davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
GREAT IMPROVEMENT.

The drainage system in operation
really consists of four systems draining as many
portions of the city. There is a huge central
power station of eleven boilers and seven en-
gines, each connected with an electric genera
tor The generators have a combined capacity
Of 800 horsepower. which is distributed by
wires to six separate pumping stations. where
powerful centrifugal pumps-depending
on the lift required-are operated as the occa-
sion demands. Three of the stations have out
let's in Lake Pontchartrain and the last in Bayou
Bienvenu, which leads to Lake Borgne some
ten miles east of New Orleans. The final plan
will see the delivering Of all surface drainage
into Lake Borgne. where the deposits of street
washngs can do5no damage. The Lake Pont-
chartrain outlets viii be used only in case of
emergency.
As separate problem the board is treating
the question of sewerage In the first place.
there is no possible point for a natural gravity
sewage outlet. few OF the larger business
houses, hotels and public buildings own or are
connected with private force mains through
which the sewage is driven to the river by the
nearest route. The better class of residences
have modern plumbing dscharging into cess
pools. The great bulk OF premises however, are
served by closets in the rear
The Mississippi River appears to solve readily
the problem as to method OF disposal. 1t carries
from 100000 to 50000U cubic feet second OF
Sllt-laden water past the city on its way to the
Gulf, one hundred miles below.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17

George Washington Plunkitt, OF Tammany Hail.
avowed believer in honest graft the wealthy
Tammany leader OF the 18th District. has blossomed
In the garden of permanent literature William l.
Riordan of this city. has punched Plunhtts most
noteworthy interviews and now they are In book
form Plunkitt is in favor of "graft''-'honest
Eraft'-and says so He believes Civil Service re
form is a curse and says He believes that the
dress suit is a dangerous thing in politics. that
Brookiynites are natural born hayseeds. that re-
formers are set of political morning Glories born
only fer one brief day. and that the hope of the
future LES IN the success OF Tammany Hall and
political BOSSES
PiunkiIt has ioUrished under many bosses-under
John Kelly. back IN the last generation; under
Dick Croker. who is spending his declining years
on British soil; under Sheehan and Nixon; under
the triumvirate. Sport" Murphy. Two Spot" Nc
Mahon and Joke" Haffen while that tripartlte
control lasted, and he still is lourishing under
Charles the Last"
The refreshing thing about Plunkitt is that when
he says he believes in -'graft'-'honest graft'-he
means it His frankness differentates him from his
yokefeows in Tanmany Hall. They believe as
PIunktt believes. doubt, but craft controls their
tongues. and with the primaries and election always
IN view they pursue grating and preach right
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
DRESS SUITS DANGEROUS.

The Dangers of the Dress Suit in Politics" is
exploited in a chapter by Plunktt.
above all things" he says, avoid a dress suit
You have idea of the harm that dress suits have
done In politics. They not so fatal to young
politicians as Civil Service reform and drink, but
they have scores of victims. l will mention one
sad case. After the big Tammany victory In 1891
Richard Croker went down to Lakewood to make
up the slate of offices for Mayor Van Wyck to dis
tribute. All the district leaders and many more
Tammany went down there, too, to PICK up
anything good that was goin. There was nothing
but dress suits at dinner at Lakewood. and Croker
wouldn't let any Tammany men go to dinner with
out them Well bright young West Side poI1u-
clan, who held 5000 job in one of the depart
ments. went to Lakewood to ask Croker for some
thing better. He wore dress suit for the first
time In his life. 1t was his undoin He got stuck
himself. He thought he looked too beautiful for
anything, and when he home he was a
changed man. AS soon as he got to his house
every evenin' he put that dress suit and set
around in it until bedtime. That didn't satisfy
him long He wanted others to see how beautiful
he was in a dress suit, he Joined dancin' clubs
and began goin to all the balls that was given
in town. Soon he began to neglect his family
Then he took to drinkin and didn't pay any at
tention to his political work in the district.
The end came in less than a year. He was dis
missed from the department and went to the dogs
The other day met him rugged out almost ike a
hobo, but he stil had dress suit vest When
I asked him what he dom, he said: 'Nothin'
at present, but 1 got a promise Of a job enrollin
voters at the Citizens Union Headquarters. Yes, a
dress suit had brought him that low!
On the need of higher salaries for place holders
the leader of the 18th District says:
You can't be patriotic on a salary that just
keeps the wolf from the door. Any man who pre-
tends he can will bear watchin- Keep your hand
on your watch and pocketbook when he's about
But when has good fat salary he finds
himself humnlin' Hail. Columbia, all unconscious
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
WILL USE FILTERS.

