davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
ynluahle shnre..


The shares of the New River corpora.
ton are tie most valuable in the world,
and only fractions of them usually
come upon the market. For many years
the shares We're sold at Is apiece. and
indeed Charles 1. reassigned lis kings
shares to the company in return for Il
perpetual annual payment of $500,
which sum under the style of the
Kings clog" is still paid. How bad
a bargain hat was is shown by the
dividend for years past having aver
aged over f2,0O0 per share, while d few
years ago M of the shares vas sold
for f122O0O by public auction. The nc
tual face value Of the shares is f1O0.-.
London Standard.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
A Weird Incfden

Some years ago the following strange
Incident took place in u west end club:
There lay on the table in n Of the
rooms a list of members who had put
down their names for an approaching
house dinner. A workman ON q ladder,
who was putting the finishing touches
to the decoration Of the ceiling. let fall
a single tiny splash of red paint, which
dropped on the first name N the list
and obliterated it as If with the stroke
Of a pen. Some of the members who
noticed this occurrence thought 1t a
very bad omen; others. like Hamlet, de-
fed augury. But, curiously enough,
the member whose name had thus been
struck out was taken III the next day
and died in the club on the night before
the dinner was to have taken place.-
Golden Penny.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
SIGNS ARE OLD.
Z. Ancient Greece they. We're used
ON Business Hounes.

ON Business H00oea.
The custom Of marking a business
house by means Of a sign s Of very
ancient origin. In the great cities Of the
east and among the ancient Egyptians
such a practice must have been unnec-
essary. as all trades were classified
and confined to certain sections Of the
city. and then all wares we've exposed
to full view. as they were displayed in
open booths.
The history of Grecian signboarls is
meager. yet the illusions Of Aris-
tophanes and Lucian to signhoar1s war.
rant u belief in their use by the
Greeks. Athenmus tells us, He hung
the we'll known sign in front Of his
house."
Advancing to Roman times, there is
abundant evidence of signs as the dis
coveries of Pomneii and Heraculaneum
amply testify. In the Eternal CITY
some of the streets derived their names
from signs. just as hundreds Of London
streets have been SO named The Ro-
man street Vicus Urd Pileati was
named from the sign, for, as the name
indicates, it was the street Of .The
Bear With the Hat On" But il was
not until late in the fifteenth century
that the custom gained a footing In
England, first of all among the taverna
and alehouses. Later came the Deces-
sity of distinguishing between certain
shops brought about by the fact that
the houses were not numbered and the
people could not read word signs
Julian King Calford in st. Nicholas.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
Skec Jumptnx

The great event of the skeeing clubs
Of the western states is the jumping
contest. Only a skee INK knows the
sensation. Below, the endless hill
seems to stretch on forever into the ex-
panse of the valley, the steepness Of the
incline lost in its wilderness. A hong
breath and you start. Faster and
faster you go. till suddenly q fash Of
green in front, and the jump OF is COM
ing. Crouching until your knees almost
touch your skees, with muscles strain
ed, out into the air you saill
A strange lightness and feebleness
take possession Of your limbs, and your
spirit shares the intoxicahon Of soaring
into space. After long seconds you are
called back to earth, first for hAh a
second softly. but then hard az iron
that seems to give you an electric
shock. You wabble helplessg from
right to left; each foot seems glued to
the ground and still in the air, but you
have kept your balance and are shoot
ing forward. At last you catch your
first breath, like a hiccough; then a
longer one. You are master Of the
field, with a jump OF a hundred feet or
more, and finish the victorious course
In a neatly rounded curve.-Country
Life In America.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
Daniel web.ter,. wit.


When a lad Daniel Webster was one
day called up by the teacher for pun.
ishment His hands happened to be
very dirty. Knowing this, he wet the
palm Of his right hand, wiping 1t OF on
the side of his pantaloons. "Give me
your hand" said the teacher very stern
~. Out went the right hand partially
cleansed. The teacher looked at 1t a
moment and said, "Daniel. if you will
find another hand in this room as soiled
as that l will let you of this time" In
stantly came from behind his back his
left hand. "Here it u.s." was the ready
reply. THAT will do" said the teacher.
"For this time you can take your seat.
sir!"
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
The origin or Mexzotint.


