davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald., 1899-04-30
IMPORTANT FACTOR
 IN CITY'S GROWTH
Its Lines Traverse Every Section
 of Birmingham.
PROGRESSIVE MANAGEMENT
In Charge of the Birmingham Railway and Electric Company-The Finest Electric Street Gar Sys-
 tenn in the South

One of the greatest blessings a city can enjoy is a street car system which is so well managed, and runs so smoothly, that the general public fails to recognize the care with which the system is managed, or the trouble and expense entailed to meet the many wants of the travelling public. Rapid transit is the cry in every American city. Without rapid transit no city can grow as it should, and those portions which should be used as homes are almost de- serted or else lose half their attractive ness.
 Probably no city in America can boast of a better street car system than that main- tained and operated by the Birmingham Electric Railway and Electric company. The progressive management of this com- pany has been a most important factor in the rapid growth of Birmingham. They have extended their tracks with such judg- ment, and so perfected system of rapid transit that the suburbs and adjoining towns are so accessible that they have grown as if by magic, and are the homes of many thousands ot busy men who fol- low their different vacations in the city The managers of this company have left no stone unturned and details unat- tended to, to supply tho wants and min fster to the comforts of their patrons. They spent, last year, over $120,O00 in extending ana DetterlnS tnelrl mes, besides a large amount spent in purchasing new rolling stock. This company now operates sixty five miles of track, with 112 cars and seven locomotives. Its officers are men of recog- nfzed ability and sterling worth, and are among the best and most progressive citi- zens of Birmingham. They are A. M. Shook, president; Robert Jemison, first vice-president; Wm. A. Walker, second viee-president J. B. McClary, general man. ager; Edwin Warner secretary and treas urer
 Following is a list of the lines controlled by the company:
 East Lake line, double track, miles in length. On this line are located Avondale Woodlawn and East Lake, three cities of about 10000 combined population.
 Bessemer line-Steam equipment, 191R milos in length. On this line are located several thriving towns, and it has for its terminus the sterling city of Bessemer.
 Ensley division-Thomas, Pratt City and Ensley, the town of wonderful growth, are located on this line
 The Powderly line-Operated in part by steam in part by electricity.
 Cemetery line (electric)-This line extends from Jonesville on the North Highlands to Red Mountain on the South Highlands.
 Avondale line (electric)-This line runs from Fountain Heights in the northwestern portion of the city to Avondale, southeast of the city, four miles in length.
 West End line (electric)-This line ex- Twelfth avenue, north, to Powderly.
 Eleventh Avenue line (eectric)-Connects with tho Cemetery line at Eleventh avenue and Twentieth street.
The age-herald., 1899-04-30
Tine Craze for 1ncks

From q New York Fashion Letter.
 Tucks, tucks, tucks! They are all the rage Entire tucked bodces, entire tucked skirts, tucked trimmings, tucked sleeves, and tucked stocks They are used in all sorts of ways, groups of tucks, across up, and down, and diagonal. They must be run by hand to be absolutely up to style, and this accounts for the extravagant prices of many gowns. White tucked mus lins are lovely, and white lawn shirt waists tucked all over by hand are charming. The new gowns of crepe and barege are tucked a great deal, and the effect in the soft ma- terial is pretty. Silk waists tucked up and down in tucks as tiny as it is possible Tor them to be made are fetching, the tucks being merely pinches of the silk. The sleeves are plain and in skirt styles, with narrow bands for cuffs, high tucked stocks finish the neck, or sometimes lace stocks and cravats are worn. Plain foulards have the skirts tucked half way to the hem that is, the upper part is tucked about the hips while below is a fiounce of pissed foulard. Only slender women can stand this style, as it makes the hips appear larger Tueks are used 0 great deal in hat trimmings, and there arc tucked gauges and silks galore.
The age-herald., 1899-04-30
THE COST OF PIANO PLAYING
A Philistine's Contention That Music is
 Wasteful Fad

