davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17
SPINDLE TOP FIRE SWEPT.
The Great Texas Oil Field the Scene
OF a Most Destructive Con-
flagTation.
THE LOSS NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS.
Two Hundred and sixty-Five Der
ricks Lcst-Estfmated That Two
Third. of the Companie. In the
Burncd District VIII he Unable
to Recover Prom the Damage.

beaumont. Tex April ia FIRE on
spindle-Top which started at ono
O'Clock Wednesday morning did dam
age estimated at from $4,000 to ST.
10000. Two hundred and sixty-five
derricks were lost. Two hundred
rigs were on the producing wells.
The fire started from lantern at
the Caldwell Oil Co.'S we'll. The fly
wheel Of the engine struck the Ian
tern and ignited the derrick and the
flames spread with tremendous IA
pidity, three blocks. Nos. SO. b and IS,
being in ashes by three o'clock.
No effort was made TO extinguish
the FIRE. for it was impossible TO get
within hundred feet Of the flames
No one was injured.
1t is estimated that two-thirds of
the companies in the burned district
will be unable to recover from the
damage done by the fire.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17
WINTER WHEAT PROMISING.
Corn Planting In Progress Far
North Kansas, southern WIS.,
souri, and North Carolina.

Washington. April 15.-The weather
bureau issued the following weekly
summary of crop conditions: In the
districts east of the Rocky noun
tains during the week ending April
J. the temperature has been highly
favorable for growth OF vegetation,
bu; farm work was very generally re-
tardsd by rains in the lake region.
central valleys and Atlantic coast dis
tricts. while complaints of lack of
moisture are received from portions
Of the central and west gulf states.
IL the central and northern Rocky
mountain district and on the north
Pacific coast the season Is very back
ward. and Washington and Oregon
have suffered from cold. wet weather.
In California the conditions have
been generally favorable with the ex-
etption of some damage by frost.
Corn planting is in progress as far
north a. Kansas. southern Missouri,
Tennessee and North Carolina; far
Their south planting is well advanced
and is completed in some sections.
The condition of winner wheat is
generally excellent, and ii has made
splendid progress since the first OF the
month; in the upper Ohio valley. how
ever. the freeze of the 4th and 5th
caused some injury On the whole.
the conditions of the crop in the win
ter wheat belt east of the Rockies is
more promising than for years. In
eli h. i al
ing. but in Oregon and Washington
-the condition of the crop is less favor
able, especially in the last-named
state, where about one-third of the
acreage will be resown.
Spring wheat seeding is nearly com
pleted in Iowa and Nebraska, and is
progressing we'll in South Dakota;
none has yet been sown in North Da-
kota and in northern Minnesota, but
in southern Minnesota some has been
sown on rolling lands.
Oats continue promising in the
southern states, and seeding : nearly
completed or we'll adj. in the
central valleys. where the " sown
X coming up well.
BY the close Of March. which was
very mild month, all fruits were un-
usually far advanced. The reports
now indicate that many varieties of
fruit have suffered severely, more par
ticularly peaches. In California while
some damage has been done by frost,
the outlook is favorable; on the north
Pacific coast the season is so back
ward that fruit has not been ex-
posed TO injury.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17
NEGRO PROBLEM DISCUSSED.
Former President Cleveland and DIR.
Lyman Abbott Among Speakers
ut Madison square

