davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

on the eligible list who have already
passed the examinations. and it is an
easy matter to enlarge the number.
BESIDES. the fact is notorious that many
81 the so-calIed temporary extras are
10 all intents and purposes permanently
employed. they being kept upon the
temporary list merely to exempt them
from the necessity of taking examina-
tons which they might not be able to
pass
This practice cannot be too severely
condemned. because it involves the dou-
bic wrong Of employing many incom-
Petents and a covert violation Of a
mandatory law intended to elevate the
standard OF the public service. 1t is
especially reprehensible when practiced
under an Administration that has pre-
tessed the strongest fidelity 10 the prin-
ciple of civil service reform. and the
political triumph of which has been. in
part at least. owing to its champion
ship OF the merit system in public ap-
pointments
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMI.
Government Experts Discuss It's AE-
riculturaI Possibilities.

The Department OF Agriculture is about
to issue an exhaustive bulletin on the
Great Dismal Swamp its floral and its
agricultural possibilities There IS. per
haps. no part Of the United States which
has been so little explored as the Great
Dismal Swamp. unless It be the ever
glades of Florida This great body of
land, covered with forests growing in six
to ten feet OF water extends over an area
Of about 800 square miles. its greatest
width being forty miles and its greatest
length sixty miles
a botanical expedition under Thomas II.
kearney, jr-, spent six months in and
about the swamp gathering material for
this report The climate of the Dismal
Swamp region is charac terized by a mild
winter and by a long and hot. though not
extremely hot, summer. The normal num-
Der Of days in the year which have a
temperature Of above q degrees. which is
generally regarded as the minimum tenn
peratuTe for vegetable activity ia most
plants Of the temperate zone. is at Nor
folk about hve-sixths Of the whole About
eight months in the year the region is
free from killing frosts- The normal fall
of snow is very small It's climate is re-
garded as very favorable to the growth Of
normal plants.
Lake DTummond lies almost III the cen
tire Of the swamp ana is body of water
three miles in diameter The water de-
Tives its brawush color from the cuanti-
~ of finely divided vegetable matter held
in solution IT Is regarded by the natives
as having excellent tonic properties de-
rived from the F>rk of the white cedar
or juniper trees Lake Drummond con-
tains a multitude of grey old cypress
stumps worn by weather and water into
a thousand fantastic shapes. 4 few small
trees are vet alive, the remains of a no
BILE forest
Large areas are covered with peat, the
product Of decayIng vegetation extending
over centuries The peat in the black gum
table matter than other peat and when
cleared a fine top soil IS left. The soil is
acid. however. and the application f line
is often necessary. I is doubtful if the
draining Of the swamp for purpose Of
raising corn would pay in competition
with the Ohio and Mississippi valleys
where land is easily brought under cuI-
tivation. but the swamp soils are Capa-
BILE Of producing as large yields Of corn
d the prairie soils OF the Mississippi Val
ley and the climatic conditions are more
favorable. owing largely 70 the invarfabIe
rainfall
Gum trees. oak, beech. maple. elm. pine
myrtle. and other trees are found in the
swamp Owing TO the value of the wood
the cypress has been cut until few spe-
cimens are left although occasionally
and four TO FIVE feet IN diameter above
the base.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
He Was Modest


Dear Strs: Won You please let me know why
you kept nv MSS long and now return 1t
Please dc 1t take HE for a freak, but q
honest Young man who trys To fight the battles Of
life sanSeable This / only mention as a
part history Of my life II you accept, pay me 4
snug sum now and remainder years ROYALTY. They
go 10 work and announce IN the Patent Sheet
and Associated Press Papers that you paid NE
800. OO0UO for the MSS. This they viii take up
as i news item. / Will keep all this stuctly
Cret and 50 can YOU Have short history OF
INV life with d large Picture Of --. Under ms
picture have the words. The handsome Young
Hoosier Author who made himself famous and
received 100000 for "a Few Strokes OF his
Pen Hoping at least 10 hear from you again,
remain for business Sincerely, -"
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
EvadInE the Civil Service Law.

