davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
That Baltic Fleet.

The Baltic fleet sailed away from cronstadt, near St. Petersburg, going down the Finnish sea to the Baltic sea, whero it anchored at Libau, a port in Russia near the German bound ary. The Baltic fleet is still in the Baltic sea, and will be until 1t leaves Libau, where 1t has stopped appar- ently in crder to provide itself with colliers and supply ships.
 The battleships of this fleet are said to be the Souvaroff, the Borodino, the Alexander III, the Orel, the Osliabia, the Sissoi Veliky and the Navarin- seven in all The armed cruisers of the fleet are the Dimitri Donslioi, the Aurora, the Zemtschug, the Izumond and the Al1luz-five in number. Seven hattleships and five cruisersi The Russian ould have in the China sea two more battleships than the Japan ese. but in every other respect the Japanese would have the advantage. Three of he Russian battleships have low rates of speed, and this will ham, per at all points the long voyage tie Russian admiral. T. will also ham, per him in battle, for 1t will permit the Japanese to select their own time ana place for battle. The Japanese guns throw heavier projectiles at 8 higher velocity, and the man behind the Japanese gnn is better trained and has had moro experience in sea fight Ing. The joint fleets will be pretty evenly balanced, and the result of con flict will .argely depend upon the ac- curacy of the guns and the handling of the shlps
 Two of the Russian cruisers are tw<nty yeara old, but the greater part 9 the fleet consists of new ships of modern construction. It is formid-> able fleet, surrounded as it is by about forty torpedo boats, destroyers, trans ports and colliers
 The fleet cannot reach the China sea In less than six weeks, no matter what route it may take. It may go around the Cape CT it may go through the  Euez canal Whatever way it goes it cannot take coal at British or other neutral ports.
 If before the fleet leaves Libau or the Mediterranean or the Cape, news comes that Port Arthur has fallen, the fleet will at least know that it has heavy task before it, and it may con clude that it is best to defer the task t. another year. Port Arthur becomes therefore point of still greater in- terest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
Diqqinu the Canal.

The Panama canal commission will soon return tc Washington, and it will then decide whether the work of dig ging the canal shall be done by con- tractors or by the commission directly. This question must be decided before 1t will be known what shape pur- chases of material will assume.
 Some rush" orders for lumber and timber have been filled at New Or leans. The orders came from the com mission at Panama, and no bids were asked for. An agent was sent to New Orleans. who purchased there what was wanted, and secured it's shipment expeditiously an on low terms. No doubt the gulf ports will be largely utilized in future purchases, no matter VI ich plan of construction be adopted.
 No work is being done in the dig ging of the canal except at Culebra cut, where 2200 Jamaica negroes are employed in cutting channel through the backbone of the isthmus. The commission is b4sily engaged in pre- pairing it's plans and in rendering the canal strip habitable. Both will speed fly be accomplished, and active con struction work will no doubt soon be begun.
 Admiral Walker, who Is the chair man of the commission, is confident the canal can be built in eight years on the lock system which has been adopted. The sea-level plan would call for more years of construction and perhaps twice as many millions of money. The lock system will answer all purposes, enabling the commission toscomplete within a reasonable time the greatest engineering task of all ages.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
IN HOTEL LoBBIES
shootlnq Bull Bats.


 notwithstanding the recent efforts to nave law enacted to prevent the shoot -ns or bull bats l notice scores of men anu poys out killing the long-winged Diius said a well-known sportsman
 TWO men with whom I am very well ae- qaainted killed s6 birds out of 12S shots ana l saw many others with strings mum pering as high as thirty. I believe that at least 400 bats were killed yesterday after noon.
 Here In Alabama these bats are useo as food and it Is said their meat mas very fine game flavor The bull bat IS a colloquial name for the night hawk Ihey i've off insects and have an especial 1ohp- ness for mosquitoes. On account Of their great value as insect destroyers laws nave been passed to protect them. There IS no such law in Alabama. These night ha"hs' CT bull bats, are much harder to XIII than one would suppose. They have peculiar dodging movement that will at times looi the best of shots. These birds migrate III large numbers, and it is said so to warmer climes in the winter. They live in ola trees in the early part of the day anu come out about dark. The night haWk never builds nest, but lays it's eggs upon bare rocks in some lonely spot above the reach of man"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
NOT A DEAD GAME SPORTESS.'

