davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Fergus County argus., 1905-09-08
JAPAN's GREAT SOLDIER.
Oyama, Who Has Done Things That
Were Thouaht impossible.

Oyama, Who Has Done Things That
Were Thought Impossible.
IL is dlverting fancy to compare
the heroes Of our own day with the
world figures of antiquity. and 70
search for Homers, Euclids and Cae-
sars among our men of letters. science
and war. An easy mornings work,
with some slight risk of sudden death,
made George Dewey, an elderly and
obscure commodore, "the Nelson OF
America" and the laying OF rail-
road across the sands OF Egypt
brought Kitchener, friendless Brit
ish brigadier, into comparison with
Scipio Africanus Major. And today
amateur military critics are compar-
ing Field Marshal Marquis Oyama.
the Japanese communicative chief, with
Caesar, Alexander, Hannibel, Freder-
ick the Great, Napoleon and Won
Moltke. He seems to possess. in
truth, the characteristics Of several OF
these men-the determination of Cae-
sar the ambition of Alexander and
Won MOltk's marvellous calm. But
more than any other hero to whom he
has been likened in any article that
has reached us he resembles that stu
pendOus figure, Alaric the Goth.
Alaric, the historians tell us, was
a savage. He was unacquainted with
the plays of Aeschylus. He seldom
bathed. He ate, no doubt, with his
knife. If a slave offended him he
slew that slave and thought no more
of it. His dress was primitive and
his language uncouth. He was inno-
cent of boiled shirts and stovepipe
hats. Beside the highly civilized
Romans of the day he seemed help
less barbarian. The very name of
Goth has come down to us as syn
onmy for brutal, sensual, cruel icon.
oclast-an impolite. ungentlemanly
fellow-a stranger to the true, the
good and the beautiful.
And yet Alaric, though savage
was better man than his vanquished
foes. He protected their women in
an age when the women of the con
quered were part of the victors
loot: he stood in awe before the marb
les of Rome and marveled at it's learn
ing. and when his Staying was dont
he tried to give the ancient city a de-
cent government and abandoned the
task only after he had found it i'm
possible to unearth a Roman honest
enough to be governor.
Oyama is just such a man. Twenty
years ago, finding his wife careless
| of her honor he killed her with his
own hands. Fifty years ago, bar
barian. he gazed upon rifled cannon
Fergus County argus., 1905-09-08
Driven in by Rain.

Unfortunately. our drive was cut
short after three hours pleasant wan
derlnss by drenching rain which
followed severe electrical storm.
ms drove nearly everyone out of the
forest and into the old town, and then
business began 10 brisk up in the pub
nc houses, II was new spectacle 10
see, in a public barroom, family
groups of evident respectablity gath
cred around the tables. drinking wine
and beer, for the Partisan. with all
his love for good red wine is develop-
ing very fair capacity for the Ger
man beverage. Some of this is French
brewed, and good deal of it is i'm
ported from Munich. Little French
fellows Of s or 9. and little misses
even younger. We're sitting among
/ these family groups. taking their wine
and beer with as much unconcern as
the American child of like age would
/ drink a glass of milk.
Although II was Sunday afternoon
/ the postoffice was open the same as
on week days and doing a thriving
! business in the sale of stamps for H.
| lustrated post cards: for that craze
| has struck France even more severe
ly than il has invaded England or
! America. Madame y. gave TO the i'm
portanr task of mailing one post card
TO her son in Paris and another TO
friend in London as much careful
! thought and deliberation as the av
erage American matron would give
70 the purchase of a new gown. Al
the little stores were also open alons
the streets and doing a thriving bus
mess in the sale of souvenirs.
II is pleasant to come in cOntac
with the good nature of these French
crowds, During our stay in Paris. OF
! this and similar excursions We have
Fergus County argus., 1905-09-08

seen in the parks many thousands
of children, and cannot recall sim
gle turbulent, noisy or believing
child. Sunshine or storm, it is pref
ty much the same. Nothing seems
to chill the spirits of this wonderfully
happy people Although the day end
ed in storm. and everybody must have
been tired, there was nearly as much
merriment and evident good nature
in the rush for the home going train
morning.
An American Dragging Match.
One does not often have to blush
for his countrymen abroad, but there
are occasions when the bad taste OF
Americans of evident wealth will
come to the surface. We had for
companions on the return journey
an American of ostentatious wealth;
his badly spoiled son of about Is and
rather ''lipy" youth of 20 who SEEM
ed to be of the same party. These
three were Of party of Americans
who were touring France in automo-
biles A severe electrical storm had
put their machines out of action and
made it necessary for them to store
the disabled automobiles and return
to Paris by train. 1t was Dragging
match the whole 35 miles, with Occa-
sional variation in way of cOndemna-
ton of France and French institu-
tions. In the same compartment
were four or five we'll dressed and
evidently we'll bred French men and
women. and while their Indignation
was admirably curbed, it did find
moderate expression.
Long before the train reached Par
is. the sun came out in summer bril-
lance, and little later. disappeared
in seas of glory. The beauty of the
scene will linger long in our memor-
les. The western and northern sky
was filled with great banks of sun
painted clouds. and little later the
softer glow of rose fell on the quiet
river. Then came the twilight and
the gaslights of Paris twinkling in
the sparkling distance.-N w. D. in
Spokane Spokesman-Review
Fergus County argus., 1905-09-08
Death Valley a Crater.

