davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
SECRETARY SHAW
 VERY OPTIMISTIC
HE SAYS PRosPERITse OF couN- TRY IS NOT MEASURED BY
 STOCKS G BONDS, BUT BY OUT PUT OF FARMS AND FACTORIES.

Newport News, Va, September 25.-The Bankers Association of Maryland and the District of Columbia, which is hold ing its annual convention aboard the Norfolk and Washington line steamer Norfolk, arrived at Old Point today. Among the special guests on the steamer were Secretary of the Treasury Shaw and daughter, Comptroller of the Curren- cy William H. Ridgeley and Ellis H. Roberts, treasurer of the United States.
 On the way down from Washington Thursday night, Secretary Shaw made very significant speech. taking a decided ly optimistic view of the business pros poets of the country
 The secretary said that the government either must issue more bonds as a basis for national bank circulation, or provide some substitute. ''The present volume Q. vernment bonds" he said, lis insuf- .'sisit and recent demand for s6,0OO, 600 5t government bonds consequently had advanced the price of government bonds to q figure that made national bank cir culation unprohtabe But" he added,
 any currency system adopted must pro- vide for a complete exchange. ability of every form or money so InaI our people never would have cause to look twice at bills presented in regular course of bus iness.'
 Speaking of the functions of a bank. he said:
 Its success should not be measured by it's dividends but by its solvency. con servatism and promptness to respond to it's customers legitimate needs It's re- serves. in his opinion, should be availa- ble for use in times of emergency and were not intended to be buried and new touched.
 ''The recent deposits of public moneys and offer sto redeem bonds had not been made with any expectation of aiding the stock market, but solely to assure the business men of the country there would be no money famine this fall"
 "Go home" he said to the bankers, "and tell your merchants and your man ufacturers and your railroad people. that you are still doing business at the old stand and expect to remain. Stand by the business interests of the country and all will be we'll The prosperity of the American people is not measured by the price of stocks and bonds, but by the output of our farms and our factories and the profitable employment of labor"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
PARKS IS AGAIN
 CAUSE OF TROUBLE
TAKES IRON WoRkERs' coNvEN- TON IN HIS OWN HANDS AND UNSEATS A DELEGATE WHOSE CREDENTIALS WERE BAD.

Kansas City, Mo-, September 25.-Sam- uel Parks, walking delegate from New York City, today caused a split in the annual convention of the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers in a fight to unseat Daniel Brophy, delegate from Union No. of New York, but holding a proxy from Scranton, Pa. The charge was made by the Parks delegation that Brophy's cre- dentials had been forged, and to prevent fight that seemed imminent, President Buchanan adjourned the convention with out waiting to put the question. Later when President Buchanan remained away from the hall and refused to reeonvene the convention, the Parks aggregation organized a session, placing Second Vice President Warden of New Haven in the chair and unseating Brophy.
 President Buchanan declares that n" acts of the Parks convention are unL v stitutional and MT. Brophy says that D. will ignore Parks and take his seat wflsh ever Buchanan again assumes the chair.
 Parks tonight announced his intention of making trouble when he goes back to New York He says he will pursue the fight that is already started there. and that he will call strike on all jobs where the bosses do not comply with his de- mands
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
INDICTMENTS IN DETROIT.
Grand Jury Is Getting at the Heart of
 the Municipal Frauds.

Detroit Mich, September 25.-Six indict- ments were returned today at noon by a grand jury, which has been Investigating municipal affairs, and particularly the de- pertinent of public works for the last two months. Five of the indictments were made public in court and they name the following persons:
 D. W. H. Moreland. formerly comms- siOner of public works, recently removed from office by the councl Herman War tell and T. J. White, formerly employees of the public works department under Moreland; John Hook, a former depart ment of public works employe and con- tractor; Henry Meridian, contractor and his associate. Robert Conway Moreland is named in each If the five indictments read in court this afternoon. Two of the indictments charge him with conspiracy to defraud and the other three with mis- appropriation and converting property of the city to the use of others.
 MT Moreland came into court early this afternoon and when asked to plead stood mute on advice of his attorney The judge accordingly entered a plea of not guilty and fixed MT. Moreland's bail on all five indictments at s660O It was given. John Hook was also in court and gave bail in the sum of $500.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
WRECKED BEATRICE FOUND.
She Was Caught In the Recent Hurri.
 cane and Sunk.

