davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21
chicken soup and winter hat. went.


Monsieur, the proprietor of the place
where cotton birds are matched, oblig-
ingly let me in, and madame, his fe,
kindly piloted ms downstairs to the in
cubator.
The room was filled with rosy. checked
girls and gaudy feathers. the fingers of
the pretty workers sitting around two
long tables deftly manipulating feathers
o: every conceivable shade and size, some
curling them over a short, blunt knife.
some steaming them, others bending
them into shape and wiring them, and
others packing them into boxes From
fifty TO hundred, madame explained,
were steadily employed. Just now they
were filling some large orders for Califor-
mia ostrich feathers, but certainly
should see bird made il l wished.
As the wire, cotton and feathers few,
as it were, into shape beneath nimble
fingers, the bird seems oddly familiar to
me. Then | knew that its twin was at
home in my bandbox. The happy con-
viction was rne in upon me-my bird
too. was q fake. 1t had not been sacri-
feed to plnder 10 my contemptible
vanity. 1t mad never twittered in the sun.
light. 1t wasn't Gods little bird at all.
| was not accessory to crime.
In the fullness OF my Joy l went out and
bought an icecream soda
Dorothy Quill.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

There are these parrots, for instance
They are friGhtfully destructive and must
be fought constantly. Like the sparrows
and stariings, they are utilized by count
less thousands for the millinery trade,
their bodies being cleanSed at the fac.
tories, their skins and feathers steamed,
then dried and colored in the prevailing
shades and stuffed.
NO, 1t Is great mistake TO suppose
that every bird worn upon hat repre-
sentS lie sacrificed LOT mere vanity's
sake. About per cent of the birds seen
are really slaughtered for that purpose,
ana they are not singers, for Ii is we'll
Known fact that birds OF brilliant piumage
have no singing voice. Like the peacock,
they are tor show. not 10 make melody
Real birds of paradise are very expensive,
and We supply the bulk OF trade with
cheap articles in the bird ami feather line.
manufactured out of common waste ma
terial thrown aside in the markets, gath
cred up in bags and sold 10 the factories at
so much pen pound. What would you re-
formers who have SO much to say about
cruelty do with the thousands OF women.
men and girls in the United States, TO say
nothing OF those in other countries, who
would be thrown out OF employment if
women were TO cease ;he wearing OF feath-
ers ana birds upon their hats? In New
York City alone there are so 900 women
engaged in the feather industry. Win the
people who cry down the feather trade
provide Tor them In some other way ?"
l frankly confessed my inability To cone
with this view OF the question, but tried TO
get even by bringing up the subj CT OF
eEreis, those unfortunate mother birds OF
the heron family who have, when in
breeding dress, long dorsal plumes, the
beauty OF which dooms them when thev
| should be most kindly protected, and
whose sacrifice is shameful and deplor-
able.
lit is true that the egret is killed wan
toniy, admitted the man who feathers
his business nest, 'bat large proportion
OF the so-cslled egrets are not egrets at ali.
but peacock feathers with the eyes re.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21
Nature S Salt Mill.

In the sink Of the Salion Sea, go faal,
below the level of the ocean. is Tho mo-
curious salt mill in the world. The onsr.f
tor of the mill is Dame Nature. on,v =
pIow and some shovels are needed to 80
the product A spur line of railway runs
out into the great salt marsh, the crust of
which Is strong enough to bear spcb a
burden. Steam plows do the work af
breaking the crust and steam shoveIs load
the pure saline deposit on The cars. The
sink covers $40 acres. 1t is supplied from
numerous adjacent salt springs that carry
per cent OF salt in summer and 4 per cent
IN the winter.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

would be too patriotic TO publish his ecS,
centricity.
Why, reporter without this intention
OF running his own paper woult be like
salt-rising bread without salt; like drug
store without city directory. 1t is the
all-essential prerequisite OF his existence,
the mother-lode of his journalistic pros
pect1nc.
The last paper started still fingers in
my memory. Its creditors still linger in
my front yard. and although it has long
since been laid TO rest in the journalistic
graveyard it's ghost still fingers under the
nom de plume OF defendant.
Owing to the fact that l had great deal
of choice manuscripts which l had re-
ceived from the leading editors OF the
United States with thanks, l decided 10
start a publication through which these
thoughts might be given to the world,
and thus become ep demic. After deep
study of the classics, decided to christen
the new paper the Yellow Dog, and
thus deprive my esteemed contemporaries
of the pleasure of proving the fact Ten
DERBY l watched over the buff-co!ored ca
nine. With each issue the harmonious
tones OF its melodious bay sounded
clearer and clearer above the yeips OF its
rivals i'll the journalistic dog pound. But
when on an evil day the plaintiff came
and carried off the printing press, leaving
burning editorials lying in state on the
cold gray stone, the voice OF the Yellow
Dog became silent; the political corrup-
zionist and public enemy began to breathe
easier; virtue again trem bled for safety.
canine mortls NICK BONnEN
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21
THE BIRDS ON MY LADY'S HAT