New York. April 15.-Former Presi-
dent Grover Cleveland was a speaker,
Tuesday night, at meeting held in
the concert hall of Madison Square
garden in the interests of the Tuske-
gee Normal and Industrial institute.
Among those on the platform with
Mr.. Cleveland were Mayor Low. who
presided; Booker T. Washington, Ed
gar &. Murphy, DR.. Lyman Abbott,
President Nicholas Murray Butler and
Den. j. Nanamring, of Columbia. w.
II. Baldwin, Chancellor McCracken, of
New York university; John Dewitt
Warner and George f. Peabody. Mrs.
Cleveland sat in the gallery with Mr..
and Mrs. Andrew Carnegie, who are
Mr.. Cleveland's hosts while he is in
the city.
DIR. Lyman Abbott said in his adj
dress that the south deserved great
credit for taking up as it had an un-
tried problem, in helping the negro to
help himself. And the north" he
said, has given her scant credit. She
has given him schools that the north
has refused him and done many other
things towards his future that the
north never thought Of" Quoting a
remark made by Henry W. Beecher. to
the effect that we should make the
negro worthy first and then give him
suffrage" DR.. Abbott said I'VE
make the error of giving him suffrage
first, and the unfortunate negro has
had to suffer ever since. What the
necrro NNnntS iS ed1cn ton =,
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17
"THE GREAT WHITE SULTAN
ELUSIVE Welcome to President Lou
bet of France His Ar
rival at AIgiers

Algiers, April 16.-Algiers was in
gala attire in honor of the coming of
President Loubet, the first chief of
state since Emperor Napoleon Ill to
visit the French North African posses
sions. The streets were elaboratelv
decorated. Vast crowds filled the
streets, and many Arabs in quaint
costumes mingled with the throngs
which awaited the arrival of the great
white sultan. as the French ruler is
known among the natives. In the
harbor were the Russian, British and
Italian squadrons, sent to extend
greetings to the president; also the
French cruiser Du Chuyda. having on
board the Moroccan mission, and the
Spanish battleship Palayo, with the
special envoy of Spain on board.
AT ten O'Clock the semaphore sig
nailed the approach of the French
squadron escorting President Loubet.
The warships advanced in perfect or
der, with the armored cruiser Jeanne
l. Arc, bearing the president, ahead,
followed by the battleship Saint
Louis, with Marine Minister Pelletan
on board, and the battleships and
cruisers Charlemagne, Gaulois, Iona
and Bouvet, and fotilla of smaller
craft. 1t was an imposing naval spec
taele, the beauty of which was en-
HANGED by brilliant sunshine.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17
BALDWIN WAS MISQUOTED.
The ReputntiOn-Breaki Inter-
viewer Seems to Have Been
Working Overtime Again.

Denver, Col. April 16.-Gen. Frank
lin ID. Baldwin. commander of the
department of the Colorado, who has
been asked by the war department at
Washington to explain an interview
IL this city recently, in which he was
quoted as speaking disparingly of the
negro as soldier, says that his state
ments were misunderstood. In an
interview. printed in the News Wednes-
day morning. the general is credited
with the following statements:
The inference from the interview
IN question by which | am made to
appear as disrega riding the lives OF
the negro and Filipino soldier is RI
diculous, as my past record Will sus-
tain. As to the portion of the inter
view relative TO the Filipino and me-
gro soldier being disparaged. | was
entirely misquoted, for the wording
was of the harshest character, and
what | intended to say was to express
az exactly opposite sentiment, as my
feelings regarding the Filipino and
negro soldier. | class both as second
only to the American soldier, and |
would venture any military enter
prise with either one Of those nation
| alities. | consider the Filipino as
| susceptible to the highest state of
discipline, and that when brought to
the test would make magnificent
fighting material. | would trust nv
chances for success and my reputa-
ton alone with the Filipino or the
negro soldier"
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17
SENTENCED TO DEATH.
The Albanian Soldier Who Shot the
Russian Consul at Mitrovitxa
Must Die.

Constantinople, April l6-The Al
bantam soldier who shot NJ. Stchberi-
ma, the Russian consul at Mitroyitza
inhicting wound from which the
latter died, has been sentenced to
death, the Russian embassy here hav-
ing demanded a revision of the pre-
vious sentence of Is years imprison-
ment.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Col. Bill Root, frontiersman, a
companion through his life of "Buffa-
10 Bill" and friend of Bill Nye dur
ing the latter's reportorial days in
Laramie. died suddenly of heart fail
ure in his apartments in Salt Lake
City, Utah, on the 18th.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17
Want Freight Rates Increaxea

Austin, Tex. April 16.-Nearly all
of the railways in the state have an
piled TO the railroad commission for
an increase in freight rates. Their
request is based on increased operat-
Ing expenseA
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