That the provisions Of the Civil Serv
ice law have been evaded at wholesale
during the official incumbency Of Prest-
dent Mckinley has long been generally
known The President himself has
made orders the effect Of which has
been to take several thousand positions
from under the operation Of the rule
and lately the National Civil Service
League has directed its attention 10
practices in the departments which, II
continued and extended. as they may
be, would go a long way toward over
throwing the whole merit system.
The method pursued is that Of 50 in
terpreting the law as TO restrict its op-
Grafton to the smallest nJEfnber Of cases
possible. Especially has this been the
practice with reference TO appointments
made under legislation authorizing ad-
ditionaI work which has required extra
help. Where the laws have provided
that clerks and other assistants may be
selected" or employed" instead Of
using the word "@ypointed" the depart
ments have assumed the right to fiji the
places without regard to the require
ments Of the Civil Service law.
a committee Of the League points
o. as particular instances OF eva
sion the appointment Of employees Of the
Postofice Department connected with
free rural delivery; employees Of the
Forest Reserve Bureau. and the extra
employees rendered necessary by the
war with Spain. Those Ia the Forest
Reserve Bureau alone are said 10 draw
salaries Of three hundred and twenty
We thousand dollars annually. The Gus
tom of exenpting every possible case
from the operation of the Civil Service
law is said 10 prevail in all Of the de-
partments, and t is easy to see that
the total number Of exemptions must be
very great
II is argued that where extras" are
put on for temporary service it is not
feasible to apply the civil service rule
Possibly there may be such case nov
and then. where the service is Of short
duration. and must be performed at
once, but such cases are rare. There
are always large numbers OF applicants
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
TO REwoRK OLD POWDER.
Secretary Root Authorized to Make
the SeceKsary Expenditures.

IN a recent communication to the Comp
troIIer Of the Treasury, the Secretary Of
War said:
Some Of the service powders now on
hand and procured by the Department
several years ago have either undergone
deterioration in store or are not now Of
the best composition for the guns for
which they were procured
The Secretary Of War adds that these
powders can be made entirely service
able and desires to know the Comptroller's
opinion as TO whether the appropriations
for the procurement or purchase Of pow
ders for service are applicable to the re-
working of this powder to meet present
conditions Of the service"
In answer to the question L. p. Mitchell.
Acting Comptroller Of the Treasury, said
Whether the expense Of rewOrking old
powders would be an economical use of
said appropriations is question that
must b. determined by you hut il IS one
that comes within the objects and pur-
poses Of the appropriations named and is
authorized by their terms
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
UNITED STATES IN THE LEAD.
Our Exports to Germany Exceed
Those of Any Other Country

Those of Any other Country.
Andrew D. White. the United States
Ambassador to Germany. has transmit
ted to the State Department the follow
ing official statistics Of the foreign trade
Of Germany from 1891 to 1900, inclusive:
In 1891, the United States occupied
fourth place in the import trade Of Ger
many, with total OF $40, 52S. eco. being
preceded by Great Britain, with S150.SSS.
eco. AustTia-Hungary, with SI42.324o00,
and Russia with Sl$S .04G.009 In 1885. the
imports into Germany from the United
States rose to SI2I. GIS. GOO, and after that
year increased rapidly until in 1900 when
they reached the sum Of $266. 80, 40a.
The United States thus stands far
above any other country in this trade.
being followed by Great Britain, with
$3.50 $50 coo: Russia. with s172. 90: Aus
tria. with S1.2- 2I2, 00o, and France with
S72.590,0OO During this period. American
imports into Germany have increased
more than those of the Iast-named four
countries together.
As regards the export trade OF Ger
many the United States has occupied
third place during this whole period In
1900 the United States imports from Ger
many were to the value Of 500, 4S2, eco; in
1888. $50 726,0O0, and in 1893, so, 492, GOO. Up
to 1895, they showed n tendency to de
cline. amounting in 1891 to sS49s6,oo0 and
sinking in 1894. under the tariff Of 1890
to S64, 49S, fHS, the lowest point reached
The first place in the export trade has
been continually held by Great Britain
(Which il the only large country with
which German trade shows larger ex-
ports than Imports, the second is held
by Austria Hungary, and the fourth by
Holland. though from 1896 to 1899. inciu-
sive. this was held by Russia, which is
row fifth
Within this period-Is9I-1 9o0-there
have been notable increases in GeTma-
uy's exports to England tnotwithstand-
ing that since 1897 there has been no COM
mercisI treaty between these coantTiesJ,
to Belgium. italy. Sweden. and Norway
British India. Australia. China. and Den
mark The greatest relative increase has
been IN the exports to Japan. which have
risen from s., 332. 600 in 1891 to SI666G,eVJ in
1890
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
HIS PLAYMATE a KING.
The Death of a Companion of Chris
tan. of Denmark.