Cardiff paper in which a writer, signing himself A Philistne,'' maintains that the pursuit of music is one of the most waste ful fads on which money is squandered. He calculates, says the London Leader, that there are 45,0o0,0 ,006 of souls in the British Isles, and he gives this population 100000 hcmes, of which one in seven, he thinks, contains a piano. That equals million pianos, and at the average of G20 each works out at 5e20 0OO, ,00O spent in these musical instruments. He also calculates the life of a piano at ten years, and that results in yearly expenditure of G2,000,00O in pianos alone. That may seem good deal of money but it does not come within measurable distance of the sums spent in tobacco and alcohol.
The age-herald., 1899-04-30
BIRMINGHHMS POINTS OF INTEREST
 RND HOW VISITORS GIN SEE THEM
Notable Sights to Be Seen on the Stre6tS-T6 Great h. duStrldI Plants at EnS6U City and Elsewhere
 Trips on th6 Street Gar Lines.

beautiful Shades valley, unbroken except Tor a few settlements and farms
 1here are four excellent country roads crossing the mountaip, all of them afford Ing beautiful drives. Another excellent urlVe Is out the Fifth avenue road toward East Lake, another out Nineteenth street or IWenty-fourth street to North Brming- nam, where the Country club is building its home, and still another west on Eighth avenue toward Pratt City and Ensley. In these and every other county road in Jefferson county-whch by the way are the best in the state-are all excellently htted for driving and all of them run through more or less interesting district
 East Lake and Other Suburbs
 The visitor ought to make flying trip to East Lake-it is only seven miles out and the round trip can be made in 64 min utes. This route is through the heart of the thickly populated towns of Avondale and Woodlawn, both of which are incor- porated and East Lake. A hot fight was made before the legislature to annex all or the territory to Birmingham, and it. to- sether with Elyton and West End west Of the city, compose what is known as Greater Birmingham. At East Lake is sit uated Howard college, the Baptist denom- national college for young men.
 The Methodist male college for north Alabama is located at Owenton, on the I,SSSSIler dummy line.
 There are number of other interesting trips which could be made on the street railroads, if the visitor has time. To the Sln works, foundries, machine shors and rolling mills of East Birmingham. and Gate City; to the Marvel City" of Bessemer, the second city of size and importance in me county, its most interesting industry the great pipe works plant; and to numer- ous other places.
 If the visitors tastes are for the indus trial, there are any number of enterprises to be seen in and immediately around Bir- mingham. In fact the Birmingham rolling mills which are just outside the city limits, are of more interest than anything else in the district to most people. A part of this plant is small steel plant in very success full operation. At this mill it was proved to the world that steel could be success fully made in Birmingham. Alice furnace, which adjoins the rolling mill is an excel lent place for giving furnace parties"
 Other big industries which may be visit ed, are the Avondale cotton mills, the . great foundries which make heavy ma ehinery for all parts of the south, and numberless other of the so called small CT industries"
 Coal and ore mines can be seen at nu- merous places all over the district, the most convenient perhaps, being the top of Red Mountain for iron and Pratt City for the coal mines.
 If the visitor has only a day to spend in sight seeing, he will have to take his pick from the above assortment and see them as best he can. A week at least, could cas- fly be spent in following the program above mapped out, and there would stin be left numerous places of interest to see.
The age-herald., 1899-04-30
A New En CT orise

An nterprise of no small magnitude and one of importance to Birmingham is that of the Blakeslee company, whose plant IS rapidly nearing completion, and which will be in operation by the 18th of May The Blakeslee company is the successor of tEe DuQuoin Iron Works company, of Du- Quoin, Ill.,, manufacturers of veneer cut ting machinery and gas and gasoline en- zines. The personnel of the company is as follows:
 G. +. Blakeslee, president.
 II. J. Blakeslee, viee-Dresdent.
 c. B. White, secretary and treasurer.
 G. C. VanKeuren superintendent.
 It is gratifying to know that the com- pany has numerous orders awaiting the new plant and it will commence operation under the most favorable circumstances To an Age-Herald representative Mir. Blakeslee stated the reasons for his com- pany's removal, as follows:
 "The growth of our business has made it apparent that to keep up with the demands upon it, would necessitate considerable en- largement and in following out this pan we have decided that a change of location would be desirable and after considerable investigation, concluded that, as a place where raw material would always be easi- ly and cheaply obtained, and as a natural distributing centre, Birmingham, Ala, pre- sented the most favorable opportunities. We therefore decided in favor of this point and have our buildings in process of cree ton here, and expect about the 10th of May, to be operating our new plant under the name of 'The Blakesee company" where with the maintenance of our present management and equipment, to which will be made important additions, and with the advantages our new location will give us, We believe we shall be in position to give our customers even better service and value than in the past"
The age-herald., 1899-04-30
AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY
Is the Smelling Works-Brasses and
 Bronzes An Enterprising Concern -