Norfolk, Va. September 25.-The United States Wea;n,r bureau tonight received information from Captain Brinkwater of the Currituck life saving station tat the st l of a steamer bearing the name 'Beatrice-New York" was pounding bottom up on the breakers two and half miles south of Gaffys Inlet life saving station.
 The wreckage is thought to be from the fishing steamer Beatrice, which was caught in the recent hurricane when south of Delaware Breakwater, Wednesday. September Is. She car ried crew of thirty-five men and was loaded with 100000 fisn. Her captain was J. w. Lelland of Baltimore. Thirty of the crew were negroes. The Beat rice put out from Cape Charles Tues day September 15. for Delaware Breakwater with cargoes of fish. Nothing has been heard Of the Beatrice since. The boat was valued at S25.J0Q.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
GREATER BIR1IZNGHAJN BILL
 PASSES THE LOWER HOUSE
SHREWDNESS
 PREVENTS BIG HOLD-UP

was called into the case by Superintendent Whaley, and went to the place from Wor- cester. He will ride on the locomotive tomorrow night and meanwhile the police men are securing the state in an effort to find the gang described by the engin eers.
 The boat train last night had reached a point within an eighth of a mile of Plummer's Ledge when Engineer Boss saw a green signal light indicating a clear track. Suddenly the light changed to red and the engineer closed the throttle and set the brakes. As he did so a lantern was swung across the track, but not in the easy manner acquired by experienced trainmen, and it flashed across Boss mind that the man who gave the signal was not stopping the train for any good pur- pose. As far as he could see, an unob- structed track lay before him. Another second and his mind was made up, and he rushed the train past the danger signal
 Leaning out of his cab Engineer Boss saw a man with a lantern jump from the track; two other men holding the station ary light and tampering with the signal, while seven other men were lined up along the road bed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26

Woonsocket. R. l., September 25.-Be- cause the trained eye of Engineer George W. Boss recognized in the awkward swing of a lantern the work of a novice, he pulled the throttle wide open and drove his train swiftly by a danger signal set dead against him and frustrated what is believed to have been an attempt to hold up the boat train at Plummers Ledge, a lonely spot a mile north of Whitins Sta tion on. the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad last night.
 Four cars full of passengers, uncon- scious of probable peril, were landed safe ly in Providence and the engineer who had assumed an awful responsibility went to the office of Superintendent A. R. Whaley to report that he had matched his judgment against the iron clad orders of the road and won.
 That there was an attempt by ten men to hold up the train there is little doubt, but there is little known of the affair until tonight, when Deputy Sheriff Bacon
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26

NJ EW YORK. September 25-tspecial)
 M The formation of the car wheel trust was completed here today. After the meeting it was announced that the name of the new combination will be the National Car Wheel company. Its capital is S9.OOO,OOO.
 The details of the new trust were given out when several car wheel manufactur- CTS returned tonight from Atlantic City where they held a meeting today.
 Among those who attended the Atlantic City meeting is W. F. Newbert of the De- catur Car Wheel company of Birming- ham, Ala Mir Newbert is a member of the committee appointed by the master car builders to consider certain specified tions relative to the manufacture of car wheels. Mir Newbert is said to be heavily interested in the new combine. One of those interested in the trust said tonight; q desire to state that the steel trust has nothing whatever to do with the business of the National Car Wheel company. although the gentleman who made the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
CAR WHEEE TRUST
 IS NOW COMPLETE
Manufacturers Meet in Atlantic City and Formulate the New Concern Which Is to Start With Capital of S9,OoOOOO
 W. M. Newbert of Birmingham Attended the Meeting