There is always the other side to a cues
tion.
On recent morning l encountered
friend of mine who is engaged in the dis
couraging task OF reiormingthe world at
large and diyerting it from its devious
ways. l had just emerged newly hated
from the milliner' 5, and was in the serene
state of mind which naturally follows the
requirement OF freshly fashioned head.
gear and which none but a woman can
understand. When, therefore, my friend
eyed my hat and my self with clammy dis
approval. my heart took header into my
patent feathers like the dropping of The
time ball at meridian on Telegraph HUI.
What Is the matter?" i faltered.
Isn't it beeoming2'
How can YOU he so cruel?'' she said
answering my question by asking another
surely You do not realize that in o der
10 grauty Your vanity harmless. happy
niue creature had to bs sacrificed? In
adjoining your hat with bird, you have
not considered the nest that was robbea.
on have not cared that the most ioyous
OF Gods creatures was slain while twitter.
ing IN the sunlight in which il had a
divine right 10 live unmolesled; that per-
haps It's tiny throat was stilled in the
very act OF pouring forth flood OF m elody
10 make glad the hearts OF those who
listened. Think OF II. and ask yourself il
you have any right 10 assist in the whole
sale butchery OF these fsathered inno.
cents"
did think of it, and the more thoug ht
the more criminal did the wearing OF a
bird upon hat seem, fer am not wholly
devoid OF conscience, ana / do not relish
the idea of blood being spilled in the cause
ii personal vanity. l thought so hard
indeed, that ! went home by side street,
bearing my ill-gotten prey alott shame
iacedly, a sort OF funeral procession OF one.
oottiaed the offending hat in a bandbox,
but the voice OF conscience dinned Itself
into my ears all day. and in my dreams
when night came, that birdIet hopped
painfully out Gifts bandbox grave, perehed
itself upon The loot OF my bed and turned
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

tance OF forty miles. Manv men are en-
ployed in these mills all the year.
The Sperry Flour Company now own
the Chico mill, having purchased it from
General Bidwel This mill does rush
ing business in all mill products and is
under the management of w. +. Sperry.
The city has reason to be proud OF the
Chico Canning Company, which is purely
a local concern. This company sends out
from 500 600 To $65 900 worth OF goods per
year. The cannery is under the manage
ment OF J. b. Stewart and employs from
200 to 500 men, women and children dur
ing u busy season. This plant is a great
help TO Chico, many children earning
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

lis classy eyes upon me with reproach-
ful and immovable stare that entered like
rom into my soul Ifyou have never been
haunted by a bird gnost, OF course you
cannot fully appreciate my feelings.
Early next morning l started out 10
help reform the world by diverting those
heartless fiends in feathered crime, the
wholesale dealers. from the CORY sinful
ness OF their ways. l walked down a
yeritable avenue of feathers on tho second
floor OF an eStahlis hment that spread over
the hall OF block in length, aud sought
the proprietor who dared TO make a
neiaylous living by selling dead birds and
their bodily equipments. pounced upon
love OF little fowl with radiant
plumage. entombed in box near by with
shroud OF tissue paper, and held 1t up
accusingly.
DO you think" said l, that it is
right to Kill these beautiful creatures in
order tha' you may make money p and l
eyed him even as my friend had eyed me.
with cold. reiormatory stare.
DO you think" he answered. "that it
is right 10 kill chicken in order that you
may make meal2"
What has that to do with itp' I asked.
Everything. When 1t comes TO ques-
ton Of cruelty you must go TO the mar
kels, then to the people who buy quail,
doves, chicken and turkey for their Ia ables.
Ii 1t were not for their appeiites. We deal
ers in feathers would be forced to so on,
OF business"
"Why?'
Because il is the markets of a city that
practically supply the millinery trade
the markets, aud the farmers who protect
their crops by slaughtering pests such as
the English sparrow. the starting. and
parrots in tho southern countries. all oi
them so destructive that millions oi
bushels of corn and other products of the
held are DESTROYED annually in spite of the
endeayors of the growers to keep the
deyouring hordeS away. Shall these birds
eat and man staryer Which is better. TO
Kill them or let the farmers 20 hungry
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21
Marvellous Watch Rino.

