davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
Birminqham Wants a Zoo.

The city owns two pretty parks on Highland avenue that are at present unimproved, and valueless. To give them value something must be done to attract people to them. Nothing will better serve that purpose than a zoo.
 It is the duty of the city to render life in it attractive, particularly to children and to adults who do not possess lordly estates, who cannot af- ford to need a rest they cannot take. All such persons should be helped to outdoor recreation by the city and q zoo is one of the favorite methods em- ployed by cities to accomplish this. A city that does not do this, lets the vigor of it's citizens decline, and this means a decline in the city's growth and prosperity.
 A zoo means more fresh air and therefore more vigor for the children and the rank and file. While the putocrats go to Scotland, the rank and file, staying at home, may then go to the zoo. The city cannot there fore afford to disregard the popular demand for zoo It would be eco homie waste to do so. It would be disregard of the health and vigor of the citizens, especially of the fu- ture citizens.
 Let the movement go on. Let a start be made towards a fine collection of rare animals, and let the board of aldermen take broad and econom- ic view of the matter, leaving the fu- ture to take care of itself. Once put zoo on it's feet there will be no trouble in maintaining it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
BattIeships Discredited.

The battleship is being tested in the Far East, and if congress had it's work to do over again it is not be- lieved that it would be in hurry to authorize the building of more oat- tleships, at least not until the test is fully completed. Senator Hale said as much when the conference report on the naval appropriation bill was under consideration. There is a feel ing that the huge, heavy battleship is outcassed by the spry torpedo boat if not by the subtle submarine craft Said Senator Hale:
 "I may say that If were secretary of the navy. In the present condition, should not dare to go and commit the government to the building of another immense battleship costing SS,0OO000. The lessons of war between Russia and Ja- pan thus far go to show the vulnerabil- ity and the unsafety of those immense and lofty battleships, and the undesira- bility at present of committing ourselves to the further construction of them. The great and salient events of the war show how incomplete as an engine of war one of these enormous, high-turreted battle ships is If she Is struck below the water line. and the centre of gravity Is dis turbed she turns over like a turtle, and everybody on board is drowned"
 The hope has been freely expressed that the secretary of the navy will de. lay in one way or another the con struction of the new battleships au. thorized by congress. He can readily do this until he can see what chances the bulky fighting machines have to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
In the First Division.

The Age-Herald asked for a weeks suspension of opinion as to the merits or demerits of the home team insist ing that the team would in that time vindicate it's skill on the diamond. It has done so. It is firmly imbedded in the first division, where it will stay It may not feel altogether at home in that division, but it can acquire that feeling as the season grows older.
 There are ups and downs in the ma tional game, but no reverses will over take the home team that will carry il back into the second division. It is az gressive and self-assertive because il has plenty of strength, and it knows it. The sterling qualities of the team are fully vindicated, and The Age-Herald is proud ol It's secure position in the first division.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
Labor Supply in ihe South.

When the Washington Post, speak ing for the cotton states, says nobody in the south wants the Italians on any terms, 1t speaks without rhyme or reason. It does not know the needs of the south any better than the Hart ford Times, which it criticizes. The south does need Italians, and it can not have too many of them There are 5000 Italians in this district, and double that number would be well comed, even if they do come all the way from Naples to Sicily. We arc not waiting for Italians from Florence or the Alpine district Southern Ital. ians are good enough, and the south considers them industrious, thrifty and highly desirable.
 They could soon learn how to grow cotton, and cotton growing would in their hands prove highly profitable The climate of the cotton states suits them admirably. and instead of dis couraging Italian immigration the south invites it, and some of the cot ton states are inviting 1t in an off cial manner. The Post writer has lived away from the south so long he has lost clear conceptions of it's needs and ambition.
 Nor Is the Post correct when it ad. ,vises the cotton belt to keep it's chief crop down to 10,000.O 900 bales. Crops of that size would soon start up rival cotton fields in Asia, Africa, South America and the isles of the seas. If this country is to retain control of the commercial crop it must make more than ten million bales a year. The world needs today crop of eleven million bales, and it will soon need fifteen million bales a year. The time for the latter is not much more than five years away. and when the task of growing fifteen million bales is cast on the south 1t will need all the Italians il can attract.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01

