davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-10

soon develop into a roaring crevasse.
The sides cave in, and the stream gath
ers force with size, until 1t has develop
ed into a gap mile or so wide. Efforts
then are rarely ever successful to close
1t. The water In the river, from ten to
twenty feet above the level of the
ground behind the levees, rushes with
a terrific force into the gaping basin
ready to receive 1t, and sweeps houses
and trees from Its path as If they were
so much kindling wood. The roar of the
torrent may be heard for miles, and has
been likened by those who have heard 1t
to the roar of a terrific wind and rain
storm coming up through a long stretch
of woods. The current Is swift and dam
gcrous far back from the crevasse, and
men will be chased for their lives, some
times being forced up the trees, where
they perch like owls until rescued by
sSiffs.
1t is strange what little precaution
many of these people living behind the
levees, principally the negroes, take to
secure themselves against danger. Few,
If any, have skiffs, or RATS, or any form
of construction that will float, in case
they are suddenly caught by the water.
Consequently the catastrophe comes up
on them like a thunderclap, and they
have to hurry with themselves and their
Notwithstanding the chickens and
dogs, to the uppermost parts of the
houses, often the roofs, and there walt
dismal and damp for the rescueing parties
to come and get them.
Sometimes 1t will be the house of the
white owner of the plantation, who has
been wise in selecting the site of his
home, that will become the refuge of
all animal life within the confines of the
plantation. Social contact, If not equality,
takes place there in Its most abandoned
phase. Horses, chickens, dogs, negroes
and whites form an indscriminate mix
ture.
Sometimes the home will be too low
for refuge. and will be forsaken to its
fate in the flood. There is something
sad, almost oppressive In It's appearance
then, with the water swishing against
the window panes, and filling the very
rooms where once children played.
The overflow will not extend many
miles above the crevasse that occasions
1t, owing to the natural slope of the
ground towards the gulf, but will cover
sometimes hundreds of miles below, seek
ing its way through the natural water
shed of the country, until 1t finds itself
once more In the Mississippi, its natural
home. The width of an overflow, of
course. varies with the topography of
the ground, but may extend back from
the river for thirty miles.
One of the good effects of the overflow
is the rich deposit of silt 1t leaves over
the greater part of the country. max
ing one of the finest soils in the world in
which to grow cotton. To counterbalance
this, however wherever the current is
very swift, there is danger of a deposit
of sand, which falls like blight on all
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-10

Persons travelling down the Mississippi
river in low water period, would hard
" recognize the river as the same, could
they take the trip during one of the
phenomenal high water seasons that oc-
eur at intervals of every few years. High
banks extending forty or fifty feet above
the water surface have gone under; long,
sinuous sandbars have disappeared; the
river stretches unbroken from wood-line
to wood-line; at frequent intervals sec
ondary channels appear, as wide as the
main channel ITSELF which are nothing
more than overlooked fields stretching
far back into the woods. Houses, stores
and churches, where not protected by the
levees, are submerged to the roofs AT
the little landings. the deck hands, In
place of the long, toilsome ascent up the
steep banks with their freight, trot down
the gang-plank and deposit 1t on the
levees.
The levees which protect an enormous
amount of country from overflow, are
generally built some distance back from
the river (from quarter to a half miie)
to protect them from the ravages of the
current. w mere the TlNSE Sweeps diOunu
long, narrow points, the levees frequent
ly lie several miles back in the woods.
The effect Of thus enclosing the high wa
ter between two long entertainments fol-
lowing the course of the river. has been
to force the water higher and higher, I'M
til it looked as IL 1t would be an impos-
sible task to keep the levees higher than
the flood.
1t is a peculiar spectacle to see plough
men calmly at work behind these levees,
while a few yards away the Mississippi Is
rushing by at an elevation higher than
their heads. Were break to occur in the
levee opposite them, these men might not
be able to escape with their lives.
People living behind the levees, how
ever, must always be ready for break.
The levee may give way hundred miles
above but they must be ready to move
ere the water reaches them. If the break
occurs very near them, they must rush
without a moments delay for the high
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-10