From the London Chronicle.
 A notable sporting event came off at York 100 years ago today The wife of Colonel Thornton a we'll known sports man, had backed herself to race against Mir. Flint for 5e0 guineas side. The crowd was estimated at 100000, ten times as many as had been present even to see Elipse first and the rest nowhere For three miles Mrs. Thornton led. but her horse had much the shorter strake of the two," and MT. Flint then forged ahead, and Mrs. Thornton gave up in mercy to her horse. She was much less tender to MT. Flint. A few days later the York Herald contained letter from her accusing him of lack of gallantry in refusing to allow a gentleman to ride round with her. so as to be handy for the rescue If her saddle slipped round as it had done a few days before; in saving: "I<eep that side. ma am," guffly to her at the starting point, and in beating her as badly as he could. She defantly challenged him again for next year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
Ample Fire Protection.

Birmingham theatregoers are we'll pro- tected from fire this season." said a man about town. Both the Jefferson and the Bijou have asbestos curtains and plenty of exits, so that it would be an easy matter to get out if there should by any chance be a confiagration. Since the great fire in the Iroquois theatre in Chicago nu- merous reforms in theatre equipment lave been instituted, chief of which is the asbestos curtain. Every playhouse of any importance in the country now boasts their protection from fire and many of them have been remodeled entirely.
 Tt has been remarked that the asbes- tos curtain was not especially grace ful or pleasing to the eye, but 1t is use full in case of ire and no one will raise any objections on the score of it's homeli- ness. Asbestos does not submit well to lAe brush of the painter and decorator ana the realistic effects so easily attained on canvas are wanting on the asbestos curtain"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
THE CROOKED PATH.
Wendell Holmes.

By Oliver Wendell Holmes. An, here it is! the sliding rail
 That marks the old remembered spot, The gap that struck our schoolboy trail, The crooked path across the lot. It left the road by school and church;
 Pencil shadow, nothing more. That parted from the silver birch
 And ended at the farm house door. No line or compass traced its plan;
 With frequent bends to lett or right, In aimless, wayward curves it ran,
 But always kept the door in sight. The gabled porch, with woodbine green, The broken millstone at the sill, Though many a rood might stretch be-
 tween,
 The truant child could see them still. No rocks across the pathway lie. ,.
 No fallen trunk Is o'er it thrown; And yet it winds. we know not why,
 And turns as If free or stone. Perhaps some lover trod the way,
 With shaking knees and leaping heart; And so it often runs astray,
 With sinuous sweep or sudden start. Or one, perchance, with clouded brain.
 From some unholy banquet -reeled; And since, our devious steps maintain [
 His track across the trodden field. Nay, deem not thus; no earth-born will
 Could ever trace a faultless line; Our truest steps are huamn still,
 To walk unswerving were divine. Truapts from love. we dream of wrath;
 Or, rather let us trust the morei Through all the wanderings of the path
 We still can see our Fathers door!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
A Handsome Publication.

The Shreveport Progressive league has just issued a very handsome album or facts to the Louisiana metropolis which was gotten up by M. ohlander of Bir- mingham. The publication contains 54 pages. exclusive of reading matter, and is copiously illustrated with cuts of the principal residences, business houses and streets of Shreveport. The cover design is work of typographical art, while the general excellence of the album Is such as to attract attention. It will no doubt do much to advertise the progress and the resources of one of Loulsianas best towns.
 MT. Ohlander is a Birmingham man. and 1t Is quite a compliment to this city that his services have been recognized in a neighboring state.
 The alubums will be distributed at the St. Louis fair.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
Hope of Democracy.