cess lies in freedom of selection up to and even on July 6, and there is no reason in the world, outside of per- sonalism, why the hands of the Ala bama delegation should be tied on the day the convention meets.
 There are deep features in this cam paign that cannot be sifted and weighed before the day for the assem- bling of the convention. Two of these features are Tammany and the Bryan following. The Register and the Ad- vertiser may be ready to hop up and crack their heels in disgust over those features, but the thoughtful democrats, free from all personalism, know that both should have careful treatment and consideration.
 The truth Is, the Register and the Advertiser are doing nothing to get democrats together. They are both wholly willing that all democrats should come in and kneel at the pom derous feet of Grover Cleveland, but they want no recruits, no getting to- gether, on any other basis. Neither are in a position to dictate to demo- crats who through thick and thin have stood by the party.
 The common sense of the situation calls for freedom of action on the part of Alabama, an uncontested state, up to the very hour of ballotting. Rep resentatiye men can be trusted to rep resent the democrats of Alabama, and the Register and the Advertiser should not endeavor to forestall thousands and tens of thousands of democrats in good and regular standing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL.

By Robert Louis Stevenson. A naked house. a naked moor, A shivering pool before her door, A garden bare of flowers and fruit, And poplars at the garden foot; Such is the place 1 live in,
 Bleak without and bare within. Yet shall your ragged moors receive The incompatible pomp of eve. And the cold glories of the dawn Behind your shvering trees be drawn; And when the wind rom place to place Doth the unmoored cloud galleons cnase' Your garden blooms and gleams again With leaping sun and glancing rain; Here shall the wizard moon ascend The heavens. the crimson end Of days declining splendor; here The army of the stars appear. The neighbor hollows, dry or wet Spring shall with tenuer flowers beset; And oft the morning muser see Larks rising from the broomy iea- And every fairy wheel and thread Of cobweb, ew-bediamonded. When daisies go shall winter time Silver the simple grass with rime; Autumnal frosts enchant the pool And make the cart ruts beautiful. And when snow bright the moor expands. How shall your children clap their nanos' To make this earth our heritage. cheerful and a changeful page, Gods intricate and bright device Of days and seasons doth suffice.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD
Ae56,rxe~

dlscomfited director is to blow on hi, scorched fingers and devise some way to pay his bills. The tour was not a success but Patti was not the one who suffered.
 A little story in a New York paper shows the brutal indifference and calIous nature of people in certain walks of life. lodger in a cheap dormitory was found dead by the clerk, whose exelamations of alarm aroused several other lodgers sleeping on cots in the same room. These individuals growled out protests and asked what was the matter. The fright ened clerk said that man was dead and he was trying to awake him. Well, am asleep. Don't make so much noise" some one answered. While the corpse was being carried out fifteen men lay dozing on their cots. Not one was humane enough to raise finger to help. and none was interested enough to even inquire who was the dead man. Such an incident re- minds one strongly of what would take place in a pig sty if one of the sleeping i swine should groan and die.
 Malvern H. Tilltt, a Yale graduate, who won the good graces of young Reggie Vanderbilt when that scion of wealth was a student at the same institution, has been appointed private secretary to Reg gie, and will also act in the capacity of a legal advisor. Tillitt will also aot as young Vanderbit's representative in New York and one of his first duties will be to endeavor to find some legal loophole through which his ward will be able to return to Gotham without getting into the grasp of the law It will be remem- bered that Reggie incurred the wrath of District Attorney Jerome because he af- filiated with Richard Canfield, and for the time being he deems it wiser to remain away from New York. Tillitt Is said to be very good lawyer. and It is probable that he will be able to help his friend out of trouble. In the meantime he will have a nice job and draw a good salary, but Tillitt was considered a good fellow at Yale, and no one Is envious Of the easy berth which he has secured. P. c.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
Jefferson and Frederick the Great.

