davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1902-12-21

away. Not an instant OF time is lost
The company realizes that good oper-
ators are valuable possessions and looks
after their comfort in many little ways.
Although the operators working day is
n.Le hours. she has a luncheon time OF
half an hour and two rest periods Of
half an hour each. This time she may
spend as she pleases-out in the air or
in the rest room-"loaAng room, the
girls call (which the company pro-
yides.
There is. besides. kitchen and dining
room, where at luncheon time coffee. tea.
and cocoa. butter. etc, are provided
free. although the young women must
bring their own luncheons. Then, too.
IN case of illness. or indisposition. is a
hospital" a room provided with easy
chairs and lounges. 1t IS kindness and
business combined, and that is the very
best business policy.
AS the calls Of the day vary in vol
time. the operators 60 to work at diff
ferent hours. The first day force. re-
lieving those who have worked through
the night, reports at Z O'Clock and works
until p. m; the second force works
from 8 a. N. to p. m; the third from g
a. m. 20 p. m; the fourth from 9:3C
a. m. to $50 p. NJ. At noon a fifth force
goes on duty, and remains at the boards
until relieved by the night force at
o'clock The company employees in this
The Washington times., 1902-12-21

supervisors, Of whom there are four.
Each has a receiver over her head, ard
here and there she Jacks in" at a board.
overhearing what is said. giving advice
or assistance wherever any Is needed,
and helping out the operator whenever
the calls are coming in too fast. At the
far end Of the room sits the check
monitor" a young man who, from his
desk, cuts in whenever ne desires, and.
listening. makes record OF calls. the
subscriber calling and the one answer
ing. and the length Of time necessary to
make connection. These figures, with
other data, are carefully set down. and
the reports filed. These sheets show that
the time required to answer a call and
make the proper connection is from two
to four seconds. or. on an average. three
seconds each. II is quick work. and the
supervision exercised, though strict, Is
needful in keeping the service up to the
standard and is a large factor in its ef-
ficiency An expert operator will answer
between 115 and 13O calls in a minute.
When the beginner or student comes
TO the exchange 20 learn to be an oper-
ator she does little or nothing for the
first week except to sit with a receiver
bound over her head. behind some ex-
periencsd operator. lacked in" at her
board ovcrhearing all she says. watch
ing what she does. and repeating the
answers herself until they grow ne-
chanicaL Many become proficient
The Washington times., 1902-12-21

isfying. The Filippo Madonna at tha
Uhzi is veritable masterpiece and
gave inspiration TO the painters who fol-
lowed him down to the present dav.
There is a tradition that one OF the
earliest followers Of Christ was a paint
er, and in the pictures Of the primitive
Dutch and Italian schools a not uneom-
mon subject is St. Luke painting the
Virgin and Child. 1t is interesting to
note that not a few of our American
painters have devoted much thought and
time 70 religious subjects OF which the
Christmas happening has been the
theme John La Fargo has a pair OF
panels on the Nativity OF Christ. i'm the
Church of the Incarnation. a beautiful
conception full Of dignity and power Ed
win Rowland Blashheld's Christmas
Chimes. large canvas, was shown az
many Of the exhibitions in recent years
and has been the subject OF many repro
ductiOns. while Elihu Vedder. Elliot
Daingerheld. Ella Condie Lamb Bryson
Burroughs. Louise Coke. Mary l. Ma
comber, Charles Sprague Pearce. and
VIII II. Low have an at one time or an
other turned their attention in this di-
rection.
Modern French painters have been
even more actively engaged I'm portray
ing the great event. but with rare eX-
cepions the spirit of great piety has
been lacking. Dagnan- Bcuveret's MadOn-
mas are among the greatest OF the mod
eru religious pictures. however. i'm which
one may never for an instant mistake
/ the seriousness OF The artist, and the
German Fritz Won fUhde. giving a mod
| ern realism to his cdnvasses. has por-
trayed the Child with irs Mother I'm a
way 20 provoke discussion frequently and
admiration often. though his departures
are so radical al times as 10 be some
thing of a shock. The modern picture.
/ however. rarely bears the singularly ear
| nest stamp of those 81 she men OF earlier
| times when the artists labored as a
matter OF souls conviction. giving 10 the
| work a deep abiding sense of piety, feel
\ ing q direct can 20 express through hs
/ medium OF paint tine car1ostness OF pro-
! found belief and reverence.
The Washington times., 1902-12-21
o. SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRISTMAS IN ART. 3D.

