--- 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: 24 number: 9 published: 1921-07 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* 24, no. 9 (July 1921): 856–864." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2409unse 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: improvementera2409unse start_page: 856 end_page: 864 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2409unse publication_year: 1921 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 1921, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Passing Events 1 SI The birthday of Florence Nightingale, pioneer in modern nursing, was celebrated May 12, for the first time, as a "national hospital day" in nearly 8,000 hospitals throughout the United States. A group of sunspots appeared on the eastern edge of the great luminary on May 8, and was carried to the central meridian on the 15th. The ex- tent of the group was estimated at 72,000 by 30,000 miles, and the nuclei were about 10,000 miles in diameter, according to Professor Alfred Ror- dame, of Salt Lake City. Elder James G. Duffin passed away May 20, at his home in Salt Lake City, at the age of 61, following an extended illness from sarcoma of the throat. He was born May 30, 1860. In 1899 he was called on a mission to the Central States and in 1900 he succeeded William T. Jack as president of that mission. Mr. Duffin served as a member of the second legislature of the state of Utah. He moved to Salt Lake from Provo in 1915. A gram of radium purchased by the contributions of thousands of American women was presented by President Harding, May 20, to Mmc. Curie, the eminent Polish scientist, now visiting the Linked States, as a token of the nation's appreciation of her accomplishments and as an earnest expression of American interest in the advancement of science and humanitarianism. Wage reductions, to take effect July 1, were ordered May 30 by the United States railroad labor board, as the result of a hearing of repre- sentations made by a number of railroads. The reduction affects 31 organ- izations of laborers in the employ of 104 roads. The average reduction is 12 per cent, and a saving in the expenses of the roads will total about $400,000,000. Distinguished women visited Salt Lake City, on the occasion of the meetings of the council of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, and the convention of the Intermountain and Coast States Federation that began June 13. The council includes the officers of the general federation which represents approximately 2,000,000 women of the United States and affiliated organizations of other countries. The Immigration Restriction bill was passed, May 13, by congress, in conference between the senate and house, and sent to the president. By its provisions the number of aliens to be admitted to the United States, from the time the law goes into effect and till July 1, 1922, will be restricted to 3 per cent of the nationals of each country in the United States in 1910. The bill became effective, June 3, having been signed by the president May 19. The first serious war operation in Upper Silesia occurred May 21, when Germans, advancing two columns, attacked the Poles in the Grossteiner in forest. The Poles hurriedly. fled Near Gogolin four field guns, eight machine 'guns, and 150 rifles were captured. According to an Oppeln dis- PASSING EVENTS 857 patch to the Times incessant fighting, with numerous casualties, occurred between Polish insurgents and Germans in the Rosenberg, Kreuzberg, Ratibor and Krappitz areas. The parliament of northern Ireland was opened June 7 at Belfast, in the presence of a distinguished gathering. None of the nationalist and no Sinn Fein members were present. Hugh O'Neill, son of Lord O'Neill, was elected speaker, and Sir James Craig, the premier, announced the follow, ing cabinet; Home Secretary, Sir Dawson Bates; Minister of finance, R. M. Pollock; Minister of education, the Marquis of Londonderry; Minister of Labor, J. M. Andrews, and Minister of Agriculture, Hon. E. A. Richdale. It was expected that King George would attend the state opening June 22. Mrs. Sarali Beesley, widow of Ebenezer Beesley, at one time the leader of the Tabernacle choir, Salt Lake City, died May 25, 81 years of age. Mrs. Beesley was born in Oxfordshire, England, in 1840. At the age of 19 she was married to the late Ebenezer Beesley, and together they made the journey to Utah, going by sailing vessel across the Atlantic and by hand- cart from Florence, Nebraska, to Salt Lake. The