davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26

phone is the most important use of the highway. Trees should give way to the telephone, as they have to the mak- ing of roads. Where telephones run, trees should be set back p to 39 feet. The country telephone lines should be of the best material, on well-shaped poles at least 9 feet high and six i inches in diameter. AS time passes, poles will probably be shortened and the wires be as near the ground as cleo trical conditions will permit, except at road crossings.
 Many small exchanges are prefer able to fewer large ones. Village ex- changes should have connection with town exchanges and county seat eX- changes, and these with city and long distance exchanges, so that the farmer may speak to anybody anywhere. For this he ought to have not only a good equipment, but even a better equip ment than any one else. His line should not consist of wOrn-Out or old material from town and city lines. He is much more dependent on good service than the city man."
 Telephone rates to farmers as rule are lower than the city charges. The companies say the construction cost of the country lines is much less. In this county the farmer gets his tele- phone for SIS year and this entities him to free service in the city and out side it within the county. Take the New Augusta exchange as illustration. Of 75 patrons, 50 are farmers, the most distant from the town living five miles out. In addition to having quick communication with 49 other farmers he may order his groceries at five or six stores, call two or three doctors or veterinary surgeon, ring up. two butchers and consult with justice of the peace. These are all within easy reach at New Augusta. So are two saw mills, one grist mill and a blacksmith shop. So if he wants to borrow from his neighbors or to get harvest help he may know without leaving his house whether he may get them. He can call to his blacksmith or his barber: Any thing ahead of me-" and when there isn't hitch up his Maud s. and '"be there in minute" Or he may mount his bicycle or jump on the interurban car-when the Indianapolis & Logans- port Rapid Transit Company gets down to business. Calling up the post office, if he hasn't rural delivery, he may save valuable time on harvest days, by saying: This is Gilmore; any mail for me tO-day?" In an emergency the telephone connection with the doc tors will reQuite him perhaps for the years charges Telephone charges).
 Thief Catching by TeIc phone.
 The protection" aspect of the tele- phone was we'll illustrated near New Augusta. The News. not long ago, told of farmer near that town who woke up at night in time to see two chicken thieves drive out of the barn lot He
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26
IS LAKE ERIE DRYING UPq
Startling Report Which Comes from
 Government Official.

Startling Report Which Comes from a
 Government Official.
 Tradition has it that once upon a time, for a single day, since civiliZa- tion obtained a footing on this cOnti- nent, the bed of the Niagara River was dry and the cliffs down which the mighty waters have since plunged without cessation stood forth naked and black and frowning and grim. The phenomenon was explained on natural grounds. The same things may hap pen again under similar circumstances, though such an occurrence would at tract more wondering visitors probably than does the great cataract now as it rOars and surges and flashes in the sunlight from century to century. It must suggest to most people surprise of hardly less degree to be informed that Lake Erie is in danger of becom- ing so shallow as to offer obstacles to navigation. We can conceive of the Niagara being damned at it's source, but few have ever dreamed that the vast expanse of water which furnishes it it's current would ever perceptibly shrink.
 That is the startling report, however, that the chief engineer of the Marine Department of Canada has made. He has returned to Ottawa from tour of inspection of the upper lakes, and states that Lake Erie is lower than was ever known to be the case before. This condition is due, he thinks, to series oS Sry seasons, to the drain made by the power of development works at
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26
Economic Value of Birds.

It is averred that the destruction of birds in France has produced disas- trous effects upon agriculture, horticul- ture and the grape industry. In the De partment of Herault alone, it has been calculated, the destruction of birds ac- customed to feed upon insects costs a loss of more than 100000 gallons of wine every year. Some birds consume about 600 insects each day, and sin gle insect-eating species, Mons. LevaI estimates, may be the means of saving 3,2O0 grains of wheat and 1,150 grapes per day.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26
WIRE FENCE TELEPHoNE-A CALL TO DINNER.


Niagara Falls and to the fact that dredging the Tonawanda canal has made it easier for water to escape from the lake He considers it imperative that the United States government adopt remedial measures at an early date, else navigation upon it's present basis will be seriously interfered with.
 He offers no suggestions as to what remedies should be applied. The sea- sons are not likely to remain always dry, though when body of water like this great inland sea is appreciably af- fected it is about the most startling commentary yet noted upon the policy of stripping the country of its rain- gatherers in the forests of the North west. Lake Erie at best is one of the shallowest of the great chain. There are three divisions In its floor, increas- ing its depth toward its outlet. The upper portion has level floor with an average depth of about 30 feet. The middle portion, taking in the principal part of the lake, has a mean depth of from 60 to 70 feet. The lower portion varies from 60 to 240 feet. These measurements were taken a number of years ago and are not applicable to the reduced depth that has been reported
 The area of the lake is 9,600 square miles, or more by nearly fourth than that of the State of Massachusetts. But it drains only narrow margin of coun- try around it and receives no rivers of importance, the Maumee being the largest on the American side. It is more than 300 feet higher than Lake Ontario. It is one of the most impor- tant factors in our system of lake naVi-
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26
COULDN'T FOOL couNTRYMEN
Young Chicagoan Gets Into a Scrape
 F-1.,

