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K \ J ^ \ . • ; \ > ° \ T FIRE REPORT FOR IS «7 PERSONS LOSE THEIR LIVE* IN BLA2E8 DURING THE PA*T YEAR. - < * • 1* TOTAL LOSS IS 113,556,448 Aocerdlng to Stat* Fire Marshal, Wal­ ter H. Bennett, Flames CawM $5,040,352 Damage in City of Chicago. PERMANENT winter refuge of 2,000 acres of land on the'east Bide of Jackson's Hole, In Wyoming, to care for a herd of 25,000 elk has just been arranged by the depart­ ment of ^agriculture. It is expected that enough hay will be raised on this tract to feed the entire herd. The price of the land ranged from $50 to $52 an acre. The govern­ ment was forced .to adopt this plan to prevent the elk In the west from going the way of the buffalo to extinction. It Is estimated that fully 50,000 elk winter in the Jackson's Hole country, a large area south of the . Yellowstone National park. The* elk scatter dur­ ing the summer months, many of them grazing in the park, but as winter approaches they converge toward their old winter quarters. These quarters were ample before the homesteader came to fence the lands. The elk would feed on the% rich grass of the ^val- leys in the fall, work up on the sheltered hillsides in the winter, and when necessityV| urged descend to the creeks and browse among the young wil­ lows and other foliage until the spring grass. Dame. T h e h o m e s t e a d e r * * fence has made this im­ possible now, and each y e a r l e s s e n s t h e amount of open range. The result is that de­ spite the large amount of feed that has been fur­ nished them by the state of Wyoming, each winter has seen an enormous death loss of this fast-disap­ pearing game animal. Driven to desperation from hunger, the elk .would break down the ^strongest barbed wire fence surrounding a haystack, and during & por­ tion of the winter the settlers were forced to guard their hay night and day. The elk have been known to mount upon the fallen bodies of their companion*, and thus climb to the top of a thatched roof shed, where they would voraciously devour the rotten hay or straw uspd as a roof cov­ ering. The scenes in the elk region of Wyoming during the last two years are described as heart-rending. The starving elk, driven to the lowlands by the high snows in the mountains, found most of the range fenced in by ranchers. In many cases they broke down fences and demolished the hay­ stacks of the ranchers. They ate the willows along the streams, and gradually grew weaker and weaker, and finally sunk down to die in the snow. Immediately they were pounced upon by magpies cmourmju "jwrixKJLD >'IK- w' & J&XP arj&ieatrm? wnrz&n&mgz jB£B&ar&iiaz$ ^and other birds, and their eyes were picked out, la many cases before the elk were dead. The conditions which led up to the government's recent action have existed for more than ten years, but the state of Wyoming seemed unable, single handed, to cope with the situation. The tenderhearted ranchmen of the Jackson Hole country have helped to the full extent of their ability, feeding to the starving elk as much as they could spare from their private stores of hay and fodder without, putting their own stock on ex­ tremely short allowance. But with all this, it la estimated that fully 5,000 elk died of starvation each year. According to Mr. 8. N. Leek, a prominent ranchman of the Jackson Hole district and for­ mer state senator, who has made a special study of the conditions surrounding the elk in that part of the country, since 1903 about 75 per cent, of the adult, elk have perished of starvation each winter. He states that he has counted as many as 1,000 dead elk -within a radius of half a mile, and that on several occasions when driving through the country he has been forced to turn out of his way ZLKMAJtmrnaxT yam) because of the bodies of dead elk obstructing the roads. The elk would first eat the range clear of all food, then turn to the coarse sticks and barks, and In many places they would actually gnaw the bark from the fence rails. When all these sources of food--if such it may be called--were ex­ hausted, they would gradually be­ gin to lose,their vitality, spirit and endurance. Then, reduced by hun­ ger until too weak to follow the herd, they would drop down by some rock or brush, to either be­ come a prey to carnivorous ani­ mals or die a miserable death by starvation. x It Is estimated that the value of elk to the region of Jackson Hole is equal to the revenue derived from stock raising in that dis­ trict. The amount of money which the animals bring into the country is very large. ' Many hunting parties are attracted thither every year, being allowed to kill a limited number of elk under certain restrictions. Hunters are obliged to hire guides, packers, cooks and pack animals and to buy considerable quantities of food supplies. The average daily expense of a person hunting In that region is at least $14. Thus a thirty days' trip would cost each non­ resident $420, all of which is spent in the vicin­ ity of the hunting grounds. About 2 $00 elk are killed each year by hunters. There is considerable poaching. 