purchases for Us is in way connected with that corporation. It Is not, how ever, MT. Schwab. he is not interested in the matter, nor has J. Pierpont Morgan anything to do with the new trust"
 On being asked what the object of the consolidation was the gentleman stated that many of the smaller car wheel man. ufacturers did not have enough orders to keep their respective plants going all the year around.
 Sometimes" said he, they would cut the price and the other concerns were obliged to cut also cheapening the out put. 1t was in order to control the out put and name the price of ear wheels that the trust was organized"
 The plants included in the new trust are the Rochester Car Wheel company. Rochester, N. Y; Maryland Car Wheel company, Baltimore; Lobdell Car Wheel company. Wilmington. Del; Cayuta Wheel and Axle works, Sayre, Pa; Key stone Car Wheel company, Pittsburg; Lehigh Wheel and Foundry company, Catasauqua, Pa. and three others. names of which the informant declined to make public. He refused to state what sum was paid for the plants purchased.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
TO ADVANCE FREIGHT RATES.
Railroads Throughout the Country to
 Unite on the Movement.

Chicago September 25.-The Record Herald tomorrow will say:
 A movement is on foot by the railroads of the entire country to bring about general advance in freight rates. the gem eral reason assigned being the big in- crease in the wages of all classes of la bor and in the price of all materials used by the railroads. similar advance was made one year ago for the same reasons and went into effect January 1 last. At that time the shippers generally protest ed, and it is understood that the various manufacturing and industrial associa- tions will combine to prevent further advances.
 The trunk line associations are said to be planning for a general increase In rates ss0nS,Int irsto about ten per cent to becomd S~A.auary next.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
ELECTION JUDGES IN CONTEMPT.
Compliments Alege That Watchers Were Thrown Out of Polling Places.

Denver. September 25.-Hslf a dozen election judges in wards three and four. charged with violating an injunction is- sued on election day, have been cited to appear in court tomorrow morning to show cause why they should be punished for contempt. Michael Delaney, police. captain, also has been cited to answer
 The complaint, which is sworn out by attorneys for the Charter campaign com mittee, alleges that watchers were thrown out of the polling places in de :. fiance of the courts order and that wholesale frauds were committed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
Dead Bodies in Lumber Car.

Brownsville. Pa, September 25.-When J. C. Higginbotham opened a car of lumber which had been shipped to him from Michigan today he was mortified to find the dead bodies of two men. One was ly- ing on the lumber, the other in a sitting posture and to all appearances had been dead several days. It is thought they crawled in to steal a ride. got locked in and starved to death. Deputy Coroner Ross is holding an inquest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
MRS. JEFFERSON DAVIS
 SHOWS NO IMPROVEMENT

New York, September 25.--Mrs. -Jeffer- son Davis is still in a critical condition at the Castle Inn. Drs. Charles G. Stock ton, Roswell G. Park and Allen Jones patient throughout the day and night. At Il o'clock pr Stockton said Mrs. Da- wis condition was unchanged There were some signs of improvement at noon, but they did not continue and towards evening Mrs. Davis condition again as- stunned more serious aspect A tele- gram was sent to Mrs A. J. Hayes of Colorado Springs, a daughter of Mrs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26

Davis, summoning her to her mothers bedside.
 Dr. Stockton tonight gave the Asso- ciated Press the first official statement regarding the nature of Mrs. Davis ill., ness. He says:
 Mrs Davis Is suffering from an ob- sIruction of teh alimentary canal. Her condition is serious but not necessary fatal. No surgical operation is antici- pated at this time"
 Castle Inn, where Mrs Davis is III, was formerly the home of Willard Fill more, President of the United States.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
Candidates for Brighton Cup.

New York. September 25.-The eligible candidates for the Brighton cup at two miles and quarter. to be run October 20. and the weights are as follows: Water boy, Igniter, Hermis. Advance Guard, Andy Williams. Major Dangerfield, Col. Argregor. sambo. Bonnibert, Circus, Prince of Melbourne. Connecticut, i24; The Huegunot Hope. 12i; Africander
 Irish Lad. Charles Elwood. Ricodon
 Daupnin, Merry Acrobat Sunny Shore Linguist. Lendin, Sidney c. Love. no; Flp Carline, Allan, l0s. n
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26

