davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28

first above and then below, and now over
the side through an open gun portal
these know where they are going and
what they are doing. and the next thing
they must take up. even though the mex
perienced laymon sometimes can't under
stand they know It, and the splendid ship
grows wonderfully under their hands.
Leading from the cruisers upper deck
are straight narrow stairways that de-
scend into her holds; low these are
vet other steps that go Still further down,
and beyond these nre ladders, but how
deep they go none can say. except one
who is very familiar with the inner mys-
teries of twentieth century naval archi-
lecture. The land-lubber, after climbing
up and down for half hour. loses count.
and goes away with the childish impress
sion that he might have continued to de-
scend right through the earth, and event
ually have come out in China. But a trip
below decks, while 1t perplexes the unac-
customed traveller with Its shadowy hui
man beings. creeping about, electric
bulb in hand. pounding. hammering, saw
Ing steel bars and plates, rvettng bolts.
or chiseing out doorways from the solid
plating presents a wonderful series Of
gimpses into the mechanism of the yes
sci.
Here and there, for example, an open
ing In the flooring reveals the protective
deck of the cruiser. rising like the back
of an enormous turtle under the deck
upon which he is standing. This turtles
back. covered with thick steel plates. Is
intended to protect the ship from an
enemy's shot by turning to hostile mis-
siles curving surface, from which they
will glance harmlessly, and is respon-
s!ble for the Des Mones' title of PRO
tected cruiser" 1t separates the upper
part of the vessel from what is below the
water line, and thus shields the boilers.
engines and dynamos that are her heart
and other vital organs. Far below Its
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28
Growing LVaf.shiD Looks 10 q Landsn7an

surface Is the spot where, according to
Kipling.
"The scalded atokers yelped delight.
AS they rolled In the waist and heard
the fight
Stamp DER their steel-walled PEN"
Ono must abandon the steep starways
and take to steep ladders to reach the
realms OF the Des Moines' future stokers.
place that seems the less inviting when
ono realizes that tho new cruiser is being
built largely for service in our new tropi-
cal POSSESSIONS.
Another interesting thing that the
visitor to the interior Of the nearly
finished cruiser finds out is that Iowa.
most peaceful industry. the growing Of
corn, will play an important part In the
defense OF the vessel that has been
named In honor of the Corn States CAPT
tai. This defense has something of n
Quaker character and is worth risking
Involuntary suicide from the various
wires-about half mile of them in all
that hang from the dark ceilings waiting
the hour that shall finally connect them
with the dynamos. The cornpith cellu-
lose, to give the substance its full de-
scriptive title. comes from the fields to
Fore River in briquettes. and something
over 1900 pounds OF 1t are used. It has
the peculiar property of swelling to many
times Its original volume when soaked
Z In water, and is placed as n sort of lining
between the outer and inner 'skn" Of the
hull. II shot should penetrate the
shlks plating. under ordinary conditions
1t wyuld make. OF course, a good sized
hole, Nthrough which the water would
pour. an unpleasant occurrence despite
the fact that the danger of serious con-
sequences is lessened by the division of
the hull along the water line into series
of independent watertight compartments.
The cornpith briquettes, however, still
further lessen this danger for as fast
as the hole admitted the water, the water
would In turn expand the cornpith, which
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28

would almost Immediately plug up" the
rent and prevent leaking until the dam
age could be properly repaired. 81
The comforts OF the interior arrange
ments OF this newest American cruiser
arc partly in evidence even in the clut-
tered condition Just preliminary. to tho
final tying-up Of odd ends and putting
everything in order. In fact, the shipIis3
at present a good deal like new house
in which 1t seems as II there would never
be room for the furniture. and yet the
room Is apparent enough when one
imaglnes 1t without workmen. tools.
benches. and other paraphernalia Of the
construction period. In the ward-room,
for example, the place that will later be
filled with q big center table, is now oc-
scupied by an energetic saw that cuts i
steel. and makes much more noise about
1t than even the pneumatic riyeters do Z
about their work. And in the Captain
cabin and the rooms that will belong
to the officers, the process of putting
In the spring mattresses takes three
times as much space as the beds them
selves Will eventually occupy. In this
pantry one sees the shelves Just being
SoIllpIcbcu, ulu 4loLo hIu llloIo LILO IuSn
polish OF brass or the pleasant odor OF
fresh paint gives evidence that some even
OF the very final touches are being put on. s
But polished brass. fresh paint. furni-g
ture. and other minor details OF house,
keeping are finishing touches not likely
to be entirely completed until after the
builders trial. which will take place
some time during the next few weeks.
After the builders trial-which Is prac-H
tically Identical with the regular govern
ment trial. except that 1t is conducted
by the Fore River Company as final
test before reporting to the government
that the vessel Is ready to prove what
she can do for Uncle Sam himself-thera
are always certain number OF minor
changes to be made The little is per
cent. that remains between the present
condition of the Des Moines and her final
perfection is largely matter of these
little details. and II war were declared
tomorrow and the vessel needed in the
fighting line. not more than month
would be required to put her into cons
mission.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28
h -
49,

