davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
Minister Made Tracks.

"Col. Joe Meeks was one Of the pioneer
settlers Of Oregon" says a Represen-
tative from that far-away State.
"A travelling preacher tackled the col
onel once, and opened up by asking him
II tracts had been literally distributed
through the section in which he lived.
The colonel played green. and replied
there could be found a fair sprinkling
of tracks throughout the entire Terri
tory. for Oregon was then a Territory,
Have you yourself a good supply?'
asked the preacher, as he began 10
tumble around In his saddlebags, which
were thrown across the rear OF his
saddle.
Lord. yes. answered the colonel.
There's bar tracks. deer tracks, panther
tracks, coon tracks. and every other
kind OF varmint, and the boys are now
hunted for the tracks of a pinted-nosc
preacher. who disappeared the other
day with a horse which didn't legally
belong TO him. If they catch him, there
will be a tight-rope performance in this
neighborhood
1.-THE preacher concluded that he had
a hard customer, and did not waste
time trying TO convince him of the evil
OF his way"
The Washington times., 1904-06-19

I ule am inclined to think the perform
ance viii be rather creditabIe."
| Everybody hopes so.
Much work will remain TO be done
| after the completion OF the contract for
excavating and concrete construction.
but at the worst it cannot delay the
end more than a few months. By that
time the pipes will be laid. the build
! ings for the pumping station and its
/ auxiliaries completed. and the connec-
tons made. Then the flow of pure wa
ter viii begin.
1t is not a new system-this that is to
be operated for Washngton's benefit
but one that has been in use in Ger
many and England for a long number
Of years. The experts say it is well
qualified to do the work expected of
It and that. although under very ex-
! traordinary conditions It may not fur
nish the consumer with water as pure
and sparkling as that of some of tho
springs Of the country. 1t will at least
offer water tra is chemically pure.
And that's rather more than the ordi-
nary household filter will accomplish
said one Of the filtration plant experts.
My own actual analysis had convinced
me that the water from the tap-unat-
tractive in appearance as II may be-is
as free or freer from disease germs than
that which the household filter furnishes
to those who have faith in its potency.
OF course, there is considerably more
mud in the water from the tap, but in
itself mud is not unhealthy. and there Is
tradition that one must consume a
reasonable quantity OF IL during ones
so1ourn here on earth He might as
well consume it IN drinking water as in
any other way"
This may all be- but certainly Il Is not
the view taken Of the matter by the
general public. They largely prefer wa
ter that looks clean. even though all
sorts Of deadly germs and other dangers
may Turk IN its limpid depths. Water
that looks like cross section of coun-
Try road possesses no fascination for
them, and never viii. Therefore they
VIII stick to the household filter as long
as they needs must, which will be lust
as long as his majesty from beloW-in
the disguise Of the Potomac River-con-
tinues to drive.
And that will be as long as the Wash
ington filtration plant remains unfn-
ished.
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
DAY AND NIGHT MEN LABOR TO GIVE WASHINGTON PURE WATER
AN IMPROVEMENT ON
HOUSEHOLD FILTERS

"And that's rather more. than the
ordinary household filter will accom-
plish, . said one of the filtration plant
experts, "My own actual analysis
had convinced me that the water
from the tap-unattractive in ap-
psar2nce as it may be-is as free or
freer from disease germs than that
which the household filter furnishes
to those who have faith in its po-
tency. OF course, there is consider
ably more mud in the water from
the tap, but in itself mud is not I'M
healthy, and there is a tradition that
one must consume a reasonable
quantity of it during ones sojourn
here on earth. He might as well
consume i in drinking water as in
any other way"
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
Department Site Cost a Iackass.