 for Alabama: Fair Saturday and Sunday; cooler Sunday in interior fresh south winds, becoming north Sunday.
 Page One. House passes the Greater Birmingham bill and matter Is now up to the senate Anti-boycott bill comes up in the senate today. Car wheel trust organized at Atlantic City.
 Ellis H. Roberts discusses financial sys- tenn.
 Stock market controlled by bear gam blers." Mrs Jefferson Davis shows no improve ment
 Directors of Tennessee Coal. Iron and Railroad company say President Bacon has not been asked to resign.
 Page Two. Balfour says England can only suggest in the Macedonian trouble. Filipino woman claims Lieutenant Bur. bank is her husband. Tennessee sheriff traps members of mob.
 Page Three. General state news. Young man killed at Sandusky while trying to make peace.
 Page Four. Editorial comment. Gossip heard in the local hotels.
 Page Five. Miss Khunie Stone, a pretty stenogra- pher, found dead in Hood building with bullet hole in her neck. It Is believed to be a case of suicide. The bills had preliminary hearing be- fore United States commissioner on the charge of peonage and were remanded to the county jail Congressman Underwood returns from Washington. William Anderson voluntarily confesses that he is a deserter from the United States army.
 Page Six. Social news and personals
 Page Seven. Local and foreign market reports.
 Page Eight. Baseball, racing and general sporting news. Major Delmar goes mile in 200 minutes. equallng worlds trotting record pa1o by Lou Dillon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
Offered No Explanation.

The same interests offered no explana- ton for the steady depreciation in the market value of the steel issues, except to declare that the market is now in con trol of bear gamblers" who are mak- ing the most of conditions that are large ly fictitious and imaginary.
 Although the days business was very large, the activity was really confined to less than dozen issues. In addition to the steel stocks, these included Amalga- mated copper. Atchison, Baltimore and Ohio, St. Paul. Erie, Missouri Paciiic, Pennsylvania, Reading and Union Pacific. These stocks were traded in all the way from 5000 shares for Missouri Pacific to 5000 for Atchison common which was, next to steel preferred. the most active issue in the list.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
INSPECTOR ERWIN
 PLEADS INNOCENCE
HE NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE POSTAL DEVICE FRAUDS-HE ADMITS HAVING STOCK IN THE COMPANY.

San Francisco, Cal, September 25.- James R. Erwin, indicted postal inspector. today pleaded innocence before United States Commissioner Peacock. He desired to show why he had not been held for trial in Washington and made a complete statement of his connection with the al- legged postoffice frauds. He denied the charges specifically and then told of his knowledge of and connection with the affair. Erwin had note books and memo- randa to verify what he said. He did not deny knowledge of a sale of the pat ented letter box attachments. Erwin said that he never had anything officially to do with the acceptance and installment of the devices. The attachments are now in use in several cities. Erwin said that as assistant general superintendent of free delivery, he induced the use of the devices The number la use under his direction, he said, was 1000 or llOO He asserted positively, however, that he never knowingly defrauded the govern ment and that the sum total of his earn ings from the Postal Device and Improve ment company was $962.
 Erwin's testimony in part was as fol- lows:
 T now hold 500 out Of 10000 shares ar the Postal Device company. For these l paid nothing. The consideration I gave, l was told, was the service l rendered in perfecting the device.
 T never had possession of any stock other than that issued to me, nor did I place any stock whatever among the em- ployes of the postoffice department was never director of either the Montague or the present company. So far as I know it was never planned to place any stock among the officials of the department
 Tn my official capacity I was never called on to pass on the usefulness or de- sirability of the device"
 Erwin then specifically denied that at any time had he conspired with Machen, Beavers or any one else for the sale of the devises further than he had already tes- tified
 The case was continued until tomorrow.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
BEAR GAMBLERS
 ARE IN CONTROL Stock Market, However, Show
 a Slight. Improvement DEALINGS ARE ENORMOUS
Only Reason Given for the Weakness of Steel Securities Except That Bears Are Making Best
 of the Situation.