sian, but at the same time he Is danger
Gus and his patience may unexpectedly
give way to extreme violence. which
carries away every obstruction.
He is probably we'll aware Of the short
comings of his government and country.
but his vanity forblds him to listen to any
criticism from an outsider
He possesses q rich vein of humor,
which pervades everywhere and every
thing from newspapers to political
speeches.
All the men who have risen to national
prominence have possessed II.
Amrican hurhor Is less refined and deep
than the English or German; It has no
touch of the pathetic which fills the eye
with tears while the lips are smiling. 1t
has tendency to exaggerate, which In
Mark Twain and the artist, Charles Dana
Gibson. has reached Its highest perfec-
ton.
The German who forms his opinion of
America and Americans from the canards
of our newspapers, who chronicles moth
Ing hut atrikes. lynchings, kidnapping of
millionaires or train robberies. knows
really nothing about the true American.
in whose character chivalry and good ma
ture are very prominent.
He is by no means the cold. heartless
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28
i""THEY WANT OUR PLOWS."

revenue stamps, amounting to about "a
cents. required for such a request A
never get through the mail. and others
are thrown INTO the waste basket because
the people cannot understand them
Some OF our manufacturing firms, such
as those sending agricultural machinery.
grapfophones and sewing machines, un-
derstand such matters and print their adj
yertisement accordingly
Moneyin Bricks and Water.
what have you. been selling Mr..
5Goodchild2n I asked.
.ff1 kinds Of machinery was the re-
ply, land could sell o great deal more
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28

hope that this war may never come, but
that we may knit the ties of the present
friendship closer every day.
No nation In the world has so forced It,
self ahead In every possible line OF en-
deavor as the American, and with no ma
ton in the world has Germany closer or
more frequent and extensive communica-
ton than with the American people.
No two nations in the world can teach
one another more than the German and
the American. and still I doubt II any un-.
derstanA the character Of one another less
than these twa
and resemble Its parents, SO the Yankee
cannot entirely shake OFF his European
origin.
The. best qualities In tho American peo-
Pile have their roots In the oak forests OF
Germany. the fertile marshes and grain
fields OF Scandinavia, the villages of Eng
land and Ireland and the highlands OF
Scotland. but four hundred years long
battle with nature from the Atlantic to
the pacific has put Its peculiar stamp upon
the character of the American people.
1t is in the new world exactly as In the
old: on the broad Foundations of the soil
society has been built up
TO the country you must look for the
true marrow of the people; the village
school Is the kindergarten of the race,
The Americans originally were nation
of farmers and planters before they be-
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28

BOSTON, Juno 27.-The non Official
landsman who Is fortunate enough 20
secure tho bit Of yellow pasteboard thai
4 allows him 10 board tho new United
4 States cruiser Des -Afoines as she lies IN
the fitting ut basin at the Fore River
ship-yard, down In the southeast corner
OF Boston harbor. Will hardly realize
that the nrst large ship OF war built In
the old Bay State since the frtgate Con-
etttution was launched is now IS Fer
cent, ready for delivery to the govern
ment. AS you stand at the stern and
look forward along the 29o-odd feet q
her deck, the first impression is OF
cruiser Just come out OF a lively engage
ment and undergoing hasty repairs IN
g peaceful port. rather than OF sea-
fighter rapidly approaching fitness for
her first battle. What has been done
and what yet remains to be finished
make together an impressive picture Ut
the tremendous completely OF modern
war vessel. provided you are willing to
take your auditory nerves IN one hand
and your new summer suit in the other,
so to speak and descend boldly into the
busy interior OF the steel hull.
Eighty-flve per cent finished means.
literally, that practically all Of the Des
MONIES. considered as floating bar
racks. that can be driven three times
ecross the ocean at the rate Of 61, knots
an hour without rccoilng. rather than
as ship OF warrior n cruisers ord
nance is not put In until after her ac-
ceptance by the government-is either
on board or within reaching distance.
One tall funnel-7o feet from the crate
up-stands majestlcally against tho blue
sky line. while the other lies on the.
wharf in sections awaiting the hour
when the big gantry crane will pick it
up and set 1t carefully in It's proper
place. You might even think that there
were two tunnels yet to be inserted. one
smaller than the other. for each smoke
stack consists OF two parts. an inner
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28