department Cite lost a JSckaSS.
An interesting story is told regarding
the land on which the Department OF
Justice Building IS TO be erected
1t is said that many years ago Com
modore Rodgers brought to this city
from Spain four Andalusian hicks OF
high degree and with pedigrees as long
as the moral law. Henry Clay and other
statesmen were carried away with the
animals. for it IS stated that they vera
beauties.
Mr.. Clay succeeded in swapping the
commodore a tract of land near Penn
sylvania Avenue and Madison Place for
ono of the Iong-eared jacks That piece
OF land is now the site for the build
ing for the Department of Justice, and
It's value is considerably more than
100000
II was the purpose of Mr.. Clay to ship
the jack TO his Kentucky stock farm.
Before the necessary arrangements
could be made. Mr.. Clay became en-
gagged in a good stin game Of poker.
and. after losing all his available cash
and several negroes. he staked the jack
against cash, and it went. too.
However. a few days afterward. Mr..
Clay succeeded in redeeming the an
mai which he had lost at the gaming
table. and shipped II to Kentucky,
where it became the progenitOr OF what
Is now the most remarkable strain of
mules in America.
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
Retroactive Mind Cure.

Il witnessed a laughable scene on :,
street car the other day" says a Rep
resentative from Maryland. whose name
is not Mudd. There sat near me a lady
with her face tied up with a handker-
chief, and near her was a benign look
ing old man who seemed 70 be hunting
some one with whom he could console.
Just so soon as he discovered that
the lady was in trouble with head
ache. toothache. or some other ailment.
his benign lordship inquired:
'Toothache, madame?'
''The lady Podded her head, and the
man murmured. Too bad, too bad Then
the lady nodded her head again.
1 know how to pity you continued
the man. and I suppose you have tried
little of everything. Now. my dear
good woman. l happen TO know that all
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
A Good Customs Officer.

Judge Mabry. a former employee Of
the Government Printery. has recently
received an appointment in the customs
service. and before his departure for
st. Louis. where he has been assigned
for duty. one of the Missouri Repre-
sentatives introduced him to the Presi-
dent.
Delighted to meet you, Judge Ma
bry," said Mr.. Roosevelt. Where have
you been located?"
In the Government Printing ONCE
Mr.. President" was the reply Of the
judge, but 1 told Mr. Ricketts, that Il
they couldn't get out the paper without
me I'd come back. and 1 hate. too. 10
leave now and lose the Saturday half
holiday you have so kindly given us
Judge" said the President. laughing
~, you'll make a good customs Of
ficer"
The Washington times., 1904-06-19

cided religious leaning and was Z. shout
ing Methodist as they call 1t down
South. The negro was very jealous in
the cause and his lungs were not the
weakest. He kept up a continuous sing
ing
"One day I asked him to cut his notes
down a pitch or two. or he migl. be the
cause of letting the Rebs down On us.
He ceased for a time and then be-
gan:
q" Let those refuse to sing
Who never knew the Lord:
But servants of the Heavenly King
Should sound their joys abroad
THAT niger had me and l told him
to go ahead and yell his blamed head
OFF if he wished to-
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
Twelve Hundred Men Strive Nightly on Fill
tration Plant to Finish Within Time
and Remove Menace to
City's Health.
Health.

washed and piled in heaps. ready for
use as it is needed. The sand is not
expensive in itself and to so thorough
a system has the cleaning been reduced
that the loss per annum is not more
than five per cent Of the total amount
used.
The construction of these filter beds
makes mp at present much the larger
part Of the work that is being done
The excavating, which amounted TO
about $4,000 cubic yards has Deen three
fourths completed, but of the concrete
construction perhaps four-fifths remains
TO be finished. OF the excavating re-
naming a large part must be left to
the last, because of the use that is to
be made. under the general plan of
construction, of the earth thus to be
obtained.
Solidity and strength make up the
the filter beds efficiency and these re-
quirements are kept constantly in view.
After the excavation to the desired
depth the great floor blocks Of con-
crete are put in place and from these
rise the wooden forms for sides and
supports for the roof. The forms are
filled with concrete and perfectly solid
bed of concrete thus obtained From
the sides. across the piers. stretch the
Orders, also OF concrete, and over all
is 10 be two feet Of earth.
Plant Will Be Attractive.
1t is to cover the filter beds with the
final layer that the remaining portion
Of the excavating is being delayed-for
It is to this use that this earth is 70 be
put. The filtration plant will be a place
quite paTki.k and attractive, when il *
completed, for the earth above the beds
is TO be sodded, and In spring and sum
1ler the thirty or more acres thus 20
be utilized will be covered with broad
oxpanse of green.
Through the center of each filter bed
and under the floor of concrete is laid a
24-inch terra Gotta pipe, in which the
filtered water OF the entire bed is col
lected and conducted 10 the filtered
water reservoir. This has been con-
structed-or rather is being constructed
of a strength and solidity greater even
than that Of the filter beds The side
walls are twenty-seven feet in height,
ten feet in thickness at the bottom, and
The Washington times., 1904-06-19