IT HE birth Of the Christ child time
out Of mind has been a theme
i that has inspired painters IN all
Christian countries and from the
most primitive OF the early Italians 10
the modern man OF the twentieth cen
tury His beauty. the tender solicitude
Of His mother, the incidents Of the mira
Gle Of His nativity have all been fruit
full subjects for brush and pencil. Many
OF these compositions remain master
pieces Of the worlds art; others, If they
have not reached the very first rank,
have at least demonstrated the earnest
ness and loving enthusiasm OF men less
endowed. but the story remains today
most appealing and one to quicken the
sensibilities Of nearly all mankind.
For four or five centuries after the
birth OF Christ little was done in pic
torial way. So strong was the reaction
egainst paganism. the mere sense OF per-
sonal beauty or esthetic decoration OF
any sort was frowned upon for the first
500 years or more Of the Christian era,
and Il is in carvings on the ivory throne
OF the Bishop Maximian. now standing
in the cathedral at Ravenna, that We find
the first worthy representation Of the life
Of the Saviour. Some mosaics are also
in Ravenna in the Church OF Saint Apoi-
linaire Nuovo. twenty-five scenes takeT
from His life. Churches began building
about this time and mOnasteries came
into existence, great religious fervoT
manisesting itself everywhere. And with
the architecture came the needs OF deco
ration so that the painter was in de-
mand. with the sculptor and the carver
Of wool. ivory and precious stones.
The painter was then the artisan
whose work was mapped out for him by
a council Of priests and high dignitaries.
Perhaps the earliest records OF this
time -ebOut the tenth century-may be
found at the Church OF Saint George at
Oborzell In Germany, in a series OF
.trescoss. Two centuries later is the date
The Washington times., 1902-12-21

OF the frescoes in four colors, at the
Church OF Vic, in the department Of
Indre ct Loire, in France. In the
medieval period came stained glass and
Illuminated manuscripts, and upon the
latter men of the religious orders
thought nothing of working for a whole
lifetime. At the close OF the thirteenth
century, however. painting was the great
art, ard II superseded all others. Then
II was that the Madonna Of Cimabuc was
carried In triumph 10 its final resting
place in the Church Of Santa Maria No
vella, in Florence.
And what a quaint conception this By
zantine-e educated painter. Cimabue. had
of the Christ; with much humanity and
naive charm how beautifully he com
posed his group OF the Child and Mother.
with the adoring angels on either side.
One can understand the enthusiasm OF
his townspeople who were moved to so
honor his great work. Perhaps his pupil,
Giotto. was even more naive In his no.
tions of the great event, for his famous
Nativity" In the Aroma Chapel, Padua,
is a most primitive arrangement IN q
pictorial way, showing a rude shelter
supported BY four posts, the Virgin in
white lying at full length gazing raptly
at the Child. while little cherubs over
head are in the act OF supplicatiOn. and
to right are the wise men, ST
Joseph being in the immediate fore
ground. The work Is in the nature OF
a fresco on the walls.
This artist Cimabue has been called
the father of Italian painting but Italian
painting had no father. II was the natu-
raj outcome OF the cropping by many men
for an art expression. II the painters oi
the early renaissance were not so wholly
L -
deeply imbued with religious notions
and they added to their pictures q broad
er sense of all the technical require
ments The Madonnas and the Christ
! pictures began 20 have a greater beauty
OF execution. In the pictures of Fra
| FilippO Lippl. both Mother and Child az,
drawn with tender sweetness and by
BOtticelli and Filipino there were
/ painted pictures which remain today as
/ beautiful types OF infancy and matCrni
ty, distinctly human, emotional, and sat
The Washington times., 1902-12-21

