Passing Events
Improvement Era, vol. 16, no. 1, November 1912, pp. 86 to 90
Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
PassingLjEvents Elder Royal P. Oldham, of Cache County, laboring near Charleston, West Va., was drowned near that city on Wednesday, October 2. The body was shipped to his mountain home. Elder Oldham was a faithful worker in the cause, and his death is mourned by many friends. Elder Len R. Bailey accompanied the body to Utah. The Denver & Rio Grande Railway, on the 7th of October, awarded to the Baldwin Locomotive Works, of Philadelphia, a contract for six Pacific-type passenger locomotives, at a cost of $25,000 each, to be delivered early in January next. This equipment is in keeping with the general improvement that the Rio Grande Railway is making on its entire line. A Uintah land sale opened at Provo, October 8, conducted by James W. Whitten, superintendent, and Don B. Colton, United States Land Registrar, at Vernal. Fifteen thousand acres were sold the first day, and thousands of acres as the sale proceeded, the average per acre bringing from one dollar to a dollar and a half. On October 9, $20,000 were added to the treasury from the sale which continued until Friday, the 11th. Weldon Brinton Heyburn, U. S. Senator from Idaho for nine years, died in Washington, D. C, Oct. 17, after a lingering illness beginning last March, of a complication of diseases. He was born in Pennsylvania, May 23, 1852; was admitted to the bar in 1876, removed to Idaho in 1882, and was elected to the Senate in 1903 for the term beginning March 4, and unanimously re-elected by the legislature January, 1909. His death leaves two senators to be elected by the coming session of the Idaho legislature. The University of Utah museum has received from Prof. Byron Cummings, archaeological specimens collected during his summer's excavations in cliff dwellings, in the canyons of southern Utah and northern Arizona. Among these curios is an extraordinarily large earthen jar decorated with geometrical and other figures, found in one of the largest cliff houses yet discovered by the university investigators. The jar was almost filled with corn and beans which are supposed to have remained in it for more than a thousand years. In other jars were found thousands of shell coins used by the ancient cliff dwellers: These jars are supposed to be the handiwork of Hopi, Zuni, or Pueblo Indians.
PASSING EVENTS 87 At the State Fair which opened Sept. 30, and continued for a week, one of the important displays was the potatoes raised by the boys who entered the Utah Agricultural College potato-raising contest, and also the National Copper Bank contest. Over one thousand boys entered the first named contest and the display of potatoes at the fair, samples raised by them, was really wonderful. Leonard Purcer, 16 years old, of King, Cache county, received the first prize; Horace J. Cannell, Smithfield, second prize; Merle J. Hyer, Lewiston, third; and Ralph J. Hyer, fourth prize. In the Agricultural College contest, Merle J. Hyer also received the trophy offered by the National Copper Bank in the contest conducted by that institution in which eighty-four contestants entered, their ages ranging from nine to eighteen years. A movement to build a national rock highway from ocean to ocean was announced at a banquet at Indianapolis on September 10, and $300,000 was at that time pledged to the enterprise by Indianapolis concerns. On the 25th of September another $300,000 was added to the fund by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, of Akron, Ohio. The total fund now amounts to over a million dollars. It is intended that this great highway shall be completed for general use by the time the Panama Exposition is held in California, in 1915. It will require $5,000 worth of material for each mile, or about fifteen million dollars. The co-operation of all who are interested is invited by the Ocean to Ocean Highway Association, of Indianapolis, Indiana, and strenuous efforts are being put forth to build the highway in time for the great fair Theodore Roosevelt, presidential candidate for the Progressive party, was shot and wounded in the breast, at Milwaukee, by John Schrank, former New York saloon keeper and laundryman, on the evening of October 14, while he was leaving his hotel in an automobile for the Coliseum to make a political speech. Colonel Roosevelt insisted upon addressing the audience for more than an hour, with his wound unattended. The bullet penetrated the manuscript of his speech and entered the fleshy part of his breast, and, as later ascertained, fractured one of his ribs, but did not touch any vital part. Colonel Roosevelt was taken to Chicago that evening on a special train, and is being treated at a hospital there, every encouraging sign being evident that he will speedily recover. The assassin who made the dastardly attack on Colonel Roosevelt's life was promptly arrested and sent to jail. War was declared by Turkey, October 17, against Servia and Bulgaria on which states Turkey places the blame for this step. Since October 8, Turkey had been fighting with Montenegro, and this Jater declaration makes war general throughout the Balkan pen-