trades. One of the wittiest physicians
I ever knew lived at a small place near
Cleveland. He was greatly liked and
his practice was very heavy.
Sometimes people would tell him that
they called him in more for the fun
that was in it than the virtue of his
medicine. His wit was fully equal to his
skill and it was difficult to say which
did his patients the most goOd-his wit
or his pills and pellets.
"As he always did his best with both
at the same time they probably helped
each other, just as ii happened when
one Of his patients revolted at mon
strous dose of physic and said.
Why. my dear doctor. you don't
mean such dose as this for gem
tleman?'
on. no. answered the doctor It's
for working people"
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
A THRILLING STORY

How Henry James received his first
lesson in discrimination has been re-
corded on his own telling. and he has
been the unconscious means OF giving a
lady who went 10 a great library the
other day somewhat analogous ground
ing in the art of differentiation.
Il want Henry James last thrilling
story" she demanded. The Wings Of
the Dove?" cOOed the attendant mo,
nor cried the client. THE Sacr ed
Fount2" gurgled the clerk. No, no; his
'double-you double-you story, which a
friend OF mine Is recommending. Then
the clerk had his turn. ''Oh. that is a
biography, madam, of w. w Story
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
STORIES TOLD OF AND BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS-

~ TNCLE' LON LIVINGSTON
who represents the Fifth
u Congressional district of
Georgia, takes time from
cutting Parker timber to tell this inter
esting story about Bob Toombs and
the old oak tree which bears the name
of Bob TOombs at Athens. Ga:
while all of these young graduates
are getting their diplomas. II IS good
time to say that the great Robert
Toombs, of my State. didn't want a
sheepskin.
when the ungovernable young fell
low was at the State University he was
easily the leader in his class, but there
was no devilment practiced by the stu
dents in which TOOmbs didn't play n
full hand. Just before commencement
when Toombs was to graduate first
honor man, there was a fearful infrac-
ton Of some of the rules. and the fac
ulty decided that a diploma should not
be given Toombs.
when the day came around Toombs
was on hand with his class as clipper
as though he had always been the best
boy in the university. but he knew he
was going to be hit and nit hard. The
chancellor announced that for good rea-
sons Mr.. Robert Toombs would not be
permitted to speak. and that a diploma
would not be given him
"Toombs rose from his seat and with
a courteous Thank you, sir. walked
down the aisle and out of the chapel,
meeting his negro servant at the door
and saying TO him. Tom, go down 10
one Of those stores on Broad Street and
get me the damndest biggest dry goods
box you can find. and place IL out there
under that big oak tree.
TON hustled of to do his master
bidding and soon returned with a box.
BY this time about half OF the students
and visitors were around Toombs, hav
ing deserted the chapel exercises after
the young man walked out.
"Tombs mounted the box and an
nounced that while the old fossils had
declined TO permit him 10 speak I'm the
chapel, he was determined TO get up a
little commencement exercise of his
own. He rolled out eloquence by the
yard. while the crowd around him in
The Washington times., 1904-06-19

creased until he had more than 1900
hearers, the chapel exercise being al
most broken up. He held the crowd for
more than two hours
when he had finished he was placed
in carriage and. behind six jet black
horses was driven over the city. Toombs
was the lion of Nthe day. for. notwith-
standing the fact that he was little
wild, his talents were appreciated, and
he made friends with-all classes.
when Toombs went out in the world
and made for himself q name, the fac
ulty wrote him asking II he would ac-
cept diploma from the university.
His reply was characteristic: To he'll
with your damned old sheepskin.' 80
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
A Psalm Singing Negro.

