davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06

Prior to its mergence into the Asphalt
Company of America, the interests OF this
company were represented by 30 900 shares
Of stock of a par value of 500 The actual
market value of the stock is not readily
ascertainable. The shares were largely
held by a few individuals, and such infre-
Quent transfers as We're made were gener-
ally matter of private negotiation. State
ments were made before the committee of
the stockholders of The bankrupt Asphalt
Company Of America, known as the Bidd!e
Committee, that within the twelve months
preceding the transfer Barber Asphalt
shares had been sold at prices varying from
1925 to $500 per share, That committee
was also informed that six months before
the transfer thirty shares of the stock were
sold in Philadelphia at 100.
An idea of It's real value is given by an
analysis of the official statements Of the
company The par value of its stock APP
pears az $4,000, 900 In 1895 1901 $40 was
paid in cash dividends and 800 1881 was
carried TO surplus account. In 1907 s3al
$40 was paid in cash dividends and ss3,-
6s7 II was carried to surplus account. It's
earnings for these two years appear to
nave DRpn u Nllt IIlDle IILdu IL pei ''ul
per annum on the par value of the stock.
In 1908, the year preceding the transfer, the
dividends appear as 1924 ,so4. or per cent.
on par value Of the stock, while nearly
$40, 900 was charged against the surplus
account Then 3S ,993 shares Of this stock were
transferred to the new company at valua
ton of $500 per share and its holders re-
ceived in exchange sll ,607 900 in the gold
certificate rs, which sold in the market
within sixty days at prices ranging from
90 to ~ In 1893 the Barber stock paid q
per cent With no actual increase in its
value, the holders appear to have sold their
stock in 1890 at par, and to have received
a dividend OF nearly 200 per cent. Verify,
blessed is the man who is on the inside.
With little OF no difference, except the
scale on which the transaction was con-
Quoted, the same group of gentlemen re-
peated this process in the case Of the War
ren-Scharf property and the United Asphalt
Company. which was merely holding COM
pany with no assets except the stock OF
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06
SARDOI'S NEW DRAMA.
IL was written More Especially, Vie says.
for an American Audience.

"La Sorciare," the new play upon which
Victorien Sardou Is putting the finishing
touches for Sarah Bernhnrdt will be n costly
piece to mount according TO the Paris Corre-
spondent Of the Courier dcs Etdts t'nis
at will present" says the author in brief
interview, entirely novel features A year
ago Sarah Bernhardt asked me for a play for
the coming spnson She had nothing left
of any great importance In her collection,
and the new manuscripts sent TO her inspired
her with little or no confidence could nOb
leave her in embarrassment so ! undertook
La Sorciere" 1t ID very strange drama.
old practices OF sOrcery in the middle ages
IL exacts an extensive and detailed mise en-
scene. You will find in it sinKnlarly, inter
esting and long-forgotten stories which
/ count upon comparatively few representa-
tons in Paris The play IL destined 10 90 TO
America wrote it for the American audi
Then, my dear master" said the CORE
Dante in the nited Statas2 1870
NJ 1 Sardou ,H' 1T is a piece which interests
me no longer. Irving butchered
But why not present Dante In Paris,
Because il would require 100000 francs
TO mount The piece. and. worse sui. there IL
not an artist in France capable OF Interpreting
it as MORGAN and | conceived it,"
How about CoquelinE
great artist surely but he is not sufficiently
tragic There remains only Max; He has
the face that would admirably At the charac-
ter of f,ante. but in the theatre the mask y not
all that il required Finally, let me tell you
that there il not director in Paris who would
be willing To spend 100000 francs TO mount
the piece. and | am too old to undertake
the work"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06

along its route. Tunnelling under the
streets was carried along fremont street
and the whole line of the subway just as
II has been carried in London and other
cities, without interfering seriously with
the use of the streets" A bettermethod
had been demonstrated conspicuously;
yet even when it came to preparing plans
for the Broadway extension in New
York the Rapid Transit Commission ar
ranged to repeat the method OF when
we have had 30 dreful experience.
Happily the job was stopped in time.
When the Rapid Transit Commission
meets in September those cut-and-drled
plans will be set aside. No ditch will be
dug through Broadway at the centre OF
its gay and busy life. New plans for a
genuine tunnel will have to be prepared,
even If the contractors for the subway
and the capitalists behind them are wild
with disappointment because they are not
to be allowed to have their sweet will to
the end.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06

