davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
Too Hasty.
BEAR MEAT $1 A POUND.
New York Butchers Sell It All Winter
 to Regular Customers.

From the New York Times
 A small black bear weighing about fifty pounds in his skin, hung from butchers stall in West Washington Market yester- day. Half dozen buyers connected with uptown restaurants who had been noti- fled by telephone of bruins arrival from the mountains of North Carolina, went down to take a look at him. He was bought by the highest bidder for $15
 "The man who bought it will get very nearly that amount for his sxln," said the butcher. Tn addition, he will have about twenty-five pounds of prime bear meat steaks, chops, etc.-which he will have no difficulty in selling for sl a pound. In fact, that may be said to be the standard price for bear meat in New York. He will also have several pounds of bear meat not good enough for the prime cuts. but which will make most savory stews.
 Quite a number of bears come to the New York market each year during the holiday season. Butchers have regular customers for them among restaurant men and private families. In West Forty second street there Is a club whose mem bers get together once a week for a game of cards and little dinner. The mem bers of it are very fond of bear stew, and any butcher who has bear meat he cannot sell elsewhere knows he can find market there. The stew is cooked on a gas stove in the club by a coachman of one of the members, who used 10 be a cow-puncher in Colorado. I have never eaten bear stew, but I know that men who are partial to it would rather have 1t than the finest canvasback ever served. Bear steak tastes very much like beef steak, except that it has stronger fla yof''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
Larue Railroad Surplus.

About the surest index to the general business situation of the country is furnished by the railroads in their statement of earnings. Small crops and small demand for manufactured products must always mean light rail- road traffic, while large crops and in- dustrial activity give the railroads all the business they can handle and some times more than they can haul.
 During the past twelve months pros perity has been unprecedented. This has been apparent to the most indiffer- ent observer. But the large earnings of the railroads and the enormous sur plus they have on hand, after expend- ing vast sums in extension and better ments, show that business has been better even than many people had i'm agined. In 1894 the gross earnings of the railroads averaged only $6054 mile, while in 1908 they will reach ap- proximately 5000 a mile. In 1902 there was surplus of $260, ,00O ,000, out of which were paid dividends amount ing to s151, ,0OO, leaving net sur plus of s169.oOOOoo as against $111,- 000,O00 the previous year.
 The Louisville and Nashville makes one of the best showings in the long list of important lines. As printed in The Age-Herald yesterday, it's gross earnings this yesr will reach more than $35, 900, ,000, a gain of about $5,0000 900 over 1902. In 1894 the Louisville and Nashville's gross earnings were only S1S.974,936 Five years ago this road had surplus available for dividends of $1,632, ,901, while this year the sur. plus has risen to s6,211,047. All bet terments since 1894 have been pro- vided out of the net earnings, more than $2,00O,0OO being spent in that way this year
 A very large part of the Louisville and Nashville's prosperity is due to the heavy traffic which the road draws
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
THE OLD SEXTON.

By Benjamin. Nigh to a grave that was newly made. Leaned a sexton old on his earth worn
 spade: His work was done and he paused to wait The funeral train at the open gate. A relic of bygone days was he. And his locks were white as the foamy And these words came from his lips so
 thin
 I gather them in, gather them in "I gather them in! for man and boy. Year after year of grief and joy I've builded the houses that lie around In every nook of this burial ground; Mother and daughter. father and son. Come to my solitude, one by one; But come they strangers or come they
 kin a' I gather them in, gather them in. Many are with me- but still I'm alone. I'm king of the dead-and I make my
 throne On monument slab of marble cold; And my sceptre of rule is the spade I
 hold: Come they from cottage or come they
 from hall, Mankind are my subjects. all. all all! Let them loiter in pleasure or toilfully
 spin I gather them in. gather them in. q gather them in, and their final rest Is here, down here. in the earth's dark
 breastr' And the sexton ceased. for the funeral
 train \ o,.nd mutely OCT that solemn plain! And said to my heart. when time is told, A miehtier voice than that sexton's old Will sound OCT the last trump's dreadful
 din
 " I gather them in, I gather them in.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
About Persons.