fires, and making 1t impossible to keep
up steam.
In the towns, freight Is frequently
transferred direct from the box cars to
the boats, thus saving the expense Of
drayage. 1t was an odd spectacle fur
nished In one town of the bow of
boat being priced with some difficulty off
box car against which 1t had become
tightly damned.
Some of the towns lie In very danger
Gus positions during high water. New
Orleans and Greehville are both located
considerably below the flood level. New
Orleans built In the middle of a great
gloomy swamp, is almost completely en-
circled by a bend or crescent of the
river, and Is in places mucn as fifteen
feet below the high water stage. This is
notably true of the Carrolton suburbs.
If crevasse were to occur here. the
loss of life and property would be fright
full. The common query of visitors who
visit the spot, and see the angry march
Of the waters far above the heads of
the inhabitants, Tended of only by a
long, single line of embankment, Is are
not the people afraid to live within reach
of such a danger? But there is no air of
concern in the hundreds of faces pass
ing the streets, busy with the ordinary
avocations OF life.
| But quite often a feeling of insecurity
visits the stranger, who has but recently
moved into such a country, and who
views these scenes for the first time in
his life. There is truly something ominous
In the steady resistless rise of the river.
and despite all that science and previous
experience say to the contrary, an in
stinctive suggestion is made that the
levees are not high enough, and that
the water will rise until a second Noah s
| flood is precipitated.
| An extreme case Is reported in the
| instance Of poor old negro woman.
| living high UP among the hills whom
1t is said upon being jokingy told that
| the water would back up the little vale
In which her house was situated. with
out more ado packed bag and baggage
and departed for a point far distant.
| Whether this story Is true or not. GER
| tain II is. that there is an indescribable
charm to the refugee in what he may
consider permanently dry ground. and
| this feeling has driven many a farmer
back to his rugged hillside to exc out
| what existence he may there, in prefer
ence to submitting himself and his for
| tunes to a series of periodical drenchings
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-10
Gathering Industrial information.

From Bradstreets.
Special attention was directed by Di-
rector North to the difficulties inherng
In the collection of statistics of manu-
features, a branch of which he had
charge under the twelfth census. He said
that while the manufacturers have out
grown the attitude, so common in the
earlier days of Industrial statistics. of
regarding the government Investigations
as impertinent intrusions into private af-
fairs, they have been irritated in con-
sequence of the numerous inquiries to
which they have been called upon to re-
spond, and response to which has en-
tailed a great deal Of labor on the cleri-
cal force Of their establishments. He
declared that he thought the manufac-
turers had been unnecessarily farried In
some 81 the states, and he also shared
to some extent their criticism of the
statistics compiled from the data gath
cred. HeHid not hesitate to declare that
the exist tg general methods of compl-
ing and tesenting industrial statistics
are crude t,nd unsatisfactory. while at
the same VINE recognizing that this
branch of Stistical work touches every
important Rdern question more inti-
mately than MY other line Of invesfiga,
ton. When vman gets into this men
tai attitude is not unlikely to break
new ground, NJ it may not be too much
to expect ths Ne new head of the CEN
sus office wi gnalize his incumbency
by some pos contribution affecting
methods in II sentation of industrial
statistics.
There's no for Hoods sarsa-
parilla-its me pillar to ITSELF
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-10

a for Hoods Sarsa-
pillar to itself.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03

it all in the head. You better be
shooting those flies out of town or
breaking that kicking COW to that
new 5000 surrey and trading for a
broncho to carry you to Fulton next
horse-swapping day.
We are reliably informed that a
gentleman who attends the lnsti-
tute and who is a school teacher,
has become suddenly and wonder
fully interested in The Commercial
and it's correspondents and has
subscribed and will, when he re-
turns home, join the brotherhood
and is bent on writing up John
Barleycorn. Now, we are sorry for
the poor fellow if he does, tor when
we skin him and hang his hide up
in the sun and sing that old famil-
lar song about "Old Joe, cut off his
toe, and hung it up to dry, and the
girls and boys began to laugh and
Joe began to cry he will wish he
never heard of John Barleycorn.
JOHN BARLEYCoRN.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03
PLEASANT HILL.

Miss Eunice Shore visited friends
near Pleasant Hill Sunday.
Miss Ida TidrOw, of Rives, VISITED
relatives at Pleasant Hill severa
days last week.
Several young people were invited
to attend a dining at Mrs. Tom
Shores Sunday.
The grapes of this vicinity are
rotting very badly and we don't
know how to prevent it.
Geo. Williams spent the day with
John Barleycorn, and a whole house
full OF girls and boys came to see
us Sunday.
And still they come pouring IN.
We mean compliments to The Com
mercial. We hear more and more
every week OF it's wonderful influ-
ence and popularity.
We recently called to see our true
and tried friend, Mrs. Maggie. Har-
ris, of Houser Valley vicinity but
she was not at home and those
sweet little girls of hers did not
recognize us. Mrs. Harris was our
neighbor for several years.
Mr.. Bum Cummings still contin-
ues to visit his grandfather's old
place where he use to go to help his
grandpa feed and get wood, but
grandpa don't live there now and
Mr.. Drury says Bum does not offer
to help him feed or get wood and
we Just guess he can't leave off the
habit of going.
Oh, yes; we will be at the Fourth
of July celebration and at the
of July picnic Thank
YOU: Tom; for the lunch sets. We
remember you of old, but you do
not remember us under our new
name, for we have got married since
YOU left and have changed our name
and are not Old Fogie any longer.
Now, Tom, you have our best wish
es for your future success and |
trust you will yet be Governor of
the great state of Texas.
Ho, there, Gypsy; mind where
you turl your tent. Will Ragsdale
and Henry Moss are out of your
territory and are A. B. c. and
Johns farmers. We spent nearly a
week investigating and writing
them up and now you have knocked
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03
Get your lunch at Dahnke's.
Prof. Moore Accepts.

