davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
LOCAL MENTION.

Verify, it looks like a green Christ
mas.
The Elks' minstrel company will
not go out on the road. Emporia
backed out and broke up the schedule.
Did anybody hear President Sheard
of the Topeka baseball team say that
he has signed some new ball players
for the Saints of 1905?
The contractor who put up the Kan
sas building at the worlds fair said
he would bring it to Topeka for SIS
900. Dispatches from Garnett say
that that town will get it for about
$4,000. Wanted-An explanation
A woman is not in the swim now
unless she has red hat.
A meeting of the Success club is to
be held tomorrow evening, December
z. An excellent programme, consist
ing of music, recitations, and talks,
will be given. The talk on current
events is always interesting as well as
instructive
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06

General business conditions continue
to improve, says Henry Clews in his
Financial Review. Clearing house re-
turns at leading cities last week show
ed an increase of over so per cent. OF
course this was largely due to specula-
ton in New York; but Baltimore show
ed an increase of % per cent, Philadel-
phia 10 per cent, Chicago II per cent,
Boston 80 per cent and New Orleans 26
per cent. Reports from all sections Of
the country show similar gains in clear
ings, which, beyond question, tell the
story of business Improvement. Further
proof is afforded in railroad earnings.
81 roads reporting an increase of II per
cent in the third week of November.
Traffic managers tell US that their
roads are again likely to be oyertaxed
with traffic, and are urging car and To-
connective works to hasten deliveries Of
newly placed orders for rolling stock
Our railroads are once more heavy
buyers of iron and steel products, and
are chiefly responsible for the latest
boom in iron and steel. Heavy ad-
vances have already taken place in
prices of many products, the effect of
which is to create a buyers panic and
another spasmodic boom in the steel
issues on the stock exchange. Nor is
this all. The chief base of present inn
provement is in the profitable harvest
Secretary Wilson, of the department of
agriculture, tells US that our cotton
crop will reach a value of 500 millions,
our corn crop a value of 1000 millions.
our wheat and hay crops a value of
1, 900 millions, and all our farm products
combined a total value of 1900 millions,
compared with ALSO millions last year.
This is an increase of $4,000, 000. or
nearly 10 per cent, in the value of our
a agricultural products within one year.
Surely the American farmer is more
than ordinarily prosperous.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.


Many a train of thought carries no
freight.
It's wise industrial stock that knows
its own par
Lots of people pray for the poor-and
let it go at that.
A battleship in the hand is worth two
ultimatumS in the bush.
The favorite pastime of a 1ynching par
ty is looping the loop.
Insomnia is seldom caused by the
things a man doesn't say.
Whatsoever the foolish farmer Sows,
that shall the bunko man reap.
Weak solutions may be all right in
chemistry, but they don't go in politics.
After a girl has refused him twelve
times a superstitious youth will quit pro-
passing.
Anyway, one-half of the world knows
that the other half is looking for the best
of it
Some successful men are e5 per cent
backbone and some others are IS per cent
cheek.
Statesmen who '.also ran" are natural
ly slow to predict a bright future for their
country.
There are still many opportunities for
young men; the trusts haven't been able
to grab all of them.
Cupid is a sorry leader; after leading
people into trouble he leaves them to tight
it out themselves.
The latest museum freak is pig with
two legs. Outside museum it isn't nee
When a high salaried officer finds it
pect to see thieves trying to break into
Jail
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06

As a few very large failures often
distort the aggregate and tend to mis-
lead, it is instructive. says r. G. Dun
& Co. to subtract all the defaults for
100000 or more for November and the
corresponding month in every year of
the preceding decade. Among manu-
featuring insolvencies it is found that
ten large concerns supplied 1892, 113 Ii
abilities. or almost half of the total,
leaving only an average of 1886 for
each of the remaining 207 failures. This
ratio compares with $11.so1 last year.
and $11 sos in 1902, while only three
years of the preceding ten recorded a
Smaller average than 1904. Even more
gratifying is a similar analysis of the
trading defaults; the average liability
to each failure for less than 100000
being only s4,969, against $5,925 last
year, and only 1898 of the previous de-
cade reported a smaller average. In
Guiding all commercial failures there
were 81 of 100000 or more, aggregating
$S,25s.141, which leaves an average of
$3.50 for the remaining S43 suspen-
gions, which is gratifying exhibit
when compared with $7,453 in 1903 and
S7,116 two years ago. A lower average
was only recorded in 1899, and the ia
vorable balance amounted to scarcely
more than 500 for each insolvent con-
Germ.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
IAYHAWKER lots.

