davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald., 1899-07-06

ham Southern railroad, first discovered the fire and quickly gave the alarm. Several persons rushed to the feed store and broke in the back door. The flames which had been partly smothered by the hay shot out of the door as if by magic and the building was soon a mass of flames. The fire spread in both directions slight breeze was blowing from the northeast, but this died down in a few minutes and the wind sprang from the opposite direc- ton. The flames then bounded across the street and destroyed Muers store. By tear ing down a frame house next to Young's store in Third street the fire was checked in First avenue. In the meantime several buildings in Second avenue, between Third and Fourth streets, had been torn down and the flames had been cut off in that di rection.
 The Pratt City fire department turneu out and did some valiant work saving sev- eral buildings. Water was so scarce, how ever, that little could be done to stop the raging flames.
 telephone message was sent to the Bir- mingham department asking for aid, but owing to the scarcity of water the trip would have been useless, and Birmingham did not respond to the call
 At o'clock the flames had subsided and property owners began making an estimate of the losses sustained. List of Buildings Destroyed AS can be gathered from best information the following is list of buildings destroyed and the amount of damages suffered:
 Mrs. D. A. Searson-Loss, &, POO: insur- ance, Si00.
 Mrs. J. B. Benil-Loss, ,$1, ,45O; insurance. $500.
 Mrs. D. Webb-Loss, S1,50O.
 w. J. kelso-Loss, $l50.
 John Wedman--Loss, $15O.
 Five cabins occupied by negroes-Loss, $500.
 D. J. Hudnall-F'ive-room house; loss, $500
 w. D. Young Two store buildings; loss, $500
 w. A. Brown-Buildings; loss, S1, 200.
 Joe Hoskings-Four buildings; loss, $1, 400. James Gooch-Two buildings; loss, $500.
 R. F. Lovelady-Cabin; loss $125.
 w. D. Suther-Two buildings; loss, $1 300; insurance, $5OO.'
 Aal & Stagg-Two buildings; loss. s1 900.
The age-herald., 1899-07-06
OVER HALF MILLION
Dollars in Revenue Taxes Paid Govern.
 ment by Alabama

For the fiscal year ending June 3O 1s99 Alabama has contributed to the national government over half million dollars in revenue taxes, being by far the largest amount ever paid in the history of the . state.
 't. !, Collector Bingham has about completed hlsrNreport. which shows that p56S, 92 was cOll tv"+-tfd1-ng the year. against s2ol '2so7 for tthe year ending June 30, 1898, an in- cyIse of ssO7Oas.15, or 151 per cent. While /the figures have not yet been classified un- der the different departments it is estimated that about s15OoOO was collected under the war tax bill, which became operative July l. 1898, still leaving an increase of IS per A cent. over the previous year.
 SAs compared with the figures for 1897 this y1ar's receipts show an increase of 210 per eent., the collection for that year amount ilng to only $15S999.06.
 1Collector Bingham is very proud of his rel bort and will forward it to Washington in A few days.
The age-herald., 1899-07-06