tan, of Denmark.
ST. JOSEPH. No. July 29.-Frederick
9 WeddIe. aged seyenty-oue years. died
at his home south Of this city yesterday
and for the first time since the landing of
his family in this country the story Of his
life Is told
Mr. WeddIe was the playmate OF King
Christian. of Denmark, and later on be
came his companion. Ueing educated in
the same schools. Exiled from his native
land with his father, who was an attache
of the court of King Frederick VII, Of
Denmark. and was Vanished Cor political
reasons. Frederick WeddIe came to Amer
lea His name is connected with the early
history of the pony express. and he was
also Il friend Of General Custer.
He became a captain in the army and
during the civil war served in St Louis
and in Washington Meantime the elder
Wecdte had passed away and the young
man again went West. He saw hard
service as a miner and a ranChman
aud eventually moved to this city. where
he purchased a large tract of farming land
south Of town.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

any other But a loss is n loss. and
there is no way Of converting it into
gain. There is no cause for discour-
agement The tide of prosperity is still
running fairly high. and We may in
dulge the hope that its momentum viii
carry US over the crop troubles without
a really serious break. At the same time
we should take a conservative view Of
the situation. for the injury TO the
harvest IS by no means the only I'M
favorable sign visible in the industrial
skies
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
ExTRAvAGANcE IS CHARGED.
Army officials Say Transports Cost
More Than Is Necessary

Extravaganza in operation is the charge
made by officers of the Inspector Gener-
ais Department against the army trans
port service
The reports of these officers, which have
been received at the War Department
condense the information gathered IS the
result of weeks Of careful examination Of
the different vessels plying across the Pa
cifc Ocean. They say that each trans
port has twice as many men as she act
uaIlv needs. Attention Ms called TO the
condemnation OF 100 small boats because
their seams were open at the time OF their
purchase and subsequent examinations
showed that they were unfit for service
Other extravaganceS In the use of SUD-
plies and in repairs are pointed out
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

CFrom the New York weekly-}

(FrOm the New York Weekly-A
Jack-I'H tell YOU what's the matter George
You don't praise yOur wife enough Even II
things don't 20 right. there's Use growing
Praise her efforts to please. whether they are
successful or not Women like praise, and IOts
Of it
George-An right III remember it
George tat dinner, day)-My dear Thu
Die l. iust lovely It's delicious Ever 80 mucsl
better than those my mother used make She
couldn't equal this pie if she tried = month
Georges wife-TIUhi You've made fun Of ever,
pie / ever made, and now
t;eOrge-But this Is lovely
Georges wife-That came srom tue bakers
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
THE ELToNHEAD CASE.
Secretary Root Recommends a Miti-
rnffnn of Sentence