Prof. B. Moore, who has the past
week had under Amusement the ac-
ceptance OF the Union City Train
ing School, which was rendered
him, has accepted, to the pleasure
of all Union City. Prof. Moore,
who taught many years at Glass,
and recently at Dyersburg, is known
by all in Obion county as one of the
best educators in the South. He
will begin on salary OF 81, 500 a
year. AS he carries a number of
pupils with him wherever he goes,
Union City will increase some in
population.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03
SoJe1djd Remedy.

Neuralgia pains, rheumatism, lum-
bago and sciatic pains yield to the
penetrating influence OF Ballard s
Snow Liniment. 1t penetrates to the
nerves and bone, and being absorbed
into the blood, it's healing properties
are conveyed to every part of the body
and effect some wonderful cures. Mr..
D. F. Moore, Agent Illinois Central
Railway, Milan, Tenn, states: II
have used Billiards. Snow Liniment
for rheum atism, backache, cts, in my
family. 1t is splendid remedy. We
could not do without it," 25c, SOC
and $1.00 at
NaiIling's Drug Store.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03
Lost Her Eyebrows.

Sunday morning Mrs. Alva
Reeves told her little 10-year-old
daughter, Ruby, to go and put
some wood in the kitchen stove.
Finding the fire rather low, the
little one poured some coal oil int
a cup and dashed it into the stove.
There was flash, and Ruby was
minus eyebrows and some of her
hair, making a very narrow escape
from serious burning.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03
Graves Decorated.

Sunday the graves of the depart
ed members of the Maccabees here,
at Beulah and Shady Grove were
decorated by their brothers of the
Union City Lodge.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03

Only one remedy ia the world that
will at once stop itchiness of the skin
in any part of the body; Doan's Oint-
ment. At any drug store, so cents.
For sale at Moss Pharmacy.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03

is for these lustful beasts to stop
their crimes. Beneath all this is
evidently lack of confidence in
the law itself. It is anarchy of
the criminal class, aided by lax
legal processes. There comes
time when men will not bear this.
Lynching is certainly bad method
and forms the habit of disorder,
and makes men bloodthirsty. But
if it is to be avoided there certain
ly is called for more sure and
speedy trial of these wretches,
who often brazenly deny crime
amid red tape of legal processes,
but confess abjectly when con
fronted with determined men.
cit is useless to bring to trial
good men who rise up to protect
their 6resides. The community
will not bear it. If men object to
being burned let them cease from
crimes which makes nation sick. "
Thesituation is improving around
Jackson, Ky. Church services
were held in this little city last
Sunday for the first time in several
months and something less than a
dozen murders have been reported
from there during the past week.
A. M. Cate, superintendent of a
lumber company at Chattanooga,
committed suicide on a passenger
train near Decatur, Ala, Sunday.
He had deserted his wife, and was
on his way to Texas with another
woman. 1t is supposed that his
heart failed him.
An investigation has been COM
menced at Knoxville into the
escape of Harvey Logan, the train
robber, from jail. Official conniv-
ance at the escape is charged. No
trace of the fugitive has been ,
found.
The spot where a negro was
burned at the stake near Whining
ton, Del, was visited Sunday by
thousands of persons, who carried !
away everything in reach as souve-
Mrs. Several clergyman referred !
to the lynching in their Sunday
sermons. Montrose W. Thornton,
a negro preacher, advised the
''persecuted negro, when charged :
with crime and when innocent" to
suicide.
1t is reported here that the .
Mobile & Ohio Railroad Company
las changed the passenger relay
rom Jackson to Cairo. This
means that the passenger train II
rews and families will live in
1airo instead of the Tennessee r.
ity. We have also heard that d
be company is making arrange
lents to change the freight divi- t.
ion from jackson to some point 5
etween Cairo and Jackson. 1t
light be we'll for our Commercial re
Tub to take the matter up with k1
le officials and call to their notice
le many advantages offered by &c
lis city. There is no question u
bout Union City being the best Us
,wn in the section mentioned and
lie town will, we are sure, grant -"
~ reasonable request. We er
1ght to have the freight division ar
I'D the offices of the division off,
ais. =.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03

