of age; 27, between 70 and 80; and 15 over 80 years of age. — A repre- sentative body of dairymen from Cache, Bear Lake, Box Elder, Weber, Wasatch, Davis, Juab, and Salt Lake counties met in convention at Logan. President Joseph R. Murdock, of Heber, presided, and in his speech of welcome showing the importance of their business, compared the dairy and mining interests, showing how the former produce a steady . monthly income to the many while the latter produce great wealth to the few. The Utah Dairymen's Association is a growing institution. 20. — Perry S. Heath resigned the secretaryship of the Republican Na- tional committee. 27. — During the night eight and a half to nine inches of snow fell, generally over northern and central Utah. It was the heaviest storm of the season. The Lake has risen eight inches since November. 29. — Hon. Quil Nebeker returns from a visit to the state of Tabasco, Mexico, greatly pleased with the country, and expresses the be- lief that in twenty years the Americans, English, and Germans will own two-thirds of Mexico. Scandinavian Mission. — In the three countries of the north, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a membership of 5,317, out of which number 897 are children under eight years of age. There are 2,620 members in Sweden; 1,358 in Norway; and 1,339 in Denmark. There were 478 baptisms in the ten conferences of the mission, in which 188 Elders and three lady missionaries were laboring, during the year 1903. President Anthon L. Skanchy and his body of laborers held 59,104 gospel conversations, 5,594 meetings indoors, and 75 outdoors, during the year. There are five native Elders laboring as missionaries; and during the year, 177 people over eight years of age emigrated, and 36

EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 4rr5 under that age, all of which is taken from the annual report in the Church organ, Skandinaviens Stjerne, February 15, 1904. Col. Theodore Bruback. — This well known mining man and rail- roader lost his life on the 18th, in Park City, by falling down an incline in the Daily-Judge mine. He was a native of Pittsburg, Pa., and came to Utah in 1885, immediately identifying himself with mining and rail- roading. He was receiver of the Sanpete Valley railroad, and built the extension from Wales to Morrison, and was president of the road at the time of his death. He was also colonel on the staff of Governor Wells. In 1886, he married Miss McLane of New York, and leaves two children. Two Good Points. — It appears that there is a Manti Farmers' As- sociation which held a session on the 17th. Professors Merrill and Hutt of the Agricultural College were present and spoke on timely farming topics. Two points that are specially good were mentioned: First, the need of improving the soil by growing pod-bearing plants, and plowing them under, and by utilizing the manures, and for farmers to arrange their affairs on a system to employ their time the year round. Second, the need of making the grounds and yards of the country home more at- tractive; and the elimination of mongrel males from the herds, and re- placing them by pure bred animals. Dreadful Catastrophe on Lucin Cut-off. — At Jackson, a small station in Nevada, on the Lucin Cut-off, at 4 o'clock p. m. on the 19th, there was a collision between a freight and a construction train. The latter carried two cars of black powder and dynamite. As a result of the collision, which appears to have occurred on account of some train- man's carelessness, some 23 persons were killed, eight of whom were Americans and the remainder Greeks. Fifteen persons were injured. The calamity caused a sensation in Ogden where large numbers of Greeks are located. The explosion caused a large hole to be blown in the ground, and debris was scattered for miles around. The track was dis- placed for 500 yards, and the telegraph poles were blown down for miles.
The dead were brought to Ogden for burial. Wealth from the Mines. — During 1903, Utah mines paid in divi- dends, $4,869,016, an increase in round numbers over 1902 of $627,- 000. The total output of mineral wealth for the year 1903 was esti- mated at $34,000,000, an increase over the previous year of $15,000,- 000. Three great mines, the Daly-West, Utah Consolidated, and Silver King, paid over four millions in dividends, and the remainder came from the other mines. Poultry Show in Sevier. — Sevier has followed Ogden and Salt Lake, and has had a poultry show.