Can the Hon. ELlHU Roof write the Eng
llsh language with precision and vigor2 No
doubt he thinks SO. Certainly other people
have entertained that opinion.
But when the Hon. LucIUs N. LrrTAuFR
takes the Secretary's memorandum turning
him and his precious gaunts over TO the
Department of Justice for investigation with
view to judicial process and 40 misreads
the same a. TO find in il IA sweeping and
complete vindication" Of him, ILTTAUER,
wonder arises whether the Secretary has
chosen the right words this time.
Either Mr. RooT has failed to express
himself, or LrTTAUER needs dictionary.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06
betting in a Magistrates Court.

If the conduct OF Magistrate CRANE in
the Cornbloom case was correctly re-
ported in the newspapers yesterday
morning there would seem to be ample
room for reform in the methods Of judi
cial procedure in his court.
1t seems that Mrs. MAURICE CORN
BLOOM had complained Of IsIDORE BLUM
ENTHAL for calling her names defan1a-
tory to her character. We we're not
aware that oral defamation had yet been
made criminal offence under the laws
of this State, but possibly the miscon-
duct charged in this case comes under
some definition Of disorderly conduct
At all events. BLUMENTHAL retorted that
the complainant had been guilty OF using
similar language toward him; where
upon Mr.. CoRNBLOOM broke out and de-
clared: " | will give $500 to any charita-
BILE institution if it can be proved that
my wife ever called any one names.
According TO the same report, Magis-
trate CRANE Immediately asked CORN
BLOOM whether he had the money with
him. CoRNBLooM responded that he
had, and thereupon placed five one hum
dred dollar bills in an envelope and gave
the envelope to the clerk Of the court, the
Magistrate remarking to CoRNBLooM:
That is more money than You ever
gave to charity before"
All this forms pretty picture. There
was no more propriety in the action OF
the Magistrate in accepting CoRNBLooM s
$500 than there would have been If he had
taken from CoRNBLooM his jackknife
or paper bag of peanuts. The whole
proceeding was discreditable to all con-
cerned in it, though possibly the irate
husband is entitled to some commenda-
ton for his loyal confidence in the good
conduct of his wife.
The administration of the law is
brought into discredit by any such judi
cial action as this. The court is not a
theatre, and there are many reasons why
the proceedings before tribunals Of in
ferior jurisdiction should be as serious
and dignified as are those in the higher
courts of record A courtroom is not a
stage, and there is no proper place for
buffoonerv therein. II Magistrate
wants to be funny, let him wait until he
goes on his vacation.
We believe that the previous record of
Magistrate CRANE indicates that he is a
good judicial officer and DESTROYS OF
doing his full duty, but he evidently
needs to be cautioned in this respect
He is not the only one OF his class who has
lately offended in this manner. 1t was
very funny the other day when Magis-
trate BARLOW, in filming Harvard man
SIS. said he would have made it $40 if the
offender had been Yale man, and would
have sent him to Jail if he had graduated
at Princeton; but such remarks do not
tend to increase the public respect for
courts in which the maintenance OF
decorum is quite as material as it is in
| anv tribunal
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06
An American Ensraycr Honored.

Al the Fine Arts Exposition held in Roucn
Inst June Mr. Henri Wolf of this city received
n medal for engraving. The ROucnnais Of
June 30 says of his work
M Henri Wolf is perhaps the first wood
engraver In the world. lie possesses a deli
cacy Of BURN that hardly allows the oXrcu-
ton to be seen. while the suppleness Of his
craving Is such that his proofs might easily
be mistaken for paintings In DrisGiile,
IF. MoRtL."
Georges Dubosc says in the Jonrnni de
ROucn OF June ~,
Henri Wolf Joins to the so delicate fine
meas of the American engravcrs fnnltl"ss
knowledge Of drawing and nm admirable I'M
derstnnding of values His Portrait OF
President Jefferson modelled In half tones
with amazing surPness Of point, ia tirst-rIass
work
Mr.. Wolf ia now at work on an original en-
craving, a companion to the Evening star, ="
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06