Second to none in importance in the ranks of the manufacturing industries of this city stands the Birmingham Smelling works, which are located at 1700-6 First avenue. The company is thoroughly equipped for the manufacture and work ng over of all kinds of brass and bronze. The plant occupies a space of half dozen num- bers. all of which is utilized in prosecut- ing the work of the enterprise. A large corps of skilled and experienced workmen are kept regularly employed. The company pays good wages and is in a prosperous condition. The scope of the work is un- limited; though a speciality is made of ral- read and furnace brasses and bronzes and other heavy work. Since its organization the company has achieved remarkable sue cess, due to the business tact and energy of the management MT R. M. Bates is the president of the company and MT. D. s. Anderson is the efficient general man. ager.
The age-herald., 1899-04-30
Encourag ement.

From the Detroit Journal.
 Yes. the slender girl with the pale, seri- ous face vas confident she could act.
 "Can you sing and play the mouth organ at the game un1e?" asked the manager of the theatre. not unkindly.
 "No s;r,'' faltered the girl
 'Then," gaid the manager, Ego and learn to do these and come back here, and I may De able to give you job washing win doWs." '..9-..--
 For he could not find 1t in his heart to discourage the aspirations of one 50 earn est.
The age-herald., 1899-04-30
X Ifon,e Enterprise

;3ifmlngham enterprise, which deserves tho success it has achieved. is the Biz mingham Packing company, situated on the corper of Twenty-foHrth street and Huntsville avenue. It is q great advantage to the farmers to have a. ready market, both winter and summer, for their live stock This company gives the highest market prices for all kinds ol live stock. AS t is a Birmingham company, it should be well patronized by home consumers as their product is equal to the best. and areat care and cleanliness are exercised in the slaughter Of Scevss ana hogs
The age-herald., 1899-04-30
WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY
New Possibilities Hoped for Through
 Lieut.. Squier's Experiment
From the Washington Times.

JrOm tIlt " dSIIIlEtUII I IIIItS'
 There are possibilities in the wireless telegraph that have rot appeared to Mar conf, it Is believed With one set of Instruments worked on the Wheatstone plan. that is with punched tape at the sending end and with recording tape at the receiving end, it may be possible to send several hundred words a minute, all of which will be written down us they come, and may be cut off in page sections for transcription by typewrfters.
 One of the objections to the practical commercial operation ot the wireless teis- praphy that confronts the Signal Service experiments operating under General Gree 1y at the state, war and navy building, was the apparent impossibiity of sending out several electric waves from several nearby transmitters at the same time as
The age-herald., 1899-04-30

To see tho city. get on Birmingham Railway and Electric company car and ride over it. Pleasant cars, quick service, and points of interest all along the line.
The age-herald., 1899-04-30
Industrial Hive at Ensley

The little town of Ensey incorporated only d month or two ago, is just now att traeting tho attention of the enire commer- eial and industrial world for on the result of the great steel plants now being erect ed there, depends Birmingham's suprema- cy as the greatest steel centre in the world as it is now the. greatest pig iron centre. Party after party of capitalists, railroad magnates, scientists, newspaper men and ordinary sight-seers have visited this thriving little city during the past six or. eight months
 In short, the visitor takes the splendid "GoIden Rod cars, which leave the city every twenty minutes, and after a swift run of seven miles through Thomas and Pratt City, Ensley is reached. There will be found the largest pig iron furnace plant in the south; consisting of the Tennessee company'S four furnaces, with daily OHt-' put of 500 tons of pig iron; the great steel: plant of the Alabama Steel and Shipbuild- ing company now almost completed, and the buildings now in process Of construc4 ton. of the Alabama Steel and Wire con-' pany But perhaps the most interesting of. all are the bi-product coke ovens of the Semet-Sovay- company, in which coke is burned and all of the gas, coal tar, ammo mia and other bi-products are saved. The coal mines which supply Ensley with fuel are distant only half a mile or so.
 View from Red Mountain
 It Is difficult to direct the visitor where to go next If he is spending only a day in the city, he should try to get the mag nificent view of the district and the sur rounding mountains from the top of Red Mountain, just two miles south of the city. The most direct way to get there, is 60 take the South Highland car line out Twentieth street to the foot of the moun- tain, where there is a good walk up ma cadamlzed road to the summit. To the north lies Smoky Birmingham" teeming with life and energy. To the south is the
The age-herald., 1899-04-30

