davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
WHAT IS GRAVY?

From the New York World
 Senator Pettus of Alabama indulged himself the other day in an extremely in- teresting and important allocution upon grayy-a subject of national human, diet etic and epicurean interest. As man or large and liberal views he was discursive and touched many sides of the subject. He solemnly announced to the nation that this dangerous concoction of the kitchen sds shortening the life of the race" Thus warned of the impending peril of gravy 1t behooves us to know what gravy is.
 The honorable gentlemap abstained from giving a definition of gravy. He assum- ed perhaps that as we are all acquainted with 1t a definition Is unnecessary, but he said that the French name for it is sauce. Here he has fallen into the same error that was made by a famous French Bishop and statesman, M. de Tallyrand, who considered gravy when he described the United States as country having seventy-seven religions and only one sauce'' Talleyrand also thought that gravy was sauce and was equally sur prised at the simplicity of our diet and the superabounding exuberance of our piety.
 Certainly the word sauce may, as the Senator says, be called a French word, but its letter of introduction into the English language was written by Geof- frey Chaucer. AS that was about two hundred years before any white man went to Alabama, ought we to hold a prejudice against the word on account of it's origin? Does the senator despise the saucer under his hot cup of coffee be- cause 1t was once receptacle for sauce? Or does he object to the early sausage of his breakfast table because in that excellent invention sauce and meat go to- gether with a beautiful harmony which the democrats might intimate?
 Gravy in fact is the juice that flows when meat is placed in a proper and skill full relation to fire, and as the juice of the muscular tissue flows less readily than fat is liquefed. In fact, the coarse feeders of old Scandinavia, from whom we accepted this word, did not distinguish nicely between gravy and tallow. Gravy thus produced is, however, not sauce. It is the foundation upon which a culinary artist may build a sauce with the ap- propriate and dainty elaboration of many things brought from Araby the blest or Ceylon's isle or other lands rich in spicy products.
 Gravy may be a sauce on the frontier or on a whaling ship-a sauce of the kind that in some parts of the south is called de essence" But in civilized life gravy is no more sauce than the raw skin of a little goat is ladys kid glove, or a ball of white thread is a Brussels lace collar or the unwrought wood of fig tree is a StradivarIus fiddle.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
SOME NEW USES FOUND
 FOR METAL ALUMINJJM

ces, as applied to electric railways. be will be quick to see how helpful 1t can De Tn repairing great castings or forgings like the sternpost or crankshaft of an ocean steamship. It will often happen that work of this kind can be performed at sea; but even If 1t is delayed until the end of voyage, the necessity for going into drydock and resort to the services of a forge can usually be avoided.
 One of the earliest applications which Dr. Goldschmidt made of his discovery was to the production of pure chromium. By the addition of certain percentage of that metal to steel great hardness is im- parted to the latter. In steel making, however, it is necessary to be exceeding ly particular about the amount of carbon present Until recently all chromium was made with an electric furnace. There was no other way of generating the re- quisite heat. That process contaminated the chromium, though, with carbon, be- cause the conductors which led the cur rent into and out of the furnace where Of that substance-the most refractory known. By extracting the oxygen from the oxide of chromium with the aid of aluminium absolute purity is insured. AL ready the system has yielded admirable results with nickel. manganese and tita- nium, in which freedom from other in- gredients is essential; and 1t is probably susceptible of further extension in the separation of rate metals from the ma terials with which they are found in na- ture.
 Dr. Goldschmidts service tof industry will never rank with Bessemer's. but it's full importance has probably not yet been recognized.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
SALARIES OF JUDGES.

From Law Notes
 The salaries of judges of most of the appellate state courts are much beneath the market price for> abilities which they are supposed to possess. We observe that the last general assembly of Connecti- cut increased the salaries of judges of the supreme court of errors from s4OoO to S6Ooo. few years ago, one of the judges of that court resigned in order to resume a practice worth several times the amount of his salary. Another judge of the same court, now deceased, was once seriously considering the advisa- bility of resigning so that he might de- vote himself wholly to featuring in law school whereby he was assured of a larger salary. The code of 1883 of North Carolina fixed the salary of a judge of the highest court in that state at $25O0, and we are not aware that it has been subsequently increased. The salaries of range from $500 to $2300, besides mileage. A judge of the Vermont supreme court re- ceives 5000 a year. and not to exceed 800 for expenses. It is not at all im- probable that the name of judge on the title-page of a law book as its au- thor may signify that the publisher. in view of salaries demanded by expert professional law writers, has made a good stroke for himself by getting his work done at rate of the judges offi- cial salaxY.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
THE PSALM OF LIFE.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
 "Untwistlng all the chains that tie The hidden soul of harmony"