Mrs. ". A. Key-Two buildings; loss. S,- 300. Mrs E. W. Young-Three buildings; Ioss s70O.
 Mrs. George Goff-Two stores; loss, s1.- 000
 Joe McDonald-Two stores; loss, $250.
 Mrs. Lubelsky-Two stores: loss, $500
 Bob Thomas@Two buildings, loss $1 200. Mrs. M. Rogers-one building; loss, s6O0 insurance, $400.
 Total loss on buildings, $19725; total in surance, $2,100
 Stecks
 Joe Lacey-Loss, s4OO0
 c. R. Atlkins-Loss 5000; insurance, $1,- GOO.
 L. L. Allison-Loss, $l,OoO; insurance, $500.
 J. L. Nail-Loss, $500.
 W. B. Mitchell-Loss $500.
 I. J. Levy-Damaged in removal, $25O. loss covered.
 Mrs. NJ A. Atxins-Loss, $s5O insurance $250.
 Barlow Finch-Loss, $500; insurance, $4OO
 Muir X Walker-Loss, $550.
 John Adair-Backsmith tools; loss, S2O0
 Ebert's Variety Store-Loss, S1,5OO. Vallely Bros.-Loss, $50. Job Going-Removing; loss $l0o; covered Dr. T. T. Thaxton-Loss by removing $S0O Ike Greenstein-Loss, $600O. w. A. Brown-Saloon; loss, $1500. George Gorff-Saloon; loss, S5o9. A. J. Odom-Saloon loss, $1 800; insur- ance, $10OO.
 White Elephant-Saloon; loss, S60O Bob Thomas-Loss, $25G0. Mrs Lubelsky-Loss, $100. A. J. Lewis-Fixtures, etc.; loss, $50. w. D. Suther, stock, $20oO Consolidated Electric Light company property, $150 Southern Bell Telephone property, $l25.
 Total loss on stocks, s27, ,625. Total insurance on stocks, s 250. Total value of buildings burned. S19.725. Total value of buildings insured. S2 100. Net loss on buildings burned, $21 S2s. Total value of stocks burned, $27 625.
 Total value of insurance on stocks, $S- 25o.
 Net loss on stocks. $2,375. Total net loss, $i6, 200.
The age-herald., 1899-07-06
MEN FURLOUGHED
Are Not Entitled to That Extra Months
 Pay

Many of the members of the old First they did not receive their full pay when they were mustered out last October, and that they are still entitled to another months pay. This is not the case, however, according to Auditor Brown of the war de- pertinent
 Col E. l.. Higdon, who commanded that regiment during the Spanish war, has been receiving a great many letters from old members of the regiment all over the state, asking if they were not entitled to an ex- tra months pay, in accordance with the following notice, which they are clipping from various papers:
 Volunteers Extra Pay-Nolunteers dis charged with or without furlough, be- fore or since January F, lS99, or dis charged since, before the muster out of their regiments, entitled to two months extra pay, if they served beyond the limits of the United States; one months extra pay if they served only within the limits of the United States. Volunteers transferred to the regular army are regarded as regulars enlisted for the war. (Acts of January 12 and March 8, 1899; comptroer's decision of March 1T and 27, 1S99)
 Early last month Colonel Higdon wrote the following letter to the auditor of the war department:
 I have the honor to request the follow ing information: The First Alabama reg .iment was mustered out after being given a thirty days furlough. I am re- ceiving daily hundreds of letters from members of the First Alabama, claim ing that they are entitled to an addi- tional months pay. I enclose you one of the clippings they are sending me. Please advise me by return mail wheth- CT members of the First Alabama can draw the additional months pay, as per enclosed clipping.
 The following was the reply received from w. w. Brown, the auditor of the war de- partment:
 Officers and enlisted men who receiv- ed the benefits of a furlough to await muster out, are not entitled to the ex- tra pay under the act of January 12, 1899, or its amendment of March 3, 1899.
The age-herald., 1899-07-06
SBO,OOO FIRE
 IN PRATT CITY AcOketon" Quarters Swept By Fourth of July Blaze. INSURANCE VERY SMALL Wind Was Favorable for the Flames and the Water Supply Was Soon Exhausted-SeoondR Big Fire
 in the Citys History.

