davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

London. Sept. 14.-The decisive bat tie in the new conquest of the Egyptian Soudan is yet to be fought. No re- sistance worthy the great issue at stake has yet been offered the Anglo Egyptian forces by the generals of the Khalifa, although the invading army has steadily been pushing forward for more than 8 year and has covered all but 200 miles on the march to Khar- toom. September is the most favor able month in the year for travel in the country, between Berber and Khartoom, as the Nile floods cover the rocks in the cataracts allowing a pas sage for the steamers laden witt sup plies. The sixth and last cataract is still between the English and Khar- toom, it being located about eighty miles north of the latter place and about 120 miles south of Berbcr.
 Every indication points to an i1- mediate advance by Sir Herbert H. Kitchener, Sindar of tie Egyptian army and the decisive battle may take place by the middle of next month, and perhaps sooner. It is believed that advance forces of tho Madhists will be concentrated near the sixth catar- act to oppose the passage of the sup ply steamers, but the real battle is looked for at Khartoom.
 Osman Dfgma commander of the Khalifa's forces, and military general of surpassing shrewdness, has persis- tently avoided decisive conflict with the enemy for sound reasons. Gen. eral Kitchener had hoped to fight a big battle at Dongola, but he was dis appointed as the Mahdists fled. Kitch- ener's object in -drting a battle in the early stages of the invasion was the moral effect which an Anglo Egypt victory would have upon the tribes of natives in the enemy's coun- try.
 Without almost an exception these are all friendly to Egypt, but so great Is their terror of the Khalifa who has massacred, plundered and starved them for the past ten years that they are fearful of displaying the smallest sign of friendship for the invaders.
 Another sound reason which in- .duced Osman Digma to delay a large battle was the injurious effects which the long journey to Khartoom would have upon the physical structure of the invading troops. The wisdom of this belief was shown in July of last year, when cholera broke out in the great Anglo-Egyptian camp at Kosbeh killing over 800 men. PestiIence and the climate. he. argued would do more than active warfare in ridding the Soudan of the enemy, but during the summer just passed, the invaders have suffered very little from disease. More over they are in better shane to-day than was expected by the most optim- istic when the plan of conquest was first mapped out year ago last spring.
 From the starting point in Upper Egypt, the whole country to Berber has been won over to the Egyptian cause and in every village the troops
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

ener has under his command 15,000 infantry, goo cavalry and l ,000 fighting men of the camel corps. He has also collected about him, during his years march toathe south, several thousand Arab allies, undiscipljned, but splendid fighters. There are 2,000 more men in the baggage and transport service, but these cannot be included among the effectives in time of battle. The equip ment includes Maxim rapid f1ra guns and field batteries of Krupp guns.
 Three-fourths of the army are com- posed of Fellaheen and the rest are Soudanese who compose the black regi- ments. The Fellaheen troops are re- liable fighters and stand fire steadily, but against the wild raids of dervishes they have more than once displayed symptoms of panic. although in the only big scrimmage of the present war. that at Ferket on June ' of last year, they conducted themselves with mark ed courage.
 The Soudanese, however, are as vali- ant as the Madhists and they are cer- tain to be placed in the van when the big encounter takes place. Tn the ex- citement of battle they are almost un- comfortable and rush In to do hand-to- hand fighting. Tn a mad charge of
The age-herald., 1897-09-26
MARvELS OF THE BIGGEST
 HOTEL IN THE WORLD. John Jacob Astor's S9,OoO, Astoria" Will Soon
 Be Ready for Business. 1, f,OOO,O ,OOO SQUARE FEET OF FLOOR SPACE. Round Thousand of Employees Necessary to Care for Its 1900 Rooms. Eighteen Sets of Engines In the Basement and Laundry Which Does Weekly Wash
 of S1OOO Pieces
ooo SQUARE FEET OF FLOOR SPACE.