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
 ''Untwistlng all the chains that tie
 The hidden soul of harmony Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
 Life is but an empty dream! For the soul Is dead that slumbers,
 And things are not what they seem. Life is real! life is earnest,
 And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art. to dust returnest,
 Was not spoken of the soul. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
 Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each tomorrow
 Find us farther than today. Art is long. and Time is fieeting;
 And our hearts thought stout and brave. Still like muffied drums. are beating
 Funeral marches to the grave. In the worlds field of battle,
 In the bivouac of life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle.
 Be a hero in the strife! Trust not Future, howe'er pleasant!
 Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act-act in the living Present!
 Heart within, and God o'erhead! Lives of great men all remind us
 We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us
 Footprints on the sands of Time Footprints, that perhaps another,
 Sailing OCT life's solemn main. A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again. Let us, then be up and doing,
 With a heart for any fate Still achieving, still pursuing. Learn to labor and to wait
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
School Money and State Taxes.

The distribution of school. moneys will certainly be investigated, if not regulated by the next legislature. The school scheme of the constitution was contrived for the purpose of assessing the rich counties for the benefit of the poor ones, and if this were honestly done no one would complain. There is a belief that school censuses are pad ded, and it is subject that demands regulation, at any rate investigation
 For example, the county of Lowndes pays into the state treasury all told $30,705, and it draws out school moneys to the amount of 21,670- leaving balance of $9035, or about two mills on it's ass essed valuation, whereas Jefferson is forced to pay just about six mills all told. Jefferson is therefore taxed three times heavier than .Lowndes. The difference has no relation to assessable values, but to the rate of taxation, which is most unjust and the injustice is due to the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

ed for his courage in starting this re- form.
 Lord Roberts is now suffering with pneumonia. but his physicians do not consider his condition serious, and a late bulletin states that he is progress ing very favorably. Lord Roberts is an interesting character for American peo- pie on account of his career as soldier and his proven qualities of character. Much disappointment was expressed that he was unable to pay his expected visit to this country. In fact, Lord Rob- erts and Lord Kitchener are two very popular EngIishmen in America. In spite of the machinations of widows the latter has managed to keep out of entan- elements although he has been devoting himself to pleasure within the past twelve months.
 A new style of hero has been evolved. A certain Mir. Gray of New Jersey has filed a statement with the Philadelphia and Reading railroad, the Central rail- road of New Jersey, and the Pullman company for his "heroisn, calmness, and forethought' in saving life and property in the Westfield wreck, January 27, 1903. Mir. Gray's bill amounts to S10,500.01. The penny Is for injuries to his thumb while the other items include many and varied deeds of daring, whereby human life was snatched from death and cars saved from demolition. This gentleman is cer- ba ht,oi world, as the only fault to find with his statement is that it Is somewhat delayed. Such proceedings are at least somewhat original, for very few heroes over think of turning their deeds into cash by such cold blooded methods. Now that MT. Gray has set the example it would not be surprising to hear of union rates for heroism being established. For instance the price for saving a woman would de- pend largely on her age and personal ap- pearance, mothers-in-law not being listed. The price for men would be adjusted &C., cording to theirI wealth, while all other deeds of heroism would work on a slid ing scale according to the danger of phy- sical exerton involved. Under such con- ditions scab heroes would not exist.
 Horay, Harvard had a pleasant awaken ing the other day. The messenger boys at the Harvard square office of the Wes- tern Union Telegraph company went on a strike and in an unlucky moment the manager supplied their places by intelli- gent and active girls from fifteen to six teen years old. Immediately there was a rush of business hard to explain. fcum- bers of students suddenly had a desire to send messages for which both the tele- phone and the mail were totally unfitted, Some of the messages were coherent and many were not, but they wer evidently of the utmost importance. The girls de- livered the messages while the corridors of the dormitories resounded with laugh ter and good natured chaffing. News of the proceedings reached the ears of Pres ident Elliott. Forthwith he sent his secre- tary in hot haste to make enquiries. The law was laid down that no woman with out escort should be allowed in the dormi- tories. The boys returned to work and the operator is again leading an easy life. F. c.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
TAMMANY POLITICS.
Leader Murphy Sad to Favor Towne
 for Congress.