Secretary Root has recommended a nit
igaJiOn Of the sentence in the case of Ma
jor E z. EiJonhead, of the Fourteenth
Infantry, tried at Manila upon charges Of
intoXication. and possibly In view of the
statements made favorable to the major
he may not lose his commission.
II is said he suffered mental collapse
several years ago, and there IS mention
made in the report that ne is still suffer
ing from some mental disorder. Major
Etonhead mas been brevetted for distiu-
gutsbed services and conspicuous gallaD-
try IN action against the Indians, and was
recommended for brevet majority for
gaIIantry under fire on GuadaIoupe Ridge
and near ZapOtO River, in the Philippines
He Is regarded as d severe discipIinariau-
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
A GOLD BOOM IN LIBERIA.
yellow Metal Said to Have Been
Found in Large Quantities

EouDu
Gold has been discovered in Liberia III
such quantities that d veritable boom Is
on in this African State. James Robert
Spurgeon. secretary of the United States
Legation in Liberia. who is now in Wash
ington says English spectators and
mining experts are fockiEg to Liberia in
great numbers, and a commission of Of
fcials from the little Republic have gone
to Liverpool to arrange for exploiting the
newly discovered mineral wealth. If the
expectations of the fAberians are borne
ont it will mean great prosperity for them.
Already Mr.. Sturgeon says. arrange
ments are being made TO put on a line Of
fast steamers between England and Lii
IBERIA direct. which will greatly improve
the facilities for getting 10 and from that
country which. although II was founded
by Americans. cOlonized by negroes from
the United States. and is under a quasi
protection of the United States deals
with England almost exclusively
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

From the Philadelphia PreSsD
I'm glad to observe that Mr.. De Kauter has
turned over a new leaf, remarked Mrs. Borden
How do you mean, ma am = enGuired the oh
servant Chambermaid
AZ hasn't left his shoes on the hat rack tines.
last few nights
''No. ma ana. but you'd ought TO how mud
DIV his sheets are.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
CURRENT HUMoR.
4 Fraud.

(From the indianapolis Ne,rs)
Colonel HihaII Is fraud He acts like a
gentleman and IS a judge Of hoTse-fesh hut he
Is no kentuckian'
What's the colonel been doing to make
YOU think Thatl''
He took drink Of bourbon with me today
and made WY face
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

lFrom the Chicarn -

tFTOm fhe tFieIgO News
small girl sat the doorstep biting with her
tiny teeth chunk Of ice almost lGSge Is
her curly mead. Her mother from within eaSght
glimpse Of the proceeding and called out, with
soliCitous care:
NV dear child are you eating that iee?'
No rnarnny,'' replied the little one II m just
suckIu. out the Juice
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

(FTOm the FHfiadelphia Iimes)
II will be all right send one Of our fighting
adInlrals To the cor nation OF King Edward but
the closer to home rae talking pets Of the Navy
Department are kept the better il viii be ior
the honor Of the country.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
Mexico Not Worried.

tFrcm the Mexican HcraidJ
Anyhow, il the United States absorbs Mexico
this country charm the ''}auquis" hr ex-
porting frst-class bands smouz them. Young
Aexicans WOO and VI the great hcjre.Ssrs
and thus annex American eslth and 50 the
Tev4nchc viii be accounpI i~frtf
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

From the Chicago News)
You sad that / was the first girl YOU ever
courted.''
Yes, dearest"
well. what made you look under the sofa be
fore We sat DOWN.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
Information for Nicely.
OF1om the AtIanta Constitntion.

(FfOm the Atlanta constitutional
Since the Trial OF Capt Oberiin ~ Carter.
three years ago, the four witnesses upon whom
his conviction rested have died, and ii his case
we're called today ne probably could not be con
v.Cted.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
Official.

(From the Chicago News)
The weather man should adopt General
Kitchener's Il regret to announce" IN starting
OF ms daily predictions.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
Grinding Small Material.