There will be a mighty shout of rejoicing
when New-Orleans can do away with the thou
sands of cypress wood cisterns which adorn. or
rather blemsh. the tops and sides and ends
of the houses of the city. New Orleans has the
choice of tapping the watersheds above Lake
Pontchartrain. which would furnish plenty Of
soft reasonably clear water, or of altering the
Mississippi. In consequence of the cost of the
other project the matter of filtering the MisSiS-
sippi has been taken up.
pumping and publication plant covering
seventy acres has been acquired along the up
per city line. An intake will be located at the
low water shore line of the river. The water
will always be taken near the surface. where
the turbdity is least Through a suction line
mile long and two feet below the lowest water
level. great centrifugal pumps will draw a con-
slant stream of water.
The first twelve hours subsistence viii show an
average loss of 30 per cent of suspended mat
ter. Then coagulant will he added and the
water drawn into another reservoir. where an
additional twelve hours subsistence will be al
lowed The water which flows from these
basins will be skinned and led to the filters
which simply thin layers Of sand under
drained each TO single discharge pipe terminal
ing In automatic controller. by means of
which the rate of passage OF the water through
the sand layers is regulated.
The contract for the pumping plant was only
let in May of this year but a portion of II Is
to be ready for operation in May. 1907. and for
completion by November of that year. at cost
Of S4SOOOO BY that time the work Of laying
pipes for water distribution will be well under
way, and the end of 1908 Will see New-Orleans
fully equipped. What that means 10 the metrop-
oils of the Gulf remains to be seen. Already
property values beginning to rise under the
stimulus of the prospect.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
4 FEEBLE SYSTEM.

The only drainage system which New Orleans
had In the past was a series of pumping stations.
which were really little more than great under
shot waterwheels which worked backward by
steam power and padded the water which came
to them forward and upward through a series OF
canals These canals We're shallow earth chan
nels, which were allowed to become choked with
hyacinths, lilies and other swamp growth, AS
the canals were practically level the vertical
distance which the wheels could lift was very
small and their capacity insignificant, when one
considers the vast amount of drainage they had
to carry.
New-Orleans gets sixty inches of rainfall in a
year. which is more than in any other large CITY.
1t often rains at unprecedented rates. such as a
half inch in three minutes an inch in ten min
utes' eight inches in six hours. and the like TIL.
result was that on such occasions New-Orleans.s
streets in many places were flooded from c,rb
to curb and people had TO go about on RATS and
in boats. wear rubber boots. and drive in hacks
1t was often hours before the waterwheels could
reduce the food
One of the first steps that George e. Earle
general superintendent Of tha Sewerage and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17

