davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11
NUBS OF KNOWLEDGE.

native Maori chief, the descendant of
cannibal kings. is now completing his
medical education in Chicago.
An attempt on a large scale is soon to
be made to stock the abandoned farms
OF Maine with cattle from the West.
Coffee as a beverage had slight start
of tea in Lordcn. for the first coffee
house was opened about the year 1852
Today more than so per cent. of the
cost of running this government is caused
by wars, past, present and prospective.
Builders while excavating in Brussels
recently unearthed a boat which is sup
posed to be nearly, II not quite, 1000 years
old.
All the European navies are practicing
shooting. Our soldiers taught them the
necessity for good shooting in the Span
ish war.
The two counties Of Brewster and Pre-
sidio CTexas) having joint area of 5000
square miles, have, it is said, fewer than
5000 inhabitants.
Lord Kelvin in n lecture stated that
as result of recent Investigations it was
estimated that the earth had been the
abode of life for about 30 900 wears.
According to the Canadian Bank the
yield of gold from the Klondke this sea-
son is about sS,O0O,OO0. which is one third
less than the output last season.
In some parts of Holland a birth is
announced by fastening a silk pincushon
on the door knob. If the pincushion is
red the baby is a boy and If white "a
girl.
Berlin booksellers are strictly forbid
den to sell school children books stitched
with wire, as several cases of blood poi
soning have been traced to scratches
from rusty wire.
The Austrian minister of commerce is
contemplating the introduction of motor
cars for conveying mail bags to and from
railway stations, and also for the col
lection of letters from the mail posts.
Th American bridge is flnging its ma
jestic spans and arches across the rivers
of many lands-Egypt. Siberia, Japan,
China, Peru and others-and a group of
twenty-siX skilled American builders has
just departed for Rangoon, British India,
where an American company has one of
its construction in progress.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

to have a talk upon the subject. The
boards object is to advance the city
of Scranton. Mr.. Scranton's object, we
assume, is to advance the Scranton
Water company. But are these OBJ
jects irreconcilably hostile and is it
necessary, before conference to har-
monize them is held, that the air
should be filled with thunder and the
heavens with lightning flashes?
We cannot believe so. Neither side
in this controversy has the right pri-
marily to question the others motive
or exhibit excitement before the con-
ference has taken place. There is
complaint at the meter rates and these
complaints are proper subjects of in
quiry and investigation. But the first
thing in such a case is to get together
all the facts. After these have been
fully collected and compared, If abuse
remains and amicable settlement is de-
MED. then will be the time for thun-
der and lightning.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11
A SONG OF THE STORM.

The lakes dark breast
Is all unrest,
1t heaves with a sob ard a sigh:
Like a tremulous bird
From it's slumber stirred,
The moon is a-tilt in the sky.
From the silent deep
The waters sweep,
But faint on the cold, white stones,
And the wavelets fly
With a plaintive cry
Ger the old earth's bare, bleak bones.
And the spray upspIings
On its ghost like wings,
And tosses kiss at the stars,
While a water sprite,
In sea pearls digit,
HUNS a sea hymn's solemn bars.
Far out in the night,
On the wav'ring sight,
l see a dark hull loom:
And its light on high,
Like a Cyclops eye,
Shines out through the mist and the
gloom,
Now the winds well IN
From the earth's deep cup,
anu IAN Oll tllC Scet anu
And against the pier
The waters rear
And break with sullen roar.
Up comes the gale
And the mist-wrought veil,
Gives way TO the lightnings glare,
And the cloud-drifts fall,
A sombre pail,
Ger water. earth and air
The storm king flies,
His whip he plies
And bellows down the wine.
The lightning rash,
With binding flash,
Comes pricking on behind.
Rise, waters rise,
And taunt the skies
With your swift-hitting form.
Sweep, wild winds, sweep.
And tear the deep
To atoms In the storm.
And the waters lsapt,
And the Wild winds swept
And blew out the moon I'm the sky;
And laughed with glec,
1t was JOY to me
AS the storm went raging by
Paul Laurence Dunbar
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11
That Wreck at Paterson.