From the Chattanooga Times.
 The hope of democracy iR the present campaign has not been better stated than by Mr. Joseph Pulitzer in his letter to the congress of democratic editors in New York; when he said: There are signs of reaction against protection, privilege and plutocracy; against personal government, militarism, extrayagance, and the political power of the trusts.' Here we have enumerated the things which modern republicanism has come to mean with the added issues which arise from the record and personality of the candidate of that party. The antithe- sis of all this Is a party whose cardinal article of faith is "equal and exact jus tice to all-special privileges to none,' with a candidate whose hobby is devo- ton to constitutional government.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
Old Republicans for Parker.

From the Louisville CourierJournal.
 It Is not only from the large and in fluential body of independents through out the country that Parker and Davis are receiving daily accessfons of strength, but also from the old-time republicans who stood firmly by Lincoln and his republican successors. They are loyal and earnest in their support of those political convictions and demonstrated their fidelity by their works, but they cannot support Roosevelt, who has boxed the compass in his ,olltical tergiversa- tions and knows no law of principle ex- cept his own cratic will The latest of these accessions in Indiana, where they have been numerous and influential is Colonel William Hoynes, who was repub- lican candidate for congress in 1888 and always an influential member of the party, having been one of the original Blaine men.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
VENEZUELA'S PRESIDENT
 HAS A STEEL CASTLE

moves that potent thumD to the left, to the right, so is the law. One day last year a man named Lopez secured en- trance by strategy into Castros steel home and fired pistol pont-blani in Castros face. By a miracle the bullet went astray fattening itself against the metal wall and in the rebound striking a member of Castro's ministry who hap pened to be in the steel room, seriously injuring him.
 The would-be assassin was made d prisoner and when Castro was asked what should be done with the man, tho president jerked his thumb toward the door. That meant that Lopez was to thrown into the prison having the most ghastIy reputation in all te Americas the Rotunda. Later when the prison was inspected the keepers said that Lopez had escaped. The verdict of the people of Caracas, was, however, that the priso- ner had been murdured and was buried in the jail yard. Castro having jerked his thumb downward.
 A Caracas poet long ago made fame fd- himself by writing a poem in which he called Castro Clown of the Steel House." That poet, one Dr. Pedro Mi gare, is at this moment languishing in the Rotunda prison, having been confln- ed there since last April, when his poem first appeared-this without trial and by the simple mandate of Castro's thumb
 That which Castro fears most, after all, is not earthquake, not nature, but hu- mankind He knows. for example that his own soldiers may turn upon him at any moment. and he lives in constant fear of an assassir's bullet. Hence he remains within the steel house as much as possible. not only because 1t is proof against earthquake. but because 1t is also bullet proof.
 He seldom pays us," say the soldiers. ESQ he is glad when we desert. He simp- ly puts new men in our places. But soma day the steel house will become a steel target for a bit of rifle shooting by the men from whom he is now hiding. We'll fill the inside of that house of his with lead, for the house has windows, and 1t is always so ho- here that Castro can not close the steel shutters without lit- orally suffocating''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