1. e., illegal kill­ ing of the animals, by men who frequent and even reside in the Jackson Hole region for the sake of making their living wholly or in part from game. The law-breakers regard the elk as their natural prey. But the lowest In the scale of all the enemies of the elk Is the tooth hunter--the human brute who for the sake oT gaining a dollar or two kills the noble creatures, and, taking only their tusks, leaves the carcasses to rot. Under cover of the mail he forwards his booty unde­ tected to dealers in the cities, who dispose of it to thoughtless purchasers. 'The government's present work of elk preserve 'tlon Is unique. Had similar measures been un< dertaken in behalf of the buffalo, the nation would not now be mourning the almost total loss of those animals, which at one time were much more numerous in the west than are the elk today. Springfield.--Pouring kerosene oil into the kitchen stove may be an old Joke, but women still do it, says Wal­ ter H. Bennett, state fire marshal. Forty paid the penalty with their lives in Illinois last year. Likewise playing with matches caused the death of 40 children, and 55 bo'ys and girls died because they like to dance in the giow of the bonfires. A total of 887 deaths were directly due to fire in Illinois in 1913, says Mr. Bennett His figures have been embodied in a report of the year's work made pub­ lic. Mr. Bennett also declares that Chicago's fire loss In 1913 was prac­ tically five-thirteenths of the whole loss in the state. The total fire loss for Illinois given as $13,556,448, of which amount the loss in Chicago was $5,040,352. the rest of the state the loss reached a total of $8,526,085. Mr. Bennett ar- rivee at his figwea by estimating the value of buildings; and content^ and the amount lost by fire and comparing this with the insurance carried, his totals representing the amount not covered by insurance. Chicago in 1913 carried a total ta- surance of $19,921,147 on buildings burned, and $10,083,129 on their con tents. Between January 1 and De­ cember SI, 1913, Chicago had 3,20 fires, as against 5,225 in the rest of the state. Of these 126 fires were reported to the state lire marshal as of incendiary origin, while the rest of the state had 185 incendiary fires. HEADLINER. "My blase son has managed to get up some en­ thusiasm over the opening of the Panama canal." "Tea; he admits he never saw anything bigger •hpn that in vaudeville." • IT CHANGING SOCIAL HABITS In comparing the lfctftff imtf in aimers of the present day with those Of the past it seems to me that the most striking thing is the great change that ha# taken place in our economic and financial conditions. The poor of today are a different race from the poor of 50 or even 30 years ago. They earn a great deal more money and, though they get less for it in solid comfort and well being, they spend It in a much greater variety of ways. Neither are the rich of today the same as the rich of 50 years ago. Large numbers of the latter-- the landed gentry, for Instance--have taken a back seat. If they have not ac­ tually disappeared. The new rich who have pushed them out are Introducing ideas, habits and manners of their own. Consequently the luxury of today has little in common with the luxury of 50 years ago. It spends its money in more selfish and ostentatious ways. Instead of the manor house, with its crowd of hereditary retainers, we have now the fashionable hotel, with its army of liveried waiters and chaufr feurs, W. K. Lawson writes In the London Morning Post. In 14 of these estab­ lishments there was spent last year £2,682,000--nearly two and three-quarter millions sterling. This is the essence of present day luxury, and those who consider it extravagant may console themselves with the thought that foreign­ ers contributed much more to It than British born prodigals. Our American visitors boast very truly that we have them to thank for these sybarite caravansaries. They called for them and have all along been their chief sup­ porters, paying without question most extravagant charges. In other ways the Americans have been the pioneers of modern luxury. An lnquiiy which is now going on in the United States as to the annual expendi­ ture ut American tourists In Europe Indicates that it is little, if any, short of $200,000,000, or £40,000,000. Our Canadian, Australian, French, Qerman and