The second disastrous fire in the history of Pratt City visited that thriving little suburb early Tuesday morning and de- stroyed property to the value of almost s50,O ,O0O Before the devastating flames could be checked twenty-five buildings had been consumed, and but for the favorable con- dition of the wind the entire town would have gone up in smoke
 The burned district is situated in the cen- tral portion of the town, and includes al- most the entire block bounded by First and Second avenues and Third and Fourth streets. Four buildings situated on Fourth street south. of Second avenue and three buildings on the south side of Second aye nue, between Third and Fourth streets, were also destroyed.
 Very Little Insurance
 It is estimated that the loss will not ex- eeed $51,000, with about s5,500 insurance. The destroyed district was known as ''Coketon," or '''The Bottom" and was the most thickly settled portion of the city Very few residences were burned, for the reason that there were very few in that district. Many persons are rendered home less, however, as some of the business houses were also occupied by families.
 This is the second disastrous fire which has visited Pratt City in recent years, though the damage of the present disaster exceeds that of the previous one by sev- eral thousand dollars.
 The first large fire from which Pratt City suffered occurred on May 13, 1S95--om that memorable occasion forty-one houses were destroyed, aggregating a loss of S4S,- Ge0
 Not so many buildings were razed two days ago, but the damage amounts to something over S5O,OO0.
 The Origin Unknown
 The origin of the fire is unknown, though 1t was first discovered in the grocery and Iced store of E. R. Atkinson. It is sup posed to be the work of incendiares. but there is no proof to this effect.
 Will Elmer, an engineer on the Birming-
The age-herald., 1899-07-06
GOING TO SANTIAGO
Captain James E. Shelley Will Serve ir
 the Provisional Army

Captain James E. Shelley, late of the Filth immunes, left yesterday afternoon for Honduras by way of New Orleans.
 After settling some private business af- fairs in that country he will go to Santi- ago by way of Jamaica, where he has been commissioned by General Wood as a eaR- tain in the provisional army of Cuba.
 Captain Shelley made a splendid reputa- tion as an officer during his service in San tiago, and when his regiment was mus tered out, General Wood immediately of- fered him command in the provisional army.
The age-herald., 1899-07-06
 CHRISTIAN ENDEAVORERS
Alabama Delegates Left for the Inter-
 national Convention

Tuesday at noon number of Christian EndeaNorers of Birmingham left on the northbound Louisville and Nashville for Detroit to attend the annual international convention of the Christian Endeavor so- clety. The party arrived in Detroit yester- day afternoon in time for the first meeting last night.
 A special car was provided Tuesday for the use of the Endeavorers of Alabama. all of Whom-went in body The Birrlingha delegation was as follows: Mir. and Mrs. John ". Sibley, Miss Jessie Roberts, Miss Addie Norton, Miss Naldo Allen Miss Ruby Kennedy, Miss Jennie Wilson, Miss Gra- ham, Miss M. Wilson and Miss Morrow of Gadsden. State President Sam J. Cassels ol Montgomery accompanied this party.
The age-herald., 1899-07-06
BURNT DISTRICT AT PRATT CITY

These elders and deacons have a regular state organization, of which William T. Atkins, of Selma, is president.
 Yesterday afternoon John Miner, Of Coumbiana, stood his examination at the First Presbyterian church of this city for admission to the Presbyterian ministry MT. Mlner is a splendid young man and a hard Christian worker. He was gratlu- ated at the University of Alabama in 1s9G and from the theological department of Princeton University last month.
The age-herald., 1899-07-06
ENSLEY COMPANY
 MAKES CHANGES
Property Taken Out of Hands of
 Trustees.
STOCKHOLDERS IN CHARGE
David J. McConb Elected President and A. B. Boardman Member of Fa- nous New York Law Firm,
 Chosen One of Directors

At a meeting, of the board of directors of the Ensley Land company yesterday the property was turned over to the stoekhold- CTS by the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Rail road company, who assumed the entire in- debtedness.
 N. A. Barker, president of the First Ma , tional bank, and James Bowron, vice-pres- dent of the Tennessee company, have been acting as trustees for the property, but it now out of their hands, the action of the board of directors placing the entire proper ty in the hands of the stockholders. James J. McComb, of New York city, manager of an extensive real estate man agement company, was elected president. Offices will be opened in New York, Mem phis, Nashville and Birmingham and prob ably other cities. President McComb ex- poets to have the benefits of million and half dollars capital, now controlled by a large building and loan association, to be used for building purposes at Ensley. The Ensley company was organized some time since for this purpose. It was to sell land for the Ensley Land company at 10 per cent. commission. Under this agree ment Messrs. Bowron and Barker were ap- pointed trustees for the Ensley Land com pany. This has been taken out of their hands now and the stockholders of the company will take the matter directly in charge.
 Two New York Directors
 At the meeting referred to Cord Meyer, a millionaire real estate owner of New York was elected director, as was J. Henry Smith, who is manager of one of the larg- est estates in this country. A. B. Board man, leading member of the firm of Board- man & Platt, of Tracy, was also elected to fill this position N Baxter, Jr., and A. M. Shook of Nashville, and Judge Wm. A. Walker, of Birmingham, are the three southern directors. J. R. Vail, of Brrnng- ham, was elected secretary.
 President McComb will immediately open an office in New York and have an as- sistant secretary and treasurer there for
The age-herald., 1899-07-06
PERSONAL.