latter part of the journey took four months, from June to September. Dr. U. Worthington, for many years a practicing physician of Salt Lake City, passedaway at the family residence at Santa Monica, California, May 30. Death was due to tuberculosis. Dr. Worthington was born in Danville, Kentucky, in 1862. He was a graduate of the medical department of Teelane University, New Orleans. Louisiana. He came to Salt Lake in 1890, after a post-graduate course in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. Henry Cohn, 75 years of age, active in business circles of Salt Lake and Utah for half a century, died May 25, at his apartments in Salt Lake City, following an illness of ten days. He was born in Germany, December 24, 1845, and came to Salt Lake in 1869. He was for a number of years associated in business with Frederick and Samuel Auerbach. In 1879 he opened a commission business in Salt Lake and a few years later devoted himself largely to the buying of wool, of which he made a specialty for twenty years. He also became actively interested in real estate, mining and irrigation. Rioting and incendiarism at Tulsa, Oklahoma, May 31, resulted in the death of nine white men and twenty-one negroes, and the destruction of property valued at a million and a half dollars. The negro section was set fire to by an enraged mob. The negroes rushed from their homes through the flames shouting, "Don't shoot." Placed under guard, they were collected in hastily improvised detention camps and by afternoon it was estimated 6,000 negroes were under guard. The trouble is supposed to have originated in connection with the arrest of Dick Rowland, negro, who is alleged to have attacked an orphan girl. But, according to Judge E. J. Martin, most of the damage was done by white criminals. The Union Pacific acquired full ownership of the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad ComjHiny, May 24, by purchase of stock and bonds held by former United States Senator William A. Clark of Montana and his asso- ciates. The Union Pacific previous to the purchase owned one half of the securities of the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Company. The transfer of ownership affected $29,000,000 of 4 per cent bonds of the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Company, for which the Union Pacific exchanged other securities, dollar for dollar. 858 IMPROVEMENT ERA A disastrous fire, caused by a flash of lightning, in the afternoon of June 11, damaged the plant of the Utah Oil Refining Company in the north- west section of Salt Lake City to the extent of about $350,000 and caused the death of three and the injury of 46 other men. The dead are: Walter Romney, Jr., George H. Larrabee and John N. Dillon. They were killed when a sheet of flame preceding an explosion of the contents of a tank of gasoline distillate enveloped them. Some of the victims were injurd by burns but most of them were exhausted after many hours of hard work fight- ing the flames and were overcome by the immense heat. The fire started about 6 o'clock, Saturday afternoon and was not under control until Sunday evening. Professor William H. Chasmberlin passed away May 9, 1921, in Salt Lake City. He was born in this city, February 12, 1870, and was well known as an educator and author. In 1897 he left his home and performed a four years' mission in the Society Islands, where he translated the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants into the Tahitian language. At his return home he took up the work of teaching in B. Y. College, Logan. In 1908 he was placed at the head of the department of philosophy at the B. Y. University, Provo. In 1919 he became associated with the University of Utah in the department of philosophy, at which time he did extension work throughout the state. Since the opening of the present school year he has been a teacher in the Brigham Young College at Logan. The Emergency Tariff Bill, as passed by congress, was signed by the president May 27. It provides for duty on wheat, 15 cents per bushel; wheat flour, 20 per cent; corn, 15 cents; beans, 2 cents a pound; potatoes, 25 cents a bushel; onions, 40 cents; rice, cleaned, 2 cents a pound; peanut oil, 26 cents a gallon; cottonseed and cocoanut oil, 20 cents a gallon; olive oil, 40 cents a gallon, and 50 cents in containers; sheep, one year old, $2 a head; cattle, 30 per cent; meat, fresh or frozen, 2 cents a pound; pre- served, 25 per cent; cotton, 7 cents a pound; wool, 15 cents; sugars, 1.16 cents a pound, and