davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald., 1900-08-05
SPLENDID ROADS
 GIRT THE COUNTY System Rivals Any Other Sec-
 ton of the South. OVER TWO HUNDRED MIL ES Stretch in All Directions From Birming- ham as Common Centre-Work of Superintendent Jackson in
 Improving System
OVER TWO HUNDRED MIL ES

No county in the South, and few counties in the United States, can boast of better roads than can Jefferson County, with its 200 miles of macadamized pike, reaching in every direction from Birmingham
 This splendid system not only facilitates the marketing of crops by the farmers, but furnishes system of drives that few cit- ies enjoy, not excepting Mobile, with her famous shellroad
 The macadamized road Is perhaps the most perfect road that can be built, and with the large deposits of chert and sand which are found in every section of this district the construction and maintenance of the roads is matter of comparative ease and small cost.
 Up to a few months ago the work was under the direct control of the County Commissioners, but when the law creating the Board of Revenue was adopted the road department was divorced from the manage ment of the county salons and placed in charge of a superintendent of public roads, a newly-created office, which Is now being filled by the first appointee, Colonel J. F. B. Jackson, man of much ability and ex- perience.
 
 been increased to total mileage of 175 miles, which has been and Is now being in- creased to 200 miles by Colonel Jackson in the completion of the following new roads:
 The old Georgia road to Trussville, 8 miles; Birmingham and Springfield road, 6 miles; East Birmingham to Avondae, IF miles; Mary Lee road. IF miles; Pratt City and Blossburg road, miles; Ensley and Pratt City road 1s miles; First avenue, be- tween Birmingham and Avondale, 2,200 feet.
 In addition to the above, four strips of road in the vicinity of Bessemer are being macadamized, and short strips, where the roads cross low bottoms, are being macad- amized in all parts of the county, aggregat- ing in all % miles, All of this will be com pleted by fall.
 A great deal has been done in the way of bridge building and repairing during the past few months. Over 500 bridges have been either rebuilt replaced with culverts or disposed of by strengthening the roads and ditching. One hundred and sxty-seven stone culverts, which will last for all time, have replaced many small wooden bridges, and 263 clay pipes have taken the place of other bridges. Over 100 small bridges have been abolished by df,ching, leaving about 300 bridges which have betn rebuilt and repaired.
 It Is estimated that S50,000 will be ex- pended on the county roads this year.
The age-herald., 1900-08-05
His Talk Won
Omaha World-Herald.

From the Omaha World Herald.
 An ungroomed man slouched up to Ed F. Smith on Farnam street the other day and accosted him as follows:
 Say. mister, if I was to tell you that I wanted a quarter to get a square meal you'd think I wanted 1t to buy whiskey, wouldn't you?"
 That's exactly what I would think" re- piled MT. Smith.
 And if said wanted a quarter to buy whiskey you'd say you didn't propose 10 encourage the drink habit, wouldn't you?'
 That's what I'd say"
 And if I said I wanted quarter to buy food for a starving wife and eleven chill dren you'd think I was a liar, wouldn't you?"
 "I would"
 Well, say, mister, I want a quarter to pay fer having me mother-in-law's trunk hauled to the depot. Do I get it?
 Smith effected compromise by parting with a dime.
The age-herald., 1900-08-05
OF THE
 LUMBER INDUSTRY
Annual Output of State Valued at Over S2O,OOO,OOO-
 In Its Infancy.

