davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06
A MISSISSIPPI STEAMBOAT RACE.

Sir Thomas Upton suggests an odd
fashioned" steamboat race on the Mis-
sissippi, in connection with the Louisi-
ana Purchase Exposition at st. Louis
In his younger days he read with in
tense interest the stories of such
races; the excitement they caused, the
wagers that We're made on them, etc.
Mark Twain gives the suggestion his
hearty approval The idea carries him
back to the days when he was a pilot
on the Father of Rivers and the riv-
airy between the packet lines was
fierce. Mark himself took part in more
than one of those old-time races. and
at least one more good, hot brush be-
tween the boats would be not only a
fine spectacle, but fine advertise
ment for the exposition. He suggests
that the race be from New Orleans to
St. Louis, a distance of 1,400 miles.
The course he says ought to be COW
cred in approximately six days. He
would have all of the modern aids to
navigation of the Mississippi, such as
electric searchlights, etc, cast aside
for the time being, and pine torches
substituted The government lights in
the river. too, he thinks, should be
darkened, so as to test the skill of the
pilots on the racing vessels; for in the
old days the skill of the pilot in a
great measure determined the race.
Each boat he would have carry a num-
Der of negro "chantey-singers," whose
leader would stand or sit on the cap
stan and direct the singing.
The idea seems attractive, on paper;
and yet it is probable that both Sir
Thomas and Mark Twain have over
looked the fact that conditions nave
changed on the Mississippi since the
pilot. In the old days there was no
railroad competition up and down the
river and steamers were built for speed
and passenger service. Some of the
old boats were regarded as floating pal
aces. The companies of passengers
they carried were large, rich and ele-
CANT. The passengers paid for speed
in transportation, and the steamboat
men did their best to give them speed.
That was the occasion for the races,
with a niger sitting on the safety
valve" that have become famous. But
there are probably few fine and fast
passenger boats on the Mississippi
at present. The railroads are doing
the passenger business, and the boats
are built for freighting. And in car
rying freight it does not matter a great
deal whether the craft makes six miles
an hour or twelve. A close finish of
steamers might arouse some enthusi-
asm, but it may be doubted that a six,
seven or eight days race between
freight boats would be followed with
interest throughout.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06
INDEX 10 NEW ADVERTISEMENTS

Meetings-Palestine Commandery
No. 7, X. T.
Special Notices-To Members of Sa-
vannah Yacht Club, House Commit
tee.
Mrs. Housekeeper-The Delmonico
Co.
The Good Wheel-At I.attimore's.
Danner Sectional Observation-Disclosures
& Morgan.
Standardization Department, Har-
ris, Gates & Co., New York.
Silver Polish-The Gorham Co.
Auction Sale-Good Investment
Property by I. D. LaRoche, Auction
eer.
F'oods-PreStO.
Cheap Column Advertisement
Help Wanted, Employment Wanted,
For Rent. For Sale, Lost, Personal,
Miscellaneous.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

There's no use in trying, said f..
Will Borus, the struggling author,
crumpling the copy of the Daily Bread
in his hand and throwing it away,
according to the Chicago Tribune. Il
can't do anything to please the book
reviewer on that paper"
whats the matter now?" asked
his wife.
I'm the novel l wrote a few months
ago 1 invented the entire plot and
every situation, and he said l ought to
use my imaginative faculty and not
depend upon everyday police reports
for inspiration My last novel hasn't
an incident that isn't strictly true, and
he says l have strained my magma
ton in the production of a story too
absurdly improbable even for fiction "
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

The minister had said:
This collection is for the relief of
the flood sufferers. Each of you may
give whatever he feels like
Many gave literally, some less so,
and one man who had plenty gave none
at all, says the Baltimore American.
For he was stingy.
However, he had a conscience.
And when the collection plates were
back in their places once more the
man arose. and said:
Did 1 understand rightly when 1
thought your reverence said We were to
give whatever we felt like?'
II believe that is what l said, though,
of course, l expressed the idea incom-
pletely."
well" said the conscience-stricken
brother, "if you'll send that plate back
to me I'll give 80 cents"
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06
THE MORNING NEWS is publishe,