There is a decided difference of
opinion between one mining man and
the geological survey in regard to one
of the queerest, hottest and most dis
agreeable parts of the United States.
Death Valley, Inyo county, is the
bone of contention and it will be some
thing for scientists to study before
the inwardness-and outwardness-
of this strange region is given its
proper place in geological records.
Already the government surveyors
have said, "This is a dead sea, dried
up lake such as might have been IN
it's day of moist existence counter
part of the Great Salt Lake." Grad
ually its waters receded, exposing to
the hot southern desert sun the sands
that are declared to be several hun
dred feet below the sea level.
But there is a practical mining man,
a rough and ready mining engineer,
a man who has made a study of rocks
and strata and all that, who presents
to us an entirely new version of the
creation of this uncanny region The
gentleman is Colonel Edward Brown,
of Colorado, who has recently been
detailed by the Santa Fe railroad 10
investigate the Tonopah and Goldfield
district in Nevada with a view to as
certaining it's permanent value as a
mining center. The Santa Fe road
may some day wish to extend its
roads into Nevada and it will certain
ly do so if conditions justify. Incl.
dental to the trip to the mines the
colonel travelled into the great Sal.
ton desert and skirted the edge OF
Death Valley.
Not being satisfied with the report
that the government surveyors had
made regarding the silent hollow
where not an animate thing exists
except the horned toad and the occa.
sional lizard, the expert determined
to investigate for himself.
death valley is not a dried up in.
land sea or lake, in my opinion" said
the colonel. at is an extinct volcano:
one that was so immense that when
it was active it could not have reared
its head above the earth's surface
less than forty miles. It was one OF
the great phenomena of prehistori,
time-time when men did not people
the world, but when all things were
abnormal. according to our latter day
ideas.
Giant trees and giant reptiles
Giant mountains and giant birds thai
flew about their mileshigh peaks
This was the condition of the period
of the life of the Death Valley crater
"Why do draw these conclusions
Well, there is nothing to show tha;
lake or an inland sea ever existed
where is Death Valley The bottom
of the valley is surfaced with a layer
of ashes in which is nothing of the
sediment such as develops after evap
oration of body of water The
edges Of the valley are layers of ashes
and there are traces of these depos
its for hundred miles from the de
preston
Another remarkable proof that the
valley was once a great volcano are
the deep springs eXtant there. T
Taylor in San Francisco Call.
Fergus County argus., 1905-09-08
A Word to Wool Growers,

CThe following is furnished by the
Northwestern News Bureau of the
Northern Pacific railroad:)
Butte, Mont, Sept. 1.-Of great i'm
portance to the wool growers of Mon
tana is the proposition to give to the
Interstate Commerce Commission
power to fix freight rates. Started
by DETERMINATIONS, against which
such furor is being raised, the de-
velopment of the sheep-raising indus
try on an increasing and profitable
scale is dependent upon continuation
OF the schedules which have made the
marketing of wool possible.
The peril lies in the fact that a
straight distance tariff will be the
ultimate result of government rate
making. How else can the Interstate
Commerce Commission solve the puz-
Zle when producers of the east shall
claim their right to advantages over
the west because of being closer TO
the markets?
But although the practice of dis
eliminating between localities" is for
hidden to the government, it is not
impossible to the railroads To this
fact is due the establishment by the
transcontinental trunk lines of rates
favorable to the great west. Deprive
| the roads of the privilege of fixing
their schedules so as to increase ship
ments on their own lines and substi
tute for this plan a fiat rate of Sc
much per ton per mile and the ship
! pers of Montana would stand little
/ show against those of Ohio. for in
stance, in competing for world nnr
! kets.
What this would mean for Chouteau
county is seen by reference to its
! wool shipments. 1t is the banner
sheep county of the state, there being
a total of 69S,S25 head. valued at 81
! 402,41S within its borders. This is
about Is per cent of the total sheer
interests of the commonwealth. In
the entire state the wool production
for 1903 was 39,76S,463 pounds. This
brought an average price of 14;e
cents, the total being $o,766,427.l4
Fergus County argus., 1905-09-08
No Unpleasant Effects.