Now York.-In few days the great est hotel in the world will be thrown open to the public, when the Astoria, built by John Jacob Astor, on the site of the family homestead at Thirty fourth street and Fifth avenue. is ready to receive Its first guests.
 A detailed description of this struc- tural mammoth Is an impossibility within the limits of newspaper space and only some of the startling facts, indicative of it's vast magnitude and splepdor, can be given.
 Aoioining 1t is the famous Waldorf owned by William Waldorf Astor, cousin of John Jacob, and until the ad- yent of the Astoria, the finest hostelry in this country, or any other. William Waldorf erected the Waldorf to spite his cousin. md his aunt Mrs. William Actor. and make the old home unten- able for her by the immediate proxim- itv of n great public house. He suc- ceeded in driving them away but John Jacob turned the tables by putting up a hotel that oyershadows the wal dorf in every respect.
 Strangely enough, however, the two hotels will be operated by MT. Boldt, manager of the Waldorf, aud they will he really conducted as 1T thsy were on, hotel. Family disSensicHs, no matter how bitter. never interfere with business in the Astor clan and al- though John Jacob Is certain to get the lions share of the profits, William Waldorf, with his naughty pretensions upon English royalty. has bowed to the commercial inevitable.
 From the~ sidewalk to the .to5mcst cornice tho Astoria is two hundred aud fifty feet. It Is sixteen storIoS hlgh, but there are twenty story buildings down town whose total height Is less than two hundred ard fifty feet. There
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

arc two sub-stor;es. l. has frontage of one hundred feet on Fifth avepue and three hundred and fifty feet on Thirty fourth street.
 The main dining TrCr is On the Fifth avenue front and merges into that of the Waldorf giving a length of almost two hundred feet. A thousand guests could, at pinch, bs fed at the same time with all the varied delic- acies composing well-served feast
 This, however, gives but small idea Of the floor space of the Astoria. If all of the floors could be spread of a level plane they would cover an area of almost 100000 square feet Nearly 10000 tons of steel alone was used in the construction of the build- ing and this gives some idea of its solidity. There is one column of steel in the center which bears quarter weight perhaps, than any similar SUD- port in the world. It is but thirty feet long and weighs 46,000 pounds but bears the gigantic burden of 5,400,00O pounds, as much as T good sized bat tie ship weighs.
 Another extraordinary engineering feat in connection with the hotel re- latcs to the ballroom, located on the second floor, and rising through three stories to a height of forty feet. In other words 1t takes in the second, third and fourth stories, the ceiling heinz against the iron girders of the fifth story. The dimensions of this apartment are eighty-flve by ninety-six fest, the floor space being entirely un- obstructed by pillars.
 Yet above this space arc many hun- drcds of tons of weight which must be supported. How to solve the prob lem was @ question for a long time and 1t was feared at first that the beauty of tho ballroom would have to be cur
The age-herald., 1897-09-26
S0UDAN'SDEQ6|VE BATTLE
 Is NEAR AT HAND,

welcome the arrival of the army, al- though through fear they will fight un- der the banner of the Khallfa.
 It is estimated that Osman Digma has a fighting force of 50,000 men un- der him ready to make the last stand at Omdurman. Against such an army 1t will be no easy task for the in vaders to emerge victorious from the certain battle. Fear is an unknown emotion to the Mahdist. His belief that the soldiers who falls in battle against the enemy of his religion is immediately transported to Paradise, impels him to court death rather than avoid it. Thus it will be simply by wholesale courage that the invaders can win. Osman Digma, although Scotch by birth, is the most bitter foe to England in the Soudan and is an adept in aroHsing the religious fam
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

The Sundays school class was sing ing, "I want to be an angel"
The age-herald., 1897-09-26
THE ASTORIA.

the sinecure which 1t may appear to be.
 Six men will be employed con- tinually polishing the brass work on the electric light jets. In all there are '20.000 of these, in the ballroom alone there being 1000, and nearly that num- Der in the "Astor Gallery" on the same floor as the ballroom, an apartment re- served for large banQuets.
 It is estimated that 10000 pieces will SO through the laundry in the .base- ment each day., or 280,00o pieces a week. A "wash" of this size might stagger the average housewife, but 1t will be trifiing Incident in the As- toria. Machinery handles 1t with
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