IlORNAN0 w " Is puDllSneQ
every day in the year, and served to
subscribers in tie city. or sent by mail:
one week. is cents, one month, 20 cents,
three months, SOC. six months. $500,
one year, $500.
THE MORNING NEWS. by mail. six
times a week without Sunday issue).
one month, so cents, three months, $3.50;
six months, $500: one year, $500.
THE WEEKLY NEWS, two issues a
week (Monday and Thursday. by mail,
one year. S1.OO.
Subscriptions payable in advance.
Remit by money order, check or reg
istered letter. Currency sent by mail
at risk of sender.
Transient advertisements, other than
local or reading notices. amusements
and classified column. 10 cents line.
Fourteen lines of agate type-equal 10
one inch in Depths the standard of
measurement. Classified column adver-
. tisements l cent a word each inser-
tion. Every word dffd figure counted
No advertisement accepted for less than
10 cents week days, % cents Sundays.
Contract rates and discounts made
known on application at business office.
Orders for delivery of the Morning
News to either residence or place of
business can be made by mail or by
telephone No. 21O. Any irregularity in
delivery should be Immediately report
ed.
Letters and kilograms should be ad-
dressed "MORNING NEWS" Savannah,
Ga.
EASTERN OFFICE, % Park Row.
New York City, H. C. Faulkner. Man
ager.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

Senator Pritchard of North Carolina
is 10 have a nice appointment on the
federal court bench. 1t is said that
she did not become a lawyer until
somewhat late in life, and several
years after he had begun to take an
active part in politics and Office hold
ing" Mr.. Pritchard is a man of con-
siderable political ability; in view of
which his legal, attachments do not cut
much figure. If he can direct the dele
gates in the right direction, that is
about all that his party will require of
him.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06
RABBIT AND RATTLEsNAKE.

Recently we printed, from our trust
worthy correspondent at Lyons, Ga,
an interesting story about rabbit and
a rattlesnake. The gist of it was that
the rabbit had been placed in a cage
with a four-foot rattler, in the antici-
patton that they would dine together,
the rabbit constituting the menu.
However, expectations were disap-
pointed. One bright morning the snake
was found in the cage dead, with the
flesh eaten from the back of its head
and neck, and the rabbit sitting up in
one corner wearing an air of apparent
unconcern. There were signs of des-
perate struggle about the cage, but
the rabbit was none the worse for the
encounter. There was every evidence
that the rabbit, contrary to rabbit
lore had defended himself against the
attacks of the rattlesnake with the
greatest success, and after vanquish-
ing the foe had expressed contempt
for him by dining off the chuck-steak
at the back Of his neck.
1t was asserted by the correspond
ent that this was mot snake story,
in the common acceptance of that
term; which meant, of course, that 1t
had the correspondents confidence.
The narrative struck the fancy of the
New York Times, which delights in re-
cording the doings of beasts, birds
and reptiles. But, unfortunately, the
Times snake and rabbit expert proved
skeptical He wrote: This, the News
saws, is not a snake story. Well, per
haps it isn't There is, however a
short word that would be pretty fair
fit for it, The word it not a safe one
to use in the South, and that doubt
less, is why it didn't occur to the
News"
Our correspondent at Lyons, upon
reading the Times comment, was not
i'm the least surprised. He assures us
that if he had fought every time the
narrative was questioned in his pres
enee and called a "lie," and if he had
won every fight, he would now be no
bigger than a pound of soap after
weeks washing. And yet he sticks
to the original story as being veracious
from end to end. There arc stranger
things in this world than were ever
dreamed of in Horatio's philosophy;
and this killing rabbit, he holds,
is one of them.
But, the correspondent assures us,
there is a sequel to the story that is
no less entertaining than the original
narrative itself. On the day follow
ing that of the encounter between bum
ny and the rattlesnake, the rabbit
sickened and died. An autopsy was
held, presided over by competent rab-
bit hunters, snake catchers and medi-
cal men. After a thorough examination
and an exhaustive consideration of the
evidence, it was unanimously agreed
that the rabbit came to its death from
an attack of acute indigestion, super
induced by an over-indulgence in raw
rattlesnake meat.
We wish it were possible to send the
New York Times the left hind foot of
this rabbit, as an evidence of the cor
rectness of the story in all particulars,
as an assurance of good will and as an
amulet against rattlesnakes.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