solve but the world Is rather lonesome without these gentlemen doing. some thing for it's diversion. It Is reported that the kaiser summed up enough cour- age to instruct ballet corps at Berlin the other day and that King Edward came dangerously near to being smitten by charming blond at Marienbad. but none of these interesting characters is bestirring himself as he is expected to do The world discusses his majesty's red socks. mayhap, and the color of his outer garments. but that is mere byplay in- dulged in for lack of something better. Possibly the 1ethargy resulting from languishing summer is responsible, but we are athirst for news of the notables Surely we will be informed when the czarevitch murmurs "da-uasky"
 West Virginia is again to the fore with a reputation for having less old maids than any other state in the east Males are largely in excess of females and there are not enough wives to go around. Happy West Virginia Sewing circles and scandal clubs composed of elderly ladies must be few in number there and the value of the fair sex is no doubt fully appreciated. However, if West Vir- ginia really pines for woman's tender and expensive presence 1t ould be a compar- atively easy matter to import several Pullman cars full of old maids from east ern states not quite so unfortunate.
 The crop of society girls who will make their stage debut this season is already at tracting the attention of theatrical writ CTS. Conspicuous among the number is Miss Fola Lafollette. daughter of the governor of Wisconsin, and there are perhaps a dozen others almost as well known. It is noticeable that as a rule the society girl who goes on the stage has good looks in her favor. Indeed, pretty face has become such valuable qualification for a stage career that it no doubt is often a potent factor in awak- ening the ambitions of these young wo- men. Yet the society woman on the stage has no cause to feel ashamed of her record. She has achieved remarkable success, and 1t is possible that of this years bevy some among lne number will eventually get to be famous stars. It is the old story over again of the spell woven by the stage over imaginative women who are weary of leading a com mon-place life, but 1t will be lucky fer most of them if they decide to marry be- fore the tedium of one-night stands has shattered their ideals.
 The papers continue to poke fun at the Manassas maneuvers snd the social pect of the battles really was amusing. Had our valiant soldiers of the blue and brown armies been in the predicament of General Kuropatkin they would not have tarried to don full dress and gasaer about the banquet board to drink toasts. Indeed, they would have thanked their lucky stars for a drink Of cold water without regimentals, but the maneuvers are not to be treated lightly, for they did substantial service in teaching cur citizen soldiers at least the A, B, C's of warfare, even if they did succumb to sore feet and wall for the arnica bottle. = c
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
From Tit-Bits.

M1 IPRIANo CASTRO. president of kN Venezuela, lives in the most ex-
 > traordinary dwelling ever inhab- tied by the head of a state. It stands within park in the heart of the capital city, Caracas, and Is built entirely of steel. This remarkable government house of highly tempered metal, is covered on the outside by a kind of soft stone so that the stranger thinks it just an ordinary dwelling, save that it seems rather small to serve as the. resi- dence of the first man of the land. With in the steel walls are covered with lath and plaster, so that the visitor sees noth- ceiling of the half-dozen rooms compos- ing that house are entirely of steel. and the whole is built upon a foundation of hundreds of tons of Portland cement
 President Castro erected this house at huge expense, personally Greeting it's construction When he moved in he christened 1t Mira Flores" and by that name it is known-and laughed at--by all South Americans.
 The steel house was not built with forethought of fire or flood, or wind, but of earthquake. For it is earthquake proof. Its few rooms resemble the com partments in a safe deposit vault and in this strong box of a place the president spends most of his time. Here, indeed, all the official business of the chief ex- ecutive of the republic Is transacted. And here, too, lives the Sonora Castro.
 The Castros both come naturally by their fear of earthquakes. When the racas, was some years ago shaken from the face of the earth, as crumb from a tablecloth, Sonora Castro was the only member of her family to escape with her life. And Castro himself, who happened to be standing on a hill outside the town. saw his abode crumble like a house of cards upon the heads of those within.
 Again, in October, two years ago, a midnight earthquake threw Castro from his bed. Then, in his fright. he jumped through window to a paved court and broke his leg The next day he conceiv- ed the idea of the steel house. believing that house built of that metal upon a very deep, solid foundation of cement would withstand any earthquake, no mat ter how violent.
 Accordingly he ordered steel beams for the frame, and steel plates for the walls. ceilings and floors. from the Uni ted States Steel corporation. and many months were spent in the construction of the, only steel house, so far as known. in the whole world As soon as it was finished and furnished the Castros nov ed In. and 1t became thus the official presidential residence of Venezuela. As Castro owns both the house and the park surrounding 1t. he will probably continue to live in this abode of steel after the expiration of his term of office a few years hence.
 Castro can say with more truth than did a monarch of France: T am the state.'' For Castro is Venezuela. He has seen no part of the world outside of his republic. but within his country he Is a kind of uncrowned, but absolute, mon arch. He rules, not with tongue, pen or sword. but with his thumb. As he
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
Real Estate Values.

