davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
Privilege faxes.

Formerly merchants of this city paid $15 a year as privilege tax, and when the Birmingham amendment" was adopted whereby an additional property tax of 50 cents on the $100 was levied upon them, it was hoped that the privilege tax would be re- pealed.
 But instead of repeating it the Coun- ell proceeded to substitute for it an ad yalorem privilege tax, which is practically heavy penalty upon in creases in business. In some cases the new form of privilege tax places an annual burden amounting to hun dreds of dollars upon business in this town. Is this just? Is 1t good policy Is it right to levy upon merchants a property tax and also a heavy ad valorem privilege tax? One firm pays s1,e00 year to the city in this way. Is this best?
 Such double taxation must do one of two things-drive men out of busi- ness, or else lead to higher prices for the necessaries as well as luxuries of life. It means one of the two. It is unjust besides to tax one lot of busi- ness men twice over. when the rest of the community pay property taxes only.
 Section Two of the license ordinance should be repealed. At any rate it should not be re-enacted for the year 1902. Assessed valuations are increas- ing in this town rapidly, and if here after if there be due and proper econ omy in city expenditures the taxes imposed by Section Two can be dis pensed with. Let them go. They be- long to the past when this town was weak and poor.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
In the New City Hall

It is plain all the marketmen of this town do not propose to go into the new city hall, and no one should mourn thereat. They propose to occupy other quarters, where they will have more room. Some of them will go in the city hall, but not all of them. tt
 The new city hall will smell all the pleasanter if all of them refuse to go. The beautiful new building will not accumulate all the smells of meats and vegetables, both of which become oc- casionally stale, not to mention eggs, fish, and refuse of all sorts. No one of choice wants market in the city hall, and this city is not so poor that it must tolerate ancient smells in it's municipal building.
 The best use the space allotted to a market can be put to is shelf space for public library. A public library IS an absolute need in this town. It's absence is becoming a reproach, a shame. by-word. No money is saved by turning over the space in the city hall to marketmen, because the city will soon be compelled to build a pub lie library. It must do this or soon become known as the only city in the land without a public library. A library is as necessary part of public edu- cational system as school or lecture room. Let no one say that money can be saved to the city by turning over the space in question to the market men, for it cannot be. A public library is a public necessity, and one there must be in this town. The most eco- nomical way of getting one consists in putting shelves where stalls were to have been placed. Turn meats and vegetables out, and bring books for the peoples use in. This is true econ omy in every respect.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
An AIahamIan Honored.

Alabamians will read Of the recent pro- motion of Captain w. L. Sibert of the United States engineering corps with much pleasure. He is native of the State, a son of Major J. w. Sibert, a prominent Gadsden merchant and grad uate of the University of Alabama. He has many friends in the South. A recent issure of the Pittsburg Dispatch says of him:
 "Captain William Luther Sibert. United States engineer corps, who has been de- signated by the War Department to come to Pittsburg and relieve Major Charles F. Powell, is regarded as one of the brightest young officers in the engineer corps Not only Is his reputation as an engineer excellent, but he is also known as a brave and daring fighter. having won honors in this direction only recent ly in the Philippines. where he also added very materially to his engineering repu- tation in handling several difficult and puzzling conditions.
 Captain Sibert was born in Alabama and graduated from West Point in 1884.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
Believe Canal Bill Will Pass.