if over 75 degrees, .04 of a cent for each additional degree; butter, 6 cents a pound; cheese, 23 per cent; milk, 2 cents a gal- lon; apples, 30 cents a bushel; cherries, 8 cents a pound and olives 25 cents a gallon. Trouble with Indians in San Juan county, Utah, was reported May 28. It seems that a sheriff with a posse tried to arrest members of a renegade band of Piutes, when one of them, Joe Dutchups, fired on the posse and then was shot and wounded. According to Mr. C. L. Christensen, of Moab, Utah, the Indians that caused the stir, are the remnant of a band of the Kaibab tribe whose home is near Kanab, Kane county. There are only about sixty of them, all counted, and there is no danger of a serious disturb- ance. The chief is known as Mancos Jim, and he is said to be 109 years old. The red disturbers of the peace are six or seven young bucks who infest Allen canyon, near Blanding, and they can easily be handled by the older men and the county officials. Unusual high temperature for 36 hours caused the snow in the moun- tains to melt rapidly and the streams to rise in many parts of Utah, with some damage to property, June 10. At Kamas the Provo river rose four feet. Above Heber City a rise of two feet was reported, and farmers were moving their household goods and cattle to places of safety. Big Cotton- wood, near Salt Lake City, reached the highest water mark for many years. A bridge above Maxwell's mine was swept away. From Loa it was re- ported that Rabbit valley was flooded for miles. The wagon bridge over American Fork Canyon on the road to Timpanogos gave way under the pressure of Hood waters. No loss of life was reported from any place. The temperature, June 10, in Salt Lake was 90 degrees. The reading at 6 PASSING EVENTS 859 o'clock p. m. was 89 degrees, while the mean temperature for the day was 75 degrees, 9 degrees above the normal of 66. The lowest temperature on June 9 was 60 degrees, on June 11 and 12 the record was 99 and 98 degrees Honorary degrees were conferred upon President Charles W. Penrose and Elder George H. Brimhall, former president of the Brigham Young University, Provo, on the occasion of the forty-fifth annual commence- ment exercises of that institution, May 27, this year. In conferring the honorary degree of Doctor of Law upon President Penrose, President Heber J. Grant, said: "Charles William Penrose, editor, author, poet, preacher: In recog- nition of your supremacy in the field of letters, and in the pulpit, and be- cause of your service to mankind, on the recommendation of the faculty of the Brigbam Young University, and with the approval of the Board of Trustees, and by the authority of the Board of Trustees in me vested, I hereby confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Laws, in testimony whereof you are invested with the appropriate hood of your Academic rank, and presented with this diploma." To President Brimhall President Grant spoke as follows: "George Henry Brimhall, Bachelor of Pedagogy, Doctor of Didactics: In recognition of your very distinguished service as a teacher, covering a period of half a century; and as a University President covering a period of twenty-one years; and further, in recognition of your supremacy on the platform, and in the field of letters; and because of your champion- ship of righteousness and righteous causes, on recommendation of thf* Faculty of the Brigham Young University; and with the approval of the Board of Trustees, and by the authority of the Board of Trustees in me vested, I confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Laws; in testimony whereof you are invested with the appropriate hood of your Academic rank and presented with this diploma." — Changes in Ward Officers during the month of April, 1921. New Wards — and Bishops. Burley Fourth ward, Burley stake, William W. Waits, bishop, address Burley, Idaho. Hollister branch, Twin Falls stake, Edward M. Webb, presiding elder, Hollister, Idaho. — New Bishops. Baker ward, Union stake, James W. Eardley succeeded William A. Roundy, address same. Eureka ward, Tintic stake, George Nephi Finch succeeded Peter Bowp, address same. Parowan ward, Paro wan stake, Hugh L. Adams succeeded Hans J. Mortensen, address same Palmyra ward, Nebo stake, Erastus Hansen succeeded Albert T. Money address Spanish Fork R. F. D., Utah. Joseph ward, South Sevier stake John F. Morrey succeeded Joseph W. Parker, address same. Darby ward Teton stake, Octavus Smith succeeded Peter Sorenson, address same. Wood ruff ward, Malad stake, Benjamin