As an offset or equivalent, or con- pensation, congress has, at Senator Bacon's instance, voted $100, O0J for the purpose of erecting a handsome statue in Washington to the memory of Thomas Jefferson. Senator Pacon first proposed an appropriation of $50. . 900 "in the nature of an antidote," I" and he caused the item to be put in the army appropriation bill The con ferees subsequently raised the item to 00,O00, and this sum will suffice to erect a statue that will outshine the statue to Frederick the Great, which is soon to be unveiled. The latter is a gift of the German emperor, which the president had without due author ity accepted.
 Thon as Jefferson not only stands for American ideas, but he also caught in Paris few ideas from that most remarkable of all political movements, the French revolution The two stat ues should not be placed within speak ing distance in Washington, for they will assuredly express their views of each other, and neither will be com plimentary.
 Senator Bacon did not at all relish the acceptance and placing of the statue to the great Prussian, but the business had gone too far to be undone without giving Germany offense, and the antidote plan was then adopted. It does not abolish the objectionable statue, but it goes it more than one bet ter by setting up statue to Thomas Jefferson that should have been erect ed long ago, but which has lost noth- ing in value and importance by the lapse of time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT BIRMINGHAM
 ITS PEOPLE AND THEIR PROGRESSIVE SPIRIT

work and the winning of the pennant. city of the south in industry, business, manufacture. education and culture is the pennant it's every citizen aspires to. and it is on the high road to success.
 The good there Is in our people comes out whenever opportunity offers. Char ity hospitals were planned and built. New and better schools were proposed and at once provided for. Better streets and sidewalks were suggested and we are getting them with amazing rapidity. An idea of Vulcan of iron for the St. Louis fair was tossed at the people-they grasped 1t and gave generously, and have it at St. Louis to advertise the great Birmingham district. Everything to help to enlighten, to educate and in- telligently amuse is Forthcoming Not only the grown folks, but the boys and girls of tender age, are parties to the plentiful and generous and wholesome spirit of this bounteous Birmingham.
 Only five days ago the boys of Birming- nan ueciueu tHdI lnelT town was DIE enought to have geological garden, as well as iron furnaces, steel plants and other big things. The little fellows went out to raise a fund to buy the animals. They gave their nickels and dimes them selves and asked the grown up folks to contribute nickel for nickel and dime for dime. The old folks did it, and are still doing it, and in week or two the boys themselves-a committee selected by the boys and girls who contribute the fund are going to New York to buy an ele- phant and other animals. The boys are going to manage the zoo themselves. electing a board of commissioners to su- pervise it's maintenance under the city officers.
 AM beginning to believe that Alton B. l Parker of New York, is to be the
 democratic Presidential nominee He |
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01

a man without a record. He has a farm several yokes of oxen, good blow horses. iots or chickens of good breed, fruit trees, and shade trees and shrubbery about his place He is a student. a lawyer and good Judge-a man who believes in the right in all things and who has decided all cases presented to him on the bench without fear or favor. He Is one of the kind who is neither brilliant nor scintiI lating, but just a plain sort of every day practical man, well educated and of wei balanced mind-a man who could not 1bs induced to extremes In anything. He doesn't talk until he Is forced to render an opinion. Then he gives it conserva- lively and wisely-forcibly when necessa- ". He Is neither magnetic nor eloquent. He is a well balanced judge. of honesty. integrity and good personal appearance. He Is not brilliant, but he will make no mistakes. He will do the right on all occasions. He has not had experience In national affairs, but he has the cold common sense to select men about him who have had this experience
 He has the business interests of New York behind him. Without political rec ord he has the confidence of those who desire conservatism. Those who fear Roosevelt's egosm, and enthusiasm, are advocating the conservatism of Parker. The Hill backing Is his weakness. His strength is his plodding conservatism.
 He is the kind to let well enough alone. Should he be President he may do noth- ing brilliant-neither will he do anything unwlse.
 There are wise men in the democratic party who believe that If the Tammany element withdraw it's opposition Parker will win the nomination, and who believe he can carry New York over Roosevelt.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
Natural History.

