davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23
President Lanes Address.

The Age-Heralds crowded columns
will not admit of the reproduction in full
of the admirable address of President
Hector D. Lane at the Memphis meeting
of the American Cotton Growers Protec-
tive Association, but there are passages
in it that should be laid before every
farmer In the south. For example, he
says: Though 1T may be obtuseness
on my part, fail to see how any system
of finance can be made to apply favora-
bly, to the condition of a class that pays
out 81 per cent. minimum of the net pro-
ceeds of its annual production for com-
modities to make this product before
such is made" The farmer who does
this, Mr.. Lame goes on to say, is spec
ulator, and "a "bear" at that. He risks
all on one CROP hoping that somebody
will "buIl' the market although he is
doing all i'm his power to put prices down.
The two closing paragraphs of Mr..
Lanes Address should be nlemorized
by every cotton grower in Alabama.
They carry their own comment, and 1t is
sufficient to ppfnt them in full:
my experience as a farmer teaches
me that he who undertakes Ito buy and
to pay the profits that he has to pay for
everything that is necessary to make a
crop upon, instead of producing it upon
his own farm, involuntarily imposes up
on himself system of taxation under
which nine out of ten men cannot sur
vive, and the tenth man will be crippled
for life. When he buys pound Of meat
he pays the merchant a tax, the whole
sale man tax. He pays the drayman
who transfers 1T a tax. He pays the
railroad that haurs it a tax. He pays
the man who butchers it a tax. and he
pays the man who raises it a tax, for it
is not likely that he is raising it fer his
pleasure, but for the profit.
I'm conclusion will say that it is my
EARNEST conviction, based upon mature
reflection, that the future prosperity of
the south depends to large extent upon
our producing our farm supplies and
food crops thus avoiding these taxes that
are more burdensome than WE can bear
When we increase the food acreage there
will, Of course, be a consequent dlminu-
ton of cotton acreage, which will dimfn-
ish the annual surplus of cotton and
have the dual effect of decreasing thle
cost of production ON one HAND and rails
ing values ON the other. Then the supply
becoming adjusted to the demand, the
laws of commerce and competition will
prevail and prices viii regulate them
selves equitably between the producer
and the consumer
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23
STILL RETlCENT.
Southern Express officials Say They Are Work
ing on the $4,000 Robbery ]

Columbia, S. c., Dec. 22-The Southern
Express officials are as reticent as ever
about the $4,000 robbery Sunday night
They say they are working on the case;
that the money has been stolen; they have
made good the loss, and hope to catch the
thief, but positively decline to give the
slightet intimation as to who is suspected.
They do not seem to be as confident of an
early solution of the mystery as they were
last night.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23
And Don't Forget the Editorettes.

From the Fond du Lac Reporter
Editorialettes are the latest thing in
journalistic columns. The idea evidently
emanated from the brain of the same
thinkerette whose ideaettes have recently
been expressed in storyettes and sermon
ettes A city editor is really behind the
times IL he does not meet the fad half way
and publish some localettes.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

Purer water and water at cheaper prices
means millions more of capital to Birming-
ham. People do not want to live in a
place where there is the least possible
doubt as to the quality of water. Pure
water is Gods elixir, and the people have
an inherent right to demand it. Pure water
means better health to those already here
and an encouragement to others to come
and find homes here, and thus aid In build
ing up the city. The water works company
must put In q filter before next summer.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23
Happenings of the Unexpected
Chicago News

From the Chicago News.
Diggs-"Something occurred In police cir
cles yesterday that caused genuine sur
prise"
Biggs-"What was it?"
Diggs-"A detective started out on clew
in the morning and at noon arrested
man"
Biggs-"Pshaw! That's nothing; they
usually arrest four or five in that length OF
time"
Diggs--"But this man, strange as 1t may
appear, was the real criminal"
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23
The Silent Argument.

From the Chicago News.
If you would only pause to think,
When mad enough to choke,
That the word that cuts the deepest.
Is the word that's never spoke,
You'd let the other fellow talk,
'TiH the storm had passed away;
Then he would get to thinking Of
The things you didn't say.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

The last one to distinguish himself by kill
ing his sweetheart near Dalton seems to be
in great danger of coming in contact with
friends of Judge Lynch.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

There are abundant reasons for believing
the civil service law will have its tire badly
punetured before the republican party COM
pletes its four years ride.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

1t was not expected that George w.
Smalley would say anything good about
this country in his speech at Brooklyn Mr..
Smalley is a native of Vermont but spent
six years in London as the correspondent
of the New York Tribune.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23
Where They Eat Dogs.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
A journal which has been studying as
tronomy remarks: 1.-THE Klondykers don't
have to eat in the dark" All the same
many of them would no doubt like to d,
so.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