result was the construction of six im- mense trusses each fifty-one feet in height, the heaviest and strongest ever made. Three are placed on columns of prodigious strength above the din- ing room and the other three run from the fourth to the sixth floors. They are so concealed in the partitions of the building that their existence is never suspected.
 One thousand employees are being gathered together to operate the many departments of the hotel. The mag nitude of the work to be done daily in this miniature city can best be ap- preciated from few statements of the
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

lightning speed, even the drying being done in ten seconds by the employ ment of hot air pumped out by a special engine. Adjoining the laundry is an icemaking plant which can turn out twenty-five tons in few hours. In all there arc eighteen different sets of engines "below stairs," each one having a seperate service to perform.
 The wonders of the kitchen are too numerous for detailed mention. For meats, fowls, vegetables, pastry, and confections there is a seperate chef and he has an army of deputies, assistant deputies, sub-assistant deputies and raft of other intermediates down to the scullions. The galary of depart mental chefs are under one grand chef who lords 1t over the whole establish ment. He tastes the various dishes and doles out gems of advice for which he is paid $12,000 per year, consider ably more than the vice-president of the United States receives from generous nation.
 To attempt an adequate description of the furnishings or commentators of the wonderful suites which will cost anywhere from $50 to $500 per day, would consume several columns of space.
The age-herald., 1897-09-26
NEMsY NOTES.

There Is a tradition in New Mex leo that many mines once freely worked have been lost. There is an other tradition that many springs have been lost and it is understood that the losses of both mines and springs are brought about by the In dians. New Mexico is supposed once to have been much more attractive than it is now. The Pueblo Indians arose in revolt on the first full moon of August, 1880. When they had driven the Spaniards down into Old Mexico they set to work to change the conditions so that there should should be little temptation to reconquer New Mexico.
 This idea inspired the filling of, mines which had been opened and worked. during the former Spanish occupation. The Indians, with great care, destroyed all traces of many mines, it is said. This is not so sur prising as what they did to the springs. It is tradition, and the statement is commonly accepted as historical truth, that in their labors to render the coun- try as uninyiting as possible, these h. dians suppressed numerous springs. Such results were accomplished in an ingenious manner. The Indians dug down and cleared away the dirt until they found the crevices of the rock through which the water came. They took the fibrous bark of a species of fir tree and tamped it into the crew ices. As the material became water. soaked it swelled until it plugged. Nothing remained but to throw back the dirt and to give to the surface the general arid appearance of the sur rounding country. This was not a temporary expedient. It resulted, &C., cording to the present theory, in the permanent destruction of many sourc- es of water.
 To this day the appearance of slight moisture often stimulates a search for one of the missing springs. Occasion ally these searches are successful. The earth is removed, the crevices are found, the bark Is picked out, and the water. after more than two centuries of being turned back, resumes its nat ural flow.-Topeka Capital.
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

thermore shoot with more accuracy than the Fellaheen, although they are at their best in close quarters.
 Before the battle at 0mdurman Gen. eral Kitchener will probably be re-en- forced by troops from Suakin, 250 miles to the East on the Red Sea. The approach of the Nile expedition will clear the intervening country of the enemy and will give practically safe passage for the re-enforcements from Suakim to a point near Omdurman.
 It is believed that If tho Anglo Egyptian forces are victorious that the Khalifa will retreat to the south towards Lado with the remnant of his army, but here he will probably en- counter a force of 5000 Congo state troops commanded by Belgian officers who expect to cut him off and thereby gain large slice of Soudanese terri tory from Egypt for the service -cn- dered.
 But all this as well as the map of Africa depends upon the result of the meeting between the Mahdists and the Anglo-E Egyptians.
 BERNARD BARRETT.
 The Sunday-school class was sing
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

The following Japanese English ad- yertisement Of tooth paste recently appeared in a Japanese paper: "Inl tho East there was no good sanitary tooth paste that was sure to cure and safe to use, SD our company resolved to prepare a good natured paste and successed. The efIlciencies of this paste are as following: Firstly, to- strengthen and preserve the nature of the tooth; Secondly, to tight tn, tooth with thingams. Thirdly, to de-, fend hemonhage arisen by frictrir. Fcurthly, to take away the offensive smell of the mouth. Fifty, to difend the putrification of tooth and so pre- vent the carious one. Any one who uses this paste will certainly discover that 1t is of avery wor drfnl and vlu- able nature by his practice. To use this paste it is necessary to vinse the mouth will wslir aftr sabiing the tooth carefully by the tooth lbrasb.'
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