The annual Central Branch extension"
report is the wires.
At a Lawrence nutting party the guests
all report cracking good time.
The first December runaway at Junction
City caused by a boy and beam
shooter.
An Osborne county man takes five girls
to church every Sabbath. How he must
hate to see Sunday come.
The second Mrs. Rice of Clay Center
has secured a divorce. There seems to
have been the usual shower.
Four thousand hogs were marketed out
the town claims it's growing.
A Downs lad kept sandbur in his
throat week before the family doctor
could persuade him to cough up.
Politics sent Reno county statesman
to the asylum. But how many. oh, how
many, it sends to the state house.
The old-time darkey is passing away.
In a fight al. Alma between coIoTed men
both used knives instead of razors.
Chanute's truancy officer is a superfiu-
ity, as the rooms are overcrowded and
hockey case more or less is not noticed.
Hiawatha has two girls who were silly
enough to make street corner dates with
drummers, but sane enough to break
them.
There are some mighty slow men up in
Riley county. One managed to let an
four ribs last week.
A Salina citizen has traded a barber
supposition that polishing shirt fronts will
vary the monotony-
Either the best liar or the best farmer
in the state lives near Highland. He says
he has raised s2-pound pumpkin in his
back yard this season.
A number of Concordia citizens are
kicking over the new street lights. Con-
sidering the globes are some 20 feet above
ground, their action is remarkable.
The Downs janitor cleaned the cemetery
grounds very thoroughly by fire. but the
friends of the patrons are wondering who
will clean the blackened tombstones. p
A Kansas City young lady came to OF
tawa to stay a week and now the whole
town is shocked to learn that she became
homesick and returned the same after
noon.
A Topeka woman complained to her
butcher of the rabbits being shot up too
much. Great guns!'' growled the cleaver,
they haven't found a way yet to scare
'em to death
Three different times has a Moline
girl had falls. Twice was her arm
broken and the third time her ankle.
No wonder women dread the sere and
yellow fall.
Medicine Lodge is to have a new
postoffice supplied with $50 keyless
lock boxes and 1o1 call boxes. Owing
to the gait Teddy went there will be
no change in postmasters-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
HAD NO CLAIM.
Western Wooden Mill Suit for Insur-
ance Comes to End.

Judge Pollock of the United States cir
cult court decreed this afternoon, upon a
demurrer embodying the question entered
by the defendant, that the Western Wool
en- Mill of North Topeka had nc claim for
fire indemnity from the Northern Assur-
ance company of London for $500 worth
of raw wool which was found decomposed
and ruined in the building after the flood
receded last June a year ago.
The Wooden Mill company carried $500
of insurance with the London company on
it's raw wool a large amount of the lat
ter was destroyed in the flood. 1t appear
ed to the plaintiff that it's material had
been burned, though what it claimed was
probably instantaneous combustion. NO
testimony of any one having seen flames
could be secured. The insurance company
asserted that not sign of fire could be
found, and argued that the wool had
simply rotted under the mud which the
water had deposited upon it.
The defendant, represented by Eugene
Quinton OF Topeka, and R. w. Brecken-
ridge of Omaha, filed a demurrer stating
that no case against their client had been
established. The court upheld this con-
tention. Charles Blood Smith, the attor-
ney for the plaintiff, filed notice of appeal
to the circuit court at St. Louis.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
WAS GRUHN's SKELETON.
Son Says It Is That of the Missing
Topeka Man.

Wichita, Kas., Dec. 6.-Practically
all doubt as to the Identification of the
man whose skeleton was found
wrapped in an old comfort in clump
of bushes near Derby two weeks ago
was set aside today when o. T. Gruhn,
of Topeka, identified it as that of his
father, H. Gruhn.
The younger Gruhn said his father
had fought in the German army and
received a shot in his face which
knocked out certain teeth. These
were found to be missing from the
skull found. He also said that his
father never wore socks in the sum-
mer, but instead he placed pieces of
paper in his shoes and between the
folds he carried his extra money. In
the shoes found on the skeleton were
seven to eight thicknesses of old news
paper, but no money. There is little
doubt but that Gruhn was murdered
last July and the officers are searching
for clue to his slayers.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
EDITORS ARE COMING.
The Executive Committee Will Meet
Friday to Arrange for Their Session.