Special to the New York Herald.
 Hot Springs, Va, November 13.-It was learned here tonight that the man most likely to be sent to congress in place of Mayor-elect Mcclellan is Charles A. Towne, former United States senator from Minnesota.
 The names of w. Bourke Cochran and William McAdoo, former assistant secre- tary of the navy, were also presented to Charles F. Murphy for consideration, and, while Mir. Murphy was as silent on the subject of Mir. McClellans successor to- night as he was about a single name on the slate of the mayor-elect it was learned that he had practically promised to see that MT. Towne obtained the nomination from the democratic convention.
 There are several local candidates, all of whom have influential friends at work on the Tammany district leaders whose bailiwicks constitute the Twelfth congress sional district but it is safe to assume their efforts will be in vain.
 It had been said during the New York campaign that MT. Towne, having been a member of the United States senate, would not accept a seat in the house of representatives,, put d lTltnu or ms WnO arrived here from Washington tonight in timated that MT. Towne would be willing to take the Tammany nomination. MT Towne has been a resident of New York city for the last two years, and has made arrangements to live permanently in the metropolis. He was one of Mir. Mur- phys advisers in the recent campaign. Since the announcement appeared in the Herald that Charles F. Murphy was 4,, Nf tl,n Judge Alton R. Parker as the democratic candidate for the presidency, Mir Murphy has been asked by personal friends of Judge Parker to openly declare himself
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
From the New York Tribune.

rIOH tne NeW Ork
 NN HEN aluminium first became \N/ cheap it was employed for
 w scarcely anything besides the manufacture of few household utensils articles of which the pocket matchbox Is type Its next important service was to compete with copper as an electrical conductor Between Niagara and Buffalo and in several other parts of the country 1t has demonstrated its technical and economic value in this kind of work be- yond doubt A third field of usefulness has more recently been opened up. To this the attention of Americans Is just now directed by the second visit of Dr. Hans Goldschmidt to the United States. His lecture at Columbia University last Friday revealed new possibilities for the metal, which, according to chemists. is more abundant than any other in the earth's crust.
 The key to the function which alumi- mum performs in metallurgy and engi- neering is found in the remarkable heat that is suddenly developed when 1t Is burned. Combustion, it will be remem- bered, is simply the union of a given ele- ment with oxygen. When wood or coal is set on fire the carbon combines with that gas and produces carbonic oxide Aluminium will not unite with atmos- pheric oxygen, though. It is necessary to supply the element In a solid form. The oxide of some other metal furnishes this. If equal parts of aluminium and the oxide of iron, both pulverized and cold are placed in a crucible, and a tiny fuse of the right kind Is applied, marvellous effect is produced. The receptacle be- comes a furnace. By purely chemical means a temperature Is induced which ri- vals that of the electric arc. Within a minute or two the aluminium steals the oxygen from the iron and the latter is melted If, in advance and with view to further operations. the iron Is charged with the proper amount of carbon or some other element. the product Is steel possessing qualities that adapt it to some special services
 One highly practical operation made feasible by the process here described Is the welding of rails on trolley roads. In order to employ both the maln trdch and the third rail eff there be one) as electrical conductors 1t is customary to do one of two things. Either copper bond is attacheS to the ends of adjacent rails at each joint, or a little molten iron is poured around the cold steel there. The latter operation, as formerly con- ducted involves the use of cumbrous and expensive apparatus. In Europe aluminium is now used to some extent in- stead. A small portable crucible, taper ing to point, is adjusted over the right spot, mould is formed around the joint to be welded, the proper mixture is ignited and almost immediately q supply of liquid steel Is ready to be run into place. So intense is the heat of the latter that 1t dissolves part of the metal of which the rail is composed, aud a joint of surprising strength is created. Here, again, aluminium figures as a rival of copper, and it promises to make the old style of bond unnecessary.
 When one has once grasped the sim plicity and effectiveness of the new pro
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
About Persons.

Hon. Robert L. Hipp of Cullman, state senator from Cleburne county, is stop ping at the Metropolitan.
 
 Mayor Thomas H. Carr of Montgom- cry is visiting Birmingham friends MT. Carr was inaugurated mayor of Mont gomery last month and Is proving to be a most wise chief executive. He is not altogether without experience in the af- fairs of the city's government, having served twelve years as a member of the of these years.
 MT. Carr is a man of pleasing address and has many friends in the state. He is enthusiastic over the conditions and prospects of the Capital City. He said: We have the best paved streets, the best water the best people and the cleanest city in the south. Business is good, the farmers are pleased with their crops and the prices they are getting, and the merchants are satisfied with the business they are doing. Montgomery is enjoying a steady and healthy growth, industrially and otherwise. On the whole, our city is enjoying an era of prosper ity."
 J. T. Woods of Atlanta is registered at the Hillman.
 R. R. Kelly of Chicago was one of the St. Nicholas arrivals last night.
 J. II. Ham of Jasper is stopping at the Metropolitan.
 J. D. Dmmick of Montgomery circuit and district clerk of the Middle district, is stopping at the Hillman.
 John S. Clarke of Atlanta was one of the Morris late arrivals last night.
 