The Hon. Earle Pettus of Athens is at the Metropolitan. MT. Pettus was re- gently appointed solicitor of the sixteenth judicial circuit. He is one of the ablest young lawyers in the state, having served in the legislature and the constitutional convention. He is a prominent mason and leaves today for Montgomery to att tend the meeting of the Grand chapter. He said: Politics is rather quiet in North Alabama The people are in favor of primary and the sentiment seems to favor an early primary. long drawn campaign is to be dreaded"
 w. H. Gilliand of Goodwater was one of the Morris arrivals last night.
 
 James Spence of Tuscaloosa is register ed at the Morris.
 B. F. Otley of Chicago was one of the St. Nicholas late arrivals last night
 R. E. Brnson of Montgomery is stop ping at the Florence.
 H. B. Christian of New Orleans is reg istered at the Hilman. Congressman John l.. Burnett of Gads- den, the popular representative from the Seventh district, is stopping at the Metro politan. MT. Burnett is in excellent health and spirits. He is one of the hardest workers in congress and the people of his district appreciate him. It is not probable that he will have any opposition next year.
 Prof. w. F. Feagin of Montgomery, chairman of the state board of examiners in the department of education, is stop ping at the Morris. c. J. Roberts of Tampa, Is registered at the Hillman
 The Hon. W. T. Aldrich of Aldrlch, one of President Roosevelt's referees for the state of Alabama, was one of the Morris l arrivals last night. l.ods Herzberg, eX-mayor of Gadsden | and one of the largest merchants and cot | ton buyers in North Alabama. spent yes- l terday in Birmingham.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
A DEFENSE OF SLANG,

Professor Herman Spencer. in Booklovers'
 Magazine.
 So far from being an evidence of na- tional levity and lack of seriousness. slang is the language of sencerity It is the result of an instinctive effort to get as far away as possible from everything like pretentiousness. It is the antipodes of pathos. It is the language of the whole people. because 1t is expressive of the national sense of humor that is never so keen as when it contemplates with a joy likewise unutterable the spectacle presented by fake exposed. It is blunt it Is crude, It is brutal sometimes, but it it always sincere. It directs against the citadels of evil the mighty enginery of laughter. It does for our nascent abuses what the mordant satire of Martial and Juvenal failed to do for decadent Rome.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
NO VIGOROUS EFFORT EXPECTED.
Congress Will Allow Philippine Tariff
 Reform to Rest.

Washington, November 3O.-It is not expected that a vigorous effort will be made at the approaching session of com gress to enact proposed Philip ine tariff legislation. Such legislation must be in- itiated by the house of representatives.
 Although Governor General Taft of the Philippines, and others who have studied the situation in the islands, are in favor of a further reduction of duties on Phil ippine products coming into this country, leaders of the house have informed those interested in the legislation that 1t will not be pressed at the approaching ses- sion.
 It is understood that such strenuous op- position developed to the proposed legis- lation that it was deemed advisable by the leaders in both the house and in the senate not to precipitate a tariff fight on the eve of a presidential campaign, but to postpone the matter at least until the short session of this congress.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
SOME STATISTICS ON THE
 NAMES OF CONGRESSMEN

publican are called David, two democrats and one republican Daniel, three repub- licans and one democrat Frederick, and two democrats are named Martin, while there are two republican Richards. Names which naturally would be thought com mon. but which appear only once in the directory are Rufus. Amos. Stephen, Harry Timothy Oscar, Arthur. and Walter. There is but one Michael. Singu- lar as 1t may appear to observers of poiit- ical events, this Michael is a republican. There is no Patrick. Among the members of the house there is one Jack. one Sam. and one Joe. They are from the breezy southwest, where familiarity in the use of names is not unusual. Jack and Sam are Texans; Joe is from Arkansas.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
From the Washington Post.