Ewing Herbert, president of the
state editorial association, has called
a meeting of the officers and the ex-
ecutive committee of the association
to be held at the National hotel next
Friday afternoon to make arrange
ments for the annual meeting of the
association which will be held in Feb
ruary. The exact date will be fixed
at the meeting on Friday and the pro-
gramme will also be arranged. The
officers and executive committee of
the association are as follows:
President, Ewing Herbert, World,
Hiawatha; vice president, Miss Estelle
Riddle, Messenger, Minneapolis; CORE
spending secretary, J. E. Junkin, Bull
letin, Sterling; recording secretary
Mack P. Gretchen, Paragraph, Sedg-
wick; treasurer, ]. NJ. Lewis, Jr.,
Ora phic, Kinsley.
Executive committee.-FirStd district
H. G. Stevens, Western Odd Fellow,
Topeka; Second district, A. z. Macou-
brie, Tribune, Olathel Third district,
A. II. Turner, Times, Chanute; Fourth
district, w. F. Hill, Recorder. West
moreland; Fifth district. c. A. Kim
ball, Register, Courtland; Sixth dis
trict, Mrs. L. A. King, Gazette, Plain
vile; Seventh district, w. M. Glenn,
Republican, Tribune
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
INCREASED LOSSES.
Urged in Justification of Increased
Freight Rates by Railroads.

Chicago. Dec 6-At today's session
of the interstate commerce commission,
Frank ]. Firth, chairman of the uni
form bill of lading committee testi-
fed that increased losses justified an
increase of freight rates by the rail-
road companies. Exception was taken
to this statement by Attorney Levy
Mayer, counsel for the prosecution. who
submitted statistics showing relatively
the profits of various railroads for 1873,
were considerably in excess of those of
1902. Mr.. Firth admitted the veracity
of the figures.
''It seems to me- said Commissioner
Prouty, that if you hold a pistol to a
mans head and at your suggestion he
gives you his valuables, he does not do
it voluntarily; he has no alternative.
1t appears that the shipper will not &C
cept the 20 per cent service because he
can not afford to do it. Is it not the
proposition of the companies to practi-
cally force the shipper to take the limi-
ted liability service, because the COM
panies do not wish to become the in
surer."
Mr.. Firth said he could not speak ex-
cept from his own experience that on
his road the experience was. if the COM
pany insured the goods, they were un-
able to tell in what condition they had
been packed and were helpless at ar
irving at a just settlement.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
Holiday Rates via Frisco system,

On December 20, 81, 22 and 26 the
Frisco System will sell round trip
tickets limited for return passage to
thirty days from date of sale at rate of
One Fare plus $500 from Kansas City
to all points in the Southeast, fncIud-
ing Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas and
Florida.
The fast Southeastern Limited"
train, carrying through sleeper to
Jacksonville, Fla, leaves Kansas City
daily, at $50 p. M, and arrives at
Memphis 1855 a. M; Birmingham 1855
p. m; Atlanta 11:2O p. M; and Jack
sonville at 9:35 a. m. the second morn
ing. ]. Q. Lovrien Assistant General
Passenger Agent, Kansas City, Mo-
A. Hilton. General Passenger Agent,
ST. Louis, Mo.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06

out hats and let their tresses Chat means
hair, in books) fly.
We have found something better than
putting off work till Monday: postponing
it till Port Arthur falls.
Every mother has the secret hope that
her daughter will be such a perfect lady
she will never chew gum
Probably it is an indication that we are
old-fa shiOned, but at this season of the
year we do not think the chrysanthemum
is the only flower 81.
A pretty Atchison woman, whose chill
dren rapidly growing up, is circulat-
ing the report that she is her husband s
second wife and they are her step-chil-
dren.
Gee, wlliz, but they do say that teach
er in the Atchison public schools can hand
out as hot a bunch of slang in five min
utes as any boy ever handed out in six
weeks.
Did ever a woman married to a second
husband dare admit to him that she loved
her first? We wouldn't stand it, if we
were married to a widow Would you?
An Atchison man refused to take a girl
to a party recently. In the town he came
from he took a girl to the theater twice,
and was afterward sued for breach of
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
FAmUREs ARE SMALLER.