He-TelI me. Carrie were y6a. evcr.@ in love bofore? .stA ..-
 She-To be frank with you, Harry. my heart never went out from me but onco. and that was to my bicycle; Lut. Harry. like you as woll as 1t is pos sible for me to like man.
The age-herald., 1897-09-26
Osman Digma With 50 900 Madhists Awaits the h.
 vaders Approach At 0mdurman.
ANGLO EGYPTIAN FORCES TO ADVANCE RAJ
Kha Has Been Husbandng His Strength For More Than Year and the Boodies Battle In the History of the Soudan
 Looked For Next Month.

have been regarded as deliverers. Be- tween Berber and Khartoom the sar,e favorable feeling is known to exist and
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

tailed by the erection of. at least enc line of supporting columns.
 MT. Astor wouldn't hear of it, how ever, and then a noted engineering firm was called into consultation. The
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

dervishes, they would meet them LaIf way as they prefer fighting with steel to firearms. They are experts to a man in using the bayonet, and fur minor duties. Three men for instance will have nothing to do but go from room to room to wind up the clocks and see that they keep correct time. As there are 1900 rooms this job Is not
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

The greatest financial genius of the Rothschild family, though there have
 been many of great talent, was Ma than Mayer, of the second generation,
 who established the house of N II. Rothschild 6 Co.,. in 1798, in London. He flew to the stars and grovelled in the mud for money. He welcomed all transactions, big or little, wherewith to turn the. bankers penny. He was the most daring speculator of his time on the stock exchange, and the most successful. He had carrier pigeons and fast sailing boats to bring him the; earliest news from the war centers of Europe and so help him to manipulate
 stocks. He followed Wellington's army
 to Waterloo in person and had re-
 lays of swiftest horses and fast
 yacht lying in the harbor at Ostend.'
 So he arrived at the London stock ex, change after the battle twelve hours ahead of any public announcement of the victory, and made $25,O00,000 by ] one of the most tremendous series f 1 speculations in history. In 1910, when l, the Duke of Wellington, then com manding in Spain, drew on the English government for s15000,000, and the English treasury was short, Nathan
 bought the drafts at a big discount and : at once sent the money. The stories
 about this remarkable man are almost
 endless and show how strangely he
 was alike equal to the most tremen-
 dous schemes and the pettiest tricks of ayarice.-Harper's Round Table.
 fa1r1 &r0
 steadily making its way, and its gen. eral adoption promises to be not long
 deferred. An improved car, made for
 service in Cincinnati, Is an elaborate
 development of the original form. It
 is solid black in color, with gold leaf
 distributed throughout to relieve the
 somberness of tone. It is about 20 feet long, with vestibule in front to hold the casket. In general design and size this vestibule much resembles the box of a hearse, placed crosswise of the car. The opening is at the side of the car, and the casket is shut off from the view of those within the car. In the inner apartment there is room for about twenty passengers. In the case of largely attended funeral, another ordinary car could be added, which would hold from thirty to fifty people, and would greatly reduce the expense, besides obviating great deal of the delay incident to the use of carriages. To be able to hire such a car instead of hearse, and the number of mourn ing carriages ordinarily necessary, is an immense boon to people with linn tied means. In Cincinnati, for in- stance, hearse costs $S, and five car riages, which would be necessary to carry twenty people, would cost s4 each, or s20. making $2S. This item should now be reduced by at least one half While in this country the street car would probably not be looked upon
 as meeting tho requirements of q great public funeral, in the City Of, Mexico all tEe attendants at state ob- sequios travel to and from the ceme-l tery in street cars, and while the fu- neral procession is i'll progress all tho other traffic on the limo is stopped.-.
The age-herald., 1897-09-26

aticism of the Mahdists, and to his success in this regard has been largely due his victories in many battles.
 Opposed to this army General Kitch-
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-20