"The Nicaragua canal question is now in. better shape than it ever was before" said man from Washington yesterday, land I expect a final passage of the bill during the present session of Congress.
 q am reliably informed" continued the Washingtonian, there will be no fight made on the bill at this time by the directo ors of the great transcontinental railway systems. As these roads have bought and will operate steamships from the eastern coast around to San Fran cisco, and they will have the principal lines traversing the Nicaragua canal, they will not oppose the passage of the bill. By the establishment of rates not in conflict with theirs across the conti- nent they expect to develop the in- terior to such an extent that the tonnage will increase enormously.
 'I believe it would be a good idea" continued the gentleman, flor all of the commercial bodies of the south to ap- point delegates and have a general Nic- araguan conference in the city of Wash ington. Here they could meet delegates from the east, west and north, and it would have powerful effect on Congress towards hastening legislation that will bring about the construction of the canal"
The age-herald., 1901-12-08

humble and sable crap shooter. Let us see whether any one besides tramps and negroes imbibe too much in this town.
 Above all else 1t should be ascer- tained why so many arrests are made in this town--who Is the gainer from the wholesale network of the police what it costs the city-why it is pros eeuted and maintained. There is 8 meaning and a cause-have no doubt as to that. Three times the usual number of arrests are not made with out a meaning and a cause.
 The matter should be probed to the bottom, and the Legislature is the only body that can extensively treat the subject, although any grand jury has sufficient authority to take it up and consider it and act upon it. Per haps grand jury could begin upon 1t, and the Legislature finish it. It is fast becoming a State scandal, and action sohuld be had in relation to it. The truth should be brought out.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
Coyinnton County,s Scare

Too much praise cannot well be said of Governor Jelks for promptly backing up with troops the sheriff of Excited Covington County. This plan is exactly the plan Governor O'Farrell of Virginia adopted about ten years ago. thereby wholly eliminating lynch i~gs in that State. Virginia is now as 7e from such outbreaks against law cad order as Pennsylvania is, or any other State.
 Once let the sheriffs know that un- der, all circumstances they will be sus- . tained by the power of the State, there will be no cowardly actions on their part when mobs threaten or ap- kpear. They will do their duty, and the sheriff of Covington is an ex- Eample of the new and better course kof things.
 The entire affair in Covington might readily have been avoided. It grew lout of an attempt to arrest negro for 1 stealing pistol, and it spread and I spread until the entire county lost it's senses With twenty-five negroes shut up in prison there is no danger there will not be material enough at hand when the courts proceed to measure out justice. There is no excuse what ever for mob rule. There never Is.
 Beyond supporting the sheriff Gov ernor Jelks should take steps to bring to the bar the lynchers who as an episode of the crazed condition of the Ecounty hung three negroes. This is particularly desirable at this time. Juries may acquit them, but let it at Fleast, become known that men cannot engage in such enterprises in Alabama and escape unquestioned.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
Wafer in Iones Valley.

There Is no occasion for a frame of mind over the water supply in this town and valley, for the water com pany, or the city, or the county, or the government, can readily bring in at no great cost practically unlimited supply of pure Sand mountain water by means of trunk canal down Jones valley from the head waters of the Warrior. The dam would be located at or near Swansea on the Mineral Belt Railroad. The cost of such canal would be about $4O0,O00. It is singu- lar fact that the flow of water at Swansea is greater than it is at the mouth of Valley creek, the difference being due to the disappearance of water in the clefts of our limestone formation.
 Then, too, the government may in time be induced to put a dam in the Tennessee river at Guntersville, there by diverting a portion of that river to the Warrior. The old channel of pre- historic times would thus to some ex- tent be restored. In that case there would be an abundance of water in this valley for all possible purposes in the. future.
 Water for half million people and irfnumersble mills must be had, and it is 2 oa.afa.t to know that there is an abadaace of it in the near-at-hand Warrior, and a flood of it in the Ten nessee, and that big head" can be had at either place. A fall of 107 feet can be secured from Guntersville, and a fall of half as much at Swansea Plenty of water and plenty of gravity are within reach, and we need not be troubled over the situation.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
TIRED OF OFFICE.
Minnesota Journal.