88 IMPROVEMENT ERA insula. The Balkan states are a unit against Turkey, and are clamoring for reforms promised but not obtained for the Christians. Greece has also been involved and, on the morning of the 18th, declared war against Turkey. Many Greeks are returning from all over the world to join the army in their native land, so many returning recently from the United States that ships could not be obtained in the New York harbor to accommodate them. The European powers seem to have been impotent to intervene to avoid the conflict, though they have made strenuous efforts in that direction. The situation has an ugly look for European peace. The Mexican situation seemed rapidly to approach a crisis when, on October 16, General Felix Diaz, nephew of the exiled president, seized the most important Mexican seaport, Vera Cruz. General Diaz was proclaimed provisional president of Mexico, and on the days immediately following, new uprisings were announced in several districts. The Diaz supporters selected a provisional cabinet, and the conditions were further aggravated for Madero's government when the loyalty of the army was generally questioned. In the "Mormon" colonies the situation continues to grow worse. The federals are inactive, and the rebels are overrunning the country with small marauding bands. A telegram from Bishop Brown, dated October 14, stated that Arthur McCormic, a "Mormon" colonist, and J. T. Cameron, an El Paso cattleman, captured at Nogales and San Pedro, are held by rebel bands for $5,000 and $30,000 ransom respectively. The latter was released on the 17th by a payment of $1,250. The National Irrigation Congress (twentieth annual session) opened in Salt Lake City, September 30, and closed Oct. 3 by a reception and ball at Hotel Utah. The opening exercises included the presentation of the Queen of Irrigation, Lucile I (Lucile M. Francke), to the delegates and the great congregation, and the singing of the Ode to Irrigation by the Tabernacle choir, to the largest attendance of delegates and visitors in the history of the Congress. The wonderful electric pageant, on the evening of the 30th, was fifteen blocks in length, and required twe hours in passing a given point. The decorations of the city were lavish and beautiful, and the attendance of people unprecedented. Progress in industry, and a combination of beauty and novelty in the floats from different counties of Utah, characterized the parade to a wonderful degree. The sessions of the Congress, held in the Assembly Hall, were well attended, and valuable papers on very important questions were read by men technically familiar with their subjects. Major Richard W. Young, of Salt Lake City, was chosen president of the Congress, and Phoenix, Arizona, decided upo™ as the next place of meeting. The steam railways cf the United States, having annual operating
PASSING EVENTS 89 revenues of a million dollars each or over, have a bureau of railwayeconomics for the scientific study of transportation problems, with headquarters at Washington, D. C. From a monthly summary of the revenues and expenses of these roads which operate 220,629 miles of line, or ninety per cent of all the steam railway mileage in the United States, it is reported that during the month of July the total operating revenues amounted to $246,160,470. This includes revenue from freight and passenger traffic, from carrying mail and express, and from miscellaneous sources. These figures show an increase over 1911 of $23,190,427. The report is an indication that there is an increase in railway revenues all along the line. It is reported also, recently, that there were fewer freight cars idle in October than for many seasons previous, the railroads all being very busy moving the unprecedented crops which have this year been produced in the United States. The report of the Department of Agriculture shows that the production of nearly every cereal has been surpassed, in some instances by millions of bushels, over any former year, and the crops of corn and potatoes, from intimations in early October, will be the greatest ever harvested. Secretary Wilson said, speaking of the great showing made by the country's farmers: "The season has been favorable, but some credit is due to the efforts made in late years by the federal government and the states to help the farmers throughout the country to get better returns from the average acre." Report of New Wards and Changes in Bishops, Etc., for the month of September, 1912, as given by the Presiding Bishop's office: New Mission — French misison, with Edgar Bossard president. (Address not yet given.) New Wards and Branch — Mesa ward, Maricopa stake, disorganized. Mesa First ward, Maricopa stake, with Isaac Dona, bishop, and Karl McDonald, ward clerk; addresses Mesa, Arizona. Mesa Second ward, Maricopa stake, John L. Riggs, bishop, and David A. LeBarron, ward clerk; address Mesa, Arizona. Daniels ward, Malad stake, David L. Stone, bishop and Geo. B. Knight, ward clerk; addresses Daniels, Idaho. Elmo branch, with George H. Oviatt, presiding elder (Emery stake); address Elmo, Utah. New Stake Clerks — Edward L. Chamberlain, Kanab stake, to succeed Jos. G. Spencer; address Kanab, Kane county, Utah. Chas. Golden Welch, Big Horn stake, to succeed Clarence L. Fancher; address Cowley, Wyoming. Frederick J. Price, Bear Lake stake, to succeed John U. Stucki; address Paris, Idaho. Ernest H. Burgess, Duchesne stake, to succeed Wm. H. Gagon; address Roosevelt, Utah. New Bishops — John W. Staples, Cluff ward, Summit stake, to succeed John F. Wilde; address Coalville, Utah. David P. Burt, Brigham City Third ward, Box Elder stake, to succeed Lorenzo N. Stohl; address Brigham City, Utah. Edward R. Frei, Santa Clara