Lundberg succeeded Nathan D. Yearsley address same. St. George east ward, St. George stake, Franklin G. Miles succeeded Isaac W. Macfarlane, address same. Sutherland ward, Deseret stake, George R. Jackson succeeded Walter Roberts, address same. Mendon ward, Hyrum stake, John A. Gardner succeeded Allen L. Willie, address same. Rexburg third ward Fremont stake Peter J. Ricks succeeded Rich- ard H. Smith address same. Inkom ward, Pocatello stake, George L. Tate succeeded E. F. Cutler, Jr., address same. Sutherland ward, Deseret stake, George R. Jackson succeeded Walter Robert^ address same. Coalville ward, Summit stake, Willard Heber Wilde suc- ceeded Charles R. Jones address same. Gooding ward, Blaine stake, George E. Jenkins succeeded Jesse F. Cooper, address same. — New Branches and Presiding Elders. Boulder branch, Garfield stake, Claude Vincent, presiding elder, address Boulder, Utah. Lawrence Ward, Emery stake disorganized and organized into dependent branch of Hunt- ington ward. 860 IMPROVEMENT ERA A reception was tendered George H. Brimhall, retiring president of the Brigham Young University, Provo, May 26, and it is spoken of as the most brilliant function in the history of that institute of learning. Hun- dreds of friends, many from distant parts of the state, were in attend- ance. At the close of the reception a parade under the direction of Professor E. H. Eastmond was formed at the head of which were the national and school colors and the Brigham Young University band. Following this was a beautiful floral tribute in the form of a Y from the junior high school. A living basket of flowers from the training school preceded the living Y made up of high school and college girls. Next in the line of march were the high school students, the tribute Y float from the college, following which came former teachers, alumni, Relief Society workers, faculty members, the president and his escorts of honor. At the tabernacle grounds the marchers formed in a double column through which President Brimhall accompanied by President Heber J. Grant, President T. N. Taylor, President-elect Franklin S. Harris, and other distinguished friends of the president, marched into the tabernacle. On the speakers' stand besides President Brimhall were President Heber J. Grant, Dr. Richard R. Lyman, President-elect Franklin S. Harris, Former Superintendent Horace S. Cummings, Superintendent E. S. Hinckley, Presi- dent, T. N. Taylor, President J. William Knight, President J. R. Murdock, President Stephen L. Chipman, Patriarch Joseph B. Keeler, Superintendent Aldous H. Dixon, Mrs. Susa Young Gates, Mrs. Zina Young Card and Mrs. George H. Brimhall. All the speakers paid glowing tributes to the excellent services and personal qualities of the president. President Heber J. Grant, who had come all the way from California to attend the exercises, said, in part: "I have always admired President Brimhall's constant, persistent effort. I know of nothing that shows more genuine greatness than for a man, who for some cause or another must retire from his position, to give his un- qualified support to his successor." Among the tokens of love and esteem presented to President Brimhall were a gold watch and chain, on behalf of the Alumni association; the school colors in silk by the pres- ent student body; and a signet ring, by citizens of Spanish Fork, his home town. Pueblo, Colorado was swept by flood, June 4, the most disastrous in the history of the West. The business district was practically wiped out, about thirty business buildings being totally destroyed. The damage alone is at $15,000,000, and hundreds of lives were lost. estimated The warning came shortly after 5 p. m. in telephone messages, first which said that dams near Portland were threatened and the water in the Arkansas river had risen dangerously at Wetmore, Portland and Florence. The fire department siren sounded a fifteen-minute flood warn- ing, but people were slow to leave their homes and many refused. One woman, dragged from her home before the flood-crest reached the bot- toms, crawled under the house and refused to come out. On the crest of the flood which turned from the river into Fourth street was carried a two- story house. Scores of people were caught as the flood entered Main street, flowing south into Union avenue. Within two hours the entire wholesale district and a greater part of the business district were flooded with water ten feet deep. Several persons were rescued from a candy factory, swim- ming through the flood