otner ioreign visitors are also rree spenders, so much so that ministering to ugm mmaim. zo thtir luxurious tastes has become one of the most profitable of London's Indus- agance has at least the redeeming quality of being democratic. Free living tries. On the other hand, the corresponding class of our own people are prob-. was never more widespread than it Is today. From cabinet ministers to ably spending less rather than more on themselves than they used to do. They socialist lecturers there are all degrees and shades of It are being taught thrift in a hard school--that the chancellor ef "As ex­ chequer. If We deduct from their apparently large incomes the number of prior claims on them that have to be met before the free margin Is reached, it will be found in many cases that comparatively little remains either for riotous living or vulgar show. Besides, it must be remembered that the modern Croesus is often a business man who can reinvest his annual profits to much better advantage than in 20-guinea banquets at the Hotel Cecil. The champion spendthrifts of today are not the owners of motor cars and motnr yachts; they are the railway and the shipping companies. • A single train de luxe, with its crew of chefs, barbers and ladies' maids, wastes more money in the course of a year than the most extravagant millionaire. There is tenfold more luxury on the latest Atlantic liners than will be found in any half dozen palaces in the country. From a careful comparison of the proportions of available income spent on superiorities, the workingman will sometimes come out higher than many dukes. His glass of beer, his tobacco, his little bets, his evening paper, his picture shows, his football matches, his seaside trips and his other extras eat up a large percentage of the weekly wage, even of a well-to-do artisan. No one grudges him either his comforts or his recreations, but at the same time it cannot be Ignored that they form a large Item in the sum total of our national outlay on superfluities. Another significant feature of mo^teffi^itiiuiy ls to be found in the fact that the leading millionaires of the day are the reverse of extravagant. Neither have they made their millions by pandertog to the luxurious tastes of the rich. Nearly all of them cater specially for the working and the middle classes. They are purveyors of beer, cocoa, soap, patent medicines and very .i+4+,.<ia if nnm hA an extravagant axe. its extrav- Plan for Centennial Celebration. Members of the Illinois state cen­ tennial commission, created by the last general assembly to arfange for the observance in 1918 of the one hun dredth anniversary of Illinois state hood, are appealing to men, women and children all over the state to be come interested in the County Centen nial association, one of which will be organized in each county. State Sen­ ator Kent E. Keller of Ava is chair­ man of the committee in charge of these local organizations. The object of the County Centennial association is to preserve the history Of Illinois by counties and to arrange for .the county celebration in centen­ nial years as well as assist In the gen eral state celebration. It is expected that these County Centennial asso­ ciations will not pass away with the celebration of the centennial, but will become permanent institutions, work­ ing in conjunction with local hiBtor leal data, documents and other mate­ rials. Membership In the organize tions costs nothing and there are no dues to be paid. Body to Have $100,000 to Spend. The new state utilities commission is going to have $100,000 to spend in stead of only the $60,000 appropriated for its use by the last legislature. The increased allowance is made possible by a decision reached at a conference of Governor Dunne, members of the utilities commission. State Auditor Brady and State Treasurer Ryan, who agreed that the remnants of the ap­ propriation of $58,000 made by the last general assembly for the use of the railroad and warehouse commission may be used by the utilities board. There is $40,000 remaining of the original appropriation to the railroad and warehouse commission. This with the allowance of $60,000 granted the utilities commission brings the total appropriation for the work of the lat­ ter board up to $100,900 and somewhat relieves the anxiety of its members as to how the commission was going to worry through on its small appro­ priation. A commission similar to the Illinois utilities commission in Wisconsin en­ joys an appropriation of nearly $300,- 000, while the public utilities commis­ sion in the etate of New York has an annual allowance of over $2,000,000. 4 4k*. 