~ HIS AFTERNOON at Pater-
son the inquest of the cor
u oner into the accident at
that place on Nov. 20. whicn
was begun on Friday night, will be
continued. The testimony heard on
Friday brought out no fact of import
ance not already known. 1t was said
by one witness that a fiagman of train
No. 6. the one in which many passen-
gers were killed or injured, started
back to signal train No. 96, the one
which did the mischief, as soon as
No. stopped, but SO was too close at
hand. Another witness said that the
hagman might have jumped off before
train stopped, but it does not appear
that jumping off before the train
stopped had been customary or that
Il was called for in the rules: and in
view of the fact that the trainmen on
SO were believed to know that train 6
was just ahead, it may readily have
been supposed on board that 96 was
being run cautiously and under easy
control
80 far as we can see at this dis
tance from the scene. the proper OBJ
jective point of the coroner's inquest
will be to ascertain why train 90 was
running within the city limits of Pat
erson, around a sharp curve, near the
station and in full knowledge that No.
6 was not far ahead, at a rate of speed
which ordinary intelligence should
have condemned as unsafe. Was this
the fault of the men In immediate
charge of the train or the manage
ment above them, or was it due to
peculiar circumstances not subject to
human control? The clearing up of
speculation touching these inquiries
is necessary both in respect to the
fixing of responsibility for this par
ticular wreck and as a lesson.
Until the judicial processes of in
vestlgation shall have been completed,
honest men will suspend judgment.
No man has the right to assume that
the investigation will not be thorough
and impartial. Nor will any man of
discretion, however keenly he may be
wounded in feeling on account of the
destruction wrought by that wreck,
subordinate fairness to impulsive re-
sentiment.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11
The Water Question.
URlNG THE present IulI in
the interesting controversy
- recently excited over the

IRlNG THE present lull in
the interesting controversy
49, recently excited over the
water question, it may be
well to re-invite the attention of the
public to what we conceive to be the
nub of the whole matter.
We have not yet arrived and we
may never arrive, at a point in the
community's relations with the Scran.
ton Gas and Water company where
the question of the city's taking over
OF that company's plant is a practical
question. Those who discuss that tonic
are indulging simply in the pleasures
or debate. a city government which
cannot clean the streets, provide sew
ers for infected localities. afford a
PAID fire department, properly police
the residence sections, grant franchises
on basis of equity or keep the police
courts financial records in joint with
, the law is not in position to under
take large projects OF municipal owner
ship and control. A time may come
when this will be feasible in Scranton,
but it is not in sight yet.
Nor has the time arrived for the
adoption of the Melvin ordinance or
a similar ordinance fixing arbitrarily
the rates which the water company
shall charge, a step of that character
3 is not 70 be taken save under the
pressure, of public necessity clearly es-
tablishee and not otherwise to be re.
lieved. The courts, we may be sure.
. would nullify all parts of an ordinance
going beyond the well-defined line OF
public equity; and before inviting a
test in court the community must, if
II would win, equip itself with sub
stantial and accurately measured
grievance.
What, then, is the starting point of
the present outcry? The introduction
of meters In water connections for in
dustrial and commercial use. The
conditions governing the domestic use
of water evoke no complaint. The
charges for commercial and Industrial,
: and chiefly for industrial, use are alone
in question. The board OF trade has
undertaken to convince Mr. Scranton
: that 1t would be advantageous to his
water company TO quote TO manufact-
urers easier terms on a water supply.
1t is going to send a committee to him
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11
Faith Not Declining.
o THE proposition recently
put forth and voluminously
a discussed in the New York