The show closed in Richfield on the

476 IMPROVEMENT ERA. 22nd, and had an average daily attendance of 300, proving a financial success. The premium list covered forty pages. Exhibitors appeared from Salt Lake, Sanpete and Weber. The Poultry Association was ad- dressed by Profs. Dryden, Hutt and Merrill of the State Agricultural College. Missionary Shoots Himself. — Lorenzo Crosby, a returning South- ern States missionary from Creer, Arizon, intentionally shot and mort- ally wounded himself on a Chicago and Alton train near Higbee, Mo., February 20th. He died the following day. No reason has been given for the dreadful deed. It is believed by President Ben E. Rich that his mind was unbalancad, and that he was not responsible for the fearful action.
He had done a good work in the South. An Original Pioneer Dead. — Benjamin Franklin Dewey, member of the original 143 pioneers of 1847, died in Chloride, Arizona, February 23rd. He was born at Westfield, Mass., and went to Nauvoo in the spring of 1848, where he joined the pioneer band. When the gold fever broke out in 1849, he went to California and remained about two years, again returning to Utah where he made his home until about twelve -years ago when he moved to Arizona. Liberty Stake of Zion. — In conformity with a prior decision to divide the Salt Lake Stake of Zion to make four stakes, the Priesthood of the wards in the southeast part of the city, divided by Main street and Third South, (1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 31, 33) met on Tuesday evening, February 23rd, and nominated fifty persons from whom the Church authorities were to select a presidency and other officers for the new stake. They also decided to name the stake Liberty, if it should meet with the ap- proval of the people. On Friday, 26th, the people of the new stake met and sustained the nominations for stake presidency, made by the Church authorities, as follows: President, Hugh J. Cannon, at present in charge of the German mission; first counselor, Arnold H. Schulthess; second counselor, Philip S. Maycock. The High Councilors for the new stake were chosen as follows: Le Grand Young, Charles W. Symons, Milando Pratt, Oscar F. Hunter, Elias A. Smith, George Buckle, John Vetterli, William Stringham, Briant S. Hinckley, William N. Davis, Fred M. Mickelsen, and Alvin C. Strong. Alternates: Taylor H. Woolley, Sey- mour B. Young, Jr., and John Stringham. Joseph Keddington was chosen president of the High Priests' quorum. They also decided upon the name Liberty for the new and 53rd stake of Zion. Three other stakes will be organized out of the remainder of the old stake, on the return of President Joseph F. Smith and Francis M. Lyman from Wash-

EVENTS OF THE MONTH. All ington, whither they were called as witnesses in the Senator Smoot case. When these are organized there will be a total of eleven stakes which were parts of the original Salt Lake Stake. Died.— Sarah Eyre Meyers, wife of Joseph Meyers, February 7, 1904, at Minersville, Utah; born at Densby, Lincolnshire, England, Au- gust 26, 1835; joined the Church in 1849, and emigrated in 1855, cross- ing the plains in 1859. — In Spring Lake Villa, 9th, W. W. Barnett, a pioneer of Utah county, and a veteran of the Indian wars. — In Hoyts- ville, Summit county, 11th, Joseph Wilkinson, a pioneer of that county. — In Hyrum, 12th, Jens Lauritzen, born Denmark, November 5, 1824, a Danish soldier in the war of 1848-50, who came to Utah in 1863. — In Salina, 14th, Celinda Hannah Martin, born Ohio, February 29, 1832, came to Utah in 1852, and was a pioneer of Sanpete Valley and the south. — In Mt. Pleasant, February 12, 1904, C. C. Rowe, born in Indi- ana, May 11, 1823. He was a Mexican war veteran of the Mormon Battalion and also took part in the Indian wars in Utah.. — In Richfield, 14th, Lemuel Thompson, a veteran of the Civil war, who came to Utah 35 years ago, from New Hampshire. — In Logan, 19th, Mrs. Caroline Af- fleck, born in London, January 25, 1839. She came to Utah in 1861, and was prominently identified