Alabama's industrial fame is not based alone on her mineral resources and devel- opments, but embraces other lines of in- dustry, of which her lumber and timber interests are not the least important. An idea of the extent of this important branch of industrial development can be gained when it is known that more than $50 saw mills are kept busy turning out daily 5.000,000 feet of lumber, giving employment to 25,000 men, whose wages amount to $35,. 900 per day.
 The total annual output Is estimated at about 1500,000,000 feet, the value of whicb in the rough is more than $16,0 ,000 the actual value of which In its finished statS is more than $2O,O0O,000.
 Vast virgin forests await the further deS velopment of the industry, which Is yet in its infancy, and there is really no limit to the extent of expansion which is possible.
 Among the important mills in the state are the following:
 Lathrop- Hatton Lumber Company, RivA erside; Sample Lumber Company, Hollinsf Saganaw Lumber Company Ganadarquef Marbury Lumber Company, Bozemant Scotch Lumber Company, Fulton; Carnex Lumber Company, Atmore; Cedar Creek Mill Company, Brewton; Blackshear- Miller Lumber Company, Brewton; Black Warri- or Lumber Company, Demopolis; Hand Lumber Company, Deliver; Durham Lun. Der Company, Durham; Vinegar Bend Lumber Company, Vinegar Bend; Flowers & Peagler, Forest; Kyle Lumber Compa- ny, Gadsden; W. T. Smith Lumber Com. pany, Chapman; Chiffon Lumber CompaA ny, Linden; c. w. Zimmerman Lumbef Company, Jackson; F. H. Kaupp, Juanita3 Dixie Mill Company, Magazine; Beard Lumber Company, Mobile Bay City Lun,. Der Company, Mobile; Hubbard Bros, MoA bile; Sullivan Timber Company, Mobiles Swift Creek Mill Company, Mobile; Yel- low Pine Lumber Company, Yellow Pine and Mobile; Horseshoe Lumber Company River Falls; Gregory-Coe Lumber Compae ny. Stanton; Tallapoosa Lumber Company, Sistrunk; W. w. Wadsworth, Wadswortht Wagar Lumber Company, Wagar. |
The age-herald., 1900-08-05
Ancient Medical Recipes

A famous English Psychologist has dis covered that many of the queer medical recipes found in the old English and Ger man books come from the ancient Egypt ians. They were not known to the Greeks, but were spread from Salerno, the great medical school of the middle ages, to which they must have come through Coptic and Arabic translations. :.
The age-herald., 1900-08-05
Mock Gems

It Is no longerr considered an erro against taste to wear mock gems under certain conditions-namely, set in buckles for the waist belt or neck ribbon, as well as to ornament hats and bonnets with them. The shops in which this simile jew elry is shown make the most gorgeous dis plays and the designs are often uncommon ly good, being generally copied from Louis KY. or Louis VI. models.
The age-herald., 1900-08-05
Possibly True

From Judge.
 Farmer Hornbeak-Deacon Ironjaws is considerably indignant against them Chi nese fellers they call the Boxers.
 Farmer Swank-Why so? They aint never done nothin' to him, hey they1
 Farmer Hornbeak-Aw, yesl He an anti-expansionist, ye know, and 1t makes him mad b-cuz the dog-bobbed heathens don't give out the name of their leader, sos he can liken him to George Washin'- ton.
The age-herald., 1900-08-05
Drawing the Line

From the Chicago Record.
 Sammy granma wants you to be a preacher when you grow up."
 Well, gra ma, mebbe I'll be a preacher, but tell you now I won't be a mish nary" From the Detroit Journal.
The age-herald., 1900-08-05
The Gold One

From Puck. "
 Huskinby-I tell ye. I don't believe Hire am Graball wuz ever In New York in his hull life.
 Hayrake-But he wuz; he showed me the ; brick!
The age-herald., 1900-08-05

sented in the empire county of Jefferson this Sunday morning of August, 1900.
 Blood will tell, beloved; it will tell
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01

About the middle of the seventeenth
century the tulip became known In
Germany. and scientist named Ges-
ner gives the first description of this
flower. First only the yellow variety
was known. and then other colors were
produced by crossing. The Dutch. par
ticularly the citizens of Harlem, pro-
dueed the most wonderful varieties OF
this flower and obtained enormous
prices for them.
In 1854 the trade in tulips assumed a
peculiar turn. 1t degenerated into
sort of game Of chance, so that In
1913 the authorities felt called upon to
Interfere and to issue ediets against
extravaganza in tulips. as they former
ly had against trains and laces. This
Interference would seem to be justified
II one reads that in 1905 single flower
of this sort, called the Vieeori, was
paid for with two cargoes of wheat
-four cargoes of rye, four fat oxen,
eight fat hogs. ~ fat sheep. two casks
of wine, four barrels of beer, two tons
of butter, 1000 pounds of cheese, a
complete bed, a suit of clothing and a
silver tankard.
Another bulb. the Semper Augustus,
was paid for with 1900 gold guildeYs
and coach with a double team Of
horses. In HARLEM the tulip craze
reached its height In the decade from
1880 to 1910 when a price Of $1,000
gold gullders about $4,000 American
money Is recorded for single bulb.
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01

