davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1902-07-15
Campanlie, Founded in
888, Reduced to a
Heap of Ruins.
COLLAPSE WAS F0RESEEN
Belfry Had Shown Sudden Signs of
Weakness-Cathedra and the Doge's
Palace Uninjured-Portion of the
Royal Palace, However, Damaged.

VENICE, July 1.-THE bell tower of
historic St. Marks Cathedral, 300 feet
high, suddenly collapsed this morning,
and fell into the plaza.
The accident occurred at 1890 o'clock.
The tower is now a heap of ruins. 1t is
not believed that there was any loss of
life. The cathedral proper and the
doge's palace escaped injury, but the
falling tower struck the royal palace,
damaging a corner. a Gordon of troops
vas Immediately ordered to the plaza
to keep back the crowds.
The accident which in the eyes of Italy
amounts to a veritable catastrophe, is al
most the greatest art loss the kingdom
has ever suffered. The tower, which
was built in the ninth century, showed
sudden signs of decay last week. alarm
ing the authorities. 4 longitudinal crack
appeared in the corner of the wall fac
ing the clock tower, and breaking two
small windows.
In anticipation of an accident. the
prefect of police yesterday forbade the
usual Sunday night concert in the plaza,
and yesterday evening warned the peo-
pie not to approach tco near the tower.
The authorities of the cathedral for
bade visitors to ascend the tower, and
ordered the bell ringing to be sus-
pended. A gang of workmen had been
engaged to commence the work of repair
on the tower today, but it is believed
that none of them was in the tower
when it collapsed.
How Tower Fell.
An eye witness thus describes the fall
of the Campanile:
Shortly after $50 had gone into the
piazza l found a crow in front of the
clock tower gazing at a crack which had
appeared in the Campanile. It had be-
come more evident during the night. The
crack started at the northeast corner at
the top of the loggia OF sansovino and
went diagonaliy across the main corner
buttress of the tower. 1t then assembled
perpendicularly for about eight feet.
"A few moments before the disaster
happened l saw some dust coming from
the crack. Then suddenly one of the
columns of the bell chamber at the top
The Washington times., 1902-07-15
NEGROES UNITE TO
PAY THEIR TAXES
Al Important Political Movement Un-
der Way il Miss:s-
sippi.

NEW ORLEANS, July 14-An i'm
among the negroes Of Mississippi to in
duce the members of the race to pay all
taxes legally assessed against them. The
movement has its incipiency in Marion
county, where the Negro Taxpayers AS
sociatioE has been organized. and SINH
in other parts OF the State.
The resolutions adopted declare that
it is 4 public injustice that any class OF
people should seek to escape fulfillment
Of any obligation justly due from them.
SO that the poll tax requirement is rea-
sonable and just, and all male negroes
should stop the habit OF evading thu
law, thereby bringing reproach upon the
race and intellectual poverty upon their
children.
In conclusion, the resolution declares
that the suppression of crime among
the negroes can be greatly aided by en-
forcing the payment of taxes and thus
making them better citizens. The move
ment Is being watched with some anx-
iety by the Democrats, as Democratic
supremacy in Mississippi rests largely
on the failure of the negroes OF that
state 10 pay lHclT pOii ldA, WHICH IS =
prerequisite for voting. thus disfran-
ohising themselves.
The negro leaders in the new move
ment say that their object is not pc
litical, but patriotic. as they believe
that the payment of these taxes by the
negroes will benefit the race at the same
tine that it Will improve the schools.
Nevertheless. 1t will add many thou
sand negro votes to the electorate.
The Washington times., 1902-07-15

feet in height. 1t was founded in ssS
and restored in 1929, according to Baede-
ker's Northern Italy" In 1417 a mar
BILE top was put on the old tower, and in
1917 it was crowned with the figure of an
angel nearly sixteen feet in height
The loggetta or vestibule on the east
side OF the Campanile was erected by
Sansovino, the famous architect. in 1910.
1t was once rendezvous for the nobility.
and was afterward used as a waiting
room for guards during the sessions of
the councils. There were bronze statues
of Peace, Apollo. Mercury. ard Pallas,
and some reliefs on the coping that were
also OF Sansovino's creation. There were
bronze doors that had been cast in 1850
In the interior was a madonna and child
with st. John IN terra Gotta. also by
Sansovino
Tower Always Open.
The tower was always open, but no one
was permitted to enter alone. A lone
traveller, however, was permitted to en-
gage a bystander to enter the tower with
him. The ascent was made up a winding
inclined plane that had thirty-eight
bends in it, At the top was stationed a
The Washington times., 1902-07-15
GOVERNOR AT GETTYSBURG.
With Mrs. Stone and Guests He Will
Spend the Week There.