o THE proposition recently
put forth and voluminously
"A discussed in the New York
sun that the men and wo-
men of this generation are experience
ing a decline of religious faith--a prop
ostion assumed by very many able
philosophers of our time to be correct
our venerable friend, Rev. DR.. N. G.,
Parke, of West Pittston, one of the
patriarchs of Pennsylvania Presby-
terianism, enters vigorous dissent
rs it true" he asks in a letter to
the Sun. that men or women have
ceased to attend the sanctuary or have
lost their faith in the Bible as cur rule
of faith and practice?" and he replies:
Personally, l do not believe they
have. believe that the Bible and the
ordinances of Gods house never had a
firmcr hold on the masses of our peo-
pie than they have today.
THE Presbytery in Pennsylvania.
with which l have been connected
since its organization, is next to the
largest in the state: and, in this Pres
bytery we have heard of no abate-
ment of the interest felt in maintain
ing the ordinances of Gods house. The
Ftble critics and the herctics are
talked about, and, to some extent,
lionized; if that is what they are
after they have it. and prosecutions be-
fore the General Assembly are help
full in that line. But these lionized
ministers, chiefly professors, VINO ap-
parently covet martyrdom, are to the
church Of God in our land very largely
as driftwood on the swollen river that
is moving its waters to the ocean,
They are not to be ignored, but they
are not of as much Importance as they
and their friends imagine. Our
churches and our pastors, our organ
lied church workers, were never doing
better work than they are doing now.
1T certainly is a fact that in the
churchs history, as I have read it,,
there has been no time when there
was more of a spirit of federation
among the professed followers Of
Christ than there is at the close of the
Hlll'l'thNh century mere mas Deen
no time, too, when the Bible was more
universally acknowledged as the word
of God, and there are now more tons
Of Bibles published annually than ac
the commencement of the century.
Moreover, there has been no time when
the membership of the entire church,
including men, women and children,
was so fully engaged in christian work.
The Young Mems Christian associa-
tion, the Sabbath school, the Christian
Endeavorers and the missionary So
cieties are features of the age, and
they were never more in evidence than
they are now. Nor has there been a
time when money was given as it is
given now for missions at home and
abroad, for church erection, for edu-
catlonal institutions ana for every
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11
TEN PAGES.
SCRANTON. DECEMBER II. 1899.

Saturday evenings street car acct
dent at the West Lackawanna avenue
crossing forcibly emphasizes the need
of viaduct at this place. With
movement of freight trains across the
avenue nearly four times as great now
as at any prior time and a continual
increase of pedestrian and vehicular
traffic, the time is at hand when the
viaduct proposition will need to be
taken up in earnest and pushed
through to completion. The safety of
the people demands il.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11
.INLEY'S
HOLIDAY GOODS,
A Fine
Silk Umbrella
AS a Christmas
Present for Either
Lady or Gentleman

is as appropriate as anything
we can suggest.
We had this in view when
we made our selections and
the goods fully meet our ex-
pectations.
The handles, of Natural
Woods, Plain and with fine
Pearl, Sterling Silver and
Gold Mou ntings, are the most
artistic and unique Of any
line we have ever shown,
"The wearing qualities are
beyond question"
e"Golf, ""Tally Ho" and
Automobile. are among our
latest handles and these we
are showing in exclusive de.
signs, and in regard to prices.
you can take your choice from
1878 to $17.5o. Select now,
while the line is unbroken.
Should you want the Best
One Dollar Umbrella pro.
durable, our $I.35 quality
will be yours at this price for
just ten days.
Fine line of Children's
Umbrellas from soc up.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