funnel and larger outer one envelop-
ing 1t. with an air space between to Keep
them cool when the engines are trying
to beat tha speed requirement ana the
rre-roon is working under forced draft.
Tho gantry crane. looking like the
blackened skeleton of some tremendous
ancestors OF the mastodons. as It stands
firmly on four widespread steel legs and
extends It's horizontal steel proboscls
out over the cruiser, has greatly simplt-
fled the business OF putting heavy masses
OF metal into a ship, and the fact that
n single smokestack is all that remains
in the line OF progress Is an indication
OF how very near at hand completion Is.
The "Innards'' OF the ship-ner tons and
tons of machinery. from the big engines
whose power is that OF hitch OF 400
horses to the dynamos that will light
the lamps and drive the electric fans.
hoist the ammunition and work the
guns--are all In place. ready to be sealed
up By the closing OF the decks over them.
Meantime the deck Itself is Babel OF
noise and apparent confusion: the noise
is real enough. but the confusion Is only
EeONIIlS. - Ue anu
rivettng-a modern way, OF putting
steel ship together. that makes the blows
Of handsledges sound like the pop of an
old-fashioned fire-cracker compared with
tho ear-splitting burst OF the up-to-date
small boys dynamite bomb" and Is
continuous instead OF explosive into the
bargain-is all attendant on the hustle of
getting the Des Molnes ready for her
..builders' trial" as expeditiously as pos
slble. The young man who hurries past
you with one pail OF red paint in his
hand and the contents of another appar-
emily spread over his neither garments;
tho clusters OF workmen bending over the
straddling horses: the mechanics crawl
Ing about the yawning hatchways; the
shlpwrights and carpenters pounding and
saving here, there and everywhere; the
foremen and superintendent assistants
consulting. examining and Issuing orders,
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28
By Count Wilhelm Won POlenz
WHY We Should Not Initiate America 50 81 COUNT %ssa
downright, 1908, by w. R. Hearst)

and calculating business man or the
brutal egotist that many OF us mag
Inc.
He has really many other interests than
the hunt for the almighty dollar, and
has under his rough surface very often
a heart of gold, though he In most cases
seems to be ashamed OF 1t.
Here In Germany we praise the pat
trlotic citizen. In America patriotism is
taken as matter OF course.
A party who did not put love OF the
country at the very top OF Its programme
could not be imagined In America,
Patriotism covers everything. even the
national shortcomings,
ut Is American, consequently 1t Is
good and cannot be beaten Is the be-
lief and motto OF every Yankee from
boyhood to old age.
II a newborn baby should make its
entry into the world singing. yankee
Doodle, 1t would cause no surprise.
The American is chivalrous to fault
and shows this In his treatment Of wo-
men under all circumstances,
Ho does not put her on a PEDESTAL
and praise her as an angel or a divine
being; lie has too much common sense for
that, but he does not treat her as
chattel or make household drudge of
her.
He gives her perfect r. ,am, he treats
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28

1t has become habit in Germany to
admire and try to initiate everything
American, though 1t Is obvious that 1t
would be absolutely insane to try to trans
plant American institutions and customs
here.
That the people of America. with their
democratic Constitution, have developed
more freedom of action, more indepen-
dence. moral social and political, Is EVIL
dent. but 1t would be Just as wrong to ex-
pect Europe to adopt American customs
as to force our customs upon America,
Both have their Justification in the mr:e
come OF these.
It Is one thing to drop all prejudice
, against a people which acts. thinks and
feels differently from ourselves. and quite
another to expect that we Germans should
endeavor to lose our Individuality In fool
tshly Initiating foreign nation no matter
how successful or how prosperous and
powerful
There is, besides, absolutely no reason
whatever to admire America In eysry-
thing.
Americas position towards us In the
future depends entirely upon ourselves.
and If some of us are inclined to think
that war between the two nations must
come some time, fhis Is one more reason
why we should study the character of our
possible enemy
I. personally. with thousands OF others
on both sides Of the Atlantic. sincerely
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28

means OF acquiring wealth than we do.
The position of woman in America Is
freer and more independent in every re-
spect than here.
The principles of education of children
are more lax than in European countries.
The American laborer and farmer can
not compare with ours.
In the higher classes of society a new
specific American type has appeared,
which outwardly. at least. has somo res
semblance to what we call gentle
man. but the lower origin quite often Is
visible through the superficial yarn1sh,
and this grows more pronounced the
further you go West.
1t is impossible to describe the charac-
ter Of the American In a few words; 1t
is Just as complicated as tho climate and
surface of his country.
The typical American temperament is
sanguine but In different way from
the French.
The Drenchman is excited and full of
fire, but he Is born pessimist: the YAM
kee Is always optimistic; he is at the
same time enthusiastic and extremely
active.
He is exceedingly patient under the
most trying circumstances and will stand
more abuse from the government and
authorities than the most humble RUS
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28
Especial to Tho Times. Dispatch.

