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U^'i^E- ;VV£« «!* -•-•» , - -*}«..» > ft » v <•. -t j£?* ; tpryrstiggf xjrmng AMERICA'S Snm WlTU DMTHDEFYING • THRlLbBBS mllamwca^, JLfl 0 P.P..0.0-98.9..0-0.B-P-g-gJLgJLg.QJ?JLg-giLOJLgJLO.OJIO00 00 00008?flJUUUL • : " XV^ ^ ^ s fL-. - ..« *.^..^d9«k,. ^V-4 • ^ •" §.ytjJ& : x§4_. A, C MrtgumtwOKm A GROUP Or THR&lZAS State Capital News ^ Breety Gossip* Notes and Doings of Interest at Springfield. fl-fl'a'o it a6~W6~B~6H wc'BS'Bmmra-a oy&~g6"fl a'oTo'o'a'a'oir^TriroTnr^fg* Springfield.--The thirty-fourth an­ nua] reunion of the Governor's Guard Veteran corps, which was held at the residence of I. N. Ransom in this city, proved to be one of the most enjoyable events of the social season. The af­ fair was elaborate in every detail and a majority of the members were pres­ ent. The decorations, illumination and the general arrangement of the event were a great success. Three spacious tents were erected on the lawn of Mr. Ransom's residence, and in this place the veterans were seated at a banquet and reminiscences of the organization were recalled. Tables were arranged in the tents and were covered with the national colors of red, white and blue. Flags and bunting and colors of the organization were suspended from the poles of the tents, and the tables were adorned with cut flowers. A row of Incandescent lights in the tents com­ pleted the illumination. The porch of the residence was also prettily dec­ orated, and Japanese lanterns were suspended, which added to the effect of the lighting arrangement; O-OW, whee-ee-e, oo-oo-o, gee-e--whi-iz, but that was a bump!" It was our friend from the sand dunes of Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, innesota, Wisconsin, or ly other state with plen­ ty of farming districts, trying out a thriller at Coney Island. Atlantic Ciity, one of Chicago's big four amusement parks or for That matter at any city or town which supports these summer devices for extracting coin of the realm from thme plebeians. No matter how stolid he may be In life's ordinary pursuits or how emo­ tionless in an interurban wreck, his spine curls, his sympathetic nerve system tickles and he is compelled to give himself up to thrills. You can find him in every resort where there sre scenic railways, roller-coasters, •elret-coasters, figure-eights, shoot- tbe-chutes. dip-the-dips, leap-the-gaps, ticklers and scores of other modes for shooting the electric currents up and down the spinal cord bf the laughing, howling public. He is a source of amusement for his tutored city brother who tickles the day ledger with a pen during daylight and cavorts about on amusement de­ vices throughout the summer evenings. The city pleasure-seeker has much of this sport and the thrills fail to rise tip in his anatomy the way they do in that of the man, woman and child who are taking their first turn at the game. Statisticians claim that there are so many actual thrillers of different cali­ ber and variety at work daily In the United States that if one should travel on every one of them, just once, the trip would take all summer. There 'were more this year than ever before. If all of the rides were strung our they would reach clear across the con­ tinent, high browed scientists claim. "" But that only goes to show that America is amusement-crazy. The populace and the elite, too, can't get enough thrill. Not long ago, an Illi- Bois man with an idea proposed to in­ stall an automobile in the parks of the Country and this device was scheduled to run down an incline, turn a double somersault and alight upon its wheels Again. America's thrillers are terrific and getting more so each year, but the man from the middle west was perhaps a bit premature with his death-defying machine. Sometimes it didn't alight as per program. The process of starting a thrill through the pleasure-seeker's frame consists of laying out a device which combines both speed and the unexpect­ ed. This subject has been studied by every amusement manager in the United States and they can't get the jumps, drops and bumps long enough or fast enough to attract your shekels from your bank account to their coffers with the desired rapidity. "Say, by heck, I'm afeared to ride on thet shebang. It don't hev a safe look, to me." Well, hurtling through the air faster than an aeroplane in working order certainly doesn't look safe, but at the Perhaps the scenic railway is known more generally to those who would line their interiors with momentary thrills. This ride consists of a series of cars strung together. There are brakes between each car and the levers are manned by strong-armed boys from the railway yards. To them there are no thrills. It's monotonous as driving the cows home from pasture for them. Even catching a pair spoon­ ing while the train is running