Colonel Siegen. a Dutch artist of
German extraction. holding an ap-
pointment at the court of the land.
grave Of Hesse-Cassel, was the in.
ventor Of mezzotint, that branch Of
engraving which comes nearest to ma
ture, though it is far from being the
best means of artistic expression.
1t dates from about 1911 and is said
to have been suggested by the rust on
a weapon which q soldier was clean,
ing. The first fruits of this newly dis.
covered process consisted of a picture
Of the landgrave's mother, the dow.
ager landgravine, which Siegen pre-.
sented at court, stating that no copper.
plate engraver or artist could explain
or imagine how it was done.
Evelyn, in his "Sculptura," 1862, at.
tributes the invention to Prince Ru-
pert. An original letter Of Siegen's
still in existence proves this to be an
error, for Siegen met Prince Rupert in
Brussels in 1854 and disclosed the proc.
ess to him then and there, knowing
that the prince had already practiced
etching.
More than a hundred engravers in
mezzotint did for the pictures of Sir
Joshua Reynolds what line engravers
had done for Raphael.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
web.tcr wns wiling.

When Daniel Webster's market man
had sued him for a long unpaid bill
and got his money be was SO scared at
his temcr.ty that he stopped calling at
the door for orders. The godlike Dan
Tel asked him why one day, and the
man confessed that he supposed Mr..
Webster would never trade with him
again. "Oh." said Webster, ''sue me as
often as you like, but for heavens sake
don't starve me-" There was never a
time when the great man was not will
ing to owe as much as anybody was
willing to let him owe.-Springield Re-
publican.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
Franklin,. Fate preaeur.a.

The fate of Franklin. the explorer.
was unwittingly pref1gured, and on
the v of his starting on his last voy-
age. at the hands of his own devoted
wife. AS he lay doing on a sofa Lady
franklin threw something over his
feet, on which he awoke in consterna.
ton. saying: "Why, there's a flag
thrown over me! Don't you know that
they lay the union Jack over a corpse?'
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
A Substitutes.

"Pardon me, gentlemen" said the in
dividual who had just moved into the
little town as he entered the grocery
store, but is there a chicken raiser
here?"
"Wlly don't you take an axY' asked
the village Talleyrand. "a razor will
lose its edge if you use it on a chicken"
Judge.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
Glad Caller.

Mistress-Did any one call while
was out, Jane?
Jane-Yis, mum. Wan gintlemin wus
afther CALM, mum.
Mistress-What was his name?
Jane-Moike O'Rafferty, mum, an he
wus as glad to foind yez out as he wus
to 'foind me in. Dim thinkin'. num-
Philadelphia Telegraph.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
getting Rven.

Miss Passaye-1 trust you win cont
slider my criticisms, dear, % coming
from a friend.
Vera Perte-Oh. l win. l look upon
you as the Oldest, the very Oldest,
friend I have.-Brooklyn Life.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
Repartee.

Wife-That's the third time you've
stepped on my dress. ] wish you were
not so slow.
Husband-1t's you that are slow.
Wife-1ndeed, I am not.
Husband-Well. your train is behind.
Washington Post.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
A Thin Spread.

Kwater-k's more or less true that,
as the old saw has it, Charity covers
a multitude of sins"
Hardhead-But never If it's our char
fly and other peoples sins.-Philadel.
phia Press.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
WI y They Went.

Wife-The swintons are going to
move out OF this neighborhood after
being here a year.
Husband-That's strange! All the
people are just getting to know them
now.
Wife-Yes. that's why they are go.
ing.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08
A Guess MT 1t.