= .
ST. PETERSBURG, May 1e.--There are
big chances in Russia for the young
American who will take his foot in his
hand and come over here and study the
language and people. This market Is
beyond conception enormous. 1t is just at
Its beginning and 1t needs Simon pure
Americans to handle American products.
Every man who has tried the work in the
right way has succeeded, and know a
number who have established good busi-
nesses.
travelled from ST. Petersburg to Mos
COW the other day with a New Yorker
who was sent to Russia to sell American
goods. He failed at the start not know
Ing the language but he now speaks the
Russian like native and is doing we'll.
He was stationed In Moscow and tried
to learn Russian but he found too many
English and Germans there with whom
he could talk lie then asked his en-
ployers for few months vacation and
went to a town far back In the Interior
and took board with the parson.. There
was not an Englishman nor an Ameri-
can within hundreds Of miles. and he
had to speeak Russian. He had Russian
readers and Russian grammar: he paid
the priest trifle fol, teaching him, and
Gated fhf he pbnd peny o practice in good
conversation. At the end OF few months
he had acquired speaking knowledge
Of the Language sufficient for MN MO 70
back to Moscow and continued his studies
until now he can speak. read and write
the Russian He has inarried "a, H = R,s
sian. He has been hero five years and
expects to stay.
Educated American Drummers.
The name OF this man is Mr.. Robert
Goodchild. His business is selling Amerl,
steam ~ pumps say ~ tha d
nature. He tells me the opportuni-
Ties for the American drummers who
will learn the foreign languages are IN
The field is open to men with capital
and without, Those who understand me ne
interest capital from home, and they can
doing The latter people have their drum,
firms send ad e aeen hoases They have
66 ransche ss'i in Moscow, in Southern RUS.
sa and In sibera nd senn 5Her eleff i
the country until they are able to do
II i asked Mr.. Goodchlld whether the Rus
1T is not easy. but any smart young
American can acquire enough f, OF =. Lac IL 70
and II you can get into place where I,,
you can't speak anything else , you w" as
Important as the Russian. There i, are r..
1900 Germans in Moscow alone. and they
are to DO found IN every town OF any
size throughout the empire.
Russian Merchants.
tn. conversation here turned to the
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28
".
S(S0.

her as n friend, an equal. morally supe-
rlor to himself though physically weak-
err, and he considers it his first duty to-
protect her from insult and abuse under
all circumstances,
He does not insult her by staring at
her in cars or ogung her in the street.
and masher would certainly very soon
find himself ornamenting a lamppost.
dangling from the end of rope. but
Washers are not known In America.
But the character of the Yankee has
also many dark sides. most prominent
among which is his lack of moral sense,
which makes 1t appear quite natural to-
him that the party In power uses every
opportunity to rob the people who put II
In power.
He sees no danger in he rapidly I'm
creasing corruption and no allows the
laws OF his country to be trampled upon
and ridiculed by the rich and powerful.
In no other country In tho world Is II
true that small thieves are hanged, while
the big ones arc honored
1t Is to be hoped though. that his many
good qualities may finally prevail and tn
time make the land OF UNLIMITED possi-
bilities an ideal worth imitating In eyery-
thing. but Mt the present time admirers ~
America should nse a little common sense
and Judgment before they advise their
countrymen to transform thmeselyes into
likeness of the American nation IL
everything without exception
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28
THESE COTTON SHIRTS WERE GROWN IN TURK1sEAN

parts Of Asia that she Is now using in
Persia. she will drive all other countries
out of the market. She has now the
monopoly OF the cotton business Of Per-
sia, and she has gotten 1t, by giving
bounty to her manufacturers. On every
pound Of Russian cotton goods sent to
Persia the Moscow exporter gets an al
lOwaHce Of three cents from the govern
he ha s two cents a pound profit. besides
the usual profit on the goods. The Eng
slish or German manufacturer has to pay
compete. This same system will be APP
piled to China, and the result will be that
the Chinese empire will be annexed to
Moscow. After the trade has been cap
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28

Russian as customer. Mr.. Goodchild
said:
Tho Russian is a good mar with whom
to deal. He knows what he wants and
he Is ready to pay big price for 1t. He
Is suspicious, however, and will not buy
without seeing the goods or samples OF
them. He has little use for pictures and
catalogues, and us rule he wants his
goods at the time he buys them. II he
can't get them at once no will often take
poorer STUFF rather than walt. lie Is ac-
customed TO doing business on credit. He
wants from nine to twelve months or
longer but he don't object to high
rate Of interest on the deferred payments.
He often pays so or 60 per cent. profit,
and have some classas OF goods OF,