through the blackness of a mimic Canadian forest, can't make them feel weary. It happens on every trip. The average scenic railway runs up a 45-degree incline or rather is hauled up by a chain and you are ready for the first dip. The brakemen release their levers and down the cars go faster than the New York-Chicago 18- hour limited. If the uninitiated puts his head between his knees he is apt to kick himself in the face on the journey up the hill which follows ever)' dip. Therefore if you haven't yet been bounced around in this man­ ner, hang to the iron guard, stick your hat under your arm, grit your teeth and make up your mind not to care if your hair does get mussed. After the train has completed the first series of dips there is usually a journey through a dark recess, tragi­ cally known as the "cavern," this being installed to give the spooners a chance to gloat over their nerve. The rest in a repetition, generally. Next in line as a death defying con­ trivance is the coaster. There are fewer cars and not so many seats in each vehicle. Then, too, the coaster needs no hauling up a second incline, for there is only one, the difference be­ ing noticeable in the length of the de­ scents. In some parks in both east and west there has "been a tendency of late to turn the coaster into a semi- loop-the-loop, that is to say, the cars drop off the top of the runway onto a de­ scent at an angle of about 70 degrees, dropping about 80 feet, and then start up the ascent at an angle which is not quite so abrupt. Some coasters have only one of these terrifying dips, while others have about 20--it seems to the first-nighter. Well, one isn't so bad, but about the third jump you begin to calculate that the seat must have slipped out the bottom of the car-- you're so high in the air most of the time. Passing on to another part of the resort you strike the figure-eight. Every hamlet has its figure-eights these days. That contrivance is fash­ ioned like an "8" and much resembles the coaster, except that the cars follow the lines of the figure, the dips are smaller and j'ou naturally don't get so fussed up. It's tamer in fact, and for that reason graduation from the figure-eight entitles you to prestige, which should carry you fearlessly over THZ <sc£mc miiwAY. to sen-sickness might possibly become immune by this treatment for the blues of everyday life. The giant swing, while it is not much like the aerostat, gives the same feeling to some. Then there is the airship, which ma­ jestically winds about the outside of a tall tower and then winds down again. Merry-go-rounds are numerous and despite the fact that this is the father of all thrills, it still has its patrons among the children. Among the time-honored creations is the shoot-the-chutes, which consists of a slide down a toboggan and a few bounces after the boat strikes the water of the lake at the bottom of the chute. If you're *vise you'll not sit in the front seat. There's where the big bump comes and the occupants of the bow of the boat feel the leaps over the water most. Having traveled on rides enough to stimulate an appetite for something in a different line we steer our down- state friend into the stationary de­ vices for the same purpose. These are of every variety. You step into one at random. The floor starts to move with a circular motion toward the top of the room. If it moves backwards from you, intuition tells you to step forward. Don't step too speedily or you'll find yourself walking on the ceiling, head down. Finally an open­ ing is reached. You step out onto a floor which bounces up and down as you meander along. A moment later you walk upon what seems to be the top of an airship, loosely inflated. By that .time, if you're one of the fair sex, you need protection. The recess­ es are all pitch dark. Then, perhaps you are swayed by a wave-like motion of the entire room, which very naturally elicits very prop- the jumps which the coaster takes and same time the visitor to the city who | allow you to blandly hand the "second- made that remark did not know where- ride-lady" 20 cents for another trip for of he spoke. Every single device, n-j yourself and friend. matter how small, how large or how "safe-looking," is required to undergo a rigid test by the building commis­ sioners, before being allowed to accept the public's dimes. There must b-? a block system of lights, much the same as that used by railway systems, also stoppage devices on every incline to prevent cars, chairs or other seating vehicles from sliding backwards down an incline. The framework of the device is test­ ed fpr its strength and made to sup­ port far heavier weights than are ever after made its burden. On the curves of riding thrillers there is the usual horizontal track above the wheels of the vehicle to prevent it from leaving the scheduled pathway. Persons pos­ sessing weak hearts are forbidden the thrills and few accept the chance to test that organ when in bad condition. There are also straps, chains, guards, etc., to hold the pat-on in the car and If he or she falls ov t it is little short of a miracle and only once or twice a season are accidents - reported, so carefully do the amusement managers guard the lives of those who provide a method of bread-wino'ng.