Commercial failures during the
month of November, as reported by R
G. Dun & Co., were S64 in number for
IS, 535, 459 of liabilities. against 1,162
last year. when liabilities aggregated 16,-
422 300. The Improvement was well dis
tributed throughout every department,
and appears in comparison with the
corresponding month of every year
since 1899. 1t is not difficult to under
stand the insolvency. statistics for No
vember. For some months, confidence
has been returning, and mercantile col
lections grew more prompt, while the
commercial revival received additional
impulse from the favorable results on
the farms. During the first quarter of
the year many weak concerns were
forced to suspend, and at subsequent
settlement periods there were usually
heavy failures. Recent periods of read
justment have cleared the commercial
atmosphere so thoroughly that there
is prospect of another term in which
suspensions will be few and losses con-
fined below the normal amount. No
matter how satisfactory the outlook
nor how prosperous the nation, there
must always be a small percentage of
failures, avera sing ;,mAthing less than
one per cent per annum of the firms
in business The value of failure sta
tistics as a measure of prosperity con-
sists in showing how far above or be-
low normal the mercantile mortality
rises or falls in response to all the
factors that combine to compose the
trade situation.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06

The fiscal year statement shows that
our imports from Canada grew from
&3S, 264, 400 in 1865 to $51. 406.265 in 1904,
and that our exports to Canada grew
from $2s. 1929. 402 in 1865 to $131, PA 46 in
1904 The more rapid growth in our ex-
ports to Canada has occurred during
recent years. This is illustrate by the
fact that our total exports to Canada
In 1890 were $40, 2S2, 1Os, as against s2s,-
s2e. 4o2 in 1865. the growth in the TWEEN
ty-f1ve years from 1865 to 1890 having
thus been less than IL million dollars;
while the growth during the fourteen
years since 1890 has been 81 millions
The most rapid growth, however, has
occurred during the period from 1894 to
1904, our total exports to Canada in 1894
having been $50, 664, O94, as against $751;
R74,346 in 1904, an increase of "A million
dollars in the decade. During the last
decade our total exports to Canada
have increased 1S1 per cent
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
NOT LIKE AMERICANS.
Cooper jackson Tells of Running a
Newspaper in Mexico.

Cooper Jackson, formerly a Topeka
newspaper man, is here visiting his
friends. Mr.. jackson went from Topeka
to the City Of Mexico a year ago to be
the leading English daily in Mexico. He
was called back to Kansas recently by
the death of his mother, who lived at
Newton. and he expects to remain here
few weeks before returning to his work
Mr.. Jackson says newspaper work is
somewhat different in Mexico from what
it is in Kansas. 1t is necessary to exer-
else a great deal of care in the publica-
ton of even known facts.
Politics is one thing we are mighty
shy of in Mexico said Mr.. Jackson. "A
boss buster wouldn't last long down there
There is only one brand of politics.
1t is nothing unusual for newspaper
reporter to be locked up in Jail in Mexico
and it is sometimes not very easy to get
out, even if the reporter has the right of
the matter.
''One thing about the City of Mexico is
about perfect, and that is the climate
said Mr.. Jackson. 1T does not get very
hot, yet in the evenings l wear a light
overcoat the year around The city has
an elevation of about 1850 feet, which
makes the climate as near perfect as
though it had been made to order"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
GLOBE SIGHTS.
TFrom the Atchison Globe.1

IFrom the AtchisOn GIobe.1
Do you like a velvet collar on your over
coat?
1t takes lots of nerve for a faster to
criticize his tastes before the grocer.
81 didn't sow any wheat this year" said
a farmer today, so 1 am all right"
So far, enough keys to Port Arthur
have fallen to fill ring the size of the
equator.
What has become of the old-fashioned
man who referred to a bucksaw as a
''fiddle'?
A real professor does not like to be call
ed professor. And it's an evidence of good
taste.
What is it a sign of when your head
itches? You may say lice, but that isn't
the answer.
They talk about the difficulty of carv-
ing a turkey. But did you ever try to
carve a turkey?
1t is a late fad among girls to go with
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
THREE CoNINIENDABLE ACTS.
[From Harper's weekly.l