with Church work. — In Ephraim, 22nd, Sarah Bridget Hadden, born in Norfolk, England, 1816. She came to Utah with her late husband, Thomas C. Hadden, in 1852. She was a great friend of the Indians, and often entertained the early chiefs, among them Black Hawk, Indian Joe and Sam. — In Cedar Fort, 17th, John Cook, pioneer of 1852, born Michigan, May 22, 1838. — In Ply- mouth, Box Elder county, 18th, Sarah Cunningham Bigler, born in Vir- ginia, aged 92 years, 3 months and 18 days. She joined the Church in Nauvoo, was a friend of the Prophet Joseph, and came to Utah in 1853. — In Hyrum, Cache county, 21st, Hans Jorgen Johansen, born Onso, Nor- way, August 31, 1826. He came to Utah in 1855, locating in South Weber, and in 1863 in Hyrum.— In Salt Lake City, 23rd, George Thomas Luff, born England, October 23, 1835, a competent tradesman, who joined the Church in early manhood and came to Utah in 1361. — In Ephraim, 24th, Neils Clemenson, an early settler of Sanpete, 1856, a native of Denmark, aged 84 years.— In Logan, 20th, Mark Fletcher, born Scotland, August 19, 1826, and came to Logan in 1865. His father fought in the battle of Trafalgar, under Nelson.— In Ephraim, 28th, Ellen Gorena Dorius, wife of the late Bishop C. C. N. Dorius, born Norway, April 16, 1837, came to Utah in 1857 by handcart, having joined the Church in 1853. —In Lehi, 28th, William Simons, born England, March 26, 1844, came
to Utah
in 1857 by handcart.
He was a veteran of the Black

478 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Hawk war, having served at Richfield under General Wells. — In Salt Lake City, 17th, Ann 0. Preece, born England, February 21, 1830, and arrived in Utah October, 1855, having walked over the plains. — In Span- ish Fork, 20th, Ann Jarvis Gibbs, born England, June 1, 1825, and a pioneer of the early 50's. — In Salt Lake City, 27th, Warden George N. Dow, of the state prison, born New Hampshire, 1839, and came to Utah in 1882, and was warden during the enforcement of the Edmunds-Tucker act, and again since statehood. Bishop Reid Dead. — Bishop William T. Reid, of the Manti North w'ard, died February 28, 1904. He was born in Drumbo, County Down, Ireland, July 21, 1830, but was of Scotch descent. He accepted the gos- pel in Belfast, January 9, 1848, and for a number of years was an active missionary, presiding over the Edinburgh conference in 1861-62. In 1862, he emigrated to Utah, and in 1877 was made Bishop of the North ward, Manti, which position he held at the time of his death. He was a veteran of the Black Hawk war, and has held several offices of trust, both politicaly and ecclesiastically, in Manti. At the time of his death, he was a member of the stake board of education, and president of the Manti Co-operative Mercantile Institution. Domestic— February, 1904. The Isthmian Canal. — The Senate of the United States ratified the treaty with Panama, providing for a, canal across the isthmus, on February 23rd, by a vote of 66 to 14, the negative vote being wholly Democratic, while 16 Democrats voted or were paired in favor of the treaty. The first article of the treaty places the new republic under the protection of the United States, in these words: "The United States guarantees and will maintain the independence of the republic of Pana- ma." Ratifications were exchanged on the 26th, when President Roose- velt issued a proclamation putting the treaty into effect. Master of the "Cumbberland" Dead. — Commander William Pritch- ard Randall, U. S. navy, died on the 21st, aged 72 years. He was act- ing master of the frigate Cumberland, in her famous battle with the Merrimac in March, 1862, and he fired the last gun before the vessel sank. Postal Troubles. — A. W. Machen, ex-superintendent of the Rural Free Delivery; Diller B. Graff, of Washington, D. C, and George E. Lorenz, of Toledo, Ohio, were convicted on the 26th of conspiracy to defraud the government in postal contracts, and on the day following were sentenced to two years imprisonment, and to pay a fine of ten thousand dollars each.

EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 479 March, 1904. Successor to Senator Hanna .— On March 2nd, Hon. Charles Dick, Republican, was elected by the Ohio legislature to succeed Senator Hanna, both for the short term ending March, 1905, and for the full term beginning with that date. Mr. Dick is serving his fourth term in the legislature of his state, is a lawyer, and is 45 years old, and pos- sesses many good traits of leadership, though the papers picture Hanna's shoes much to large for him. Men Who Will Build the Panama Canal.— The President sent to the Senate the following names of men who will be entrusted to super- vise the construction of the Panama canal: Rear Admiral John G. Walker, retired, chairman of the former Isthmian Canal Commission. Major General George W. Davis, retired. Colonel Frank J. Hecker, of Detroit, director of transportation dur- ing the Spanish- American war. William Barclay Parsons, engineer of the Rapid Transit Commission in New York City. William H. Burr, professor of engineering in Columbia University and member of the former Isthmian Canal Commission. C. Ewald Grunsky, of San Francisco, an eminent hydraulic engineer. B. M. Harrod, of New Orleans, a member of the Mississippi River Commission for the past twenty-five years. Attorney General Knox has notified the President that he is author- ized to pay ten million dollars to Panama, and forty millions to the com- pany which has been "notified that this country is ready to take the property. Foreign — February, 1904. Panama Constitution. — The new Republic of Panama has adopted a new constitution which was officially promulgated on the 15th; and on the 20th Dr. Manual Amador was inaugurated president, he having been unanimously elected. He was a leader in the revolution, and one of the two commissioners who visited the United States last November. The constitution excludes Chinese after January 1, 1905. The republic was recently recognized by Chili, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. Following Hobson. — On the 23rd, a daring attempt was made by the Japanese to block the entrance to Port Arthur, in the manner of Lieut. Hobson with the Merrimac at Santiago. Several old transports, laden with inflammables, were sent in, and were sunk by the Russian's fire, but after the engagement, it was found that the entrance to the harbor was still open.

480 IMPROVEMENT ERA. The Venezuelan Case.— The Hague tribunal, which has been con- sidering since last autumn the claims of Great Britain, Germany and Italy, for preferential treatment of their claims against Venezuela, de- cided unanimously in favor of the allied powers, and the United States was commissioned to carry out the award. It was decided that 30 per cent of the Venezuelan customs duties be set aside for meeting the claims until they were satisfied; then the other claimants will be paid. In Washington there is disappointment over the award, as it is believed that granting preferential rights to blockading powers, will work dam- age, in that it will make nations in a hurry to press their claims against weaker states with warships, to the danger of peace. March, 1904. Eussian Commander-in-Chief. — General Nikolaevitch Kuropatkin, appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian army in Manchuria, has seen more active service than most military leaders of his time. He is described as 56 years old, stout, broad-shouldered, unpretentious, ener- getic, bluff of speech, and intolerant of pleasure-seeking officers. He was chief of staff under Skobeleff, in the conquest of Khokand. In the Russo-Turkish war of 1877, he displayed great energy and bravery in the siege of Plevna, being in the thickest of the fight night and day. He it is who has been the prime leader in the Russian railroad conquest of Central Asia; and Russia's expansion in eastern and western Asia is due to his plans as minister of war. War in Macedonia. — Turkey and Bulgaria are again both making warlike preparations, and each complains of the attitude of the other. There are threats of the renewal of the insurrection in April, and there have been already several encounters between Bulgarian bands and Turk- ish troops. Russia being busy with Japan, grave fears are entertained that Austria cannot single-handed check the various elements of dis- order in Macedonia. The condition of the population is pitiable in the extreme. Count Von Waldersee Dead. — This great German field marshal was born April 8, 1832, and died March 5th, at Hanover. In his 60th year, in 1891, he retired from office, and settled down on his estate in Hanover to an old age rich in memories. About the close of the Franco- Prussian war he married the widow of Prince Frederick of Schlesvig- Holstein, who was a Miss Lee, of New York. Sedan and the siege of Paris, and his work in bringing the German army to a high state of mechanical efficiency, are among his stirring memories and achievements.