@ HERE is but one Solomon in the (U Fifty-eighth congress. He is
 republican member of the house. from the state of Pennsylvania Like uise there is but one Abraham Lincoln ,r congress. He is a republican represen- tative from the state of Indiana. fe. if would not be fair to infer that all ol the wisdom and all of the patriotism Tn the national law-making body is to be found on the majority side. Indeed, the situation is somewhat relieved by the fact that there are two George washing tons, one an Indiana republican, and the other an Alabama democrat, both mem- bers of the house.
 Many interesting things may be found in the congressional directory if one has the patience to read carefully that more or less able collection of autobiographies. perhaps not the least of these interest ing features is the analysis of the names bestowed by doting parents on boys who since have reached the congressional stage on the road to fame. It would ap- pear that to be named Reuben, for in- stance is to be handicapped in the race for high public station, for there Is but one member of congress so far as the directory shows. who bears that title. On the other hand, to be christened Will liam is to have the pole, as hosemen would say. Reuben is republican rep resentative from Pennsylvania, while there are thirty-six Williams in the house, nineteen being republicans and seventeen democrats. Six of these Will Hams are from the state of New York; three each from Georgia and Illinois, ana two from Missouri. There are seven Williams in the senate making forty three members of congress who bear this name by christening.
 John comes next, there being forty Johns in all, twenty-two democrats and twelve republicans. making thirty-four In the house. while there are six Johns in the senate. John appears to be favor ite name in the south. for there are three representatives of that name from MIS- sissippi. and two each from Missouri, Ala bama, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
 Next to William and John comes James, there being thirty-one representatives and four senators of that name or the 
 thirty-one representatives. thirteen are democrats and eighteen republicans. 9th CT Christian names in the order or fre- quency in which they appear in the direc- tory are: Charles. 25 representatives ana 2 senators; George, 21 representatives ana 2 senators; Henry, r representatives and senators; Joseph, IA representatives and z senators; Robert. II representatives and l senator; Thomas. s representatives and 5 senators; Edward. g representatives, and Frank. representatives.
 In the house Benjamin Franklin doesn't fare any better than George Washington. Two members bear Bens name. an Illi- nois democrat and New York republi- | can. There are two republicans and one | democrat bearing the single name of Ben jamin, however. and one republican | Franklin Three democrats and one re-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
Hanging or Shooting.

Utah has a law which grants to a prisoner condemned to death the right to choose his manner of dying between hanging and shooting" remarked a law yer. "one poor fellow has just chosen the latter route. and five bullets entered his breast. eeasing pulsation before phy- scians could walk a few steps to make an examination. Now comes a journalistic objection from goodly Massachusetts, upon the ground that the death was too easy to condone for the offense Some people are hard to please"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
OIL COMPANY FAILS.
Placed in Hands of a Receiver by a
 Stockholder.

Austin, Tex, November 30.-The Beau mont Confederated oil and Pipe Line company was placed in the hands of a receiver today by Judge Calhoun of the Third district court, on the application of S. J. Won Koenneritz of this city w. B. Brush of this city was appointed re- ceiver by the court.
 In his petition, the plaintiff alleges that he is the owner of 22,900 shares of stock in the company of the face value of s1. aggregating 22,900, and that the defend- ant company has lands. derricks and other assets amounting to about s70,000 and owes debts amounting to about $50,- GOO, and that he believes that the com- pany is operating at a loss.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
A TEMPERANCE REMoRMER.