90 IMPROVEMENT ERA ward, St. George stake, to succeed John G. Hafen; address Santa Clara, Utah. Albert H. Belliston, Nephi First ward, Juab stake, to succeed William H. Pettigrew; address Nephi, Utah. New Ward Clerks— Wells Brockbank, Spanish Fork Second ward, Nebo stake, to succeed Joseph Markham; address Spanish Fork, Utah. Perry D. Peters, Brigham City Third ward, Box Elder stake, to succeed Jesse W. Hoopes; address Brigham City, Utah. Changes in Address — H. M. Valentine, Swiss and German mission, Rheinlander Str., 10-1, Basel, Switzerland. Eugene P. Clements, Canyon Creek, Fremont stake, to Clementsville, Idaho. On Smoking. The Era has received a reprint from the "Popular Science Monthly" of October, containing an article by Dr. Fred J. Pack, of the University of Utah, on "Smoking and Foot-ball Men," which sets forth the results of an investigation by him based upon information received from coaches and athletic directors of fourteen American colleges and universities, on the effect of smoking on college students. In this investigation the following points or conclusions are brought out: (1) Only half as many smokers as non-smokers are successful in the "try-outs" for football squads. (2) In the cases of able-bodied men smoking is associated with loss in lung capacity amounting practically to ten per cent. (3) Smoking is invariably associated with low scholarship. The article is a very interesting exposition of facts and figures compiled and presented and commented upon by Dr. Pack. Heber J. Webb, of Lehi, Utah, is the winner of the three-months educational contest just closed by the Utah Agricultural College. The college offered ten prizes for the best ten answers to the question, "What is the greatest education?" The judges were Mrs. Martha H. Tingey, Hon. John Dern, of Salt Lake City, and Dr. George H. Brimhall of Provo. Answers came from all over the states of Utah, and Arizona, and from eleven other states of the Union, England, Canada, Germany and Switzerland, and hundreds of answers were placed on file, comprising a valuable series of expressions on education, all in favor of practical and usable knowledge. The winning ten authors follow: H. J. Webb, Lehi; Nephi Anderson, Salt Lake City, Utah; Lydia J. Savage; Georgia H. Forsyth, New Castle, Utah; Avery C. Woodruff, Farmington; Joseph E. Wilson, Salt Lake City; Lucy S. Sadler, England; Mary Bennion, Farmington; Mary Jones, Ogden; B. A. Fowler, Logan. The Granite Stake Mutual Improvement Associations have issued an outline of special work for the season of 1912-13, giving the calendar for the season's work, and a general program for each evening for twenty-three weeks. The outline specially treats upon the second hour's time, in the meetings of the associations of that stake at which games, dancing, and other entertainment, are engaged in. MUSIC AND DRAMA FOR M. I. A. ENTERTAINMENTS After consulting some of the best dramatic critics of the state, the Committee on Music and Drama of the Y. M. M. I. A. have the following list of farces, dramas and musical entertainments to offer. These entertainments may be purchased at the book stores, and specifically at the Deseret News Book Store, and Deseret Sunday School Union Book Store, Salt Lake City: "My Wife's Bonnet," one act farce, by J. M. Morton. Modern costumes. Time 50 minutes, two interior scenes, three males and four female characters. "Send Me Five Shillings," one act farce, by J. M. Morton. Modern costume. Time one hour. One interior scene. Five males and two female characters. "Box and Cox," one act farce, by J. M. Morton. One bedroom scene. Time 45 minutes, modern costumes. Two male and one female characters. "My Lord in Livery," one act farce, by S. T. Smith. Modern costumes. Time one hour. One interior scene. Four males, three females. "Snow ball," comedy in three acts, by S. Grundy. Modern costumes. Time two hours. One interior scene. Three female and four male characters. "Jane," three acts, by Harry Nicolls. Modern costume. Time two hours, One interior scene. Five males and four females. "A Box of Monkeys," two acts. Modern costume. One interior scene. Girls' Experience in New York. Time one and one-fourth hours. "Op-o'-me-Thumb," one act drama, by Fenn and Pryce. Modern costumes. Time two and three-fourths hours. Two interior scenes. Five male and three female characters. "Caste," comedy in three acts, by T. W. Robertson. Modern costume. Time two and three-fourths hours. Two interior scenes. Five male and three female characters. "Sweet Lavender," drama in three acts, by A. W. Pinero. Modern costume. Time two and three-fourths hours. One interior scene. Seven male and four female characters. "The Man from Maine," drama in five acts, by Charles Townsend. Modern costume. Time two and one-fourth hours. Nine male and three female characters. "Uncle's Will," one act comedy, by S. T. Smith. Modern costume. Time forty minutes. One interior scene. Two male and one female characters. "Golden Wedding," one act comedy, by Phillpotts and Groves Modern costumes. Time forty-five minutes. One interior scene. Two males and one female. "Kerry," one act French comedy, by D. Boucicault. Modern costumes. Time forty minutes. Interior scene. Four males and two females. "Highland Legacy," one act drama, by B. Thomas. Modern costume. Time forty minutes. One interior scene. Five male and two female characters. Mrs. Hilary Regrets," one act comedy, by S. T. Smith. Modern costumes. Time thirty-five minutes. One interior scene. 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