tellin' how to hold your district In two Presf6en-
ttal campaigns the leaders talked themselves red
in the face about silver bein' the best money an
gold bein no good, and they tried to prove It out
OF books. Do you think the people cared for all
that gun? No. They heartily indorsed what Rich
ard Croker said at the Hoffman House one day In
kind Of money! said Croker. I'm in favor Of all
kinds Of money-the more the better See how
real Tammany statesman can settle In twenty five
words problem that monopoiized two campaigns
Then imperialism. The Democratic party spent
all its breath that in the last national campaign
Its position was all right, sure but you can't get
too much at home to interest them: they're too
busy maxim Twin to bother about the nigeers Ia
the Pacific. The partys got 20 drop al them put
you-to-sleep issues and out In 1893 for some
thin that VIII wake the people up; somethin that
will make It worth while to work for the party.
There's just one issue that would set this country
on fire The Democratic party should say IN the
first plank Of its platform: We hereby declare n
national convention assembled that the paramount
issue now, always and forever, Is the abolition OF
the Ubiquitous and villanous Civil Service laws
which destroyin all patriotism, runin the coun-
try and takin' away good jobs from them that earn
them We pledge ourselves. II our ticket IS elected
to repeal those laws at once and put every Civil
Service reformer In Jail.
lust imagine the wild enthusiasm Of the party II
that plank was adopted, and the rush Of Repub-
licans to Join US in restorn' our country to What
IL was before this college professors nightmare
called Civil Service reform, got hold Of it, OF
course. It would be all right to work in the platform
the Philippines platform seems TO be COM
plete without them. but they wouldn't count Ths
people would read only the first plank and then
banker for Election Day to come 20 put the Demo-
cratic party in office.
"T see a vision see the Civil Service monster
Iyin' fat on the ground. I see the Democratic
wearin the crown Of victory I see Thomas Jeffer-
lOokin' out from cloud and sayin: Give him
another sockdologer; finish him And millions
OF men wavin' their hats and sinsin Glory Halle
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17

deliver and dispense the sewage we'll out into the
current of the river. and some twenty-five or
thirty feet below the surface at low water. A
device will be used which will screen all float
ing matter from the sewage before it is dis
charged into the river. and there will therefore,
be nothing to lodge on the shore"
Up to date 135 miles Of sewers have been laid
in New Orleans, including the main sewers and
those in the Congested parts of the city. The
outlets are about completed. and these. with the
nine pumping stations will be ready to go into
service early in 1906. Sixty-fve additional miles
of sewers being constructed and are
promised for next summer The cost Of this
system so far has been $3.375. 900 for 205 miles
of sewers. There remain to be contracted for
195 miles of smaller shallow pipe sewers at a
probable cost of 5000 A mile, bringing the total
cost up to $5,O0OO0O and the final end of con-
strnCtion some time in 1908
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
DESPISES DIRTY MONEY.

I've told you how l got rich by honest graft
Now, let tell you that most politicians who are
accused of Robin the city got rich the same way.
They didn't steal dollar from the city treas
uTy. They just seen their opportunities and took
them. Tammany was beat in 1901 because the peo-
pie were deceived into beieyn' that it worked dis
tween dishonest and honest graft but they saw
that some Tammany men grew rich. and supposed
they had been robbin the city treasury or Ievyin'
blackmaiI disorderly houses. or workin' in with
The gamblers and lawbreakers.
Gas a matter of policy, If nothing else why
should the Tammany leaders go into such dirty
business, when there is much honest graft
lyin' around when they are in power? Did you ever
consider that?
NOW in conclusion. want to say that don't
avn a dishonest dollar. If my worst enemy was
given the job of writin' my epitaph when am
gone he couldn't DO more than write:
George w P1unldtt He Seen His opportuni-
ties and He Took En-
PIrnkitt knows about the Civil Service laws
than he did ten years ago. He has TO- But he
doesn't love the Civil Service. Time and again.
when he has forgotten, he has absent mindedly
showed over against the Civil Service buzz saw and
felt its teeth.
This Civil Service law" gays Plunkitt is the
biggest fraud of the age. It's the curse of the
nation. There can't be no real patriotism while ii
lasts know more than young man In past
years who worked for the ticket and was just
pyeraowin' with patriotism. but when ne was
knocked out by this Civil Service Humbug ne goi
20 hate his country and became anarchist
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
UTILIZING THE RIVER.