- er screams from the women folks. Freed from ocean-liner Imitation, you are immediately introduced to a 200- miles-an-hour cyclone, coming from the floor, ceiling, walls and in fact from all sides. The floor begins to move sideways with a quick-jerky motion. You try to steady yourself on a rail, just perceptible In the blackness. Ouch! It's charged with electricity. Ahead are several staircases and you feel rather relieved to think you're out of it at last. Reaching them safe­ ly you start up when, without warning, the whole contrivance begins to move bapkward and forward, compelling you to grab the rail for safety. In darkness again, you try to make your way through a typical labyrinth of rooms. Feeling along the wall with one foot ahead of you to ascertain the nearness of bottomless pits, etc., for your mind's eye sees lots that don't exist, you bump your nose against a few barriers and eventually push against a wall, which gives way and you find yourself alone in a turnstile, inclosed on all sides. When your ter­ ror has reached a burning point some­ one else behind pushes the wall as you did and you are liberated, only to •again find yourself in the midst of weird ghostlike cries and see skele­ tons darting hither and thither (on pulleys). A little scream Just at this moment might be appropriate. Just to get your mind off the terrors of the place, the next few turns are tame, •vhen suddenly your feet slide out from under you and you find yourself shoot­ ing down a chute in a sitting position. Daylight ahead and once again, before you have time to think it over, you've landed among the crowds outside, thanks to the manly strength of the spieler, whose arms received you where the chute ended. Weather Fruit Blight. The failure of the fruit crop in many sections of the state is due to the unprecedented weather conditions of last spring and the development of the apple scab at that section. So un­ usual were the weather changes that spraying for the pest which infected the trees was in ineffective and also injudicious. Not only was the fruit killed, but the foliage on cherry and apple trees also suffered severely, most of the former orchards and some of the latter being practically de­ foliated. The uncared-for orchards, of which a hundred or so were ex­ amined, suffered no worse and some of these will have a struggle for life. Thousands and thousands of acres of apple orchards visited, at least 90. per cent.--practically all the uncared-for orchards--will go out of existence. Generally the trees of such orchards were found in bad shape, poor folia­ tion, no fruitage or but little any year, and scab, bitter root, San Jose scale, root rot, and the Illinois canker preva­ lent and surely wiping out the trees. Returns Stow to Come In. Never since political returns were carried by messengers on foot, by ox teams and canal boats have definite figures been so greatly delayed in any Illinois election as in the primary just closed. Forty-eight hours after the polls Closed it was impossible to give ac­ curate returns on the vote for sena­ torial indorsement, or the guberna­ torial nomination on the Republican ticket. The vote was so close, and the returns so scanty that absolutely ac­ curate statements in relation to these two contests were impossible. The returns on the Democratic ticket were even more deliberate, if possible, than those on the Republican candidates. They were, however, definite and seemed to run in one di­ rection so that an estimate of the ac­ tual result was possible. MORGAN NOT A BARGAINER Convict Makes Charge. Sensational accusations were made in an affidavit which was filed with the state board of pardons against William M. Barnes, one of the legis­ lative candidates in the Peoria dis­ trict. The affidavit was made by Jo­ seph Maloff, a Syrian, who wa^ re­ cently convicted with Marie Jackson of conspiracy to Induce a witness to leave the jurisdiction of the Peoria cir­ cuit court. The Jackson woman was Indicted for harboring in a house of ill fame a girl named Margaret Lansing. The Lansing girl was the principal witness in the case, and she was in­ duced to leave with money which was furnished by Maloff. Maloff declares he was led into the case by Smith Hancock, to whom the money. was loaned by him, and Barnes, who was acting as the attorney for the Jackson woman. Financier at Once Pays Price Asked for Anything He