There are some seeds which literal
ly corkscrew themselves into the
ground The most remarkable in
stance Is perhaps that of the Spina
pennata. beautiful south European
grass. The actual seed Is small, with
sharp point and stlff short hairs
pointing backward The top end Of
the seed is produced into a fine, twist
ed. corkscrewlike rod. which is fol-
lowed by plain cylindrical portion,
ending in long delicate feather the
Owing to this feather the seed falls to
the earth point downward and sticks
In the ground.
But even If the seed should settle on
its side. damp. by acting on the hairs
attached to 1t. causes 1t to rise up till
Its point is downward. II a shower
comes on or dew falls, the spiral I'M
winds. elongatlng itself upward. Be
ing covered. like the seed, with back
ward pointing hairs, 1t usually presses
against some blade of grass or other
obstacle, with the result that the seed
Is pressed into the ground.
On the spiral becoming dry again, It
curls up, and the seed is not drawn
out of the ground owing to Its back
ward pointing hairs, but the spiral and
the feather are easily drawn down. On
the return of damp the spiral again I'M
winds and, acting as before, drives the
seed still farther down until at last 1t
Ii quite buried
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01

Napoleon | had an extraordinary
mind. He appeared never to forget
anything he cared to remember and
assimilated information as the stomach
assimilates food, retaining only the
valuable. An incident will illustrate
this remarkable quality of his mind.
When forming the Code Napoleon -
he frequently astonished the council
OF state by the skill with which he H.
Illustrated any point in discussion By
quoting whole passages from memory
Of the Roman civil law. The council
wondered how q man whose life had
been passed in camp came to know 90
much about the old Roman laws. Fl
nally one of them asked him how be
acquired his knowledge.
when | was q Lieutenant" Napo-
leon replied, 81 was unjustly placed
under arrest. My small prison room
contained no furniture except an old
chair and cupboard. In the latter
was a ponderous volume, which proved
to be a digest of the Roman law. You
can easily imagine what a valuable
prize the book was to me. 1t was so
bulky and the leaves were so covered
with marginal notes In manuscript that
had I been confined 100 years | need
never have been idle. When re.
covered my liberty at the end of ten
days, | was saturated with Justiniap
and the decisions Of the Roman legis-
lation. 1t was then l acquired my
knowledge Of the civil law"
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01

Two characteristic anecdotes Of
John Bright are given In Sir Edward
Russell's memoirs. which he has pub
lished under the title THAT Reminds
Me-"
Bright was supposed to be total alb
stainer. but once when Edward Mail
was very nervous at the prospect OF
having to make an important speech in
the house. Bright said:
"Well. Mall. il were you, I'd for
once go and have a pint of cham
payne"
Mr.. Mail did as he was told and the
result may be judged from the nara
tors comment that champagne on an
unaccustomed interior Is not always q
curative or n tonic"
Bright rarely had any difference
with his wife" but occasionally they
were not at one about the children
When they came to a point of absolute
disagreement. he used to say:
Now. | tell thee, II thou doesn't dc
what | wish. I'll go straight to Mr.
Gladstone and ask him to make me q
knight" to which the answer invari-
ably was:
"oh. anything rather than that"
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01

accident brings to light In the bamboo
stem q gem; nature has nodded into .
lump little Of the hinty material
which makes the outer stem so hard.
The nodule usually presents the ap-
pearanee Of All opal, aud several speci-
mens are In the museums which repro
duee The characteristic lines of that
gem. These nodules are known a.
tahaoeer. 1t Is interesting to note that
the first chemical and neurological
examination of them WAS made by the
James Smlthson whose munifieenC es-
tablished the first of the scenti6 bu-
reaus of the American goyernmer
In the condition in which the + lit is
known In the United States the TX in
the eoeoanut is considered Its on 1. con-
tents The really ripe nut. how' yer, is
filed with a white spongy mass. rich in
the finest oil which the nut produces.
This sponge Is exposed to the hot sun
for two or three days In wooden
trough until thoroughly pulped. The
last of the oil Is then extracted by
squeezing the soft sponge In the hands.
Very rarely this careful handling has
developed the presence of small spheres
which have much of the luster of the
pearl. Eight or ten of these cocoanut
pearls, all discovered in the Philippines,
are treasured In European museums.
They range from the size of pin head
to that of very small pea.-New York
Sun
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01