8tate Body Meets In Springfield. The state efficiency and economy commission, created by the forty- eighth general assembly for the pur­ pose of formulating plans for greater efficiency and economy in the state government, met in this city and dis­ cussed the recommendations it will make to the next legislature. Con­ solidation of a number of state boards has been tentatively agveed upon. Seven Elections Offered Voters, Illinois will have a multiplicity of elections this year as the following calendar indicates: March 24--Special judicial primary. April 7--Township election^. April 21--Village elections. April 28--Special judicial election. September 9--State-wide primaries. September 9--District and county primaries. November 3--General election. The special Judicial primary is for the nomination of candidates for the circuit bench in the district compris­ ing the counties of Sangamon, Mor­ gan, Macoupin, Jersey, Greene and Scott to fill the vacancy caused by the appointment of Judge Owen P. Thomp­ son of Jcksonvllls, by Governor Dunne to a place on the new state utilities commission. The special election fol­ lows, as noted above, on April 28. In all counties unger township or­ ganization there will be township elections April 7. At the same time there will be many city and village elections, it is estimated that on that date approximately 300 cities and vil­ lages will vote on the local option question relating to saloons. In counties not under township or­ ganization there will be v e!ecti<ms April 21, at which time there will al3o be a number of village elections. The saloon question will be voted upon in many of these elections. At the September 9 primary, noittl- nees will be selected for the following offices by state-wide vote: United States senator. State treasurer. State superintendent of public in­ struction. Trustees University of Illinois (two). Two congressmen-at-large. At the September 9 primary candi­ dates for oongress will be nominated in all of the 25 congressional districts of the Btate. At this same primary candidates for state senator will be nominated in the odd numbered senatorial districts of the state. Candidates for the lower house of the general assembly will be nominated In all of the 51 senatorial districts. County primaries lA all counties of the state will be held September 9, also. Important county offices, such as sheriff, treasurer and clerk are to be filled this year. The final election for aH these of­ fices for which nominations are made in September will be held November 3, there being only 54 days interven­ ing between the primary and the elec­ tion Insuring a short but spectacular campaign. Springfield Will Keep Headquarters. Springfield will keep the state headquarters of the miners for at least two years. The convention of the Illinois Workers adjourned at Peoria without acting on a resolution providing for the removal of the of­ fices. The policy and scale commit­ tees will meet in Peoria after the in­ ternational joint scale committee has reported but no other business will be considered. The 1914 convention voted to, hold meetings by-annually instead of annually and the question of removing the headquarters cannot be brought up until the next conven­ tion. Delegates at last year's conven­ tion were directed to get Instructions from their locals with reference to the headquarters, but the resohition was not called up thla year. To re­ move doubt that the state organisa­ tion was in harmony with the inter­ national organization and in sympathy with the Western Federation of Miners, the convention passed a reso­ lution urging the membership to vote favorably upon the proposition to loan $150,000 to the western miners to assist in the Colorado fight Circular letter carrying the recommendations of the convention will be sent to the locals. Commission Orders Bulletin Boards. Every steam railroad in Illinois will be required after May 1 to maintain bulletin board announcing the time of arrival and departure of every pas­ senger train operated by it. The state utilities commission adopted an order Introduced by Commissioner Frank H. Funk imposing this requiremnt. The bulletin boards must be placed in every station in k conspicuous place. It is also required that every agent Bhall post a bulletin at least every 30 minutes of the time of arrival of each passenger train, stating whether the train is on time and approximately the time of its arrival. NEWS OF ILLINOIS a 00000 Pekin.--The First Baptist church (f , ^ % Pekin has extended a call to Rev. lif -'A S. Morrill of Petersburg, Belleville.--The petrified sole of* - h -4 shoe was found In the Narrle City v.'$ mine at a depth of 645 feet •t Belvidem--The First Presbyterian ' church of Belvidere will celebrate ft§, 3 ( seventy-fifta anniversary March 16 17. - Sandwich.