few subsidiary companies bought at fob
lot prices, and in the case OF the New TRIM
dad Lake Asphalt Company.
The remaining portion OF the new COM
pany appeared in the interests held by the
Aloatraz group, sometimes referred 10 M
the Crocker interests. This included nine
companies. The total par value of their
various stocks was $4,8s5 900. At the time
OF the organization Of the Asphalt Com
pany Of America all OF this stock except
very insignificant percentage appeared in
the name of William n. Crocker, by whom
shares having a par value Of 81. ssi 200 were
transferred in exchange for $7,2o9, 7Os 10 in
the gold certificate IS Of the Asphalt Com
pany of America.
The actual value Of the Alcatraz stocks
cannot be given, nor is it possible to present
a showing Of the earnings Of the group
prior to its inclusion in the new organizo-
ton But ii may be assumed that the con-
dition OF the individual companies was
improved by the combination, inasmuch
as That is the presumable reason for such
combination. When the condition of the
Alcatraz group was investigated, after the
collapse of the trust. by the Audit Com
pany of New York. that company reported
the business of the group as showing for
1900 loss of $l9O, 1913 10, and for 1901 losr
of Sl42, $500
1t ia very doubtful if the total earnings Of
all the companies of which the Asphalt
Company of America was composed ever
reached $foO,OOO for any single year Yet
the new company, into which they were
consolidated by the methods here de-
scribed started gayly off under a fixed IA
bility for interest charges alone of $780,
600, and people scrambled for its securities.
The collapse which came was inevitable
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06
The Lesson Of the Boston subway Un-
needed by New York.
From the Boston Ereaino Trans

From the Boston Evening Transcript.
New Workers. are very properly exercised
over the proposition to make Broadway an
open ditch from Forty second street TO Union
SQUARE, in order to construct u branch OF the
subway. When the construction OF the
present subway in New York began II was
promised that the work would be carried on
by the contractors with little interference
with trafr1c. Instead OF carrying out this
promise some portions of the work have
made sections of New York look like view
of the Grand Canon Of the Colorado 1t il
not TO be questioned that from the stand
point Of the contractor. work can be carried
on more expeditOusly and at less expense in
an open ditch. and there is also considerably
greater margin OF profit. especially II the
contract has been secured on terms OF nom
Interference with surface traffic. IT Is little
wonder that the citizens Of New York are
stirred up with righteous Indignation
The experience of Boston in this respect
has been something which should have taught
the New Workers. lesson, Tunnelling under
the streets was carried on along fremont
street and the whole line of the subway, just
as it has been Carried on in London and other
cities, without interfering seriously with the
use OF the streets The Washington street
subway will be built under the same Condi-
tions, for Boston will not allow the sort OF
work that has been carried Oh In city Hall
Park and Fourth avenue. in New York. for
the last three years With its wider streets
there Is no reason why the New iork subway
should not be built with even less iuterfer-
ence with surface traffic than there WAS in
Boston. Not only In the subway itself, but
in the method OF building IL. has Boston
reason to feel proud.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06
HOW TWO TUNNELS WE'RE DUG.
Nobody I'm Chicago knew Anything A0ont
One URtil 10 was Finished.

IL appears that an interesting work mas
been going on In Chicago for several years
without the knowledge OF the public, III Vhe
excavation OF u tunnel fourteen miles lonH
under the business district of the city. This
tunnel il business undertaking simply
and Ia to contain railway for the trans-
portation of freight among the great mer-
camille houses and between them ana the
freight stations of the forty-two railways
which enter Chicago. besides furnishing
accommodation for telephone wires and
possibly wires of other kinds. 1t il almost
incredible that a tunnel Of this length.
varying In width from 9 to IL feet and III
height from to IA feet, could have been
constructed under the most CROWDED paro
OF a great city without the knowledge even
OF the newspaper reporters. but the tunnel
Ia far below the surface. the depth varying
from ~ to 85 feet. so that 1t was unnecessary
to make temporary roadways over II. ana tne
excavated material has been taken out NJ nighc
through shafts opening In private ground ana
taken away to the lake front The ground
under Chicago is a soft clay. which was easily
excava ted, but it has been necessary TO line ~
everywhere with concrete.
A considerable portion OF the tunnel Is
already in use. and many business houses
have shafts opening into II, equipped with
elevators. Although an underground freight
railway OF this kind seems an expensive
substitute for trucks and horses. lit IL quite
possible that it may promote economy. as well
as convenience, in handling and transferring
merchandise. Every one must see that tho
maintenance Of a stable full OF horses and
wagons and of multitude of grooms and
drivers is an important item in the cost OF
carrying on business, especially when. as
Is often the case. the wagons are driven half
the time empty; or with only one small package
in them, and n system by which goods arriving
by rail could be at once delivered at their
destination. with the minimum OF handling.
while those shipped could be billed through
from the shipping clerks desk. would be OF
immense advantage to merchants. rs we'll as
to the public
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06