pr. Wyatt He1in has returned from a visit to his father, Dr. w. L. Henin, at Roanoke, Ala
 The Montgomery Advertiser of Tuesday says; MT. E. E. Kersh, representative here of The Birmingham Age Herald. who has been sick for some time at the Pla nt hotel, has about recovered. He expects to go to his home near Greensboro today or tomorrow. Mir. >Kersh is a most excellent young man and a vigorous newspaper cor respondent. His friends are glad to know of his recovery
 The Selma Journal has this to say of the sherlft or Jefferson: Captain F. P O Brien sheriff of Jefferson county, is in the city. He came to Selma after Walter Hall. vanted in Birmingham for burglary. The
The age-herald., 1899-07-06

the purpose of presenting to New York in Vestors the great inducements that are of fered at Ensley for building and manufac- turing sites
 The company confdentially expects that during this year five hundred additional houses will be erected at Ensley, as a re- suit of the action of the board of directors
The age-herald., 1899-07-06

negro was captured and placed in jail on Saturday. Captain OBrien has not been to Selma before in several years, and lis host of friends were overjoyed to see him. The genial captain is a candidate for the state senate in his county, his term as sheriff expiring in 1900. That he will be elected is hardly to be doubted, and he has the earnest wishes of numbers of citizens in Dallas for his success.'
The age-herald., 1899-07-06
ksmau Boy Horribly Lacerated

Huntsville, July 5.-(special)-Elgie Chapman, sa small boy, was horribly lacer- ated todayS by the explosion of a fire works bomb Fin East Huntsville. The bomb was fired up last night and did not explode The boy found it today and kicked it. I ne bones in his firm and leg and side were exposed, the flesh being blown off.
The age-herald., 1899-07-06
GRAND PROMENADE CON.
 CERT N. B. PARK,

Thursday. JAly 9th. Music by Memoli's full band. Dance orchestra in pavilion free. Park will be beautifully ilu- minated.
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-29
BEN WOOD.
Items of Interest, Personal and
Other wis.,.

The employees Of the Riverside mill
and the pudding and plate departments
of the lower works received their salar-
les yesterday. A large amount of
money was paid out at each plant.
The Austrian Social Club will give a
dance at the Blue Ribbon hall next
Tuesday evening.
1t is expected that the Wheeling
steel plant will be idle tomorrow on
account of a scarcity of metal. Some
excellent runs were made in the various
departments of the mill during the past
week
A hop was given by a party Of young
people at Holderman's hall, in the
North End, last evening. A number
of people attended and spent de-
lightful time. Some choice music was
furnished for the occasion.
Miss Lydia Howe, of Belpre, O., is
here visiting her cousin, Mrs. Walter
Greenwood.
The funeral of Mrs. Nicholas Becker
will take place from her late residence
in the North End this afternoon at /
o'clock The remains will be taken to
Mount Calvary cemetery for burial.
A set of new sterling boilers has
been put up at the lower steel works.
Henry Hepe, who left here recently,
has secured employment at Youngs-
town, 0.
Mrs. Ellen Rogers, of Moundsville,
was here visiting friends yesterday.
Mrs. George Goegelein is lying seri-
ously i'll at her home
A supper and dance will be given by
the Blazing Arrow Tribe, Improved Or
der of Red Men, at the town hall, dur
ing the coming month.
The literary contest under the aus
pices of the w. G. T. U. at the M. E.
church Friday evening, was won by
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-29