One of the most curious and valuable
OF the relics of General Lafayette. the
great Frenchman, WHO cast his fortunes
with America when .he battle for inde-
pendence was at its height, is now in the
possession OF the family of w. G. Griffin
OF Los Angeles.
When Lafayette came to this country
he was entertained by Colonel Griffin
ana was so touched by the attention
shown him that he presented his host
with rare and beautiful ring which had
been placed on his finger by Louis XIV.
10 whom he admitted allegiance before
sailing for America.
The ring is marquis with setting
about an inch long and fully half OF an
inch wide.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21
The Churches of Chico.

/
! There are eight churches in Chico, all OF
which have good attendance-the Pres
| byterian, Rev. E. Graham pastor; Epis-
copal, Rev. A. George; Main-street NJ. E.,
Rev. Seneca Jones; Catholic, Father
Gualco; Main-street NJ. E., Rev. L. A.
Green; Christian, Rev. Mr.. Pam; Bap-
list. Rev Mr.. Stephens. and The A. NJ.
E., Rev. Mr.. Anderson.
Fine Buildings.
The Presbyterian church is one OF the
principal buildings of the city and adds
greatly to Chico architectural beauty.
The Odd Fellows Temple, four-story
brick building, is an ornament to Chico.
1t is occupied on the ground floors by
stores, while the upper portion is let TO
| the different lodges and as offices.
The Park Hotel is another sample OF
Chico's large buildings. 1t was con-
s.ructed in 1889 by the Park Hotel Com
pany, and is leased by Mrs. NJ. Mcmillan,
who runs one of the best first-ciass hotels
in Northern California.
The City Park, comprising one block
between Main street and Broadway, is +
very attractive spot. This block van
decided 10 the city by General Bidwell, ariidA
is now kept up by the city and made a
place of beauty.
Leading Societies.
With fraternal and social societies Chico
is we'll supplied. having the Masons. Odd
Fellows, Foresters (F. of A. and l, o.
F.) Chosen Friends, Red Men. K. of H.,
K. of P, o. E. s., N. S. G. W., N. D. G.
W., "A. 0. U. W., w. of W. and the G.
A. r.
Company A OF the Second Regiment is
| stationed at Chico. J. j. Cahil is the cap
tain, L. A. Jackson first lieutenant and G.
| T. Jackson second lieutenant.
The Theater.
The Armory Hall, owned by Victor
| David and leased by Philip Phoenic, is the
! place OF general amusement, being a first
class opera house, with seating capacity
of 700 chairs.
Newspapers.
Two live and newsy papers are pub
| lished in Chico daily-the Enterprise. an
evening paper, edited and owned by Wat
son Chalmers, a veteran editor of Butte
County, and the Record, owned by Rich
ards d Dewel, morning paper. These
| two papers are alive to the interests of
Chico in general and enjoy liberal
! patronage
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

ing, each having esta blished good trade.
The Chico Foundry, NJ. L. Merry pro-
prietor, furnishes farming and mining
machinery TO supply the growing de-
mand. Mr.. Merry has lately patented
gasoline engine. t!e success OF which is
exceedingly fattering. These engines
have won tor themselves name OF being
first class, ana are now extensively used.
The Chico Soda and Botiling Works is
one of the best-paylng industries in the
city. A. G. Eames, the proprietor, de-
votes great deal of his time to the
manufacture OF syrups and different
drinks for which he finds a good market.
The Chico Brewery, an old and reliable
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

establish hment. does general brewing
business. M. Popp, the owner. has re,
Gently fitted Up AN ice machine, which he
will run in conjunction with his other
business.
William Robbie, proprietor of the NJ ar
BILE works, is man of much experience in
his line and sends out good work. He
furnishes marble and granite for many
nearby towns.
Chico is well represented in the dry
goods business, the three principal stores
teing NJ Oser & Co. on Main street, Neu-
barth Bros. and Fred J. Hauck on Broad
way.
The grocerymen come in for no small
consideration in summing up the business
of Chico. Prominent among them are:
f. w. Miller & Co.. J. II. Sawtell. San
Francisco Produce Store, H. T. Epperson
& Co., Chico Cash Store, Hiembach, NJ.
Gorthaffner and Sol Petit.
State Normal school
,, The State Normal School building, large
and spacious stands on First street facing
Normal avenue. With Professor Ritter as
presid ent and a corps OF able teachers, the
school is in flourIshing condition, rank.
| ing as one of the best State Normal schools
in California.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