Minnesota Journal.
 Governor Savage of Nebraska has trou- bles of his own, even in the magnificent ly appointed chambers of the Executive Mansion of Nebraska. q would rather stand and look at piglet squealing for place at the trough" he said one day. than sit in a luxuriously appointed of- flee and hear the chronic office seekers squealing for some sort of snap There is something soothing and restful about barnyard It is pleasure. to lean against a haystack and converse with a hired man who has no axes to grind, whose highest ambition is to borrow a chew of tobacco. I take more pride in my ability to guess the weight of fat hog than do in my capacity to hold the helm of the ship of state.''
 That's just it. A man nearly breaks his neck trying to get loose from his farm, and after he has accomplished it and gets what the world calls way up" he is just as anxious to get back on the land again. The contented man on good farm, with a little money in the bank, has this world beaten to a finish
The age-herald., 1901-12-08

gain nothing for your party nor the gov ernment." The President has evidently been thinking seriously over this matter, and the indications are that in future there will be very few Democrats ap- pointed to office in the south.
 Postmaster Hughes will undoubtedly be re-appointed at Birmingham. and it is my opinion that, regardless of the talk to the contrary, William Vaughan will be re-appointed district attorney. Judge Roulhae and the other Democratic candidates are apparently without chance. There are several Republicans likewise candidates, whose names have heretofore appeared in the newspapers, but vaughan's chances are as nine in ten to any of the others.
 Congressman Banl1head has appointed Mir. Lucien Julien Walker as his private secretary. MT. Walker arrived in Wash ington several days ago. and has as stunned the active duties of his appoint ment. He is living at the Riggs House with MT. Bankhead.
 In his recommendations to Congress, the Secretary of War failed to make any recommendation of an appropriation for the Warrior river between Tuscaloosa and Demopols The last river and harbors appropriation bill, which was killed by the action of Senator Carter, carried an appropriation of $750,0 ,0O0 for the Warrior river between Tuscaloosa and Demopolis Both Congressman Underwood and Bankhead are to an extent indignant over the failure of the war department to recommend this appropriation. MT. Bank head was at the department in regard to this matter today. He is a member of the rivers and harbors committee and will insist upon an appropriation equal to that in the last bill going into the bill to be adopted by the present Congress. In speaking about the matter this afternoon he said he was thoroughly confident that he could have the whole appropriation in the bill reinstated regardless of the recommendations of the war department. He thinks the matter must have been an oversight on the part of the chief engineer.
 
 It will be unnecessary at the present time for Birmingham to send a delegation to Washington to endeavor to secure one of the four army posts. The matter of selecting sites for these army posts is ------s..- . office, has returned from Utah, Greene county, where he has been hunting for the past ten days.
 W. W. Sim of Athens, Ala, is reg istered at the Florence.
 W. G. Patterson. who recently left the city to work in Montgomery has return ed to Birmingham.
 Joe Johnson has recovered from an at- tack of appendicitis and is on the streets again.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
Played a Trick on Boys.

'"There are some young fellows in this world who are not as smooth as n tailors iron for instance" said well known travelling man at the Hillman last night. "Ye.n erday I had occasion to go out on the Alabama Great Southern train which leaves shortly after clock On this trip up the road I witnessed an incident that most surely proved the truth of the statement just made.
 "Of course, there were girls in it. Moth ing is done by young fellows these days wherein a girl does not play some part There were two young men and two young women-very pretty tie latter mean. I first noticed the four on tie streets-in a bank if l an not mistaken They were chatting in an easy kind of way, but something they said led me to conclude they had just met. So I watched them walk down the street
 After walking a block or three, one of the young fellows left the crowd, say ing something about money. Just a few minutes before my train left l noticed him dash into the passenger station and buy two tickets. In the meantime I saw the same two girls on the train. The man buying the tickets was joined by the man whom I had seen with the girls down town. As the train moved off they swung on the car. I was near where the girls were when the boys en- tered. They looked up surprised, but moved in their seats so the boys could be with them.
 'In a few minutes one of the young fellows said:
 By the way, we are going with you.'
 Are you, indeed" replied one girl. Let me see your tickets.'
 "The coupons were produced but in a twinkling of the eye the girl threw them out of the window without even glancing at them. They then laughed in the mer- riest possible tones. The boys looked chagrined. The girls laughed even more than at first.
 "The train whistled for the Avondale crossing. The two boys arose from their seats, felt in their pockets, pulled out a dime, and as the train slowed for the crossing swung off. The girls laughed and made themselves comfortable. It was they who were smooth"
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
Silver Service for the Alabama.