One of the acts for which Mr.. Roose-
Welt deserves praise is the promptitude
with which he confirmed out of his
own mouth the report circulated toward
the close of the campaign that Mr. John
Hay had been invited, and had con-
scented, to remain secretary of state for
the four years beginning March 4. 1905.
In no more conclusive way could Mr..
Roosevelt demonstrate that he has no
intention of playing the war lord or
Of brandishing a big stick" Laudable
also is his determination to uphold
with all the weight of his Endorsement
the request that will be submitted by
Secretary of War Taft to congress on
its reassembling in December, the re-
quest, namely, that the duties levied in
our ports on sugar and tobacco coming
from the Philippines shall be reduced
hereafter to only rs per cent of the
Dingley rates. instead of the rs per cent
now levied, and that all other products
Of the Philippines shall be admitted
duty free. Such a fiscal change would
be calculated to impart a signal and
benefcent impetus to the insular in
dustries. Perhaps nothing. however
said or done by Mr.. Roosevelt since his
triumph at the ballot box is more like
" to crafty the whole American peo-
pie. including his opponents as well as
his supporters, than the announcement
made on November IL that Mr. Garfield,
commissioner of corporations, has near
~ completed his report on the opera
tions Of the Beef Trust; and that if,
ON the submission OF it to the presi-
dent. it proves to contain anything-as
undoubtedly it will-that will give the
government cause for action against
any conspirators striving to circumvent
the Sherman act, the department of
Justice will be ordered to attend to the
matter in exemplary fashion. Thus will
1dr. Roosevelt pay his debt to the union
labor vote. and justify the faith reposed
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
CREsCEUs' WICHITA RECORD.
Will Be Investigated by the American
Irotting Congress.

Chicago. Dec. 6.-The eighth biennial
congress of the American Trotting as
ISOLATION began here today. Leading
breeders of trOtting horses and patrons
of harness racing from all parts of the
country were present. Considera BILE in
terest centered in the election of presi-
dent, w. r. James of Terre Haute
Haute, Ind, received the support of
the western deIega lions. His election,
however, was opposed by the eastern
men who decided to present the name
of an eastern man for the position.
The board of appeals will be in ses-
sion for a week as there are $50 cases
on the docket. A decision is expected
in the case of Cresceus, whose record
of 1:59% made two years ago on the
Wichita, Kan, track has been ques
toned.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
MRS. GILBERT'S FUNERAL.
George Gould Was Among the Honor
airy Pail Bearers.

New York, Dec 6.-Three thousand
persons including many of the best
known members of the theatrical pro-
fession attended the funeral of Mrs.
George Henry Gilbert, the actress in
the Bloomingdale Reformed church to-
day. Hundreds were unable to secure
admittance to the church. The Rev.
william c. Stimson delivered a brief
eulogy. Nearly every theatrical COM
pany playing in this city today and
many elsewhere sent flowers. One big
standard of flowers from Mrs. Gilberts
company bore the name of her last
character Granny" The honorary pail
bearers were Francis Wilson. Clyde
Fitch, John Drew, Nat Goodwin, Geo.
Gould, Sir Charles Wyndham, A. M.
Palmer, Daniel F'rohman, former JUS
tice Joseph S. Daily, Frank Aiken, Will
lam Bishham and James Van Amringe-
The interment was in Greenwood ceme-
ferV.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06
TURNER'S CONSOLIDATE.
The funniest for 1905 Was Awarded
to Lawrence.

Leavenworth. Kan, Dec. 6.-In con-
vention assembled at Turner hall yes
terday afternoon the delegates of the
various Turnvereins of Kansas Mis-
souri, and Nebraska voted to unite the
two old districts under the names of
the Kansas and the Missouri Valley
Bezirks into one district which will in
the future be known as the Kansas,
Missouri and Nebraska, Turn Bezirk
The funniest for 1905 was awarded
to Lawrence where the general Off
GERS of the newly formed district also
go. The understanding, secretly is,
that Leavenworth will get the Fest in