This vast volume of water" said Superin-
tendent Earle to a Tribune correspondent will
afford immediate diluton to the little stream OF
sewage which New-Orle has 10 discharge
and viii effectively dispense 1t thet once prop
erly discharged into the river it will be lost to
the discovery of any human sense. No city ex-
lists below New-Oreans to object to such
method of disposal and above which does
not itself make similar of this same river.
After large number of float observations
we have chosen the foot OF Spain-st as being
safely below all influence OF the eddy the
French Market, and here and at another outlet
below this point several submerged mains will
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17

questions about the number Of cuoic nc"es
water in the Atlantic and the quahty OF saIu III
the Sahara Desert? There once bright young
man in nv district who tackled one OF these eA-
aminations The next l heard OF him ne haa SET
tied down in Herr Most's saloon smokn ana drink
In heer and talkin' socialism all day Before that
time he had never drank anything but whlskey.
l knew what was comm when a young lriShiIah
drops whiskey and takes TO beer and long pipes
in a German saloon. That young man Is lo-uaS
one Of the widest anarchists in town Ana just
to think! He might be patriot but for that cussed
Civil Service.
The Civil Service humbug is undernhhh o'i IA
stitutions and if halt amt called soon this great
Republic will tumble down like a Park-aVe' mousse
when they were budin' the subway, ahO ." 10
ruins will rise another Russian government
when parties can't get offices, they II Jus,
They amt far from the Dustin point now with an
this Civil Service business keepin most ol inc
good things from them. How are you goh 10
keep I'D patriotism if this thing goes on! lou
can't do it. Let me tSn you that patriotism mas
been dying out fast for the last twenty years
Before then. when a party won, its workers eo'
everything in sight. That was somethin to make
a man patriotic. Now, when party wins and Its
men come forward and ask for their reward the
reply is. Nothin' dom, unless you can answer a
list Of questions about Egyptian mumn1ies, ana
how many years it will take for bird to wear
out mass of iron as big the earth by steppln
O-ca in CavTlr
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
A BOLD PROPHECY.

P1unkitt speaks parting word on the future
of the Democratic party IN America. and gets close
to the heart of the Wigwam when he says;
THE Democratic party of the nation amt dead
though it's been givln Hfeke imitation Of a
CORPSE for several years 1t can't die while It's got
Tannmany for its backbone. The trouble is that
the partys been rhasin' after theories and stayin
IN nights readin books, instead of studyfn' human
nature and actin accordin'. as I've advised In
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17

between Gaul AID Egypt was established in this
way: A card of cut fiints of the neolithic period
was obtained from Egypt and card of exactly
similar ftnts found on RJou Island, nine miles from
MarseieS. shown with them. At the spot on
the island where these fintS eXCavated there
were found lying nearest the surface some Roman
pottery; below that Greek pottery, with Ligurian
and Egyptian still lower and below these again
masses of marine shells, pottery and nts. different
from any Yet discovered. The remains found go
back at least five thousand years.-CLondon Globe.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
Many Thousands
and a Pure Water Supply.

Water Board of New Orleans, decided on was to
improve the drainage system. The sewerage
and water systems could come afterward. Under
his direction 100000 has been expended on
drainage, the capacity for removing storm water
is three times greater than 1t was, and sixty
miles of drainage canals. which once stood prac-
tcally full of water most of the time are now
kept at the proper level
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17

and he fancies when he's ridin in a trolley car
that the wheels always sayin Yankee l1oonie
Came to Town / know how 1t Is myself When
l got my first good job from the city bought up
ali the 1recrackers in my district to salute this
glorious country couldn't wait for the Fourth
Of IuIv I got the bows en- the block to fire them
OF for me and / felt proud of bein an American
For long time after that I used TO wake up nights
eirpin, the Star Snpnglrd Banner.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17

"Ts there any reason for wonder then, that De,
roocTacies' spring UP all when municipal
campaign is comm on? If you land even one small
lob YOU get a big return on your inVeSt1henlt
You don't have to pay for advertiser in tne
papers The New-York papers tumble oyer one an I.
comes out against Tammany. In descriolnr tn the
foruation of a Democracy the $50 DaSiS, &c
cordin to the items I give. the papers would say
s0methin' like this: The organization of the Den
istenCe Of Tanmany Hall 1t is a grand move for a
new and pure Democracy in this city Wen may
tba Tamrany leaders be alarmed. Panic has al
ready broke loose in 14th-st The vast crowd tnat
tyatbered at the launching of the organization
fho stIrrfn' speeches and proclamation Of pTn-
cinIes mean that, last, there is an uprsin that
Iii end Tammanys career of corruption.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
VERY PRECISE.