The battleship that bears the name of this State was begun by Secretary of the Navy Herbert. The name itself recalls the famous ship of Confederate days. The battleship carries, too, the name of the State far and wide over all seas. Let us then treat our name sake as other namesakes have been treated-let us give her silver serv- ice.
 Such service will cost $6,OO0, and Birmingham is asked to contribute $l, 1000 of that sum. This assessment is wholly reasonable, and the money should be forthcoming. President Exum of the Commercial Club has taken hold of the matter, and the com mittee that he has named should be properly met and satisfied. Birming- ham itself will soon be on an arm of the sea, and it is none too soon to take upon us our proportion of nautical burdens.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
A WOMAN SUCCEEDS.

New York Letter in Pittsburg Dispatch.
 Some time since it was widely published effect acting Governor of the State of New Jersey. Now. in the world of busi- ness, a rival has developed-Miss Ella Connard of New York, employed by a To- cal insurance company. Acting as the agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com pany. she succeeded in acquiring titles to the land in West Thirty-fourth street to be used as the site for the terminals of the Long Island and Pennsylvania roads and arranged for the payment of several millions of dollars. The identity of her principals was not suspected and she was most successful in her undertais- ing
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
NED BRACE SAYS POLITICIANS FROM
 ALABAMA ARE AT CAPITAL IN sDROVEs

entirely in the hands of General Miles and the committee of officers appointed by the Secretary of war. In the act pass- ed during the last Congress for an in. crease of the efficiency of the perina- nent military establishments of the United States there a section which pro- Yided as follows: r8t
 That the Secretary of War be. and he is hereby authorized and directed to cause preliminary examinations and sur veys to be made for the purpose of se- lecting four sites with a view to the es- tablishment of permanent camp grounds for instruction of troops of the regular army, and National Guard, with esti- mates of cost of the sites and their equip- ment with all modern appliance, and for this purpose is authorized to detail such officers of the army as may be necessary to carry on the preliminary work: and the sum of ten thousand dollars is here by appropriated for the necessary expense of such work, to be disbursed under tho Secretary of War; provided that the Sez- retary of War shall report to Congress such examination and surveys and no contract for said sites shall be made nor any obligation incurred until Congress shall approve such selections and appro- priate the money therefor"
 It will thus be seen that the War De- partment is now simply to select four sites and that the approval of the same will come up in Congress- later on. Hun dreds of sections of the country are pre- senting claims Every State has four or five locations which it claims to be the best. In Alabama, Birmingham, Hunts vile, Montgomery and Anniston are making claims. General Miles has abso- lutely refused to give a hearing to any delegation. He says they may only pre- sent their claims in writing to the Secre- tary of War. I am told at the War De- partment that 10000 acres of land will be necessary to each site. The general of the army wants sufficient territory in order that he might have maneuvers of an entire army corps if necessary. It is probable that several army officers will be sent to Birmingham in the near future to look at the land in that sec tion. The selection of the sites will de- pend entirely upon the decision of this committee of officers.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
Wholesale Arrests in Birmingham.

There were 9,626 arrests in Birming- kham last year out of an apparent pop kulation of 38,415! Let us say that kthese arrests came from the popula- Etionr of the county, 14O,42O. This swouId be about per cent, whereas an New York flooded with immigrants and home soldiers the percentage is about one-half less. The number of Harfests in year in this county should mot exceed 4.0Oo. and yet in the lcran1ped bounds of Birmingham they numbered last year 9,626!
 The next Legislature should investi' Igate these figures of last year. They ehould be analysed by competent men -by keen-witted men, some of whom |Bhould be lawyers. Let us see what hclass or classes these thousands came krom. Let us see whether the naughty pistol toter is arrested, or whether khe arrests for carrying concealed Reapons are confined to the weak and triendless. Let us see whether the Hch gambler is arrested, or only the
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
THOUGH" BIRMINGHAM.