enough through the sum mer to puy books
and clothes and 10 take advantage OF wiz
ter schooling. The officers of the COM
pany are: NJ. j. OConnor. president; J.
B. Stewart, vice. president; J. II. More
head, secretary and treasurer.
The Bank of Chico. and Bank OF Butte
County, do q general banking business,
and enjoy an equal amount of the
patronage.
Three large and prosperous hardware
stores supply the farmers and artisans with
all lines OF hardware. 1t is hardly necessary
10 mention the names of \. l.. Nichols.
Hubbard, Earl & Co., and L. l.. Hubbell,
as they are hardware men of long stand
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21
New Electric Power Project.

A new STOCK company is just formed,
the Butte County Electric Light and
Power Company. This company has been
granted a franchise to erect poles and
string wires within Incorporate limits of
Chico The waters of Big Chico. seven
miles from town, will be harnessed and
the power transmitted to Chico for light
ing purposes. A new incandescent sys-
tenn is soon 10 be put in at such low
figure that the light will be utilized not
only for public use, but many of the
residences will be lighted by electricity.
E B. COLLINS.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

can be pulled down, and thus enable q
person 10 wind the watch by means of an
ivory key. On the back are the directions
for winding in old French.
The watch par. of the ring is not in
working order, aud to have it fixed it
would have 10 be sent 10 Europe and the
cost for repairing would be so consider
able sum that repairs will hardly be
undertaken. Many curio-seekers have at
tempted to purchase the ring. but the
owners regard Ii as Invaluable and treas
ure it as an heirloom. 1t is now in the
possession OF the Griffin family at Los An
geleS.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

In the center of the ring is a complete
watch made up of three faces, one disk for
the minutes, another for the hours. and
in the center is a compass. Gold sur
rounds these disks and the compass and
this is intricately arranged. Surrounding
the middle of the ring are number of
pearls.
In the back OF the ring is q slide which
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21
The New Paper.

The average journalist who has not at
some time IN his career started 8 pape
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21
Common Schools.

The City Board of E EiucatIon is COM
posed of the following-named citizens:
j. d. Sproul DR.. A. j. Lands, H. A. San
bourn and H. J. McFerson. There are
two public school buildings-the Olkdale
and Salem-street. The present enroll
ment is little over 500 pupils. Professor
G. w. Harvey is principal and there are
twelve assistant teachers.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

This school. with an average attendance
of 800 students, adds greatly to the i'm
portance of Chico, as from one.half to two
thirds of the students come from distant
places.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-31

houses, it does not seem too nice to live fl.
This is chiefly due to Mrs. Hobart, who by
the way, will be an important part Of the vice
presidential family during the next four
years. She was, you know the daughter Of
Socrates futile, the man with whom Mr..
Hobart studied law, and with whom he after
ward went into partnership. Mrs. Hobart
and her husband we're acquainted with each
other before they reached their teens They
have been married more than a score of years,
and their relations are as close today as they
fond of society, and Mrs. Hobart is well
fitted to take the place, which, owing to
the delicate health of Mrs. Mckinley. she will
probably have of being the leading lady Of
the coming administration.
GARRETT A. HOBART JR.
There is only one other member Of the Ho-
bart family, and he is by all odds too import
ant member for me to leave out Of this let
child that Mr. Hobart now has. His daugh-
ter, beautiful girl Of twenty, died in Italy
about two years ago. The boys name is Gar
ret A. Hobart Jr., but his father and mother
call him Junior for short. Junior is just
twelve years old, with decided taste for me-
chanics and what might be called almost
craze for electrical work. He has a little
electrical laboratory in the top of the house,
and with a boy friend, he has established
partnership for the putting. up and repairing
of electric bells, electric lights and matters
Of that kind. l don't think his father much
likes his doing any such work outside Of the
family, but the boy, you know, Is an only
cnlIo, ana that makes a difference. He
really does wonderful work in electricity. He
has put up many Of the electric bells in his
fathers house, and during my stay he took
me up to his laboratory and showed me the
different electrical machines which he had
there. He has half horse power electrical
motor which runs his machinery, and he has
a large lathe, by means Of which he carries
on his boyish experiments. There are five
different lights in the room which be put up
himself, and these range in size from a little
incandescent glcbe of two-candle power up to
a large one of fifty-candle power After I
of the two electrical handles Of his electric
battery, and set every nerve in my body 10
quivering until l persuaded him to turn off the
current. He showed me some transparencfes
which he had made to be lighted in honor of
McKinley's election, and upon leaving handed
me couple Of his business cards for my
friends. Frank G. Carpenter.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-31

