davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
You see, my good wenches, how men
of merit are sought after.
p King Henry w.
Coal and Coke in This District.

In 1870 the coal production of this
district was but 1920 tons, and it did
not rise to 100000 tons until the year
1876 had been OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
years ago. CHER Mine Inspector Gray
estimates Tie coal production OF 1904
at about twelve million tons, and the
coke production at over two million
tons. The percentage of increase is SO
great. it is best to leave the subject
to the imagination,
It is comfort to know that the strike
of the union miners covering the latter
half of the calendar year, has not cut
the coal production below that of the
previous year. The coal production
of 1903 was 11,7OO752 tons and the
final figures for 1904 will show that we
have not gone backwards either in the
respect of coal or coke. Our operators
are to be congratulated upon the work
they accomplished In the last calen-
Oar year despite a strike of wide scope
and undertaking persistence. We
have maintained all previous figures,
and made a new record.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
Repudiated State Bonds

The text of the arbitration treaty
with France has been published. 1t
is the model of the other arbitration
treaties negotiated by this country,
all of which have been sent to the
Senate, and are now pending before
that body. None of them have been
ratified.
AS the repudiated reconstruction
bonds are known to be largely held in
Europe, the question of a possibility
of their collection under an arbitration
treaty becomes interesting. The
French treaty provides that differ
ences which may arise of a legal ma
ture, which it may not have been
possible to settle by diplomacy, shall
be referred to the permanent court OF
arbitration established at The Hague
by the convention of the Goth of July
1899, provided, nevertheless, that they
do not affect the vital interests, the
independence or the honor of the two
contracting parties, and do not con
Germ interests of third parties"
The next article provides that in
each individual case the two nations
before appealing to The Hague "shall
coaclude a special agreement defining
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
HOPE.
BY Joaquin Miller

By Joaquin Miller.
What song is we'll sung not of sorrow?
What triumph we'll won without pain
What virtue shall be, and not borrow
Bright lustre from many a stain?
What birth has there been without ira
vail?
What battle we'll won without blood?
What good shall earth see without evil
Engarnered as chaff with the good?
Lo the Cross set in rocks by the Roman,
And nourished by blood OF the Lamb,
And watered by ears of the woman,
Has flourished, has spread like palm
Has spread in the frosts and far regionz
OF SHOWS in the North and South sands,
Where never the tramp of his legions
Was heard, or reached forth his red
hands.
Be thankful; the price and the payment.
The birth. the privalions and scorn;
The cross, and the parting of raiment,
Are finished. The star brought us morn.
Look starward; stand far and unearthy,
Free-souled as a banner unfurled.
DC worthy, o, brother, be worthy!
For God was the price of the world.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
Henry Gray's Early History.

IT see that you have been writing some
little boy" said a citizen yesterday.
little boy" said Joe Frank yesterday.
well, I want to tell you something.
When Henry Gray was a little boy l
knew him well, and l can truthfully say
he was one of the brightest, steadiest
little fellows 1 ever saw. At the time
l refer to was mail clerk on the West
ern and Atlantic railroad and 1 saw
Henry every day. He was little fellow,
apparently about twelve years old, and
practically conducted the affairs of the
postoffice at Calhoun, Ga. He wore
checked apron that l knew came from
the Eagle and Phenix mills at Column
bus. He used to appear at the station
In this apron every day and would hand
the mail bags up to me. His head would
barely reach to the level of the floor of
the car and l would have to reach down
and help him get 1t up. Unlike most of
boys, Henry was so particular that he
would not throw the mail into the car,
but would always hand it to me very
carefully. This disposition on his part
never to make a mistake impressed me
so favorably that I never forgot him.
Later he went to Atlanta and worked
for the Atlanta Constitution. under
stand he made a success there and came
to Birmingham. shall never forget the
appearance of little Henry as he used to
bring that mail bag to the car attired in
his checked apron"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
IN HOTEL LoBBIES
Col" Robert p. Mcpavld.