Spring time is here, gentle ANNE,
Get YOU a frst-class wheel from the
Union City Cycle Co. and be in the
push,
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03

There is no question about it,
Carter & Longs new bugg1es are
the prettiest we have ever seen.
Call and see them.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03

Everything good to eat at all
times at Dahnke's.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-03

Since the Webster case was at,
firmed by the Supreme Court the
local saloon people have given up
the fight. Col. John E. Wells, of
this city, one OF the brightest, best
and brainiest lawyers in Tennes-
see, championed the cause of the
temperance people and fought his
case to victory.
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-07-15
PROTECT THB BIRDS.

On a tree close by the chamber win- dow of a friend of our in Brighton ap- peared the other day a large nest of caterpillars, which as soon as the weather cleared must be destroyed
 Early the next morning a jubilant bird song was heard by our friend near her chamber window, and looking out she found an oriole (golden robin) eat ing caterpillars and singing it's song of thanksgiving.
 That oriole rendered better service in destroying that nest of caterpilIars than it could have rendered on lady,s hat
 It is said that if all the birds were destroyed the increase of insects would become so great that every form of human and animal life would perish from the earth. e>... 4.
 If birds were better protected the state of Massachusetts, alone might have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars which have been and are now being spent to exterminate the gypsy moth.-Our Dumb Animals,
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-07-15

It is just cause for congratulation, says R. L. Mccormick, president of the Mississippi Valley Lumbermen's s association, and secretary of the Wey- erhaeuser Timber Go, in recent inter- view, that so far as the actual harvest ing of timber and its manufacture into lumber is concerned, American lumber men are far ahead of those of any other country in enterprise, ingenuity and skill in methods of machinery. But in spite of the money saved in lumbering by better methods, we are obliged to charge more and more for our lumber in order to manufacture it at a profit. Tn every operation in the woods and in the mill rigid economy is necessary now instead of the loose and lavish meth ods under which it was possible former 1y to make numbering a profitable busi- ness. We have gone so far already that 1t is probable we cannot materially lower the cost of manufacturing our product in the future. Labor saving devices can never In themselves prove an adequate remedy. The trouble lies not in the cost of manufacture. but in the dwTndling supplies of the timber itself.
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-07-15
NEW FIELD FOR YOUNG WOMEN

A considerable number of young women, according to rural observer, are engaging in the poultry business, and seem, from all accounts, to be making success of it. A correspon- dent tells of being in a Chicago dry goods store on a Saturday afternoon, not long ago, when she saw one of the salesgirls receive her wages for the week. She was paid S2, having been in her place form 8 o'clock in the morn ing until o'clock in the evening every day; it was necessary for her to be we'll and more or less expensively dressed, to be constantly on her feet, and to keep her temper and self-pos- session, frequently under trying cir cumstances. On the other hand, says our observer, take the case of the farm CT girl. None makes less than $2 per week, and many make $5. They work only two or three hours day; their surroundings are conducive to good health, and they can dress as they feel inclined. The writer mentions the case of two young girls who sold last year an average of $5 worth of eggs every week during the spring and sum- nler. Nor did they sell all they might have disposed of, for they raised over 400 young chickens besides. Harp CTS Weekly.
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-07-15

The new state board of arbitration is, around trying to adjust differences in different places, we are told. whats the matter with the board taking a look in at the Waterbury trolley strike? :? The duties of the board are as follows: Whenever grievance or dispute shall arise between an employer and his employees, the parties may submit the same directly to the state board of mediation and arbitration and notify said board or its clerk in Writing
 Whenever such notification Is given, said board shall proceed, with as little delay as possible, to the locality of such grievance or dispute, and inquire into the causes thereof. The parties shall
 thereupon sub init to said board in writ ing, succinctly, clearly, and in detail, their grievances and complaints and the causes thereof, and severally prom ise and agree to continue in business, or at work, without strike or lockout until the decision of, said board is rem dered; provided it shall be rendered within ten days after the completion of the investigation. The board shall fully investigate and inquire into the matters in controversy, take testimony under oath in relation thereto, and may by it's chairman or clerk, administer oaths and issue suhpoenas for the at- +pndanpa of witnesses and for tho nro- duction of books and papers &