Young Chicagoan Gets Into a Scrape
 from PoIiteness.
 One young man in Chicago found him. self in a very embarrassing position during Grand Army encampment week because of the fear of some of the vis- itors from the country who thronged the city. The newspapers had pub. lished columns of warnings to the peo- pie from the country against the smooth tricksters who swarmed the city, wait ing to lead the strangers to the tunnels to see the explosion" or something of the kind, and to relieve them of their ready cash when they reached the first dark alley.
 Herbert McCulla, who travels for a well-known Chicago gas lamp company, l had just returned to this city over the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, and was walking south on 9th avenue to go to his home on the West Side on West Madison street car. AS he neared Randolph street he encountered two gray-haired veterans from the country. and overheard one of them advise the other to go to the policeman on the next corner and ask where the Briggs House was. McCulla knew very we'll where the hotel was situated, and, stepping up to the strangers, he said:
 ''The Briggs House is just around the corner on Randolph street. Come along, Pm going right past 1t and will point 1t out to you and save you the trouble of looking for policeman"
 "Get along with you," said one of the strangers. Were onto you confidence men. We've read of you in the papers. |"
 The accommodating Chicagoan laugh ed and started to leave the strangers, but just at that time a blue-coated off, cer appeared around the corner and one of the strangers rushed up to him and reported that the man with the valise was a confidence man and had just tried to entice them to go with him so that he could rob them.
 The policeman rushed after McCulla and grabbed him by the collar, demand ing him to explain why he had tried to lead the two strangers with him. The drummer explained to the officer that he had merely volunteered to direct the strangers to their hotel and explained who he was and what firm he worked for. The policeman was skeptical and would not believe him, and asked him to show evidence of his Identification as a travelling salesman. McCulla put his hand in his pocket to get card or a letter, but discovered that he did not have paper of any description in his pocket by which he could prove his statements, and to keep from going to the station he was forced to open his valise on the street and produce letters from his firm and show his samples, after which the officer apologized and released him.-Chicago Chronicle.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26
A Vague Reminiscence.

Though 1t happened in one of De- troit's swell hotels, neither of the prin- cipals belongs here. He had just seat ed himself at the dinner table, when she and another lady came in with the usual flourish of handsome and well-dressed women.
 He turned shade or two paler. Af- ter coming her menu she looked across the table, and her face took on a pug zled expression. When their eyes met during the meal each pretended to be studying the tablecloth or the opposite wall. He left first, and she watched through the doors.
 "Amie," she said to her companion, "I certainly know that man, but can't for the life of me place him. I think he knew me, too, but I couldn't bow to him unless I were sure, could I? You know that I never snub any One."
 He wandered into the parlor later while the women were there, looked a little too fierce for congeniality, and got away as soon as he could. She again gave out the conviction that she knew him, and wondered where 1t was and who he could be.
 "Neyer mind." said the companion; 'he's nothing to us. Forget him."
 "Oh, foolish, it isn't that, but you know how it Is when your memory be- trays you, and I don't want him to think me rude. But hubby will be here tonight, and I'll have him find out all about it."
 Half an hour later she smothered a scream and rushed imploringly at the other woman. For heavens sake, Annie, don't you say a word to my hub by about that fellow. It just came to me-"
 "Well?"
 "He was my first husband in Chica- go."-Detroit Free Press.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26
Restrictions of French Girl Life.

1.-The program of what French girl may or may not do is drawn up very precisely" declares Tn. Bentzon (Mad- anne Blanc), in the Ladies' Home Jour- nal. Unless she Is poor and has to earn her own living she never goes out alone. The company of friend of her own age would not be sufficient to cha peron her. It is an established rule that novel-reading is rare exception. She is entirely subject to her parents will in the matter of reading. And if she asks to see anything at the theater except a classical masterpiece, or an opera, they will tell her that such a thing is not considered proper, feeling sure of her silent submission. After she is 15 years old she is generally allowed to be in the drawingroem on her mothers reception days, but must keep to the modest and secondary place assigned her: pouring the tea and pre- senting it. cOurtesying to her elders, answering when spoken to-in short, undergoing her apprenticeship. She mas put ISM JSWSAS, anu uhuSA AO pIS- text any diamonds. Custom does not permit her to wear costly things; nor does 1t give her the right, in general, to have a money allowance worth speak ing of for her personal use. She re- ceives a trifiing sum for charity, her books and gloves. A young girl never takes the lead in conversation, but al- ways allows the married lady the prec- edence, and she finds it quite natural to occupY the background"
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26