Ten Per Cent. Profit Mailed Every Sat
urday--Wm. +. Miller.
Large and Sure Profits in Wheat ano
Corn-The Combination Investment Co.
Morphine and Opium Habit Cured-Mrs
Baldwin.
Wanted-First-Class Salesman.
Agents Wanted-State School or Mag
netic Healing
Wanted-Ladies to Work at Home.
For Rent-Dairy Farm.
Public -Horseshoers' Association.
Nothing Succeeds Like Success-Richard
Oliver.
Wanted-Position by Young Man.
Found-Cow.
Wanted4Girl at $40 Main Street
Wanted-Agents TO Collect Small Pho
tographs.
Wanted--Young Girl
Fortunes in Stocks-Reed & Co.
Leatherwood Residence for Sale-J. e.
Devine q Co.
Funeral Notice-Zane Lodge No. !,
Shield of Honor.
Hallowe' en-Albert Stole & Co.
Every Lady Has a Wish Ungratifed-C.
A. House.
Bonds-H. T. Behrens. Jr
Wanted-Room and Board.
characterization as Bookkeeper
Wanted-Bsker.
Wanted--N-ws Agents
Wanted-Girl at s. Fourteenth Street.
Funeral Director and Embalmer-Robt.
r. Hill.
Wheeling Brass Company.
Office Rooms In Peabody Building for
Rent-Theo. w. Fink & Co.
For Sale and for Rent-Rolf & Zane.
For Sale--Geo. J. Mathison.
Public Sale--J. c. Hervey.
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-29
DIED.

LEINs--on Saturday, October 2Sth, 1899,
at l 80 o'clock D. M William f. Lens,
aged % years and days.
Funeral services from the residence Of
his brother-in-law, ]. Michael Weis, $40
Chapline street, Monday afternoon at 2:30
o'clock Friends of the family respectfully
invited to attend Interment at Peninsula
cemetery.
o- H1EPPERDIEzEIGon Friday, October
Hepperdiezel in his nth year.
Funeral services at family residence, No.
S3G Market street, Sunday afternoon at 2
o'clock. Friends of the family respectfully
invited to attend. Interment at Mt. Wood
cemetery.
HOCKINBURY-on Sunday, October %,
1899, at 5:15 a. M, Theodore Hockinbury,
in the 18th year of his age.
STANISLAUS-On Tuesday, October a.
1899, Sister Mary Stanislaus, aged IS years
months and % days.
RosE-On Tuesday,, October 24th, 1899
at 1870 o'clock p. m, James I. Rose, aged
GO years and l month.
RENTsCHLER-o Tuesday, October
oath 1899 at $3.50 o'clock p M, Christian
John Rensselaer, aged 40 years and 1
honths.
BROOKS-On Tuesday October 24th,
1899. at AIS p. m. Mrs. Elizabeth Brooks
in the 10Th year of her age.
HoFFMAN-on Monday. october 2sd
1899. at 1905 o'clock p. m, Frederick Hoff-
mann. in the 5Sd year Of his age.
FoRD-On Tuesday October gath. 1899
at $40 o'clock D. M. Mary Ford, cousin of
NJ j. Cunningham, of 222l Eoff street
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-29
THp RrruNDING oRDINANcE.