IS like knocking at the Office door OF a
busy man 10 see II he is in conversation. d"
II the subscriber is talking, the opera
tor hears "a. and at once answers 'Busy. 30
If not. she Jacks in a-1 by push
button sounds the call bell Of No. 1l01.
The connection is made. It is quick
work Calls are coming In one. two.
three at a time. the pilot lamp Is almost
continuously alight. The operators s
hands fly here and there. to and fro, with
F. lightning like speed; the white rubber
covered wires in front OF her are tangled
up in a most amazing manner.
Throughout the big room. where the
boards are arranged on three sides in the
shape of a letter U. there is a constant
sound Of voices. low toned. never silent.
They minglc into a monotonous medley OF
human expression wherein no single word
can be distinguished. Their vocate'ary.
for the time being, is a small one-a few
set phrases. repeated over and over again
as the day goes on. And ever the busy
little white hands are throwing t',e shut
tle-lil,e Jacks back and forth in the fan
tastic designs Of the Human Comedy.
Should the subscriber call for "a num-
Der not centering In Main-a number in
East or West-then the process is differ
ent she must call up the operator on
the board whore the trunk lines center.
telling her 20 answer such and such a
number Tho trunk lire operator merely
connects the subscriber with the outside
The Washington times., 1902-12-21

city l2S operators. OF whom 100 are at
the main central Is at East and 10 at
West
At its main station the system en-
ployed by the company is that known -
the magnet When the new building Il,
Twelfth Street is completed the common
battery system viii be Installed. where
by the number OF calls answered by aa
operator in a minute viii be increased
and the service improved in many re-
spects. By this system, as soon as the
receiver is removed from the hook a
light flashes up at the subscribers num-
Der, and central answers. Again. when
the call is ended and the receivers hung
up, each light shows, thus informing
central that the conversation is ended.
She does not have 70 cut IN and ask.
Are you through" as she must now.
Operators like their employment. and
though it is hard AMI sometimes trying,
they find a certain fascination in 1t. Il
is said at the Washington ONCE that no
case Of actual overwork has ever oe-
CURED there. Few occupations for We
men can boast Of such a record.
And, indeed. there is a fascination In
the work. Perhaps it lies in the clicking
Of the little shutters. the glowing OF the
pilot lamps. and the shuttles OF Jacks
flying here and there while q pattern
that is a part Of the real life OF the
world grows into being beneath the
touch Of the deft white fingers.
The Washington times., 1902-12-21
" EtCban9e Eeis' FeeIs t5s S' Pois5 ai5;o Of S55
How CentTa Looks TO the Outsider Who Views the Place
for the First TmeIhe Perfect System Required TO ManDu-
late the Thousands of Wires and the Methods bU Which the
Operators Do Their Work y y y y

As she does this she throws a switch
putting herself in communication with
him. while at the same time the shutter
falls 1t is then she answeres Number.
please?'
Perhaps ne replies "l1Ol Main" She
at once picks up the opposite end OF the
jack. and. reaching over TO the group
marked II, taps the wire with the plug
Perhaps 11O1. whose wire ends on another
board, is busy. II so, she will find out first
before cutting in. As Mr. Conway. the
central office manager expressed it: 1T
The Washington times., 1902-12-21

enough to take an easy position In two
weeks. others do not become expert in
two years. and others, never. AS a rule,
young women learn the business read
ily; the quicker they are to think and
act at the same time. the easier they
learn. One young woman who started
in not long ago sat in at a position for
a few hours when she mad been in the
Office only a week. and did well at 1t.
No position is ever left unoccupied.
When one operator goes to relieve an
other she Jacks in" first and is at the
The Washington times., 1902-12-21
6reat City 5a af i5s Bs.5a:se n.se

exchange. and there the call IS answered
precisely rs before. In the same manner
subscribers are connected with Baltimore
and other portions Of the territory con-
trolled by the company.
Two monitors sit at their desks in the
middle OF the room where they can
place themselves IN connection with any
operators board and hear all that she
says as well as watch all she does. In
addition, the monitor keeps a tabulated
list Of new telephone subscribers,
changes made by old ones. and con-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-14
TUSCALOOSA.
William Troy Hinton, One of the old.
 est Cltlzens, Passes Away.