If you ever took De Wits little
Early Risers for biliousness or con.
stlpatlon you know what pill pleasure
is. Ihese famous little pills cleanse
the liver and rid the system of all
bile without producing unpleasant ef-
fects. Justice Of the Peace Adam
Shook, New Lisbon, Ind, says: "Some
three years ago had spell of grip
and felt outdone and I happened to
get trial box of De Wits Little
Early Risers and they gave me
strength and muscle" They do not
grippe or make you feel sick. Sold by
Wilson & McKechnie. De.
Fergus County argus., 1905-09-08
Montana's Assessment Roll,

Helena. Sept. 7.-Clerk Ryan of the
state board of equalization has given
out the following figures in relation to
the resources of the state as furnished
by the assessment rolls from the var
ious counties:
Real estate, $96,ss6.s5o; live stock,
sonal property, $44,SO8,335: total,
$173,437,727.
The total value of railroad property
in the state is as follows:
Value of railroads. $36,S74.611; to-
tai for the entire state, $2O9,912,340;
increase over 1904, $8,164,277.
Fergus County argus., 1905-09-08

Practically every ounce of this was
shipped out Of the state.
IN view OF these figures it is evident
that We can scarcely afford to imperll
our prosperity by acceding to the pro-
posal to tie the hands of the railroads,
we are too far from the worlds mar
kets for that.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
ITALIANS IN COTTON FIELDS.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
 Italian colonies from Sicily have been To- cated in Louisiana, and information from that state is that they are successful in handling the cotton crop. It is declared that these foreigners can do the work as well as any other people. On one planta- ton in Concordia parish there Is an Ital- Ian colony of thirty-five families who are doing the work on $50 acres, and the owner of the plantation has sent to Sicily for ten more families. This Is one of the peculiar evolutons of labor in this country. There is plenty of 1t at home, but 1t doesn't seem to be available fer the sort of work there Is to do The field laborers of the south, as they used to be, seem to be no more. Perhaps they are going to school. or running for the legislature. or trying to be ''gentlemen's gentlemen" or lounging about the joints" on the leves waiting for some thing to turn up." How long will it be before the Italian laborers get so far advanced that 1t will be necessary to send for undeveloped foreigners to get the crops in?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
SOMETHING DOING IN CHICAGO.

From the ---.o State Journal A death every 15 minutes. A birth every minutes and 27 sec- onds.
 A murder every 70 hours.
 A suicide every IS hours.
 A serious accident, necessitat.ng nurse 8 or physicians care every minutes. A fatal accident every hours. A case of assault and battery every 26 minutes.
 A burglary every 8 hoNxs.
 A hold-up every hours.
 A disturbance of the peace, to attract attention, every 6 seconds.
 A larceny every 20 minutes An arrest every 2 minutes and 80 sec- onds.
 A fire every hour.
 An arrest for drunkenness every 15 minutes.
 A marriage every 20 minutes A case for the coroner every hours. A new building completed every hour and 15 minutes.
 A railroad passenger train arrives every 56 seconds.
 Sixty passengers, suburban and through arrive every second at railway stations Seventeen thousand gallons of water a minute pals through the 1900 miles of city water mains.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
IN HOTEL LOBBlES
An Efficient Deputy.

Jefferson county lost one oi us most efficient deputies in the resignation or George W. courson, which took effect several days ago. said Chief Deputy and Acting Sheriff Albert stradford yester- day.
 MT. Courson had knaek for appre- hending and running down criminals that made him a most valuable deputy. lie was one of the most fearless men on the force. and would not hesitate to ap- rroach a dangerous criminal single handed. His long residence here had given him the opportunity to make many friends and l venture to say that few men in this city are acquainted with more people.
 MT Courson became a member of the Jefferson county sheriff's force ten years ago. After rendering almost invaluable service for that length of time, he has resigned to accept a more remunerative position.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
Money for the Public Schools.

Money for the puDllc SCHOOLS.
 Tn round figures there is or will be when the fiscal year Is ended Septem- Der 30, surplus in the state treasury of fully seven hundred and fifty thous- and dollars. and Governor Jelks pro- poses to call an extra session of the legislature for the purpose of securing legislation, if possible, that will turn the money over to the public schools.
 The public schools. especially of the rural districts, certainly need help. Their terms as rule are short, and their schoolhouses are wretchedly poor. Tn whatever way the money is given to the public schools it will be money well expended.
 But unless a like appropriation is voted every year, the school districts will not know how to plan or what to expect. A single spasmodic appropria- ton would not in other words be very beneficial The indications are, how ever, that the increasing valuations for tax purposes in this state will admit of an increased appropriation to the pub lie schools of about three-quarters Of million dollars each year.
 A permanent addition of that amount to the public school funds would give every district in this state nine months of school, and no one can overestimate the good nine months each year of public education would do for the vast number of boys and girls in this state. Governor Jelks is right when he pro poses to turn the treasury surplus over to the public schools. It could not go where 1t is more needed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
Condition of City's Finances.