The executive board of the United
Mine Workers of America closed its
session in indianapolis, Ind. ON the
9th, and a campaign of organizatio IN
will be conducted in Colorado and
West Virginia under the direction of
President Mitchell
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Announcementwas made. on the 9th,
of the dissolution of the Southern "a
cific pool which had been engineered
by Mr.. Keene and the firm of Talbot
j. TAYLOR & Co.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

A tornado crossed the counties of
Logan, Dewitt and Piatt. H., on the
18th, fatally injuring Clifford Haldsad-
ger. and killing his infant son. Several
persons were injured and a number of
houses wrecked
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

F. V. r. Hull. aged 76, died at Lex
ington, Ky, on the 9th. He was one
of the most-noted harness horse train
ers in the United States, having brok-
en- and trained Maud 5, Wedgewood,
Belmont and others.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Prosecutor Ruckelshaus. announced
on the 10th, at indianapolis, Ind, that
the second trial of Dr. j. c. Alexander,
charged with connection with grave
robbing, has been indefinitely post
poned because negro ghouls refuse to
testify.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

The people imprisoned in Monterey,
Mexico, after being partisans of
Francesca Reyes, candidate for gov
ernor of Nueyo Leon, were offered
their liberty condtionally, but pre-
ferred Remaining in prison to accept
ing the terms offered them.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Announcement was made at Wash
ington, on the 18th. that Assistant At
torney-General James NJ Beck ten
dered his resignation to President
Roosevelt before the presidents de-
parture for the west Mr.. Beck will
enter a New York law firm.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Polygamy was denounced in strong
terms by Elder W. f. Larue, pastor of
a Mormon congregation in Philadel-
phia, at a session of the annual con
ference of the Latter Day Saints at
independence, Mo, on the 9Th.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

The United States circuit court of
appeals handed down decision at
ST. Paul, Mimi, on the 9th. sustaining
the contention of the government
that the Northern Securities Co, is a
combination in violation OF the anti
trust laws. The case will be appealed
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

The Fourth Illinois infantry. Col. ).
Mack Tanner commanding. was de-
tailed, on the 10th. TO proceed 10 y.
Louis April 2s. to participate IN
Worlds fair dedication.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17
Killed nj. Wife and E.c,,es

Rome. y. y, April lin a fiji Of
Jealous anger at 2:3o o'clock Tuesday
morning. Anton Linolin, an Italian,
shot and killed his young wife and
escaped.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

The Milwaukee & Southern Railroad
Co. filed articles of organization in
Madison, Wis, on the 10th, its pur-
pose being to construct and operate
a railway from Milwaukee TO East St.
Louis.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Gustavus F. Swift. president of the
Swift Packing Co, died IT his home
in Chicago. on the 2eth. of internal
hemorrhages resulting from a suigi-
cal operation. Mr.. Swift was Go years
old
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

PostmasterGeneral Payne gave out
a statement, on the 18TH in which he
announced that the investigation of
the affairs of the post Office depart
ment would be continued and that
any parties found guilty of wrong do
ing would be dealt with summarily.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Former Congressman Abner lay
Tor. of Chicago. died in Washington.
ID. C., on the 18th. aged "a years. lie
had been i'll for several weeks with a
complication of diseases
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17
FORREST CITY. :: ARKANSAS.

John Metcalf shot and killed his
brother. Ben Metcalf. at the home OF
their father, near Lancaster, ny, on
the sth.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

The east-bound limited on the Balti-
more & Ohio railroad was wrecked
near Mansfield. O., on the 18th, in
juring Mrs. II. S. STRATEGY and infant
child. of Fort Wayne; Mrs. Mary
Stanley. of Baltimore. Md. and Mrs.
Frank c. Miller, en- route from EN-
poria, kas., to Pittsburg.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Mr.. and Mrs. John w. Church are
reported as missing at Moorcroft,
Wyo. Church was formerly en-
ployed as a stenographer at Union
Pacific headquarters an Omaha, Neb.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