New York, September 25.-The stock market. as whole. showed very de- cided improvement at todays close and sentiment was apparently more cheerful. Nevertheless. the same influences that have made more directly for lower prices during the past few months were again in evidenee-namely, the extreme weak ness of United States steel issues.
 The common and preferred shares, as we'll as the per cent bonds, began the day with new low records, recovered in part on good support and in the early afternoon burst wide open on a fresh bear raid. In the final dealings, while the balance of the list was showing a very firm undertone. another attack on the steel issues occurred. and the stocks closed with net losses of 3sdl per cent for the common and preferred respect lively. while the bonds closed at TIA after touching a new low record of 707s.
 Dealings Enormous.
 Dealings in stocks were enormous, total sales of the common and preferred issues agrgegating over 175,00o shares, about one-hfth of the days business. These stocks were offered in big lots through out the day. Trading in the bonds was also in tremendous volume and complete ly overshadowed all other issues in the bond list No particular reason can be advanced for the continued weakness of the steel securities aside from general distrust repar1in1 conditions in the 1n- dustrial world, and the apparent lack of support, except at critical periods One of the days many rumors had 1t that firm prominent in the original steel syndic ate and later in the conversion syn dicat,sl d, :, through necessity, sold pri- vately 5000 shares of preferred and 20, coo shares of common at 50 and l5. This report was f1atly denied by interests in a position to know.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26

bama. The real intention of the bill is to prevent Howard college and the North Alabama Conference college to change their charters, these colleges being char tered under special acts of the legisla- ture.
 The regular order was demanded and the bill extending the terms of office of the several tax collectors and tax as- sessors was taken up. After several at tempts to amend the bill Mir Hickman of Jefferson made an argument in oppo- sition to the bill The legislature he claimed, had no right to extend the term of any officer elected by the people. "Is this government of the people by the people or is 1t a government of the 1egis- lature by the legisature?' MT. Hickman declared. It would save the state no money, but would put five thousand dol lars cash into the pockets of the collector and assessor of Jefferson, to which they were not entitled.
 MT. Bankhead explained that the bill merely sought to adjust the terms of the officers made necessary by the con- stitutional changes of time of holding elections. Under the present law the terms exnire about September 15. and the bill before the house provides for an ex- tension to August 1. This is done so as to make the term conform to the tax year.
 Opposed to Setting Precedent.
 Mir. Callahan was against the bill on general principles. He was opposed to setting a precedent extending terms of office. Once started there Is no telling where it will end. Mir. Callahan was pouring hot shot at the friends of the bill, and they were cross-questioning him at a rapid rate. MT. James finally arose to a point of order that the gentleman from Morgan had been speaking far more than ten minutes. "The gentlemans got a Waterbury watch" quickly retorted Mir. Callahan.
 MT. Rushton of Crenshaw recognized the tangle gotten into but he was opposed to the precedent of extending terms.
 Mir. Goldsmith made an extended argu- ment against the bill. seeing no necessity for the extension and characterizing the proposition as outrageous.
 Mir Scale of Sumter made characteris- tic and sensible argument in favor of the bill, threw some hot shot at the gentle men from Eowndes. Morgan and Cren- shaw.
 The bill was passed by vote of IS to z.
 The house adopted the report of the conference committee on the public school redistricting bill The conference report provides that the trustees Of each dis. trict shall select their own teachers, sub ject to the approval of the county board.
 The municipal corporation bill reached the house. and Mir. Walker moved nom concurrence and asked for a committee of conference. which was adopted. Since there Is such a wide difference in the provisions of the senate and house bills, this conference committee has a most diff ficult job. The bill is the most voluminors --~->-------~-------~
 (Continued on Second Paae)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
INDEX TO TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather.

Washington. September 25.-Forecast for Alabama: Fair Saturday and Sunday; cooler Sunday in interior; fresh south winds, becoming north Sunday.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26

Continued on Second Paae)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26
The House.

Eighty-four members were present at the morning roll call and prayer was of- fered by the Rev. Mir. Hall of Ensley.
 Mir. Haley of Jefferson secured unan- imous consent and called and had passed the senate bill to provide for the change of name and otherwise amending the charters of educational institutions of col legiate rank. which have been established by an act of g general assembly of Ala
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-26

tions are, however, that the friends of the bill will not be caught in that trap. MT. Benners of Jefferson is in charge of the bill on the floor and much confidence is felt in his ability to pilot the bil through without further delay.