(FrOm the Chicago Journal
Tie mills Of the :, Z grind slowly but they
will grind exceeding small material when they
get Sampson, CrowniHshield Evans, and Chad
Wick into the rollers.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
Plain Duties.


from the Baltimore World)
There are several other plain duties - but
the President has not been able 10 see them,
his glasses are blurred with the dirt from
the trusts
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
Artistic.


ifftfn LIE
Kindergarten Teacher trying 70 point out to
children Of the crowded districts the beauties
Of the rainbow Children, what have you ever
seen IN the sky That was all different colorS.
Lizzi,-The wash, ma am.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29
he Real Mister,

prom the Philadelphia Ledger
The real mystery % the summer Is the COM
pIeteness with which dr. Teddy Roosevelt has
kept under cover.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

PovaI Headache Tablets? WHY, I'm never
without them They act like charm
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

The State Department is being besieged
with appeals from American missionaries
in China who consider that this Govern
ment ought to exact q special agreement
from the Chimes for the protection Of
themselves and their converts. It is not
likely that much notice OF their demands
sufficiently as far as treaty stipuIatious
can accomplish the object II they choose
TO take foolish personal risks in going
into the interior Of China, where they
have every reason TO expect a revival Of
the Boxer mo, emeut as soon as the for
eign troops shall be out Of the country
it is their own lookout The United
States Government il. such an eveutuaIity
could not protect them any more than it
is now able 20 supply them with good
sense and common prudence
According to a despatch from Special
Commissioner RCckhiH to the State De
partmcnt. within two weeks the foreign
Ministers in Pekin probably will sign a
protocol covering the common indemnity
End customs agreement, and thus pr.nare
the way for the almost immediate with
drawaI from the EmDIre Of the allied
forces. All important points OF difference
have been settled and the Council Of En-
VOWS IS at last able % complete its task
IN harmony When the troops leave. only
the legation guards and the Pekin-Taku
railway sarrisons VIII remain to remind
the Chinese Of the war power Of the civ
hized nations What may happen then
is a subject for future consideration.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

We are almost afraid that the Sultan
Of Turkey is already regretting his gen
erosity in settling the American mission
AIRY claims. That precedent seems to have
brought a swarm Of duns 10 his door
France IS pressing vigorously for the set
Element Of an old debt, and other coun-
tries as well re harassing the Sublime
Porte in like manner II is. perhaps to
be apprehended that before long Abdul
Hamid' : creditors might take II into their
heads 10 place him in the hands of re-
ceiver. He may be bare Of cash. out they
know he has real estate sufficient to HG1Ii-
date all claims, if the claimants could
only agree in advance on basis Of dI-
vision.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-29

The Fosburgh case continues TO be
the subject of much newspaper discus
sion. the consensus Of opinion being
that the prosecution was altogether
unjustifabIe- There seems to be q very
general disposition to condemn the Off
Ger who, in = detective capacity, laid
the foundation for the prosecution, and
afterward pressed it with extreme Wig
or. 1t Is claimed by many that there
was no testimony at all against young
FcsDurgh. That is true so far as direct
testimony goes But there was much
circumstantiaI evidence which the pros
ecution claimed pointed strongly to-
ward his guilt, and, as The Times has
heretofore suggested, had he been alone
in the house with his sister, he would
have teeH in serious danger Perhaps
the jury would not have convicted him
anyway, but II is worthy of note, new
ertheless, that the evidence was admit
ted by the court. which shows that t
had some bearing against the prisoner;
and, further. it is TO be observed that
the judge did not direct an acquittal
until the evidence for the defence had
been given
Not the least interesting of the after
developments in this case is the admis-
sion Of the man Cray in New York City.
Before the case was concluded two
women in that city were reported as
having made affidavits to the effect
that ore ". L. Cray had admitted TO
them that he and a partner had killed
Miss Foshur&h. He very promptly sur
rendered TO the New York police. at
the same tine explaining the alleged
admission His version is that he told
the story to one of the women, with
whom he appears to have been on
terms OF intimacy, merely TO impress
her that he was desperate. such men
being her especial admiration His
story is peculiar one. and gives in de-
tail sundTy movements of his own
about the time of the murder, which,
with just a little re-enforcing circum-
stantiaI evidence, would make a case
against him stronger probably than
WAS the one against young FosburgR.