4 nave tried my Dest to give Bob Nc
David the title of Colonel but up to
cnis time 1t don't seem to work." said A.
L. fulenwider, the we'll known real es-
tate man. yesterday. THE other day two
farmers came into my office and asked
Tor Bob McDavid. I told them that l
knew Colonel Robert P. McDavid and
tnat he had an office up stairs One of
tnem asked If he wasn't the same man.
He is, I replied. but I said you had
better not call MIN Bob McDavid here.
lie is known as Colonel McDavid, and
dent allow himself to be called anything
else. You know he used to be Secretary
OF State
Yes, we know that answered the
farmer but I have always called him
Bob McDavid and I intend to keep 1t
up. I was one his supporters and 1 will
always call him just plain Bob Nc
David
We'll, you had better not do that in
this town, replied That will do alright
when man Is running for office, but it
wont do in Birmingham.
Notwithstanding my warnings" con-
tinued Mr.. Fulenwider 1.-The two farmers
rushed up stairs and very promptly hail
ed Colonel McDavid as plain Bob
They were very much pleased when Bob
told them he liked it."
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
Hack Business Is Dull.

1.-THE hack business is very dull these
days, Boss" said a hackman late last
night. January is always the dullest
month we have. We get no support at
all during the late hours except from
gamblers and other sporting people. 1t
looks like all the people are in bed early
right now and it makes 1t pretty hard
on us hack drivers. think that they must
all get drunk and spend their money
during Christmas and then have to rest
up a month or two to get even. The well
to do people of the town either own
their own turnouts or are not in town
by II o'clock and there is nothing for the
poor hackman to o. to wait around
the streets and catch a few gamblers
o. the arrivals on late trains. OF course
you know, our business is better on cold
rainy nights. In the hack business 1t is
a we'll known fact that January and
February are the dullest months in the
year. After that the other months are
about the same. We get a big trade on
days when football games are played
here and we pick up a little extra during
the baseball season. Day trade pays much
the best"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07

clearly the matter In dispute, the
scope of the powers of the arbitrators,
and the several stages Of procedure .
These provisions are all contained
in the FreneA treaty that could relate
to possible attempt to enforce the
payment of reconstruction bonds.
differences of a legal nature" could
easily be juggled into position over
the bonds. 1t may be claimed that as
the United States directly established
the reconstruction state governments
it Is responsible for even their most
corrupt acts, and it may be possible to
form a lobby strong enough to induce
the republican administration to con-
sent to the submission of those differ
erces to The Hague tribunal, defining
In a special agreement the matter In
dispute and the scope of the arbitra-
ton" All this is possible, and 1t is
altogether possible in this age of
graft that repudiated bonds, bought
for song, are the steam that will
push the arbitration treaties through
Congress.
No matter what this or that lawyer
may say. It is plain differences of a
legal nature can arise over the repudi-
ated bonds, and as long as they can
arise there will exist possibilities of an
arbitration of them before The Hague
tribunal If the pending treaties are
ratified without amendment.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
Curfew Law.

II would like to see every town and
city in Alabama follow the example of
the Ensley council and adopt a curfew
law" said a prominent minister last
night.
II have studied criminology to some
extent and l am fully convinced that
nine-tenths of the criminals today began
their downward career between the ages
of 10 and 16. Every safe guard should
be thrown around the youth of our land
and to do this every city should enact
and rigidly enforce law preventing
boys being out on the streets at all
hours of the evening.
II hope that the new law will prove so
popular at Ensley as to awake a senti-
ment throughout the state that shall
result in all the other municipalities en-
acting a similar measure"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
NEGRO Farmers Buying Land.