--Mrs. Elizabeth Acroggi# of Saiiu wiuii is rewriting ths Bib's verse. She has nearly finished thf .'jj book of Genesis. v Bloomlngton.--Charles Day of ChatsfT * jp! worth died from lockjaw, an injury t^ < a finger a week ago being followed fcf ** Infection. ' Springfield.--Leonard CnmeOo Chicago, a sculptor, was appointed bj^ fi Governor Dunne as a member of th# * * X? state art commission. He succeedf ? "i-. Carl Deil. ;s£p| Decatur.--O. D. Wilson, a VaadaH* . t&v fireman of this city, was killed at FaiW ; rington, east of here, when he fell from the gangway of his engine neath the wheels. i Oregon.--Eleven townships of Ogl# county have adopted the "one highway. t^'V, ; commissioner" plan under the Tie# road law. . Champaign.--J. L. BoIIman, a fresh* .*'/] man from Springfield, who was one ot>;'- the first of the scarlet fever patients^, *" was released from quarantine and atk tended classes. Rockford.--Mrs. James T. Graham, now of Chicago, has filed a,,'. claim for a pension as widow of a former member of the Rockford policfe department serving the city for tea 4 years. Bloomington.--The women ef Manit^. who expect to vote this soring hav^'^'dis­ organized the Woman's Improvement1 * Episcopal association and wfH assen^ : ble weekly to hear speakers and gef instruction in the art of voting. -j.V Chad wick.--Roused from sleep hjf- A the crackling of flames, the family e3j^-i^' . -d Bert Schneider had Just time enou^lj^* to escape with their lives. The house*-» • , valued at $5,000, was destroyed. Mice gnawing matches are supposed to havo caused the blase. Wayne8villa.--Gladys I^ene Sches^ mer, aged seven months, was ehokefl- :a# to death when she caught her head be-' tween the end rods of an iron bed, .? and in her struggles to free herself;; ̂ threw her body over the side of th* bed. Decatur.--"If anything happen* tol>4,\ , me see John Baucom." This nate^ found on the body of F. W. Menoerieh, who was killed in his home by a bomb h e h a d r e c e i v e d b y m a i l , r e s u l t e d i n ~ " the arrest of Baucom, who Is eighteen . . years old. f. . £:• \ Free port--The Free port Young:' J- Men's Christian association has offeredt ^ for eale its present home, and as soon. as it is disposed of will begin a -V "4 Ms- vass for funds for a new buildings That. present building, erected in 189$, haa ;̂ become too small. , f basketball tournament of •: t.' Governor Names Art Body. The personnel of the Illinois state art commission was apopinted by Governor Dunne. The commission consists of two sculptors, two paint­ ers, two architects and two cltisens, as follows: Sculptors--Lorado Taft and Leonard Crunelle, both of Chica­ go. Painters--Ralph Clarkson and Frederic Clay Bartlett, both, of Chi­ cago. Architects--John D. York and 8aloon Fighters Forecast Victory. Anti-Saloon league leaders discussed the Illinois situation at luncheon in Chicago. The plans of the league to drive the saloon from many townships and vil­ lages in the spring elections were re­ viewed and victory was forecast from the activity which women are show­ ing. Illinois Egg 8hlppers Meet. The first annual convention of the Illinois Poultry and Egg Shippers' as* sociation convened at Decatur, with about 150 members in attendance. Commission men from New York ani other eastern markets attended. county schools were fixed for March. 18 and 14 at Onarga. One defeat will, eliminate from the competition. Tbs _ winning school will be presented with, ^ a silk caaaipiouuhip banner. ~ ^ Rochelle.--The city council has : adopted a curfew ordinance, which^^ ̂ makes it unlawful for any child under sixteen to be on the streets or in any public place in Rochelle between 9 p.^ jt' m. and 4 a. m., unless aocompanied by > ^ parent or guardian. , Mendota.--Voters of the townships ^ Mr • of Clarion, Mendota and Troy Grove, 4 at a special election, defeated the proposition to establish a township high school district and build a new '^-1 school. It was proposed to bond thev'""'-CM•'? *SV;V r# - '4 4. M ̂ TRIAL MEAL FOR NEWLYWEDS Ai writer in the New York Tribune suggests a trial breakfast instead of a honeymoon to test the wisdom of a matrimonial match, remarks the Co­ lumbus (O.) State Journal. Let the pair go off to their home, prepared for them, after the wedlock ceremony, and then In the morniag let the bride get up and get breakfast. How the hovers over the repast will constitute a vision of the future,, that will re­ veal far more than honeymoons, dances and receptions, the kind of marriage that has taken place. For after all it is not the fashion, the dress, the romance, the pleasure seek­ ing that will last and become a rich ornament of life--it is the grace, the simple taste, the loving behavior that adorns the first bveakfost