HARRISBURG, Pa, July 14.-Governor
Stone. Mrs. Stone, Miss Jean Sloan, and
Secretary Gerwig and wife left for Get
tysburg this morning on a special COM
bination car on the Reading Railroad.
The governor will spend the entire
week at Gettysburg and on Friday will
have as his guests Secretary Root and
Adjutant General Corhin.
The Washington times., 1902-07-15
FIRE CAUSES A PANIC.
An Early Morning Blaze Renders Fam
lilies Homeless.

NEW YORK. July l4.-There was a
full-fedged panic early this morning in
the flve-story tenement house at No. s2J
135th Street, in which twenty families
were routed cut Of bed, eight Of them
were rendered homeless and all their
house hold goods burned. and several
persons had to be carried down to the
street. When the engines arrived the
flames had completely gutted eight of
the rear flats.
The loss to the building was about
$1,000 and to the tenants about $4,000.
in many cases including all the property
of the sufferers.
The Washington times., 1902-07-15
TEXAN ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.
Cuts Throat With Penknife N Phila
deiphia-May Recover.

PHILADELPHIA. July 14.-Charles V
Lewis. aged fifty-two years. of Houston
Tex, made an attempt to kill himself in
frcnt of 1862 Ridge Avenue early this
knife in his throat and twisted 1t. in
hlcting deep wound. He had written
on piece Of paper found by his side:
please telegraph to J. H. stetsbury.
Houston. Tex"
Physicians at the Samaritan Hospital
say Lewis will recover.
The Washington times., 1902-07-15
Was Descendant of Jefferson.

FREDERICKSBURG. Va, July IA
Mrs Maria J. C. Mason, widow of the
county, and the nearest descendant of
Thomas jefferson, died suddenly at her
home, Alto" In that county yesterday
morning, in the seventyseven year of
her age She was one of the distinguish
ed Randolph family of this State.
The Washington times., 1902-07-15

pathetic. Women are weeping in the
street. and as hour after hour passes
and the Campanile bells are silent a
void is left which those who know We
netian life can appreciate. Italy is sor-
row-stricken over the loss of her great
monument. Proposals for its reconstruc-
tion have been advanced, including n
suggestion for an international sub
scription'
The Washington times., 1902-07-15
HISTORIC TOWER OF
ST. MARKS FALLS

fell, followed by the golden angel at the
summit, and in another moment the
whole stone top of the Campanile came
crashing to the ground. crushing the log-
gia Sansovno.
Whole Edifce Collapsed.
There was pause and then the whole
ediiice sank with a moan almost gently
10 the ground A portion of the tower
nearest the Palazzo Reale, which had
been rendered solid by recent pointing
of the bridge, fell in greater masses, and,
The Washington times., 1902-07-15
Boys Clothing Clearance.

All the one and three of kind left among III
grades OF Boys Summer weight Wool Suits up to
S7.5G-Single Breasted Three-piece Short Pants - "a
Suits Double Breasted Sailor and Novelty Suits W
one, two, Suits of kind left among tn
lots selling $4-Summer Wool Suits "a. n
of plain and fancy weayes and w
eapie S'Sles' ohoice''' oi'~
Boys Wash Sailor Suits in Plain Crash fancy l0t
med; fit from TO worth 75c for u
Boys Wash Knee Pants broken of regular 25c II
grade for j
Boys Wool Knee Pants plain fancy effects 00t
ly small Sizes worth Sc and 75c for.............
The Washington times., 1902-07-15
Clearance OF Straw Hats.

Mems Smooth and Rough Braid Straw Hats including the
very fashion leading q 70
shapes-Apine tifbrim, and Soft brim; all sizes. x ~
Hats worth s1.75.
Mems Milan Alpine Hats, Macknaw Yachts. Senn ard
Split Braid Yachts and ft-brms all made n 4
latest dimensions trimmed In frst-class manner,
and including all sizes Hats worth to $3.50. 80
Choice of Real Porto Rican Straw Hats in the M
Panama shape worth SO, 5S
Choice of GENUINE South American Panama T "a 77
hats wide of brm and correct crownshapes; worth ~
The Washington times., 1902-07-15
CATHEDRAL OF ST. MARK
AND ITS CAMPANILE
Tower Was Founded in sss, But Had
Been Restored and Added to
Since Then.