Our neighbor, the Intelligencer, ig-
norantly or designedly, misrepresents
the Register on the subject Of the re-
funding proposition, accusing it of
stultifying itself for an Interior pur-
pose. The ever-readiness of our neigh
Dor to exploit suspicious Of this nature,
by the way, does not speak well for its
own code of morals, for it is human
nature I } judge others by our own stan
dard.
Suffice it TO say that the Register has
not changed its position with regard to
the refunding proposition one iota. 1t
is the ordinance that has undergone
very material change; and that change
has been exactly in line with the Reg
ister's suggestions ON the subject.
Ever since it became plain that the
finances Of this city, under able manip-
ulation Of this Council, had become in
extricably involved. the Register, to-
gether with all good citizens. has heen
AL AdfOl vi LAiO DCaJ anu SHSCQlSSl luSlu-
cd of relief But the best and speediest
method was not that proposed in the
original ordinance by the gentlemen
at the City Hall, whose scheme was to
refund the total municipal debt in such
manner that * would be an almost I'M
ending burden on the people, while the
gentlemen at the City Hall would be able
to get their fingers on the sum which
heretofore has been set aside annually
to pay off certain portion of the prin-
ciple OF The city debt
The Register opposed the original
proposition with all its might, and the
ordinance in that shape would surely
have been overwhelmingly defeated by
the people. as its predecessor was The
committee has been slow 20 take the
Registers hint, but has finally seen the
light and accepted most tof its sug-
gestions with as good gkace as pos
sible.
The Register opposed the incorpora-
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-29

Of the First NJ. q. Church Friday even
ing was very gratifying to all present.
The Buckeye football team is desir-
GUS of game with any team averaging
$50 pounds or less, and their challenge
will be found in the sporting columns
of the Register to-day.
Miss Ada Porterdeld, of Guernsey
street, is suffering from severe attack
of Inflammation of the stomach.
Ethel Stevens, OF Grand Hill, enter
tanned the Forget Me-Not Club in a
very pleasant manner Friday night
The next meeting of the club will be at
Halloween social, at the home of
Lena Archer, in the Second ward, on
Tuesday evening
The young man who was before
Squire Morrell yesterday morning on
an ugly charge preferred by woman
of the Fourth ward. was discharged.
The evidence was not considered suffi-
cient to justify defendant being held to
the grand jury.
railroad man, who is now an engineer
on the Illinois Central, is in the city
renewing acquaintance.
Burns McClelland, Lne popular clerk
with Milligan & Son, will spend the
day with relatives on the Island.
E. Marling, c. & P. fireman, is off
duty on account of the illness of his
mother at Shadyside.
Miss Alma Smith is home from Mt.
de Chantal to spend Sunday with her
parents.
Mrs. o. w. Holmes is spending Sun
day with friends at Canton.
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-29
OUR coRpoRAr1os LAWS.

The refusal of the Legislature 10
amend the corporation laws of this
State in accordance with the dictates
of common honesty simply because GER
tain gentlemen welding political power
make a fat thing" out of chartering
shady concerns which could get a sim
liar official privilege to defraud the
public in no other State, not excepting
New Jersey, is bearing bitter fruit and
is giving West Virginia a most unde-
sirable place among the sisterhood of
States as an incubator for an espec-
tally bad brood of trusts and fraudulent
corporations, which for a paltry fee
paid over to the powers that be at
Charleston may become vested with
the official sanction and protection of
this sovereign commonwealth TO go
forth in the land and plumber. 1t is a
fat thing for the official who gets the
fees, but ii is deadly to the fair name
OF the State.
Tie unenviable reputation West Vir-
ginia has gained abroad on this score
was added to mensely by testimony
before the / lustrial Commission at
Washington the other day, in which,
among other witnesses, James B. Dill,
in defense of the corporation statutes
of Nee Jersey, took occasion to crit
iciSe the corporation law of this State
in scathing terms. We have publish
ed his language, and the worst Of it is
we cannot, try as we will get away
from his flatfooted deduction that our
corporation law as it stands to-day is
simply a barefaced invitation to fraud.
There is no sense in refusing to look
the matter squarely in the face. All
the world is cognizant of the fact and
West Virginians should not remain will
fully blind to it. Rather they should
set party aside and rise in united de-
mand that the obnoxious corporation
law be repealed or properly amended.
This State should not consent to be
placed even lower down on the scale
than New Jersey simply that a parcel,
OF politicians may swell their private
fortunes through fees from plundering
corporations. There is a wide open
door for reform here.