Teacher (of class in granmar,-what
do you understand by parts of
s%peech?'
Tommy-It'ss ITS when q man slut
ters.-Chicago Tribune.
The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-08

President Nicholson arrived home
last Friday from DesMoines, where
he attended the State Teachers AS
ISOLATION. He reports a hne meeting
and a large attendance.
Misses Nellie Hannett and Anna
Mccain entertained the members of
the Catholic Girls Club at the for.n-
er's home New Years eve, and the
gentlemen friends Of the ladies were
also asked to participate in the affair.
The Bringing together of these young
people resulted In a most pleasant
social affair. Finch was played dur.
ing the evening and the prizes were
awarded as follows: Miss Mae Collins
and Ora Wells took the head prizes
and Miss Jessie McGrath and Hugh
Jaeger were awarded the consolation
prizes. Elegant refreshments we're
served. The decorations were pink
and white and the rooms presented
an attractive appearance. After
watching the departure Of the old
year and the incoming OF the new
year the company took their depart
ure, agreeing unitedly that TIE last
OF the old year and the first Of the
new had been spent most enjoyably.
A Crash of Colors.
II can stand Il lot" said the artist,
"but there are times when my patience
lie sorely tried.
"The other evening l went iuto a res
taurant where the walls are tinted a
soft red, most pleasing to the eye. 1t is
a place | frequent not so much because
the cooking is good as that it has o
most restful color scheme. / had been
having a hard time at the studio, and /
felt the need Of a little relaxation. The
band was playing a seductive air, and
I was feeling at peace with the world,
when l CHANGED to look across the
room. and my evening was spoiled for
me completely.
"There against the red background
was a woman in a glazing blue waist
slipping a crem de menthe Of vivid
green under a hat of a most assertive
shade Of yellowr-New York Press.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-01
Boots and Shoes.

Written for the Journal by J. II. O'Boyle.l
The business for the year 1903 in the
wholesale boot, shoe and rubber line shows
decided progress. and Indianapolis, as a
shoe center, more than held her own. The
greatest difficulty the jobbers had TO con-
tend with was in securing prompt and sat
isfactory shipments of rubbers and felt
boots. the demand for the former being the
heaviest ever known in this section OF the
country. The rubber mills making the bet
ter qualities were taxed TO their fullest ca
pacities and We're only able to supply certain
styles in limited quantities.
Crude rubber, cotton and wool lin fact
everything going TO make up a rubber boot
or shOe) are considerably higher to-day
than when these goods were figured a year
ago, and all indications point to an advance
for 1904.
Prices on leather goods were firm during
the past year, with no material advances
except on the heavier and cheaper grades
Of mems footwear.
Collections, as a rule. were good during
1903. While one house retired from the trade
during the past twelve months, the aggre-
gate of sales will probably show an increase
of 20 per cent. over 1902, at which time they
were estimated at 81, 006,O 600.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-01
SMALL NUMBER OF
RECEIVERSHIPS LAST YEAR

Not in many years have twelve months
passed in which so few receiverships and
foreclosures in the United States as in 1908,
there being but nine roads, and those small
affairs, the total mileage being but 229 miles,
and the bonded debt. as shown by the Rail-
way Age, but sic, 235,O 600. The roads were
capitalized at $S.5SS. 900. The longest road in
the list is the Parkersburg branch, 103 miles
in length. for many years one of the pro-
~prietary lines of the Baltimore & Ohio road,
and covered by a prior lien bond to that
company. The receivership did not affect
The lake and river railways, representing
two small Ohio roads. but not constructed
by the Chicago Short Line Railway Com
pany, was seriously embarrassed by lack of
capital. The others failed from lOng-stand-
ing causes. In only three of the past
twenty-eight years has the number of re-
ceiverships been as small, and i'm only two
of these years has the mileage involved been
less. Foreclosure sales continue to represent
the reorganization for the most part Of some
companies whose insolvency was confessed
years ago.
The list for 1903 embraces thirteen roads.
with a total of 555 miles and CARRYING SIS
$4,000 of bonds and stock. Five of these
roads were in Pennsylvania, two In Illinois.
and one each I'm six other States. TIL In
diana x Illinois Southern is the old name
OF a narrow-gauge road which has already
passed through organization and has for
some years been owned by the Illinois Cen
trail.
The Findlay. Fort Wayne & Western. for
several years operated by the Cincinnati.
Hamilton & Dayton. was purchased in July
by the latter company. The Chicago q
Southeastern. Harry CrawfOrd's road, after
a long period OF insolvency, was reorganized
as the Central Indiana. and is now i'm strong
hands, It's stock being owned equally by the
Big Four and Pennsylvania lines.
The year 1898 takes the palm for the small
est record of foreclosure sales in every re-
spect. the number of roads. the mileage.
bonded debt and capita stock i'm the twenty
eight years that the Railway Age has pub
lished these annual exhibits. The outlook
for 1904 is very promising. as there is little
material for foreclosure sales and little pro-
vocation for receiverships at present in
sight.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-01
The Drug Trade.