In all Venice there was no object of
more historic interest than the Campanile
Of st. Marks. It stood 9S meters (322
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Thc ceats and Green.

The early Celts worshiped the dawn
and the sunrise. 1t is more than proba-
Bile, therefore, that their liking for the
color green which we see in their flags.
sashes, etc., arose from mistake
among those who had lost thorough
knowledge Of the Irish language. The
sun in Celtic is called by a word pro-
nounced exactly like our word green"
and it is likely that the Irish fondness
for that color arose through the strik-
ing similarity of the two words. In
the same way, when we talk about a
greenhouse we think they are so called
because plants are kept green in them
during the winter; yet it is far more
probable that the word is derived from
the old Celtic word for sun, because
greenhouses are so built as 10 catch the
rays ard heat Of the sun and store
them for future use.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Forcing @ Pension.

When Thomas Snodgrass, ex-collect-
or of Canaan, Madras, was expelled
from the service Of the East India
company owing to his extravaganza.
he applied for a pension, but the COM
pany turned deaf ear to him. Ac-
cordingly he arrayed himself in tattered
clothes and, armed with broom, set
TO work sweeping a crossing in Lead
enfall street in front Of the East India
house. Immediately all London was
agog with the intelligence that an old
and distinguished officer Of the East
India company who had ruled over
100000 people and reveled in palace
was now reduced in the evening of his
life to the necessity Of earning his
bread by sweeping the streets. The
king was thunderstruck and implored
Mr.. Snodgrass to take himself aud his
broom away. This he did when the
company gave him his pension.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
The ola Mans Advantages.

A man past fifty can do with less
sleep than younger men. He can en-
dure greater steady and prolonged
strain. He can bear his burden day
after day with less need Of recreation.
The young man can, sprint" but he
cannot '.stay" like the man with brain
grown iron and nerves steel by many
years of traising.
Elderly men are less temptable. They
are of fixed moral habit. Appetite and
passion are under control. Fer better
or for worse they are calculable
quantity. with slight variations to be
taken into account.
Elderly men are more loyal as
friends if they are friends. Their at
tachment to a cause or commercial
house is less changeable. They have,
moreover, given bonds for good beha-
yior in the persons Of grown families
whose respect is to them dearer than
life. They know the difficulty Of re-
pairing mistakes.
Elderly men actually have expert
ence. The older man best reads char,
acter. He is the wisest to select agents.
Washington Times.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
sharks as Care Fish.

AS game fishes sharks DO not,
think, stand nigh. The most common
of>them, the dusky shark, when hook
ed. circles round on the surface and
usually bites Off the lines ard escapes.
If so hooked that the line cannot be
cut. the struggle is furious but short,
the shark giving up in much less time
than game fish OF half his size, such
as the channel bass, salt water trout
or snapper would do.-Forest and
Stream.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
The rain Grass of Yucatan.

The sisal grass of Yucatan is one Of
the most remarkable vegetable prod
ucts known. It grows in loi.o blades
sometimes to the length Of f5t,r or five
feet. and Wen dry the blade cuilS u2
from side to side, making cord which
is stronger than any cotton string Of
equal size that has ever been rlanu
factured. 1t is in great demand among
florists and among manufacturers CT
various kinds Of grass goods. Eut as
soon as its valuable properties become
known it will have & thousand uses
which are now undreamed Of. Ropes.
cords, lines Of any description and any
size may be manufactured of it. and .,
ships cable of sis;ll grass is one CT tie
possibilities CT the future. 1t is almost
impervious to the actioil<of salt water
and is not readily 6ecayed or tiis;n:e-
grated by moisture and heat aad will
in time prove one OF tie L: s: valuable
productions CT Central America.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Antinui4r of Class.

So far as research has been able to
determine glass was in use 1000 years
before the birth of Christ and was
even then rot IN it's infancy BY any
manner Of means. In the Slade collec-
lion at the British museum there is the
head of lion nodded in glass, bearing
the name Of an Egyptian king OF the
eleventh dynasty. This is the Oldest
specimen Of pure glass bearing any
thing like a date now known to exist.
The invention now known as "bleez-
ing. the mode of vanishing pottery
with thin film Of glass. is believed to
date back to the first Egyptian dynas-
". Proof OF this is found in the pot
terry beads, glass glazed, found in the
tombs CT the age above referred to.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
An Old Superstition.