The engagement of Mrs. Leila Per
Is. of Alton. H.. TO Count Otto Won
Koenigsmarck, q first lieutenant: IN
the Nineteenth artillery regiment was
announced ia Berlin GA the 9TH.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Mayor Harrison's plurality over
Graeme Stewart fixed by the official
canvass. on the 18th. at Chicago. is =
go votes. the mayor having secured
POS TO l3s.529 for Stewart.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Rev. Clarence f. Eberman, field sec
rotary of the United Society OF Chrls-
tian Endeavor, died at Banff, y W. l.
on the 18th.
The Forrest City times., 1903-04-17

Russell Sage was called upon, on
the 10th, to pay $4,000 because he
made loans at disadvantage to him
self and those he represented. as
chairman of the finance committee of
the German-American Real Estate
Title Guarantee CO., of New York.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-19
PORTO RICANS CLAIM
ISLAND TRADE IS BAD
Declare Country Faces a
Bankruptcy Crisis.
WANT A MARKET FOR COFFEE
Governor Hunts Statements to Presi-
dent Roosevelt Termed Misrepre-
sensations of Facts.

Porto Rican merchants travelling in
this country on business assert Gov
ernor Hunt has misrepresented to
President Roosevelt, and in interviews
while In this country a few weeks
ago. the commercial conditions in the
island. 1t is declared trade conditions
are growing worse each day, and that
unless n market for Porto Rican coffee
is found In this country the island is in
danger of becoming bankrupt.
N Santini and George Oppenheimer.
managers OF the United States branches
of the Campania Industrial de Puerto
Rico. Playa de Ponce. p. r., were in
Washington yesterday and discussed
conditions in the island. The firm with
which they are connected is one of the
which practically control the tobacco
business OF the island. So far as con-
ditions in the tobacco business are
concerned the visitors have no COM
plants to offer. The other large to-
bacco concern is the Porto Rico-Ameri
can Tobacco Company, which also has
branches in this country. The managers
of the companies have already learned
about the American business methods,
trusts and monopolies. The result is
the two companies are now negotiating
a combination in order to make more
effectual their control of the tobacco
output of the island.
Mr. Santini declared the situation
commercially in Porto Rico is critical
lie said conditions have not materially
changed since last winter, when repre-
sentatives Of the business interests of
the island held a mass meeting and
prepared a memorial TO Congress setting
forth trade conditions and appealing to
this country for aid.
Sugar and coffee, chiefly the latter.
are depended on to bring prosperity to
the island. The quality of the coffee is
said to be superior to Mocha, yet the
producers have been unable to find q
market for the product I'm the United
States At present all the exports are
to France. II is declared the effect Of
annexation 20 this country has been
detrimental TO the coffee market.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-19
ALEXANDRIA STREET
REFLECTS PROGRESS
Tells Story in Altered Appearance of Many Kinds
of Commercial Traffic

Passengers from Washington by the
ferry line TO Alexandria cross, within n
hundred feet of the landing. a street
which has had more changes than any
other In our little sister town In Vir-
ginia. Almost the whole OF the street
as now used was originally In the river.
but in the course of ten or fifteen
years, after Alexandria became a place
or commercial importance, the ground
was filed in and denominated Union
Street
Its first experience was not pleasant,
Tor In 1903 yellow fever came to the
river front and it's neighborhood, and
two-thirds Of the residents on Union
Street died OF that disease.
1t has had from the earliest times
small hotels at it's north and at its
south ends. and when steamboats, came
into use five or six hotels were estab-
hshed. there having been no block with
out at least one hotel. and on the square
between King and Prince Streets there
were two. both excellent, old-fashioned
houses Of entertainment. The travel
ers from the upper country stopped In
Alexandria overnight TO meet the
morning steamers for Norfolk, Rich
mond, Fredericksburg. and the South
generally. Trade flowed along the
thoroughfare. which had the county
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-19
DIFFICULT TO BUY
MEAT FOR PHILIPPINES
Annual Report of Acting Commissary
General Announces Prospective Pur-
chases From Argentina.