The Cuban Committee on the Pay of
the Army has an unquestionGble right
TO propose a payment Of $50 900 0O0 or
$500, 900 900 to the vel Grams Of the Army
of the Revolution. The wisdom of it's
proposal of such liberal terms AS those
submitted is decidedly open TO doubt
The finding of the committee is a matter
for regret if not for condemnation. Its
action is not necessarily final and bind
ing upon the Congress, which must make
the appropriation. The liberality of the
report of the committee may fail of con-
firmation, and hopes that have been
raised unduly and unwiselv may en-
counter disappointment, If they do not
lead to outspoken dissatisfaction.
The proposal is unbusnesslike and not
little absurd The United States pays
its fighting men Sl3 per month. TOMMY
ATKINS gets his shilling day. The SOL
ders of Latin American revolutionary
armies get what they can, apd very often
that is either nothing or very close to
nothing Cuba's gallant warriors are
to get 81 a day for services whose con-
tinuity or whose genuineness ismost diff
cult of establishment If Cuba had bar
rels Of money, il would be open to her to
scatter it among some or all of her people
in any way that she saw fit and proper
To burden the island, under its present
conditions, with an enormous debt, or
even with large debt and floating scrip
obligation, is little short of inexcusable
folly, and il is much to be hoped that the
Cuban Congress will be wiser than the
Gomez committee.
There is no sound objection to the pro-
posed loan of S35, 900, 900, or to its distri-
button on he terms proposed by the Con-
gress. That would provide some s25,-
100000 ms total sum for til: full and
complete discharge of all the claims of
he Cuban soldicry The sum is ample
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06

and, if distributed upon pro rGtG basis,
honestly determined, would provide an
equitable adjustment Of the matter. 1t
would also have been entirely satisfac-
tory had not greed and cupidity been
excited by the report of the committee.
II is said that Gen. GOMEZ is to receive
500, 900. This may not be, under the cir
cumstances, unduly liberal, but it would
be interesting to know how much he has
already received 1t is said upon good
authority, that he received between
$50. 900 and $40, 900 from the Cuban Treas
ury during the Intervention. To some
OF the other officers, Generals and Colo
nels, the sum proposed as their share
would mean an opulence OF which they
have never dreamed in all their lives
To pay $500 or $500 to men Of the ranks
TOT total extent of $40, 600 900 would mean
the industrial and financial salvation OF
the island Twice that sum would mean
in thousands of cases its misuse and the
social decentralization of its owner.
Let the Cuban army be paid. The
money has been earned, and its dlstri-
button through the island would mean
more to Cuba than it is readily possible
TO estimate. But let the sum be red
sonable and proper, such as the island
can safely bear as national debt. Ii
at some future day the island becomes
Il wealthy country, as it doubtless will,
much might then be done for needy vet
Grams. The proposal of the committee
is unsound unbusinesslike, and savors
very distinctly of raid upon the public
treasury for the purpose of loot
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06

From scaShore and Mountains returning
With ardor ambitious we're burning,
As the tan on our faces reveals
We've had a good time, and you know Il.
The stories about us will show IT,
With yachting and automobiles,
For while our complexlons were browning
We saved lots OF people from drowning
And equally awful mishapsl
It's really quite extraordinary
That chances like these never vary.
Hut seem To fall right in our laps
But everything rvcnvNcation.
Always has a quick termination.
Although the temptation Is strong.
And while our good times we're rrgretting
Main chances We are not forgetting
We've brought our press agents along!
La ToUcHR HANCOCK.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06
The Case Against Littaucr.