Superstition connected with the sew
enth child of a seventh child is COM
memorated by a tombstone in a village
churchyard near Bridgewater, Somer-
set. This inscription runs: Sacred to
the memory of Doctress Anne Pouns-
berry. who departed this life Dee. II,
1913, aged seventythree years Stand
still and consider the wcndrous works
OF God" Docress was not merely an
epithet. but baptismal name, for she
was seventh daughter Of seventh
daughter and was therefore credited
with powers Of healing. She practiced
in herbs and charms. For kings evil
this was her prescription: Take the
legs Of toad. Bake and grind them to
powder with pestle and mortar. Place
the powder in bag around the neck OF
the sufferer. London Chronicle.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
The sneceas OF De B1owitz.

The secret Of the marvellous success
Of n. de Blowitz as Paris correspond
ent of the London Times is said to
have been due to the absolute and COM
plete confidence with which he inspir-
ed the statesmen, the politicians and
the diplomats with whom be WAS
brought in contact and which he never
betrayed They all felt that they ceull
depend absolutely on his discretion. lio
matter how great the temptation from
journalistic point of view to G cehel.
wise
When the Duke Decaz2s While play
ing billiards at the Quai d'Crs&y after
dinner one evening suddenly received
the news Of the purchase By the Brit
ish government of the lsEedive's steel,
in the Suez Canal company and. wild
with rage. broke forth into frantic
threats against the English govern
ment, charging NJ. &c Blowitz to make
known his Indignation and the f3ct
that he was bent CT retaliation. TIC
correspondent Of The Times. wao ha.d
been one of the party present. although
he saw the value CT the news. laade
no use Of it.
The next day be met the duke. who
had recovered his senses and who.
grasping him by both hands. e;:c:,! m
ed: 81 shall never forget what yol
have done for Us. You have sacrificed
journalistic success to your scEse cs
duty and to the cause of peace"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
tipping euick Lunch Waters.

Two men sat side by side on the
high stools of one of those quick lunch
places lined with pale tiles like a
bathroom that abound in Philadelphia.
One Of them said to the other: In a
cafe like this few persons tip the wait
er behind the counter. They think it
would be waste Of money, because
the waiter calls their orders down q
tube into kitchen somewhere under
ground, and they hold that he has no
jurisdiction over the portions and that
they are served just the same whether
they tip them or not.
"Well, they are altogether mistaken.
1 know, for I have made study OF
this matter. The waiter here has two
tones with which to speak through the
tube. One tone is for the patron who
tips, the other for him who doesn't.
Now, watch a minute" The waiter in
an ordinary voice now called three or
ders and then in a strange falsetto
called that of the man who had been
speaking. you see?" said he to his
companion. 81 tip and those other fel-
lows don't" A moment later he added
triumphantly: Look at the difference
between my order Of roast beef and
our friends over there. I've got a big
cut out of the heart Of the roast, and
he's got two or three little chunks of
end Oh, yes; it pays to tip in these
places as we'll as it does anywhere!'-
Philadelphia Record.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Nebraska .cgus Eaters.


A Nebraska judge was asked how it
was that the citizens of his state were
nicknamed .'bug eaters
ssThe name is applied to Us some
times in the east, answered the jadge
frankly. at originated many years
ago in a peculiar way, incident to a
speech. Back in 1874 a swarm of grass
hoppers descended upon our fair state
and despoiIed everything. Crops Were
swept away before this army of in
sects, and the people were left desti-
tute. An appeal went up for aid, and
some of our eloquent Nebraskans jour
neyed east to plead our cause One of
these eloquent citizens in fight Of
speech declared that the voracious
grasshoppers had even eaten the tires
of wagon wheels and were devouring
the railroad tracks. Why, our people
have nothing but grasshoppers and
bugs was the climax Of this orators
speech exclaimed the judge.
And now you have the history Of
the sobriquet of bug eaters he con-
luded.-Washington Post.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
The TURQUOISE.