prepared by \ the bride that will hold sway during the future Career of the hopeful twain. It is -the virtue of the heart that will make the joy of the wedding last for­ ever. Batooatli-Braaking Penalties. Sabbath breaking in Dundee was an expensive, business in former times, to judge by the table of fines, etc.. drawn up bv the local Guild of Bonnetmakers In 1665, the London Chronicle ob- For traveling or drinking in a no was fixed at 40s for each offense. For "hanging out bonnets. Clothing or fish to dry-- penalty for bonnets, 6s 8d; for clothes, 4s; for fish, 3s. Carrying water from the well or washing meat t*hereat In time of sermon, penalty 8s; gather­ ing kale in time of sermon, penalty 5s; going to neighbors' houses in time of sermon without lawful excuse, gych as sickness, penalty for first and for second twice as mucl rebuke before the craft and zens--State Senator Hugh S. Magill, of Springfield and John C. Vaughn of Chicago. I. T. $. Merit Board Meeting. < The Illinois Traction system merit board met in Springfield- The board shouid have met on the 19th of last month, but the meeting was post­ poned on account of the severe storms. The object of the board is to issue merits and demerits to the trac­ tion company employes. The mem­ bers of the board are: Superintendent R. Edmonston, Springfield; J. C. 'erriton, Staunton; M. Conner, Dan- llle; Trainmaster W. W. Waterson. Mackinsw, and A. & Bergshmerder, Decatur. } New 8tat« Incorporations. Secretary of State Woods Issued certificates of incorporation to the fol­ lowing: Theta Delta Chi House Building as­ sociation of the University of Illinois, Champaign. incorporators--R. C. Swope, C. M. Ferguson and Fred C. Norlin. W. S. Harwood Lumber & Coal company, Bloomlngton; capital, $100,- COO. IsccrporHto1^--Willis S. Har­ wood, Thomas Fitch Harwood, Ed­ ward P. McDaniel and William K. Bracken. Borden Motor Bus company, Chica­ go; capital, $2,500. Incorporators-- Edward N. D'Ancona, A. J. Pflaum and Edwin B. Mayer. Clyde E. Taylor company, Chicago; capital, $5,000. Incorporators--Clyde E. Taylor, D. H. McGilvray and Joseph P. Eames. Crown Millinery company, Chica­ go; capital, $2,500. Incorporators-- Julius N. Heldman, Lewis F. Jacobson and Edward Graff, Abramowim & Horwits, Chicago^ capital, $2,500. Incorporators--Harry G. Wexler, Irwin P. Lewi* and Stow* W. Newman. townships for $9O,0UO to get funds for the new building. . Free port.--The initial step* toward the erection of a new Y. M. C. A. build­ ing in Freeport were taken at a meet­ ing of the board of directors of the as­ sociation when it was decided to offer the present buildiag and site of the as­ sociation home for sale. The directors place a price of $35,000 on the prop­ erty. Springfield.--The state utilities com­ mission issued an order to all street r ; railway companies in Illinois to stop their cars at every street railway inter­ section. The commission further or­ dered the companies to stop their cars at every railroad intersection and not to proceed until either the motorman or conductor had crossed the tracks to see that the way was clear. Danville.--Joseph Dix, a fault--I year-old boy, who, while manacled to George McClain, another delinquent youth, broke away from Sheriff Shep- ard at the C. & A. depot in Blooming- ton, and was captured at Covington. Ind., by Marshall De Haven Dix, who broke the manacles with a crowbar. He stated thst he left his companion in East St Louis. He returned here because of homesickness and spent Wednesday at the home of his sister. Dix and McClain were on their way to the Pontiac reformatory when they escaped from the sheriff. Champaign.--Three hundred Univer­ sity of Illinois students and sons of rich men, dressed as street workers* cleaned the streets in the university district, responsive to a call of tho student's newspaper that the health situation could be< blamed to the con­ dition of the streets. Declaring they did not want to miss any classes, law students elected William Lee, senior in the college of law, instructor pro tem to take the place of Prof. EL N. let fever. In other cases where pro­ fessors are quarantined students worn satisfied with the vacation. Danville.--Burglars made a strange haul at the Fred Natho grocery store, blowing the safe and carrying away all of the account books, ledgers and files. All of the plunder was found lying in a corn field on the oatsfcirts of the city. Nothing else in the store had been molested. Bloomington.--Jamee Hance of Le- Roy, who attacked Miss Anna Croeky of that place, and who made a sensa­ tional escape from Deputy Sheriff Mor­ rison 24 hours later, was brought to the county jail here, .having been cap­ tured by Sheriff Peeder near C>i» palgn. , I'iii Sv •M M-hu