time at their reunion in Nashville" said
a Representative from Pennsylvania
who spent a day in Washington. this
week.
And 1 want to say right now that
no man who ever heard the old-time
rebel yell can ever forget 1t. More than
once that cusscd yell made my hair
stand on end
II remember that while we were
around Nashville we got hold of a first
class contraband negro. He had a de-
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
Evidence of insanity.

old Zachariah Robbins lived In
Woods county, Miss" said Representa-
tive Williams of that State. 'and was
called on to prove the insanity of a
young man on trial for assault with in
tent to kill. He swore that he had no
doubt whatever that the prisoner was
an insane man.
'On his cross-examination he was re-
quired to state the reasons for this
opinion.
Why, bless yer life. said he, I've
knowd Jimmy alters. an he's alters
bin er Dimercrat, an when the DINER
cratic party put up their man last fall
Jimmy didn't vote for him; an l alters
think that a Dimercrat that don't stick
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
Quay Had Others to Boost.

One of the last letters dictated by
Senator Quay was to a constituent In
the Government Printing Office. who
wrote him asking his influence in Sc
curing a transfer to the proof-room.
The Senator said:
Il am now as always willing 10 help
my friends, but I cannot put in any
help for you. for l regard 81 day as
good pay, and there are too many of
my friends on the outside who need
jobs
Just spit on your hands and hold
to what you have and thank the Lord
and the Republican party for what you
are already receiving"
The Washington times., 1904-06-19

these pains TO which flesh is heir can be
cured-can be overcome-by strength of
will power. Imagination has everything
to do with II. my dear good woman.
Now. just imagine that your tooth
doesn't ache the least bit
And you. sir snapped the woman,
just imagine. sir. that you are the big
gest fool IN the District Of Columbia -
well. you may imagine that the be-
nign old gentleman didn't press his
faith cure ideas any further
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
Would Repeat Odd Felicity.

Representative Clayton of Alabama
says at religious meeting in one OF
the counties in his district a good
brother was giving the experience of
himself and family. and said:
You all know that my first wife
was as good woman as ever NAV
was tied too, but she sickened and died
in a happy frame of mind. ! could not
live alone so 1 married again, and 1
do hope this wife will go just the same
way"
The Washington times., 1904-06-19

ter beds could be constructed. and the
capacity Of the plant thus increased by
about 100000 gallons of water a day
II further land were needed. 1t could
doubtless be obtained in the neightOr-
hood, and condemned for this purpose.
The flow of water itself is practically
unlimited in enount- Brought down from
Great Falls, through the old reservoir
at Georgetown. and the Lydecker tunnel
The Washington times., 1904-06-19

to the Washington city reservoir, it Is
pumped into the filter beds. flows
through these into the filtered water
reservoir and thence to the District
pumping station. From the pumping
station It IS sent out through the city
mains.
The system OF reservoirs gives a large
advantage, for by it's use a reserve sup
ply Of water for twelve days is con-
The Washington times., 1904-06-19

four feet at the sides, and are de-
signed to resist any amount of pressure
that reason and experience suggest may
be brought against them
a great advantage Of the plan on
which the filtration plant is being built
is that II IS composed of a system OF
units and Admits Of practically indefinite
expansion. On the ground already own
ed by the Government six additional I'll
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
Cured With PiIIa and Humor.