Acting COmmissary General w. L.
Alexander has submitted his annual re-
port for the year ending June 80. 1903.
which shows the resources Of the sub
sistence department of the army were
$13. 726. 1850. The expenditures were 81
523, $3.50. leaving a balance Of se,202,-
1851
Many pages of the report are devoted
TO discussion of the problems with
which the commissary general has to
deal in supplying the troops IN the
Philippines with a supply Of fresh meat.
vegetables and Ice Australia is shown
by the report to have been the source
of the fresh meat supply and the United
States has supplied fresh vegetables.
For the fiscal year 1904. the Argentine
Republic will supply the meat required.
Native beef is not satisfactory. The
price paid for the Australian beef has
ranged from GIBBS TO S.34 cents a
pound. The beef is delivered by refriger-
ator steamers, frozen solid, and its
quantity said to be excellent.
In time the agricultural department
of the island hopes to make IL possible
for gardens to be cultivated successfully
which will supply all vegetables needed
by the soldiers.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-19
TEACHER FINDS
DESERT A PERIL
California Pedagogue Mar
rOwly Escapes Death.
HAS GIVEN UP HIS POSITION
Journey Over Sand Dunes Exhausted
Him and Only Guides Aid
Saved Him.

SAN DIEGO, Cal. Oct. 10. F w.
Bryant, a school teacher. who makes
his home at Lakeside. this county. re-
turned to this city one evening las,
week after an experience which saldoro
comes to one of his profession. He came
near dying on the desert in the extreme
eastern section OF the county.
Bryant accepted an assignment 70 the
Colorado district school. which is at
Pala Verde, on the Colorado River II
is in the center Of a rich cattle country.
though cut of from communication ex-
cept by river, the steamers on the Col
orado River making a stop there on
their way north from Yuma.
Engaged Indian Guide.
He went from this city to Los An
geles, and thence by railroad to Hedges.
where he engaged an Indian guide to
conduct him across the sixty-eiRht miles
OF sand dunes to Pala Verde. Desert
travellers. as a rule. prefer to travel
across the desert at night because of
the excessive heat in the daytime. but
Bryant was anxious to get to his desti-
nation. and against the advice of his
guide be started.
Not being used to horseback riding
before half the distance was covered he
was ready 20 drop from his horse from
exhaustion. The sun beat upon the two
men pitilessly, and they were without
water to quench their thirst
Mounds Seemed InterminabIe.
The guide tried to encourage the
school teachr TO keep on, SAYING that
water was a little distance further on
They continued some distance further
strength being helped by hope. But the
mounds of sand and patches Of cactus.
the only signs Of vegetation, seemed IN
terminable.
At last Bryant bowed in his saddle
and, completely exhausted. slid to the
ground. The guide was stronger and
he continued on In search of water. In
an hour he returned. bringing water
which he had obtained at a spring two
or three miles away Weak. but re-
freshed. Bryant was able to continue,
but the hardships OF that trip were too
much for him. and he remained at the
Pala Verde school only three weeks.
when he was compelled to give II I'D
and return to the coast.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-19

wharf at it's northern end and the ship
yards at its southern termination
This condition continued a third Of
century. but when the railway super
seeded the steamboat the old hotels de-
clined. Many of them fell into decay
and others were turned TO other uses,
until there is not now a single hotel
In Union Street Alexandria's first rail-
way passed through this street, and ten
years sufficed TO alter it's character.
Since then over fifty houses which for
merly occupied this street have been
torn down. and all the buildings there
are now devoted more or less TO con-
necions with the railroad.
Two railway tracks are laid upon 1t,
and the former sidewalks have been
reduced 20 mere pathways. The trade
done by the cars is immense. There
leave Union Street every day freight
cars carrying burdens which would
freight thousands Of wagons. A single
days business of Union Street, IL repre-
scented In wagon loads, would require
string of those old-fashioned four
horse vehicles extending from the
Washington ferry wharf to ten miles
beyond Fairfax Courthouse, about
twenty-four miles.
So old things pass and new ones come
to pass in Alexandria.