Wants. Then there's the tickler. That's a new ride just put on in the west this season. You get into a round car and the device is dragged up an incline for the downward thrill. Starting down it enters a labyrinth of rails, the car re­ volving in one direction and the de­ scent carrying it in another. This gives a remarkable opportunity to learn how it feels to be jerked in two directions at the same time. The Potsdam railway is a practical device, "made in Germany," which runs on an overhanging rail and which magnates among the Teutons threaten to make a conventional mode of travel there within a few years. The thrill in this consists of hoping it won't fall off this trip. Amusement-loving Americans also have the aerostat. Cars are suspended at the ends of long cables, you are locked in and the device is started. It is like a Maypole, except that the cables don't become interwined around the pole. As the speed Increases the cars rise higher at the ends of the cables and, inclined, s'peed through i ether far out over the heads of the I multitude. Anyone who is susceptible "I entered Sidi Okba's shop," said the man with the Shepherd's hotel labels on his luggage, "an<l a hand­ some carpet caught my eye. 'What is the price of that?' I asked. " "That carpet is not for sale,' Sidi Okba answered. 'I bought it at great cost for my own delectation only. How beautiful it is! But will not monsieur partake with me of coffee and cigar­ ettes?' "I partook. The next morning I was in that neighborhood again, and Sidi came forth and saluted me. He had changed his mind about retaining the carpet. Allah forbade selfishness among the true believers, and, since I desired the thing, he'd let me have it for $1,000. " 'I'll give you $10,' said I. "He fell back, almost fainting. Then, in a weak, pained voice, he offered me coffee again. "Next day, when I turned up, he came down to $900, and I went up to $15, and we drank more coffee and smoked. Next day he dropped to $800 and I rose to $17.50. We were very cheerful over the coffee and tobacco that day. We had the carpet spread before us to admire. It was evident that we would strike a bargain yet. And just before I left Cairo we did strike a bargain. The carpet became mine for $50. It Would have cost $250 at home. As we shook hands in fare­ well Sidi Okba said: " 'I love a good bargainer like your­ self. Bargaining is the bloom, the per­ fume, the poetry of trade. I adore it. Once'--he ground his teeth--'once an American named Morgan, Pierpont Morgan, came in here, selected three carpets and said "How much?" I told him $3,000 for the three. "Well," he said, "that seems a fair price." and he paid me then and there in gold.' Sidi rolled his eyes. 'What a man!' he said. 'What a strange man! Were he to go into business he wouldn't be out of the bankruptcy courts three days.' " Death Record Shows Increase. The record of deaths in Springfield during the month of July shows the total number, 84, is eight more than the number during the corresponding month in 1907. It is also seven more than the total number for January of this year, when there were 77 deaths. The total number of deaths for the year 1908 up to date is 471, as com­ pared with 433 for the corresponding period in 1907. Of the decedents only five were colored people. Forty-seven were males and 37 females. Of the total number 64 were natives of the United States and 40 of Springfield. The nativity of the others are: Ire­ land, two; Germany, seven; Italy, one; Scotland, one; Madeira, one; Austria, two; Syria, two; not recorded, three. COW BROKE UP BARN DANCE Of course, realism is all well enough in Its way, but it can easily be carried to an excess. Here, for instance, is the case of that barn dance In the east, where an actual barn was the scene of revelry. And In the midst of the fun a blood­ ed cow broke away from her stall and took an active interest in the proceed­ ings, ripping the shirt waist from a college S«iyth and hooking a roomy hole In therWg fiddle. After which she pranced up the middle with her head d^wn, and six girls and three boys crawled onto the feed box and fell off In a shrieking heap, and the athlete of the party, with wild yells, broke the record on a quick climb to the hayloft, and four girls hid under the straw cutter, and there was the merry mischief to pay. The cow quickly had her gambol out, and then backed Into her stall with a satisfied moo and immediately resumed her cud. But the barn dance was effectually broken up.