Western apples sent to the New York market last season afford new proof of the importance of packing goods in the best way. In the ordinary New York fiat there Is seldom room for barrel of apples, nor would fruit bought in such quantity keep until used. On the other hand, apples purchased by the dozen or the peck are expensive. West ern growers who acted upon this knowledge were we'll paid. Last year they shipped their apples to New York in boxes. They were sold at barrel rates, and the boxes were conveniently kept on the fire-escapes until freezing weather. Two hundred and fifty thou sand boxes were sold last winter, and this year the number will be still larger.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26

The pranks of the lightning have al- ways confounded science with inexpl1c- able mystery ever since Noah watched the gathering fury of the elements from the deck of the ark. Franklin with his kite merely demonstrated the possibility of drawing electricity from the atmosphere by means of conduct ors. But the discovery of Franklin, val uable and brilliant as it was, did not solve the mystery of the lightning. We know a great deal about static and dynamic electricity. But the bolt that dashes from cloud to earth during a thunderstorm is as terrifying and mys- terious as ever. It mocks at the puny efforts of science. We know in a gen. eral way that lightning is the discharge of electricity between two electrified regions. from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth. We also know that it is charged with tremendous voltage, or energy, and that when 1t Is dis charged from a cloud to earth it will destroy any poor conductor that 1t may encounter. The lightning rod rep resents the feeble effort of man to solve the mystery of lightning and to protect life and property from its death-dealing bolts. It was built on the theory that if would conduct the electricity from the atmosphere safely into the earth and that the electric current, finding a better conductor than the house, would follow it and leave the house un- harmed. That human foresight does not know where lightning will strike next" was demonstrated by the re- markable and appalling destruction of life in a recent thunderstorm at Chi cago. in which eleven persons met in- stant death by one bolt of lightning while huddled together in zinc-lined shanty under pier. Such an instance of wholesale electrocutiOn by a single holt of lightning is probably not on rec ord. If those who sought shelter under the zinc-covered shed had not been crowded closely together, thereby es- tablishing perfect contact one with the other. there might have been fewer fatalities. As it was they were electro cuted as one person. In seeking shelter from a storm beware of metal-covered sheds or anything else in which metal predominates.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26

A regular army officer, referring to the ''go-as-you-please" appearance of American soldiers, deems it so grave a defect that he delves deep for the cause of 1t and charges 1t up as a national characteristic. At the same time Lord Wolseley declares that the United States army is the best of its size in the world. There never were fighters with less idea of appearance and discipline than the Boers; but five times their number of British troops have not yet succeeded in completely conquering them. So we need not feel uneasy about the free-and-easy aspect of our Ameri- can troops.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26

by the companies showing the relative number of farmers now using the tele- phones at their homes. At the present rate of construction it will be possible, before the end of the year, to talk by | telephone to 1000 farmers in Marion County. There are telephones in the houses of 1900 to 1,400 Boone County farmers, and probably in those of an equal number in Hendricks County. There is farm service from nearly all the city and town exchanges in the gas belt. It is probable that there are farmhouse telephones in seventy of the ninety-two Counties of the State.
 Tn some instances there are small systems where three or four farmers each get $10 telephone outfit, use the wire fences for lines of communication, and are thus restricted to conversations among themselves. Such a system is used just outside the limits of this city, where six families of one name on ad- joining farms have this easy cOmmunf- cation withone another. There is no exchange" One ring calls one of them, two rings call another, and so on to six rings. In more pretentious sys- tens the wires are strung on bean poles or fence posts from farm to farm, and an exchange is established with switch ing facilities. The companies are dis couraging crude equipment, however, and these homemade lines are thus only used for strictly local purposes. The companies will not connect their lines with them. They say chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and they will not have the general service impaired by weak part of it.
 Here are some things MT. Sheerin said in his Buffalo address: "The tele- to any other class. The great draw backs to country life are its isolation, meager opportunities for social inter- course and fewer opportunities for pro- lection. If the farmer is out of touch with the market the telephone brings his ear close to it; the weather report is brought to his door to protect his crops and his cattle; the telephone saves his horses weary miles of travel to transact his everyday business.
 Good Lines Desirable.
 "The farmer should not put up cheap grounded telephone lines on native poles 300 to 400 feet apart, marring the landscape. The poorly constructed telephone is worse than no telephone The line should be regarded as part of the road itself and equally for the pur- pose of facilitating messages. The tel ephone is a messenger-it Is a troop of messengers. It should be as free from interruption on the highways of coun- try as the bearer of a writ of habeas corpus. There is no way by which messages can be transmitted with so little wear and tear to the roadway.
 "The time is not far off when tele- phone lines will be looked on as sacred property. In some respects the tele-
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26