'The study of natural history Is one of the most instructive and interesting subjects upon which young people can bestow their attention" said a lawyer in discussing the elephant
 'As boy I was very delicate and un- able to attend school regularly during the winter, so my parents provided me with books to read at home and one of them was Buffons Natural History. To this day l can recall with pleasure the happy hours l spent in reading of the habits reptiles, birds, fishes, insects how and where they lived; how they were caught and how they caught each other
 Not alone does natural history teach all about animals and birds, but also the history of the country in which they are found and the products of these coun- tries; the sort of people who live in these countries; their laws, language and religion.
 The Book of Nature is a most inter- estlng volume, far more so than the new novel, which, like the poor player who frets and struts his hour upon the stage and then Is heard no more. In ad- dition to reading natural history every boy should have a large and powerful magnifying glass that he may be able to examine small subjects and observe the wonderful mysteries that the naked eye never can perceive.
 "A traveller once stood at the foot of the great pyramid and was gazing in silent wonder at the vast construction when an Arab directed his attendtion to a fly, saying there's something far more wonderful.
 How thoughtlessly will people kill little insect, a mosquito for instance, and at single stroke ends what all the genius of men, gone or to come, can never restore. The mighty mind of Shakespeare was fully impressed with the great mystery of life as may be ob- served from many of his alusions to the subject; probably the greatest and grandest being Othello's words as he contemplates the murder of Desdemona: Put out the light and then-put out
 the light
 If I quench thee thou flaming minister, l can again thy former light restore, Should l repent me; but once put out
 thy light
 Thou cummings st pattern of excelllng na-
 ture,
 know not where is that Promethean
 heart
 That can thy heart relume.'"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01

remain afioat in war times. What with the mines and the torpedo boats, and the submarine assailants-all rep resenting the sword fish-the battle ship has many enemies, and it Is much to ponderous to fight any one of them successfully. As things stand the bat tleship must be surrounded by cloud of defenders in order to keep t from turning turtle. The heavily arI1ored warship has probably eliminated, and its decline and fall-off seem to be in sight. It Is complex and cumbersome, vulnerable both above and below the waterline. Senator Hale expressed common fears when he expressed dis trust of large heavily armored battle ships. It is safe to say that Russia shares his distrust.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR
Jew York Press

From the New York Press.
 Women are very considerate of mo- squitoes to wear open-worK stockings for their bentfit.
 You can mostly always tell who is the boss at home by the way the man lords 1t around in his office. A woman always has an idea that she would enjoy having broken heart if it matched her style of beauty.
 Working late at the office always makes man want to put on macintosh to go to bed in, but woman can never seem to understand it.
 What Is the use of discussing women in business when two of them will hang to the opposite ends of reiephone wire for forty-five minutes trying to explain something men would settle in ten sec onds and think five of them wasted?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
IN HOTEL LoBBIEs
Illuminating Gas.


 The Industrial Record contains short article on Illuminating Gas From Coke which is full of suggestions for this dis trist,' said citizen. Why do our coke ovens waste their gases and fill the country with dreadful suIphnrous smoke?
 Why cannot fuel gas be manufactured at the coal mines and coke ovens and brought to the city in pipes? Is 1t impos- sible to avoid the volumes of tarrv smoke now enVeloping the city and growing worse with each added industry.
 The article referred to shows how this smoke nuisance can be abolished with an absolute saving to the district of one of our at present useless products.
 It IS not strange that Prof. Wedding when visiting this section. after being taken to the furnaces and being piled With the usual question as to what inn pressed him most, should have answered emphatically: Waste. sir. Waste in every direction
 The article from the Industrial Record reads as follows: The Maryland Steel company, at Sparrow's Point, Md, has begun to furnish the Consolidated Gas company of Baltimore with an additional supply of gas, which is a by-product of the new coke oven built at the Point. About 100000 cubic feet were furnished the first day that the plan was put in operation, and this quantity is to be gradually increased until a total of 4,000, coo cubic feet per day is reached. This will enable the gas company to purchase about one-half of its daily supply of gas. The gas is conveyed from Sparrows Point to Baltimore by a 16-nch pipe eight miles long, and before being served to consumers it is treated at the gas works to relieve 1t of impurities inciden. tai to manufacture.,"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
Give All Democrats a Chance.