--Cleveland Plain Dealer. Films to 8how Farms. Illinois farmer visitors to the Omaha Corn exposition at Omaha next De­ cember may see themselves in moving pictures while they were engaged in farm work. J. Wilkes Jones, manager of the exposition, was in Illinois taking the pictures. Special attention was doyoted to the Funk farm near Funk's Grove, where the process of hybridizing the corn was photo­ graphed. Other views will show how the Illinois harvests are carried on, the manner in which haying is done and novel modes of thrashing. Mohammedan Wisdom. Among the Mohammedans the maintenance of children devolves so exclusively on the father that the mother is entitled to claim wages for toursing them. The importance of her services to the state in rearing healthy citizens is thuB recognized In the most practical manner. Rat Fond of Tobacco. Edward Thompson, a watchman at Perth Amboy, N. J., says a rat cornea to him every day and gets a chew of tobacco. Education Board Issues Bulletin. The Illinois educational commission has issued its first bulletin which con­ tains as its most interesting feature a recommendation and a tentative plan for the establishment of a state board of education for Illinois similar in constituion, powers and duties to those of some of the other states. Instead of withholding its report un­ til the meting of the legislature in January, 1909, the commission has embodied its provisions in this bul­ letin which are given to the public for its consideration: The proposed board of education shall consist of nine members. The superintendent of public instruction shall be chairman ex officio. Eight members shall be appointed by the governor, th« superintendent and the chief justice of the supreme court, and in the appointment due considera­ tion shall be given to the various phases of the educational interests of the state. The term of office of the members of the board shall be eight years. The powers and duties of the board as defined by the commission are: To have general supervision of the public schools of the state, includ­ ing those maintained in the public charitable institutions. To make rules for the distribution of the state school fund; to prepare and distribute plans for the construction and equipment of schools; to provide suggestive courses of study for all schools; to prepare all questions for teachers' examinations and to grade all examination papers; to propose plans for organizing and conducting teachers' institutes; to pre­ scribe all rules for the sanitary in­ spection of school buildings and for the examination of pupils in order to detect contagious and infectious dis­ eases and physical defects and to classify and standardize the public schools and colleges; to provide for new forms of educational effort and in general to take any action neces­ sary to.promote the efficiency of the educational system of the state. In connection with this part of the report the commission says: "The educa­ tional system of Illinois involves an annual expenditure of $31,000,000. The state owns 13,000 school buildings which, with their grounds and the ap­ paratus they contain, are valued at $37,700,000. It employs 28,000 teach­ ers and has a school population of 1,471,000. The effective management of a system so vast and so expensive is obviously one of the most important concerns of the people, even if it is regarded only from the economic standpoint." IS DOMI BECOME3 REPUBLICAN CANDI­ DATE FOR GOVERNORSHIP OF .. STATE OF ILLIONIS. STEVENSON, DEMOCRAT CHOICE Will Oppose Present Incumbent---Hop­ kins Wins in Senatorial Fight- Men Who Are Select to Run for Congress. Chicago.--The result of Saturday's primary election, so far as it is accurately known, in regard to state officers, is as follows: DEMOCRATIC STATE TICKET. Endorsed for United States senator, Lawrence B. Stringer; nominated for governor, Adlai E. Stevenson; lieu­ tenant governor, E. A. Perry; secre­ tary of state, X. F. Beidler; auditor, Ralph Jeffris; treasurer, J. B. Mount; attorney general, R. C. Hall. REPUBLICAN STATE TICKET. Endorsed for United States senator Indorsed for United States senator, Albert J. Hopkins; governor, Charles 8. Deneen; lieutenant governor, J. G. Oglesby or F. L. Smith; secretary of Station to Stay at Capital. Orders have been received by the marine corps recruiting office from Washington to remain open perma- netnly. These orders are the result of the exceptionally good work which has been accomplished by the local office in room 24 of the postoffice building. Twenty men were accepted as recruits. The permanency of the local station makes Springfield the re­ cruiting headquarters of central Illi­ nois. That the officials are pleased with the grade of men which Spring­ field has donated is evidenced by the letter which has been received from Lieut. Meade by the local office. State House Deserted. The state house was almost de­ serted during the period immediately before and after the primary elections. Heads of departments and many of the employes were absent looking after the progress of the primary campaign in different parts of the state. Busi­ ness transacted was of a purely rou­ tine