The transatlantic steamships are al
ready making bookings for the Ameri-
can travel to Europe during the COM
ing spring and summer, and the re-
port is that the number of Americans
to do Europe" this year will be a
record breaker. General prosperity
and increased luxury in ocean travel
is given by some of the steamer
agents as the explanation of the big
movement. The probabilities are that
a great many of these Americans who
will spend their surplus cash in Eu-
rope know very little about the geog-
raphy, the climate and the magnific ant
scenery of their own country.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

The country at large will regret to
hear of the serious illness of Clara
Morris, who at one time was Amer
ica's leading emotional actress and
who, since her retirement from the
stage. has won literary distinction by
writing one of the cleverest series of
articles of stage life that has ever
been produced in this country.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

In the government departments in
Washington there is a rule against
employing a man and his wife. If a
man and u woman in the service get
married to each other the woman
loses her job. To get around the rule,
some of the clerks marry their fellow
workers secretly. BY keeping conceal
ed their new relations, the couples
manage to continue to earn two sala-
ries. The death of clerk in the Treas
ury Department a few days ago
brought to light the fact that he had
been married to a young woman in
the department for five years. 1t seems
that there ought to be some applica-
ton of President Roosevelt's race sui
eide" declaration to the workers in the
departments at the capital.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

The announcement is made that
Miss Bessie. the beautiful twenty
year-old daughter of Mayor Tom L..
johnson of Cleveland. o., will shortly
make her debut on the stage. Miss
Johnson, like her father, is said to
have original ideas. If she introduces
as many innovations on the stage as
he has in Cleveland politics, there are
some sensations ahead for theater-go-
ers.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06


The critical period for the Georgia
peach crop is now on. During the
next few days the weather and the
thermometer will be watched with
anxiety. A cold snap of severity
would be a calamity, not only from
the point of view of the peach grow
ers, but also that of the hundreds Of
thousands of persons who look for
ward to the season of Georgia peaches
with great pleasure. 1t seems to be
certain that some damage has been
done to the crop by excessive mois-
ture, winds and cool weather, and
that the output will be far below what
was promised a week or two ago; still
there are, so far, grounds for the hope
that the damage has not been so great
as to cut off the prospect for a fair
crop of the country's favorite peaches
The polarization has been retarded
or prevented in many orchards by the
wet weather, and brown rot has made
its appearance. In the Fort Valley
section, according to reliable testi-
mOny, hardly more than one-fourth of
the expected crop will be matured
Other sections may show up better,
though there is at the time anxiety
everywhere. Several days must
elapse before a reliable estimate of
the condition of the peach trees and
their buds can be had.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06
The weather.

The indications for Georgia for to-
day are for fair and warmer weather,
with fresh to british south winds. East
ern Florida. fair and warmer weather,
with fresh east winds.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

In New York the other day the
manager of an athletic field was ar
rested for permitting a baseball game
to be played on his grounds on sun
day. The arrest was made under a
law of 1898, which prohibited among
other games on Sunday the playing
of marbles.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

The oldest man in the United States
is believed to be Noah Raby, who is
sn inmate OF the poorhouse at Piscata-
way, near New Brunswick, n. ]. Noah
claims that he is 131 years old, and
that he was born on April 1, 1772. For
fifty years he has been in the poor
house. His mind is clear though his
hearing and vision are impaired.
Among the other things for which old
Noah is notable is his assertion that
he not only remembers having seen
George Washington but that he heard
him make a speech shortly after the
close of the Revolutionary War. So
speech that he can quote one sentence
from it, though the sentence has never
found place in any of the recorded
utterances of Washington. The SEN
tence is as follows: IF politics gets
into the pulpit, theren be the devil
to pay" 1t must be admitted that
this doesn't sound a great deal like
Washington. and yet Noah Raby, aged
131, says he heard him say it.
The captains of industry" in the
Rand, South Africa, are trying to in
duce the government to permit the i'm
portation of Chinese labor for the
mines, under contract. They declare
that the native African labor is both
inefficient and insufficient, and that I'M
less Asiatic labor can be secured, the
development of the country will be
seriously impeded. A vote was recent
ly taken on the question of admitting
Chinese under contract, and it result
ed in the negative; still it is believed
the matter is not yet definitely dis
posed of. Great Britain has a race
question" on her hands in South Afri-
ca that is going to prove interesting.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

