--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 17 number: 2 published: 1913-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Passing Events," *Improvement Era* 17, no. 2 (December 1913): 184–186.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1702unse 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: improvementera1702unse start_page: 184 end_page: 186 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1913-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1702unse publication_year: 1913 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 1913, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Passing Events Passing Events A tablet marking the "Mormon" trail across Iowa, was dedicated at Keokuk, on October 22, in connection with the unveiling ceremony of a bronze statue of Indian Chief Keokuk. The telegrams state that the unveiling ceremony was held in connection with the Iowa Daugh- ters of the American Revolution conference. William Nelson, for many years connected with the Salt Lake Tribune, died Sunday morning, October 26, 1913. He was a noted character in Utah for many years. As a soldier, editor, and citizen, while intensely partisan, he was forceful and determined, and in many respects a remarkable character. Intense in his likes and dislikes, he was a thorough partisan. William C. Whaley, of Townsend, Montana, has been appointed and confirmed United States Internal Revenue Collector, vice E. H. Callister, for the district of Utah, Idaho, and Montana. He was con- firmed by the Senate October 18. It is not yet definitely decided whether or not the headquarters of the district will be removed from Salt Lake City to Montana. Charles Tellier died recently in poverty in Paris, France, at a ripe old age. His experiments of half a life-time made refrigeration sys- tems possible. One of the corporations he had helped to enrich offered him in his last hours a gift of $20,000, but as he had lived half- starved during his life-time, unrecognized, he scornfully rejected it. He accepted a ribbon from the Legion of Honor, but said he spurned alms. At Leipzig, Germany, in October, the hundredth anniversary of "the battle of the nations" was celebrated by the unveiling of the world's largest monument. It was at this place that Napoleon's army received from the allies a blow which gave promise of what was to follow a little later at Waterloo. The monument is nearly 300 feet high, and is 200 feet wide at the base. It is built of reddish porphyry and cement, and cost $1,500,000. In the battle of Leipzig, Oct. 16-19, 1813, more than 80,000 lives were lost. Another stake, the 66th, has been added to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Boise stake was organized at Boise, Idaho, Sunday, November 2, 1913. Heber Q. Hale, for the past eight years presiding elder in Boise, was made president, with William Rawson, of Carey, and C. O. Winkler, of Boise, counselors, and W. M. McKendrick, stake clerk. President Francis M. Lyman, of the Quorum of the Twelve, presided and gave the principal addresses. Others present were Elders Rudger Clawson, President W. T. Jack, of Cassia Stake, Idaho; President W. S. Bramwell, of the Union Stake, Oregon, and President M. J. Ballard, of the Northwestern States Mission. The new stake extends from Minidoka, Idaho, to Oregon, 350 miles, and includes twelve counties. There is a population of 3,000 Latter-day Saints living in the territory. The Soldier Summit detour, on the Denver and Rio Grande Rail- way, was completed in early November, so that trains could pass over it. The first train consisted of forty-five cars and required two hours to make the seventeen miles. While the line is not yet officially opened, trains have since continued to pass over the new route going east'. The detour around Soldiers' Summit decreases the grade from four to two per cent. The seventeen miles of new PASSING EVENTS 185 road has taken eleven months to complete, at a cost of over $2,000,- 000. Two thousand men have been employed upon the line during the past summer, besides many steam shovels and other mechanical ap- pliances for grading and track laying. The detour begins at Tucker and ends at the top of the summit, being four miles longer than the old route. It has been necessary in the past to have from four to five engines pull a train of nine pullmans over Soldier Summit, but two engines can now handle the same train with greater speed. The San Fernando reservoir was opened, near Los Angeles, Cal«- fornia, on November 5, at the head of a valley twenty three miles north of Los Angeles. The mountain flood gates were opened which lead into the monster San Fernando reservoir; and the snow waters, gathered from the slopes of the Sierras on the eastern rim of the state, were brought over desert and through mountains in the Los Angeles acqueduct, 260 miles in length, to the reservoir. There was a two days celebration at the reservoir, and at the park where a $500,000 fountain was dedicated to commemorate what the people of the state love to refer to as one of the world's greatest engineering achievements. It was begun eight years ago, when Los Angeles had a 200,000- population, suffering a water famine. The acqueduct and belongings have cost over $26,000,000, and has brought to the city a water supply capable of furnishing approximately 260,000,000 gal- lons of water every twenty four hours. A further bond issue, in- volving an expenditure of approximately $6,500,000, is contemplated to enable the city to develop 370,000 horse power of electric energy to supply Los Angeles with light and power. The Mexican situation continues to cause grave apprehensions at Washington. The election in Mexico on October 26 was a mere mockery. Less than ten thousand votes were cast; whereas, a full and free election such as we are accustomed to in this country should have brought out' at least two million voters. The members of con- gress were arrested and put in jail some time before, and Huerta had declared himself military dictator of the country. Two-thirds of the Mexican territory refused to vote— a territory lying in _ the north which does not acknowledge Huerta as ruler. The United States warned Huerta to eliminate himself from politics, and to prevent . the newly elected congress from convening. The lower house of congress met on November 15, however, and later organized. Huerta seems to defy the United States, and it would seem now that this country is likely to blockade the Mexican ports. On Saturday morn- ing, November 14, before five o'clock Ciudad Juarez, across the Rio Grande from El Paso, was taken by the Constitutionalists under Gen- eral Pancho Villa, in the name of the followers of Venustriano Car- ranza. There were horrifying tales of executions in all quarters. Captain Jose Torres was the first' to be shot. He was placed against a wall and twenty-five soldiers ordered to riddle him with bullets. England, France, and Germany have agreed to be neutral, and permit the policy of the United States to continue unhampered in the Mex- ican trouble. The Roseland District Missionary Home was dedicated by Pres- ident Joseph F. Smith, in Chicago, Saturday, November 1. This building is located on the south side, at 10723, Perry Avenue, where there is a flourishing branch. On Sunday afternoon, November 2, the Logan Square Church and Mission Home, corner Wnghtwood and Sawyer avenues, were dedicated, President Smith officiating, and offering the dedicatory prayer. There were 675 persons at the ser- L. D. S. NEW CHURCH BUILDING, AND MISSION HOUSE, CHICAGO Cost about $25,000. Dedicated by President Joseph F. Smith, November 2, 1913. vices. Bishop Charles W. Nibley spoke on what the Church had accomplished in a temporal and social way; and President Joseph F. Smith, on the doctrines of the Church. The new chapel is a very cozy and pretty place, situated in a distinctly favorable location. At the afternoon service, many were turned away on account of in- sufficient room, many strangers and a number of newspaper re- porters were present. A Law student at the Chicago University writes of President Smith's address: "It was by far the strongest talk I have ever heard President Smith give; and perhaps the most sincere, and for that reason the most striking talk I have heard any one give. No matter what one might think of the doctrines of our Church, or of President Smith, I think anyone who heard him this afternoon could not doubt his sincerty of purpose, or his conviction that he was speaking and living the truth." Scout Cheers or Yells While we are always working to maintain proper discipline at' our meetings, we must not forget that the boys are bottling up energy that requires an occasional vent', or safety valve. The cheers or yells supply such a vent, and give rise to an increasing interest in the work. These cheers or yells are of great value in bringing the boys together, making each one feel more closely related to the others. They are also of special value at scout gatherings, and while on "hikes." The following are suggested by Field Secretary Oscar A. Kirkham, and may be used separately or together: Zing a Zing! Boom! Boom! Zing a Zing! Boom! Boom! M. I. A. Scouts, Boom! A-M-E-R-I-C-A Boy Scouts! Boy Scouts! U. S. A.