If Joe Letter, the new and youthful
wheat king. can keep up his gait he may
be able to distance that old-time farmer,
Phil Armour, until the latter will be forced
to believe he never understood the art of
raising wheat crops.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

Now that Japan has withdrawn her pro-
test against the annexation of Hawaii, the
senate can open wide it's doors to the
hula hula girls
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

The police force of Birmingham is not
efficient. More men are needed, and the
men are entitled to better salaries.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

1t Is difficult to keep members OF the
"oldest and best families in Georgia from
coming to the front on numerous occasions.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

Dollar gas, cheaper and better water will
be acceptable Christmas presents to the
people of Birmingham.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

If the police commission keeps up it's
work of reform a long-felt want will have
been furnished
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

Port Arthur may be also a goc1 place
for the English squadron to take up winter
quarters.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

A reformed police force may be instru-
mental in doing greater good
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

1t will be well to kaep an eye on the
Chinese coast
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

The theatrical trust is drifting into a
very bad show.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23

Two Kinds.-People don't like con
dJsnsed milk They prefer the udde1
kir'e.-Springfield Qll) Monitor.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-19

success as a scientific kitemaker de-
pends a great deal upon the care you
take to get these pieces of cloth just
right. The proportions must be accu-
rate. 1t is the cloth surfaces which con-
stitute the aeroplanes, for the modern
kitemakers tell us that their improved
fiiers are kites only when they are MAX
ing the ascent and after that they be-
come aeroplanes, with a lifting and sus-
tanning power which the old fashioned
kites never possessed.
So for box kite 28 inches long and
~ inches wide you should have two
strips Of cloth SO incnes long and 0
inches wide. Muslin or any other thin
cloth may be used, but china silk,
nainsook or peroaline is preferable.
Have the strips hemmed on each side,
30 that they may not be frayed by the
wind, and then sew them together at
each end. Now slip the cloth over the
ends Of the frame II should fit tightly.
If it does not, alter your frame, not
your cloth, although the latter would
be the easier course. When you have
the strips so that they fit nicely and
have pulled the bands SO that the edges
are at exact right angles to the frame.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-19

Just what these reasons are has not as
yet been made quite clear, and in fact
the Washington authorities do not thor
oughly understand them. One ground
Of objection is probably the fact that
Captain Merry served for several years
as consul general to the United States
from Nicaragua, and it is violating an
unwritten law in international affairs
to reverse the compliment and send Cap
tain Merry back.
Captain Merry is native of New
York, but went to California in 1850
and has been there so long that he is re-
garded as one of the pioneers Of the
state. For many years he served as cap
tain in the employ of the Pacific Mail
Steamship company, and later he entered
mercantile life in San Francisco.
Probably the chief reason for selecting
Captain Merry as minister to the Cen
tral American countries was that he has
long been an earnest advocate Of the
Nicaragua canal and is regarded as an
authority on the economics of transporta-
tion. For four years he lived in Mica.
ragua, and while there he made care
full study of the canal project. He has
served two terms as director of the San
Francisco board of trade and is con,
nected with many commercial and pub.
lie associations.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-19
CHINESE DEVIL KITE.

to the ground. Some of the tricks which
the box kites have been made to per-
form are wonderful For instance, Mr..
Woglom, a New York kite expert,
thinks nothing of sending up a big
American flag 1000 or 5000 feet. He
does it by getting up a string of five or
six box kites and then fastening the
staff of his flag to his kite string Then
he pays out more string, and the flag is
carried up. He has operated camera
with clockwork arrangement attached
to the shutter and has taken snap shots
of the city roofs from the clouds.
Other Bitefliers have done the same
thing, and Mr.. Eddy has made some
valuable meteorological observations by
sending up instruments attached to his
kites His success in this line led the
government weather sharps to make ex-
periments OH their own hook and now
kitehying ON big scale is being con-
Quoted at many Of the principal sta
tions. At some of them they send up
such big kites and so many of them on
a string that piano wire is used for kite
anu hllSS uIG ny
means of strong windlasses.
There is another form of tailless kite
which is much used by scientific men,
This is called the Malay kite. 1t is use
full in light airs, but will not stand so
strong blow as the box kite Only two
sticks are used in the Malay kite, and
The cross stick is bent like bow by ty-
ing the ends together Over this frame
is stretched oiled paper or cloth, and
the bride is attached to the sticks where
they cross and at the bottom.
But, after all, though we have done
some wonderful things in the way Of
kitefying, we have not made an art of
it as have the japanese, the Chinese
and other orientals. The Japanese made
box kites with one cell 100 years or
more ago and today they make and fly
kites which are a puzzle to our most
expert and most scientific kitefiiers.
CYRUS SYLVESTER.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-19
KLONDIkE TREASURE SHIP,
The Steamer Portland and Her Somewhat
Exciting Career.