The negro farmers and farm hands
who planted cotton last year ON shares
sold, as a rule, their cotton as fast
as they picked it. AS their farms
were small and they had many chill
dren they were able to market their
cotton at 10 cents, and some of it at
even higher prices. The Savannah
News says the negro farmers and farm
hands in the lower part of Georgia
the part tributary to Savannah-are
full of ambition and unrest. They do
not propose to do any more farming on
shares. lacy propose to rent or to
buy land. They have plenty Of money,
and many of them will buy small
farms outright, thereby becoming In
dependent farmers.
The movement, says the Savannah
News, Is general, and there will be a
scarsity of labor this y,ar. There will
certainly be lack of tenant farmers,
and planters will in many districts in
South Georgia be compelled to cult
vate their own lands, or let them rest
this year.
The negro farmer who owns or con-
trolls the land he cultivates has adj
vantages over the white farmer, for
the former generally has children
enough to pick out the crop that he
cultiyates. The entire family of the
negro farmer assists in the field
work, and whatever money he receives
is largely profit.
If the South Georgia movement ex-
tends over the cotton belt it will ma
terially change the situation, and first
of all it will no doubt eliminate the
negro tenant farmer who is not the
best farmer the south can have. The
negro who owns the land he cult.
Yates is better farmer than the negro
who is sharing crop with land
owner.
The movement that has sprung up
in South Georgia is interesting, and
sociolo. yists at least will study 1t, ex.
pecting to find in it solution of some
of the troubles that arose from the
sudden overthrow by war of the old
labor system.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
From Harper's Weekly.

rum Ildi per d w eekly.
I WAS elected by comfortable ma
jority. I am not proud man nor
a vain man, but I must confess
that when 1 first began to be addressed
as "Congressman" 1 had a sensation
about the head that very much resembled
an enlargement of the Uranium. l became
at once the leading man in my own town.
Everybody instinctively deferred to me
All of the letters that 1 received were
addressed to the Hon. John Smith
Smith is not my name but 1t Will an
swer all purposes in THE narrative that
1 am about to tell.
l went to Washington on the eve OF
the opening of Congress anu was treated
to a rude awakening. At home everybody
re garded me as a man of Importance. AT
the national capitol no one thought 1t
worth while to pay any attention to me.
The tension beneath the leather of my
hat disappeared and the proud feeling
evaporated into thin air.
reached the door of the House of Rep
resentatives and was about to step in
when the doorkeeper took me by the arm
and said:
pardon me. but you can't go In there.
You'll have to go up in the gallery.
"Why?" l inquired.
"Because this is for members only"
.I am a member I said, with some
Indignation in my voice.
well" was the reply then you Will
have to be identified
The chief clerk of the House came
out and identified me, and the door
keeper, apologizing for his skepticism'
admitted me. After that had no trouble
If getting into the House. But l must
saw that I felt rather cheap and ruffled
over the incident. 1t really looked as II ]
did not have the appearance of a Con-
gresham. l felt rather lonesome for
seine days-the feeling Is difficult to de-
scribe, but 1t was more like good old
fashioned Inconsistencies than anything l
can think of at present.
One morning measure that affected
some of the people in my district came
IN for consideration. and jumped to my
feet and called:
Mr.. Speaker, Mr.. Speaker"
But the Speaker paid no attention to
me whatever Instead, he looked on the
other side of the House, and pointing
to a man who was not claiming recog-
milton at all, said:
Mr. Brown has the floor"
Once again L attempted to get recogni-
ton, but was ignored in the same man
ner. The third time I arose. and then
some wag in the seat behind me called
out In stentorian tones:
Mr.. Speaker, I rise to a question of
information"
Although this man was Immediately
back of me, the Speaker recognized him
at once, and turning to me for the first
time, said:
"win the gentleman yield to a ques-
ton of information?"
II WILL" said. surprised but curious.
'Then, Mr.. Speaker" said the man be-
hind me. II desire to ask II the gentle
man is a member Of this BODY
The roars of laughter that greeted this
sally completely demoralized me and
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
No More Estimates Wanted

