The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-09
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

heavy enough clothes. Persons of means who were able te take every precaution to guard themselves and families from the dread disease. fell victims in large num- bers. It Is estimated that nearly 23oO peo. pie died in Chicago of pneumonia during the past winter, and it is feared that the spring thaw and consequent bad weather will greatly swell the total. It is notice able that city people are easy marks for pneumonia and la grippe The crowded conditions, close atmosphere, and sudden transition from warm buildings to the chilling temperature of the streets easily account for the ravages of these diseases in large towns.
 Of course the notoriety and secret ad- miration which Is accorded by his friends to the plunger who loses heavily may be very pleasing, but one cannot but specu- late as to whether the sang froid and marked urbanfty which Is evidenced by some gentlemen just after they have dropped from s500O to s50OOO on the cloth, or with the bookmakers, Is altogether real or merely acted. Col Caleb B. Wick of Youngstown, O., is reported to have lost s62,OOO in one nights play at the Palm Beach club at Palm Beach, Fla. This breaks the record formerly held by John w. Gates. who is reported to have dropped s2000O at the same club. Yet Colonel Wick bore his honors easily and calmly. While his friends and acquaint- ances stood about and looked upon him with awe he went about his usual pleas urable pursuits as if nothing had hap pened. He smiled, was polite, chatted with his friends the next evening, and walked about the hotel with his wife, gal lant and debonair as ever. There may have been half whimsical smile finger ing about his lips. in which there was a trace of melancholy, but otherwise he demonstrated his nerve as plunger t a most admirable manner. It is to he hoped that Colonel Wick has plenty of money and can therefore afford to lose it in such large amounts. There are great many people who would consider $62, ,000 a nice little fortune to start life with, but perhaps Colonel Wick does not. At any rate he has lost 1t now, and cry ing never did have any effect on milk that had been spilled. However, even the most daring plunger will agree that 1t is much pleasanter to win than to lose and very few are willing to suffer such a heavy loss merely to show that they have the true plunging spirit.
 Ignatz Frischman, the "Frankfurter roll man." who won fame and fortune by supplying Coney Island frequenters with material for a delectable lunch at small prices, died last Sunday. About twenty years ago MT. Frischman established bakery at Coney Island. and when the crowds began to flock to that popular re- sort they also began to eat Frankfurter sausages. The sausages were at that time served to the people between two slices of bread, but Frischman conceived the idea of putting them in Vienna roll of special size. The idea took well and soon the baker was doing an enormous business. It is stated that for years he baked an average of 100000 rolls every Sunday and he rapidly put himself in comfortable circumstances. Frischman was known the length and breadth of the island for his Frankfurter rolls and his career is merely another example of what All that is necessary to win fame and for tune is merely to have a good idea and carry it into execution. The rest is easy if a man has energy enough to work.
 F. c.