They have strict ideas with regard
to church duties in the town of May
bee, Mich. The other day man of
the name of John Stecher was so I'M
fortunate as to die in that town. He
had lived there for years and was be-
heyed to be a good citizen. He had
buried his wife and several children
in the churchyard. and naturally de-
sired that in his long sleep he should
lie beside them. For a year before
he died, however, it CHANGED that he
failed to pay his pew rent. Whether
he forget the item is not stated in.
the dispatches, but when the funeral
cortege drew up to the church Gene
terry with Mr.. Stecher's body the
gates were found to be closed and
nailed fast. An appeal was made to
the church trustees, but they could
not be persuaded. They asserted and
held to it that Stecher's pew rent was
unpaid for a year and therefore his
body could not rest In the church
burying ground, Poor Stecher was
carried two miles away and inferred
in strange plot. where he will have
| to remain, because he neglected to
pay his pew rent.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-06

disagreeable scene between well
ed in San Francisco the other night.
1t was after Mr.. McGovern and Mr.
Young Corbett" had concluded their
momentous debate, to the disadvan-
tage of the former, that the two gen.
tlemen met in Mr.. Corbett's dressing
room. Mr.. McGOvern was impetuous
and insisted on another encounter. Mr.
Corbett was disdainfuI. Il hate you, d"
ne said, land I can beat you every
day in the week and twice on Sun
day" This so exasperated Mr.. Nc
Govern that it was with difficulty that
the friends of the gentlemen could
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-22
MRS. DIXON is ACQUITTED
PERRY COUNTY WOMAN CHARGED
WITH KILLING HER HUSBAND.
Accused Woman Was Greatly Ex-
cited When the Verdict of "NOt
Guilty" Was Read.
Idianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal
CANNELTON, Ind, Aug. 2l.-Mrs. Mar
tina Dixon, who has been on trial in this
county this week on the charge of murder
ing her husband by giving him poison, was
tonight acquitted. The case went to the
jury about o'clock and a verdict of mot
guilty was reached on the first ballot.
Mrs. Dixon was much excited and broke
down when the verdict was read.
The case attracted a great deal of atten-
tion i'm this county, the Dixons are wei!
known. The defense rested its case at 8
o'clock this morning and the State produced
some rebutting testimony. Or. Fades.
witness for the defense. had testified that
in his opinion Dixon died of cancer of the
stoma CHI To-day the State put two wit
nesses on the stand who were members
of the grand jury that brought the indict-
ments against Mrs. Dixon. These witnesses
said Fades testified before the grand jury
that Dixon died from arsenical poisoning,
one witness testIfying that Fades said sum
cient poison was found in the body to kill
three men. The argument to-day included
six speeches 1t was the general opinion
when the jury retired that 1t would not
be able to agree on verdict.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-22
TROUBLE In DEPARTMENT
CAUSED BY NEW ORDER ISSUED ON
NEWSPAPER MAILS.
Misconception of Plan to Have Bag
gagemasters Handle Bundles-In-
diana Postal Appointments.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21.-The decision Of
the Postoffice Department to allow baggage
masters to act as custodians of loose news
paper mail matter on certain trains has
been misconstrued in some places as an in
tention to permit the indiscrimnate swear
ing into the postal service of all railway
employees, and the department has received
a number of protests. A specimen of these
protests came to-day from a postmaster of
one of the large Western cities, and is as
follows:
"Some days ago some of the newspapers
announced that the Postoffice Department
was contemplating the issuance of orders,
the effect of which would be TO make every
train of cars a mail train, and all the train
employees from conductors down were to be
sworn i'm as postoffice employees. Even
freight trains and their crews were to be
included. The article stated that the prin-
cipal effect of the proposed order was TO
protect the railroads in cases of strikes. =
Replying. Second Assistant Postmaster
General Shallenberger stated the position
of the department as follows:
"I have not seen the newspaper announce
ment in the form to which the above re-
fers, and can only say that ii was not JUS
tilted by anything the department has in
contemplation at present The postal laws
and regulations already provide that every
regular scheduled train may be used for
mail purposes, if the company is willing
law. All the department has in contempla-
ton is to facilitate, If possible, the prompt
delivery of newspaper packages marked for
outside delivery.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-22
1T WANTS MANY Things
TRANSMISSISSIPPt CONGRESS ADOPTS
SCORE OF RESOLUTIONS.
The Philippines, Reciprocity, Offices
for Western Men and Other Matters
of Varying Importance.