The Mobile Register continues to demand delegation pledged to Judge Parker. The Montgomery Advertiser of the unit rule, believing that a Parker delegation can be secured in that way.
 Both of these esteemed newspapers are letting their personal desires out. run their love for the old historic party. The road to democratic huc-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
Anniversary of Battle.

'Forty-two years ago, on the first day of May. the first battle was fought be- tween the blue and the gray In Alabama, D said ex-Confederate Veteran M. P. Lewis yesterday.
 Tt was at Athens, in Limestone coun- ty. Encamped there was the Tenth Ohio infantry and it was attacked and driven out by the First Louisiana cavalry, which made gallant charge. Many of the Limestone, county boys living in Birming- ham, who were not old enough to be soldiers, will remember well the event. full day It was a giorious achievement by a gallant command and was rather an independent movement and it is well for us to remember the date"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
The Yale Men.

One of the notable gatherings during the sessions of the Conference for Edu- cation in the South just closed was the annual meeting of the Yale Alumni asso- citation on Wednesday night This re- union was planned so that the alumni present at the conference might meet with their college mates in Alabama. The gathering took the informal nature of smoker at which light refresh ments were served, and was held in the private dining room of the Hilman
 The following visiting alumni were pres ent: Robert c. ogden, honorary M. A.. '02, president of the conferences Col. w. N Armstrong. 5s, late attorney general of Hawaii; the Rev. Dr. A. E. Cunning, '67, editor of the Congregationalist; the Rev. Anson Phelps Stokes, Jr.. M. A., 1900, secretary of Yale university; the Rev. Dr. J. w. Cooper, M. A.. 79 fellow of the corporation of Yale; the Rev Dr. II. B. Frissell, "A, president of Hampton institute Charles w. Dabney. l.. l.. D., '0l, president of the University of Ten nessee; w. o. Atwater Ph. D., 69. pro- lessor of chemistry, Wesleyan Univer- sity: the Rev Dr. John l.. Ewell 65 professor of theology of Howard Univer- sity; w. G. Waterman, '92, professor of English. Fiske University; the Rev G. s. Dickerman. '65, New naven. Conn.
 The occasion brought together the fol- lowing Alabama graduates: E. T. Buck ner. Ph. D., '93, professor of pedagogy, University of Alabama; Andrew Sledd, Ph. D.. Os. professor of Latin. Southern University: A. A. Coleman. "A. fudge of circuit court of Jefferson county; Noah A. swayne. Jr., 'ss, president Alabama and Georgia Iron company, cedartown. Ga. ws5T. Thetford. '95, Montgomery; A T Dra,,er. 97, treasurer Pell City Man ufacturing company; w. o. Grubb, 'S3, attorney Louisville and Nashville rail-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01
NEW OFFICERS ELECTED.
The sylacauga Commercial Club Hold
 Important Meeting.

Sylacauga, April 30.-(Special)-At a meeting of the Sylacauga Commercial club. held in the council chamber last night, the following officers were elect ed: D. J. Smith, president; J. H. Lane, vice-president; s. F. Mcdonald, secretary; J. w. Langley, treasurer. Board of direc- tors: J. w. Brown, E. s. Smith, w. O. Peace, w. T. Coker, w. A. Burns, T. ". knight, R. D. Edwards, J. J. Hunter, J. J. Hightower.
 A constitution and set of bylaws were adopted after which the club adjourned to meet the first Monday in May.
 The young people of the city were de- lightfully entertained on last evening by MT. and Mrs. Eugene s. Smith.
 Mrs. Robert H. Troy and Master Leon ard Troy of Atlanta, ere visiting relatives In the city.