Tho first three months of thls clty's fiscal year show decrease in expenses and a gain in receipts over the oorre- spending months of last year. The gain is just about s22.o0o, and the hope is held out by Mayor Ward that even better statement may be reasonably anticipated at the end of the second quarter of the year. If so, the city will soon bid goodbye to deficits and begin to become accustomed to surpluses. The change, however, will not take place at onoe,
 In the months of May, June and July expenses were cut down to $S1, ,446, as against $95,139 In the first quarter of the previous year. The gain to the treasury was s13,639. How was this creditable and fortunate result accom- plished? In what directions was econ omy practiced? Mayor Ward should tell us how he saved to the city s19,693 in three months. His methods should be reported in detail, and filed away for ready reference and frequent use.
 The decrease in expenses is more re- marlSable than the increase in receipts, although the latter have grown to the extent of $S457 when compared with the receipts of the previous May, June and July.
 The figures of May, June and July are great credit to Mayor Ward, and if he maintains his present pace he will not only create a new record, but he will become standard by which other mayors can be judged. The fig ures for August, September and Octo- Der will be awaited with interest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
No Extra Session.

The Presidents proposed call for an extra session of Congress has disap- peared altogether It was postponed from September to October. from Octo- Der to November, and now official news comes from the Philippines that It has been abandoned altogether.
 It is another case of the steady con trol of the standpatters of various sorts over a President who means well, but who is exceedingly impulsive. What ever the President accomplishes he de- sires to do at once, and the under mining of the Aldriches and Knoxes of the Senate wears away his enthusiasm.
 His annual message may be full of lively recommendations touching the canal, the tariff, the trusts and the con trol of railroads, insurance companies and the like, but 1t is plain that his desire to push measures through Con- gress has become perceptibly less. He has been tired out. The interests op- posed to his good intentions are fight ing for delay, and they will interpose anything that comes to hand which will serve the purposes of postponement.
 The standpatters are already claim ing a victory, and no doubt they will secure one. No one now anticipates any valuable reforms at the hands of the republican party. It will stand by the measures it has put upon the coun. try, and the people will get no relief until they turn the entire outfit out bag and baggage.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
Mississippi City.

The yellow fever situation is still hopeful. The disease is confined to Louisiana except in one instance. Mis- sissippi City, near Gulfport, about seventy miles from Mobile, has had eleven cases all told, the first case oc- curing there on July 20. At present there are four cases in Mississippi City. All the towns on the coast are quar- antined against the infected point, and all are indignant at the suppression of information at Mississippi City.
 The cases at Mississippi City will be faithfully reported hereafter, and 1t is not believed any infection will spring from them. The concealment of the disease was very culpable, and the men who did it may yet be punished by the authorities in Governor Vardaman's state.
 The effort to keep the disease from spreading beyond the New Orleans dis trict depends now largely upon the fight against it which has been begun at Mississippi City. Dr. Wasdin of the marine hospital service expresses the opinion that he will be able to stamp out the disease at Mississippi City.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
MT. comer's Vacation.

B. B. Conner, the president of the Ala bama state railroad commission, will leave Birmingham this morning for a visit of ten days at Tate Springs, in Tennessee. On the trip MT. Conner will be accompanied by Mrs. Conner.
 MT Conner had planned to go to Brit ish Columbia to shoot big game the lat ter part of August or early in Septem- Der. Recent political developments, how ever, have made it clear to the presi- dent of the state railroad commission that, in point of magnitude at least, there is game in Alabama sufficiently big to satisfy the zest of the most ambitious sportsman.
 MT. Conner will return to Birmingham September 1 and thereafter, it is reported on high authority, he will begin hunt" that is not likely to end till early in April, 1906.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
A Negro Hero.

There is one negro in Alabama who is hero and I am going to present him with medal in token of his exhlbi- tion of bravery" said Dr. W. H. San dsrs. president of the state board of health, last night 'Wesley Collins, the negro I speak of, was the only person in or near Moundvlle whom we could persuade to aid us in interring the for eigner who died there this morning of malarial fever
 "The report had been spread all over that portion of ths country that this Italian or Syrian had yellow fever. As everyone knows, I went down there with several other physicians to diagnose the case. We found that it was malarial fever although at first there were some evidences of yellow fever Frequently in the earlier stages of the disease the conditions are similar and it is hard to decide definitely.
 Well, after we had held an autopsy we wanted the hody buried. We tried to get white people or negroes to dig the grave, but we could not get a man, woman or child within half a mile of the house where the body was lying. We finally determined to dig the grave our selves and had started out to do so, when this one negro volunteered his services.
 "I think that negro showed remark able amount of bravery and l am going to give him medal of some kind in recognition of his act. He deserves one"