Tuscaloosa, November 13-(Special.) J. William Troy Hinton, one of Tuscaloosa county's oldest and most highly esteemed citizens, died at his home near Hull yes terday afternoon. Deceased, who was 78 years of age was born in this county and has for a number of years been one of its most successful farmers. He is sur vived by a wife three sons and three daughters, all of whom were with him at bis death. The funeral took place today from Big Sandy church.
 Dr. and Mrs W. G. Somerville left last evening for several weeks stay at graduate work at the New York Poly rechnic.
 Last evening at s:30 o'clock the wedding of Miss Mertie Trimm and Ollie Crumley was solemnized at the Northport Baptist church. The ceremony was performed by Rev. l.. o. Dawson of Tuscaloosa and the Rev. J. R. Magill of the Northport church. The decorations were handsome and artistic and the altar was adorned In pyramids of ferns, palms and chrysan- themums
 Professor and Mrs. William Berney Saf- fold who were married at Wetumpka last week. arrived this afternoon and are at home with Dr. and Mrs. James L. Will iamson on University avenue.
 News has been received here of the death of MT. Ben Moore, which occurred at his home beyond Northport Tuesday night Deceased was 64 years of age and the disease which caused his death was heart failure. He had been a resident of this county for great number of years
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-14
MISSIONARY CONFERENCE.
M. E. Church conferees Now in Ses
 sion In Albany, N. Y.

Albany, N. r., November 13.-The gen. eral conference of the Methodist Episeo- pal church was continued here today. A sharp debate took place on the question as to whether or not the secretaries of the various conferences had the right to sit as members and vote upon the various questions. By a vote of 26 to 19 it was de- cided not to admit the secretaries as members. After some additional debate Additional Secretaries Oldham and Smyth and Field Secretaries Ingram, Stuntz, Taylor and Gamewell were invited to sit with the committee so that they might be called upon for information or advice.
 Committees were appointed on the best method of continuing the missionary work auspiciously begun in the best pos sible manner. The conference then took up the question of distribution of moneys for various missionary use. An increase of $26,1S4 over last year is suggested. After extended debate the question went over until tomorrow.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-14
BIBLE SOCIETY
 WINS ITS CASE
Supreme Court Decides That
 Property Can't be Taxed
EXEMPTION Is PERPETUAL
Contention Was That New constItu- ton Withdrew Exemption Made By State Leulslature-other
 Supreme Court Decisions.

Montgomery, November 13,--(Special.)- The supreme court today affirmed the decision of the city court of Montgomery in the Alabama Bible society tax cases. The society was incorporated in 1854 by the legislature which specially exempted it's property from taxation. Later on it became possessed Of a valuable store house on Dexter avenue, in the heart of Montgomery. No attempt was made to tax 1t until 1891, when the tax officers went onto 1t for back taxes for five years at valuation of $12OOO. The contention was that under the constitution of 1S19, when the charter was granted, the iegis- lature was allowed to exempt special properties from taxes, but under later constitutions this power was withdrawn. and this special exemption therefore fell by act of the sovereign power of con- stitution. The supreme court holds with the lower court that the exemption in the charter being constitutional at the dme. 1t Is in the nature of a contract whose inviolability Is protected by the federal constitution, and that a state constitu- tion has no more power 70 violate 1t than state legislature would have. The ex- emption is thus perpetual.
 The following decisions were rendered by the supreme court today:
 Mcclellan, c. J.-Mayor and aldermen of Tuscaloosa vs. A. Holczstein; appeal from Tuscaloosa circuit court; affirmed.
 Haralson. J-Walter Andrews vs. T. A. Frierson ct all; appeal from Chambers chancery court. reversed and remanded.
 Tyson, J.-Tom P. Henley vs. Joseph F. Johnston, administrator etc.; appeal from Jefferson probate court: reversed and remanded.
 Sharpe, 1.-The state of Alabama vs. the Alabama Bible society; appeal from Montgomery city court: affirmed.
 Dowdell, J.-Prim & Kimbel vs. L. Hammei; appeal from Clarke circuit court: affirmed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-14
GADSDEN.
Work Has Begun on sehuler's Steel
 Plant.