From the New Haven Register.
Wv y ITH each new day the
NJ value of the report of
Secretary of War Root
become more impressive.
AS the doctors would say, the realiza-
ton has "set in that it is the most
businesslike, thorough and uninfiuenced
report from that department at least
since the close of the civil war. He
seen his duty and he done it,"
For a day or two after its publica-
ton, this report seemed not at all like
ly to meet a new and more fiattering
experience. 1t appeared as if it, too.
would answer the purpose merely of
an official expression and thereupon
lose itself in the great mass of depart
mental literature. There were, how
ever, a few men who read it carefully,
word for word and who issued forth
from the self imposed task with the
very decided conviction that here was
a report wholly out of the ordinary in
it's form and point of view, a report
which revealed the presence back of it
of a man who manifestly saw no gall
leries to play to and who therefore
stuck to the business of clearly and ex-
plicitly setting forth the conditions and
needs of the regular army. We cer-
tainly do not intend to exaggerate, and
we do not think we do when we de-
clare the report, in our opinion, to be
the most convincing of all official state
ments in regard to this entire off-con-
tinent problem. We are quite sure ii
will be found elastic enough to answer
all of the quack arguments our anti
imperialistic friends can conjure up for
many months.
The chief quality of course of the
Root war report lis it's common sense
and business simplicity. 1t is that
which strikes the reader and at once
convinces him that the cheap spirit
of Algerism has indeed taken wings
and departed from the department,
and that the department itself is under
the control of the strongest man since
Stanton's time. We should find, for ex-
ample, no such recommendation as this
proceeding from a machine made and
driven secretary: Whereas ii is nee
essary to employ Americans lin Porto
Rico), except in the chief offices, a sys-
tenn of civil service examinations should
be provided, under which requests
from the governor of Porto Rico, for
suitable persons to be appointed, may
be filled" Secretary Root is seeking
the simplest and speediest way of put
ting that island upon It's political feet
and knows, just as we all know, though
few of us are honest enough to admit
It, that an essential of uniform prog
ress and administrative honesty is a
system of civil service examination.
Otherwise, If not already under a diff
ferent expectation, the island will be
filed with ne'er-do- wells, with a record
for local political usefulness which
they point to as cause enough for such
official preferment as they covet. Sec
retary Root sees this and would an
ticipate it's evils.
There are a lot of illustrations i'm this
report Of the mans freedom from par
tisan bias and organization control. He
treats the economic questions, which
have already arisen between Cuba and
Porto Rico and the United States, as
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

Pittsburg has produced the latest
apostle Of Darius Green" in the per-
son of Mr.. Whitehead, who has in
vented a flying machine. Unlike the
scientific models of the day, Mr.. White
heads machine has wings and wheels,
and on the ground looks like a huge
bird. When Mr.. Whitehead gets his
machine in operation he expects to pre-
sent an appearance as imposing as that
Of Pittsburg politician at a state con-
Vention.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

Instances have been reported where
diphtheria and scarlet fever signs have
been removed from the front to the
rear of infected houses, thus depriving
the public of due warning. This is dis
tinctly contrary to law; and we will
forward to the health officers properly
authenticated complaints from our
readers setting forth such a condition
of facts
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

How would the citizens of Scranton
like to have the vastly important mat
ter of sanitation, which is none too well
attended to now, put in charge of
committee of councils and thus made,
in nine instances out of ten, the sport
and byplay of peanut politics?
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

The recent fire at Reading, in which
one woman lost her life and several
girls were badly injured, again points
out the necessity of having f1re-escapes
that are fire-escapes. Are all of the
Scranton factories and hotels properly
equipped in this respect?
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11
Safeguard City Funds.