The wholesale drug market of Indian
apolis is as healthy as any market i'm the
United States, and has been in this condi-
ton all the past year. The business In this
line in this city grew considerably last year.
and it can be said very %truthfully that the
four leading houses of indianapolis have as
much business, prOpOrtiOnately, as any
house in any part of the country.
The business in wholesale drugs proDar
during the past year is estimated at $780,
coo. This is an increase of about 10 per cent
over the volume of business i'm 1902. And TO
this immense business can be added about
$3.50, 600 Of trade in pharmaceutical supplies.
making the total in the two lines around
100000.
Collections in the wholesale drug business
the past year. the same as i'm the other
leading wholesale lines, are reported bv the
leading houses 10 have been unusually good.
Representative j0bbers are satisfied with
the returns of the year 1893 and predict an
increased business during the year Just be-
gun.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-01
YEAR WAS PROFITABLE TO
POULTRY AND EGG DEALERS
written for the Journal by S. W. Brown. OF the
Western Brokerage Comnanxl

written for the Journal by S. w. Brown. OF the
Western Brokerage Company
The year 1903 was a profitable one, gem
orally speaking, to the shippers of poultry,
butter and eggs. In some localities in this
section where there is unusually strong COM
petition and shippers. in their efforts TO
outdO their competitors, paid too high prices
for produce. they made little or no money
last year. But this class Of shippers is small
and the majority of dealers closed their
books of 1903 with a good balance on the
profit side.
The egg market has been the prominent
feature of this line Of commission business
the past few months. The dealers who were
able To analy re the situation last March
and April-that is, those who saw the
present condition of the market oming-
and had the courage to store large supplies
of eggs have made a large profit from their
ventures. This, however. comes under the
head OF speculation and the majority of
shippers preferred 10 take a fair profit on
their eggs from current purchases To taking
chances on storing them in large quantities
last spring. The quantity of eggs in store
here now is only about half the storage
amount at this time most years.
The shipper begins the new year with
the feeling chat he has a fairly good pros
pect and encouraged by the business OF the
year Just closed.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-01
THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL. FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 1904.
Totals .2s.49l 6
6,1O2

The year 1903 developed into the banner
year for operations in Indiana, and with
good prices for the crude production, more
wells should be put down the coming sea-
son than ever before. This State has more
drillable territory than any other now in
sigh that produces a high-grade oil. Many
new extensions have been made TO the older
sure is declining so rapidly that the old gas
field is bound to be thrown open to the oil
trade TO drill in the very near future and
when that does come about there will be a
rush of the drill in all sections. The waste
gas law has affected oil operations to a
large extent for the past few years, other
wise the daily oil production of the state
would be double what it is at present. The
most phenomenal pool in the State is that
quite Il large number OF gushers have been
found there. The Delaware county field,
east of Muncie, is also furnishing its snare
of the production, and the wells in the two
counties show remarkable staying quail
tiles. While Grant county shows several
hundred more completed wells during the
year than any other county in the entire
Trenton rock field. the staying quality of
the wells are nothing like those in the
last named county are not OF the gusher
stripe. but they can be depended upon to
put the fluid in the tanks every day. Many
new developments are being made in Glib
son, Pike, Dubois, Martin, Jasper, Car
roll, Hamilton, Allen and other counties
outside the regular producing counties and
before the close of the coming year many
new and prolific pools may be opened up
to the trade.
The wells completed each month in the
Indiana field for the year of 1903 were as
follows.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-01
REVIEW OF LOCAL TRADE.