Last Friday week was your birthday. wasns
it? asked Miss Wabash
Nonsense" retorted Miss Boston
Why what's the matter?' -.
II was the anniversary OF my birth Em H"s
an infant. ''-t Philadelphia Press
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
He Also Depores the whitening Effect of Civil Service
Rules True Patriotism

late. caught him dead to rights. and said to
him: Jimmy, I'm afraid New York amt fasc-
natin' enough for you You had better move back
20 Brooklyn after your present term And he did.
met him the other day crossin' the Brooklyn
Bridge, carryin' hobby horse under one arm and
dolls carriage under the other, and loOkin' per
fectly happy
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
EARLY EGYPTIANS IN FRANCE

There has just been laid before the French
Academy OF Sciences a well authenticated case OF
prehistoric Egyptian remains found among the pre-
historic remains OF ancient Gaul. The connection
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
THEY MAKE TRAITORS, TOO.

Say, let me tell of one case: After the battle
of San Juan Hill, the Americans found a dead man
with a light complexion, red hair and blue eyes
They could see he wasn't Spaniard. although he
had a Spanish uniform Several officers looked
him over. and then private in the list Regiment
him. and yelled. Good Lord. that's Flaherty!
That grew up in my district, and he was once
the most patriotic American boy the West Side
He couldn't a flag without yellin' himself
hoarse
Now, how did he come to be lying dead with a
Spanish uniform on? I found out all about 1t, and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
BREEDS OF ANARCHISTS.

This amt no exaggeration. I have good reason
for sayfn' that of the anarchists in this city
to-day are men who against Civil Service
examinations. Isn't IL enough TO make a man sour
on his country when he wants TO serve 1t and
won't be allowed unless he answers Lot Of foel
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
CHEAP DEMOCRACIES.

Tamnany is the only lasting Democracy Accord
iro 70 Mr. Plunkitt but he says new Democracies
can be produced cheap
1--WE looked into the industry" he says anu
can give rock bottom figures. Here's the stems
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17

I'll vouch for the story. Well IN Ihe .i.u'i|ip
co,,noigr If 1897 that Young man. chockful of pa
triotsm worked day and night for the Tammany
ticket Tammany won. and the young man deter
mined to devote his life to the service OF the city:
He picked out place that would suit him. ana
sent in his application to the head OF the depart
ment He got a reply that he must take civil
Service examination to get the place. He didnt
know what these examinations were. so he went
ali light hearted to the Civil Service Board. he
read the questions about the mummies. the bird on
the iron and all the other fool Questions-and ne
left that office an enemy of the country that he
had loved so well. The mummies and the bird
blasted his patriotism He went to Cuba, enlisted
in the Spanish army at the breakin out OF the
war and died fphtin' his country"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
BROOKLYN "HAYsEEDS."

PunlSitt Brooklynites natural born hay
seeds, and tells this story TO prove it:
Soon after l became leader on the West Side.
a quarter of a century ago. came across bright
boy. about seven years old, who had just been
brought from Brooklyn by his parents. l
took interest in the boy, and when he grew up
1 brought him into politics. Finally sent him to
the Assembly from my district Now, remember
that the boy only seven years old when he
left Brooklyn. and twenty-three when he went
to the Assembly. You'd think he had forgotten all
about Brooklyn. wouldn't you? did. but was
dead wrong. When that young fellow got into the
Assembly he paid attention to bills or debates
about New-York City. He didn't show any
interest in his own district But just let Brooklyn
be mentioned, or bill be introduced about Co
wanus Canal or the Long Island Railroad, and he
was all attention. Nothin' else on earth interested
him.
The end came when I caught hi11-That do you
think I caught him at? One mornin went over
from the Senate to the Assembly chamber, and
there l found my young man enthusiastically
readin' a Brooklyn newspaper! When he me
comm he tried to hide The paper, but it was too