dicating the pulse of the public on the
subject the lists of names that have
come in this way are herewith printed.
AS will be seen, Republicans and DEM
ocrats alike are in favor of the ap-
pointment of commission. Business
men and professional men think alike
on the question. 1t is only a question
of few days when the necessary num-
Der of signatures will be secured to
make the required per cent Of the
vote of the last city election, and then
the judges will do the rest.
The necessity for having some chang
eS made in the charter is felt to be
great, and the movement is commend
ed by all who feel that way AS a
sample of what people think about 1t,
the following brief statement by Hon.
Thomas D. OBrien gives fair idea
Mr.. OBrien said yesterday:
II am decidedly in favor Of submitting
a new charter to the people and am
gratified to see the G O b e take the
stand it has. A commission appointed
by the district judges will undoubted-
~ not only be composed of first class
citizens, but will be satisfactory to
everybody, it will be nonpartisan and
free from control by the Officeholding
class.
1--WE need new charter to protect our
schools, to modernize our institutions
and above all to reduce our expenses.
When every business and professional
man is having his income reduced I
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-20
MONTY FOR THE MONUMENT.
1t Is Coming in Slowly From Various
Sources.

About fifty women were present yes
terday afternoon, at the Kittson house
at the monthly meeting of the Monu-
ment association. Mrs r. M. New
port, who presided, read a report Of the
entertainment given by Company d
as benefit for the Monument asso-
citation. The report showed the re-
ceipts to have been S13S, expenditures
$22, amount turned over to the assoc
citation Sill. Mrs. Newport also re-
ported that William Kingsley inspector
of buildings, had been to see her and
had said that the city and county of.
ficials were to play a game of base
ball at the Lexington base ball grounds,
either the latter part Of July or first
of August and asked If the association
would receive the proceeds. All thar
was wished OF the women was to adj
vertiSe the game, use their influence
to get people to attend, and, if posi-
BILE, attend themselves. A motion to
accept Mr.. kingsley's offer was unani-
mously passed. Mrs. Newport said
that, in looking UP the battle of Bun
ker Hill in the books of the Historical
society, she found that the Bunker
Hill monument, which the men were
unable to complete on account of hav.
ing no funds, was finished by the
women of Boston, who raised $50 900
in an incredibly short time by solicit :
ing subscriptions. No one was asked
for more than 81, but any sum was
received, even if only five cents Mrs.
Newport also spoke of the statue Of
Col Shaw, who commanded the first
colored regiment, which was completed
last May, and Is erected on the SPOT
where he fell surrounded by his men,
and where he was buried A letter
from a bronze worker of New York
was read asking for an interview, as
soon as the association was ready to
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-20
PLEASURES FAST.

The Misses Perfect gave musicale Thurs
day evening at their home, 80 South Victoria
The parlcrs and dining room were decorated
with pink and white carnations. Among
those who took part were Prof and Mrs.
Colville, Miss Wilson, Miss Ke!lar, A. G.
GeSSler and Mr. DAM
Thursday afternoon Mrs. A. E. Boyeson
gave buffet luncheon for her sister, Mrs
Mlburn of Chattanooga. The hostess was
assisted by Mesdames E. N Saunders, A. r.
Dalrymple, c. ]. Morris, E. A. Jaggard,
w. F. Graves and Miss Saunders. Yesterday
afternoon Mrs. Boyeson entertained with pro-
gressive euchre; also for her sister The
rooms were tastefully decorated with pink.
The annual meeting of the Women's Home
Missionary Society of the First NJ. E. Church
was held Tuesday afternoon at the home of
Mrs. Hascal R. Brill. The following officers
were elected for the ensuing year: Mrs. c.
D. Hayes, president; Mrs. A. w. Dunning
vice president; Mrs. NJ. L. Hawthorne, sec
rotary; Miss Koenig, treasurer; chairman
of programme committee, Mrs. Goodman
chairman supply committee, Mrs. Brundage
The annual picnic of the Sunday school of
the Plymouth church took place yesterday at
Minnetonka. Mrs. NJ. A. Waite Clinton
Ansley and Robert Mcmillan were the COM
mittee in charge.
Mr.. and Mrs. Melville entertained at pro-
gressive euchre Thursday evening at their
residence on Cherokee avenue.