From the Selma Times.
 According to the census report as shown in the New York Herald, Birmingham Is put down as the toughest city in the United States, with Atlanta a very close second, which is very consolng to Ala bamians. The Age-Herald, Mayor Dren- nen and Chief Austin are mad all through and denounce the report as another mis- take of the census bureau" It's tough, we'll admit, to be called tough" and in a way to make the 'enttlement stick it is particularly tough and exasperating, in view of the fact that it means that every fourth person in that city had an unpleasant quarter of an hour or more with a policeman" The Times was about right in saying that probably because the Bham man at home Is always on the jump to keep ahead of the police" is the reason why he finds it "so restful and Sunday-like" in Montgomery on one of its busy days.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
LINES WRITTEN IN EARLY SPRING

By William Wordsworth. I heard a thousand blended notes, While in a grove I sat reclined, In that sweet mood when pleasant
 thoughts
 Bring sad thoughts to the mind To her fair works did Nature link The human soul that through me ran; And much it grieved my hdart to think What man has made of man. Through primrose tufts in that sweet
 bower,
 The periwinkle trailed its wreaths: And 'tis my faith that every flower Enjoys the air it breathes. The birds around me hopped and played, Their thoughts I cannot measure But the least motion which they made. It seemd a thrill of pleasulse The budding twigs spread out their fan To catch the breezy air; And l must think, do all can, That there was pleasure there. From heaven if this belief be sent, If such be Natures holy plan, Have I not reason to lament
 What man has made oi mani
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
MRS. SLOAN MAKES CUT.

New York Letter in Pittsburg Dispatch.
 Mrs William Douglas Sloane proposes to cut the "400' to 100, the latter being the number of guests she will invite to the dinner she is to give at her home on January 2. Ward McAllister limited New York society to 400; then Mrs. Og- den Mills narrowed 1t down to 15O. A great deal of bad blood was aroused by each reduction and Mrs. Sloane's intima- ton that she wishes still further to re- strict New York's most fashionable set is expected to arouse a very storm of indignant yet futile protest.
The age-herald., 1901-12-08
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE
oates' Experience at a Circus.


 "One of the most interesting stories that I ever heard" said an oid-time friend of General Oates at the Morris last night. twas the generals fight with circus crowd in Abbeville. just after the war. It seems that a small circus came to the town of Abbevile, and as one of the features of the circus, they put up a three card monte table in the rear of an oyster saloon. Some of the citizens of Abbeville patronized this in- stituion to their detriment one of the unfortunate victims being an old negro man who waited on the general. Among the valuable possessions that this old negro lost was his silver watch. Know ing that the general would fight any thing, he came to him in his despair and asked him to go up to the oyster saloon and take his watch from the circus men,
 ''The general went up to where the gambling was going on, and after look ing on a few minutes, told his friends that the circus men were robbing them, whereupon three of the professionals rose from their table and pulled their pistols on General Oates. The general of course drew his pistol and in cool way he told the smallest man of the party that he was too small to kill, whereeupon he slapped him in the face with his pistol and knocked him down. The other two opened fire on the gen. eral and he returned the same until his pistol was empty
 "In the fight he shot one of the cir GUS men in the arm and the other one in the back as he ran off. He went out then and got together number of his friends in Abbeville. and went to the tent of the circus people, swearing that he would whip the whole crowd unless they would return to the old negro his silver watch and the other citizens of Abbeville all they had lost. This propo- sition was readily accepted by the cir GUS crowd.
 "The next day the circus appeared in Eufaula. The clown said to another one: Have you ever been to hell?'
 l" No he replied. but I have been to Abbeville.