Congress is now in session, and
nearly every congressman from an ag-
licultural district in the south will
proceed to berate the governments
guesses of the cotton crop. No one
need defend the estimates of the agri-
G ltural department, for they are no
longer considered trustworthy. No
ones guesses concerning crop grown
in thirteen states can from the nature
of things be better than leap in the
dark. Sometimes a man lands all right.
and sometimes he does not. So 1t Is
with guesses. No one wants any more
of them.
But the census bureaus counts of
bales at the gin are on a different
footing. There is no element of the
guess sort In them. No estimate Is
made' at all. A man is appointed
agent for each cotton growing county,
and he proceeds to list all gins in his
county, and to procure from time to
time statements of the number Of
bales actually ginned by the respective
ginners. Errors might creep in, but
the plan is certainly the best that has
been devised.
If Congress would cut off the
guesses of the department of agricul-
ture, putting the money thus saved
into frequenter and better counts at
the gins, the public would be better
served, and the cotton growers better
satisfied.
The ginners have too much good
sense to organize against square
count made perhaps each month by
the census bureau, and If they can be
assured of at least monthly counts
carefully made, there will be no OBJ
stacles thrown in the way of the CEN
sus bureau. No one at any rate wants
any more estimates from the hands of
Mr.. Wilson, the Iowa farmer.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
NEWCONGRESSMAN'SW WOES
IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL

made 1t impossible to continue my re-
marks. 1t was a long while after that
before I attempted to address the chair
| again.
| Before 1 had been In Washington a
week I found it necessary to obtain an
! audience with the Postmaster General.
There were quite a number of men in
my district clamoring for fourth-rate
postmasterships, and l had long list
of applications in my possession. asked
the Postmaster-General If he had half an
hour to spare in order to go over these
lists. He smiled as he said:
you are asking a good deal of time.
You remind me of an incident that &C.
Cured when General Arthur was Presi-
dent. The Postmaster-Gen at that
time dropped in on the President and
asked him If he could have half-hour
of his time. The President replied:
" Half an hour? Why, my dear fell
low, dynasties have been overturned in
three minutes. You will have to cut
your remarks short.
Now, my dear Congressman" he said,
turning to me, the force of this little
anecdote lies in its application. 1 don't
want to hurry you, but you will have to
get through in five minutes, for 1 have
a number of very important engagement
that I must keep"
I solved the problem by leaving tn
names of the applicants with him an
promising to call some other day
learn his decision. After leaving tn
Postoffice Department strolled over
the State Department, and when
reached the entrance met gentlema1
of medium height. neatly dressed, carry
ing a leather portfolio. Addressing him
l said:
Pardon me, but could you direct me t.
the office Of the Secretary of Staten
Certainly" he replied; 'if you just
continue down this corridor You will find
the place you are seeking
l did so; but before going into the room
of one of the assistant secretaries, SAID
to the usher:
WHO is that courteous gentleman whS
directed me down this halway?'
He looked through his glasses at tho
disappearing figure and said:
why, that is John Hay, the Secretary
of State"
And so 1t was. 1t dawned on me all OF
a sudden that the Prime Minister OF the
President looked very much like his por-
traits. was very much impressed that
time, as / have been ever since. at the
extreme courtesy of all the State Depart
ment officials. That is more than can be
said for some Of the men who are in pub
lie life in Washington. was in pne of
the other departments not many days af-
ter this. and was trying to impress the
head of certain bureau with the merits
of one of my office-seeking constituents.
This man." l said, lis especially fitted
for the position to which l have recon-
mended him. He is an expert and under
stands his business thoroughly. He is
graduate of the University of Iowa."
The bureau chief looked at me quietly
for moment and then smile began
to Turk about the corners of his mouth.
He leaned over and said In a soft tone.
freighted with sarcasm:
rs there a university In Iowa?'
What was the use <of trying to talk
business with a man of that kind? My
friend did not get the appointment. and
am afraid he never win.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
MATRlMONY In INDIA.