Gadsden, November 1s.-(Special)- Work on the steel plant has begun and a large force of workmen are working day and night. The contract has been let for all of the grading and D. B. Lacy. manager of the Alabama Constructing company having charge. Early Tuesday morning wires were strung about the site so electric lights could be put in, so that force could work at night as well as day. J. J. Shannon. the eompany's super intendent, is directing the construction of the furnaces. and both the Messrs schu- lers and their corps of engineers are very busy. The material is ready to be shipped and things are being rushed so as to be ready to receive 1t.
 At a meeting of the city council Tuesday night a franchise was granted to the Gadsden Light, Coal and Ice company to build and operate gas works. The com pany was granted the right to lay gas pipes on all streets in this city with the usual restrictions. An ordinance was passed at the meeting regulating the opening and closing of the saloons. After December 3l the saloons cannot open be- fore o'clock in the morning and must close at 10 o'clock at night and a violation of this law will be punished. Also the per- son who sells whisky on Sunday will be severely dealt with and the saloon keeper who violates the ordinance will forfeit the license to do business and another can not be secured during the year for which the forfitted one was issued
 The following letter was found in a bottle floating in the Coosa river near Leesburg by a fisherman Monday:
 ''To My Unknown Friend.
 Dear Friend-TIave tried Keelys cure for habitual drunkenness, but with no success. Losing hope for recovery and successful life and having no one to care for me, am desperate. In ten minutes shall go to a watery grave with 125 pound weigh to my neck, near Coosa Ga. Sunday, September IA. 1902. Don't look for my relatives for they don't give a - for degenerated relative like me My home is in Canton, O., but was born in Russia. Left home six weeks ago. Am stove cutter by trade. Good by May you have better luck.
 FRANK M'CLANSKY The bottle was a Peruna bottle. There is no other evidence of a suicide and no such a man as McClansky is known about Coosa, Ga.
 The board of education at a meeting Monday afternoon elected Prof. w. E. Stripin of Tallassee. Ala, to succeed Prof. I. W. Hill as superintendent of the Gadsden public schools. Prof. Hill having been elected state superintendent of ed ucation at the recent election and will vacate his present position January, when Prof. striplin will take charge.
 Tuesday night the store house and mer- ha hal Of1 fn MOonU Slackland was destroyed by fire, suppos- ed to be incendary. Mir. Mooney and his family were at church when the store was discovered on fire. This is the second time during this year that MT. Mooney has lost his store by fire.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-14
NEW DECATUR.
Case of Frank Chapman, Charged With
 Murder, Results In Mlstrlal.

New Decatur November 13.-(Special.)- The case against Frank Chapman for the murder of Richard Newman resulted in mistrial the jury being out over ten hours. There were eleven jurymen in favor of oonvicting Chapman of murder in the first degree and one in favor of acquitting him. The case will go over to the next term of court The evidence against Chapman was all circumstantial. The state proved that Newman and Chapman had had a quarrel. and when arrested oneAchamber of chapman's s. caliber revolver was empty. Recently Newman's lifeless body was found lying in the rear of Ed Williams house. Death had been caused by a S8-caliber ball be- ing shot through the heart. Newman was & street car driver and only recently Chapman was superintendent of street work in Decatur.
 A man by. the name of Watt who has been running restaurant In a Second avenue saloon created some excitement in another saloon today by firing a A. caliber revolver at a young man with whom he had quarreled over a game of pool. The ball, however missed It's mark and Watt fled. He was afterwards arrested and gave bond.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-14
MARTz WENT TO PIECES.
Grew of the Disabled Schooner Arrive
 at Savannah.

Savannah. Ga, November 1S-The crew of the schooner s. B. Martzs Captain Holloway, arrived tonight on the schooh- CT Arthur McArdle, Captain Shepard. which rescued them off Cape Hatteras, where the Martz went to pieces. The en- tire crew for thirty-six hours before their rescue were lashed to the aft cabin Of their dismantled vessel without foot or water, and at the mercy of the sea and winds.
 The Martz left Savannah November with a cargo of lumber for Baltimore. The vessel proceeded uninterruptedly un- til she reached Cape Hatteras. Last Sat- urday morning at o'clock she sprung a leak. The vessel made water so fast that she could not be freed. At o'clock Sunday the sea carried away all sails About o'clock she struck Hatteras' outer shoals. her masts went and soon the vessel began going to pieces. Captain Holloway and the crew sought sarety on the after house, the highest place they could get, and there lashed themselves. For thirty-six hours they were without food or water.
 The schooner Arthur McArdle was sighted and signalled at 12 o'clock Mon day Captain Shepard sent boats to the shipwrecked crow and they were landed aboard his vessel.