 W. l. Wellman of Huntsville, chairman of the Alabama republican committee. is at the Hillman.
 R. A. Harris of Gadsden is registered at the Morris.
 Green Avery, a prominent haberdasher of Gaffney, S. C., is in the city. In speak ing of Birmingham he said: This is in- deed a great city. Your merchants seem to be doing lively business. From all appearances the one obstacle that con- fronts them is the like of show window space to display their goods. I have never in my life seen windows that had more stuff crowded in them than the show windows of this town''
 c. T. Williams of Anniston, was one of the St. Nicholas arrivals yesterday. J. Sistrunk of New York; is registered at the Hillman.
 Hon: J. M. Foster of Tuscaloosa, is stopping at the Metropolitan.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Many Theatrical Failures.

This has been a season of many the- atrical attempts" said a man who has been connected for years with the show business. Tt looks as if every man, woman and child who ever had any talent whatever has gotten together a company in New York this year and started on the road. not few of them to return there before many weeks broke.
 T saw several days ago in q theatri- cal paper that 2O3 more plays have left New York this season than left at the corresponding time last season.
 There is not theatrical circuit this season which has not booked a play for it's houses nearly every night. There have been very few nights this fall that there has not been play at the Jefferson, and I understand that 1t is booked up full for the balance of the season
 There are people starring this year who have never starred before. and in fact who were never heard of until this year. I have kept up with theatres and theatrical people for the past ten years, and now I see names of people I have never heard of before spread all the way across the billboards. Isn't 1t strange the way they crop up that way. This seems to be an unusually good year for them and I cannot understand 1t, as people are talking hard times in every direction"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
Four Men Arrested.

New York, November 16.-Four men have been arrested in connection with the stealing of jewelry worth $5O,OO0 from the auction rooms of Knight, Frank & Rualey, on Conduit street, a month ago, cables the London correspondent of the Herald. It was by a clever scheme on the part of the famous detective, Chief Inspector Drew, that the men were tracked down simultaneously and arrest ed in various parts of the north of Lon don
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
Next Steel Frame Building.

Birmingham will soon see it's fourth steel frame building in course of con- struction- Masonic temple on Nine teenth street and Sixth avenue,' said real estate man.
 q am not familiar with the plans that are being worked out but as the struct- ure is to be seven or eight stories high I take it for granted that 1t will be of steel. A building of that height might be constructed with brick walls In the old fashion way. but as the steel frame is the most approved method for tall edi- fees the Masons will doubtless adopt 1t. The temple will be a decided ornament to Birmingham
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-17
THE onIY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ALABAMA
Before thee stands this fair Hesperdes with golden fruit. -
Hiuh School Building.

One of the questions pending before the mayor and board of aldermen of Birmingham is that looking to a new high school building.
 At the last meeting of the board the judiciary committee reported favoraoly an ordinance providing for the sub mission to the voters of the city a proposition for a $100,000 bond issue for a high school. One of the alder men gave notice that he would, at the next meeting, offer an amendment pro viding for a vote on bond issue to cover the erection of two school houses in addition to a high school building. It is likely that the ordinance will be disposed of at the meeting of the board tomorrow night.
 There Is no question whatever as to Birminghams need of a new high school structure. The old shell now in use is wholly inadequate to the school demands of this growing city. Something like 400 pupils may be crowded into it, but if health and com fort are considered 300 would be a full number. Dr. J. H. Phillips, super intendent of public schools, is author ity for the statement that if the city had building large enough to meet this community's demands not less than 700 pupils would be enrolled to- day in the high school.
 But when Birmingham erects a new building it should not be for present needs only; it should be adequate for at least twenty-five years, and should be large enough therefore to accom- modate 1900 or 14O0 pupils. And cer- tainly such a building could not be provided at an outlay of $10000O.
 The board of education at a recent meeting adopted a resolution asking for $250,0O0 to cover the cost of a high school and other needed school buildings. If this amount is voted it is understood that $200.000 would be applied to the high school and $50,0O0 to new school houses for the ele- mentary grades. Of the $200000 for high school purposes something like $25,000 would have to be paid for a site and $15,000 for furniture and other equipment, leaving about $160,000 for the structure. This, in view of the city's great future, would not be ex- travagant, and the voters of Birming- ham would, 1t Is believed, favor such a proposition by large majority.
 Of all the utilities and institutions that go to make a city desirable as a place of residence are an ample supply of pure water, well paved streets, first class street car facilities, police and fire protection and a modern public school system and few of these things rank in importance to the schools.
 Let the aldermen then agree to sub init to the people as soon as possible a $250.OOO proposition, to include at least two elementary schools. If a high school building were started this winter 1t could not be completed be- fore the fall of 1905, and if the pres ent building Is inadequate now, what will it be next year and the year after