From the Lahore Tribune.
Matrimonial business gentleman, 90,
thousand per mensem and who Is
not on good terms with his wife Of late
seeks another partner in life, age 10 to 16.
cent allowance( besides a separate house,
according to advertisers position. say at
least RS 100 per month. Further particu-
lars from No. COZ, care of the Tribune
press, Lahore.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
clTY'S BIG DIAMOND BILL,
Importation of the Gems in 1904 Was
$26,oe2,27
From the New York World.

From the New York World
New York imported more precious
stones and pearls last year than in any
preceding twelve months, as shown by the
report just sent by Appraiser Whitehead
to Washington. The total valuation was
s26,o92,275, while the best previous record,
made in 1902, was s25,67S, 956. In 1908 there
was a decline to s2i67S, $685.
A larger proportion of the stones are
now being cut by American workmen
than ever before. The total valuation of
the uncut stones that were imported
was S9,67574l, while the next highest fig
ures for this class were s1412,419, in 1908.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07

became Mr.. Prior's countenance. At
length when the Man of Means had I'm
ished. the theatrical manager turned upon
work.
~ sympathize with you, my dear fell
low. Indeed, dol I haven't seen your
son, but I'll look into the case at once.
Mind you. we're not running a Sunday
school, but really I don't believe we're
in the habit of wrestling 17-old-boys, who
have more money than sense, from their
papas and mamas. I'd hate to think I
was responsible for the preparation of
such an act of cruelty to children, or to
grown people, either, for that matter.
We're leaving In the morning for Mem
phis, and IT, as you fear he will your
boy follows US there, I'll take all the
pleasure this side of the mississippi
river in advising you of the fact by
wire. In the meantime, may / assure
you that the girls IN our company are
neither angels nor vampires, and that
every season before they start out on the
road they sign contract that they will
not attempt to rob either the cradle-or
the grave. So I'd suggest my dear fe1-
low, that you forget it, forget it-for-get
it.
And with that the theatrical manager
turned the Man of Means over to the
detective
About Persons.
]. H. Ely of Union Springs is at the
Morris.
d. NJ Scott of Selma is registered at the
Morris.
D. II. Riddle, the well-known attorney
of Goodwater is at the Morris.
j. B. Barnett of Monroeville is at the
Morris.
M. ]. Maloney of Tuscaloosa is at the
Morris.
II. w. Sexton of Admission is at the Hill
man.
John S. Poole of Louisville is at the
Hillman.
R. r. Thomas of Atlanta Is at the Co
lonial.
Monroe B. Harlan of LAGRANGE. Ky.
Is at the Colonial.
A. A. Wilcox of Atlanta is at the CO.
lonial.
j. S. Freeman of Jasper is at the Metro
politan.
W. w. Howard of Scottsboro is at the
Metropolitan.
Sam L. Lyman of Nashville is at the
st. Nicholas.
P. S. Chamberlain of New Orleans Is at
the st. Nicholas.
M. D. Ramsay of Newark, N. j.. is at
the st. Nicholas.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
The pessimst never has to be morose
over disappointments.
When a girl has a good figure it is a
sign she knows it without being told So
If you fight and don't run away you
are not so liable to have to fight an
other day.
There are not many other propositions
that man can have on his hands as
big AZ a little bit of a wife.
1t makes woman very indignant with
.. man in a street car to think how in
sulting he would be If he stared at her.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07

Governor Pennypacker trying to
muzzle the press reminds one of u
small boy blowing on the fuse OF q
giant frecracker that is already
lighted.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07

The Colorado legislature is prepar-
ing to rob Colorado of popular gov.
eminent. They propose to deport the
peoples choice from the gubernatorial
office.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07

King Alfonso of Spain also has a
prediction for the devil wagon. Car
Nicholas gets all the excitement he
wants without resorting to automo-
biles.