SEATTLE, Wash, Aug. 21.-The Trans
Mississippi Congress adjourned to-day after
passing resolutions favoring statehood for
Oklahoma and Indian Territory combined
favoring territorial government for Alas
ka, an American merchant marine, an in
ternational fish hatchery to be established
on Frazer river, closer trade relations with
Canada placing the consular service under
civil service; also resolutions relating to
forestry, irrigation, public lands and the
Improvement of rivers and harbors; reso-
lutions favoring an appropriation of s1,OO0 :
600 for the Lewis and Clark exposition at
Portland. roads and bridges in Alaska
recommending a rans-Mississippi man for
the bureau of manufactures, recommending
a man from the same district for a place
on the InterState-commerce Commission
approving plan for canal connecting
Puget Sound and Lake Washington at Seat
tie; favoring more stringent pure food laws,
the St. Louis exposition and q differential
OF per cent. In favor of Pacific coast bid
further extension of forest reserves in
Washington recommending the constrlic-
ton of an Isthmain canal. favoring The
and discountenaneing the sale of large
tracts of Philippine lands and the intro
duction of coolie labor into those islands
The only fight made in the Congress were
on the statehood question of Oklahoma and
the resolution dealing with the Philippines
The Philippine resolution as originally in
troduced was against the raising of sugar
and tobacco i'm the islands and dealt with
the tariff question. The Congress tabled the
whole matter after a heated debate Then
the resolution was amended To deal with
the land question and the introduction of
cooie labor only. and was passed
After adjournment the delegates were
taken TO inspect the battleshp Nebraska
now under construction at Moran's ship
yards.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-22
WAR GAME is UNDER WAY
ADMIRAL BARKER, THE "ENEMY,'' -
IS STRONGLY REINFORCED.
State Troops Hurry to Portland to
Join Regulars in Defense of the
Chief Seaport of Maine.

PORTLAND, Me-, Aug. 21.-The soldiers
of defense are sleeping at the guns to-
night. Reliable information has been re-
ceived that the North Atlantic squadron,
under command Of Admiral Barker, is head
ed for Portland harbor, and the issue is
now a matter of about forty-eight hours.
The entire State militia is concentrated
here, and the First Massachusetts regiment
is expected tomorrow. Signal corps are
on the way, and before the enemy can
reach the harbor it is believed that every
point will be covered and every channel ap-
proach to the harbor adequately guarded.
The harbor is being mined, and plans are
making for both day and night attack.
Maj. Gen. A. R. Chaffee is expected to-
morrow, when he will assume personal
command OF the defending forces.
ROCKI.AND, Me-, Aug. 2i.--Rear Ad-
miral Barker's feet of war ships was
joined to-day by four of the topedo boat
destroyers, the Truxton, SWordsn, Whipple
and Lawrence, the gunboat Topeka. the
collier Marcellus and the United States tug
Admiral A semi-official announcement to-
day was TO the effect that the fleet would
leave at IL o'clock Sunday forenoon to be-
gin the war maneuvers.