The turquoise, although not credited
with either remedial or protective prop
critics. so far as disease was concerned,
was nevertheless regarded as kind
of sympathetic indicator, the intensity
of its color being supposed to fuctuate
with the health Of the wearer.
The latter. however, by virtue OF the
stone be carried. could. it was said.
fall from any height with impunity.
The Marquis of yilena's fool. however,
was somewhat nearer the truth when
he reversed the popular superstition in
his assertion that the wearer of a tur-
quoise might fall from the top of
high tower and be dashed to pieces
without breaking the stone.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
The Antiquity OF the Organ.

The Io-ga:l is the ncst magnificent
and comprehensive of ;,ll musical in,
struments. While tie pipes OF Pan.
aside from that mythical parsonage.
indicate very ancient use Of pipes as
a means Of producing musical sounds.
the water crgan Of TIE ancients' = :eur
nishes to the s,uCcnt OF organ history
the first tangible clew regarding the re-
mote evolution CT tie instrument. In
the second century the masripha. an
organ of ten pipes with crude key
board. is said to have existed. but ac-
counts Of this instrument are involved
in much obscurity. 1t is averred that
an organ. the gift of Constantine, was
in the possession of King Pepin Of
France in 757, but Aldhelm, a monk,
makes mention of an organ with gilt
pipes" as far back as the year 100.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Eased consciences.

& well known English dean recently
had the misfortune to lose his umbrel-
Ia, and be rather suspected that its ap-
preparation by another had not been
altogether accidental. He therefore
used the story to point moral il a
sermon in the cathedral, adding that if
its present possessor would drop it
over the wall CT the deanery garden
during that night he would say no
more about it. Next morning he re-
paired to the spot and found his own
umbrella and forty-dve others.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Genesis OF the Horseshoe.

It is known that the hoofs of horses
were protected by boots Of leather at
very early period in the worlds history
at a time which at least antedates
Pliny ana Aristotle. both Of whom
make mention of the fact. These leath-
er boots were sometimes studded with
metal nails. bat more usually worn
without extra trimming. the cheapness
Of that commodity making it possible
for the owner of the steed to ''reboot"
him at any time.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Weeping Trees.

The literature of weeping trees. is
enormous, much of it being plainly
mythical, but there is a large basis OF
fact upon which most of these mar
velous stories rest Many travellers
nave described the famous rain tree
of Padradoca, Isle Of Ferro. John
Cockburn in 1885 described q tree at
Vera Pas, Central America, from
which pure water continually dripped
from every leaf and branch.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Curicsity.

81 wish could hit on some scheme"
said the merchant. Ito make people
stop in front Of my store as they pass.
if only for IL moment. think it would
help business.
i've got it, put in his friend. Put
up sign Look Out For Paint and
I'll bet my salary against penny
crui!er ninety-nine men out OF hum
dred will stop to see if it's dry."1Bal-
timore News
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Grief snd Thrift.

Thomas Bailey Aldr.ch once received
a pathetic letter in feminine hand an
nouncing the death of a little daughter
and asking if he would not send in his
own handwriting q verse or two from
3sBabie Beu' to assuage the grief Of
the household.
AIdrich sent the whole poem and not
long after saw it displayed in the shop
Of an autograph dealer, with a good.
round price attached thereto.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Two E-nress:ons OF Peel.

Was there ever.a more mordant and
sardonic stroke Of description than
that .O'Connell gave of Peel's blood
lessness?: His smile was like the sill
yer plate on q coffin
Less scathing. but less-witty also,
was his description Of q lady of sim
liar repellant temperament. She. had
all the characteristics of a poker. ex-
cept its occasional warmth"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
The Hardvorkinc Farmer.

81 used to think that all farmers
were overworked until l went to the
county fair
"And what did you see there"
sSThey had chairs covered with old
postage stamps and lace crosses cut
out of perforated cardboard, and one
woman had quilt with 5000 pieces in
it. Needn't tell me people like that are
overworked unless 1t is from choice!
Washington Times.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Robert Toombs' Advice.

A lawyer sent to Robert Toombs
once and asked what he should charge
a client in case to which Mr.. Toombs
had lust listened in the courthouse.
well" said Toombs Il should charge
81 600. but you ought to have $4,000,
for you did great many things that l
would not have done
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
Hint Proof.

A woman visiting in town complains
that she has been moved from the
guestroom to back bedroom and
from there to sleep three in a bed with
the children. She wouldn't see hint
if it were tied on her mirror with blue
ribbon. Globe.