zone day we were travelling across
the plains I'm the caboose Of freight
train" writes Rev. Cyrus Townsend
Brady of his experiences as "A Mis-
sionary In the Great West in The La
dies Home Journal. "A young divinity
student was with us. He was one Of
the ambitious kind Of divinity students
who wreck n parish or two when they
begin aud finally drift upon the eccle-
siastical bargain counter. He was
ready to argue about anything with
anybody
"a greasy. dilapdated looking tramp
came Into the caboose At one OF the
stations at the end of division and
presently engaged In heated discus
sion with the young theologue on the
disadvantages Of education. He main
tained the affirmative that the less a
man knew and the less education he
had the happier he was-with so much
skill aud allroitness and showed such
mastery Of logic and literature that he
routed the poor boy-horse, foot and
dragoons-so effectively that the young
man rose and went out on the platform
to hide his chagrin. leaving the sup
posed tramp chuckllng over his pipe In
huge enjoyment at his easy victory.
"The bishop had listened without say
Ing word. and when the student left
he turned to the man and inquired
sharply, What college do you come
from. sirT Yale! answered the man
without thinking. The unlueky admis-
sion destroyed the mans argument for
he was living example of the fallacy
of his own proposition"
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01


One day Br'er Fox was hungry. As
he wandered about the woods he saw a
squirrel upon the branch of a tall tree.
"Hello. Br'er SquirrelF' he said.
"Hello. Br'er Foxv replied the SPUR
rel.
Then said Brer Fox: II once had a
brother who could jump from limb to
limb" $50 can l." replied Br'er SOUR
rel LET me see you" said the fox.
30 the squirrel jumped from limb to
limb.
"Br'er Squirrel. have a brother who
can Jump from tree to tree" 81 can
too" So Br'er Squirrel jumped from
tree to tree.
"Br'er Squirrel. | had brother who
could jump from the top of tall tree
right into my arms" II can too"
And he did. Br'er Fox ate him all up.
Brer Rabbit was lying In bis bed
near by and saw all that was done.
~Brer Fox" said he, your a mighty
smart man. but | had a brother who
could do something you cannot do"
What was it?' said Br'er Fox.
my brother could let anybody tie a
large rock around his neck and jump
on this bridge into the water and swim
out" $50 can l." said the fox. Then
Brer Rabbit fixed the rock and the
string. and Br'er Fox jumped. but he
has not been heard of since.-Ameri-
can Folk Lore.
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01

On the occasion OF dinner Sydney
Smith was the guest. and when the
evening was over the host thanked
the wit heartily for the entertainment
be had afforded. 81 shall not forget
you, Mr.. Smith" he added. Thank
you Take care you don't forget your
self tomorrow Ut was Saturday In
church." rejoined Smith, whereat the
host. Kershaw by name. rather bridled
up.
81 hope. sir. | know how to behave
myself in church, We'll" said Smith
good temperedly, 'if catch you smil-
ing | will call you by name" You
may" reioined the visitor. THE thing
is absurd. viii give you donation
to the York hospital II 1t happens"
On the ensuing morning Smith read
the prayers rcvercntly. as he always
did, then asccuded the pulpit. looked
around the church and rested his eye
on the visitor whose name was Ker-
shaw. That gentleman said afterward
that he did not know what possessed
him. but so 1t was he gave broad
smile. Thereupon the preacher was
seized with a violent inclination to
sneeze. and. applying his handkerchief
with suitable action, he sounded "ker-
ker k-ker-shaw" three times over
From THE "reminiscences of Half a
Century" by II. W. Hiley.
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01
Paderewski's Hand Exercise.