CONCLUDED FROM PAGE ELEvEN)
ness OF last year amounted 10 fully $4,000
COO, as compared with So, 900, 900 the previous
year. Thus the increase i'm the volume of
business last year in this line is equal to
the Increase in the jobbing grocery trade.
The record-breaking business of last wear
was done in the face of a considerable fall
ing of in orders the last six months. as
compared with the first.
The most notable declines of the year
were in bar-iron and steel sheeting. Prices
are now firm, and the general feeling of the
trade is considerably improved over a few
months ago. The demand is picking up
well, and the prospects for the new year
are bright.
1.-THE price of steel billets being re-
firm market this year. said the head of
one OF the leading houses. Statesmen re-
port the outlook in the country good. We
are looking for an especially large business
the first half of the new year.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-01
FORT WAYNE n PAY.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
Ehnnr Ia nUArE Ii - - -

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
FORT WAYNE. Ind Dec. 31.-The four
national banks to-day closed their books for
the year and their stockholders will re-
ceive semi-annual dividends as follows:
Hamilton National, s per cent: Old Ma
tional, 4 per cent. White National, A per
cent, and then / per cent. extra on the
business of the past six months. and the
First National 4 per cent. As these divi-
dends are above taxes. they show the bank
stocks are paying more than is per cent.
in the case OF the Hamilton, whose stock
Is quoted at 2l5. and more than 10 per cent.
for each OF the other banks. whose stocks
are quoted from 100 10 10.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-01


The above figures show that the drill has
not ben idle at any time during the year.
But few people are aware of remarkable
changes hat have taken place in the mar
kets of oil in the Trenton rock fields since
a value was put upon the product by the
pipe lines. The first price paid for Iren-
ton rock oil was 40 cents a barrel, where
1t remained until Aug. 13, 1886, when the
heavy production brought about a reduc-
ton to 37h cents. Another decline was
made on Aug. 20 of that year TO 80 cents;
Feb. %, 1887, to 30 cents; May IL, to 70 cents;
June q, TO 20 cents; July ii, to 171s cents,
and on July 20. 1887, TO 10 cents a barrel.
The oil remained at 10 cents from July ~,
1887, to March 8. 1890, when it advanced TO
20 cents; on March 10, to p cents; March
13, to % cents; March is, to % cents; May
s. 1890, to 2719 cents; oct. p, 30 cents. The
30-cent price remained until Dec. 2, 1881,
when it advanced pa cents and went 10 So
cents on Dec. 3. On May 10, 1892, the price
was 371a cents, where it stood the re-
mainder of the year. In the year 1873 the
highest price paid was 40 cents, on May Is,
and the lowest 421z cents on Jan. ID. In 1894
the lowest price was 80 cents, on Jan. IL.
and the highest So cents, on Dec. 70
In 1899 the owest was on Jan. i,
at So cents and the 1.2T-was on
April 10. In 1896 the lowest price was 81
cents, and 80 cents the highest on Jan.
/. From the first of 1897 the price gradua
ly declined until il reached 46 cents on Oct.
is, where 1t remained until Feb. 10,
1893. when 1t went to AZ cents. During the
rest OF 1915 IL Increased III price SIduudiy
Until Dee. %, when it went TO so cents.
On Feb. Is, 1899. it dropped to 70 cents; went
to 81 cents May Is, the year ending with
oil at $1.17. On Feb. %. 1900, oil reached
S1.25, and gradually declined to 81 cents at
the close of the year. The year 1901 closed
with an So cents price, the lowest price of
the year being 20 cents on May 16-Where it
remained until July IL, then going TO so
cents. The year 1902 started with S5-cent
oil, and in April an advance started, and
at the close of the year the crude product
was bringing S1.15. The year 1903 started
with oil at SIZE, but On November 20,
reached the $1.3S mark, being eleven cents
first we'll at the paper mill at Lima, came
up and showed to the world that the
Trenton rock was a producer Of oil. Since
the striking of this first we'll in the cor
poration of Lima, in the year 1885, there
have been S1.31 wells completed in the
Trenton rock fields of the two States, and
are divided, as follows.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-01

After all 1t seems 10 be best that the
question of currency and banking reform
should not he complicated by too many
suggestions or plans There is no need
for haste in it's consideration. and SO long
as existing laws are administered consery-
atiyely. as they now are, and the few cor
rectible faults in our system can be rem
edied, through new interpretations OF the
statutes or through simple amendments
thereto. il will do no harm TO leave the
question with the banking and currency
committee. where il properly belongs. even
reach a satisfactory conclusion because OF
the conflicting views OF its membership
Financier.