they are elected, and when they retire they are often appointed to important offices. Federal judgeships are offices of still more permanent class. Presi- dent John Adams appointed chief justice who lived to administer the oath of office to Andrew Jackson; and his successor, appointed by Jackson. administered the oath to Abraham Lin coin. Already Chief Justice Fuller, ap- pointed by MT. Cleveland in his first term, has four times inducted Presi- dent into office.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26

guessed they were chicken thieves, and former experiences made it 100 to that he was right. He was. He stood poor chance of catching them, so he called up his neighbor mile down the road the wagon took, and asked him to hustle out on the highway with his two sons and three shotguns while he would call up some other neighbors, and the posse would soon be in pur- suit. The thieves were captured and punished, the chickens were recovered and the community relieved of a nui- sance.
 A man at Valley Mills had 2 young horse he valued at $1,OOO. It took sud denly sick at night, and before he could come to Indianapolis for a vet erinary surgeon and take him to the farm the animal died. "I would have given $500 if had had a telephone" he said. He talked about his loss among his neighbors; they had a fel- low-feeling, and there is going to be a telephone exchange there. with lines to farmers houses roundabout. One has recently been put in at Cumberland; others are scheduled for Acton and Clermont In Perry and Decatur townships, in this County. and in White River Township, in Johnson County, gangs of wOrkmen are now busy putting up country telephone lines.
 The manager of one of the local com panies was asked if it was doing any thing in this line and answered: t'Yes, we are now working in the north and northwest part of the County, in the west and northwest besides the east and southeast and south and southwest sections" It is said that this pretty generally reflects the general situation with all the companies over the State.
 So with good roads, scientifically built, for either his pleasure or work; with the bicycle ready on the back porch, with the trolley cars whizzing past the house, the rural mail delivery to bring him his daily newspaper and the telephone to keep him in instant touch with the markets, the farmer has to pinch himself occasionally to see if he really is a farmer and not the hustling resident of a metropolis. In News.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26

When MT. Arthur was President he once said to John NJ. Wilson, then a major in the regular army: Presidents may come and Presidents may go, but the army runs on forever" A few weeks ago Wilson, as brigadier gen eral, retired from service as the head of the engineer corps of the army. He had entered West Point as a cadet fif- teen years before MT. Arthur had been heard of outside the politics of New York, and his active work ends fifteen years after that Presidents death. The fact illustrates the truth of President Arthur's playful paraphrase, which might have been applied to other branches of the government The offi- cial life of the head of an executive de- pertinent is usually short. The throngs that gathered recently to see the Pres the country looked upon the great na- tional leaders of to-day; but four years hence, in all probability, not one of those high officers of state will be occu- pying bis present position. Indeed, it is doubtful if any one of them will be occupying any official position. Even a President drops quickly out of the larger life of the nation when he quits office. Senatorships. on the other hand, are long-term offices. Most of the Sen Rtors have become prominent in the
 public life of State or nation before
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26

Mechanical ingenuity has done won derS for the farmer in the last half-cen- tury, but it has not yet reached point where it will enable him to farm by telephone. Farming is not a matter Of talk, anyway. The cracker box at the corner grocery has been the forum Tor the discussion and settlement of great problems of government, but it never increased the prOductiyeness of the soil It is, therefore, hardly possible to increase crops by increasing the farmers facilities for conversation. And yet recent experiments in various parts of the country tend to confirm the belief that the telephone is to become one of the most valuable conrlbutlons to rural life and a great aid to the farmer, especially the one who FOLLOWS the business of agriculture on large scale. In a farm where portions of it are let out to tenants its value as an economizer of time through telephonlc connection between the houses or the tenants and the residence of the own CT, as well as through connection of the various buildings, is readily apparent. But the telephone has larger use for the farmer than establishing means of communication between his build ings. The establishment of farmers cooperative exchanges in various parts of the country furnishes hint of the extent to which the telephone is to be utilized to promote the interests of hus- bandry. In Montgomery County, lndl- ana, forty townships are connected and over six thousand telephones are in use. The ultimate effect of the es- tablishment of these exchanges Ill farming communities is to put the rural family in contact with the city and the world at large, and thus enlarge its in- dustrial and social horizon, including greater contentment with farm llfe The ability to ring up" the city may be the solution of the problem of how to keep boys on the farm.
The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-26

It is a fact worth bearing in mind that whenever news is scarce in Wash ington the correspondents are sure to set af1oat one of two rumors: that an extraordinary session of Congress is to be called, or that some member of the Cabinet is about to retire. Matter for a second dispatch is furnished by a denial of the rumOr. Acknowledge of this device will enable readers to estimate the probable truth of these ru- mors when they first make their ap- pearance.