'I was surprised to find real estate yal- res conservative in Birmingham" said L. T. Seville of Kentucky, who spent two days here this week.
 With the uncommonly favorable local conditions l naturally expected that prices of residence sites would be up in the fancy list. But just the reverse Is the case. And 1t speaks well for the business sense and far-sjghtedness of the owners of real es- tate. An inflated market invariably re- suits disastrousy to city and hurts busi- ness in general. While the Birmingham market is active and advancing in a leglt- innate way, home sites are much lower than they are m Atlanta and other cities I have visited.
 "Brmingham is the most promising town in the south, and in very few years 1t will be ahead of every city south of the Ohio river with the exception of New Orleans. The Crescent City, by the way is growing now at a faster rate than at any former period in it's history. pre- dict that in twenty years it will nave population of a million"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
Growing Cities.

Walter James of Sheffield the popular and well known conductor on the South ern railway is at the St. Nicholas He is enjoying his vacation by visiting his friends in this city. Birmingham he said. grows at such rapid rate that so many changes take place in a years time that one can hardly recognize the town.
 ''The tri-cities, Sheffield. Florence and Tuscumbia, are now enjoying great boom. The towns are all connected by an electric car line and they are now virtually one city. With a population of over 12,0o0 within six miles, the cities are destined some day to be Llerged.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
Rescue Home Needed.

'"rhe proposed rescue home in Birming- ham Is a step in the right direction" said a lawyer yesterday. Birmingham has long needed such an institution and 1 am sure that it would be immediately successful when once established. 1t could be the means of saving many unfortunate women who would lead good lives if they could go to q rescue home. 1 trust that the philanthropcal people of Birmingham will give their unanimous support to the institution and will in ad- dition donate money, without which noth- ing succeeds.
 "The home could be placed in charge of the Salvation army It could hardly be put into better hands and with this or ganization to look after its maintenance the institution would no doubt prove one of the best philanthropies that the town has ever attempted"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
ALABAMA PRESS.

chattahoochee workman: Darkest Russia" Is having popular run in the theaters, while darkest Alabama is pick ing the feecy cotton, the happiest biped on earth.
 Huntsville Mercury: The fact that Senator German has consented to lead the ticket in Maryland for the demo- cratic presidential ticket speaks well for the success of the ticket in that stae.
 Opelika News: Judging from the char ,acter of work they turned out while there before, we think Governor Cunningham is to be commended for his determina- tion not to call the legislature together in extraordinary session if he can pos sibly get around it.
 Huntsville Mercury: We have heard of turning green with envy" Two new Chinese iaundries have started up in Troy recently, making three In all, and two of them have turned green in frontal appearance. Perhaps envy has some thing to do with it.
 Mobile Item: It is not probable that the republicans of Alabama will put out an opponent to the Hon. B. B. Conner, the democratic candidate for railroad commissioner. They may venture few candidates for congress in certain dis. tricts. but a state office is entirely be- yond their dreams of attaining.
 Decatur News: Huntsville hangs her head in shame and disgrace over the lynching that occurred there last Mon day night. However, all the world knows that it was not the>representative citizenship of Huntsville that gave vent to the mob spirit. In nearly all cases mobs are composed of the rough. reck- less, hoodlum classes, that are possessed of neither patriotism, civic pride nor hu- mane sensibilities.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
 A man can make good deal of money by not being genius.
 A girl would rather marry anybody than to have nobody to fiirt with.
 woman may hate to go to the den- tjst because he does all the talking.
 When a woman doesn't want her hus- band to gamble she means she doesn't want him to lose.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-14
Long Coats Are Correct.

Long coats will again be the correct thing this year." said a merchant tailor "so that men who bought raglands last year will be able to get along very we'll this winter without buying another over coat, although to be strictly modish 1t might be necessary to change the pattern of the cloth or color. Long coats with a belt strap at the back will be seen ire quently on the street. As they are very serviceable and comfortable garments am glad that they continue to hold their popuaritN.'