Go to East Lake, the most beautiful spot around Birmingham. On the way you pass through Avondale, Woodlawn and East Lake-three thriving towns.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-07-04
Washington, D. @.
MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
E. A, WILsOI

A friend asks us why we do not ''go
for" the Round Cotton Bale Trust
which threatens to bag all the cotton
baling business of the country.
All, my friend, that happens to be
our trust. The chairman Of our Ma
tional Committee is a large stockholder
in this one, and possibly other mem
bers of the National Committee are
likewise interested therein, and it
would never do for US to condemn this
particular trust. It is only the trusts
managed by our common enemy of the
other party that we must down"
It will be remembered that some of
our strongest anti trust papers not only
uphold the Round Bale Truet, but the
Associated Press Trust, both of which
have been outIawed by the State of
Texas.
While The Post is opposed to all
trusts that restrain trade, create and
maintain monopoly, etc, we must dis
criminate between those in which our
own leaders-especially national COM
mitteemen-are interested and those
organized by the enemy for their own
selfish purpoees>-Raleigh Post,
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-07-04
COST OF BAD ROADS.

Hon. George E. Boggs, of Haywood
county, one of our most valued corre-
spondents, writing in an exchange,
says:
Our county is just in receipt of about
s. 600 worth of road. making machin.
cry, Little did l ever expect to see
this happy day for our county of Hay
wood. That she should make such an
advance movement is not only a credit
to her but a good indication of the
leaven that is at work in our State in
regard to good roads--a matter that
not only concerns tho economical but
the social and religious life Of cur
people
For several weeks during last win
ter the roads of this county were viz
tually impossible. Traffic, social in
tercourse and attendance on religious
services were suspended. During
many more weeks they could be car
ried on Cnly under many discomforts
and at considerable loss from injury
to stock and vehicles.
Many are opposed to any tax for
road improvement and yet they are
paying a mud tax that exceeds all their
State and county taxes com
bined, unjust and heavy as some of
them are. I would esteem it a privi-
lege to be allowed to pay several hun.
r--o-------------@ 80 -,.C-o7
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-07-04
No. 81

As a rule plant this pea the same
that you would corn, if you want to
secure a crop of seed. If for forage,
dry feed or fertilizer only, it can be
planted much later. Any time be
tween the first of May and the twen-
tieth Of July will do for the North.
and any time after April first for the
South. Much loss and disappointment
may be avoided by knowing the varie-
ties best adapted to certain sections of
our country. In the Southern States
the Unknown, Clay and Black, and
in the Central and Northern sections
Early Black, Blackeye and Whippoor-
will are best. In ell the varieties
named ] would use at least six pecks
of seed to the acre to insure a good
stand and best results.
Many Inquiries are made as to best
method of harvesting the seed. There
are two ways. If crop is to be threshed
by steam or horse power, then cut
vines up with scythe or mower when
pea is nearly ripe. After curing make
into windroWs, then haul and thresh,
but be sure to reduce speed, and re-
move part Of teeth from cylinder, to
prevent breaking OF peas. The other
method is to pick pods from the vines
in the field, then thresh by hand ma
Chine, Gwo men easily turning out five
to eight bushels Of clean peas per hour.
The writer used Of the latter kind all
of last season.
Another valuable Iegume is the Grim
son clover, and on good rich soil will
yield from nine to twelve tons of green
forage to the acre. The Florida velvet
bean has proven a grand success in the
Southern section as a forage, feed, and
fertiIiziDg crop, and as it becomes &C
climated northWard, it will prove
equally go there. It has already revo.
lutionized the green forage, dry feed,
and fertilizing problems of the South
ern States. Another valuable legUme
is the soy bean, and has great merit as
forage, feed and fertilizer, and hav-
ing been acclimated in the North, is
counted a valuable crop to grow.
E. A. WILsON.
Ane ENSWN a&FNwR 4
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-07-04
THE cow PEA AS A FORAGE
FEED AND FERTILIZER.

correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
Farmers in the North do not as a
rule, half appreciate the COW pea as a
forage. feed and tertiIizing crop Really
there is nothing they can grow on the
farm that in all respects begins to
equal it, and where conditions are
anything like favorable, good aver
age crop is almost a certainty. As an
upbuilder of poor, sandy, and over
worked soils, it is especially valuable.
In all around value there is but one
other legume that begins to equal it,
and that is the Florida velvet bean.
But for speedy growth and early ma
turity of fruit, the COW pea stands at
the head. It is a wonderful nitrogen
gatherer, and is therefore exceedingly
valuable both as a green feed and rem
ovator Of the soil They root deep,
hence stand drOuth we'll in almost any
soil. Twelve to twenty thousand
pounds of green forage per acre, and
twenty to thirty bushels Of seed, is not
hu u0CJuuyA y4CAN8 Ch00 s4A5
mass of leaf and vine turned under as
a fertilizer, or cut and cured as dry
feed, or used for silo, must necessarily
be of great value. The matured pea is
especially valuable for all stock on the
farm, as every living thing will eat
them as greedily as they would corn
or oats. Hogs do specially we'll on
them, and to turn them on to a pea
field. they will fatten perfectly.
To grow a crop successfully plow
and fs your ground nicely, drilling
seed 18 to "a inches apart. dropping
seed an inch or so apart in drill row,
covering about three inches deep, or,
if you like you can seed with common
wheat drill, which will do just as well.
When plants are up four or five inches
run over field with weighted harrow,
paying no attention to rows, thus free
ing your ground of grass of weeds. II
ground ia not too foul this is all your
crop will need.
But all OF the COW pea family is
quick in fruition and maturity Of fruit,
rarely taking over sixty to eighty days
from date Of planting to maturity Of
fruit and harvesting of crop. This
makes, therefore, a specially valuable
crop for the central and northern SEC
ton of our Union where seasons are
inclined to be short and where crops
so frequently fail. This legume will
do we'll and will make you crop on
light, poor, sandy, or clayey soil, but
do not fail to bear in mind that the
richer the soil the better the crop.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-07-04

excellent results. The soil was sweet
ened, the decomposition of the organic
matter hastened, and the crop returns
the following year largely increased.
All these points go to show that it is
to the interest of the farmers to be-
come thoroughly familiar with lime.
By using it intelligently it will prove
very valuable ally, but its value con-
sists more in its effect in correcting
some physical condition of the soil
than in furnishing plant food proper,
because most soils contain enough lime
to serve the actual needs of the plants.
Il is now known that phosphoric acid,
nitrogen and potash are the three ele-
ments of plant food which are most
needed by soils, and if not present
there and in available condition they
must be applied artiicially. The lime
will make available the insoluble pot
ash OF the soil, but if continually ap-
piled and no additional potash be re
turned to the soil, it is only natural
that the soil will in time give out of
potash and the crops will fall off &C.
cordinglY. 1t is better therefore and
more economical In the long run to
make small applications not only Of
potash, but also of phosphOric acid as
well, and in this way gradually build
up the fertility Of the soil. A soil in
first class physical condition will pro-
duce far more than q run down soil,
and when a soil has once become run
down or exhausted it takes consider
able time, labor and expense to build
it up again. The process of keeping a
soil we'll supplied with nitrogen is not
so difficult, because farmers now know
that they can get this ingredient at
very little expense by growing clover
or COW peas. 1t remains only then to
look after the potash and phosphoric
acid and then make an economical
dose OF lime, say about once in every
five years. This will correct all the
physical Irregularities which are apt to
occur. Some farmers though prefer
to make smaller applications and at
more frt q lent intervals. This is a
matter of experience, however, and
each farmer can fnd out for himself
which suits best. r. GARwoOD.