with the aid of ropes thrown by city firemen. Many business houses and residences were set afire by burning timber floating from a flaming lumber yard. Boy Scouts rescued George King and his son, Francis, from one building in boats. Southbound Denver & Rio Grande railroad train No. 3 was swept into the river. Most of the passengers PASSING EVENTS 861 have been accounted for, climbing to the roof of the cars and making their way to the Nuckolls packing company. Missouri Pacific train No. 14, also was toppled into the stream and most of the passengers on this train also made their way to the Nuckolls Packing Company. From other parts of Colorado have also come reports of destructive inundations. At midnight, June 5, the Platte river went over its banks and flooded several blocks in the west side district of Denver. Two hundred residences in Los Animas were under water June 5. The people of Syracuse, Kansas, were warned to flee to the hills. Food, tents, blankets, etc., left Salt Lake City in a special railroad car, June 5, for the relief of flood sufferers. The Commercial Club arranged for a liberal supply of milk for babies. There were 3,600 cases in the first consignment. Measures for the relief of the sufferersand the reconstruction of the devastated districts have been taken promptly under the direction of the Red Cross, and other organizations, in response to appeals for aid issued by President Harding and Governor Shoup. Lives Saved by Boy Scouts July 19, 1920, a group of boys were swimming in the Bear River at a point about a mile and a quarter east of Evanston, Wyoming. Part of these boys were Scouts and part were not. The boys were swimming and enjoying themselves when one of the smallest boys in the group, William Rosenthal, age eleven years, who couldn't swim, got out so far that he couldn't touch the bottom and the current began to take him down. He shouted "Help!" His brother, Sam Rosenthal, age fifteen, who was and still is a member of Evanston Troop No. 2, Boy Scouts of America, was the nearest to the place where William went down. Sam plunged in that di- rection and William came up directly under Sam and got a hold around his neck. Sam became frightened and seemingly helpless and he shouted for help. Robert P. Zemp was, at the time Sam shouted, nearly to the spot where the two brothers were struggling for their lives, Robert approached William from the back and by putting his arm around the neck and taking hold of William's chin with his right hand, he then hit William with his closed left fist. The blow seemed to sort of stun William; anyway, he re- laxed his hold so that Sam was able to break away and swim to shore. Robert then swam to shore with William and in a few minutes William was feeling all right except for having swallowed so much water that he felt sick at the stomach. Robert P. Zemp was, at the time he saved William Rosenthal's life, sixteen years old and a 2nd class scout of the same troop.— J. I. Williams, Scoutmaster Troop No. 2, No. 54668, expires, February, 1922. Erwin Hardy of Oakley, Idaho, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Hardy, received a serious skull fracture when he fell from a cliff in the moun- tains near the Day ranch, south of Oakley, on Saturday, May 14, 1921. Maeser Day had gone to the ranch to look after some live stock and young Erwin Hardy accompanied him. They were out sight-seeing when the accident occurred. Erwin was rolling stones from a cliff when he fell to the sharp rocks below, making a gash in his head the entire length of his forehead. Maeser, who is 17 or 18 years of age, employed first aid which he learned as a boy scout, and carried Erwin to camp, a mile distant, and there bandaged the wounds. All this time Erwin was in an unconscious condition. The boys were alone, night was at hand. Day decided that to the assistance must be found at once, so he caught his horse and rode Ellison ranch where Erwin Hardy was taken about midnight and received further attention. He is now getting along very well. His life was saved, undoubtedly due to the prompt and efficient first-aid given him by his companion, Maser Day. The above information is sent the Improvement Era by Rosel H. Hale, deputy scout commissioner of Cassia stake, Idaho. "The missionaries of this Conference feel very much indebted to theImprove- ment Era for the splendid reading matter furnished each month. ^ denominate ihe Era the "Home Magazine," for we feel that it should be in the home uf every Latter- day Saint. We endeavor to encourage