character. Many of the men who went away remained until after the primaries. This is a dull season of the year, anyhow, and the absence of a few men did not make the difference that it would at another time. To Live Debate Over. Of the many Interesting celebra­ tions of the fiftieth anniversary of the famous debate between Lincoln and Douglas to be held this fall in Illinois, none will be of greater interest than that to take place in the picturesque and historical city of Metamora Au­ gust 27. Elaborate preparations were m^dle for this notable event. Meta­ mora, one of the oldest cities of Illi­ nois, is rich in historical Interest. The famous old Metamora house, at which both Lincoln and Douglas were en­ tertained, is yet standing. Many Premiums for Corn Show. Special merchandise premiums for the Illinois Corn exposition continue to be offered and at present the list of prizes embraces a wide variety of articles. Many of the articles offered as special prizes. Low Rates for Old Soldiers. Old soldiers of Illinois have reduced rates to the annual encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic encamp­ ment at Toledo, O., beginning Au­ gust 31. Nearly all the railroads of the country have agreed upon lVfe fare for the round trip and passenger agents are preparing to make a bid for the business on this basis. An ex­ tension to September 15 for the re­ turn trip will be made upon the pay­ ment of one dollar. It is expected that Illinois will send a number of representatives. Bulwark of Civilization. Some one calls the mirror "the bul­ wark of civilization." and declares that it has done more for the world than the steam engine or the sewing machine. It makes women happy, be­ cause they can se£ themselves as oth­ ers think they are, and it is a warning to the man who has been indulging la too much dissipation. Funny, Isn't It? Strange that when a man sits in a hammock with a girl and looks at her close, she doesn't seem the same. - 'I : Charles S. Deneen. state, James A. Rose; auditor, J. S. McCullough; treasurer, Andrew Rus­ sellattorney general, William H. Stead; clerk of supreme court, Chris­ topher D. Maroer. The vote for the Republican sena­ torial endorsement in Chicago and Cook county was: For Hopkins, 40,- 358; Mason, 39,917; Foss, 50,252; giv­ ing Foss a plurality, over Hopkins of 9,894. The Democratic senatorial en­ dorsement may be dismissed with the single statement that Stringer won easily In every county In the state so far as heard from Sunday night. Adlal E.-Stevenson. Returns received from the different congressional districts throughout the state show that the following men have been nominated for congress: DEMOCRATS. First district--M. L. Mandable. Second district--J. T. Donahoe. Third district--F. J. Crowley. Fourth district--James T. McDer- mott, renominated. Fifth district--Adolph J. Sabath, re­ nominated. Sixth district--Frank G. Wood. Seventh district--Frank Buchanan. Eighth district--Thomas Gallagher. Tenth district--Western Starr. Eleventh district--C. McNaughton. Twelfth district--W. N. Armstrong. Fourteenth district--M. J. McEniry. Fifteenth district--W. E. Lancaster. Sixteenth district--James W. Hill. Seventeenth district -- S. C. Schneider. Eighteenth district--Henry C. Bell. Twenty-second district--Charles A. Karch. Twenty-fourth district--J. Q. A. Led- better. REPUBLICANS. Third district--William W. Wilson, renominated. Fourth district--C. S. Wharton. Fifth district--Anthony Michalek. Sixth district--William Lorimer, re- nominated. Seventh district--Fred Lundln. Eighth district--E. S. Ksycki. Eleventh district--Howard M. Snapp, renominated. Twentieth district--John H. Dan- skin. Twenty-fourth district--Pleasant T. Chapman, renominated. Returns Slow to Come in. Never since political returns were carried by messengers on foot, by ox teams and canal boats have definite figures been so greatly delayed in any Illinois election as in the one just closed. Twenty-four hours after the polls closed it was impossible to give ac­ curate returns on the vote for sena­ torial endorsement, or the guberna­ torial nomination on the Republican ticket. The vote was so close, and the returns so scanty that absolutely ac­ curate statements in relation to these two contests were impossible. Vote in Cook County. For the Republican gubernatorial nomination Deneen received in Chi­ cago and Cook county 79.700 votes; Yates, 72,109; giving Deneen a plu­ rality in Chicago and Cook county ol 7,591. The returns so far as received Sunday night, did not show that Yates was cutting down thia lead. Hi« party managers claimed the state by at least 10,000, and freely predicted that his vote over Yates would show an even larger majority. The returns, however, were so slow and scattered that it was entirely' possible for Yatee to win out with a handsome margin.