now gets more than hundred letters a day
outside of his regular business channels, and
fully fifty of these are from people who want
charity. There are churches all over the
country who write for contributions Yester-
day a minister wrote for money for a new
suit of Clothes in order that he might at
tend conference meeting respectfully. The
trustee of a church in Indiana asked for
$3.50 to pay arrears of a minister's salary,
and put the postscript at the end of his let
ter, stating that the church still ewes 81, 900
on it's building, and that the Lord will re-
ward Mr.. Hobart if he will send a check for
this at the same time. There are lots of
letters which come from young ladies. Some
want new dresses, others want money tx
send them to school, and a New Orleans girl
writes to the extent Of thirty pages, asking
that she be sent SO, 600 to be used in compIet-
ing her musical education, and requesting
that Mr.. Hobart telegraph her at once how
soon she can have the money. Then there
are the letters from the widows who need
support. There letters from vot-
ers who have mortgages which they want
lifted, and QueereSt of ALL there came today
a pathetic appeal from a girl in the country
for So, to be used to buy her a set Of false
teeth. She writes that she has three sis
tiers. and that they all have false teeth,
and that she needs the same in order that she
may appear as we'll as her sisters. Then
there are from seven to eight letters every
day announcing the births of the finest babies
of the United States, each of which has been
named Garret A. Hobart, and the owners of
which each expect a present by return mail.
One Of the funniest of these has just been re-
cieved. 1t is signed by the man and his
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-31

duties on goods specific and not ad val
orem the times will grow much better,
and l believe that we are about to
enter upon an era Of great prosperity"
NOT AFRAID OF THE SENATE.
How do you look upon your work at
Washington, Mr.. Hobart? Do you APP
prehend any trouble in fulfilling the
duties of a vice PRESIDENT"
Il see no reason to fear" replied the
vice president-elect II don't think the
position is a difficult one to fill. You
see, I have had some experience.
was speaker of the New Jersey legis-
lature for two terms and after that
president of the senate. / apprehend
that the work Of presiding over the
United States senate will not be much
more difficult than that Of presiding
over the New Jersey legislature
you have been in politics more or
less all your life, have you not, Mr..
HObart?"
YES" was the reply, but not in
the sense of being in it as a business.
Politics has always been a side issue
with me. My partner, Mr.. futile, was
an old politician and was close in the
counsels of the party, and this threw
me in politics as a young man, and 1
have never gotten out. I was elected
prosecuting attorney when 1 was quite
young. I was the youngest member Of
the legislature at the time of my first
election, and l have had more or less
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-31
A DOLLAR A SCHOLAR.

'FWEat did you do after you left col
lege, Nh Hobart %
My first work was school teaching"
was the reply. 1.-THE little country
school where taught was a mile and 4
half from my fathers house, and / rode
there and back every day on one of my
fathers horses
How did you like teaching?"
Very much, but l did not stick at it
long. l taught only three months and
then came here to Paterson to study
law
Did your school teaching pay?"
Yes, it seemed to me that it paid
very well. I got $40 for my three
months teaching. The scholars each
paid me 81 a month, and [ had to col
lect my salary. When 1 counted up the
money at the close 1 remember 1 had
SIG, and it seemed lot Of money at
the time.
What made you choose the law as a
profession, Mr. Hobart?''
There is quite a romantic story COLI
rected with that" replied the vice
pre- sident 81 studied law with Socrates
futile, who was one Of the well-known
lawyers of New Jersey. Mr. Tuttle
and my father were boy friends They
sat on the same bench when they went
to school together in New Hampshire.
and after they had finished their school
ing they both taught school, My father
came to New Jersey to take charge Of a
school here, and he liked it so we'll that
he sent back for his old friend to come