From With the Procession" in the De-
 cember Everybody's.
 All the railroads that center in Chicago have prohibited the use of liquor or to- bacco by employees when on duty. Prac- tically all the important railroads now concur in this prohibition. The Western Electric company and numerous other great business concerns in the west for bid not only the use of liquor, but of ci- garettes, and the habit, now grown to an almost incredible extent among all classes of the community, of playing the races" Business reasons thus make necessary the control or avoidance of habits against which moral reasons are too often helpless.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
 What woman calls finding out about a thing by intuition. anybody else would call guessing.
 No matter how severe the winter is, a man can always thank God it Is a season when there are no family picnics
 When a man hates to go to any table but his wife's for his dinner, it Is a sign he Is not going to the divorce court.
 A girl may be able to convince herself that some day she. too, may have gray hair. but never that she will lose her shape.
 A girl has an idea it will hurt her repu- tation to have it known she wears fannels as much as a business man that he bets on horse races
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
A BIT OF A LAUGH.
Attempted Too Much.

Attempted Too Much. From tho Chicago Tribune. "The disguise of that woman pickpocket who wore q masculine attire was abso- lutely perfect How did the detectives happen to spot herr "I believe they noticed a certain awk- wardness in her attempt to strike match man fashion,
 In the South. From Puck Tourist-Is this law abiding communi- ty?
 Native--It's a lynch law abiding com munity.
 Sometimes Profitable. From Puck T believe he made fortune out of fic- tion."
 Indeed? What kind of fiction?" wall street rumors."
 Too Hasty. rom the Atlanta Constitution. Jones has a new addition to his fam fly"
 Indeed? I must congratulate himi'' Hold on-its a son-in-lawr'
 Exempt. From the Chicago Tribune iTweddv-s ~--by the way, what is this brain flag I heah so much about? Old Hunks-something you'll never have young man.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
Case Ordered Rest,rsd.

Washington, November S0-The supreme court of the United States. through Chief Justice Fuller, today ordered the restora- tion of the case of the state of South Dakota vs. the state of North Carolina to the docket for argument and set it down for hearing on January 1. next. The case involves bonds issued by North Car o1ina
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
Alaska Needs a pe'eyat..

Washington November 30.-President Roosevelt had talk with Representative Cushman of Washington concerning the latter's recent trip to Alaska. MT Cush- man urged that Alaska should have at least one delegate in the house. The President assured MT. Cushman that he would do all he could to advance the interests of the interior.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Victoria, British Columbia, is the mother of invention in the newspaper world. Whenever a sensational story is needed this accommodating port i'm mediately furnishes it through the mouth of a recently arrived steam ship captain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

The theatrical press agent does not make quite so much show, but he has the patent medicine ad writer badly handicapped when it comes to matter of words
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
His Preference.

From the Chicago Post.
 "They always speak of pugilsm as the fighting game.
 i've noticed it..
 Well. if that's game. I'd rather work than play"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

The Cincinnati man certainly had unique notions about taking care of his tenants. Water and fusilades are ef- fective methods of ejectment.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

The latest organization of the colored brother is for the purpose of helping members ol the race who have gone to that promised land of Liberia.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Panama seems to have an idea that all she has to do when Colombia gets out her paddle is to call Justify for Uncle Sam.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Those students who objected to the play of Eschuylus being presented in modern Greek carried their scholarly enthusiasm too far when they started a riot
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

MT. Heath says Mir. Bristow is a malicious rascal and Mg Bristow says Mir Heath is just plain rascal, and there we are.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

The electric bath is a good institution for the winter time, although water is perhaps more cleansing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Italian students can give our own husky youth pointers when it comes to stirring up rougn house.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Many people are now making prep arations to go down tho Pike at the St. Louis fair, and the fakirs are just wait ing around.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

It will soon be time for loving wives to buy some more of those cheap cigars we have read so much about in the comic papers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Since sure enough weather has ar rived Arctic expeditions do not appeal to so many people.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

The Wall street bulls and bears re- ceive scant notice these days. They should have some office to give.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Reed Shoot continues to sit in the senate in spite of what the indignant fair sex may say to the contrary.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Lynchings go on unabated, but the ensemble effects are not so striking as on one or two occasions heretofore.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