How any great pianoforte player
keeps his hands supple has often been
a matter for wonder, but Paderewski
the king of planists, has revealed the
whole secret. The night before
play turn my hands over TO my valet
and he rubs my fingers until they tin
GLE" declares Paderewski. Then he
takes one finger after the other and
turns and twists 1t in the palm OF his
hand, always turning the one way
That makes the fingers supple and
keeps the knuckles in good working
order. Last he rubs the palm of each
hand very hard-as hard as can stand
1t. Just before | go on the platform
to play have a basin Of hot water
brought to my dressing room. In this
l immerse my hands. Hotl l should
say so; just about as hot as II is pos.
sible for a man to stand II" So this
Is the way II is done.
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01
EkMSSClenCe
SsgslilvezntiOn'


Botanists and entomologlsts know
that dead swamp. or dead tree, stand
ing near living trees is a source of peril
to them, by furnishing refuge and
/ breeding-plaee for timber-borers and
/ other Injurious insects. Trees, as well
as men, need hygienic surroundings.
In Mexico and our Southwestern
States the dreaded tarantula has a re.
lentless enemy In the form of a large
wasp, called the "tarantula hawk"
Swooping down upon the huge spider,
the wasp paralyzes him with a single
puneture from Its sting. aud then drags
Its helpless victim off to be buried. and
10 serve as food for a new genera ton
OF wasps. The wasp will even open
the trap door Of a tarantula's nest and
STAY Its enemy In his den.
Two writers In the National Geo
graphic Magazine Messrs. Garrett and
Iceberg, offer evidence that there Is a
progressive drying Of the climate on the
Pacific coast At no very remote period
some Of the arid plains of eastern Ore
gon were evidently covered with for
ests Of trees resembling existing spe-
cies nearer the coast Mr.. Garrett thinks
that with the clearing away of the pres.
ent forests the end Of the redwood as a
source OF lumber will be at hand. be.
cause existing conditions do not favor
its growth.
The London Optlcian reproduces the
views of DIR. Kotz, Russian physician.
on fatigue of the eye. Whether muscu.
lar or retlnal. fatigue OF the eye. says
DIR. Kotz, may be approximately meas
ured by the number OF eyelld move
ments, or involuntary blinks In a speci.
fed period. BY this system. more than
three movements per minute indicate a
thoroughly unsuitable Illumination.
The experimental results obtained by
this somewhat crude method are given
as: Candlelight 6.S movements per
minute: gas, 2.s; sunlight. %; electric
light, l.8.
In France. Mons. Lcboyer. trying to
solve the problem Of how to make pho.
tographs permanent and free from all
change. has resorted to the plan Of
firing" them in furnace upon enam-
eled stone. He finds that the best stone
for the purpose Is the basalt found in
prisms In the extinct volcanic district
Of central France. This rock, which is
extremely hard and fine grained, re-
ceives the enamel without cracks. The
Photographic film Is deposited on the
enameled surface, and after the photo
graph has been made II Is fired until
the image becomes unalterably incor
porated in the enamel.
At the latest annual meeting of the
Geological Society Of America Prof l.
G. Russell called attention to the recent
discovery that many of the swamps
and lakes In the southern peninsula of
Michigan are rich In calcareous mari.
suitable for making Portland cement
Although partly composed of shells. the
Michigan mari Is principally a cheml.
cal precipitate which is still being
formed. The precise method of its for
nation is not yet understood. The sup
ply is practically inexhaustlble. Large
cement works have lately been con.
structed, others are In contemplation,
and Prof. Russell says that Michigan
can easily take leading place in that
industry.
The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-11-01

1T has always been Al curious puzzle
why Franklin, The man Of ripe age, Of
commanding distinction and of approx
ed literary ,Iiil, was not selected TO
write the De IHgation instead Of Thorn
AS Jefferson. then only - years old and
comparatively Unknown says John
Gilmef Speed In The Saturday Even
ing Post 1t could not be that Frank
lin wns passed by because lie had done
everything "a his power 10 avert the
war aud reconcile the differences be
tween the colonies and the mother
country. for all wise men In the colo
niles did ali that honor permitted In
that direction until the die was cast.
No. IL Wis not fear Of Frankiin's ear
nestness In the cause of fhe colonies.
1t was probably the fear of Frankllns
bumor.
lie was not only the greatest man
OF his time. hut he was one Of the
greatpst humorists Of any time. And
so his associates were possibly afraid
that he world put joke In the Decla-
ration and passed him by and selected
the lnnk young YiTglnlan with the free
Killed. face.
AS II was. Franklin did have his
Joke. for when the members Of con-
gress were about 10 sign the Declare
ton Hnneoek. whose earnestness Is ex-
pressed Ia the bold signature which
comes first said in his own earnest
way: We must be unanimous. There
must he no pulling different ways. We
must all hang together
eyes. replied franklin; we must
hang together. or we shall be pretty
sure to hing separately