The Steamer Portland and Her Somewhat
Exciting Career.
The steamer Portland, the Klondike
treasure ship, which earlier in the sea-
son brought down from Alaska the first
squad of successful miners with their
ton and half of gold dust and nuggets,
will hereafter figure i'll the history of
the great gold strike Of 1897. Or her
next trip down from Alaskan ports she
will have a still more valuable freight,
for she will bring the result Of the
summer clean up on the Klondike.
Probably no ship has ever carried o
richer cargo since Pizarro sailed home
ward to pour the wealth of the plum
dered incas into the lap of Spain.
The Portland is one of the best known
steamers on the Pacific coast, but she
was once notorious rather than famous.
Her notoriety was gained under the
name of the Haytian Republic, and un-
der that cognomen she engaged i'll the
nefarious business of smuggling opium
and Chinese into the United States.
She formerly ran between Portland,
Or, and Victoria, B. c., and every one
on the coast knew of her unsavory rep
utation. She gave the revenue cutters
many hot chase, and more than once
did she barely escape falling into the
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-19
MRS. CLARENCE BERRY,

Berry rode most Of the 900 miles strap
ped to dog sledge. When the sledge
tipped over, which was not infrequent-
ly, she tipped with it and went into the
snow all over. At night the men pitch
ed tent, made bed of boughs, and on
that she slept, wrapped in blankets.
At Forty Mile she was fairly comfort
able, but her most interesting expe-
riences began after her husband staked
out claim on the Klondike 10 mile
from what Is now Dawson City. The
men built log cabin, and when she
arrived it had neither floor nor win
dows. 1t was made habitable after
awhile, though, and she started in with
her housekeeping. She cooked over
little sheet iron stove, and all the fuel
she had to burn was knotty scrub pine
so full of pitch that it would burn up
and go out if not looked after closely.
All their stores were frozen solid,
and everything had to be thawed out
before it could be used. Their vegeta-
bles and nearly all their meat were can
ned. Every drop of water used had to
be made by melting snow or ice. Mrs.
Berry made yeast from hops and canned
potatoes and taught several miners the
art of bread making.
1t was rather lonesome in the cabin,
and when Mrs. Berry had finished
washing up the dishes she used to put
on her furs and go out to the mines,
with the thermometer at from 40 to 90
degrees below zero. There she picked
up nuggets Of solid gold just for amuse-
ment. She says it was most fascinat-
ing diversion, and most women will
readily believe her.
~ used to poke among the clods
which were thrown up with sharp
stick" says Mrs. Berry, land when /
saw anything that looked like gold ]
would pick it out. In this way found
many nuggets, the largest of them be-
ing worth $23l. Then ] tried panning
out the dirt, hut l had to melt ice for
water, and this was almost too hard
work. 1 saved my nuggets and dust in
all kinds of bottles and jars, and my to-
tai clean up was worth about $40, ,000,"
Among the women who went alone
to the Klondike was Mrs. J. T. Willis
of Tacoma. Her husband was so Grip.
pied with rheumatism that he could not
go, so she went and left him at home
Needless TO say she is woman of iron
will. 1t was two years ago that she
started for the Yukon, but for long
time she barely made enough to live Oh
She was early on the ground at Klon-
dixie after the first strike and obtained
work as cook in Dawson City at $40 per
day. She also did washing for the
miners, but she secured claim which
is said to be worth $250,O00 and when
she comes back will probably be rich
woman. JOHN +. WILLoUGHBY.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-19
WOMEN OFTHEYUKON
EXPERIENCES OF SOME WHO WENT
TO THE KLoNDlKE REGION.

Mrs. Berry Kept House For Her Hus-
band, but Managed to Pick Up $4,000
Worth of Nuggets Between Times-A
wasberwoman who Got Rich There.
Women have gone to the Klondike
gold regions, have endured the hardships
and dangers Of the journey as we'll as
the privations of camp life and have re.
turned safe and we'll to civilization.
Some Of them are there yet. Others are
on the way there and many more are
planning to go.
In view of these facts the stories told
by some of the returned women of the
Klondike are especially interesting just
now. Foremost Of them all is Mrs.
Clarence Berry. On March Is of 1896
she left San Francisco a bride and
started with her husband to help him
find fortune in the frozen goldfelds Of
the arctics.
As far as Juneau travel was comfort
able, but from that point to Forty Mile
tuO IOutO luJ hClOSS lIO1Su "lluSIutsS
Of snow and ice, and at every point some
new danger lurked. From Juneau to
Forty Mile it is about 900 miles, and
Mrs Berry and her party were three
months on the way.
Thanks to Mrs. Berry's previous ex-
perience she knew exactly what to take
in the way of an outfit. ut cost me, "
she says, "about $3.50. 1t included three
suits of everything / had heavy woolen
underwear and knitted woolen stock
ings. My skirts were heavy and flannel
lined and came only little below the
knee. / had heavy fur coat, fur cap,
fur gloves and the heaviest shawl ]
could get. Besides this | had rug of
bear skin, which was a necessity. On
my feet wore moccasins made of seal
with the fur inside. They had tops
which reached above my skirt Then
for wet weather l had pair of muc
lucs, as the Indians call them. They
are mud moccasins, the soles being
made waterproof with seal oil. AS an
additional precaution 1 had flannel
inner soles for my moccasins, and my
toes were not frost bitten once.
How would the average woman like
to put on costume such as that? Mrs.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-19