The performances of the republicans show evidences of comedy, but for tunately not musical comedy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Since the fair sex has organized itself into mobs it has made one more step toward emancipation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Apparently Japan is becoming ruffled at the tactics of the Russian bear, but does not care to risk a hug.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

General Wos y Gil has gone into the explanation business on his own ac- count.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

One of the south's few millionaires is dead in Chattanooga. Mir. Raymond has done much for southern progress.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Soon We will have the pleasure of playing sure enough Cuban lottery if plans now afoot fail not.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

The Limited Mail will make sensa- tional flights through Birmingham this week.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

In spite of the razorless shave more razors are sold now than ever before.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

President Roosevelt is looking rather far into the future when he picks out a successor in 1909.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

"Quakes" and tornadoes are enjoying a brief recess just at present.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

A man should not be blamed for the way he looks when pictured in the newspapers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01
> ENERAL JOE WHEELER, who.

M1 bNERAL JOE WHEELER, who,
 M by the way, has almost dropped
 his soubriquet of '.Fighting Joe. ?, has voiced his opinion of the Presidents policy in promoting men over the heads of their elder officers in the United States army. The general was careful to stinu- late that he was not referring to General wood in particular, but it is not hard ta see that this case gave him a suggestion Of our distinguished army and navy offi- cers, both on the active and retired list. General Wheeler is one of the very few who has not yet gotten into any unpleas- ant muddle. Perhaps his good hard southern sense which he imbibed during his plantation days is responsible. Gen. eral Wheeler is not the only person who objects to the administrators seeming partiality for General Wood. but if is noticeable that such opinions have very little effect on MT. Roosevelt However. ne seems to have struck a snag in the senate investigation committee which promises to delay his plans for some time to come. While talking, General Wheeler was called upon again 70 deny that New Orleans account of how he was hssed for wearing a federal uniform during the confederate veterans reunion. It seems that that story will never die out, and in spite of all the old fighter can do it follows him around wherever he goes. The ''hot air'' artist who was responsi- ble deserves to take rank with the man who originated the fake account of the Cedric sinking in mid-ocean with all on board
 The Georgia Baptist congress, an or- ganization representing the most infiu- ential negro citizens of the state, has a new solution for the much banded about race and lynch problems. These negroes propose to have state laws fixing the price of a single drink of liquor at $1, and the monetary value of a hip pocket arsenal" at $25. They wisely figure that since few of the worse element of the race have money to throw away, they will be deterred from wrong-doing by a consideration of it's expense and so long as they can not get whisky to make them drunk, fendish outrage and its twin brother. lynching, will become rarer. It would be hard on the population of the Cooler -grabbers' state to have to pay such steep price for refreshment and on that very account the suggestion is impracticable. The price of revolvers could be easily raised to any figure by merely effecting a trust of the manufac- turers and giving them a chance to put the screws on the public but in the mat ter of booze it would be different. Even if such an improbable state of affairs should ever come to pass where whisky was out of the poor mans reach in Georgia, moonshiners would simply hitch up their trousers and proceed to do a land office business. Such a law would be more profitable than a bonanza for wild cat establishments, but it would be hard on the man who has no mule or other means of transportation to spots where mountain dew could be had at nominal prices.
 The man who gets his name in a New York paper as a recent arrival at metro- politan hotel can hatter himself that he is of some importance in the land. From the fact that there are so many hotels aIe ;t ha ,t-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Yellow fever seems on the wane, but strikes we yet have with us.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Captain Hobson does not want much for the navy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

Daily ands Sunday Age-Herald... ......... $S.oo Daily and Sunday, per month.......... ao .ao Weekly Aee-Herald. per annum...... 100
 Subscriptions payable in advance.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-01

w. D. Bankston and R. L. O'Neal are the only authorized travelling representa- tives of The Age-Herald in It's circulation department.