Representative Warnock of Ohio re-
lated this story one of the best he
had ever heard:
"Ohio produces good physicians as
well as men in other professions and
The Washington times., 1904-06-19

to his party amt in his right mind
Jimmy was acquitted for old Zach
ariah's opinion prevails very general v
throughout my State
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
Vast Columns and Walls of Concrete Rise
to Form the Basins in Which the
Water Supply of the Future
Will Be Stored.

stantly on hand. and even if a cataclysm
should take place at Great Falls and the
supply Of water be cut off there, there
would still be enough to answer the
1 city's needs while repairs were being
made
The work has not been prosecuted
without vexatious delays OF many kinds.
but under the active supervision of J. D.
Maelennan. general manager Of the Sand
Filtration Company. II is now getting
along as well as could be wished by
anyone other than the man with the
most ardent objection to unfiltered wa
/ ter
Delays have been numerous and una
voidab le," said one of the engineers.
but the end now seems TO be at least
distantly IN sight. What with the trou-
bles OF the earlier contractors, the diff
culties resulting from the wide area COW
cred by the work of excavation and con-
struction. and the annoyance that was
caused by the inability or difficulty Of
getting machinery into the city, we have
had enough to annoy US.
Delays Were Annoying.
1T became rather tfresome to be
forced 10 send TO Baltimore or Phfladel-
phia for some triaing articles of ma
chinery. which could not be obtained
here. but the absence Of which stopped
the progress OF important work; it was
quite as annoying TO have 10 send men
as far as Chicago to hurry up machln-
cry. which the railroads either could or
would not handle with dispatch. When
tho whole set of machinery for the mix
ing and preparation of concrete which
we first purchased was found TO be ut
terly worthless and had TO be aban-
doned. we were inclined to be distressed,
but We bought other machinery and
went ahead
Similar delays have occurred at odd
times as the work has proceeded, but on
the whole We have managed TO get
along reasonably well and 1 think we
shall be able TO finish our part by the
time fixed in the contract. December %
of the present year. 1t is TO be noted
that for filtration plants of this size
three years have been usually given,
while on this work the contractors viii
only have had about twenty-five
months. II we get through on sched-
The Washington times., 1904-06-19
How Beds Are cleansed.

Then must come the cleansing. Men
are sent down under the roots OF the
filter beds. crust perhaps half an
inch thick Is cut away from the top
OF the sand bed and food of water
let in, By which the rejected sand Is
swept out into the courts. Here il is
The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-09-06
WE WIN
ONE MORE

The locals defeated Monongah
again yesterday by a score of 6 to ),
making this the second game they
have taken out of three played. AS
we mentioned yesterday, Monongah
team was composed entirely Of Pitts
burg layers, members Of the Oak
land Athletic Club and P. a. c., head
ed by Lee Lewellyn, formerly OF Nor
Santown.
Their playing was something fierce.
with the exception of Martin, their
twirler, whose work was first class.
allowing the, heavy hitting locals but
five hits.
Ca Vasbinder, in reality, let them
hit safely but once, although the score
sheet shows three. One was clean,
blowing through between short and
third: another was dumped in front
of the plate, which Wharton did not
move for, thinking it foul; the ma
ing one was the ankles OF all, being
missed by Ginger Douglas, whose
sore thumb caused him such pain that
he should have-allowed it to rest. in
stead of playing.
wv
Cal played baby after he had made a
wild throw of Clarke's grounder in the
fourth, after two were down and in
stead of going after Davis right, and
taking a chance on his being retired,
or at least a hit placing h runner on
third, he was .baby-hood personiied
and gave Davis his base on balls by
tossing four high above his head
which placed A. Clarke on second,
from where a hit would easily score
him and that needed article was forth
coming, Grassland turning the trick.
Again in the sixth the men wearing
the Coal City uniforms We're allowed
10 score, again Calls fault.
The first man was retired by Fisher,
but the next was safe on a bunt to
Cal whose throw was dropped by Tom.
This man. y. Clark, Immediately
stole second and Davis was given his
second pass, while Grassland was hit
by a pitched ball, after McCasky had
struck out. This filed the bases, with
two down.
w. Clark hit a grounder to Cal, who
knocked it down and was SO surprised
that he, the great and only should
miss one, that he leaned up against
the river, as the sky was too far away
with apologies to Ted E. Faust) and