clutches Of the revenue officers when
her hold was full Of contraband goods
and her decks crowded with the scum
of the orient.
Her time came at last, and she was
caught. The scandal is still remember
ed, for the collector of customs at Port
land, several of his deputies and half q
dozen attorneys were implicated in the
affair, They were all convicted and
heavily fined, as were the officers of
the steamer.
Then the Haytian Republic passed
into the hands Of new owners, and the
name which she had disgraced was
erased from her bow and stern, while a
new one, the Portland, was painted in its
place. Since then she has been respect
able steamer and is now making more
money for her owners than she did
when she brought in big cargoes of
opium and Celestials. On her next trip
down she will be accompanied by the
revenue cutter Bear, but she will come
not as prisoner, but as a guarded
treasure ship.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-19

Captain louis de Lestry of ST. Paul
reports the discovery of a prehistoric
fort in South Dakota. The walls are
very acute and the slope is on three
sides at al angle of 40 degrees. Moth
ing could be more clearly defined than
the outer and inner breastworks or
earthworks, with a ditch running be-
tween both of depth of 10 feet and a
width Of 10 feet. The east side almost
joins the high prairie lands. At this
point was found we'll marked gate
way. Three mounds in straight line
north and south are evidently places of
special defense Of this entrance.
A spring near one corner of the old
fort is also specially protected. Inside
the walls named are a large number of
smaller works to which the defender
could retreat if the outer works were
captured by all enemy.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-19

only this, but they have been made to
carry up thermometers, cameras, aerom-
eters and other scientific instruments.
Men have even been lifted high into
the air by strings of big kites In fact,
we can only guess what the scientific
kitefliers will do next, for they have
but just begun their work Of investiga-
ton and experimentation.
They have shown us, however, that
the kite may be put to useful purposes,
and they have taught us how to build
kites that make the old fashioned prod
uct, which the ingenious schoolboy con.
structed in the attic, seem like clumsy
effort by an uncivilized barbarian.
The kite, in fact, has undergone a
radical change, and the aerial soarer of
today looks no more like the kite Of
lantern looks like kinetoscope. The
up to date kite has no tail-not the
slightest suspicion Of one. Now, when
you and were boys we regarded the
tail as the most vital feature of the
kite. If our kites didn't fly just right,
we hauled them down and regulated
the tails. If that didn't remedy the de-
feet, then we gave it up. But the new
kites of the most approved kind look
like frail boxes and give no hint Of
their ability to go up into the air in q
light breeze.
Don't imagine that the boy of today
isn't keeping up with the progress in
kitemaking as well as in other things.
know several bright boys who have
tried their hand at scientific kitemak-
ing and have been quite successful. In
year or two more the youthful kite
maker who sticks to the old traditions
and makes fat kite with tail to it
will be an object of derision among his
comrades.
The sporting goods stores now sell the
new kites ready made and warranted to
fly. Probably limited number will be
disposed of, but if the kite manufactur-
ers expect a big sale they are bound to
be disappointed. A few boys may be
satisfied to fly "store kites" but the
average youngster would scorn to use
his spending money for any such pur-
pose; besides, what vast amount Of
satisfaction there would be in making
kite "all by himself" which would
fly just as we'll as or perhaps better than
a "store kite.
For the benefit Of these youngsters, as
we'll as for the interest of grown up
boys who have made kites themselves,
years ago, am going to give a few
simple hints on the making of the new
box kites, as they are called.
For the frames the best material is
straight grained spruce sticks which are
at the same time light, strong and
springy. For box kite Of ordinary size
you will need four sticks, each 20 inch
es long, four 20 inches long and four 8
inches long, and you can get them at
any lumber yard or window sash fac
tory. To make your frame more sub
stantial the short uprights should be
mortised to the sides instead of being
nailed.
Now, over this rectangular box skele-
con two narrow pieces of thin cloth, one
at each end, must be fastened. Your