Vides for the paying over
N monthly to the city treas
urer by the mayor of all
fines collected observance of this
law has in the past occasioned con-
fusion and its honest observance in
future should be insisted upon.
Thc'statement presented by Control
Ter Howell to select council at it's last
session indicates that for several
months the mayor had in his posNns-
sion in manner not contemplated by
law funds belonging to the city. The
aggregate of these funds was suffic-
iently large to make it worth the city's
while to secure, when due. the full use
of them. 1t is not, to our knowledge
charged that the Withholding of these
balances has been dictated by any wish
on the mayors part to reap personal
benefit; on the contrary, it must be as
sumed that carelessness alone was re-
sponsibe. But should a dishonest man
ever get into the mayors office and hold
back these balances for the purpose of
pocketing interest upon them, scan
dal would be inevitable: and the way
60 prevent that is to require monthly
settlements. Had this requirement pre-
vailed during the administration of
Mayor Bailey, there would have arisen
no necessity for the adoption at the
last meeting of select council of n reso-
luton directing the city solicitor to
proceed against that official for the re-
covery of money alleged to be due the
city in the matter of fines not yet ac-
counted for. Had it been observed by
Mayor Moir, he would have been spared
the necessity for the explanation of his
course which appeared in print on Sat
urday.
This is in no sense a political issue
but matter of simple arithmetic.
When money is collected for the city.
the city should get the use of it and
not any particular official in the en-
ploy of the city. Such provision for
the proper accounting for all city funds
should be made as would both cut off
dishonest use of said funds, should
such use ever exist, and likewise pro-
tect an honest official from the possi-
bility of getting into embarrassment
through the carelessness either Of him
self or of his subordinates. In such n
demand there can be no unfairness to
any man or any party.
The late Judge Ward was peculiarly
fortunate in his picking of proteges
for advancement in the legal profess
sion. From his office were recruited
some of the brightest ornaments of
the Lackawanna bar. He was him
self great lawyer and a fine type of
citizen; but in nothing did he show
to better advantage than in the help
ing hand which he extended to the
Junior members of his profession. The
preceptor of such men as Judges Gun
ster and Edwards and George S.
Horn leaves behind a monument
Whl'h local history will perpetuate.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

Mr.. Grau, the operate manager,
create a musical sentiment in Chicago
at $4,000. He still AYERS that he can
not understand Chicago.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

No reason has been presented from
any quarter tending to show why the
proposed location in this city of six
mill tin plate plant capable of manu-
featuring 5000 boxes a week should not
result profitably to the subscribers for
stock and to the city at large. The de-
mand for tin plate nearly always ex-
ceeds the supply; Scranton is a good
distributing center for the eastern mar
ket; and If to the natural advantages
of the city were added. as it is reason
able to assume would be added, capable
expert management of the processes of
manufacture and modern methods in
the sales department, success could
hardly be avoided. We accept the judg-
ment of the gentlemen who are back
ing Mr.. Torbet in the promotion of this
contemplated new industry and trust
that it may speedily materialize.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

New York ouneyman printer writes On Saturday last
went to see best The best physician and
geon Brooklyn After paying money owed, spoke
Of my boy of years whom had along with The boy
feeling WELL his stomach appeared be of order and
getting thin told the doctor that had given the boy
Rpans Tabue the night before Then told him what the
ingredients werehubab pecac, peppermint vomca and
soda-and he exclaimed What's that What's that?' Upon
repeating the formula be sad Good, very good You could
give him anything better The hubarb what he needs
for the stomach and the will up the system. Con-
tipne giving him each night and he will be all right He
gave further prescription for the boy and charged
nothing for the advice"
{Ea7.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

The country will be impatient for the
next few days to learn what Consul
Macrum has up his sleeve.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11
THE SCRANTON TRIBU NE-MONDAY, DECEMBER H. 1899.

type Of samaritan work. The deliver
ances of the churches of every name
on the subjects of Sabbath Observance
temperance, marriage, social and po-
litical purity, have never been more
In line with the teaching of the Bible.
1t Is true that iniquity abounds; Satan
is not bound; offences have come and
they will come. Pride and envy and
jealousy and worldliness and selfish
ness are in the hearts of men, as they
always have been; but only child,
in view of the work that the church
under It's Divine Leader is doing, can
ask, rs God dead?"
The proclaimers of decline in faith
may be sincere in many instances, but
in all instances they are mistaken in
their estimates of contemporary
events. This is an age Of faith mani
tested in works. The works OF right
eousness were never larger.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

With the election of Governor Taylor
settled, it is to be hoped that Ken
lucky will set a better example of self
government for our ambitious colonies.