To those who were familiar with Secre-
tary Roofs ability and acumen as law
yer il is no surprise that the Secretary OF
War has reached the conclusion in the
Littauer matter that the documents iald
before him make out prima facle case
against the Representative of the Twen-
ty-fifth New York Congress district.
When a man writes a letter TO another
having a contract to furnish gloves 10
the Government, in which letter he refers
10 the share of the respective parties
in the proceeds of that contract, the docu-
ment il one which carries on MS lace eNI-
,lence of the writer's interest III the con-
tract. In legal phraseology, II Is evil
dence sufficient to sustain finding that
such interest existed on the part OF the
author OF the letter; and. indeed, unless
the contents of such q letter are satIS-
factorilv expqinrd in behalf OF the an
thor, it would seem not only TO authorize
but absolutely to demand such Il con-
Chlsiou.
The case presented is analogous 70
those which sometimes arise in courts
calling for the application of the Latin
maxim, Res 'pSr ioqWir the thing
itself speaks. Wherever plaintiff site
ressfrlllv invokns that doctrine iudg-
ment goes against the defendant unless
he furnishes satisfactory explanation.
In the Lttaucr case the letter itself
speaks, and speaks so loudly that, unless
il is capable Of rational explanation
generating the author, 4 must convict
him OF wrongdoing. not only in n strict
judicial sense, but also at the bar Of
public opinion.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06
The Common Shame.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUE-Sir: Your
editorial in to-days SUN on the unmanly
aud brutal treatment to which unprotected
aud unfortunate women have been subjected
by our city officials. or by their permission.
during the last few years. Is Endorsed by
every normal mind
They have been hunted and dragged about
In the name of righteousness In a way that
manhood was supposed 10 be incapable OF
anywhere III the world And not one city
or county Official during it all, from the
Mayor down. with sufficient manhood or
deceucy. or charity. or respect for the sex.
TO make him utter one rugged, honest word
against il,
Did they really think the emil ghtened and
moral sense of this community was ever in
favor of it? Never for one moment was that
true. and yet II handful Of persons, who rate
themselves az more righteous than tho rest
OF us. have been allowed TO hunt women like
beasts.
The like was never seen before, even In
days gone by In New England.
BHuOKI.yN, Aug. 4. W.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06
N,m Hurt would Run Well for sheriff

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN,Str; From the en-
closed clipping you will notice that Mr.. Nym Hurt
OF Atlanta is a probable candidate for Sheriff In the
fall. &. %, !,
MACON, On. Aug. l.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06

The standard of communications To the
Board Of Aldermen, never high, appears 10
have improved recently, for at the last
previous meeting of the Board letter was
spread upon its inmates from petitioner
who addressed these New York Aldermen
as venerable body of men" More APP
posite and timely was another communica-
tIon from n householder. a lady living in
Brooklyn, protesting against avoldable
and unnecessary street noises which
make life burden to our citizens, and to
which we are compelled TO listen from
morn until midnight, daily" She continued:
There is no peace for the sick, no sleep
for the large number Of men and women
who toll at night in our various city depart
ments II this state of things continues
much longer, our insane asylums will he
overcrowded. for people cannot exist and
remain mentally healthy without sleep"
II is undeniable that there has been re-
Gently great increase in the amount OF
disturbance caused by public and contract
work prosecuted 10y night in New York, an
increase not made necessary by any OPP
prcssive heat during the day, or by any
general extension Of building operations
The disturbance at night appears to be due
TO neglect of the ordinary precautions which
compliance with the ordinance as to work
at night in New York prescrihes Willie
the Board Of Aldermen have not the power
to abate the evil, some city departments
have that power.
Some street work at night is unavoidable
at this time of the year, and it cannot be
prosecuted noiselessIv Some disturbance
OF rest and comfort is to be expected. but
such an accumulation Of street noises at
night rs the petitioner 10 the Board Of
Aldermen complains Of is unnecessary and
should be prevented
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-06
Astronomical, News From New Jersey.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SON -Slr We have III
hoard tell OF "thc Man In the Moon but how mnN>
of your readers have seen the Woman In the Moon
Take a look with good pair OF glasses nj tN' "'
moon auy clear night this week and you Will SEE m"
face OF a beautiful woman occupying the WHO'S
right half OF the lovely satellite ions GHE"s
NEWTON, \ j., \ug 5