the Saints in our visiting among them of the value of the Era which has an uplifting influence in the home, for it reaches every member of the family." Wilford W Richards, President of the San Francisco con- . ference. "We appreciate very much the Era in the mission field. Our elders read it Lorn covjr to cover with considerable interest. We are anxious to do anything we can to assist in the good work this Magazine is doing. With every good wish for the succc -s of the Era." Wilford W. Richards, Conference President, San Franscisco, California. John T. Caley, President of the M. I. A. of the Victorian conference, Melbourne, Australia, in sending in a list of ten subscriptions to the Era, writes under of March 28: "We of the Victorian conference of the Church always welcome the arrival of the Era which provides us with much information and enlightenment and food for thought contained therein. We wish you a larger list of subscribers and success, and hope to forward more subscriptions in the near future." Improvement Era, July, 1921 Two Dollars per Annum Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second class matter Aeceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1102, Act oj October 3, 1917, authorized on July 2, 1918 Address Room 406 Church Office Building, Salt Lake City, Utah Heber J. Grant, [ Edward H. Anderson, Business Mgr. Edward H. Anderson, editors j Moroni Snow, Assistan • CONTENTS Corners in the Sierra Nevadas Above Lake Tahoe..D. C. Retsloff ..Frontispiece Our Flag. A Poem Bertha A. Kleinman 767 "Hui Tau." Ilustrated David O. McKay t _ 769 I'd Like To. A Poem Agnes Just Reid 777 Glimpses of Pioneer Life Prof. N. L. Nelson _ 778 Training Our Future Citizens 783 "One Andrew Jenson" James H. Anderson 784 Today is Mine. A Poem Orelia May Hanson....: 787 Threads. A Story O. S. Johnson 788 An Episode of the Plains John R. Young 793 Take Courage. A Poem George C. Naegle 796 Joseph Smith's Last Prophecy Edwin F. Parry :.::.'..::....-.... 797 Fort Supply Andrew Jenson 800 Pancarre's Ticaboo. A Story Ruth Savage Hilton 805 Power Divine. A Poem Helen Kimball Orgill 808 "Good Tobacco Business" Will H. Brown 809 Culture E. Virgil Cornia 810 Man's Need of God B. H. Roberts 811 The Forces We Leave Behind. A Poem George E. Gibby 817 An Assemblage of Verse 818 Under the Curse Dr. James E. falmage 826 Learning by Doing prof. J. C. Hogenson 828 Bits of Philosophy Nephi Jensen 830 The Tobaco Habit from a Financial Standpoint.. ..Frank W. Harris 83L Historic Pioneer Grounds. Illustrated Charles L. Ray 832 The Pioneers. Song with Music John M. Chumberlain.ZZ".".. 834 — Editors' Table What Constitutes Loyal Citizen- ship Prest. Anthony W. Ivins 836 The M. I. A. Annual Conference „ 842 Fire and Tobacco 843 Messages from the Missions 844 Mutual Work • 849 Passing Events . 856 A Great Thing for America if the ideal of old days came back when to accumulate a respectable library was the care and the ambition of any man who considered himself, or was determined to be con- sidered, of any importance in the world. Pride in a li- brary is hot a very "sinful" kind of pride. The man who reads his books as he buys them, and buys them as he reads, has something to be proud about when he has ac- cumulated a library. You don't have to be a rich man first — just BUY A BOOK A WEEK Deseret Book Company 44 East South Temple Summer Gourses 4 in Business High school graduates and others expecting to go into business should enter our summer classes. By so doing, graduation is assured at a time when opportunities for em- ployment are greatest. Our courses are just as ably taught in summer as in winter, with the advantage that smaller attendance as- sures even closer attention. The college runs continuously, day and evening ses- sions. You may enter at any time. Write for information. L. D. S. Business College SAI/T LAKE CITY WHEN V'\lTr G TO ADVERTISERS, PLEASE MENTION THE IMPROVEMENT ERA Is Your Life Insurance Beneficial? The very best tHfere is in Life Insurance issued by The Big Home Company You need Our Insurance We want Your Business Beneficial Life Insurance Co. Heber J. Grant, Pre*. SZiLT L71KB Lorenzo N. StohLV.Pres. & Mgr. Ask Your Dealer for Z. C. M. I. Western Scout Shoes An elk skin shoe, with chrome soles, light, but very strong and durable, especially suitable for all out-door sports. Used extensively by carpenters, iron workers, boy scouts, etc. Cheap —comfortable— serviceable. Ask your dealer for them. IV HEN WRITING TO ADVERTISERS, PLEASE MENTION THE IMPROVEMENT BRA